"Going Straight" (closed)

[PennySaver]

After greeting her and recapping what she'd already said to him, Marcus challenged Belinda by questioning the accuracy of her claim, even admitting that he'd spoken to her Station Manager or, at the very least, one of his Aides.

"Indeed, he is using the footage you got last night later today with Kathy Edwards, the early evening anchor?"

Belinda had already turned her face away from Marcus, murmuring, "Asshole."

He continued, "I'm sure you know her well."

"Bitch," was her response this time. She looked back to Marcus, explaining, "I had my suspicions."

"You're not getting off to a good start by lying to me, Miss. Carmichael--"

"I wasn't lying--" she began her defense.

Marcus continued, though, "...however, all is not lost. I have a proposition for you."

Belinda was beginning to panic; she thought she'd come to the end of the road before she'd even turned over her engine. She'd been ready to rip her clothes off and bend over the cafe counter at this point. Thankfully, Marcus continued, "It's really quite simple..."

He explained what he wanted and what he could offer. It was far more than Belinda could have hoped for. She became physically excited, a chill running up her spine and gooseflesh exploding across her arms and down her legs.

"What about Kather Edwards and my asshole boss?" she inquired.

"The Governor will ... speak, to your station manager and make you the channel's primary reporter on our activities," Marcus said with total confidence. "You won't get the anchor desk, not yet, but this will help you get your reporter credentials."

Belinda couldn't suppress the smile that spread her lips. "I'll take anything you're willing to give me, Detective Cole."

"But be warned," he continued, letting her know what would happen if she betrayed him and his team. "So, what do you say, Miss. Carmichael? Interested?"

"Absolutely," she said without hesitation. She offered out her hand, hoping it was appropriate. "I'd like some clarifications, however ... if you don't mind?"

She opened the little notebook on the table to look at the questions she'd already considered. "First, can I use your name? Are you out, I mean? I mean, I know who you are and that you're involved ... but ... does anyone else?"

Marcus answered, and Belinda continued, "I know you don't want your people identified ... but ... at some point, can I interview them ... one or two or even all of them ... hidden identities ... altered voices if you think that's necessary?"

"Can I imbed on one of your operations? I'd love to be there ... to film it as it unfolds. I can pixel out identities for later broadcast ... but I'd prefer to broadcast it live, maybe with faces masked...?"

 

[Gabe619]

Marcus considered Belinda's requests as he ate, not answering right away as he mulled them over. They weren't really to much to ask for he supposed, they were questions any other reporter would have asked and requests they would have wanted to do a complete job.

"Yes, you may use my name. It's already known to everyone who needs to know it, on both sides of the law." He gave her a knowing smile. He was positive that moments after he had left his old Lieutenants office the man had been on the phone to one of the crime families telling them everything he knew, which luckily was precious little, but Cole's name would be top of that short list. "I can go on camera with you and if you're in the press gaggle during a press event I will give you the first question."

The next requirement needed a moments thought though. It was easy to speak for himself, but now as the teams leader he was speaking for them all. However getting the lay of the land from both sides was important. Cole had mentioned to Governor Harker how her enemies would use the task force against her, but they would also use it against itself. Some journalists were firmly in the pockets of criminals and any story could be twisted to suit their needs. If The Untouchables could give their side of the story too it might balance out the PR issue.

"As for talking to my team, I will have to talk to my people .... but for now lets say yes, but I need your 100% guarantee that their identities will be hidden. I don't care how you do it, I know these days with CGI you could make them look like a pack of dinosaurs as they spoke to you, but its not just their lives you will be dealing with. If you fuck up, if they are found out its their families and people they care for who could be hurt. Keep that in mind Miss. Carmichael."

Now the big one. As a Marine he had seen journalists imbedded with the military. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't. Not able to defend themselves meant that Marines had to watch their backs while watching each others and that could lead to injuries and deaths. A journo who thought he or she was indestructible, or wanted a glory moment might run into danger for a camera angle, to get better footage putting everyone at risk. Belinda had no experience of that, none at all, and Marcus didn't know the woman personally. Was she level headed? Could she make the calm, right decision when needed?

He put down his knife and fork and took a breath. "What you are asking it big, and dangerous, for you and us. I understand what you are saying and I get how good it would look for us to be seen doing the job live. There would be no way for anyone to edit the footage later to make us look bad. But you would be putting your life in danger and I cannot, and will not, put my own peoples lives on the line to protect you." He leaned in closer to her .... mmmm, he thought, nice perfume. "If you think you're up to it then we can try it out and see how it goes. But if I don't like what I see you are out of the field, ok? And oh, don't forget you'll need to find a cameraman as crazy as you are." He chuckled as he sat back.

 

[PennySaver]

"Yes, you may use my name," Marcus told Belinda.

She literally sighed in relief at hearing that. What he'd told her thus far was going to make her career, possibly even make her famous. But to truly make an impact, Belinda needed a face and name out front of the stories she was going to tell. This was going to make everything real.

"I can go on camera with you," Marcus continued, "and if you're in the press gaggle during a press event I will give you the first question."

This, too, would be a game changer. Belinda had seen nobodies turned into somebodies by having an in at live press conferences. Again, her heart was speeding up in excitement as she thought of what Marcus, his team, and their story were going to do for her career.

He talked about the security of that team, to which Belinda promised, "There identities will be protected, I give you my word. First, I won't ask you their names. And second, I'll jump through whatever hoops you ask of me to keep any meetings with you or them confidential. My Producer will need some kind of assurances that what I'm writing and who I'm writing about are actually real ... but I'm sure that we can find a way to make that happen without compromising your people."

"What you are asking is big," he told her when he got to the topic of letting her imbed with a mission or two, preferably live. He finished, "And oh, don't forget you'll need to find a cameraman as crazy as you are."

"Oh, I have the right cameraman," Belinda laughed, clarifying, "only, this cameraman is a woman. But crazy...? Yeah, she's perfect."

One of the few real friends Belinda had made while working at Channel 4 was a photojournalist about a dozen years older than she who'd seen things and done things most people only learned about by watching the nightly news. She was a tough old bird who, in her own way, was as sexy a creature as Belinda was. She worked under the name DB Connors, hiding the fact that her given and middle names were Daisy Belle; she preferred just Connors from most people.

The irony of having Connors act as her camera operator was this: Marcus already knew her, as one of Connors's first paying gigs had been as an imbedded photojournalist with Marcus's own unit in Iraq long, long ago. There was even a possibility that the two of them had spent some time with each other naked once or twice. The conflicts in the Middle East following 9/11 had been emotional times, and on occasion Conners had found comfort in this soldier or that marine. Whether either of them would recall the other was yet to be known.

"Can we start right now?" Belinda asked. She snatched her notebook and opened it to a clean page, clarifying, "I mean, the facts you are willing to share with me ... like more about you -- full name, age, your background, etc. -- and then whatever you can share about your team.

"And, of course, last night's operation," she continued, her excitement level rising still. "They're already giving it names online, in the papers, and on screen. I sort of like The Pier 4 Raid. Makes it sound militaristic ... offensive. I, um ... I missed all the shooting, which was probably a good thing seeing how I don't run well in 5 inch, Christian Louboutin, pumps ... but I'd like to give my story as much real detail as you are willing to give."

 

[Gabe619]

"You might have trouble running in them, Miss. Carmichael, but you do look good in them." Marcus teased with a smile. "You're the only reason I watch the weekend weather and I am sure I am not the only man in the city who feels that way."

He sipped from his coffee before continuing to fill her in on his name, age, the basics that wouldn't intrude to much on his life. His military service and time as a cop were public knowledge that anyone could find out, so he had no qualms telling Belinda. He told her of his failed marriage, though he was never quite sure why. He didn't go into specifics, just that he and his wife had grown apart and decided a divorce was best for both. He told her that it had been the Governor who had approached him to lead The Untouchables, actually calling them that before chuckling.

"The Governor quite liked that, when I call my people the Untouchables. I think it appeals to her." He stated.

He didn't say much more about them, but giving the Governor the credit would look good for her, even if both he and Harker knew it was a lie. No specifics were mentioned as to the size of the team, genders, ages or conduct. Even the smallest gram of intel on his people might give someone with bad intentions enough to go diving into finding out their real names and faces and that would only lead to something bad.

"I asked Captain Ketch to lend me a SWAT team for the raid on the docks last night and he kindly agreed, though he isn't a part of my team." Another white lie, but he didn't want to put Daniel in the crosshairs anymore than he did his own people. Ketch and his SWAT needed to work with CCPD on a daily basis and Cole didn't want to make that any harder for them than was necessary. "As to what the press call it, well, it was military and offensive so they are right on that at least. We used military tactics and aggressive actions to both attack and defend ourselves from D'Angelo mob soldiers on that pier in the process of unloading drugs to bring into the city. I make no apology for such actions as they kept my people safe while divesting an organised crime family of a lot of both commodity and cash. I am sure I am not high on the Christmas card list for the D'Angelo family this morning, but I think I can sleep ok knowing that."

He smiled, wondering what Emelia would think hearing such language from him, the man who she had approached to help her. But then it was what they had agreed, to shift any suspicion from the D'Angelos as Cole and The Untouchables took down the other families.

 

[PennySaver]

"You might have trouble running in them, Miss Carmichael," Marcus teased regarding her fashionable dancing heels, "but you do look good in them."

Belinda's lips spread in an appreciative smile. He was flirting with her, not just complimenting her. She liked that. Marcus Cole was hot, and if their new working relationship ever permitted it, Belinda saw herself easily stripping off her clothes and climbing into his lap for more of what her impromptu cameraman gave her this morning.

"You're the only reason I watch the weekend weather," he continued, adding, "and I am sure I am not the only man in the city who feels that way."

She giggled now, even blushing, before saying with obvious delight, "Well, thank you, Detective. I appreciate that."

