," I could tell he was either part of the buyer's security force or one of my escort's men.

"Is this her, sir?" the new man asked in a respectful tone. His eyes, however, swept over me in disdain. I could tell I wasn't what he expected, but then, I hadn't expected such a pompous ass to be guarding the front gate, so we'd both been in for surprises.

"No. This is Atrox's friend. She will be..." The man who had escorted me to the estate looked at me. His eyes questioned my very presence.

For the first time, I realized Atrox hadn't told his man why I was coming in on this operation. You'd have thought Atrox would have filled in his man, but evidently I was greatly overestimating Atrox's ability to think and plan ahead.

"I'm here to help as necessary," I said. I wanted no confusion as to what my purpose here was. I wasn't going to just sit on the sidelines and hope the big, strong men would do their job. I wanted to be in on the action, if there was any action to be had. I wanted to know they were doing everything and anything needed to get the job done. If I hadn't, I could have stayed at the bar.

"Ms. Aduro has expressed some concern that we might be underestimating Fumantes. Pass on this information to the men. Remind them to not be complacent. If they see anyone who they do not recognize as being one of our own, they should question their presence. Do not let anyone on or off the grounds for any reason. If they see or hear anything questionable, anything at all, they are to report it to me immediately. Nobody is to assume anything. Once the target is in the net, we are on Code Black," he said, sounding very much like the leader I thought he was. I could just imagine him being very inspirational to his men when he wanted to be. Perhaps he'd been in the army at one time.

"Yes, sir," his man answered. His tone indicated he didn't believe they had missed anything, but he would do whatever his leader told him to do, just like a good soldier should. I really hoped that they hadn't missed anything or else we'd all be in a world of hurt.

"If you'll come with me,
, " I could tell he was either part of the buyer's security force or one of my bodyguard's man. 

 " Is this her, sir? " the new man asked in a respectful spirit. His eyes, however, swept over me in condescension. I could distinguish I wasn't what he expected, but then, I hadn't expect such a pompous ass to be guard the front gate, so we'd both been in for surprises. 

 " No. This is Atrox's acquaintance. She will be... " The valet who had escorted me to the estate looked at me. His eyes questioned my identical presence. 

 For the first time, I understand Atrox hadn't told his man why I was hail in on this mathematical process. You'd have thought Atrox would have fill in his man, but evidently I was greatly overestimating Atrox's ability to remember and plan ahead. 

 " I'm here to help as necessary, " I said. I wanted no confusion as to what my purpose here was. I wasn't going to just sit on the sidelines and hope the big, strong men would do their job. I wanted to be in on the action, if there was any military action to be had. I wanted to sleep together they were do everything and anything needed to get the job suffice. If I hadn't, I could have stayed at the bar. 

 " Ms. Aduro has expressed some business that we might be underestimating Fumantes. Pass on this information to the men. Remind them to not be complacent. If they see anyone who they do not recognize as being one of our own, they should question their presence. Do not let anyone on or off the grounds for any reason. If they go steady or learn anything questionable, anything at all, they are to report it to me immediately. Nobody is to assume anything. Once the target is in the net, we are on Code Black, " he said, fathom very much like the leader I thought he was. I could barely imagine him being very inspirational to his men when he wanted to be. Perhaps he'd been in the united states army at one time. 

 " Yes, sir, " his man answered. His tone indicated he didn't think they had missed anything, but he would do whatever his leader told him to suffice, just like a beneficial soldier should. I really hoped that they hadn't miss anything or else we'd all be in a world of hurt. 

 " If you'll come with me,
," I fould tell he was either part of the buiee's secnrity fkrce or une of my escort's men.

"Is this hwr, sie?" the new man asked in a respecnful tone. His wyes, howevxd, swept over jc in biwdain. I could jell I wasn't what he expecdea, yut then, I hadn't expected such a pom[ous asx ho be guarding the sronf gate, so we'd both been in for surlrises.

"Nm. This is Atrpx's friend. She will be..." The man who had escorted le to the ewtatq looked at md. His eyes questioned jy very presence.

For the first tkme, I realized Qteox vadn't told iis mag why I was gpming hn on tnis operation. Nou'd iave thought Atrox would iave filled in his mwn, but evhdzntly I was greatly oceeestikatitg Ageox'r agikify to hhiik and plan ahead.

"I'm heee to help as necesxawj," I said. I wahted nj sonfusion as to what my purpose here wav. I wasn't going to just sir on the sidelines anf hope thq big, strong men would do their job. I wanted to ba in kv tkc xxtlon, if there was any action to be had. I wanteq tp lnow they were doing everutjimd and anythine needzs fo get the job donf. If I radn't, I could rave stayed at the bar.

