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For a smile as wide as a country sunrise
Sky had enough strength to return to the haunted house where she lay on the floor, motionless. “Angel, give her strength, fast!” exclaimed Kat. Angel was beside Sky immediately and shared her strength with Sky. Sky then quickly revived and sat up, but she was angry now and told everyone about the fight. “She has some kind of electric shield around her entire body,” said Carine, “that is why your electricity returned to you. Kat, Sky needs a shield too so this can never happen again.”
“Yes, I can see that,” she admitted, “we will work on it when we get home, unfortunately we can’t do it here so you will have to be careful Sky. And Angel must be with you always from now on. Go back and get Steve, bring him directly to the hotel, then off to the clinic if we need to. Take Angel and Kitty with you, they can keep Phoenix busy while you get Steve. Better yet, stay invisible, all of you, and only fight if there is a problem taking Steve out of there, now get going before they move him.”
Meanwhile, back at Phoenix’s house. “We have to move Steve to another location,” said Phoenix, “somehow they managed to find my house here in the city so we will move him to my country house, it should be safe there.” The girls were already in the room and heard this bit of information, but they remained invisible and Sky quickly grabbed my hand and off we went to the hotel. Phoenix was looking at the camera still where she had been talking with Colin. “Hey Phoenix, Steve disappeared!” he yelled. She turned toward the bed I had been lying on and screamed!
“I thought that detection system was supposed to tell us when someone came in here?!” she yelled, “Useless! USELESS!!” Then she began to feel all over the bed for me. She even ran around the room looking for me, feeling everywhere thinking that we must have some kind of cloaking ability, but not true invisibility. Angel and Kitty were still there, laughing at Phoenix running around. Then Sky arrived to see some of it too. “Find Steve!” she yelled to Colin, “they must have taken him back to the hotel, but they won’t be there yet so have men meet them when they return.”
“Right, we’re on it Phoenix,” said Colin. Sky then said she had an idea and she went outside, took a picture of the house, then went to the corner and got the name of the street, which she sent to Cristy. Then she returned to the girls back at the house. Angel had made herself visible to Colin, but not Phoenix. “Hey, Phoenix, there’s one of them now!” he exclaimed. “Where, where?? she asked looking around. “Over by the bed,” he said, “there’s a woman and a big jaguar.” “Where?! I don’t see anything you idiot!” she screamed.
Sky was now there too, but she remained totally invisible. “You just walked right through her Phoenix,” he said, “now they are in the middle of the room.” Now Phoenix could see them too, but they were still not fully visible, meaning, not solid. Phoenix went over there trying hard to kick the jaguar but her feet were just going right through it. She tried hitting Angel but was unable to do so, her arms swinging wildly and going through her. Then Sky took them away and back to the haunted house where they told the others what they did.
“Good for you three!” exclaimed Jennifer, “That will teach her a little lesson.” Kat then called Aari and gave him the address of Phoenix. “Destroy that house Aari,” said Kat, “and I mean, destroy it! But be careful, she has a detection system at the house and she may have other surprises too.” “We have some surprises of our own,” he said, “Catalina surprises.” Then Sky took Jennifer back to the hotel where Carine had been watching over me. “Take Steve back to the clinic now Sky,” said Jennifer, “he will be safe there. I will arrange for the team to watch over Steve. Tell Kristina to be extra watchful.”
Sky took me right away to our room at the clinic. Samantha was already there waiting for me. Sky quickly returned and Kat told her to take Melissa and Ivy back home too. “Ivy can help us more there by getting in touch with her contacts,” said Kat, “and Melissa can work with Carolyn to find out what drugs they used on Steve so we can come up with an antidote for that combination.” Off she went again, returning after a short time. “Whew, that’s a lot of traveling!” she said with a smile.
Meanwhile, back at the chateau Hannah had been trying to get hold of Jazzy to see what she could tell us about Phoenix since we had no information about a relative with that name. But, as usual, all she got was Jazzy’s answering service, so she left a message, again, and tried to make is sound like a top emergency call. Jazzy was on vacation right now and when she goes on vacation, she tells no one where she goes and she doesn’t answer her phone. She wants peace and quiet on her vacation.
