Chapter 1

Get heavy and do it quick

(* It is unusual, I know, to put a footnote at the beginning of the chapter. But I feel that it will help prevent a break in believability. Virginia is one of the weirder states in the USA. It has over 40 independent cities. These cities are physically located within a county but legally are not in a county. They are directly under the State Government. Weirdness #2 is that these independent cities can have the county seat and courthouse within them. Weirdness #3 is that Sheriffs are not really law enforcement as they are in most states; they are jail and courtroom security and administration. They act as bailiff for the courts and serve papers and summons to appear in court. This leads to weirdness #4 Virginia has County Police for law enforcement outside the cities. So I am throwing the confusion this caused me onto Cassie.)

Cassie hoped her Dad had been right. The estate in Virginia had been left to her by her Great-great-aunt the day Cassie had been born. Nobody from her family had ever been there. Her father had only found out about it when excess funds from its trust account had flowed into another trust that her Dad now controlled. The other trust had kept the maintenance and upkeep done on this lost estate.

Now that her hidden enemies had attempted to take her out, she needed a place where nobody knew her and this estate would be perfect. Cassie leaned back in her seat and napped.

It had been a long trip, longer then just driving straight to the estate would have been. She had thought to throw off anyone looking for her so they had driven across Pennsylvania into New York then down through New Jersey across Maryland and then into Virginia. The estate was located southwest about two hundred and forty miles from Langley, Virginia. It was just a little ways off I-81 near Roanoke, Virginia. From what she had read from her Dad's files the back property line was bordered by the Jefferson National Forest. It was isolated and quiet.

They exited I-81 and then turned onto State Highway 311. In no time they pulled off the State Highway onto a long drive way topped with gravel tar. A hundred feet down the driveway a fence with a gate house crossed the road. Betty stopped Big Bertha about 15 yards from the big black gate that blocked the driveway.

Cassie scanned all around them, and then she narrowed her scan to reach out in a complete sweep out to almost three miles. She found nothing of interest. There were no people or domestic animals for over two miles in any direction. Inside the edge of the forest were animals natural to this area.

"It's clear Betty! June you got the key to the gate?"

"Yes I have, let me out." With that she crossed over to the passenger side of Bertha and opened the door. She climbed down and walked up to the gate. Her key unlocked a padlock holding a chain around the bars that met at the side of the gate. She wrapped the chain around one bar on the gate and padlocked the chain to it. With a push she rolled the gate open. Standing to the side, she waved Betty through.

Betty drove Bertha and the auto-hauler in past the gate until she was clear so the gate would shut. June pulled the gate back to the locking bar next to the gatehouse.

Cassie, scanning, 'saw' that there were locks on the gate and June had used them to hold the gate closed.

June went to Betty's side and climbed up the outside and waved them forward. Betty drove smoothly and did not jerk or do anything to make June's position unstable as they proceeded down the driveway.

The final approach to the house was like entering a fairy tale. The drive exited the grove of trees that it passed through and the house and buildings stood framed by a forest behind them.

As the driveway approached the house, it divided on the right side. The left fork of the drive curved into a long circular drive across the front of the house with a covered portico at the front entrance to the house. The right fork ran along the right side of the house then into a large paved area at the rear. It was large enough for at least fifteen Tahoes to be parked between the house and the large barn directly behind the house that had been remodeled into a garage.

Cassie sat upright in her seat and scanned everything. Her mouth dropped open and she gasped.

Bertha came to a complete stop "Cassie? What's wrong?"

Betty had learned, in the short time she had been with Cassie, that she could see more than just the surface of things. If Cassie was scared, Betty was going no closer. June had noticed that they were frozen on the inside and had dropped to the ground and pulled her weapon.

"Oh my God!" Cassie said quietly under her breath. Her father had told her that she was going to be surprised when she got here. Surprise was a much understated word. She was scanning the complete area of the house and buildings before her. At first she had just wondered how he had done so much in such a limited time. But then she had really narrowed her scan. He had not done this!

The barn that had been remodeled into a garage showed work that was over fifty years old. The two residences on either side of the barn had that veneer of age also. The one on the right had been recently remodeled with up to date technology. That had to be the security room with all those monitors. The power generation room could only be reached by going through the 'security residency'.

