Grand Opening - Chapter Three

Seetha Bhatt had done what any good mother had done, she had saved her children before herself. In

this case her children were all adults, but they were still her responsibility, it was the same in any Hive,

the Silkworm Hive Queen’s first duty was to ensure the survival of the hive, even if it meant her death. 

She had loaded them with jewels and what money she had and told them to safety where they could. 

Once accomplished, she prepared herself for escape through the last hidden tunnel in the hive building.  

Seetha emerged into a small alley several streets over from the Hive complex.  Her journey through the sewer tunnel had not been a pleasant one, but at least it was dry, the water level low due to the dry season.  She pulled the hood up on her plain cloak and vanished into the crowd.  

^^^

‘Soon you’ll have your own Hive,’ Susan Janus, Claire’s deputy director said.

‘I’m about 25-30 years too young for that,’ Claire said without looking up from the papers she was scanning.  

‘Maybe you could start a new trend.  You have all the skills required, we all do for that matter, thanks to acquisitions over the years,’ Susan said, trying to sound as diplomatic as possible.

‘I’m already running an organisation for which I’m responsible, that is more than enough for me.  Besides I wouldn’t want to be their leader or do you really mean to say, incorporate them into FORCE,  That I can tell you will never happen,’ Claire answered.

‘The thought had crossed my mind,’ Susan answered.

This time Claire did look up from her reading.  ‘I won’t be the saviour and destroyer of the Silkworms because if I follow that suggestion I would be.  This is an organisation that is almost 2500 years old, founded by and run by women all that time, fiercely independent, steeped in tradition.  They pose no real threat to us, especially given their current circumstances, but even before that.  We, as you said, have all the books, even the secret coded ones and we teach them to our trainees.  I suppose in many ways we are an offshoot of them, their skills and talents form the basis of our unique training methods.’

‘So their fate is entirely in their hands then?’ Susan smiled.

‘Well not entirely, they do need financial assistance and I see no reason not to supply that.  Esha, after all, did bring up “the enemy of my enemy is my friend.”  Who do you think the Silkworms are going to go after once they are back on their feet?,’ Claire smiled.

‘Who says you couldn’t be a Silkworm?’  Susan laughed.

‘And speaking of them, I have to dash, I have a meeting with them,’ Claire explained as she got up, hugged Susan goodbye and left with her satchel of papers.  

‘Everything is outside the door as you requested. Chou assigned his best person to watch it,’ Isa Coranado said as Claire walked along, the trainee doubling her step to keep up.

‘Excellent Isa,’  Claire said as she handed her the satchel of papers.  ‘Those are all done,’ she added, indicating the satchel.   ‘Take this as your last day with me.  In that pascel of papers is your promotion to full time agent.  Hanging around with me any longer will do you no good.  Come to my room for dinner tonight at 6 so we can talk about what to expect,’ Claire said with a smile as she stopped and held her hands wide.

^^^

Seetha had managed to make her way from Paradip to Kohima and from there to Moreh on the Myanmar border with the town of Tamu.  She was exhausted and tired and a lot poorer having to sell items of jewellery to finance her trip.  A Hive existed in this town, a place where India meets South East Asia and the Silkworms were more heavily influenced by South Asia countries.  She knew the place well having studied here before working her way up forming her own Hive. 

 

She waited until nightfall before making her approach.  Seetha listened at the door, she heard nothing

which was unusual, nervous but desperate for a place to sleep until morning she pushed open the door.  

There was very little left inside, everything was gone, except for a few items of furniture, one of which, mercifully, was a lounge.  Seetha was in shock, she knew things were in chaos, but looking around, this was more, it felt like she had been personally violated and the more she looked around the more it told hold in her.  She felt like crying, but told herself that would do no good, it would just aid her enemies and make it easier for them to complete the destruction of the Silkworms.  Instead she busied herself making a little corner for herself to sleep and finding some food in the kitchen.  In the morning she would cross into Myanmar and move on, trying to slip into China, she told herself it would be safer there.  

In the meantime she changed her clothes,  Her Saree was dirty and ripped in a few places and in their frenzy to grab whatever of value they could the thieves had missed several wardrobes of clothes. 

‘Yes this will do nicely,’ Seetha smiled, allowing herself that luxury and feeling better about it for just a moment.  

Quiet took hold as the border town as the night progressed.  A storm swept over the town, heavy rain and lighting cut the power and everything went dark, the rain rattled off the roof creating a sound that helped put the exhausted woman to sleep.

Seetha was jolted awake sometime later, what exact time she couldn’t tell, but the electricity was still out and there was no sign of daylight.  A metal tin rattling as someone tried to open a louvered window she’d alarmed brought her to full readiness.

The Silkworm came up on the lounger, shifted over and silently listened, she heard, for the moment only

one set of feet, in heels, very high heels!  Seetha very silently but with speed began to undress, she

wanted as much freedom as possible for what was coming.  She slipped out of her shoes and

stood up.

Backing further into the darkness, ready to strike, when she saw something colourful fly through the air landing in the middle of the room, then another joined and more after that until the room was dimly lit in a myriad of gaudie neon circles.  

