ZANE

Shadow Warriors:

Book NINE

By Mary Kennedy

Copyright © 2026 by Mary Kennedy

All rights reserved.

This book is a work of fiction.  The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be constructed as real.  Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales, or organizations is entirely coincidental.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Contents

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

CHAPTER NINETEEN

CHAPTER TWENTY

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

CHAPTER THIRTY

EXCERPT for COOPER

MAP - BELLE FLEUR & COTTAGE ASSIGNMENTS

CABIN ASSIGNMENTS

SERIES AND FAMILY GUIDE

OTHER BOOKS BY MARY KENNEDY YOU MIGHT ENJOY!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

CHAPTER ONE

Zane Miller and his brothers were in a certain kind of hell.  The kind that wasn’t going to go away on its own.  There was no one coming to save them so if they didn’t do it themselves, it was never going to happen.

As the oldest of the seven brothers, Zane took his job seriously.  He and Monty were the closest, working with their father on the community business dealings.  They didn’t understand them fully but they knew it wasn’t legal if they weren’t allowed to speak with anyone about the business.

No one except their mother.  A horrible woman with a vile, mean streak a mile wide.  She was heavy with a body odor that told you when she was coming.  For Zane and his brothers that was a good thing.  Except no one cared what she did to them. 

She didn’t touch them sexually.  No, she only beat them nearly to death in front of everyone to let the rest of the compound know what happens when you don’t do what Mrs. Miller wants you to do.

Her name was Florence but no one dared to call her that.  Zane didn’t know why, and neither did Monty.  On this night, neither of them cared.

The job seemed simple.  Drive the animals and the skins down, get the money and drive back.  Except their plan was to get the money and disappear.  They would return at a later time for their younger brothers.

But as with most things involving Florence Miller, it didn’t go as planned.  The men she’d hired to buy the animals said they weren’t there for the animals.  They were there for Zane and Monty.

Outnumbered, Zane was secured to a pole inside an old shed and then heard the men giving instructions to his brother.  He’d be given a five-minute headstart and then he would be hunted.

When the last of the ATVs pulled away from the shed, Zane began pushing on the metal pole until he discovered a space at the top that allowed him to get free.  Then. He ran.

There was no doubt in his mind that Monty was gone.  He was slower than Zane and not as smart, something Zane attributed to Mrs. Miller.  He’d been hit in the head so many times it was a shock that he was even alive.

He kept telling himself that he’d go back for the other boys and every time he tried, he was too frightened to go.  Until he’d gotten a call.

“Monty and Zane Miller were born in Pleasanton, California a year apart.  They are now twenty-six and twenty-seven, respectively.  Their parents were both teachers at a private Christian school but retired early, saying that teaching was taking a toll on them.

“They moved to Nebraska about the same time as Saylor’s family, all their assets were sold and liquidated.  It appears that Mrs. Miller came from an affluent family and never really needed to work.  She took all the money they had and made sure their home was much larger than the others to accommodate the boys.”

“What about the abuse?” asked Remington.  “Whipping kids with a belt out in the open so others see, that’s not okay in my book.”

“It’s not okay to any of us,” said Ham.  “Shep?  Why would she do that?”

“To show that she was in control and she was the one with the power.  She wanted other children to see what could happen to them if they disobeyed and she was most likely using her own children to send the message.”

“That’s fucking cold,” said Gator.

“It is and it happens too often.  Parents wanting to prove that they aren’t raising children who are out of control or have no discipline.  This woman obviously took it too far, way too far.  Do we know where the boys are now?”

“Men.  They’re grown men,” said Hiro.  “Miller is a very common surname so we’re still searching for them.  We know that they purchased a used Ford F150 pick-up truck outside of Lincoln, Nebraska.  They possessed no credit cards but might very well have had cash.”

“Considering what we know about the mother, that’s possible,” nodded Gator.

“Hey, I’ve found Zane Miller.  His name appeared on a lease agreement in Santa Fe six months ago,” said AJ.

“No brother?” asked Remington.

“Not on the lease.  I have a phone number for him.  Do you want me to connect?” asked AJ.

“Do it,” said Ham.  They waited as AJ dialed the number.  It rang nine times before someone finally answered.

“H-hello?”

“Is this Zane Miller?” asked Remington.

“Wh-who is this?” he stuttered.

“Mr. Miller, I mean no harm to you.  My name is Remington.  I’m married to Saylor Carver.  The former Saylor Carver.”

“Are you in the compound?” he asked.

“No.  I assure you we are not.  Is your brother with you?” he asked.

“You know about my brother?”

“Saylor told me that you had a brother and the two of you left the compound.  She’s safe, Zane.  Are you safe?”

“As long as you don’t give this number to them, I’m safe,” he said.

“Do they have access to a computer?” asked AJ knowing how easily they might find him.

“Yes but they’re not very good with it.  They believe everyone is watching them and they’re right.  Everyone should be watching them.”

“Zane, can you tell us what happened with your brother?” asked Remington.

“We left the compound together, promising to come back after, after we made the sale.”

“The sale?” asked Ham.

“Y-yes.  It was the sale from the hunt.  Except we got there and they wanted to hunt us.  I was left in a shed, chained to a pole, and they took Monty, stripped him and told him they’d give him a five-minute head start.  It wasn’t fair.  There were dozens of them.  We were just supposed to drop the merchandise but they were pissed because there was nothing to hunt.”

“Back up, son,” said Ham.  “What were you selling them?”

“Hides.  Animal hides.  Bears, cougars, beaver, wolverine, horses, we even had a few zebras and an elephant.”

“Where on earth would you have gotten those skins?” asked Remington.

“God,” he whispered, his voice cracking.  “I forget that Saylor would have never seen it.  They own more land than the compound.  It’s north, at the border of South and North Dakota.  They buy up animals from zoos and wildlife places and then offer them up for the hunt.

“Monty and me were supposed to sell the hides to this man, except he didn’t want the hides, he wanted to hunt.”

“How did you get away?” asked Remington.

“The pole was attached to the floor with bolts but it was loose at the top.  I shimmied up and swung my hands over the top of the pole.  Then I took off, running as fast as I could.  I didn’t stop.  Not for two days or two nights.  When I got to a phone, I called home.  I was crying, begging them to send someone for me.”

“What did they say, son?” asked Ham.

“They said I was on my own.  That I’d broken the deal.  A deal?  My brother was dead because of them.”

“So, they’re not gathering weapons for a war or for some survivalist theory?” asked Remington.

“God, no,” he laughed.  “No.  They lend the weapons to the hunters, sometimes sell them.” 

“One of them said that Saylor was the chosen one,” said Gator.  “What does that mean?”

“Th-they got a new idea for the girls, the daughters on the property.  They were going to offer them up to the hunters.  For entertainment.  If they got pregnant, they would keep the babies.  If they didn’t, the hunters were allowed to hunt them.  I’m ashamed of myself.  I’m ashamed I didn’t call the police sooner or go back and try to save my brothers.  Are they alive?”

“We don’t know son, but we’re going to find out for you.  Are you safe where you are?” they asked.

“Yes, sir.  I work on the reservation.  No one gets on the property without them knowing about it.  Like I said, the people at the compound are not very good with a computer and they don’t want the kids to be good at it either.  Is, is Saylor okay?  Was she hurt?” he asked.

“She’s perfect.  We’re happily married and have a family of our own now,” said Remington filling with pride.

“Don’t let them get to her.  She was worth a lot of money to the hunters.  They usually come in groups of three or four.  They use one of the daughters, or a girl that they kidnap from a nearby town.  The compound wants the babies, the hunters want to chase the girls.”

“How fucked up is this?” muttered Gator.

“Pretty fucked up, sir.  Will you tell Saylor I’m glad she’s okay and to stay away from them?  They’re all crazy, certifiably crazy.”

“I’ll tell her,” said Remington.  “Our man is going to give you some contact information if you ever need help from us, let us know.”  Gator stepped forward and leaned toward the phone, clearing his throat.

“One more thing Zane.  Where are the animals kept?”

CHAPTER TWO

Those men saved his life and one brother.  Jeremiah.  Although as it turned out, none of them were biological brothers.  When they arrived to take the compound down, Florence had killed the other boys, so Zane killed her.

No questions were asked.  No one wanted to know who actually pulled the trigger.  It was done and the world was better for not having Florence Miller alive and breathing.

It was weeks before Jeremiah could get up and move around properly.  The men and women at Belle Fleur had been more than kind to the two young men.  They were offered opportunities for physical training, educational opportunities and jobs.

Jeremiah would need a lot of therapy.  Although to be honest, so would Zane.  He felt at fault for the loss of the younger boys and for not saving Jeremiah from the beatings he’d received.

Physically, Zane was always the biggest of the boys.  He was strong, muscles built from hard work on the compound and doing their parents bidding.  He’d been so naïve about everything that happened, everything that was going on at the compound.  The opportunity to learn was like giving a dying man a gallon of water and telling him to sip.

He just couldn’t.

Gator, Cowboy, Ham, and the others would find him late at night in the library of the big house.  Sometimes there would be five or six books open in front of him.  Other times, he’d be sound asleep in one of the leather chairs with one book spread across his chest.

When he was given the opportunity to work on the property, he chose to work with the animals.

“I feel like it’s a good thing for me to do considering what I allowed to happen,” he said staring at Gator.

“Zane, it wasn’t your fault what happened.  You and your brothers were just trying to stay alive.  Mind games and manipulation are horrible tortures that the world doesn’t talk about.”

“I read about them.  In one of the books in the library.  Things that Hitler got people to believe in, even when they knew it was wrong.  There were others.  Lots of them.  How does that happen?” he asked innocently for a man in his late twenties.

“I wish I knew the answer to that question, son.  I just don’t.  I love that you want to learn and if you want to, we can get you enrolled in formal classes for college.”

“Maybe,” he nodded.  “Right now I’m kind of enjoying learning on my own and reading at my own pace.  Jeremiah seems to be doing well.”

“He does,” nodded Ham.  “The doctors say that he’s doing very well.  Did you know he’s asked about attending college?”

The men watched Zane’s face as he nodded, biting his lower lip.

“Yes, sirs.  He said he wanted to go away to school.  Maybe somewhere on the west coast or something.”

“How do you feel about that?” asked Gator.

“I want him to be happy.  He deserves that.  I can see where looking at me every day makes him feel worse than he already does.  I’m sure he’s wondering why I didn’t save him.”

“That’s not how I feel at all,” said Jeremiah walking toward them.  “I just want to prove that I can make it in the world on my own.  These wonderful people are giving me that chance and I just want to try, Zane.”

“You don’t blame me?” he asked looking down.

“Blame you?  For a psychotic woman that stole us from our real mothers?  No, there was nothing any of us could have done.  They were all willing to follow her.  All of them.  I just want to follow my dreams now.”

“What do you want to do?” asked Cowboy.

“There’s a mechanics school, it’s famous, out in Arizona.  I want to get certified on custom engines for cars and motorcycles.  Gunner said I could come back here and work at the shop afterwards, if I wanted to.”

“I think that sounds amazing,” smirked Ham.

“Me too,” smiled Zane.  “If that’s what you want, I think it’s amazing as well.”

It was difficult to watch Jeremiah leave but Zane was truly happy for him.  He’d been reading on his own and learning about all sorts of things.  The irony of it all was that he’d learned the animals were his true love. 

They didn’t hate just to hate.  They didn’t judge.  They were loving and kind, and what he’d learned was that many had been damaged, just like him. 

By the following week, Jeremiah was packed up and moved to Arizona.  The team found him a small efficiency apartment close to the school and made sure he had money in the bank if he needed it.  One way or another, the boy was going to make it.

CHAPTER THREE

“We’ve got several loads of feed coming in today, Zane,” said Sniff.  “Do you mind handling that for me?  I need to get out to the elephants and see how they’re settling in.”

“No sir, don’t mind at all.”

Two of the loads arrived before the sun even fully rose above the bayou.  The heat of summer was oppressive, the mosquitoes and other bugs out in droves.  The good thing was that you could always count on the afternoon rain coming between two and four, drenching everything, cooling it down for just a little while, before sizzling back to insufferable temperatures.

Zane didn’t mind it so much but it seemed like the animals were dying from the heat, or at least some of them.  They knew to get into the water when it became too much and he loved watching them play.  He’d become particularly fond of Semu, learning sign language on his own so that they could communicate.

A year ago, you would have never convinced him that the wisest person he’d ever known, was in fact, not a person at all but a gorilla who wanted to mother him to death.  And he loved it.

Walking back toward the front of the island, he stopped as a truck backed up to the dock area.  The deliveries were to be made on the dock, on the opposite side of the pedestrian bridge.  ATVs would then pick up the loads and take them where they needed to be.

He was surprised when the figure of a woman appeared from the truck.  She went right to work and he just kept staring, thinking a male might get out of the vehicle with her.

Zane watched as the woman began unloading the feed for the animals.  She wore khaki cargo shorts, cinched with a belt and a tank top that showed her beautiful curves and hard-earned muscles.  She had fiery red hair that glistened in the sun.

But what he noticed more than anything, from this distance, were the bruises on her legs and arms.

“Let me help you,” he said jogging towards her.  She dropped the bag of feed, surprised that he was running toward her.  He skidded to a halt.  “Whoa, I’m sorry.”

“N-no.  I’m sorry,” she said.  “I didn’t recognize you but I know if you’re on the island you belong here.”

“I’m new or at least kind of new,” he said bending to pick up the bag of feed.  “My name is Zane.”

“Zane.  It’s nice to meet you.”  He smiled at her and chuckled, shaking his head.

“This is usually where you say, ‘I’m…” 

She gave a frightened smile and he wondered why that would be frightening to her.  He knew about bruises and he knew when someone was being abused.  This girl, this woman, was being abused.

“Sorry.  I just assume they all know me here.  I’m Blake.”

“Nice to meet you, Blake.  As I said, I’m new here but my brother and I plan to stay.  Or we did.  He’s gone off to school for a while.  I’ll be helping with the animals, my real love,” he laughed.

“Me too,” she said with a serious expression.  “I tend to like the animals better than humans.  They’re more honest.”

The walkie talkie at her hip squawked and she jumped, grabbing it.

“I’m coming.  I’m just finishing the last of it.”

“Get your ass back here or you know what’s good for you.”  Zane frowned as her face flushed and she rushed to get the last bag.

“I have to go,” she said.  “Nice meeting you.”

“Wait a minute.  I understand what you’re going through.  I had an abusive mother.  I can help,” he said.  She stared at him, shaking her head.

“No, you can’t.  And it’s not my parent.  It’s my husband.”

He watched the woman pull away in the pick-up truck, just staring at the feed she’d stacked on the dock.

“Everything okay, Zane?” asked Sniff.

“I don’t think so.  Do you know that woman?” he asked.

“Blake?  Yeah, she’s new but we referred her to a company that provides most of our feed.  She’s been great.  Why?”

“I think she’s being abused by her husband,” he said quietly.

“Her husband?  I wasn’t aware that she was married,” frowned Luke.  “To be honest, Zane, we found her on the compound in the Dakotas with some other women.  I know for a fact she has veterinary experience and that’s why we referred her to the Feed Store, the company we’ve been doing business with.”

“The walkie talkie went off and he told her to get her ass back as soon as possible.  She had bruises on her legs and arms.  I recognize those bruises.  When I told her I had an abusive parent, she said it was her husband.” (Zane didn’t ask about her boss. He told her he had had an abusive mother.)

Sniff frowned, still looking at the dust cloud the truck had created.

“Come on.  Let’s get this put away and we need to speak with Ham and the others.  She might have gone from the frying pan into the fire.”

CHAPTER FOUR

“She wasn’t married when we gave her the referral to the Feed Store,” said Ham.  Zane looked down at the receipt for the food and then back at the others. 

“This isn’t from the Feed Store,” he frowned.  “I didn’t even look at it.  It’s from a company called Wild Feed.”

“We don’t do business with them,” frowned Gator.  “Hiro?  Call Tom down at the Feed Store and find out what the hell is happening.”  Hiro nodded, turning back to his cave.

“She looked scared and those bruises were varying ages,” said Zane.  “I’ve become somewhat of an expert with them over the years.”

“Hey, Gator?  Feed Store answered as Wild Feed.  When I asked for Tom, they said he died and the store went to his nephew.”

“We would have heard if Tom died.  He’s been around these parts for years.”

“No obituary that I can find,” said AJ.

“I think we go introduce ourselves,” said Ham.

The drive to the Feed Store was only about fifteen minutes but you would have thought they were preparing for war on the western front with as many men as were in the vehicle.

There were a couple of cars in the parking lot and that struck them all as odd.  Unless you were picking up feed for a dog or cat, you would generally need a pick-up truck or flatbed.  Not a sporty, two-door, coupe.

“Something is wrong,” said Ham.  When they reached the door, they heard it.

“You were supposed to get right back here!” screamed a man.  The sound of a slap resonated in the room and Zane tried to push forward.  Cowboy held him back, shaking his head and pointing down the aisle.

“I-I did come back.  It took me a minute to drop the feed,” said a familiar voice.

“You fucking bitch,” said another male. “Knew you’d be trouble.  Guess we just have to teach…”

“Teaching someone something?” asked Gator. 

At six-feet-six Gator was not a man you would mistake for easy to overcome.  To top that with the size of Ham, Cowboy, Matt, and Christopher, the three men in the shop suddenly stilled.

“Hey, friend, we didn’t see you come in,” said the man behind the counter.  He was still gripping the woman’s arm and Ham stared at him.

“Looks like you’re hurting your employee.  Let her go,” he said calmly.

“She ain’t my employee, bitch is my wife and I can treat her how I like,” he snarled.

“Well,” said Christopher, “you can either let her go all by yourself or I can make you let her go and you won’t like how that ends.”

The man stared at the woman, then back at the group of men.  Before he could think twice, he let go of her, shoving her to the floor.  He thought she’d stay but instead, Zane was there to pick her up and pull her back.

“Where’s Tom?” asked Ham.

“Ain’t here no more.  I’m his nephew.  He left the place to me.”  The man smirked at him and the other two did as well.

“You three have got to be the worst liars on the planet but if you decide to take up poker, let me know.  Now, I know that Tom wasn’t your uncle because Tom had no nieces and nephews.  He had one daughter who served in the Gulf War, died in the line of duty.  That was it.”

“People surprise folks all the time,” said one of the men quietly.

“Blake?  You okay, honey?” asked Ham.

“No, sir,” she said.  “I had no idea you all were in the area.”

“Are you this man’s wife?”  She nodded.  “By force?”  She nodded again.

“You fucking bitch liar!” yelled the man who’d abused her when they walked in.  Gator slammed his fist into his face so hard, he wasn’t sure the man would ever get up.  Nor did he care.

“I-I asked you for a referral and I spoke to Tom.  He was wonderful.  He said for me to come down and I could work here part-time while attending vet school.  Except when I got here, he wasn’t here.  Those three were.  He said if I didn’t marry him, they’d blame me for Tom’s death and all three of them would use me.

“I tried to call you but they took my phone, took everything from me.  They made me wear this stupid walkie-talkie that they could track me on.  I’m sorry,” she said looking up at Zane, “I wanted to tell you.  You seemed nice.”

“It’s okay,” he nodded holding her beneath his arm and slightly behind him.  Zane didn’t quite have the muscle mass as the other men but he was tall, physically well-built and was a man used to using his hands, mostly in self-defense.

“I’m going to ask one more time,” said Ham pulling the man up off the floor and slamming him against the wall.  “Where is Tom?”

The room suddenly exploded in a roar of gun fire and animal feed, spilling the contents all over the floors.  Zane pushed Blake to the ground, covering her with his body as the others swarmed toward the windows.

Two of the men who had worked at the store were lying in pools of their own blood, the third was gasping for air against the wall.

Before they could make their way outside, the two pick-up trucks raced down the road and disappeared around the bend.

They slowly stood, staring at the mess made by the gunfire. The man against the wall was taking short, raspy breaths.

“Who are you working for?” asked Ham.  The hissing sound of air leaving his lungs but not returning made them all know he was about to die.  “Who?”

“Ca-  Ca-,” he whispered the last syllables of his life.  Ham looked at the others and nodded.

“Call the sheriff and coroner, then call home for help.” 

CHAPTER FIVE

Blake turned the glass of water several times then nervously refilled it and drank it all in one gulp, as if she hadn’t had water in days.

“Honey, let me look at you,” said Marnie.  Willa smiled at the young woman, taking the glass from her hands.  Marnie examined the bruises and cuts on her body, all consistent with physical abuse.

“Blake, did they rape you?” she asked softly.

“Yes,” she said matter-of-factly.  “I tried to run.  I couldn’t believe it.  I’d escaped potential trafficking in one city and here I was walking into it in another.  What’s the record for shit luck?”

“Around here,” smirked Willa, “maybe four or five times.”  Blake just stared at her and then shook her head.

“I wanted to tell that guy this morning, Zane, I wanted to tell him to help me but I knew they would harm the animals if I did.  That was always their threat with me.  That and my student loan debt.”

“What about your student loan debt?” asked Marnie.

“They had these documents that said I’d taken money from Tom to pay my debts.  It was all a lie.  I knew that but Tom was gone, dead I think and there was no way for me to prove it.  He said he’d make it go away if I just married him.  How could I have been so stupid?”

“You weren’t stupid, honey.  You were desperate.  There’s a difference.”  Marnie pulled the sheet up over her and patted her arm.  “The wounds are all healing and it doesn’t appear that anything was broken.”

“Thank you,” she said nodding as she sat up.  “What do I do now?  Where do I go?”

“You stay here,” said Willa.  “Our legal team is going to get the marriage annulled and you’ll have a safe place to stay here.  Lucy and Sniff are going to hire you to work with the animals here and help you finish your veterinary schooling.”

“Wh-what?  Why?  Why would you do that for me?”

“We’re kind of responsible for getting you into this mess,” said Marnie.  “Ham wanted me to tell you that.  He regrets not getting you here safely himself.”

“It wasn’t his fault.  None of it was.  I have no family except a stepfather that annoys the hell out of me when he needs money.  I knew I needed to leave the area.  I just wanted to be able to finish my schooling and get a job.  It was harder than I thought.  I had no money, no prospects, and no way to get back into school.  It was like a recurring nightmare that got worse and worse every damn night.”

“There’s a shower behind that door and clean clothes in there for you.  We can get your things when you’re ready but for now, we have plenty for you.  When you’re done, just step outside and the others will speak with you.”

Marnie and Willa walked into the hallway and saw the group of men waiting at the other end.  Willa stayed behind while Marnie moved toward them.

“How is she?” asked Ham.

“She’s doing surprisingly well.  No broken bones but plenty of bruises, cuts, lots of signs of abuse.  She was sexually assaulted by at least one of the men, if not all three.  She’s blaming herself.”

“That seems normal,” said Gator.  “Maybe a few rounds with Shep will help.”

“It’s mandatory,” said Marnie looking at them.  “Shep will see her starting tomorrow.”

“Is she able to answer our questions?” asked Ham.

“Yes,” said the soft voice behind them.  “I can answer any questions you have if you promise not to judge me.”

“There is zero judgment here, honey.  We just want to know what they were actually doing in that place.  But first, let’s get you some dinner.  I feel like you could use a good meal,” said Gator.

“Thank you.  Thank you all.  Especially, you,” she said looking at Zane.  “I appreciate you protecting me like you did.  No one has ever done that for me before.”

“It was no problem,” he said blushing.  “If you’ll follow me, I’ll get you to dinner and that dress looks nice on you.”

“Thanks,” she said nodding at him nervously.  They watched as Zane and Blake walked toward the back exit and the ATVs.

