Chapter 19

I could tell that the investigator from the FBI desperately wanted to be anywhere other than where he was, after he found out what he’d run into. Members of the Ku Klux Klan trying to kill native Australians had the potential to be very detrimental to his career. Having the Klansmen killed by three teenage girls on vacation didn’t help anything. Throw in a Federal Judge and Wackenhut Federal Protective Services, and he was really feeling some stress.

By this time, we had drinks, were making regular restroom trips, and in general, had things calmed down. The crime scene guys were shaking their heads in admiration at the accuracy and speed of the girls.

Dora, Eve, and Beth had each drawn their personal weapons and fired two into the chest and one into the head of each of the bad guys, before any of the four guards could even draw their weapon. The only thing that confused the crime scene guys was that Dave had only been shot twice. The two bad guys with their guns fully drawn had each fired two shots, so the two missing rounds confused them.

Those were in my pocket, never to see the light of day. Beth had palmed them to me, from where she and Eve had caught the rounds in the air before they could hit Andrew or Gloria.

The FBI also had their own team of special agents out, doing interviews and making sure that the stories were as close to what eyewitnesses could expect to see, with normal variations. They didn’t know that, with my girls all linked, they could make sure things were close enough to each other.

The coroner had already come and gone, taking the bodies. His tentative ruling was suicide by racial stupidity.

Due to the girls all being minors, the police had kept the news cameras at bay. I think the threat of a massive federal lawsuit may have also had something to do with it. Elroy had made a couple of phone calls, so we actually had a Florida licensed criminal lawyer at the crime scene as our representative.

I finally said, “Look. No one has yet been read their rights, which means nothing that’s been said so far is admissible. We all know that. The investigators have been looking at the scene, they’ve impounded the girl’s guns, we know the ballistics are going to match, because Beth shot moron one, Dora shot moron two, and Eve shot moron three. They happened to be looking in the general direction of them when the morons drew their guns. Dave had turned around to say something to one of the other guards, so while his body was facing this way, his head was turned that way. The only assumption I’m making is that the morons intended to kill everyone due to some stupid racist thing they had going on, without even realizing that no one here is someone they’re racist against. Based upon the morons having multiple magazines, they were ready to reload. They got the first shots off, two of which hit Dave, two of which went who knows where. Beth, Eve, and Dora didn’t miss.”

Everyone was pretty much shaking their heads in agreement at my summation.

“Okay, obviously the question that all of the investigators have is, how is it that three junior high school girls happen to be so good at shooting pistols? And as a corollary to that, why do THEY happen to have Federal carry licenses, when they’re not the guards, they’re the ones who’re supposed to be protected? The answer to both is the same; they’re all my girlfriends. That means I’ve made sure they were able to protect themselves in an event where the guards were disabled. We have a firing range at home, including a random decision course, which they all use. They’re all accurate with their weapons out to fifty yards, with one inch groups at that range. Since I’m ... and I’m saying this NOT as an attempt to influence your investigation, but simply as a statement of fact ... a billionaire, we all have to be aware of kidnapping and other ransom threats. The girls themselves are all multi-millionaires.

“Politely, this was a vacation, so we only brought our personal guards, figuring that in someplace like Orlando, we wouldn’t run into an issue. Our personal residences ... as our Director of Security said, when we’re there, they guard us slightly better than they do the Air Force nuclear stockpile at Minot. And since Wackenhut helps guard that, they know what they’re talking about.”

“May we have, oh, five minutes together?” the FBI Agent asked of us.

Our lawyer said, “Certainly.” As the police and FBI wandered off, he looked at me, then at Elroy and Earl.

“Gentlemen, in my opinion, this is totally self-defense. I am completely surprised that no one has tried to transport anyone to the local precinct, but at the same time, I really do understand why Captain Hardesty hasn’t done that. Having said that, I suspect there will be at least a little issue with the District Attorney. One of the deceased is the son of our esteemed County Councilman. I’m actually quite surprised he’s not already down here, screaming about vengeance for the unjustified slaying of an innocent bystander.”

