Part Twenty Five: Thanks, Leo

"So what else is new, Leo?"

The voice sounded familiar, and Rahab raised her head. Not an easy task, she realized, it seemed her head was full of lead marbles. Something heavy rolled around in her skull, making her ears ring.

"Ugh," she said in disgust, as her head hit the pillow again. The ceiling reflected the bright sunlight that streamed across the floor at the foot of her bed.

The door opened, and a face peered around it. She blinked, and squinted at him.

"Feeling better, Rahab?"

"Sure," she croaked. She rubbed her eyelids to clear the sleep from them.

He approached the bed, and then Rahab recognized him. In the next instant, she found herself on the floor, her knees and elbows smarting. She twisted to get her feet under her, and rose slowly, muscles quivering. Leo stood a few paces from her, his eyes wide with astonished anger. He was cradling his arm, in a familiar gesture that told Rahab her claws had found their mark.

"I've done it again," she mumbled, sitting on the bed.

"You certainly have," Leo said icily, gingerly flexing his lacerated forearm. "Though I do have to congratulate you, I didn't see it coming."

"What have you done with my son?" Rahab's tail lashed in agitation.

"What are you talking about?"

Rahab leaped up, causing Leo to step back another pace, eyes wary. "You know what I'm talking about, Mister. Where is Seth?"

"He's in his crib. Where else would he be?"

"Where did you take him last night?" Rahab's voice rose sharply.

"I didn't take him anywhere. You must have dreamed it--"

Rahab was on him again, but this time he was ready, and caught her wrists. She struggled and managed to get one free, and drew it back to slash at his face. He ducked and caught her arm again, spinning her around to hold her from behind. She hissed and twined one of her feet around his ankle to pull him off balance, but she might as well have tried to uproot an oak. She threw her head back and connected with his nose, but all that did was make her headache worse. She leaned forward in a futile attempt to break his iron grip.

"Ah, Mike?" she heard Leo call from behind her hair. "Could you come in here for a moment?"

She tried to bite Leo's hand, but couldn't quite reach. "Let go of me, you bastard--"

"That wouldn't be a good idea, sweetheart..."

She reached in the direction of her own shoulders, and one of her hands came loose from Leo's grip, which was slippery with his blood. She immediately sank her claws into his bicep.

He cursed and wrenched her loose. "Rahab, stop it-- Mike!"

She felt her arm turning too far in the wrong direction as she tried to struggle, and shrieked with pain. A firm hand grasped the back of her neck, and she felt suddenly odd, and then there was nothing.

"You know, I'm beginning to think Raphael's right. You really are nothing but a spineless little wimp."

Rahab rolled her head back and forth at the sound of Mike's voice, but she had no desire yet to open her eyes. She let her consciousness seep back, little by little, as she listened to the ongoing conversation in the next room.

"Are you talking to me?" Leo's voice spoke up quietly, but there was no mistaking the agitation in it.

"Yeah, I'm talking to you. Is there anybody else in here?"

"You ought to know better than to say that. Something had to be done before she seriously hurt herself..."

Mike sniggered mirthlessly. "You mean before she seriously hurt you." He hissed softly through his teeth. "This is taking longer than I thought. I start to think I'm done, and then I find I've got miles to go, here. Heh! She did you something bad..."

She heard Leo sigh. "Just take your time, will you?"

They were silent a while, then she heard something metallic clink softly together.

"I ain't no plastic surgeon, but I don't think it will look so bad when it heals." Mike said.

"Thanks, Mike."

"Don't thank me, ya big wuss! You started this whole frickin' mess, and you know it," Mike growled. "So I can't decide whether to slap you a good one upside the head or just plain pity your sorry little carcass."

Leo didn't answer.

Mike laughed in derision. "Maybe I should just pity you. Especially when Raph comes home and finds you dissed Rahab. Well, ain't the fur gonna fly, then."

Leo said something about Raphael that made Rahab's eyes open wide.

"What? What makes you say that," Mike said.

Yeah, Leo, what makes you say that, Rahab echoed in her head angrily. She wanted badly to get up and say something, but her head still hurt. She lay quietly, rubbing the sore muscles in her arm.

After a pause, Leo spoke again in a lower tone. "Because I spoke him recently. In New York."

"What's he doing in New York?"

"Actually, he was getting ready to leave for Moscow with Don."

Mike made a noise of disbelief. "Why the hell would he be going to Moscow?"

"You know what it's like over there?"

"Huh." Another pause. "I have a pretty good idea. But what does it have to do with Raph?"

"He works for Don," Leo said.

"I know that! So what does it have to do with Don?"

"Plenty. He went into Moscow after the Soviet Union fell apart, and started up a string of new businesses, making some sort of electronic equipment, or something, and nearly all of the staff is local talent. Didn't they love that... it was a badly needed booster shot to their suffering economy. Not that Don expected much in profits right off, because of the black market, but he's patient. Now it's doing surprisingly well, and everyone who is employed there shares the profits. A lot of that was affecting rival companies in the area, that were owned by foreign corporations, who imported their own people, and exploited the local labor force."