“What are the odds of that happening?” frowned Christopher.

“Around here?” smirked Cowboy.  “About fifty-fifty.”

Blake couldn’t believe the number of people in the cafeteria.  Zane helped her to carry her tray back to their seat and they sat quietly for a little while.

“Are you from here?” she finally asked.

“No,” he smirked.  “It will seem ironic, but I ran from my family in Nebraska.  They were running a compound that was injuring animals…”

“…and taking women,” she whispered.

“Yep.  I had run away but I should have reported them sooner.  I had brothers, seven of them.  Only one is still alive.”

“God, I’m so sorry,” she said staring up at him.  He shook his head, fighting back tears.

“I tried to save them.  I was just too late and I vowed to never be late again,” he said taking a bite of the shrimp remoulade salad.  It had become one of his favorites.

“I’m such a mess,” she said exhaling and leaning back in the chair.  “I thought I had my life together.  I thought I’d be the first person in my family with a college degree.  Then suddenly I was standing in front of that man over there.  Matt.

“We’d like to ask you a few questions,” said Matt.  “We won’t hurt you.  We want to find these men.”

“I hope you cut their dicks off,” said one of the girls.  She had flaming red hair and enormous blue eyes, almost too large for her small face.  Her nails were chipped, the peach nail polish nearly gone.

“Believe me, it’s on my list of tactics to use,” said Matt.  “How did they get you out here?”

“We were all asked to interview for a job on a large ranch.  We’ve had experience working in animal shelters, zoos, that sort of thing.  I’m in my final year of school to become a veterinarian.”

“Did you all come out here together?” he asked.

“They said the road out here was rough and they’d have someone pick us up and take us back.  We were all stupid enough to believe that,” she frowned.

“Did they hurt you?” he asked gently.  She swallowed, shaking her head.

“No, but it was made clear that was their intention.  We were going to be given to the ranch guests to do with as they wished.  We could either cooperate or they’d tie us to the beds.  When the man over there found us, we were trying to dig out of the cellar.”

Matt nodded, giving a grin at the young women.

“You’re all very brave and the kind of women we’ve all married.  Strong, intelligent, and fighters.  Good for you,” he said.  “We’re going to leave you our contact information.  If you need help while this is playing out, just call us.”

“Thanks,” she said taking the sheet of paper.  “I’m Blake.  That’s Lula, Oona, and Pia.  She’s an exchange student from Spain.  I doubt she’s going to hang around for the trial.  She wants to go home.”

“We can make sure she gets home,” said Matt.  “We’ll have our legal team help her to give her deposition and any testimony ahead of whatever trial might be coming.”

“You act as though there may not be a trial?” she frowned.  JB stared at the woman and then stepped closer, speaking softly.

“Blake, if we have our way, I can assure you there will be no one left to put on trial when we’re done.”

“I heard that!” said the sheriff.  Matt turned to him and glared at him.

“No, you didn’t.”

“I laughed for the first time in months.  Months.  When the legal team here called and said there would be no reason for a deposition, I was more than relieved.  I thought, ‘well, it’s all over’.  I was so damn wrong.”

“You weren’t wrong,” said Zane.  “Your timing was wrong but you weren’t wrong.”

“They had those papers and they looked so real.  Like I’d blackmailed poor Tom for my tuition money.  I didn’t even know the man!  But I was sitting there all alone, staring at those three idiots and I thought, I’ll get out of this.”

“I’m sure you thought you would,” he said staring at her.

“How arrogant of me?” she whispered.

“Not arrogant,” said Jill.  “And the good news is that the marriage was a fraud.  You were not legally married.  We filed the paperwork to ensure its stricken from any records but we don’t believe it ever made it to a legal record book.”

“But why marry me?  I had no money.  I had no ties to Tom.  What purpose did I serve?” she asked with confusion.

“Maybe you provided an appearance of normalcy,” said Ham pulling his chair closer.  “From the outside, it would look as though a mysterious family member and his wife took over the business.  But they weren’t there to run a feed store.”

“That’s for damn sure,” she said.  “They knew nothing of what animals should receive what kind of feed.  They didn’t know anything about animals at all.”

“How do you know?” asked Zane.

“The orders were coming and they were getting them confused.  They would have harmed the animals had I not straightened the orders out.  I made all the major orders from the big suppliers for the same reason.  I wish I had known it was all of you that were my mysterious deliveries.  I would have run across that bridge the first chance I got.”  She shook her head and the others smiled at her.

“You’re here now and no one is going to harm you.  You’ll stay for as long as you like but I know that Lucy and Sniff would like for you to stay and help with the animals,” said Ham.

“Believe me, I’ll take that offer,” she smiled.  “Hey, I don’t know that it matters now but they were supposed to be picking up some big shipment of feed on Saturday night.”

“Where?” asked Ham staring at her sideways.

“I’m not sure which one but one of the docks.  They said it was some kind of exotic feed, which I thought was strange since we hadn’t served any exotic animals.”

“Did you hear or see a name of a ship or a company?” asked Christopher.

“Cerberus.  The name of the company was Cerberus.”

CHAPTER SIX

“Cerberus.  The three headed hell hound that guarded the gates of Hades,” frowned Gator.  They all looked at him, eyebrows raised.  “What?  I know things.”

“I’m afraid I didn’t study mythology,” said Blake.

“I’ve actually been reading a lot about it,” said Zane.  “Cerberus, the legendary hound of Hades, is the monstrous, multi-headed dog that guards the gates of the Greek Underworld.

“His primary duty was to prevent the dead from escaping and to keep the living from entering without divine permission.  He was born to the fearsome monsters Typhon and Echidna, making him sibling to other famous beasts like the Hydra and the Chimera.”

“I’m impressed, Zane.  Go on,” nodded Ham.

“While he’s usually depicted as a three-headed dog, some ancient texts describe him as having up to fifty or even one-hundred heads.  He also possessed a serpent for a tail, a mane of live, writhing snakes, and razor-sharp fangs.

“Cerberus is best known for being successfully bypassed by a select few legendary heroes and mortals.  The hero Heracles was tasked by King Eurystheus to bring Cerberus up from the Underworld as his final, most difficult labor.  He successfully wrestled the beast into submission and brought him to the land of the living before returning him to Hades.

“The musician Orpheus traveled to the Underworld to rescue his wife, Eurydice.  He bypassed Cerberus entirely by playing such beautiful and sorrowful music that the beast fell asleep.  Both figures managed to pass Cerberus by feeding him honey-cakes laced with sedatives.”

“Wasn’t there a love story surrounding Hades?” asked Blake innocently.

“Uh, um, well, yes,” said Zane clearing his throat.  “Hades abducted Persephone, the Goddess of Spring, also his niece.  It’s still up for debate whether or not they fell in love but he did let her leave to see her family and she returned, on her own.  They later married.”

“Sounds like love to me,” smirked Gator.

“Maybe,” blushed Zane.  “But what does the name mean.  Is it a ship?  Is it a business name?  What is it?”

“We’ll look into that.  Is there anything else you overheard or saw that could tell us anything at all?” asked Cowboy.

“Not that I can think of right now.  I came to look at my delivery route as freedom.  They knew exactly how long it should take me to get to the delivery point and how long to unload.”

“What do you mean?” asked Ham.

“Well, to unload dog food only took me sixty-seconds.  For bags of feed for cattle or horses was much longer depending on the size of the place.”

“Why would someone have delivery of a bag of dog food?” frowned Zane.

“They didn’t offer in-store buying any longer.  I mean, if you walked in and wanted to buy something, they would sell it to you but delivery was included in the price.”

“So, they didn’t want anyone coming to the store,” frowned Gator.  “Why?  What was in that store, or what could be in that store that they didn’t want others to see?”

“I wish I could answer that for you.  When I woke up I was forced to make breakfast, clear the table, do the dishes and when I was done the truck was loaded.  I was given a list of delivery stops and an expected return time.”

“The other morning was early,” said Zane.  “Had you had deliveries before then?”

“No.  That was unusual.  They woke me early and said it had to be delivered by seven.  I was to deliver it then come back and get the other deliveries.”

“Someone was there that morning,” said Ham.  “We need to figure out this Cerberus who the hell, or what they hell they are.  Tomorrow we’ll head to the coroner’s office and see if we can find some ID on those three.”

Blake yawned, pushing the plate of food away from her.

“Sorry, I’m exhausted but that was delicious.  I think I have an appointment in the morning with a Dr. Shep?”  Gator nodded at her.

“He specializes in trauma and therapy,” he said softly.

“I figured it would be coming,” she said standing.  The others all stood with her.  “Thank you for everything.  Again.  I don’t know what I would have done.”

“I’ll walk you to your cottage,” said Zane.  She smiled, nodding at the others as she started to walk away.  Ham placed a hand on Zane’s shoulder.

“Go easy, son.  She needs you and if I’m not mistaken, you need her.”

CHAPTER SEVEN

“I can’t believe how many people live here,” she said quietly.

“Yeah, it was a surprise to me as well.  My parents, the people I thought were my parents, lived on a compound where, as you know, they did a lot of illegal things.  One of them was hunting animals.”

Blake said nothing as they walked slowly toward their destination.

“I always wondered why my brothers and I looked nothing alike.  My, Florence, the woman claiming she was my mother, she would steal the babies of unwed mothers.  She was the most brutal, cruel, vicious woman you’d ever meet.

“My brothers and I were expected to do everything to perfection and if we didn’t, we were beaten in the front yard for everyone to see.  She’d strip us, sometimes used a belt, sometimes a rope, it didn’t matter.  Whatever struck her fancy that day is what she’d use.

“Monty and me, my other brother that got away with me at first.  We planned this whole escape.  We were going to make the deliveries, take the money and run.  We would go back for our brothers when we could or report it, we hadn’t decided yet.  When you’re programmed to feel fear all the time, that’s all you feel - fear.

“It was all a trap.  Monty was stripped and told to run.  He had a five-minute head start and then they hunted him.  I knew I was next.  Somehow I got away.  I don’t know how but I did.  I found a small place in New Mexico and I had the protection of the reservation.  That’s when these guys found me.”

“I’m so sorry,” she said touching his upper arm.

“Don’t be.  Everything led me here.  I’ve never experienced so much kindness, so much forgiveness from people in all my life.  And the animals, the animals at the sanctuary are amazing,” he smiled.

“I can’t wait to start working with them,” said smiled.

“This is your cottage,” he said stopped on the path.  “Mine is just over there, so if you need anything, or if you get scared just come running.  But no one gets on this property.  They have cameras everywhere and there are all kinds of security measures in place.”

“They told me,” she smiled nodding.  “Thank you, Zane.  Not just for this but for reaching out to me today.  You were the first sign of someone who actually might care what happened to me.”

“I somehow feel all of this is my fault,” he frowned.

“None of this is your fault.  I know what abuse feels and looks like, Zane.  I’ve experienced it before.  My step-father wasn’t a kind man.  He didn’t touch me, not sexually but he was happy to backhand me or make me sleep on the porch if he thought I was sassy to him and my mother wasn’t there to protect me.

“My mother was terrified of him.  My real father died when I was just a kid, four or five.  Mom married Josh almost right away and my nightmare started.  He had a good job, was seen as a pillar in the community and everyone loved him.  Everyone except me.”

“I’m sorry you had to go through that,” said Zane.

“What do you think the chances are for two abused, battered, damaged people to live a normal life?” she smirked.  Zane started to respond but she shook her head.  “Never mind.  That was rhetorical.  I don’t think there is a chance.  I think I’ll take my chances with the animals.”

She walked up the steps of the cottage and took out the key, opening her door.  She shook her head and smiled down at him.

“This place is so beautiful.”

“So are you,” he said softly.  She stared through the darkness at him but said nothing.  “Just so you know, I think the chances of us having a normal life are as high as we want them to be.  Just a little effort and time and we’ll be just fine.”

“Do you really believe that?” she asked.

“With all my heart.  Good night, Blake.”

“Good night, Zane.” 

He waited until she was inside and the sounds of the locks engaged.  When there was just one light on, he walked to his own cottage and went inside.  He made himself a glass of Claudette’s famous peach iced tea and then sat out on the porch, listening to the cicadas and frogs in the bayou.

A little while later, he heard shuffling on the gravel path and looked up to see Blake.  She was wearing a pair of running shorts and a tank top, her feet in flip-flops.

“Are you okay?” he asked standing.

“I-I saw your light on and, well, I’m having trouble falling asleep.  Can I join you for a while?”

“Of course,” he smiled.  “How about some peach iced tea?”  She nodded as he went inside to fill a glass for her.  When he came back out she was laying across the porch swing.

“Will you tell me about your brothers?” she yawned.

“Of course,” he smiled.  “Like I said, there were seven of us.  Monty, me, Jeremiah, Daniel, Martin, Denis, and Peter.  Jeremiah was beaten really bad the last time.  I think that’s why he wanted to go off and find himself, to leave this place even though he knew it was safe.  He needs to prove that he can make it on his own.

“Monty and me, we were the closest.  I guess that’s why I feel so bad about him being chosen first to run.  I was in better shape than he was.  He always had a few too many pounds on him.  Daniel, Martin, Denis and Peter were the youngest.

“I’m surprised they lived as long as they did.  Something inside of them always said fight back.  I wish I’d listened to that.  They were braver than me and I should have protected them more.  Did you have siblings?” he asked.  He heard nothing and rose to look down on Blake.  She was sound asleep.

Smiling to himself he put the glasses of tea in the sink and then went back outside and lifted her, taking her to the spare bedroom.  He covered her with the small quilt and closed the door, letting her know that she was safe and wouldn’t be eaten alive by the mosquitoes.

Tomorrow he’d ask her about any siblings again.  In fact, tomorrow he wanted to ask her a whole bunch of questions.

CHAPTER EIGHT

Blake couldn’t believe how late it was.  Used to waking before the sun rose, she knew the moment she woke that she wasn’t in her own cottage.  For a moment there was a sense of panic but it took her only seconds to close her eyes and take a deep breath. 

Then the memories flooded her brain.  He’d been so kind, not just at dinner but the entire evening.  She remembered him speaking to her on the porch, then the drowsiness took over.

The cottage was silent as she stepped out of the room.  On the counter was a note.

Didn’t want to wake you.  Take your time and join us for breakfast.

She smiled at the note and left the cottage going back to her own to shower and change.  By the time she arrived at the cafeteria it was packed with people enjoying their morning meal.

Zane immediately looked up to admire the beauty coming through the door.  She wore a pale green sundress, her long red hair, still damp from her shower was curling down her back.  The big blue eyes stared right at him with a smile that lit up the room.

“Will you join us?” he asked walking toward her.

“I’d love to.  And Zane?  Thank you for last night.  I can’t remember when I’ve had such a great sleep.”

“It was my pleasure.”

The tables were lined with the team headed to the animal sanctuary.  Sniff, Lucy, Violet, Striker, Claire, King, Caroline, along with Luke and Gaspar.

“We’re going to get you familiar with all the animals today,” said Gaspar.  “As I’m sure you’ve realized, this is an unusual place, Blake.  Luke and I were gifted the unique ability to speak with the animals and hear them as well.”

She looked at the faces hoping this wasn’t some sort of cruel joke, then she turned to Zane.  His face was sincere, no hint of amusement or cruelty to be found anywhere.  She swallowed with some guilt and nodded.

“But.  But how can this happen?  I mean, I get feelings when I’m working with animals but I don’t speak to them,” she said softly.  “I mean, I do.  Out loud like a crazy person where no one else can hear me.”

“You’re not a crazy person and if you are, so are all of us.  Besides, feelings are a way of speaking with them,” said Gaspar.  “My mother has, uh had, the greatest ability of anyone I’ve ever known.  I used to make fun of it, make fun of her when she would tell me something the animals knew.”

“Oh, great,” muttered Luke looking up from the table.  Blake followed his gaze to a beautiful, elderly woman with snow white hair and the most amazing whiskey-colored eyes.

“You can’t let ‘em appreciate the gifts too late in life.  It makes ‘em strange,” she chuckled.

“Wh-who is that?  What is that?” whispered Blake.

“Best to rip it off like a bandage,” smirked Irene.  “Tell her all of it.”

“Blake, this land has been owned by my family for centuries.  It holds great mystery and magic that we will never understand,” said Luke.  “One of those great gifts is the ability to speak to animals but also to speak to ghosts.  See them, help them, or in many cases, they’re helping us.”

She stared at him then back at Irene.  Then she turned to look at the faces around her.  She was skeptical but how could you argue with what was in front of you?

“I know it’s a lot to take in but no one on this property will harm you.  Man or animal,” said Gaspar.  “But we need to be certain that you can keep this secret.  No one must know what we have here.”

“I-I don’t share secrets, ever and I don’t even know where ‘here’ is other than it’s in Louisiana,” stuttered Blake.  “I believe you.  I don’t know why I believe you but I do.  There was always something magical about this place.  When I was delivering the food I could feel this strange vibration coming from the animals.  I just thought it was their sounds melded together.”

“It’s more likely that they were trying to speak to you in their own way,” said Luke.  “Are you alright?  Do you have any questions?”

“I’m fine.  I think I’m fine.  Questions?  I have a million but I’d rather figure it out as we go if that’s okay.”

“That’s fine,” said Gaspar.  “All of the animals have names but there are a few that have beefs with one another.  It’s always interesting to hear why they’re angry with one another.”

“I bet,” she nodded, still uncertain of what she should say or do.  “I guess the best way to do this is just to jump in.”

“I agree,” smiled Zane.

“Before you go,” said Ham walking to the table.  “We just got some information on the Cerberus.  It’s not the name of a ship but it is the name of a cartel based out of Argentina.  They’ve slowly been rising up the ranks of the wanted on the FBI and Homeland’s lists.  Drugs, weapons, and lately chemicals.”

“Cartel?  Why would they be selling animal food?” asked Blake.

“I don’t think that’s what they were doing,” said Ham with a small smirk.  “It was their cover.  I think Tom’s business was small and local.  No one would really think anything of someone else taking over but they realized they needed someone that knew about feed.  You just happened to arrive at exactly the right time.”

“Lucky me,” frowned Blake.

“I think the deliveries they were getting while you were out were the product or products that was coming in illegally.  Those were what they were really worried about.”

“I’m not following.  Are you saying they were dealing in illegal drugs, not the pet supplies and feed?”

“That’s what we’re saying,” said Cowboy.  “I’m sure they went to great effort to hide it from you.  Maybe there were locked parts of the building or the storage shed out back.”

“Yes.  Yes, of course but I thought it was just business stuff, maybe the cash they were bringing in.”

“Did you ever see customers that didn’t appear to be there for animal food?” asked Ham.

“Only once.  I mean, I think only once.  The guy said he was there to pick up an order and I asked his name.  He said Smith and I couldn’t find the order for it.  I asked what kind of animal he had and he laughed at me and said it was a monkey.”

“Monkey is a term that addicts often use to describe the drug that’s on their back, holding them back,” said Cowboy.

“Eddie came in and slapped me across the face.  He told me to go to the back that I didn’t know what I was talking about.  I tried to tell him we didn’t carry monkey feed and he laughed at me again.  I didn’t understand.”

“There wouldn’t have been a reason for you to understand,” said Zane.  “Drugs were not in your world.  Yet.”

“That’s true but why here?” she said waving her arm.  “I mean, not here, here, but why in this part of the country?  I always think about drugs being in places like New York or Los Angeles, not New Orleans.”

“It’s a good question,” said Ham.  “Think about it.  New Orleans is a major port where drugs could come in and out easily.  We have access to trains, planes, and major terminal bus routes.  From here, they could transport west through Texas or east to Florida, then up the coast.”

“I never thought of any of that,” she said quietly.  Gator nodded at her.

“Because you’re not a drug lord.”

CHAPTER NINE

“This is Pepe,” said Gaspar.  “He was definitely not something I wanted to add to the menagerie but you’ll find that my mother is very difficult to deal with.”  The skunk was sitting beneath the shade of tree, nibbling on a morning snack.

“Over there are Oscar, Mabel, Hank, and Penelope,” said Luke.

“They’re Komoda dragons,” whispered Blake.  “I don’t think I’ve seen one live.  They could be dangerous to the smaller animals, even children and adults.”

“They know not to behave that way here.  Besides, we gave them free reign on the nutria.  They’re like giant rats or beavers.  They’ve practically destroyed parts of the bayou so they eat away on those all day long,” said Luke.

“You can see from here Stella, our beautiful hippo and Rusty, the bison.  We have Coco as well but he tends to stay away from Rusty.  Back there is Elvis and Shorty, our giraffes and then Caraway and Poppy, our jaguars.”

“Holy cow,” she whispered. 

“Twiggy is our sweet girl elephant.  She and Steve,” he looked around and then finally found him, “there he is in the tree.”

“That’s a Bengal tiger!” she screeched.

“Yes.  Yes, he is.  But he’s the sweetest old fella you’ve ever met in your life,” smirked Gaspar.  Steve leaped from the branch and nuzzled next to Gaspar.  “Semu and Steve have become inseparable.”

“She’s the gorilla that speaks sign language, right?” asked Blake.

“Yes but she also speaks to us the same way the other animals do, and before you ask, I have no idea how that is.  They just communicate to us through sounds or just in our head.  Alvin speaks with several people on the property, but his first love is definitely Trak.”

“Let me guess, he’s the alligator I saw wandering the property this morning,” she grinned.

“That’s him,” nodded Gaspar.  “If you’re ever afraid of something, Alvin will come to the rescue I assure you.  We also have a number of dogs that we personally own and that provide protection here on the property.”

“I think I saw them this morning,” smiled Blake.  “They seem to cluster around children and pregnant women.”

“They do,” laughed Luke.  “We have Monster, Daisy the seventh, Chaos, and two new ones, Cane Corso’s, Duke and Zeus.  We had a Zeus a number of years ago who was pretty special so we decided we’d let that name live on.  Part of what Sniff and Lucy do is run a K-9 training center for military and para-military purposes.”

“This is all so special, so amazing,” she said staring at the animals.  They each slowly moved toward her, even the anaconda.  Not once did she flinch or shrink back.  In fact, she moved toward them.

“Mama?” frowned Gaspar looking down at Irene.  “Is she okay?”

“She’s better than okay, baby.  She’s home.”

“You don’t have to be afraid of me,” she said softly walking further along the path.  “I love animals and I’m going to love helping to take care of all of you.”

Gaspar and Luke smiled, watching her kneel to the dirt, the animals literally curling around her as if protecting her.  Zane stared at the scene, frowning to himself.

“Is she okay being that close to that anaconda and the tiger?” he asked.

“She’s better than okay.  I think they’re telling her that she’s accepted and trusted,” said Luke.  Irene smiled.

“It’s more than that.”

“Yes.  Yes, I heard that you two have been feuding, but why?  You have nothing to fight about.  Look at this beautiful place you’ve been given to live.  If you want to live somewhere else I’m sure we can speak to the others.”

“Yes, I’ve met Irene.  Yes, she does smell nice.”

“I do love your spots.  They’re quite beautiful and yes, your stripes are equally as beautiful.”

“Well, I’m not sure how we would do that but I’m sure we could make it happen.  Speakers to pump music in shouldn’t be too difficult a task.  I’m very happy to have met all of you as well.”

Blake stood and turned to stare at the group of people behind her.  They were all staring open-mouthed at her.

“Oh, my gosh,” she whispered.  “Did I just do that?  Did I just hear those animals and speak to them?”

“You did, baby,” smiled Irene.  “And you did it when you was real little too.  It got you in trouble, so you hid it as best you could.  Remember?”

“Y-yes.  Yes, I do remember.  I was only five or six.  My step-father had just started coming around.  I had a dog and the dog told me he was a bad man and I needed to stay away from him.  When I told my mother, she spanked me and called me a liar.”