Belinda contemplated complimenting Marcus's handsomeness as well, but she seriously feared that she might follow it up with Would you like to come to my place tonight and talk about our future together? Instead, she listened to more of what he said about that working relationship.

He called his team The Untouchables, adding, "The Governor quite liked that."

"I think it's perfect," Belinda agreed, asking, "Can I use that...? In my report?"

He gave her permission, then told her about the SWAT team leader, Captain Daniel Ketch. Belinda jotted the TacTeam supervisor's name down in her own special, cryptic shorthand, turning the notebook to show Marcus and explain, "No one knows what this all means. I doubt anyone short of the NSA could read this."

Belinda didn't know about Marcus's man, Mephisto, of course, not that she had any reason to. When Marcus spoke about the level of violence that had been necessary on the Pier last night and then said he made no apology for it, Belinda quickly agreed, "You shouldn't apologize, Detective. The Crime Families ... they've become animals over the past decade or more. I'm sure that whatever you did last night was entirely appropriate."

Her phone vibrated upon the diner's table and looking at it she read a text from the Executive Producer of the Midday News Hour. Belinda immediately began gathering her things and sliding out of the booth as she explained, "Assistant District Attorney Laura Shovelli -- you know her, obviously -- had scheduled a press conference for noon. I have to go."

She stopped near Marcus, gesturing for him to stay seated. "Finish your breakfast, have some more coffee ... you had a long night and, I'm sure, you're going to have an even longer day, much as I'm sure I will."

Belinda gestured to the waitress, then to Marcus's empty mug. Then, looking back to him again, she said, "I want you to understand how absolutely thrilled I am to be a part of what you are doing here, Detective Cole. I feel privileged ... I do. I know you didn't have to do this for me. You could have gone with a more experienced reporter or even not gone with one at all ... so ... I understand what you're doing for me ... and I promise you ... I will do you and your Untouchables right."

They made plans to speak again real soon before Belinda hurried out to flag down a taxi. She headed first for the studio to hook up with a camera operator and to make calls in an attempt to locate DB Connors; the photojournalist had been on a sabbatical for a few months -- aka rehab -- and Belinda had not only reached the studio but had reached the 6th floor newsroom before locating the wayward Connors.

 

[PennySaver]

Thursday morning sometime
Kitty and Teddy at her place
"Stress relief":

Kitty sat in a deep, cushiony armchair in the corner of her bedroom, studying Teddy as he snoozed after their hour-plus of high energy fucking. After the excitement at the Pier and the anxiety of the hospital emergency room, she'd needed some release, something her Untouchable partner had been more than willing to provide her.

Her lips spread in a smile at the thought of what had just passed between them. Teddy was getting pretty good at sex. He had all the right equipment, of course, with a cock that was a bit more than average in length but far more than a bit average in girth. It was the thickness of his shaft that so pleased Kitty.

It had always been the inner walls of Kitty's vagina, just barely past her labia, that had always been the source of her greatest and most powerful coitus orgasms. She knew women who raved about length and depth and the wondrous places a long cock could touch them. But for Kitty, a few think inches were all she needed to get off in the most satisfying of ways. Teddy had that thickness and, as a bonus, had the length as well, so Kitty was one happy camper right now.

Still, as she studied him from across the room, Kitty reminded herself that she hadn't fucked Teddy that first time while on stakeout simply because she'd needed sex; she'd suspected that he was a virgin or, at the least, very inexperienced with women, and Kitty had wanted to give him a something he would remember for the rest of his days.

And while they'd fucked in a car's front seat, another car's back seat, her bed, her shower, and even upon her kitchen table; and while she'd sucked Teddy's cock until it was jerking in her mouth and filling it with his seed, there was still something he hadn't experienced yet, something that every man should not only experience but at which they should become skilled.

"Hey," Kitty called. "Wakey wakey."

Teddy didn't stir, so she tossed a throw pillow at him, striking him in the head. He blinked his eyes clear of sleep and lifted his head to find her. He would immediately realize she was sitting there naked, her knees up to her chest, her feet crossed such that they hid her pussy from his view.

"Welcome back, Jumpstreet," she told him with a devilish smirk. She lowered her feet to the floor, exposing her firm tits and their swollen nipples. She gave him a moment to admire her, then parted her knees, showing off her shaven pussy; her light brown outer labia opened to reveal her inner pink ones. As one hand caressed it way over her belly and thigh to between her legs, her fingertips finding her glistening lips and toying with them, the other hand was dropping a pillow between her now-parted feet as she told him, "Time for your next lesson."

 

[PennySaver]

Pier 4 Drug Seizure press conference

Belinda Carmichael pressed her earpiece tighter into her ear canal in an attempt to better hear the talking head back at the studio as he introduced the upcoming press conference. When he tossed the ball her way, Belinda smiled into the camera, tickled that she was about to present her first live field report.

"Yes, Roger, we're here in the lobby of the Justice Center," she began, looking back over her shoulder, then looking back to continue, "awaiting the arrival of Assistant District Attorney Laura Shovelli. ADA Shovelli as many of our viewers will remember introduced a new Organized Crime Task Force 10 days ago, following the killing and capture of the alleged Draper Family Murder suspects, and today she will be filling us in on a major drug raid and seizure that took place on Pier 4 last night."

The live feed cut away to the footage shot during the wee hours of the night by Belinda and some unnamed Lyft driver she'd spontaneously recruited as a cameraman and, later, spent a couple of hours fucking and sucking. As her prerecorded monologue describing the scene played over the video, Belinda and the cameraman the Station had provided for the press conference hurried up to their reserved spots; she took a chair front row center before the lectern while the cameraman stood off to the side so that he could pan between the lectern and Belinda.

The press conference was choreographed like an Olympic skater's full routine, resulting in the pre-recorded video ending just as Shovelli and those taking the dais with her were coming down the stairs. Arriving at the lectern, the prosecutor leapt quickly to work.

"Thank you all for coming," Shovelli began, scanning the crowd. Between print, television, and online reporters, photographers, and videographers -- as well as those not from the Press -- there were more than 300 people in attendance, more than 3 times the size of Shovelli's last press conference. "I have a statement, after which I will take questions."

She looked down to the notes she'd set before her and began reading. "Early this morning, members of the Governor's Organized Crime Task Force, supported by a Capital City Police Department SWAT team, conducted a drug interdiction raid on Pier 4 that resulted in the seizure of..."

She looked off to her left, nodding at the men standing at one end of a series of conference room tables lined up end-to-end and covered with sheets. As they pulled the sheets back to reveal what beneath them, Shovelli returned to her notes, listing the night's take, "...144 kilograms of heroine; 22 kilograms of cocaine; 13 kilograms of fentanyl-laced pills; 55 firearms, many of which were automatic-capable assault rifles or machine pistols; and more than $220,000 in cash."

Throughout the foyer came the sound of camera shutters while both still camera and videographers raised their tools high in the sky in an attempt to capture the width and breadth of the seizure. Shovelli gave the Press a moment to appreciate the magnitude of what they were seeing before continuing, "This is the largest single illegal narcotics seizure in the City's history ... with an estimated street value of the illegal drugs alone at well over $70 million."

There was an actual audible gasp across the crowd, causing Shovelli to look up and nod confirmation. The crowd erupted with questions, and after Shovelli waved the Press quiet, she continued reading, "The raid, as I stated earlier, involved members of Governor Harker's Organized Crime Task Force, as well a Capital City Police Department SWAT or TacTeam."

Questions were once again lobbed in Shovelli's direction, three of which were: "Was there a firefight?" "Were law enforcement officers hurt or killed?" "Were any of the suspects killed?"

The ADA hesitated before answering, first to let the crowd quiet down and second to decide how she was going to explain this. She began, "I'm happy to say that there was no loss of life amongst the members of the Task Force or SWAT team. There were four minor injuries, something I will not get into here and now for privacy reasons except to say that I've been told all four officers have either already been released from the hospital or will be released sometime today."

"What about the drug dealers?" was again called out.

Again, Shovelli hesitated, this time because her answer was going to lead to an uproar amongst the reporters and, later, amongst Law Enforcement all across the City. "Before I answer questions about the suspects, let me first stress that upon setting the raid in motion, Task Force members announced who they were -- that they were Law Enforcement -- and told the suspects to lay down their weapons. The suspects did not follow Law Enforcement instructions and instead opened fire with fully automatic weapons."

Again, she hesitated, then presented the bad news. "I ... I find this next part difficult to report." Pause, then, "Amongst the suspects caught or killed during the raid ... were 10 Capital City Police officers."

The foyer exploded with shock and questions both, and after she had to have help from others indicating that she needed silence, Shovelli continued, "Pre-raid investigations had revealed that several CCPD police officers were likely to be offering their services protecting the drug shipment as it arrived in the City, and when the dust settled, this suspicion proved to be true.

"Although I am not at liberty to name names at this point due to the still-ongoing investigation," she went on, talking over the din that now didn't seem to be ending any time soon, "I can report that of the 10 officers alleged to be involved, 3 were from CCPD's Organized Crime Bureau ... 4 more were from CCPD's Narcotics Division ... 2 were from Robbery-Homicide..."

Shovelli hesitated again, this time looking up from her notes to scan he crowd for their reactions as she went on, "And one ... the highest ranking CCPD officer taken into custody at the scene ... and whose identity I am permitted to reveal ... was Narcotics Bureau Chief Trevor Slattery."

As if the Press Corps hadn't been animated before this, the room exploded with voices and camera shutters and more. Shovelli let the group quiet down on their own this time around, then continued, "Chief Slattery's participation in the crime is undisputed, though, we are not at this time ready to reveal just how involved he was, what his specific duties on scene were, or how much he was being compensated for his corrupt participation."

There was more interruption, but Shovelli pressed on, "Chief Slattery is currently under guard at Capital City General Hospital after being seriously injured in a traffic accident while trying to flee the scene."

