

#### Tickled Pink

#### by David J. Wighton

#### Book #12 in the Wilizy Series

### Smashwords Edition

### Copyright 2017, David J. Wighton

### This e-book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This e-book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite retailer and purchase your own copy.

### Although this e-book might be sold at no cost to the reader at times, I retain ownership of the copyright and may elect to charge a small amount for its purchase at times.

### Thank you for respecting my copyright.

# Acknowledgements

This book is dedicated to my wife, Dale, and to my other family members whose support made it possible.

Cover design by Rita Toews at WordPress.com

# Wilizy Family Members as of August 2087

• Doc and Granny, about 76 years old.

• Hank (about 45) and Yolanda (about 41).

• Wolf (22), Mac (21), Jock Jr. (2), Emily (1), Jock Sr. (52).

• William (21), Melissa (21), Will & Izzy (2).

• Yollie (21), TG (22), Liset (7), Yo-Yo (3), Hank (1), Ivanika (11 months).

• Wizard (19), Dreamer (17), Wanda (57).

• Lucas (16).

• Theo (15), Nary (16), Marie (about 77).

• Mathias (14), Kashmira (14).

• Reese (12).

• Winnie (11), Patella (5), Scapula (3)

• EmmaGee (Maddy & Karita) (6), Freya the wolf (1) & Madison the wolf (1).

Also

• Stu McKenzie (47), Momaka (43), Petro (1).

**Main Characters in Denmark**

• Conrad Valkendorff and Silas Toft-Damgaard

• Laerke Lund, Frida Poulson, Sebastian, and Enok

**Main characters in Toronto**

• Captain Astrid Bergen; Grantham Lockhurst, Chloe, and Lizzie

• Lohla, Lylah, Thunk, Cody, and Kidneystone.

This page is to help you if you get confused about who is who in the story. If that happens, click your way back to the Table of Contents and scroll back one page.

# Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

Chapter 36

Chapter 37

Chapter 38

Chapter 39

Chapter 40

Chapter 41

Chapter 42

Chapter 43

Chapter 44

Chapter 45

Chapter 46 Epilog

Books in the Wilizy Series

About the Author: David J. Wighton

# Chapter 1

It was Monday, August 18 2087 when Laerke Lund burst into her small, one bedroom apartment in the Vesterbro suburb of Copenhagen and hyperventilated to the sink where she quickly filled a glass of water and poured it over her head. "OMG, OMG, OMG," she abbreviated.

Frida Poulson looked up from the kitchen stove where she was preparing something that grew in the ground but could be confused as a fake piece of meat by people who needed to give their roommates something that would give their a teeth a workout. Frida was a vegan; Laerke was an unabashed carnivore. Except for their food preferences, the two nineteen year olds were remarkably compatible.

Frida went to the sink, took the empty glass out of Laerke's hand, filled it with water, and then doused her own head. Naturally, they had to hair spray each other. "Did you snag a new client?" Frida asked while reaching for a hand towel and then briskly using it.

"I did! You'll never guess who it is."

Laerke was six months into her career as an interior designer having graduated from a two-year program at Copenhagen's School of Interior Design on January 31 that year. Vivacious by nature, stunning by appearance, and a sparkling conversationalist, she specialized in convincing anybody who walked through the door to her brand new consulting office that she could do any design work that they wanted. So far, six clients had walked through that door. All had signed a contract for a small project. All went away happy and promised to tell their friends about her.

"Who's your new client? You're dripping on the floor and it will leave water stains." The towel migrated westward. Frida tended to pay attention to details – like water stains. Part of her training perhaps. She was apprenticing as a graphic designer for Denmark's most influential media company – Denmark Today. Frida thought in terms of pixels. Her supervisor liked her a lot and had told her that she was four months away from winning a full time position. All she had to do was finish her current assignment with the same success as she had achieved on her previous projects.

Frida was blonde and blue-eyed – like Laerke. She was reserved in social settings, a spectator rather than a participant in exciting activities, hopelessly unathletic, but a skilled violinist who wrote sonatas in her spare time. Laerke brought excitement to Frida's life; Frida brought structure and safety to Laerke's life, which tended to be full of spontaneous events. Like dousing herself with water.

"Conrad Valkendorff," Laerke announced.

"What about him?"

"He's my new client."

"THE Conrad Valkendorff?"

"The same."

"You actually talked with the richest, most powerful man in Denmark?"

"No. I talked with his lawyer – a Mr. Silas Toft-Damgaard. He told me that Mr. Valkendorff wanted improvements in the anteroom outside the basement sauna in his mansion in Liseleje. He showed me pictures. I made a few suggestions that he apparently liked. He offered me a contract for the job. Apparently, Mr. Valkendorff likes helping young professionals to further their careers. The lawyer said if I made Mr. Valkendorff happy about the new room, he'd give me more contracts. I'm supposed to cab up to Liseleje at Mr. Valkendorff's expense and the housekeeper will give me a guided tour of the whole mansion. I'm supposed to keep my bills and take a 20 per cent profit."

"You've already signed the contract?"

"Don't worry. Mr. Toft-Damgaard explained the contract to me. He said that Mr. Valkendorff wanted me to have confidence that I fully understood it, so he was acting on instructions from the famous man himself. I have three months to finish the job. Frida, the profit on this job will cover our expenses for a full year!"

Frida would have preferred it if Laerke had brought the contract home before signing it so that they could ask legal friends in their underground to check it. But she wasn't going to rain on Laerke's parade. Instead, she hoisted the sink's spray faucet into shooting position and soaked both of them to the skin. Water spots on the floor – who cares! This job with Valkendorff could be the best thing that had ever happened to them.

Or not.

### # # # # # # # #

It's still Monday, August 18 which was the day that the Wilizy's operation in Scandinavia was wrapping up as described in my previous book _Death by Nick._ A copter holding a man dressed in a suit circled lazily over the big house and the associated out buildings of the former Safe Haven Ranch #2. Lucas circled invisibly with him. Equally as lazily.

"What's he doing, Lucas?" Jock asked.

"Taking pictures."

"Not much to see," Jock commented.

In truth, there wasn't much to see. The Big House remained pretty much the same as what it had been in Marie's days on the ranch. The officers of the cadet camp were living in it now, but no changes from when it was a slave ranch would have been apparent from the air. The shacks where the field slaves had lived were still crumbling slowly into debris, but they were empty now. The whipping post remained – a silent memorial to the slaves who had endured their captivity on this ranch for decades. The only thing visibly different to Safe Haven Ranch #2 was the small village of canvas tents that housed the young military cadets. They were on a weeklong hike into the wilderness. The man in the copter would learn nothing about the plans the Wilizy had for the ranch on this trip.

The picture-taking suit landed by the whipping post and exited the copter bringing his briefcase with him. He wore a black suit, buttoned down white shirt, and thin black tie. All of them fit him badly. The man himself was young, white, and scrawny. Beginning signs of a sunburn on his cheeks and forehead indicated that he had been flying in the sunlight for some time. Clearly, he was not a native-born Montanian who come into this world with established tans. He walked resolutely towards the big house – a man on an important mission. The camp commandant was lounging in a wooden, scarred rocking chair on the dingy porch and rose to meet him. He was dressed in clothes that would mark him as a farmer. The only thing missing was the stalk of straw drooping from his lips.

"What'cha want?" he growled at the spiffy looking visitor.

The inhabitant of the spiffy suit said nothing but he did place his thin briefcase on the ground, opened it, and extracted a sealed envelope. Standing upright again, he handed the envelope to the farmer who scowled at it. While he was in full scowl, the spiffy suit took a picture of him holding the envelope. Up close, the man in the suit looked rather young. Nineteen perhaps? The suit itself was considerably younger. Nineteen days?

"You are trespassing on land owned by Safe Haven Ranches. You are hereby warned that you have one week to vacate the house and leave the property taking all of your canvas tents with you. If you do not vacate the premises, the law firm that I represent will take legal action against you. I have visual proof that you are squatting on this land and that I have warned you to leave. The document I have given you lists the penalties that can be applied to trespassers. I will be back in one week."

With that, the spiffy speechifier spun speedily on his speckled left heel (alas, his shiny new black shoes were now covered with a thin dusting of soil), returned to his copter, and lifted off.

_He had more than one envelope in his suitcase,_ Lucas informed all of the Wilizy concealed in the big house. Jock took charge.

_Follow him, Lucas. He'll be looking at all five of the Montana slave ranches, I suspect. Wizard, fly over to Yuri's ranch and tell him that he'll be receiving a visitor. Tell him to take the envelope and say nothing. Theo, take Mathias with you and check out the ranch houses in North and South Dakota. Look for an envelope nailed to the front door or somewhere else that's prominent. I'll message Stu that Safe Haven has attacked us with a legal piece of paper. He'll know what to do. Hank, anything to add?_

_I'll message Doc that he can bring the youngsters in California back to the home compound. They're not in any imminent danger. We'll have a meeting there in a couple of days once everybody has a chance to settle in._

_We should continue to hide the cadets._

_How would you do that, Lucas?_

_The Saskatchewan army has remote training facilities north of Saskatoon._

_Good idea. The mosquitoes are probably getting lonely._

Back to the Table of Contents

# Chapter 2

Speaking of remote training facilities, all of Scandinavia's Special Ops officers were hunkered down in a large living room dominated by a stone fireplace. It was night, but the blazing fire gave all the light that was needed, at least for this stage of their meeting. Immediately following Crown Prince Wilhelm's death the previous day, the man in charge of Scandinavia's Special Ops, Brigadier General Magnus Kristensen, had ordered the entire corps to go on military maneuvers at a site cryptically named Training Site Delta. This facility, hidden in Norway's Anderdalen National Park, was the most secure and secret base that Special Ops had in its inventory and had been designated as the _final stand_ in case Special Ops ever came under attack. If they were overrun, escape to the west would be easy – Greenland was a short hop away. Escape to the east was also easy. The entire mass of Russia was within copter range.

Not that Special Ops had come under attack yet. But given Wilhelm's recent and very public revelations about what he had ordered Special Ops to do to the Muslim communities in Scandinavia, it was only a matter of time before they would be shut down. Parliament was meeting next week. Criminal prosecutions would be announced. Any senior Special Ops officer who remained in Stockholm would be imprisoned pending trial. Junior officers and enlisted men would be interrogated. Those interrogations would provide the fodder for even more criminal charges against the men at the top.

Training Site Delta was disguised as a large hunting lodge. In case any hikers blundered into the area, prominently displayed signs warned, _Private Property. No Trespassing_. If somebody ignored the signs and managed to break into the lodge, they'd find nothing incriminating. Nobody ever did wander into the remote, deeply forested area let alone into the lodge. Security cameras covered the entire area and their tapes remained reassuringly devoid of human presence.

Their first day in the lodge, Tuesday August 19, was dedicated to answering the question that they all faced: _What will we do with our lives now?_ Four groups were formed so that they could confer among themselves. (1) Senior officers who had devised and ordered all of the corp's special operations. (2) Junior officers who had carried out those orders. (3) Enlisted men who had served as snipers, explosive experts, saboteurs, and the like. (4) Civilian personnel who had provided operational support in the form of buying arms and ammunition, arranging transportation, creating fake identity papers, and filing all potentially incriminating orders inside double-locked filing cabinets.

This last group had been instructed to bring every scrap of paper that Special Ops had ever generated to Training Site Delta. That large fireplace? It burned hot that first day. When they weren't incinerating records, the civilians were creating fake identities. Nobody at the lodge would be returning to Stockholm. At least not willingly.

A fifth group was also present although these operatives never appeared on any Special Ops documents. Commanded by Captain Bergen, these agents were Special Ops' most secret lethal weapons - six young girls who had been trained to be assassins. They had a bedroom upstairs all to themselves. As innocent youngsters, they wouldn't need any fake identities to live somewhere other than Scandinavia.

### # # # # # # # #

By the end of the second day, all personnel had decided what form of professional life they would assume in their new locations and what background they wanted to have created for them. All would leave Northern Europe. Some would look for employment in military or police forces. Some would work with criminal groups. Some wanted to leave their military careers behind and assume work as normal, everyday, non-lethal citizens. A small number dedicated to the Crown Prince elected to execute a final assignment under the brigadier general's command: find the people responsible for Wilhelm's death and kill them. Finding them would be difficult. Kristensen had no idea how Wilhelm had been tricked into revealing all of their most secret cleansing operations. Knowing how wasn't necessary; knowing who had tricked him _was_ necessary.

The brigadier general had two good leads that the remnants of Special Ops could pursue: (1) the group of merchants named the Wilizy and (2), the Saskatchewan army. Kristensen knew that Wilhelm had initiated undercover operations against both Canadian groups. The Saskatchewan army was based in Regina but had been present in Toronto for some form of military operation. The Wilizy lived in a little valley in the Aboriginal Nation but key personnel had been seen in Toronto's military operation too. Those leads gave them more than enough to find them, surveil them, and assassinate them from the shadows. This was known as _executing the final assignment_.

### # # # # # # # #

Most Special Ops personnel drifted away as soon as they had received their false identities on the third day. Many of them chose to relocate to the former United States, simply for language purposes. They knew how to speak English, albeit with a slight accent. Special Ops had heard of three American states that were isolated and currently lawless – North Dakota, South Dakota, and Montana. These states would be looking to form new police forces or to create state militia. Experienced former military people would be in high demand.

### # # # # # # # #

By the evening of the third day, most of Special Ops officers and enlisted men had left the lodge and were on their way to their new life. Members of the senior command group had gathered in the large reception room and were clustered in comfortable armchairs in front of a blazing fire. By 2 o'clock in the morning, they had run out of conversation. They had even run out of brandy. But still, they remained in their chairs, fully intent on staying awake.

"What time were the girls supposed to leave their bedroom?" the second-in-command asked. He knew that his superior officer was getting impatient. Brigadier generals aren't supposed to reveal such human emotions. It's up to subordinates to reveal their own impatience by asking questions that they know their boss wants them to ask.

"They're already up and out," Captain Bergen said.

"I didn't hear a thing."

"No, nor will you hear anything until the end."

"Who's in charge?"

"Klara. She's thirteen years old."

"Has she killed before?"

"Yes. I gave her double desserts for a week as a reward. She enjoyed that."

"Is this the first time that they've operated as a unit?"

"Yes, but they've trained as a unit before. They know what to do."

At that point, six shots rang out in an upstairs bedroom. Another six followed shortly afterwards.

"Well, we won't have to worry about the civilians telling anybody about the secret identities that they created," a lowly major quipped.

The glaring underlying weakness to the plan for all of the Special Ops agents to disappear had been discussed at the highest levels. The twelve civilians who were creating the secret identities knew everything. If one could be forced to talk under pressure, that would lead investigators to others who also would talk. Now, none of them would be talking. It was also a good way to see if the six young girls were prepared to execute the assignment that they would be receiving. Again, I'm using the word _execute_ deliberately.

"What are their orders now?"

"Klara will bury their guns and gloves in a deep hole in the forest. The others will return to their bedroom and go to sleep. They're sound sleepers. They heard nothing."

"If that's the case, we'll find out tomorrow," the brigadier general said.

Back to the Table of Contents

# Chapter 3

"If that's the case Lylah, I don't blame you for not wanting to have anything to do with Lucas again. But I can't believe what you've said is true."

"They're a crime family, Lohla. I checked. Lucas said that his dad's name was Hank. An aboriginal man named Hank was at the Toronto casino when it went bankrupt. A blonde girl who won the casino identified him as her father-in-law. Lots of people heard her. Lucas' family took over that casino."

"That doesn't make them criminals. They could be good business people."

"Eldreadth Lewis was Judge Foster Lewis' sister. His other sisters died in suspicious circumstances. He himself has disappeared. This Lewis woman owns everything that Judge Lewis used to control. She is Lucas' guardian. That allowed her to enroll him into Schnauble along with other people from his family. The black girl Nary is illiterate. I coached her. She couldn't count to ten but she still got into Schnauble. Shall I go on?"

"Did you learn all of this from Father? You know what he's like."

"I checked what he said. It's all true."

"Even the bit about coloured people not having any brain capacity? I bet he said that too. We've heard that plenty of times and it's not true."

"I know it's not true. Dreamer is smart. So is Lucas. I don't know about the others in the family. But they're still criminals. No wonder Lucas is hiding his background. They probably have a big criminal operation on the go and that's why he had to be out of town."

"You sound like Father."

"You sound like Mom."

"I've been called worse things."

...

"What are you going to do, Lylah? Are you going to ask Lucas about this?"

"He won't answer any questions about his family."

"Did you answer his questions about our family? Did you tell him about Mom?"

"No. I couldn't. Would you have?"

"Probably not. But I wouldn't be the person doubting him."

...

"Lylah, what are you going to do about Lucas? Make a decision."

"Are you still interested in him? After what I've told you?"

"Even more so. There's more to Lucas than I ever would have thought. Can't you see that?"

"He's a member of a criminal family, Lohla!"

"So are we, Lylah! What are you going to do?"

"I'm finished with him. I can't trust him."

"Good. Stay out of my way. Will you tell him you're done with him?"

"No. You can do that."

"You've always been a little spineless, Lylah. You'd think you'd know that about yourself by now."

"Your mouth always gets you in trouble, Lohla. You'd think you'd know that about yourself by now."

Back to the Table of Contents

# Chapter 4

Friday August 22. It was the morning after the shootings at the hunting lodge and a policeman was sitting on a hard backed chair in the lodge's kitchen. He was wearing gray pants and a blue jacket. A shiny badge was fastened to that jacket. His police hat was on the table beside his right hand. The hat had the words _Polis_ emblazoned on a yellow/blue ribbon.

Across from him sat a young girl whose chin came up to tabletop level but not much further. She had short, very curly brown hair which some might describe as an unruly mop. A mass of freckles covered her face and arms. Further sightings of such freckles was impossible, in part because of her long sleeves, but also because they would have been hard to see given the girl's constant fidgeting. Perhaps nerves? Or perhaps she was a perpetual motion machine.

The freckly-fidgetter would have recognized the police uniform. Every young girl in Scandinavia knew that you could always go to a policeman for help. In this case, the policeman had come to the girl for help.

"My name is Constable Larsen," he started. "Your mother has given me permission to ask you some questions."

The little girl looked at Captain Bergen who was wearing mother type clothes and she nodded. The freckled-fidgeter turned back to the constable.

"Somebody heard some gun shots coming from the lodge last night. They reported those shots to me. Did you hear any gun shots last night?"

"No," the little girl replied.

"Did you wake up at all last night?"

"No. I don't usually wake up at night."

"Where were you sleeping?"

"With my friends from school. Upstairs."

"Some other people were sleeping upstairs too. A dozen of them. Were you anywhere near their bedrooms?"

"No. My friends and I were at the other end of the house."

"When I went to look at those other people this morning, I found them all dead from gun shots to their heads."

The little girl's hands flew to her mouth and her eyes widened.

"Are you sure you didn't hear any shots?"

"I'm sure. Why are they dead?"

"That's what I'm trying to determine. Did you know them? Did you know what they were doing here?"

"No. They didn't hang around with us kids."

"By any chance, have you ever shot a gun?"

Again, the girl reacted with surprise. "Me? I'm only ten years old. Why would I be shooting a gun? Where would I get a gun?"

"Good questions," the constable replied. "What's your name?"

"My friends call me Muskrat."

"Why do they call you that?"

"Because I'm small and I like to swim."

### # # # # # # # #

The constable had left and with his absence, Muskrat could now look at her mom who nodded approval. Another man entered the room, sat down at the table, and placed his uniform hat on the table. "Do you recognize this uniform, Muskrat?"

"Yes."

"What is it?"

"You are in the Scandinavian army. I don't know what all the things on your sleeve and chest mean."

"Captain, we've been conducting secondary interviews with all the school girls after their first interview with the constable. I'll conduct the second interview now with Muskrat. You may leave."

"But..."

"You may leave, Captain Bergen."

...

"I understand that the Captain gives double desserts when one of you succeeds in a dangerous mission. Is that true?"

"Yes."

"I have some dessert outside. Did you succeed in your mission?"

"Yes."

"Corporal, bring in some dessert," the officer bellowed. A bowl of dessert and a spoon subsequently entered and began digesting itself in Muskrat's stomach. The dessert, not the spoon.

"I like lots of icing on my dessert too," he said.

"Mphhh," Muskrat replied.

"I want to be sure that you deserved that dessert. Did you deliberately lie to that constable?"

"Yes. And I acted surprised when he told me that some people were dead. Mom says that I'm the best liar in the class."

"So you did hear shots?"

"Yes. We were right in their bedroom when the people were shot."

"We?"

"Me and my classmates. We snuck into their bedroom and killed them all with pistols. I got to do two of them."

"Did you check that they were dead?"

"We didn't have to. We shot the bullets into their foreheads while they were asleep in their beds. That's always a killing shot."

"And afterwards, you went back to your bedroom and went to sleep."

"Yes."

"Did you have any trouble falling asleep?"

"No. It was the middle of the night."

"Do you mind that the Scandinavian army is training you to kill people?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because we shoot bad people. It's OK to shoot bad people."

"How do you know if they're bad?"

"They have a different skin colour. Brown aboriginal people are the worst."

"But these people were white."

"Mom said that they were bad people and we had to shoot them or else other bad people would come and find me and my schoolmates and kill us. She said that it is OK to kill people if they are trying to kill you."

"That will be all, Muskrat. You can go up to your bedroom and join your classmates there."

### # # # # # # # #

"Why wasn't I told about a second interview?"

"You've trained them to lie to police officers. In this case, a fake police constable. We wanted to see how they'd react to an unexpected interview."

"And?"

"Muskrat confessed everything. An investigator could break her wide open by impersonating an army officer."

"She wasn't trained for that. I can add that to her training."

"And the next unexpected type of interview? Will you train her for that after the fact too?"

The captain had no reply.

"She's too trusting. The other five clammed up. They never revealed a thing. They didn't even respond to the offer of dessert."

"She's the youngest."

"She's too much of a risk. This weapon needs to be decommissioned."

"No. Not decommissioned. Retrained."

"If you have a weapon that could blow up in your face, do you try to fix it, Captain? Or do you destroy it?"

"It's not the same thing. She's a young girl."

"She's an improperly trained assassin who can point our enemies directly at us. You will take only five young girls to your next assignment, Captain. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, Brigadier General."

"Leave her body in the upstairs bedroom with the other corpses and go to Toronto. Tell the other girls that we gave Muskrat another assignment here at home. We'll burn the lodge down to the ground before we leave."

Back to the Table of Contents

# Chapter 5

At the same time that five young girls were leaving Scandinavia for Toronto, Winnie and Reese were playing tourist in Copenhagen. Winnie had wanted to see more of Europe after completing the Scandinavian operation and Reese had agreed to be her bodyguard if she needed one.

They were strolling through the public area of Denmark's parliament building, which is located in the Christiansborg Palace on the island of Slotsholmen in Copenhagen. The place was full of men and women rushing through the rotunda on their way to some important meeting or something. Men were dressed in suits and women wore business clothes.

_Whoa,_ Reese thought to Winnie.

_What?_

_Did you see that man who just pushed by us? Not the big guy with the baldhead; the guy with the gray hair and sharp looking suit._

_No. I wasn't looking at people. I was looking at the portraits of the prime ministers. What about him?_

_Nasty colours. Very bad. You should go look at his face._

_I'm on holidays._

_I didn't know that the search for truth is only done on working days._

_Smart mouth. So, what is he? A robber?_

_I don't know exactly. I haven't seen these swirls before. But they can't be good. Go look at his face. Tell me what he's thinking. He seemed preoccupied when he was coming down the stairs._

_..._

_So?_

_You were right about him being preoccupied. He was thinking about women's bodies and what he'd like to do to them._

_What did he want to do to them?_

_You don't really expect me to answer that question, do you Reese?_

_Oh._

_He had a lot of different women in his head. Like he was remembering them. The women looked scared, Reese._

_We should follow him._

_It's too busy here to turn invisible._

_Outside then._

_As soon as we can, Reese. I don't want him to see me. He reminds me of Dreamer's pervert dad._

### # # # # # # # #

Reese and Winnie followed the gray-haired Danish man as much as they could for three days. He wasn't a politician, he was a businessman. A businessman who knew a lot of politicians and was very active in meeting them. His business? A form of Uber taxi services called V-Cabs. The word _Uber_ is German in origin and means _extremely good_. The first ever Uber taxi business became popular between 2010 and 2020 because it allowed regular citizens who owned cars to use their cars as taxis when demand for such kinds of transportation was needed. Everybody had cars and the Uber company would coordinate the pick up and drop points of passengers. It meant that any citizen could work part time as an Uber cabbie. Uber cabbies didn't have the same expenses as normal cabbies and they essentially put that old form of rental transportation out of business.

All businesses disappeared during _The Troubles_ , but with governments and economies now improving, there was more call for essential services. Transportation was near the top of the wanted list in Europe. Personal copters were affordable but there was no space to park them in the business areas of very crowded European cities. This Danish businessman resurrected the idea of allowing owners of personal copters to pick up fares in major cities and transport them to another part of the city or even out of the city. His V-Cabs with their distinctive V-C insignia on their roofs were seen all over the city. His freight copters, again with the distinctive V-C insignia, were less noticeable because copters of that size were more commonly found in the industrial areas of the city.

Reese and Winnie found it difficult to follow him into his numerous private meetings even when they were invisible. So they followed him around listening to others talking about him and, in the process, collecting bits of information, such as: He had never married. He had frequent liaisons with beautiful women, but these lasted only until a more beautiful woman appeared on his arm. He had no children that anybody could prove were his. Some women had alleged that he had fathered their children but those charges never seemed to make any headway.

After three days trailing this man, Winnie and Reese started to debate if they should continue or go home. Whenever Reese became discouraged in his surveillance, Winnie simply brushed by the businessman and described what she saw in his face. Women's faces. All of them scared.

Their breakthrough in their _should we continue to follow him_ dilemma occurred in _The Licorice Stick_ , a large, popular bar on Friday night in late August. Winnie and Reese were too young to gain entry, so they were floating at ceiling level. That actually made it easier to see what was happening. The businessman was sitting on a couch in a back room of the nightclub. His relative seclusion was ensured by a private security man in a black suit who kept people from bothering him. He always kept his back to his employer and looked steadily at the crowds around him for possible threats. The man's senior security officer, the bald hulk, was engaged in conversation with a beautiful blonde woman at the edge of a nearby dance floor.

The club was full and the heat was omnipresent. Club-goers dressed accordingly. The woman talking with the bald hulk was wearing silver stiletto heels but with no hose. Her white satin dress fell to her knees. Above the bright red belt around her narrow waist, she wore a sleeveless white camisole. It wasn't particularly revealing, it was just comfortable looking. She had a thin red bracelet on her right arm, red ruby earrings, and a smaller version of her red belt around her throat. She also wore a diamond engagement ring and a gold wedding band.

Bald hulk guy brought the blonde to the couch where the businessman was leaning back, knees crossed, watching the partygoers. "I'm sure he can help you with your career, Laura. He's knows the man who owns the building you're renting. Perhaps he can arrange a lower rent?"

By this time, the pretty blonde was standing in front of the couch, looking down at her possible benefactor. Seeing the man in living colour brought a nervous smile to her face. The businessman shifted his sitting position from the back of the couch to the front and smiled back. Next, he raised his right hand and placed it on the inside of her right knee. She jumped at that first touch. The bald man whispered in her ear – "or perhaps he'll arrange higher rents that will put you out of business permanently?" She froze and looked away.

By this time, Winnie was mentally shouting, _Push his hand away. Push it away! Push it away!_

Reese who hadn't clued into what the famous man was doing focused his attention on his sister who was quickly developing murderous colours. _Winnie,_ he whispered tentatively. She ignored him.

_Don't let him do this to you!_

The businessman continued to smile up at the blonde who had become a rigid statue. Finally, he pulled his hand back to his lap. He looked up at her and sent two air kisses her way. She turned and fled.

"Do you know where she works?" the businessman asked his bald hulk.

"Of course. Will you want her home address too?"

"In time. For now, try and coax that red head by the bar to come over. She looks feisty."

Bald hulk, the businessman's part time security consultant and full time lawyer, did as directed but couldn't lure the red head away from her friends. The other security man continued to stand with his back to the famous Conrad Valkendorff and stare at the crowd.

Back to the Table of Contents

# Chapter 6

Lucas, Theo, Dreamer, and Nary walked around to the back of Toronto's George Vanier High School, home of the Vikings. All were carrying a bulging equipment bag with a basketball, basketball shoes, sports gear, water bottle, and a towel stuffed inside. As promised, they found a door to the gym propped open by an equipment bag and they could hear the sound of basketballs bouncing off a gym floor. They entered the gym to find four teenagers stretching or working on ball handling skills. Lohla saw them at the door and trotted over, hand outstretched.

"I've been desperate to start basketball," she said as she greeted everybody warmly. "Our boy's basketball coach agreed to open the gym for us, but we didn't have enough players to make it worthwhile. I said that I'd invite some guests and here you are. Come on in and meet everybody."

Lohla put two fingers in her mouth. Everybody looked up at the whistle that ensued and came running. No real basketball player walks into a team huddle. Pointing at each Viking, she performed the introductions. "This is Cody, grade twelve swing forward and this is Thunk, grade eleven center. His name isn't really Thunk. We call him that because thunk is the sound the ball makes when it bounces off the front of the rim every time he shoots. We're working on that. I believe you all know our girl's center. Her name is Benedikta, but she has a very cool nickname. Bean, as in Beanstalk. She's in grade twelve. Lucas, your turn."

The second half of the introductions were made and the members of the Schnauble Schnobs went into the changing rooms and came out to see each Viking working individually at a basket. They did the same. Lohla's whistle brought them into the middle of the floor at a run.

"I thought that each of us could pick a skill that you wanted to work on. Somebody else would describe a drill that would help that person out and all of us would work that drill. After that, we'd do another skill and another drill. That'll take us an hour and half. We can break and then scrimmage for another hour. We could keep mixing the teams up, boys and girls, Schnobs and Vikings. What do you think?"

Nobody objected. It was a good idea. The Vikings men's coach watched the last half hour of their scrimmage and made another fingers-in-the-mouth whistle as the players were catching their breath after the last four on four contest had gone into overtime.

"I have to lock up," he said. "That scrimmage was impressive for pre-season. Not wishing to appear critical especially to our new friends, but...," he pointed at each. "Cody, you hang around on the outside too long to be of any help on offensive boards. Nary, you need better ball handling. There are drills you can do to help you bend your fingers more. Dreamer, you're not tough enough defending the post. Use your whole body as a lever to keep Bean outside. Bean, you should not be shooting three pointers. It takes you away from the basket where you need to be for offensive boards. Lucas, you have to develop a three point shot to go along with your drives. Theo, you need an outside drive to go along with your inside game. Thunk, you have to put an arc on your shot or it's always going to bounce right back at you. Lohla, you don't look to your left often enough when you are running the offense. Also, on your spin move, you're only getting a 180-degree turn. Get up on the toes of your pivot foot and really crank your body around. I heard lots of good communications – that's how I knew all your names. Hope you had fun."

"I've made a reservation at a local restaurant," Lohla announced. "We can eat high cuisine."

### # # # # # # # #

As you've guessed, Timmy's was the destination and it's a long way from being high cuisine. But Harold made space for them at various tables and offered them anything on the menu for free. After three hours of practice, that may have been a mistake.

Not being able to sit together, they broke up into pairs. Theo and Cody sat together as both were forwards and had been fighting each other for position. Thunk and Nary sat together. They had their difficulties with ball handling/shooting in common. Dreamer put her arm inside Bean's arm and steered her into the most distant table. That left Lucas and Lohla to pair up. Lohla also did some steering into the staff room, which was empty at the time.

We'll listen in on two of the conversations. First up – Bean and Dreamer.

### # # # # # # # #

"I've seen you before. I didn't recognize you until after the practice," Dreamer admitted.

"Yeah. We've played against each other before. At the city championships."

"I know that. I meant that I didn't realize that you were the disguised army man in Stockholm until you undid your hair bun this afternoon in the changing room."

"You were in Stockholm?"

"Yes."

"How? Why?"

"I was one of the people who were fighting against Wilhelm. You and I were on the same side. Your contact person with us was Yolanda, Lucas' mother. I didn't see you until the last day in the soccer stadium. Before that, I only knew that one of our Scandinavian friends was working with other Scandinavians who were pretending to see fake dragons. I assume that was you. Yolanda didn't say much about that part of the operation in any of our group meetings."

"You're Lucas' sister? You don't look like him at all."

"I was adopted into the family. I think of Yolanda as my mother. You were the one who spoke first at Wilhelm's trial. You had the shaving knife. I heard your story. That was awful."

"You can't tell anybody what you heard, Dreamer. Nobody can know."

"About the rape or about you killing people?"

"Both. You can't tell anybody."

"I won't if that's what you want. But people in our family wouldn't judge you."

"Nobody would understand. Yolanda says that she does, but I think she's just being nice."

"I understand what happened to you, Bean. My father molested me when I was very young and afterwards he tried to sell me to some perverts. Everybody in our family knows what happened to me."

"It's different for me. I've killed people."

"I've killed too. Some of your Scandinavians spies. They had started some fires to burn us out and had set a trap to kill us as we tried to escape the fire. Instead, we killed them. You and I have the same background."

"I can't tolerate anybody touching me sexually."

"I couldn't either at first. Now I have a boyfriend and we enjoy sex."

"How'd that happen?"

"I got help from ... I'd guess she's like an aunt."

### # # # # # # # #

"Does Lylah know about this practice, Lohla?"

"Yes. I gave her the chance to come, but she chose not to."

"Did she tell you why?"

"Yeah. She didn't want to see you because you were keeping secrets from her. You wouldn't tell her about your family."

"I don't understand. She kept secrets too. Why couldn't we just leave all of that family stuff alone?"

"She couldn't do that. That's why she didn't come."

"Does that mean that she's dumped me?"

"Yes."

"She couldn't even tell me that herself?"

"No. She couldn't. I said that I would tell you."

"Why couldn't she tell me herself?"

"Our family has a big problem, Lucas. Lylah is all messed up. Why don't we agree to forget this family stuff?"

"Fine by me. Why'd you offer to tell me I was dumped?"

"You know the answer to that."

"It's too soon."

"I agree."

"Was that the reason you arranged this practice?"

"No. If we're going to be friends, it's gotta be because you want to be friends. Not because you're sad about my sister. But I did have an ulterior motive."

"Meaning...?"

"Did the four of you enjoy playing for the Schnobs? Did that school treat you right? Did they give you any credit for the boys winning the cities? The girls came second in the city – were they congratulated? Did students or teachers say nice things about you in the hallways?"

"Yeah, right. Like that was going to happen."

"George Vanier has students of all types – different skin colours, different cultures, different religions. Nobody cares. Cody is aboriginal. Thunk is black."

"I kind of noticed that."

"After the girls' team won the city championships, we were congratulated at a school assembly. Media were invited. They took pictures. Yeah, the school has problems about behaviour, substance abuse, family issues getting into the way of schooling and so on. Every school does. But we don't discriminate against people who are different. We aren't bigots."

"Is that why you went there instead of to Schnauble?"

"No. But that's one of the reasons that I like being there. Did you know that basketball players in the city are allowed to change schools before the new school year starts so long as they have a legitimate reason? Surely, facing discrimination would be a legitimate reason. You guys could all be George Vanier Vikings. You saw how well we played together today."

Back to the Table of Contents

# Chapter 7

The spiffylific young lawyer returned to Safe Haven's Ranch #2 as promised one week after he had issued his warning. If nothing else, he was reliable and punctual. The camp commandant was waiting for him in his farmer's disguise as the copter landed.

"Get your scrawny carcass off my property," he ordered as the lawyer unstrapped his seat belt and made motions to climb out of the copter.

"This is not your property. It belongs to Safe Haven Ranches."

"I never heard of them. You're trespassing. Get off my property."

"You're the one who's trespassing. I warned you. This is not your property. I brought legal documents."

"You can't fool me with a bunch of made up papers." The farmer put two fingers into his mouth and whistled. A large black wolf sitting on the front porch of the big house raised her head, looked at the farmer standing next to a strange copter, and lit out in a run to investigate. The lawyer was swiveling in his seat, ready to step out of the copter when the wolf's body changed his mind. For the sake of accuracy, it wasn't the wolf's body so much that changed his mind as the sharp teeth and the menacing growl that accompanied the body.

"I'll be back in one week," the lawyer's almost-a-carcass threatened. "I'll be bringing the law with me."

"Bring lots of them. Patella is usually hungry at this time of the day."

### # # # # # # # #

A slightly different scene played out at Yuri's ranch. The lawyer landed but chose not to unstrap. The shotgun barrel intruding into the cockpit probably had a lot to do with that decision.

"You're trespassing," Yuri accused. "I'll warn you only this one time. Get off my land. Don't come back."

"This land belongs to Safe Haven Ranches."

"I've been living here for years. So has she."

The _she_ would be Pililiani who had approached the other side of the copter undetected. She had brought a friend with her. "Take a good sniff, Freya," she said.

As noticeable as Pililiani was with her heft, the white wolf standing next to her was what caught the lawyer's eyes. Those eyes flew wide open when Freya's salivating snout made contact with his cheek. He could feel the wolf's breath on his face. He could smell the wolf's breath too. Not a pleasant aroma. Freya had the same reaction to the lawyer's odour. Not a pleasant aroma. That might have been because of the urine that was staining the lawyer's no longer spiffy clothes. Freya's big pink tongue emerged and licked the lawyer's cheek. Her appetite satisfied for the moment, the wolf withdrew.

"Freya likes to wash her food before eating it," Yuri advised the lawyer. "If you take a step onto my land, you'll lose the foot and whatever else is attached to it at the time."

### # # # # # # # #

That evening, the Wilizy Board of Directors met in the dining room of Safe Haven's former Big House #2. In case you've lost track, Big House #2 was the Wilizy's command center for their military cadet camp. From now on, I'll refer to this property as the _Wilizy's cadet camp._ As you'd expect, Granny, Doc, Hank, and Yolanda were there in their position as Directors. Also present were Stu, Hank, and Mac. Other family members were present as well, but I'll tell you about them later. The executive members were talking about the young lawyer and how Safe Haven was attempting to use legal means to force them to leave the property.

Stu was speaking. "I'm going to drag this legal wrangling out for as long as I can while we erect permanent buildings on all five Montana properties. If I can stall the lawyer for six months, we'll have established legal squatting rights. I don't believe Safe Haven will allow us to do that. But for now, we have nothing to worry about."

"Wanda says that lumber will arrive at all the properties tomorrow," Hank advised. "She delayed the delivery so that the lawyer would see no changes from what the properties looked like last week. We'll start with small fake homes on the three empty properties. We'll spend most of our construction time on the cadet camp, starting with the full-scale kitchen and dining hall that Dreamer suggested. We can have the basic structure up this week. After that, we'll keep building the rest of the structures for the cadet camp and getting them ready for occupation."

"Will you'll be able to use the cadets for that?" Mac asked?

"Not in the early stages when we will be using non-traditional construction tools. Later, yes."

"It'll be good for their education," Mac pursued. "Also, I'm told we have to keep them busier. They're starting to get into trouble. Rivalries are getting heated between platoons."

"Are the Wilizy construction crews ready, Hank?" Jock asked.

"Yes. All Wilizy who can swing a hammer or wield a cutting laser will be here. If they can't help directly with the construction, they'll help with supplying nails, carrying wood, cooking meals, giving out liquids, etc. Doc and Granny will watch the little tykes off site. EmmaGee and Liset will help on the construction site. They asked if they could and we said _Yes_."

"Where are they now?" Granny asked.

"Upstairs, asleep," Yolanda said. "I checked a few minutes ago."

"They did a good job telling Freya what to do to the lawyer," Mac said. "Liset and EmmaGee dreamt up the whole act of smelling him and licking his cheek. Freya was very scary."

Everybody looked at the white wolf snoring gently in the corner of the dining room. From all appearances, sound asleep.

"What are we doing about Yuri's property, Hank? We can't use cutting lasers there and do we really want him seeing the entire family?"

"A few of us will help Yuri build some basic storage barns using conventional tools, Jock. He can use these to store peaches before they're transported. William will add some refrigeration capabilities later."

"Sounds like everything is in hand," Doc summarized.

"Let's open the floor to new business," Granny took the hint. "Wizard is here with a delegation. We have decided to hear his presentation in a full Wilizy meeting. We've found that when one Wilizy's life is threatened, it affects us all. Wizard, you have the floor."

### # # # # # # # #

Granny was right when she said that Wizard had the floor. He was sitting on it. Squatter's rights, I suppose. Most of the other Wilizy were sitting on the floor too. The former Big House #2 didn't have much furniture for guests. Apparently, Big Momma and Big Daddy weren't into entertaining. It's easier for me to describe who wasn't at the meeting. Winnie and Reese had not yet returned from Europe. Otherwise, except for the tykes, the entire family was present to hear Wizard's presentation.

My readers all know what he's going to say, so I'll skip most of it. Let me just say that Wizard did a good job presenting his case: that Lucas, Theo, Dreamer and Nary should be allowed to live in Toronto so that they could pursue their education as well as their basketball dreams. These were **very** important to them and, while they were fully in support of the decisions to retreat to safety during a time of crisis, with that crisis now passed, they would like to return to Toronto. Wizard also wanted to be there with Dreamer for reasons my readers will understand.

Lucas presented the case that the imminent dangers had passed. "By all accounts, the Scandinavian threat has been removed. Wilhelm is dead. Nobody in Scandinavia is looking for their Princess Freya who they believe is dead, and the Special Ops branch of their military does not exist any longer. As to Safe Haven, they themselves do not have a military presence. They are attacking us legally because they can't attack us militarily. They had to hire goons to do their kidnapping. The five of us do not think we should be kept hidden here in Montana when neither enemy has the capability of jeopardizing our safety in Toronto."

"Do you agree, Jock?" Hank was serving as the chair of this part of the meeting but his fatherly instincts to keep his teens safe had kicked in and he had deferred to Jock for an objective decision. Yolanda was sitting on her hands so that she couldn't raise them to ask to speak. She had heard what they'd be asking. She didn't want to appear unsupportive in front of the entire family, but...

"Yes, the imminent threat is gone," Jock replied. "The family's strategic retreat to Montana is still very much required regardless of who might wish us harm and what their capabilities might be. Militarily, Toronto can present a security concern for us. We have no protection in the city for these five. For example, they are vulnerable to an attack from hired goons if Safe Haven finds out that they are living there. They will be particularly visible because of the nature of their sport and their success."

"We can minimize some of that," Theo started the group's planned defense. "The school we want to attend is multicultural. Students of all races, religions and colours attend. Their basketball teams reflect that diversity. We will spend most of our public life inside the school building. Any strangers in that school will be immediately noticed. As is the case in all of Toronto's schools, security personnel are present inside the buildings. All of us will be armed except when we are in sports attire. When we aren't in the school, we will live in an invisible ship floating in the sky. The school doesn't care where we live or whether we are supervised or not. Nobody will look for our residence. We have already shown that we are mature enough to live on our own."

"But you have to agree that your visibility as basketball players will increase the risk to you. You will be safer here in Montana." As I had said, Hank's fatherly instincts had kicked in and he had caught a case of Yolanditis. This is somewhat similar to tonsillitis in that the throat is affected. But Yolanditis is far more contagious, especially when the source of the illness has wrapped her hand around her husband's throat and uttered those magic tonsil-infecting words – _You better support me about Toronto or you'll be sleeping on the sofa._

"Dad," Dreamer started. "You have visibility as the head of the Wilizy Cloth and Dye Company. Lots of people know you. Will you be staying here in Montana for your safety and let the operations of our retail chain be run by outsiders? Grandma Wanda, everybody knows that the lumber business is part of the Wilizy retail chain. Will you be hiding in Clearwater so that you won't pose a security risk to the rest of the family? I could go through every adult manager in the family, but I believe you get my point. No adult in this family would ever think of doing that. You will lead your normal lives despite the presence of some threats to your safety. Hiding us teenagers away so that we can't be exposed to danger is not part of what this family is. All five of us are trained sling warriors. All of us have participated fully in wars; we have killed in the line of duty. Why should our age dictate that we have to be kept safe somewhere far away from where we want to be?"

