The Judas Stones - Chapter 4

Chapter Four:

         “That took longer than I expected!” he snapped.

         “I’m sorry sir but the data was somewhat jumbled and out of order, it took a while to collect and collate the data into something that was useful,” his assistant answered handing him the disk.

         He analyzed the data for sometime, flipping back and forth between screens and several programs her had open before a long perplexed frown settled on his face.

         “So these six fools are going to try doing the impossible!  Quite frankly I’m surprised Mrs. Hawthorne would have anything to do with this, she’s usually such a loner, but nobodies fool, until now I see.  I recognize the Kunoichi, a minor annoyance, but who are the others, all C.O.I.L. agents I assume?” he asked starring at the screen.

         The blonde and the redhead are new C.O.I.L. agents, the redhead is Paige Worthington, I confirmed that with Mai Tai, but I’m sorry we have no data on the blonde as of yet, but I’m still working on that for you,” he said nervously.

         “See that you do and the other two, who are they?”

         “Data is hard to come by on the shorter blonde woman, I think it may have been corrupted in the transmission and is well, lost, along with our agent,” he said hoping his lie about the data would by him more time to find out who this elusive woman was.

         “I see,” he answered looking up from the screen and studying his assistant carefully.  “Perhaps you’ll be able to incorrupt the data over the next few days and this young woman, is she also a new recruit or is her data damaged as well!” he asked his voice twisting on the words.

         “I ran her picture through our files and came up empty, then a remembered reading a report from one of our satellite associations that we sometimes do business with.  I plugged into their data base a found her,” he said proudly.

         “You’re only at 50% efficiency with her name and info, that’s hardly a mark to take pride in!” his boss said sticking a pin into his ego.

         “Her names Aki Eto and until several weeks ago she was an active member of The Poison Geisha Clan, that is until she was reported killed in a car crash,” he quickly stated feeling the heat rise in his face from the stinging rebuke of before.

         “It would appear she has cheated death, for the present at least.  Alert Uoko regarding this development, I’m sure she’ll be more than a little interested in correcting this mistake before it gets too far out of hand.  How did you manage to obtain such through information given the death of our operative so early in the mission?” he asked still absorbed thought.

         “Since they would be leaving at some point on their mission I merely took the precaution of having a fixed amount of our very low level functionaries on hand at the airport.  Thanks to their efforts we now have an initial itinerary of each woman’s mission and they are blissfully unaware of it,” he said his voice flat and emotionless this time.

         “Well done,” was all he got in return and its tome matched his but he took it with pride as a compliment anyway.

         “I also prepared this list of agents that are available.  I even took the liberty of matching their specific skills against that of the others known skills to better ensure success for D.O.O.M.,” he pushed hoping to build on his previous triumph.

         “Yes these should do nicely, but also contract outside help.  We need to cover before, during and after the mission, if they get that far, in this case!” he emphasized.

         “Why are we committing so many resources to his case if the chances of success are almost zero?”  he questioned.

         “Do you have any idea how valuable The Judas Stones are?  No I think you don’t given the stupidity of that question!  Just so I don’t have to endure another round of it I’ll illuminate you!  They have the power to heal instantly any wound, to cleanse any poison from the body.  They are even rumoured to have the ability to raise people from the dead!  Imagine what would happen if C.O.I.L. got their hands on them, they would become invincible.  They want the stones to heal the conspicuously silent and absent Miss Baxter and that along with the other I just mentioned is something D.O.O.M. cannot allow to happen!”

         “If there that powerful why hasn’t D.O.O.M. obtained them then?” the assistant asked deciding he’d already disgraced himself beyond the point of return.

         “We have tried in the past and failed every time so it was decided a more prudent form of action was to simply make sure no one else did succeed!  People are in place to halt any attempts, but given the circumstances and what appears to be the calibre of talent involved in this attempt I don’t want to leave any margin for error!” he answered severely rebuking him.

         There is one other matter sir, it regards her,” he said ignoring the beating he’d just taken.

         He took the report and snapped it open, his eyes flashing across the paper, narrowing as they did in cold fury. 

         “This is proving to be quite an afternoon.  So she has the thirteenth stone, well if legend is correct that will slowly draw her to the others and I don’t think C.O.I.L. will be in to receptive a mood after what she did to them!  Perhaps they can do our dirty work for us and we’ll kindly pick up the remains.”

         “I would like to point out sir that she has proved to be a rather resourceful in eluding us so far?” his assistant questioned.

         “We’ve cut off all her sources to financing and intelligence all she has left is her dwindling cash reserves and they to will soon be exhausted and then where will she be?” he responded.

         “Even more dangerous than she already is and if I may say, desperate!”

         He flashed his assistant a look, not of anger, but of surprise, before returning to the report absentmindedly thumbing its pages.

         “If we know her current whereabouts arrange another attempt, but not one of our agents, use outside labour,” he admonished before handing the report back.

*       *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *

         The prow of the boat pushed aside the still waters in a sluggish manner that totally befit the speed it was traveling at.  Lady Alice Hamilton stood near the bow peering to the hazy morning sunlight for the site of land and her destination, the town of Santa Maria on the northern tip of Lake Bangwedu. 

         “The old fort should be visible any time soon Ma’am,” the first mate said.

         Alice smiled and nodded silently to him with a quick turn of her head before she turned back the horizon and he started talking again.

         “Government’s big idea to turn that old pile of stones into a luxury hotel for westerners to come and spent money at, problem is, their putting more money into fixing it up than you people are spending at it!” he said with a laugh as the outline of the old British fort, a leftover from colonial rule came into view. 

         His dissertation was about to continue when the captain barked out orders and he scrambled off much to Alice’s relief.  She and four other people disembarked minutes later onto a rickety dock along with a jumble of supplies.  Here and there hotel attendants greeted the guests and did there best to collect the suitcases and guide them up the winding stone path toward the main gate of the old fort admonishing they to say on the path.  Alice could see clearly why, on either side of the secure stone walkway the ground was a sea of mud and shallow dug holes and sloshed with liquid earth.   They passed underneath the raised iron gates suspended above the archway and into the quadrangle of the stone monument proper, even with the confines of the fort; the mud was ever present, before entering into the hotel at the far end of the common space through a large arched opening.  There the hotel manager greeted them warmly as Alice eyed her fellow travelers, all women, suspiciously.  Two Indian women, both in their fifties, slim and sexy and each wearing a stunning two piece sari, one of green crepe and the other a red silk creation.  Their black hair piled high and pinned perfectly in place set off their ageless faces as did their sparing make up and use of exotic jewellery, some shaped liked insects, others as reptiles. 