"How many dead?" another eager reporter called, reminding Shovelli, "You didn't give us a number".

"There were 12 suspects killed during the raid," Shovelli answered, returning to her notes, even though she knew all the numbers by heart. "Another 12 were injured during the raid and transported to area hospitals. The last word I received was that two of those injured were declared DOA at the hospital and one more died of his injuries during surgery meant to save his life."

There was a flurry of additional questions, most of them wanting to know how many of the dead were dirty cops. She answered, "I don't have that information yet."

Finally, ready to take specific questions from specific people, Shovelli called on Channel 4's newest field reporter/producer. The beauty known until today as the Weekend Weather Girl stood to ensure that her cameraman caught sight of her. "Belinda Carmichael, Channel 4 News. What can you tell us about the members of the Task Force and SWAT team? Are their names available for public dissemination?"

Shovelli had been expecting the question from Belinda, of course, and yet she hesitated a moment as if contemplating what she was and wasn't allowed to put out there for public consumption. "The Governor's Task Force is led by Organized Crime Bureau Detective Marcus Cole. Detective Cole has been a member of CCPD for ten years and was chosen to lead the Task Force due to his excellent and spotless record."

That comment was meant to set Belinda up with her second question. "What with the involvement of corrupt police officers in last night's drug importation, how can you be certain that the Governor's Task Force won't be infiltrated as well?"

For this, Shovelli turned away from the lectern and looked to her Godmother. Governor Elizabeth Harker, who'd been standing just within the shot of most of the cameras but back far enough to give Shovelli her rightful place in the spotlights, stepped up to the microphone now, saying, "I have every confidence in Detective Cole ... and Detective Cole has every confidence in his people. If ever there was a group of people who'd never been touched by the corruption of Organized Crime ... this is that group, I assure you."

And then, as had been preplanned amongst Marcus and the three women, Belinda asked, "So Governor, would you say that an appropriate nickname for your Task Force might be The Untouchables?"

Harker and Shovelli looked to each other for a moment as if contemplating the suggestion. Then, smiling to the Press Corps newest member, the Governor said, "Abso-frickin'-lutely!"

The room exploded with questions again, but as far as Belinda was concerned, she was done. She'd gotten her name and face out there for the entire City to see; she'd gotten Marcus's name out there as well, which would start him on his way to become the City's new crime fighting superhero; and she'd established the Untouchables moniker and even gotten credit for it, as she'd been told she could do despite that fact that for weeks now it had already been being used by the Task Force members themselves.

 

[Gabe619]

Cole and Ketch had been standing behind and to the side of the ADA as she, and then Governor Harker did their thing. At the mention of his name he had to blink as a small supernova of flashbulbs went off in his face, or so it seemed. As the Untouchables question was thrown and fielded Harker looked his way, stepped back from the lectern with a smile and gestured that he should step up. He licked his lips, feeling Daniel beside him grinning like a Cheshire Cat as he knew how stressful press conferences could be. As a SWAT guy he had never had to do them which he was grateful for, he would rather storm a fortified house filled with gangbangers then face the press. Marcus unfortunately did not have that luxury though.

He stepped up, hands gripping either side of the lectern as he let the press take their photos and video of him looking around. His gut was churning with nerves as he tried to make sure he didn't say something stupid or something to screw up the still new initiative this Task Force was. His eyes met those of Belinda as she winked at him and smiled, seeing his nervousness. The wink actually helped, making him smile in reply as he finally lifted his head.

"For those of you who don't know me, I am Detective Marcus Cole and as the ADA and Governor stated I am heading up this task force. I want to start by thanking both ADA Shovelli and Governor Harker for their trust in me, I shall try my hardest not to let them down." He turned and nodded appreciation to the two women before looking back at the press gaggle. "Most of your questions have already been answered, more information will be distributed to you as it becomes available, but I wanted to take this moment to address you all and the city." He waved at the tv cameras in the back. "For too long now Capitol City has been in the grip of the crime families. You all know their names by now, they fight over the city like children arguing over the last piece of candy. Innocent lives lost to their fighting standing in the hundreds, many killed when they found themselves in the middle of a shoot out, some from drug overdoses thanks to the seemingly endless stream of drugs flooding the city and others killed to send messages, such as the Drapers."

A hush had settled on the room as he spoke, Cole's deep voice projecting well, better than he had hoped. He had been worried the nervousness would dry his throat out and make his voice sound nasally, instead he found himself rising to the occasion now, his eyes meeting those of the press pool, some whom he knew were dirty, others he knew wanted the truth.

"This new initiative will try to bring those who have used fear and death to subdue our city to justice. No one is above the law, as Bureau Chief Slattery is finding out. I promise you and the people of this city that before I and my team are finished every single crime family preying on the innocents of Capitol City will be brought down. Now, whether they want that to go easy or hard is down to them. I am sure the D'Angelo family know what I mean after the loss they took last night." He waved a hand at the tables. "My team has sworn to bring peace back to our streets rather than running gun battles. We are prepared to lay down our lives to make sure this happens. I would ask the members of the press gathered here today to support us in our efforts."

He looked down, he had no prepared notes to read from, Shovelli had advised him to try and write some as she knew people new to the press corp could get stage fright, but Cole hadn't been able to think of a thing until now. It was all coming from the heart and, in the end, wasn't that better? He licked his lips and looked up again.

"ADA Shovelli has outlined some of the rot that infests our police force. Those officers apprehended last night will have to deal with what they have done as they sit in prison. Was taking blood money worth it all. What you have heard here today might make you think that the CCPD is a lost cause .... I am here to tell you it is NOT!" The last word was barked out, his eyes blazing now as he stared down the gathered press who sat or stood in total silence now. "As you know I have been in the CCPD for a decade and in that time I have worked with men and women who want only to protect and serve. It sounds cliché these days, I know, but they swore an oath to protect the city as did I. They fight, every day, to do their duty while other cops would rather take a back hander from the D'Angelo's or the D'Amato's or the Yakuza, or the Russians. Some have paid the ultimate price trying to help others. So, to my brothers and sisters in the CCPD who feel they are outnumbered, who feel the bad outweighs the good, who feel they cannot make a difference when faced by the seemingly unsurmountable odds of organised crime in the city .... I say to them a new day is dawning, don't give up, know that myself and my team will have your backs." He took a breath, realising he hadn't breathed much at all during this address. He looked up straight into the tv camera and smiled, a smile you might see on a shark just before it took a bite from you. "And to the enemies of our great city, to the Crime Families, I say this .... run."

The last word wasn't shouted, it was more a whispered promise of what was to come, but it easily made its way to every ear and microphone in that room. The press stayed silent for about three seconds as Cole turned away, then all hell broke loose as they almost stormed the lectern to ask Marcus questions or get pictures of him. For his part he walked back toward Daniel Ketch who looked at him as if he had just walked on water.

"Did you have all that prepared before you got up there?" He asked in a shocked tone of voice.

"No, I had no idea what I was gonna say." Marcus chuckled as the adrenaline was still kicking its way through his body.

Ketch looked back at the baying hounds of the press corp and whistled appreciatively. "You know, you just pissed off every thug with a gun in the city, right?"

Marcus grinned, "I know.".

 

[Gabe619]

An hour later Marcus drove himself, McCauley and Mephisto toward Emelia D'Angelo's compound. The traffic was light for a change so they made good time as they approached the big iron gates. The men hadn't really talked much on the drive up, all silently considering their own thoughts, although even Mephisto had given Cole a standing ovation when he got back to the Hanson Building. Marcus wasn't quite sure if it had been sarcastic, but he felt it wasn't and if so it had been perhaps the first sincere emotion shown by the hacker.

The journey would have been quicker still if Cole hadn't taken the precaution of making sure they weren't being tailed. Now he was infamous he knew Ketch had been right. He would be the main target for the crime families, but they faced a dilemma. Whereas as the thug in the street might just walk up and shoot Marcus, he knew that the crime families had to be careful. Cole was front and center for the Governor, she had made him the face of her crusade. If they took him out they would make him a martyr, and worse still bring down the wrath of ever cop that Cole had just show the light at the end of the tunnel to. Harker could also request the FBI get involved and although the Families might have control over local gangs, crime and cops, their reach into the Feds was nowhere near as thorough. No, right now Cole knew he had given them a headache of migraine proportions.

"Here we are gentleman, be on your best behaviour, ok?" Marcus said with a smile as the gates slowly opened to allow him to drive through them and up the long drive to the front of Elmhurst.

As usual Phillip was waiting, Cole was starting to wonder if the man had some talent of precognition as he always seemed to be exactly where he needed to be when he needed to be there. Marcus parked and stepped out, shaking Phillips hand as McCauley and Mephisto stepped from his Mustang behind him.

"Impressive performance, Detective." Phillip smiled.

"What did Emelia think?" Cole asked.

"I'll let her tell you herself." Phillip replied with a non-comital smile.

 

[PennySaver]

At Elmhurst, the D'Angelo Family Compound

Emelia stood as one of the kitchen staff entered, pushing a cart filled with breakfast offerings and hot beverages. She thanked the woman, dismissed her, and turned to her guests, asking, "Coffee or tea?"

Simultaneously, Jennifer Kennedy and Camille Carlton answered, "Coffee."

As she poured three cups, Emelia reflected on the previous night, smiling with amusement. It had been the closest thing to a slumber party in which she'd participated since she was 9 years old. Jennifer was here for her protection, of course; Emelia and Marcus hadn't wanted her laying in a hospital bed protected by just one or two cops. Camille was here for a very different reason, to meet with Marcus's computer guy about surveilling State Senator Eric Davis's office.

Initially, the mood had been uncomfortable, almost tense. Emelia had corrected that, though, with wine and caviar, followed by a dip in the pool that -- once the alcohol had taken full effect -- had advanced to skinny dipping and splashing about. By the time they'd visited the steam room and finally retired to Emelia's bed where they all quickly passed out for the night, the three of them had become good friends.