Nobody responded. Dreamer continued, "The aboriginal nation protects its own."

"We fight to the death," Nary said.

"We don't run away," they stressed in unison.

"I knew that plastering that motto on the wall of that bar was a bad idea," Yolanda capitulated. "What will you do about food," she sighed.

### # # # # # # # #

The food was easy. Breakfast in the ship; lunch in the school cafeteria; dinner in the ship with food prepared in the cadet camp's mess hall and collected periodically in large frozen containers and brought back to the ship.

The decision about Mathias and Kashmira was not as simple. They wanted to live in Toronto too, but Dreamer had told Doc and Granny privately that Kashmira should not be allowed to live with them on the ship. "She's changed. She's totally involved in herself and in her friends at school. Some of them are not good for her. Mathias could live with us; but I can't be Kashmira's parent. She won't listen to me."

Doc started the conversation with Kashmira. "You're not old enough to enroll in the high school with the others. Why do you want to attend Schnauble when it is full of bigots?"

"They're not nasty to me. I want to go there for its music program. Where else could I get that?"

"Mathias?"

"I want to stay in Schnauble for their science labs. I don't care if nobody speaks to me."

"You'd continue to live in the mansion with Basher?"

"Basher is nice," Kashmira observed. "I'm helping him learn to read."

"Mathias?"

Mathias shrugged.

"Granny and I will move to Toronto and live in Eldreadth's mansion with you so that the school can't complain that you don't have adult supervision. You'll eat breakfast on your own and lunch at the school. We'll expect the two of you and Basher to help with dinner."

And with that, the new living arrangements were settled. Doc and Granny had already decided that they would resume parenting Kashmira no matter where she was. Neither had liked the attitude she had displayed during the war with Scandinavia.

### # # # # # # # #

As Mr. Valkendorff's lawyer had instructed her, Laerke ordered a V-Cab from Valkendorff Sky Transportation – the company operating the two uber-based companies that served public transportation needs as well as commercial freight needs in Copenhagen and the surrounding area. She mentioned that she was acting on instructions from Mr. Valkendorff to travel to Liseleje and that prompted a short delay while the agent pulled up a file. The delay was followed by a most effusive attempt to please her. Her pilot would stay in Liseleje until she was ready to return. In future, all she to had do was give her name to the booking agent and she'd have personal attention on every trip she took. Laerke found out that _personal attention_ meant a picnic hamper on the way up along with a chilled bottle of champagne. The trip back was similarly luxurious, but with different hamper contents.

Laerke spent three hours in the mansion, the first hour in a guided tour by the housekeeper as promised. After she knew her way around, the housekeeper left her alone to work on a plan. This meant taking pictures of the contents of the rooms that Laerke had particularly liked and then retreating to the anteroom to take measurements and develop the concept she wanted to apply. She correctly concluded that money would not be an issue for her employer; what he would want was the _Wow_ factor reaction that his guests would have from the room. All of the rooms that she liked elsewhere in the mansion were designed to awe. While the anteroom was much smaller than the other rooms, it too could produce that awe reaction result if she were able to order the items she wanted. She spent the cab ride home searching on-line catalogues and didn't even look inside the hamper.

The pilot brought the hamper into her apartment and placed it on the kitchen table. While Frida and Laerke were opening and oohing, the pilot surreptitiously took pictures of Frida and the apartment as he had been instructed to do. These images would make their way to Silas Toft-Damgaard that night. Back in his office, the bald hulk in question had already accessed the security cameras for the Liseleje mansion and was collecting images of Laerke at work. He'd send these images to Valkendorff the next day. That same day, the bald hulk would begin research on Frida. This second part of Operation Laerke was more of a threat assessment than anything else. Roommates could be problematic.

### # # # # # # # #

As my readers now know, Conrad Valkendorff was the owner of Valkendorff Sky Transportation, the business that ran V-Cabs in Denmark. He had other business interests as well which the Wilizy will learn about in due course. Conrad Valkendorff made sure that his ruggedly handsome face appeared frequently in the media, whether it was for his attendance at luxurious social events or his appearance in charitable fundraisers.

Rumours circulated that Conrad was a direct descendent of Christoffer Valkendorff, a Danish statesman in the 1500s. Conrad never made any claims to such ancestry, but he didn't discourage them either. He frequently appeared at costume balls dressed as Christoffer Valkendorff where his short cropped beard, long flowing moustache, and ruddy cheeks drew immediate comparisons to his presumed ancestor's portraits that hung in Danish galleries and museums.

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# Chapter 8

Captain Bergen arrived in Toronto the week before school was scheduled to start. She found a small two-bedroom apartment in a poor area of town and registered all five girls in the local schools. Her fake papers showed the family as: Astrid Bergen, widow and mother of five adopted girls: Chloe aged thirteen, Amber aged twelve, Vivienne aged twelve, Jazmin aged eleven, and Lizzie aged ten. You'll notice that all of the girls' names were popular North American first names. She didn't want any hint of a connection to Scandinavia. The girls already spoke North American English; now their names would reflect that origin too. She had chosen their names very carefully; they were their birth names given to them by their North American parents before Safe Haven had kidnapped them. She didn't tell any of her superiors what she had done. They didn't care what the girls' names were. In their minds, they were Weapon #1, Weapon #2, and so on.

Special Ops had given Mrs. Bergen a small amount of Canadian money for living expenses. It was enough to rent the apartment and provide food for several months. After that, she would be on her own. She bought six foam pads and six sleeping bags. New Canadian clothing was essential as were toiletries and school supplies. These she shoplifted. Well, she didn't. The girls did. It had been part of their training.

With the girls safely attending their schools, Mrs. Bergen went looking for a patsy. That search required her to find Toronto's wealthiest parts of town. That was easy. After a visit with a real estate agent, she found each little upscale gated community the agent had recommended and walked up and down the streets looking at the houses.

The patsy would take longer to identify. She was looking for a man who lived in one of her targeted areas and had been widowed within the last year. Her first preference would be for a man who had a young daughter attending an elementary school. Two daughters would be OK. But no older children. The father had to be fixated on taking care of his young daughters.

Obituaries were remarkably detailed in their descriptions of surviving spouses. The length of the obituary was reasonably reflective of the family's wealth. Street addresses could be easily found for each widowed man. Winnowing the list down to her top three patsy candidates took time, but Captain Bergen had plenty of time. Once she was down to three, she made sure that she was watching when the men left for work. When hired copter pilots picked up all three, she put a check mark beside their names. Browsing through the archives of the social commentaries of Toronto's nightlife revealed their work place, what job the man had, how wealthy he was, and how important/powerful he was.

The next step was to check out the daughters. What hobbies did they have? What recreational activities did they enjoy? Outdoor activities in public areas were good; activities that were inside their mansions were bad. What school did they go to? The daughters of all three potential patsies went to the Earl Schnauble Private Academy. She visited the school in the guise of a teacher looking for a job. _This will do very well indeed,_ she thought.

By the end of the month, Mrs. Bergen had her patsies ranked in numerical order. She knew each man's work routine and when he was scheduled to spend time with his daughter. She knew what the daughter's favorite pastime was. She knew if staff were working in the house and, if so, when they had their day off. She knew which of her own daughters she'd use to trap the patsy and she had already trained them in the role they would play.

Back to the Table of Contents

#  Chapter 9

It's time now to learn how the Wilizy family members spent their September. We'll start with the people in Montana.

The young lawyer did return as he had warned. He set his copter down in the middle of what had become a construction site. A sheriff's copter followed soon afterwards. The lawyer took pictures of the new construction from the safety of his pilot's seat – that decision having been made after Patella had ambled over to smell the new arrival. She found the smell so enticing that she joined the lawyer in the copter – waiting for lessons on how to fly perhaps. This was not necessary in Patella's case, but the lawyer sitting rigid in his ill-fitting suit didn't know that.

The sheriff's deputy climbed out of his own copter, hitched his gun belt to put it in a more comfortable position, and looked around. The young lawyer had told him what he had to do. Issue an eviction notice and supervise the departure of these squatters. The deputy saw a man in a very good suit waiting for him. He had a thick briefcase. Deputies are good at gauging power. Expensive suit plus thick brief case versus cheap suit and thin briefcase? No question who held the power. He walked over to the experienced lawyer. "What's going on?" he asked Stu.

That conversation took about five minutes and included the transfer of several thick documents from Stu's briefcase to the deputy's hands. The conversation was itself one sided. Essentially:

The young lawyer had presented no credentials proving that he was what he said he was. Nor had he presented any credentials proving that his law firm existed. Nor had he shown any credentials that he had been empowered by this Safe Haven Ranch organization to act on their behalf. Nor had he shown any proof that Safe Haven owned this property and had paid taxes on it. The residents in this camp believed that all of this was a scam to take over property that they were laying claim to.

Stu informed the deputy that before his clients could respond to their allegations, he would need proof of this Safe Haven's rights to act. Where was this company incorporated? What was its business address? Who was in charge of the organization? What proof did they have that they owned this property?

The deputy listened, ambled to the young lawyer's copter, told him he was returning to Helena, and instructed him to meet him there. "You're wasting your time going to the other property. This here lawyer is representing them too. He told me to warn you that if you take off with that wolf sitting next to you, the insides of your copter might become messy. Don't use your hands to push him out of your copter or you'll lose some fingers." And with that digital warning, he coptered away.

The young lawyer tried pushing Patella out of his copter with his briefcase. Patella chewed on that for a while before getting bored and leaving. The young lawyer did not return that month. Stu told everybody that this Safe Haven attack was not over yet and they should establish as many permanent buildings as they could.

By the end of September, the mess hall and kitchen were complete with up-to-date cooking and refrigeration units powered by William's solar power conversion units. Staffing in the mess hall was not yet complete. Scandinavia's towel ladies had arrived and had agreed to serve temporarily as cooks. Construction was now focused on building barracks for female officers and staff. Lieutenant Karlsson had arrived and was sleeping in a command tent where he could keep eyes and ears on the boys. The Saskatchewan officer who had been training the cadets packed up his bags as quickly as he could and returned to his unit.

### # # # # # # # #

Meanwhile in Toronto, the five teens settled into life in the Wilizy/Asia and in their new school. In their first week, none of them ever spent time alone at noon hour or in breaks. A Vanier basketball player was always by their side, showing them around. All explained that Lohla had organized this welcome.

Wizard received some good news that first week. The school's senior girls coach was looking for an assistant. Dreamer mentioned Wizard's willingness to help to Lohla who spoke to her coach on his behalf. Wizard was invited to coach some of the senior girls at a weekend practice and after that he was asked to be the Senior Girls' Assistant Coach for the upcoming year.

Lohla, Bean, Nary, and Dreamer began practicing in earnest in the second week of September. Other girls who would be trying out for the team dropped in depending on their schedules, but these four were always present. The four agreed that they needed additional challenge and invited Lucas, Theo, Cody, and Thunk who all agreed to come to the gym and work out with them. Practices were set for late Saturday and Sunday afternoons to accommodate the players who had part time jobs. Afterwards, with the staff room at Timmy's too small to hold them all, they'd go back to Lohla's apartment and hang out. The former Schnaubs provided the pizza while Cody and Thunk brought the beverages. Cody introduced them to the game of Schmozzle-Mozzle. This was an interactive, high strategy contest between two teams (Shmozzles and Mozzles: duh) and it usually took at least two hours to complete.

Bean tried out for the volleyball team and was welcomed with open arms and padded knees. A week later, prompted by her coach's urgings, she invited Dreamer to try out for the volleyball team too. Dreamer had never played the sport before, but picked up enough skills to act as a blocker at the net in her first games. One of the volleyball players took Dreamer aside after a practice to warn her about Bean. "She's probably a lesbian. You won't want to be seen with her much." Apparently, bigotry was alive and well in Georges Vanier school after all. It was just well hidden. Dreamer responded to the slur by spending every possible free minute in the school with Bean.

### # # # # # # # #

In the Lewis mansion, Doc sensed that Basher's newfound interest in reading was not entirely academically based. Basher was behaving himself whenever Doc and Granny were around, but he was acting too smug for the miniscule improvement in reading he had achieved to date. Doc decided to watch those reading lessons invisibly. Whenever Kashmira interrupted her tutoring to take a phone call or message, which was often, Basher's hand would find itself resting on her thigh. Kashmira didn't notice. As soon as she terminated the call, Basher's hand would be gone. He was learning sleight of hand, but he wasn't learning how to read.

Mathias spent all of his time at home studying in his bedroom. When Doc told him about Basher's friendly hand, Mathias said that he had warned Kashmira about him. He had also warned her about some bad people in the school who were following her around. Doc decided to spend some time checking the cleanliness of the paint on the ceilings of Schnauble's hallways.

### # # # # # # # #

Speaking of friendly hands, Reese and Winnie were wringing their hands over their inability to catch Valkendorff sexually assaulting any more women. They followed him as much as they could but couldn't cover all of his meetings. They were particularly vigilant when he went to nightclubs. He simply sat in a secluded corner and watched the people around him. Winnie suggested that they take a break. She was having trouble sleeping now – her mind consumed by Valkendorff's image and the impossibility that the blonde woman they had seen him sexually assaulting was his only victim.

### # # # # # # # #

While we're in Copenhagen, let's drop in on Laerke Lund who was busy in her apartment checking on the status of all of the materials and accessories that she had ordered for Valkendorff's anteroom. Normally she would do that from her little office, but she had to be at home today.

The reason she was at home rang the buzzer on the outside door at 10:15. "I'm from Mobile Technology Services," a man explained. "I have a work order to upgrade your network repeater module."

"Come on up," Laerke replied. "I was expecting you. Do you know where we are?"

"Yes. It's on the work order."

...

Laerke was standing in the hallway when the workman exited the staircase carrying his toolbox in one hand and a mid-sized stepladder in the other.

"Here's the work order," the visitor said. "I'll ask you to sign it after I'm finished. As our service rep will have told you, we are upgrading your apartment's network repeater module to the newest version. It's all part of Mobile Technology Service's commitment to keep our customers fully satisfied. There'll be no charge."

"How long will it take?"

"Fifteen minutes max. I just need to switch a component in your main box and test your reception."

"We've never had any problems with our service."

"That's good to know. That's why we upgrade before we have to. Company policy requires a member of the family to be with me at all times. Can you do that?"

"Sure. I can steady the step ladder."

"I'd appreciate that."

...

True to his word, the workman left within fifteen minutes. Before doing so, he went through the small apartment holding up a device to check for reception. At least that's what he told Laerke he was doing. He wasn't checking reception. He was taking pictures. Later that afternoon those pictures appeared in Toft-Damgaard's email inbox as part of a message from the technician that the audio bug was now in place. Toft-Damgaard noticed that the bedroom contained only one queen-sized bed. He'd keep that news to himself for a while.

Back to the Table of Contents

# Chapter 10

I should introduce you now to the Scandinavian officer who was in charge of the five young girls. As you know, her name was Astrid Bergen and she was a captain in the now disbanded Special Ops forces. The name _Bergen_ was well known within Scandinavian military circles. Bergen men had been serving in the military for generations; all had achieved top ranks. Astrid's grandfather, also known as _The General_ , had been retired for some years, but still had influence. He was now writing a book on the history of the Bergen family and its ties to Scandinavian battle success. This general could not lay claim to being modest.

Astrid's father, a lieutenant general, was still active and served as the second in command of Scandinavia's army, air force, and navy. Astrid's oldest brother was a brigadier general in charge of developing war plans and keeping all of Scandinavia's forces in full military preparedness. Astrid's second brother was a full bird colonel in charge of recruiting and training. His lower rank compared to his brother can be explained by his relative youth – five years younger. Astrid's nephew (from Brigadier General Bergen) was a major in the land forces designated to be the first into Finland if and when the war started. Astrid's other nephew (from Colonel Bergen) was also a major but his assignment was in the air force and he would lead the assault into Finnish air space. The Bergen military men spoke with some pride that in the history of their family, they had never produced a recruit that had not achieved high command rank status. Astrid was the first. As you know, she was a captain. Within military circles where high ranks met and conferred among themselves, captains were the people who were charged with changing the rolls of toilet paper in the latrines. Well, perhaps she hadn't been given that specific _role_ , but you get my drift.

The Bergen males all had the genes that would allow them to walk into a briefing room and demand attention simply by their presence. Their bodies were big slabs of muscles. They had square jaws attached to square heads. A Bergen could go into battle with a missile launcher in each hand and, if _the General'_ s accounts were true, they had done so often. A Bergen male was the type of solider who, when his tank had slipped a track in battle, would jump out of the tank, repair the track while under heavy fire, run back into the tank and capture the enemy command post single handed, or more accurately, single-tanked.

Unhappily, a male Bergen face did not go well on a female body. Astrid's feminine appearance was already hampered by the square jaw and the square face; she didn't need the blotchy complexion that went with them. Her body was also a slab, but not of muscles. It wasn't that she was fat or overweight, she just was ... slabby.

Personality-wise, Bergen men demanded attention and received it. Astrid demanded indifference and received it. Early in her life, when her brothers were receiving approval for their derring-do, Astrid struggled to get approval. You might say that she was a derring-didn't. For example, in a school science fair, one of her brothers had created a flaming volcano that spat a rock into the air on a minute-by-minute sequence. The other brother rigged a Ferris wheel with explosives and sent flaming missiles in all directions. Astrid put some paper-Maché farm animals into a diorama consisting of a coloured cardboard barn and fake grass.

Bergen men were direct and square shooters. They were honest, well-principled men. Astrid decided that her farmyard diorama would probably come second, so she sabotaged the presumed first place entry. She should have sabotaged the next twenty-five entries too. She became known within family circles as _sneaky_.

An incident in Astrid's high school graduation party will demonstrate this amply. The party was held in a large house where all forty of the graduates could gather and behave in a way that graduating classes have behaved, well, forever. Unknown to the naive chaperones, booze was in abundance. Also unknown to the naive chaperones, two bedrooms upstairs had been secretly designated as the _sex rooms_. Astrid came to her graduation party prepared to lose her virginity to her secret flame, Arne Hammerstein.

Arne was well known within the grade twelve class as _Arne the Hammer._ He achieved that nickname by ... let's just say that he was very popular within the circle of girls who could be influenced to shed their clothes for handsome, muscular jocks. Astrid waited in the party for an appropriate time to flirt with Arne and indicate her willingness to sneak up to the second floor. For Astrid, flirting was a pastime that she knew only from the pulp romance bots that she secretly read when she was supposed to be asleep. These bots featured handsome princes, lovely princesses, heaving bosoms and lots of breathless sighs. In these bots, flirting prowess was achieved by taking your clothes off in the quickest possible manner. Astrid came prepared to do that kind of flirting.

By mid-morning of the graduation party, Astrid was still waiting, her virginity status still unchanged. She had seen Arne climb the stairs with numerous classmates. The last classmate was descending the stairs now, cheeks flushed, and eyes averted. Arne had not descended with her. Astrid decided to pop upstairs to check that he was all right.

Arne was more than all right. He was hammered, and by this I mean that he was drunk, lying naked on the bed, and dead to the world. Astrid took the opportunity to enter, put the required _occupied_ notice on the doorknob (a hand towel), and closed the door. Next, she pulled the cord on her parachute, so to speak, and climbed up onto the bed unencumbered by any traces of modesty or apparel of any kind.

Have I mentioned that Arne was dead to the world?

In the romantic novels that Astrid had read, no prince had ever gone to bed with a princess and had been sound asleep during the time of heaving bosoms, etcetera. Astrid quickly found out that if she were going to lose her virginity, she would need some help from Arne. The sad fact was, and I'm saying this as delicately as I can, Arne the Hammer had run out of nails.

Astrid had to face the reality that tonight was not going to be the night. But nobody else needed to know that. Especially not Arne. She rolled Arne onto his side, slipped into bed beside him, and pulled Arne on top of her. Arne wasn't cooperating much at the time, so he ended up being part on her, and part off her. The blankets had long disappeared from the bed, so anybody entering the room would immediately see two naked bodies entwined in sexual ecstasy. Sort of. Astrid prepared the words that she'd use to welcome Arne back to the world of the living. "Arne,.... that was great!" Then, she waited.

Have I mentioned that Arne was dead to the world?

Astrid eventually dozed off, content with the feel of her Arne blanket sort of keeping her warm. The next thing she knew, a strange woman was in the bedroom and was pulling Arne off her. "My gawd, Arne" she exclaimed. "Did you lose your mind?"

Apparently Arne's mom didn't think too much of his latest conquest. Nor did his friends. Arne lost his popularity immediately afterwards, left the city, and became a shoe salesman. I mean no disrespect to shoe sales-people of either gender. But Arnie's friends had seen how low he would stoop and decided to give him _the boot_. Astrid's family heard about the event and that precipitated her entry into the military forces. Her grandfather pulled some strings and got her into Special Ops where her sneakiness might give her some remote chance of having success.

Astrid was now thirty-five years old and was still waiting for that success. She was the oldest captain in the military and her troops were calling her _Mom._ Astrid's grandfather wouldn't be dedicating much space in his military volumes to his granddaughter. At least not for her performance to date. But Astrid did have her assassins, and she did have a target, and she did have a plan. Need I tell you that it was a sneaky plan?

### # # # # # # # #

Astrid's #1 patsy was Grantham Lockhurst, a long time Toronto resident. His father had started a commercial shipping company after _The Troubles_ and had done well. Both of his sailing ships plied the waters of Lake Ontario delivering and collecting retail goods around the breadth of Lake Ontario. Grantham expanded his father's business to include timber, coal, wheat, and barley. He was well respected within the Toronto elite for his generosity and grace. Some of his friends had encouraged him to run for Mayor in previous years, but he had wisely declined. Rumours were circulating that he was now giving politics a serious consideration. Perhaps within Toronto or perhaps within Ontario as a whole. The idea of re-establishing a provincial government was gaining popularity in the city.

Grantham's daughter was named Ramsey Lockhurst and her first name would soon be placed on the bow of Lockhurst's newest ship – a passenger vessel. Ramsey was eleven years old and loved to dance. Grantham loved to watch her dance and he took her to all of the lessons personally. Being CEO of a large firm, he had the ability to appear and disappear whenever he wanted to.

When he wasn't in the big corner office of his shipping company's offices in CN Tower, Grantham could be found in a basement of a neighbour who had established a small dance studio. This dance studio received a new budding ballerina in early October. Her name was Chloe and her mother was a big fan of dance, although one could guess from her physical appearance that she herself had never participated. But Mom was in the studio every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday afternoon, smiling and hugging her daughter – an apparent adoptee given the lack of any physical similarities to her cheerleader. Mom admitted that Chloe was adopted in one of her conversations with Grantham. Visitor viewing space was limited in the studio and they often sat side by side on a low wooden bench clapping softly whenever one or other of their daughters managed to receive the official nod of approval from their dance master, a notoriously strict teacher. "I do wish that she'd praise the girls more," Astrid said to Grantham one day. "I believe that's so important for today's youngsters, don't you?"

That opened up the door for more comments on raising young girls. Astrid shared that she was actually raising five young girls and found the experience so fulfilling. Grantham shared that he had trouble raising one daughter on his own. He didn't know how to influence young girls. Astrid gave him some tips but didn't reveal that, in her experience, hypnotic drugs were particularly effective.

One afternoon in mid October, Astrid received a call from one of her other daughters after the class had ended and the girls were changing out of the dance shoes. It must have been bad news because she immediately became intent on the conversation and ignored the chatter around her.

"Hospital? What hospital?"

....

"Is she all right?"

...

"Calm down, Lizzie. Just tell me what the doctor said."

...

Grantham couldn't help but overhear the stress in her voice.

...

"Tell Amber that she's going to be OK. I'll be there as quickly as I can. Stop crying now. You'll have to be the mom for your sister until I can get to the hospital."

Astrid looked at Grantham who was preparing to ask if everything was OK. "Mr. Lockhurst, I have to go to the Humber River Hospital. Could you take Chloe home with you? I know where you live and I'll be back to pick her up as soon as I can. I don't think she should be coming to the hospital with me." Astrid rushed out of the basement before Lockhurst could say _No_.

### # # # # # # # #

It was about an hour later when Astrid saw the front door of the Lockhurst residence swing open and remain ajar. With nobody on the street to see her, Astrid walked right into the house and closed the door behind her. Chloe was waiting for her.

"Where are they?" Astrid asked.

"In the kitchen," Chloe said.

"Show me."

Both Grantham and Ramsey were sitting in a small breakfast nook, their heads resting on the tabletop. Three cups of tea were also on that tabletop. One was still full, the other two were not.

"When did they go under?"

"3:47."

Assassins have to be precise in their reports.

"That gives us half an hour."

"I double-dosed the kid like you said."

"Good. I'll carry her up to her bedroom. You go find her father's bedroom and strip the blankets and sheets off his bed."

Carrying Grantham to his bedroom was more difficult, but Chloe at thirteen was strong and wiry. Astrid had a good grip on him under his arms and Chloe had the legs. They managed to plop him onto the bed without dropping him. Not that he would have noticed.

"Help me with his clothes," Astrid said.

...

"Take off your clothes and lie beside him."

...

Astrid managed to roll Grantham so that he was half on her daughter.

"I can't breathe. He's too heavy."

Astrid shifted his upper body a bit. That actually helped with the view. It was now obvious that Chloe wasn't wearing any clothes. Astrid moved his right hand to a more strategic position.

"Still too heavy?"

"No. How much longer?"

"Soon."

### # # # # # # # #

"Oh my gawd, Mr. Lockhurst. What have you done to my daughter?" Astrid's panic-stricken voice started clearing the cobwebs out of Grantham's head.

"Mommy. Help me."

That plea helped as well.

Grantham lifted his head to see a young girl's face and below that her naked body. He also saw where his hand was and yanked it away. In the process, he saw his own body. Naked. He looked up to find Astrid's angry face.

"What kind of man are you?" She pointed her pinky ring at the bed. "I'm taking pictures. You're going to jail!"

"Mommy! Get him off me."

### # # # # # # # #

Negotiations were nearing their end. Lockhurst knew that he was in an impossible situation and was agreeing to just about anything Astrid floated up for consideration.

Each of Astrid's daughters would have their own bedroom in the Lockhurst house and each would have an ample allowance for clothes and anything else they wanted to purchase. As they got older, that allowance would be increased. The entire family would leave the house when the youngest turned eighteen and he would face no further support costs after that departure.

All five girls would be enrolled in Earl Schnauble Private Academy. He would pay all the costs up to and including grade twelve.

He would pay all expenses for their rearing including their food and membership in any clubs/activities that they wanted to join.

However, he could agree to only so much. He would not marry Astrid although she tried to convince him that this would be in his best interests. Nor would he give her any kind of living allowance. Instead, he would allow her to work as live-in housekeeper who was obliged to keep the house clean. She would have a bedroom near her daughters' bedrooms.

He would not appear in public with any of her daughters or with Astrid. The young girls were simply the daughters of his housekeeper and he was graciously and generously helping to support them.

When the last girl had graduated from school, Astrid would give him the camera with all the pictures. She would leave Toronto with her daughters and never return.

The children would behave in school and in the house. Any misbehaviour that might embarrass the Lockhurst name would result in termination of the arrangement.

The new arrangement started that very evening. By mid afternoon the next day, Lockhurst had hired a chef/security officer who would prepare meals for the family and as well, supervise Astrid and the children. Lockhurst's private instructions to his security man were that he must never leave Lockhurst in the house alone with Astrid or any of the girls. As to misbehaviour that they might engage in, Grantham didn't know enough about the girls to specifically prohibit the children from assassinating people, although that probably would fall under the _embarrassment_ clause were it to happen.

Back to the Table of Contents

# Chapter 11

It's late October. A Saturday in fact and the Wilizy basketballers were getting ready to leave for their practice. Theo was set to go, but couldn't find Nary. "Where's Nary?" he asked Dreamer who was stuffing the last of her gear into her equipment bag.

"Down in the hold."

"What's she doing down there?"

"Practicing dribbling, I believe. She said that she wanted to try something new."

Theo found her in the hold dribbling, as advertised. He watched from the shadows before interrupting. "We're set to go. You've really improved. Must have been all that practicing."

"More like the hand, I think," Nary said as she gathered up the basketball and approached Theo.

"What do mean, the hand?"

"You know that I have trouble curling my fingers. That's because of all the time that I lived in a panther body when I was a baby. Panthers can curl their claws, but don't have much motion in their fingers. So I decided to try a different type of hand."

Theo looked down, saw two furry hands, and recoiled. Nary's hands weren't normally fuzzy like this. He would have noticed. "My gawd! What have you done to your hands?"

Nary climbed the gangway ahead of him. "I changed them to monkey hands. They work way better for dribbling and shooting."

"You can do that?"

"Yeah, I guess so. You know that I can take the shape of different animals. I didn't know that I could take a part of an animal's body. I could probably change my face."

"Please don't do that. It would ruin the romance. So those are real monkey hands?"

"Yeah. I was going to try them out in practice this afternoon. Should I shave them?"

"Duh. Are they going to look like human hands after you remove the fuzz?"

"They should so long as I colour them the same shade as my skin."

Now my readers know why Nary always took a particularly long time to dress for basketball games/practices and why she always took black shoe polish with her. Other girls shave their legs; Nary shaved her hands. Voodoo princesses have all the fun.

### # # # # # # # #

Saturday's practice was long gone, as was the pizza. The Schnozzle team had defeated the Mozzles although a number of complaints had been lodged against Wizard's use of his shoe as a prop. Now, they were just hanging out. Wizard and Dreamer were sharing an armchair. Theo and Nary had the other armchair. The tight confines of the chairs meant that some cuddling was required. Nobody in the group seemed to mind. Lohla had found an old battered, discarded sofa and Cody and Thunk had hauled it into her apartment. Cody had left after the last round of Schnozzle-Mozzle, and Thunk, Lohla and Bean were now sharing it. Lucas was sitting on a pad in front of the sofa and leaning back against Lohla's legs. She paid him no attention; she was focusing her attention on Wizard and Dreamer. The cuddling was becoming more than cuddling. Others were noticing it too.

"I'm feeling romantic, Wiz. Can we go home now?"

This was not an admission that Dreamer would normally make in public, but she wasn't thinking too clearly right now. Besides, this wasn't public. She was with friends.

"Do you guys sleep together?" Thunk blurted out the question. Bean and Lohla had determined the answer to that question weeks ago.

"I thought you all knew," Wizard said as he and Dreamer un-entwined. "Theo and Nary sleep together too."

Again, this was not something that sent shock waves through the members of the group that had two X chromosomes. _[For those of you that aren't up on your genetics, that would be the girls. Guys have an X and a Y. Duh. Come-on guys, stay with me now.]_

"I didn't know," Thunk thunked. "Your parents don't say anything?"

Their secret outed, Theo and Nary rose too. Nary climbed onto Theo's back. "Horsey ride home, sweetie?" She deliberately placed both her left and right hands in full view. Nobody noticed anything unusual about them.

"Nah, they don't say anything. Our parents know that we're having sex," Theo replied. "They even encouraged us."

"Can I borrow your parents?"

"Got somebody in mind as a reason, Thunk?" Lohla asked this as innocently as she could.

"No, but it just seems so unusual for parents to encourage their kids to have sex."

"Our parents are great," Theo said. "They even let us live on our own while we're here."

Lohla's attention shifted from sex to parents. Lucas' parents. She remained quiet, but attentive.

"You live on your own? Really? And they actually want you to do that?" This from Bean who had experienced exactly the opposite reaction to being on her own.

"Home, Wiz." Dreamer insisted as Wiz opened his mouth to reply. "Talk tomorrow."

...

Thunk departed soon afterwards and Bean disappeared into her bedroom. Lohla pushed on Lucas' shoulders to free her legs and she scooted to the left side of the couch while Lucas stood up and took the right side.

"Is your butt sore?"

"Nah, the pad is fine."

"My apartment is kind of crowded."

"It's fine. Cozy."

"Your parents do sound great."

"They are. Mom can be protective. She didn't want me to go into the military, but she came around."

"You're in the military?"

"Sort of. Well, gotta go." Lucas slapped Lohla on her knees and stood up. She followed him to the door.

"See you tomorrow at the gym," Lucas said as he finger waved good-bye.

"You bet, soldier boy."

"That's Lieutenant to you, Civvy."

### # # # # # # # #

About twenty-four hours later, they were back in Lohla's apartment recovered from practice, full of pizza, and ready to schnozzle. Wizard was explaining that if they used a deck of playing cards, they could randomize schnozzle/mozzzle's options of standing on their heads, standing on one foot for a minute, doing five one-handed pushups, or dancing a jig. It would be harder to avoid the action they had trouble doing. They decided to give it a try. Wizard's attempt to dance a jig created gales of laughter.

"You suggested it," Dreamer reminded him.

"So how'd you two guys meet," Bean asked Dreamer.

"I was running a little saw mill operation and Wiz came to look at it. But we got together for real when we went to a music concert together. I was cold and he let me wear his sweater and then keep it. I thought that was really sweet."

"She made little pillows of scented wood chips and gave them to me for testing," Wiz said.

"You ran a saw mill business?" Thunk asked.

"Only a little thing. Like kids run lemonade stands," Dreamer deflected.

"Time to go," Theo stood. He had a pretty good idea they'd be asking him and Nary how they met next. Cody left with them.

That left Lohla, Lucas, Thunk and Bean. Thunk stood in front of Bean and bowed. "May I walk you to your door?"

Bean had to think before answering. "Why? It's just down the hallway."

"Who knows what might happen. You could trip on the rug."

"We don't have a rug."

"Still, a gentleman would make sure that you made it home safely." Thunk held his hand out to help her out of the sofa. She took the hand.

Bean turned the corner and walked the few steps to her bedroom door. "This isn't necessary," she said.

Lucas turned around to look at Lohla. She held a finger up to her lips and patted the sofa cushion with her other hand. Lucas took both hints.

From the hallway. "It's customary when a gentleman accompanies a young woman to her door, that she give him a little kiss in appreciation."

"For walking five paces with me?"

"Yes. Only a little kiss. I did go to a lot of trouble, after all."

Bean bobbed her head minutely. She was taller than Thunk so she bobbed in the downward direction. "Thank you for walking me home."

"You're welcome, I'm sure."

Bean opened her bedroom door and then closed it after her. Thunk left the apartment without looking in the living room. That was a good thing because Lohla was hugging herself in delight and grinning ear to ear. After the apartment's front door clicked into place, Bean's bedroom door re-opened. "Lohla, you and I will have a little chat soon." Once again the door closed.

"You were matchmaking?" Lucas asked. Lucas didn't have a high appreciation for matchmakers. Winnie had made everybody in the family gun shy.

"No, not matchmaking. I was helping a friend. Thunk wanted to know how he could approach Bean. He likes her, but she doesn't seem to notice that. I suggested the walk home. It won't hurt Bean if a nice guy gives her a quick peck on the lips. She might even like it."

Lucas was at one end of the sofa and Lohla was at the other end. Both had turned sideways so that they could face each other and talk.

Neither had anything to say. Mulling things in their mind, I suppose.

"Myself, I'd probably enjoy a peck or two on the lips from a guy who liked me," Lohla said. " **If** he liked me, that is."

Lucas looked at her intently but said nothing.

"Still too soon?" Lohla asked.

"No. But I was thinking that a little cuddle before the kiss would be better."

"Mind if I scoot over to your side of the sofa, soldier boy? I feel a draft over here."

"Was that a pun?"

"No talking during cuddling. D'ems de rules."

Back to the Table of Contents

# Chapter 12

"That little pissant lawyer gave me these papers to hand to you," the deputy said to Stu. "He didn't want to do that himself."

"Really?"

"He says it's our sworn duty to protect him, y'all being too dangerous and threatening for him to be here in person."

"I don't know why he would think that. We're just friendly squatters trying to find a place where we can live in peace and quiet."

"He tried to send you two sets of documents already and this is the third. I didn't believe the first two would satisfy you so I refused to take them. This third set... perhaps."

"Thanks."

"A-yup. Are you folks setting up some kind of community here?"

"Yeah. We're building a school now. Can you hang on while I skim these?"

"Sure."

...

Stu saw that the law firm had sent a copy of the contract between them and Safe Haven Ranches that empowered the law firm to remove squatters from their property. The letterhead on the contract gave the address of the Safe Haven office building in Minneapolis. The signature revealed the name of the man in charge. As to their ownership of the property, the lawyer had drafted a statement claiming that Safe Haven had been operating care facilities for the mentally insane on the Montana land for decades. They paid no taxes because medical facilities were exempt from such taxes. Other details on company operations were private.

"I'll bring my response to you in a couple of weeks. You work out of Helena, right?"

"A-yup. I never heard of mentally insane facilities in Montana. Any people who lived out here by themselves would have to be insane, I suppose. But the state government never had no record of them."

"You did that search for us?"

"Yah. You'd be best to watch that law firm. They have a curious history here in Montana."

"What history?"

"No history whatsoever."

"Interesting. What does the sheriff's department in Helena drink when they're not in the office?"

"Montana moonshine. We confiscate it. Shame to pour it out without checking the quality first."

"What's in it?"

"Saltpeter, charcoal, and sulfur."

"Your moonshine is made out of gunpowder?"

"No, but it will blow your head off. You knew the components of gunpowder," the deputy said as a statement of fact.

"I've been around gunpowder before."

"I see you have the beginnings of a fine cadet camp here."

"Really?"

"Mess hall," he pointed. "Canvas tents for sleeping," he pointed in the opposite direction. "Now a school of some kind is in the works. Who's going to be in the school?"

"Disadvantaged youths," Stu answered. "You're a military man?"

"Many police forces in the west rely on experienced military men. Did you serve?"

"Sort of. Where'd you serve?"

"Here and there."

"I appreciate this help with Safe Haven, Deputy."

"If you need help with the camp, I know a couple of men who could fit in as instructors."

"They served with you?"

"No. I just met them. They're looking for military work. We don't have room for them in Helena."

"I'll keep them in mind, Deputy."

### # # # # # # # #

"Just keep it in mind, Kashmira," Doc urged. "A girl like you has to be careful with some boys."

"I don't think you should be roaming around invisibly inside Schnauble and checking up on me. "

"Like I said, I wasn't checking up on you. I was looking at some of the boys who are following you around. Mathias said that they weren't good people."

"I'll decide who I hang with. Mathias should mind his own business."

"Did you realize that Basher is very close to touching you inappropriately when you tutor him?"

"Basher would never hurt me. Nor would the guys in my group."

"Your group?"

"Yes. I have guy friends. They follow me around to make sure nobody bothers me."

"Like your guards used to do in the Philippines?"

"No. They're friends. Not guards. Some people in the school are jealous. They say nasty things. My friends ask them to stop. That's all."

"I didn't see any girl friends in your group."

"They're all jealous."

"Of the very short skirts you wear?"

"Yeah. They could wear short skirts too but their legs are all fat and mushy."

"I thought the school required uniforms."

"They do. I cut my skirts short."

"And tie up your blouse so that your belly button is exposed."

"So what? Everybody has a belly button."

"The school doesn't say anything about how you are dressed?"

"Singing stars get special treatment."

"They said that?"

"No, but it's true. Singing stars can wear whatever they want to."

"You believe that you're a singing star?"

"My guys say that I am."

"Your guys?"

"Yeah. My guys. They're like my fan club."

"They follow you around the school all the time. Why do they do that?"

"They say they want to protect me from people who are jealous. Nobody is going to mess with them. They're all on the rugby team like Basher."

"Kashmira, just because they say that they're trying to protect you, that doesn't mean they can be trusted to do that."

### # # # # # # # #

Valkendorff Vista was the highest and most noticeable multi-storey building in Copenhagen. This building was owned by Valkendorff Group – the parent company of Valkendorff Sky Transportation along with other companies that I will reveal later.

Valkendorff Vista's height gave the great man an unobstructed view of the waters southward to Germany, eastward to Lithuania, and north to Scandinavia. The building itself was noticeable because of the huge expanse of glass in all four sides. All tenants had wonderful views. Valkendorff chose not to allow retail outlets on the ground floor because they would sully the appearance of the building with their products and their customers. Instead each side of the building had a main entrance with a shiny copper plated _Valkendorff Vista_ sign announcing who owned the building, if citizens didn't already know. Except for those entrances, the bottom exterior of the building was solid marble. Valkendorff Group occupied the top floor, of course.

Conversations about Valkendorff's women were held in the great man's corner office. These meeting were always after hours, always with no employees working on the floor, and always between Valkendorff and Silas Toft-Damgaard, the bald hulking security man. Except that he wasn't a security man. Not only was Toft-Damgaard the great man's lawyer, he was also head of _Special Projects_ – new Valkendorff businesses that were flying under the radar right now. The Wilizy hadn't identified him in that role yet.

The woman under discussion was Maja Pedersen. Silas had to remind Valkendorff who she was.

"You met her in the _Party to Dawn_ nightclub almost three months ago. You offered to help her move up her career ladder instead of being fired. She stood still and let you enjoy yourself."

"I don't remember her. How did I help her?"

"She was working in a secretarial pool. You had her promoted into a temporary job as a copy editor."

"Red head? Quite tiny?"

"That's her."

"So why are you telling me about her?"

"We're working off the usual time schedule. By now, she's had a chance to enjoy the new position of editor. It's time for your second meeting with her. You've invited her and her boss to one of your parties at the Liseleje seaside mansion. You're going to give her the chance to demonstrate how much she appreciates your help."

"What reward do I offer?"

"You'll arrange for her to become a full time editor. You've lent that company some money; her boss will be happy to please you. His name is Andris Brandt."

"The usual if she balks?"

"Yeah."

"What if she tells her husband what she's doing to get promoted?"

"She'll do that in the first forty-eight hours after you've met with her. If it looks like they are going to make public accusations, I'll have two armed cabbies twenty seconds away. That's why we bug their apartments."

"Unappreciative women can always have accidents," Valkendorff observed.

"Along with their husbands," Toft-Damgaard added unnecessarily.

...

"How's my interior designer doing?"

"She is finding it difficult to pay for what she has ordered. The suppliers are requiring payment up front before they deliver and she doesn't have the money to do that, as I've told you would happen. She purchased some very expensive items on your behalf. Her savings account is empty now and so is her roommate's. They still have more to pay."

"Didn't she know that I won't pay her until I see the finished room? I thought you briefed her."

"It's in the contract. Well hidden, but it's there if we need it. She knows about it now. The roommate, Frida, found it."

"Dear me. Whatever is my pretty little designer going to do?"

"They have been talking about getting a loan from parents, but that's unlikely as both sets of parents will have nothing to do with them."

"Which means?"

"The roommate, Frida, will be approaching Denmark Today for an advance on her salary. Quite a bit of an advance actually."

"Will she get one?"

"None of your companies allow salary advances unless the person is a full time, permanent employee. Frida is on a temporary contract and I had her advancement held back deliberately."

"Three weeks to the end of contract."

"They're talking about making an approach to somebody they don't want to approach. I assume that's me."

"And?"

"I'm out of town. Did I tell you that there's only one bed in their bedroom. That's why the parents are unhelpful."

"All the better."

...

"How's Operation Surprise going?" Valkendorff asked. He actually asked his question about his most secret and potentially profitable new business in a whisper. He was that worried about any hints of this business line being circulated.

"Slowly," Taft-Damgaard replied. "We can't trust any employee of TeleNet Denmark to be involved. I've been installing the equipment personally. I've saved the urban areas for last."

"More risk that people will see you?"

"No. Rural people would notice a man climbing a tower. Urban people see a man in a maintenance uniform and don't remember him. Why would they? We'll be ready for the pilot test in January."

"Don't get caught."

"Are you planning to sell the data?"

"I'm planning to threaten to sell the data. It's more profitable that way."

Back to the Table of Contents

# Chapter 13

Yolanda was dreaming that Winnie was calling for her. _Mom? Mom? Mom?_

In her dream, Yolanda kept answering. _Yes, Winnie. Yes, Winnie. Yes, Winnie._ But Winnie couldn't hear her. She kept calling. _Mom? Mom? Mom?_

Then... _Mom, help me!_

NOT A DREAM! Yolanda burst out of bed, raced down to Winnie's cabin and opened the door. She wasn't there. _Where are you, Winnie?_

_Mom? Mom? Mom?_

_Use the GPS tracker! .... She's on the deck! Living room._

Seconds later, Yolanda found Winnie crumpled on the deck in her pajamas, apparently asleep but shaking.