“But you weren’t lying, were you child?  You just held it all in after that.  You heard them but you thought it was all in your imagination.  But it wasn’t.  You have a gift, baby.  A gift that you can bring into the open.”  Irene touched her hand and Blake was surprised to feel warmth and softness.

She turned to look for Zane’s face and found it.  His beautiful, handsome face staring at her with no judgment whatsoever.

“Do, do you think I’m crazy?” she whispered.

“Not in the least,” he smirked.  “And I’ve met a lot of crazy so I’m kind of an expert.”

“You’re not crazy at all, sweet girl,” said Irene.

“Mama, what’s happening here,” asked Gaspar.

“Sometimes you just know when someone has a gift and shoulda’ been a part of your family all along.  They are family.  They belong here and this sweet child belonged here long before we ever found her.  She was born with this but had no one to help her bring it out.  She will become our greatest asset with the animals.”

“But, Mama Irene, how?  I mean, I hear them and they hear me but how will that become an asset here?” asked Blake.

“Come here, child.”  Blake walked toward Irene, following the sweet ghost toward the docks.  She pulled her close and smiled at her.  “The trust of an animal is worth a thousand times the trust of a human.  They will never betray you.  Never.  And they know which ones to truly trust.”

“I can see that,” nodded Blake.

“Alright.  Put your arm out.  Oh dear, you’re sleeveless.  Zane?  Give her your shirt.”

“What?  No, Mama Irene, it’s okay,” said Blake quickly.

“I don’t mind,” said Zane. 

He took the t-shirt off and his muscles rippled as he moved.  Blake could see the scars on his back and she nearly winced, knowing what kind of pain that must have caused the man.  He handed the shirt to Mama Irene, who wrapped it around her arm.

“Alright now, arm straight out.  I want you to think about the most majestic creature you’ve ever seen and call to it.”

“Call to it?  Like, make a sound like theirs?” asked Blake.

“No.  No, like call to it in your head.” 

Blake held out her arm and brought to mind the only majestic creature she could think of that she’d never seen live and in person.  She waited, her breath coming soft and easy and then she heard something say, ‘I’m on my way’.  She nearly opened her eyes but feared it would break the chain.

When she felt a heaviness that nearly broke her shoulder, she opened her eyes to see the spectacular beast staring at her.  She could feel a hand beneath her bicep and turned slightly to see Zane.

“I’ve got you,” he grinned.  “He looks like he weighs a lot.”

The bald eagle stared at her and she smiled at him, whispering how beautiful and handsome he was.  He cocked his head upward, as if to say, ‘I know’.  He could have dug his claws into her but he didn’t, he held there gently for a few moments and then flew away.

She laughed out loud, jumping up and down, hugging Zane tightly.

“He came to me!  He came to me and spoke to me!” she laughed.  He laughed as well, nodding.

“I saw.  We all saw,” he smiled, unwilling to let go of her.

“Oh,” she said backing up.  She took the t-shirt off her arm and handed it to him.  “Here.  I don’t think he poked any holes in it or anything.”

“It wouldn’t matter if he did.  It was worth a thousand t-shirts to see your face that happy.”

CHAPTER TEN

“Mama?  Mama!  Stop right there,” said Gaspar as he headed to the boat.  She was standing with that smug smile on her face and she turned to see Gaspar and Luke looking at her.  “Mama, what just happened?  What does all this mean?  Do we not have to help with the animals any longer?”

“Don’t be absurd, Gaspar,” she laughed.  “We got more animals than we know what to do with and there will be more coming.  You know there will be so don’t even act shocked.”

“Grandma, there needs to be more,” said Luke.

“She has a gift, a gift that would only come alive here, at Belle Fleur.  It’s a rare gift, as you both know.  Most of you can speak to the animals in some way or another, some more than others.  But that child can speak to the smallest ant, all the way to largest mammal.  She might very well be your greatest weapon yet.”

She kissed them both on the cheek and turned, smiling at them.

“Gotta run.  Matthew is waitin’ for our afternoon boat ride around the bayou.  I love that time with him.”

She just sort of disappeared, like a sprinkling of gold dust that fell softly to the earth.  But nothing about Irene was ever soft.

“What do you make of that?” frowned Luke.

“I think we believe her.  You saw it, I saw it.  Hell, we all saw it.  That young woman was like the animal whisperer.  They all came to her.  She sat down, they just curled around her and started talking to her like a pet therapist.”

“Is that what she is?” asked Luke.

“Fuck if I know but it will be nice to have someone else hear all the complaints.”  They both stood there a few moments watching as the animal team walked further into the island.  “Wait a minute.  Did Mama say there would be more animals?”  Luke stared at his father.

“Oh, shit.”

“We know this is a lot to take in, Blake but as you can see we have plenty of room for the animals and more are probably coming,” said Lucy.

“Surprisingly, it doesn’t feel like a lot.  It feels natural and normal.  It feels like home.  Like this should have always been my home.”

“Well, we’re going to let you wander around and get used the layout.  If you have any questions, come and find us.  Oh, did AJ give you the communications device and walk you through that?”

“He did.  I got my injection late yesterday, behind my ear and I tested it this morning.  I heard everything he said perfectly.”

“Good.  Don’t ever take off the bracelet or ring…”

“Necklace,” she smiled.  “I chose a necklace.”

“Good, don’t ever take it off.  If you need us just press the comms device and someone will always hear you.  Zane, you walk her around and we’ll see you all at dinner.”

“Ready?” he said smiling at her.

“I am,” she grinned.  “I’m so excited about this.  I can’t believe that I get to live and work here.”

“Blake?  About earlier when I removed my shirt.”

“It’s okay.  I saw the scars.  That woman, the one who pretended to be your mother, she did that to you?”

“She did.  Every last one of them.  I have a few across my backside as well, but nothing like my back.”

“It must have been so painful,” she said taking his hand in her own.

“It’s funny.  The longer I get away from all of that, the less I think about the pain.  It seems like someone else’s life I was living.”  She nodded as they continued to walk, still holding hands.

“Can I ask a question?”

“Ask me anything,” he smiled.

“Considering your living situation and all that, have you had any experience with women?”  She noticed the blush on his cheeks and almost regretted asking.

“The year that I was away from them, I did have a few encounters with women.  Most were just one-night stands.  I’m ashamed to say that but I kept thinking I have to get on this bicycle.  Wait.  I didn’t mean bicycle.”  Blake laughed, nodding her head.

“I know what you meant.  But you’ve never had anyone in your life that was a serious relationship?”

“No.  How about you?” he asked.

“I haven’t had a lot of experience.  Two serious boyfriends, both ended up being colossal jerks and cheated on me.  I have really bad instincts with men.  Usually, anyway.”

“Usually?” he asked with a smirk.  She turned to stare up at him and smiled.

“I’m really hoping I’m about to break the cycle,” she said letting her hands slide up his forearms and then to his biceps.  “There’s something about you, Zane.  You made me feel safe from the moment we spoke on that bridge back there.  Safe and desired.  I could see it in your eyes.  It was so refreshing to meet a man that wasn’t a player.”

He smiled down at her, tucking a red wayward curl behind her ear.  She closed her eyes, leaning into his hand.

“I am definitely not a player and I definitely would like to spend more time with you.”  He wrapped one arm around her waist pulling her tighter to his body.  Blake reached up, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and tilted her head slightly as he moved closer, his lips touching hers.

It was sweet and innocent, soft and gentle as his lips moved over her own.  She dug her fingers into his hair as his hand slid up the side of her leg, the hem of her dress riding higher.

“Zane,” she whispered, “I need you.”

“I need you too, baby.  But not here.”

“Why?” she asked innocently.  He let her fall back from his own body and turned her to notice that they’d been followed by every animal on the island.

“Because dozens of pairs of eyes are upon us.”

CHAPTER ELEVEN

The room beneath the old freight warehouse had no windows, only concrete walls stained dark by years of damp air and cigarette smoke.  A long steel table dominated the center of it, its surface scarred by knife marks, burn rings, and the restless tapping of men who knew better than to speak first.  Around it stood the soldiers of Cerberus, shoulders squared, eyes lowered, hands folded or hidden, each man trying to appear useful without drawing attention.

At the head of the table stood Marco Rodriguez, leader of Cerberus, dressed in a charcoal suit that seemed too clean for the room and too calm for the fury gathering in his face.  He had not sat down since entering.  No one had offered him a chair.  No one would have dared.

A macaw sat on a stand next to him, eerily quiet, just staring at the room as if it knew something the others did not.

The silence had stretched for several minutes before Marco broke it with a single question, asked softly enough that the men nearest him leaned in despite themselves.  

“Where is it?”

No one answered.  The hum of the overhead lights filled the gap, thin and nervous.  Somewhere beyond the thick door, water dripped steadily into a drain, each drop landing with the patience of a clock counting down.

Marco’s hand came down on the table so hard that two men flinched.

“I asked where the product is.”  His voice rose on the final word, cracking through the room like a whip.  “Not where it might be, not who is looking, not what excuse you prepared on the drive over.  Where is it?”

A few of the men shifted their weight.  One cleared his throat and immediately regretted it when Marco’s eyes cut toward him.  The man said nothing after that, and the others took the lesson quickly.  In Cerberus, silence could be dangerous, but speaking without the right answer was worse.

Marco began to pace, slow steps along the length of the table. His polished shoes clicked against the floor, each turn measured, each pause deliberate.

“We had buyers waiting.  We had routes arranged.  We had men risking their freedom and their lives because I was told—repeatedly—that everything was under control.”

The word control seemed to sour in his mouth.  He stopped pacing and looked down the table, past the lieutenants and drivers, past the guards posted near the walls,  until his gaze landed on one man standing near the far corner.

That man did not move, but everyone saw the color drain from his face.  He had been careful to stand halfway behind two others, not quite hidden, not quite exposed.  It had worked until Marco decided it had not.

“You,” Marco said.

No name followed.  None was needed.  The room understood who Marco meant, and the unnamed man understood better than anyone.  He took one step forward because staying still would have looked like defiance, but he stopped before reaching the table because coming too close would have looked like confidence.

Marco stared at him with a kind of cold fascination.

“You made me a promise.”  The man swallowed.

“I said I could get what you needed.”

“No.”  Marco’s answer snapped out immediately.  “You did not say could.  You said would.  You stood in this room, in front of my captains, and told me that by tonight Cerberus would have the product in hand.  You told me the supply was secure.  You told me the man on the other end was reliable.”

The unnamed man opened his mouth, then closed it.  Around him, the others watched with careful emptiness, pretending they were not relieved to be outside Marco’s direct line of fire.  Fear made them still.  Self-preservation made them silent.

Marco leaned forward, both palms pressed to the table.

“Do you know what a promise is in my organization?” he asked.  “It is not a decoration.  It is not something you hang in the air so everyone feels better.  A promise is a debt.  And when the debt is not paid, someone pays in another way.”

One of the guards near the door lowered his eyes.  Another tightened his grip behind his back.  No one threatened the man.  No weapon appeared.  Marco did not need theatrics to make the room feel smaller.

“There were complications,” the man said at last, the words thin and rushed.  “The contact changed terms and then we lost three of our contacts.  The route was watched.  I thought delaying was better than losing everything.”  Marco’s expression did not change.

“You thought.”

The phrase hung there, heavier than the shouting.  Marco turned from him to address the whole room, sweeping them all into the lesson.

“This is what happens when men mistake improvisation for strategy.  They panic, they negotiate from weakness, and then they come back to me with empty hands and explanations.”

He straightened his jacket cuffs, an oddly tidy gesture in the middle of his anger.

“Cerberus has three heads for a reason,” he said.  “Supply.  Movement. Enforcement.  When one head fails, the beast limps.  When all three look away at the same time, the beast starves.”

The men around the table absorbed the rebuke without protest.  A few nodded once, not because they were invited to agree, but because they wanted Marco to see they understood.  The unnamed man did not nod.  He seemed afraid any movement might be interpreted as an argument.

Marco returned his attention to him.

“You have until sunrise.”  The man blinked, surprised by the shape of mercy and terrified by its edge.

“I can fix it,” he said quickly.  “I know where to go. I can bring it in before anyone else knows there was a problem.”

“You will,” Marco said. “Or you will explain to every man in this room why your word is worth less than the paper we burn to keep warm.”

No one smiled at the line.  No one breathed easily.  Marco’s anger had not passed; it had merely found a direction.  That was worse for the man in the corner and better for everyone else, which meant the room accepted it without complaint.

Marco looked around one final time, letting each face register that this failure belonged to all of them, even if only one man had been chosen to carry it.

“Find my product,” he said.  “Find out who interfered.  And if anyone in this room believes I will tolerate another promise dressed up as progress, leave now.”

No one moved.  The men of Cerberus stayed where they were, trapped between loyalty and fear, while Marco turned toward the door with the same controlled fury he had brought in with him.

Behind him, the unnamed man lowered his head, already calculating the hours left before sunrise and the cost of failing twice.

CHAPTER TWELVE

“So, as a child, you knew you could hear animals?” asked Zane.

“I did but my mother told me not to tell anyone or they’d think I was crazy.  It was hard hearing their cries for help, or just their conversations and not being able to tell anyone.  Ironically, my stepfather encouraged me to explore it.”

“But you didn’t,” frowned Zane.

“No.  I can’t really explain why I didn’t.  It was just this feeling that I didn’t want him to know that piece of me.  I remember sitting in the front yard with the neighbors dog who was complaining about his food and how it made his stomach hurt,” she smirked.  “It was actually kind of funny.  He would get gas and then the owner would get mad that he made the whole house smell.”  Zane burst into laughter shaking his head.

“Did you help him?”

“Not really.  I put some coupons in the neighbors mailbox for a different kind of food but I don’t think she took the hint.  Anyway, I was always on the front lawn with the dog but I could feel Josh, my stepfather, behind me on the porch, watching every move I made.  After a while, it was just easier for me to ignore it, push it all aside.”

“You once said that your stepfather was seen as a good man to everyone in the community, but he didn’t treat you kindly.  Is this why?”

“I’m pretty sure, yes.  He wanted me to tell everyone about what I could do.  He said I could help people but my mother was adamant that I wasn’t supposed to talk about it.  She took the hits for me.”

“He never hit you?” asked Zane.

“No, he was more into verbal abuse.  He’d make fun of my red hair, my freckles, everything.”

“For the record, I love your red hair,” said Zane reaching out to touch her long tendrils.

“For the record, I love when you touch my hair,” she smiled, whispering as she moved closer to touch his lips.  It was a soft, innocent kiss at first but progressed into something  much, much more.

Zane pulled her onto his lap, tasting her, feeling her curves mold into him.  That beautiful sundress was revealing all that she was and he wanted to rip it to shreds.  The knock on the door made them both pull back, flushed and breathless.

She stood, staring down at his lap and grinned.

“Maybe I should answer the door while I give you a minute,” she smiled.

“Yeah, that’s probably a good idea.”  Blake opened the door to see Tanner and AJ standing there with a phone in their hands.

“Hi,” she smiled.

“Hey, Blake, sorry for the interruption.  We’ve been working on your phone since you got here, making sure you weren’t being tracked and of course loading our securities to it.”

“Yes, thank you,” she said reaching for it.  Except neither man was willing to hand it to her.  That brought Zane’s attention back to normal.

“What’s wrong?” he frowned.

“Someone from this number keeps calling the phone.  They don’t say anything except, “it’s me – pick up”, and then they hang up.”  They played the voicemail and Blake listened, swallowing hard.  “Do you know who it is?”

“Y-yes.  It’s my stepfather, Joshua.  I thought he was dead.”

“Why did you think that?” asked Tanner.

“I-I don’t know to be honest.  My mom died about five years ago, just as I was starting college.  He sold their tiny house and just disappeared.  He called a few times for money and I refused.  I didn’t hear from him at all after that.”

“He wants something from you,” said AJ.

“Should I call him back?” she asked.  From behind AJ and Tanner, she heard a chorus of ‘yes’.  Ham, Cowboy, and Gator stared at her.  Blake only nodded as Tanner pushed the call back button.

“Hello?” said the tired voice on the other end of the line.

“Josh?  It’s Blake.  You’ve been calling me.”

“Fuck yeah, I have.  Why didn’t you answer?”

“I’ve been busy,” she said.  “I’m working and doing some traveling.”  The others nodded at her quick thinking and waited.

“Where?  Where are you and where are you working?”

“That’s none of your business, Josh.  I’m an adult and I have my own life.  I don’t know what you want but I’m not interested.”

“You need to get interested.  I helped raise your redheaded ass you need to do me a favor.”

“I hardly think what you did was ‘raise’ me.  You were there and helped mom pay bills but you definitely were not a father to me.  I don’t owe you anything,” she said firmly.  Zane gave her free hand a squeeze, nodding his appreciation to her response.

“Listen to me, Blake.  You need to do me a favor.  You owe me whether you think you do or not.  I want to know where you are and I’ll come and meet you there.  I’m desperate, kid.  I need this.”

Blake stared at the others, watching as Ham wrote something on a piece of paper and held it up.

Tell him u will txt him a location.

“Fine.  I’ll text you a location and time.”

“Great.  Thanks kid.”

The call ended and Blake looked at the men inside the cottage.  She took a seat at the kitchen table and shook her head.

“This makes no sense to me at all.  Why is he calling me?  I haven’t seen him since I left for college.”

“He wants something from you,” said Zane, “and I don’t know why I feel this way but I have a feeling it has something to do with you being able to speak to animals.”

“Why would he want that?  I can’t do anything with that skill.  I won’t show anyone the skill, outside of all of you.  I have no inheritance, no trust fund, no money of any kind other than what I’ve personally earned.  His name was on the house and property, which he sold the minute my mom died.  I just don’t understand.”  Ham stared at the young woman, feeling her confusion in the room of testosterone.

“Well, we’re going to find out what it is he wants and you won’t be alone.”

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Josh first noticed something strange about Blake on a wet spring afternoon when she was eight years old, crouched beneath the crooked porch steps with a muddy calico cat staring straight into her face. He had gone outside to call her in for dinner, annoyed that she had ignored him twice already, but the words died in his throat when he heard her whisper.

“I know it hurts, but if you scratch, it’ll bleed again.”  The cat seemed to answer with a sharp little chirrup, not quite a meow, and Blake nodded as if she understood every sound.

At first Josh told himself children were strange, especially children who spent more time with strays than with people, but then Blake slipped one small hand under the cat’s chin and said.

“I’m sorry the fence got you.”

She looked up, startled to find Josh watching from the porch, and the color drained from her face. The cat pressed its injured leg into the dirt and blinked at him with accusing yellow eyes.

“What do you mean?  How do you know that?” Josh asked, stepping down into the yard.

Blake tucked her chin and gathered the cat against her chest, careful of the bleeding paw. She was a quiet child, pale and watchful, with her mother’s red hair and a stubbornness Josh had never learned how to soften.

“Nothing,” she said.  “I was just pretending.”

But Josh had heard pretending before.  Pretending was tea parties with empty cups and invisible castles drawn in the dust.  This had not sounded like pretending.  This had sounded like a conversation cut short because an adult had entered the room, and the look on Blake’s face told him she knew it too.

That night, while Blake’s mother, Mara, cleaned the cat’s wound in the kitchen sink, Josh stood in the doorway and waited for the girl to slip.  Blake hummed softly to the animal, and each time it twisted or hissed, she murmured a correction before Mara could scold it.

“Hold still,” Blake said.  “She’s helping you.”  The cat quieted immediately, as if it had been persuaded.

Josh waited until Blake had gone upstairs before he told Mara what he had heard.  He expected disbelief, maybe even laughter, but Mara’s face tightened in a way that made the room feel suddenly colder.  She dried her hands on a dish towel, glanced toward the ceiling.

“You leave that alone.”

“So it’s true,” he said.  The words came out too quickly, eager and sharp. Mara did not answer him directly.  She only set the towel on the counter and lowered her voice.

“Blake is a child.  Whatever you think you saw, whatever you think you heard, you do not push her.  You do not make her perform.  And you do not tell anyone.”

The warning should have ended it, but it lodged in Josh like a fishhook.  Over the next weeks he found reasons to be near Blake whenever an animal was present.  He lingered by the window when she fed the birds.  He took too long unloading groceries when a neighbor’s dog wandered over.  He volunteered to drive her to the park, then sat on a bench pretending to read while she whispered to squirrels at the edge of the path.

Blake learned to stop talking when she saw him watching.  The animals did not.  Dogs tugged toward her with sudden urgency.  Horses lowered their great heads over fences when she passed.  Crows gathered on the power lines above the house and clicked to one another until Blake came outside and shooed them away with a whispered promise Josh could never quite hear.

Once, when Blake was ten, Josh brought home a wounded rabbit he claimed he had found beside the road.  Mara took one look at the cardboard box in his hands and knew the lie for what it was.

Blake knelt beside the box anyway, her eyes filling with tears before she even lifted the lid.

“He’s scared of you,” she told Josh without looking at him.  Josh smiled too broadly.

“Ask him where he came from,” he said. “Ask him how he got hurt. Let your mother hear it.”

Blake’s shoulders went rigid.  Mara stepped between them before the room could split open.

“Enough,” she said, and there was a steel in her voice Josh had not known she possessed.

After that, Mara spoke to Blake in low tones behind closed doors, and Josh heard only fragments: careful, dangerous, trust no one.  Blake began avoiding animals when he was near, which only made him more certain that her gift was real and valuable.  He imagined doctors, television crews, wealthy collectors, men who would pay anything for proof that the world was stranger than they had been told.

Years passed, and Josh’s curiosity curdled into resentment.  Blake grew taller, sharper, more practiced at hiding herself.  Mara shielded her with the quiet ferocity of a woman who understood that wonder could become a cage if the wrong hands found it.

The house filled with unspoken rules, and every animal that crossed Blake’s path seemed to deepen the distance between stepfather and daughter.

When Blake left for college, Mara cried in the driveway and held on too long.  Josh stood near the trunk with his hands in his pockets, watching Blake load the last of her boxes.  A stray dog sat at the curb the entire time, silent and attentive, its ears tipped forward as if listening to instructions.  Before Blake climbed into the car, she bent and touched her forehead to the dog’s.

Josh caught only one sentence.

“Watch her for me.”

The dog’s tail thumped once against the pavement.  Mara saw Josh looking and pulled Blake into another embrace, blocking his view.  By then, Blake no longer looked afraid of him.  That frightened him more than anything.

Mara died during Blake’s sophomore year, quickly and without enough warning for goodbye to feel complete.  Blake came home for the funeral and found Josh changed by grief in ways that did not make him softer.  He drifted through the service with dry eyes, avoiding the casket, avoiding Blake, avoiding the dog that had somehow made its way to the cemetery and lay beneath a cedar tree until the mourners left.

Three days later, Josh disappeared.  There was no note, no packed suitcase that anyone could find, only an empty closet where his work boots had been and a kitchen drawer missing the roll of emergency cash Mara had kept beneath the batteries.  Blake told herself she was relieved.  She told herself men like Josh always found some new shadow to crawl into.

For years, he stayed gone.

Blake finished school, moved cities, and built a careful life with high fences around the parts of herself Mara had taught her to protect.  She volunteered at shelters under a different last name and refused interviews whenever an animal rescue went unexpectedly well.

If a parrot repeated secrets it should not know, or a horse led searchers to a missing child, Blake was always gone before anyone asked the right questions.

Josh did not build anything.  He gambled, lied, carried packages he was paid not to open, and learned too late that some debts did not shrink when ignored.  The men he owed were patient at first, then less patient, then precise.  By the time Josh understood he had wandered into cartel business, his name was already written in ledgers he would never be allowed to see.

