Captain Joann Beaumont was studying some papers faxed to her from a friend in Washington D.C after she’d phone in some curious questions of her own and was feeling her blood begin to freeze when her phone rang and Toby Robinson banged her door open, looking panicked.
"Beaumont." She spoke while holding up a hand to hold off the gasping young man from Baton Rouge. "What?! Where at? No, I’ll be there. Just keep them there!" she slammed the receiver down. "Joe and Levon were medivaced back to Houston General after they had some sort of accident but Morgan’s gone."
"No accident, they were set-up." Toby already had her by the arm and was pulling her toward the elevator. "After the left, it seems like one of our subsidiaries in San Antonio had a run in with a anti-social Nazi type group. They didn’t think nothing about it until when interrogating one of them, it came out that they were in the area on a job for a friend of their boss in Mississppii. They were supposed to be coming to Houston to get even with a Federal ‘slut’, their words, and a cop who didn’t know when to mind his own business."
Toby was talking in a rush as he hoped the woman was paying attention. "Joann, he ain’t dead. Martin’s been in hiding all these years and now he’s come for revenge."
"I’m not staying here!" Levon Lundy was practically snarling by the time Joann arrived at Houston General a mere 25 minutes later.
Both of her men looked in bad shape with bruises and such. Lundy had a bandage around his head to cover the 7 stitches he received when they’d crashed while Joe’s already injured shoulder was back in the sling with an obvious bandage around his ribs from where he’d connected with the door of the Bronco.
They both also looked ready to throw the young resident out the nearest window as he refused to dismiss them.
"Gentlemen, you both are suffering from shock and perhaps concussions. I must insist you remain here for at least 24 hours."
Lundy’s temper had been strained since waking up in a helicopter on the way back to Houston to discover his cousin wasn’t anywhere to be found. Now it snapped.
"In 24 hours my cousin could be dead, if she isn’t already!" he snapped, starting to grab the young man by the neck when a firm hand caught his wrist and easily held it at bay.
"I think that both Detective Lundy and LaFiamma know what they feel like Doctor Andritti and are to be released into my care at once."
The new arrival was a surprise to both cops and the resident. He was tall, in his mid-20’s with well styled black hair cut to his collar with deep brown eyes behind black wire rimmed glasses and an odd accent dressed in jeans with a blue shirt trimmed in silver and black.
"I’m Dr. Stanley Blackwell, Detectives. I work for Morgan Harrison and as medic for the Queen’s Court Raiders I have full authority and presidential clearance to release these men NOW, Doctor."
Even as the young man was speaking he was tossing papers at the stammering resident while turning to address both Houston detectives.
"I was in Los Angeles on a medical conference when I got the call to meet you up at Lombard but luckily I was delayed so that I could have you flown back here after I learned of the attack on the highway." Stan glanced quickly at both charts and hummed grimly. "You both should stay here but I won’t even attempt that."
"Smart boy." Lundy growled, grabbing his jacket and stalking past the doctors. "Lets go LaFiamma!"
Joe rolled his eyes but couldn’t blame his friend since he was just as upset about the most recent events but something else tugged at his mind. "You said you were a Queens Court Raider?"
"Yes detective." Stan grinned and his dark eyes sparkled behind his lenses as he seen the detective’s grimace. "Kelly suggested I shoot you on sight but I think I’ll leave that for him. Now, I think we should catch up to your hotheaded Texas partner before he goes and does something stupid."
LaFiamma felt like groaning not only from the pain he was feeling but from coming face to face with one of the infamous Queens Court Raiders and actually liking the brat.
"Levon, you have to think this through." Joann was trying to use reason on a man without any right then. "In the first place, you don’t know where Morgan was taken or by whom."
"She’s in this city somewhere Joann and I don’t care if I have to tear every inch of this town apart I’ll find her." Lundy snapped, gritting his teeth as he felt his partner touch his shoulder to urge restraint. "I should have realized the danger or the connections before LaFiamma. Why would Morgan come back here unless someone wanted her here? Someone with reason enough to kill her, to hurt her?"
Stanley Blackwell watched this scene unfold silently even as he listened to his own team converse via the tiny earphone he wore that connected the ‘Raiders with each other and nearly winced as his leader’s tone echoed in his head.