_I'm here, Winnie._ Yolanda saw no blood. Nothing appeared to be broken. She brought Winnie into her arms and held her tight. Winnie didn't seem to notice. _Did you fall? Where does it hurt? Are you having a bad dream?_

_Mom? Mom? Mom?_

_HANK! LIVING ROOM. NOW!_

Hank arrived and saw Yolanda on the deck with Winnie. "Can she talk?"

"She's mind messaging my name but isn't responding to my mind messages."

"Use voice."

"Winnie, I'm here. Dad's here too. Did you fall? Where does it hurt? Are you having a bad dream?

_Mom? Mom? Mom?_

"She's still calling for me. Repetitive loop?"

Hank stepped into the galley, opened the fridge door and retrieved a cold bottle of water. Unfastening the top as he rushed back into the living room, he tilted it upside down and poured the water down Winnie's face. She gasped and opened her eyes.

"Mom? What are you doing in Copenhagen?"

Back to the Table of Contents

# Chapter 14

Later that same morning, Granny convened a meeting of the Raging Gardeners in the Wilizy/Europe's galley floating above Montana. Yolanda, Melissa, and Mac were with her at the kitchen table. Momaka was sitting in the rocker in the living room, a cocoon of three wolves at her feet. Winnie was still in her pajamas and was enveloped within the cocoon. The various bits of Winnie's body that were visible through the fur bed had acupuncture needles stuck in them. Momaka would get up from time to time during this meeting to spin them and/or re-locate them. I won't mention that activity again.

Serving in the capacity of bed warmers/comforters were Patella and Scapula. Madison was new to this kind of nursing and was serving as the bed on which Winnie slept. (Wolves have a definite pecking order. The youngest always takes a subservient role.) The two black wolves were the blankets. A fourth wolf was sitting by herself mostly hidden behind Momaka's rocker. It won't surprise any of my readers to learn that Freya had declined to serve as a bed.

Mac and Melissa had just finished their talk with Reese in the camp's new mess hall – they thought it best that he not see Winnie in her current condition. That condition was sleeping soundly but twitching. The three blanketing wolves were sending Winnie mental visuals of them flying in gentle circles in the air, through fluffy white clouds, all peaceful and calm. Those visuals weren't working yet. Freya was visualizing a different scene – an unknown man with a bloody gaping hole where his throat used to be. She didn't know exactly what had happened yet, but she did know that a man named Valkendorff was to blame. Freya felt very protective about Winnie because she was the one who had made it possible for her and Madison to communicate with Liset, Maddy, and Karita.

"Did Reese fill in the holes?" Yolanda asked. Winnie had managed to describe a little of what she had seen in Copenhagen before Momaka bustled in and put a stop to any more conversations that would re-energize her anxieties.

Melissa began the update. "Reese knows exactly what Winnie saw that has caused her to react so badly. He doesn't appreciate what the impact of that would be on a woman. The long and the short of it is: A powerful wealthy man named Conrad Valkendorff used his hand to sexually assault a young professional woman named Laura Dahl. She was lured into a secluded public spot and forced to endure his assault. If she reacted, she knew that Valkendorff would destroy her career."

"That warning was explicit?" Granny asked.

"Yes," Melissa said. "Valkendorff had a big man helping him. That man lured her to the spot with an offer that Valkendorff could help her career. She was frozen by the threat that he could ruin her too."

"And nobody in the club saw it?" Yolanda asked.

"Valkendorff had two big men closing off viewing lines, plus the club was very crowded. Nobody would be interested in what was happening in one of its secluded corners. They've obviously done this before."

"There was a second big man?"

"Yes," Melissa answered. "He didn't watch the assault but he certainly knew what was happening behind his back. Winnie and Reese thought that both of them were his security men."

"You said that they've done this before. Why did you conclude that?"

"It was planned out so carefully. Plus, Valkendorff put his hound dog onto another woman in the club but she wasn't interested in what he was offering. Reese and Winnie TiTr'd Valkendorff but couldn't find any other attacks. Reese said that Winnie became very frustrated with that failure and that's why they came home. They couldn't bug Valkendorff, they couldn't follow him around to all of his meetings, and TiTr'g wasn't helping. She knew that he was a sexual predator, but she was as powerless to stop him as Laura Dahl was powerless to remove his hand."

"I believe that Winnie has became emotionally connected to the young woman who was assaulted," Momaka suggested. "She felt a bond with her; she empathized with her. In her nightmare, she's the one standing powerless in front of Valkendorff. Hank interrupted that nightmare, but Winnie is still living the after effects."

### # # # # # # # #

"So we're all agreed?" Granny asked.

"Let's go through the decisions one at a time," Mac said. "For the record."

"I'll summarize from my notes," Yolanda offered. "Tell me if I've missed anything."

"One: The sexual assault that Winnie and Reese saw was part of a planned assault on women in general. Valkendorff has done this before and he will continue. It is unlikely that conventional law enforcement will be able to stop him because of his wealth, power and influence."

"Two: Conrad Valkendorff of Copenhagen is now the Raging Gardeners' #1 priority. We will put a stop to his assaults either through the Gardeners or through Truth."

"Three: We agree that this first young woman, Laura Dahl, is not clear of him yet. He'll be back."

"Four: This man would not stop with one assault on one woman. Laura Dahl has to be only one of many women he has already assaulted. Winnie told Reese that she saw multiple scared faces in this man's mind. We need to find as many of his victims as we can. They may need our help."

"Five: Mac and Melissa will investigate further using all of the resources of the Wilizy as needed."

"Six: Mac and Melissa will also plan and conduct the operation that will put Valkendorff in the ground."

"Any changes or additions?"

...

"All those in favour, raise your hand."

Five hands and one white paw rose into the air.

Back to the Table of Contents

# Chapter 15

Maja Pedersen was wandering around the Liseleje mansion, drink in hand, and admiring all the artwork when she saw Valkendorff's security man approaching her. "Mr. Valkendorff will see you now," Toft-Damgaard said. "Follow me."

He led Maja down two levels in an elevator and through some basement hallways to a room marked "Private Sauna. Do not enter." He entered and pointed at a closed door. "Mr. Valkendorff will be out of his sauna soon. You can wait for him in this anteroom."

The anteroom came complete with two closed closet doors, two mahogany bureaus, an open door leading to a bathroom complete with shower, and a comfortable bed. In other circles, the anteroom might be known as a bedroom. There being no other place to sit, Maja sat on the edge of the bed.

She was dressed for this big party in her finest clothes. A shimmering dark purple full-length gown with a tight bodice and narrow straps. Her arms were bare, but she had a purple-black woven shawl to keep her warm. Black stiletto heels became evident when she sat down and crossed her legs. These clothes had emptied her bank account, and even with everything she had saved poured into this one outfit, she appeared dowdy in comparison to other women at the reception.

"Maja, it's good to see you again."

"Mr. Valkendorff," she nodded at him and stood up. He was wearing a white terry towel bathrobe that came down to his knees. Entering the bathroom, he asked, "How's the new editing job? Are you enjoying it?"

"Yes, I am. Thank you for arranging it, Mr. Valkendorff."

The great man emerged from the bathroom using a thick white towel to wipe some moisture off his face. Next, he began to pat his hair down – again with the towel. "Your boss, Mr. Brandt, tells me that he has an opening for a permanent editor position and he's thinking of you. It comes with a nice bump in salary. Shall I give him some encouragement to promote you?"

"I believe I can do the job, Mr. Valkendorff."

"Splendid. I will arrange that. You can hang your clothes in the closet."

Maja froze exactly as she had done in the nightclub three months ago.

"If you don't want the promotion, just say so. Mr. Brandt is having some staffing pressures and he'll be letting some people go. He doesn't know who to fire yet. You could probably find a part-time job somewhere else."

### # # # # # # # #

An interval of time has passed. The great man was back in the bathroom, again enveloped inside his bathrobe, and buffing his fingernails. That's what rich people do after they have enjoyed coerced sex. I bet you didn't know that.

"Maja, I always like it when people I help show their appreciation. I must say that you didn't appear too appreciative. The next time we meet, I'll expect more enthusiasm."

"The next time?"

"Certainly. I'm sure I'll have an opportunity to advance your career again; you'll have the opportunity to express appreciation again."

"If I turn down your help?"

"I'll share my pictures."

"Pictures?"

Valkendorff pointed a finger at the light fixture above the bed. "We have surveillance cameras throughout the mansion. My insurance company requires them. They don't know about this one. You do now."

"You can't find women willing to have sex with you without blackmailing them first?"

"I'm offering you the opportunity to work in better and better jobs in your career. With more important jobs, you acquire more power and wealth. I'm giving you the opportunity to have a happy successful life. How is that blackmail?"

"What if I don't want that kind of life?"

"If you want an unsuccessful life, I can help you there too. I'll share the pictures. You'll lose your career, your reputation, and your husband."

Back to the Table of Contents

# Chapter 16

November rolled into Montana and with it came a biting cold wind. Construction of the cadet's barracks was in the final stages and everybody was helping with the insulation. Some special features were included in the five-storey building.

The five towel ladies were now officially designated as _Platoon Moms_. Each platoon was given a floor in the barracks to themselves with one large bedroom in the middle of the floor intended for each _mom_. Each boy had a room to himself and was required to keep it militarily tidy. A couple of freezing nights in a canvas tent helped the boys to remember what _militarily tidy_ meant. Camp Commander Karlsson had a feel for the kinds of discipline that the boys would react to. Being shivering cold for several nights was one of them.

He also installed several other rules.

A platoon's floor in the barracks was private property. No other platoon could enter that floor without permission. The boys never did discover where the cameras were located that kept that rule relatively unbroken. Two boys found out what a half hour staked to the frozen ground felt like and nobody intruded into another platoon's space again. The staking to the frozen ground was a demonstration of what an enemy force might do to a captured soldier. After the first example of a stake out, Karlsson initiated _The platoon must take care of its own_ rule. Meaning, it was up to the platoon to stop their mates from behaving stupidly. Karlsson never did have to order a platoon-wide stake out.

Platoon moms were to be treated with the upmost respect. The age of chivalry was not dead in Karlsson's army. Cadets bowed to their moms, brought them their food in the mess hall, and made sure that their evening beverage of choice arrived on time and at the desired temperature. Kisses on the cheek or hugs were not allowed. Platoon moms received a bow on the way to breakfast and before the cadets went to bed. When platoon moms went on maneuvers, which was often the case, their tents were put up first, they ate first, they received blankets from the boys if they became cold, and they were carried in a four-arm seat if they got tired. Virtually nothing in Karlsson's camp was more important than showing respect to the platoon's mom.

Each platoon had access to their own games room, which was in an entirely separate building. Large enough for boisterous inside games, the games room was a platoon's retreat. They ordered the furniture and games they wanted (from money earned as a platoon), and except in formal inspections, nobody other than the platoon was allowed inside. Naturally, some activities were banned (hazing), some educational materials were banned (nekid pictures of wim'in) and the usual substances were banned.

In time, the camp would also contain a full sized gym, but that construction was off in the future.

### # # # # # # # #

November was also notable for an apparent cessation of legal attacks from Safe Haven and their spiffy lawyer. Stu had shown Hank and Jock the most recent response from Safe Haven – the one that denied them access to Safe Haven's private information. All three men noted the claim that Safe Haven had been _operating care facilities for the mentally insane_.

"They're trying to protect themselves if we ever brought charges against them for operating slave ranches," Hank observed. "Will this letter hurt us, Stu?"

"No, I don't believe so. We're not going to take them to court. We'd need to find former slaves to make depositions and show up at court. We don't need to put them through that. The response that I'm sending them this time should put an end to the legal hostilities."

And, it did.

Stu formally rejected the claim that Safe Haven's offices were in Minneapolis by creating a video of Stu entering their derelict building and going into the bombed out office floor. He emphasized in his brief that if some other organization held the title to the Montana land in questions, they would have to reveal their location, their corporate legal papers, and the names of their board of directors. He told the directors that it was highly unlikely that Safe Haven would give the Wilizy that information. It would be safer for them to just give up the land, which was useless to them anyway.

"And after the legal battle, Stu?"

"Granny, that will be a different battle and it will be for Jock to fight. William has the satellites up and running so we'll have ample warning if they try an armed assault. We don't have the family homes built yet, but invisible ships are good enough for now. Everybody in the family is coming to and from camp in personal planes, so they know that we don't live on base but nobody is showing curiosity as to where we are living."

"Do we need so many of these things?"

"Dreamer told me that it's good that we ordered them while we could. We already have a two-year backlog on orders. Wizard is looking at additional manufacturing options."

"And his water transportation business in Montana?"

"On hold until the Montana State officials can see it in operation. There's no call for irrigation in the winter."

### # # # # # # # #

Winnie was back to her normal self, if _normal_ meant that she sat around listlessly most of the day and night. Doc had prescribed an intensive three-day recuperating period in which Winnie had a dreamless sleep with the help of a spell from Marie. Granny kept her nourished with IVs. This was to make up for her lack of sleep leading up to her collapse; also, Doc wanted to clear her brain of thoughts of Valkendorff. That worked up to the point where Winnie woke up from Marie's spell. Her first question was: "What are we doing about Valkendorff?"

Yolanda had to tell her that she was off the case for now. Melissa and Mac were collecting information for the Raging Gardeners. That just served to put Winnie into a mild depression – she had failed. Valkendorff had defeated her.

"Melissa and Mac don't know what he's doing either. They've been searching for weeks and are still at a dead end."

Yolanda's attempt at making her feel better only made Winnie more despondent. If Melissa and Mac couldn't find evidence on him, he'd never be brought to justice.

Hank gave Winnie a job that he hoped would distract her: "Find a way to improve our security systems in WC&D stores. Safe Haven put two spies into our stores and we didn't know about them until it was too late."

So far, Winnie had reviewed all the staff that had been hired since her last tour through the stores. She said that she couldn't think of how the process could be improved. That was why she sat around most of the time. Not only had she been beaten by Valkendorff, but she could no longer think of different ways of solving problems. She spent most of her time reading romantic bots \- the ones with princes, and princesses, and heaving body parts.

### # # # # # # # #

Winnie's mood might have been better if she had known that one of Valkendorff's targets had managed to escape his poverty trap. Winnie didn't know her yet, but Laerke Lund had found the money to complete the anteroom's redesign. Everything was in place by the end of her contract on November 18. She was now waiting for Mr. Valkendorff to view it and authorize payment. Frida had helped with the installation and Laerke had shown her the other rooms that had inspired her. "Yours is much better," she praised.

"You're biased," Laerke charged.

"I don't see any reason why Valkendorff would not like this."

Valkendorff didn't see any reason to dislike it either – at least not as far as the pictures revealed. "Where did she find the money to pay the bills?" he asked his lawyer.

"I don't know. They didn't talk about their plans for money or the redesign in the apartment, so I was surprised when they ordered a V-Cab to take them up to Liseleje. She must have borrowed it from somewhere."

"You didn't assign anybody from your staff to follow them?"

"My armed V-Cab pilots? I had no reason to. They were penniless, powerless teenagers that most of Denmark's society consider to be perverts."

"I wonder how anxious her lenders are to get their money back."

"Easy enough to find out. How long do I keep her waiting for her contract money?"

"You know the answer to that."

"Until she's desperate."

Back to the Table of Contents

# Chapter 17

"Why are we looking at apartments?" Mac asked.

"We've been studying Valkendorff for three weeks and haven't found anything that Winnie and Reese hadn't found before us," Melissa replied. "We're just as stuck as they were. We need a fresh start. We can do that by admitting that this is going to be a long haul. No more, _we'll be back home soon_. We start by getting a real apartment and living in it."

### # # # # # # # #

Later, in a Copenhagen apartment in the Frederiksberg suburb near the downtown center.

"We have to think like Winnie," Mac said.

"How is she, by the way?"

"Yolanda said that she has caught up on her sleep."

"That was it?"

"Yah."

"That doesn't sound good," Melissa said. "Why do we have to think like Winnie?"

"Because thinking like we normally do hasn't done us any good. We need to think outside the box."

"So we sit here waiting for inspiration?"

"How about we sit waiting for inspiration in the night club where Valkendorff hunted? The Licorice Stick. Why don't we sit in the exact same spot that he did? We should ask ourselves how we can predict where Dorffle-DooDoo will hunt next." _[Melissa and Mac were trying out nicknames for Raging Gardener Enemy #1.]_

"These clothes might be a little out of place in a nightclub." Melissa was wearing clothes that she wore around the babies. Clothes that wouldn't be hurt by baby bodies having fluid mistakes.

"We'll have to go shopping for some glamorous party clothes."

"I'll do it, but only because we have to for the sake of the operation."

### # # # # # # # #

"What did we learn tonight?" Melissa asked.

"You mean apart from the fact that you and I still have it."

"If _having it_ means that we have to suck in our tummies."

"No, we still have it. Did you or I have a moment of peace?"

"Danish men are very romantically inclined."

"Handsome too. Fit bodies."

"Wash your brain out with soap. Those are bad thoughts. Bad thoughts."

"They were polite. They understood, _No_."

"One guy bowed and almost kissed my hand when he introduced himself."

"I saw that. That was charming. They were perfect gentlemen. Even the ones that were a little the worse for the weather."

"Danish drinks are ..."

"...tasty. They are not intended to get you drunk."

"I never saw anybody completely blotto."

"That happened all the time in the New Zealand bars we went to. Canadian ones too."

"So what does that mean?"

"Danish men are on the prowl, but politely so?"

"So why would we be overwhelmed with interesting men when the spot that Dorffen-Dipstick haunted was empty?"

"It was a secluded area. Nobody at a club wants to sit alone. Certainly no women."

"When we TiTr'd the night of the attack, women were passing through the area all the time."

"But they never stopped. They were always on their way to somewhere much more crowded and interesting."

"Dorffen-Dipsydoodle and his buddy weren't interesting enough for them? Danish women prowl too."

"Dorffee-Dippy had two men with him, not just the one guy who did his hunting."

"Why two men? Obscure the view of the assault?"

"That's what we've been thinking. Winnie and Reese thought that they were hired security."

"But having two security men at the assault raises the possibility of another person knowing about Valken Balken and his hobby. The second man has to know what's happening, but VD wants him there anyway."

"He's there for another reason. He has to be."

"Sounds like a good reason to do a little TiTr'g."

"Tomorrow morning good enough?"

"Yah. I'm not used to staying up this late."

"I know. You go to bed at 9 pm."

"No, I don't. I go to bed as soon as the last kid is asleep. Sometimes I'm asleep at 8 pm."

"Did you just use VD as a nick name for Valkendorff?"

"VD for _venereal disease_. The nasty secret gift that keeps on giving."

"I like it."

"VD he is."

### # # # # # # # #

Mac and Melissa spent the next day investigating the third man – the man who stood and didn't watch. His name was Gnut Olsen. They followed Olsen when he left the bar all the way to his home. They set up watch outside that home and then followed him throughout the day. They didn't TiTr him because they had already found enough about him to realize why he had been at the nightclub.

"So now we know. He's a pilot for Valkendorff Sky Transportation," Mac stated what had become obvious.

"He was hired to drive VD home. That was it. Today he wore the same suit and spent his time picking up passengers and delivering them to their destination."

"Melissa, I'm not so sure that he's only a pilot. He had a bulge under his armpit at the nightclub. He had it again today in his cab."

"Perhaps cabbies get robbed in Copenhagen?"

"He never collected any money."

"That's because passengers deposit their fares electronically directly into their Valkendorff Sky Transportation account. We saw one man do that."

"True. So maybe you're right. He's more than a pilot. But he wasn't more than a pilot today."

"Perhaps he becomes VD's pilot whenever a pub is at the end of the trip."

"Part time security man to protect the important man in the pub?"

"But why? Valkendorff is always in the public eye. He loves the publicity. We've seen clips of him going everywhere. I didn't see any security men with him at those times."

"Nor did I."

"So, Gnut Olsen was in the club to disrupt the view and for some other unknown reason as well. But we do know that he was VD's pilot."

"Agreed."

"So all we have to do is TiTr Olsen. He'll lead us to other bars and times where VD assaulted young women."

"We'll do that tomorrow, right? I need to sleep."

"Yes. Tomorrow we'll break this case wide open."

### # # # # # # # #

Well, not so fast, Mac. Gnut Olsen may have been a V-Cab pilot, but he was a very busy V-Cab pilot when they tried to TiTr him. He worked the night shift and he was picking up fares all night long. Mac and Melissa never knew where he would be delivering his passengers until he arrived at his destination. Valkendorff Sky Transportation's office sent destinations to their pilots electronically as part of the pick up information. Fares were already calculated ahead of time. Pilots and passengers rarely talked – at least this pilot rarely talked. Mac and Melissa had to TiTr the cab for the whole trip to find out where it was going. A thirty-minute trip across town meant that M&M had to spend thirty minutes in real time too. They couldn't skip forward in time because they didn't know where he'd be at the end of the trip. The two split up early in the evening, but the time required to trail this one pilot was still overwhelming.

"We don't have the time to do this properly," Mac grumbled to Melissa as she entered the Frederiksberg apartment very late that night.

"How many cabbie days did we cover between the two of us?"

"Three days."

"Our TiTr data range goes back two years."

"This strategy won't work."

"Do you have a better suggestion?"

"I will in the morning. An idea is floating out there. I can feel it."

"Good. I'm coming up empty."

### # # # # # # # #

"Your interior designer and her friend are down to drinking soup for their meals," Toft-Damgaard told his boss.

"I thought you said their bank accounts were empty."

"They are. Friends come by and drop off the soup. They won't take anything other than soup. Frida's salary is going towards the rents on the apartment and on Laerke's office."

"Any conversations with the friends that we should be worried about?"

"Nothing of any consequence. They've decided that they'll approach me with a question about payment. I'd say that she's desperate now."

"Set up an appointment in Liseleje. I'll meet her in the anteroom."

### # # # # # # # #

Mac's idea floated to the surface during the night. Instead of trying to track the people involved in the sexual attack, why not put a drone in The Licorice Stick and wait for Valkendorff to assault another woman? It would be only a matter of time before he struck again.

While they were waiting, M&M continued with their research – first on Laura Dahl, the beautiful blonde that Winnie and Reese had witnessed being assaulted. She was an artist working for a small company named Iversen Art Services. She and her husband Jannik lived in Vesterbro – an area of Copenhagen that young people could afford – not always possible in crowded European cities. They rented a one-bedroom apartment on the top floor of a nineteenth century building that used to house a house of ill repute. Her husband worked as a waiter in one of the many local restaurants.

M&M spent the rest of their time trying to track the first security guard – the bald, hulking man. He moved constantly throughout the day. They didn't learn his job, but they did get his name. Silas Toft-Damgaard. Winnie and Reese were correct about putting a tracker on him. It would be difficult.

VD struck again on a Friday night. He used the same spot in The Licorice Stick. Toft-Damgaard brought the victim to him, VD attacked her in the same way, and she fled when released. The threat was the same: accept help in some form or kiss your career goodbye. The only difference was the third man at the scene. He wasn't Gnut Olsen, which meant that all the time they had spent trying to track the pilot was wasted. But he was a V-Cab pilot, he wore a dark suit, and he had a bulge under his armpit. The new pilot delivered VD to his door and then went home. Mac took a picture of the pilot and Melissa recorded his home address in her growing collection of near useless information. They agreed that tracking the pilots was fruitless. VD was using more than one.

The next day, Mac and Melissa researched this second victim – Josefine Skov, a brunette with long flowing curls. She worked as a fitness trainer and looked like she was very much in shape. Her husband, Erik, was the captain of the ferry that connected Copenhagen to Malmo, Sweden. Rising ocean levels had swamped the old road/bridge link.

M&M looked at each other. "I miss my kids," Mac said. "We have learned nothing helpful here. All we know is that he's assaulting young women who like to go to clubs."

"Let's continue to bug his favorite spot in The Licorice Stick, but I agree, learning the identify of his next victim will not help much. We have no idea why he's doing this other than to gives himself some form of personal pleasure, which doesn't make any sense for a man like him. I want to go home too. Do you know if Winnie has recovered yet?"

"Last time I checked, she had come up with a new way to perform security checks on new employees in all of the Wilizy businesses."

"How?"

"She had Yolanda create a one day orientation for all new employees to be held in our Calgary offices. Sort of a meet and greet combined with explanations on how they'll be paid, what the salary scales are, and so on. Reese and Winnie will be there to scan faces and colours. That will take them less than half an hour. It's way more efficient than looking at one employee at a time and with both of them looking at the new hires, they'll be more accurate."

"Why were you asking about Winnie?"

"You and I can't think outside the box. We're inside the box thinkers. We need a healthy Winnie on this guy."

### # # # # # # # #

"She refused your offer?" Toft-Damgaard was incredulous. "Laerke Lund had been virtually starving herself and her roommate. She should have been desperate to receive her contract money."

The two men were discussing the anteroom meeting in VD's corner office.

"You did your normal routine for these kind of women, right?"

"Yes. I put my hands on her and gave her two choices. The good one and the bad one. She was shocked, but all of them are."

"You had told her that you'd give her another contract?"

"And I'd tell some of my friends about her work. I could also tell my friends something else."

"But she refused to show appreciation."

"Very emphatically. She pushed my hands away and asked for the money owing on the design job."

"Did you bring up the contract?"

"Yes. I told her that the contract required me to be happy with the new anteroom. Otherwise she would not be paid. This was how I expected her to make me happy."

"Then what?"

"She said that how she was supposed to make me happy wasn't made clear in the contract. She was making me happy by doing a good job on the new design. That's all she was going to do."

"Next, you made sure that she understood the long term benefits for her of you being happy, right?"

"Yes. Advancement of her career through another contract. More money. She said that she didn't want to advance her career this way. She asked for her money again."

"And?"

"I said I was unhappy with the work that she had done. She hadn't fulfilled the contract. I wasn't going to pay her."

"Then what?"

"She said that this wasn't over. I owed her money."

"What did you say?"

"What I usually say when somebody threatens me. I told her to sue me!"

"No way that will happen. I'll have some good news for you about another career woman you've been helping soon. We can forget Laerke."

"No. This isn't over. A person like her doesn't say _No_ to me. Fire her lover from her job at Denmark Today for poor quality work. Do it today and in person. Afterwards, find out who owns the apartment building that the two of them live in."

Back to the Table of Contents

# Chapter 18

Mac and Melissa returned to Montana and called for a meeting of Wilizy strategists for Tuesday, December 2 in the Wilizy/Europe floating over the Montana cadet camp.

Attending were: Melissa, Mac, Hank, and Winnie. Also present were Jock and Lucas for their military perspective, Wizard for his business acumen, TG from the science side, Marie representing the mysticals, and Granny representing the Gardeners and running the meeting. She started by asking Mac and Melissa what they had learned in Copenhagen. That took about fifteen minutes. You may now assume that everybody at this meeting knows everything that you, my readers, already know including his nickname.

"So, you are entirely stymied?" Granny asked.

"Yes," Mac admitted. "We can't prove anything. We know the key player and some of his accomplices. We know about two victims but there's bound to be more. The worst we could do is charge him with sexual assault, but the victims wouldn't cooperate with us and testify. This man has the power to ruin people's lives on a whim. That's why they endured the assault."

"What do you want from us?" Hank asked.

"A fresh perspective," Melissa said.

"Perhaps a male mind?" Mac added.

Everybody looked at Jock.

"This is not a military problem and it does not have a military solution. Lucas and I can't help."

Eyes shifted to Wizard.

"He's a business man, but the assaults are not coming from businesses. I don't see how I could contribute anything."

"Don't look at me," Hank said.

"I may have an idea."

A collective sigh of relief washed over the group. Winnie! But the voice was male.

"I'll go over and take a look," TG said.

Mac and Melissa looked at Winnie who looked down and shook her head.

### # # # # # # # #

Two days later, Lucas was in Toronto.

"Can we do something together at Christmas, Lucas?" Lohla asked.

"Hang on a sec. I'm trying to get your bra off," Lucas reminded her. As if she didn't already know that.

Lucas was delaying his answer for a number of reasons. He had been wondering what to do about the Christmas issue, but hadn't come up with an answer yet. The sensitive side of him realized that Lohla would have no family celebrations to attend. Although he didn't have any details, he knew that she and her father were seriously estranged. The mother? No word on her either. Lohla had her twin sister of course, but Lylah was staying far away. She hadn't even attended the exhibition games that the Vikings had played so far. Part of their boy friend pact he guessed. He wanted Lohla to have a good Christmas, but Lucas could never invite her to a Wilizy family Christmas holiday.

"Can't you just pull it off?" Lohla interrupted Lucas' thinking.

Lucas thought that she was asking about pulling off some sort of Wilizy miracle holiday. Then he realized that she was suggesting that he pull her bra off.

Bean and Lohla had pooled their money and had purchased a used clothes washer and dryer that fit perfectly in a utility closet in Lohla's apartment that had been built for such devices. Neither girl was comfortable with washing their clothes in the public Laundromat two blocks away. The personal washer/dryer had seemed like a good solution. But their dryer ate clothes. Small, delicate bits of clothing. Like bras and other unmentionables.

"Your bra is hanging from a jagged hook of metal and is really jammed in there," Lucas said. "The dryer's back plate doesn't fit properly, but I can't reach the screws to loosen the plate."

Lucas was trying valiantly to reach the aforementioned screws. He was on his knees in front of the washer and had managed to insert part of a shoulder and an arm into the cavity. He had a good view of the back of the dryer but his arm wasn't long enough. Perhaps a longer screwdriver?

Lohla was kneeling next to Lucas, also peering into the cavity as much as she could. She had her arm resting on Lucas' bare back. He had taken off his sweater and shirt in an attempt to slip further into the cavity. He didn't seem to notice Lohla's contact with his bare back. He did notice what came next. Lohla's fingers tickling his ribs.

"I have you at my mercy now," she claimed and started working on a two handed version of the torture. "Tickle, tickle," she said.

"I'm not ticklish. You already know that. Do you want me to try to save the bra or not?"

"You're no fun."

"Well?"

"We can't leave it in there. Rip it out. You can buy me some new bras for Christmas."

"I'd have to be included in the fitting process."

"Do you always dream with your eyes open?"

Some times the brain can make amazing leaps.

"How'd you like to spend Christmas in Copenhagen?" Lucas blurted.

"With you?"

"No. All by yourself."

"Just us?"

"Yeah."

"For how long?"

"One week."

"One bed?"

"I've slept over here a few times and we've managed."

Indeed, they had. Lohla had set some ground rules and both had abided by them. But with Lucas sleeping over occasionally on the weekends, they were getting more familiar with seeing each other in various states of dress and undress. They still had a no touching certain body parts rule during romantic interludes, but the continuing life of that rule was in jeopardy.

"Two beds," Lohla stipulated. "So I can send you to purgatory if you become too frisky."

"Me? I wasn't the one who..."

"I told you that was an accident."

### # # # # # # # #

"We may need to arrange an accident," Silas Toft-Damgaard advised his boss.

"Who?"

"Maja Pedersen."

"Who is she again?"

"The one who was not too enthusiastic in the anteroom bed." It shouldn't surprise the reader to learn that Toft-Damgaard had access to all of the Liseleje's surveillance data and accessed them. Strictly to look out for possible burglars, of course.

"I remember now. Will she be a problem?"

"Perhaps. Her husband has been asking her if she's OK. He says that she hasn't been her normal self. She may be thinking about telling him everything."

"Have a V-Cab pilot deliver a sealed envelope into her hands. Enclose a revealing picture of her in the anteroom. Write this note on the picture: _Hope you're appreciating my help in getting you your new job. If not, I can have this picture appear on the front page of Denmark Today._ "

### # # # # # # # #

"I appreciate your invitation, Lucas, but a holiday to Copenhagen is too expensive. I can't pay my share."

"You don't have to. I can handle the whole holiday."

"How? We're both students. I work at Timmy's. You're a soldier that isn't currently doing soldier work. How can you afford this? I don't want you to blow all your savings on a holiday for me. We can do something in Toronto together."

"I'll ask for a temporary military posting to Copenhagen. The officer I report to was talking about some work there this week. The military will pay the full costs."

"What kind of work? Is it dangerous?"

"Nah. All we have to do is walk around Copenhagen and look at the sights. Visit some nightclubs. Look at who's in the clubs."

"That doesn't sound like army work."

"I'll be learning how to conduct covert surveillance during this posting. Undercover work. Christmas is a good time to learn this because people are focused on their shopping, Xmas preparations, and so on. A spy can disappear into the background."

"You won't be wearing your uniform?"

"No."

"But when will I see you in your uniform?"

"I can only wear it at the base when I'm on duty."

"Do we get to be undercover spies?"

"If you like."

"Lucas, this is going to be my best Christmas ever."

### # # # # # # # #

"This is going to be my worst Christmas ever," Kashmira complained.

"You can't go to the Philippines on your own," Doc explained. "Granny and I are too busy here to leave."

"But you celebrate Christmas all wrong here."

"You can't go, Kashmira."

Doc used his firm voice and Kashmira answered with her _stomp all the way to her bedroom and slam the door_ behaviour. She had practiced it a lot since Doc and Granny had moved to Toronto.

A few minutes later, she heard a tap-tap.

"Go away!"

"Are you OK?" Basher's voice.

"No!"

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Basher may be operating with a rubber-band-powered brain in a gorilla-sized body, but he did know one thing. Girls liked to talk about what made them angry. Kashmira had only one armchair in her bedroom. He could invite her to sit on his lap. Or, they could sit on her bed. She might become sleepy. She might want a big male body to cuddle with. This could be his best Christmas ever.

### # # # # # # # #

Earl Schnauble Private Academy offered many sports to its students, but no sport was more important to the school, or revered by the alumni, than rugby. Schnauble's rugby team dominated the Toronto high school league every year. Americanized football had been banned from school sports in Canada for decades. Too much chance for concussion; too expensive to provide proper gear. Rugby teams only required padded shorts, a long wool jersey, and a leather cap. Concussions were rare because players didn't have a chance to run at high speed at each other. Broken bones, yes. Bruises galore, sure. Dislocated fingers, why not? Real men didn't worry about that. They just liked to get into a scrum and grope each other.

Well, that may not have been part of the official rulebook, but from your narrator's viewpoint, that's exactly what the guys on both teams were doing. Grabbing butts, legs, and any other body appendages that were visible and within reach.

The game at its most exciting moment goes like this. A bunch of big guys form a huddle where they all put their arms around shoulders and waists and then hunker down. The opposing team does the same and they bang their bodies up against the other team until they are locked into an unmovable mess of limbs and bodies. This is called a _scrum_. The littlest player on the team throws a fat oblong ball into the scrum and the men on his team use their feet to try and kick the ball backwards. If the ball exits the scrum, one player grabs it, flings it to another player, who flings it to another player. Etcetera. The point of this flinging is to move the ball down the field. Sometimes it advances a few feet. Then they do it again. Scrum, grope, kick ball backward, fling, and run until your face is driven into the ground again.

At Schnauble, the team that played this holiest of all sports was granted a team room. The room was private and teachers generally left the room unsupervised since rugby players were usually the most behaved jocks on campus. [ _Narrator: Schnort._ ] Schnauble rugby players usually gathered in their private room at lunch and talked about what they all liked to talk about most. Namely, people with two X chromosomes. _[Guys, we talked about this already: you have one X and one Y chromosome, girls have two Xs. Think of the two X chromosomes as breasts; that'll help you remember.]_ Today, the six main leaders of the rugby team were drawing up a play that they'd run on Friday, December 12, the last day of school before Christmas holidays.

"Eddie will sneak into the main power plant and he'll flip the switch at exactly 11:57. Everybody will be leaving class and all the hallways and rooms will go dark."

The co-captain took over. "The five of us will follow her out of her language arts class – we're all in the same room together which is why you guys are part of the play. As soon as the lights go out, Sammy and Flat-Nose will tackle her and hold her face-down on the floor."

The captain resumed. "I'll whip her panties off and fling them to Chris who'll fling them to Jonesy who will put them under his coat and walk out of the school. The rest of us will be off her before the lights come back on. The next day, when nobody is around, we'll run her panties up the flagpole and put a sign underneath saying whose they are. They'll be hanging from the flagpole for the whole holiday season. Nobody will know who did it because the back up generator takes thirty seconds to kick in."

"How come you get to take her panties off?"

"Cause I'm the captain."

"Why her?"

"Cause she thinks she's so high and mighty. Plus, she has squinty eyes."

"This is going to be the best Christmas stunt ever," the guy who would be fondling Kashmira's panties for a full day said.

### # # # # # # # #

The pantie owner in question was currently sitting on her bed, venting. Basher, her friend and now confident, was sitting next to her, nodding and gradually adjusting his position to one that gave him additional reach with his left hand. Kashmira looked down and saw that Basher's left hand index finger was now concealed under the hem of her short-cut skirt and she could feel it slowly moving north. She jumped off her bed, took a long wind up, and slapped Basher as hard as she could in the face. Angry at what he was doing, she had added some sling power to that slap. Plus she had naturally followed through. The trick in getting a good slap print on a guy's face is to make contact and follow through as though you are trying to reach the inside of his other cheek. Trust me on this. I know how to follow through.

"Don't you ever touch me again, you pervert!"

The pervert in question didn't hear her.

The slap had caught Basher flush in the cheek as Kashmira had intended. That blow, amplified as I have said by sling power, knocked him flat onto the bed. But because Kashmira was pitching sidearm, the blow also rolled Basher sideways, off the bed and onto the floor.

"Mmph," his body said. That was the smartest thing that had come out of his body all week.

Kashmira changed into jeans and was looking down at Basher when he awoke. She had a field hockey stick in full wind up mode. At Schnauble, boys play rugby. Girls play field hockey which consists of running after a little white ball and flailing unsuccessfully at it with a crooked stick until you connect with somebody's shin and then the shin's owner breaks into tears and tries to hit your shins, and you dodge out of the way and then try and hit her shins in retaliation of her having the nerve to go after your shins. Forget the ball. Shins are bigger and easier to hit. Since Kashmira's target wasn't rolling down the field, she was confident that she'd be able to hit what she was aiming at. Have I mentioned that field hockey sticks are made of wood? Very solid wood.

"You knocked me out?" Basher asked.

"Don't you ever touch me again. Anywhere."

Basher lifted himself off the floor and left the bedroom of shame. "She knocked me out," he kept repeating incredulously.

Kashmira slammed the bedroom door behind him. "This is going to be my worst Christmas ever!"

Kashmira had no idea how bad it was going to get.

### # # # # # # # #

However bad Kashmira's Christmas became, it was nothing like what Laerke and Frida had to face.

They were both in extended shock. First, Valkendorff had sexually assaulted Laerke. Second, he had refused to pay his bill, which meant that they couldn't repay the loans that they had taken to carry them over for a short time. Third, Toft-Damgaard had abruptly fired Frida from her job at Denmark Today – an obvious connection to Laerke's meeting with Valkendorff. Fourth, their landlord had warned them that some rich guy had bought the apartment building and the two of them would have to be out by December 25th - three weeks from now. If they weren't, their possessions would be on the sidewalk on Boxing Day. Not that they had many possessions left. They were selling them on used.copenhagen.com. Laerke had already given up her lease on her office – the landlord kindly letting her out of the contract provided that she left all of the furnishing in the office when she left.

They were still getting food packages from friends but who knew how long that would continue. Frida was having trouble finding another job – the lack of a reference from Denmark Today a primary reason. Now that she had no office, Laerke would have trouble working in her profession.

Both of them still believed that Laerke had made the right decision. January would be the test of their resolve. They'd be homeless and without money. They hadn't talked about whether Laerke should ask for a meeting with Valkendorff so that she could tell him that she had changed her mind. It was an option that neither wanted to consider. It had nothing to do with them being lovers. It had everything to do with standing up to a bully.

Back to the Table of Contents

# Chapter 19

Jock, Hank, TG, and Lucas were in a mind-message conference the second week of December. Lucas had informed Jock that he'd like to do some surveillance in Copenhagen.

"That's good, Lucas," Jock replied. "You and TG can serve as each other's body guards."

"I'll be working from the apartment that Mac and Melissa arranged, Lucas. I'll be trying to get a handle on all of VD's businesses by hacking into their computers. I'll be inside the apartment the whole time and out of sight. I doubt that I'll need protection. You?"

"I'll be checking out the night clubs. I looked online and Copenhagen has a lot of them. I don't see why VD would restrict himself to only _The Licorice Stick_ for his prowling. I plan on working my way through the clubs to get a feel for those that might serve as his hunting ground."

"You could be noticeable with your skin colour, Lucas. A single male, looking around. You might have trouble with the bouncers."

"Yah, well I thought about that General and I have a solution to the risk of appearing to be single."

### # # # # # # # #

"Lucas is taking his girl friend to Copenhagen for a week?" This was the second time in twenty seconds that Yolanda had asked Hank the same question.

"Yes. So what? TG is there in case he runs into trouble."

"But who is she? What's her name? Is it the basketball player? I thought that she wouldn't put up with him being away from Toronto all the time. Who's her family? Why haven't we met her?"

"It's only surveillance, Yolanda. They're not eloping. She'll give Lucas a chance to move in and out of Copenhagen's clubs without attracting attention."

"You don't even know her name, do you?"

"No. It's none of my business who Lucas takes with him, Yolanda."

"Where are they staying?"

"In the apartment that Mac and Melissa rented. TG will be there too. The apartment has two bedrooms."

"How many beds are in each room?"

"That's none of our business, Yolanda."

"Does she know about the family?"

"No. They're only going to play tourist and go to some clubs."

### # # # # # # # #

"Really, Winnie? I thought that you'd know more about this girl. This isn't like you at all. I have to say that I'm disappointed."

"Her name is Lylah and she was helping Dreamer with her basketball. She's a lesbian and she wasn't interested in Lucas. That's all I know."

"So why is he taking her for a full week to a foreign city and staying with her in a bedroom that might only have one bed?"

"I don't know, Mom."

"You could ask Dreamer."

"I have more important things on the go, Mom. What Lucas does with this girl is his business."

Winnie, formerly known within the family as _Ms. Nosy_ , disconnected and turned her attention back to the bot she was reading. _Any Prince Will Do If You're the Queen Bee._ Next on her reading list was _The Black Sheep Meets Princess Mary, the Baaaad Little Lamb._

### # # # # # # # #

Friday, December 12, the last day of school before the holidays. Kashmira hadn't paid much attention to the class discussion on this month's novel study – _A Knight in Shining Armor_ , written by Jude Deveraux and published in 2002. What possible purpose would there be in reading an ancient romantic novel like that? She hadn't even plugged the bot into her brain plug. Knights in shining armor didn't exist any more. And they certainly wouldn't have existed in 2002. People moved around in cars; they didn't ride horses.

All Kashmira wanted was for this day to be over. The bell went at 11:56 and the class surged out into the hall. Like always, she had to push her way through the students going in different directions to their lockers. Suddenly, all the lights went out. Somebody pushed her from behind and she fell forward onto the floor. Kashmira managed to put her hands out in front of her in time to break her fall but couldn't move when two other people fell on top of her. She called out, "Get off me," but nobody moved. Then she felt somebody lifting her skirt and putting a hand on her butt.

### # # # # # # # #

The meeting in the Headmaster's Office began at 12:30. Three students from the hallway where the incident had occurred were sitting in hard backed chairs in front of the headmaster's desk. They were three reliable students. He had chosen them so that he'd get to the bottom of what happened quickly before school let out for holidays.

"So the lights went off when the noon bell rang and the hallway went dark. What happened next, Magenta?"

"They came back on real fast and we were all sort of wondering what had happened and we heard somebody calling _Get off me_! Me and Ronnie looked down and saw that Asian girl on the ground and two of the rugby guys must have tripped on her cause they were on the floor too. A third guy must have tripped too because he was kneeling down. He's the captain of the rugby team. The Asian girl's skirt had flown up and her panties were visible. It looked like the rugby captain was trying to push her skirt back where it should have been. It's the chink's fault if her skirt flies around like that. She's always wearing skirts that no decent girl in this school would wear."