Emelia, who'd enjoyed some sexual experimentation with other women during her teens and early 20s but who'd never really thought of herself as gay or bisexual, found both Jennifer and Camille very attractive and worthy of returning to the dark side, if only just once. But there were more important things to think of right now than sexual gratification. And besides that, Jennifer's tits were still purple and black and, by her own admission, still hurt like hell when touched; and even though she hadn't said so outright, Camille had unconsciously made it clear that she'd already spent some naked time with Marcus Cole.

"I think it's about to start," Emelia told the other two as she reached for the television remote. She pressed a button, bringing to life the massive flat screen on the distant wall of her bedroom. She didn't have to select a channel as ADA Shovelli's press conference was preempting all of the locally broadcasted, regularly scheduled programs, news and otherwise. She set the control aside, retrieved her coffee mug, and said, "This ought to be interesting."

By coincidence, they'd ended up on Channel 4. Each of them was familiar with the Weekend Weather Girl, and each of them was surprised to see her leading the Station's coverage. Belinda Carmichael introduced the upcoming press conference with both live and pre-recorded footage. Emelia found herself having erotic thoughts about Belinda Carmichael similar to those she'd had about Jennifer and Camille, wondering whether the reporter looked as good naked as the other two.

The channel switched to the view provided by the Courthouse's own camera, showing the arrival of Shovelli, Governor Harker, and -- amongst others -- Detective Marcus Cole. Emelia glanced toward Camille, finding the woman visibly buoyant at the sight of the cop. Yeah ... they're fucking alright.

Emelia wasn't entirely sure how she felt about the two being lovers. She herself had had and still had intimate thoughts about the man. They'd only spent time together half a dozen times, less even, and yet she'd already decided that if the opportunity presented itself, she would take his hand and lead him off to her bed, his bed, any bed. But again, just as with the opportunity she'd had to get intimate last night with Jennifer or Camille or both, there simply were more important things with which to be concerned at the moment.

The three women watched Shovelli's presentation in silence, at least until the ADA listed Narcotics Bureau Chief Slattery as one of the corrupt officers snagged in the raid the night before. At this point, Jennifer sat up -- grimacing from the continuing pain of her injury -- and murmured, "That dirty fuckin' bastard."

Jennifer had expected that the Untouchables would eventually begin snagging dirty cops as a part of their operations. She'd just never expected to nab one so high in the chain of command, particularly within Narcotics. This was stunning.

"My contacts inside CCPD tell me that Chief Slattery won't survive the night in lockup," Emelia said. When Jennifer looked to her with a shocked expression, Emelia added, "There are people who don't want him talking."

"Does Cole know that?" Jennifer asked with concern.

"He will," Emelia answered. "He's coming here this afternoon ... after the press conference."

Camille sat up higher in her chair with obvious delight, asking with eagerness, "Really?"

"Don't get a twist in your panties," Jennifer said, laughing. She, too, had deduced that the Senator's Personal Assistant had spent some time with her boss, naked and sweaty. To Emelia, Jennifer asked, "Are we risking his life by not alerting the jail?"

"No, we're probably extending his life by not telling them," Emelia said. She explained, "I know for a fact that there are corrupt officers working the jail. We let them know that we're onto them ... and Slattery simply dies earlier in the day. No, I think we should wait to tell Marcus when he arrives ... let him figure out a plan to protect the man."

"Do we want him protected?" the naive Camille asked. "I mean, isn't he a dirty cop?"

"He's dirty, yes," Jennifer said, "but he probably knows the names of dozens of other dirty cops ... and we want those names."

The three women returned to watching the press conference. Until now, there hadn't been anything reported that could be considered personal to Emelia. Then, Detective Marcus Cole commented, "I am sure the D'Angelo family know what I mean after the loss they took last night."

Both Jennifer and Camille turned to look at Emelia for her response. She met their gazes one after another, then looked back to Marcus on the screen. She knew he had to point out which of the Crime Families they hit last night. If he hadn't, there might have been suspicions, either from the Press, the CCPD, or the other Families.

Marcus went on, talking about the cops who weren't on the take or shirking their duties out of fear of the Families. "They fight, every day, to do their duty while other cops would rather take a back hander from the D'Angelo's or the D'Amato's or the Yakuza, or the Russians."

Emelia was happy to hear Marcus speak of the other Families as well. Thus far, the Untouchables had hit the D'Amato's and the D'Angelo's. There were still the Japanese and Russians: the Osaka Yakuza Clan and the Greshenko Bratva, as well as the normal criminal elements which, while not organized crime, were still a law and order problem.

Marcus looked into the communal camera and stated with emphasis, "And to the enemies of our great city, to the Crime Families, I say this .... run."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX​

33rd Floor, Millenium Building
Downtown Capital City

Still dressed per Family and Cultural tradition, Sakura Osaka returned to her sleeping quarters after concluding a business breakfast with Yakuza leaders who'd flown in from Japan for an update on operations in Capital City. A servant helped her out of the many layers of silk as she watched the last half of ADA Shovelli's press conference. She caught Detective Marcus Cole's portion of the presentation, including his reference to her own Family and his suggestion that they run.

She smiled at this, lightly shaking her head. The Osaka Yakuza hadn't been hassled by these Untouchables as of yet, but the Family's informants within CCPD -- and the FBI -- had warned them that time wasn't on their side.

Sakura didn't have a position of authority within her family as Emelia D'Angelo did within hers. Her father, Yosaro Osaka, led the family here in Capital City with a firm hand; her brother, Kenji Osaka, was not only Yosaro's heir for future times but was his right-hand man and chief Lieutenant right now.

That didn't mean that Sakura was a nobody, though, within her family or within the Yakuza as a whole. Even as a young girl attending one of Capital City's most exclusive private academies, Sakura had known she'd wanted to be more than just the daughter of a Yakuza Crime Lord. And little by little, she'd built a loyal base of Yakuza warriors, to the point that if she decided to make a power play now, she would most likely be successful.

The problem, though, was that the Osaka Yakuza Clan in Capital City was still subordinate to the Yakuza leadership back in their homeland. Sakura could kill her father, her brother, and their Lieutenants; she could take over the entirety of operations in Capital City; but even before the blood ceased flowing, cleaners from Japan would be landing in private planes to hunt her down.

No, Sakura needed to bide her time. She would watch the Untouchables and their operations and analyze their effect on her Family's operations.

Ironically, Sakura couldn't know that soon, she and Emelia D'Angelo would not only meet but would become partners in crime in the latter's efforts to change Organized Crime in the City. But would Sakura, who wanted to head her Family's criminal activities, remain friends and colleagues with the woman whose goal it was to end Organized Crime in the City?

 

[PennySaver]

Later, at Elmhurst

The three women congregating at the D'Angelo Compound had gotten up and around and dressed for the expected arrival of Marcus and company. Philip led the three to the first floor Library, where Emelia alone was present. She saw the disappointment on Devon McCauley's face and couldn't help but smile. Just as Camille had inadvertently revealed her attraction to the leader of the Untouchables, Jennifer had done the same regarding the eldest member of the team.

"Mister McCauley," she said, gaining his attention. She gestured to one of the Library's doors, telling him, "Out that way and up the back stairs. You'll find Jennifer in her quarters, being attended to by the nurse. It would be good for her to have one of your team check in on her ... update her ... and as I need to speak to Detective Cole and ... Mephisto, isn't it?"

Emelia hesitated, then continued, "I wonder if perhaps you could take a moment to check on her?"

She turned her attention back to Marcus, saying, "I caught the press conference. I was impressed ... with ADA Shovelli ... with you." She smiled wider. "I think we are on our way toward making a real change in Capital City."

Emelia looked to the man in the hoodie, saying, "Mephisto, the woman with whom you need to speak is through there." She pointed to the Library's third door. It led to the estate's Communications and Security Room. "Camille has been getting some basic lessons from Elmhurst's Head of Security regarding listening devices, hidden cameras, and such forth ... but really, I expect that you could probably teach him a thing or two as well."

Finally, all alone with Marcus, Emelia invited him to an arm chair across from the couch on which she herself sat. She poured coffee that had just been delivered moments earlier, passed a cup to him, and told him about the threat to the Narcotics Bureau Chief.

After they discussed options about how to keep the dirty cop alive -- or whether they should even try -- Emelia told Marcus, "I have called a meeting of the D'Angelo Family Capos for tonight. I'm going to put it to them that we are out of the drug distribution business."

She hesitated a moment, her expression and body language revealing her hesitance. Looking back to Marcus, she told him bluntly, "If I survive the next 24 hours ... 48 maybe ... we are going to go on to do wonderful things together."

 

[Gabe619]

As the men were led through the house and up to the library, Devon whistled under his breath. "Who says crimes doesn't pay."

Marcus didn't respond having been to Elmhurst before, but he had to agree. It seemed if you were successful at crime then it paid very, very well indeed. The library was a gorgeous room with floor to ceiling book shelves filled to the brim with volumes. As a bit of a reader himself, Cole found himself wondering what exactly was on those shelves, but then his eyes fell on Emelia and everything else faded away. She was one of those people who when they entered a room, or you entered a room with her already there, everything else just became background. He smiled as he saw her, his eyes flicking over her gorgeous body as she smiled at them.

"Mister McCauley," she said, gaining his attention. She gestured to one of the Library's doors, telling him, "Out that way and up the back stairs. You'll find Jennifer in her quarters, being attended to by the nurse. It would be good for her to have one of your team check in on her ... update her ... and as I need to speak to Detective Cole,"

Devon, who had stiffened up in Emelia's presence, still unable to let go his decades of hatred directed at the D'Angelo family, not to mention the other organised crime families in the city, simply nodded and left following her directions.

A couple of minutes later, having been guided one by a security guard as to which room exactly was Jennifer's, he knocked and entered seeing her laying on the bed having her blood pressure taken. His lips curled into a warm smile at the sight of her and he walked over to the bed looking around the room.

