Major, that is it for sure. Who else could do such a thing? Who else would have the intelligence and patience, plus the money to carry it out? While I was thinking about this, suddenly Sky fell to the floor gasping for air. And just at that moment, Bridgette had come out of the operating room. She quickly ran over to Sky. 

I was going to pick her up to carry her into the operating room, but my legs were too weak to stand, they just wobbled beneath me. Aari quickly bent down and picked up Sky and carried her into the next room with Bridgette. What is going on here? Will I lose Sky too? Kat came over and sat with me, she could see the worried look on my face. 

“She will be okay Steve,” she said quietly and calmly. She had me lie down with my head on her lap. I tried to speak, but no words came out. I could not even hear clearly now. Finally I said weakly to her, “envelope…Majori”. Kat called Mac to come help me and he carried me to the operating room too. I was completely out of it by this time. Kat came in to be with me. She also called Annelie. 

“Check on someone named Majori,” said Kat, “everything you can find.” ”That is easy Kat,” said Annelie, “she was my boss when I worked with that criminal gang years ago. You remember.” ”That is why that name sounded familiar,” said Kat, “she is the one behind all of this, that is what Steve was trying to tell me.” ”How are things over there?” asked Annelie. 

“Not good, not good at all,” she answered quietly, “Sky cannot breathe, Aasta is…not good, and Steve had a heart attack and…he just died…” Kat hung up and watched as they tried to revive me. Then they stopped, so Kat came over to me and put her hand over my heart. ”You are not dying on my watch Steve,” she said gently, “I will die for you instead if I must. You need to live Steve.” 

Dr. Kerstina shook her head, meaning there was no hope now, and she walked away. Bridgette stayed, watching Kat who still had her hand on my heart. Then she began to slowly move her hand in circles over my heart. Bridgette turned the monitor back on and watched. Meanwhile, Mandar showed up with all 8 cats, plus 3 of his girls from his Team 3. 

Mac picked up Muffin and held her to the window of the door. Chantelle spotted her and came to get her. ”Come in Muffin,” she said, and the rest of the cats stood up, “not the rest of you though.” They all sat down in a row, staring at the door. Mandar paced back and forth in the waiting area, something he just never does, he always sits calmly no matter what the situation. This time he was genuinely worried. 

Now, back at home. Bouncer’s phone began to ring. Matt answered it. Matt can impersonate most any guy’s voice and he talked just like Bouncer. ”Hello,” he said. ”Can you talk?” asked a woman. ”For a moment,” he said, “lots going on right now.” ”I know, that is what Phil told me,” she said, “what is it?” ”They found out about Sten,” he said, “but I got to him before he could talk, no talking anymore.” 

“Good for you,” she said laughing, “do they suspect you?” ”No, why would they suspect Rock’s brother?” he said, “One of the girls was hurt, so they took her to the clinic.” ”Oh, that is why the action outside,” she said. ”Phil in the usual spot?” asked Matt. ”Yes, he and Al will be there all night,” she replied. ”I have to go, someone coming,” he said. He then hung up. 

“Miles, can you find that spot on the hill at night?” asked Matt. ”No problem,” he said. So he and Matt went on the hill. They found Phil and Al and shot them both. Then Matt called the number back. ”Why are you calling?” she asked. ”They found and killed Phil and Al,” said Matt, still posing as Bouncer, “Steve is angry now,” he said, “I might have to sit low. They also discovered what you were doing at Baldwin’s security training centers and all were closed down, new security people were fired.” 

“Okay, do not call me anymore,” she said, “I will contact you at some point.” She then hung up. ”Louis, we need to get away from here,” she said, “all my planning, millions of dollars, all wasted! But I will be back Steve, you can count on that!” I opened my eyes. I was in our room at the clinic. ”Why is it that when I kiss Steve, it does nothing,” said Sky, “but when you kiss him, he wakes up, every time.” 

“Just lucky timing, I guess,” said Kat smiling. Sky and Kat were standing on each side of the bed. I thought about Aasta, but I did not want to ask about her. ”Oh, your new girlfriend is in the next bed,” said Sky, smiling at me. She stepped out of the way so I could see Aasta. ”I am okay Steve,” she said, “just a bit of a sore head. Sky, that is not fair!” 

“Here is a letter for you from a woman named Majori,” said Sky. Majori admitted she lost this round, but she vowed to come back some day and that she would win next time. ”I wonder if we could find her?” I asked Sky. ”Annelie is working on it, but apparently she disappears at times and no one knows where she goes,” said Kat, “but right now you need to rest and get your health back.” 

“Yes Steve,” said Sky, “no thinking about Majori right now.” Sky is right, at least we stopped Majori and found the traitors in our team. It seems that Sky’s problem before was brought on by too much stress, just like my heart attack. Rock is fine, except for a headache that he had for a couple of days. Now we can settle down for a while and relax. A new year is beginning, with new hope and likely some new and interesting cases. 

The End. A new case will begin in the new year.

©2023 Steve McLeod.