And since she is not part of the Investigators, there is no reason for her to give us a way to contact her. But, while she was enjoying herself at a tropical resort, she just got this feeling that perhaps she should check her messages. She started with the most recent and immediately called Hannah to find out what was happening. Hannah told her about Phoenix and what she has done. “She is Toledo’s youngest sister,” said Jazzy, “you likely know her by her real name, which is Rose. She still uses the last name of her first husband, which is Colman.
She is one dangerous woman with a serious temper and she is out to avenge the death of Toledo. Watch her, she is crafty and cares about nothing, and no one, but herself. She has developed some kind of shield that she can put around herself, which she says makes her invincible and very strong.” Then Hannah told her about the fight that Sky had with her. “I believe it,” said Jazzy, “don’t take chances, not even your ghosts. Attack from behind, hit her back hard and repeatedly.
She has back problems and even with that shield, the constant jarring will hurt her. Also, hit her head, apparently that’s her weakest spot since she needs to breathe so the shield needs to be thinner. Let me check on something, I’ll call you back.” So Hannah waited and waited. She did call Kat and told her what she had learned. “That might be enough for us to win,” said Jennifer, “especially with your idea for triplets.” Finally Jazzy called Hannah with some new information about Phoenix. “YES!” said Hannah excitedly, “Thank you Jazzy!”
“Let me know how things work out,” said Jazzy, “I will pay attention to my phone now.” “Will do!” said Hannah. Then she called Jennifer to let her know how to defeat Phoenix. “To defeat Phoenix,” said Hannah, “you need de feet.” “What?” asked Jennifer, “To defeat I need to defeat? That makes no sense.” “No, no, to defeat, you need de feet,” she repeated. Jennifer sighed, very loud. Then Hannah explained.
“Those boots she wears are special, they produce the shield around her,” said Hannah, “but there is a button just above her heel inside her right boot that turns it on and off. Just press the button, which you can do from the outside of the boot, and it will turn the shield off. Then hit her fast before she turns it back on again. Apparently she has practiced and she can turn it back on super quick, so be careful.” It all seemed easy now, except for one thing…
To Be Continued. ©2026 Steve McLeod.
The team was having a meeting back at the hotel, trying to figure out their next move. “We should have Carine with us,” said Jennifer, “she has all of her abilities now and Kristina is strong, she can look after things by herself. Plus, they can always call us if there is a problem and Sky can take one of us back to help out. And all of the first floor is sealed off now, so if anyone were to try and attack or break in, there would be a lot of warning for the home team to call us.”
“Hmm, you might be right,” said Kat, “her amazing intelligence could be a big help right now, along with her other abilities. Sky, go back and pick up Carine for us and have a talk with the home team so they know what to do in an emergency, especially, call right away, don’t wait.” Sky was off in a flash and returned with Carine about half an hour later. Right after they returned, Kitty looked out the window and spotted something. “There are two men in a car down there,” she said, “and the one man keeps looking up this way and pointing something at us.”
“Hmm, a long range listening device,” said Carine, “but our scramblers should stop that too.” “Kitty, take Rock with you and go pay a visit to those two men,” said Jennifer, “and speak loud and clear.” “Yes indeed,” said Rock, “it will be very loud and clear.” He was smiling when he said that. Those men won’t like that visit. Down at the street Kitty held Rock’s hand and they ran across the street and over to the car. The man on the passenger side had his window closed but suddenly a large paw showed up on his window, with claws out and the window burst into tiny pieces.
When the man looked again Rock was standing there smiling at him. Then Rock reached into the car and pulled the man out through the window and slammed him against the car. While he was doing that, the driver had closed his window too, but that big paw showed up again, with claws outstretched and his window burst as well. Then that big paw reached in and soon the man was dead, with large scratches on his face. Rock showed the man what his friend looked like, then slammed him against the car again. “Now talk!” demanded Rock, “Where does Phoenix live?”
The man, shaking, told him her address. “Wrong answer!” bellowed Rock, “That is just an empty house! Now, tell me where she lives and tell me where Steve is located, and tell the truth or I will crush that little hand of yours so badly you will never be able to use it again!” “I, I really don’t know anything,” he said, barely able to talk, “they don’t tell me important stuff like that.” Rock then began to squeeze his left hand and there were a couple of cracking noises and the man groaned in pain.