A deep scan found a pair of underground passages from the two residence building that met under the garage then went to the main house. Under the facade of a southern plantation house the inner walls were reinforced concrete. The outside residences were the same with inner walls of reinforced concrete.

The age of the hidden work told her that her father had not done all of it. Here and there, throughout the hidden construction, she could spot modern add-ons like electronic locks, monitoring equipment and power generation equipment. This was not a house; this was a fortress waiting to be manned, a fortress that had been here for ages.

Cassie pulled out her cell phone and pushed the speed dial button for her father.

"Good afternoon Cassie."

"Dad I am sitting her in front of the estate's buildings. You did not tell me everything."

"He-haw, no I did not. What do you think?"

"Did they build this place to stand off the invading hordes of communists?"

"I don't think so. Most of it is dated back to World War II. I found some documents about leasing it for the duration of the war to the Office of Strategic Services, OSS. I sent some of my best construction inspectors to be sure everything was in shape and working."

"You got any more surprises for me, Dad?"

"No Cassie, I think it was a training facility. You've got gyms, an indoor pool, outside athletic fields. Oh, the armories are not stocked, so that's going to be up to you."

"Good bye Dad."

"Cassie?"

Cassie shook herself out of the daze that she had settled into. She turned her head to Betty. "It's a fortress Betty. I was just shocked when I saw it fully for the first time."

"Fortress?"

"Yes, you will see after you go over the place. You should see the thickness of the walls. Oh well, sitting out here is not getting anything done."

June climbed back onto Bertha and Betty continued the drive up to the estate and around to the rear.

Cassie was scanning the whole place as they drove up the drive way. This place was huge. No, it was gigantic.

From what she had read in her Dad's file, the main house had 8 bedrooms, 6 bathrooms and 5 half baths. There was a library, office, two dining rooms, a breakfast room, a kitchen with a cellar, a pantry room, a laundry, an enclosed solarium on the back and a security room. Three of the bedrooms were reserved for Cassie and her companions.

Betty parked Bertha and the three women used a key that they had been provided to enter the main house. In the kitchen, they found a set of remote garage door openers and instructions on the features that had been installed in the estate.

They walked quickly through the large house. The master bedroom was set up as Cassie's room, with Betty's room on one side of her. June's room was across the hall from Betty's room. The security room was across the hall from Cassie's room and next to June.

They checked out the kitchen and pantry and found that Cassie's Dad had provided a plentiful supply of non-perishable food and a small supply of perishables, such as milk and eggs. They would need to make a trip to town for groceries soon or order some sent to the estate.

After they finished their initial walk-through, Betty drove Bertha to the garage and triggered the remote door opener. They spent the next half hour removing the Tahoe from the auto-hauler and then backed the auto-hauler into its own storage area. The Tahoe and Bertha were parked side-by-side in the garage. When they were through, Betty used a remote she had attached to the keys to lock up the garage and they walked up to the backdoor leading into the kitchen.

All three of them began a more thorough exploration of the house. The team then checked out the security room which had an armory cabinet with no guns. Betty and June looked quickly at each other after examining it.

Cassie noted the look, "What's up girls?"

"No backup weaponry, we only have our personal weapons."

"Yeah and not much ammo for them either. We need to stock up." June added.

"Hold on a minute." Cassie reached into her jacket pocket and brought out her phone. She pushed a speed dial button and minutes later she had Clint on the phone.

"Clint I've got one of those problems that you might help with. No not that kind of problem but close. I am in Virginia and will be for awhile. I need a very reliable firearms dealer that makes house calls."

"Cassie, there are not many that can do that. But here's a number, tell them I said 'suck piss'. Remember 'suck piss' and they will be able to take care of your problems. So you are in Virginia?"

"Yes but keep it to yourself, I have got Witsec clearance now."

"Wheee, playing with the big boys are you? Okay, zip lips and all that."

"Let me know if you ever need back up. How are my two girls doing?"

"Just fine, they are the ones that brought my attention to the fact that we only have our personal weapons and little ammo for them."

"Knowing you that will never do; with enemies like you have, get heavy girl and keep heavy."

"I am doing so now. See you later Clint."

"You too; sleep safe."

Cassie hung the call up and immediately called the number Clint had given her.

"Charlottesville Firearms, may I help you?"

"Yes, I have recently moved to the Roanoke area of Virginia and find myself in need of replenishing my ammo, and increasing my supply of home protection. I was advised to call your number and ask for a consultant to bring me some now."