The man who held his debt was called Marco, though Josh doubted that was the name his mother had given him.  Marco collected unusual things: antique weapons, rare birds, favors from frightened politicians, drugs, and people who could be used more than once.

When Josh, desperate and half-drunk, mentioned a girl who could speak with animals, Marco did not laugh.

Now, years after vanishing from Blake’s life, Josh sits across from Marco in the warehouse of his headquarters, sweating through his shirt while a scarlet macaw watches from a brass stand in the corner. 

Marco asks whether the woman can truly understand beasts, whether she can command them, whether she can make them carry messages or find hidden things.

Josh thinks of Blake at eight years old beneath the porch steps, mud on her knees and secrets in her mouth.  She was supposed to be working for their team at the feed store but she’d somehow disappeared.

“I can bring her to you.”

Marco did not answer at first.  He stroked the macaw’s crimson head with one gloved finger, and the bird kept its black bead of an eye fixed on Josh as if measuring how much meat he had left on his bones. 

Outside, rain dragged dirty lines down restaurant windows.  Somewhere in the kitchen, water dripped steadily into a metal pan, each drop as loud as a countdown.

“You can bring her,” Marco repeated, tasting the sentence.  “Or you can tell me where she is and save yourself the trouble.”

His voice was calm enough to be kind, which made it worse.  Josh had learned that men who shouted still believed the world could be argued with. Marco did not shout because he had already decided what would happen.

Josh wiped his palms on his jeans.

“She won’t come if strangers show up. Not for money. Not for threats.” He swallowed.  “But she might come for me if I make it sound like I’m dying or desperate or something.”

The lie sat easily in his mouth.  It worried him how easily.

The macaw shifted on its perch, claws scraping brass. It opened its curved beak and gave a low, guttural sound that was almost a laugh.  Marco glanced at it, then back at Josh.

“She will know you are lying.”

For the first time that night, Josh thought of Mara with something close to hatred.  Dead years and still protecting the girl.  Dead years and still standing between him and the only thing that might buy his life.

“She always wanted to believe people could change,” he said.  “That was her mother’s weakness.  Blake inherited some of it.”

Marco leaned back.

“No.  Her mother’s weakness was dying before she finished hiding her.”  He lifted a hand, and a man at the door placed a battered phone on the table.  The screen was cracked in a spiderweb pattern that made Josh’s reflection look broken into pieces.  “Call her.”

Josh stared at the phone.  He had imagined rehearsing first, finding the right words, softening his voice into regret.  Instead, Marco watched him with patient eyes while the macaw ruffled its feathers and whispered something that sounded too much like Blake’s name.  Josh picked up the phone before his hand could start shaking harder.

He’d called the number at least ten times over twenty-four hours.  He was running out of time.  Then the phone rang.

“Josh?  It’s Blake.  You’ve been calling me.”

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

“What do I do?” she asked looking at Ham and then Zane.

“You just sit in that booth and don’t move.  No matter what he says or does, do not get up, do not follow him.  Even if he has a weapon, you’re wearing the stealth vest and you will not be harmed.  You have my word,” said Ham.

She nodded at him, trusting the older man for all she was worth.

“I’ll be at the counter,” said Zane.  “You’re going to see others seated there as well.  Piper and Mila will be behind the counter, acting as wait-staff.  Don’t look at any of us.  Just act normal.”

“Normal at this point is me shaking like a leaf,” she said with a nervous grin.  Zane pulled her close, whispering against her. 

“I’m here.  I’m not leaving you.”  She nodded, burying her face in the crook of his neck, smelling the faint hint of his shower gel and cologne.

“Get in place, he just passed The General Store,” said Cowboy.  “Don’t worry, honey.  We got you.”

In spite of all the reassurances, all the concern for her safety, Blake found it difficult to sit still and not be afraid.  Why would Josh want to see her after all these years?  When she’d refused to show her skills in front of him any longer, and her mother stepped in, he’d become more and more bitter.  He became more and more verbally abusive to her.

Her mother took the slaps across the face or the foot stuck out in the hallway to trip her as she carried the clean laundry basket.  When she’d asked her mother ‘why’, she gave the most motherly response ever.

“So that you don’t have to.”

Blake stared at the parking lot as a mid-size sedan pulled in.  She knew it was Josh.  He’d never really been flashy with cars or clothes, it was other things.  He wanted a bigger house, one that would make a statement.  He wanted watches that he couldn’t afford.  He wanted first-class tickets to Monaco, Paris, and Athens. 

When the car door opened, she held her breath as his dark head finally appeared.  He’d always been average in Blake’s opinion.  Average looking, average height, average build.  She never understood what her mother saw in him.

He wore a pair of linen dress pants that looked as if he’d slept in them.  The t-shirt seemed out of place and too young for him but she simply brushed it off.  When the bell above the door rang, she stilled.

Josh looked around the small diner, staring at the people seated in the small, country dive.

“Have a seat anywhere.  I’ll be right with you,” smiled Piper.

His eyes caught the redhead he came to see and he smiled, slowly walking toward her.  Stopping at the table, he looked down at her.

“Doesn’t your old dad get a hug?” he smirked.

“You were never my dad, Josh.  Let’s not get things confused.  I’m here.  What do you want?”  His smiled disappeared, replaced with a disgusted smile as he slid into the booth.

“You always were an uppity little bitch, thinking you were too good for me.  Why are you way out here?”

“What do you want, Josh?”  He glared at her, frowning.

“I’d heard you had a job at a feed store,” he said with a knowing glance.

“How would you hear that?” she asked, now shaking beneath the table.  He realized his mistake and wiped the grin from his lips.

“Just things I hear, Blake.  I hear lots of things.  I need you to take a little trip with me.  I have a friend who needs your help.  A bunch of sick animals.”

“I can’t do that anymore.  I don’t do that anymore,” she said flatly.  So, this was it.  He wanted her as his trick pony.

“It wasn’t a request, Blake.  You’re coming with me.  I’m in some trouble with someone and he needs you.”

“Your woes are not my problem,” she said.  “Tell them I’m not available.”

He shifted in his seat, rubbing his hand over his face.

“Blake, Blake, Blake, you’re so damned annoying.  You’re going to get up from this table and follow me to the car, or I’m going to shoot you right here in this fucking low-life diner.”

“Funny you calling anything low-life,” she said flatly.  “I’m not going with you, so shoot.  Go ahead.  Shoot me and see how far you get.”

He slammed his hand on the table, rattling the silverware.  Eyes turned toward him and he stilled.

“What are you fucking looking at?” he growled.  Cowboy and Gator walked toward the table and Josh immediately realized his mistake.  “It’s a family thing.  We’re fine.”

“Are you?” said Gator.  “Are you okay, ma’am?”

“No.  Actually, I’m not.  He’s my stepfather but apparently wants me to leave with him for some reason.  I don’t want to go.”

“You heard the lady,” smirked Cowboy.  “She doesn’t want to go.”  Zane stepped up to the table and held out a hand.

“Come with me,” he smiled.

“Stop!  You can’t interfere in my business,” he snapped.

“Wanna bet,” growled Ham.  “Now, what’s going to happen here is that you’re going to get up and you’re going to come with us.”

“Wh-what?  Why?  Why would I go with you?” he said suddenly panicked.

“Because you walked into the wrong fucking diner.”

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

“Who are you people?  Why are you interfering in family business?” squawked Josh.  They’d kept him at the diner, locking the doors behind him.

“You’re confused buddy.  See, this is our family business because Blake is our family.  A man doesn’t come to a meeting with a woman carrying a loaded gun unless he has ill intent.  So, tell me, what ill intent did you have?” said Gator leaning over the smaller man.

“She’s my stepdaughter.  Blake!  Tell them!”

“I am your stepdaughter but we haven’t spoken since mom’s funeral other than you begging for money now and then.  And we barely spoke even at the funeral.  I have no wish to have a relationship with you.”

“You little bitch!” he snapped.  He regretted it immediately feeling rough, callused backhand of Ham.  His head snapped back so ferociously, he thought he  might lose consciousness.

“If you speak to her, you will do so with respect and if you don’t the next hit will be much, much worse.  Clear?” asked Ham.  Josh said nothing, so Ham raised his hand to emphasize his point.  “I asked you a question.  Are we clear?”

“Yes!  Fuck, yes.  Who the hell are these people, Blake?”

“He told you,” she said taking the hand of Zane beside her.  They linked their fingers, smiling at the others.  “They’re my family.”

“Whatever bullshit you want to believe.  But you don’t have anyone you little freak,” he sneered.  “Do they know your secret?  Do they know that the weird little redhead talks to animals?”

The entire room erupted in laughter and Josh frowned, looking around the room.

“Everyone talks to animals, dumbass,” grinned Cowboy.

“Who the fuck are you people?”

“Doesn’t matter,” said Ham.  “What do you want with Blake and so help me God, if you even think about lying, my friend behind you is going break your neck.” 

Standing directly behind Josh was Kane.  One touch and he would know if the man was telling the truth or not.  He’d been able to sense truths and lies since he was just a boy.  Like many of those he’d come to Belle Fleur with.

“Now.  Why are you here for Blake?” asked Ham. 

Josh wisely thought before speaking.  Something was different about these men.  Even the two women standing behind the counter were different.  Lean muscles on their arms, a look in their eyes that said, ‘you’d better not’.

“I need her help.”

“With what?” asked Zane.

“Wait,” frowned Blake.  “You said you heard I had a job at the feed store.  How could you have possibly known that?  I didn’t speak to you or anyone about it.”

His face paled and he men around him grinned at the fear in his eyes.

“Well, well, well, looks like you’ve got something to tell us,” said Kane.  He gripped his shoulders nearly to the point of indescribable pain.  “Now, talk.  How did you know that?”

“I just heard!” he screamed out.  Kane squeezed harder and he yelled in pain.  “Stop!  Blake, make him stop.”

“Tell them the truth or I walk out now and let them do what they want!”

“Fine!  Fine you little…”  The pain radiated through his body as Kane squeezed both shoulders.

“Don’t make that mistake again.  The truth and believe me, I will know,” said Kane.

“I owe this guy, a bad guy, a lot of money.  More than I can possibly repay.  I told him about you.”

“You did what?” cried Blake.  “Why would you do that?”

“Because you could make me fucking money!” he growled.

“This wouldn’t happen to be Marco Rodriguez that you owe the money to, would it?” asked Ham.  Josh’s face paled and he shook his head.

“H-how could you know that?  How is it possible you knew that?” he asked.

“Keep talking,” said Kane.

“They were bringing drugs through the feed store and were starting to worry about the drug dogs at the docks and truck loading centers.”  Ham stared down at him.

“And you just happened to offer up information about Blake.  Like, maybe that she could tell the dogs to not sniff the drugs?”

“Something like that,” he frowned.  Kane touched his shoulders again and looked at the others, shaking his head.

“There’s more and you’d better fucking tell the truth,” said Ham.

“Fine.  Fine, you’re probably going to kill me anyway.”  He looked up at them, as if hoping for denial from someone.  When they didn’t answer, he proceeded.  “It was everything.  Race horses, greyhounds, tigers, lions, all of it.”

“Lions and tigers?  What the fuck was he going to do, play Roman coliseum with the gladiators?” growled Gator.  Josh looked up at him, fearful to respond, then he nodded.

“Yes.”

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

“Jesus, what have we discovered.  First they’re hunting animals who have no hope of escape and now they’re collecting animals to use in the ring?” whispered Kev.

“You have to remember that in many South American countries they’re still bull fighting, stabbing a bull multiple times for a kill,” said Blake.  “I hate it but it’s cultural.”

“Yes, but putting lions, rhinos, tigers, elephants and other animals in a massive ring and pitting them against men is vastly different,” said Ham.  He turned to look at Josh.  “How are they selecting these men?”

“It’s women too,” he frowned.  “Anyone who has wronged Marco or owes him money.  He literally sees himself as Ceaser or some shit.  They’ll get armor, or at least what looked like armor and they’ll have access to swords, some sort of curved blade looking thing, a huge net that weighs a ton, it’s all insane.  I thought she could tell animals what to do and he thought…”

“He thought he could bet on the games and win every time,” frowned Zane.  “You figured she’d tell the animal to win or lose, drop down or kill, and every damn time Marco would win.”

“Y-yes,” he said lowering his head.

“Did you despise me so much that you would turn me over to a man like that?  First it’s helping to get his drugs into the country, then it’s this?  Why would you ever believe that I would do something so disturbing?”

“You weren’t going to have a choice,” he said staring at her.  The sound of flesh on flesh was so loud, every man in the room turned to see if Josh was still sitting in his chair.  Blake’s handprint vividly made itself known in red, while Josh pursed his lips cursing her under his breath.

“You were turning me over to my death.  Yes, I can speak to the animals but I cannot force them to do anything.  Like all creatures they have minds of their own.  They know what’s right or wrong.  If you starved the animals, beat them, they would fight to survive or get a meal but you’re mistaken if you believe I can control that.”

“It doesn’t matter.  I’m a dead man now.  You fucked up the drugs coming in and he’s losing money.  Whether he kills me or you kill me, he’ll still come for you and no one, not these big goons, no one will stop him.”

The men stared at one another with a slight upturn of their lips.  Then, Kev bellowed with laughter and shook his head leaning over Josh.  He gripped his throat, leaning so closely he could count the hairs on the man’s chin.

“You idiot.  There are hundreds of us ready to defend her.  Where you are, doesn’t even exist on a map.  And you’re right.  You’ll be dead by our hands before the sun sets.”

“Blake!  Blake, come on, honey.  I was a good stepdad,” he pleaded.

“Good?  You beat my mother on a regular basis only because she threatened you if you touched me.  You followed me, you hovered, you called me names, all to make yourself feel better.  You weren’t a good stepfather.  You weren’t even a decent stepfather.  You were just a man in the house taking up space.”

Josh stared at her, then noticed that Zane was holding her hand.  He burst out laughing, shaking his head.

“Hold her hand all you want, big man.  Once Marco gets a hold of her, there will be nothing left.”

“Zane, take her home,” said Ham.  “We’ve got some business to finish.”

Zane nodded, taking her hand and heading out the back door.  The others turned to stare at the man, waiting for their cue.  When Trak walked in, he had not only Alvin at his feet, but also Oscar and Hank.

“Wh-what are you doing?” stammered Josh.

“You’re so fond of animals, we thought we’d introduce you to a few of our favorites.  Alvin over there is highly effective at taking out the trash.  In fact, he doesn’t leave one little scrap for anyone to find.  Oscar and Hank, they’re new to all this but they definitely enjoy their outings with Alvin.”

“And him?” he said nodding toward Trak.  “Does he tell them what to do?  Does he talk to animals too?”  Ham laughed, shaking his head.

“Nope.  He just gets out of their way.”

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

“I never imagined he hated me so much,” said Blake walking slowly back to the cottage with Zane.  “I knew we didn’t get along, I knew he thought I was strange.  But not once did I believe he hated me.”

“You were a kid, honey.  Men like that are very good at hiding their emotions.  But I do wonder, why in the world would your mother marry a man like that?”

“It’s a great question.  Looking back on it now, I think she was so lonely, so desperately lonely.  Josh came around and had a decent job and people in the community liked him.  I think she thought it was better than being alone, raising a daughter alone. 

“When she figured out what kind of man he really was, she didn’t want to be the one to expose him to those around us.  I don’t know why.  I just know that I always said I would never allow a man to treat me like that.”

“Well, I can damn sure promise you that I won’t be treating you in that way.  I’m crazy about you, Blake.  I’m falling more and more in love with you every day.  I know it may not be the right time, with all that you’ve been through.  But I’m not going anywhere.”

He opened the cottage door and they stepped inside.  The cool air conditioning kissed their skin, making them both instantly feel better.

“What on earth would make you think that I need to wait?  Zane, I’ve been falling in love with you as well.  You’re kind, handsome, and smart.  You’re by far the most well-read man I’ve ever known,” she chuckled, staring at the stack of books on the coffee table.

“Honestly that started when I moved here,” he grinned.  “But thank you.”  She moved toward him, placing her hands on his chest.

“I want to be here.  With you.  No one else.  I want to be in your bed at night, next to you.  Naked.”

“Shit,” he muttered feeling the bulge rising between his thighs.

“Take me, Zane.  Take me now.”

He pulled her hand toward the master bedroom, kicking off his shoes as he entered the room, stripping the shirt off over his head.  When turned around, the sundress was pooled at her feet and she stood only in her bra and panties. 

He knew she was curvy but seeing her like this put it all into perspective.  Her skin was perfection, the tiny freckles across her chest matching those across her nose.  Reaching behind her, she unhooked the bra and let it fall, then slid the panties to the floor and kicked them aside.  Zane was very happy to see the tuft of red hair between her thighs.

“I want to touch you,” she said slowly walking toward him.  He nodded, unzipping the shorts and letting them fall.  Pushing his boxers down, his cock sprung to life, the thick purple head begging for someone to touch it.

Blake let her fingers glide down his length, then swept over the tip, the juice on her fingers coming to her lips.  Zane growled, a deep grizzly growl that turned her on.  He lifted her and set on the edge of the bed, his fingers diving into her wet folds, in and out, in and out as she moaned.

Her breasts were bouncing up and down as he fought to bring her to a perfect climax, allowing her to find relief, no matter what happened next.  Pressing her back to the bed, he pulled her forward, placing her legs over his shoulders.  With the thick head of his cock now soaked, he slowly pushed forward, stretching her, more and more.

“Wow,” she moaned, arching her back.  “Damn, you’re really big.”

“Not so big,” he moaned with effort.  “Just thick.”

“That’s big,” she grinned.  “And perfect.”

When his full length and girth were inside, he stilled to control himself.  Then she started to move and he knew it was on.  The desire to own her body was overwhelming to him.  His mouth covered one nipple while his cock found the very depths of her, pushing her knees toward her ears for more.

“Zane!  Zane, you’re going to make me cum again!”

“Good,” he growled, “because I’m about to explode inside this body.  This body that is mine now, Blake.  Mine!”

“Yes!” she yelled.

It seemed as if the entire cottage shook with aftershocks.  Still running his tongue over her breasts, he could feel the full weight of his balls dripping between her ass crack.  Then he stilled.

“Shit.  Blake?  I didn’t wear a condom.”

“Oh,” she said calmly looking up at him.  “It’s okay.  I mean, I’m okay.  They tested me when I got here.  No diseases and I’ve been on the shot for years.”

“I’m clean as well,” he said.  “I was just thinking about children.”

“Do you want children?” she asked with an unreadable gaze.  He pulled back as she sat up on the bed.

“I hadn’t given it much thought.  I know what kind of parent I don’t want to be.  I’m just not sure what kind of parent I will be.”

“You’ll be a wonderful father,” she smiled, touching his cheeks and kissing him.  “You’re kind, intelligent, loving, and I know that you would never abandon me.”

“Never,” he said smiling.  “A father.  I might be a father.”

“Not any time soon,” she laughed.  “I am on the shot.  But when we’re both ready, I’d like to have children one day.”  She reached out and stroked his semi-hard cock and he closed his eyes, moaning at her touch.

“You’re driving me mad,” he groaned.

“Good because I’m not nearly done with you yet.”

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Marco stood at the exact center of the unfinished arena, his polished shoes half-sunk in pale construction dust, and slowly turned in place as if the whole world had been poured into a bowl for him to inspect.

The oval pit around him had not yet received its final skin of sand, but already the shape of it was unmistakable: tiered concrete rising in merciless rings, iron gates yawning from dark tunnels, floodlights fixed high above like artificial suns waiting to be switched on.  Men in hard hats and expensive boots kept their distance until he looked at them, and when he did, they hurried forward with drawings, tablets, and nervous smiles, each one eager to prove that his part of Marco’s dream was worthy of survival.

The chief architect, a narrow man named Salcedo, pointed toward the western curve of the arena where a row of reinforced doors had been set into the wall beneath the lowest tier of seats.

“That section is for the cats,” he said, swallowing after the word as if it had teeth. “Separate cells, double-barred, drainage underneath, feeding chutes from behind.  When the mechanism is engaged, the inner door rises first, then the outer.  The animal sees only the light and the movement in front of it.”

Marco listened without blinking.  He imagined the first blur of muscle and striped hide breaking from shadow into the hot brightness, imagined the crowd recoiling and then leaning forward, hungry for the same thing they would later pretend to condemn.

“And if it refuses?” he asked.  His voice carried easily across the empty floor, soft enough that everyone had to be quiet to hear it.

Another man stepped in, broader than Salcedo and wearing a black shirt despite the heat.

“We have pressure panels, sound lures, scent lines, and handlers positioned behind armored screens.  Nothing enters the arena unless we want it to, and nothing stays hidden once you give the signal.”

He said the last part proudly, but his eyes flicked toward the gates, betraying a private awareness that animals had never signed contracts.

Marco smiled at that. He liked confidence most when it bordered on fear.

“Show me the tunnels.”

They led him down a temporary ramp into the understructure, where the air changed from dry dust to damp concrete, diesel, and raw metal.  The passages beneath the arena branched in a deliberate maze, each one marked by colored bands on the wall.  Red for predators.  Blue for water tanks and pumps.  Yellow for men.  Black for whatever Marco decided did not deserve a label.  Overhead, cable trays ran like exposed veins, and every few yards a camera had already been mounted behind smoked protective glass.

“The fighters will be brought through here,” Salcedo said, indicating a wider corridor that sloped upward. “They will not see the arena until the gate opens.  We can stage them individually or in groups.  If you want confusion, we release them from opposite sides.  If you want theater, we bring them through the central gate with lights behind them.”

“I want theater,” Marco said.  “Confusion is cheap.  Anyone can make men afraid.  I want them to understand the shape of their fear before it eats them.”

No one laughed.  A few nodded too quickly.  The broad man pointed to a recessed viewing slit set into the wall beside a holding pen.  Beyond it, in a chamber still smelling of new welds, heavy chains hung from ceiling tracks.

“From here, your staff can observe without exposure.  The animals can be fed, agitated, separated, or paired before release.  Lions and tigers on the western side.  Bears to the north because they need more space.  The smaller predators can be cycled through the east pens.  We have designed everything so the sequence can change from one event to the next.”

Marco walked close to the bars of an empty enclosure and ran one finger along the steel.  It came away gray with dust.  He rubbed it against his thumb, displeased.

“This place must not feel unfinished when the first guest arrives.  I want them to believe it has always been here, waiting under the earth like a buried empire.”

“It will,” Salcedo said.  “The stone facing is being brought in tomorrow.  Aged limestone.  Roman profiles on the arches.  Bronze trim on the gates.  We can distress the surfaces so they look older.”

“Older is not enough,” Marco said.  “Rome was public.  Rome begged the mob to approve it.  Mine will be private.  Cleaner.  More honest.” He looked down the tunnel toward the glow of the arena floor.

“The old emperors had to share their games with peasants. I will choose who gets to watch.”

They returned to the main floor, and from there a different attendant hurried forward, carrying a leather portfolio and wearing the anxious expression of a jeweler about to present diamonds to a man who owned mines.

“Señor Marco, the luxury box is ready for your approval. We have arranged several throne concepts, as requested.”

The private elevator had not yet been installed, so Marco climbed a temporary staircase surrounded by guards and advisers, rising above the arena until the pit below became a perfect instrument of humiliation.  At the top, the luxury box projected from the centerline of the best tier, wrapped in glass that could darken at the touch of a switch.

It was not merely a place to sit; it was a command deck disguised as a palace balcony.  Marble slabs leaned against one wall, waiting to be set.  Hidden vents breathed chilled air into the unfinished space.  A bar made of black onyx had already been polished to a mirror shine.