"So the rugby captain wasn't trying to take off her panties?"

"No," Ronnie said with disbelief. "Why would he do that? She's coloured."

"What happened next?"

"That in'jun kid showed up. He pulled one of the rugby guys off the chink, held him up for a sec and then beat the snot out of him. Two quick blows and the rugby guy fell down and didn't move. He did it again with the other guy who had tripped. Two blows. Bang, bang and he went down. He did the same thing with the captain."

Flo-Flo spoke up. "We believe he must have been on drugs or something cause he's smaller than the rugby guys. But the guys must have been dazed by the fall and this in'jun was on drugs and had gone crazy."

"We've read that in'juns take hallucinogenic drugs called peyote that gives them visions. He might have been having a vision that the guys were doing something that they weren't. They tripped over the slant-eyes in the dark. That's all. This guy went on the war path over nothing."

Flo-Flo wasn't finished. "What that little witch did was just as bad. She was watching as the guy on drugs beat up the rugby guys, and then she got up, hitched up her panties, and kicked them right square ..."

"I've heard where she kicked them. The school nurse told me. You said she hitched up her panties?"

"They must have been cheap. If the waistbands aren't tight enough, panties can droop a little. She obviously isn't rich enough to buy good panties."

"So her panties weren't down enough to show her bare bottom?"

"No," all three lied.

### # # # # # # # #

Hank was looking at the school letters that Mathias and Kashmira had brought home. "Both of you were expelled from school permanently. This doesn't sound like either of you. What's the story?"

Granny, Doc, and Yolanda were thinking the same question.

Mathias held up a storage bot, put it into his brain plug and displayed the opening menu on the living room's display unit.

"This first file is from a room where the rugby team meets when they're not in class."

....

"This next file shows the hallway where Kashmira was attacked today. It starts just before the bell rang at noon. The halls will go dark for only ten seconds. I re-programmed the school's backup generator to come on line faster than normal."

...

"You saw that I covered up Kashmira's bare bottom with a blue dot on the video. But it's obvious that the guy was yanking her panties down. This third file is a collection of clips from around the school. I programmed the spiders to save what they heard when Kashmira's or my name were mentioned."

...

"I've seen enough," Granny said. "You chose not to show the hallway views to your headmaster?"

"What would be the point? I told him what happened but he was looking for an excuse to get rid of us."

"Plus you didn't want him to know that you had bugged ... how much of the school?"

"The hallways, all of Kashmira's classrooms, the staff room, and the rugby room."

"Who helped you with the computer controls on the drones?"

"TG taught me the essential steps and I did the programming."

"You set up surveillance because you knew what was going to happen?"

"That Kashmira would be hurt in some way? Sure. It was obvious. She's too sexy and too talented to not have a lot of jealous people hating her. Plus they're all bigots in that school."

Kashmira looked up at Mathias at the word _sexy_ , and put her head down again. The same position it had been in since the meeting started. She had closed her eyes when the video of the hallway was on.

"What do we do now?" Doc asked.

"I have..."

Kashmira interrupted Mathias. "Doc. You were right," she blurted. "I should have listened to you. I'm sorry that I've been so nasty to you."

"Kashmira, you didn't deserve this."

"Doc, Basher did try to grope me like you warned me."

"What did you do?" Granny was particularly interested in this answer.

"I slapped him as hard as I could and I used sling power to make sure he felt it. I knocked him unconscious."

"Atta-girl." Granny couldn't help it. She had forgotten that Kashmira was supposed to be in trouble for getting kicked out of school.

"You were saying that you had something, Mathias?"

"This bot also contains information on the Victoria College of the Arts Secondary School in Melbourne Australia. Before _The Troubles_ , some countries had very famous schools for the arts. This Melbourne high school survived. It has a specialty in music. They accept applications up to February for entry in March. You have to perform in front of an adjudication committee before you're accepted."

"Australia?" Yolanda quivered.

"And you? Home schooling again?" Hank ignored the worry in Yolanda's voice. He had heard it many times before.

"Australia has another good school. John Monash Science School. It's located in Melbourne too. Dad, this is a **very** good school. Way better than Schnauble."

"Australia? It's so far..."

"Both schools are part of a university, Mom. You can move from a secondary school straight into university. If you're good, you can enroll in university ahead of time."

"Kashmira, what do you think?" Doc asked.

"I'd like to learn more music."

"Australia is very close to the Philippines. Kashmira and I could travel there for a weekend easily if she became lonely. She doesn't like living in North America, Dad."

"Kashmira, is that true?"

"Yes, Doc," she murmured to her belly button, now suitably covered.

"We'll have to talk it over," Hank signaled the end to the meeting. "Mathias, you did well."

Hank must have been talking about the Australian research. Knights in shining armor didn't exist any more.

Back to the Table of Contents

# Chapter 20

"This is TG," he's married to my sister Yollie. "TG, this is Lohla."

"Welcome to Copenhagen, Lohla. Lucas, I've stocked up on food. Mostly breakfast and lunch stuff. I saw three restaurants coming in that I'm going to try for evening meals. You probably won't see me much. I'll be in working on a computer project in the first bedroom. I have too many distractions at home for this kind of work."

"TG and Yollie have four kids."

"I'm disappearing now guys. See you in a couple of days."

_I hope Lohla has a nice personality Lucas, because she's mighty ugly._

_I'll tell Yollie you were drooling._

_Hard not to._

### # # # # # # # #

Lucas and Lohla were thoroughly enjoying Copenhagen – playing tourist during the day and learning about Copenhagen's nightlife in the evenings. Tonight, Saturday December 21, they were visiting the _Dark Lights – Hot Sights_ nightclub. This was a very busy club full of young professionals. Lucas put a check next to the club's name on his mental list of possible VD hunting grounds. The place was full of potential victims. In comparison, _The Licorice Stick_ had been disappointing. Yes, that club hot chicks, but it had limited interior space, and all the customers appeared to come from the local neighbourhood. The guests walked to and from the bar and after a while, Valkendorff would have run out of new victims. But at _Dark Lights – Hot Sights_ , Valkendorff cabs with their conspicuous V-Cab roof emblems were lining up to let their fares off or pick up new ones. The club itself must have been three times as big as The Licorice Stick. Plus it was located in the main part of Copenhagen near Amelienborg – the queen's winter residence when there had been a queen.

Naturally, Lucas couldn't drink alcohol but the club had plenty of other options. So far, Lohla had ordered one drink and had been nursing it. When they returned from the dance floor, her almost empty glass had disappeared – the victim of a dedicated bar hostess, no doubt. Lucas had headed off to the very busy bar for two new drinks. Lohla said that she'd sit and watch the crowd; her feet were sore from the heels she was wearing. When Lucas returned to the table, she was gone and two other people were sitting at the table.

### # # # # # # # #

TG was returning to the apartment after enjoying a delicious dinner at a local restaurant. He wasn't particularly interested in browsing computer records of another of VD's businesses, but time was running out and he didn't have much to show for his efforts yet. Before dinner, he had been inside Valkendorff Sky Transportation's computers and had found a huge number of files. Every customer that stepped into a V-Cab had his own account. Pick up times and locations, drop off times and locations, and final charges were all listed there. TG located Valkendorff's own account and found a massive number of entries. Obviously, he took his own cabs whenever he travelled because he might have up to two dozen pick-ups/drop offs in a single day.

Already tired when he arrived home, and feeling sleepy from over eating, TG looked at the bed and then looked at his research. Perhaps just an hour more? He continued to browse through the V-Cab computers and found a live feed that presented a map of the city where every single V-Cab was located. As he looked, the dots representing the cabs were changing location. If he highlighted a particular cab, he could read all of the data for that fare including his pick up and drop off points and who was in the cab. The only thing that TG could conclude from that interactive map was how busy this company was. They must be raking in the dough. Speaking of dough, TG tasted a little reminder that he never should have had that third pastry, looked longingly at his bed, and trundled off to sleep.

### # # # # # # # #

Lucas positioned himself in the club so that he had a view of the little hallway to the washrooms and waited for Lohla to return. When the women coming out of the washrooms were the same as the ones he had seen going in, he ditched this two full glasses and begin a slow search. He had to be careful not to leave this area of the club because that was where she was expecting him to be. He couldn't take the chance that she'd be looking for him at the same time that he was looking for her. But, he could take that chance if he could conduct a search of a room quickly. The floors were crowded; the ceilings were not.

Lucas spotted Lohla's dark green dress wending its way through the crowd on the way into their designated meeting place, flew quickly back to the washroom hallway, knelt down in a dark corner, and materialized. He was returning from the washroom hallway just as she arrived at their former table. She spotted him and rushed to him.

"You won't believe what happened to me!"

Lucas noticed her flushed cheeks first and the scowl second. "What happened?"

"I was sitting at our table and this big bald guy came up and started a conversation. I didn't mind, he didn't sit down or anything, so I talked with him. People are meeting each other all the time here, so I thought it would be a good way to talk to a real Copenhagener. He asked if I lived here in Copenhagen and I said I was a tourist. He asked if I were enjoying myself and I said I was. We talked some more – just normal conversation. I was a student, he was a businessman. I was here with my boyfriend; he was here with his boss. He asked me if I would like to meet him. Apparently, he's some big shot or something. The guy said that perhaps his boss could arrange for me to have some special passes. Like to the museum and to the palace. I said that I had time to meet him, so we walked through to where he was sitting two rooms down. I figured I'd be back by the time you were here."

Lucas said nothing. He knew what she'd be saying next. He began to scan the room for signs of the bald hulk.

"So we shook hands, and he sat down again on a chair in front of me. He had a short beard and long flowing moustache. I didn't find it particularly attractive but perhaps Danish women would like a big moustache like that. He asked me about my school and I was telling him about our basketball team when I felt his hand on my knee. Then his hand was on my inner thigh."

"Did you step away?"

"No. A big guy in a suit was standing behind me and I was trapped."

"I'm going to find him. You go into the ladies' washroom and wait for me there."

"You won't find him, Lucas."

"I can find him."

"No you can't. He's gone. The big bald guy hustled him out of the club as fast as he could."

"Why?"

"I kind of broke his fingers."

"Kind of?"

"OK, I deliberately yanked two of his fingers backwards until I heard them break."

Lucas didn't know what to say. Lohla assumed from his silence that he was upset with her. Lucas had experienced the exact opposite emotion.

"He was assaulting me. I'm allowed to defend myself."

"Yes, you are. Tell me what happened after you broke his fingers."

"He started screaming in pain and the big bald guy looked at what had happened and he and the man standing behind me virtually picked him up and pushed their way through the crowd. I followed them thinking I might need to apologize or something, but I didn't want to. I saw them put the bearded guy into one of those cabs and they flew off. I came back here to find you. The guy was a pervert! I had told him how old I was."

"Wait for me in the Ladies. I'll knock hard three times."

"Am I in trouble, Lucas?"

"Nah, you're good. This place isn't enjoyable any more. I'll get our coats and we'll leave."

### # # # # # # # #

_You're right Lucas. The cabbies are searching for her. I doubt they have a picture out yet, but they do have a description. Gorgeous blonde; dark green dress. How'd you know they'd be looking?_

_I saw a whole lot of V-Cabs landing en-masse in front of the club when I retrieved our coats. We went out a back door into an alley. We're four blocks away from the nightclub and we're safe for now._

_What did you tell Lohla?_

_We're pretending to be two spies who have to avoid capture and return to our safe house. The bad guys are all in cabs._

_True enough. She bought that?_

_Yeah. We've been playing at being army spies during the day. She's waiting for me to think up an escape plan. You said that you can see where all the cabs are?_

_Yeah. They're setting up a perimeter of cabs hovering over major intersections. Other cabs are cruising slowly up and down every major road in the area. Somebody with some brains is setting this up, Lucas. They have all the major roads blocked. Plus the streets are still well lit so you'll have trouble getting by unseen._

_Can we use alleys?_

_Yes, to a point. Copenhagen's Botanical Gardens sit in a huge green space with lots of dark trails. If you can get in there, they won't be able to follow you in the dark. You'll lose them for sure. It's northwest of where you are now._

_Can you direct me so that I can avoid the cabs?_

_Yeah. You could always go invisible you know._

_I'd prefer not to do that. Only as a last resort._

_Turn left, creep two blocks._

### # # # # # # # #

The further away that they got from the downtown area, the less light there was and the easier it became to avoid the cabs. They managed to cross two major roads without being detected. At other crossings, TG told Lucas when there would be a break in cab passages and Lucas would wait for TG to say _Now_ and they'd sprint across and hide in the shadows. Their biggest problems were the cabs that didn't follow a pattern. TG thought that people in charge were driving these cabs. They'd reverse direction without warning or stop suddenly for the pilot to investigate a shadow. They had one very close call.

_The closest cab in hovering in place, Lucas. Another one has changed direction and is coming right at you. A third is now coming from a different direction. Somebody must have seen you._

_We're in a doorway. No real place to go. I can't see them yet._

_Both exits to that alley are now blocked._

### # # # # # # # #

_OK, you're clear. All three cabs are gone. How'd you do that?_

_I told Lohla that spies on the run are allowed to kiss to replenish their energy._

_I wouldn't mind belonging to your army. You went invisible?_

_Yeah. I brought her into my sling and it became somewhat romantic inside. She closed her eyes and I floated us into the air._

_Undercover spies have all the fun. The gardens are one block straight ahead._

_I may be a while getting home, TG._

_Do you need directions to find the apartment?_

_No. Apparently kissing inside a sling produces tingles up and down the spine. She liked those tingles._

_I never found that to be the case with my sling. I believe you two guys are producing the tingles all on your own._

_I'm gonna be off line for a while TG. Thanks for the help._

### # # # # # # # #

Let me skip ahead to the end of the holidays and I'll finish describing Lucas' and Lohla's Christmas holidays.

Lucas decided that it would be best if he took Lohla out of Copenhagen. She was too recognizable and there were too many V-Cabs. He asked TG if he could recommend somewhere nice to go to. TG said that Melissa had enjoyed Paris when she and William had visited Europe. Since Melissa hadn't told TG that she thought that Paris was extremely romantic, TG couldn't warn Lucas about the effect that Paris can produce on young lovers. I use this term to describe L&L loosely. They weren't lovers yet. They were two friends who were vibrating with unfulfilled passion as they entered the City of Lights. The tingling kisses, the escape from pretend bad guys, Lucas being protective, Lohla being an abused victim and yet happy with how she had dealt with it ... All of this conspired to have a predictable result.

After several days of not seeing anything outside their Parisian hotel room, L&L decided to extend their visit another week so that they could actually tour the city. Naturally, news of this extension made its way through the Wilizy Gossip Central, starting with TG telling Melissa that Lucas and his girl friend had extended their trip to Paris. TG knew not what he had wrought. Within seconds, Mac and Yollie knew too and had drawn the correct conclusions. Melissa spilled the beans to Momaka who told Yolanda out of consideration that she should hear this from a friend first rather than from a passing stranger. Yolanda had a semi-freak complaining that she hadn't heard about this Lohla person at all. Wanda and Marie rushed to her side, absolving her of all blame and reinforcing how inconsiderate men can be in revealing important information to their spouses/mothers.

The news didn't find its way to the Toronto teenagers, but it did reach Winnie who thought about it for three seconds and went back to her romantic bots. For those of you who are not familiar with this genre, some of these stories can be quite erotic and Winnie was acquiring all sorts of information on everything sexual. She'd emerge from one bot, gulp a bottle of cold water, and bury herself in the next steamy tale. Yolanda's version of what a girl her age should know about sex was no comparison to what romance writers liked to describe. If Winnie entered the Christmas holidays looking worn and gaunt, that was because she was digesting sexual escapades and not food.

Back to the Table of Contents

# Chapter 21

The Christmas season ended with many participants in our story declaring that it was their _Best Christmas Ever_!

Of course, Lucas was judged to have had the best Christmas of all what with the trip to Paris (highly rated by the women) and what with his companion Lohla (highly rated by the men as described to them by TG). Fortunately for Lucas and Lohla, they were completely oblivious to all the interest that they had generated over the holidays as they never did make it to Montana for family celebrations. When Lohla passed Bean the traditional wink and nod affirmation that their status of _only friends_ was no longer accurate, Bean simply asked, "Do you want me to move out?" Lohla said that it wasn't necessary and Bean never thought anything more about it. Theo did notice in mid January that Lucas was now sleeping on the ship on an irregular basis and asked, "Hey, are you and Lohla sleeping together?" The affirmative reply brought a hand-slap and nothing more was said. Naturally, Dreamer and Nary knew everything the first time that they saw Lohla and Lucas together.

At the end of December, Granny, Doc, Kashmira, and Mathias left in the Wilizy/America for Australia. They'd live in the ship until they could check out the schools personally, register the two of them, and then find living accommodations in Melbourne. They had plenty of time to do that since Australia's school system was on a different schedule than schools in Toronto. Australia's summers were hottest in January and February. Hence, Australian schools began their year in March.

### # # # # # # # #

As to formal Wilizy business, the Scandinavian threat had been long dismissed and nothing further had appeared from Safe Haven's legal skirmishing. While Stu warned that Safe Haven could still be dangerous, the absence of any visible threat meant that the family, in general, forgot about their foes. The Wilizy focus was on VD especially after they heard that Lohla had been assaulted. Her reaction to VD's wandering hand brought raised eyebrows and nods of approval. Lucas described VD's reaction to pain and to the realization that he himself could be assaulted. The cabbies were acknowledged as a threat to frightened women, but nobody thought that they'd be a threat to the Wilizy's military strength should it come to that.

TG's report of his computer meanderings started with the challenges they would face if they attempted to bring VD to justice. Simply put, VD could never be accused of assault, tried in a Danish court of law, and convicted. The two assaults that they knew about had occurred in darkness and obscurity. Even if he had been observed, the man had powerful friends. He was untouchable by Danish laws.

"We still have no idea why he is doing this or how many women he has assaulted," TG summarized. "I do have some insight into his companies, but I don't see how that will explain his actions or give us any possibility of stopping him."

Lucas, participating in the meeting from Toronto, added one interesting point to TG's report. "VD's cab company does almost everything electronically. TG was able to break into their accounts. We can now determine the exact time and location of VD's trips during evenings and weekends. I have a short list of nightclubs that he could be using as prowling grounds. It would be easy for TG to generate a report of every time in the last several years that VD went to that club. A little time travel, and we'd be able to get a reasonably accurate picture of how many women he has assaulted, their names and their home addresses."

"Is anybody interested in doing this research?" Hank asked.

Melissa and Mac quickly volunteered. "Winnie, it will go faster with three," Melissa invited.

Winnie nodded. "OK. I wanted to go to Copenhagen anyway. I've heard that they have an active red light area. I thought I'd visit one of their brothels and watch what sex is like in person."

Marie snorted; Yolanda went into an elliptical orbit around the living room. The upshot of that comment was that Yolanda confiscated Winnie's entire collection of romance bots. Winnie was allowed to go to Copenhagen but she'd remain under the close supervision of both of her older sisters. To Winnie's remark that "I was only kidding, Mom," Yolanda replied. "These bots are trash. Real life is not like this."

Later, when she had nothing to do, Yolanda decided to check if these bots were just as trashy as they were when she was reading them. Some family members have conjectured that Hank might have been the unintended beneficiary of Yolanda's confiscation of Winnie's collection, but nobody knows for sure. We do know for sure that Stu was a beneficiary. Momaka was quite upfront in admitting that _Romance novels can be quite invigorating in a transcendental way_. Whatever that means. Sounds to me like an excuse to read more romance bots.

Winnie heard about Momaka's comment and spent some time looking up the word _transcendental_ in online dictionaries.

### # # # # # # # #

Also at the end of December, if you knew where to look, you'd find Laerke and Frida safe and healthy in a sanctuary. I should give you a little background first.

Before _The Troubles_ , Denmark was recognized as one of the best countries in the world to live in. The population was reasonably happy, the Danish economy was healthy, and the influx of refugees was steady, but controlled. As the world entered _The Troubles,_ that happiness was changing to anger and then to hatred, just as it changed to anger and hatred in other countries too.

For the most part, Denmark is a relatively flat peninsula jutting into the North Sea. It is surrounded on three sides by water, which was inexorably rising as climate change took hold. Copenhagen, the capital, was right next to the water. As its historical city center began to disappear under waves, more and more of the country's economy had to be diverted to building dykes to protect the capital and other important centers. Some areas of the country had to be abandoned as _too expensive to save_. This created bitterness within the country as populations of whole towns had to be relocated into urban areas on higher ground that were already crowded and unable to handle the new population. There, the new inhabitants found no accommodations, no jobs, and no food.

This is when anger turned to hatred and then to violence. People who were visibly not Danish in origin were attacked for being in a country that they didn't deserve to live in. They were taking away benefits that belonged to the real citizens – those people being white and able to speak Danish without an accent. On top of this, the composition of the population was heavily skewing to older citizens. The new non-Danish citizens were younger, and could have kept the economy stable, but as verbal attacks became physical attacks, they fled the country thereby dooming the country to even more problems of not enough people working and paying taxes that could pay the bills.

The government faced increased demands for medical care, for dikes, for food handouts, for jobs, and for whatever else the population felt they were owed. Before _The Troubles_ , Denmark offered its citizens a cradle to grave government subsidized life. The government provided every thing they needed through hefty taxes. That comfortable life disappeared but the hefty taxes did not. Elements of anarchy emerged.

When anarchy emerges in any country, people that stand out as different become a target. Perhaps they have the wrong skin colour. Perhaps they follow the wrong religion. And, perhaps they have the wrong sexual preferences.

One targeted group found safety by hiding in plain view. Members of Denmark's LGBT community were Danish through and through. Back in the good times, Denmark as a society had accepted them and had included them as a part of their society. But during _The Troubles_ , any behaviour that suggested that certain people didn't deserve to live in Denmark could cause a perilous public response.

The LGBT community developed an _Underground_ organization that they could go to for assistance and protection. This _Underground_ developed sanctuaries that were scattered around the country. Members whose lives were threatened could flee to one of the sanctuaries where they would have food and shelter. The Underground continued to operate after _The Troubles_ dissipated while Danish society gradually become more tolerant. It was the LGBT Underground that provided the money for Laerke and Frida to pay the bills for Valkendorff's anteroom. When Laerke and Frida lost their home and jobs, the Underground found a small apartment for them in Copenhagen. But Valkendorff put a public announcement in Denmark Today that Laerke Lund's design business had done such a bad job on a contract for him that he was being forced to sue her to recover fees that she had taken and which she refused to return. It was apparent that he wasn't going to leave them alone. The _Underground_ moved them away from Copenhagen.

Back to the Table of Contents

# Chapter 22

It was the first week of January and Melissa, Mac, and Winnie were planning how they would go about using TG's data. One suggestion was simple and effective.

(1) TG would produce a computer printout of every time that Valkendorff had used a V-Cab to visit one of six Copenhagen nightspots that Lucas had identified as potential prowling grounds. These were: The Licorice Stick, Party to Dawn, Dark Lights – Hot Sights, The Cope, Hive, and Hygge.

(2) Each of them would focus their time and energy on two pubs.

(3) Each would TiTr to the time that Valkendorff had visited one of their clubs and follow him around.

(4) If they witnessed an assault, they would video-record it.

(5) They would trail each woman who had been assaulted and determine her name, home address, and where she worked.

(6) All of their data would be entered into a date - time - incident log that would place all of their findings in a single file that all could review.

Their initial purpose in this stage of their research was to get a sense of how many women Valkendorff had assaulted.

You probably realized that Mac had generated this plan, right?

### # # # # # # # #

Mac's research plan quickly revealed a partial pattern. Valkendorff did visit all six of the nightclubs and only on Friday and Saturday nights. But there were gaps where he was not at any of the six pubs on the weekend. The numbers of assaulted women that they were uncovering suggested that Valkendorff would be unlikely to take a weekend off. They expanded their search to twelve nightclubs.

### # # # # # # # #

At the end of their first week of research, Mac reported to the Wilizy directors that they now had solid evidence that in 2087, Valkendorff had assaulted fifty women in twelve different nightclubs. He tried to assault four others as well, but they pushed his hand away and left. The Transcendental Trio had the names, home addresses, business names, and business addresses for all fifty.

You're probably wondering about the moniker _The Transcendental Trio_ , aren't you? This is not a nickname normally identified with young women, let alone humans of any kind. But if you look in enough dictionaries as Winnie did, and if you look at some of the synonyms for the term _transcendental_ , a valid argument could be posed that it was suitable for Melissa, Mac, and Winnie.

_Heavenly, beyond being ordinary, fantastic, matchless, and second to none._

The name also implies a unique style for solving superheroic problems suggesting, perhaps, that brains were more important for superheroes than brawn. The Transcendental Trio was now officially in business.

### # # # # # # # #

In the early 21st century, more than one hundred islands were scattered in the waters around Demark. Many of these served as popular tourist attractions and as holiday retreats for the Danes themselves. Most of the islands were low lying at that time. Now, as I write this tale, most of them are submerged.

One exception is the island of Hven as the Danes named it. Hven rises dramatically out of the waters of the Oresund Straight between Denmark and Sweden. Its southern coastline has steep cliffs that can be fifty meters high in places. In other words, this was not an island that could be submerged.

The top of the island is a plateau whose fertile soil was used by the inhabitants for growing food crops. Those food crops can still be found, but the same cannot be said for the small population of Hven inhabitants. Back then, access to the island was by ferry, but those ferries became non profitable during _The Trouble_ s and so many islanders left Hven that all eventually had to leave. Now, the island is covered by wild vegetation that encroaches into the deserted little towns that are still standing after decades of disuse. The water system, consisting of a large water tower and underground water pipes throughout the island still functioned from the rain that fed the tower. Some houses fell victim to the winter gales, but enough were still habitable that members of the LGBT population who needed to disappear at least temporarily could live in relative comfort with the help of weekly food runs by one of their Underground friends living in Copenhagen which was about twenty minutes away by air to the southwest.

Laerke and Frida were warm, dry, sufficiently fed, but miserable. Hven was supposed to be a temporary stop while they figured out what they wanted to do. Re-establishing themselves anywhere in Denmark was likely impossible given the revenge hatred that a very powerful man was exhibiting. They were already partway to Sweden – Hven was actually a Swedish island that was on the maps as _Ven_. LGTB friends in Sweden were willing to help them get established. Laerke was opposed.

"I'm not running away," she declared in one of their frequent discussions about what they were going to do now.

"We can't fight Valkendorff and his billions," Frida countered quite sensibly.

"So, we'll go after Toft-Damgaard. He doesn't have billions."

"He has Valkendorff to protect him."

"I'm not running away," Laerke insisted. "I don't know what to do, but I'm not running away."

"Then I won't either."

Back to the Table of Contents

# Chapter 23

It was the second week of January and The Transcendental Trio was meeting in their Frederiksberg apartment. "We need to know more about these fifty-four women," Mac said. "Knowing if they repelled VD's assault or not is not enough."

"It would be useful to know why fifty women stood frozen and why four left," Melissa agreed.

"Some are wusses, some are not?" Winnie had a black and white view of life right now.

"Standing up to a threat may not have been possible for some of these victims," Melissa countered. "We don't know what Toft-Damgaard whispered in their ears when he forced them to stand still. Perhaps a threat on their families? Women would be vulnerable in those situations."

"So, now what? We weren't able to hear those whispers. What additional useful information do we want?"

"I don't know, Winnie. I won't know what's useful until I see it."

"Instead of wondering about the information that we might add, why don't we focus on what information we are able to obtain?"

"Mac, I don't understand," Winnie said.

"What Mac means is that we have an information gathering tool that we haven't used fully yet."

"Exactly," Mac said.

"I still don't understand."

Melissa explained. "Let's use more of TG's cab data. We might be able to learn a lot about these women by seeing where they went by V-Cabs after their assault. If it's not useful, we haven't lost much time."

"I'll ask TG to give us a cab history for each of the women," Mac stated their obvious action plan.

"You guys go ahead. I brought a bot to read."

"No you won't." Both older sisters had received specific instructions from a still orbiting worrywart who prohibited any bot reading by a hormone-laden teenager-to-be.

### # # # # # # # #

"It's kind of an awkward situation, Lucas."

"You said you had a question. So ask the question, Lohla."

"It's just that I really owe Lylah on this. I messed up and it hurt her."

"Ask your question."

"And you know how Lylah used to go out with you."

"Ask your question."

"But, that didn't work out and now she's staying away from us because she doesn't want to make you feel awkward."

"Ask your question."

"But you might be able to do something that I can't. And I asked Lylah if she would mind if I asked for your help."

"Lohla, ask your question."

"And she said she wouldn't mind, but if you didn't want to do it, she'd understand."

"Lohla, for crying out loud. Ask your question."

"Would you mind if I asked you an awkward question?"

Obviously, Lohla was working through a pre-planned speech and hadn't been listening to Lucas at all.

"Lohla! Look at me. Ask your question."

"You don't have to bite my head off."

"Please, please, ask your question."

"Well, only if you don't mind. I'm trying to find where some of Lylah's basketball teammates have gone. She'd like to organize a little reunion. I have their names and their last known addresses, but they're not there. I don't know how to find them."

Well since Lucas had bitten Lohla's head off, he was sort of compelled to accept the task. "I'll see what I can find out," he offered.

Skeptical men might believe that this was a devious feminine ploy – pretending to ignore a man until he had put his foot into the big yawning trap in front of him. In theory, I suppose some women might do that. But, if somehow by accident we did, we'd never admit to it of course.

### # # # # # # # #

"I don't believe it," Melissa said. Twenty-eight women out of the fifty women who allowed VD to assault them subsequently took a "V-Cab ride that VD paid for."

"Why would they go near him again?" Mac asked.

"Perhaps they didn't know he had paid for the cab? Perhaps the cab arrived and they found him there waiting?"

"Found him where?"

"We can find that out."

"We may also be able to find out what happened in that second meeting."

"Did you notice the interesting time gap between the first and second meetings that VD had with the women?" Mac asked.

"No," Winnie replied

"I didn't either. Mac always notices these kinds of details, Winnie."

"The second meeting between VD and the assaulted women has always occurred – at least for these twenty-eight women – almost exactly three months after the assault in the nightclub."

"Why did you say _at least for these twenty-eight women?"_

"This is a clear pattern. Why would we think that he hasn't been doing this for years with many more women?"

"Mac, did you want us to search further back?"

"No Melissa. One year of data is enough, but imagine what the scope of this thing that he's doing could be. Fifty-four women a year? For say four or five years? Whatever he's doing in that second meeting, somebody is scheduling it."

"We all know what he's doing in that second meeting," Winnie said.

"We need to be sure," Mac said. "Let's find out where those meetings happened and TiTr them."

### # # # # # # # #

Over in Hven, Laerke and Frida continued to search for a solution to Valkendorff and his attack dog.

"I still say that going after Toft-Damgaard in court can't be successful. He's a lawyer and we can't afford to fight a lawyer."

"All I'm asking is for a meeting with the person in the Underground who has the best background in law. We'll have him or her look at our contract. Perhaps he'll see something that you and I missed. Perhaps there's another way to get to Toft-Damgaard."

"We've looked at the contract so often that I have it memorized. You probably do too. Toft-Damgaard didn't define what _being happy with the anteroom_ meant. He doesn't need a legitimate reason for firing you. Laerke, that means he's bullet proof. We can't fight that contract even if we had a lawyer and lots of money. It's hopeless."

"Frida, did you know that Toft-Damgaard's first name is Silas?"

"I probably did. Why?"

"Silas Toft-Damgaard. Notice anything about that name?"

"Just the hyphen."

"What about his initials? STD. Notice anything now?"

"Sexually transmitted disease?"

"Now look at Valkendorff's name closely."

...

"VD."

"Yup. VD and STD are these two guys in a nutshell. They attack without warning and they're always there. You can't get away from them."

"What's your point?"

"Venereal disease and sexually transmitted diseases can be beaten. We just have to find the right medicine. There must be somebody in the Underground who has a background in law that could point us in the right direction."

### # # # # # # # #

The Transcendental Trio looked at the data that TG's computer spat out and noticed a pattern. A very large number of V-Cab trips were to a small seaside community named Liseleje. Founded in 1773 to serve as living accommodations for workers in his gunpowder plant, Major General Johann Classen named the village after his daughter – Elisabeth, or in short form, Lise. After _The Troubles,_ the community continued to exist as a fishing town, but it also held sumptuous summer residences for the rich people of Copenhagen. Valkendorff had a mansion that dwarfed all of the others and it was in a field near that mansion that those V-Cabs had landed.

They decided to split up the TiTr'g by months of the year. It didn't take long to get a breakthrough. Everything about what happened to the women inside that mansion was the same. They took turns summarizing the similarities.

"Coerced sex."

"The women were given no choice: agree or lose your career and your husband, if you had one."

"He had a surveillance camera taking pictures of the sex."

"He warned them not to tell their husbands or boyfriends what had happened."

"One of mine threatened to go public."

"What did he say to that?"

"He'd make sure that pictures of her having sex would appear on the front page of Denmark Today. He'd arrange for men to report that she had propositioned them. He'd completely ruin her reputation and drive her out of the city."

"He was demeaning, even insulting."

"He called them names in the middle of having sex," Winnie added.

"You watched?"

"Duh. Of course, I watched. Dreamer didn't watch some sex once and messed up an operation. What are we going to do about the missing women?"

"Missing women?"

"I found nine women in Liseleje, Melissa had ten and Mac had nine. That makes twenty-eight. He brought twenty-eight of the fifty to his private living space. They would have been on that three-month schedule. Do you think he gave the other twenty-two a free pass?"

"Unlikely," Mac agreed.

"We should find out where the twenty-two were coerced into having sex," Melissa jumped on the idea.

"VD would have taken a cab there," Mac added.

"I betcha he went to their work place," the youngest member of The Transcendental Trio predicted.

Back to the Table of Contents

# Chapter 24

The third week of January was coming to an end, as was The Transcendental Trio's mission. They were meeting this Saturday morning with the family executive in the Wilizy/Europe that was floating above Montana. Also physically attending the meeting were Jock and TG. Lucas and Wizard were participating from the Wilizy/Asia floating above Toronto.

Mac is ready to begin the trio's report. Let's listen in.

"We discovered that VD has sexually assaulted fifty-four Danish women over the course of the last twelve months. These assaults occurred in Copenhagen's twelve most popular nightclubs. Four of these women stopped him cold and left the club. That left fifty who stood still while he attacked them. They were afraid of what he would do to their lives."

"That wasn't the end of their nightmare. About three months after the initial assault, VD coerced twenty-eight of these women to have sex with him in one of his three residences – the one in Liseleje. He used a variety of threats: loss of a job/career, loss of a husband/boyfriend, loss of their reputation, and/or public humiliation. He had coerced sex with a further twelve women at their place of work, perhaps after work or even in the middle of the day. In these business location attacks, we believe that VD was demonstrating that he could reach them anywhere, anytime. This leaves ten of the fifty women who have not been sexually assaulted twice. Not yet. We believe that their second assault is pending. Second encounters are always scheduled to occur three months after the first. These ten women are recent first time victims. We don't know why there's a three-month gap but it's there for a reason. Meanwhile, he is continuing to try and find night club victims for his first type of attack."

Melissa took over. "VD doesn't stop with two attacks. Eight of the fifty women who were molested in a nightclub and were also coerced into sex, have also endured a third coerced sex act. This third assault took place in a different location from the second. Again, he was demonstrating that he could reach them anywhere he wanted and he'd never stop until he tired of them. This third attack also appears to occur at a set time after the second attack. We believe he has somebody scheduling his sexual encounters but we can't be sure because the number of women who have had three attacks is small."

"We did find a victim of a fourth sexual attack. Her fourth ordeal was entirely different from her first three. A V-Cabbie picked her up from her home in early evening and transported her to Hamburg Germany. The pilot dropped her off at a private residence and remained outside. After about an hour, the woman left the house and the pilot returned her to her home. Total time elapsed was less than three hours. Winnie put a TiTr drone into that house and we have evidence that the woman had sex with the occupant and received money for that. With this attack, we believe that we have discovered why VD has attacked all fifty of those women."

Winnie took over. "We believe that VD is programming the women to become his prostitutes. Each of his attacks is progressively more demanding and impossible to ignore. In this last attack, the woman did not argue or complain. She did what she had to do to save her marriage and was paid for it. On the way back to Denmark, she gave the money from her client to the V-Cabbie. We believe that every one of those fifty women will be part of VD's new prostitution business. Given the domination of his Uber V-Cab business, we suspect he's using the same business model. He's in the process of creating an Uber-prostitution ring. His victims are professional appearing, glamorous women who are being forced to engage in sex on the side. If he follows the pattern of how he destroyed all the competing copter cab companies, VD will undercut his competition by lowering the price of his prostitutes and delivering them to the customer's home or wherever the client wants her delivered. We believe he has chosen Hamburg as his first _virtual whore house_."

A stunned silence followed.

Granny was the first to speak. "Wizard, can he succeed at this?"

"Yes. He has the financial resources to do this because he's using a V-Cab service that already exists. Other than finding a way to quietly promote his new business, he has no major new expenses. Plus, with his wealth and power, he will have influence with legislators and police if his business is discovered or if his prostitutes are caught."

Mac continued with the report. "VD's business interests include partial ownership of Denmark's largest media organization – Denmark Today. We believe that this highly influential company will deflect any attempts to incriminate VD by attacking the victim. VD has surveillance equipment in his mansions and takes pictures of his victims. We have heard him threaten some of the women that he will display their intimate pictures in Denmark Today. We believe that these pictures will become part of his marketing: he will create an underground website displaying pornographic pictures of all of his call girls who can be ordered on line."

"Have we heard the worst about this man now?" Yolanda asked.

"No," Winnie replied. "We told you about fifty of the fifty-four women we had found. The four we haven't mentioned yet pushed VD's hand away when he tried to assault them in an initial encounter. Afterwards, all four died in accidents along with their husbands. We TiTr'd those accidents. They weren't accidents. V-Cabbies were involved in all eight deaths. We don't know what triggered those accidents yet. We suspect that he was ensuring that they couldn't incriminate him."

"Have we heard the worst about this man now?" Yolanda repeated her question.

"No," Melissa replied. "The worst news is that we do not know how to stop VD and do that within the Danish justice system."

### # # # # # # # #

Lohla rapped on the door of Lylah's apartment and waited. Normally she would have walked right in, but it had been a full month since they had last talked and that had not been a friendly talk. She wasn't sure what kind of greeting she'd get. She knew this Saturday morning meeting would be uncomfortable. But you don't turn down a request for a little talk with an elderly sister. Lylah opened the door and they both automatically smiled.

Lohla was wearing white sports shoes, purple ankle socks, a modestly long purple dress, a white fluffy sweater, and a purple band in her hair.

Lylah was wearing white sports shoes, purple ankle socks, a modestly long purple dress, a white fluffy sweater, and a purple band in her hair.

"I felt like purple today," Lohla explained.

"I did too."

This had happened so often in the past that neither felt it was remarkable. It did serve to break the ice. A bit. They talked about school and then the conversation ran dry. Neither wanted to talk about the important things.

Lohla broke the impasse. This would not surprise anybody who knew the twins. "Did Lucas' information on your friends help?"

"No. He found all of the missing team members and I don't know how he did it, but he did. I thought if a large group complained about how Kidneystone treated his players, the university might listen. But the former players are still scared of him and don't want to face him even if we took the case into a courtroom. So he won; I lost. There's nothing else I can do."

"Are you going to apologize to him so that you can play again?"

"Apologize to a bully? Because you said what everybody knew was true? Never."

"I'm sorry, Lylah. It's all my fault. My mouth again. I shouldn't have pretended to be you in that practice."

"I asked you to do that. Because I'm spineless and I couldn't say those thing like you could. It's my own fault for trying to stand up to him. Just like losing Lucas was my own fault. I should never have paid any attention to Father. Lucas is not a criminal, is he?"

"No. He's an officer in training with the Saskatchewan army. That's the army that was in Toronto during those court trials."

"And his family? Have you met them?"

"I met an older brother. He seemed nice enough. And of course I hang out with his basketball family. I haven't met any others. I sense that he has a big family."

"But not a criminal family. The Saskatchewan army would never take a recruit from a criminal family."

"No, they wouldn't. I don't know what the family does. We don't talk about families."

"You're sleeping with him, aren't you?"

"I'm sorry."

"I felt your mood explode. It started the last week of the holidays."

"Yes."

"You held out that long?"

"It took determination."

"If he had even touched me on a date, I would have jumped into bed with him. I've never felt an attraction so strong."

"So you didn't let him touch you, Lylah. That was smart. We're blonde. People expect us to be ditzs."

"And easy."

"I hate it when people treat us like we're easy."

"There was something about him when we met. I can't explain it. Like a little voice was in my head saying that I had to meet him. I would be with him forever."

"I know. Same for me. I heard a voice saying we were destined to be together."

"Destined for you. Not for me."

"I'm sorry, Lylah. I truly am. Tell me about your basketball training."

"I'm not training. I have no reason to. My basketball career is over. "

"Could you play for another university team?"

"That would mean moving and I don't want to do that. Besides, Father would never let me."

"He's a bully like Kidneystone, you know."

"I hear that you have a good team."

"We won our first game easily, but it was against the weakest team in the league. We have a strong starting line-up. The second line is weak. If one of our key people goes down with an injury, we'd be in trouble. We're doing extra training on weekends. Would you like to join us?"

"That wouldn't be fair to Lucas. Or to you. I owe Father some time, so I'll do that on weekends."

"That contract you have with him is not legal."

"You know me. I'm spineless. I promised to help him. It doesn't matter if the contract is legal or not. A promise is a promise. It can't be broken. Just like a boyfriend agreement can't be broken."

"You're not going to become all depressed again, are you Lylah? You know that will make me depressed too. This is a happy time for me."

"I know. So, I'll be happy too. You'll see."

### # # # # # # # #

Sebastian Nielsen coptered to Hven on a cold and rainy Saturday morning and found the two refugees easily. Theirs was the only house that had smoke coming out of the chimney. Frida and Laerke came out to the covered porch to greet him. They saw a gaunt young man, stooped in posture, and shoulders hunched in. If he stood up straight, he'd be about 2 meters tall (6' 4"). But he didn't stand up straight. Instead, he was like a sunflower plant that had stood tall in the summer, but was now wilting in the fall and was due for total collapse soon.

Nielsen was dressed casually and had come prepared for the rain with a black slicker, which he held in his hands. Landing so close to the house as he had, this wasn't necessary. He ran to the porch instead. Both Laerke and Frida looked at each other and raised an eyebrow. He ran awkwardly – not lifting his feet high enough to escape the wet grass. Think of his gait as a quick shuffle. They also noticed that he was a bit winded when he arrived. That didn't bother them as much as the absence of a briefcase. What kind of lawyer comes to a meeting without a briefcase?

Introductions were made, hands were shaken, and they sat down at the kitchen table. Laerke explained that they were hoping he could help them with a contract that was causing them a lot of grief. She handed him the contract that they wanted him to review. Sebastian accepted the contract but didn't open it. He killed their enthusiasm with one quick statement. "I'm a file clerk, I don't know anything about the law. All I know is how to file legal contracts alphabetically."

Obviously, the meeting hadn't started on a positive note. The person in the Underground who had the most legal experience was a filing clerk? Laerke wasn't giving up yet though.

"But haven't you seen a lot of contracts? Could you simply look at this one and tell us if you notice anything."

Sebastian shrugged, took pity on the girls, and opened the contract. His two hosts were very intense. Sebastian wasn't used to interacting with young women who were very intense. He wasn't used to interacting with young women period. And, just so that I'm giving you the full picture on Sebastian, he wasn't used to interacting with young men either. As L&F would learn, Sebastian was most comfortable when he was interacting with filing cabinets.

"I don't see anything in this contract that stands out," he doomed. "But it's full of big words that I don't understand."

Laerke sat back in her kitchen chair. She had had such high hopes. She had been living off a feeling that a hidden gem of a lawyer would spot some legal technicality that would make the contract illegal, but instead they were meeting with a file clerk who may not have graduated from high school. He became winded sloshing through wet grass to the house. He looked like he was going to slip out of his chair with fatigue.