"Damn, Kennedy, you traded up good from that private hospital bed, didn't you."

The nurse smiled as she pulled the cuff off Jen's arm and packed her things away. With a comment that she would come back later in the day to check on Kennedy the lady left the room leaving the two Untouchables alone. McCauley sat on the edge of the bed looking at Jen.

"So how you feeling? Has the ache gone down at all? Are your California raisins looking better?" He quipped with a wink.

****

Mephisto had walked through the house without any outward sign of even taking notice, but he had. With excellent peripheral vision and a photographic memory of a sort he had been taking everything in. You never knew when intel would be needed, he had learnt that lesson the hard way. So he now knew where the security cameras were, where the infrared security beams would activate at night, what sort of locks were on the doors and windows, where the guards tended to stand and the general layout of Elmhurst. As Emelia gave him directions he had nodded and walked through the door finding himself in the security room.

He was impressed he had to admit. The darkness of the room was illuminated by the many monitors that showed both exterior and interior views of the property. Some cameras were static, some swept an arc, some he knew would be night vision capable for night time. A bank of controls lay under the monitors and two men sat before them keeping a keen eye on things. Off to one side lay a long desk at which currently sat Camille and the D'Angelo security chief (who was one rung below Phillip in the hierarchy) who was in the process of talking the beautiful black lady through basic espionage it seemed. Mephisto shook his head. When it came to spying keeping it simple was the key, especially when expecting someone who was new to the field and who would be under a lot of stress to do the job alone. And Camille looked a little overwhelmed already.

"Ms. D'Angelo told me to brief the lady." Mephisto said quietly getting the mans attention.

"I'm just about done here." The chief remarked turning back to Camille.

"No, you don't understand, you are done. I am going to brief the young lady, you can go now." Again the quiet voice.

The chief stood up and swung around to face Mephisto, annoyance rather than anger in his eyes. "In this house I don't answer to teenagers with acne and a superiority complex. You can wait."

"First, I am not a teenager, second, I haven't had to worry about acne for many years and third I don't have a superiority complex ... I simply am superior, now you may go now .... unless you would rather I ask Ms. D'Angelo to come in here and embarrass you in front of your men there?" Mephisto eyes didn't leave the head of security's for an instant and he knew the two men sitting at the consoles making out they weren't listening at all were taking it all in right now.

Hissing with anger now, the man tensed wanting to hit this snotty young guy so hard he wouldn't open his eyes for days, but there was something in his gaze, something unnerving. The Chief licked his lips feeling a cold shiver run up his spine, then he relaxed and shrugged.

"Fine, she's all yours. I've got better things to do anyway." With that he stomped out of the room.

Mephisto turned his attention to Camille who seemed even more nervous after watching that altercation, but the young man smiled warmly and took the now empty seat the Chief had been warming. He took Camille's hand and squeezed softly.

"It's ok, don't worry, I'm going to get you through this in one piece. Trust me, I am very good at what I do." Mephisto said quietly. "Firstly, forget everything that ape has been telling you, what we need you to do is so very easy you won't even worry. I have a few gadgets to show you, but you don't need to know anything about them other than how to use them and I made them all easy to activate."

Over the next ten minutes, interjecting rather good jokes here and there when he felt Camille tensing up, Mephisto ran her through what he needed her to do. Firstly was a small USB drive. All she had to do, he told her, was plug it into the USB outlet on the Senators laptop. It would automatically activate itself and a virus Mephisto had written would download and imbed itself into the computer. After that the hacker would be able to access the laptop remotely from the Batcave. Secondly two tiny spy cameras that had both audio and visual pickup. The size of a penny and grey in color they could be stuck anywhere with their adhesive backing and Mephisto coached Camille to put them as high as she could and angle them to take in as much of the Senator's office space as possible.

"They don't even show up on a bug sweep of the office, if the good Senator bothers with such things. They are low powered and send their feeds by pulse flashes rather than constant connection. So impossible to pick up on a sensor."

Then he gave her what seemed to me a normal cell phone. He explained that all she needed to do was be within twelve foot of the Senators phone, press one button on the device and wait a minute. After that the phone Mephisto gave her would be a mirror of Davis's. Any calls, any texts could be listened to and read on the hackers computers.

"Just put it in your pocket, get close to the bastard, press that green button and try to stay within the twelve foot radius for one minute and your all done." He smiled. "See, nothing to it. We'll make you a James Bond yet."

****

Marcus sat and sipped his coffee as Emelia explained the issue with Slattery. It was not exactly shocking to Cole that someone would want the ex-Bureau Chief eliminated and he was sure Slattery was sweating the same thoughts in his jail cell right now. The question was one of priority. Did they gain more or less by letting him get killed.

"Does he have anything on you that could really hurt you?" Marcus asked Emelia, his first priority to protect her. "If he does, and depending on who they send to take him out, he could spill his guts to them first. We don't want the other families getting intel on your arrangements. So in that sense offing the guy quicker has its advantages. However, keeping him alive to testify in court also has its good points. I assume your lawyers can protect you from anything he accuses you off? And of course if he gives us information on other criminal elements we can action it against them."

He paused as he chewed his lower lip, deep in thought.

"Personally, I think ringing all he knows out of him first would gain us more than simply eliminating him. So now the problem is keeping him alive long enough for Shovelli to get his testimony." He smiled as an idea popped into his head. "I can do that I think, keep him alive I mean. And get him out of jail without anyone knowing he is gone. Leave that to me."

Marcus stiffened up as she then informed him of her plan to address the Capo's later. Dangerous wasn't the half of what she wanted to do, it would be like wading into a pool of piranha and telling them meat was off the table.

"I agree with you that it is a good move, but ... its very dangerous, Emelia. I don't want ..." He was about to say 'to loose you', but he hesitated, not sure if such a sentiment should be explored just now. "I mean, I know Phillip is a good man, skilled and experienced ... does he have a plan to keep you alive?"

 

[PennySaver]

Jennifer Kennedy with Devon McCauley:

"Who says crimes doesn't pay," Devon McCauley murmured under his breath as they were led through the foyer toward the library.

Philip half glanced back over his shoulder, having heard the man well enough. He wanted to comment, wanted to tell the older cop about all the D'Angelo's had given up over the decades to achieve what he was seeing now, all they'd lost to get where they were and remain there: the lives of loved ones, the ability to go anywhere they wanted anytime they wanted without fearing that gunmen would leap from the shadows and shoot them down, very much as had happened to Guiseppe D'Angelo -- Emelia's grandfather -- and his wife in '92 or to Enzo's first wife, Annabelle, less than a decade later when the train on which she'd been traveling was intentionally derailed specifically to get to her, an act of terrorism that had killed dozens more as well.

But Philip kept his mouth shut. First, it wasn't his place to speak on Emelia's behalf. Second, it wasn't his place to speak of these tragedies at all. And third -- and this was the reason for Enzo and now Emelia's quest to eliminate Organized Crime in Capital City -- the Crime Families themselves had been responsible for the destruction of so many lives over their 100 years in the City as to be considered a plague unto the people. How could Philip possibly claim that the D'Angelo's or any of the families deserved what they had?

McCauley was escorted to a lavish guest room on the second floor, where Jennifer Kennedy's lips spread in a wide smile at his arrival. She sat there against the bed's elevated back, silent as the nurse finished up, reporting, "Your vitals are still improving."

"Damn, Kennedy, you traded up good from that private hospital bed, didn't you," Devon joked.

"Sure, but I don't think the City's health plan covers this," she laughed back.

"A few more days of bed rest," the nurse told Jennifer as she gathered her things to leave. She looked to Jennifer, then to McCauley. Whether the two had meant to reveal their feelings for one another, the nurse picked up on the sexual heat rising between the two. Looking to Jennifer, she clarified, "Bed rest means bed rest."

When Jennifer met her gaze, the nurse gave her a knowing expression with an eyebrow raised for effect. When Jennifer realized what the woman was getting at, she blushed a bright red, responding, "Rest! I get it."

The nurse turned to Devon, glared at him a moment, and mouthed Bed REST before passing by him and leaving the room. Jennifer's smile returned as her partner came to sit on the edge of the bed. "So how you feeling?"

"Better," she answered simply.

"Has the ache gone down at all?"

"Not at all," Jennifer answered, her smile widening. She chuckled, then grimaced, saying, "See? I can't even laugh right yet."

Whether he'd intended to or not -- or whether he even realized he'd done it or not -- Devon's gaze dropped for a moment to her bosom before he asked, "Are your California raisins looking better?"

Jennifer laughed again, and again grimaced, telling him with feigned anger, "Stop that." Peeking toward the door, then back into Devon's eyes, she said with a sincere tone, "I'd show them to you ... but ... the nurse said bed rest. And I have to be honest with you, Old Man ... if I showed you my purple tits right now..."

She didn't finish. She didn't think she needed to. After hitting him with that kiss in her hospital room a few days earlier, Jennifer was pretty sure that he understood she had feelings for him that were inappropriate for their working relationship.

Of course, Jennifer had deduced that Kitty had fucked Jumpstreet at least once or twice in their short time together as Untouchables; and there was no doubt in her mind that their boss, Marcus, was boning that wondrously beautiful Ebony goddess, Camille Carlton, as well.

So, why should she hold back from pulling Devon to her, kissing him, stripping off his clothes, and making passionate love to him? Oh, there were so many reasons. First, of course, was their current location. Jennifer couldn't even imagine having her first sexual encounter with Devon here in Elmhurst; there were guards and cameras and both Emelia and Marcus in the house. Not the place or time.

And second, if she was going to cry during sex with Devon, Jennifer wanted it to be because she was in unimaginable ecstasy, not unimaginable pain. She feared that it would be weeks, even months before she could make love without crying out in agony from the stresses on her still-repairing chest bones.

