Sam Spade 16: Case of the Dark Prophesy

"Goddess?" Angela said mentally. "You're not going to believe this. She had twin girls but one was still born."

"Twins," I said aloud. I lifted my head and looked at Franki, "You had a sister, a twin sister." Mentally I said to Angela, "Bring her back with you. We might as well get this out in the open now. Oh and Angela, this is Samantha relaxing in the tub with her wives now. I would hope you can tell the difference between her and I?"

"Oh I can goddess, with ease. However, having said that goddess, you trying to hide a four-inch gash in your side proves to me that my goddess is in the tub. I know that it is you my goddess, because Samantha would never hide a wound from me once we are safe." Angela replied. I could hear her mental laughter.

"You sent for me goddess?" Sue asked.

"Saved by the bell," Angela chimed in.

Standing I turned towards Sue and said, "Dear, I want you to meet my latest co-wife, Franki." Of course she passed out and Angela caught her. Getting out I took her into my lap and stroke her hair. Flowing into her mind I said, "Sue, she is not your daughter. She just looks like her at first glance. But when you look at her again you will see the truth." I hated to mess with Sue's mind after all she had been through with Lenny but this was for the best.

Sue's eyes fluttered open and she looked up at my face and smiled faintly. "I'm sorry Samantha, I thought she was you know who." She sat up and looked at Franki, "It is a pleasure to meet you Franki."

"And you Sue," Franki replied. She glanced at Heather who nodded before turning back, "Heather tells me you knew my doppelganger. Do you think we could talk so I could learn about her?" She came over and got out. Kneeling before Sue she said, "It would help me be a better wife for our Samantha."

"Of course Franki." Sue replied. Standing Franki held out her hand. Sue took it and stood. Without so much as a bye she and the woman who looked like her daughter, walked off.

I watched them leave and then turned to Heather. "Thank you I think." I looked at Jasmine, "I know you are waiting for Marty and crew to show, but I need you and Molly to beef up the alarm system against other races." Turning to Angela, I said, "You wanted her so here she is. I expect we will be hit before night fall. I want you to see what you can do about the girls patrolling the wall." Looking at Lilith I said, "I know I ask the impossible but can you take the girls who are not patrolling and teach them blades." I paused and added, "They won't be facing blades they will be facing claws so you don't have to worry about defense."

I paused a long moment, "Marie, you and Heather will have to help Marty get set up." I paused and then added, "Sue Ann I want the home address of all the Wolfe brothers." Looking around I said, "If anyone needs me I will be downstairs talking to a computer."

Closing my eyes, I stepped forward and ended up in the control room in the underground bunker. Sitting down before the video screen I said, "Please pull up aerial view this location out to one kilometer." I looked at the screen, "Can you do the same in infrared?"

It shifted and I was able to see the girls moving out of the house. On the other hand, all the wildlife was making it difficult in the back of the property." Filter out any mass smaller than forty-five kilograms." That helped but the screen still showed about thirty-five dots scattered in the rear. Suddenly it dawned on me... "Angela pull them back, it is too late! Jasmine to me." I kept watching the dots but they remained nearly stationary.

Jasmine showed up and looked at the screen, "Oh shit!"

"I need to get out to make sure they are not friends coming to help," I said to her. "If it all comes apart use the chain guns and try not to cut me in half." I went to Lilith and without speaking took one of her swords. It was a beautiful katana but I didn't have time to admire it. Porting to the back door I started walking back in the open holding the sword in my right hand. I had not gone ten paces when Angela showed up. "Stay here Angela, Jasmine is on the chain guns."

"She won't shoot me." Angela replied. She stared me hard in the eye, "Where you go, I go."

I shook my head and sighed, "One of these days you will go too far." Turning I started walking towards the back with Angela a step behind and to the left. I walked back to about where I figured they were. "Jasmine... range?"

"All around you goddess," Jasmine replied. "Closest is ten feet out at about one o'clock."

