Can There Be Peace Ch. 13

"There is a tunnel leading up. It is clear to this point." Karen said as she climbed up. Before she raised her head to any level she felt around for the shape of a claymore or any other explosive device. Making it to the first landing she looked down, "Clear to first landing." It seemed to take forever but Karen made it to the top and a trap door above her. Unlocking it, she pushed up. When it only moved an inch or so she threw all her strength into it and the door suddenly opened and she was showered with a sprinkling of gravel. Going the rest of the way up she looked around and smiled. The exit was on the back side of the shed out of sight of the house and driveway.

Closing it, Karen made her way back down to the pair waiting on the landing below. "I found the exit. All we need is a wielder to close it permanently." She continued down with them following.

Jane smiled, "Do you want to buy one or mind if we borrow one instead?"

"If can get away from buying one that would be nice. Know someone who has one who won't talk?" Karen asked.

"Leave it to us," Jane said with a smile. "Be about half an hour more or less." She added once they were back in the bedroom.

"There is only one ten running to the shed and the trap door is on the back side of it. Go ahead and weld it closed if I'm not up before you get back. I need to trap the front side. Oh and take the two rifles up with you." Karen waited until they started up the stairs before taking a pair of claymores and trapping the stairs going up the rear exit. Returning to the house got a second box of claymores. As she went back down she set the mines where she wanted them on the stairway without running the wires to the pins. On the front door she set a pair. One would go off when the door was first opened and the second when the door was fully open. The first would seem to miss the door while the second one was the real trap.

Going to the box she hammered on it and asked, "Still in there?" Instead of anger she felt fear from the girl. She unlocked and pocketed the lock. Flipping the latch up she opened the box and looked down at the oozing back. "You know, if you had not tried any crap with me and mine, you would have been fine. I would have let you go free. Instead, I am stuck having to deal with you. So listen to my judgment mortal. You will be in isolation for the next year. If you can manage to grow up in that time I will allow you to walk away. If not, then I will remove you from this world and toss you into the fires for all eternity. Try and leave, you will only find death waiting for you."

She turned and walked out. As she worked her way up the stairs she set each trap and sub trap until she made it out. Closing the trap door, she found the pair waiting with a small wielder. "Seal it," she said tiredly.

As Jane slowly wielded the trap door closed Karen looked at Lilly, "Where did you find a wielder in the middle of the night?"

"The high school had one we borrowed," Lilly said with a smile. She added a moment later, "Don't worry we'll replace it when we are done." She gestured for Karen to follow her, "Just between us three, do you plan on returning down there ever?"

"No I bet she will be dead within the hour. Through her fear I could feel her planning to wait a few before exploring. One of the three sides will get her." Karen said. "Why do you ask?"

"Let's go get the truck, hit the hardware store and buy a load of concrete. Pour it over the doors just to make sure." Lilly said.

Getting her cell out Karen dialed Cat. "I want you, to take the truck and meet Lilly at the hardware super store in fifteen." Hanging up she looked at Lilly, "Cat can pay for everything, but afterward send her back to Sherry's in Sherry's car and you return alone. Pass on if you are not alone I will shoot anyone who comes with you." As Lilly nodded and started walking to the car, Karen added, "Get at least ten bags."

When June finished the back trap door, she moved around to the front one and began the process of wielding it. While she waited, Karen ran the hose over, grabbed a hoe and the wheelbarrow.

In the time it took June to finish the front, Lilly had still not returned. Karen looked at the time and then glanced at June, "She's been gone too long. I smell a rat."

"Who and how many do you think?" Jane asked picking up one of the rifles.

"Cat and BG for sure. I think the others may be with them but those are the two to watch. They can't hurt us but numbers count for something." Karen said. She walked halfway down the driveway with Jane close beside her. "Find a safe place in the woods. If I go down, do the best you can. I'll not be down for long."

Jane moved into the wood off to one side and said, "It's been an honor Karen, or should I sat mother."

"Mother?" Karen asked not looking towards her.

"Lilly said you were her a part of her and her a part of you. So that means you are my mother also." Jane said. "Truck and car turning in. Mother is driving, someone out of sight passenger side and rest in back. Cat and Sherry are in the car." Jane didn't know how she knew, "Make that BG hiding passenger side front seat. No one else up front but other girls in back. All stink of fear Feel it?"

