Inside the casket was John, alive, but barely, and a note for me. The guards quickly took John and our medical team, except Li Jing, back to the hospital. Li Jing will stay here and look after Muffin at home. Snow will stay with Muffin too, but Tiia wants to come with us. She had always admired MC’s backpack, so he had left it to her in his will.

Tiia is full grown now, though still a kitten in age. I think she will grow more yet. And she is a tough fighter too. The team was having a meeting in the library while Baldwin, Mandar and I sat in the kitchen eating donuts. Finally we were called into the library. The team had voted to put me back in leader one position now that my memory is back, and they had voted on something else.

But first, the note. It was a ransom note asking for 25 million dollars in gold, to be paid by 3pm tomorrow. Vince knew we had taken that much in gold from Menton and it is now in The Investigators fund. But we are not allowed to pay ransom for anyone on the team, not even my family. The team had voted to change that rule however, so that would free up the gold to use for the ransom.

“No,” I said, “the team cannot do that, or our enemies will be kidnapping us all the time for ransom. But, I have that much in gold of my own, the gold that Kat and I found in Hermit Pete’s old cabin way back. I can use that, since it is my own.” “That will not work, my good man,” said Mandar, “your enemies will not know the difference and if you pay, then none of you will be safe from future kidnapping.”

“Mandar is right Steve,” said Baldwin, “we simply cannot do it.” “Hmm, I guess you are right,” I said, “so that means we go and free them at once. I will call the Major and get an update.” I did so and he told me that his men had them trapped in a house, but when they went in, Vince and the others were nowhere to be found. Now the people who live there are threatening to call the police and sue them.

Interesting idea. I called Rossana and asked if she had any information about these people. She told me the police have been watching that couple for some time, but have not been able to catch them doing anything yet, but they are believed to be involved in drugs and kidnappings. Major still had Frank and 4 others watching the home from a distance just in case.

I told him we would be there very soon. “Good,” said Crystal, “now they will feel the wrath of the Kat for real!” She was sitting beside me when she said that. I looked at her. Sounded just like Kat talking, so amazing. She looked at me, smiled and put her arm around me. We packed up and left right away, with me in charge once again. We arrived at nightfall and met with Frank.

He pointed out the house and we got in position. Rock and I went to the front door and I knocked. We could hear several voices inside, then all was quiet when a man came to the door. Just as he opened it, Rock smashed his way inside with me right behind. Mac and others came crashing in the back door at the same time. “What is going on around here?” shouted a woman.

“Be quiet” I said, “you know why we are here, now, where are they?” “I will call the police!” she shouted and took out her phone. Crystal kicked it out of her hand, then gave her a hard back handed slap knocking her to the floor. Rock picked up the man and put him against the wall. “Where are they?” I asked again. “I do not know what you are talking about,” he said angrily.

Rock then hit him in the stomach and the man crumpled to the floor, groaning. There was a staircase leading upstairs and it suddenly opened. Vince came out with a gun to Trisha’s head, another man followed with a knife to Sky’s throat. More men followed with knives or guns in the backs of the other girls. “We are leaving and you better not follow Steve,” said Vince, “or you know what will happen.”

“Yes,” I said, “but do you know what will happen right now?” “The wrath of the Kat!” yelled Crystal, which startled Vince and the other men enough and Crystal kicked the gun from Vince’s hand. That was the cue we all needed and the fight began!

After the fight was over, Vince, and the couple who lived in the house were still alive. “Remember me Vince,” said Mac as he stood behind him with a knife. “You cannot do that now Mac,” laughed Vince. But, Vince was wrong and Mac pushed the knife in his back and he fell to the floor. “That is for my little Buddy and Muffin,” he said.

The man of the house suddenly produced a knife and was about to attack Sky, but, “Thwock!”, and he fell dead. Meowi!=That for my bestest friends Muffin and MC! The woman was already bleeding terribly from scratches that Storm had given her on her back and face. We decided to let the police look after her…

To Be Continued.

©2023 Steve McLeod.