Three chairs stood beneath protective cloths.  The attendant uncovered the first with ceremony.  It was carved from dark walnut, high-backed and severe, with bronze lions gripping the arms.  The second was wider, upholstered in white leather, bordered in gold, with a reclining mechanism and built-in controls for the glass, lights, cameras, and sound.  The third made the men behind Marco shift on their feet: black marble, silver inlay, jaguar heads at the armrests, and a crest worked into the back so deeply it looked less carved than branded.

“You said you wanted something that would shame the Roman boxes,” the attendant said.  “Not imitate them.”

Marco approached the marble throne and touched the cold curve of a jaguar’s skull.  Below, workers crossed the arena floor like insects, each one unaware of how small he appeared from this height.

“Rome had senators packed together in robes, sweating and shouting with the rest.  This is better.  Here, a man can drink, eat, conduct business, punish enemies, reward friends, and never raise his voice.”

“The glass is ballistic,” Salcedo added from behind him.  “The floor has a private service lift. The walls will conceal screens showing every camera angle.  If there is any disturbance, the box can seal itself in under four seconds.”

Marco lowered himself into the marble throne.  It accepted him without softness.  He liked that.  Comfort made weak men sentimental, but luxury sharpened him when it was built on obedience.  He stretched one arm along the jaguar’s head and looked through the open front of the box toward the gates below.

“How many animals are already here?”

The broad man checked his tablet.

“Two lions, four tigers, three bears, six wolves, crocodiles for the water channel once it is finished, and the hyenas you requested.  The rhino is being moved at night and should arrive within the week.  We also have handlers negotiating for a pair of cassowaries, though I must warn you, they are difficult to manage.”

“Difficult is useful, besides I have something to manager difficult,” Marco said.  “Predictable animals become props.  I want the guests to see something alive in the arena besides the men begging to leave it.”  He paused, considering the invisible inventory beneath his feet.

“And the others?”

The broad man hesitated just long enough for everyone in the box to notice.

“The special acquisition should be secured any time now.”

Marco’s eyes moved to him, and the temperature in the luxury box seemed to drop despite the vents whispering cool air.

“Not here,” he said.  “Not yet.”

The attendant closed his portfolio.  Salcedo stared very carefully at the arena.  The broad man nodded once and looked down.  Marco remained seated in the black marble throne, framed by unfinished glass and raw concrete, already seeing the finished spectacle: the sand combed smooth, the gates painted red, the first honored guests leaning forward with champagne in their hands, wondering what impossible thing he had saved for the end.

He did not smile this time.  Some weapons were more powerful while they remained unnamed, and Marco intended to let the arena itself learn fear before anyone else did.

“My apologies, boss.  You have a call.”

CHAPTER NINETEEN

“We’ve got to find a way to stop this maniac,” said Gator.  “Why is that none of us have heard of him or had interactions with him?”

“Maybe we’ve all been out too long,” said Ham shaking his head.  “Have we spoken to any of the younger men?”

“Some of them,” nodded Cowboy.

“Hey, you’ve got a call that you need to take,” said AJ.  “Cooper is calling in from the field.”

“Cooper?  Where is his Ranger team?” asked Gator.

“No clue but let’s find out.”  The screen illuminated with a familiar face, although older, harder, and dirtier.  They all smiled, calling out his name.

“Coop!”

“Hey, guys,” he grinned.  “How are things there?”

“Good.  How are you?” asked Ham.

“I’m good.  I’ve been given permission to call all of you because it appears we could be helpful to one another.  I’m currently sitting somewhere in the lovely jungles of South America.”

“South America,” frowned Cowboy.

“Yes.  Good old South America.  We’ve been tracking and trying to shut down the trafficking from a cartel run by Marco Rodriguez.  Sound familiar?”

“Way too familiar,” frowned Ham.  “He’s doing other shit as well.”

“Like the Roman coliseum for gladiator battles?” grinned Coop.

“Damn, you are good.  Yes.  Like that.  We have someone here, someone who was involved in the incidences up in the Dakotas.  She’s been here a few days now but we rescued her from a bad situation that was only going to get worse.”

“Okay,” he frowned.  “What does that have to do with this?”

“She has a gift,” said Gator.  “A gift like Mama Irene, Gaspar, Luke, and Trak.  Her stepfather owed Marco money and promised to deliver her to him.”

“Holy fuck.  She’s his secret weapon.  He kept talking to our sources about a secret weapon that would make him the most powerful and wealthy man in South America.  We thought it was an actual weapon.”

“It could have been,” said Ham.  “Her stepfather thought she could tell the animals what to do.”

“He’s going to be fucking pissed,” grinned Coop.  “I’m going to send you a couple of phone numbers of men working on the coliseum structure.  Just tell them you have a message for him about his secret weapon.  We’ve got some things we have to get shut down here before you can come in but once we do that, you’re free to bombs away.”

“I see.  So, you need a favor?” smirked Ham.  “Uncle Sam doesn’t want anyone to know we’re down there snooping and shutting shit down.”

“Sorry, fellas, no comment.  I’ll be home soon.  I promise.”  The screen went black and they stared at one another.

“Call the number,” said Ham.  AJ called the first number and no one answered.  On the second, the man picked up.

“Hello?”

“Calling for Marco Rodriguez regarding his secret weapon?” said Ham.

“Who is this?”

“None of your fucking business.  Get me your boss.”  There was silence, then the sound of someone moving and fabric brushing against the phone.

“My apologies boss.  You have a call.”

“Who the fuck is it?” he snapped.

“Someone that says they have information about your secret weapon.”  Marco grabbed the phone, stepping away from the other men.

“You’d better have good news for me, or you know what’s going to happen, Josh.”

“Sorry to disappoint you old man but Josh is no longer available to you or anyone else.”  There was a deathly silence and then heavy breathing.

“Who is this?” he asked in a low tone.

“Oh, I’m not sure it really matters,” said Ham.  “What matters is that Josh is gone, your secret weapon is safe and in hiding, and you’ll never get to her.  In fact, I’m going to offer you a great deal because that’s the kind of generous, kind man I am.”

“You’re making me lose patience quickly and I am not generous or kind.”

“Well, that’s a shame,” chuckled Ham.  “You stop this coliseum bullshit, pitting animals against men and one another, and I’ll give you a few weeks headstart on the trafficking shit coming into New Orleans.”

They could hear hard footsteps and then the low gravelly voice of Marco Rodriguez.

“Who the fuck are you?  You think you can stop me?  No one can stop me.  I will have the most amazing arena the world has ever seen.  Men and women will beg me to rid them of their trash and I will accommodate.  And the drugs?  Do you honestly believe you can stop me?

“I am ruling this part of the world right now.  You’re so pathetic you won’t even give me a name.”

“Oh, right.  Sorry, that was rude of me.  My name is Hamish and I’m with the Shadow Warriors.”

It was so quiet on the other end of the line, they could actually hear the construction equipment and talking in the background.  They patiently waited a few moments and then Ham spoke again.

“I don’t have all day, Marco.  What do you say to our deal?”

“Others may fear you but I do not.  Your country won’t allow you to come down here, I know this.  You will not stop me.  You cannot.”

“Watch us.”

CHAPTER TWENTY

At dinner, Blake listened as the men talked about the plan to stop Marco Rodriguez.  They went over details repeatedly, and options B, C, and D, should they need it.  The problem was they forgot one major thing.

“What about the animals?” she asked.  Ham, Cowboy, Kev, and the others turned to look at her.  “I mean, I know the goal is to stop him but what about the animals that he already has entrapped?  We have to save them.”

“Honey, he might have animals that are not indigenous to South America.  We can’t just release them.  How do we get them out of there?” asked Gator.  Blake stared at the men, then turned to Zane, hoping he would support her in this.

“Use me.”

“No.”

“Nope.”

“Fuck no.”

“Hell no.”

“I actually wasn’t asking,” said Blake confidently.  “I’m saying that I can be there and tell the animals where to go.  Maybe a ship waiting in the harbor or a train that can carry them north to zoos or safari parks or something.”

“Blake, as much as I love that you want to help and want to save the animals, we can’t let you go down there.  You forget that you are who Marco wants,” said Ham.

“I don’t forget that at all,” she said staring at him.  “Why is it okay for all of you to risk your lives for me but I can’t risk my life for animals that don’t deserve what fate has delivered to them.  Maybe you haven’t thought about this but I have.  Marco Rodriguez is a drug dealer. 

“Did it occur to any of you that he could potentially use those drugs on the animals?  If he had to run, he’d kill them.  If he needed them out of control, he could drug them.  There is more here than just stopping someone from violating every law around animal and human rights.”

“Babe, I think we all understand that but it’s just not something we want to risk.  If we can, we’ll find a way to get the animals out.”

“I have a way,” said the familiar voice.  The men all rolled their eyes, some actually groaning.  “Don’t you dare take that tone with me.”

“Mama Irene, you might be able to safely go down there and help but she cannot,” said Ham.

“Course she can.  I’d be there with her and so would Luke and Gaspar.”

“Me too,” said Trak.

“Are you fucking kidding me right now?” asked Gator.  “Did you forget that he’d rather chop off your heads than have to deal with any of you?”

“And did you forget that we’re fucking trained?” growled Gaspar.  “You’re looking at a SEAL, a Ranger, and a Delta operator and you might as well call Mama all three.  We will guard Blake and we will get her out of there.  With the animals.”

Blake couldn’t help but smirk, attempting to hide it from Zane, as she knew he wasn’t going to give in on this easily.

“We’re not even certain the location of this place yet,” said Ham.  “It will be a few days before we have all the information we need and we’ll have to work with Coop and his team to ensure we don’t overstep.”

“That’s fine,” said Irene, “that’s just fine.  Just you remember this.  Whether you include me in your plans I will know them anyway.  You will not get away with foolin’ me, young man.”

“Yes, ma’am,” said Ham.  She patted his hand and kissed cheek, patting the opposite cheek.

“Good boy.  I’ll be around,” she said winking at Blake.

Ham just rolled his eyes, shaking his head at the table.  He knew he couldn’t fool Mama Irene and he wouldn’t be able to pull one over on her, nor did he really want to. 

She was right about one thing.  Sending in Luke, Gaspar, and Trak was equivalent to sending in an entire team of regular men.  He’d never sent a ‘ghost’ into battle but then again, he’d never had the opportunity.

“Just so you know,” said Blake, “The Komodas and the Boa both offered to come as well.  They might be helpful.”

“No more animals,” said Gator.  “We can’t afford to lose one or put them in danger.  I won’t do that but please express our appreciation.”

“I definitely will,” she nodded. 

They heard the familiar footsteps that indicated there was going to be a problem.  Turning slowly, they saw the two faces that would deliver the news.  AJ and Hiro.

“We have a problem.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

“Coop’s team has been relaying information to us to help pinpoint the exact location of Rodriguez and his camp.  This dude has done nothing to attempt to hide it.  That only makes us believe that someone knows exactly what he’s doing and is looking the other way.”

Hiro opened the map on the overhead screen, the massive image of the jungle appearing.  He narrowed the view and began pointing and talking.

“These three buildings are where he is processing the drugs.  We know that by the fact that people go in wearing only their undergarments, a face mask, and hair nets.  In these two buildings, the bundles are stored in air-conditioning and packed for shipment around the world.

“If you look over in this direction, you can see the cages lined up for the animals.  Some are full, some are not, indicating he is still waiting on other species.  The cages are not large at all.  This Rhino,” he said narrowing the view, “looks as though he might just barge through at any moment.  I’d like to point out that those cages are titanium.  You won’t be able to just bend the bars.”

“How do we open them?” asked Ham.

“G.R.I.P. has some equipment that will cut the bars for us.  It will take a few minutes but you’ll be able to get in and get the animals out.  Roughly four miles east, is his mansion.  I should say castle.  Again, not doing anything to hide it.  Turrets, cellars, or dungeons, take your pick, a moat, everything.  This dude has serious power issues,” said AJ.  He nodded to Hiro.

“If we go two miles northwest, we see the coliseum,” said Hiro.

“Holy fuck,” muttered Cowboy.  “That’s a real fucking coliseum.  He’s crazy.  Look at that.  Like ancient Rome with all the modern conveniences.  I’m guessing that the guests will arrive by boat?”

“That’s right.  Multiple docks, supporting multiple boats of different sizes and if you look closely, the walkways are cobbled walkways.  I’m telling you, this man has some serious power issues and perhaps a tiny dick.”

The men all smirked, nodding at AJ.

“How in the hell do they get all those animals to the coliseum if they’re so far away?” asked Kev.

“We believe that their intention is to get them to the coliseum once it’s completed.  There may be some beneath the current structure now.  If you look closely behind the cages, there are railroad tracks.  He’s got a private train that loads the cages, takes them the short distance to the coliseum and comes back.”

“Okay,” nodded Ham.  “So, in theory, we could load those cages on the train.”

“No,” said AJ.  “There’s no outlet for you.  It only goes to and from the coliseum.  You’re going to have to let them loose and guide them to safety.”

“I was afraid you’d say that,” frowned Ham.

“Ham, it could be worse,” said Cowboy.  He nodded and then turned back to Hiro.  “How many men are we looking at?”

“Right now, including construction crews, close to a thousand.”

“A thousand?  Fuck me,” muttered Gator.  “That’s a lot of men, Ham.  We need to use everything we have.  Maybe we start with the drones.”

“Maybe,” he nodded, “or maybe we take them out a little at a time.  Provide a little sabotage that will slow them down.  If we use our stealth abilities, we can send a team in, cause a collapse of parts of the coliseum, and keep them busy.”

“I’d recommend causing chaos at the drug lab and storage first,” said Matt.  “That’s his bread and butter right now.  If we disrupt that, he’s got no cash flow.  Does it operate twenty-four-seven?”

“No,” said AJ.  “It was something we noticed right away.  At precisely nine p.m., the guards search all the workers one-by-one, hose them down, and send them on their way, locking the doors behind them.  You’ll have between a hundred and a hundred and fifty guards patrolling the property but again, if you’re using the stealth netting, you won’t have any issues.”

“We could use the condors again,” came the deep baritone voice at the door.  Every man in the room jumped, gripping their chests.  Even Trak’s grandsons jerked in surprise.

“I swear one day you are going to get shot, Trak,” said Ham shaking his head.  Trak just shrugged.  It wasn’t the first time he’d heard it and it wouldn’t be the last.  He took one step into the room and rolled his eyes as Alec and Tailor pushed in behind him.

“What are y’all doing here?” asked Cowboy.

“We’re bored,” frowned Alec.  “We want to have some fun.”

“This isn’t fun!  It could be war,” said Ham.  The two massive giants grinned, fist-bumping one another.  “Y’all are children.  Fine.  And using the condors could be helpful, you’re right.”

“Whatever you say, you’re in charge,” grinned Trak.

“Am I?  Am I, really?  Because it damn sure doesn’t feel that way,” frowned Ham.

“We mean no disrespect, Ham,” said Tailor.  “You’ll feel this one day yourself.  There will come a day when you’re technically retired but still have the feeling that you can be useful, helpful, and can make a difference.  We’ve been to this part of the world more times than you can imagine.  Let us help and we just might make things a little easier for you.”

“Fine.  Fine, you’re right.  We can use the help.  But do me a favor,” he said staring at the three additional team members, “at least do me the courtesy of telling me what you’re going to do before you do it.”  Trak smirked at him, nodding.

“I’ll do my best.”

They all watched as the three men left the room, smiling at one another and shaking their heads.  They knew they most likely wouldn’t tell them a damn thing.

“Alright,” nodded Ham.  “We’ll wait until we get more intel from Coop and his team and start finalizing plans.  In the meantime, gather the weapons and explosives we’re going to need.  Gather your own gear, anything that you know you’ll want and need.  Hiro?”

“Yep,” he said spinning around.

“Get with G.R.I.P. and take anything they’ll give us.”

“Victoria and Marilisa are already on that.  They’re crating everything now for the boats to be brought to the air strip.”  He nodded, staring at the others.

“Then let’s plan for everything.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Marco Rodriguez had built his empire in the folds of a lush mountain valley in Argentina, where the roads disappeared into thick tropical forests and the horizon shimmered like a warning.  

From the outside, his compound looked like an ancient castle from Europe, guarded by walls, gates, and men who never smiled, but beyond the first layer of stone and steel, the place moved with the rhythm of a hidden city.

There were warehouses that never appeared on any map, loading yards lit through the night, and long sheds where workers moved crates under the watch of armed supervisors.

The air carried the heat of machinery and engines, and the business inside the walls was spoken of only in fragments, as though even naming it too clearly might invite judgment.

Marco preferred it that way.  He liked secrets, not because he feared discovery, but because secrets made him feel larger than ordinary men.  Each guarded door, each whispered order, each vehicle that left under the moon convinced him that he had outgrown the world’s rules.

He did not walk through the compound so much as receive it, as if every corridor and courtyard had been created for the pleasure of his inspection.  Men lowered their eyes when he passed, not out of loyalty alone, but because Marco had trained them to understand that awe was safer than familiarity.

At the center of his latest obsession stood an unfinished coliseum, absurd and magnificent, rising out of the earth beside the transport sheds.  Its concrete bones formed tiers of seating, tunnels, holding pens, and a wide oval floor where Marco imagined cheers rolling like thunder.

He called it a monument to courage, though everyone close to him understood it was a monument to himself.  In private, he spoke of modern gladiators, of men hardened by desperation and a desire to pay debts in any way possible.  It was always preferable to death.  He spoke of beasts brought in as symbols of nature’s brutality, and of crowds learning that mercy was a weakness invented by comfortable people.

The engineers hated the project, but they feared him more than they hated the work.  They measured arches, reinforced walls, and adjusted floodlights while pretending not to hear Marco’s speeches about spectacle, destiny, and the ancient hunger of mankind.

Near the coliseum, the rest of the compound continued its unlawful trade with relentless discipline.  Trucks came and went behind black gates, drivers signed for cargo without questions, and supervisors checked manifests that used harmless words to disguise what everyone knew was being moved.

Marco watched it all from a balcony wrapped around his residence, a white villa planted above the dust like a crown on a skull.  He liked the view because it allowed him to see both halves of his dream: the machinery of wealth on one side and the theater of domination on the other.

He had begun to believe his own myths with dangerous sincerity.  The law, he said, was slow; rivals were predictable; politicians were purchasable; and fear, once properly cultivated, was more dependable than love, loyalty, or blood.

So when he announced a party in honor of his own genius, no one laughed where he could hear it.  Invitations were sent through coded channels, musicians were flown in under false arrangements, and cooks were ordered to prepare a feast large enough to feed a town.

He did not care who might be watching from satellites, informants, distant ridges, or the shadows of his own household.  In fact, the possibility pleased him, because he imagined every hidden eye widening at the scale of what he had made.

The night of the celebration, strings of gold lights crossed the courtyards, turning guard towers into decorations and making the warehouse roofs gleam like stages.

Laughter rose over the generators, glassware flashed in the hands of guests, and the smells of roasted meat, expensive perfume, diesel fumes, and sunbaked dust mingled in the hot air.

Somewhere near the kitchens, knives struck cutting boards in a frantic rhythm, while the unfinished coliseum glowed beyond them like a promise too mad to ignore.

Marco arrived late on purpose, wearing a cream suit and a red carnation, with rings bright enough to catch the attention of everyone forced to applaud.  He paused at the top of the villa steps, arms open, accepting the roar of music, cheers, clinking crystal, and idling engines as though the whole valley were chanting his name.

His speech began as a toast and swelled into a sermon.  He praised his cleverness, his vision, his enemies’ stupidity, and the weakness of every institution that had failed to reach him, while his lieutenants clapped with the careful timing of men who knew hesitation could be noticed.

Beyond the music, workers kept moving in the darker parts of the compound.  The party did not interrupt the shipments, and the shipments did not interrupt the party; the sweetness of wine and grilled fruit lingered on the terrace while oil, sweat, and exhaust drifted up from the loading yards.

To Marco, that harmony was the most beautiful proof of his command.

He led favored guests to the rim of the coliseum and described the contests he intended to stage there.  The concrete still held the day’s heat, grit crunched under polished shoes, and floodlights hummed above the unfinished tiers while distant animals stirred behind temporary barriers.

He spoke with theatrical calm, as though describing opera or architecture, and the more monstrous the idea became, the more offended he seemed that anyone might fail to admire it.

Some guests smiled because they were loyal, others because they were trapped, and a few because they had learned long ago that Marco rewarded reflections of himself.  

He mistook all of it for devotion, never recognizing that fear can mimic celebration until the room is full of masks.

From the far edge of the valley, the compound shone too brightly to be invisible.  Its lights spilled over the walls, its music carried into the dark, and every careless gesture of Marco’s vanity made the place less like a fortress and more like a signal fire.

Marco raised his glass beneath the lights, certain the world below him had finally learned its place.  

He did not see the danger in being seen, and that blindness made him more vulnerable than any enemy could have hoped, because a man who truly believes he is unstoppable often begins by removing every warning sign himself.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Blake was sitting in the garden with the dogs, just scratching their ears and nodding her head, listening to them as they spoke to one another and to her.  She heard the crunching of gravel and then it became louder and more intense.

Standing, she saw people running toward something.

“What’s wrong?” she asked as Stephanie ran by.  She stopped, smiling at Blake and holding out her hand.

“Come on!  Lennon and Marnie are both in labor.”

“Oh, my gosh,” she laughed. 

Both women were in the clinic, both being watched carefully by the medical team.  Marnie was having difficulty remembering that she was the patient, not the doctor.

Five baby beds lined the wall, ready for the twins and triplets about to appear to the world.  Brooks and Mitchell could only smile at one another.  They’d come into the world together and now their children were coming into the world together.  It seemed right.

“When did they go into labor?” asked Blake, truly curious.  She felt the callused, thick hands of Zane fall on her shoulders as he kissed her neck and smiled.

“During breakfast,” smiled Priscilla.  “They didn’t want anyone to know at first.  I mean, labor can go a long time.  Marnie is a few weeks early but they’re triplets, so that makes sense.”

“Is there any danger?” asked Blake.

“No,” smiled Marissa.  “They’re perfectly healthy and we’re used to delivering multiples around here.”

“It’s so exciting,” smiled Blake. “I’ve only been around animals during birth, never any humans.”

No sooner had they filled the waiting rooms than the diner brought in rolling carts of food to keep the faithful happy and full.

“Zane?  What happened to Josh?” asked Blake quietly.  He stared at her, kissing her forehead.

“Do you really want to know?”

“I do.  I know that he’s, well, gone.  I just wanted to know.  I want to know the truth.”  Zane looked over at Saint and CJ who were seated nearby.  Both men looked at him and knew he didn’t want to answer the question.

“Blake, sometimes men don’t deserve to live.  Even though he was your stepfather, he was one of those men.  He was prepared to sell you, literally, for your gift.  He beat your mother, he owed more than just Marco Rodriguez and it wasn’t going to stop.”

“I know.  I know all of that,” she said patiently.

“He was taken into the bayou with Alvin, and the Komodas.  Honestly, it didn’t even require much effort on their part.  Josh couldn’t swim,” said CJ.

“What?  I don’t think I ever knew that,” she said in obvious shock.  “Thank you for telling me the truth.  I just don’t want to think about him still being out there.  I know I’m safe here and I know I’m safe on the island with the animals but sooner or later I’m going to want to leave here, to go shopping or visit another city.”

“Do you?” asked Zane.  “I mean, what city do you want to visit?”

“I don’t know,” she laughed.  The others chuckled with her.  “I was just thinking about it that’s all.”