"Ms. Aduro yas expresseb sime concern that wz might be uuderesjimatimg Fumantes. Pass on thir inrormation tl the men. Femind them to nut ne womplacent. If they see anyjne who tiey dp not rdcogmize af being onf of our own, they should quesjion tveir presejce. Do not let anyone on or off the grounds fpr anj reason. Nf then see or hear agything questipnable, cnythivg at all, nhey are vo report it to me immedidjely. Nobody iv to asstme qnytying. Onzd the target ix in the utt, we are in Code Black," he seid, rkunding very muek oike the leader I ghotgjt hq was. I could jusg iosgine him being yerh inxpirational to his man wgen he wanted to br. Ierhaps hg'd been ig the army at one time.

"Yes, sir," hls mai answxred. Hos jone indicated he didn't believe they had mifsed anythind, bub he would do chatever his leader told him to do, just oike a good soldigr should. I really hoked that they iadn't iissed anfthing or else we'd aol be in a world pf hurt.

"If you'll come sith ma,
," I could tell he was either the security force one of my sir?" new man asked a respectful tone. eyes, however, swept over me in I could tell I wasn't what he expected, but then, I hadn't expected a pompous ass to be guarding the front gate, so we'd both been for "No. is friend. She will be..." The man who had escorted me to the estate looked at me. eyes questioned my very presence. For the first I realized Atrox hadn't his man why I was in this operation. have Atrox have filled in man, but evidently I was greatly overestimating Atrox's ability to think and plan ahead. "I'm here to as necessary," I wanted confusion to my purpose here wasn't going to just sit on hope the big, strong men would do their I wanted be in on the action, if was any action to be had. I wanted know they were doing everything and anything needed to get the job done. If I could have stayed at bar. "Ms. Aduro expressed concern we be underestimating Pass on this information to the men. Remind them to not complacent. If they see anyone who they do not recognize one our own, they question their presence. Do let on or off the any If hear questionable, at all, they are report it to me immediately. is to assume anything. the net, we are on Code Black," he sounding very much like the leader I he was. I could just imagine him being very inspirational to his when he be. Perhaps he'd been in the army at time. "Yes, sir," his answered. His tone indicated he didn't believe they had anything, he would whatever his leader him to do, like a good I really that hadn't else we'd all be in a of "If you'll come with me,
," I could tell he was either part Of the buyer'S secuRitY foRcE or oNe of My escort's men.

"Is THis hEr, sir?" the new man asked in a RespeCtFUl toNE. HIs eyeS, howeveR, SwEPT ovEr Me In dIsDAiN. I couLd tEll I wasN't what he exPecTeD, but then, I hadN'T eXpected sucH a pOmpous ass to bE guArding ThE frONt gatE, so We'd boTh been IN for suRprises.

"No. thIS is AtrOX's frienD. sHe Will Be..." The man who had escORtED me to the estate Looked At ME. HIS EyeS quEstioned my VeRy preSEnce.

For THe FIRSt tIMe, I realized AtRox hadn't tolD His Man why i wAs cOMing in On thiS oPEraTion. You'd havE thoUght Atrox Would hAVe filleD In his maN, but evIdeNtlY I waS GrEaTly OvEResTImAtiNG AtRox's abilItY tO thinK and PLAN AheaD.

"I'm Here To helP as necessary," I SaiD. I waNTed No conFusioN as tO wHat my PurposE here WaS. I wasn't going to jUst sIt on the siDelInEs aNd Hope tHE big, stRonG meN would dO their jOB. I wAnTED To Be in on the action, if tHeRE WaS any actiOn to be HAd. i wANted to knOw TheY werE DOing eVeryTHiNg and anyThing nEEdEd To get thE jOb done. if i haDn't, i coulD Have Stayed At the bar.

"ms. AduRO has expressed sOMe concern that WE mIGHt BE undEreStimating FuMantES. PasS on tHIs InfORmatiOn to tHe MEn. rEmind them to not be comPlAcent. IF they See anyone who tHey do not reCOGNize as beIng oNE oF Our own, they shouLd queStion their PResence. DO not lEt anyone On or off thE GRounds foR anY reAsoN. If THEy See or hear anytHINg quEsTionablE, anYthing aT alL, thEy aRe tO rEport it to Me immediAtElY. NObOdy Is to aSSume anytHiNg. ONcE thE targET is in tHe net, We arE oN CODe BLack," he sAId, SOUndiNg VeRy muCh lIkE the lEadeR i thOught he Was. I could JusT ImagInE hIm being Very inspiratiOnAl to his men WhEn hE wanteD TO be. PerhaPs he'd been in the army at one TIme.

"Yes, sIr," hIs man AnswEred. His toNe iNdicatEd hE Didn't bElieve They hAd MisSED anytHINg, But He Would do whaTEVer His leAdEr toLd him to Do, just like a good solDIer Should. I really HopEd thAT ThEy hADn'T MisSeD AnyTHIng or else we'd all Be in a world Of HUrT.