Elroy chuckled. “I’ve seen a few cases like that in my court. It hasn’t tended to end well for them, but ... Reno County is, or was, my county. Now it, and half of Kansas, are all his.” He made a fist, with his thumb pointing at me.

I chuckled. “It’s only going to get worse. After the first of the year, I’ll have three fourths of Kansas, and a fourth of Oklahoma.”

Jennifer said, “That you will. Ah, here we go.”

The police captain said, “Okay, you know what? I have everyone’s information back in Kansas, and Australia. What I don’t have is, where are you staying for now, and for how long?”

“The Presidential, Vice-Presidential, and two adjoining suites at the Contemporary Resort. If you need to confirm that, I can give you Eric Lawrence’s number, or Card Walker’s,” I said. “We’ve been there a week, with one more to go.”

The FBI Agent blinked at that. “Why does that not surprise me? Captain, since this was obviously a racially motivated assault, I’m going to make this easy on you. We’re taking full jurisdiction. Do you have any issues with that?”

“Oh, hell, no! It’s all yours, and welcome to it.”

“Thank you. Given that, I see no reason to hold these people. Give the girls back their weapons. They have the same federal permits that the regular guards do, so they’re fully authorized to use lethal force.”

Chuck nodded. “What about my man that’s in the hospital?”

The Captain made a radio call. After a couple of minutes back and forth, he said, “He’ll be held overnight for concussion protocols. The three cracked ribs they’ll tape up. You’ll need to get him a new vest, though. Those shots ruined it.”

The FBI Agent said, “We’ll keep a guard on his room all night, one of our men, so your county councilman can’t interfere. We’ll bring him out to Disney tomorrow after he’s released, if that meets with everyone’s approval.”

Captain Hardesty nodded. “Yes, thank you. Um, if you want to have one or two of your own people in the hospital room, too, that’s fine by me,” he said, pointing at Chuck.

“I’ve already made a call to Jupiter, we’ve got some boys on the way now. And Captain, thank you for not transporting everyone, and just sorting it out here.”

He took his hat off, running his fingers through his hair, then put it back on. “Totally and completely OFF the record, by not taking you to the station, I can only hope that I’ve avoided a massive false arrest or police brutality lawsuit. There’s other reasons than just avoiding local responsibility that I handed this off to Agent Berry. Y’all aren’t from here, so you don’t know the local history.”

Elroy shook his head. “Let me guess. The local Klukkers are trying to show they’re still Billy Badass. This fits the perfect initiation ceremony. Instead of, and my friends will pardon the language, dragging some local nobody nigger off and hanging him for looking at a white woman wrong, here’s an obvious mixed race group. Lots of white women, two rather imposing looking nigger bucks, and some wenches. None of them are locals, so this’ll get national attention, maybe even start another race war.”

Agent Berry looked at Elroy, slightly puzzled. “I know you said you’re a District Court judge from Kansas, but that’s exactly why we’ve taken over the investigation.”

Elroy and Earl both pulled out their wallets, showing the FBI Agent something. Putting them away, Earl said, “If you hadn’t, they would have, due to our involvement.”

“Gotcha. Hardesty, unless you’ve something else, as far as we’re concerned, these people are free to leave.”

There was a little coordination on who would go where, and simply getting weapons released, then we all loaded up onto our buses and went back to Disney. The lawyer followed us.

When we got into the small bus, Chuck pulled me to the side. “Cal, what exactly just happened?”

In a slightly louder voice, so that Elroy, Earl, and Jennifer could hear me, I said, “Chuck, I believe that we simply had planned on meeting everyone at the outlet mall once we were done with the fitting for our new golf clubs. We just happened to arrive by coincidence just after something had happened. At least, that’s how I’m going to be filling out any paperwork that either the police, or Wackenhut, needs to have filled out.” I was subtly nodding my head to him.

He had a grim smile on his face. “You’re right, I forgot about that.” He sat down, not looking very happy.

As a group, we ended up in the dining room of the Contemporary Resort. The lawyer brought in a stack of legal pads and ink pens. “Folks, what I need you to each do, separately and independently of each other and without discussing it with each other, is right down what you saw, heard, and experienced leading up to the shooting, and the events thereafter. Please print your names at the top of your sheet before you begin writing, and make sure that you sign and date at the end.”