Looking that way, I didn't see anything other than low brush, not much taller than eighteen inches. Sticking Lilith's sword into the ground I said, "Welcome to the killing fields. Shall we begin our dance?"

"One moving in at your six," Jasmine said to our minds.

"Not turning I said, "I wouldn't do that if I were you." Mentally I said, "Can you give a little warning shot between the eyes?" There was a loud snapping sound from the left and right and then a blood curling howl and then silence. Glancing behind me I saw a werewolf in the middle of shifting from one to another form lying still in a puddle of blood and guts. "Didn't think you could die from a simple gunshot. Now die on your bellies or stand up and face me."

Slowly they stood and faced Angela and I. "One still hidden at about eight o'clock."

From that direction a voice said, "Very good Miss Spade. I underestimated you twice, you won't be so lucky next time."

"What makes you think there will be a next time Mr. Wolfe?" I asked turning towards where he lay hidden.

"You can kill me but my brothers will avenge my death," he replied. "We only have to kill you; on the other hand, you have to kill all of us. The odds are in our favor."

"I see. However, there is always peace between your clan and mine." I replied walking towards where he was hidden. Stopping about five feet away I said, "She is lost to you now. We watched the sunrise together. What's next? You trot out a Cindy clone?" He was strangely quiet so I added, "Your field craft is superb by the way."

"You didn't have to kill her," he finally said.

"I didn't. I took her as my wife. I was willing to let her go but she wanted to stay." I paused, "If you wish, we can call a truce so you can speak to her Stephen."

"Will you let my people go?"

"All save you and one other." I replied.

"Who?" he asked.

I knew he was going to go for it then. Turning away I made a show of walking around and looking at each of his warriors. However, I picked one out, she more than any of the others wanted peace. After making the rounds I returned to the female, "Are you willing to be a hostage to Stephen's good behavior?"

"Yes Miss Spade," she replied. "I would die for my cause."

"But what cause is that," I thought in her into her mind. Instantly her reply flashed back. She didn't want this war any more than I did. I walked slowly towards him as I continued speaking to her mind, "My mind is in yours as deeply as yours is in mine. Read it and see how I feel." I felt her looking around. When she stopped moving I said, "Stay when the others leave."

"I can't."

"Then return, help me stop this madness." I said to her mind.

Stopping before where Stephen was hiding I said, "I agree if you do."

"I agree..."

"Would each of you other than the scout and Stephen please make your way out the back?" I waited and watched as the others moved away. Once I got the all clear from Jasmine I said into Franki's mind, "Stephen is here. Will you join me so he can talk to you?"

"Of course goddess," Franki said. She closed her eyes and focused it on her lover and was next to her. Opening her eyes, she looked around, "Stephen, you can come out now. The goddess is honorable if nothing else."

I moved back to join Angela. "What do you think?"

"She will stay though he wants her to leave with him." Angela replied.

"Love? If you wish to be released from our vow to each other I release you. But before you go I want you to know I love and need you." I thought to my wives, Franki included. "I want her happy." I said in reply to Angela's look.

Looking at the scout ten feet away I asked, "Do you want others happy no matter the cost to yourself?"

At least she didn't give a snap answer, finally she nodded, "Yes Miss Spade."

"He wants her to leave but she has bound herself to me. I don't know about your culture, but among the night drinkers, a mating is for life." I paused, "I told her that if she wishes to break the vow, I release her from it. If that means I lose someone I love, then so be it. Her joy means more than mine to me."

I paused and then continued, "Stephen expects me to try something. But he doesn't know me."

Angela said, "Say what you want about the goddess. Yes, she will fight to the death if cornered as you saw last night. However, you also saw she left as soon as she had a chance." She turned her head and looked at the scout, "Did you know the original Frankie that is spelled with an extra e at the end, was killed just for opening the front door not two weeks ago? Someone knew that and set the goddess up. I pray for your leader's sake it was not him."

"What if it was?" the girl asked.