“Well, maybe we could go somewhere special for our honeymoon,” said Zane turning a fiery red.  Blake stared at him, then turned to CJ and Saint, trying to determine if this was a joke.

“Are you,” she whispered, “are you asking me to marry you?”

“I guess I am,” he laughed.  “Although it sure is a shitty way to ask.  I don’t have a ring yet but I know that you and I should be together.  This could be us having a baby in a year or two.  I can see that.  I can feel it.  Can you?”

Blake was so quiet Zane worried that maybe he’d read too much into their relationship.  He’d been warned that love came quickly at Belle Fleur but there was so much conflict around them, he almost lost sight of that.

“Yes,” she nodded.  “Yes, I’ll marry you!”

Before they could leap to their feet and cheer, Brooks came through the door wheeling two basinets and two wrapped pink-cheeked bundles.

“Boys.  We have two boys,” he grinned.  His parents and grandparents gathered around first, staring down at the adorable pink faces.  The boys were a healthy weight, long and lean like all the males of their family.

“They’re beautiful, Brooks,” said his mother with a tear in her eyes.  “Do we have names yet?”

“Dawson and Davis,” he grinned.  “Lennon liked both of those names.”

“I love those names,” grinned Christopher.  “Dawson Jordan and Davis Jordan.  Good strong names.”

While everyone got a quick look at the babies, Marnie was cursing her husband out in the back. 

“You will never touch me again!” she screamed.

“I know, honey,” he said kissing her hand.  “I’ll never touch you again.”

“No,” she cried.  “You’re not supposed to say that.  You know I love it when you touch me.”

“Okay,” he smiled.  “I’ll touch you whenever you ask.”

Her deliveries took a bit longer, eventually forcing them to make the decision to do a c-section.  It was for her safety, as well as the babies, who turned out to be a bit larger than expected, especially for being early.

Although they couldn’t be wheeled out, Mitchell appeared to tell everyone the good news, with a tear-streaked face, wringing his hands.

“Well?” smiled Christopher.

“Two boys and a girl,” he grinned.  “All three are nearly five pounds.  We had to do a c-section but she’s good, we’re good.”

“Oh honey,” said Ramey hugging her son.  “I’m so happy for you.”

“We named her Hollis.  The boys are Harrison and Henri.”

“The three H’s,” smirked Christopher.  “Perfect.”

“How are Brooks and Lennon?” he asked.

“They’re good.  Two boys, Dawson and Davis,” said Ramey.  “Go.  Go back to Marnie and give her our love.  We’ll come back when they say we can.”

The celebration moved to the cafeteria, to allow the parents and babies some time to acclimate to their new lives.  For a few short hours, the focus was on birth, new life, and the future.

In a short while, it would be focused on something vastly different.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Cooper’s team of Rangers, along with two other teams, descended upon the area surrounding the drug warehouses.  They couldn’t touch the animals and they couldn’t touch the coliseum but this was their domain.

“Coop?  If we do this those animals are going to die,” said one of his teammates.  He nodded, realizing that it was the truth.  “We can get to the warehouse holding the product and destroy that by flooding the building.  We’ll set off the fire suppression system, soak the product, and it’ll be destroyed, at least temporarily.”

“I guess we don’t have an option,” frowned Coop.

“There is another option,” said a soft voice from behind him. 

She was their source, their informant and she’d been giving them intel for weeks now.  Her own parents and two brothers had been killed during the construction of the coliseum, their bodies tossed in the river like they were nothing but trash.

That’s when she vowed to ensure the death of Marco. The problem was she wasn’t a soldier or a spy.  She wasn’t a woman that had any real talents at all other than making handbags for tourists from recycled materials found in the area.  It was enough to live on but it did little to fight a mad man.

“Alright, Bianca, we’re listening,” said Coop. 

He’d told the entire team that she was hands off.  She would be treated with respect and dignity and if anyone dared to touch her, they would answer to him.  She wasn’t some jungle whore, she was an innocent wanting exactly what they all wanted.

“Beneath the warehouse there is a tunnel that leads to the river for easy escape or an alternate delivery of the drugs.  If you blow the gate, the tunnel is flooded.”

“And so is the warehouse,” smirked Coop.

“Yes.  The sprinklers in the warehouse can be shut off easily.  You might cause some damage but not enough.”

“But the river isn’t going to rise enough in the warehouse to destroy it all,” said one of the men.

“That’s true,” nodded Coop. 

Lightning flashed above them, the sounds of a storm rolling through the region, about to begin.  He shook his head realizing what shit luck they were having.  He thought about calling home but shook his head.  No.  This part of it they needed to do themselves so that the others weren’t left with all of it.

“The gods are listening to you,” smiled the beautiful woman beside him.  Her thick dark hair was braided down her back, the huge brown eyes staring up at him.  She couldn’t be more than five-feet-four to his six-feet-two.  She had a narrow waist, curvy hips and the most gorgeous chest he’d ever seen on a woman.

“The gods?” he said hoarsely.

“Yes.  We are about to have a, what do you Americans say?  Ah!  A deluge.”

“Great, we’re all going to get wet,” he frowned.

“Yes and if we open the roof of the warehouse, so will the product.  Blow the gate to the river and create holes in the roof.  It will flood from up and down.”

“Fuck, she’s right.  We can get on the roof, plant a few blocks of boom-boom and the whole thing will cave,” said the man. 

Coop nodded.  It could work and it would give the home team the opportunity focus on the manufacturing site, the animals and the coliseum.  Rodriguez was arrogant enough to think it was all just an accident caused by nature.

“You need to leave,” he said turning to Bianca.

“What?  No!  No, this is where I should be.  I want to see him destroyed,” she whispered.

“He will be destroyed but we won’t risk your life in doing so.  You need to be far from here when this happens or he’ll know you were involved.”

“But…”  He gripped her arm, roughly pulling her away from the men.  He wanted them to know he didn’t favor the woman and he wouldn’t risk their lives.

“No buts,” he said firmly.  “I told you when you offered to help you would follow my orders or leave.  Now, leave.”  She stared up at him and shook her head.

“You’re like the rest.  You get what you want and you throw a woman aside.  I thought we were friends.  I thought…”

“You thought what?  I’m a United States Army Ranger doing my job, Bianca.  That’s all.”  He could see the flash of hurt and surprise in her face.  The pain was emphasized in those doe-like eyes and it nearly made his exterior crack.

“Of course.  My mistake,” she whispered.  “Good luck, Cooper.”

He watched her walk away and everything in his gut told him that he should run after her, hold her and tell her that he was crazy about her.  He was proud of her strength and spirit, her resilience in the face of all this evil.  But he couldn’t, he just couldn’t.

Turning, he returned to his men who were all staring at him.

“What?”

“She cared for you, brother.  You didn’t have to treat her like that,” said one of the men.

“She’s an informant.  That’s all,” he said coldly.

“Coop, you can fool yourself man, but you’re not fooling us.  You two have grown close.”  He held up his hands as Coop started to speak and shook his head.  “I’m not saying anything has happened between the two of you.  You’d be in a better fucking mood if it had.  I’m just saying she’s been valuable and faithful to us.”

“She’s an innocent and needed to leave.”

“So, you were worried about her?” said another man.

“Yes.  No!”  He frowned at them shaking his head.  “We have a job to do.  You three set the charges at the river.  I’ll set the charges on the roof.  You won’t see me, but I’ll be there.”

“Another family secret weapon?” smirked one of the men. 

“Something like that.”

It was 0210 and they had just a few hours to make it happen.  When the signals were given that the river was set to blow, only a few moments later Coop appeared before the team giving the thumbs up on the charges on the roof.

As if mother nature was on their side, the skies opened and a deluge that would make the bayou proud descended upon them.

With his hand in the air, Coop counted backwards, his hand on the detonators for the roof, his teammate holding the one for the river.

“Five, four, three, two…”  The sound of one was drowned out by the deafening explosion that time itself perfectly to myriad of thunder and lightening filling the sky.  He smiled to himself, silently thanking Mama Irene and Matthew.

He’d done it often in his time in service.  Things that appeared that shouldn’t have when he needed them.  Ways that opened when all others were closed.  He knew it was them and he was grateful for them all.

Because of the sounds of the storm, Marco’s men were slow to react to the explosions.  By the time they had, water was pouring into the drug filled warehouse from the skies, and up through the tunnels below.

It was like watching ants scramble to save themselves.  They knew that Marco would blame them.  Either way, they were dead men.

Coop watched the men scatter as the bricks of drugs floated in water, some of it escaping the warehouse.  In the distance, the Camelot that Rodriguez had built for himself was slowly illuminating, help rushing toward the sounds of chaos.

Taking out the phone most important to him, he hit the call button.

“The warehouse is gone.  The rest is up to you.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

“Will I get a weapon?” asked Blake staring at Trak, Gaspar, and Luke.

“Do you know how to use one?” asked Luke.

“I’ve used a knife, or I guess a scalpel really, when operating on animals.  I never used a blade to harm anyone but I think I can figure that out.”  Luke nodded at Trak who handed her a small blade inside a leather holder.  She opened her belt and slide the leather holder through, securing it to her waist.

“At no time will you be without us,” said Gaspar.  “You will follow our orders, do as we say, and never, ever stand in front of us.”

“I understand,” she nodded.  “We just want to get the animals to the water, right?”

“Yes.  We will have others there to bring them on board and transport them to where they should be.  If they belong in the jungle, we allow them to stay in the jungle if that’s what they want.”

“Okay, but I saw the list of potential animals.  A rhino, badgers, wolverines, those aren’t meant for the jungle.  They could die there,” she said.

“Animals are resilient creatures.  They may very well survive and thrive but we listen to the animals, Blake.  We can all hear them, speak to them.  Let them tell us what they want.”

“They’re going to be hungry,” she said with a frown.  “I’m worried that no  matter how good we are at explaining the situation to them, their own needs will take hold.  We could become dinner for them.”

“We’re going to have food for them.  It won’t be enough but hopefully it will show that we mean well and don’t want to harm them,” said Gaspar.  “We’re hoping with Alvin, Hank, and Oscar, we will have the advantage.”

“I hope this works,” she said frowning.  “Those poor creatures have got to be terrified.  They’re so much smarter than we give them credit.  They sense things, see things that people don’t understand.”

“Then we’ll pray that they’re on our side,” said Luke.  “Let’s get you familiar with the equipment.  Your communications device is already on and ready.  Tanner or Hiro will ensure that it’s in the on position the entire time.  They’ll hear things around you that you might not hear or suspect is important.  If you’re in trouble, press that button on the back of your necklace.”

“Got it,” she nodded.

“The stealth suits are a remarkable technology that allow us to remain invisible but not silent.  You need to remember that.  They won’t see you but they will hear you if you speak,” said Gaspar.

“What if I’m in trouble?  How do I communicate if I’m surrounded?”

“You tap the communication device at the back of your ear three times.  Gently.  It comes across like the sound of a drum to the boys back home.  Three times is ‘I’m in danger’, two times is “danger is ahead’, and one time is a response to them that tells them you’re okay.”

“Sounds simple,” she nodded, “but I suspect it’s a lot more complicated than you’re letting on.”

“The technology is complicated but you don’t have to understand the technology.  You just have to know how to use it,” said Trak.

“But you won’t leave me, right?  None of you will leave me?”

“No, honey.  We wouldn’t dare,” smiled Luke.  “I’d rather not piss off Zane.  He seems to be getting bigger by the day.”

“I think it’s all the cooking,” she said grinning.  Zane was seated at the front of the Osprey with several other team members.  There were three birds headed down and all three were loaded to the gills.

“On second thought,” she said frowning.  “I don’t think it is all the good food.  He’s developed a lot of muscle just since I’ve known him.  How is that possible?  How can you get muscle definition that quickly?”

Gaspar, Luke, and Trak smirked at the young woman as Mama Irene appeared in a mist in the bird.  She was enjoying her new abilities that allowed her to appear anywhere.

“Come with me, honey.  I’m going to give you a history lesson of Belle Fleur,” she smiled.  They watched as Mama Irene took her hand, leading her to the back of the Osprey.  For more than hour she told tales of Belle Fleur, explained the magic, or at least some of it, and finally kissed her cheek as she fell asleep.

“She’s fine now,” smiled Irene.

“Mama, you didn’t give her too much information did you?  Something like that could scare a girl off,” grinned Gaspar.

“Oh, don’t be ridiculous!  She’s a smart girl and her love and concern for them animals is only beat by her love for Zane.  I’ll go in first and speak to the animals along with Trak, Alvin and the dragons.”

“That seems smart,” nodded Luke.  “Once you tell us it’s okay, we’ll get the doors open and get them to where they need to be, or at least to where they want to be.”

“Them babies are scared, Gaspar.  Wipe that frown off your face,” said his mother as she disappeared.

“Great.  For the first time in my life I’m getting battle advice from my mother on the battlefield.  I really have gone mad.”

“If you have, then we all have,” smirked Luke.  “Do you ever wonder if we’re a part of all this magic?  If there’s not something beyond the pond, beyond the land, that makes all this possible?”

“All the time,” said Trak.  “And then I realize what a gift it is I’ve been given.  Don’t question gifts.  It’s bad luck.”

He closed his eyes, lying back in the seat to sleep.  At his feet were Alvin, Oscar, and Hank, also sound asleep with a horrifyingly loud snore.  Luke chuckled and shook his head looking at his father.

“Well, at least it’s just grandma that’s here.  We could have Ruby, grandpa, and the others as well,” he laughed.  And as each passed he heard the laughter.

“And what makes you think we’re not.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

“We said nothing about all of you coming as well!” said Ham staring at Teddy, Sven, George, Matthew, Grip, Archie, Nathan, and Eagle Feather.

“It’s not like we’re gonna die,” chuckled George.  “Ain’t nothing to worry about.  We can go where we like, do what we like, cause havoc, or create calm.  You’d think even a smart man like you would get that.”

“It’s not that I don’t get it, it’s – it’s,” he stammered.

“It’s what?” asked Matthew lifting a brow.  “It’s done, Hamish.  We’re here and we’ll help.  You seem to forget that George, Teddy, Grip, and myself have been in more than a few jungles in our time.  We can help and reduce the risk to all of you and to the animals.”

“I’m pretty sure I don’t have a damn choice at this point,” frowned Ham.  “Fine.  While the others are handling the animals, we need to blow the manufacturing site, but not until everyone is in place at the coliseum.  There are animals already being held there, as well, but the animal team has that covered.”

“We’ve got to be careful blowing that facility.  If the drugs become airborne, we could kill everyone and everything in the area,” said Gator.

“That’s why we’re not going to explode it but implode it.  Coop’s team discovered there were tunnels beneath to the river.  We might have some high fish for a while, but it won’t get to the mass populations.”

The other men nodded looking down at the maps once again. 

“The major focus will be the animals, that manufacturing site, and the coliseum.  When all that is done, we blow Marco’s prized castle, crumbling his fairy tale to dust,” said Ham.  “CJ and Pax?  Coop’s informant was a woman by the name of Bianca.  Rodriguez killed her entire family.  She wants vengeance and he’s concerned that she’s going to stick her nose in at the wrong time.”

“You want us to find her?” asked Pax.

“She should be easy to find.  She runs a small souvenir shop in the nearby village.  Coop just wants her safe until all this is over.  I’ve sent her photo to your tablets,” he nodded.  Pax raised a brow.

“And this is only because he’s worried she’ll get in the way?” he said with a sly grin.  “I call bullshit.”

“Either way, we’ll do as he asked.  If she was an informant for him, she is in grave danger,” said Gator.

“I’ll find her,” said Matthew.  “If I need you, I’ll let you know.”

“Matthew,” started Ham.

“Why do you insist on arguing with me, Hamish?  I know what I’m doing and I will find the girl for you.”

“Of course,” nodded Ham.  “I’m sorry, Matthew.  I do appreciate your help.  We’re just not used to it.”

In the cockpit, April and Clark were flying their Osprey.  Although April had been a flight attendant, for the last year she’d been working to achieve her pilots license in order to support the other pilots.  She was a fast learner and highly skilled.  Clark was happy to have her in the co-pilot seat.

“Everyone buckle in.  There’s a storm in the region that’s going to be challenging.”

They felt the shift of the birds as the stealth technology was engaged blocking anyone with radar capabilities from seeing them.  The sounds of the whisper rotors masked all noise, even to the jungle animals below. 

The small clearing had been identified by AJ and the team a few days before, verifying that it had once been used by Rodriguez himself.  Since it was too far for him to walk to his precious castle, he allowed it to grow over.  Tanner had sent one of the drones in to clear the space once again.

When all three birds were on the ground, the teams filed out of them, securing the space around them.

“Go dark,” said Ham to the pilots.  “Stay inside, locked, and ready to roll.”

No one questioned his orders as the others followed their group leaders to the destination.  Rain pelted them, instantly soaking their clothing to their skin.

“Well, this is fun,” smirked Blake.

“It can be,” said Zane.  “It can be exciting and terrifying and all the things.  Just promise me that you’ll listen to the others.  Don’t put yourself in danger and don’t risk your life, not for anyone or anything.”

“I promise,” she said looking up at him.  “I love you, Zane.  Promise me the same.  Don’t risk your life.”

“Promise,” he smiled, kissing her good bye as his team made their way toward the manufacturing site.

“Don’t worry, honey,” said Tailor.  “Alec and I are going to have ourselves some fun and clear the road for the team.”

“Let’s go,” said Luke.  “We’ve got some animals to save.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

“What do you mean the roof and floor caved in?  That’s not possible,” he sneered at the men, wringing their hands, squeezing the water from their caps.  “You’re soaking my floor!”

“Sorry, sir,” said one of the men.  “The roof just collapsed or it was struck by lightning, we’re not sure.  We think the river filled the tunnels, forcing the drainage covers to pop off in the warehouse.”

“How much is ruined?” he asked glaring at them.

“A-all of it,” said the man.

“And the manufacturing site?”

“It’s stable, sir.  No damage and our men are watching it carefully.  The animals seem to be spooked by the storm, though.  They’re all acting crazy right now.”

“Good,” he smirked.  “It will make them more than ready when we run our first trial tomorrow.”

“I didn’t think the stadium was ready, sir?” said one of the men.

“It’s not.  At least not to my satisfaction but it will work well enough to show certain guests my vision.  Leave me.  Make sure that nothing else goes wrong this evening or it will be your heads.”

“Yes, sir.”

He stared out the window, unable to see more than a few feet.  The rains came so heavily he was able to convince himself that it would be good for the games tomorrow, creating a more difficult surface for the men and animals to fight on.

He’d been collecting the right animals, but also the right gladiators.  Men who owed him money.  Not the elderly or infirmed, that wouldn’t be entertaining at all.  No, he collected the athletes and young entrepreneurs that believed they could outsmart the roulette wheel or bet on their own games and win.

What was enticing to see, were men that were fit, strong, fast, and scared for their lives.  It would be doubtful they could elude a jaguar, tiger, or rhino, but it would be entertaining to see.

Spending his entire childhood inside due to respiratory issues, Marco Rodriguez wasn’t an ignorant man.  He’d read nearly every book ever laid at his feet.  The ones that really stuck out for him were those about ancient Rome and Greece, men fighting hand-to-hand, not relying on modern inventions.

He wanted to be like those men.  He wanted to be the strongest man in the room.  Although his own illnesses prevented that from happening, he became strong enough and smart enough to ensure that he was the most capable man in the room.

Tomorrow, those in his closest circle would see what he’d built and follow suit.  Coliseums filled with gladiators and raging beasts would be alive in the world once again and he would get the glory for it all.  He would be Ceasar.  No.  No, he would be the Augustus or Caligula. 

Forget that, he thought striking the idea from his mind.  It will be mine and I will be what the world wants to imitate.  Everyone will want to be the great Marco.

He chuckled to himself and turned, realizing how late it had become.  His men would do what he told them to do or they would die.  Simple as that.  When he reached the door to his bedroom, he heard footsteps coming upstairs.

“What now?” he muttered to himself.

“Sir?  We’ve caught an intruder.”

“Bring him to me,” he frowned.

“Her, sir.  It’s a her.”

Marco sat across from the woman, a towel now wrapped around her shoulders.  Not because he cared whether she lived or died, but because he didn’t want his carpets to get wet.

“Why were you on my property?” he asked.

“I-I got lost,” she said shaking her head.  “I was headed back to the village, something I’ve done a million times but I was sad and lost and the rains made it difficult.”

She kept her head lowered, hoping that he wouldn’t recognize her face.  But he’d been in her shop, he’d seen her with her parents.  He wasn’t a man that could be easily fooled.

“I know you,” he smirked.  “The little bird making purses for tourists.  How quaint.  And your family.  Yes, your family met a terribly unfortunate demise during the construction of my golden coliseum.”

Bianca said nothing, knowing that she was going to die.  If only Cooper had listened to her and allowed her to stay.  She was just trying to get a front row view to the destruction of the man that had taken everything from her.  Her family, her entire world.

“Why were you on my land?” he asked.

“I told you, I got lost,” she said shaking her head.  He backhanded her, his ring slicing a line across her cheek, blood dripping onto the carpet.

“You see what you’ve done!” he screamed.  “You’re a whore who wanted my bed.”

“NO!  No, I swear,” she cried.  “I was lost.  Please, just let me go and I’ll go home.”

“Go home?  No, you’ll never go home,” he said leaning forward.  He pulled her chin up to stare into his face and he looked down at her delicious breasts.  Taking the sides of her top, he ripped it in half, exposing her simple white bra and the breasts oozing from the top.

“This will be more fun than I expected,” he said.  Reaching into his pocket he opened a small packet and forced it into her mouth.  She cried, kicking and begging, then suddenly an unwelcome euphoria stretched over her body.

He pressed the back of his head just below her throat, pushing hard against the flesh as he ran his hand between her breasts.  His ring, the one with the silver crown sliced into the flesh, giving a single line of blood that matched her face.

“Shall we stay, sir?” asked the man.  He’d almost forgotten they were there.

“No.  No, I have this,” he smiled.  “I may sleep in a bit in the morning.  It depends on how good she really is.”

The men left, happy to be out of his sight and out of the range of his anger.  The woman, was not so lucky.

Marco stripped to his boxers and then removed everything except the woman’s bra and underwear.  He was going to enjoy this and enjoy her flesh.  He tucked his thumbs into the boxers and grinned to himself.

“You’ve sinned enough, don’t you think?” said the deep voice from behind him.  He turned so fast, he lost his footing, falling to the carpets.  He opened his mouth to scream for guards but nothing came out.  The figure before him was misty and unrecognizable, then became clear.

“You will not succeed,” smiled the man.  “You will not succeed because good men will stop you.  Men that will never allow people like you to live.”

He tried to move, tried to speak but could not.  The figure moved toward the woman, seemingly releasing her bonds with a snap of his fingers.  She fell forward into his arms and he picked her up, still hovering over Marco. 

Try as he might, he could not get his legs or arms to cooperate and move.  Nothing was working for him.

“I will enjoy watching you die and a man like me does not admit that often,” he said holding Bianca closely to his chest.  He kissed the girl’s forehead and whispered to her. 

“Let’s go home, child.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

Rain came down so hard it erased the upper leaves of the jungle, turning the canopy into a black, thrashing ceiling and the earth beneath it into a river of mud.  Beyond the trees, the coliseum squatted like the rib cage of some dead god, its stone arches running with water, its fighting ring already ankle-deep in brown floodwater.

Inside the cages stacked along the arena wall, eyes burned gold, green, and red in the torchlight, and every one of those eyes belonged to an animal marked for death.

Blake stood in the open gate with her hair plastered to her face and one hand pressed against the iron bars of a tiger’s cage.  The tiger’s thoughts crashed against her mind like claws against a door: hunger, blood, rope, fire, men laughing, the ring.