"My teammates will be here within two or so hours." He announced, figuring it wouldn’t hurt to give the cops advanced warning. "We will find Morgan, Detective."
"Great. Robinson should have been with her weeks ago when this first started!" Lundy snapped angrily when a nurse called him to the phone.
"He’s not usually this nasty." Joe shrugged, following his steamed friend down to the nurses’ station. "Who knows we’re here?"
Lundy’s head was so clouded with rage and guilt that his mind didn’t even register the voice he heard on the other end. "Lundy."
"Hello Levon. Do you know who this is?"
Joann Beaumont had seen her former partner go through a lot of stages and emotions but she could never recall seeing him go absolutely white so fast as if he’d seen a ghost, or in this case, heard a ghost.
"Lundy, who is it?" LaFiamma had been close enough that he reached for his partner when he was worried enough that he’d pass out after losing all color. "Put this on intercom." He told the nurse quickly, watching his friend closely to see his color returning along with his anger.
"Levon, your grandmother taught you not to be rude to an old friend." The voice on the other end was gravelly and cold as ice but still managed to effect the people in the hospital hallway even though only a few recognized it.
"Thought dead men couldn’t talk, Charlie." Lundy spoke quietly, his fingers white on the receiver. "That is you, isn’t it?"
Charlie Martin laughed at his old friend. "Been a long time Levon. Six years I believe it’s been since my ‘death’. How have you been, old friend? I know how I’ve been. Dead. I died when your half-breed cousin shoved that knife in me. All of you thought I'd died but I had friends who made sure I lived to see my revenge one day when the time was right.
"I’ve waited all these years so you could both appreciate my revenge Levon. I was deeply sorry to hear about Carolyn’s death. That forced me to change my plans a lot since I had ideas for your wife as well."
Levon nearly bit his tongue to keep control even as LaFiamma hit him in his bruised ribs.
"Martin, you plan on getting revenge on Lundy by talking him to death?" Joe prodded the ex-cop, hoping to bait him and hoping his partner maintained his temper a while longer.
"No, I want to do that in person. Levon, I’m inviting you and your new partner to meet me if you ever want to see your…cousin again." Martin replied, chuckling lowly as if to himself. "Y’know Levon, she always was good looking but now….well, my friend’s and I’ll have fun until you get here."
"Touch her and I’ll kill you for sure Charlie." Lundy warned, feeling his blood freeze as the scream echoed over the phone line and through the corridor. "Morgan." He breathed.
Stan swore under his breath and gave his team members a piece of advice over their private channel and through the throat mic he wore that picked up words even when spoke under his breath. ‘Get here fast, guys.’
"That was just to ensure you that she’s still alive, Levon." Martin explained, "I give you an hour to get here Levon. You’ll know where since you always were such a smart boy."
The line went dead even before Lundy threw the phone in anger, refusing to look at his partner as his mind centered on Morgan and what she was enduring because of him and their past.
"Levon, where would he be and I’ll have a S.W.A.T. team ready." Joann began when he shook his head.
"Charlie’s still got friends in the department Joann. We don’t know who we can trust this time until we bring him down. I’m on my own this time." Lundy stated grimly,
LaFiamma frowned at that, coughing pointedly. "’We’re’ on our own you mean." He corrected, already fighting as the Texan started to reply. "No way, huh-uh, forget it Lundy. You are not walking in there alone. That’s what this nut is expecting and you aren’t thinking straight. You go in. I go in. End of story."
Lundy knew he should argue but also knew his partner had a stubborn streak longer than any Texans and wouldn’t give up until he got what he wanted. And they didn’t have the time for a long fight anyway.
"Alright, LaFiamma. You and me will go in." he sighed but quickly pointed a finger in his friend’s chest. "But, no matter what else happens between me and Charlie I want you to get Morgan out. Number 1 priority is to get her away from them ASAP, o-kay?"
"Fine, just don’t do anything stupid." LaFiamma agreed reluctantly, accepting his Colts from Joann.
"LaFiamma, I’m from Texas not Chicago. I don’t do stupid stunts." Lundy replied, turning to address Toby even as his friend was registering that comment.