         The next was a handsome young man from Morocco, dressed to perfection in a crisp new suit of white linen and very pleasing to her eye to behold.  The fourth was a young Nubian woman from Ghana dressed in a tight fitting gold body cloth with matching head wrap.  She was thin, tall and gracefully flowing as she moved.

         “Rather like a reed in the wind,” Alice thought.

         The manger and staff processed their guests and apologized profusely about the appearance of the hotel, explaining that it was ongoing construction of a new water system, but not to worry the old system worked fine.   In an efficient manner Alice was soon checked in and being escorted up the stairs to her room.  She was more than convinced all four sets of eyes were fixed upon her as she went.  Since Aki’s warning about their assignment being compromised she’d been careful, as always, to give as little away about herself as possible.  Her colleagues may know something of her skills, Mrs. Hawthorne more so than the rest, but they didn’t know all and she aimed to keep it that way, especially to her new admirers.  Toward that end she’d deliberately worn loose fitting, even frumpy clothing to conceal her body from scrutiny and prying eyes, that is until it would be too late for them to use that knowledge against her! 

         She tipped the porter and closed the door before turning to survey her less than four star accommodations, but certainly better then she had expected.  A bed covered in the requisite mosquito netting occupied the far wall to her right and to her left was the small bathroom, complete with sink, shower and toilet.  Immediately before her was her lounge area consisting of a coffee table/bar, love seat and chair all from the early 90’s in style and looking like they’d seen much better days.  The floor left a little to be desired as well, the tiles were cracked and heaved in places creating an uneven surface that management had tried to disguise with various throw rugs, and failed!  Directly beyond that two large glass doors opened onto the pool, bar and general gathering area all of which looked surprising modern, inviting and well cared for.  Alice swung open the doors and stepped out into the blue sky and its beating sun quickly catching out of the corner of her eyes, to one side the two Indian women and opposite, the woman from Cameroon, both parties quickly disappearing back into their respective rooms.  She smiled to herself and went back inside to unpack.

         “This is going to get very interesting, very soon!” she mused.  “I can feel the heat building already!”

*       *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *         

         Mrs. Hawthorne removed her stylish headscarf, five hours of open dusty roads had not spared her hair totally from the ravages of the open road, but the covering had helped.  She passed under the welcoming and cooling arches of palm trees that lined the entrance walk to the hotel.  The sound of cool babbling water echoed around her, a constant reminder of why Gat existed, from fountains and ornately constructed fountains and pools.  An oasis town along and old caravan trade route Gat had transformed itself into a modern exclusive vacation area for only the most wealthy and discriminating travelers.  It attracted foreign currency, especially much needed U.S. dollars by offering all the luxuries and amenities that people demanded, including, but limited too, a casino, many bars and nightclubs and other more personal services that guest wished to remain discreet about. 

         “Sylvia Hawthorne,” she said to the smartly dressed front desk clerk as she removed her gloves. 

         “Yes, Mrs. Hawthorne, welcome to Gat we hope you enjoy your stay,” he smiled and turned the register on its swivel for her to sign.

         A quick wave of his hand as she was soon being whisked off to her room, one of the best suites in the resort in yet another means of transport, a modified golf cart.  Her room was everything she expected of a first class establishment.  The floors were a brilliant display of red and earth coloured tiles interspersed with tiled mosaics containing every hue and colour imaginable.  The stuccoed walls painted sunset orange and yellows and furniture intricately carved hardwoods all in the Arabian style and covered in soft welcoming fabrics.  She enjoyed a private walkout patio for her own enjoyment that also connected to the pool and more public offerings if she chose, but right now all she wanted was a shower to scrape away the layers of accumulated sand from her travels.

         “But first a fruit,” she though walking towards the large bowl of complimentary fruit upon the bar.

         Her eye focused on the appealing pomegranate right on top, a personal favourite, she nearly seized it when just as suddenly she reversed herself and flipped over the entire bowl sending the contents skittering over the bar and onto the floor save one member who she definitely was not edible, a Trap Door Spider, highly poisonous!  Sylvia quickly withdrew one of her hairpins and impaled her unwelcome guest to the bar top!

         “On second thought, I think I’ll wait,” she said watching her vanquished opponent twist helplessly about.

          

         She emerged from her shower towelling her hair dry before sweeping it up and encasing it under the soft cloth that she twisted about her head.  She preferred to let the remainder of her naked body dry naturally, the globules of water clinging to her as she unpacked it clothes, before dislodging to the pull of gravity and cascading down in eddies of dissipating moisture. 

         Her toned and chiselled yet still ultra feminine body moved gracefully about, her trip to India, while almost her death, had given in added weapons to her already formidable arsenal, but it had given her something else, an even sexier physique than before!  She lost a dress size, increased her flexibility, accentuated her curves and tightened her entire form, her legs seemed to flow upward forever now and her breasts had become firmer and fuller while her ass had hardened into a smaller more eye catching form, a form she’s enhanced with a new motion!  She knew all this would come in handy as she picked up the final item in her suitcase, a bikini.

*       *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *         

For an Englishwoman Paige Worthington was an anomaly, she liked, even thrived in hot humid weather, so Panama City with its plus 90 degree, sticky heat, did not affect her in the least.  That said however she was glad to be finally alone in her rented cottage so she could free herself from her clothes.  Her gorgeous young hard body spilled free of there restraints and breathed the air as the spy donned a loose fit caftan and got down to work. 

         The spy opened her laptop, plugged in her GPS locator to the USB port and called up the map of Panama City, punched in the co-ordinates and waited for the communication from the satellite to the locator to the computer to complete.  Within a minute she had the exact location of her prize and with a few more enhancements a three dimensional map of its location. 

         “This seemed much easier when Alice explained it to me!” Paige said wearingly.

         She accessed the official site, checked the times and picked her spot which had to be night.  She wouldn’t need long, maybe 20 minutes to complete the operation from start to finish, she soon settled on the time, just after 1 AM the next day.

         “That gives me more than enough leeway to see the site in person, a map is fine, but I’d rather see the real thing up close an personal and to do that I’m going to need to acquire a few things!” she said.