‘Come out, come out wherever you are Silkworm, you’ve been granted a private audience with The Strippers Guild and I brought my dancing shoes.’

More Glow Sticks were tossed about as Seetha backed further into a corner then moved about the edge of the shadows looking for a moment to attack.  

‘There you are sweetie!’ the Stripper said as she tossed a few more circles down.  ‘Now we can have some fun, well at least I can,’ she added as Seetha, still in a silhouette stepped fully into the light.  

‘Some costume, I’ll add it to my collection once you’re dead.  Stripsa!.’ she said and fired the end of her feather boa at Seetha who cartwheeled out of the way as the Stripper pulled it back about her body. 

‘That’s a neat little device, unfortunately it appears to be a little slow,’ the Silkworm smiled.  

Candy, the name of Seetha’s assassin, spun and released the boa again with her trademark Stripsa phrase.

The end clanged off of the Silkworms costume, her left breast to be specific.  Candy pulled it back about her body and remarked.  ‘Skimpie yet practical.’

‘Oh it's much more than that,’ Seetha smiled as she stepped into position and began.

The Silkworm began to sway and move the light from the glow sticks catching on the jewels in her costume and bouncing about.  Seetha swayed like a snake, her body, toned and sinuous as one, yet graceful and alluring, no motion was more than it needed to be, no stretch or contraction of her form excessive in any way, all hypnotic in there spell to transfix a watcher.  Her beauty is that of any snake's skin, dazzling in appearance and fascinating in its movement.  Seetha moved a little closer, her body turning about to give the Stripper a complete look then back to face her as she smiled.  She undulated and moved until she knew it had done its job.

‘My Cobra Sway is quite mesmerizing, Stripper.  It's actually a combination of the dance and my outfit.  The light bounces of the jewels as I dance, the pattern is extremely hypnotic to the watcher,’ Seetha smiled as she stopped and approached the stricken stripper.  ‘This outfit of yours is very practical, ease of movement for combat yet I’m sure it's just packed with extra deadly features.  Pity you can’t use them, but that would require movement.  You wear it very well, but it appears to me you may have it on backwards,’ Seetha slithered as her hands ran about the Strippers body then up to her head where a sudden thrust of her arms turned the Strippers head about 180 degrees.  The Silkworm looked at the woman for a second or two before she fell to the floor, Seetha taking the end of the boa in her hand  ‘Yes you look better this way,’ she added as the boa flashed out behind her.  It snagged its target, a Strippers Guild member.

Seetha felt the boa quivering in her hands and straining to be released, curious, she complied.  The boa

flew toward the blonde stripper and instantly coiled about her body causing the woman to toddle about on

her heels.

‘Well this is an interesting weapon and I thought a Saree Snake was innovative.  Here my dear let me steady you.  What do you call this device?’ she asked.

‘We call it A Body Bangle, ohh!’ the stripper moan.

‘Evidently, a constricting device and a fast one.  I like it but I still prefer my Saree or my scarf and of course my personal favorite constriction device, my body.  I wish we had time for that, I could use the workout, a tension reliever, but we don’t so I apologize but I must resort to more expedient methods.  These four emerald rings are each cut and shaped for a specific purpose, singly they are lovely, but that is all and while I appreciate their beauty it's their function when brought together that really excites me.  All gemstones vibrate at very low frequencies, each stone has its own unique frequency and these ones when placed a certain nerve endings send a current into the victim's body that shuts it down over a period of minutes.  I normally use these 

during sex, after we enjoy ourselves of course, you will have no such pleasure,’ Seetha said as she

placed her hands on the strippers neck.  Of course, that Body Bangle, as you call it, may do the job

before I can.  I seem to be spoiled for choice, but I’m not complaining,’ Seetha purred as she watched

the stripper.  ‘That’s it, I’m afraid you had to learn the hard way that every part of a Silkworm is a weapon

and all are deadly.’

Seetha released and the stripper fell to the floor, she smiled, but only for a second, her victory short.

‘Stripsa!’ came shouts from the shadows.  

The Silkworm tried to dance out of the way but the strippers had anticipated her motion and adjusted their boa’s.  One caught her arms, the other her ankles and were pulled taut, sweeping Seetha off her feet and to the floor.  

‘Pull her tight girls and suspend her, we don’t want to give her any advantage,’ one stripper said as she

came into view.

The writhing Silkworm was soon taut and suspended as the one who had spoken was joined by two others.

‘Remove everything girls, a Silkworm, especially a Hive Queen is far too resourceful to be allowed any

advantage, no matter how small.  Once you’ve done that, tie her hair into a tight bun and seal it in place

with Stripperific Glue.’

Seetha was stripped of her jewelry first, carefully as the Strippers did not want to trigger any hidden perils, she was then relieved of her clothes, everything placed in a bag to be taken away.  

‘All of this should fetch a pretty penny.  A profitable night all around, well for most of us.  Now for you Hive Queen,’ she said motioning to the girls who scrambled about then returned so that the three surrounded Seetha.

‘Trixie and Raven have an illuminating death in store for you Silkworm, our Glow Rings.  We use them in our acts, but as you saw earlier they also help us locate our prey, should they wish to hide, they also work another way as you're about to find out.’