The ex-Chicago cop frowned at his partner’s back. "Lundy when this is over I will be getting back at you for every crack you’ve made." He warned, catching their new medic talking to his shirt. "I told her every one of these kids is crazy."
"I wish you’d let me have someone back you up." Joann was arguing.
Toby Robinson raised a hand. "My people will be there but if Martin sees too many people at once he’ll kill her without a thought."
"You wait for the signal, kid." Lundy instructed, looking at his partner. "You ready?"
"Been ready since I picked her up at the airport." Joe returned, tossing the young resident the sling he’d been wearing. "Here, Doc. This thing will just get in my way. You might need it."
As Joann watched her friends leave the hospital with only a few Marauders she practically punched a wall in frustration. "Damn! I can’t help them in any way."
"Of course you can Joann." Stanley handed her a piece of fax paper. "You can give this to the Mayor and explain why there’s a team of U.S. Marshall’s coming down to raid his office for members of this anti-government organization and then tell them to back off because things are likely to get real loud downtown soon. At least it will after Kelly arrives."
"Warehouse district, no witnesses. Nice neighborhood for a bunch of traveling hoods." LaFiamma mused, staring at the run down older building with not a sign of anyone around. "Too quiet, Levon."
Lundy glanced around the area again, thinking the same thing but also knowing they had no choice but to go inside. "Not to late to back out LaFiamma." He warned lightly, sure of the answer even before his partner gave him that half-disgusted ‘you-know-better’ look. "Thanks."
"Thank me after we get Morgan out of there and you wash and polish my car for a month to make up for all the hell you’ve put me through this week." LaFiamma returned, nodding at the warehouse door. "You first?"
As the Houston cops approached the warehouse door and disappeared inside, Toby Robinson and his team watched from a little ways away and prepared to make their move as backup when a truck full of tough guys appeared and obviously had Lundy and LaFiamma surrounded.
"Hell." The young mercenary swore, starting to give the signal to his team when a shadow fell over him and he looked up. "Oh boy."
"Not today, kiddo." A voice corrected coldly.
"This is too quiet Lundy." LaFiamma was muttering as they entered the eerie building to find it all but empty except for a large cargo truck and crates of weapons. "If that’s any indication partner, I saw we’re outgunned and out-manned."
Levon was starting to get that same feeling when the door slammed shut behind them but the sound of footsteps on cold cement announced the arrival of their hosts, a good twenty armed soldiers behind them from the large airline doors and from the several little surrounding doors.
"Yep. Definitely a trap." Joe sighed, glancing around them. "Ideas, Lundy?"
"Not really, LaFiamma." Lundy replied. "Charlie!"
LaFiamma cursed under his breath and wondered where those boys were when a door off to one side opened and a man stepped out, a man he had seen just a few weeks ago in the office talking with a couple detectives. "Oh, damn."
Charlie Martin had changed a lot since Lundy had last seen him. His friend had been a tall man with muscles he liked to show off with thick black hair and a face that women had always seemed to like.
Now he was bigger, obviously from lifting weights but his face was thinner, his hair was thinning with silver in it and his eyes seemed as cold and dangerous as the scar over his right eye.
"Welcome Levon. Hello, Detective LaFiamma. I’m glad you both could join my little party." He smiled in greeting but it was more like a sneer. "I suppose you’d like to know what this is all about?"
"I want to know why you aren’t dead." Levon growled, eyes searching the shadows and feeling the hostile eyes around them. "Where’s Morgan, Charlie?"
Martin nodded slowly. "Ahh, yes. I see you still show concern for her even though—"
"Don’t pull that garbage on me! You sold us out, Charlie!" Lundy snapped angrily, still hearing his cousin’s words and seeing her in that shack six years ago. "You tried to kill Morgan, set the ‘Raiders up and then Rob tried to kill me. You’re the enemy, not Morgan. You were my friend Charlie, past tense. Where is she?"
"Someplace close, old friend." Martin smiled again, leaning on the railing he was standing by. "The plan was perfect if it hadn’t been for her and those brats. Still, she should have died that day and everything would have been fine. You should have stayed out of it Levon. Now I’ll have to kill you too."