         The young spy unpacked her clothes, changed into a pair a light cotton pants, tennis shoes and a white cotton tee, before donning a baseball cap.  She picked up her shoulder strap purse, placed the specialty items she needed inside, swung it over her shoulder and departed her cottage.

         “Hey you there, hold up a minute!” Paige said in perfect Spanish reaching into her purse, as the object of her call stopped.

         “Can I see you ID please?” she asked politely yet with a firm all business tone.

“What for! Who are you?” a small man said as her instinctively grabbed his ID card than dangled from a string around his neck.

“Esther Gonzales, Port Security.  Nothing to worry about just a random check of your cards validation, merely routine,” Paige said again in perfect Spanish.

The man looked at her carefully not entirely sure if he trusted the looked of her and Paige could sense it.

“English mother and Spanish father,” she said with a smile.  “However something got mixed up along the way, I have the sensitive skin of an Englishwoman but the love for the sun of a Spaniard.  Should have been the other way around or something like that!” she laughed and he followed suit as she held out her hand and he passed her his card.

The C.O.I.L. agent inserted the card into one end of her Palm Pilot, pushed several buttons on the keypad and the card disappeared for a second then reappeared with confirmed flashing across the screen of her device.  She pulled the card free and handed it back to him.

“Everything’s fine, sorry to have bothered you, but you know how security is these days,” she smiled and started to walk away.

“Yes I do!” he said.  “Now can I see your ID just so I can be sure?” he asked.

Paige turned around smiled and walked back to him.

“Of course!” she said pulling out her card that looked just like his a handing it to him. 

“I’m glad to see you take an interest in the entire operation and not just your job,” she added.

He smiled at the compliment and at her and handed the card back.  She gave a slight smile in return, the kind that indicated nothing more was going to happen, so he turned and left.  Paige patted the pseudo Palm Pilot and admired the card.  In seconds it had decipher and copied all the data from his card onto hers and created her a duplicate card complete with her picture.  She now had the access she needed! 

“An excellent opening gambit Miss Worthington, but you still have a long way to go my little pawn before you can become a queen and the next move is mine!” a voice said from behind a pair of binoculars a way off.   

*       *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *

         “Here let me help you with that,” a soft sultry voice said.

         “Thanks, I’m kind of new to all this and putting this thing on is like hand to hand combat for me.”

         “An interesting choice of words,” she answered hooking the final clasp in place with a smile and a lick of her lips before moving on.

         Alexandra ‘Alex’ Chase watched the woman glide away from her with motioned grace, her eyes following the outline of her body and the costume that barely covered it.  She shook herself away from the ethereal form and back to reality as the pearls sewn onto her costume bobbled in reaction.

         “If that’s what you can call it.  I thought places and palaces like this were only in bad Hollywood movies and old 1930’s serials!  However, when you were a member of the royal household, no matter how tenuous the connection, fantasy and reality blurred in a seemingly endless pit of money.  But here I am inside the palace of Sheik Fazil Ali and a member of his harem no less!” she inwardly mused.

         Joining had been easy, her assets had spoken for her during the interview, blonde, suntanned sexy body and effervescent personality she was easily accepted into his confidence.  What she hadn’t counted on were the other twenty women also under his house any one or more of which was most assuredly a D.O.O.M. operative or freelancer looking to stop her!  So far they’d tried nothing mainly because she’d given them no reason to suspect her and she hopefully aimed to keep it that way.  She knew the stones location, but getting to it was another matter altogether!  It was in a room off limits to all except Sheik Fazil and a few of his trusted servants, one of which just happen to be the woman who had just helped her, Salome Alam. 

         “All I need is 30 seconds to a minute inside that room and then I’ll be gone, but I need the key from one of them, but which one to try?” Alex thought as she adjusted her costume and hooked her veil in place.

         “Perhaps the Sheik will find my dancing today worthy of a private command performance later,” she smiled to herself as she moved into the main room and the music started.

         Alex cupped her hands together over her head and slowly to the beat of the music began undulating her hips in a protracted small circle of rhythm.  Her hard tanned thighs emerging from the slit within her gauzy harem pants as the wave strands of pearls about her exposed stomach danced with her!  The small piece of wrap around cloth covering her breasts strained to hold them back as each movement threatened to topple them over the edge and prove to her audience that she only had it there for modesties sake and not for support!  The spy reversed her motion several times, each change capturing and holding the Sheiks and his guest’s eyes!  She raced forward to them, her quick light silent steps measured to the beat of the music perfectly and began her dance again, this time just inches from their faces as she moved amongst the assembled panel her hips dazzling them with spellbinding sways.

         The spy sunk her body lower, shifted her hands behind her back and pushed forward perking her already stunningly firm breasts even further and jiggling them at exceedingly close eye level while she smiled through her veil at them one at time.  Alex swept her body away in a widening circle and back until she was several feet away from them.  She sped up the tempo of her dance matching the driving increasing pulsating beat of the music until she was a dervish of activity and almost a blur to the eye!  Suddenly her gyrating body flipped backward, her legs flew apart and she landed in a split leg position, barely out of breath, but with fire and passion in her eyes as the music ended.

         A small hand motion and Salome was beside the Sheik, they exchanged a few words and she returned to her position motioning for the next dancer to begin.  Alex retreated to the edge of the floor yielding it graciously to another, but not the Sheik, she could tell he was hers, at least for tonight!

*       *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *         

         Aki fumbled a little with her compact before she got it open, but she managed, then calmed herself and used it to scan her surroundings will applying her lipstick.  The skills were coming slowly, but they were becoming more nature, thanks to Alex’s encouragement and training during their time together.  Her Poison Geisha training had not included the modern womanly spy arts such as seduction, allurement and deception among others, but again Alex had helped with all that. 

         While she applied her frosty pink coating she mapped the area in her mind as the mirror covered the room in a circle until it stopped on the resting place of the stone.  She closed the compact and lipstick replacing them in her hand purse and walked around the garden looking at the statues, always keeping on eye on her intended target. 

         “Much too crowded to make attempt now!” she thought.  “Come at night and better dressed for occasion.”

         While Aki admired the statues and sculptures in the Ting Wai Park near the centre of Taipei others were admiring her!  Her yellow dress hugged the contours of her scrumptious form to perfection, clinging to her thin narrow hips before diving in at the waist and up and tight against her small sphere-shaped breasts then splitting into two bands that looped around her neck exposing her delicate white shoulders and bare arms to her many watchers.  She moved slightly pushing her small round ass against the material and drawing lookers away, for just the briefest of moments from her long willowy legs that seemed to rise up forever from inside her white heels! 