The girls undid the rings at the connectors then encircled Seetha’s body and attached them again until the Silkworm was covered in glowing rings.

‘Quite the rainbow and if I follow it to the end I’m rewarded with a dead Silkworm.  Those rings only glow for so long, once the chemical reaction begins to fade, the rings shrink and shrink and shrink, well you get the idea.  Soon those rings will be tight around that ageless body of yours, squeezing and pinching together binding you in an unbreakable embrace and we'll be here to cheer them on, our orders were to not leave you alone,’ their leader explained.

Seetha was covered in dozens of Glow Rings from her wrists to her ankles, her taut body unable to even twist about as the rings faded and tightened about her.  The Strippers watched in glee, Seetha refusing to give them any satisfaction by moaning or struggling.

‘The rings are tight Silkworm, your legs have been drawn together along with your arms, now it's just a matter of you fighting with that incredible body of yours, a fight you will lose within the hour.  I can see your muscles straining, useless really, these rings are fatal and so enjoyable to watch.’

Seetha’s body was a study in sexy discipline.  She could not move at all, her hard body resisting the pull of the Glow Sticks.  She lasted beyond the hour the Stripper had allotted her, a victory before death. 

‘So still, so tight and so finished, Silkworm,’ the Stripper said as the others giggled and Seetha faded from consciousness.   

^^^

Cara steered the Nissan Navara off the road, stopped and made her way to the passenger side door.  

‘Easy, you had a very close call.’

Seetha was sluggish but her memory was vivid, she tried to strike at Cara, missed wildly, had her arm caught by Cara, then the other.  She wrapped her legs around Cara’s waist.  The FORCE agent backed up a step and slowly pulled her from the truck.

‘You need to decide where this is going and soon, because a naked woman clinging to me at the side of the highway is going to look suspicious if someone comes by.  It's ok, there are no Strippers around here, at least I hope not I despise those tramps.  I had my fill of them back in Tamu,’ she smiled.

Seetha looked at the beautiful young woman and relaxed.  Cara gently held her as she found her feet then grabbed the blanket Seetha had kicked off in the struggle.  

‘Better put this on for now,’ she said, slipping it around her shoulders.  I have all your things in the back, including what was left at the Hive and that wicked dancing costume.  Wow that is one sexy outfit.  I also have a new saree for you, it's in the back as well.’

‘Who are you child?’ Seetha asked, finding her voice.

‘Cara Tamblyn, FORCE agent,’ she said then did something very unexpected.  Getting down on her knees, Cara bent over and touched Seetha’s feet with her hands then stood again.  ‘It is a great honour to meet you.’

The Silkworm was both surprised and touched by the gesture of respect, but she needed to know more.

‘I assume it was you who saved me and now instead of being dead I’m a prisoner of FORCE,’ she stated in a typical reserved Silkworm tone.

‘Yes to the first part of the question and no to the second part.  You are an honoured guest.  I was sent to find you and bring you to Macau, there are some Silkworms there already and more are on their way.  I don’t know totals at this time.  We are on our way to Mandalay to catch a plane to the aforementioned Macau,’ Cara explained.

‘An honoured guest of FORCE?  I suppose given all the craziness of the last week, that should not be a surprise.  Well we’d better be on our way.  I’m afraid I’m a little stiff from my encounter, would you help me get dressed,’ Seetha asked, seeing how Cara would react.

‘It would be my honour,’ she said and retrieved the box from the back.  

The Silkworm watched her move.  ‘Graceful, quick, elegant, spare.  She is beautiful and looking at that body.’ Cara was wearing a black catsuit.  ‘Firm and sexy, she would make a very good Silkworm,’ she thought.  

‘When we get to Macau I’ll help get all that Strippers Glue out of your hair if you’d like. I know how irritating it can be,’ Cara said after they had started on the road once more.

Seetha ate a power bar and had a bottle of cold water Cara had stored in a cooler in the back seat then asked how the woman had rescued her and how they had found her.

‘How we found you is a great deal of mega data, CCTV and strange transactions.  If you want the details on that you’d be best to ask someone in the IT department.  I can arrange it if you’d like, frankly it's fascinating, I mean no one really is invisible anymore, but after a while of listening to it being explained my eyes start to cross.  But they do know what they're doing because they led me right to you.  ‘You were unconscious when I made my entrance, so I knew time was in short supply, I needed to even up the odds, so..’  Cara said as she reached down her leg and pulled out a knife.

‘In one ear and out the other,’ Cara smiled looking over.  ‘That left two, so the object is to disable one or

both as quickly as possible.  They made some stupid joke about me throwing my weight around.  I knew

it was going to be fun after that.  I rushed forward before one of them had time to set, picked her up with

my shoulder and tossed her against the wall.  Second one punched me in the side, I turned around,

caught the second attempt, stretched out the arm and drove it back against mine, breaking it at the elbow. 

While she’s screaming and flapping about with one wing I returned to my first opponent knocking her for

six with a kick to the stomach that turned her over on her back.  From there I picked her up by her over

processed hair and broke her windpipe with a chop.  Executing a side walkover I came up in front of the

last one, spun a kick to her head on the broken arm side so she could not defend it, then pushed the back

of her neck against the newld edge of the lounger and broke her neck as well.  I retrieved my knife and

cut you free, carried you to the truck, went and collected everything, we left and here we are.  What?’