"Is that what this is about? Revenge?" Joe asked, hoping to buy some time.
"I had the perfect plan 6 years ago. The Governor-elect would die by the hand of right wing terrorists, the people would demand a stronger government action and the way would be laid for my friends and I to move in but things went wrong when that girl and her friends arrived." Martin’s face contorted angrily as he glared at Lundy. "Half-breed whore got what she deserved. Then and now. Her kind will never understand who is the master or the kind of respect we deserve but she will now, for how ever long she lives."
Lundy started to lunge when Joe grabbed for him as guns swung in their directions and Martin laughed. "Go ahead Levon but it won’t help her now. You should have been this protective when she was younger. Has she told you about the day in your house?"
"Lundy, he’s baiting you!" LaFiamma snapped when the ex-cop turned tyrant motioned behind him. "Damn, Toby where are you?"
Two large burly men with shaved heads and matching Tennessee T-shirts on dragged out Morgan Harrison.
The young woman was hanging limp between them, as Martin lifted her pale face up to show the new bruises on swollen, bloodied features. Her breathing was ragged and her injuries could be seen clearly even from a distance as her canary yellow sweatshirt, what there was of it, was stained red with blood and was ripped and torn.
"I wanted her awake when you got here, Levon because I figured it be a treat to see her beg for you but I’m afraid my friends got a little carried away and may’ve put her into a coma." Martin’s fingers curled in her hair in order to hold her head up for the cops to see, letting it drop as he ran a hand down her shoulder. "I’ve waited six years to pay her back for stabbing me. I’ve also waited to pay you back Levon."
Lundy’s eyes centered as his cousin’s prone form hanging there, looking so helpless and lifeless before he looked at his former friend. "For what?" he demanded in a low whisper that still carried. "What did I do to you, Charlie?"
"You killed Rob, you killed my chance to be someone and now I’ll kill you." Martin glanced down at Morgan then back at Lundy. "I’m not done with her yet so my pals will kill you and LaFiamma and then I send little Morgan to your grandmother in pieces. I’m sure Joseph will understand that metaphor."
"Charlie!" Levon snapped, swearing that he’d let things go this far as Martin disappeared with Morgan through the door and the surrounding goons prepared to shoot. "Damn!"
LaFiamma figured they had a slim chance if they could get to that door without getting killed. "Down!" he pushed his partner behind the closest crate that would give them some cover and pulled his Colts, firing both before ducking back for cover. "Lundy, I hate to say this but we have little options since those Marauders aren’t showing up like they were supposed to. We fight or we die but at least give Morgan a chance."
Lundy glanced down at his Colt, feeling his temper ease off as he realized that his partner was right. Morgan was still alive and if they wanted to keep her like that then they had to stop Martin from leaving with her.
"On three?" he asked, nodding his head to one side of the crate.
LaFiamma started to reply when a screeching sound was heard and with a roar two high tech motorcycles roared into the warehouse, drawing the gunfire off the Houston cops but was soon outmatched by the auto cannons mounted on the bikes. "I thought the cavalry always rode in on horseback in this state." He muttered when a step sounded and he looked up into the barrel of .357 Desert Eagle Magnum.
The gun holder looked different than the rest of their attackers. He was younger in his late 20’s with long blond hair and intelligent brown eyes that looked over a pair of mirrored lenses at the Houston/Chicago cop with a calm, cold smile.
"Detective Joseph Anthony LaFiamma I presume." He spoke with a slight accent that could have been Southern or a different Eastern accent but his voice was dead serious as was the gun he had pointed at Joe’s head. "The last time anyone, especially a cop, talked to me in the manner you did the other night I slit his throat. Now, I could do that to you though a bullet to the brain is so much simpler but right now I figure that after dealing with both Ryan and my little brother, not to mention your own partner, you’ve suffered enough."
The Magnum lifted lightly as the blond man’s eyes showed his smile. "By the way, in case you haven’t figured it out yet, I’m Kelly Robinson and these are my Queens Court Raiders."
Where the warehouse was empty, now it filled with young men all with an array of weapons. The ‘Raiders appeared on the catwalk above them and around the soldiers easily outnumbering them.