         Every turn of her thin ankles was watched keenly, each flex of her calf muscles or touch of her hand to her hair drove more of the will and control from her male fans.  She turned around the square a few more times before departing and slipping into a cab, her legs pulling inside slowly to give a final tease.   Alex had always told her she was a knockout in a skirt and she was finally starting to believe in her own power to charm.   She took the cab ride in silence then darted from the car to inside the hotel lobby and into the elevator.

         “Yes she here.”

         “Was at park all morning planning operation”

         “She not get chance to put plan in action.”

         “We put plan in action first!”

         “Why wait, we finish it today!”

         “Okay, agreed we wait and see, and then we kill her!”

*       *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *

         “C.O.I.L. attracts the strangest loyalty from people who would be better off minding the own business!  Most of them have no idea what their getting themselves into and once they do it’s too late and they end up dead!  Such will be the case with this young woman I’m afraid!  What did you say was her name again?”

         “Kiko Matsumora and don’t underestimate her, she’s a trained Kunoichi!” he said back through the phone before adding.  “However, I know her skills and resourcefulness will be no match for you Azeema!”

         “A skilful recovery, however, I accept the compliment nonetheless,” Azeema purred.

         “I see from the report you sent me that she and Miss Baxter are quite close.  This certainly helps to bring things full circle for me.  Having been betrayed by my supposed loyal employee, Paige Worthington, who I see somehow managed to become a C.O.I.L. agent, they must be desperate to have taken he on!”

         A none to subtle throat clearing erupted through the speaker phone followed this time by a true admonishing.

         “Miss Worthington was a caterpillar, so to speak when she was with you, yet you failed to see the butterfly waiting to be born.  You not only let Miss Baxter slip through your fingers, but also perhaps of even greater value, you failed to recognise the unborn beauty in her that somehow Miss Baxter saw and now C.O.I.L. benefits from!  However, with this opportunity you have a chance to redeem yourself in a small way and exact revenge on Miss Baxter from afar by taking care of one of her friends!”

         Azeema took the tongue lashing and the unsaid threat of once again failing in stride, she was angered and a little frightened but she would never let that be seen, especially by him!

         “I have everything in hand.  I’m flying to Istanbul right after this conversation to personally supervise matters, but to speed things along I have arranged a welcoming reception for Miss Matsumora, should she decide to make a play for the stone right away, one I think she will find quite sultry in nature.  Failing that I have other contingencies planned and after that, well I can only hope, she and I will have to get to know each other, closely and intimately!” Azeema venomously said.

         Her long toned legs drew even longer looks as she walked across the lobby of the hotel.  The statuesque Japanese beauty sucked all the life in the room to her as she moved!  Her long black hair loose and silky dangled and bounced with each step while her petite round breasts did the opposite and clung firmly in place!  She approached the desk and smiled weakening the knees of the man who greeted her and racing his heart into the red zone!

         “Welcome to Istanbul Miss Matsumora,” he stammered at first but managed to recover just barely keeping his face from flushing like a nervous adolescent. 

         “On behalf of the hotel if there is anything we can do to make your stay more enjoyable please tell us and it will be our pleasure to see that it happens.  Let me reinforce that with a complimentary pass to the world famous Byzantium Baths, an exclusive spa for discriminating women, both here in Istanbul and from around the world!”

        

         Kiko smiled and took the card before being escorted to the elevator and up to her room, but not before assuring him she would avail herself of the hotels generosity. 

         *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *

         “I have just received word from Istanbul, the game’s about to begin and end all in the same day for Miss Matsumora!” Azeema said into the phone.

        

        

        

        

        

        

The Judas Stones - Chapter 3

Chapter Three:

            “Our Manila Sector spotted her at the airport along with a very attractive young woman who we can’t as yet identify,” he said looking up from his notes.

            “Inez certainly has done her usual through job.  Where are they headed to?” the man behind the desk asked to the other with a wave of his hand.

            “Tokyo, I’ve made arrangements to have them shadowed.”

            “Shadowed, is that all?” the man behind the desk answered in a stern tone to see how his young assistant would react.

           

            “Because you did not request anything else,” the young man answered.

            “Yes I didn’t, but that’s only half an answer.  If you’re going to advance within D.O.O.M. and more specifically, within my department, I need you to think a problem through to its conclusion, just as I do.  A quick resolution to an issue is not always the best solution,” he said.

            “The two may be rendezvousing with one or more other C.O.I.L. agents and given their depleted ranks this may be a chance to deal them a fatal blow, one from which they’ll never recover, rather than just terminating the one woman,” he stated in his best analyst’s voice.

            “Excellent!  I can see your dossier didn’t lie,” his boss sarcastically flattered.  “Maintain the surveillance, but at a comfortable distance until we know more about which agent’, if any, Mrs. Hawthorne is meeting and what their mission objectives may be.  Once you’ve taken care of that I want a list of what agents of ours are available."

            “I already have the second part of that request sir,” he said handing over a Cd.  “Complete dossiers on the available agents and their skills,” he answered proudly.

            “You are learning,” his boss said and meant it this time.

*          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *

            “We’re being followed,” Mrs. Hawthorne quietly said to Alice as they moved along a crowded street in old Tokyo.

            “Yes, have been since the airport.  I’m afraid I’ve underestimated the resourcefulness of your enemies Mrs. Hawthorne!” Alice responded. 

            “I’ll drop back and take care of this pesky shadow!” Mrs. Hawthorne offered beginning to move only to be stopped by Alice’s hand on hers.

            “Don’t waste your energy so easily Mrs. Hawthorne when it can be done so much easier and naturally,” Alice turned and said to her as a knowing smile crossed her lips.

            Alice directed them to a small stand, one of many lining the street.  Alice began to converse in fast and as far as Mrs. Hawthorne could tell, fluid Japanese with the vendor, who was a little taken aback at first by his potential customers easy with his language.  Mrs. Hawthorne kept her eye on their company as Alice and the young man moved closer together supposedly over an item she held in her hand and wished to purchase.  He nodded to her and disappeared for just a moment, then was back with a further nod and smile. 

            Mrs. Hawthorne watched the sea of people that jammed the main street slowly part as three young men moved towards the women’s two watchers. 

            “That should take care of our company.  Come Mrs. Hawthorne, Claire is not far away,” Alice answered casually.