"We're sorry to have..." she started.

"Could you tell me how you go about your filing job?" Frida interrupted. "Do you spend all your time filing contracts?"

"I do, yes. The law requires lawyers to keep a paper copy of all of their contracts. I receive a small stack each morning to file. I look to see who the lawyer is and next I find his section of the filing room. If he's new to the firm, he might have three to five filing cabinets. The busy lawyers might have ten. Next, I look at the client's name. Each contract gets filed by the client's last name. If it's a surname with a hyphen, it's filed by the first of the two names."

"That's it for your entire day? You stick a short stack of folders into a filing cabinet?" Laerke had the job-ending grenade in one hand and was stretching the fingers on her other hand towards the grenade's pin.

"Sebastian, you came all the way here to help us. Could we offer you some lunch? You look like you could use something to eat. What do you normally have for lunch?"

"Soup," Sebastian replied.

"Laerke, we have some soup you can warm up."

Sebastian perked up at that. The imminent slide out of his chair and onto the floor turned into a slouch, but a stable one.

Laerke aimed a silent question at Frida. It consisted of furrowing her eyebrows so tightly together that they looked like a furry long caterpillar. It wasn't a happy caterpillar.

Frida gave Laerke her medium force glare in return. Translated into words, in this situation it meant, _Don't interrupt me. I'm busy here_. Medium force glares were meant as warnings. Frida's high force glares could be damaging to the eyes. "You were going to tell us what else your job requires, Sebastian?"

"I also retrieve documents and give them to the lawyer's personal assistant. If the file was for a previous year, I have to go to Central Storage, find the file, bring it back to the office, and then re-file it later. That's what takes up the time. We only keep this year's files in our storeroom and this early in the year, I'm always coptering to Central Storage for a 2087 file. That's why I have a company copter for my personal use. I don't make enough money to own a copter."

"Your company must have thousands of files in that central storage?"

"We ate that soup, Frida."

"A sandwich then." Frida turned her chair so that she was facing directly at Sebastian. That put her back to Laerke. This kind of change in body location is a non-verbal form of conversation that carries a certain degree of risk if it is ignored. "Make it two sandwiches, Laerke. Go on, Sebastian. Keeping track of thousands of files must be very complicated especially when they span years and years."

"It's not complicated. My firm's files are on the third floor of Central Storage, and in the southwest corner. Last week, we moved the 2087 filing cabinets into an empty space next to the 2086 cabinets. If I have to search, I start with the year, then the lawyer, then the client."

"Your firm is in the southwest corner. What's in the northwest corner?"

"Files from another law firm."

"So, this central storage area is used by many law firms?"

"Sure. It doesn't make sense for each firm to try and find storage on its own. Paper storage is hard to find in Copenhagen. That's why we all use this abandoned government building."

" **Every** law firm in Copenhagen uses this building for storing old files?"

The clatter of utensils being slammed onto the counter and food being withdrawn from the fridge in an angry haste to sandwichize them came to a sudden halt.

"Yes. We have to."

"So you have an important job. Keeping those files orderly. I expect they have to be kept safe too. You couldn't have people wandering in off the street and wandering through your building. I suppose they have a security person on the door 24/7."

"Nah. Nobody would be interested in looking at old contracts. They don't make any sense to anybody except lawyers. Each law firm has people that can pass the iris scanner at the front door. They have to enter a passcode in a key pad as well."

"Surveillance cameras are probably throughout the building too."

"No. Like I said. Nobody would have a reason to break into that building."

"Do you happen to know where Laerke's contract would be filed in that building?"

Sebastian didn't notice that two women were now very intensely interested in his answer. Truth be told, Sebastian didn't notice a lot of things. He seemed to be lost, perhaps in thought, perhaps in a fantasy over that sandwich.

Laerke stepped to the table, picked up her contract, and passed it to Sebastian who looked at the letterhead again.

"It would be in the area of the building for Valkendorff Group, year 2087, and last name Lund. Everybody uses the same filing system," Sebastian added unnecessarily.

"Do you know where Valkendorff Group's section is located in the Central Storage building?"

"No. But there's a directory of all the law firms by the elevators along with their floor number."

"Sebastian, Laerke is going to tell you what Valkendorff and his lawyer have done to her and why we're in hiding. While she's doing that, I'm going to make you the best sandwich you've ever eaten. The sandwiches will keep coming until you're full. When you've finished eating, we're going to ask you to take us on a copter ride."

Frida's passage from table to kitchen counter paused as she passed Laerke. "You can't have been the only woman to have received a contract like that from STD," she whispered. "He and Valkendorff must have victimized other women this way."

Have I mentioned to you that Frida was the person in this pair who paid attention to details?

### # # # # # # # #

I gave you a little break from The Transcendental Trio's report; figured you'd need it. I suspect I know your first reaction to the news about VD. But assassination from an invisible sling would not happen even though VD deserved punishment for what he was doing. Should that punishment be death? Should the Wilizy decide on that verdict and then deliver it from the shadows? Would that not make them murderers too? We've seen them face this dilemma in previous adventures and they have always found a way to deliver justice.

It's a fact of life now in the twenty-second century that wealthy and powerful people are able to raise themselves about the law and become exempt from conventional punishment. I'm sure the same was true in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. It was certainly true in 2088. Some wealthy and powerful people like VD felt that they were entitled to do whatever they wanted because of who they were. This has been the case since wealth became the most important thing for people to accumulate. Some people are good at accumulating carved pieces of antiquated elephant tusks; some people accumulate wealth and power. Normal people can't do anything about that. It's the way of the world. But should it be?

And that's what the Raging Gardeners were coming to grips with as they discussed how they could deliver justice to an evil man who was above the law. That discussion took a long time to reach its inevitable end.

"So there's nothing we can do about him at all?" Yolanda asked plaintively.

Heads nodded in sad agreement.

"I have an idea," a voice said.

Winnie was back in the game.

Back to the Table of Contents

# Chapter 25

It's one thing to have an idea; it's another thing to convert the idea into a plan and from that to an operation. It took the Wilizy three days to get everything in place to execute Winnie's idea. It would be a Raging Gardener operation, not a Truth operation.

First, they needed to establish a battle command center, accommodations, food and weaponry. The Wilizy/Europe was the only possible option with the Toronto teens needing the Wilizy/Asia and the people in Australia needing the Wilizy/America. Something would have to be done to accommodate the men and children staying behind in Montana. The solution was to bring them into the cadet camp.

The Wilizy/Europe was quickly restocked. Wanda and Yolanda embarked for Denmark with EmmaGee, Liset, and Freya the Wolf on board. The decision to include them was not entirely consensual. Winnie insisted on her two younger sisters coming along, even though she was not able to describe what duties the two of them might have. Freya's inclusion was described on the ship's personnel roster as security guard for the two younger girls. Liset and EmmaGee lobbied hard for her presence as protection in case the operation needed them on the ground or in the air. The adults' private reaction was that since Yolanda would never approve such an extension of their duties, they wouldn't need protecting. But for the sake of inclusivity, everybody finally agreed that two very young girls and a white wolf would be added to the operation. They would have allowed Madison the Wolf to come along as well, since Patella and Scapula could handle guard duty at the camp. For reasons they did not explain, EmmaGee and Liset did not push for her presence.

TG was added to the roster as an honourary member of the Gardeners. To do that, he was given a gender upgrade from male to female – an accommodation that TG was not entirely receptive to. The women didn't mind him being in the operation as a temporary female since he spent all of his time in the apartment in Copenhagen hacking into computers. However, had he been resident in the ship with them, he might have suffered from estrogen overload, a common enough consequence when a man is alone in a large group of women. Such men tend to develop sensitivity and common sense even though such qualities are largely absent in the male gender itself. Unfortunately, those admirable qualities wither and die when the estrogen-loaded man is returned to his herd.

The battle roster for this operation was as follows:

Strategist: Winnie

Battle planning: Melissa

Battle command: Mac

Ship's captain: Wanda

Sling warrior: Yolanda

Science/Technology: TG'ette

Mystical support: Marie and Momaka

Sensors: EmmaGee and Liset

Security: Freya

### # # # # # # # #

Sebastian had coptered Laerke and Frida to the central storage building as my readers have probably realized. He did this without hesitation, but with a full stomach. Sebastian snuck them into the building without any alarms sounding and took them up to the seventh floor where Valkendorff Group's file were stored. On Frida's suggestion that he might find it more comfortable to wait for them in the copter, he left them to do whatever it was they were going to do.

What they were going to do was search through all of the Valkendorff Group's 2087 filing cabinets looking for contracts between either Valkendorff or STD and a female name. It didn't take them long. They found ten such contracts, one of them having a _Lund, Laerke_ label. The moral dilemma of what they would do with those contracts was quickly decided. They stole them rather than take photographs and leave them in place. STD would never be able to use these contracts to coerce any of these ten women again.

Before leaving, Frida also browsed through the files for four other companies associated with Valkendorff Group. They had been easy to discover since they were all in the Valkendorff area of the building. She had already learned about Valkendorff's ownership of Denmark Today when STD fired her, but she hadn't realized that Valkendorff owned other companies too. She took some photographs of some legal looking documents for all four companies that looked important because they were so thick and then responded to Laerke's warnings that it was getting dark and they had to leave. Due to the impending darkness, and the danger of being in a supposedly empty building with its lights on, Frida didn't make any connections between Valkendorff Group, its subsidiary Mobile Technology Services, and the upgrade to their home communication equipment that they had received back in September.

It was too dark to fly back to Hven so Sebastian gallantly offered to let them stay in the spare bedroom in his apartment for the night. Both women noticed that the size of this apartment was not consistent with a filing clerk's meager wages. Nor was its location in Copenhagen's upscale Norrebro suburb. Laerke brought this up while Frida was making supper for the three of them. The answer? It has been his grandparents' apartment.

Frida's assumption of kitchen duties was brought about when Sebastian offered them soup for supper. A quick glance through his pantry revealed that he had little else to offer. Frida did what she could in the kitchen. Laerke, the sparkling conversationalist, poked around in his background. Supper emerged as a casserole of everything edible that was in the apartment that didn't end in the word _soup._ Meanwhile, Laerke had learned a lot about their underground helper.

Sebastian never finished senior high school because his father had kicked him out of his home when he was seventeen. He found him this job as a file clerk and let him stay in his grandparents' apartment. When Sebastian came to his senses and stopped being a pervert, he could come back home.

Sebastian was an only child and had been shy from his infancy. He existed all by himself in that apartment and in the filing cabinet room at work and rather enjoyed that life style, except for the part about eating. He had sufficient salary to buy food, but he didn't know how to cook. Soup was easy. Breakfast cereal was often supper. He could toast bread and liked to add peanut butter and various jams. He didn't like vegetables because they were too crunchy and they hurt his teeth. A surreptitious fridal sneak into the bathroom revealed that he had no toothbrush or toothpaste. A friendly hand on his shoulder and a laerkian nose leaning over that shoulder revealed that Sebastian had horrendous breath.

His father (Jonas) had kicked Sebastian out of his home when he discovered that the chums Sebastian hung around with were gay. He assumed that Sebastian was too. Jonas told him that he could return to the house after he received medical treatment that would make him normal. Sebastian hung around with them because they tolerated his gawky height and his geeky manner. By _tolerating_ , I mean that they didn't beat him up and bully him like other boys did. In the view of his classmates, he was shy and quiet; therefore, he was gay and was asking to be beaten. Sebastian wasn't a homosexual. He wasn't even a heterosexual. He wasn't anything except a teenager that had been discarded by his father, didn't know how to cook, and didn't like brushing his teeth because they hurt and his gums bled whenever he did.

An arrangement was proposed and accepted. Frida and Laerke would live in Sebastian's spare bedroom, which would allow them to try and clear Laerke's name more easily. The nine women they had to approach all lived in Copenhagen. It was a long swim from Hven to Copenhagen. In return, Frida would cook meals and teach Sebastian how to cook. Laerke would give him help learning how to talk with girls his age. She would also work on the breath issue. To begin with, she'd start with adding mouthwash to his routine, but he probably had dental problems. She'd look for a dentist in the Underground.

### # # # # # # # #

The first order of business once the Wilizy were floating above Copenhagen was to locate the pictures that VD had taken of the women when he had had coerced sex with them. These pictures formed the basis for their blackmail; remove the images and the blackmail threat might be neutered. TG had been able to establish that the areas in Valkendorff's mansion where he took the women were under surveillance, but he couldn't determine yet where the images from that surveillance system were stored. The safest place for VD to keep the images was probably in Valkendorff Vista where the main company had its offices. The Transcendental Trio went back to work.

It was easy enough to sneak into the building and wait for everyone to leave. They found a small security vault concealed inside a closet in VD's office. Anybody wanting to open the vault would have to provide an iris scan at the iris scanning station attached to the inside of the closet door.

Temporarily balked by the iris scan on their first unannounced visit to VD's office, The Transcendental Trio placed some drones, stole two cartons of Valkendorff Group letterhead from the office's copy room, and left. TG arrived the next night and added an iris reader to the front of the iris scanner. The next day when VD opened his vault, an image of his irises flew magically to a certain apartment where a copy of his irises was imprinted onto a pair of contact lenses. One night later, Mac was back in VD's offices and easily gained access to the vault.

Mac found no blackmail images. She did find a stack of five documents that revealed the corporate structure of all of VD's businesses and she took pictures of those for TG. She also found five little mechanisms – one for each of VD's companies. These mechanisms could imprint a corporate seal onto paper documents. These seals were much better than a stamp that could be put on the bottom of a document. They penetrated the paper itself, which added credibility that it was an official document of the company itself. Mac didn't see how the mechanisms could be of any use, so she left them in the vault. She'd check with Stu later to see what value these gizmos had, if any.

### # # # # # # # #

Back at the Frederiksberg apartment, TG browsed through Valkendorff's corporate structures and then mind-messaged Mac. _Don't proceed with any of your plans until I've had a chance to digest this information and penetrate the computers of these businesses._

A couple of hours later, TG called for a full meeting of the Gardeners in the Wilizy/Europe. He started as follows:

"All of you need to know the scope of Valkendorff's businesses, if only to be aware of how powerful this man is. You are aware of some of his businesses. You don't know all of them."

"Valkendorff Group is the company that holds all of the shares of each of the individual companies that VD either owns outright or influences through partial ownership. These other companies give him far more influence and power than any of us has realized. He has put his name on only two companies, but he owns and influences three others."

"Valkendorff Group owns Valkendorff Sky Transportation. This gives him control of the country's personal transportation and freight transportation networks."

"Through his partial ownership of _Denmark Today_ , he controls Denmark's most influential news and media company. Through control of the media, he controls or influences politicians who require his public approval before they can be elected. He can also use this company for blackmail and public humiliation purposes."

"Through his partial ownership of _Denmark Today_ , he also secretly owns _TeleNet Denmark_ – the company providing the country's telecommunications network, including the transmission towers that transmit signals to and from mobile devices including pinky ring computers. The entire country relies on this electronic network. Valkendorff's name does not appear anywhere in the ownership documents, but he effectively controls it. Now here's where it gets tricky."

"Oh, good. It's been so ridiculously clear that I was getting bored," Wanda could be sarcastic at times. This was one of those times.

"Valkendorff Group owns shares in Denmark Today which owns shares in TeleNet Denmark which owns shares in Mobile Technology Services. This is the company that provides customer service to any person using TeleNet Denmark's electronic services – meaning every citizen in Denmark. They call their service Mobile because, when necessary, MTS service reps will come directly to a customer's home and fix the problem."

"Sounds like a good thing," Momaka said.

"Yes, it is. MTS reps are seen everywhere and the public in general appreciates their services."

"I smell a big hairy _But_ coming," Wanda predicted.

"Valkendorff's control of MTS is very well hidden and for a reason. When I ran the names of our fifty-four assaulted women through all of the computers underneath Valkendorff Group's umbrella, I found that all fifty-four of these women had received a free upgrade in the equipment that Mobile Technology Services has installed in customers' home around the country. This is very unusual because no other homes in Denmark have received this upgrade. All of our fifty-four women willingly allowed an MTS service rep to enter their home so that he could add something to their communications equipment. That something is described in their files as an _upgraded repeater module_."

"What's a r _epeater module_?" Winnie asked.

"I have no idea. I do know what it does. It's a surveillance system. Everything that these fifty-four women have said within range of that module has been recorded and is on file deep inside TeleNet's computers, which means that VD has access to it. This surveillance system must be why those four other women disappeared; VD probably had advance notice of their intent to speak publicly."

"This means that we can't have any contact with the spouses of VD's victims in their homes," Melissa noted.

"Change in plans," Winnie announced. "Marie, you'll have to meet them in public places."

"I can do that more easily," Marie said. "Are we ready to go?"

"Yes," Winnie answered. "TG, it's time for VD to kidnap some women."

Back to the Table of Contents

# Chapter 26

By the end of the week, Laerke and Frida had interviewed all nine of their women privately. They merely had to whisper "Valkendorff sent us," and the woman would give them directions to a nearby bar or restaurant where they could meet.

STD had approached all nine women with the offer of a wonderful opportunity. All had signed a contract for services. When they had finished their work, payment for that contract had been delayed until Valkendorff could check their work. None of the work passed. The same kind of threats/promises that Laerke had heard followed. All of them were married and many had young children. They couldn't deny him. After he was finished, they learned about the surveillance camera in the ceiling of the sauna anteroom and what would happen to that camera's pictures if they said anything. None of them knew that other women had also been given contracts that ended up with them lying on that same bed.

After hearing about Laerke's contract and what had happened to her when she refused to undress, none of the nine women wanted to be involved in any attempt to bring Valkendorff or Taft-Damgaard to justice. Laerke's hope that they would all band together and fight Valkendorff had the exact opposite reaction. They all refused to listen any further and fled the meeting. To be fair, this was an understandable response. They couldn't afford the risk of losing their children and husband. Laerke didn't have that risk. None of them knew that their first bed incident would be followed by many more.

Stuck at a dead end with compromising information on STD that they couldn't use, Laerke focused on getting Sebastian to a dentist. Frida pored over the stolen files of the Valkendorff companies. She also looked at her calendar for last August. A couple of the women they interviewed had revealed that their first contract with STD had actually been in a club where he had invited them to meet his boss who was a very important person. They had declined to do that for various reasons. One of the clubs that these women frequented was the same club that Laerke and Frida had been at the weekend before they received that contract. Now Frida knew how Valkendorff had found Laerke. Not that it did her much good.

### # # # # # # # #

Saturday morning, January 24, 2088. Noah Pedersen answered a message on the intercom and called to his wife. "Maja, a man is downstairs claiming that he's a V-Cabbie and he has an envelope for you. I didn't want to buzz him in without making sure he's a pilot. Do you want to go down and pick the envelope up?"

Maja was at the kitchen sink, cleaning up after breakfast. She looked at herself. "I'm still in my robe and I'm a mess. Would you do it?"

Noah returned a few minutes later. "He's definitely a V-Cabbie. He has the black suit and a copter with the V-Cab sign. He wouldn't give me the package. Said he has to give it to you personally. I told him you'd be down in a minute or two."

...

Maja came back into the apartment, went directly into her bedroom, and pulled out a suitcase. "I have a business meeting to attend. No choice, I'm afraid." She opened the closet and began pushing hangars around, looking for some specific clothes.

"Not much notice," Noah complained.

"True. Sometimes opportunities come without notice. I have to take this one."

"Fancy dress affair again?"

"No. I have to bring warm clothes. I'll be gone a couple of days."

"If I have to reach you?"

"The pilot couldn't say where he's taking me."

"That's unusual, isn't it?"

"They get paid to fly; not to talk. Could you pull out my winter coat, hat, and boots from the closet? The pilot says he's on a tight schedule."

With her husband now out of their bedroom, Maja took the opportunity to go into the bathroom, open a drawer under the sink, and slip her birth control device into her cosmetic case.

...

Noah helped his wife into the V-Cab and placed her suitcase in the cargo area. He noticed Maja picking up the opened envelope that was sitting on her seat and placing it on her lap as she settled in. He thought nothing of it. V-Cab pilots frequently are employed to carry hard copy mail to customers.

Only after the copter was safely in the air did Maja look into the envelope again. The message had explicit directions. _Bring warm clothes. Tell Noah you'll be away a couple of days. Say nothing else._ There was no hint where she'd be going. The message had been printed on Valkendorff Group letterhead.

### # # # # # # # #

Saturday night and the crowd at The Hive was jumping. I'd say that the crowd at The Hive was _buzzing_ , but that would come later. Right now, the joint was jumping. One man wasn't doing much jumping. He was sitting in a quiet alcove in one of the rooms, watching the dancers. His security boss was prowling around in anther room, looking for _honeys_ that he could bring back to his boss. Having his left hand in a cast to protect two broken fingers would _bee-keeping_ that boss sidelined for a while. But not much longer. The cast was due to come off at the end of the month.

Not that he was lonely. People would recognize him, see the cast, and as is often the case, they would approach to ask questions.

"How'd you break your fingers?"

"Jammed them in a soccer game."

"May I sign your cast?"

"Sure."

The V-Cab pilot/security guard was so accustomed to the flow of people to and from the cast that he wasn't paying much attention now. He stood facing out like he was ordered to do. That's why he didn't notice the young woman who entered the alcove at approximately 10:15. She was dressed in a gray parka that prevented VD from seeing anything that she was wearing underneath. The hoodie on the parka covered her hair and her cheeks. VD could see a few wisps of red hair escaping their confinement. He also saw what might be some freckles. VD liked red heads. He looked more closely.

No make-up on her slim face. No polish on her fingernails. No rings either. Hiking boots, not high heels. Jeans – no skirt or dress. Somebody who had just come in from outside to get warm?

She did ask a question though. "May I sign your cast?" Nice voice.

The redhead put a little happy face on one of the few untouched areas left on his cast. Putting her hand on his right hand, she said, "These fingers look OK."

Then she grabbed two of them and yanked them back until they snapped.

For reasons that you will understand, everybody's eyes in that area suddenly became focused on the man who had leapt to his feet and was trying to use his left hand with the cast to hold his right hand which now had two broken fingers. The high volume profanities took care of drawing attention away from the young woman who disappeared before anybody realized what had happened.

People in The Hive did notice the medical teams that rushed in, the continuing screams, and the rapid departure of the man and his retinue. That was what the Hive was buzzing about for the rest of the evening.

The club's security cameras had recorded the hoodied young women as she entered and left, but the parka and the hood concealed everything about her that could be used to find her. Other security cameras in the streets outside the club caught no glimpse whatsoever of the finger breaker. Somehow, she had disappeared.

### # # # # # # # #

My readers will have immediately noticed the similarity of Melissa's attack on VD and Lohla's attack around Christmas.

Winnie had been the member of The Transcendental Trio assigned to research the _Dark Sights, Hot Sights_ club where Lohla had been attacked. She liked what Lohla had done and it was her response that had prompted Winnie's mind to start thinking outside the box, or in this case, _outside the cast_. She had watched in TiTr time as Lohla reacted to VD's assault. She had watched Lohla and Lucas as they maneuvered their way though a dark maze to almost safety. She had watched as Lucas pulled Lohla into his sling and disappeared from view. She had a good idea what was happening inside that sling. With her newfound romance bot awareness, she had an even better idea what would be happening at some point that weekend. To her credit, Winnie broke off her TiTr search and returned to her surveillance duties.

Nobody else in the Wilizy learned of Lohla's actions at Christmas. In her report to Melissa and Mac, Winnie mentioned only that some tourist girl had broken VD's fingers and had left the city. She also told them that VD's cabbies had made a concerted effort to find her and they could be expected to do that again with Melissa. She predicted that an immediate shift into invisibility in the nearby alley would take care of that. And it did.

Back to the Table of Contents

# Chapter 27

Back in Toronto, the Schnauble student body was buzzing about the upcoming game between their Schnobs and the George Vanier Vikings. If there's one thing that can unite a student body that lives off bigotry, it's a common non-white enemy. Two coloured traitors were coming back to the school they had deserted and they would be stepping into a hornet's nest.

The gym was full when the Vikings team came on the floor. The chants and the abuse from the stands began when Bean tipped the ball to Nary who lofted it in the direction of the Schnob's basket and Dreamer ran underneath it and laid the ball gently into the basket. The ball never touched the floor. Two to nothing, two seconds gone.

From that point on, every time the basketball touched skin that wasn't white, boos cascaded down from the stands. This gym was big enough to host city championships – the stands had ample room to hold bountiful boo-birds.

By mid-second quarter, the score was thirty-four to six and action on the floor was now mirroring the tone of the crowd, which was egging on the Schnobs. Any Viking scoring a basket was rewarded with a two-handed shove in her back. Any Viking who was able to drive by her check received an elbow in the ribs as a reward. Two Schnobs had already fouled out to raucous applause and two more were playing with four fouls. The students immediately behind the Viking bench were throwing popcorn at the players. It was only a matter of time before the objects would become bigger and heavier.

The Vikings head coach called a time out and approached the refs in the middle of the court. The Schnob head coach came in to listen. Accusations began to fly in all directions. The Viking coach lashed out at the refs with words like _no control of the game_ , and _you need to protect my players_. What he actually said was much longer and louder. The Vikings head coach had lots to say to the Schnauble coach too. _Bunch of goons_ and _not a rugby game_ featured prominently in his criticisms.

For their part, the refs defended themselves. "We're calling the fouls," one said. "Schnauble players don't care," the other said. Both refs urged the Schnauble coach to control his players on the floor as well as on the bench.

The Schnauble coach accused the Vikings of running up the score and defended the actions of his players as _simply playing aggressively on the ball_. Chippy basketball was bound to happen when one team tries to embarrass the other team. He also lashed out at the Vikings coach by claiming that he had lured his star players away from his team.

The elephant in the room surfaced. "What about the students in the stands?" one ref asked the home coach.

"Talk to the school. It's not my job to watch what's happening in the stands."

"Are any school officials here?"

The Schnauble coach looked around. "Don't appear to be."

"We're calling half time early," the Head Ref said. "Both teams are to go to their changing rooms and remain there until we have spoken to each team. Home team has to have a school official in the gym or they will default the game."

### # # # # # # # #

The game resumed twenty minutes later with a single teacher sitting in the stands. Unfortunately, some of the students had taken advantage of the extended half time to satisfy a mounting hunger for fruit and vegetables. Plenty were available in the school cafeteria. Wizard had taken advantage of the extended half time to mind-message Theo and Lucas who were now circling high above the gym floor. Wizard was still wearing his sling, but Nary and Dreamer had parked their slings as they normally did in practices and games. They were available to them on a mental command. They still had access to mind messages without the sling.

The boos and insults from the stands began again as the Vikings continued to prevent the Schnobs from scoring. They had limited their own offense to lots of passing and only long-range shots, but since the Vikings did have capable shooters, their score continued to mount. The flash point came when a Schnob player deliberately tripped Dreamer as she ran back on defense after a made 3-pointer. Dreamer went down hard, a ref blew his whistle to call the foul, and Wizard rushed out onto the court. The crowd applauded the fall and then the profanity-laced chanting started. The Viking bench was now standing and that gave the crowd a handy target. It began raining fruit and vegetables.

Lucas took charge from above. _Wizard – move them all into the center of the court._ _Theo and I will disable anybody who looks like they're going to leave the stands. How's Dreamer?_

_OK, but she's mad as hell. She's in her sling now. So is Nary._

Oranges, apples, and tomatoes can fly a long distance. Eggs do as well. Carrot sticks and cucumber slices have less range. Nobody noticed the big rugby player rip a wooden replica of the Earl Schnauble Private Academy's school crest from the wall of the gym. He held it over his head and began walking down the stands. When he reached the gym floor, he didn't stop. Both Lucas and Theo were tracking his progress with a gravity beam. If he threw that shield ...

But he didn't. Basher approached the Viking huddle and turned to face the crowd. Oranges, apples, eggs and tomatoes began bouncing off the shield. As the food ammunition began to run out, the referees and the Viking coach took control and shepherded the Vikings to Schnauble's Visitors' Changing Room.

The refs and the Viking head coach left the girls in their changing room after giving them instructions not to leave the safety of the room. Transportation home would be arranged. Bean pulled Wizard back into the changing room when he went to accompany them. "Best that you stay here. They'll calm down faster if they don't see any brown faces." She delegated Nary and Dreamer to block the gym entrance to the changing room with a bench. She herself would watch the back entrance.

Some students did bang on the barricaded front door, but no serious effort was made to test the bench fortification. The Vikings heard some noises coming from the other entrance, but again, nothing transpired. Theo and Lucas maintained a watch on the hallway and sent in news reports.

_The Schnauble head coach has just punched the Viking coach for poaching his best players. The Vikings coach responded in kind. Refs broke the fight up._

_..._

_No sign yet of any school officials except for the home-ec teacher. She's doing her best to move the students out of the gym and back to their dorms. They're ignoring her and are still milling around and congratulating themselves for chasing the Vikings away._

_..._

_Media reporters have arrived. They're taking pictures of the gym floor. Fruit and vegetables are all over the place._

_..._

_Police have arrived. They'll be down to get you soon._

### # # # # # # # #

That evening, an emergency Board of Governors meeting was convened on the insistence of the newest governor, Eldreadth Lewis who had heard about the event from Basher. The Board met late into the evening before adjourning with only one decision made: to conduct a formal inquiry into the day's events under the leadership of Ms. Lewis.

While the governors were meeting, a custodian had finished cleaning the gym floor – a lengthy process this evening. She was sweeping the hallway leading to the back entrance of the Visitors' changing room when she noticed red drops of something on the floor. When she reached the actual door to the changing room, the drops had become puddles. Assuming that she was dealing with tomato residue, the custodian went to her closet and pulled out her floor washing equipment. She never did discover that it wasn't tomato juice.

Are any of my readers interested in military history? If so, put your hands up.

Anybody?

I'll tell you this anyway. In 480 BC, King Leonidas of Sparta (a part of Greece) found that a small military force could hold off a vastly superior force if that superior force had only one way to get past the defenders. In this case, the Spartans controlled a narrow pass between mountains and the sea and a small number of defenders were able to hold off an entire army from advancing into Greece – at least for a few days. That military action took place in _The Battle of Thermopylae._

In the _Battle of Schnauble_ , January 2088, one trained soldier was able to prevent a team of yahoos from getting past her because the locker room's back entrance had room for only one attacker to enter at a time. After the first three had fallen to the floor in agony, the remaining yahoos trying to enter the changing room found it difficult to climb over their friends' bodies. A strategic retreat was their best option.

Later, the Schnauble medical clinic had to treat three rugby players with broken noses that evening. Broken noses bleed. Broken noses hurt a lot. The pain from a broken nose can lead to unconsciousness especially if the combatant receives a hard slap on the temple as he is going down. Interestingly, those three rugby players insisted that they had received their injuries in an impromptu scrum where they were just horsing around. None of them could admit that a scrawny beanpole of a girl had knocked them unconscious.

The next morning, the front page of all of Toronto's media had a picture of the Schnauble crest covered in fruit pulp and lying on a gym floor. Headlines along the lines of – _Schnobs riot when they're defeated by non-white players –_ accompanied the picture.

That afternoon, Toronto's Association of School Athletics suspended all Schnauble sports teams from competing in Toronto school competitions pending a review.

The same afternoon, Toronto's School Coaches Association suspended the two senior girls coaches from Earl Schnauble and George Vanier pending a review.

That evening, Governor Eldreadth Lewis was put in charge of the search for a new headmaster for the Earl Schnauble Private Academy. The previous headmaster had abruptly resigned after facing the Board of Governors and their new chair, Eldreadth Lewis.

Back to the Table of Contents

# Chapter 28

Tuesday evening, Laerke was in the living room helping Sebastian deal with the warning from the Underground's dentist that some dental work would be needed. Frida was in the kitchen cutting up some meat for dinner. Sebastian was sitting on the couch next to Laerke. He had already agreed to use mouthwash and to brush his teeth from now on, but he would need to be convinced that he also had to sit in a dentist's chair with his mouth open while the dentist used what looked like a tunnel boring machine to build subway routes into his teeth. Laerke was about to embark on that convincing. I'll set the scene.

Laerke and Sebastian were sitting on the living room couch. Sebastian was next to the armrest; Laerke was in the middle. She scooted over so that the left side of her upper body and her left thigh were pressed up against Sebastian's body. She raised Sebastian's right arm and scootched underneath. He seemed content to let his right arm fall onto her shoulders; meanwhile, Laerke turned a little sideways and extended her right hand so that it was against his ribs. She raised her face; Sebastian's face was right there, looking down.

"Can you smell my breath?" she asked and breathed a little into his face.

"Yes. You smell like the toothpaste."

"If you can smell my breath, I can smell yours too. No girl will ever get into a clinch like this with you if you haven't used mouthwash and brushed your teeth before meeting her. Do you understand?"

"Yes."

"So this position with me curled up under your arm is the normal start for teenage baseball. I'm looking up at you, all you have to do is lower your head a little bit and put your lips on mine."

"What if the girl doesn't want me to do that?"

"She wouldn't be sitting this close to you if she didn't. Once she raises her face, you'll know that she's OK with a little kiss. If she has her heard burrowed into your chest and won't look up at you, that means she's not ready. Incidentally, if she burrows her head into your chest and suddenly walks out of the apartment, that's because you stink. Remember to shower with soap and give your armpits double duty. If being on a date makes you really nervous, use an antiperspirant. I bought some for you already and it's in your bathroom. Frida and I have our antiperspirant in your bathroom too. Don't use ours; you'll smell like a girl."

"OK."

"Time for the kiss. Lower your head and kiss me. You'll have to turn your head and I'll have to turn mine too otherwise we'll bump noses. Don't worry if that happens the first time."

...

"How was that?"

"You have soft lips," Sebastian replied.

"Be sure that you kiss softly; don't mash her lips against her teeth. If a girl wants a stronger kiss, she'll initiate it. Also, you'll probably want the kiss to last longer than a microsecond. Let the girl decide; she'll pull away when she want to."

...

"That was better. Congratulations, you have now reached first base. First base is kissing. You knew that, right?"

"Yeah."

"You'll probably want to spend a lot of time on first base. Don't be in a rush to go to second. Most girls don't like that. You may not get a second date if they believe that you're trying to hit a home run on the first date."

"OK."

"So, in real baseball, a runner might stand on the base and wait for his teammate to hit the ball. Then, he'll run to second. But, some runners step away from the bag and move down the base path a bit. That's a sign that he really wants to move to second base. The same thing can happen in teenage baseball. Kiss me again and I'll show you what _leading off_ means."

...

"Wowzah!"

"Do you understand now why the inside of your mouth must be clean and smell nice?"

"Yeah."

"Sebastian, when you have cavities in your teeth, they can give off an aroma that mouthwash or toothpaste can't mask. No girl will give you that kind of kiss if you don't take care of your teeth. How do you feel about seeing your dentist now?"

"I'll go."

"Thought you would," Frida chimed in from the kitchen.

"It's OK for the boy to give the girl that kind of kiss too. Try it."

"Hey, wait a minute Laerke. That wasn't part of the deal. He has agreed to go to the dentist. Your job is over. Laerke, I didn't agree to this!"

Laerke was busy at the time and couldn't respond to Frida's hurried attempt to intervene.

Laerke pulled away and looked up at Frida who had come into the living room with her carving knife, freshly stained with blood. She looked back at Sebastian whose face was a little tinged. Frida's face was similarly coloured but for a different reason. Laerke let a devilish smile flick across her face.

"That was a great kiss. You've now stepped away from first base and are well down the base path to second. You can let your girl friend know that you're ready for second base by putting your hand right here."

Laerke took Sebastian's hand and guided it to the top of her abdomen.

"Laerke!" Frida's tone was dark and ominous.

"Your girlfriend will feel your hand there. If she grabs it and puts it back in your lap, that means that the pitcher plans to pick you off with a quick throw to first base. You better get back there quickly and don't even think about trying to steal second. But, if she doesn't move your hand, then your hand is close enough ...

"Sebastian, I have a carving knife and I'm not afraid to use it," Frida interrupted. "If that hand moves up even a little bit, you're going to lose some fingers."

It was at that precise moment that somebody turned a key in the front door lock, rapped twice on the open door and stepped into the apartment. That person saw Sebastian on a couch with a girl cuddled into his body. They obviously had been kissing and Sebastian was about to slide into second. The man noticed another girl standing in front of the couch, perhaps waiting for her turn? The man couldn't hold back his pleasure.

"Sebastian! You're not gay!"

### # # # # # # # #

Sebastian looked up at the interruption and a broad grin crossed his face. He had no trouble freeing himself from Laerke's embrace to greet the man because somehow Laerke had levitated out of the couch and was now standing arm in arm with Frida who had dropped the knife on the floor behind her and had back-kicked it into the kitchen. "Uncle Enok," he exclaimed as he approached the man. He received a bear hug in return, along with a couple of jabs into his ribs.

"You sly dog. Your dad said you were gay. Who are your friends and don't try to tell me that these are guys."

"Uhm, Laerke is the blonde and Frida is brunette. Laerke was showing me..."

"I wasn't trying to seduce him," Laerke blurted out.

"We're lesbians," Frida added corroborating detail to the excuse.

"And the bloody knife pointed at Sebastian?" Uncle Enok asked. Apparently, his glance into the living room had been comprehensive.

"I was cooking supper and forgot I had it in my hand when I came into the living room," Frida lied like a trooper. "Would you like to stay for dinner?" she asked quickly to avoid any further discussion of the knife and what she had threatened to do with it.

"I'll help Frida," Laerke added. "You can have a visit with your nephew." Both women fled into the kitchen, where they had this exchange during the dinner preparations.

"Enok is Sebastian's uncle?" Laerke asked. "No way. He can't be more than 23."

"Same height as Sebastian if he stood up straight. Same face, same hair."

"Way more muscles," Laerke added.

"I noticed that too. Were you really going to let Sebastian go to second base?"

"Nah. I was just teasing you."

"You can have Sebastian, I'll take his uncle," Frida exacted some revenge.

### # # # # # # # #

The evening turned out to be quite pleasant, even productive. While Laerke and Frida were cooking in the kitchen, uncle and nephew were in a deep conversation in Sebastian's bedroom. Laerke would tiptoe down the hallway from time to time and listen for the sound of voices and what the mood was. Then, she'd return to the kitchen, shake her head, and Frida would lower the heat some more under the food. Only after she saw Enok standing up and holding his nephew in a death grip while Sebastian leaked a saline solution onto his shirt, did Laerke return to the kitchen and whisper, "Something was way wrong; they fixed it."

It was during supper that the uncle - nephew relationship was explained. Enok and Sebastian's father –Jonas – were indeed brothers. Jonas came along quite early in his parents' marriage. Enok was a surprise that arrived at about the same as Jonas was courting and marrying his wife. Four years after that, Jonas and his wife had Sebastian. They were almost the same age, but Enok was genetically Sebastian's uncle.

Sebastian and Enok went through childhood in Copenhagen mostly together – Enok more of an older brother than an uncle. Enok took a job at twenty-one that took him out of Copenhagen. Sebastian quickly became distinctly lonely and shy. He had no relationship whatsoever with his father; neither did his mother who had disappeared to live with her cousin in Norway. Hanging around with boys who wouldn't beat on him produced the consequences my readers already know about. Jonas discarded Sebastian until he came to his senses. Sebastian enjoyed living on his own more than living with his father; he just didn't know how to do that very well.

Enok had been taking courses that took him out of Denmark for a year. During this time, he was not allowed to communicate with anybody. At the end of his first year in his job, he returned to Copenhagen and his brother's home. At that point, he learned about Sebastian's affliction and where he had been consigned, much like unwanted crates of recycled glass would be consigned. Enok had a few choice words for his brother and quickly left for his parent's old apartment.

### # # # # # # # #

After supper, the conversation shifted to Laerke and her treatment at the hands of Valkendorff and STD. Enok had already heard of Valkendorff, but not STD whose nickname he thoroughly applauded. He also heard about the nine women who didn't want to be involved. When Frida asked if he would like to look over the files that they had rescued from their filing cabinet jails, he held his hand out and took them, but not with a great degree of enthusiasm. "I don't know anything about legal stuff," he said. "But I'll look at them."

"What is your line of work," Frida asked. She had been waiting hours to slip that question in without it being too prying. She and Laerke had spent much of the pre-dinner time speculating on his career. Their top five choices were: (1) professional wrestler; (2) underwear fashion model; (3) star ship captain; (4) Tarzan look-a-like for movie remakes; and (5) mobile eye-testing device for heterosexual women who believed they were losing their desire for sex. This last one may have entered Frivolous World.

"International copter repairs," Enok replied. "Every country has copters of different makes. If Sebastian, for example, were to fly into Russia and have a problem with his copter, the Russians wouldn't know how to fix it, nor would they have the parts. My firm can get that job done. I had to spend a lot of time learning how to fix foreign copters and develop a small vocabulary in some foreign languages."

Frida who had taken one term of French and had regretted it immensely asked, "Vraiment?"

"Yes truly," Enok answered. "Did you hear about Valkendorff's accident in The Hive?"

"No," Frida replied. "What accident?"

"I read about it when I landed. He caught two fingers in a door and broke them."

"That's not what I heard," Sebastian disputed.

"Denmark Today said they were scrunched in a door," Enok repeated.

Frida stepped into the debate. "Valkendorff owns Denmark Today. That's where I used to work and STD fired me the day after Laerke stood up for herself. You can't trust what they say, especially about Valkendorff. They'd never say anything negative or embarrassing about him."

"What did you hear, Sebastian?" Laerke this time.

"The staff in the copy room at my law firm were rambling on about this. They said that some woman broke two of his fingers deliberately. She escaped before the club's security could catch her."

"Why would a woman deliberately break Valkendorff's two fingers?" Enok asked and then answered for himself. "I guess he said something. I don't wish to sound sexist, but wouldn't the more common reaction be to slap him in the face?"

"Or drive a knee into the groin and from there up to his throat," Frida added.

Sebastian had more to relate. "The copy staff said that Valkendorff already had two fingers on his other hand in a cast. He broke them in a soccer accident around Christmas."

Laerke leaned over to whisper in Frida's ear. "Do you remember what you said when you were holding that knife and you thought that Sebastian was heading for second base?"

Frida whispered back. "If that hand moves up even a little bit, you're going to lose some fingers."

"A man may be very strong, but his fingers are vulnerable if a woman can reach them." Laerke said. Then she spoke to the full group. "Both of those finger breaking accidents were not accidents."

Frida explained. "Valkendorff had his hands where they didn't belong. A woman who stood up for herself might chose to grab his fingers and break them. His hands would be right there."

"Did any of your nine women have that kind of experience?" Enok asked.

"No. None of us did," Laerke replied. "He told us to undress or else. We were already in his bedroom."

"If you could find some footage of these so called accidents, would that help you start a court case? Clubs have security cameras."

"We have no hope of starting a court case, Enok. We can't afford it no matter how good the information is."

"Frida's right. Still, it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy knowing that Valkendorff has two hands in a cast."

"Those two women must have been very angry with him. You know, running the risk of attacking him in public with club security all around."

Enok's observation sparked a thought or two.

From Laerke: "Our ten women didn't do this. But two different women attacked him in some form of revenge. This means that we aren't the only women he has attacked. Their attacks happened in clubs."

From Frida: "If we could find the two women who fought back, they might know of other women who have been assaulted in clubs. We should try and find these two women."

"What can I do to help?" Enok asked.

Back to the Table of Contents

# Chapter 29

By Wednesday morning, the Copenhagen police force had received numerous formal reports of missing women from their boyfriends, husbands, other family members, or friends. Noah Pedersen was the twelfth such person to submit a report. The numbers surged on that Wednesday. By late afternoon, fifty women had been reported missing.

All of the reports were identical in several ways. A V-Cab pilot had brought a sealed envelope with instructions for a woman to leave her house immediately for a business meeting on Saturday morning. She had packed a bag and left saying very little to explain her sudden departure. She had never returned nor had she called to explain her continued absence.