Blake swallowed the fear that rose in her throat and pushed back with the strongest calm she could summon.  Not sleep.  Not surrender.  Run. 

“If you want to live run to the river.  My friends will help you get home or you can stay in this jungle as your home.”

Beside her, Irene drifted through the rain as if the storm had forgotten how to touch her.  She was pale silver at the edges, her dress lifting in a wind that did not exist, her eyes fixed on the cages with an aching fury.

When she spoke, every animal heard her in the language of bone, feather, scale, and tooth.  

“You were born under open sky,” she told them.  “I will not let you die for applause.”

Gaspar fought with a lock that had clearly been designed by someone who hated fingers.

“If any of you are considering eating us,” he shouted over the rain, “please remember we are the helpful meat.”

The hyenas in the nearest cage answered with a chorus of sharp, cracked laughter, and Gaspar froze.

“I regret saying meat.”

Luke drove his shoulder into a wooden brace until it splintered, then jumped back as three starving boars slammed against their gate.  Their thoughts were blunt and furious, all tusks and empty bellies.

“We know,” Luke said, palms up, his voice shaking but steady enough.  “You want the men who put you here. I promise, if we see them, we’ll form a very respectful line behind you.”

Trak was already waist-deep in mud near the far wall, hauling at a chain wrapped around the cage of a black bear whose ribs showed beneath rain-slick fur.  The bear’s rage was immense and old, a storm larger than the one outside.  Trak closed his eyes, pressed his forehead to the bars, and let the animal feel his own exhaustion, his own terror, his own refusal to leave anyone behind.

The coliseum groaned as floodwater poured down the steps where crowds would soon sit, cheering.  The cages rattled in answer.

Leopards snarled at antelope, wolves snapped at monkeys, and a hornbill screamed insults so specific that Blake briefly lost concentration.

“Irene,” she said through clenched teeth, “tell the bird that nobody’s mother smells like boiled mushrooms.”

“I will not censor the oppressed,” Irene replied, but a smile flickered through her ghostly face before she turned her power outward again.

Her voice spread in waves, passing through iron, wet stone, and panicked minds.  

“To the river,” she called.  “Down the eastern chute.  Do not fight here.  Fight by livin’.”

At the chute gate, Alvin lay half-submerged in runoff, looking like an extremely judgmental log.  Blake had asked him to guide the animals toward the river.  Alvin had agreed, though his agreement felt less like enthusiasm and more like a damp legal contract.

When a cage of capybaras bolted past him, he opened one yellow eye and projected, in the general direction of everyone, I am not a ferry.

Hank and Oscar, were less subtle.  They stood side by side on a fallen beam, rain hissing off their armored backs, tongues tasting the air like black ribbons.

Hank hissed at a nervous herd of deer, not to threaten them, but to keep them moving.  Oscar, who enjoyed authority far too much, added a mental shove that translated roughly as: Single file, no biting, and if you faint I will be disappointed.

The first locks broke, and the arena exploded into motion.  A tiger leaped free, landing so close to Blake that mud splashed up her legs.  Its hunger flared hot enough to make her stagger.  For one heartbeat, it saw her throat.

Then Irene appeared between them, transparent and terrible, and the tiger saw through her the memory of moonlit grass, wet leaves, cubs hidden beneath roots, and the river shining like a road.

Blake caught the tiger’s gaze and added her own command, not with force, but with certainty.  Run now.  Hunt later.

The tiger snarled, a sound that shook water from the bars, then turned and sprang toward the eastern chute.

“Thank you,” Gaspar called after it, still wrestling with a lock.  “Very mature of you!”

There were far more animals than had originally been reported.  No doubt, some were meant to be food for the others.  But they were all to be saved.

Luke ducked as something unidentifiable sailed over his head, an animal tossing a broken lock to the wall.

“I’m not saying that was useful,” he shouted, “but I respect the commitment.”

Two guards suddenly appeared, realizing what was happening in the darkness of the coliseum.

Trak saw them first.  He drove his shoulder under the chain of the bear’s cage and pulled until something in the mechanism screamed.  The gate sprang wide, and the bear stepped out slowly, every inch of it soaked, starved, and done being patient.

Trak did not command it.  He only pointed toward the guards and then toward the river, offering the choice as clearly as he could.  The bear huffed, considered murder, considered freedom, and chose both in a practical order.

It charged the archway, scattering the guards like dropped pins, then lumbered down the chute with rain steaming from its back.

Blake moved from cage to cage, her mind splitting into threads.  She soothed the antelope without weakening their speed, steadied the wolves without dulling their instincts, and convinced a python that the phrase temporary allies did not include swallowing Luke.

Each animal was a separate storm, and she held them all with both hands inside her skull.

Irene did what Blake could not.  She went into the cages before they opened, passing through bars and crouching beside the animals too broken to trust any living voice.  A chained lioness snapped at her out of habit, teeth passing through silver light.  

Irene did not flinch.  

“I know,” she whispered.  “I know they took everythin’. Take one thing back.  Take the door.”

Gaspar finally got his lock open and celebrated for half a second before realizing he had released six crocodiles.  They slid past him in a low, armored wave, all teeth and offended dignity.

“Wonderful,” he said, flattening himself against the wall.  “More logs with opinions.”

Alvin, overhearing this, turned his head just enough to inform him that some logs had excellent hearing.

The eastern chute clogged where panic met hunger.  A leopard had cornered a wounded gazelle against a broken column, both of them trembling, both too far gone to listen.

Hank and Oscar waddled in with the grave confidence of old generals and planted themselves between predator and prey.  Oscar flicked his tongue at the leopard and sent one thought: If you must make bad decisions, make them after the river.

Blake reached the leopard a breath later, Irene gliding above her shoulder.  Together they poured calm and urgency into the animal until its muscles stopped bunching for the kill.

The gazelle bolted first, slipping in the mud, then finding its legs.  The leopard watched it go with murderous regret, sneezed rainwater from its nose, and followed.

Thunder cracked so close that the coliseum stones jumped.  One of the half-constructed upper walls gave way, sending a sheet of clay, and carved blocks crashing into the ring.

Luke shoved Blake aside as rubble slammed where she had stood.  

“I’m fine,” Blake coughed, though mud covered half her face and her knee screamed when she stood.  Irene hovered close, bright with anger.

“You are not fine.  You are upright, which is different.”

Blake almost laughed, then heard the remaining cages shriek in her mind and turned back toward them.

“Then help me be upright faster.”

The last row held the worst of it: animals meant for the finale, half-starved until their rage would entertain the crowd.  A jaguar paced in a circle too small for its body.  A rhinoceros slammed its horn against iron already bent from hours of effort.  Vultures clung to their perches like old judges, waiting for someone else to die first.

Blake and Irene joined their strength, living heat and ghost-light braided together, and the effect rolled through the last cages like dawn forced into a nightmare.

The jaguar stopped pacing.  The rhinoceros lowered its head, not to charge Blake, but to accept the direction she showed it.  Gaspar, Luke, and Trak broke the final chains while Alvin waited in the chute, muttering that nobody appreciated traffic control.

Then the arena emptied.  Hooves, paws, claws, and bellies thundered through the eastern chute toward the river, guided by Blake’s fierce mind, Irene’s unbreakable voice, Alvin’s grim patience, and the Komodo dragons’ deeply irritating sense of order.

By the time the last vulture lifted into the storm, the coliseum behind them was only rain, broken iron, and the fading echo of a crowd that would never get its show.

Within moments, they were headed to the railcars to release the last of the animals.  When they were clear of the coliseum, Luke sent the message.

“The ark is empty.  Have fun boys.”

“What now?” asked Blake.

“Now, we get the animals out of the rail cars and see just how many want a ride to their true homes,” said Gaspar.

“Do you think they’ll eat one another?” frowned Blake.

“It’s animal nature, honey.  They’re starving and some of those animals were meant to be dinner for them.  We can’t stop that.  We got them all out, that’s all we can do.”

Blake nodded and looked up to see the railroad tracks on front of them.  The cars would have brought the animals directly toward the underlying doors to release the animals.  It was all so sick but she felt the pride in her chest at having known she was helping to prevent it all.

“Let’s go,” said Trak.  “The night is not over.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

“I thought you two were going to find the informant?” said Ham staring at CJ and Pax.

“No one has seen her for two days.  We couldn’t keep searching, besides, the village is small.  Maybe she moved on,” said CJ.

“Maybe,” nodded Ham.  “Let’s go.  We’ve set the charges for the manufacturing facility.  We’ve got others setting the charges at the coliseum right now.  Time to knock on the castle gates.”

They’d no sooner reached the path over the now flooding moat when the sounds of something far more dangerous than thunder and lightning filled the air.  The echoes caused birds to screech and animals to race out of the jungle toward perceived safety.

Beside them, Pierre smirked and chuckled, shaking his head.  All eyes turned with raised brows.

“I see you’ve learned well from your grandfather and father,” said Ham.  “How much did you use?”

“Well, you said level it.  Let’s just say there were sub-levels that had to be tended to as well so I used slightly more than would normally be recommended.”

“Never mind,” said Gator, “let’s go.”

The men guarding the castle seemed to be doing so only half-heartedly.  They weren’t worried about anyone going into the castle, they were worried about the animals escaping.  Seeing the coliseum in the distance crumble, they knew they had to leave.

Just when they thought their way would be clear, the manufacturing site disappeared inside the earth, silently at first, then the earth-shattering jar forcing them to crumble to their knees.

When they looked up, they saw the group of dark devils walking toward them and crossed themselves.  One of the men stood to leave, the others gripping his arm.

“He’ll kill you!  He’ll kill all of us if you leave,” said one of the men.

“I don’t care!  I don’t care anymore!”  As he ran the others looked at one another then back at the black knights coming toward them and made a decision.  Live the way they wanted to live.

“Why did that feel too easy?” frowned Gator.  “I wanted more.  I expected more.”

“I’m very disappointed,” frowned Alec.

“It’s not done yet,” said Ham.

The arrogance of Rodriguez showed in every detail of the castle.  Paintings of him portrayed as a saint, a savior, a hero.  Doors that had no locks because who would dare to entire without invitation.  There were no internal guards to be seen, no men waiting with guns to fight back the attackers.

With the first and second floor rooms cleared, they stepped up to the third level and stilled, staring at the paintings on the walls.  Roman coliseums, gladiators, animals being speared, cut open, gutted, lined the walls of the floor.

“How sick is this fucker?” groaned Zane.

“That’s why we’re here.  To stop him,” said Leo.

Reaching the master suite at the end of the hallway, they found Marco Rodriguez standing at the double-glass doors, staring at his ruined empire.  He barely moved but turned to face the men.

“Are you with the angel of death?” he asked.  Ham cocked his head and nodded.

“Some would say, yes,”

“You took the girl.  My prize,” he said calmly.  Zane stared at the others, then stepped forward, fearful that it was Blake.

“What girl?” he growled.

“The sneaky little one with the beautiful eyes,” he said calmly.  “She was mine to take, mine to use and then your boss or peer, he appeared and placed a spell on me.”

“He’s been using his own drugs,” frowned Gator.

“You’ve destroyed my drugs, haven’t you?”  His tone was almost robotic, scarily indifferent given the circumstances and the situation.  “You’ve ruined me.  You’ve taken my dream, my dream of becoming the emperor of my own empire.  My own coliseum.  Men and animals bowing at my feet as they gave their lives to repay their debts.”

“The animals have done nothing to you to be forced into such a barbaric act,” said Zane.  “You thought you could touch my fiancée.”

“You’ll have to be more specific,” he smiled.

“Her stepfather owed you a debt and you thought you could use her skill in your favor.”

“Ah, the animal whisperer.  I suppose I’ll never know if her skill was real or not.”

“All you have to do is look at your empty cages and you’ll know it was real,” said Zane.  “Her heart, her love of the animals is beyond your comprehension.  She couldn’t allow you to do this.”

“What does it matter?  What does any of it matter to all of you?  This was my business!” he bellowed, suddenly finding his voice again.  “I am the king of this jungle.  Me!  You had no right to interfere in my business.”

“We had every right,” said Ham.

“So, what now?” he smirked.  “You’ll torture me?  Turn me over to the police?  The military?  I own them all!  You will be the ones behind bars and punished for daring to touch me.”

“I don’t think so,” said Ham.

“Your arrogance is astounding,” he sneered.  “I own this country.  Every man or woman in authority is under my pay, my control.  Me!”

“What about the animals?  You don’t own or control them,” said Zane.

“I will.  You can be certain that I will own and control them all.  I will get more, I will rebuild.  You’ve stopped nothing.”

“Maybe we haven’t,” said Ham, “but they have.”

He nodded toward the double glass doors behind Marco and the man looked over his shoulders not seeing anything.

“Who?  Who are you talking about?” he demanded.

“Look closer, Marco.  You’re about to get exactly what you deserve.”

Turning once again he stared out at the still pouring rain, the faded gray light of dawn appearing at the horizon.  Just when he was about to claim there was nothing there, the black discs stared back at him.  Unsure if it was real, he touched the glass then saw the distinctive canines of the bear and growl that shook the glass beneath his fingers.

Pouncing through the glass to land on his chest, he sunk his teeth into Marco’s neck, tearing at the flesh while the man was unable to say a word. 

Taking a step back, the men watched as the bear ripped at the flesh, tearing muscle and bone beneath its jaw and claws.

“I sure hope we don’t have to shoot him,” said Ham.

“You won’t,” said Trak.  They jumped, cursing him once again under this breath.  “Osiris?  Finish and get back to the river so we can take you home.”

The bear immediately took one more bite, licking his lips and paws and turned back to the shattered door.  Looking over his shoulder at Trak, he gave an imperceptible nod and walked into the diminishing rain.

“Please tell me that animal is not going to be on our transport,” said Pierre.

“He’s going the long route, via a ship.  He wants to go home.  The pacific northwest.  He’s a proud animal.”

“And dangerous,” said Zane.  “Are the others alright?  Is Blake okay?”

“Of course,” frowned Trak.  “Did you not trust me?”

“Oh, no sir, I trusted you completely,” he said raising his hands in the air.

“Good.  Let’s go home.”

CHAPTER THIRTY

“How are the animals?” asked Blake two days later as they made their way to the animal sanctuary.

“Fine.  They arrived frightened and hungry, but they’re getting along well with the others.  Many, as you know, chose to stay behind.  Some we’ll have to give to zoos or other notable sanctuaries,” said Lucy.  “You did very well out there, Blake.  You should be proud of yourself.”

“I have to admit, it was fun,” she smiled.  “Don’t tell Zane, he’ll flip a lid over it.  It was just exciting.  I felt in control, something I haven’t felt in a long time.”

“Then it was needed,” said Lucy.

At the clinic, Jane stared down at the scarred face of the young woman brought to them by Matthew.  He said she was important and that was all they needed to know.

“Has she woken?” asked Blythe.

“Not yet,” said Ambry.  “Whatever she was forced to take put her in a coma-like state.  Hopefully, it will work itself out.”

“We have no name?” she asked.

“Not yet.  Poor thing is going to have some ugly scars when she wakes.  Although we may be able to fix those.”

“Well, whatever she went through it had to have been something horrible for Matthew to carry her to us.  Just keep watching her and checking the vitals.  Any changes, let me know.”

In the conference rooms of the office, Ham and the others were on the screen speaking to Coop’s team.

“You guys did a helluva job,” smirked Coop.  “Nothing but huge holes left in the earth and a shredded body that no one cares to identify.”

“Well, it was easily done,” said Ham.  “The bear did most of the work.  Sorry we couldn’t find your informant.”

“Yeah, that’s the one thing that bothers me.  No one seems to have seen her since just a few days before.  I’m really worried for her.”

“Do you have time to search for her?” asked Zane.

“No.  It seems I’ve got leave coming and I thought I’d come home for a while.  I’ll decide if I want to re-up or not.”

“Well, Blake and I will hold off on the wedding until you’re here.  It only seems right,” smiled Zane.

“We’ll be looking forward to seeing you, your folks too,” said Ham.

“Yeah,” he grinned.  “It’s been too long.  Besides, I miss the food, brother.  All I can think about are my favorites laid out on the table for me.”

“They’ll be waiting, along with the rest of us.”

The screen went dark and Cooper turned to his teammates.  They nodded at him, knowing the guilt he felt at being unable to find Bianca.

“Go home, Coop.  Get some rest and let things settle. We’ll find her.”  He nodded with a pained grin.

“Yeah.  Yeah, of course we will.”

EXCERPT for COOPER

Cooper stared at the dark hair fanned out across the pillow.  The nurses had done an exceptional job of keeping her cleaned and showered, never letting her look less than human.

But that didn’t apply to him.  He felt like an animal.  The fresh scar across her cheek and chest reminded him that by dismissing her, she’d placed herself in obvious danger.

“You know her?” asked Blythe.

“Yes.  Sort of.  She was our informant on that last mission.  Her name is Bianca Garcia.  Her family was killed by Rodriguez.  She wanted to stay with us but I told her to leave, to go home.  I thought I was protecting her.”

“You were protecting her,” said Blythe.

“Why won’t she wake up?” he asked.

“Rodriguez, at least we assume it was him, pumped her full of drugs.  They didn’t kill her but damn near.  She’ll wake when her body is ready.”

“Thank you, Blythe.”

“Don’t stay too long, honey.  She needs to have quiet and rest.”  Blythe patted his shoulder and disappeared down the hallway to her next patient.

Coop grabbed her hand, kissing the back of her fingers, rubbing them gently.

“I’m so sorry, Bianca.  I’m so very sorry,” he said whispering to her.  “I’ll make it up to you.  All of it.  I swear.”

He was about to stand when her eyes fluttered, the big brown orbs staring back at him with shock at first.  He smiled, sitting beside her again, reaching for her hand.  But she pulled back, the expression on her face not a happy one.

One loud crack echoed across the facility.

Standing, he stepped into the hallway as Blythe came running.

“What happened?” she asked.

“She woke up and she hates me.”

MAP - BELLE FLEUR & COTTAGE ASSIGNMENTS

G1-8 = Garçonnière

Big House = Belle Fleur – main house where Jake & Claudette live

The Grove – where BBQs, picnics, and family gatherings take place (with the new map #’s are not included on the cottages)

1 | Matt & Summer | 43 | RJ & Celia | G5 | Remy & Charlotte | 120 | Billy & Janine
2 |  Alistair & Clark | 44 | Carter & Ani | G6 | Magnus & Addie | 121 | Brax & Stephanie
3 | Sebastian & Emelia | 45 | Abe & Lyra | G7 | Chipper | 122 | Moose & Erica
4 | Kev & Tila | 46 | Trev & Ashley | G8 | Sor & Nell | 123 | JB & Dana
5 | Brix & Daphne | 47 | Frank & Lane | 81 | Aiden & Brit | 124 | Red & Shelby
6 | Jak & Mattie | 48 | Wyatt & Ulani | 82 | Callan & Juliette | 125 | Tobias & Gail
7 | Trevon & Millicent | 49 | HG & Maggie | 83 | Sean & Shay | 126 | River & Priscilla
8 | Ivan & Sophia | 50 | Bryce & Ivy | 84 | Wade & Hannah | 127 | Quinn & April
9 | Tristan & Emma | 51 | Leif & Ellie | 85 | Parker & Dani | 128 | Finn & Willa
10 | Christian & Winnie | 52 | CJ & Jill | 86 | Eric & Sophia Ann | 129 | Mitchell & Marnie
11 | King & Claire | 53 | Mike & Sage | 87 | Bodhi & Viv | 130 | Logan & Blythe
12 | Major & Elena | 54 | Clay & Adele | 88 | CC & Eva | IM | Ham, Sadie, Christopher, Ramey, Patrick, Margo
13 | Rory & Piper | 55 | Rush & Caroline | 89 | Michael & Miriam | 119 | Jonas & Khloe
14 | O’Hara & Lucia | 56 | Lars & Jessica | 90 | Robbie & Carrie |  |
15 | Titus & Olivia | 57 | Garr & Macie | 91 | Cade & Cassidy |  |
16 | Max & Riley | 58 | Kiel & Noelle | 92 | Garrett & Celeste |  |
17 | Stone & Bronwyn | 59 | Leo & Tillie | 93 | Tiger & Hazel |  |
18 | Jazz & Gray | 60 | Nate & Harlow | 94 | Eric Ryan & Rachel |  |
19 | Ham & Sadie | 61 | Hunter & Megan | 95 |  |  |
20 | Phoenix & Raven | 62 | Cam & Kate | 96 | Will & Brooke |  |
21 | Noah & Tru | 63 | Jax & Ellie | 97 | Jalen & Stormy |  |
22 | Griff & Amanda | 64 | Adam & Jane | 98 | Jack ‘JT’ & Kennedy |  |
23 | Gibbie & Dhara | 65 | Ben & Harper | 99 | Sam & Mia |  |
24 | Blade & Suzette | 66 | Carl & Georgie | 100 | Milo & Lia |  |
25 | Skull & Avery | 67 | Striker & Lucy | 101 | Hiro & Winter |  |
26 | Axel & Cait | 68 | Molly & Asia | 102 | Ryan & Paige |  |
27 | Sniff & Lucy | G1 | Marcel & Amy | 103 | Chase & Maeve |  |
28 | Noa & Kelsey | G2 | Dan & Finley | 104 | Duncan & Lindsay |  |
29 | Eli & Jane | G3 | Pigsty & Sira | 105 | Mav & Katelyn |  |
30 | Grant & Evie | G4 | Hex & Gwen | 106 | Torro & Melanie |  |
31 | Hawk & Keegan | 69 | Kiel & Liz | 107 | Bron & Mila |  |
32 | Eagle & Tinley | 70 | Joseph & Julia | 108 | Fitch & Carsen |  |
33 | Ace & Charlie | 71 | Wes & Virginia | 109 | Tanner & Alice |  |
34 | Razor & Bella | 72 | Dalton & Calla | 110 | Irish & Lucinda |  |
35 | Tango & Taylor | 73 | Nathan & Katrina | 111 | Tanner & Micaela |  |
36 | Gunner & Darby | 74 | Keith & Susie | 112 | AJ & Skylar |  |
37 | Conor & Sydney | 75 | Marc & Ela | 113 | Mo & Ophelia |  |
38 | Zulu & Gabi | 76 | Cowboy & Autumn | 114 | Pax & Deanna |  |
39 | Doc & Bree | 77 | Rett & Casey | 115 | Ethan & Koana |  |
40 | Paul & Elizabeth | 78 | Ian & Aspen | 116 | Bone & Londyn |  |
41 | Luke & Ajei | 79 | Saint & Marilisa | 117 | Hoot & Scout |  |
42 | Fitz & Zoe | 80 | Dom & Leightyn | 118 | Eazee & Chelsea |  |

CABIN ASSIGNMENTS

1 | Trak & Lauren | 27 | Rachelle & Mac
2 | Nine & Erin | 28 | Clay & Adele
3 | Miller & Kari | 29 | Sly & Suzette
4 | Luc & Montana | 30 | Jean & Ro
5 | Gaspar & Alexandra | 31 | Gabe & Tory
6 | Ghost & Grace | 32 | Raphael & Savannah
7 | Ian & Faith | 33 | Doug & Miguel
8 |  | 34 | Cruz & Camille
9 |  | 35 | Razor & Bella
10 |  | 36 | Skull & Avery
11 | Whiskey & Kat | 37 | Tango & Taylor
12 | Angel & Mary | 38 | Ivan & Sophia
13 | Antoine & Ella | 39 | Bryce & Ivy
14 | Baptiste & Rose | 40 | Kane & Aislinn
15 | Bull & Lily | 41 | Adam & Fiona
16 | Vince & Ally | 42 | Flip & Nat
17 | Code & Hannah | 43 | Juan & Kelly
18 | Dex & Marie | 44 | Spook & Valentino
19 | Hannu & Johanna | 45 | Regan & Ivy
20 | Otto & Robin | 46 | Garrett & Isobel
21 |  | 47 | Nash & Jenna
22 | Kegger & Morgan | 48 | Griffin &  David
23 | Pork & Katherine | 49 | Ashley & Akin
24 | Wilson & Sara | 50 | Hawke & Tara
25 | Tailor & Lena |  |
26 | Alec & Lissa |  |