            “What did you do?” the spy answered as she backed up the street watching the scene unfold before her. 

            The shadow upon recognizing the danger took several steps backward before turning and breaking into an all out sprint as the crowd jeered and screamed filling in the street again after a few seconds and covering all trace of the chases outcome from the two women. 

            “Did you notice the tattoo’s on the arms of that young man I was taking to Mrs. Hawthorne?” Alice asked as she looped her arm about the spy’s and picked up the pace.

            “Yakuza!” Mrs. Hawthorne answered as it dawned on her.

            “Exactly!  He only had a few and they were small, obviously he’s new, very small time and eager to prove himself.  I merely told him that the man following us was from a rival clan and he and his friends did the house cleaning for us!” Alice exclaimed as they turned into an even smaller more crowded street full of tumble down shops and noodle houses that came right up and sometimes onto the street. 

            “But why did he believe you, what do you know of the Japanese Mafia?” the spy asked.

            “Maybe someday I’ll tell you, but at the present we don’t have time,” Alice said as her words almost trailed off to nothing and she came to a dead stop.

Alice scanned the street turning in a circle her eyes closed, her brow furrowed in concentration before she snapped to attention and led Mrs. Hawthorne into a ramshackle store that looked like every other ramshackle store on the street.   This one however seemed to deal in every kind of herb and spice that could be imagined.  Regular dust and the remnants of spice dust swam in the air, twinkling in the light, as the two moved to the back of the store a cloud being raised in their wake and settling on the tops and sides of the glass jars lining the shelves from floor to ceiling.  Mrs. Hawthorne said nothing in the short time she’d been in Alice’s company; she’d learned to expect surprises.  Alice stopped in front of a door frame with a piece of tattered cloth tack across it, delicately she pulled the garment back and bowed remaining so as a very old woman eyed her and Mrs. Hawthorne with shrewd clear eyes.

“The store is behind you, there is nothing here for you to buy, please leave!” she said in a soft but stern voice.

“We do not seek to buy goods Senpai Sama, we wish to enter the temple to heal our friend Baxter san,” Alice answered in perfect Japanese.

The old woman’s eyes narrowed a little as she glanced from Alice to Mrs. Hawthorne before faster than Mrs. Hawthorne could have imagined she wielded a sword, magnificent in its construction and beauty, securing it tight against Alice’s neck! 

“Do not move Mrs. Hawthorne or do anything whatever happens,” Alice warned her.

The glimmering blade pushed against the vampire’s chin and pulled her face up to meet the gaze of the questioner.  

“You bring nothing my eyes can see to accomplish this task!” she answered quickly before the sword flashed across the beautiful neck of Alice and disappeared just as suddenly as it had previously appeared.     Lady Alice Hamilton straightened herself and bowed to the elderly woman

“Eyes however, can be deceived, but the heart never can Kyuuketsaki!  Enter and be welcome in my temple,” she said as first Alice and then Mrs. Hawthorne received her touch of welcome to the tops of their heads.

 A strangler hidden in another part of the ancient shop observed via her secret camera she’d planted earlier and monitor built into her makeup compact all that had gone on!

They two slipped pass the Senpai and along a narrow red painted hallway before making a sharp right turn and coming to the top of a massive spiral staircase that descended into blackness save for a single point of light at the bottom that distinguished nothing except itself.  Alice took the first step before Mrs. Hawthorne placed her hand over the woman’s and spoke in a most exasperated tone.

“What the hell just happened back there and what is a Kyuuketsaki!”

“A test of our intentions.  The sword cutting my throat a test of your loyalty to me and a test for me of my true intentions,” Alice answered as she turned to face her partner’s confused face.

“Had I been lying my reaction would have been to panic and pull away or to fight, but since I did neither and you followed my wishes it proved I was true to my words as I was prepared to die for them,” Alice explained.

“But the sword was drawn across your throat and nothing!” Mrs. Hawthorne stammered.

“Again a test, the final test, to confirm the first.  Would I die for my words and would my companion be willing to watch and do nothing knowing I would lose my life, but retain my honour and hers as well, even to the point of death.  That above all else would prove our sincerity.  She drew the sword across my throat, but not against it to see and sense yours and my reaction to our words and thus our cause.  Oh, and Kyuuketsaki means vampire in Japanese or more correctly vampire princess.  How she knew what I am I don’t know,” Alice ended.

“I’m glad we passed,” Mrs. Hawthorne smiled.

“Glad or surprised?” Alice said to her then let the conversation drop as they started down the turning staircase leaving her partner to puzzle over the statement.

 They made the rest of the way in silence until both stood at the bottom of the staircase in an octagonal room before a set of imposing hand hammered metal doors that were swung open before them. Two young teenage girls wearing loose back pants and long sleeved tops complete with a green sash tied around their waists greeted them with a deep bow.  They motioned the two women inside with a graceful sweep of their arms and Alice and Mrs. Hawthorne entered. 

The room was about the size of a school gymnasium, but with a much lower ceiling, maybe only 10 feet tall.  The floor was coloured a raven blackness except for the centre of the space where a large red coloured snake had been inlaid, the diagram expanding out upon itself in an ever widening circle of coils.  Moveable paper walls occupied the side and front of the room as the women advanced along with geometrically carved partitions that helped break up the menagerie of white tiled paper walls.  Alice and Mrs. Hawthorne made their way forward until they stood in the centre of the snake.

“Any idea where we are?” Mrs. Hawthorne said.

“You are in my home Mrs. Hawthorne and Lady Alice Hamilton and it is wonderful to see you!”

The two women swung round in unison and took in the image that had been the voice.  A beautiful, tall, slender woman dressed in a skintight black unitard save for the red snake design woven into the material.  The scarlet snake began with just the fraction of a tail showing on the woman’s left ankle then coiled up around her extensive willowy leg.  Around her waist before it darted up her chest and over one of her shapely breast then her shoulder before emerging up her other breast the head coming to rest on her other shoulder. 

            “Kiko Matsumora,” she offered by way of her introduction that seemed to go unnoticed by the two.

“How do you know our names?” Alice asked.

“Claire told me before she,” Kiko let the sentence die as she brought a hand to her eye and both women suspected the worst, especially Alice as she had not had another dream of Claire since the night she’d left Italy a fact she’d kept from telling her travelling companion. 

Both women knew the question that must be asked after such a statement, but neither could force the breath up from their tight chests to ask it, this for Alice was a weakness she despised an all too familiar reminder that she underneath it all was still as feeble, weak and vulnerable as everyone else.