"Are you asking for home delivery? That is very unusual. Do you have any idea what you will need?"

"Well, some 12 gauge riot guns, a .308 sniper rifle, no make that two snipes and four riot guns. I have one M4 and could use two more of them. Let's see; four Glock 23s and three Glock 27s both types in .40 caliber. I would like three sets of female body armor and make those the top of the line. I will need a couple of cases of .308 full metal jackets, five cases of .40 caliber, twelve 17 round .40 magazine for the Glocks and five cases of magnum loads 0-0 buck 12 gauges. That will be a good start."

"Well that is a special order; we need special instructions to fill that. Also for the best female body armor we will need sizing."

"Betty, June, I need sizes for the armor."

Betty and June gave Cassie their sizes, including cup size, and Cassie passed them on and then provided hers.

Cassie thought for a minute, "Suck Piss, is that's what you are waiting for?"

"Yes ma'am that is the instruction I was waiting for. How will you be paying? Where do you want this delivery to be made? How soon do you need it?"

"American Express Unlimited, Blackthorn Estate State Road 311, tomorrow 1:00 PM."

"One moment, okay we found the location and no problem; a truck will arrive at that time at your location. Thank you for doing business with Charlottesville Firearms."

Cassie put her phone up and 'looked' at the two women who were staring at her."

"M4?"

"Where do you have an M4?" June asked eagerly.

"In the Tahoe it's in a case under the passenger seat. That reminds me the magazines are all empty."

June held her hand palm up toward Betty who dropped a set of keys into them. "I'll get it; it's doing us no good setting in the Tahoe." They spent the next hour filling all the empty magazines they found in the gun case. Cassie had forgotten all the magazines for her Glocks. When they were through they still had two magazines for the Glocks that were empty, and one for the M4.

Cassie once more called the firearm dealer.

"Hi, I put in an order just a little while ago? Yes that's mine. I need to add to it. I need full metal jacket .223 caliber rounds for the M4s and if possible full magazines for all them plus reloads, thank you."

"Well, at one o'clock tomorrow afternoon we will have a truck arriving with weapons and ammo. June, we'll send you to the gate house with the shotgun from the Tahoe. You can let the truck in, lock up and follow the truck. Betty, you will be here with the M4. As soon as the truck stops I will exit the house."

We'll have the truck unload at the Security Building but stack everything on the rear drive. Maybe we can have the truck crew take most of the boxes into the Armory and then we can bring the things we need into the house and up stairs to store in our security room."

"Now we are going to have to be able to monitor that front gate or get another couple of people here. Heck we're going to need a housekeeper, a cook and some maids also. Let's think on that and get together to discuss it tomorrow."

They met the next morning over breakfast. "This has to go; I don't mind cooking when nothing else can be done but it gets old fast unless you really like to cook. It was just one of the reasons I left home, the expectation that as the only girl it was my job to cook. Not happening here." June grumbled under her breath.

"Okay that is first on our list, a cook."

"We need more security personal. This place is absolutely too big for the three of us." Betty stated flatly.

"Three of us?" June asked with a glance at Cassie.

"I talked to Clint myself last night. Cassie do you want to explain or do you want me to tell?" Betty asked.

"Let's hear what Clint had to say." Cassie grinned at her.

"We've been kept in the dark and fed shit, just like good little mushrooms June." Betty waved at Cassie. "I have had my doubts ever since we meet her in Idaho. Especially with how much they were paying us."

"Yeah, me too! We are, or I am, being paid more than to protect a witness against a major drug cartel leader."

"Well according to Clint, we don't have to worry with her on our backs. He said the two of them got ambushed in Idaho by four vehicles and more than eleven men. He took out three of them which he stated was supported by forensic data afterward. But Cassie, our primary, took out all but two of those left and they were intentionally allowed to escape. He's betting that if we ever go to a range together she will beat both of us."

"Come on now Betty that's a sucker bet. You take him up on it?"

"Ten to one he said and he got one hundred thousand dollars on Cassie, and eight bodies in graves."

"I figured I would check that bet until I knew more."

She paused and it got very quiet over the breakfast table.

"Who do you work for, Betty, June?" Cassie asked quietly.

"As I remember, and I do remember things of real importance, my contract states that my Primary is one Cassandra Howly Howard, and I am contracted to her directly." Betty stated.