Cara said looking at the surprised and shocked look on Seetha’s face.  ‘I wiped the knife clean before I

cut you free.’

Seetha gave a small smirk, leaned over and kissed Cara on the cheek.  ‘You're an amazing young lady.’

^^^

‘Good morning ladies,’ Claire said walking into one of the hotel's intimate private meeting rooms.  ‘And welcome to our three new overnight arrivals,’ she added with a smile to the new Silkworms that had joined the collective.  ‘Eleven in all so far, but I’m afraid your time at the top will be short lived,’ she added walking across the room to a far set of doors.  ‘Twelve is a magical number, twelve days of Christmas, twelve makes a dozen, Twelve represents authority, appointment and completeness and it's the number you need to have a Silkworm Hive,’ Claire said, opening the door to Seetha.  Claire immediately paid her veneration, just as Cara had done.  She made sure all the others saw it.

One by one they all came up and showed respect to Seetha.  A few knew her personally, others from

her reputation. 

‘Take as long as you want with your new Hive my queen.  We can talk whenever you are ready.  My home is your home,’ Claire said then left, closing the door behind her.  

 

Grand Opening - Chapter Two

‘Welcome back, do you prefer Miss, Mrs, Ms Gangu, I’m never sure with Silkworms?’ Claire smiled from

the desk on the wall opposite the bed.  She closed her laptop and got up walking toward Esha.

‘I had your body moved here.  It's a much better suite, something more in line with your style and

sophistication.  

Esha stretched a little then pulled herself up in bed, a marvelous king with just the right mattress and silk sheets that felt cool against the body.  She also noticed something else.

‘So you spared my life just to make me your prisoner hoping I’ll talk?’ Esha commented as she stretched down her legs feeling her body come back to life.  

‘You know what they say,dead spy’s tell no tales,’ Claire smiled. ‘But we can come back to that later.  ‘Sorry I picked that up for you in one of the shops in the complex.  No offense, but I think you’re past your Baby Doll nighty years. This is a negligee of a confident woman who doesn’t need to flash her body about.  No, in my experience Silkworms have always been the little is more type. Hope it is a good fit, I had to guess. Come on, let's see?’ Claire enthused as she held out her hand.  Esha took it and elegantly excited the sheets.

‘Yes a good guess.  You look stunning in that.  Style and sex appeal, but something that says 

class and sophisticated elegance, a truly elegant woman more than worth the chase.  I picked out some

slippers for you as well,’ Claire said looking down.  ‘And as a bonus, breakfast, hope you don’t mind

company?’

‘And if I do, Miss Baxter?’

'How do you do it?  Of all the traits and mannerisms of Silkworms, from dressing to a level, in any situation that defies superlatives, to your incredible sexual prowess with regard to the act, seduction, to those insane sexual death traps, to your perfect application of makeup, the way you can walk into a room and draw every eye to you, that trait you just displayed, that cool disdainful elegance that said just the wrong way would end the situation, but somehow when you gals say it sounds so, oh, what’s the term I’m looking for, yes, arrogant foreplay.  I mean it just challenges the listener to step further into the trap.  Wow, I wish I had that,’ Claire said her voice, happy and excited.  ‘Anyway, even if you do mind, I’m staying, my hotel, my rules and rule one is, please call me Claire. I know we’re both hungry, besides, you want to know what I know and maybe I can tell you what you need to know?’

Claire watched Esha consider the offer.  She walked into the Solarium where the breakfast was waiting, she made sure to let her garment catch the light as she walked past Claire, the ethereal light playing with her body.

 ‘You see that’s what I was talking about!’ Claire said as she followed a little laugh in her voice.  

Esha tried to ask a few questions but Claire waved them off.  ‘No, eat first, enjoy the food, we can do all the spy talk after this and a nice cup of tea.’

When they had finished they left the table, Esha lounged on a sofa, stretching out, her head tilted up and fixed on Claire, who chose a wing back chair.  

‘You're doing it again.  If you want to have sex and talk that way we can, although I’m sure you’d be thinking of a way to kill me in bed.  I admit the offer is tempting, not killing me, but the challenge, however, here will do fine, I’ve already reached my quota for Dead in Beds this week,’ Claire smiled.  ‘So to bring you up to speed.  You were spotted the second you came in, not hard at all if you know what to look for.  The same for your Stripper pals, of course, it's much easier to spot them.  We figured they were here for some assassination.  You know, jump out of a cake, kill with some device of theirs or A Lap Dance that turns into a Stripstrangulation, but when they went to your room, well, interesting, that points to something bigger.  Turns out we were right, just a different kind of bigger than we expected.’

‘And what did you expect Claire,’ Esha said.

‘Let me answer that with a hypothesis.  You travel here, not first or business class, you take a cab to my hotel, you check into a room with one bag, a room I will point out is the least expensive one we have and you tip poorly.  None of the Silkworms I’ve ever encountered do any of that, it's always the best, so I have to conclude that either you’re Hive or the entire Silkworm collective of Hives were the ones behind the dark money that tried and failed to infiltrate my casino’s electronic gambling.’