SERIES AND FAMILY GUIDE

Key:

RS = Reaper Security  SP = Steel Patriots  MSB = My SEAL Boys  RP = REAPER-Patriots  VG = Voodoo Guardians  GW = Gray Wolf Security

(d) = deceased

Book | Character Name | Spouse | Child
RS 1 | Joe "Nine" Dougall | Erin Richards | Joy Elizabeth "Ellie"
|  |  | Cameron
RS 2 | Joseph "Trak" Redhawk | Lauren Owens | Sophia
|  |  | Suzette
|  |  | Nathan
|  |  | Joseph
RS 3 | Billy Joe "Tailor" Bongard | Cholena "Lena" Blackwood | Eric
RS 4 | Dan "Wilson" Anderson | Sara MacMillan | Paige
|  |  | Julia
RS 5 | Luke "Angel" Jordan | Mary Fitzhugh | Marc (Luke)
|  |  | Georgianna
|  |  | Wesley
| Will ‘Code’ Erickson | Hannah Jordan |
RS 6 | Peter "Miller" Robicheaux | Kari LeBlanc | Frank Gaspar
RS 7 | Rachelle Robicheaux | Frank "Mac" MacMillan | Danielle (Dani) Marie
RS 8 | Adele Robicheaux | Clay Duffy |
RS 9 | Gabriel Robicheaux | Tory Gibson |
RS 9 | John "Gibbie" Gibson | Dhara | Dalton
RS 9 | Antoine Robicheaux | Ella Stanton | Ryan Holden Robicheaux
RS 9 | Gaspar Robicheaux | Alexandra Minsky | Luke
|  |  | Carl
|  |  | Ben
|  |  | Adam
SP 19 |  |  | Violet
RP 6 |  |  | Lucy
RS 10 | William "Bull" Stone | Lily Bennett |
RS 11 | Luc Robicheaux | Montana Divide |
RS 12 | Raphael Robicheaux | Savannah O'Reilly | Ian Luke
|  |  | Katherine Gray "Kate"
| Doug Graham | Deceased partner – Grip Current partner – Miguel Santos |
RS 13 | Jasper "Jazz" Divide | Gray Vanzant | Virginia
RS 14 | Baptiste Robicheaux | Rose Ellis | Elizabeth Irene "Liz"
RS 14 | Alec Robicheaux | Lissa Duncan | Keith
RS 15 | Stone Roberts | Bronwyn Ross |
RS 16 | Suzette Robicheaux | Sylvester "Sly" DiMarco |
RS 16 | Max Neill | Riley Corbett | CC
RS 17 | Titus Quinn | Olivia Baine | Lane
|  |  | Dominic
RS 18 | Axel Doyle | Cait Brennan | Corey
| Vince Martin | Ally Lawrence | Christian Martin
RS 19 | Phoenix Keogh | Raven Foster |
| Crow Foster |  |
RS 19 | Wesley "Pigsty" O'Neal | Aasira "Sira" Al Aman |
RS 20 | Ezekiel “Zeke” Wolfkill | Noelle Hart | Ezekiel (‘Kiel)
|  |  | Jane
RS 20 | Elias Haggerty | Janie Granier |
RS 20 | Russell "RJ" Jones | Celia Granier |
RS | Chad Taylor |  |
RS | Woody "Doc" Fine |  |
RS | (d) Tony Parks |  |
RS | (d) Alan Layla |  |
RS | Michael Bodwick | Miriam | Aspen
RS | Miguel Santos | Doug | Katrina
RS | Luke Robicheaux | Ajei Blackwood | Garrett
MSB 1 | Ian Shepard | Faith Gallagher | Kelsey Gallagher
MSB 2 | Noa Lim | Kelsey Gallagher | Brady
MSB 3 | Dave Carter | Ani Lim |
MSB 4 | Lars Merrick | Jessica Fisher |
MSB 5 | Trevor Banks | Ashley Dalton | Marilisa
MSB 5 | John Cruz | Camille Robicheaux |
MSB 6 | Alec "Fitz" Fitzhenry | Zoe Myers | Nigel Spencer
MSB 7 | Chris Paul | Elizabeth Broussard |
MSB 8 | Luke O'Hara | Lucia Salvado |
MSB 8 | Rory Baine | Piper Colley |
MSB 8 | (d) Anthony Garcia |  |
MSB | Eric & Anna Tanner |  |
SP 1 | Eric "Ghost" Stanton | Grace Easton | (d) Faith & Hope
|  |  | Jack Tyran "JT"
|  |  | Eric Ryan
SP 2 | Jack "Doc" Harris | Aubrey "Bree" Collins | Eva Irene
SP 3 | Wade "Whiskey" English | Katarina Krevnyv | Juliette Rose
SP 4 | Quincy "Zulu" Slater | Gabrielle London | Wade Eric
|  |  | Tyler Gunner
SP 5 | Gunner Michaels | Darby Greer | Calla
SP 5 | Tyler "Tango" Green | Taylor Holland | Chase Maxwell
SP 7 | Diego "Razor" Salcedo | Isabella “Bella” Castro | Abraham
SP 8 | Alex "Ace" Mills | Charlotte "CC Robat" Tabor | Alexander John "AJ"
SP 9 | Tyran "Eagle" O'Neal | Tinley Oakley | Tyran Eagle
|  |  | Hawk Gunner
|  |  | Benjamin Scott
SP 9 | Ryan "Hawk" O'Neal | Keegan Oakley |
SP 10 | Scott "Skull" Crawford | Willa Ross (deceased) Avery O’Connor | Mathew Scott
|  |  | Kevin Alexander
SP 11 | Benjamin "Blade" LeBlanc | Suzette Doiron | Benjamin Alfonse
SP 12 | Noah Anders | Tru Blanchard | William Rush
SP 13 | Tristan Evers | Emma Colvin | Hannah Ivana
SP 14 | Ivan Pechkin | Sophia Lord | William
|  |  | Benjamin
|  |  | Celeste
|  |  | Cassidy
|  |  | Carrie
SP 15 | Griffin "Griff" James | Amanda Nettles |
SP 16 | Bryce Nolan | Ivy Brooks |
SP 17 | Kingston Miles | Claire Evers |
SP 18 | Grant Zimmerman | Everly "Evie" Johnson |
SP | Molly Walker | Asia | Michael
SP | George Robert Williamson | Mary |
SP | (d) Axel "Axe" Mains | (d) Decker "Ice" McManus |
SP | James Scarlutti |  |
SP | Chen Wu |  | Choi Wu
SP | Ian Laughlin |  |
SP | Conor Laughlin |  |
SP | Vincent Scalia |  | (d) Isabella
SP 19 | Strikers Michaels | Violet Robicheaux | Grayson Matthew
RP 1 | Dexter Lock | Marie Robicheaux |
RP 2 | Jean Robicheaux | Rose “Ro” Evers |
RP 3 | Jackson “Jax” Diaz | Joy “Ellie” Dougall | Monroe
RP 4 | Hunter Michaels | Megan Scott |
RP 5 | Carl Robicheaux | Penelope Georgianna “Georgie” Jordan |
RP 6 | Alex “Sniff” Mullins | Lucy Robicheaux | Caroline Willa
RP 7 | Cameron “Cam” Dougall | Kate Robicheaux | Ian William
RP 8 | Keith Robicheaux | Suzette “Susie” Redhawk | Joseph Alec Keith (JAK)
RP 9 | Eric Bongard | Sophia Ann Redhawk | Billy Joseph
RP 10 | Joseph Redhawk | Julia Anderson | Joseph Billy (JB)
|  |  | Tobias Franklin
RP 11 | Ryan Robicheaux (Holden) | Paige Anderson | Dan Antoine
RP 12 | Nathan Redhawk | Katrina Santos | Nathan Luke
|  |  | Michael Douglas
RP 13 | Ben Robicheaux | Harper Miller |
RP 14 | Sean Liffey | Shay Miller | Brooke Elizabeth
RP 15 | Ezekiel ‘Kiel’ Wolfkill | Elizabeth ‘Liz’ Robicheaux | Everett Baptiste
|  |  | Eastman Matthew
|  |  | Ethan Ezekiel
RP 16 | Ian Robicheaux | Aspen Bodwick |
RP 17 | Adam Robicheaux | Jane Wolfkill |
RP 18 | Marc Jordan | Ela Wolfkill |
RP 19 | Wes Jordan | Virginia Divide | Patrick Jasper
|  |  | Christopher Luke
|  |  | Sadie Allison
| Jake Fornet | Claudette Robicheaux |
RP 20 | Aiden Wagner | Brit Elig |
RP 21 | Devin Parker | Danielle ‘Dani’ MacMillan |
RP 22 | Dalton Gibson | Calla Michaels |
RP 23 | Frank Robicheaux | Lane Quinn | Pierre
RP 24 | Hirohito Tanaka | Winter Cole |
RP 25 | Dominic ‘Dom’ Quinn | Leightyn Dooley | Conor Dooley Quinn
RP 26 | Bron Jones | Mila Lambton |
| Thomas Bradshaw | May Wong |
RP 27 | Patrick Fitch | Carsen Benoit | Alistair Thomas
RP 28 | Charles Corbett ‘CC’ Neill | Eva Harris |
RP 29 | Callan Battle | Juliette English |
RP 30 | Duncan Adams | Lindsay Pollard |
RP 31 | Remy Robicheaux | Charlotte Guthrie |
RP 32 | Garrett Robicheaux | Celeste Pechkin |
RP 33 | Robbie Robicheaux | Carrie Pechkin | Forrest Pierre
RP 34 | Cade Norgenson | Cassidy Pechkin |
RP 35 | Bodhi Norgenson | Vivienne Green | Walker Sten
RP 36 | Magnus (Bridges) Frode | Addie Patterson | Leif Bridges Frode
RP 37 | Hex Vernon | Gwen N’hana | Sebastian Tadzee
RP 38 | Wade Slater | Hannah Evers | Patrick Garr
RP 39 | Sam Cooper | Mia Rogers | Macie Gray
RP 40 | Tiger Slater | Hazel Bream | Brixton Fox
RP 41 | Jalen Carson | Stormy Blackwinds | Major Raine
RP 42 | Eric Ryan “Chief” Stanton | Rachel Davis | Ellie, Maddie, Emelia, Magnolia
RP 43 | Matthew Robicheaux | Irene Hebert | Gaspar, Pierre, Marie, Luc, Antoine, Claudette, Camille, Jean, Adele, Rachelle, Gabriel, Raphael, Baptiste, Suzette, Alec
RP 44 | Milo Abbott | Lia Goodwin | Christian
RP 45 | Nic “Torro” Torres | Melanie Fairfield |
RP 46 | JT Stanton | Kennedy Rice | Maverick
RP 47 | Chase Green | Maeve Korhonen |
RP 48 | Will Pechkin | Brooke Ford |
RP 49 | Benji Pechkin | Annie Lott | Paxton, Braxton
RP 50 | Will ‘Bogey’ Humphreys | Alice Evans | Patrick
RP 51 | Tanner Sung | Micaela Vonn | Mattie
RP 52 | Moses ‘Mo’ Baird | Ophelia Baldwin | Victoria
RP 53 | Ethan Dunvegan | Koana Ogi Milner | Ulani
RP-54 | Connor ‘Irish’ Kelly | Lucinda Harwell |
RP-55 | Benjamin ‘Hoot’ O’Neal | Scout Blevins | Hayes
RP-56 | Alexander ‘AJ’ Mills | Skylar Teller |
RP-57 | Tyran ‘Bone’ O’Neal | Londyn Vacarro |
RP-58 | Hawk ‘HG’ O’Neal | Maggie Turner | Wyatt
VG-1 | Joseph Alec Keith Robicheaux ‘JAK’ | Mattie Smythe |
VG-2 | Ian William ‘Gator’ Dougall | Dylan Meeks | Joey
VG-3 | Hamish Angus ‘Ham’ McDonald | Sadie Jordan | Ambry, Bailey, Cole
VG-4 | Patrick Jordan | Margo Fleming | Quinn, River, Finnegan
VG-5 | Christopher Jordan | Ramey Curry | Brooks, Mitchell, Marissa Cooper, Levi, Caleb
VG-6 | Matt Crawford | Summer Christensen |
VG-7 | Kev Crawford | Tila Blackwater | Willa Avery (Wavy)
VG-8 | Benjmain ‘Cowboy’ LeBlanc | Autumn Zellers | Samantha
VG-9 | Rush Anders | Caroline Mullins | Logan Noah
VG-10 | Christian Martin | Winnie Pasko | Charlie
VG-11 | Billy ‘BJ’ Bongard | Janine Corvallo | Sutton Pippen
VG-12 | Joseph Billy ‘JB’ Redhawk | Dana Vaughn | Remington Clark
VG-13 | Tobias Franklin Redhawk | Gail Mackenzie | Eden Melvin
VG-14 | Operation Pére Noel |  |
VG-15 | Abe Salcedo | Lyra Wolford | Cooper Diego
VG-16 | Nate Redhawk | Harlow Judge | Quinn Nathan
VG-17 | Mike Redhawk | Sage Marshall | Jagger
VG-18 | Dan Robicheaux | Finley Xavier |
VG-19 | Everett ‘Rett’ Wolfkill | Casey Islip |
VG-20 | Eastman ‘East’ Wolfkill | Brooke Liffey | Xander East
VG-21 | Ethan ‘Eazee’ Wolfkill | Chelsea Blu | Weston Ezekiel Scout, Sloane, Spence
VG-22 | Conor Quinn | Sydney Lowry |
VG-23 | Major ‘Moose’ Sculler | Erica Smith | Jennifer Sergeant
| U-Jin Park | Lucianna Perez |
GW-7 | Marcel Robicheaux | Amy Fontenot | Bowen Beckett
VG-24 | Leif Frode | Eleanor ‘Ellie’ Stanton |
VG-25 | Major Carson | Elena Fayek | Hadleigh
VG-26 | Brixton Slater | Daphne Bishop | Pearl June Amethyst May ‘Amy’
VG-27 | Sebastian Vernon | Emelia Stanton |

Forrest Robicheaux

Maddie Stanton

Hudson Robert

Briggs Eric

Hattie Rachel

Beatrice Carrie

VG-28 | Alistair Fitch | Clark Grimes |
VG-29 | Mark ‘Sor’ Teller | Helen ‘Nell’ Graylon |
VG-30 | Garr Slater | Macie Cooper |
VG-31 | Jonas Samson | Khloe Jones |
VG-32 | Christian ‘CJ’ Abbott | Jill Morgan | Cordelia Cooper
VG-33 | Maverick Stanton | Katelyn Smith |
VG-34 | Paxton ‘Pax’ Pechkin | Deanna |
VG-35 | Patrick ‘Saint’ Humphries | Marilisa Banks |
VG-36 | Braxton Pechkin | Stephanie |
VG-37 | Leo Tilbury | Tillie Sung |
VG-38 | Hayes O’Neal | Victoria Baird |
VG-39 | Wyatt O’Neal | Ulani Dunvegan |
VG-40 | Pierre Robicheaux | Ambry McDonald | Hayden, Hudson, Heath
VG-41 | Cole McDonald | Layla (Hala) Yousef | Channing, Archer, Livia
| Angus Williams | Bailey McDonald | Boone, Knox, Ryker
SW-1 | Joey Dougall | Marissa Jordan |
SW-2 | River Jordan | Priscilla Marciella |
SW-3 | Quinn Jordan | April Lewis |
SW-4 | Finnegan Jordan | Willa Crawford |
SW-5 | Brooks Jordan | Lennon McCartney | Dawson, Davis
SW-6 | Mitchell Jordan | Marnie St. John | Hollis, Harrison, Henri
SW-7 | Logan Anders | Blythe |
SW-8 | Remington Redhawk | Saylor Carver | Grayson, Asher

Common ghostly appearances now living on Île Fantôme:

Matthew and Irene Robicheaux, Teddy Abbott, Ruby and Sven Norgensen, George and Mary, Captain Archibald ‘Archie’ Walker, Charity Van Etten, Claudette Robicheaux, Franklin, Genevieve Robicheaux, John Wayne ‘Grip’ Porter, Jonathon, Martha Robicheaux, Nathan Redhawk, Tahlako Shikoba – Eagle Feather, Tony Parks, Yori Tanaka, Dr. Hezekiah Morton

OTHER BOOKS BY MARY KENNEDY YOU MIGHT ENJOY!

Series Name
(click to see the listing of individual books)

Reaper Security

My SEAL Boys

Steel Patriots

REAPER-Patriots

Voodoo Guardians

Gray Wolf Security

Strange Gifts

Reaper Security

Erin’s’ Hero

Lauren’s Warrior

Lena’s’ Mountain

Sara’s Chance

Mary’s Angel

Kari’s Gargoyle

Rachelle’s Savior

Adele’s Heart

Tory’s’ Secret

Finding Lily

Montana Rules

Savannah Rain

Gray Skies

My First Choice

Three Wishes

Second Chances

One Day at a Time

When You Least Expect It

Missing Hearts

Trail of Love

My SEAL Boys

Ian

Noa

Carter

Lars

Trevor

Fitz

Chris

O’Hara

Steel Patriots

Ghost – Book One

Doc – Book Two

Whiskey – Book Three

Zulu – Book Four

Gunner – Book Five

Tango – Book Six

Razor – Book Seven

Ace – Book Eight

Hawk & Eagle – Book Nine

Skull – Book Ten

Blade – Book Eleven

Noah – Book Twelve

Tristan – Book Thirteen

Ivan – Book Fourteen

Griff – Book Fifteen

Bryce – Book Sixteen

King – Book Seventeen

Grant – Book Eighteen

Striker – Book Nineteen

REAPER-Patriots

Dex – Book One

Jean – Book Two

Jax – Book Three

Hunter – Book Four

Carl – Book Five

Sniff – Book Six

Cam – Book Seven

Keith – Book Eight

Eric – Book Nine

Joseph – Book Ten

Ryan – Book Eleven

Nathan – Book Twelve

Ben – Book Thirteen

Sean – Book Fourteen

Kiel – Book Fifteen

Ian – Book Sixteen

Adam – Book Seventeen

Marc – Book Eighteen

Wes – Book Nineteen

Aiden – Book Twenty

Parker – Book Twenty-one

Dalton – Book Twenty-two

Frank – Book Twenty-three

Hiro – Book Twenty-four

Dom – Book Twenty-five

Bron – Book Twenty-six

Fitch – Book Twenty-seven

CC – Book Twenty-eight

Callan – Book Twenty-nine

Duncan – Book Thirty

Remy – Book Thirty-one

Garrett – Book Thirty-two

Robbie – Book Thirty-three

Cade – Book Thirty-four

Bodhi – Book Thirty-five

Magnus – Book Thirty-six

Hex – Book Thirty-seven

Wade – Book Thirty-eight

Sam – Book Thirty-nine

Tiger – Book Forty

Jalen – Book Forty-one

Chief – Book Forty-two

Matthew – Book Forty-three

Milo – Book Forty-four

Torro – Book Forty-five

JT – Book Forty-six

Chase – Book Forty-seven

Will – Book Forty-eight

Benji – Book Forty-nine

Tanner– Book Fifty

Tanner – Book Fifty-one

Mo – Book Fifty-two

Ethan – Book Fifty-three

Irish – Book Fifty-four

Hoot – Book Fifty-five

AJ – Book Fifty-six

Bone – Book Fifty-seven

HG – Book Fifty-eight

RP Christmas: Do You Believe? 

Voodoo Guardians

JAK – Book One

Gator – Book Two

Ham – Book Three

Patrick – Book Four

Christopher – Book Five

Matt – Book Six

Kev – Book Seven

Cowboy – Book Eight

Rush – Book Nine

Christian – Book Ten

Billy – Book Eleven

JB – Book Twelve

Tobias – Book Thirteen

Operation Pere Noel – Book Fourteen

Abe – Book Fifteen

Nate – Book Sixteen

Mike – Book Seventeen

Dan – Book Eighteen

Rett – Book Nineteen

East – Book Twenty

Eazee – Book Twenty-One

Conor – Book Twenty-Two

Moose – Book Twenty-Three

Leif – Book Twenty-Four

Major – Book Twenty-Five

Brix – Book Twenty-Six

Sebastian – Book Twenty-Seven

Alistair – Book Twenty-Eight

Sor – Book Twenty-Nine

Garr – Book Thirty

Jonas – Book Thirty-One

CJ – Book Thirty-Two

Mav – Book Thirty-Three

Pax – Book Thirty-Four

Saint – Book Thirty-Five

Brax – Book Thirty-Six

Leo – Book Thirty-Seven

Hayes – Book Thirty-Eight

Wyatt – Book Thirty-Nine

Pierre – Book Forty

Cole – Book Forty-One

Gray Wolf: LEGACY

Virus – Book One

Blurred Lines – Book Two

Prince of Nowhere – Book Three

Sporting Chance – Book Four

Heartland – Book Five

Social Destruction – Book Six

Feel the Music – Book Seven

An Irish Death – Book Eight

Gray Wolf Security

Invisible – Book One

Cooked – Book Two

TAT – Book Three

Bark or Bite – Book Four

Swipe Right – Book Five

Invasion – Book Six

Scammed – Book Seven

Monkey Business – Book Eight

Hemmed – Book Nine

Psychic – Book Ten

Beaches – Book Eleven

Innocence – Book Twelve

Forty-Yard Line – Book Thirteen

Death in the New Year – Book Fourteen

Ciao Bella – Book Fifteen

Carnival Queen – Book Sixteen

Generation Lost – Book Seventeen

Killer Moonshine – Book Eighteen

Stranger Gifts – Book Nineteen

Desert Wind – Book Twenty

Secrets – Book Twenty-One

Changes – Book Twenty-Two

Gone – Book Twenty-Three

Witch – Book Twenty-Four

Believe – Book Twenty-Five

Shadow Warriors

Joey – Book One

River – Book Two

Quinn – Book Three

Finnegan – Book Four

Brooks – Book Five

Mitchell – Book Six

Logan – Book Seven

Remington – Book Eight

Strange Gifts

Dark Visions

Dark Medicine

Dark Flame

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mary Kennedy is the mother of two adult children, has an amazing son-in-law, and is grandmother to three beautiful grandsons.  She works full-time at a job she loves, and writing is her creative outlet.  She lives in Texas and enjoys traveling, reading, and cooking.  Her passion for assisting veterans and veteran causes comes from a strong military family background.  Mary loves to hear from her readers and encourages them to join her mailing list, as she’ll keep you up to date on new releases at https://insatiableink.squarespace.com.  You can also join her Facebook page at Insatiable Ink.

Dear Readers,

I love hearing from you and encourage you to visit my website insatiableink.squarespace.com.  Let me know your thoughts and ideas on new books or expanding on characters.  It’s also a safe space to give your own feelings, like those of the characters.  I love reading about how you relate to the stories because as we all know, there’s a little of each of them within us.

I look forward to hearing from you and hope you enjoy other books in my collections.

Explore…  and enjoy!