"Levon, my people will deal with these jerks. Take your partner and get Morgan." Kelly instructed firmly, eyes narrowing as he looked at LaFiamma again. "We’ll talk later." He promised before addressing the ex-cops-turned bad. "Now boys, I’m sure most of you know us and know what will happen in the next few seconds so I feel it is my duty to offer you a chance to surrender before my team slaughters you."
As Lundy nodded at another armed young man, he tugged on Joe’s arm. "Let’s go, Rambo."
"We leaving them to handle all those guys?" he wasn’t sure the odds were fair. "Lundy, those poor dumb suckers don’t stand a chance against those kids."
"That’s the idea, LaFiamma." Lundy returned, easing open the door Martin had gone through. "We’re going to have to split up."
LaFiamma hated that idea but didn’t have any other plans that would make searching for their foe any quicker or safer. "Be careful, Lundy."
As his partner just nodded, Joe had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach about what could happen next.
"Charlie! Those bikers showed up and have our people on the ropes!" Todd Dawson, a People’s soldier from Nebraska shouted as he ran into the back storage area where they were housing most of their main equipment and a helicopter.
Martin looked up from retying Morgan’s hands behind her and cursed angrily. "I thought they were supposed to be kept out of the country until we were long gone."
"Kel’s…always had bad timing….like that." Morgan managed to whisper between split and swollen features before a fist caused her head to hit cement again.
"I’ll kill you sooner than I want to, tramp!" Martin snarled, looking at Dawson. "Go help the others while I prepare the helicopter and our guest."
Dawson blinked. "Kill her and have it over with Charlie. She’s not worth dying or going to prison for."
"Go do what I told you!" Martin snapped looking down at Morgan with a sneer. "Levon and his buddy got lucky with the arrival of your mercenaries but you won’t be that lucky, sweetheart. I planned on taking you with me and killing you slowly but I figure letting you die on him will be fitting revenge on my friend. That and learning all the fun we had this time." He pulled the needle from it’s case, holding up. "Rare Asian drug, death is very slow and very painful. If he cares for you then he’ll have no choice but to put you out of your misery but then you’ll want him to do that anyway."
Only half aware of things, Morgan struggled against the hold when she felt Martin’s weight again and she screamed before he could muffle it.
Lundy had been cursing all the while when the scream reached him and he stepped through one of the last three doors he had on his level of the warehouse, pulling the Colt on instinct.
"Let her go, Charlie!" he ordered, aiming the gun and was surprised it was steady as he leveled it at his former comrade. "Give it up now!!"
Martin glanced behind him with a laugh, standing up and pulling Morgan up with him. "Shoot, Levon. Maybe you’ll hit me but maybe you’ll hit her instead." He invited, holding Morgan easily with one arm as he raised the hidden pistol to fire at the cop when the girl suddenly used what little strength and coherent thought she had left to use her leg to kick out and connect with his knee.
"Whore! I’ll kill you---" Charlie roared as he shoved Morgan down hard into a pile of blocks when he spun back around just as Levon fired, striking him in the chest.
The whole event seemed like an eternity for Lundy as he waited for Martin to fall, laying still as the bullet struck his chest. "Morgan!" he quickly shoved the Colt into his belt as he hurried to where his cousin was laying still.
Lundy gently reached down to touch her neck feeling for a pulse and breathing easier when he felt it beating strong but swore as he also got a better look at the girl and her injuries. "Easy, sugar." He soothed when she jerked at his touch. "It’s Levon, Morgan. Lay still until I get you untied, baby."
Morgan’s eyes opened as much as they could to look at her cousin, unsure if he was real until his voice finally got through the haze of pain and memories she had and her body went limp in exhaustion. "Levon…" she tried to speak but her throat closed in pain but she seen what he could not with his back turned. "Levon."
"Morgan, it’s alright. You’re safe." He assured her while reaching into his pocket for his knife when he felt her tense and heard the urgency in her whispered plea. "What?"
"Never turn your back on me, boy." Martin snarled, pulling himself up and firing the 44 magnum with no warning.
The unexpected blow took Lundy off guard and caught him in the upper shoulder, near the neck throwing him back.