‘Esha said nothing but Claire could tell she was right so far.

‘You were sent here to find out what went wrong and TRIDENT suggested or maybe you thought they suggested working with those tarts, The Strippers Guild, to help you find out, either way you were compromised and nearly killed.  Someone, Esha Gangu, does not want you to find out the truth.  I can see I have to use more persuasive measures.  Please excuse me for a minute,’ Claire said in a polite voice.  

A neat folding of her napkin, an elegant turn of her body as she was on her feet walking away.  Esha remained calm, but inside her heart started to accelerate a little.  Claire returned with the laptop she had been working on while Esha had been sleeping.  

‘Here is the dark money that found its way into the various component and software companies that help make the machines I use in my casino.  Here is where the money came from, quite a convoluted route, but traceable all the same and that trail leads back to you Silkworm,’ Claire said as she leaned over the laptop and explained.  ‘Now you will notice that you appear to be the only dark money that showed up for all of the companies.  That would raise serious concerns, but of course it did and look where that got you?’  Claire finished and returned to her seat.  ‘You’re welcome to peruse the data all you want.  I do have a question though.  Please, please tell me that all that money was not from every Hive and only from yours?  

Esha looked at the data, her eyes flashing, there should have been deposits from others, but it was only their money that showed up.  She would need to make a few calls to confirm this was correct and FORCE wasn't playing a giant game with them to divide TRIDENT.  She saw Claire watching her, but let on nothing or so she thought. 

‘Holy Fuck!!  What were you thinking!  The Poison Geisha, maybe I kind of understand being in bed with them, but I still would be wary.  But, the Strippers Guild!  A bunch of double digit IQ bleach blond bimbo’s whose carpet doesn’t match the drapes!  These are women who finance their operations through Strip Clubs, warm beer and lap dances and yes assassination, for which I’m always at a loss as to how they manage to pull that off.  Ask any man if they’ve ever been to a Strip Club and it's always no, followed by mansplaining about how they don’t do anything for them, which we all know is a lie, obviously.’

‘Thank you for the information Claire, or perhaps it should be Miss Baxter from now on,’ Esha said as she got up from the table.  ‘We need to get our money back and…’

‘Your money’s long gone,’ Claire interrupted.  ‘I have more.  Trident appears to have grown a fourth tine or perhaps it's just a replacement for a third one they no longer want, need or think they can’t control,  Silkworms have always been their own women.  Trident has been busy, it seems some people think that maybe the old DOOM way was abandoned  too hastily, by that they meant regular agents, more women like what they used to have.  For several years we’ve been chasing them around, eliminating training facilities, cutting off money supply among others operations so I guess they started looking internally for cash and you, meaning the Silkworms would be the obvious choice.  I mean what are you going to do,  finance an entire division from lap dances and G string contributions?  The Poison Geisha only have their Teahouses, a finite value, they grow almost everything they use and make the other things as part of their training.  The Silkworms, on the other hand, because of their ancient origin, have real estate holdings in major cities, passed on personal wealth, left to the Hive, antique scrolls and exquisite jewels that are always on display around the world.  These are just a few of the revenue devices, I can’t think of a better group to start with.’

Claire could see she’d scored with every point.  That was her intention, but not her goal.  She got up and walked to Esha who stood half in light and shadow, Claire could not help noticing how perfect the symbolism was.

‘Their coming for you each and every one of you.  It has already started, you may have been the first or the tenth, I don’t know, but you won’t be the last. ‘Use the computer or use the phone I left on the table, call everyone you need to, tell them to get everyone and everything valuable into hiding, you have my word nothing will be recorded or traced.’

Esha did not know what to think at this point.  She had never met Claire before, but she was a required study in Silkworm training, just as her mentor, Sharon Sharpe was.  All the paradoxes she’d just witnessed, the irreverence, the praise of an enemy that had tried to kill her so many times, the foul mouth, then there was the style, the grace and the utter coolness and that feminine mystique that she had in abundance and the beauty where did it lead to a trap or as it seemed help.

‘Why did you save me?  "The enemy of my enemy” Esha started.

‘Ironically first recorded in Sanskrit,’ Claire said.  ‘I’d be lying if I didn’t say this is a great opportunity for FORCE and we’d be fools to pass it up, but there are other reasons, all of them personal to me and a very select few who understand and support me.  ‘When you commit yourself to something or someone you have a right to expect that commitment back.  Silkworms have the Hive loyalty as a base level and the whole Silkworm tradition as the larger community.  You gave yourself to something, TRIDENT and now they want to eliminate you, case you aside as so much detritus.  I should by rights be encouraging that, but I just can’t.  All those centuries of tradition, all that knowledge and all those beautiful, elegant women, just destroyed for expedience and personal gain, that I can’t stand.’

‘You have a soft spot for us Miss Baxter, a longing sentimentality or are you just a foolish idealist?’ Esha smiled.

'Maybe a little of each, but then you know my reputation when it matters and my determination to win.  I would keep that in mind as you plot your course.  Now get working on those calls, dial the front desk when you’re done and order lunch.  We’ll talk again over it and you can tell me what you’ve decided,’ Claire said.  ‘Between now and then, I’m off to get myself that negligee.’