Yes, they know it means death for them to come," Karen replied pointing the rifle at Lilly. "Stop Lilly, don't make me kill you in front of our daughter," she thought hard. She motioned for Lilly to get out. When the woman turned off the truck and got out Karen said, "Why sister?"

"Karen leaving them was killing them. You set it up that way. An hour is a day, two an eternity, three might as well die and get it over with." Lilly said. "I know it means our death but frankly better to die by your hand than make them suffer anymore."

"Everyone out and move off to left side." Karen commanded finally. As Lilly started to move Karen said, "Not you Lilly." She waited until everyone was standing off to one side before telling Lilly to get back in, go on up. Stepping off to one side she watched the truck go up before telling Jane to go up, and the pair would cover the two trap doors with concrete and then gravel. She would deal with the rest while they were working.

Jane looked at Karen and handed her the second rifle. She walked down to the others and looked at Cat a long moment before turning her attention to Baby Girl, "Remember the night Karen asked me to look into each of your eyes and point out the killers?"

"Yes," Baby Girl replied

"Well, look into my eyes and tell me what do you see?"

"Death," Baby Girl replied after a moment.

"I tell you now BG, hurt Karen and I will do my level best to kill you." She looked at the others, "That goes for the rest of you too." She looked back at Karen before turning back to them, "You weren't here, you didn't feel that girl's rage and plan for Karen's death no matter the cost. Even when mother came unglued for the rage, the girl instead of being cowed by Lilith's threats, planned to do Karen in." She laughed coldly, "Me I would have planted a bullet in her brain. But Karen gave her a year to calm down."

She looked at Baby Girl, "You knew her father?"

"Yea but only in passing," Baby Girl replied. "Her mother was the evil one. Her father was just paranoid."

"That may be but he knew all about traps," Jane replied with a cold smile. "No one will be able to get in or out without going boom now. So don't even try." She looked back at Karen and turned to them again, "Let sleeping dogs lie." Turning back, she walked up, took the rifle back from Karen and continued up the driveway.

Karen looked at them and said, "Sit down." She moved to where she was still uphill of them and across the driveway from them. "Let me pass on two things. First is that I used two boxes of claymores and trapped the exits. Second if you had hate in your heart would you sit and wait a year or go after the person no matter what she says about death waits outside that door."

"Find a weapon and go after her as soon as I thought she had let her guard down." Baby Girl said.

"Assuming she gets through the traps and can find her way up in the dark, the trap door has been wielded closed and is now getting concrete poured over it." Karen paused, "No one will get in or out until I am ready for it."

"I take it you found a use for the apartment," Cat replied with a smile.

"Yes," Karen replied. "Though I did leave her the box too so we will need a new one." She paused, "I was not thinking about the separation issues when I left last night. I'm sorry. However, frankly I don't trust you, hence the reason you are down there and I am up here with a rifle."

"How can I... we make it right Mistress?" Darkstar asked.

"Once Lil and Jane cover the exits, all of us will go up to the grove and I will make it right so to speak. Those who are mine will be mine, those who are hers will die by my hand." Karen locked eyes with Cat, "I will do what I must to protect my family."

"So what do you want to do while we are waiting?" Baby Girl asked.

"While we could trade knock knock jokes or sit here quietly and wait to see tries to make a break for it, how about you tell me how the rest of the night went," Karen said. "Sherry did you get everything the bar needed ordered?"

"Yes Mistress. All he really needed was a couple mixers and a frozen drink machine. Total was less than five hundred." Sherry replied. "I ordered black latex jeans and muscle shirt two sets for him. The woman, I met and took her sizes however I haven't ordered anything, she rubbed me the wrong way."

"Wrong way how," Karen asked.

"Bitch, know it all, attitude..." Baby Girl said.

"Wouldn't take table orders and acted like the we owed her the job." Little Bit said.

"She spent the night chatting with various patrons instead of working," Red said.

All three spoke almost at the same time. "Yea well I will deal with her tonight or she is out the door," Karen said. "What about the kitchen?"