"Tell me about the raid," Jennifer demanded, needing to think about something other than Devon's naked body beneath her on the extraordinary recovery bed. "I saw on the news that Narcotics Chief Slattery was caught up in it. Bastard. I expected dirty cops, of course, but this..."

She let the thought trail off, then she reached out to take the front of Devon's shirt into her clutching fingers as she looked him up and down. "You're fine, yes? No bullet holes ... frags ... what-not?"

Jennifer patted the man's chest intimately, then remembered that she'd changed the subject for a reason. Deep down, though, she knew that if Devon leaned in to return the kiss she'd given him days earlier, she would happily and eagerly reply to it.

 

[PennySaver]

Camille Carlton with Mephisto:

The interaction between the two men in the Security Room was beginning to look as though it might become physical to Camille. The Head of Security was a big man, easily 6'3" and 200 pounds of solid mass, a man who'd gotten where he was because he could both outfight and outthink most men; and Mephisto was ... well ... not the first.

But Camille, who was only meeting Marcus's tech genius for the first time, could see that Mephisto had the bigger man outmatched when it came to words and the power behind them. By the time the Head of Security had turned and departed, Camille was actually feeling a bit drawn sexually to the hooded hacker.

When he sat near her and took her hand, a chill ran up her spine and send gooseflesh out over her arms. She felt her face explode with the warmth of a blushed and immediately felt relieved that that reaction wasn't easily noticeable due to her dark complexion.

Ever since meeting Marcus and then, that very same day, spending a couple of hours rolling naked with him in his bed, Camille had entered a new phase of her sexual evolution. For a year, her only lover had been her boss, State Senator Eric Davis, and while there'd been a great deal of sex in that relationship, there's been nothing loving about it and, for the most part, nothing satisfying about it for Camille either.

Now, after just that one night with Marcus, Camille felt desire and want once again. And she was surprised to find that she was feeling those thoughts for more men than just Marcus. She'd begun noticing the beauty of men about her again; men at the coffee shop, men in the Senator's building, men in her apartment house, even men passing by her on the street. She'd noticed the way Emelia's man, Philip, carried himself during Camille's 12 hours here at Elmhurst. And now, she was noticing Mephisto and the confidence he had, even in the face of a man who clearly could have kicked his ass, if only his employer had permitted it.

"It's ok, don't worry," Mephisto told her, "I'm going to get you through this in one piece."

She listened closely to the man as he explained what they were going to do in the days to come. Mephisto's explanation was so much easier to follow than Emelia's man's had been. He finished with, "We'll make you a James Bond yet."

"Bond ... Jane Bond," she said back to him, attempting to mimic a British accent. She giggled, saying, "Thank you ... I'm sorry ... is your name really Mephisto?" Then, whispering, she said, "I won't tell anyone if you ... you know."

She listened, unsure of what his response would be, then informed him, "The Senator has a meeting in three days. He's meeting people about the Stadium project ... important people. Something happened regarding the Stadium. I'm not sure what."

Camille may have been Eric Davis's Personal Assistant, but there was a lot about his corrupt activities about which she was in the dark. One of those things was the fact that Emelia D'Angelo had stolen one of the D'Amato Family's best money laundering avenues, McNamara and Draper, Inc., the food and concessions company through which the Crime Family had been funneling millions of its dirty money. Without MDI, which had already earned the contracts for the still-in-construction Stadium, the D'Amato's were hurting for a place to clean their dirty money.

"I don't have a list of the people he's meeting yet," Camille continued, looking at the little devices to which Mephisto had introduced her, "but once I do what you said with these ... I dunno ... maybe you'll hear something ... see something?"

 

[PennySaver]

Emelia with Marcus:

"Does he have anything on you that could really hurt you?" Marcus asked Emelia about Narcotics Bureau Chief Slattery. He discussed the dangers of letting the corrupt cop live, then said, "And of course if he gives us information on other criminal elements, we can action it against them."

Emelia was torn on Slattery's continued existence as well. She told Marcus, "My greatest fear is that a connection will be made between you and me ... between the Untouchables and the D'Angelo Family. Our greatest strength right now is that no one who shouldn't know about us does. If that were to get out, particularly so soon ... well, I'm afraid the damage would be devastating."

She was talking about damage to her Family, of course, not to the Untouchables. Marcus's people were, unfortunately, already in danger, regardless of whether the connection was made between them and Emelia. If her part in this remained secret, though, she and Marcus and their respective teams had the chance to make massive and potentially lasting changes in the City.

He talked about Emelia's plan to bring her Capo's together to bring an end to the Family's participation in the drug trade. "I agree with you that it is a good move, but ... it's very dangerous, Emelia. I don't want..."

Emelia looked to Marcus as he paused. She sensed, maybe even hoped, that he was going to say exactly what he was thinking: I don't want to lose you. He didn't say the words, though, instead saying, "I mean, I know Phillip is a good man, skilled and experienced ... does he have a plan to keep you alive?"

"Philip would give his own life and the life of every man, woman, and child on the planet to protect me," Emelia said with confidence. She hesitated a moment, then with a more solemn tone, added, "Sometimes I wish he wasn't so dedicated ... so loyal. I fear that one day it will get him killed."

She looked to Marcus again, smiled, and said with that same confidence, "Philip will protect me. You need not worry about that."

Emelia stood, curled around the coffee table separating where they were sitting facing each other, and sat near enough to Marcus that their nearest knees touched. She smiled at him with a knowing expression, studied him a moment, then said without fear of violating boundaries, "Camille is a lovely woman ... warm ... passionate ... sexy even. When your people finish with what they are doing--"

She meant Devon McCaulay and Mephisto, of course. "--and are ready to depart, Philip will see to their safe return to wherever they need to be ... and you could stay behind to spend some time with Camille. I have arranged some private quarters upstairs that are quite comfortable and accommodating. Would you like that, Marcus?"

 

[Gabe619]

Jennifer Kennedy & Devon McCauley
"I'm fine, no bullet holes, no frags, no what-nots." He smiled as he leaned in, her hand clutching his shirt then spreading out over his chest.

Devon was much older than Jen, but he wasn't blind, and he wasn't deaf. He knew Jennifer had been flirting with him, more than flirting really with the kiss they had shared at the hospital. That kiss had been an open invitation if he had ever seen one. Since then he had been thinking over what he would do or say when they were next alone together. She was his partner, and partners took care of each other, they shared secrets, they watched each others back, being close with one was normal, even expected. He had had partners before when on the force and both had been closer to him than a brother would of, but this was different. First the age gap, what could he possibly offer her? Love, yes, he could do that, wanted to do that, but beyond that what good would come of them starting a relationship, or was he over thinking this? Perhaps she hadn't considered such a long term thing, maybe just a roll in the hay was more along the lines of what she wanted. He sat back a little putting more distance between them and looked down at his hands in his lap, he had never been good with this, it was something his wife had understood and never made him say out loud what she knew he felt inside.

"Jen ... back at the hospital, when you kissed me." He paused his eyes coming back up to hers as a small smile curled his lips. "I liked it, a lot. I think you know how much I have grown to care for you in the short time we have known one another ... I just ..." He stuttered to a stop, trying to come up with the words he wanted to say, words that danced just out of reach in his mind.

He wanted to hold her, kiss her, show her what she meant to him, show her she had broken down walls inside him that he had thought had been impervious to love again. God, she had the most incredible eyes he realised as he looked into them. His hand moved to stroke her long blond hair, so soft to the touch. But the words just wouldn't come, frustrating him, so instead he decided actions spoke louder.

"Fuck it!" He said softly and leaned in and quickly pushed his lips to hers, his eyes closing, his arms sliding around her to hold her but even as he moved part of him remembered her pain and his actions were gentle, but certainly direct and impossible to deny.

 

[Gabe619]

Camille and Mephisto


Mephisto smiled as she corrected him, Jane Bond, of course, then she asked him his real name. He paused, he hadn't revealed his identity to anyone in years, not even Marcus knew who he really was, but he saw something in Camille's eyes, a need to know, and he knew her current confidence was fragile to say the least, maybe opening up just a little to her might make her strong he considered.

"Mephisto is my hackers name, my handle, an alias if you will. It keeps me protected from those who might know me from before ... well, from before. I haven't revealed it to anyone for so long I can't recall the last time, but ..." He took her hand again and smiled and lowered his voice. "For you I will make an exception, but I must swear you to silence, if you tell anyone my real name I will have to kill you." The words were spoken softly and even with a wink, but something in the voice, in the tone almost made you wonder if he would really follow through on the threat or was it simply a joke. "My name is Joshua and when we are alone I think I would like it if you called me that." He raised her hand and kissed it, before letting it go and glancing at the door.

She was a gorgeous woman and if Mephisto had been that way inclined he would have loved to take her to bed and see how good she really was, but his arousal came from more masculine efforts. Such as Phillip, Emelia's right hand man had caught his eyes the moment he had seen him, but he figured he was out of reach, and you didn't want to flirt with someone if they didn't play for the same team as you, especially if they knew several ways to kill you and make it look like an accident.

"Why don't we re-join Marcus and Emelia, let them see you are ready for this little spy mission." He smiled and took her hand again, rising from the chair and taking her with him before guiding her gently toward the door.

As they exited the room, one of the security technicians glanced back over his shoulder, watching Camille's ass sway as she left. He smiled and turned to his colleague.

"Wouldn't you just love to nail that black ass." He whispered getting a chuckle from his colleague.

At the door Mephisto paused, his hearing had always been exceptional and he had heard what the man said. His face went cold, no expression as he slowly turned back to look at the men who weren't even watching him. He reached into a pocket finding the small device secreted there and pushed a button. Nothing happened for a few seconds, then one of the men jumped to his feet, his hand going into his pants as he pulled his phone out and dropped it with a yell of pain. A second later the other man did the same thing, both holding scorched hands to their chests as they looked down at the phones on the floor as they flashed with electricity, smoke slowly leaking up from the cracks in the cases. Both men looked up at Mephisto who smiled and shrugged.