"Then I will have to eat his heart. No one and I mean no one messes with my mate's mind and gets away with it for long. Okay last night's song choice was a freebie. But I loved Frankie too. She was my sister and friend under the goddess's guidance and her death hurt. To have her twin sister who supposedly died at birth show up was a low blow and one that will be repaid in spades."

"That's enough Angela," I said. Mentally I added, "Don't over play your hand. Let her think on what you said."

"Stephen, may I show your scout something? I don't want to disturb you two or have you flip out on me."

He finally stood and looked at me, "What is it Miss Spade?"

"A one three three rail gun," I replied. I could swear from where I was standing I could see his eyes pop. "Jasmine, make damn sure the safety is on and unlimber the main gun when I say."

"What the fuck are you doing with something like that?"

"Using is as god's own vibrator," Angela replied. "What do you think it's for?"

"Angela, go to the house." I said looking at her. "Remember me talking about a line? Well you just took a big assed step over it." She looked hurt and marched back to the house and stood by the back door.

Turning to face him I said, "Forgive her, she is a touch edgy. Angela trusts you as much as you trust me." I paused and then said, "Raising the gun." Mentally I added, "Okay Jasmine now." About ten yards away the gun unlimbered and pointed upwards at a thirty degree angle.

"Holy Christ," Stephen said staring at it.

I looked at the girl who looked like she was about to pee her pants. "If I wanted to kill him all I would have to do in input the address, watch the sat down link for when he was home and fire. At mach seven anywhere on the island is about thirty seconds away."

"It's fake," he said finally.

"Go to the warehouse district on the waterfront. Look at the crater and then come back and call it fake. That warehouse had the mob's supply of drugs and now they are out of the drug business."

He looked at me as if I lost my mind, "You destroyed the mafia's drug supply. Miss Spade, I don't need to worry taking you out. They will beat me to it."

"I don't think so for two reasons. First Don Bruce is dead and secondly I now run it. Those who are still left know me well and know I hate drug dealers and pimps. I have removed both from the human side of town." I smiled at him. "Put the gun to bed please," I added mentally to Jasmine.

Turning back to the scout I said, "The point was not to intimidate, it was to show I don't want this damn war. Let the ones who want to fight go at it and leave me the hell out of it." I was still facing the scout when I felt a hand slip into mine.

"Let's go home love, my sister is having a calf being banished to it." Franki said. She looked at Stephen and said, "I wish you would reconsider Stephen. She's not the evil one you were led to believe. Like her, the elders are pulling strings and controlling you."

I nodded down at her and we walked back slowly to the house. "I really don't want to fight him Franki."

"I know Samantha, so does his sister. She was the one you tagged to stay." She said. "She will be back when she can," Frankie said. "You will make her your wife also. She saw it in your mind."

"What do you see love?" I asked.

Franki looked up at Samantha and said, "You and she will bind in hopes that the union will stop the war. I will gain a co wife, she a loving family."

"However it will only make it worse because Stephen will take it as an attack on him." I said finishing her thought. "That is the story of my life Franki. I grasp at any little chance for a peaceful life and end up falling face first into the mud." I needed to lighten up the mood so I asked, "Did you have a good talk with Sue?"

"Yes. Did you know she loves you like a daughter and was happy when Frankie found you?"

"Yes, Sue is a woman I admire even though she has been screwed over more than anyone I had ever heard of. Her husband was a bastard through and through. I didn't feel the least bit of remorse of killing him off." We were about fifty feet from the house when I stopped and knelt down. After a second Franki knelt beside me. I looked at her, "I want you to know I meant what I said about loving you Franki. I realized how deeply the love when I said if you wanted you could go and I would not stop you. I wouldn't have because you, including your sisters and wives listening in, are more important than me."

"That's not true Samantha," Franki said quickly. She didn't need her co wives telling her to get their wife off the topic. "You are the glue that holds our family together." She paused and then added, "Stephen's sister, Fa, is on her way back. I have told Jasmine to let her through, is that okay?"

"Yes dear. How long until she gets here?" I asked

"About now," Franki replied looking to the left.