"Basically the same contract for me also." June echoed.

"Okay, I have been seconded to Witsec for document support by a Federal Court Order. I am also a Special Deputy US Marshal which gives me some much needed Federal authority to possess firearms."

"I am also very rich; so rich, in fact, that this estate was left to me over thirteen years ago and my Father just found it earlier this year in all the assets left to me. As such, he felt it was a place that would not be traced back to me for quite some time; safe in other words. We believe that my inheritance is the reason I am being attacked."

"Have you two any question about my eyesight?"

The both of them slowly shook their heads.

"Well I am blind as a bat, but similar to a bat I don't need eyesight. I've got something called Blind sight, but a thousand times better. Oh, on the range I will be able to shoot one hundred percent. I never miss except on purpose. Using my sight I found a stream of gold over two miles long in the Idaho Mountains. I own twenty five percent of the company mining it at a rate of ten million dollars worth of gold per day."

"So don't worry about your pay or benefits. Give me a list of every job we need to fill around the estate. I am going to be starting to college so I need some real fresh faces to go with me. Find them for me and give their names to Clint for background checks. Also, let me know any security upgrades that are needed. We need to be able to monitor that gate house and the gate."

"Oh I am completely blind to colors. Everything looks grey to me. So don't expect me to notice any light emitters. I cannot use mirrors; they are completely blank to me as are monitors. One of the reasons I cannot drive is that I cannot see taillights or turn signals or signal lights.

But I can see just as well in the dark as I can in full daylight. I can see through walls, trees, hills or mountains. So I figure I won more than I lost when I went blind."

Cassie had dressed in her work clothes from Idaho, informal battledress that was no longer used by the American military. While not bad up in Idaho, she had now noticed that in the warmer climates of Texas and Virginia the cloth was beginning to chafe a little where moisture had been retained.

"Oh, I notice that your clothes seem just as good if not better than mine but more comfortable where can I get some like them?"

The conversation and list making went on for another hour or so. Then June took Cassie up to her room to try on a set of her ACU's. After finding a set that fit Cassie, June then mentioned the fact that Cassie had now lost all her extra pockets and would need to wear a couple of fanny or waist packs. Cassie then pulled her credentials out of a pocket of her old BDUs and hung them over her belt on her left side. June stared at them. "You are really a Deputy US Marshal?"

"Special Deputy US Marshal, which means the government does not pay me but I have all the authorities of a regular Deputy US Marshal within the guideline authorized when deputized. My Dad has a couple of Federal Judges indebted to him so the authorization was pretty broad."

"It's game time! All players should take their position." Betty's voice came from the security room. Cassie and June rushed to the security room where June grabbed the shotgun from the Tahoe and a bandoleer of shells for it. Then she rushed downstairs and into the Tahoe.

Cassie heard the engine start and the Tahoe driving away on a speaker in the Security room. Betty stuck a couple of magazines for the M4 in a gear belt that she had strapped on and headed outside also. Cassie then picked up a couple of magazines for her Glocks then looked around for something to carry them in. Another gear belt caught her attention and it had a couple of pouches that appeared to be big enough to hold the magazines.

Grabbing the belt, she put it on and then put the extra magazines in the pouches. She had to move her badge and credentials to the gear belt as it covered the place where she had been wearing them.

She went downstairs and out the back door where she sat down on an old bench against the outside wall of the house. Cassie did a deep scan of the whole estate and the nearby national forest; no unknown humans anywhere. June had just arrived at the front gate and was unlocking it. She had turned the Tahoe to point toward the house. She now stood in the doorway of the gatehouse. Cassie pulled her cell phone out and hit speed dial for Betty.

"Betty, remember and remind me to get some secure communication that is not so awkward to use as these cell phones. June is now in place at the front gate. No intruders within two miles."

"Check on that secure communication! We do need that."

"Roger and out." Cassie then speed dialed June.

"June, just letting you know we are aware of your position and will maintain surveillance of you. So don't worry about letting us know what you're doing."

"Thanks! That makes me feel better knowing I am not the point by myself."

Cassie put away her phone in one of the pouches she had attached to her gear belt.

She maintained her scan of the area and the road up to the gate. Right at one o'clock a large truck drove slowly down the State Highway toward the road into the estate. A quick scan of the truck showed two men in the driving compartment and three inside the truck body with dozens of crates. All the men were armed.