"Must be a design defect." He offered before walking out.

 

[Gabe619]

Emelia and Marcus


Cole listened to Emelia lay out her concerns that a connection might be uncovered between her and him. It was a scary thought indeed, but as he considered it he realised that it was a small risk. He smiled to show he wasn't worried.

"The only people who know we're working together are my Untouchables and your people here, at Elmhurst. Even the Governor has no clue, neither does Shovelli. If we can keep it to that small circle we should be just fine."

As she explained about Phillips loyalty to her something that had been pricking at Cole since the first time they had met popped up again.

"Why is he so loyal?" He asked, then chuckled. "Sorry, that came off cold, I mean loyal beyond what would be considered reasonable. I don't know many bodyguards who would risk, how did you put it, every man, woman and child on the planet to keep you safe? That seems a little extreme. Don't get me wrong, I am glad he feels that way, I want someone looking out for you when I'm not there to do it myself, he seems a good man to have at your side. But there's more to it, isn't there?"

He listened to her reply, it was of course totally up to her how she and the people who worked for her led their lives and how she related to them for work. He was just hired help, and a new hire at that. He might harbour thoughts of being more to her, like how he had almost said he didn't want to loose her, he didn't have that right to think of her as his, at least not yet, maybe, if all went well, at some point, if she felt the same. He thought she might, ever now and then she said something, or touched him in a certain way, or looked at him that made him feel warm inside and happy, so happy. But for all he knew it was her way to gain loyalty with people, using her outstanding beauty and sexiness to make men fall in love with her. Which is why her next words threw him for a loop.

"I ... I mean ... how did you find out we were ..." Not often caught flat footed Marcus found himself stuttering like a young schoolboy in the playground after being asked out on his first date by the prettiest girl in class. "You don't mind?" That was what floated to the top of his thoughts.

In a way Emelia offering this, planning it out for him told him she obviously didn't want him the way he wanted her. If she had why would she push him and Camille together? Unless ... friends with benefits? Maybe, maybe that's how she saw him and Camille, and for his part she would be right. Cole cared for Camille a lot, but he wasn't in love with her, the women he wanted was sitting right next to him, their knees touching. He felt his cock twitch and harden a little just from how close she was to him. Did she know how she effected him?! Then the door behind them opened and the woman in question appeared with Mephisto. Cole turned back to Emelia.

"I think I'll take you up on that offer, if Camille wants to of course."

 

[PennySaver]

Jennifer Kennedy & Devon McCauley

Devon tried to do the right thing, as it would be defined by CCPD Human Resources. But in the end he said Fuck it and leaned in to kiss Jennifer. As he reached his hands around her body, she reached hers around his neck -- then moaned out as the pain shot through her chest.

She fought through the pain, whispering, "Wait ... I mean ... don't wait ... but ... slow ... very slow."

Jennifer moved her hands to Devon's face, holding it as she stared into his eyes for a long moment. Then, pulling his face to hers, she pressed her lips to his in a soft but deeply intimate kiss. She moved her lips and tongue slowly, moaning softly from a combination of the lessened pain and the heightened desire.

She tried to pull Devon closer to her, but it just wasn't happening. Instead, when their lips parted, Jennifer whispered, "I can't ... fuck ... I can't. I want to..."

 

[PennySaver]

Camille and Mephisto

"My name is Joshua," Mephisto told her quietly, "and when we are alone, I think I would like it if you called me that."

Camille mouthed softly, Joshua, then added in whisper, "Nice to meet you."

She thought she saw in his eyes a desire similar to her own for a moment, and when he lifted her hand and kissed her fingers, another chill ran up her spine. But then he suggested that they go join the others, ending the flirtation. Maybe later, she thought to herself. Maybe later.

After she'd left the security room, ready to meet the others, there was some sort of excitement behind Camille. She peeked back into the room to see something happening with the security guards' phones. She didn't understand it, but when Mephisto shrugged it off as seemingly unimportant, she accepted his conclusion.

They headed away as the men behind them continued to rant about whatever the hell had happened to them.

 

[PennySaver]

Emelia and Marcus

"Why is he so loyal?" Marcus asked about Philip's service to Emelia.

That was an odd question, she thought, and even Marcus confirmed her feeling by saying, "Sorry, that came off cold."

She was going to simply say Philip was a professional until Marcus asked, "But there's more to it, isn't there?"

"When I was 19 ... a sophomore at University..." she began with a hesitant voice, "I was ... learning what it meant to be an adult ... a woman. Believe it or not, I'd had a rather sheltered life. I don't mean the whole crime family thing. I knew what my family did ... what my father did. I knew what we were and how we made our money ... and that it was wrong. I knew all that."

Emelia hesitated a moment, considering her words. She stood to walk over to the floor-to-ceiling windows and French doors that reached from one side of the room to the other, looking out upon the deck, pool, and vast gardens beyond them. She turned to look at Marcus again as she continued, "But beyond that, I hadn't experienced a lot of life. I didn't go to parties. I didn't go out to clubs ... to dance, to drink ... to meet guys."

She hesitated again, smiling with a bit of an embarrassed expression on her face. "I was 19 years old ... and I'd never kissed a boy."

Emelia contemplated admitting that she had had sexual relations with other women, Coeds from her dorm who she could hook up with beyond her security's watchful eyes. She didn't see the value of telling Marcus that at the moment, though.

"Everywhere I went, I was shadowed by security," she went on. "There was no privacy ... no opportunities to meet men ... to ... you know." She began a slow walk back toward the couch, going on, "I didn't want my father to know my personal business ... so I made a decision. I was 19 ... it was time ... and the most logical thing ... was to become a woman with someone who I knew would keep it a secret."

Emelia could see that Marcus knew where this was going. She sat on the couch near Marcus this time, rather than in the armchair opposite the coffee table. "Philip had been my bodyguard since I was a little girl. I'd grown up with him near me ... watching me ... protecting me. He knew me better than anyone else did ... better than my father even. It made sense that he would be the one to usher me into that new ... I don't know the word ... to make a woman of me.

"He resisted at first," she said, chuckling softly. "He thought it was a bad idea. It probably was. But one night, I asked him to my dorm room to help me move furniture ... and ... well ... I dropped my clothes and told him that if he didn't make love to me, I'd run out into the hallway and scream rape!"

Emelia laughed as she reached out and patted Marcus's thigh rather intimately. She pulled her hand back, continuing, "He gave in. It was awkward, to be honest. But the first time is supposed to be, right?" She shrugged. "But the second time was better ... as was the third ... and the fourth. I was a woman finally, and I was happy.

"I wanted privacy ... to be with Philip without my dorm mates knowing about us," she said, "I convinced my father that I needed an apartment near campus. He agreed, and Philip and I continued out affair. Even as we did, Philip warned that it was dangerous ... that it was his job to protect me and that he couldn't do so as well as he should ... if we continued sleeping together."

She looked off toward the hallway door, beyond which Philip had escorted Devon McCauley to the second floor. She didn't want him to hear her telling this story. Emelia looked to Marcus again, this time with a very serious expression.

"One night after we'd made love and fallen asleep," she said, emotion in her tone, "someone burst into my apartment ... armed someones. They were there to kidnap me ... or kill me. They would have succeeded, except that Philip had gotten up to go pee, of all things. He'd heard them before they broke the door down ... he'd armed himself ... and he killed all four of them."

Emelia looked to Marcus with a serious expression, telling him, "I've never told anyone this. Even my father doesn't know. Philip called in a D'Angelo cleaner he knew he could trust. They got rid of the bodies ... cleaned up the apartment ... and ... I moved back to Elmhurst. My father knew there was something wrong, and he asked me ... he asked Philip, too. We made up a story about me almost being mugged. I told my father I wanted to come home, and he was more than happy to have me back.

"Philip and I ended our affair," Emelia said, a touch of sadness in her tone. "But he remained my bodyguard. Neither of us ever considered anything other than that. We belong together ... not as lovers ... but as we are."

Emelia could have spoken more on the topic, but she had other things on her mind. She very bluntly told Marcus that she had arranged a room for him and Camille to spend some quality time together.

He stumbled over her words, "I ... I mean ... how did you find out we were..."

Emelia laughed, patting him on the leg, saying only, "Oh, you boys ... you naive, little boys."

He followed up with, "You don't mind?"

"Of course not," Emelia responded. In truth, she did mind, in a way. She was harboring sexual fantasies about Marcus, just as he was having them about Emelia. But she knew that it was not their time to be together. And if she wasn't going to spend time in bed with him, she wanted someone deserving of Marcus to be with him in her stead. With all sincerity, Emelia said, "She's a sweet girl ... a beautiful girl ... and she likes you ... a lot."

As if on cue, Camille entered, accompanied by Mephisto. Emelia looked between the two of them, seeing an obvious fire burning the air between them.

"I think I'll take you up on that offer," Marcus said quietly, clarifying, "if Camille wants to of course."

"She wants to," Emelia confirmed without even having to ask the girl. She spoke up to all of them, saying, "Maria has prepared a lunch for us out on the veranda. Why don't we make our way out."

 

[Gabe619]

Mephisto walked ahead as he felt the hungriest and a free meal was never something he would turn down. The sun shone down on them all and the table with lunch plates arranged, carafes of water and juice and dishes of light salads, cold meats, etc. The young hacker began to pile up his plate.

Behind him came Emelia, Camille and Marcus. As Camille walked up to where Cole had been sitting he stood, smiling at her and as the two headed out to the veranda he slipped an arm around her waist, then cupped her ass and squeezed as he winked at her, admiring her cleavage openly as Mephisto wasn't looking and Emelia was in on this anyway. Between the two gorgeous and sexy women it was hardly surprising that Cole was tenting his tight jeans and he made no attempt to hide it. Hopefully the women would take it for the compliment it was.