“Do you think this will really be necessary?” Beth asked.

“I really hope not. That Captain Hardesty didn’t end up calling everybody downtown for statements, doesn’t mean that they won’t be necessary. This way, I have them available should the District Attorney decide that the one thing that he needs to have happen is to go after all of you.”

Once all of the statements were written down, we ended up having an early dinner. We were almost done with our dinner when I recognized Mike, Brad, and half a dozen of our guards from home walking into the resort.

Chuck stood up to meet Mike.

“Mister Allen, give me your report.”

“Yes, Sir. I was escorting the principal protectee, both judges, and Teacher. They had a golf club fitting this morning. We were ... finished with that and had left to meet the rest of the party at the outlet mall. The remainder of the party was being escorted by Agents Parsons, Thacker, Benton, and Fletcher. In accordance with our schedule, Agent Morris was here at the Contemporary Resort, resting so that she would be able to patrol on night shift.”

“Upon arrival at the outlet mall, we discovered that our party had been ambushed by three armed gunmen. The gunmen were known to local authorities as being racists. Specifically, members of the local Ku Klux Klan. The members of the escort team were on perimeter. Agent Parsons was actually turned towards the attackers with his body, but had turned his head to answer a question from one of the members of the party. Three members of the party, Blondie, Specs, and Hoops, saw the ambushers had drawn their weapons. Two of the ambushers were able to fire two shots each towards the party.”

“Agent Parsons was shot twice in the vest, with the impact knocking him down. He received a minor concussion, when the back of his head hit the concrete. He also has three cracked ribs from the impact of the rounds. The other two rounds that were fired at our party have not been located. Blondie, Specs, and Hoops all drew their personal weapons and returned fire, each of them firing three rounds. Two were center of mass, one was center of head. All three ambushers were killed instantly.”

“One of the local officers apparently knew or was related to one of the ambushers. The situation was still tense upon my arrival, but Captain Hardesty of the Orlando Police Department defused the situation, removing the agitated officer from the scene. Due to the international makeup of our party, Judge O’Connor contacted the local FBI office, and they arrived shortly thereafter, taking control of the crime scene from the local police.”

Chuck spent a couple of more minutes updating Mike on what had happened. Mike then spent the next twenty minutes with each of the female guards, taking their reports.

He pulled a chair out from the table, spun it around, and sat down on it backwards.

“Angela, take two of the guys up to your room, so they can bunk down for a nap. We’ll have three on guard overnight. You’re Mary, our new travel person, aren’t you?”

She nodded.

“I’m Mike, the head of security. I presume that you know which hospital that Dave is in. Please take Brad and two others there.”

Mary looked at me for guidance. “It’s okay, Mary. You remember hearing the FBI agent saying that they would not only have someone from their office in Dave’s room, but that he would expect us to have someone from our own guard force there as well.”

She got up, leading Brad and two of the other guards to the parking lot.

With this many extra people suddenly invading our normal meal, I had wondered how long it would take before Eric Lawrence would show up. It didn’t take that long, with him passing Mary on her way out.

“Damn, I thought that Mister Lewis actually had real security, and not some washed up talk show host.”

“Beats being a barge, just carrying a load. How the hell are you doing, Eric?”

“Well, up until this afternoon, I’ve had a relatively easy time of things. Now I’m halfway wondering if we need to set up for a Fort Apache scenario.”

“Based upon your greetings, I would presume that the two of you know each other, but as to whether or not your friends, I’m a little unsure,” I said.

“It’s been a few years, but we may have cracked open a cold one or two together at different times in our lives. Sorry, Eric, this was really a scenario that I don’t think anyone could have expected.” Mike shook his head. “I’ve been watching them shoot. The rednecks didn’t have a chance. So fucking stupid, those guys. Excuse my language, ladies. Oh, that reminds me, since I haven’t met the rest of you. I’m Mike Douglas, Cal’s head of security.”

“Based upon what I’ve heard, I agree.” Eric shook his head. “It definitely seems that I owe your Protectees my sincere apologies. I truly did think that you were overreacting, making sure that they were armed. And to be perfectly honest, I really did not expect that they would react in an actual combat situation better than anyone I’ve ever seen. So, from the bottom of my heart, ladies, I sincerely apologize.”