"So get to the point," Mike said impatiently.

"I am, just hold on! You know how Don does business, he always seems to gain more by giving, it's his karma. It's also his karma to attract the attention of the heavies. Russia is still in the birth pangs of some vague democracy, though no one is sure what, therefore it's basically anarchy, the law of the jungle, out there in the Russian business world. Law enforcement is so disorganized, the local thugs have Moscow's businesses under its collective thumb, and everybody who is anybody has to pay big money to this gang for protection from other gangs. Otherwise, they meet up with a very messy demise. The police find bodies turning up in the river, in locked vehicles, at the local dumps...and they can't keep up with the caseload. It makes New York look like an Amish village."

"So what does this have to do with--"

"I'm not finished!" Leo was beginning to sound surly. "You know when Don makes any kind of business venture, especially in a politically sensitive country like Russia, he is supporting a lot of people who are counting on him. Those same people get protection from Don, at no charge, and so it's understandable that once word gets out, more people look to Don for help and when they get it, turn around and thumb their noses at the gangsters. The gangsters, in turn, lose money and power over the communities, and the only way they can get it back is to band together, go on bended knee to the Powers That Be in the organized crime world, and ask for help. They pay big cash to hire the best hit men, and lately a lot of Don's employees have been targets. In return, Don has gone in person to these gang leaders and has thrown down the gauntlet, warning them to leave him and his interests alone, or else. They stupidly chose the "else", forcing Don to go back into Moscow with the help of Raphael and Thomas, and a number of his elite, to clean house, so to speak."

Mike had been groaning as Leo spoke. "Another gang war, that's all we freaking need."

"He had to do it, Mike. It's his way. You know as well as I do that to back out and leave all those innocent people to their fate, is to lose face with the rest of the world."

"Well, it's not my way." Mike muttered, moving small objects with more force than necessary. "I have a family to raise... not to mention raising everybody else's."

"I know that, Mike. Don knows it too. He wasn't going to make Raph go, but Raph volunteered, so Don suggested I come here, which I was glad to do, because you could use my help."

"I don't need your help," Mike snapped. "All you've done is cause trouble for Rahab, and therefore cause trouble for me."

"Listen, you can say what you want, little brother, but you and I both know that you can't handle a direct assault on this house by yourself. There's far too much liability here. Therefore,  I'm staying, whether you like it or not."

"You think I can't handle it, huh? Yeah, right... it's one thing to be goofing around on the dojo floor, it's quite another to protect my kids. But I guess you don't know what that’s like, do you? What do you really know about being a parent?"

Leo was silent.

Later, Leo came into Rahab's room. She pretended to be asleep.

"How's your head," he asked with forced politeness.

She opened her eyes. "It hurts," she muttered. "And thanks for waking me up."

"You weren't sleeping," he replied not unkindly, and leaned cautiously toward her. His arm was wrapped in white gauze. The look in his eyes told her he was ready for her, this time. "If you will allow me, I can fix that headache."

"I hope so, considering you are likely the one who caused it." She sat up slowly.

He sat behind her, and moved her hair away from the back of her neck, and promptly pressed his fingers into the last vertabrae that connected to her skull.

"Ouch!" She jumped, and turned to glare at him, but he was already walking out of the room. She frowned at the closing door, and rubbed the back of her neck. She turned her head back and forth, and realized the pain and pressure of her headache was easing. "Thanks, Leo," she said half to herself. "Thanks a lot."

When she dressed, she went out to the atrium, and found Leo in a recliner with Seth, who was restless in his lap. She wasn't sure why, but the sight of him holding Seth annoyed her. She reached for the baby, and Leo handed him over without a word.

Later, she brought Seth back out to the atrium, and Leo was still sitting in the recliner.

"May I have him back?" He smiled a little.

She regarded him with suspicion, then reluctantly deposited the infant in his lap. "He still might need to be burped. If you don't, you'll regret it," she muttered.

"Don't worry about that," Leo said, gently turning Seth onto his belly. "I'm starting to get the hang of it. So," he said, looking up at her. "Tell me about your dream."

"That's none of your... what dream," she snapped.

"The one you had the other night, where you thought I'd taken Seth."

"I dunno, Leo, was it a dream?"

"I don't recall doing anything like what you say I did, so I assume it was a dream."

"I hate it when you patronize me like that."

"Patronize you?"

"You treat me as though I were a retarded child."

Leo sighed. "Maybe if you stopped acting like one..."

"How dare you insult me--" She stopped, and bit down any further outbursts, when she noticed Seth was falling back into his usual mode of peaceful slumber.

Leo was silent, until she began stalking away. "Rahab?"

"Now what?"

"It would help if we sat down and dealt with this as adults... myself included," he added when she opened her mouth to protest.