^^^

‘This is not easy and it takes time and before you say, we don’t have that much time, I know that, everyone is going full out including several of your agents who have strong computer backgrounds,’ David Jacobs said in a frustrated tone as he pointed at Paige Worthington and Rachel Sparks.  

His team had been given the names and possible locations of some Silkworm agents by Esha after she had talked to her Hive Queen and to others of her standing.  They had turned Claire down at first thinking it was a trap, but when Silkworms failed to report in from missions they very reluctantly gave Caire five names and possible locations, but nothing specific, trust did not come easy even if it meant the needless loss of Silkworms.  Claire had given the information to David, the city and the Silkworms name, assuming she used it, that was all he had to go on.

David and his team began creating an algorithm for credit card usage, ATM withdrawals and Money transfers.  He utilized Paige and Rachel not only for their computer skills but also the mindset of a Silkworm.  

‘They travel in style, stay at the best places, very particular eating habits,’ Paige explained, ticking off each one with a finger.

‘Always vegan,’ Rachel added, then continued. ‘Excellent tippers, always elegantly dressed, look for Saree or classic western clothes.  Oh and they prefer room service for their meals.’

David handed out the work to his team, hacking into any security cameras in the best hotels in the cities provided by Claire.  Others hacked into the registry and look for the names or aliases, get the time in and then coordinate with the video team to see if you could find something. Another team tapped the phone lines and internal computers to look for food or specific room requests.  In this way the data was filtered until something was hopefully found, but it all took time.  He had more faith in the banking turning up something given that Claire knew all the bank accounts had been stopped for the Silkworms, Esha having tried her main one and then a private one, both were empty or came up invalid.  

Claire in the meantime had dispatched agents to the various cities to see what they could turn up on their own and to be ready to move when information came their way.  

‘David!’ he heard from a cubicle, then matched the voice to a waving hand.  ‘Look at this,’ Cyros, one of his data analysts said.   ‘Two attempts at this ATM, separate accounts, then just down the road an attempt at a store with a Western Union Depot, all for the same amounts, all rejected and it's only a minute walk to this hotel,’ he said, scrolling the map across the screen.  

‘Listen up everyone on the Luanda location, the hotel is the RK Suite Hotel, get video from 10 minutes back, you know who and what you’re looking for then cross match that to rooms and registry and get a name.  Cyros, are there street cameras you can access?  If so, pick up her trail and follow her if you can.  Claire we have a possible hit and hold on’ he said as Cyros tapped his arm. 

‘She’s being followed by these dudes and they don’t look too friendly.  That’s a pistol and his friends look like they have heavier fare.’  

‘Confirmed, we have a positive ID. I’m linking in with the asset on the ground.  She’s in trouble,’ he added before handing up.

‘Cyros you have point, your the eyes and ears, get them to safety, whatever it takes,’ David explained, giving him a pat on the shoulder.

Cyros Konstopolous adjusted his headphones and connected with the agent, Elena Propova.  

‘Ok Elena, out the gate directly ahead of you then north on the road.’

‘Cyros, is that you and here I didn’t think you cared,’ Elena answered into the mic attached to her helmet.

‘If I didn’t care it would be somebody else speaking to you. Up the road another .8 clicks then right’  He didn’t wait for replies he followed her tracking signal on his computer screen.  Left coming up now.  Ok coming up to a sweeping right, take it ,come out of the turn and hard excellerate.  You have 5 clicks to go before turning left, I’ll tell you when.’

Elena drew looks as she whizzed by on her Bajaj Pulsar 300cc.  The bike was perfect for the

narrow streets of the slums she was deep into now, it turned quick and had a responsive engine it also

had a low profile that allowed her to carry the weapons she had.  

‘Perhaps it's that rather than me that’s drawing the looks,’ she mused.  At any rate she was glad it was Cyros who was at the helm.  He was unflappable and always had an escape route or two at the ready should things go wrong.

‘Ok Elena push it, the target is being closed down from three sides.  She is being run into a dead end, estimate capture in 3 minutes, you’re four away.  Right coming up, take it then left at 250 metres.

The Silkworm reached inside her Saree and pulled out her Glock 30. She had one extra clip

for twenty rounds in all.  She knew it wouldn’t be enough.

The street began to narrow, she turned into an alley and moved along hoping to find another main street at the end.  Her phone had been cut off so she was blind.  The alley curved then ended on the blind corner, she knew she couldn’t double back.  There was a door to the left, she tried with her hands then kicked it with a foot opening it enough to wriggle in, one eye on the alley as the came down.  She aimed, nailing the first right between the eyes, the top of his head blowing open as a geyser of brain, blood and bone gushed into the air.  A machine gun spat fire at her, the side of the concrete exploding into hundreds of tiny pebbles that impeded her eyesight, she missed with another shot, then a second weapon opened up and she retreated inside only to hear the sounds of breaking windows from the other side of the building.  Her eyes flashed about, her heart was starting to race and she made it slow, panic would not help now, then she saw the stairs, concrete on both sides.