Andrew frowned. “Do you think that there’s going to be further investigation? If so, then I need to contact our Embassy. I’m certainly willing to let bygones be bygones, and obviously I don’t wish to speak ill of the dead, but even though I am on vacation, I’m still Her Majesty’s Representative for the Northern Territory.”

The lawyer was still sitting at the table, reading some of the written statements. He raised his head up and said, “Mister Marra, I really don’t think so. The District Attorney still has political ambitions. He’ll contact my office before doing anything stupid or rash. The FBI is going to classify this as an unintentional racial incident that ended up with the bad guys dead for once. I know the local Klan will be angry, but they won’t do anything here. I won’t say that they might not try something if they find you out in public again, but if you’re at any of the major tourist attractions, there’s no way they’ll do anything against you. They’re racist, not stupid.”

Eric nodded. “He’s right. When you go in to pick up your new clubs, you might watch, but I doubt they’ll do anything on this side of town. I would suggest that if you go to the Cape, or over to Busch Gardens, which I know was something you planned on doing as a group, you might consider taking those rolling cases out of your room. Sometimes the interstate can be awfully empty. I don’t know what kind of physical security that you have at your home, but they may wait until then.”

That made everyone laugh, leaving the lawyer and Eric looking a little puzzled.

I was grinning when I said, “Mister Lawrence, I would truly love to see them decide that coming to Kansas for revenge was their best plan. You certainly wouldn’t have to worry about any Klan presence in this part of the state ever again. It’d be a shame that they all just disappeared, never to be seen again. The only question would be which way. Entombed in an abandoned salt mine, or simply fed to the pigs.”

I don’t know which shocked Lawrence the most; my words, or that everyone, including my security, were all nodding in agreement.

Mike, Chuck, and I went out on to the deck behind the restaurant for privacy, after everyone else headed upstairs or back to whatever it was they wanted to do. Mike shook his head, looking at Chuck.

“I ought to be upset, and I halfway want to go through a hot wash.” He turned to me. “That means we re-create everything, using everyone involved. That way, we see what mistakes were made. But, the other half of me is just thankful that no one was hurt seriously.”

“I’m the supervisor, Sir. If you want my badge, and my job, you got it.”

Mike shook his head. “Two reasons why that won’t happen. One, you’re a damned good operator, and this was literally just a case of ‘shit happens’. I knew there were more people down here that were part of the party, but I didn’t send anyone else down on the plane with Cal. We both made the same mistake.”

At Chuck’s look, Mike said, “I met Gloria and Helen when they got off the plane in Kansas. I heard their accents, and what went through my mind was, Australians. Never gave it a second thought that down here in the Deep South, someone would simply look at them and go, niggers.”

Chuck had a grim look on his face. “You’re right, Boss. We’ll have to make sure that the judges and Gloria have additional protection as well. There’s definitely going to be a bunch of grief for a while over them all being married. I feel so stupid, I didn’t even consider the racial issues. But you said two reasons.”

Mike chuckled a little. “Do you really think that this one would let me fire you? You’re probably going to end up being the Godfather to at least one of his children.”

“There’ll be plenty of them to go around by the time we’re done at Stanford. You know the youngest three all plan on being about six months pregnant when they walk across the stage to collect their diplomas,” I said.

“When’s Helen due?” Chuck asked.

I smiled. “Hopefully, in about nine months. Even my most accurate test can’t tell for sure for a couple more weeks.”

Mike looked at Chuck, then looked at me. “Is there something that I’m not quite getting here?”

I nodded, a sad smile on my face. “Chuck has a couple of questions that he doesn’t want to ask me, at least not at this time. Mostly because I really can’t answer them, not in a way that either makes sense, or in simple and easy terms. I’d really like to be able to say that all of my ladies haven’t been the beneficiaries of some experimental things that I’ve done. Quite honestly, I can’t say that. Chuck saw something that he can’t explain under normal terms, that I can neither confirm nor deny may have something to do with what I was just talking about.”

