Moon Stalk

Chapter Nineteen

"Alright doll. Walk me through what's been happening, give me all of the info you've got." Zane requested, running a free hand to pet Zinc.

"Ah well, you know after my discharge, I became a psychologist. I still wanted to help as much as I could to the public."

"Course we remember,  you've always loved helping people. It's a quality that most people should have been born with." Jenny grumbled, sharpening her wicked blade in her free time.

"Yes well one day as I was working, my friend and receptionist Gabe let me know I had a new patient coming in. I open my door to welcome them in and, low and behold, it was little Marg."

"Woah, talk about bizarre coincidences. What'd you go in there for?" Presley turned to my niece, asking curiously.

"Well I went in there for anxiety and depression, caused by my fiancé, Jimmy Boyle. It was getting closer to our date and he'd been getting worse and worse. He'd begun having secret meetings and if I asked about them, he'd scream and burn me with cigars. He began adding knife play to our intimacy and measuring both me and my wardrobe if I wasn't there."

"Oh hun... now I understand why you were attacking me. C'mere." Yvette pulled Margaret into a side hug on the couch, offering comfort.

"Yeah so, Auntie obviously saw me and pulled me into her office. We began doing weekly sessions where I saw through an outsider's perspective how much he'd changed. It was only through small changes until I realized he was someone else entirely and I didn't want that."

"If anyone could do that, it's definitely Sierra. She's always been the more logical of us girls, even talked down a few hostage situations." Jones beamed at me, trailing her dark brown, almost black, almond eyes down my body with a grin.

Easy tiger. Down girl.

"Yeah well, after that I broke things off with Jimmy. He blew up at me saying how I'd ruined everything and how I don't have a choice in the matter. At first I thought he meant about canceling the wedding but now..."

"He was talking about selling you off to Ludmil." Jenny finished with a scowl, slamming a size 12 combat boot on my hardwood flooring.

"Luckily Ludmil promised about letting you heal. Assuming this is the truth, we have weeks to configure a plan of action and tightening security." Zane simplified, running a hand through his disheveled hair.

"And if he's lying?" I couldn't help but point out the other way of thinking.

"Then we're fucked. So let's hope for option one. Do you have anyone else on your side, so I got a data base?" Presley asked, adjusting his glasses.

"Us, Marg obviously, my sister Laurence, Gabe, Margaret's girlfriend Olivia, Gabe's boyfriend Aaron, and my... interest, Byron." I winced as I said the last relationship status in front of Jones.

"Byron huh?" Jones raised an eyebrow as she crossed her arms, leaning on the wall.

"Yeah he's about mid thirty with a little girl, Avery. He and Aaron work as installers and thats how they met Gabe, which is how they met me." I showed the pic of him and Avery that I took at Gabe's party.

Once Zane saw Avery, I saw him melt like chocolate in heat. The guys was so fond of Margaret as a child that I knew he'd be a goner for Avery.

"Cute kid. Now talk to me about your injuries."

"No need, the doctor printed me out a file on them along with exercises and treatment plans." I reached out a hand, passing the informative papers to my friends.

*knock, knock*

Immediately all Navy crew member took a stance, ready to cut throats if necessary, while I spotted my favorite terrified receptionist and sister.

Dear god, Gabe's gonna have a heart attack.

"Um... hi?" Gabe's high pitched voice rang out, hands high in surrender, holding a bag of cookies from the Café.

"Oh my lord. Zaney?" Laura's voice shook with excitement as she bounded to my lieutenant.

"Ay there's my little porkchop!" His booming laughter shook the house as he swung her in a circle, the two laughing like best friends.

"This is Gabe? Oh my gosh, you're so cuuuuuute!" Yvette's eyes sparkled like an anime character as she pinched his reddening cheeks.

"...I am so confused right now. Doc? Help?"

"Oh for- Yvette get your tits away from his poor face! He's gay and has no time for your tiggle bitties." Presley scoffed, linking an arm with Yvette's to drag her away.

"...I just wanted to drop off some cookies... Doc, what the hell happened?! Your door is off its hinges, there's a blood trail leading outside, you've got strangers in your house and some lady tried smothering me with her goodies!" Flustered beyond comprehension, Gabe huffed, setting the baked goods down.

"Heh hey Gabe. Lots happened since the break in. Today Ludmil called me, threatening Marg and I."

"Wait, Ludmil?! I, Isn't that..."

"Yes, yes it is. Anyways after that I called my old Navy buddies.  Meet Jenny, Yvette, Presley, Jones and Zane." As I mentioned each one's name, they waved a hand to say hello as a way of identifying themselves.

"Oh dear I'm gonna faint." Fanning himself, he gestured for me to continue.

"After that, a big fucker charged in, breaking my door. Luckily my team was here by then and offered myself a chance to break his neck. The dogs took him out to the burn pit. Speaking of which..."

Turning to Jenny, I watched as a malicious grin stretched across her face. "Hell yeah. Been itching to burn shit lately, so this'll be fun." She hopped up, stalking to the back door like a predator.

"Then here we all are, plus you and Laur." I finished the recollection, watching Zane finish reading my medical file and mention for Jones to approach him.

"I feel like I've just inhaled my momma's paint and need to lie down." Gabe muttered, raking a hand down his face with a shake of his head.

"Alright doll, looks like we got minimum, 6 to 8 weeks for full healing. Knowing Jimmy and Ludmil, they've already gathered your file as well either through intimidation or through bribery. So with recent the assumption they know this, that leaves us 5 to7 weeks remaining before they launch a full out attack."

Turning, Zane then directed his words at Margaret. "I'll be honest honey, you're shit out of luck in terms of defending yourself. A television and curling iron won't be enough to stop those coming for you when it comes down to it. While Sierra heals, my team and I are going to train you like one of us. The full ten yards, so we'll teach you how to be agile and hide, be strong and fight, flirt your way out of danger, basic technology procedures to leave traces of yourself and medical training to treat yourself or others."

He then looked to Gabe and Laura, continuing his plan. "Same goes for you too, along with those Byron and Aaron characters. We're gonna have a full on mafia on our front door so when the time comes, I'll be deploying the whole squadron into action. But for now, we ALL have to be as prepared as humanly possible. Too much for ya? Don't let the door hit your ass on the way out."

Lastly he turned his trained eyes onto me. "And as for YOU, I'll be overseeing your protection and security, along with your own treatment. I know how stubborn you are and we can't afford any slip-ups. I tell you to do something, fucking do it. Whether it's eating, the stretches and regaining muscle, or getting the rest you need to heal. Am I understood?"

"Sir, yes sir." I nodded, my face grim at the prospect of our future war but also knowing I had the best damn team to ready us all for it.

"What about Olive?" Margaret asked softly.

"Olive is a trained police officer, she's not our foremost concern. You guys however haven't trained a day in your life so get ready for aching muscles and a steady regimen." Jenny piped up, walking inside as she dusted the gunpowder off her hands.

"Today, we'll get settled in and call Aaron, Byron and Olive into the house, get us all familiar with one another. Starting tomorrow, it's gonna be hard days and harsh conditions. Who's fucking ready?"

We are. We have to be.