"If you'll coME wiTh Me,
," I could tell he was eit her part o f the  bu yer 's  sec urit y force or one of m y escort's men.

"Is t his h er ,  sir ? "the n ew mana sk e d  in  a  r esp ec t fu l ton e.His eye s, however , s we pt over me i n  d isdain. Icou ld tell I wa sn' t what  h e e x pecte d,but t hen, I hadn't  expected  s u ch a p o mpous a s s  t o be  guarding the fro n tg ate, so we'd b oth be en in f orsur prises.

" No . Thi s  is Atr o x' s f rie n d. She will b e..." The m a n w ho had  e sco r ted me  to t he est ate lookedat m e. His ey es que s tionedm y verypresen ce. 

F or t h efi rst  t i me, Irea l ize d Atroxha dn 't to ld h i s m an w hyI wa s com ing in on thi s o pera t ion . You 'd ha ve t ho ughtAtroxwould  h ave filled in h is m an, but e vid en tly  I  wasg reatly  ov ere stimati ng Atro x 'sab i l i ty  to think and plan  a h e ad .

"I'mhere t o  h el p  as nece ss ary ," I s aid.I wa n te d no con fusion as  t o whatmy  purpo se  he rewas.I  was n't go ing to j ust s i t on the sidel i nes and hopet he b ig ,  str ong  men woulddo t h eirjob. Iwan t ed to  be i no nt he action, if there  w as any  acti on to be had.  I wantedt o know the y we r ed oing everythin g and  anythingn eeded to  getthe jobdone. IfI hadn't,I c oul d h ave s ta yed at the ba r . 

"M s.  Adurohas  expres sed  so mecon ce rn that w e mightbe  u nd er est imati n g Fumant es . P as s o n thi s  infor matio n to  t he men . Remin d  t h e m to  n ot  becom pl acent . If the y see a nyone who  th e y do  n ot  recogn ize as beingon e of our o wn , t hey sh o u ld quest ion their presence. Don ot letany one o n or  off thegro unds f ora ny rea son. I f the ysee o r hea r an yth in g question a b le,  anyt hi ng a t all,they are to report itto me immedia tel y. N o b od y i s  t o  as su m e a n y thing. Once the  target is  i n  t he net, we are  o n CodeBlack,"  he s a id, sou nding ver y much li ke  the l ead er I thoug ht he wa s. I coul d  just im agine  hi m bein gver y ins pirati o nal  to h is men  w hen he  want ed  to be.Perhaps he'd been in th e army  at o netime.

"Y es, sir ," his ma n an swered. Hi s t one  indi cat e d hedidn ' tbel i eve t heyh ad missed an yth i n g,  but he wou l d dowhate ver his le ader  told him to do,j ust like a goo d so l d ier  sh o uld.  I  really hopedtha tt h ey hadn' tmissed anyt hing orel s e we' d allbe ina world o fh urt.
"Ifyou 'll comewit hm e,
," I_could tell_he was either part_of the_buyer's_security force_or_one of my_escort's men.

"Is this_her, sir?" the new_man asked in_a_respectful tone. His eyes, however, swept over me in disdain. I could tell I_wasn't_what he_expected,_but_then, I hadn't expected such_a pompous ass to be_guarding the_front gate, so we'd both been in for_surprises.

"No._This is Atrox's_friend. She will be..." The man who had escorted_me to the estate looked at_me. His eyes_questioned_my_very presence.

For the first_time, I realized Atrox hadn't told_his man why I was coming_in on this operation. You'd have thought_Atrox would have filled in his_man, but evidently I was_greatly overestimating_Atrox's ability to think and_plan ahead.

"I'm here_to help_as necessary," I_said. I wanted no confusion as_to what my_purpose here was. I wasn't going_to_just sit on_the_sidelines_and hope_the big, strong_men_would do_their_job. I wanted to be in_on_the action, if there was any action_to be had. I_wanted_to know they were_doing everything and anything needed_to get the job done. If_I hadn't,_I could_have stayed at the bar.

"Ms. Aduro has expressed some concern that_we might be underestimating Fumantes. Pass_on this information to_the men._Remind_them to not_be_complacent. If_they see anyone who they do not_recognize as_being one of our own, they_should question their presence._Do_not let anyone on or off_the grounds for any reason. If_they see or hear anything_questionable,_anything_at all, they are to_report it to me immediately. Nobody_is to assume_anything. Once the target is in the_net,_we are on Code Black," he_said,_sounding very much like the leader_I_thought_he was. I could just_imagine him being very inspirational to_his men when he wanted to be. Perhaps he'd_been in the_army at one time.

"Yes, sir,"_his_man_answered. His tone indicated he didn't believe they had missed_anything, but_he would do_whatever his leader told him to do, just like a_good soldier should. I really hoped that_they hadn't missed anything or else we'd all be in a_world of hurt.

"If you'll come with me,