By early afternoon on Wednesday, a significant police presence had descended on the headquarters of Valkendorff Sky Transportation asking for their cooperation in locating some missing women who had been picked up by V-Cabs Saturday morning. Sky Transportation officials were happy to open up their data files to controlled viewing by investigators. Company officials entered the names and addresses of the missing women and detective looked at what popped up on the screens.

Yes, every missing woman had been picked up by a V-Cab. All of the woman had been dropped off at Conrad Valkendorff's seaside mansion perched on a cliff side in Liseleje. All of the V-Cabbies were made available to detectives and all told the same story.

They had received electronic instructions to pick up an envelope from the V-Cab's main office, transport that envelope to a woman at her home address, wait for her, and then transport her to Valkendorff's mansion in Liseleje. They had dropped off their passenger in an open field near the house. Other cabs were doing the same thing. The woman had left the cab and walked towards the house and some pilots actually saw them entering the mansion. After dropping their passenger, the pilots had returned to Copenhagen and had continued with their daily routine.

Ten detectives and thirty constables descended on Liseleje and began asking questions. Yes, villagers had seen the V-Cabs circling overhead. Neighbours with a view of Valkendorff's mansion had seen women walking into the house. They had not seen anybody leave. Valkendorff Sky Transportation officials volunteered to search electronically for any V-Cab that had picked up a woman in the Liseleje area since Saturday morning. No pick up had been made. The women must still be in the mansion.

Police entered the grounds of Valkendorff's mansion and knocked on all doors. No response. They peered in all the windows. They saw nothing suspicious. "The house has been shut down for the winter," neighbours said.

With so many Sky Transportation personnel assisting the police, and so many women missing, it was only a matter of time before the news hit the media.

### # # # # # # # #

Thursday morning, one of the smaller media outlets in Copenhagen led with this headline: _FIFTY WOMEN KIDNAPPED? Last seen in Valkendorff's mansion in Liseleje._

The story got traction as police confirmed the numbers and the last known location. Family members came forward and were anxious to generate attention to the case. Pictures of the missing women were provided and made their way into every possible media outlet. Questions like _HAVE YOU SEEN THESE WOMEN_ yelled out to pedestrians in the street. Even _Denmark Today_ had to put a story on its front page, albeit in a small corner. Their headline read: _Women on holiday forget to notify relatives of their plans._

At noon on Thursday, the Chief of Police met with Valkendorff in his office in Valkendorff Vista. He was surprised to see the man wearing two casts on his hands. He wasn't surprised by the response he heard when he asked if Valkendorff would mind very much if the police looked inside his mansion.

"Yes, I mind. The house has been shut since Christmas. My staff have looked in the house and the women are not there."

By late Thursday afternoon, the government was involved. The Minister of Justice informed Copenhagen's Chief of Police that a search of the Liseleje mansion was mandatory. He even told him which judge to use to obtain the warrant. He also told him how long he'd have his job if he didn't take decisive action to calm the public.

By early Thursday evening, Valkendorff had received several private messages warning him that a search warrant would be served on him Friday morning. It would cover the entirety of the house as well as the grounds. Forensic specialists and dog sniffers would be part of the team. All of the messages ended with an apology for not being able to stop the warrant _._

Later that Thursday evening, a drone in a certain corner office recorded the following conversation. I'll let you guess who is involved.

"I don't know what they're talking about. The house was closed."

"I checked with your house staff. They confirm the house was closed. I had the staff look in the house. The fifty women are not there."

"Who would know of the existence of these fifty women? How'd they find out about these fifty?"

"I don't know, but I do know that the police will eventually find visual records of most of them in your mansion."

"I have lots of parties; lots of people come. I can't be expected to know every woman who might have been in the house."

"You'll find it difficult to explain the surveillance camera over the bed in your sauna anteroom."

"They'll find the pictures?"

"No. Those images have already been forwarded to our secure site. But they'll find the camera and its transmission capabilities. A camera over a bed will create talk."

"Who can we put pressure on to stop the search?"

"Nobody can prevent that search and a good technical team will find that camera. You can threaten the women, but you can't threaten an entire police force."

"Solution?"

"We have to destroy all of the security cameras in that house and the only way to do that is to burn the whole house down. That will remove any evidence that those women were in the anteroom, let along the mansion. Fire will not be kind to the valuables inside that house."

"Do it. Everything is insured."

### # # # # # # # #

The reported kidnapping of fifty women and their abduction to Valkendorff's Liseleje mansion created a lot of uncertainty in Frida's mind. Was it possible that Valkendorff had assaulted these women in the same way as he had assaulted the nine women they had talked to? By forcing them to have sex in the anteroom and then threatening them with the pictures?

But if so, why would he kidnap them? The answer was: he wouldn't. He could coerce them into doing anything he wanted because of the pictures. If Valkendorff didn't arrange the kidnappings, then who did? The answer, at least in Frida's mind, pointed to the finger breakers. Were they taking the victims away where they couldn't be harmed? If so, that wouldn't work so long as those blackmail images existed.

The scope of the mass kidnapping meant that the two finger breakers had to be members of some large group that was daring. The sheer audacity of kidnapping fifty women using Valkendorff's own V-Cabs meant that that larger group was also creative. Sneaky perhaps. Exactly the kind of group that Frida would like to meet.

Back to the Table of Contents

# Chapter 30

Saturday, January 31. Valkendorff was in The Cope watching young women dance. He couldn't help himself. He had been clubbing every Friday and Saturday night for well over a year. He enjoyed the hunt. Sure he wasn't able to use his hands, but that didn't mean that he couldn't meet some women, decide if they were hot enough for his tastes, and if so, have his head of security find out where they were living and with whom. Girls with boy friends or husbands were high on his list. They had more to lose.

Tonight he had a second V-Cabbie with him – one who would ensure that nobody got within touching distance of his hands. Not that he suspected that there had been a concerted effort to harm his body; the second attack was a troubling coincidence only. Valkendorff believed, as he always had, that he was irresistible to women. His charm, his looks, his wealth, his influence ... What woman could resist?

The second V-Cab pilot was also present to assist the first as they helped VD leave and enter buildings. At 11:45, Valkendorff left The Cope. Both V-Cabbies were holding the two doors of the main entrance open for him. A crowd of young men and women were milling around outside the club. Some were in their party finery; others were dressed for the cold. Toft-Damgaard was behind his boss, supervising the departure. As Valkendorff entered the crush of young men and women, Toft-Damgaard lost sight of his boss. The V-Cab pilots were intent on what lay in front of him. Nobody was paying attention to his unguarded flank. A woman dressed for the weather matched step with him and then swung something heavy that struck his ankle. VD went down in a heap, screaming in pain.

The emergency room doctor told Valkendorff that his ankle had multiple fractures and would have to be encased in a cast. Moreover, when he collapsed to the ground in front of The Cope, he had automatically put his hands out to try to cushion the fall. That had been a mistake. The two fingers on his left had been fractured again. That meant that he would be unable to use crutches to move around. Did Valkendorff desire a plaster ankle cast that would require him to be transported in a wheel chair, or would he like a walking cast? Valkendorff chose the walking cast.

### # # # # # # # #

On Sunday, Toft-Damgaard found the ankle attacker in The Cope's outside security cameras. She had entered the crowd milling in front of the club scant seconds before VD had left through the doors. She had come from an unlit alley that had no cameras. She left the same way. Searches of the security cameras in the street behind the club were fruitless. Toft-Damgaard was able, however, to confirm her hair colour and relative size. She was blonde and a little shorter than average.

He was left with three unanswered questions.

First question: Who were the two women who had injured VD recently? After more than a year of trolling through Copenhagen's pubs and clubs, Toft-Damgaard had seen the best that Copenhagen had to offer. He hadn't seen these two women before. Granted there wasn't much to see of them, but the presence of two young women who both held a big enough grudge against Valkendorff to prompt them to attack him physically was troubling. In addition to these two, he hadn't forgotten the young tourist from before Christmas.

Second question: How did the blonde know that Valkendorff was leaving the club? The timing had been perfect. Too perfect.

Third question: How did both of those women disappear simply by entering a dark alley?

### # # # # # # # #

On Monday, Valkendorff was back in his office at the Vista and it was there that Toft-Damgaard gave him the news about the blonde who had attacked his ankles. He also shared his suspicions about this series of accidents. VD took the news remarkably calmly, probably because Toft-Damgaard had given him two painkiller pills thirty minutes before he opened the topic.

"What's happening in Liseleje?" Valkendorff asked.

"Still lots of police sifting through the wreckage."

"Were the surveillance cameras destroyed?"

"Completely."

"How did you get there?"

"I used my personal V-Cab copter but without the insignia."

"Can they trace your copter back to V-Cab?"

"Unlikely. The police will need probable cause to obtain a warrant to search the computer files. I've told Sky Transportation officials how to respond to any such requests. _On instructions from our lawyers, we will no longer assist the police in their inquiries due to the vicious attacks that we are experiencing from the media. We tried to help and in return, we have been attacked._ "

"File an insurance claim for the loss of all of the contents in the mansion. Has an official cause of the fire been determined yet?"

"I predict that the Liseleje Fire Department will attribute it to a lightning strike."

### # # # # # # # #

On Tuesday, the Liseleje Fire Department released a statement that the recent destruction of Conrad Valkendorff's residence had been caused by a lightning strike and their investigation had been closed. However, a team from Hamburg's Pan-European Insurance Company had opened their own investigation. By Tuesday evening, they had returned to Hamburg and submitted their report to their fraud department.

Their key points were:

• Evidence of an accelerant had been found in the basement, which is where the fire started.

• They found no evidence that any of the valuables on Valkendorff's inventory list had been destroyed in the fire. Flaming artwork leaves subtle signs behind. Ceramic statues, jewelry, pottery and other less flammable valuables leave definite traces. They found absolutely nothing signifying that a valuable possession had been burned.

• Copenhagen police had looked extensively at the exterior of the building as part of their search for the missing women. They had found no signs of forced entry. If fire had not consumed those valuables, and if intruders had not stolen those valuables, somebody with a key had moved the valuables out of the building just before the fire.

• A witness claimed he saw a copter land near the house late Thursday night minutes before the fire started. He said it looked very much like a V-Cab. Copenhagen police were investigating.

### # # # # # # # #

On this same Tuesday, a young man was sitting down with another young man who had wall to wall and floor to ceiling computer screens on one side of his office. The geeky nature of the office was emphasized by the full size, padded recliner that the inhabitant of this office was currently enjoying. The armrests on the recliner were customized to hold two keyboards. In addition, he had pinky-ring computers on all ten of his digits. A mini-refrigerator was within reaching distance of the recliner. If you were thinking that this man probably lived in the office, you'd be mostly right. The visitor was sitting next to the man. He got to sit in the standard visitor chair that populated government offices the world over.

"Your boss told my boss that I should give you full access. People here call me CyberMonkey. What do I call you? Tell me what you want."

"I don't have a code name when I work in Denmark. Call me Enok. I want to see footage from all of your cameras that have a view of the outside of The Cope's main entrance for Saturday, January 31 starting at 11:30 pm. A young woman attacked a man and broke his ankle. I need to see her face."

Eight screens became alive and footage scrolled slowly across all of them. Somehow, CyberMonkey was able to watch all of them simultaneously.

"This is all I have," he said after about ten minutes. "I'll transfer the best to the big screen."

"Can you do anything about the face?"

"I can't pull her hoodie back if that's what you want."

"Any visual on what weapon she used?"

"None."

"Do we have anything on where she came from?"

"Just as you saw. She was hidden in a crowd, came out of that crowd for about five seconds and disappeared down an alley. We have no coverage on that alley."

"She knew where the holes were in the coverage?"

"Probably. They're not hard to find. Everybody knows what our cameras look like."

"Can you find me some evidence of her looking for those holes?"

Thirty minutes later. "I've gone back a month and saw no sign of her. Somebody else could have scouted the area for her."

_[Narrator: Or, she could have been invisible when she scouted the location.]_

### # # # # # # # #

Enok's next request was for the surveillance footage inside The Hive on Saturday, January 24. Specifically, the place where the famous Conrad Valkendorff had been sitting. This required CyberMonkey to draw on The Hive's own cameras. This switch into a private surveillance system didn't seem to delay his access. They saw somebody who was almost fully covered with a hint of red hair bend two fingers back past their breaking point.

"Different girl." CyberMonkey announced.

"Can you find her coming in and going out?"

Yes, CyberMonkey could, but it didn't do any good. The attacker's disappearance down the alley produced a conclusion though. "She knows the blonde. They left in the same manner. Want me to search for somebody scouting the area?"

"No. These people know what they're doing. Give me the cameras inside Dark Lights, Hot Sights on Saturday, December 21. Let's start at 7:00. I'm looking for a blonde wearing a dark green dress."

_[Narrator: My readers may be wondering how Enok knew specific details of Lohla's finger breaking attack when neither Frida nor Laerke knew about it yet. Enok received his information from the hospital administrator who obtained his information from the nurses on duty who had overheard Valkendorff and Taft-Damgaard talking.]_

"I've found her coming in with a male companion."

"She's going to attack Valkendorff. I want a good look at that. Give me some photos showing her full face. I need full length shots as well."

...

"A big man is bringing her to Valkendorff. I'm moving to slow-mo, now. Can't see him. Another big man is blocking the camera."

...

"One of the big men is hustling Valkendorff to the exit – camera clearly shows two broken fingers. She's following him out. She looks scared. Now she's coming back in and heading for ... the women's washroom. That's her companion meeting her."

"Freeze on him."

"What colour skin does he have?"

"It's brown skin. His black hair is braided and hangs to his shoulders."

"Where's he from?"

"I've never seen anybody like that. Not Asian. Not East Indian. Give me pictures and then roll slowly forward."

"She's telling him something. Probably about the finger breaking. She wouldn't have done that without reason. My gawd, look at his face."

"He's angry. Everything about him has changed. This is a dangerous man. Give me more pictures."

"I wouldn't want to be Valkendorff right now. He did something to her, didn't he."

"None of your business, CyberMonkey. Do you see that?"

"What?"

"The way he's walking."

"He's military."

"He's back with coats. Leaving now through back exit. Get me exterior cameras and follow them."

"Too dark. They've disappeared. No way of knowing where they've gone."

"Here's what I think. The two women who broke Valkendorff's fingers recently were copycat attacks. Those two women are associated with this guy somehow. He's running a military style operation on Valkendorff. Do you have enough to run facial recognition software on the guy?"

"Oh yeah."

"I want to know when he arrived in Copenhagen, everywhere he went, what he did, where he stayed, and when he left, if he left."

"That'll take me at least a day. Do you want me to call you when I'm ready?"

"No. I'll call you."

Later that evening, the Fiercesome Four reported what they had accomplished that day. Only Sebastian said that he had anything significant to relate. The cost of a court trial would be astronomical. Laerke, Frida, and Enok had all struck out.

Back to the Table of Contents

# Chapter 31

Let's take a break from Copenhagen and return to Toronto and specifically to the Grantham Lockhurst mansion. You'll remember Mr. Lockhurst. He was the rich man that Astrid Bergen had snookered into bringing her adopted daughters into his house and paying for all of their expenses, including educational costs at Schnauble. She had caught him naked on top of one of her pretend daughters who was also coincidentally naked. You'll remember him now, I'm sure.

This conversation took place in one of the bedrooms occupied by Astrid's daughters. Amber's bedroom in this case. She was one of the twelve year olds. Chloe, the oldest girl at thirteen, had said something so outrageous to her that Amber felt she had to call an emergency meeting this Friday night. They had these _sleepovers_ from time to time, but they had never had a sleepover before where their futures were at stake.

"You all need to hear what Chloe is planning to talk to Mom about," Amber started.

"I don't see why Amber's making such a big deal out of this," Chloe said defensively. "I'm just saying that we should do what we're supposed to be doing here in Toronto."

"You can't do this, Chloe," Amber repeated.

"What can't she do?" Lizzie asked.

Amber started to explain. "You know how Mom always wants us to be on the look for aboriginals that we can kill, but we can't find any at Schnauble. A few were here last year, but they've gone now."

"The school is better off without them, I say." This was from Vivienne.

Amber continued. "You know how there was a basketball game last week, and a couple of in'jun girls from last year played? And they were booed and everything. Well, I know somebody who could help us find where the in'juns live. I was going to tell Mom and she could decide if we should snipe them or something."

"Tell them who that somebody is, Chloe." Of all the girls, Amber was the only one who could stand up to Chloe.

"You know that big rugby player who's kind of dumb? He was living with the in'juns last year. He probably knows where they are now. They could be living in the same place."

"Do you mean Basher?" Jazmin asked?

"Yeah, Basher."

"He's a walking vegetable," Lizzie said.

"Tell them how you would get Basher to tell you where the in'juns are, Chloe." Amber again.

"I'd be friendly with him. That would get him to talk."

"Eewwww," all of the girls reacted.

"I feel like barfing," Vivienne said.

"I didn't mean that I'd be _special_ friendly with him..."

"I mean it. I'm going to barf right here, right now."

"I'd just be normal friendly with him."

"Barf is coming up. You watch."

Chloe began to explain. "Nobody in school is talking to Basher right now because of how he ripped off that shield and stopped people from hitting the in'juns with ripe tomatoes. I bet he'd do anything to have an _unspecial_ friend right now." Chloe was making it abundantly clear that she wasn't planning to have sex with him. Even young assassins who had been instructed in seduction techniques designed to get men talking had standards below which one must never stoop.

"But he's a traitor," Jazmin said. "That's what everybody is saying. He's an in'jun lover."

"Everybody in my part of the school knows that," Lizzie informed the older girls.

"Nobody is supposed to talk to him," Amber warned them all. "Everybody in school is ignoring him. We can't break that rule."

It was at that point that Vivienne dropped what for young teenage girls was the F-bomb. When that F-bomb's detonated, her sisters understood immediately what Cloe's plan would do to their lives and what the costs to them personally would be.

"We'd have to leave Schnauble. I'm almost a friend with Tony. Losing him would break my heart."

"We're not supposed to do anything that would embarrass Mr. Lockhurst. He'd be able to kick us out of his house. I don't want to go back to living in a single bedroom with you guys. I have a refrigerator in my bedroom. I hired an interior decorator to do my paint colours. I just got it looking good."

"If we were living in some dive, where would I put all my clothes? They wrinkle easily. I need lots of room to spread the hangers out."

It was left to Amber to repeat the most important thing that Chloe had to consider before she decided if she would go to Mom and suggest the idea. She dropped the F-bomb again. "What would our FRIENDS say if they saw one of us with Basher?"

### # # # # # # # #

While we're in Toronto, let's check in with the core of the George Vanier Vikings – Lohla, Bean, Nary, and Dreamer. Wizard was standing in as their coach, their real coach was still facing a hearing because of his actions at the Schnauble game.

The senior girls had played two games so far this season. The first was against the weakest team in the city and they won that without too much trouble. However, it was disconcerting to see how easily that worst team in the city was able to get back in the game when the second string was on the floor. The second game was an exhibition against a team of former university players – all of them now out of shape. Lohla had set this up with help from Lylah who knew all of the players. The Vikings got hammered – even when they had their starting five on the floor.

### # # # # # # # #

The mood in Lohla's apartment was decidedly glum after that exhibition game. Yeah, the pizza was good, but nobody really tasted it. They chewed mechanically. Nobody was interested in any group games. Their thoughts kept coming back to the exhibition game where they were beaten by a bunch of overweight, out-of-shape basketball moms who hadn't played in years.

The scene inside the apartment was slightly different from what you last saw. Wizard and Dreamer were still sitting beside each other. Likewise Theo and Nary. But not in armchairs. Sitting together in armchairs meant cuddling; this was not a cuddling evening. Lucas and Lohla were also side-by-side. As were Bean and Thunk. That friendship had progressed to the point where bare arms might touch bare arms without one of the arm owners receiving a karate chop across his neck. Good night bob-like kisses continued. But no real kisses yet. Cody was no longer coming to these evenings. He had had an interest in the beanpole as well but Thunk had acted first.

"We need to learn the moves that those moms had," Lohla observed.

"Yuh," somebody replied.

"The subs are going to kill us if they can't play tighter defense," Lohla continued. "If they can't score, at least they can stop other teams from scoring."

"Yuh," another answered.

"Nary, we need more offense from you." Again Lohla.

"I know, but I'm still fighting the ball."

"Bean, you have to be a threat from high post. They were fronting you all game at the low post and I couldn't get the ball to you. You have to come up to high post where I can pass to you."

"I know, but when I posted, they sagged on me. I couldn't drive and they just let me shoot. I have a terrible outside shot." Everybody nodded on that.

"We all have improvements we should work on," Dreamer stepped into the conversation. "Even you, Lohla."

"I know. I'm not consistent on my 3s. Means that my check can sag off me and then I can't drive."

"Myself, I never got a single offensive rebound. They had me double boxed out all game long. What are we going to do?" Dreamer asked.

...

Other than hoping that their coach would be reinstated soon, three of the four girls had no usable ideas. The guys wisely kept their thoughts to themselves.

"We can't just hope that Coach will be reinstated. We need to work on skills now, otherwise we won't have any time to do that when he does return." Lohla again. "I know this is an uncomfortable discussion to have, but we have to think about our coaching."

"Yuh."

"Wizard, can you give us any skill work?"

"I've never seen some of those moves before, Lohla. Even if I had, I couldn't teach them. That's not my strength."

"Your strength is strategy. Team skills. Like that opening tip play you showed us," Lohla reassured. She didn't want Wizard to think that he wasn't appreciated or needed. But Wizard could not be the answer they needed. "Lucas is the key to any improvements we can make before play-offs," Lohla declared.

"Who? Me? I can't coach."

"I know you can't," Lohla said. "Somebody else could."

"Who?"

"Lylah could coach us, but I don't want to ask her if you ..."

"Ask her. You guys need a coach."

Back to the Table of Contents

# Chapter 32

As he had thought, CyberMonkey needed one day to pull data together on the brown scary dude with the braid. He was in his office Wednesday morning, summarizing his findings for Enok.

"They first appeared in Copenhagen on December 15 strolling around the streets in downtown Copenhagen. I've put together a collage of images. I'll pull these up onto the big screen. Here we go."

"For six days they acted like typical tourists, wandering around the various sights in Copenhagen during the day, enjoying themselves, and very definitely enjoying each other's company. They were playing some unknown game during this time – something like hide'n'seek. Hard to know what the rules were, but they were enjoying it. In the evenings, they went to clubs – a different club each night. They danced a lot. They didn't drink much. This was a boyfriend-girlfriend trip. I saw no signs of a military background in either of them."

"This all changed on December 15 in the Dark Lights Club as you have seen. After they made it into the darkness outside the club, they disappeared completely. My facial recognition software did not pick up any hits, and if he were in Copenhagen, my software would have found him. I searched similarly for the girl. No hits. They had to have left Copenhagen that night. I found no camera that hinted at how they left the country."

"Where'd they stay while they were here?"

"That, I can tell you. This is the exterior of the apartment complex where they stayed from December 15 to December 21. You'll have the address of the building and the name of the manager in the file I'm going to give you. The building has a number of owners who lease out their apartment for visitors. The exterior cameras gave no hint as to what apartment they were renting. They entered and left the building as a couple. I saw no signs of anybody else being with them. I have no eyes inside this building."

"I can check the building. While I do that, can you do a search for anybody who has brown skin the same tint as this military dude?"

"I can have that ready for you tomorrow."

### # # # # # # # #

Late that Wednesday evening, Mac and Melissa were hovering invisibly over a figure who had used a personnel swipe card to enter the Valkendorff Sky Transportation building and, from there, to gain access to their computer room.

"He's discovered that VD ordered and paid for the cab rides for all fifty of the women," Melissa concluded. They weren't close enough to read the computer screen, but with Toft-Damgaard pounding the computer table with his fists, it was a fair conclusion to make.

"Do you think he'll tell VD that his computer files have been hacked?"

"I guess that depends on whether Silas Toft-Damgaard has a death wish or not," Melissa replied. "He's supposed to be VD's chief security man."

"You know how we've all been calling Valkendorff VD?"

"Yeah, the gift that keeps on giving."

"You wanna take a close look at Toft-Damgaard's full name?"

...

"S–T–D," Melissa found what Mac had just seen.

"A perfect companion for VD, wouldn't you say?"

### # # # # # # # #

"I went back six months," CyberMonkey said that Thursday morning. "I found this young brown-skinned girl watching and trailing Valkendorff on and off for the full month of September. I'll put her picture on the screen."

"Can't be more than ten years old, if that. She's a child. Are you sure?"

"Absolutely. I'd see her staring at him from a distance. He'd move and then she'd be gone into a crowd or something. She'd show up later, staring at him. She always wears her hair in pigtails. I'm not sure if she's related to the big dude or not. She has an oval face, he has a square face. Same race though."

"Where'd she stay?"

"Couldn't find that."

"Is that unusual?"

"Yes. It's very unusual seeing as how I had found every single scene where her face was spotted inside Copenhagen. I found a brother too, at least I'm pretty sure he's a brother. You don't see him much, but when you do, he's looking at her, not at Valkendorff."

"Young teenager. I'd agree he's her brother due to the facial similarities. No signs of military posture in any other scene you've captured, right?"

"No. I've watched these two young people for hours. They are normal children who are watching a very rich person for some unknown reason."

"Scouting him out? Planning to pick pocket him in some way?"

"Could be. I have no idea why they were fixated on Valkendorff, but they were. They disappeared at the end of September and haven't been back since. This can't be coincidence. Only three people with brown skin like theirs have been in Copenhagen since September. All three of those people were seen near Valkendorff. And now, two white skinned women are assaulting Valkendorff. These people are linked. What are you going to do?"

"Protect the country like I'm supposed to."

### # # # # # # # #

_GET IN THE SKY IF YOU'RE NOT THERE ALREADY! STAY INVISIBLE!_

TG's warning reverberated through the minds of all of the Wilizy sleeping in the Wilizy/Europe early Friday morning. He continued in a calmer voice.

_Copenhagen police have just kicked in my bedroom door. I was at my computer when they entered and managed to laser my computer and fry everything inside. I have parked my sling. They're handcuffing me now. No mention of any charges. Three police – all big. Also, a man in civilian clothes who has been watching everything. He'll be the man in charge._

_..._

_Taking me by copter; not sure where yet. Somebody has to retrieve my sling from the room but do that invisibly. No charges yet. I don't know what charges they could lay. I was inside the computers at Valkendorff Sky Transportation looking through their data when they burst in. Nobody could have caught me there. All my data on the V-Cabs are fried with my computer. This silence is to soften me up. Why?_

...

_I'm in a basement cellblock in the main police station in Copenhagen. Still no charges. No other prisoners are near me. Isolation block, I'm guessing. They're detaining me illegally so there'll be no witnesses?_

_TG, is your life in danger?_

_I don't believe so, Mac. Don't attempt a rescue. You'll never get to me by stealth. This cell and the surrounding area will be under surveillance. There'll be an interrogation. Probably as soon as I'm asleep._

_I'll stand by, TG._

_Thanks, Mac. The rest of you go to sleep. My presence here in Copenhagen is blown, but they don't know anything about us. How could they?_

### # # # # # # # #

_What time is it, Mac?_

_4:32 Friday morning. Are you OK?_

_Yah. I have no way to tell the time. The civilian that watched my arrest has entered my cell and shook me awake. Nobody else is around. I have a feeling that the cameras in this cellblock have been turned off. I have to concentrate now. I'll be off line. This is only an interrogation, Mac._

### # # # # # # # #

_What time is it, Mac?_

_Approaching 6 a.m. Are you OK?_

_Yah. I'm alone. This guy, whatever he is, had pictures of Lucas and Lohla wandering around Copenhagen, Lucas and Lohla at clubs, and Lucas and Lohla getting out of the club after she had broken Valkendorff's fingers. They must have very good surveillance in Copenhagen. Somebody found them enjoying Christmas and found where they were staying. I was picked up because I lived in the same rooms. I've claimed that I never knew the two of them and that I never interacted with them. I've also asked why I'm here and why I haven't been charged. The civilian told me that he has forty-eight hours to charge me. That confirms that he's some big shot but he looks very young for that position._

_I told him I'm innocent of everything. He asked why I destroyed my computer if I was innocent. I said that I was gambling on the Internet and thought that they were tax guys going after my money. He doesn't believe it, but too bad. It's a good enough excuse._

_He also has pictures of Winnie and Reese from when they were in Copenhagen. I told him that I had never seen them before in my life. They won't be able to prove me wrong on that._

_I've been listening in TG._

_Yah, I saw that Melissa. I see Winnie too._

_Does your capture affect Winnie's plans?_

_Not if I'm released in forty-eight hours. Otherwise, yes. Nobody else in the Wilizy can hack computers and Winnie needs me to do that._

_What's our risk?_

_Overreacting for sure, Mac. He'll try and soften me up. I'll try and find out why he brought me in. It has to do with Valkendorff, but why me?_

_If he's using national defense surveillance, then he knows that two white girls attacked Valkendorff's fingers recently. He found Lucas and Lohla because of those finger attacks. Once he found Lucas, he started looking for brown skin, which gave him Reese and Winnie. He's at a dead end now. He can't find us because we're in an invisible ship. Winnie, do any of our plans require somebody with brown skin to be visible?_

_No. Marie will be out in the town, but she can't be linked to us. TG, we could be messed up big time if you're not released._

_Denmark is a democracy, Winnie. They have to follow the laws._

### # # # # # # # #

Friday morning at 9:00 a.m., the Danish Justice department presented a warrant to senior V-Cab officials that ordered them to give investigators access to Sky Transportation's data records, specifically to determine who had paid for the V-Cabs that had transported the fifty women to Liseleje. They also demanded access to counter staff who were working when the envelopes addressed to each of the women were brought to the order desk.

Valkendorff Sky Transportation officials responded almost immediately to the warrant. It was almost as though they knew that it was coming. "On instructions from our lawyers, we will no longer assist the police in their inquiries due to the vicious attacks that we are experiencing from the media. We tried to help and in return, we have been attacked."

They went on to add. "The justice department is on a fishing expedition in a desperate attempt to deflect public exasperation with their slow and incompetent investigation into the fifty missing women. The records of our cabs, our pilots, and their passengers are private. No government agency should have the right to force their way into those records. Such intrusion violates the basic sanctity of what families do during their business and personal lives. The government has no right to that information. Denmark is a democracy, not a dictatorship."

### # # # # # # # #

The justice department's investigators arrived on the doorstep of Sky Transportation offices with a signed search warrant at 4 p.m. They were accompanied by local police officers to ensure that the warrant would be respected. The investigators entered the building expecting to stay the night.

At 4:05, all the power to the building holding the offices of Sky Transportation was lost. The entire building fell into darkness. Even emergency lighting failed. Employees had to leave the building with the help of pinky ring lights. The investigators left in frustration and empty-handed.

At 4:59, Sky Transportation officials delivered a _stay_ in the search order to the Justice Department. A Copenhagen Court justice had ruled that any search through V-Cab data would violate Danish citizens' right to privacy and, as such, was illegal. The Justice Department could appeal the ruling to the Danish Supreme court. The current wait time for a case to be heard was twenty-six months from now.

### # # # # # # # #

Friday in Copenhagen, at about 10 p.m., a young woman in a hoodie hiding her face entered a police office two blocks away from the Tivoli Gardens. She stood in line patiently, and when it was her turn to speak to the desk sergeant, she leaned forward and beckoned him to do the same. "I was one of the fifty women who were kidnapped, but I escaped," she whispered. "My name is Maja Pedersen and I need protection."

Back to the Table of Contents

# Chapter 33

Danish police reception areas tend to be busy and crowded, especially on a Friday night. Private conversations don't stay private long, as proven by the following Saturday morning headline. KIDNAPPED WOMAN ESCAPES. ASKS FOR PROTECTION. The article went on to describe everything that an anonymous citizen had observed about the woman. Since there wasn't much to observe, the reporter had to stop describing and begin posing questions for the public to consider. _Were these the clothes that she had worn during her imprisonment? No obvious marks were on her face; had she been beaten elsewhere about her body? She looked thin; had she been starved?_ The reporter managed to fill up the top half of the front page.

This same media outlet added a second article related to the kidnappings. This was placed in the bottom half of the front page. The headline read: Is _Sky Transportation Hiding Something?_ The article went on to report that the Justice Department had been seeking cab rental data but the power in the Sky Transportation building had been miraculously lost just as investigators were beginning their search. The article asked the public to consider these questions: _Why would Sky Transportation be blocking investigators from finding the kidnapped women? Who shut off the power? Who told the V-Cab pilots to drop the women off at Valkendorff's mansion? Who paid for the ride? Why didn't Sky Transportation want investigators to find this out?_

That same Saturday morning, Denmark Today ran a front-page article on how the Justice Department's crusade to breech the personal data of Sky Transportation's customers was denying Danish citizens of their fundamental right to privacy. They claimed this was typical for this government. As a public service, Denmark Today printed out the names, faces, short bios, and voting records of all of the politicians who might be behind this nefarious attempt to violate citizen's privacy. "The State has no right to be sitting next to an honest citizen taking a V-Cab ride," the editor of Denmark Today thundered. "Once the government can find out where we travel during the day, where will they be next? Hiding under our beds? Lying in our beds with us?"

### # # # # # # # #

The reader may remember that Saturdays in Copenhagen can be dangerous for some people. On Saturday, January 24, Melissa broke two of Valkendorff's fingers on his right hand. These matched up well with the two fingers that Lohla had broken on his left hand, also on a Saturday back in December. On Saturday January 31, Mac fractured Valkendorff's ankle. Do you see a possible pattern emerging here? STD certainly did. He cleared VD's schedule for the entire day and essentially barricaded him inside his city apartment. Only trusted staff were allowed to work this particular weekend. Valkendorff himself stayed in his bedroom, phoning his contacts.

"I'm simply trying to clear my name," he'd say in each of his conversations. "I had nothing to do with those women who apparently broke into my house in Liseleje. I can prove I was here in Copenhagen the whole time. But the media is on a witch-hunt. Now one of the supposed kidnapped women has escaped. If they allow her story to be made public, she'll reveal that I had nothing to do with her kidnapping. But the Justice Department can't afford to let her speak freely so the police are hiding her. They have effectively kidnapped her again. Who knows what kinds of drugs they're feeding her to keep her quiet. My lawyer will be filing a court order requiring the Justice Department to release her so that she can clear my name."

STD didn't have any success using the government's bureaucracy to find where the escaped kidnap victim was being kept. The message he heard repeatedly was: "She has asked for protection and we're giving her that."

Valkendorff and Toft-Damgaard weren't the only persons searching for the escaped victim. Media personnel were calling every leak that had ever given them a story hoping that they could find where she was being kept and who she was. Police were also besieged by frantic calls from friends, relatives, and husbands. They all wanted to know who the escaped woman was. Couldn't they at least relieve one family of their fears? The police refused to reveal anything other than she was helping them with their investigations.

Thus, on this Saturday February 7, nobody born in Denmark knew anything about the escaped victim. Valkendorff took a break from his phone calls to have a light lunch at a table in his bedroom. Soup and a sandwich. The soup was a broccoli chowder made from chicken broth and a cup of condensed milk. Other ingredients included broccoli, onions, cheddar cheese and Danish butter. He had enjoyed this soup numerous times before. The soup was accompanied by two open-faced sandwiches – essentially slices of a boiled egg on rye bread. A liver paste – leverpostej – served as the spread under the sliced eggs. Another of his favorites. The man preparing the meal was an experienced chef.

One hour later, VD had the same feeling that Vivienne had experienced. "Barf is coming up. You watch." And watch they did. STD watched. The chef watched. The medical evac personnel watched. And later, the hospital staff watched. Anything that went down came right back up. On Sunday, anything that went down required adult diapers. Extensive tests were conducted on the ingredients of the poisoned food. Nothing was found. They didn't think to conduct a test for a Voodoo curse.

### # # # # # # # #

On Monday morning, the news reports describing Sky Transportation's apparent obstruction into the Justice Department's pursuit of the kidnappers was still fresh in the population's collective minds. Valkendorff Sky Transportation's stock dived in early trading. At one point, the shares had lost 20 per cent of their value. At that point, officials of the company issued a press release.

_Data files on certain limited usages of our V-Cabs will be made available to Justice Department investigators in order to help them bring an end to the charade that has been created about fifty supposed kidnapped victims. We have lodged a formal legal complaint of inadequate and unreliable service against Denmark Power and we are anticipating that they will provide us with a cash settlement to cover the costs of our staff who have worked tirelessly to restore data that have been lost because of a faulty power supply circuit serving our building._

Denmark Power responded to the allegations lodged against them by saying that the power was lost because somebody inside the Sky Transportation building had turned off the power supply to the building. Denmark Power's equipment had been working properly before and after the power was lost. They offered to open their transmission records into that building to any media reporter who had the scientific qualifications to read them.

### # # # # # # # #

That same Monday morning, Denmark's Ambassador to Germany entered Government House in Copenhagen and was led to a conference room deep in the bowels of the building where he met a middle-aged man who served as an aide to the Prime Minister of Denmark. Accompanying the ambassador was a young man in blue jeans, ratty t-shirt extolling the virtues of dancing the night away, and a black denim jacket. He also wore sport shoes with no socks. Something else that was missing was a razor. He must have lost it at least three days ago given the scruff that adorned his face.

"Your man should have cleaned himself up and shown up wearing his military uniform for a meeting of this importance," the aide snooted. He himself wore a three-piece suit of dark blue with light grey pin stripes.

'"He is not a member of the military; he is an agent of the Foreign Service and this **is** his uniform," the ambassador replied in a soothing, cultured voice. He also wore a three-piece suit that was perhaps ten times as expensive as what the aide wore. "Foreign Service agents wear clothing that will allow them to blend in with the population of the country where they're assigned. This is what youth of his age are wearing in Germany."

"His name?"

"That's confidential."

"To me?"

"Yes, to you. You have no need to know his name."

"What's his background? Why has he been entrusted with a delicate assignment such as this? He's very young."

"He speaks four foreign languages fluently – a skill that is highly regarded in our world. He discovered the information that prompted his presence here. We have no reason to doubt his abilities."

"Your agents are not supposed to operate in Copenhagen."

"Unless there are extenuating circumstances and those exist in this case. I observed protocol by reporting his presence here in the country to the Director of Internal Security. I requested access to certain security records and the Director himself approved that request. We did everything by the book. Why have I been called here on such short notice?"

The ambassador was a senior member of the Foreign Service. He had worked his way up to the most sensitive of ambassadorships. Given Germany's position on Denmark's borders, only the most qualified ambassador would have been assigned to that post. Reporting to a lowly aide was insulting to him and he had to keep his voice and tone muted. Something was up. He'd find out soon enough.

"I'd like a report on his progress so far."

"Denied. That would jeopardize his mission and potentially his life. Why are we here?"

"Why is your agent here in Denmark?"

"Rumblings out of the German underworld caused us some concern that a prominent Danish citizen might face significant legal problems. It seemed prudent to investigate if any substance to the rumblings could be found given the potential embarrassment that this might have for the government. If the government and the country is embarrassed nationally, that also affects our international presence which is my duty to protect."

"Have any of those rumblings been supported?"

"I have received no report of any such support yet."

"Agent, what have you found so far?"

"Do not reply, Agent. Sir, you are not in a line of authority over this agent. Reporting anything prematurely to somebody who is not in the Foreign Service could jeopardize his mission and perhaps his life."

"You're being overly dramatic, aren't you?"

"I'm just quoting from the manual. That would be the manual that stipulates how the Foreign Service is supposed to interact with other governmental offices. I repeat my question. Why are we here?"

"A certain Danish citizen has complained to the Prime Minister about unfounded rumours and allegations that have been circulated widely about him. He fears that if such lies are allowed to gain traction, his reputation and his businesses could be affected. His companies are a vital part of the national economy. Widespread job loss could follow. His ability to contribute to the economy and the normal workings of the government could be impaired. The prime minister wants to ensure that this does not happen. Internal Security mentioned to me that your agent had requested certain files related to this citizen. I am sure that the prime minister would not want your agent's actions to impede the normal working of the government. If he were to continue with his investigations, I would be forced to draw this to the prime minister's attention. He might in turn have reservations about the Foreign Service that is supposed to know how to act without bringing harm to the government. Foreign Service could face repercussions. Budgetary ones. Personnel assignments."

"And if the rumblings are true?"

"The prime minister has been assured that the certain citizen has had no hand in the events that have brought such turmoil and danger to the normal workings of the government."

"Bluntly, what does the prime minister want?"

"Remove your agent from this assignment and do not pursue it further."

### # # # # # # # #

The ambassador and the agent strode silently through the building. As they came into the gray morning, the ambassador broke his silence and pointed to the racks of bicycles that were positioned throughout the city for citizens to use and drop off. "Let's cycle," he ordered. There was a brisk breeze and a steady drizzle but this did not deter him. Expensive suit and all, he chose a bike at random, pulled it into the street and waited for the agent to do the same. They set out at a quick pace. Two blocks later, the agent murmured, "No signs of anybody following us," and the ambassador slowed.

"Report," he said while continuing to pedal.

"Valkendorff is a sexual predator. I can prove that. I don't believe that he was involved in the kidnapping of the women. I believe that the accidents he's been involved in are acts of revenge by persons unknown at this time. I'm still at the very early stages of the investigation. What does _danger to the normal workings of the government mean?_ "

"It's normal for wealthy people to give large amounts of money to the prime minister's re-election fund. It's normal for the prime minister to help them in return when a favour is requested."

"My orders?"

"Sexual predation would be embarrassing to Valkendorff and to anybody with obvious ties to him. These are not direct threats to the nation. Your assignment to look into the rumblings out of the German underworld is terminated. I'm putting you on a sixty day paid furlough as compensation for the very long time that you have gone without a holiday. If by some chance, these Valkendorff rumblings become a threat to the nation, any actions that you may have taken on your personal furlough cannot become public knowledge."

With that, the ambassador peeled off and dismounted at the nearest bicycle drop. Uncle Enok continued several more blocks and then did the same thing.

### # # # # # # # #

On Tuesday morning, a professor from Copenhagen University's Applied Science Faculty used social media to post an open letter to Danish citizens asserting that Denmark Power's data did indeed reveal that their equipment had been working properly. The power interruption in the Sky Transportation office building had not been a Denmark Power problem. Somebody inside the building must have turned off the power. One of Frida's Underground contacts had responded to her request for help.

Sky Transportation's stock started to slide even further.

### # # # # # # # #

Wednesday morning, Valkendorff returned from the hospital to find STD waiting for him, a grim look on his face. "I've been informed that investigators from your Pan-European Insurance Company found no traces of burned artwork or residue from burned art valuables in your Liseleje home."

"What's that mean for me."

"They're saying that all of your valuables must have been removed prior to the arson. Since the police had found no signs of a break in, they're claiming that you or your employees have hidden those valuables and are fraudulently trying to claim insurance."

"That's crazy. We didn't do that. Why would I do that? I have all the money I need. Tell them that I'll sue them for breech of contract. You have a legal argument ready, right?"

"Obviously, persons unknown broke into the house and those people stole all of Mr. Valkendorff's valuables weeks ago. The absence of those valuables means that their recommended security system was not working properly. They were the ones who stipulated that we had to use that particular system. As such, Pan-European Insurance Company is liable for any loss of property following a break-in that their recommended security system did not detect."

### # # # # # # # #

On Thursday, Justice Department investigators reported to their superior that they had been unable to find out who had ordered the copters to pick up the fifty women. Nor could they find any record of payments for those trips. They tried looking into Conrad Valkendorff's files but they had found more gaps than data.

The man in charge of that investigation dropped the Sky Transportation data searches and pulled everyone off that case. The kidnapped woman who had escaped had mentioned something that might allow investigators to pin point where the women had been incarcerated.

Back to the Table of Contents

# Chapter 34

Back in Toronto, the core of the Vikings senior girls team was enjoying its Friday night gathering after winning a nail biter. It was a little awkward this evening because Lylah was also present.

"I have a date later," she explained. "Can't stay, but I want to run an idea by you first. We should give the starting five a particularly tough challenge a week before the Championships. Get you all tuned up."

"Another game against the basketball moms?" Dreamer asked.

"No, but I do think you should have another scrimmage with them, perhaps next week."