I chuckled a little. “Brad told me one time that he wished he had my memory. It would’ve made his studying in college a lot easier.” I turned, leaning up against the railing and looking out over the lake. “There’s things that I have read that I shouldn’t have. Not because they weren’t worth reading, but because there’s no one alive that understands what I read that I can discuss it with. Which means that when I make something, I don’t always know what the results are going to be. You both saw that publicly with the Ice-X and how effective it is. It’s not supposed to be that way.”

Chuck quietly said, “I think I understand now. We all know you did some kind of experimental treatment on Jennifer, to save her life from the cancer. But it had unintended side effects. I saw a different, unintended side effect. One that needs to be kept completely secret, because of how useful it is in emergencies, didn’t I?”

I shook my head. “Mike, I think we have a good health plan for you guys. I think Chuck needs to see an otolaryngologist, and maybe get his hearing checked.”

“Neither confirm nor deny. I got it. Sometimes, I wonder about the mysteries about you. Are we good?”

I turned around, nodding. “Come on, let’s go see if you guys can beat me at a game of pinball.”

Turns out pinball’s something that, without using my telekinetic powers, and even with my reflexes, I’m not that good at playing. That made Chuck feel a little better, anyway.

When I finally got back up to our room, the girls had all bathed already and were ready to either snuggle or make love, whichever mood I happened to be in. I went in and took a shower, since there’d been some stress today.

Dora and Eve came into the bathroom while I was drying off. “Mi amor, are you upset that we acted like we did?”

My brow furrowed. “No, of course not. Why would I be upset that you acted to save our family from a threat?”

“Because we may have exposed ourselves. We were more accurate and quick than I think we had to be,” Eve said.

I shook my head. “I disagree. You were involved in a gunfight. You and Beth both moved faster than a speeding bullet, to catch a round that would have seriously injured, if not killed, one of our family. It wouldn’t have mattered if you’d had to use your powers to stop them. But that’s not really why you’re in here, is it?”

Dora shook her head. “No, it’s really not. We told Liz that we were going to come in and talk to you, about what we did, and how it’s affected us. Liz just laughed and said go ahead, it’s not going to matter. That’s what bothers me. I just killed a man. I should feel ... something, I guess ... inside. Different, somehow. But I don’t. I’m just ... okay, he’s dead, I did it, doesn’t mean anything.”

Eve nodded. “That’s pretty much what I’m feeling, too. I can close my eyes, and see the bullets he fired. They were moving so slow. In my mind, I heard Liz yell, “Shooter! Take them out!” I could see the two rounds headed for Dave, knew they were too far for me to reach. There were two others, though. One was coming at Andrew, the other was heading for Gloria. The shooter was trying to shift targets. I didn’t think, I just stuck my left hand out and caught the one round, knowing that Beth was going to catch the other. Dora wasn’t in position to catch either one, so she fired first, at the man who was still drawing his pistol. I had mine up, aimed right at his chest. I could see his heart beating through his ribs. I aimed so that I’d miss his ribs and hit his heart with both rounds, then raised it up and aimed so I’d hit him in the eye.”

“I could see my rounds hit and destroy his heart. I watched my round hit his eye, cutting a hole through his brain and expanding, turning his brain into a pile of jelly.” She brought her eyes up. “And it doesn’t bother me in the least that I did that, to another human being.”

Dora looked at me with her soft brown eyes. “I feel the same, mi amor. I ... don’t like that I don’t feel anything.”

I sat back onto the sink counter. “Look at me, both of you. Look in my eyes. What do you see in them?”

Eve and Dora both met my gaze, breaking it a couple of times, then finally looking at me without flinching. After a few seconds, they both looked puzzled. “I see pride, love, and admiration, I’m confused.” Eve said, which Dora seconded by nodding.

“Exactly. I wish I’d had the chance to take the two of you out like I did with Beth, when we flew to Cancun. She had two revelations on that trip. The first is simple, when you think about it. You’re not just my helpers; you’re my equals.”

“I remember her saying that to you. But we’re not. Oh, we have your powers, but we don’t have your intellect and your intelligence.”

“And does that matter to you? Do you think it matters to me?”