"Levon!" Morgan screamed, awake enough to realize the danger and also enough to know she couldn’t protect either of them with her hands still tied.
"First I do to you what you did to Rob and then I finish what I started with her." Martin was limping heavily as he lost blood but still stood over Lundy as kicked the Colt away from him and raised the 44. Magnum to point it at his head. "Say goodbye to your cousin and your life, ‘old friend’." He sneered, pulling the trigger as a shot sounded and he jerked the barrel up to fire harmlessly into the air.
LaFiamma entered the room fully with both guns still centered on Martin. "Forgot one thing Chuck. Lundy never works alone." He fired again as Charles Martin fell forward over a crate of explosives, this time death had come for the final time. "You were saying something about me getting into trouble on my own?" he chided his partner after quickly making sure he was going to live.
"Help her, LaFiamma, then you can complain." Lundy urged, gritting his teeth in pain as he sat up to look at his shoulder.
"See? He can’t take his own insults." LaFiamma was careful when he touched Morgan, figuring she was in shock as it was and would react to anyone. "Morgan?"
The girl’s eyes were closed tightly and she was shaking as he used Lundy’s knife to free her wrists. "Easy, kid. You’re safe now."
Morgan looked up at him them turned to find her cousin. "Levon." She struggled to stand but was too weak. "Joe, he’s hurt. DO something."
"I’m fine, sugar." Lundy assured her, managing to get to where his partner was kneeling before having to sit down and reached for the girl with his good arm. "It’s over Morgan. He’s dead this time and you’re safe."
It was several more minutes of incoherent mutterings before the girl’s eyes focused on him then at the dead body that Joe was checking. "Dead?"
"Yep. He’s dead this time for real." LaFiamma called back in reassurance. "Though I’m sure those mercs out there will probably stake him to be sure."
Morgan’s stared at her hands, at the blood running from her right arm where a large gash had been opened down the whole arm to what else her fragmented, drugged mind could see. "Levon?" her voice was whisper-soft now.
"I’m right here Morgan." He promised, glancing up quickly at LaFiamma who was beginning to frown. "Sugar, let Joe pick you up so we can get you help."
Her head shook violently before the screaming started and she turned into her cousin’s arms, crying, screaming and trembling uncontrollably.
Lundy closed his eyes as he held her as tight and as best as he could with his right shoulder throbbing and bleeding as it was. "It’s over, baby." He whispered against her hair as he held her. "It’s all over."
LaFiamma heard the footsteps and held up a hand to stop any exploding questions as Kelly Robinson and his 2nd in command arrived. "We need medical help, now. He’s been shot and she’s…well I think that speaks for itself."
"Stan’s waiting at Houston General and we have a helicopter outside." Robinson assured him, looking toward the body of the man who had started this. "Pat, tell Lee that I want to make sure that SOB stays dead this time. Cut something vital out and send it to the Governor with our best regards and a warning that if he ever sets us up again I’ll do the same to him."
"Lundy, we need to get you two outta here." LaFiamma spoke to his partner quietly but not making any moves to touch Morgan as she was clinging to him, still crying though the screams had muted.
"Is it over Joe?" Lundy’s voice was oddly quiet and hushed and worried the Italian cop. "Is this the end of this nightmare or are there more like him?"
LaFiamma understood the question and shook his head. "No, partner. It’s over. We did our job and did a pretty decent job of putting some bits of the past to rest as well. Time to go home"
"Yeah, time to go home." Lundy agreed before passing out fully and leaving LaFiamma alone with some very unhappy young mercenaries.
"My people have served notice to the people in high places to forget this ever happened and to find new playmates because the next time I have to deal with government hating bigots my boys will burn the city to ashes." Kelly Robinson spoke casually as he casually threw daggers into a wall of the hallway of Houston General ICU ward.
"You guys must by loads of fun on the 4th of July." Joseph LaFiamma commented from where he was sitting close to a door so he could watch for doctors and still keep an eagle eye on his partner.
Robinson’s brown eyes met his before a dagger casually landed at his feet. "Remember who I am, cop."