“You need to see for yourself, come this way,” Kiko choked as she led them to a paper door, opened it and moved down a hallway toward a large oak door with the two close on her heals.

“She’s in here,” Kiko said softly as she opened the door just a crack and the three slipped inside.

The three stepped into a completely round room lit only by a series of very dimly lit candles that outlined the still body they surrounded in the middle of the room.  They moved silently toward Claire who seemed unaware of their presence or unable to acknowledge it.

“I’ve done my best with her everyday but I’m afraid the Four Petal Orchid has damaged her beyond my capacity to heal her.  It was a miracle, but maybe not so much, knowing Claire, as I’m sure we all do, that she was able to escape it, but by then the damage was done, her muscles continue unabated to daily twist tighter!  She lost the ability to speak a day ago and today she can no longer open her eyes, I have no idea if she can even hear us!” Kiko said.

“Every day her Chi weakens as the candles display by their flickering energy, one by one they will extinguish then my sister will die. She begged me to kill her a week ago when she was still feeling the pain of her cording muscles; she was in agony for countless hours!  It took four of us to hold her still while I massaged her muscles with some small hope it would reduce her suffering.  She’d scream and cry in so much torment asking me why I was letting this continue when I promised her I would honour her request to die!” the Kunoichi said as her tears flowed.

“The next morning I resolved to end my sister’s life and mine.  We had just finished calming her; I dismissed my assistants and opened the vial of alabaster massage oil, Claire’s favorite, mixed with the poison.  I gently stroked her cheeks and soothed her brow and told her that I would honour her request when she began a long rambling tale about a woman who was visiting her in her dreams, searching for her and coming to find her and bringing help.  I let her talk, while I slowly and tenderly enveloped her body in mine, once she was secured I reached for the poison.  It was then that she mentioned you Lady Alice, not by name but by what you are and she spoke it in perfect Japanese, a language Claire is bad in at the best of times.  She asked me to wait, she would bare the pain, which she did for the next few days, but then she slipped into the coma and I haven’t been able to pull her out of it, but now that you’re both here,” Kiko brightened slightly.

“I’m afraid I can’t revive her either, not with anything I know!  I can slow the process and buy us the time we need to acquire the cure,” Alice said as she stepped into the circle of candles and knelt beside Claire. 

“I’m here darling,” she said like a mother to her child as she stroked her hair and temple. 

“I’ve brought help, Mrs. Hawthorne is here with me and others are coming.  I promise you it won’t end like this Claire, soon all the pain will be forgotten and you’ll be fine again.  I love you Claire, hang on to that, fight a while longer for me!” Alice whispered as the palms of her hands rammed one on top of the other onto the spy’s chest directly above her heart. 

Claire’s chest heaved up violently and crash to the floor and then she was still, very still for the longest time before just the tiniest bob of her chest crested and fell.  Alice kissed Claire’s cheek, softly and lovingly, then rose and stepped outside the circle.  The flames still flickered but now they burned a little brighter.

“I’ve adjusted her heart to beat much slower, one beat every 5 minutes, to slow the advance of death,” Alice said as she wiped a tear from her eye feeling a sensation she hadn’t felt in a very long time.

“How long have we got?” Kiko asked.

“A month, perhaps five weeks at the outside, not much time to accomplish all we have to do,” Alice answered with a heavy heart.

“Whatever it is I’m in!” Kiko said emphatically as she moved to the door taking Alice in her wake.

“Mrs. Hawthorne,” Kiko called out to the spy who hadn’t moved.

“I’ll be along a few minutes,” she answered, the others not needing any further interpretation of the statement.

She waited for the door to close before stepping into the circle and knelling next to Claire.

“In spite of the way we first met I always though of you as the child I never had.  I think you knew that, but now I see I can’t play that roll, it’s reserved for someone else.  You filled a void in my life after my husband was murdered by D.O.O.M. and now I can feel that void creeping back in and its not your fault its mine.  You have a mother in Alice and a sister in Kiko and I’m not sure where I fit into the picture and again that’s my problem.  I never felt so alone in my life, so alone in a room, as when Alice was next to you a moment ago and I couldn’t share that moment.  For a flash of a second I hated her and Kiko, for no reason other than they existed and I had to share you.  Then I realized why, because I never share with anybody else, including you!  I love you Claire, anything and everything I can do I will,” Mrs. Hawthorne said as she bent forward, kissed the spy’s cheek and whispered in her ear.

 She entered the main hall only to see, much her to delight, that their ranks had grown by one.

“Things are coming together quickly, thanks to your efforts, Mrs. Hawthorne!” Alice said.

“Ah so this is the mysterious Mrs. Hawthorne, up until now only a vision in my mind through the reports and stories told to me by others!  If I may be allowed to say Mrs. Hawthorne, they neither did you justice in terms of beauty or grace!  It is wonderful to finally get a chance to me you although I wish the circumstances where greatly different!”

Mrs. Hawthorne looked the very young, but elegantly dressed and accessorised young woman over, she looked older by three or four years than she was, mostly due to her wardrobe choices that gave her that confident air men found so attractive.  Her stylish manner coupled with her young hard body told Mrs. Hawthorne she, despite her young age would make a deadly adversary.  Paige Worthington stepped forward and delicately placed a kiss on the cheek of Mrs. Hawthorne as she introduced herself.

“It is a pleasure you meet you was well Paige.  Were you able to contact, discreetly of course, any other C.O.I.L. agents,” Mrs. Hawthorne said after she’d returned the kiss and warm greeting.

“I’m afraid C.O.I.L. and I aren’t seeing quite eye to eye at the moment on how I should conduct their business!  And to think it only took one assignment for it to happen!” Paige said with a laugh.  “The short answer to your question is maybe, but I’m persona non grata at the moment, bit of a leper!”

“You mean this will be only your second mission, what are you 23 or 24 at most?” Mrs. Hawthorne said looking sideways at Kiko who returned just as concerned a look.

“Twenty-one actually and yes this will be my second solo mission!” Paige said a hint of annoyance in her voice that warned she’d strayed into dangerous waters with that question.