“Honest Mister, I really don’t know nothing!” he exclaimed, “but I’ll try to find out for you, really, I will, just please don’t smash my hand.” “Okay, I’ll let you go,” said Rock gruffly, “but make sure you come back with that information. There’s $10,000 in it for you if you do.” “Really?” he asked, “Okay, I’ll be back!” Then off he ran down the street, and when he turned around and saw that Rock was gone, he called Colin and told him what happened and that Al was dead, killed by a big jaguar.
“Figures that big guy would have a big cat for a pet!” screamed Phoenix, “They will pay for killing Al. I want some of those Investigators killed, and I mean now. And I want that miserable leader’s cat dead also, today! Get it done!” Meanwhile, the whole team was back at the house now, that is, those that were already here on this case. Hope, Fridr, Candace, Ginnifer and Katresa were outside searching one side of the house, along with Muffin, Rusty, Sunny and Azura.
The guys were looking around on the other side of the house with Bandit, Tracker and Sir Night. Meow, meow!= “Me find something here, maybe door under grass.” She began digging quickly along with Rusty and they soon revealed some steel, likely a door. Suddenly Jennifer sent the danger alarm to the outside teams to head back inside immediately! But, it was too late and a group of 5 men came out from behind the garage out back where the girls and cats were looking at this possible door and the men began shooting.
The girls had just received the warning and had their guns out and began to shoot also, but the girls fell one by one. Then Sky arrived and began throwing lightning balls at the men. Our guys also arrived and began shooting as well. All the attackers were quickly killed, but four of the five girls lay on the ground too. Then Sky looked and saw Muffin laying on the ground, bleeding badly, and she quickly took her in to Kat. “Take the girls back to the clinic Sky, quickly!” said Kat. Sky did so, taking two at a time.
Candace was the only one that had not been shot and Muffin was the only cat that had been shot. “They were after Muffin,” said Jennifer, “they want to hurt us, and Steve, as much as they can. That woman will regret this!” “Phoenix will feel the wrath of the Kat!” said Kat emphatically, “She will not get away with this, NOT EVER!” Meanwhile, back with me. “Guess what Steve,” said Phoenix with a gloating tone, “that miserable little fur ball of yours, namely Muffin, is now dead! My men made sure of that! She is beyond hope by anyone! Ha, ha, ha!!”
NO, NO! I thought to myself, it can’t be, not my Muffin kitten, she can’t be dead. I must call Sky, but I can’t speak. Sky, Sky, please listen to me, please come, rescue me from Phoenix. She is related to Toledo. I must talk, I can’t, my mouth won’t move. Trying with all my strength. Meanwhile Sky had been receiving my communication and she answered me to keep fighting and say her name. She also told Kat what I was saying. Kat then called Cristy and told her about Phoenix.
I also communicated to Sky not to fight Phoenix when she comes, Phoenix is strong, like our ghosts. Sky told that to Kat and Jennifer. “Could it be possible?” asked Jennifer. “No,” said Kat, “Dr. W. would never do anyone he thought might be on the wrong side. But Sky, do what Steve says, just bring him back, don’t fight unless Phoenix tries to stop you, and take Angel with you.” However, there was no time for her to take Angel’s hand, I finally broke free of that drug a bit and managed to say “Sky” quietly while Phoenix was looking into my eyes.
Sky appeared and kicked Phoenix, knocking her to the floor. But Phoenix was up fast and jumped at Sky. The fight was on with each of them tossing the other around the room, slamming against walls, flipping onto the floor! It was an amazing fight, but it seemed that Sky had met her match with Phoenix. But how was that even possible? Finally Sky shot some electricity at Phoenix, just a stream of lightning rather than a lightning ball.
But it didn’t hurt Phoenix, instead, it rebounded back to Sky, knocking her back against my bed and to the floor groaning. I tried communicating to Kat that Sky was in trouble, but I knew Kat couldn’t help. Just as Phoenix was about to kick Sky again, Sky disappeared and was back with the others, lying on the floor, motionless…
To Be Continued. ©2026 Steve McLeod.
Steve`s Country 