" A smart mouthed kid who still can’t tell me how to do my job." Joe’s grin didn’t meet his eyes as the knife suddenly flew back to it’s owner and he didn’t blink as Kelly caught the knife by its blade barely before it hit him. "You might be a big-shot mercenary Kelly but I’m not impressed and I won’t be intimidated either so back off or we can finish this outside."
The present Queens Court Raiders watched as their leader’s jaw worked in anger and the vein in his forehead twitched a few times, a sure sign he was mad.
Levon Lundy looked up at the building fight only mildly concerned as he concentrated on the closed ICU room door and still hearing Morgan’s screams as they forced him away from her.
"Kel." He called in low warning.
Robinson finally put the knife back in its sheath and met Joe’s eyes. "Very few people live after talking to me like that, LaFiamma." He mused then grinned. "I don’t know if that makes you very lucky or very dumb. I’ll decide later."
"Levon." Stanley Blackwell stepped out of the room with a growling doctor stalking off down the hall. "Oh, don’t worry about him. I just pulled rank to get her released as soon as we can. You can go in now."
Lundy just nodded his thanks and entered his cousin’s room while Blackwell got ambushed by both LaFiamma and the other ‘Raiders.
"How bad is she?" Joe wanted to know.
Stan fiddled with a pen, knowing it broke the normal procedures but also knowing he’d have to tell Kelly later anyway. "She’s hurt bad. The shock is terrific. Burns on top of burns, her right arm was stitched up there will be a scar on that. A full set of broken ribs, a severe concussion. On top of everything else, I’m shocked she isn’t comatose."
"Stan, I can get that diagnosis from anybody but what I want to know is if that sick minded SOB raped her again." LaFiamma demanded, surprising Robinson by the emotion in his voice.
The young Detroit born/Isreali raised doctor just nodded his answer as LaFiamma cursed and followed his partner.
"I know." Lundy spoke without looking at him as Morgan Harrison slept curled on her side. "Some things you don’t need a doctor to tell you LaFiamma and I knew from the second I saw her what he did again. I’m just worried how she’ll react."
Morgan stirred as pain and fears returned and she reached out instinctively for human contact, anything to escape the pain. "Levon?"
"I’m here, Morgan." Lundy assured her, lightly brushing his fingers through her hair as she curled against him. "LaFiamma and I’ll be with you until Kelly figures out what to do next."
Silence filled the room for the next few minutes until the girl suddenly opened her eyes to look at Joe. "Kelly’s here and you’re still breathing?"
LaFiamma laughed, pulling a chair closer to the bed. "I think we’ve worked out a truce." He replied lightly, watching his partner closely. "That kid doctor said to watch that shoulder, Lundy."
The bullet from Martin’s gun had passed through Lundy’s shoulder without too much muscle damage but another few inches and it could’ve clipped his arteries or his spinal cord. Right now it was in a sling and very sore.
"I’ll have plenty of time to rest it." Lundy returned, explaining. "I’ve taken some time off and figured I’d take Morgan up to see Mother Minnie after we redecorate her bedroom at home."
Morgan’s eyes suddenly moved up to her cousin’s. "I can still stay?" she asked uncertainly, biting her lip. "Even after…Levon..he…"
"You’re my family, sugar. I love you. I will always love you, no matter what happens." Lundy promised her, gently touching a bruise on her face as she curled into his chest again to fall back to sleep.
"I love you too>" she murmured, drifting off again while clutching his hand.
LaFiamma watched the other man’s eyes for a little while before lightly clapping him on the shoulder. "Look, Lundy. You have the mini-army outside playing bodyguard so I’m going to go home and take a shower. I’ll be back this evening."
"Yeah, sure." Lundy agreed, figuring his partner had better go before Kelly remembered he hated him. "Listen LaFiamma, I appreciate what you went through on this one and I’ll make it up to you."
His partner looked back with a grin. "I intend to see that you do, partner." Then he shrugged it away. "Lundy, you’re my partner. Your problems are mine though I do have a lot of questions about her. I’ll see you later."
As LaFiamma went down the hall, he whistled for the first Queens Court Raider he saw, Lee Michael Sung. The groups’ ½ British; ½ Chinese 4th in command. "Lee, grab your boss and come with me because I have an idea that will make my partner’s day." He called cheerfully, satisfied that things had ended as well as could have been expected though it could have been better for Morgan’s sake and he wanted to make sure the girl was happy, bugging his partner was just a bonus.