The glint in Paige’s eyes and the tone of her response told Mrs. Hawthorne all she needed to know and she let the subject drop.  Paige was here, she’d beat the odds and survived her first mission and she was defiant, the quality Mrs. Hawthorne liked best.  Kiko seized the moment and directed her guests down yet another hall before opening a sliding door and motioning them in.  The room contained a low table, much like a large coffee table only lower to the floor and mats.  The women each took a place around the table and grabbed a cushion for themselves that had been scattered about the room.  Kiko pulled a small silk rope and a few minutes later amidst pockets of conversation the door slide open once more and a tea set was deposited on the table. 

“I think its time,” was all Alice said and the room fell silent as she opened the top the hollow cylinder she’d been carrying and not let go of since she and Mrs. Hawthorne had left Manila.

Kiko collected the cups and moved the set off to a vacant corner as Alice unrolled the map across the table. 

“Each corner of the cross contains one the twelve Judas Stones that we need to collect to heal Claire,” Alice said as the others gazed at the map.

“Judas Stones?” Kiko questioned.

“When the crowd stoned Jesus of Nazareth during his crucifixion he blessed them and asked that they be forgiven for what they were doing.  Twelve stones, one for each disciple, had hit him and fallen at his feet before the crowd stopped.  Legend says the centurion who was in charge of his death gathered up the stones and kept them.  Upon his march back into Jerusalem he came across the hanging body of Judas Iscariot and supposing him to be a martyr, like Jesus, he retrieved a blood stained stone at Judas’s feet and placed it with the others in his bag.”

“He kept them with him inside his tunic as he went from war to war in the Roman Army, until one day he was mortally wounded in battle.  He lurched and fell over clutching his chest and the bag containing the stones.  His soldiers rushed to his side and pulled him from the field of conflict to safety under a large tree, there they tore open his tunic to see if they could somehow save him.  All had seen the blood spurt from the wound, but when his hand fell away no blemish could be found, he was healed.  The soldiers under his command demanded to know what sorcery had saved him and how they could obtain it as well.  He related all and showed them the stones as he opened the bag and spread them out in his hand for all to see and touch.  One by one they touched them all, including the thirteenth stone, the blood one and all began to conspire against the one to take his magic for himself.  The murdered him in his sleep and divided the stones amongst each other, each wanting the red one feeling it held extra significance.  The one who got it fled into the night and the others were unable to find him.  Over time the stones moved with the soldiers, who one by one sold them for gold as religious relics as Christianity became more popular and they fell from knowledge, but not from all.  The Knights Templar recovered all the stones, but they were lost again when the Knights themselves were betrayed and murdered by King Philip of France.  He seized their vast treasures and sold it all to pay his debts and the stones moved again.  As you can see from the map they have settled in a most recognizable pattern!” Alice said while the rest just stared open mouthed at the tale they’d heard.

“Twelve corners, twelve stones, but what of number thirteen,” Paige said.

“The Judas Stone, once we start to collect the others, it will be drawn to them.  I will warn you right now, never touch that stone without gloves or let it touch any part of your exposed body!  If that happens your heart and mind will be poisoned with malice and hatred towards all!” Alice cautioned.

“Excuse my ignorance, but why will it seek out the other stones?” Kiko asked.

“Destroy what cannot have for self,” came the answer followed by the sound of steel on steel as a guard rushed to the opened entrance, her sword drawn over her head ready to strike!  The glint of light and steel, a momentary flash and the blade came hurtling down with terrible force right on the top of its targeted head! 

A dull thud resounded around the room as all witnessed a blur of flesh fly into view and capture the hilt of the sword in between a pair of shapely thin crossed ankles in white stiletto heels by a young blonde woman executing a handstand.  The woman twisted her ankles, thrust forward, sprung off her hands and onto her feet as the guard rolled with her trapped arm and ended up on the hall floor on her back the sword was wretched free with just the merest twist of the blonde’s legs and kicked away.

“What did I tell you and how the hell do you move so fast in the outfit!” she yelled.

“Who the hell are you and what is she doing in my temple?” Kiko said advancing as Paige beamed a relieved smile.

“Alex Chase and she’s with me!” the C.O.I.L. agent said as she reached her hands behind her back and hooked them into Aki’s kimono sash, pulling her close against her back.

“She’s a Poison Geisha!” Kiko spat the words out like a bad taste.

“Hai! Senpai-sama, but no longer member of them,” Aki said with a reverent bow to Kiko.

“Your heart will always be Poison Geisha,” Kiko retorted.  “Your kind never change!”

“That might just as easily be said of you Kiko Matsumora, Senpai of the Scarlet Snake Temple!  How long were you Mrs. Yin’s assassin before the very woman you now care for believed you were something different that what you showed the world?” Alex charged.  “Aki deserves the same chance.”

Kiko eyed the two women; Alex still had the Geisha firmly by the sash, her fingers white from squeezing.  The Kunoichi knew Alex was right about Claire, but surpressing a lifetime of training about her choice of friend was proving a most difficult matter for her to resolve.  She looked to the others but she knew that it was for her alone to decide.  She chose to let the two convince her.

“I’m listening,” as all Kiko said.

Alex needed no further prompting; she understood the deeper meaning of the question.

“Aki and I were adversaries, but something more which I couldn’t place and Aki didn’t want to when we first encountered each other.  I shoved it from my mind reconciling it to her exotic looks as a Geisha and my reaction to it.  When we faced each other again and I had her trapped and at my mercy it was there again, this time stronger than ever and once more I brushed it aside.  I struck my killing blow, the blade of my fan ready to slice open her throat and as it approached her exposed flesh I felt a force push it away so it skimmed by her.  I tried again, the same result; the blade wouldn’t go near her!  I closed the fan and tentatively brought it under her chin until it touched her, at this point Aki opened her eyes and I knew instantly as did she!” Alex ended.

“What, that you had a strong sexual attraction to each other?” Kiko pushed.

“Iie, Kiko sama,” Aki said as she gently loosened Alex’s hand from her sash and stepped out from behind her.  “We not intimate with each other in physical way, but other way words can’t say.  There force between us when we close make us feel like one, share other thoughts, we become more than what already are, I Alex, Alex me and together we something cannot understand, but know we are hitotsu tamashii, one soul.”

“That still doesn’t explain your sudden conversion from hired mercenary to our side of the fence!” Kiko pressed her still not completely convinced she believed the whole thing. 

“Alex change that when she release me from her trap and ask trust her, from then see new way to think through her soul,” Aki answered softly.

It wasn’t the story that convinced Kiko it was the Geisha’s personal reference to Alex, without the san on the end of it whenever she mentioned her name.  Kiko knew from that reference alone that the two shared a very deep bond, she could she it in Alex’s eyes, hear it in Aki’s words and she swore, almost feel it between them.  She still didn’t completely trust the Geisha and it showed.