"Who then?" Lohla followed up. Obviously, this was not something that Lylah had discussed with her first.

"I've seen the Toronto Blues practice roster in action. I believe you could take their starting five."

"These are their first and second year university players?" Nary asked. "You believe we could beat them? Really?"

"They're weak on the forward line. Wizard could design some surprises for them."

Wizard liked that part of the idea. "Would their coach be interested in an exhibition game?"

"Can't hurt to ask, Wizard. I have an idea that might tempt him. I'll help you draft an email invitation."

"If we're blown out..." Lohla started.

"I don't think that will happen," her twin interrupted. "In fact, I believe you'll enjoy the game immensely."

Twin looked at twin, but their ESP connection wasn't working today.

### # # # # # # # #

Later that evening, Wizard and Dreamer had left with Theo and Nary for a pre-Valentine night out. Lucas and Lohla were off to a dance. That left Lohla's apartment to Thunk and Bean. Thunk had already told Bean that he'd be away this weekend but he wanted to give her a little gift ahead of Valentines.

Bean had a small box of chocolates ready for Thunk– something that didn't signify anything other than all guys like chocolates. Thunk had found a little necklace pendant – a silver dolphin. Dolphins are popular now in jewelry, but of course they're extinct. Well, that gift did deserve a real kiss, which Bean prepared herself to deliver at the open apartment door. She made the mistake of opening her eyes as the kiss intensified and a look of fright crossed her face. Thunk didn't see it because he was too much of a gentleman to look at girls while he was kissing them. Not that he had much experience in such pleasures.

Back to Bean's frightened face. She abruptly gave Thunk a two handed shove into the hallway, gulped, and slammed the door shut. Thunk had no idea what had just happened or why. He didn't see her make a mad dash to the bathroom. Apparently, Bean had thought Thunk was charming and her body had responded involuntarily as it had been conditioned to do.

Once again, Vivienne's prediction came true. "Barf is coming up."

### # # # # # # # #

Lohla returned home from her date with Lucas to find Bean sitting on the sofa in the living room. She was performing her calming exercises. Lohla could see that she needed them.

"What happened?" she asked. "Did Thunk break up with you?"

"Not yet," Bean said. "But he will." Then, she told him what had happened.

"You did what?" Lohla asked Bean incredulously.

"I ran into the bathroom and threw up." Bean repeated. "I barely made it in time."

"Because Thunk kissed you?"

"Yes. It was a real kiss this time. Not a peck. I almost threw up right on his shirt."

"Was it from food poisoning? Were you feeling sick all day? We all ate the pizza and had no problems."

"No. Lohla, you don't understand. The kiss made me throw up."

"Really?"

"Yes, really."

"I thought you liked Thunk."

"I don't hate him."

"But do you like him?"

"He's alright."

"But you don't have any romantic thoughts about him?"

"I don't have romantic thoughts about anybody. I know that I'll throw up if somebody kisses me."

"How do you know that?"

"I just know. Look what happened with Thunk. Thanks for the kiss, Thunk. Now I have a gift for you. Surprise!"

"Does Thunk know that you threw up?"

"He knows that I pushed him out the door in the middle of the kiss and after he had given me a nice gift. He's gotta be upset about that."

"What are you going to do?"

"It's simple. I can't see him any more. I can't see any guys. What's the point? I'll just throw up on them."

### # # # # # # # #

The conversation was now taking place on the sofa. Bean was staring straight ahead. Like she was sightless. Lohla was turned sideways in the corner of the sofa and was trying to dispute what Bean had just said about herself.

"You are not a freak of nature, Bean. That's crazy. You're having some sort of reaction to a guy's kiss. That's all."

"You don't know the real me, Lohla."

"I know that you feel awkward about your height and your slim build."

"Slim build," she snorted. "Right. Even you won't say it. Boob-less body, you mean."

"Lots of girls have your kind of build, Bean. You see them on basketball courts all the time. Being tall and thin doesn't make you a freak."

"I'm anti social too."

"You're shy. You don't know what to say when you're with people. Lots of people are shy. You're good looking. Guys would like to get to know you."

"I'm not good looking, Lohla. I do have a mirror, you know."

"Thunk would disagree."

"I wish I looked like you and Lylah."

"You wouldn't want that."

"Yes, I would. Nobody wants to be around me. Everybody wants to be around you, Lohla. You're fun to be with."

"When I'm shopping in a food store, a husband may pass by me. He'll be with his wife and kiddie. When I've passed him, he'll turn around and look at my butt. If I turn around, his wife will give me the finger. Is that what you want?"

Lohla was on a roll. She paused for breath. "Wherever Lylah or I go, we feel men's eyes on us all the time. It's like having ants crawling all over us, sneaking under our clothes because that's where their eyes want to go. Are you sure that's what you want?"

"Neither Lylah nor I can go out at night without feeling we're in danger. When we do go out, it's always as part of a large group. Are you sure that's what you want?"

"Even if we're in a large group in a pub, men will watch us constantly. They stare. Some will get up with their drink and stroll over in our direction. I'll hold up my hand in a stop sign. If he continues to stroll, I'll pull my spray bottle of Mace out of my purse, show it to him, and give him the finger. Is that what you want?"

...

"Do you know how to defend yourself, Lohla?"

"Both Lylah and I have taken defense courses. Our mom insisted. We take after her."

Bean stood up. "Stand up, Lohla."

"What?"

"Stand up and face me."

"Why?"

"I know some self-defense."

"OK. I'm standing up. Now what?"

"I'm a man. You're getting vibrations from me. You don't trust me. I'm walking towards you. As I near you, I do this." Bean took a slow swing at Lohla's head.

Lohla reacted.

"Good. A wrist block. Is that all you'd do?"

"Finish with a knee to the groin."

"Good. New scenario. I'm an ordinary man. I haven't looked at you as I approached you. You are getting no vibrations from me. As I pass you, I suddenly do this."

Bean turned and grasped Lohla's throat and used the other hand to pull her head backwards. Gently. Then, she released. "Can you do anything about a surprise attack?"

"Obviously I can't. But I can't turn around and watch every man who walks past me, Bean. I know what could happen. That's why Lylah and I never walk alone at night, and especially not in a deserted area of town. At night, we mostly stay home. Neither of us has much of a social life. Is that the kind of life you want, Bean?"

"I could teach you some martial arts moves."

"You can't help me from being sexually attractive to any man who likes blondes."

"With beautiful bodies."

"Yeah, that too. It's more of a curse than a gift, Bean."

### # # # # # # # #

"Do you ever feel safe other than in a large group, Lohla?"

"I feel safe with Lucas. Big man, strong. Looks like he could take on anybody and put him down. Permanently, even." _[Lohla was closer to the truth than she knew.]_

"Is that why you're going out with him? So you'll feel safe?"

"That's part of it, but only part. I am attracted to him, sexually."

"I kind of figured that out, Lohla."

"But he's a good man. That's what attracts me the most. Most men believe that blondes are ditzs. That we're easy. Give us a drink and we'll start shedding clothes. I hate that stereotype. Lucas wasn't interested in Lylah's body or in mine when we met."

"How do you know?"

"Let's just say that we knew."

"Does he like you?"

" _Like_ , yes. I don't know about anything more than that."

"Does he tell you that he likes you?"

"No. But I don't mind. I know that he likes me for who I am."

"How do you know that? How do you know that **for sure**?"

"When we went to Europe, I ran into a little trouble with a guy. He was some big shot and I had a chance to meet him. Lucas was off getting drinks. This guy put his hand where it didn't belong and I dealt with it. The man didn't like what I did."

"What exactly did you do, Lohla?"

"I grabbed two of his fingers and bent them backwards until they broke. I left him screaming in pain and went looking for Lucas."

"Lohla, I'm impressed! Why did you start looking for Lucas?"

"Because the big shot had some security guys and I wanted out of there real fast."

"Smart. What did Lucas do?"

"The guy's goons were looking for me. Very dangerous looking. I don't know how he did it, but Lucas found a way to avoid all of the men chasing us and he even made it into a sort of game. And I never was scared. I just knew that he wouldn't let anything bad happen to me. I had my best ever kiss that night. Then we went to Paris and jumped into bed. Both of us were ready. He's not like other men, Bean."

### # # # # # # # #

"What are you going to do about Thunk, Bean?"

"I'll tell him that I can't see him any more. Give him his gift back."

"If you could get the throw up problem under control, would you like to continue with Thunk? See where it goes?"

"I don't know. I'm not attracted to men."

"Women?"

"No. Not them either."

"Are you going to go through life alone?"

"Probably. I'd like to have a few friends like you and Lucas, Theo and Nary, Wiz and Dreamer. I wouldn't mind being alone. It would be better than what I've ever had before."

"Are we going to talk about what you've had in your life before? Ever?"

"Probably not. I'm not a nice person, Lohla."

"I believe you are. Give yourself a chance to have a normal life with somebody you like. There's gotta be somebody who can help you. Don't quit on yourself."

Back to the Table of Contents

# Chapter 35

"What day is it?" TG asked Mac who was standing outside his cell door. Sadly, she didn't have a key to the cell in her hand.

"Early Saturday morning, the 14th. Happy Valentine's Day."

"Does Yollie know why I don't have a present for her?"

"She did suggest that springing you out of jail would be a good Valentine's present."

"Don't do that. Sneaking into an empty police department basement is one thing; breaking me out is too risky. I'm not in danger."

"Getting that media article from some Copenhagen professor who proved that Sky Transportation had shut off power to their building was lucky. This week, you're supposed to help the justice department investigators learn about Valkendorff paying for the cabs that transported the fifty women. Making the information public is critical to Winnie's plan and none of us can do that. Now, the justice investigators have given up. Winnie's plan is rapidly unraveling. We can rescue you the next time that you're moved. It's only the one guy, right?"

"Yah. His name is Enok. He's hiding me and freely admits it to me. Danish law says that I have to be charged if I've been in custody for forty-eight hours, but if he keeps moving me from one police station to another, that station doesn't know that I've been jailed for what...?"

"Eight days now."

"He'll run out of police stations soon."

"We're running out of time right now, TG."

"The Enok guy is talking in Russian with me now. Apparently, my face gave me away. He suddenly swore at me in Russian and I reacted. I didn't see how it would hurt me to reveal my ancestors' background, so we're having long conversations in Russian. He tried some other languages too, but that didn't work too well. He keeps asking me who I'm working for; I keep asking him when he's planning to release me. Has Winnie learned anything yet from following him around?"

"Nothing helpful. He collects an envelope each morning from some guy called CyberMonkey who bumps into him on a sidewalk and slips it to him. The monkey guy works in some very secure building that is heavily guarded. Very risky to sneak in. Enok returns to his home and generally stays there, presumably studying what's in the envelope. He'll come out and go to various places in the city, and sit watching people. Then he goes back to his home and follows the same pattern the next day."

"It would be useful to know what information he's getting from the guy on the street. It's obviously some spy stuff. Can Winnie put a spider into the guy's home?"

"Not easily. We've been watching from outside. He has three roommates. A guy and two girls. All young. A roommate is always at home."

"Use TiTr to put a drone inside?"

"To what end? The last time he moved you to another police station, he did it alone. We looked and nobody was trailing him. You could almost escape on your own."

"He's certainly making it look easy. Which is why we shouldn't do it. He wants to find out who I'm working for. What better way than to let me escape and then trail me electronically? This guy has access to spy stuff. Tell Winnie that she should plan for a delay. Get Melissa involved in the planning adjustments if necessary."

### # # # # # # # #

Saturdays being what they had become, Valkendorff was hunkered down in his bedroom in his Copenhagen apartment. He wasn't too happy about that. Let's just say that Valentinian love was not in the air.

"I don't know why I have to stay here," he complained to Toft-Damgaard.

"Because somebody has broken both of your hands and an ankle. They've also poisoned you. They're telling you something."

Toft-Damgaard had gone to three different grocery stores that morning and had chosen pre-packaged food at random. Saturday's breakfast, lunch, and dinner were now sitting on top of VD's bureau awaiting his attention. In case the bedroom's water supply had been tampered with, STD's shopping list had included bottled water, again chosen at random from different outlets.

"What are they telling me? That they don't like me?"

All entrances to the house had been locked. Six V-Cabbies were stationed outside. Inside, all house staff had been given the day off. Valkendorff's bedroom door was locked from the inside. STD hadn't gone to the trouble of barricading it since the lock was good and the cell's inmates had ample firepower in the form of two pistols. I referred to the two men being in a cell, because that's what it effectively was. STD did not plan to let VD emerge until Sunday.

"They're telling you that they can get to you any time, any place."

"But not today?"

"No. They won't get to you today if you stay here."

"Why are they using these kidnapped women to attack me?" Valkendorff asked his cellmate. VD knew that he was innocent of that accusation and yet he was increasingly being painted as the villain in that mass kidnapping.

"Somebody knows that you're planning to force these fifty women to be part of your new Uber prostitution business. You'll be able to use V-Cabs to deliver whores with a girl-next-door look to customers all over Europe for well below the going rate."

"So somebody is jealous that they didn't think of my idea first and is trying to steal it?"

"Looks like it."

"Who's doing this?"

"I don't know. It could be any European gangster who has a thriving prostitution business now but won't be in business soon. Whoever it is, he's becoming dangerous. You will have to be careful."

"Why? He can't prove anything. He can't use the women against me because I have their pictures to keep them quiet."

"Sky Transportation's stock was down again this week."

"I have a monopoly on transportation services in Denmark. The business has no competitors. V-Cabs and the freight business continue to make money hand over fist. The media will run out of stories about these women and the stock will recover."

"You've lost a lot of wealth."

"No, I haven't. I haven't sold any stock."

"What about the Liseleje mansion? The house is worthless now."

"The insurance company will have to honour their policy. We're blaming the fire on their security system, remember."

"I tried that. It didn't work. Arson is a criminal offense. The insurance policy will not reimburse you for damages that are a result of a criminal offense. Don't forget that you've lost all of the value of the house's artwork as well."

"The insurance company will pay up."

"The insurance company tells me that they plan to charge you with fraud. I'm telling you that they will win. They can prove that your artwork was not in the house when it burned down. The insurance company will convince a judge that you arranged the whole thing and then you'll be off to prison which may be where they're trying to park you. Did you ever think that the German mob might be behind that insurance company? If you're in a German prison, your prostitution expansion will never happen. You'd be smart to drop the insurance claim altogether."

"Never."

"You have to understand, Conrad. The only risk that you face right now is the possibility of having to stand in front of a German court and be sentenced to jail for fraud. Your Danish government connections cannot stop that. Fraud is punishable by up to ten years in a German jail and you still won't have the contents of your mansion back. Somebody took that artwork and they're never giving it back to you. You can't be hurt by anything else. You weren't involved in the kidnappings. But the lawyer for the insurance company will paint an ugly picture. Only you or your employees had access to the house; only you or your employees could have transported those contents to their secret hiding place. You will be found guilty of fraud. It will be a civil suit. Laws governing civil suits are far less restrictive than criminal court cases."

"How do I avoid that?"

"Drop the insurance claim. Tell them that you had previously given all of the artwork away to charity. You didn't say anything previously because you're too modest to make your benevolence public."

"And the fact that I tried to claim the insurance?"

"Simply refuse to answer any questions about that. By dropping the claim, the claim disappears. Why should you talk about a claim that doesn't exist? You should also transfer all of your personal wealth including your houses to Valkendorff Group."

"Why?"

"It's much harder to convict a company of crimes like arson and /or fraud. I'm hiding my own wealth there as well."

...

Lunch passed with no food poisoning. However, with limited use of his hands, VD's face had become messy.

"Bring me a wet face cloth from the bathroom, will you Silas?"

STD came back a minute later. "I couldn't find a face cloth, but these wipes were on the counter. They should work."

Seconds later, VD began to scream.

### # # # # # # # #

Saturday evening, Enok put manacles around TG's ankles, attached them to his own belt with a chain, and took him out of the police station. A leisurely walk took them to a park bench which Enok pointed to and they sat. They watched in comfort as the crowds of families strolled by, some of them in Valentine finery. Bouquets of flowers were in abundance.

"By now, you've noticed that nobody in the crowds walking by has stood in place for more than a minute. Nobody is listening behind us. This bench could be bugged, but you are free to choose another. Even if this bench were bugged, or if I were bugged, you'll soon be able to escape in the crowds before anybody could stop you."

Enok leaned forward and undid the manacles around TG ankles. He fastened them to his own ankles and passed TG the key.

"I have another key in my shoe but it will take me some time to retrieve it. You can leave now if you want. But I suggest that you stay. I've been trying to find your compatriots but I can't. You're too well hidden. Incidentally, Valkendorff was taken to a hospital this afternoon with chemical burns to his face. Stay seated if you knew that this was going to happen."

TG shrugged and remained motionless. Mac and Melissa voiced their agreement with mind messages.

_How can it hurt?_

_Nobody followed you to this park._

The people you are working with are known as aboriginals. They live in North America. I found pictures of aboriginals on the Internet and they have the same shade of skin as the young girl, young boy, and military man that Danish security caught on camera. Obviously, your group also has people with different skin colours. Three white women attacked Valkendorff; I'm pretty sure that two of them work with you. I'm not sure about the first. That's all I know about your group. I couldn't find anything else and believe me, I tried. You are safe from me. You can leave if you wish, but I believe that would be bad for both your organization and mine.

"You mean the security organization that you and CyberMonkey work for?"

"Your people have been following me and I haven't sensed a thing. Usually I do. CyberMonkey is an old high school chum. He and I belong to different organizations. Valkendorff used his political influence to shut me down. I'm now working unofficially with friends who are also after VD and STD. That's how my friends think of them."

"Those are not complimentary names."

"We know that you are targeting them and we also know mostly why. We cannot see where you're going with these personal assaults but we are cheering you on. In the last week, we've been able to do more than cheer you. A recent announcement about Denmark Power not being responsible for shutting power down to the Sky Transportation building came from one of our friends."

"I don't expect Taft-Damgaard appreciated that."

"We didn't know why STD would be blocking access. Now we do. CyberMonkey found out why. Valkendorff paid for the V-Cabs that were used to take the fifty women to Liseleje. We can prove that without revealing ourselves. Your group and my group are after the same thing. We want to collaborate with you. We may have resources that will help you."

TG thought before responding. "We know that STD used the power outage in Sky Transportation's building to wipe the records clean. I'm curious. You have no way of knowing that he paid for the V-Cabs. Those records were wiped."

"But clearly I do know."

"How?"

"STD didn't wipe the back up records. I'm curious too. You had no way of knowing anything about what STD did after the power was lost to the building. You were in a basement cell at the time."

"But clearly I do know."

"How?"

"Do you see that blonde and red head coming down the path? They're taking a leisurely stroll to the apartment where you captured me. Why don't you unfasten those manacles and we'll meet them there."

Back to the Table of Contents

# Chapter 36

Back in Toronto, Brax Midstone, Head Coach of the Toronto Blues Varsity team was reading an intriguing email invitation from some guy named Wiz Wiltz, Acting Head Coach of the Vikings Senior Girls basketball team. Midstone, known as _Kidneystone_ among his players, had heard that the Vikings high school team was strong but young. Normally, he wouldn't scout any girls this young. But this way, he'd see them in action in an exhibition game. If any of them were good, he could put them on his potential player list. Plus, the format of the game was enticing. It enabled a coach to play in the game and coach the team from the floor. Any points he scored would count as a team score. Midstone was big and he had played university ball. He couldn't imagine some unknown coach named Wiz being much of a threat to score against him. The practice roster team would have an enjoyable romp.

_[Narrator: A kidney stone is a very painful condition that can attack at any time and goes on for what seems to be an eternity. The Blues varsity players had been calling Midstone that name over the last decade because of the abusive way that he treated his players. As I mentioned much earlier in the book, they had to put up with him because they needed their scholarships.]_

On the same day, the Vikings top line had an exhibition game against the basketball moms. It was depressing. The moms offered to stay for another hour and work with them one-on-one and teach them some of their moves. Another joint practice was scheduled for later in the week.

After the practice, Bean plopped down on the bench Dreamer was slumped on in the locker room. "They're better than they look," she said.

"They must have been pretty good in their day. Probably university conference champions?"

"I asked the center when she wasn't beating on me," Bean said. "They never got anywhere close. She didn't say why."

Both of them drank heavily from their water bottles.

"You know that person who helped you deal with your pervert father touching you?"

"Yeah. My aunt."

"Would she'd be willing to help me?"

"I can ask her. Why? What happened?"

"I almost threw up on Thunk when he kissed me."

"I'll ask her, Bean. She's currently working with a large group of women and helping them to deal with a whole lot of abuse. She won't be able to see you until she's done with them."

"Doesn't matter. I won't be going on dates any time soon, Dreamer."

### # # # # # # # #

On Thursday, the Vikings had another three-hour practice with the basketball moms. It ended in an hour-long scrimmage. Even Lylah was exhausted. She had joined the Viking top line to give them some extra oomph. Fortunately, she and Lohla were in different workout clothes. On the floor, it was hard to tell them apart either by appearance or by basketball skills. The only difference? Lohla was more aggressive attacking the basket; Lylah was the better shooter.

In the changing room afterwards, Lylah told the moms about the exhibition game they would be having against Kidneystone's team. "You should come watch. I believe we can take them. A lot of the school will be watching. Theo and Lucas are bringing their whole team to the game and they've been talking it up with the grade eleven and twelve students. They'll be using the game as a fundraiser. Students have to pick who's going to win and what the final score will be. If you believe the Blues will win 44 to 33, you have to buy that ticket before anybody else. Once it has been sold, nobody else can have it. You gotta be at the gym to collect."

### # # # # # # # #

Still in Toronto. At the Lockhurst mansion to be precise. Chloe was in Lizzie's bedroom, trying to calm her down. As the oldest, Chloe had always felt that it was her job to keep a special eye on Lizzie, the youngest.

"You know that Mom is not our real mom, right Lizzie?"

"Yeah, I know. Our real moms are dead. The Scandinavian army took care of us after we were found. Mom is the officer who was in charge of our schooling."

"That's a lie. You never knew the truth. The others of us were old enough to know what really happened when the Scandinavian army took us. We were kidnapped from our families. They stole us from our real parents who lived here in North America. Our parents aren't dead but we'll never be able to find them."

"I don't remember any of that."

"I remember you arriving. You were very tiny and you cried a lot. All of us have started to remember our early lives and how we lost our real moms and dads now. We see them in our dreams. That's why we all hate Mom. Cause we're remembering now what our real parents were like. She stole us and tried to make us into bad people. We're never ever going to kill people again, Lizzie. You shouldn't either."

"Vivienne and Jazmin say that we don't have to do what she tells us because she's only a housemaid. They say that Mom has to do what we tell her."

"That's true. None of us want her coming to Schnauble pretending to be our mom. She doesn't dress properly, her hair is always untidy, and she's very fat. We told Mr. Lockhurst that none of our friends had servants coming to the school so he told her to stay away."

"She comes to my swim meets."

"She always did like your swimming. You were the best swimmer in the school in Scandinavia."

"I remember when I was Muskrat and had a swimming operation."

"About that swimming, Lizzie." Chloe's tone softened. "You won't catch a rich boyfriend at Schnauble if you keep swimming. Your hair is always frizzy and it smells funny from the stuff they put in the pool. Now that you're getting older, you have to think of your future. You need to be beautiful so that you can catch a guy."

"But I like swimming. I may even go to university and swim for them. My swimming coach said that they might pay my fees if I swam for them."

"Well, if you don't catch one of the rich boys at Schnauble, you'd have to work for a living. None of our friends do that. None of us girls want to see you working like a common person. You could end up being a servant like Mom. It's better to seduce a rich boy into marrying you and then spend all of his money."

"But I want to swim."

"Don't say I didn't warn you."

...

"Lizzie, do you remember that Klara girl back in Scandinavia?"

"Yeah. She was very mean to me."

"I think she was kind of crazy. She liked killing. I'm glad she's not here in Toronto with us. I often wonder what happened to her."

"Mom said that she had to stay behind and work with the army."

"We got to come to Toronto and now look at us. We're rich. Our lives are way better now. Stay away from Mom. We believe that she's a killer like Klara."

Back to the Table of Contents

# Chapter 37

On the Monday after Valentine's Day, the Ministry of Justice's chief inspector received an envelope holding a letter addressed to him personally. This was the inspector who had tried to find out who had ordered and paid to have the kidnapped women picked up by V-Cabs. The inspector had given up on that line of investigation; all of his staff were now pursuing a recent lead from the kidnapped woman who had escaped.

_By now you know that the V-Cab files that you were looking for have been cleansed. However, the high ranking executive that removed all incriminating evidence from the files didn't know enough about technology to scrub the backup files as well. The link below will give you a taste of what you will find in the real files. The back up systems are located in the basement of Denmark Today. You can use your search warrant to find the data you want, but do that when senior Valkendorff executives are not around to order the backups to be erased. The employees in Back Up Services had nothing to do with those kidnappings. We want those women found and their kidnappers punished._

### # # # # # # # #

Valkendorff emerged from hospital on that same Monday. His entire face was chemically burned by some acidic substance embedded within the wipes. Tests were ongoing to determine exactly what had caused the burns. Knowing what it was wouldn't help Valkendorff. The prognosis for his face was not particularly good. VD would not be considered ruggedly handsome any longer.

### # # # # # # # #

So yes, as my readers will have observed, Momaka was working with the fifty women. Fifty. Not forty-nine. After Maja Pedersen _escaped_ and had finished giving the police all the information she was told to give them, she left police protective custody telling them that she was afraid for her life because the media was pursuing her so hard. She'd find a place to hide on her own. She then returned to the sanctuary from which she had escaped.

During the planning stage of this operation, the Gardeners were insistent that the women receive help for what Valkendorff had done to them. Winnie's plans for VD himself were fine on their own, but for the women, they had to know that their lives would not be ruined forever. Bringing the women to the point where they could accept what had happened in a calm, non-self-destructive way had been time consuming. Winnie had to control the timing of her plan so that VD wouldn't see what was coming until the kidnapped women were healthy again. Winnie did that by controlling how frequently Valkendorff was personally attacked. The purpose of that was for him to experience pain himself, but also to focus his attention away from where the real attack would come from.

Momaka had never dealt with a group of abused women this large. But the techniques were the same as if she were working individually with Dreamer or Winnie. The women had numerous trips into the woods surrounding their sanctuary where they hunted down and killed Valkendorff's fake body. Flowering dogwood trees were planted en-masse as well as in pairs and triplets. Close connections between the women formed quickly.

As to the husbands? Naturally, no male could enter the sanctuary. But each husband did have a chance encounter with a gray-haired woman acting on behalf of the wives. She'd have a gentle talk with each of them and, in that process, they'd drift off to sleep. When they awoke, they found themself strangely reassured by the words floating through their heads. _All of the kidnapped women are still alive. The pursuit is closing in. If the kidnappers learn that the police are getting close, all of the women could die. Say nothing. Do nothing different._

Would the kidnapped women tell their husbands what they had done while under duress? That was left to each woman to decide.

### # # # # # # # #

Later that same week, anybody watching the feed from the security camera outside a certain apartment building in Copenhagen's Norrebro suburb accommodating four Copenhagen young people would have seen two men approach the main door, push some undetermined buttons, and enter the building. From the way he carried himself, one man appeared to be quite young. It was difficult to say because he wore a hoodie that obscured his face. His clothes were nothing remarkable; if anything, he was shabbily dressed like many teenagers in the city and walked around in a slouch, his hands in his pockets. The older man was more presentable. A white man, clothed in a suit and tie, and carrying a brief case. He could be a professional man; a doctor perhaps; even a lawyer. The two men stayed several hours in some undetermined apartment in that building and then left together. Had anybody checked the other security cameras in the immediate area, that person would not have found any evidence of those two men being in Norrebro that evening. That was because TG and Stu activated their slings as soon as they hit the surveillance camera's dead spot at the northeast corner of the building.

The next day, Frida, Laerke, and Sebastian made a series of visits to nine different women. Sebastian's inclusion in the visit must have been the key because the trio was received much more hospitably this time. The data collection stage of their operation was completed by the weekend. At that point, Frida made a copy of their research, wrote a covering letter, and hand delivered a sealed package to an office in a professional building in downtown Copenhagen.

### # # # # # # # #

Enok, the fourth resident of that Norrebro building also had a meeting. This one was with TG at the burned out building in Liseleje. They arrived at dawn on Saturday morning and, as you'd expect, their presence was unobserved by the locals. The police presence was long gone.

"I couldn't find VD's stash of pornographic pictures in any of his company computers," TG admitted. "I was almost done when you caught me, so I'm not surprised that you don't know anything about them. What about CyberMonkey?"

"Finding a stash of pictures isn't something that CyberMonkey could do. There's no chance that the sauna surveillance camera is intact and is somewhere in this rubble. I'm not sure why you wanted to meet here."

"We know that they're not transferring the images by physical storage. Bots for example."

"But you didn't say how you knew that."

TG ignored Enok's comment. He wasn't about to reveal that the Wilizy had access to VD's office safe. "We can say with some degree of confidence that the pictures have not been transmitted over the Internet and stored inside a computer."

"Unless they're using a computer that you couldn't find."

"True, but unlikely. VD's computers are all linked if you know how to find the links. What's left? A camera inside this building took pictures. How did those pictures leave this house?"

"Line of sight transmission powered by the house's electrical system?"

"That's what I think too. What would you say is the maximum range of that kind of transmission?"

"No more than a kilometer."

"So, what building or structure is within a kilometer of this burned out house?"

They began to rotate in place.

"I'm seeing lots of houses."

"Unlikely. Trees are unlikely too. They'd want something secure."

"There's a tower on top of the hill behind us. I can see the top, but not the base."

"Worth a visit. Where's your copter?"

"Hidden so that you won't know how we move around."

"Can't blame me for trying. We can use mine."

Back to the Table of Contents

# Chapter 38

The Vikings' exhibition game with the U of T's practice roster was due to start at 7 p.m. on Friday night, February 20. The game was billed as a grad fundraiser, but for Lylah, it was more than that. She held a pre-game meeting in the locker room with the Vikings starting line up and the moms who had been helping them prepare. The meeting began with each bench mom describing her basketball career playing for Coach Midstone. Nobody spoke after the last mom recounted what he had done to her.

Lylah provided the focus afterwards. "You've heard what playing basketball for Kidneystone has been like. Anything less than total obedience to his every whim resulted in physical and emotional abuse. Even if you were trying to please him, you'd still get physical and emotional abuse. He had the power to ruin a player's life if she didn't do exactly what he wanted. Nobody has done anything about him in the decade he's been coaching. His teams have always done poorly but nobody understands that this is because his players have lost their love of basketball and want nothing more than to graduate from university and get away from him."

"Tonight, five high school age players have the opportunity to show how desire and love of the game can overcome a team that, on paper, should beat us badly. If we win, we will reveal that the Toronto Blues women's program is seriously flawed. Players who have been afraid to reveal what Coach Kidneystone has done to them may come forward and spark a review of his career this last decade. This one game can show what young Toronto women can do when they have the determination and bravery to fight back against a man who is an abusive authoritarian bully. We're not playing this game for ourselves; we're playing it for the women who had to endure his coaching."

### # # # # # # # #

Most of the lottery tickets were unsold when students streamed into the gym. They took a look at the Blues warming up and the Vikings warming up. The five women representing the Blues' practice roster were all in second year university. All of them were tall and strong. All were scoring baskets in the warm-up like they had done this hundreds of times before. Which they had. The Vikings hadn't played together until this season. They were three or four years younger than them. Realistically, what chance did the Vikings have?

The coaches had to be considered too. Brax Midstone had played University ball. The young Vikings head coach had bent over to pick up a bouncing basketball that came of the court and had fumbled it. Midstone had seen that and smiled.

The two coaches and the refs came together at center to review the rules. Midstone brought a basketball with him. He spun it on the tip of his finger during the conference.

The head ref started. "We're playing two halves of fifteen minutes stop time. Each half is broken up into three periods of five minutes each. With only five players per team in this game, there'll be a three-minute time-out at the end of each period of play so that they can rest. No other time outs during the game are allowed."

The second ref took over: "One person from the coaching staff can sub in and play whenever he wants. His points will count for his team. There is no thirty second clock." Midstone switched the spinning ball to his left hand and smiled.

"We have some students taping the game from the stands," Wiz added. "We'll use this for instructional purposes. Do you have any problem with that?"

"None whatsoever," Midstone smiled.

### # # # # # # # #

With five minutes gone in the game, the mood in the gym was subdued. At the Vikings bench, it was catatonic. Midstone didn't feel it was necessary to say anything to his players, so he was busy projecting the final score. It would be 90 - 12 for the Blues and yes, some lucky grad prospect held that potentially winning ticket.

Lylah had been busy before the game ensuring that the camera that would be taping the game had been set up properly. Well, that was what she said she was doing. In reality, she was hiding from Midstone. Their last interaction had not gone well for Lylah. He had kicked her and Dreamer out of the U of T gym.

Lylah was now sitting in the bleachers, immediately behind the Vikings bench. The moms were right there with her. Lylah was wearing an oversized blue and gold Vikings hoodie with a similarly coloured set of sweat pants below. She was holding a clipboard on her knees and had a pen poised in her hand. Most high school teams have somebody on the bench to collect stats. It might be an assistant coach, a team manager, or even a volunteer. Lylah qualified as one of those. Wizard had deliberately brought the team huddle to the area immediately in front of Lylah. She was speaking to the girls and to Wiz.

"So, we knew that they could run and gun. We know how to defend that and, for the most part, we did. We held them to fifteen points, which is actually pretty good for us. The reason the score is so lopsided is our offense sucked. We didn't move the ball. We made one pass and then shot. The rebounders were out of position with the shot coming so quickly, and everybody was nervous because they hardly touched the ball and so they just flung up the shot and missed. We're not making the defense move and so they're in position for the rebound, which is what triggers their fast break. To settle down, we need to pass the ball. Forget trying to dribble past a check, advance the ball into a scoring position by passing it. These women are big, but they're chunky which makes them slow. Make the defense move and that will open up driving lanes for us. Wiz, anything you want the team to focus on?"

"Ummmm."

Lylah continued. "So, our advantage is our height inside. Bean is a full head taller than their biggest player. Nary can dunk. All we need to do is move the ball inside, but we have to pass it around first. Make them move."

"Wiz, do you have an offensive set you want to use this period?"

"Well, ummm."

Lylah carried on, Wizardless. "We'll run Wiz's 2 - 3 continuous screen set. Sophie, you're on permanent screen and roll duty. Nary and Bean, set up wide and wait for Sophie or your partner forward to flash to you. Go back door as possible. Bean – use your mini hook shot. Keep the ball high so that they can't slap it away. Nary, don't just slide the ball into the basket. Thunder dunk it. That will get their attention."

### # # # # # # # #

And get their attention is exactly what the Vikings did in that second period. They dominated the period in terms of time with the ball. Bean alone had fourteen points as Lohla and Dreamer made feints at driving to the basket and then used lob passes to penetrate the key. Bean would jump to catch the ball, land, pivot on her left foot, and use the mini hook to score. Nary would use Sophie's screen to flash into the key, catch the ball in the air and then alley-oop dunk. She had eight points.

By the end of the second period, the Vikings had scored twenty points from inside the key. With the Vikings' relatively high scoring percentage, the Blues' transition game had died from starvation. The Vikings were back on defense by the time the Blues crossed the ten-second line. The Blues were still scoring, but it was from their grind it out offense. Power drives from their bigger heavier guards were the key for them. Dreamer was too light to stop them; Lohla was too short. One guard in particular (#14) was hurting them.

With the score now Blues 28, Vikings 22, Kidneystone had become active on the sidelines. Unhappy with his defense, he had been peppering his players with angry instructions to front the cutters and prevent the lob passes. But, Lohla and Dreamer's passes were too good. Dreamer had height on her check and so could pass the ball inside unimpeded. Kidneystone's loud angry comments during the second period had been noticed by the moms. "He's ready to blow," one of them predicted.

Lylah's instructions for the third period were simple. "They'll be trying to sandwich Bean and Nary by dropping their guards back into the key. That will leave Lohla and Dreamer open. Let's work the outside game. Wiz, what do you want to do about #14."

"Nary should check her."

"Nary, #14 always dips her shoulder when she's going to drive. If she's feinting, she doesn't dip the shoulder. Attack her ball hand when she's feinting. If you get a breakaway, be sure to dunk it."

### # # # # # # # #

The third period was over and the teams were now resting in the half time break. The outside game had worked. Both Dreamer and Lohla had been cold on their first outside shots but they started hitting after Lylah had Wizard instruct them to keep shooting. Both heated up in the final minutes and had five three-point baskets between them. Bean had four points off offensive rebounds and Nary had three clear break aways and five steals. Kidneystone had called #14 a _bumbling disaster_ from the sidelines before assigning another player to bring the ball down the floor. The Vikings scored twenty-five in that period while the Blues continued to grind it out with superior weight and height and made twenty. That made the score at half time Blues 48, Vikings 47. The momentum was clearly in favour of the Vikings.

Kidneystone sat his players on the bench and stood over them, berating them loudly. Some students in the stands began booing him for his language.

"What do you say, Wiz?" Lylah asked at the other bench.

"They have to shut down Dreamer and Lohla, so we can expect a man-to-man defense on them. For the forwards, they'll go into a triangle zone defense to clog the key and prevent the lobs."

"They don't have the height to pull that off," Lylah predicted.

"They do if Kidneystone comes into the game."

"I think we can count on that," Lylah assured. "If he does, what offense do you want to run?"

"Double-up," Wizard instructed.

"Kidneystone is coming over," Lylah warned.

"I'll be coming into the game," Brax Midstone told Wiz and the refs. "Are you coming in too?"

"No. Not me. Our assistant coach will play for Sophie, #3."

"Assistant coach? Where?"

Wizard pointed.

"You?"

Kidneystone wasn't expecting this.

"Me," Lylah said.

### # # # # # # # #

Kidneystone was famous for his gimmicky defenses. Actually _notorious_ would be the better word. Notorious is the word you'd use to describe a person who always does something incredibly stupid. Lylah knew all about his favorite defenses – this combination of a man-to-man defense on two players added to a zone defense in the middle of the key was one that she had had to play in her first year. It requires a lot of communication between the zone defenders and the man-to-man defenders. She was able to show Wizard how it could be beaten and he designed an offense the Blues and their coach had never seen. At the end of the period, Bean had scored six points, Nary had three dunks off fast break passes by Bean, and Lylah had fifteen points on five three-pointers. She hadn't missed any of her shots. Lohla was the passer extraordinaire. She was always finding the open girl. Meanwhile Kidneystone had been preoccupied ordering his players around and several times he was heard calling one of his players _Dummy_. At other times, he was actually shoving players into position. Part way through the period, Kidneystone gave up trying to micromanage and went into a two-three zone. Zones are great for defending against lob passes, and drives, but they don't work very well against a team with outside shooters. That's when Lylah scored her fifteen points.

Meanwhile when they were on offense, the Blue managed only twelve points. Coach _Do what I'm telling you to do_ insisted that they pass the ball to him in the middle of the key. Bean fronted him and the old slow foot didn't have the quickness to elude her.

With two periods to go, Vikings were leading 71 to 60. During the time out, the Vikings relaxed and got hydrated while the Blues sat in the middle of a firestorm created by a gesticulating fuming man who was blaming them for everything that had gone wrong since the world had been created. The Blues trudged onto the floor; the Vikings ran. Wiz had told them to run _one-four_.

### # # # # # # # #

One-four was an offensive set that Wizard had created one early morning when he couldn't sleep. He wondered what would happen if four players rushed into the key from different directions at the same time, and then rushed out, but each in different directions and never in the direction of any defensive player waiting on the outside. It would mean that the defense would not be able to slip all the picks that four players were setting. Would at least one of them get an open shot?

They tried it on the moms and it had worked reasonably well, at least against a man-to-man defense. Communications between the defenders were essential. Kidneystone was in a man-to-man defense and the only person talking on defense was the big kahuna. And he wasn't just talking; he was snarling rude comments at all of his players. The crowd in the gym was now booing him every time he yelled obscenities at one of his own players. That made for a noisy gym, which made communications even more difficult.

The first time they ran one-four, four Vikings had open shots. Lylah connected on a three.

The next time, Nary had a dunk.

The next time, Bean scored on a pretty reverse layup against the Kidneystone. Lohla saw his reaction and made eye contact with Bean the next time they came down the floor. Again, Bean scored but this time with a baby hook against the Kidneystone volcano.

Midway through the period, the Blue's offense was a shambles. Kidneystone was trying to post but the Vikings had him sandwiched between Lylah in front and Bean in behind. He had no chance of getting the ball, no matter how loudly he demanded it. On defense, this time it was Nary who dunked right over his head. The next time, Lylah drove, made contact with Eruption City and was awarded two points plus a foul shot. With no time outs possible in the middle of a period, the Blues had no chance to sit, compose themselves and figure out what to do.

It was 87 to 60 when everything in the gym came to a sudden halt. Mount Midstone, the human volcano, turned to one of his players and grabbed her jersey as part of his habit of giving players instructions from spitting distance away. This usually involved him grabbing the jersey necks of the player, pulling her towards him, and spittling at her and calling her names.

A word about the bodies of most basketball women. It is true that many of them are tall, spindly and designed to be aerodynamic in nature. _Aerodynamic_ meaning that they had no curves that would hinder their leaps into the air. But some basketball players have the traditional female form. The player that Kidneystone was grabbing was _well endowed_ , as ancestors from a previous century might describe her figure. She was definitely not aerodynamic. When Kidneystone went for her jersey neckline, his hands actually landed lower. They landed smack dab on her endowments. As he squeezed to bring her into spittle spraying range, she shrieked and began swatting at his arms. He squeezed harder and she tried to twist away. By this time, the players on the floor were all staring, as were the spectators. The non-aerodynamic player was shrieking and flailing, the endowment-squeezer was yelling and squeezing, and only Bean was moving.

Kidneystone was so engrossed in giving his player destructive criticism that he didn't feel Bean's right hand grab his neck and close tightly. Seconds later, his body noticed that blood flow was not getting past a certain blockage in his neck but the brain was otherwise engaged. At the grip's twenty-second mark, all of his muscles began losing strength and Kidneystone began to teeter. Bean flicked her index finger against his forehead. The direction of the teeter now having been decided, Kidneystone went into full totter meltdown and fell to the floor unconscious.

### # # # # # # # #

With Kidneystone dead to the world, the Blues took a vote with their feet and quickly disappeared from the debacle. None of them tried to resuscitate their spittle-spraying endowment-grabbing coach. With one bench deserted, the refs declared the game over and the Vikings the winners. Pandemonium ensued, especially for the lucky person holding the Vikings 87 - Blues 60 ticket. Many students came down onto the floor to congratulate the players and the coaches. Bean received more love in fifteen minutes than she had ever received in her life before.

The crowd was thinning out and the Vikings were still on the floor, enjoying the moment when Lucas and Theo arrived with the electronic contents of their play-by-play camera safely protected. Kidneystone was waking up, and ever concerned for his wellbeing, Lylah offered to escort him out of the gym. He didn't very want her help but Lylah insisted. She grabbed him by an elbow and physically steered him to the nearest exit. Bean and Nary came along for the steering in case a rodeo came to town. _[Rodeos. Bucking broncos. Steers....]_ . "You're banned from this gym," Lylah said and grinned at him.

"We did it, we did it," Lylah said to the former Blues players. "We got him back."

"You did it," they corrected.

After engaging with the moms in a long hopping and stomping group hug, Lylah turned her exuberance to the person closest to her. That happened to be Lucas.

"I grew a spine," she enthused to him.

"You did," Lucas agreed although he had always thought that she had a spine, the better to hold up her bones. The bit about being spineless was a Lylah - Lohla confidence that hadn't included Lucas.

"Thank you for your help," Lylah offered.

"I didn't do..."

Lylah wasn't listening. She grabbed Lucas in a tight embrace and planted a lip-lock directly on his... well, on his lips and after that matters went internal. It became rather steamy for a moment.

"I've wanted to do that ever since we met," Lylah shared. "But I was too scared. I've just grown more of a spine." On that re-declaration of spinal growth, Lylah turned abruptly on her heel and rushed out of the gym.