‘Yeah, neither have I.’ Lundy thought to himself but to his cousin he played down his partners’ strange behavior the last few days. "I think he’s avoiding Kelly. Morgan, I want you to know that I wish I could make up for the things that happened between us."
Morgan looked over at him curiously then grinned shyly. "Levon, I don’t blame you for what happened, it’s just hard sometimes remembering."
"I know, sugar." Lundy reached across his truck cab to play with a loose strand of her hair before pulling up to his driveway and braking hard. "What the hell is he doing?"
Joseph LaFiamma was standing in what was a flower bed with a clipboard directing muttering Queens Court Raiders who were carrying heavy pieces of cherry and maple bedroom furniture into the house.
"Up the steps, second door on the right across from the rodeo room." He called out, smothering the grin at his partner’s look. "Hi, Lundy. Hello, Beautiful. I see you got them to release you into his care again. Here’s hoping we have better luck this time."
"’We’?" Lundy repeated, waving that off to point at the furniture. "LaFiamma, what are you doing, where did all that come from and who is paying for it?"
"I’m redecorating since Morgan couldn’t and we wanted her to have a nice cozy bedroom when she came home. It came from San Antonio where Kelly ordered it and H.E. is paying for it according to Robinson." LaFiamma answered smoothly, stepping around his flustered partner to grin at Morgan. "Like it?"
Morgan looked at the beautiful furniture and could hear her boys cursing the steps and grinned. "I really don’t know why Levon says you’re a bullheaded Italian son of….Levon?!" she squealed when he lifted her over an uneven part of the sidewalk which also stopped her from saying too much.
"Well, I’ll deal with Lundy while you’re napping." LaFiamma promised, shooting his friend a look when a sound from the house made him grin even wider. "By the way, Lundy. I got you something too."
The Texan stared at his smirking friend closely, not trusting this sudden strange behavior from him when he heard and felt Morgan gasp. "Morgan? What is it, sugar?" he demanded, starting to turn when the girl slipped around him and run up the steps into the welcoming arms of Minnie Elizabeth Lundy or Mother Minnie.
"Grammy!" Morgan was soundly embraced by the older woman who was about her size but rounder with graying hair, bright eyes and a warm smile for anyone who happened to be a friend of her only grandchild.
"Surprise." LaFiamma whispered to his shocked partner. "I figured that since we didn’t get up there and Morgan isn’t strong enough to travel yet that Minnie would like a vacation to Houston, something which our good friends in the Queens Court Raiders were so happy to help me with."
Mother Minnie laughed as she came down the steps as Joe hit her grandson in the back of his head to bring him back to clear thinking. "Joseph here called and said you boys needed help with the housecleaning and some home cooking for a few weeks, Little Levon. After seeing the wreck in your kitchen I can see why. You two boys take Morgan’s stuff upstairs while I fix this child some lunch."
"Mother Minnie," Lundy finally snapped back to hug his grandmother, accepting her kiss on the cheek. "I’m glad you came."
"Thank Joe, he’s the one he arranged." Minnie gently guided Morgan into the house while calling for the ‘Raiders to stop making so much noise and to stop swearing..
"Levon?" Morgan glanced back as if unsure.
Lundy waved her ahead. "Go on, sugar. We’ll be there soon." He promised, grabbing his partner by the arm. "LaFiamma?"
"Yeah, Lundy?" Joe took the defensive tone he usually did when they were about to fight but Lundy surprised him by stepping back and tossing him a bag.
"Thanks, Joe." He muttered taking his sister’s other bag into the house and leaving Joe to follow while wondering when he’d ever get used to Texans or how he’d break it to Lundy that he planned on taking Morgan out to dinner one night. "Hiding behind Minnie, that’s how." He decided with a grin.
Actually very happy by how things had turned out
for them, if he could just get rid of the teenagers and mercenaries then
he’d be in great shape.
Author note: my 1st piece of real fan fiction. Hope everyone enjoys some parts of it and would like whatever feedback. Thanks. Tammy