"You smell wonderful." Cole whispered into Camille's ear before kissing her neck softly as he pulled a chair back for her to sit down in, then did the same for Emelia, his upbringing to always be a gentleman coming to the fore out of instinct.

Marcus sat down next to Camille as Emelia took the chair on the other side of the table next to Mephisto who was focused on eating it seemed, oblivious to the rest of the people or the conversation. Marcus began to pile food onto the plate and poured himself some apple juice as he offered to get the ladies a drink. Finally seated and ready he turned to Camille.

"So, how was Mephisto's guidance, you feel ok to use the devices he put together?"

 

[Gabe619]

Devon and Jennifer

"I know, me too, god I'm sorry, I shouldn't of ... not yet ... I wasn't thinking." McCauley suddenly felt like a pig for pushing his attentions on her when she was still in so much pain.

He gentle laid her back, helping with a pillow under her head. He looked around, suddenly feeling useless and helpless to make her feel better. He figured it was a common issue with men, they always wanted to fix things be those things physical or mental. Devon wanted to fix the pain in Jennifer and his inability to do so drove him mad. He wanted to reach down, lay a hand on her chest and pull that ache from her, even if it meant he would feel it instead, he would take on that pain in an instant. Finally he kissed her forehead softly and sat back, still holding one of her hands in his.

"But they say the first kiss is the hardest, right ... of course this would be our second I think, or third?" He shot her a smile as he squeezed her hand. "I guess we know now what we want, that being each other. But I've been off the horse a long time, Jen. I haven't dated anyone since ... " He couldn't say it, he tried though. He still loved his wife, but he loved Jennifer too, she wasn't competing with a dead woman, but the pain of his loss was still there inside him. He just hoped she could understand. "Since my wife and daughter died." He finally managed to get out.

 

[PennySaver]

Devon and Jennifer

"I know, me too," Devon apologize after his welcomed attempt to become intimate with her was very unfortunately rejected by Jennifer due to the pain radiating throughout her chest. "God I'm sorry, I shouldn't of ... not yet ... I wasn't thinking."

She grasped his face in her hands again, telling him with a sincere tone and expression, "Don't apologize, Devon. I want this ... I want you."

Jennifer's smile widened. She hadn't said that to a man in quite a long time. Oh, she'd had lovers recently, not days ago or weeks ago but months ago; but she hadn't felt love or really even lust for them but instead had only wanted to get off and then get away. When was the last time that she'd spread her legs for a man who, later, she'd told herself I'd do that again with him?

Devon laid Jennifer back and helped her get comfortable. He spoke about their first kiss, figuratively, confirming what she'd said with, "I guess we know now what we want, that being each other."

That pleased Jennifer, and she reached out to grasp and clutch his hand with meaning. "Time. We need time. And Devon ... we have it. I'm in no hurry."

In truth, she was. She wanted Devon to fuck her so badly. No, no that wasn't it; Jennifer wanted Devon to make love to her so badly. It was a strange feeling for her to feel this way about a man so quickly. She hadn't felt this way since her teens, and hell, that had simply been the introduction and explosion of hormones, of course.

Devon got quiet and spoke sincerely. "But I've been off the horse a long time, Jen. I haven't dated anyone since ... since my wife and daughter died."

Still holding his hand, Jennifer told Devon, "Tell me about your wife and daughter."

She saw his reaction, smiled to him, and said, "You can talk about them to me. I want you to talk about them to me. Devon, they were your life. They were everything to you. They were and still are important to you. They will always be more important to you than I ever can be, and I say that without jealousy or envy. I say it because it should be and has to be that way. They were your wife and child."

She squeezed his hand again, continuing, "You and I ... we can never be with the ghosts of your past haunting you. Talk to me ... tell me about them ... bring them forth into our life together..."

Jennifer couldn't help but laugh, for one obvious reason and one that might not have seemed so obvious. The obvious reason: she was talking about them having a life together, after having known each other less than a month and having shared just two kisses, passionate as they were; and the less obvious reason, her words had begun sounding like she was a Medium, calling forth the spirits of Devon's dead wife and child. She hadn't meant that, of course; it had simply come out that way.

"Please, Devon," Jennifer said with a sincere, soft voice. "Share your life with me." Then, lightly slapping the back of his hand, she said with a more chipper voice, "But first, I can fucking smell coffee, and if you don't go get me a big cup and a plate of food, I'm going to have to crawl out of this bed and go downstairs to get it on my own."

 

[PennySaver]

Emelia and Camille, with Mephisto, Marcus, and eventually Philip:

Emelia couldn't help but smile at the young hacker's eagerness to reach the vast array of foods and drinks laid out before them. You would have thought the man hadn't eaten in days ... and had she known Joshua better, she might have known that he quite possibly hadn't risen from his computer screens and keyboards for God knows how long to get an actual meal.

As they crossed the patio farther, Emelia glanced to her left and for just a moment caught the reflection of Camille and Marcus behind her. The latter pulled the former to him for an intimate embrace. Emelia was torn by this, of course, as she had her own feelings regarding the man.

But, as she'd already decided, this wasn't their time. Soon ... maybe ... maybe not, she reminded herself once again. Emelia could be a passionate woman, a loving woman ... oh hell, admit it, she could be an animal in bed. But she wasn't a slave to her sexual desires, which was part of why she'd been able to rise to become Donna of the D'Angelo Family when so many other potentially powerful women had failed. Oh, it wasn't their fault, really. Mother Nature was a bitch, and she often kept a good woman from becoming a great woman by clouding her mind with the needs of the flesh.

Behind her, Camille listened to her lover as he whispered, "You smell wonderful."

As Marcus grasped her ass, Camille had to suppress a giggle with a hand raised quickly to her mouth. She wiggled out of his clutches, hip-bumped him away from her, then pulled him back to her again. She grasped his upper arm to pull his head down closer to her, whispering back to him, "I want you inside me so bad."

They arrived at their table and took their seats. Emelia made some general comments and asked some equally non-specific questions about last night's raid; it was more chit chat than serious conversation. As she did that, Camille was dropping a shoe and playing footsy with Marcus under the table, doing her best to keep her smirk under control.

"So, how was Mephisto's guidance," Marcus asked Camille, "you feel ok to use the devices he put together?"
Camille was suddenly overcome with guilt when she remembered that just minutes earlier she'd been contemplating what it would feel like to be sitting naked atop the young techie's groin with his device deep inside her. Jesus, you're becoming a slut! she thought before finally getting a grip on herself and answering, "Good ... it feels good."

She felt her face flush in embarrassment at her phrasing, and again she found herself so thankful to be so wondrously dark skinned. With all the negatives she and her people faced for simply being Black in America, there was this one little and more-often-than-not insignificant aspect of her color for which Camille was often thankful.

"I mean ... I feel good ... about what he showed me," she fumbled ahead, trying not to sound like an idiot. She looked to Marcus as she repeated what she'd told Mephisto earlier, "The Senator has a meeting in three days ... a big meeting, I guess ... with important people ... D'Amato people, I guess. I don't have the list of names, but--"

She looked to Mephisto, who was still eagerly stuffing his face. She almost used his given name as she continued but caught herself, instead saying, "--Mephisto said that the USB will get everything off the Senator's laptop, and I think it's all on there."

"You're a very brave woman, Camille," Emelia said with a sincere voice. She lifted her juice glass as if toasting her, then looked to the others as she continued, "You are all very brave people. To do what you do ... for the good of the people ... it makes me proud to be associated with you, each of you."

Emelia sipped at her drink, set it aside, then said with a more serious tone, "I have something for each of you."

She gestured to Philip, who had somehow slipped up close without gaining any attention from anyone other than his boss. He handed Emelia a small stack of 4x9 inch manilla envelopes, much like the one in which she'd passed $50,000 to Marcus a few weeks earlier. These, however, were too thin to have any significant amount of money in them.

Each had one of the Untouchable's name handwritten on its front. Emelia handed Mephisto, Camille, and Marcus the one identified as they're own, then set the rest of them before the leader of the group for later distribution. She explained, "What you are doing, each of you ... it is of great value to the people of Capital City. Unfortunately, the people of Capital City will likely never know who you are or what you have done for them. That means that they will never be able to repay you for what you have done for them ... for the dangers you have put yourself in on their behalf.

"Capital City has been very good to my family ... financially speaking," Emelia continued. It was a rather interesting way of referring to the way the D'Angelo Family -- and other Families -- had made their fortunes off the people of the City. "Therefore, since the people cannot compensate you for all you are giving them, the D'Angelo Family ... I will."

Camille had been opening her envelope as Emelia was speaking. She looked at the papers, one after the other, with widening eyes. "I don't understand. What ... wait ... this says one million dollars. What does that mean?"

"Each envelope includes the account information for an account in a Grand Caymans bank," Emelia explained, jabbing a finger toward the paper the other woman held.

"A million dollars?" Camille gasped.

""Think of it as a life insurance policy," Emelia said. She looked to Camille, who seemed the most shocked of the three. "Don't you think your life is worth a million dollars?"

Camille just stared at the papers. She flipped one, then asked, "What's the second one?"

"Benefactor form," Emelia said. "If something should happen to you ... who would you want to help ... with your money?"

"Mom," Camille whispered, more to herself than to the others.

"Good choice," Emelia agreed. Then, wanting them to know the whole truth of the situation, she continued, "I don't want you to think that you have to die to make use of this ... fund. At any point between now and the end of time ... whether we finish what we are attempting or not ... you can access the fund and take out what you need. It's your money. You can stand up right now, say it's been fun, ya'll, and walk away a millionaire."

Emelia glanced to Marcus, then Mephisto, then back to Camille. "I hope you won't ... I hope you will continue to help me take my Family straight ... help me to end this blight that is Organized Crime in Capital City. But I won't stop you if you want to leave now."