"It is army clean," Cat said. "Baby Girl had to have a few words with the helper, but after that he straightened up."

Karen looked at her in question so Baby Girl said, "While I don't mind taking a break, taking one to smoke a joint teed me off and I let him know that I would love to play with him." Baby Girl laughed, "He took me up on it and once he understood my play involved kicking his ass, he straightened up. He knows that if he shows up stoned or has weed on him tonight I will fuck him up and call the cops on his ass."

"Tom came by to express outrage over you calling the cops on his golfing buddy. He changed his tune once I told him how we found him and his daughter and have photo and physical evidence of it," Cat said. "Mistress I was nice to him because I know you didn't want me to fuck him up as Baby Girl put it."

"Okay so we have a bartender and kitchen helper who needs to be fucked up," Karen replied. "We also need a manager, or is it something we can handle ourselves? Sherry?"

"Once I get a handle on everything, I can make sure we set up automated ordering for supplies and such. The same with payroll, that's simple to do. Even so, we need someone in charge that everyone working there answers to."

"I guess that would be me," Karen said. "At least until we find a sister who can step up."

"Karen, may I ask why you allowed Lilly her full powers after mother disowned her?" Eva asked.

"Mother did it, not me. I had planned on it so she could make Jane her daughter." Karen replied.

"Mother did it? But she was so mad at Lilly..." Eva said not understanding.

"Eva, you always give someone a chance to change. Punish and if they are repentant, move forward. If not, bury them and walk away. Lilly was punished and realized her error. It's one thing for me to be upset with her, but when the Great Mother calls you out, you know you're fucked." Karen shifted the rifle in her arms and said, "Each of you will go before her and she will see if your heart is true."

"Do you really believe we would turn away from you Karen," Baby Girl asked. "Really?"

"Instead of whipping her as I commanded, you let her bind and whip each of you. Instead of putting her in an arm binder, you let her tell you not to. At least twice you did the opposite that I commanded and didn't think anything about it. Why would I think you would turn away from me?" Karen asked. When no one had a reply she added, "I love you girls with all my heart, but I don't trust you one little bit."

That put an end to their talking until Lilly and Jane walked down. "It's sealed and she's dead," Lilly said looking at her.

"We heard a pair of muffled explosions from the front door tunnel while we were pouring the concrete." Jane added watching the others with her rifle.

"Let's go up to the grove, who knows someone might get to dig another grave yet," Karen said looking at Baby Girl."

"If that's what it takes for you to feel safe, then let me dig it now and you shoot me Karen. Do you think that if I realized it, I would have said sure, whip me or let me blow off Karen's orders? Because if that's what you truly believe, then no one, not even the Great Mother herself will cause you to change your mind." Baby Girl stood and marched up to Jane, put the muzzle of the rifle against her chest and looked at Karen, "If so then give the command and be done with it." She looked at Jane, "Now look into my eyes Jane, do you truly believe I would betray Karen?"

Jane looked into Baby Girl's eyes a long moment and then said, "No, any of the others, even mother, but not you." She looked towards Lilly and said, "Sorry, but I can see you turning away long before Sandy." She thrust the rifle into Baby Girl's hands and turned away, "I need a cup of coffee."

"Me too," Baby Girl said handing the rifle to Lilly before heading after Jane. After a moment she caught up with the girl and put her arm around her waist.

Karen looked at the pair walking up together and then Lilly a lone moment. She looked at the others, "Regardless, I still need to be sure. Grab a cup of coffee and come up to the grove." As they walked forward Karen tossed her rifle to Cat and said, "Put this up for me Cat."

"Sure Karen," Cat said. She walked up to Lilly and said, "Want me to put yours up too?"

"No I got it Cat," Lilly said. As she walked up beside the other woman she said, "I have seen and to my shame been cause of much evil in the world. Karen's mother is a good case in point. At least she was crazy to start with and lost herself in pain worship and blood lust. That girl on the other hand was evil, give her a few more years and she would have made Karen's mother look like a saint."

"Do you really think she's dead?" Cat asked.