Eve was quiet for a moment, then shook her head. “No. No, it doesn’t.”

“What was the other thing she did that day? The thing that there’s no going back from?”

Dora quietly said, “She took the leader of the criminal gang and threw him into the lake north of Cancun.”

“She threw a criminal that was threatening good people into a lake. A lake that’s just over five miles from where she was standing. You don’t think he enjoyed an easy swim back to shore, do you? She killed him, just as surely as you each did with those two men today. Have I felt differently about her because of it?”

“No, you haven’t.” Eve nodded. “I understand. It’s something that needed doing, and she did it. That’s just part of being us, being your women. We have to do what needs to be done.”

“Thank you, mi amor. I didn’t get it.”

“Come on. Let’s go see if anyone out there is still awake and is interested?”

There was, they were, and we had a pleasant time all around.

Breakfast the next morning was a crowded affair.

It was a good thing that we’d given security the Vice-Presidential suite. They went from six to fourteen, and only had beds to sleep eleven using a sleeper sofa and a couch. But they were doing the military thing of hot-bunking, and there would only be a maximum of eleven sleeping at night, anyway. The only difference was, the three that were awake during the night wouldn’t be in the room, they’d be stationed at the concierge desk, while patrolling.

The waitress looked like she didn’t know what to do with so many extra people that obviously didn’t have our passes, but one of the Disney security people quickly set her straight.

We weren’t done with breakfast when Captain Hardesty came strolling in, escorting Dave and our people. I was rather surprised to see Mary jump up from her seat and run over to where Dave was limping in, and start to grab him. One of the others had to intercept her.

“Sorry, dear. I’ve some cracked ribs that are taped up.”

“Then you let me know when I can hold you! You saved my life.”

“It’ll be a couple of weeks before I can take you up on that. But I will,” Dave said. Then he looked at the table where Chuck and Mike were sitting. “It’ll have to be light-duty, but otherwise, reporting for duty, Sir.”

“Mister Parsons, I believe you had a concussion. Why are you not still flat on your back, engaged in concussion protocols?” Mike said.

“I’ve got a bandage on the back of my head, where the skin was broken when I apparently hit the concrete. But they did x-rays, and it showed no damage. I think I bounced off of someone on my way down, so it wasn’t like I went straight down.”

Mary said, “You did; that’s how I know you saved my life.”

Hardesty said, “When the doctor said he was good to go, we slipped him out of the hospital room. There’s now an FBI agent laying in the bed, apparently unconscious, with a bandage over half his face. There are two US Marshals hiding in the room, then two more watching from the room across the hall. And another half dozen FBI agents scattered across the floor.”

Mike said, “I take it that there have been a few threats made, then.”

Hardesty shook his head. “Depends, I guess, on what you consider to be a few. We are maintaining a visible uniformed presence outside of the hospital, so they don’t simply pull up and try to shoot a rocket into the window. I don’t think they’d really be that stupid, but I wouldn’t necessarily put it past them.”

Mike looked very perturbed by what he had just heard. Before he could say anything, I said, “I would presume that being Southerners, that they have no actual animosity towards the three women that actually killed their men.”

Hardesty said, “Actually, you’re correct. They were ready to kill everyone there, because there were so few witnesses, and those few would have been intimidated. Based upon what we think they’re going to do, you’re all perfectly safe here, and even if you took a bus over to Busch Gardens.” He looked around for a second. “Mister Douglas, is there a spot where I could speak with you privately?”

“Only if I’m there. Come on, we can step onto the balcony,” I said. Hardesty looked like he was going to argue with me. Mike shook his head, simply motioning the police Captain to follow me outside.

Once we were outside, with the door closed, I said, “Captain Hardesty, I’m going to presume that you have managed to get either an authorized or an unauthorized phone tap on your problem County Councilman. You’ve heard him making phone calls to various members of the Klan, and they are gathering in a location that you’re aware of, but have no legal authority to actually check. You anticipate that either late this afternoon, or sometime during this evening, there will be an attempt to kill the person masquerading as agent Parsons. At the same time, you’re actually concerned that the County Councilman has infiltrated your police force with members of the Klan as well, which is rather obvious.”