Lucas watched Lylah go, wondering what had just happened, before remembering that Lohla had been in the hopping and stomping group hug too. He turned to see Lohla leaving the gym by another exit. She had to have been right behind him when Lylah was kissing him. Lohla would have noticed that he hadn't returned the hug, right?

### # # # # # # # #

_Narrator: A week after the debacle of the basketball game, the U of T Student Union Executive received a video of the university's women's basketball coach screaming at and assaulting his players in an exhibition game. A reporter was assigned to check the back-story and found that this behaviour was commonplace. The student union published an exposé and the university fired Kidneystone several days later._

Back to the Table of Contents

# Chapter 39

It was Friday evening, February 20, and as VD had predicted, the media had run out of articles that they could run on the missing fifty women. No other accusations had been levied against Sky Transportation and their stock was gradually recovering. Sources friendly to Valkendorff inside the Justice Department slid him reassuring news that they had heard nothing new in the case.

Once again, VD and STD faced a Saturday that would probably involve a personal attack of some kind on VD. The apartment in Copenhagen had proven to be insecure. STD suggested that VD look at a map of Denmark, stick a pin in it somewhere, and copter there for the weekend.

"Feels like running away," VD groused.

"You have to leave Copenhagen," STD clarified in case VD was under the delusion that he wouldn't be attacked this week. "You need to break the sequence. Prevent one Saturday attack and you'll prove to your enemy that they can't get to you."

"I won't run away. It's undignified."

"How about a visit to your Hojerup mansion? You haven't been there for a while. It's harder to get to than your Copenhagen apartment."

"But it's very isolated. What if these attacks are leading up to an attempt to kill me? Hojerup has no police, no firemen, and no hospital. Isn't going to Hojerup increasing my risk?"

"What about staying incommunicado here in Valkendorff Vista? All the staff has gone home. We can lock up the entire top floor and stay here all Saturday. Nobody will know that you're here. There's more than enough food here in the machines to eat for a day. I won't leave the building so, if they're tracking me, I won't be able to lead them to you. You can sleep on the couch in your office."

"What if you've been bugged?"

"I've already checked. Numerous times."

"The Justice investigators could have put a bug inside your copter engine and you'd never find it."

"Do you think the Justice Department is behind this?"

"They could be. It could be all political. Denmark Today didn't endorse this government, remember?"

"I don't believe a politician would do sneak attacks like this."

"I do. You should take that copter home. I'll stay here on my own. Nobody can get into this top floor. Plus, there's no way that they would know where I am."

"No use of your communication devices in case they've managed to listen in."

"I'll see you Sunday. We'll celebrate."

### # # # # # # # #

Personally, this Friday night was your narrator's favorite part of the entire operation. Winnie had made sure that EmmaGee and I were involved in all the operational briefings and we flew security patrols whenever somebody was operating visibly.

All of Winnie's attacks on VD had been planned well in advance, of course. The one scheduled for tomorrow was the most difficult because we didn't know where VD would hide. If he left Copenhagen, Wanda would steal a V-Cab and follow VD in a conspicuous way to push him back to Copenhagen. We had had easy access to VD's Vista office on previous visits because STD had been lax on security. Today he locked up the entire floor before departing. So Marie flew to the Vista's roof, turned herself into a rat, crawled through the venting into the building and then into the top floor offices where she was able to drop down into an empty office. She put a sleep curse onto VD and let all the Gardeners in – EmmaGee, Freya, and me included. Winnie thought it was fitting in this attack that everybody got to lend a hand, which in Freya's case meant lending a mouth.

Granny and Wanda removed all of VD's clothes. We all took turns changing his appearance with the help of a special ultra-violet light-activated powder that William had prepared. Freya helped too. Mac wanted to re-visit the vault so that she could grab the little Valkendorff Group gizmos that could imprint company seals. After that, we left VD to marinate in the dark.

Momaka asked if we had performed some ancient aboriginal ceremony – the raven feathers Granny had given us to use prompting that idea, I suppose. "Women in some tribes used knives to skin their victims while they were still living," she answered. "Raven feathers were as close as I could get without shedding blood."

I hasten to reassure my readers. We didn't hurt him or anything. Quite the opposite actually. If VD had been awake, I think he would have been giggling. That's what I do when I'm being tickled.

### # # # # # # # #

That Friday evening, the kidnapped women were enjoying a long overdue Christmas party. Momaka and Mac had arranged to have a gift ceremony to recognize how all of the women had handled VD's sexual assaults so well. I mention that it was a Christmas party because the gifting process was the same as Christmas partygoers often do.

Here's how it worked. Momaka put all the names of the fifty women into a bag, pulled out the first name, and Mac went into a back room and returned with a gift. The person could choose to take the gift and make it her permanent possession. Or she could refuse the gift, which would mean it went into a _general pool_. The next person chosen to receive a gift could take the one that Mac would bring out of the back room for her, or they could take a gift from the general pool, or they could deposit that last gift into the general pool and wait for another opportunity. Any person who had deferred her choice could chose to take a gift out of the general pool at the end of each round. Since being one of the last women to be selected to receive a gift was kind of unlucky, each of the last three women received two gifts. After the ceremony was over, they had to give the gifts back to Mac, but they'd receive them again for real after they were rescued.

With fifty women having to make decisions about what gift to take, you'll understand that this game lasted a long time. Some drinking may have occurred as well. The sanctuary where they were staying had a very large wine and spirit cellar. It didn't have such a collection at 10 pm. I mention 10 pm because that was the time when Maja Pedersen returned to the police station near Tivoli Gardens. Again, what with the disruptions that can be expected on Friday nights, she waited patiently in line and whispered to the desk sergeant, "I've remembered something that might help you find where the kidnappers took me."

### # # # # # # # #

Early Saturday afternoon, VD awoke from a deep sleep and took a sponge bath to help him wake up – the casts on his arms and leg still preventing him from having a proper bath. He was stepping out of his bathtub when he thought he saw a brief flash of light. VD looked up. There was nothing to see. Then he looked down.

_You better come,_ he instructed Toft-Damgaard by text.

_I thought we weren't going to communicate today in case that would tell our friends where you are._

_They knew. Get here as soon as you can._

Back to the Table of Contents

# Chapter 40

We'll take a little pause in the action so that I can remind you about Maja Pedersen, the petite redhead. Maja was the former secretary and now the copy editor that VD had helped. She found herself obligated to pay for that help in the anteroom to the sauna. Afterwards, VD had warned her about her lack of enthusiasm.

Maja was the woman who had escaped two weeks ago and had turned up in Copenhagen where she asked the police for protection. She gave her statement to the police, and as you've learned, she secretly returned to where the Wilizy were keeping the women safe from discovery while Momaka was helping them recover. Here's what she told the Justice Department investigators the first time she met with them.

### # # # # # # # #

"The V-Cabbies dropped us all on the grounds of Valkendorff's mansion in Liseleje and told us to go into the house. We wandered around, wondering what was happening. All of us had been told that we'd be offered a business opportunity in exchange for our time. But nobody else was there. We waited in the main living room, wondering when Valkendorff would show up. We all knew of him, of course."

"Six men dressed in black suits came in the front door. We hadn't heard or seen any copters arrive, so they may have been hiding on the grounds. They were wearing black hoods with slits for eyes, noses, and mouth. They were armed with guns, which they made sure we saw. Two of them brought a large cardboard box into the home and emptied it in front of us. It was full of black hoods, which we had to put on. Some of us started to do that but others objected. Two men grabbed me and held a knife to my throat. That's when everybody put on a hood. It had slits for the nose and the mouth, but not for the eyes."

"While we were sitting there, we had to give them our pinky rings along with their passwords. After a while, we got our pinky rings back. They bound our arms behind us and, one by one, they walked us out of the house. I felt myself walking across grass and then through some rough ground. I was brought into a metal room of some kind. I could feel the metal of the floor and when I was told to sit down, I could feel the metal behind my back. My hands were fastened to the side of the room. I could move around a little but I couldn't stand up and I couldn't take off my hood."

"I heard the other women being brought in and then I heard a single loud clanging sound. When we were in the house with the hoods on, the material allowed a bit of light to seep through. But after that clanging, it became very dark. One of the women asked if everybody was all right and we all answered _Yes_. We felt ourselves rising into the air into a bouncing sort of ascent and we were swinging as well. Somebody said that we were in a metal container that was used to move freight around, and most of us agreed that was what we were in. We were being moved but in a way that nobody outside of this container would notice."

"After a long time, we felt ourselves landing and we heard noises of the container being opened. We were unfastened from the walls and one by one we were taken from the container and steered into a house. We didn't know what it was at the time, but that's what it was. A very expensive luxurious house."

"The route we walked to the house wasn't over grass; I felt that we were in a forest and I stumbled a few times and almost tripped. I smelled flowers and pine needles. We were left in the house, all of us handcuffed and sitting on the floor. A man's voice told us that we would remain in this house until the man who wanted to talk to us had recovered from an accident. They themselves would remain outside and guard the house so that we couldn't leave. We were told that trying to leave would be dangerous as the doors and windows were booby-trapped. We would be safe if we relaxed and waited."

"They released one woman from her cuffs and gave her a pair of cutters that would snip the cuffs off the other women. She was not to take her hood off until she heard the outside door close. She did as she was told and that's how we were all released. Then we waited. We could go anywhere we wanted, except outside."

"The house was two floors high. We had plenty of food and drink, which the men in black replenished regularly. Each week, we'd hear the men coming towards the building and we could see them carrying cartons. They'd come to the back door, order us away from the kitchen, and bring in new supplies of food. We learned their routine and realized that they had quite a long walk from where they were unloading the food, and if we timed it right, one of us could sneak out of the house and into the woods. I offered to do that and hid in a closet in the kitchen. I snuck into the woods but not in the same place as the men were walking, and saw them taking food out of a large copter. When it was empty, I hid in the copter's storage bin. We flew for forty-five minutes and landed. I knew the time because my pinky ring's clock still worked. All the men stepped out of the copter and left the area. I waited for a bit to be sure one of them wasn't hanging around and snuck out too. When I looked back at the copter, it had a V-Cab sign on it. It didn't have that before. I was a five minute walk from the Tivoli Gardens, so I went to the police station there and asked for help."

"All of you had your pinky rings – did you try to communicate?"

"We tried. We couldn't get a signal. But we could use the recording utility on our pinky rings. The guards would walk around the building at night and lean up against an outside wall and talk together. Some of us would hide in dark rooms and try to record what they were saying. We only heard snippets of conversation. But that's how we learned that we were going to be prostitutes in an Uber virtual whorehouse. A V-Cab would take us to some man's home or business and, when he was done, the V-Cab would take us home. We managed to tape a small part of a revealing conversation. When we heard what they planned to do to us, we knew that one of us had to escape and go for help. I volunteered because I was the smallest."

### # # # # # # # #

With that sparse information, my readers will appreciate that the Justice Department investigators didn't have much to go on. They had to find a big, two floor house forty-five minutes from Copenhagen by copter. That narrowed their search down to most of Denmark and parts of southern Scandinavia. Here's what Maja had remembered the second time she went to the police.

### # # # # # # # #

"When I ran out of the house to hide outside, it was windy that day and I remember now that I smelled the ocean. I couldn't see anything because I was in the middle of a forest, but I definitely smelled salty ocean spray and it couldn't have been far away."

"So, they kept you near the ocean. That won't help us much. Much of Denmark is near the ocean."

"I lifted the cover of the storage bin a couple of times during the flight and I saw the sun getting low in the sky on the left hand side of the copter."

"You were heading north."

"Yes. And the house is near the ocean. Won't that narrow your search down?"

Back to the Table of Contents

# Chapter 41

On Monday February 23 at noon, the following press release was reproduced in its entirety on the front pages of all but one of the Danish news media outlets.

_The Justice Department reports that in cooperation with the Danish army, their investigators have rescued forty-nine kidnapped women from a booby-trapped building in Hojerup, Denmark. These women, along with the kidnapped woman who had escaped earlier, have been reunited with their immediate families and are now being kept in a safe site until we can debrief all of them. All of the women are healthy and were not physically harmed during their three-week incarceration._

_The Justice Department will issue no further press releases until we have determined exactly what happened to the fifty kidnapped women. No justice official will respond to any questions about this subject to ensure that the evidence that we are gathering is not compromised by leaked distribution to the perpetrators of this heinous act. We ask the media to bear with us. Please give the women some time alone with their familie_ s.

### # # # # # # # #

I mentioned the release had been reproduced in all but one media outlet. Denmark Today had a slightly different reaction.

_ARMY RELEASES KIDNAPPED WOMEN; JUSTICE DEPARTMENT LOCKS THEM UP AGAIN._

_It must have been an excruciating turn of events for the fifty kidnapped women this Monday. The Justice Department finally called on the Danish military for assistance after three weeks of their bungling ineptitude had led them nowhere. The army released the women from this supposed booby-trapped building quickly. Within minutes, the Justice Department jailed them again. We are told that their incarceration is for their own safety._

_Safety from whom? From the media who might print how the Justice Department bungled this case from the very beginning? From the media whose job it is to uncover government bungling and cost overruns? We note that this was the largest ever investigative task force that Denmark had ever assembled. And nothing happened for three weeks. The army comes in and solves the problem in one morning. The Minister of Justice must be trembling in his boots in fear that the total cost of this massive waste of manpower will be brought to the public's attention. We call on him to stop wasting government time and money. Resign now._

_Why will the Justice Department not answer any questions? They don't want you to know how quickly these women could have been found. Denmark Today will find that answer for you._

Back to the Table of Contents

# Chapter 42

Tuesday morning, February 24, the crowds of media around Valkendorff Vista were rewarded for their perseverance when they saw Justice Department investigators enter the building and bring two men out. At least the crowd thought they were two men; if not two, one for sure.

The definite male was Silas Toft-Damgaard, Valkendorff''s lawyer and presumed participant in the _Flummoxing Flight of the Fabulous Fifty_ , a headline that one media person had created and others were copying. All of the reporters by now were harping on the fact that every woman who had been kidnapped was gorgeous. That commonality sparked theories that Valkendorff was trying to give himself a monopoly of gorgeous bedmates, thereby leaving every other able bodied Dane with second best. Another theory on the reason for the kidnapping was baby egg harvesting – news of what had happened in Scandinavia had spread. An associated theory was that Valkendorff had been prepared to trade the fifty women for one Star Trek Vulcan. In all of these theories that were rollicking through the Danish world, all had Valkendorff at the heart of the rumour. I'm not saying that these theories were particularly smart or accurate, just that they had appeared at one point in what passed for the fringe side of the media divide. Nobody had thought that the Fabulous Fifty had been kidnapped so that they could serve as cheap bedmates for frugal philanderers.

The second person taken out of Valkendorff Vista was totally covered in what looked very much like an ivory white, bejeweled tablecloth suitable for twenty guests in a sit down meal. In fact, that's exactly what it was. A tablecloth. The Justice Department investigators hadn't called ahead to see if Valkendorff could receive guests. They simply arrived. The tablecloth was the only thing handy that Toft-Damgaard could find at short notice that would completely cover Valkendorff's body. Toft-Damgaard elbow-steered the tablecloth-covered body into the Ministry of Justice's copter. A manservant followed behind holding the trailing part of the tablecloth off the ground. He would be the man responsible for cleaning the tablecloth and he took his job seriously. However, the optics of the scene of a table-cloth covered figure moving tentatively down the sidewalk to a waiting Justice Department copter reminded reporters of how brides walk down the aisle, a bridesmaid in tow holding up her train. For Valkendorff, this would not be a positive image, him being a man and all.

Everybody assumed that it was Valkendorff underneath the tablecloth although only his feet were visible. This image didn't catch the interest of the Danish people at all. No siree, nothing noticeable about a manservant holding a rich man's bridal tablecloth train. Social media had a good time adding captions to the picture of a walking tablecloth.

The second best comment, at least in my opinion, was: _I'm looking for my table. Have you seen it?_

The best comment was: _I'm looking for my mind. Have you seen it?_

The tablecloth and his lawyer entered the Justice Building and remained there for the morning. Toft-Damgaard emerged at noon still with a tablecloth covering him but without the trailing manservant. The figure under the tablecloth had now been tightly enclosed within white ivory fabric so that his bridal train wouldn't drag on the ground behind him. The figure, still considered to be Valkendorff by every Dane over the age of two, was now a walking mummy. Unfortunately, he was so tightly wrapped in the ivory swaddling that he could barely walk. The duo proceeded to a microphone in tiny, tiny steps. It was 12 noon.

Toft-Damgaard cleared his throat. Reporters began to write their opening paragraph without waiting for the throat clearing to end. _Silas Toft-Damgaard cleared his throat nervously, anxious about the reaction the crowd would have when they learned that Valkendorff had been found guilty of kidnapping fifty women._

Toft-Damgaard crossed them up completely.

"My client has been found innocent on all charges," he proclaimed. "The Justice Department has had to withdraw all of their charges in the face of the absolute lack of any proof whatsoever that my client was involved in any way with the alleged kidnapping of the fifty women. This trial made a mockery of this country's justice system. Police need solid evidence before a man can be accused and brought before a court of law. These police did not have any evidence at all. We will be filing suit against the men and women involved in this kangaroo court."

With that, the lawyer and the tablecloth sidled down the steps of the justice building's entrance in tiny, tiny steps.

Calls rang out.

"Who's hiding under the table cloth?"

"Who was at the meeting?"

"Were the Fabulous Fifty there?"

"What were they wearing?"

"What happened to the man servant?"

"Seriously. What were the Fab Fifty wearing?"

"Why is Valkendorff hiding his body?"

Nobody thought that the answer to that last question would be that he was tickled pink to be invited to this meeting.

Back to the Table of Contents

# Chapter 43

At 12:15, a representative of the Justice Department informed the media that they would issue an official statement on the matter of the Fabulous Fifty at 1 p.m. This was a highly unusual reaction to a court case that only fueled further speculation about the results. Denmark's towns and cities became quiet at 12:55. At 12:59, the Minister of Justice strode to the same microphone that Toft-Damgaard had used. He didn't come equipped with a tablecloth; he did come equipped with several pages of text that he would read from.

"Starting at 9:00 a.m. Justice Department investigators met with Conrad Valkendorff and his lawyer, Silas Toft-Damgaard. Both of these gentlemen were invited to the meeting so that they could assist with our inquiries. At no time in the meeting were accusations made about their possible involvement in the kidnapping of these women. Criminal charges have not been laid. This was a meeting in an unlocked interview room and they were told that they were free to leave at any time."

"Mr. Valkendorff has not been found _innocent on all charges_ as his lawyer has claimed. That comment is grossly misleading. As I have said, we laid no charges. The investigation is proceeding and, in time, charges might be laid against the persons who kidnapped the women. But due to the high interest that the public have had in the kidnapping, we are giving the entire nation a summary of what we have found so far in our investigation."

"We have found that on January 24 2087, fifty women were individually lured to a purported meeting that was being held at Conrad Valkendorff's mansion in Liseleje. They believed that the purpose of the meeting was to listen to an offer of a business opportunity. All of these women had met with Mr. Valkendorff previously so they knew him and they assumed that it was Mr. Valkendorff who had extended the invitation. After all, it was at his mansion."

"All fifty women were notified of the business meeting by V-Cab pilots who transported each of them individually to Mr. Valkendorff's Liseleje mansion. We have verified that all of these men who transported the women were indeed V-Cab pilots and were using V-Cab copters for that transport. They dropped the women off on the grounds next to the mansion and left the area. The women wandered into the mansion, but found nobody collecting invitations so they discarded them and sat down to wait."

"We found it interesting that the women did not pay for the V-Cab trip. Instead, Mr. Valkendorff paid for their transportation to his mansion. We discovered those trip charges on his personal V-Cab account this weekend when our investigators raided the building where V-Cab back-up data are stored. We had been unable to find those data earlier because Mr. Valkendorff's accounts were heavily damaged when some unknown individual cut off power to the Sky Transportation building when we were trying to serve a warrant for access to those records. Fortunately, the backups had not been damaged."

"Mr. Valkendorff claimed that he knew nothing about the meeting. He claimed that he did not remember ever meeting these women, although twenty-eight of the women claimed that they had met him in one of his residences. Twelve other women claimed that they had received a visit from Mr. Valkendorff at their place of work and gave us the exact date and time of that meeting. Mr. Valkendorff's V-Cab account show that he did indeed take a cab ride to those work places on the dates and times indicated and, as well, used a cab for the return trip. He was unable to explain how he wasn't able to remember any of those twelve return trips or the women he met. Other staff in those businesses remembered him coming into their building well because Mr. Valkendorff is a famous man."

"Mr. Valkendorff claimed that he did not arrange to have the fifty women picked up at their homes and he did not authorize the charges to be put on his account. He further claimed that he did not issue the invitations and was not present in the mansion at the time. He claimed that the mansion had been shut down. With all these accusations, and in spite of the electronic data suggesting that Mr. Valkendorff was involved with these women, we did not find any physical evidence linking Mr. Valkendorff to this part of the kidnappings. However, it is absolutely certain that the women were lured to that mansion and, from there, they were kidnapped."

"In individual interviews, all fifty women described how they were accosted by masked men, blindfolded, and confined in the Liseleje mansion. Next, they were taken to a metal transport container where they were locked into a sitting position and transported elsewhere. They were confined inside a booby-trapped house for three weeks. Using information from one of the women who escaped, we were able to find that container with manacles attached to the walls as described by the women. That transport was a Valkendorff Sky Transportation container and the charges for its use in travelling from Liseleje to Hojerup appeared in Mr. Valkendorff's account with the firm."

"The container led us to where the women had been confined. That location was Mr. Valkendorff's mansion in Hojerup. We found ample physical evidence of their stay in that house. As we had been warned, the house had been booby trapped and it would have been impossible for them to leave."

"The lone woman who escaped reported that she had hid in a copter that brought food to Mr. Valkendorff's Hojerup mansion. That copter was a V-Cab copter. We have since determined that a V-Cab copter did indeed make several trips to that mansion. The charges for that trip were placed on Mr. Valkendorff's personal account."

"We found it curious that all the time that Mr. Valkendorff was claiming publicly that he knew nothing about these women or their abductions, they were confined to his mansion in Hojerup. Mr. Valkendorff claimed that he knew nothing of how these women were transported to his home, nor how these women were confined. We were unable to find any physical evidence linking him to this transportation or to their confinement."

"Let me now address the question of why the women were kidnapped. From individual interviews with each of the fifty women, we have learned that this was a subject that troubled them deeply. They decided, as a group, to try to eavesdrop on the personal conversations that their guards were having with each other as they patrolled the exterior of the house. One woman was able to make the following recording with her pinky ring. I will replay it now for you."

_Somebody knows that you're planning to force these fifty women to be part of your new Uber prostitution business. You'll be able to use V-Cabs to deliver whores with a girl-next-door look to customers all over Europe for well below the going rate._

_So, somebody is jealous that they didn't think of my idea first and is trying to steal it?_

"We have determined conclusively that the two men speaking in this recording were first – Mr. Toft-Damgaard. The second voice is Mr. Valkendorff's. These voice prints are identical to tapes we made of them in this morning's meeting."

"Both men claimed that their voices were taped while they were inside Mr. Valkendorff's apartment. They claim that they were speculating on the possibility of extending their Uber cab business to other forms of Uber services. Prostitution was only a wild idea that came to them in a half drunken stupor. They never would have pursued it. They could not remember the date when they made these comments. Nor could the women tell us what day they had taped those voices. Their pinky ring computers were not functioning properly and we have confirmed that this is true. Our technicians found that most functions on their rings had been disabled. Thus, we have no physical evidence definitely linking either man to the residence in Hojerup during the kidnapping. We do find it inexplicable that a woman was able to tape Mr. Valkendorff and Mr. Toft-Damgaard talking about forcing the women into prostitution in his residence while the woman taping their voices was physically incarcerated in Hojerup."

"To summarize: At this point in our investigation, **we have no physical evidence linking either of these two men to any aspects to the kidnapping**. We do however, have irrefutable evidence linking **Mr. Valkendorff's companies** to the kidnapping."

"We are certain that **Valkendorff Sky Transportation's V-Cabs** **and its freight transports** were involved in transporting the women to Liseleje and from there to Hojerup, and while the women were there, resupplying the house."

**"Mobile Technology Services** is another subsidiary of Valkendorff Group. Acting on an insider tip, our technicians were able to access the backup files to MTS's computers. In those files, we found evidence that all fifty of the kidnapped women had received an upgraded level of service from MTS that was, to be blunt, an inexcusable violation of their privacy. MTS installed audio surveillance systems in all fifty houses. Those recordings were stored in hidden files within the MTS computers. Only somebody with a very high position in the company could have listened to those tapes. Both Valkendorff and Taft-Damgaard denied any knowledge of the surveillance equipment or the existence of the tapes. We have been unable to tie either Mr. Valkendorff or Mr. Taft-Damgaard physically to these tapes but the existence of the surveillance equipment in the homes of the women is undeniable. With the assistance of the families involved, we have removed the equipment."

"Finally, **Denmark Today** is another of Conrad Valkendorff's companies. Investigators have noticed that while all of the other media in the country has been proactively trying to help find the kidnapped women, Denmark Today has been denying that any such kidnapping even took place. We notice that one of the basic tenets that Danish media are required to follow by Danish law is impartial and accurate presentation of the news in a timely fashion. Through this announcement, we are advising the senior executive of Denmark Today that our investigators will be at your homes tomorrow morning."

Back to the Table of Contents

# Chapter 44

The Justice Department's news conference ended at 12:30 p.m. on that Tuesday. Copenhagen's stock market closed at 4 p.m. All of Valkendorff Group's subsidiaries were public companies, which meant that people could own shares in the company and benefit from the growth of the value of those shares. It also meant that people could sell those shares if they didn't like the company. The Danish population as a whole decided that they didn't like those companies. Sure, nothing could be proven about Valkendorff's involvement in the kidnapping, but the companies ... that was a different matter. By 2:00, Denmark's stock exchange had closed down all purchases and sales of the stocks for Valkendorff Sky Transportation, Mobile Technology Services, and Denmark Today. TeleNet Denmark hadn't been mentioned in the Justice Department's announcements, but the fallout hurt it too. The share price of these companies had dropped so precipitously that the stock exchange's emergency measures had kicked in preventing any further purchases or sales.

The prime minister called an emergency meeting of his cabinet. If these four companies failed, thousands of jobs would be lost. The Danish economy relied heavily on those jobs and on the services that those companies provided. Mobile Technology Services and TeleNet Denmark were vital cogs in Denmark's electronic infrastructure. Without them, the country's economy would screech to a sudden halt. Valkendorff Sky Transportation provided almost all of the country's freight transportation needs as well as transportation for businessmen and women. Without transportation, the country's economy could not recover. The cabinet issued a public announcement at 2:30 advising the country that the prime minister would ensure that citizens who had invested in these companies would not lose their life savings. The prime minister would also protect the country's economy. Naturally, he received a lot of favourable comments from his citizens. Re-election would be ensured. _Prime Minister for life_ was a definite possibility.

At 4 p.m. that afternoon, the Minister of Justice stood up in a cabinet meeting and described some very serious concerns that had arisen during their investigation and which had been held back from the public report that he had given earlier that day. He had been given reliable information from the Ambassador to Germany that the country's entire communications network may have been compromised. In an interdepartmental cooperative operation, agents had discovered that TeleNet Denmark had secretly given itself the capability to listen in and store any electronic transmission that went through its transmission towers. The storage devices had been removed from all of TeleNet Denmark's towers by a joint operation between Justice Department investigators and members of the Danish army's Covert Operations. Covert Operations specialists were now searching the data in these storage devices and were downloading all communications that Conrad Valkendorff had sent or received. The same was being done for Silas Taft-Damgaard. Every communication involving those two men would be found and reviewed. He commended Denmark's Ambassador to Germany for bringing this national security risk to the attention of the Justice Department.

The cabinet's meeting broke up at 7 pm with plans in place to counter the perils of Valkendorff's companies disappearing. Officials would work through the night with announcements to be made as soon as possible to allay public concerns.

At 7:30 pm, the prime minister announced that the stress of the events of this week had accelerated a previously undisclosed medical condition that would make it impossible for him to carry on with his duties. He was planning to spend whatever time he had left with his family.

### # # # # # # # #

Early Wednesday morning, Military Police burst into the apartments of two men of interest. They didn't need arrest warrants since national security concerns were the basis for the arrests. No words were exchanged between the MPs and the accused on the way to a hush-hush military prison although the arresting officers did snicker a lot at what they saw when one of the men was photographed.

### # # # # # # # #

Wednesday morning, officials of the Justice Department and the Stock Market declared that all of Valkendorff's businesses were bankrupt. A bankruptcy court would handle what few assets remained. However, two assets would not be part of that bankruptcy. The government announced that TeleNet Denmark and Mobile Technology Services would be nationalized and run as government agencies given the importance of these two businesses to the country. All employees would keep their jobs. Citizens who held stock in the company would be reimbursed for their costs in buying the shares.

With the executive of Denmark Today all suddenly resigning, the employees of the huge media enterprise voted to continue the company but as an employee-owned business. The Bankruptcy Court approved the request and allowed the new company to purchase the stock shares at the current price. Since the current price was close to zero, the employees received a great deal. They also got ownership of Valkendorff Vista, which had been transferred to Denmark Today recently. Denmark Today reopened its business in the most noticeable building in Denmark.

In a similar transaction, a consortium of former copter cab companies that had all been forced into bankruptcy years ago banded together and put in an offer for the assets of Valkendorff Sky Transportation. Since the current price was close to zero, the purchasers got a great deal. They also got ownership of land and property in Holderup.

### # # # # # # # #

You may recall that Frida, Laerke, and Sebastian had taken a different approach to fighting VD and STD. Prompted by a tip from Stu, they went back to the nine women and asked them to give a video statement on their experiences with their names and faces hidden electronically. They couldn't afford to take this information to a criminal court, but they could bring this information to the professional body that certified lawyers and watched over their conduct. A complaint cost nothing to file. They would need no lawyers to argue their case: the professional group would do the lawyering.

On the Friday after the Justice Department announcement, Frida's deposition was heard by the Professional Law Society of Denmark which ruled in their favour on both charges: that their contracts had been illegally cancelled and that Laerke's reputation had been deliberately destroyed by his public lies. STD was disbarred (meaning he could no longer be a lawyer) and both he and VD were required to compensate the ten victims for the losses they incurred from illegal cancellation of their contracts. The Law Society approached the Bankruptcy Court on their behalf and the money that Valkendorff Group received from the sale of its other businesses went to the ten women instead. Laerke received the land in Liseleje as her compensation for the harm to her reputation.

### # # # # # # # #

On Saturday, a day that had been historically astoundingly bad for VD, the front pages of Danish media announced that Conrad Valkendorff and Silas Taft-Damgaard were being held in a military prison under charges of bribing government officials, blackmail, and conspiring to murder eight Danish citizens. National security issues required the trials of these men to be held in a military court and all proceedings of that court were kept secret. Well, secret from the Danes.

VD and STD tried to claim that they knew nothing about these devices. However, CyberMonkey had found the image of STD climbing one of the towers and that proved to be critical in the case. STD didn't explain that he had climbed the tower to hide a storage bot full of pornographic images of many of the women that they had coerced into having sex. That probably would not have helped their case much. The prosecutor didn't ask about those pictures because that storage bot was not there when technicians climbed to the top of that tower. In the end, since the Justice Department held audiotapes proving that all of the charges against the men were true, the trial was over quickly. VD and STD were given very long prison sentences.

It must have been disheartening for VD and STD to sit in court while their own secret listening devices were being used to convict them. There's a saying: _He who lives by the sword, dies by the sword._ It's more clearly expressed in everyday conversation as, _What goes around, comes around._

Back to the Table of Contents

# Chapter 45

When it was clear that VD and STD would receive the justice they deserved from the Danish legal system, the Wilizy were no longer needed in Copenhagen. However, before they left, the Gardeners wanted to show their appreciation for the contributions from their Danish co-conspirators. TG downloaded the image that was taken in VD's bathroom as he was stepping out of the bathtub. This camera not only created the ultra-violet light that would activate William's special powder, but it actually took a picture too. TG passed that image to Stu who met one last time in the Norrebro apartment with Frida and Laerke and gave them some lawyerly advice.

### # # # # # # # #

Members of cabinet elected the Minister of Justice to the vacated position of prime minister. He in turn named the Ambassador to Germany as the new Minister of Justice. Before he left his ambassadorial position, the German Ambassador promoted Enok one grade level as a reward for solving a national security problem without embarrassing the country. He also was given the opportunity to go to the country of his choice to continue his spying. Enok chose Switzerland because he was tired of Denmark's almost continuous wind.

### # # # # # # # #

Sebastian showed up on the doorstep of his father's house one evening and rang the bell. When Jonas opened the door, he found his son in a romantic embrace with a beautiful brunette. That embrace would have continued to steam its passage across Jonas' eyeballs had it not been for a luscious blonde who interrupted the steamship and demanded her turn with their lover. Steamship Sebastian reversed course and traversed Jonas' eyeballs again.

While Laerke was attempting to climb Mount Sebastian, Frida delivered the other message they wanted Sebastian's father to hear. "Sebastian never was gay," Frida started coldly. "He was shy, that's all. He wants you to know that you will never have a relationship with your son until you've received medical treatment that will make you tolerant of others."

Sebastian would live together with Laerke and Frida in the Norrebro apartment for several years while he attended high school. During those years, he discovered that he had a remarkable ability to master foreign languages. After he graduated, he left Copenhagen to enroll in another type of school that would help him to make use of those talents.

### # # # # # # # #

Laerke's career prospects rebounded after the visit she had with the new management of Denmark Today. She brought with her a printout of Valkendorff's public attack on her business. Next, she showed them the statement from the Professional Law Society of Denmark that ruled that Valkendorff had deliberately destroyed her reputation with public lies. "You printed those lies without checking with me first. You helped Valkendorff ruin my business. That's libel and it's a crime."

Then, Laerke sat and waited.

In the end, she agreed to receive a business suite in the Vista building rent-free for three years. That suite would contain an office, a reception area, and a large workroom that she could convert to a design room. In addition, she could place weekly quarter-sheet ads for her business in Denmark Today for three years at no charge. In return, she would not take Denmark Today to court.

### # # # # # # # #

Frida also had a successful meeting with the new management of Denmark Today. She explained that she had been fired unjustly by Taft-Damgaard and she'd like her job back. When they showed some hesitation, she put an image up on their display wall and waited.

"Where did you get this?" the new editor asked. "Looks like he's in a bathroom."

"It doesn't matter where I took it," she replied. "What matters is that I'm the only media person who has it. I own the image and all the rights associated with it. As a member of your graphic artist staff, I'll let you publish it once. It would make a memorable beginning to the new Denmark Today."

And it did.

### # # # # # # # #

Stu had advised Laerke and Frida to hold all rights to the image so that they could use it in Laerke's business. Laerke used her land in Liseleje as collateral for a large bank loan. With that, Frida purchased a sophisticated 3D printing system that allowed her to manufacture three dimensional curios featuring Valkendorff's body in living colour. Then, they set up a manufacturing business. Their most popular line of Valkendorff Curios was the one where they made Valkendorff's body into a table light. Picture a slightly hunched over naked man, with a large flowing mustache, short cropped beard, and ruddy cheeks. He looked like a troll. On top of his head, they put an ivory white fabric light cover complete with fake pearls. They found it difficult to keep with the demand.

But it wasn't the light cover that made the curio popular. It was the fluorescent pink colour covering his body that drew everybody's attention and amusement. Now you know how the Gardeners changed his appearance with the raven feathers and why I said that he was _tickled pink_ when he was invited to the meeting with the Justice Department.

Back to the Table of Contents

# Chapter 46 Epilog

VD's missing artwork began to show up months after the turmoil had all died down. People became curious how the Fab Fifty women had each obtained something so expensive. When asked, they were happy to show them the certificate of ownership that had been given to them as part of VD's program of benevolence that he liked to brag about. These certificates of ownership identified the artwork in detail and they even had Valkendorff Group's corporate seal embossed on the bottom of the new ownership paper. Who said that Christmas gift giving games can't be fun.

Back to the Table of Contents

# Books in the Wilizy series

As of November, 2019, there were twenty novels in the Wilizy series. Check below to see if you've missed any.

**Book #1: I Got'cha**

If you think being a teenager in today's world is tough, try being one in 2081. In Alberta's It's Only Fair society, your brain-band will zap you just for chewing with your mouth open. One boy pried his brain-band off to see what living with emotions would be like. Being chased by the entire Alberta army was bad enough. It became worse when another 15 year old kid offered to help him escape.

**Book #2: The Get-Even Bird**

Will and Izzy are forced to flee from Zzyk's army. After months away from Alberta, they fly their sailing ship into B.C. thinking that they would be safe there. Bad mistake! Izzy is captured. All Will has to do to save her life is turn himself in for a free brain-band fitting appointment. That's what happens when you wear a Zorro costume to a dance.

**Book #3: Assassination Day**

A DPS technician offers to defect if the Wilizy will rescue his daughter from _The Citadel_ – some super smart military people who are friends with Zzyk. Izzy thinks that their new recruit is an assassin, but Yollie insists that he's a decent man. Can assassins be decent men? It will take a hair-raising experience to find out.

**Book #4: Hoist the Jolly Lucas**

It's bad enough that Zzyk pins the blame for two assassinations on Izzy and launches a full out assault on their home compound. But then, another enemy takes advantage of a security lapse to get revenge for a war that happened 20 years ago. The Wilizy are left reeling with two key members kidnapped and stashed where they can't be found, let alone rescued. For the family to survive, everybody must enter the battle. The story is as much about the past as it is about the present.

**Book #5: Teenage Mutant Ninja Torpedoes** (Yes, this is a Wilizy book.)

Mac disappears and doesn't want to be found. Will and Wolf use time-travel to search for her and discover secrets she wouldn't want them to know. The Alaskans attack when Will is finding out what happens to a submarine's air when it is lying helpless on the ocean floor. Between the Alaskans' impenetrable fortress and their bubblegum weapons, life is going to get a little sticky for the Wilizy.

**Book #6: Bob, the Invisible Dragon**

Raging hormones as well as Raging Gardeners play key roles when young Wilizy warriors are attacked and the Wilizy's scientific marvels offer no protection. The youngsters' future will rely on a different kind of warrior protecting them. Warning: events at the end of the story will move quickly. They certainly won't _drag on_.

**Book #7: Nary, Nary, Quite Contrary**

Theo and Lucas move to Toronto to live on their own. Both meet girls but neither is brave enough to introduce his new friend to the family. They wouldn't have the time anyway, what with villains trying to assassinate them and Voodoo royalty greeting them as though they were Voodoo gods. At the end of the story, Lucas receives a surprise Boxing Day gift that leaves him speechless.

**Book #8: Maddy's a Baddy**

Maddy had escaped from Big Momma only to find herself all alone in the cold and begging for food in Eastern Canada. While she's trying to return to her home in Seattle, the Wilizy have their own problems. Everybody in the family is intent on bringing the judge to justice for what he did to Lucas. It would have been so easy for them to rescue Maddy, but they didn't know anything about her.

**Book #9: Bite Me!**

Spurred on by Marie's desire to eat a meal with her former slave masters, the Wilizy plan to put Safe Haven ranches out of business. In the process, they encounter two foreign assassins intent on abducting Maddy. Theo and Nary become closer but a red-eyed chaperone does not approve. The Wilizy's war with Safe Haven starts with a bang but ends with a whimper.

**Book #10: Wheelchair Moccasins!**

A 13 year old girl pretends to turn to prostitution to gain her freedom from her crime boss father. In Wilizy family news, Winnie agrees not to meddle in Mathias' love life. No, the world isn't ending, so long as you don't have a green vegetable for your name. Best advice ever? If somebody wearing moccasins and sitting in a wheelchair offers to sing you to sleep... run!

**Book #11: Trial by Nick**

After the Scandinavians attack their home base, Winnie develops an idea for defeating Crown Prince Wilhelm that is a dramatic departure from their normal military battles. In their personal lives, the Toronto teenagers have to become schnobs to keep their basketball futures alive, Lucas and Lylah begin dating, and two of EmmaGee's personalities leave her body.

**Book #12. Tickled Pink**

A man uses his unlimited wealth and power to assault women without fear of legal consequences. If they object, he'll humiliate them publicly and ruin their lives. If they don't stand up to him, their lives as they knew them will be over. But how do you fight a man who is above the law? Here's how. The Raging Gardeners help the women while Winnie attacks him where he isn't looking.

**Book #13: Second Base**

Granny and Doc enjoy a spirited life in their new Australian house while Bean has to adjust to her mother joining her in the Wilizy cadet camp. She meets a charming man with country pumpkin witticisms whose entire life is dedicated to becoming a cold blooded killer. Meanwhile, Safe Haven's impenetrable offices aren't as safe as they thought they were.

**Book #14: Old Stone Face**

Bean moves to Toronto with her sheriff who takes a job as a private detective. Before long, he's trying to bring a mad scientist to justice - the same man that Winnie is after. With both the Wilizy and a countrified sheriff after the same man, you'd think he'd be easy to catch. Too bad there are no laws about a mad scientist killing twenty-one babies.

**Book #15: Remember the Halocracy**

Reese finds Annika - his first, and only, girl friend. For reasons that nobody fully understands, he sort of kidnaps her but she willingly accompanies him to the far side of globe. Reese figures out later that she could be trying to seduce him when in fact, she's actually going to try to kill him.

**Book #16: Coffee Can Kill Ya!**

Convincing Paula's brother to give her a proper share of her parents' estate had seemed so easy. Turned out that it wasn't so easy after all. In the Wilizy's defense, murdering extra-terrestrials that tried to kidnap a corpse created unique challenges. To their credit, the Wilizy dealt with those. But, how do you deal with something that you can't see and don't even know exists?

**Book #17: Nice Birthday Party, Governor.**

Plot twists abound as the Wilizy take on the Colorado government and the NORAD military simultaneously. Maddy quits the cadet corp to run a secret operation that ends in a one-on-one battle. Melissa breaks Reese out of jail and Cowboy shows his dramatic talents, which do not include stripping. Winnie directs two dramatic productions but only one of these involves wearing respectable clothes.

**Book #18: The Tale of the Scorpion's Tail**

The Wilizy have to neutralize NORAD's nuclear missiles while defeating their air force without causing any casualties. A special weapon (guided bird poop) will be needed. Meanwhile, Heaven's guardian angels are under attack from within. The key to success? Rescuing a gerbil imprisoned in an escape-proof cage. "Molly Moonblossom" and "Nympho Maniac" play key roles. One of these actors is Winnie.

**Book #19: Brunhilda, the Steamroller.**

Billy Bump resurfaces and plans Maddy's death. Winnie accepts a secret mission but runs afoul of Yolanda, who is sure that she has a boyfriend. Yolanda's vision that Winnie will be attacked comes true. Demonic infiltrators into Heaven escape detection when the steamroller named Brunhilda prosecutes Arthur and finds him guilty. This time, he won't be going back to guardian angel school.

**Book #20: Lock Up Your Corn Starch!**

While Paula, Winnie and Arthur are on a perilous mission for Heaven, the Wilizy family is trying to rescue Charlie and Sheila from prison. Wilizy forces battle demented escaped convicts intent on slaughtering innocent victims to help a brown supremacist politician win an election. If you're intent on going to Hell when you die, be sure to read this book for a preview of what's waiting for you.

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# About the Author

David J. Wighton is a retired educator who enjoys writing youth novels when he's not on a basketball court coaching middle-school girls. The books in his Wilizy series peek at how people lived after the word's governments collapsed in the chaos that followed the catastrophic rise in ocean levels and the disappearance of the world's last deposits of oil.

Wighton's novels have strong teenage characters driving the plot and facing challenges that, in many respects, are no different from what teenagers face today. His novels are intended to entertain and readers will find adventure, romance, suspense, humour, a strong focus on family, plus a touch of whimsy. Wighton also writes to provoke a little thought about life in today's societies and what the future might bring. Teachers may find the series useful in the classroom and the novels are priced with that intent in mind.

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