She folded and unfolded her arms, then tossed her head at him. "All right, let's put Seth back in his crib, and deal with this as adults."

"If you don't mind, I'd like to hold him. I'm sure we can talk without disturbing his rest."

"I'm not so sure about that."

"I am. I know you possess some sort of self control, especially around the children, and that you are capable of conducting yourself in a reasonable manner."

"I get it," Rahab said with a dry laugh. "You know I won't try to jump you when my son is between us."

"That is not what I'm worried about, Rahab."

"Really? Then what worries you, Leo? A full scale assault on the house?" Rahab went to a nearby chair, but was too agitated to sit in it. "And another thing, if you knew Raphael was in Moscow, why did you ask me if I knew where he was? You also failed to tell me why you are really here, or did you forget? Or is this part of some grand old mind game you like to play on people?"

"Rahab, you know better than to accuse me of that."

"I do? And I suppose Mike knows better, too, huh?"

"Rahab..."

"May I ask you another question?"

Leo sighed. "Go ahead."

Rahab stared blankly at him a long moment. "I forgot what I was going to say," she muttered, closing her eyes.

After a pause, she heard Leo carefully clear his throat. "Rahab, my concern is about you."

"Oh, here we go again," Rahab moaned.

"I'm concerned about your health."

"Get out of here."

"Rahab, I'm serious."

"Hey, I'm just fine."

Leo got up carefully, so as not to disturb Seth, and approached her. He seemed to be holding the baby as though he were some sort of protective device. "Rahab," he said softly. The look on his face, though kindly, seemed to pierce her with a bittersweet pain. "I think you need help."

"I don't need-- what kind of help?"

Leo averted his eyes.

"What kind of help, Leo?" When he didn't answer, she snorted in derision. "Oh, I think I get it. You think I'm crazy, don't you? Don’t you?"

Leo shook his head. "That's not it, Rahab. Mike and I seem to think that--"

"'Mike and I?' Since when did you two band together? What sort of card are you gonna pull out your sleeve now, Mr. Slick?" She braced her feet, and pointed a long forefinger in his face. "I know what you're about. Playing more of your tricks again, aren't you? Making it look like I'm the one who's nuts just so you can get Seth away from me, that's it! Well, I'm on to you, you don't fool me, not for one stinking minute!"

Leo opened his mouth to say something as she spoke, then stood back and waited for her to draw breath. "I won't take Seth away from you," he said gently. "I can stake my honor on that."

"I'll show you what I think of your honor," Rahab breathed, as she stepped forward. She lunged and struck out at his face with her extended claws, but he reached for her with one hand and nudged her between the eyes, causing her legs to buckle under her. Funny, she thought as she went down, Seth didn't even wake up...

"Rahab."

She felt something prod her on the face. She swiped at it angrily, then opened her eyes. Mike was looking down at her, one eyebrow raised.

"Easy... it's me," he said.

She stared at him. "I know who you are. What do you want, you traitor?"

"Traitor?" Mike recoiled. "What?"

Rahab rolled over and buried her face in her pillow. "Leave me alone," she mumbled.

"Time to get up," Mike said briskly. "Your kids need ya. Seth's been asking for you, he's aching for some chow. Leo tried to feed him your backup supply warmed over from the freezer, but that little guy just went up one side of him and down the other, and cussed him out solid. You shoulda been there to see that. Leo's really bummed."

"Quiet, sweet little Seth?"

Mike shrugged expansively. "Who woulda thought, right? But they're both in a real sad mood. So, come on, get off your well-defined kaboodha and take care of that little bean pod, uh?"

"All right, all right already! Give me a break, I just got knocked over the head, and you expect me to leap out of bed, as fresh as a cherry blossom, hah?"

"You didn't get knocked over the head, silly." Mike cocked his head, as he passed her robe to her. "You know, I like what you said just now, it was... poetry. 'Knocked on the head, leaped outa bed...fresh as a cherry blossom, hah.' Hey, can I use that as a lyric?" He ducked the pillow she threw at him.

Energized by Mike's joshing, she made her way to the kitchen, and poured a cup of coffee, and drank it black, feeling oddly pleased with herself. She found half a melon in the fruit drawer of the fridge, and peeled the rind off, and ate it in big bites. After her third banana, her gnawing hunger abated, and she went looking for Seth. Once she was out on the patio, could hear his wailing in the garden, and followed the noise. She came upon Leo, who was walking aimlessly around on the lawn, holding Seth firmly against his broad shoulder. As she got nearer, she saw a look of such obvious relief on Leo's face when he noticed her, that her resentment faded.

"Thank all the gods in heaven," he breathed when she took the fussing infant from him and turned to take him back to the house. "Ah, Rahab?"

She turned to look at him again.

"I'm very sorry about yesterday."

"Can't say I blame you, I was being a jerk," she said, and continued on to the house.

Next section... Rahab 26