Lilly looked at her for a long moment, "My guess she tripped one of the mines Karen set down below. It may have set off the second one or the girl did. If that didn't kill her better than half the food was poison and I accidently shoved a branch and then some gravel into the pipe that led down to the ventilation system and then filled it to the rim with concrete. So yes, she is dead Cat."

Karen who had been walking a few feet ahead of them said, "I wondered where the air intake was. Glad you found it. Now if I were evil, I would cut the power. It has to run through the breaker panel in the shed." As she was passing the shed Karen suddenly felt the girl's mind. She stopped and said, "Grab me a cup of coffee and take it up to the grove I will be along in a minute."

She watched as Lilly and Cat went inside and walked over to where the fresh concrete lay covering the front entrance. She felt out the mind below and said, "It would have been so much simpler if you had learned you lesson the first time. Even the second time would have been something. But look at you now, such a waste."

"Please kill me... let me die," came the whimpers from the broken mind. The girl had triggered the front door. Instead of just opening it she tied a sheet around it and stood back and pulled. It triggered the first mine that was set so it would only strike the stairwell. But it also, since she pulled the door wide open with a sheet, triggered the second which was aimed at the door. The ball bearings from the claymore had spread and acted like an overgrown shotgun blast and two or possibly three of the ball bearings had caught her in the belly.

Karen was surprised the girl was still alive. Being gut shot generally meant death within fifteen or twenty minutes because of the spread of gastric juices into the abdominal cavity. That in turn leads to septic shock and that is what kills so fast. Slowly it dawned on her, the girl was one of the other's daughter and could not die. She couldn't get well either and was now stuck near death but not dead. She could have turned away and left the girl. She wanted to turn away. Instead she knelt with lowered head, "Mother, please grant this child the death she needs. I know she should be punished for the evil she has caused but instead teach her the error of her ways and allow her to set at your great table."

"What about my other daughter who made her? Would you have me recall her also to face my judgment?"

"No mother," Karen said resigned. "I will deal with it." She looked up and asked, "Why hasn't it calmed down? Why must I face trials every day mother?"

"It wasn't my plan Karen. Everything changed when they gave themselves to you."

"I know mother," Karen said. "Even so please give that poor misguided creature below death and some measure of peace." She looked around and headed up to the grove. There she found everyone kneeling with lowered heads and drinking coffee. As she moved through them, Cat offered her a cup. Karen sat cross legged before them and sipped the coffee with closed eyes.

"No offence Karen, but you make the most god awful coffee I have ever had," Jane said once she was seated. Hearing giggles from all around she asked, "What's so funny?"

"Karen gave a part of herself to make it. Just close your eyes daughter, and tell yourself that Karen likes it this way and you will find you like it also." Lilly said tenderly.

Jane sipped it again and while it was nasty it wasn't as bad as before. "What did you use? Half a can of grounds?"

"No I peed in the water," Karen said sipping her own coffee.

Jane laughed, "Peed in the water, that's cute..." She realized no one was laughing and looked at Lilly, "Is she serious mother?"

"Yes, it's a long story and blame Sandy, she started it." Lilly replied.

"Over there Sandy didn't want to make coffee for the teams so she peed in the pot. Well no one else liked it and I felt sorry for her trying so hard I said I loved it. I have been addicted to coffee with a few drops..."

"Or more..." Baby Girl interjected.

"...of pee in the water." Karen finished without breaking stride. "It's become a ritual of ours ever since then." She paused and looked down, "You were right on the explosions. She triggered a pair of claymores on the front door. One missed as it was supposed to but the second sent ball bearings through her gut. Two or three, I'm not sure."

She let them think about that before adding, "Ask any combat troop, they will tell you that if you are gut shot, you are dead before you can be medevac'd. Hell you can be right next to an operating table and die before they can save you." She sipped her coffee before saying, "Funny thing is that she didn't die... Anyone care to hazard a guess as to why?"

"Oh Fuck..." Lilly said. She looked at Eva, "You didn't.... Oh sister what have you done?"

"Only three of us has the ability to make another, Me, and I damn sure didn't... Lilly, but she didn't even realize she had any abilities until I told her and gave her a second chance." Karen looked at Eva, "And last but not least Eva. Well?"

"She asked so nice and I thought I could temper and control her," Eva said looking down.