‘An amount of protection and high ground,’ she thought and made for them as silently as she could.  Up the first flight she went and waited for her pursuers. 

‘What’s my ETA?’ Elena asked.

‘Two and two and half minutes.  I can get you to the entrance, blind after that.  Target is inside, have no eyes there,’ Cyros explained.

‘Just get me to the entrance!’

Footsteps crunched on broken glass, others were just heavy and a new set came from another direction in the far corner of the building as they searched then her ear picked them all coming to the stairs.  She decided to let them come up halfway before she opened fire.  She got four, each toppling like a domino back on the other as they were hit, then a dark object sailing through the air up over and behind her, it landed with a metallic thud on the floor and rolled.  She dove forward on the stairs up to the next floor, but the blast overcame her pushing her hard against the concrete, her gun coming loose in the collision and bouncing behind her as feet stepped over and around the dead bodies below her.  Dazed and more than a little sore she picked her way up the stairs to the final floor and slipped off her scarf.  She heard laughing as they found her pistol and full of confidence up they came.  The first had barely emerged when she sprung, wrapped her scarf about his neck, tightened and kicked his legs out in out motion, the back of his neck landing on her raised knee to a loud cracking noise of breaking vertebrate.  Quick as that was, she followed it by heaving his body forward towards the others on the stairs.  One ducked under the projectile and launched forward grabbing her by the ankles, her pulled back sending her crashing to the floor on her back where others were on her in a second.

‘Down the alley, slow and stop the bike now.  Entrance is 20 metres ahead, guard at the door.  Be careful Elena,’ Cyros said.

‘Valkov bayatsa – v lyes ni hadit,’ she answered and pulled her Glock 19 screwing in the suppressor.  

Elena inched along the wall, gun at her side, then pivoted on one leg,  swung the Glock up scoring a perfect headshot.  She was on the body before it had a chance to fall and perhaps make a noise alerting any others close by.  The FORCE spy peered inside, the only one she saw was at the bottom of the stairs looking up.  She heard muffled voices from the other side of the building but they got no closer.  She slipped the pistol back into its holster and silently pulled her Katana Sword.  She moved with speed and silence, her training accounting for the speed, ballet school for her silence.  The sword moved through the air, sheathed again as her hands held his head, her knees bracing his detached body as it withered to the floor in quiet.  Elena placed the head between his legs and headed up the stairs Glock at the ready.  'Hold her down.  The order is to kill you, but nobody said it had to be right away.  We’ll get paid but why not get a bonus on top of that,’ the man who was obviously the leader in a slithering voice.  

Elena was both relieved and elated that no one was on the second floor, relieved as it gave her a bigger element of surprise and elated at the target rich environment that awaited on the next level.  She peered just around the corner and saw nothing, but she heard sounds she didn’t like.  Carefully the Glock went away and the AR-15 came off her back, safety off,  autofire on.  

The FORCE spy ascended just as silently as before, finger on the trigger in case a set of eyes looked down.  They came into view with each step.  The Silkworm had been dragged about 10 feet directly away from the stairs, a full circle of boots, then legs, torso and finally the entire figures of 15 men surrounding her almost naked body, her Saree having been pulled off of her.  A solitary figure inside the circle had just lowered his pants when Elena opened fire.  Several seconds of intense noise filled and rebounded about the floor as bullets ripped into flesh sending trials of blood spatter in all directions.  The last of the thirty rounds had just pinged off the concrete and Elena had a fresh magazine inserted.  She deselected auto and stepped around the outside of the circle firing off single head shots to complete the carnage.  

Elena turned to the shaken Silkworm, knelt down and gathered in the material of the saree.  ‘You’ll do a better and a faster job of getting this on, hurry, they have friends and we need to leave fast!’  

While the Silkworm did her best, Elena gathered up a weapon and a couple of spare magazines.  ‘Stupid shits, not one of you has the same weapon.  What about you?’  she said, kicking over the leader.  No weapon, but, yes.’ came a happy voice as she tucked something inside her catsuit.  

‘Here, this will have to do,’ THE FORCE spy said, passing a weapon to the Silkworm and the two magazines.  ‘Be prepared, they had friends outside, I have point, stay close, I’m left you’re right, one more thing,’ she said, taking out a knife from one of her boots.  ‘This Saree is way too long for the bike, it may get caught in the chain, sorry but,’ she added before cutting off the material exposing the Silkworms legs.

‘Have the target, she is unhurt, on our way out to the bike.  Get us back to the airport fast and have the plane ready,’ she said.

‘Oh, we’re talking again,’ Cyros said.

‘What was the point before, you never would have heard me over all that gunfire, besides if you can still read my vital signs you know everythings ok.  Stop worrying Cyros.’

Elena led the way down the stairs to the second floor.  Both heard the heavy footsteps coming across the floor.  They waited crouched down around the corner on the second floor step and waited.  Elena glanced at the Silkworm then at her belt, she had two grenades.  Elena made a series of hand signals, the Silkworm understood and readied herself, handing her rifle over to the FORCE agent.  Steps on the stairs thunder closer, the Silkworm wondering when her rescuer would act until she was sure they’d be overrun.  It was at that moment that the catsuit spy swung round the corner, braced herself against the wall and opened fire.  The reverb from the two machine guns was deafening, the ends of the barrels blazing with fire, spent shells bouncing everywhere until both magazines ran out of death to expel.  Below lay bodies, some dead, some dying on the stairs or at the foot.  Elena and the Silkworm did not wait, they rolled down the stairs using the bodies of the defeated to cushion their fall.  At the bottom, Elena reached for the pin of one grenade while the Silkworm pulled the other and then tossed them around the corners at the bottom.  