“Look, I don’t know you, or you, or you!” Alex she as she looked from Kiko to Mrs. Hawthorne to Alice.  “Hell even Aki’s met Claire, which is more than I can say, but Paige knows me pretty well so if you need a character reference on me ask her!  But while you’re at it you may want to ask how we were able to pass the Ginsu test upstairs, especially Aki!” Alex snapped as she turned to Aki and spoke.

“I knew I just should have reported to C.O.I.L. and taken you with me, now when I do I’m really in for it, especially from Charlotte,” Alex spoke in an exasperated tone her arms flapping at her side. 

“You mean C.O.I.L. hasn’t heard from you since the assignment?” Paige spoke out.

“No.  They got the information, but I guest they think I’m dead.  Aki and I leaked a rumor about my death at her hands to throw them off the trail.  Poison Geisha’s never leave a body around to be recovered so it played into our hands.  Aki went back to her Senpai Uoko while I went into hiding, she got her next assignment, smuggled word to me of the details and I arranged a mock death for her in a car accident.  Not the best or most original of plans but it seems to have worked and given that the car is under several hundred feet of water at the bottom of a steep gorge.  I don’t think the Poison Geisha Clan will soon be finding any reason to suspect anything but an unfortunate accident.  We’ve been in hiding ever since getting to know and understand each other and this strange force we seem to share.  Got your e-mail though Paige as you can see,” she said before turning back to Kiko. 

“And just so you know it was Aki’s idea to come here, but I can see that was a waste of time.  I am in so much trouble with C.O.I.L. I don’t want to think about what could happen?”

“Join the club,” Paige answered.  “I gave Sharon hard time at my debriefing, lied to her about how I would behave in the future, had illicit e-mail conversations with Mrs. Hawthorne and took off for here without C.O.I.L.’s consent or knowledge.  They have no idea where I am, although I suspect once the action starts, they’ll have a pretty good idea about the both of us Alex.  Besides I choose to look on the glass is half full side of things, they need us more than they’re willing to admit, why else would they have activated us before our training was fully completed.  To my mind that gives us a Platinum Visa card of mistakes and misdemeanors to spend and I say lets go shopping!”

“Before we do I think you all should know that D.O.O.M. and possibly others are onto this little expedition!” Alex said as she turned to Kiko who drew a Palm Pilot from the sleeve of her kimono and began reading dates, times and descriptions of each of them.

“Where did this come from?” Kiko asked softly holding out her hand as Aki passed it to her.

“Took from agent last night after kill him.  Regret not know how much information he pass on if any, he not divulge!” Aki answered.

“You never told us what the thirteenth stone has to do with the healing process Alice?” Mrs. Hawthorne said reading to room that all suspicion had finally been set aside.

Kiko motioned Alex and Aki into the room and when all were seated Alice answered.

“It completes the circle and the biblical prophecy, Not one that you gave me did I lose.   When surrounded by the others it will become as they, a healing force, because its will cannot overcome the will of the others together.   There are only six of us and twelve pieces, plus the thirteenth and we only have a month maybe five weeks to collect them all!” Alice said as she scanned the assembled faces.

“I’ve made up a list of the location of each stone,” she continued drawing a piece of paper from her purse and placing in on a corner of the map for all to see.

1.      Taipei - Taiwan                                                     7.  Gat - Libya

2.      Davao - Mindanao                                                            8.  Lagos - Nigeria                

3.      Addis Ababa - Ethiopia                                        9.  Istanbul - Turkey

4.      Medina – Saudi Arabia                                         10. Sukhum – Republic of Georgia

5.      Majunga - Madagascar                                          11.Havana - Cuba      

6.    Santa Maria on Lake Bangwedu - Zambia                      12. Panama City – Panama

“When we divide up the locations I’ll brief each of one the specific location and details of each stone,” Alice offered.

“Tell me if you already knew the locations of these stones why don’t you have them already?” Kiko asked.

“All who have tried have failed!  The locations are known to those who care to look, but that’s only half the puzzle and the easiest part, the other half has proved the undoing of all!” Alice stated flatly.

The woman all looked at each other and then back to Alice.  It was not a room of timid hearts; none of them would be in the profession they were if that was the case.

“I take Taipei and Davao,” Aki said first surprising the others, but not Alex.

“I choose Addis Ababa and Medina,” Alex chimed just as Aki’s had faded.

“Gat and Lagos,” Mrs. Hawthorne said.

“Panama City and Havana will suit me fine,” Paige answered.

“Istanbul and Sukhum,” Kiko voiced.

“That leaves Majunga and Santa Maria to me,” Alice said finishing the list.

The meeting broke into a series of small private conversations after that and continued on during the meal that appeared a short while later.  After supper Kiko escorted her guests to their respective sleeping quarters but deliberately saved Mrs. Hawthorne’s and Alice’s to the end so she could speak with them alone. 

“I speak for myself only, but I’m more than uneasy about those three.  There all so very young and inexperienced, between them they have a grand total of 3 missions, one each.  I don’t like their chances, hell I don’t like mine, but at least I have more experience to draw upon.  Let me contact C.O.I.L. and see if they can help us,” Kiko pleaded.

Alice looked at Mrs. Hawthorne telling in an instant that she didn’t exactly disagree with what was being suggested.

“We haven’t the time to wait and hope.  They know what they’re getting into with this mission, what they were getting into when they chose their profession.  Everyone has to die sometime Kiko, why not die for something you believe in rather than something you’re ordered to do?  Besides, I think those three and we three are more remarkable than either you or I or they can imagine,” Alice responded.

*          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *         

            Alice spent the next morning briefing each woman on her two objectives and by early afternoon they were all ready to leave.

            “Feel strange in this Alex,” Aki said.

            “Time to move on and besides hiding your body beneath that kimono was a crime.  You look stunning in your new clothes,” Alex answered before planting a tender kiss on the Geisha’s cheek and enveloping her in a hug. 

            “Be careful please!” Alex added feeling Aki’s squeezed response for her to do the same.

            Mrs. Hawthorne was the last to show she found her place within the circle of women and smiled nervously before swallowing several times.

            “I have something I need to share with all of you before we go our separate ways,” she choked out.  “I want you to know that Mrs. Hawthorne won’t be part of this assignment, but Sylvia Hawthorne will!”