A flash of light, two room shaking explosions and screams of death filled their ears even as the motorcycle started up and they sped away.  

‘It’s up to you now Cyros.’

‘Ok, take the next left and then the next right and run with that for 6 kilometres.  Careful the road is a little narrow,’ he answered.

‘Hang on tight and lean with me,’ Elena screamed.

The Silkworm did as requested, she was quite fluid and the two seemed as one on the bike, even on the bumps.  Elena had expected nothing less.

‘We have guests arriving fast.  How much longer before we turn again?’ the Silkworm said into Elena’s ear

‘About 45 seconds.’

‘Stay steady my dear,’ the Silkworm said, un-slinging the rifle then in one fluid motion swinging herself about so she was face to face with Elena.  She leaned to the side and fired a short burst, then another.  ‘Slow down into the curve, let them get closer so I can get the driver on the angle.’

‘Hang on then!’ Elena answered as they looked at each other and the Silkworm wrapped her legs around Elena’s waist.

‘Nothing is more secure than my legs,’ the Silkworm smiled back.

Elena controlled her adrenaline from the comment and the touch and eased into the corner, the vehicle closed fast, a burst from the rifle ensured that was as close as it got.  It went up on two wheels then crashed into a building.  

The Silkworm tossed the weapon away, the ammo spent.  She was just about to turn around when Elena’s head jerk made her look over her shoulder, another vehicle was racing toward them and they had no place to go.  The Silkworm unhooked the AR-15 from Elena and leaned back, stretching her body out the length of the bike.  Elena unhooked her right leg, lifting it forward she swung it over and around the Silkworm and back into the strup.  

‘Nothing escapes my legs either,’ she said with a smile.  

The inverted Silkworm craned her neck all the way back and brought the scope to her eye.  She aimed at the windscreen, a second later it shattered, then she got one of the front tires.  The vehicle veered sideways, hit a concrete set of steps spun sideways, the back end coming around and smashing into the side of the building the front had just hit.  In that briefest moment of time Elena guided the bike between the spaces.

The Silkworm came up, swung back around Elena who confirmed with Cyros that the way was clear to the airport which they arrived at several minutes later.  

You will need this,’ Elena said, passing the Silkworm a passport from a zipped pocket on her suit.

‘Ameena Gopol,’ she read.

‘It works, you know the drill, when he asks and speaking of which here we go.

‘Busy day Miss Propova,’ an official said.  Your idea of business is interesting to say the least and has brought you to the attention of higher ups and who is this I don’t remember seeing her get off the plane.’

‘Well what can I say I like to do things in a big way and this is my associate Ameena Gopol, she came ahead to set up a few meetings, but you know, things, well they just didn’t work out,’ Elena smiled.

‘An understatement to say the least.  I think you may have to stay around a little longer, you know until we get a better picture of things.  No one likes to be, what is the word, played, especially me!’ the official said in a low threatening tone.

‘Sure I’d love to hang around, could be really interesting when things get going, you never know you may need us, but I warn you, we don’t come cheap.  But before you decide you may want to look at this,’ Elena smiled, pulling out the papers she had taken from the dead man.  ‘Seems you have other interested parties who think they could do a better job around here and they appear well connected and armed, well almost armed,’ she said, glancing over at the adjacent cargo port.  ‘How’s that saying go, the enemy of my enemy is my friend.  Consider those dudes we killed as a freebie and that Intel as a gesture of goodwill, a gesture certainly willing of say, two passport stamps, our plane is waiting?’

‘You have my number call me if you need any more Intel, FORCE is always willing to help.  I’m sure we can work out some sort of future arrangement that benefits both parties,’ Elena said as they collected the passports, the two walking towards the private jet.

‘Get us out of here fast Andei and remember if you screw up just this much,’ she said, putting two fingers very close together.  ‘You'll be flying a cargo plane full of rubber dog shit out of Hong Kong!’

‘Top Gun.  Great movie, really lousy combat footage,’ he said laughing and she laughed back.  

‘One day I’ll come up with one you won’t get,’ she added then looked at her charge.  ‘Used to fly F-16’s so he would know.  Best buckle up tight, he likes to go steep vertical.’

‘So I am a prisoner of FORCE?’ the Silkworm finally said after the plane had leveled off.

‘I wouldn’t say that, more of a guest,’ Elena explained.  ‘Would you like something to eat or drink, I’m getting water or would you like a shower and a change of clothes, we brought some along for you.’ Elena continued this time her voice was serious.  ‘Please tell me I got there on time?’

The Silkworm got up from her seat, walked over and hugged Elena.  ‘My name is Jeevika Dhar and yes a shower would be wonderful.’

She didn’t need to answer the question, her embrace said it all. 

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