Damiano. He had been an unfit soldier, but he had his value. Eric knew that he was the one man in the room who knew that Meyer had served with him before, because they had all served together in the sand. Eric would have a talk with him, and motioned him toward the back. But at that moment, Eric saw movement out of the corner of his eye. The men at the door turned toward him, and past them, he saw the yoga girl dart out of the door of her studio and sprint up the street. “Go get her,” he said and the two of them ran in the direction she had just run.
Eric walked off to a private training room in the back. Damiano followed. In the doorway, he made it clear to the man what the situation was. “You know who that is?” He said, pointing at Meyer.
“Of course, sir.” Damiano replied.
“No, you don’t. This is the first time you have ever seen him.” Eric said, staring hard at the man’s eyes.
A moment’s pause was all it took, then the reply from Damiano, “I misspoke, sir. That is what I meant, I have never seen that man before.”
Eric smiled, “Good man. Why don’t you take charge of our original group? Acclimate the new men to their surroundings. And, Miles...” Damiano looked up, “We are in a predicament, do not hesitate to use force if anyone gets out of hand.” Miles smiled, and bowed in the martial arts way, before turning and acting on his new authority.
Eric walked into the private training room and pulled the door shut to where only a centimeter of the door was still open. It was hot, and pitch black in the room. But he knew its size and he knelt to begin his own training. His meditation, katas and sets gave him strength, focus and calm. He would need all of these to do what needed to be done.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
The Craven abode had sunk into the same pitch black they had experienced the night before. After caring for the new addition, Kim Pile, Kate had returned to her worry. There was nothing to see outside, so she had settled down at the dining table, a deep sadness and loneliness covering her. Her sister walked in, bumping into another chair.
“It is going to be okay, Kate,” Kayla had offered, “you will see. Besides, Kim prayed for you.” They both chuckled at this. Their mother was a believer, but neither of the younger women still bought into the beliefs of their youth. They could hear the soft playing of Rich on his guitar. He played well even in the dark. It was what her mother would have called “a blessing” to have him there, playing his soft melodies. It really calmed the nerves.
Kate smiled, though she doubted her sister could see it. “Is it weird that I find that guitar super comforting?”
Out of the darkness, Kayla said, “No. I do too. I think he has a gift. I feel hope, and a little emotional strength just listening to it.”
“Me, too” came her brother-in-law’s voice out of the dark somewhere behind her.
His wife was the first to respond, “Damn it, Ted, make some noise. That was creepy as hell.”
They all chuckled. “Kim and Mom in our room?” Ted asked quietly. There was a long pause. “I can’t hear you nodding honey.” They laughed a little louder.
Kate was actually beginning to feel that everything was actually going to be okay. “Did you talk to Max again?”
“Yeah, a little. She is just the same sweet little girl. This is just bizarre. You know there are seven dogs on the porch now?” Ted’s voice had a hint of pride in it. “They can all stay. Can you imagine if those bastards had got to my little girl? I would have torn them apart also. The dogs are fine in my book.”
Kate felt Ted’s hand on her shoulder. “Don’t be too lovey, that isn’t Kayla you are touching.” They laughed again. “Well, if we are going to all sleep in the living room, I guess we better go find our places so we don’t trip over each other in this dark.”
They all walked into the other room, each with a hand on the shoulder of the person in
Eric walked off to a private training room in the back. Damiano followed. In the doorway, he made it clear to the man what the situation was. “You know who that is?” He said, pointing at Meyer.
“Of course, sir.” Damiano replied.
“No, you don’t. This is the first time you have ever seen him.” Eric said, staring hard at the man’s eyes.
A moment’s pause was all it took, then the reply from Damiano, “I misspoke, sir. That is what I meant, I have never seen that man before.”
Eric smiled, “Good man. Why don’t you take charge of our original group? Acclimate the new men to their surroundings. And, Miles...” Damiano looked up, “We are in a predicament, do not hesitate to use force if anyone gets out of hand.” Miles smiled, and bowed in the martial arts way, before turning and acting on his new authority.
Eric walked into the private training room and pulled the door shut to where only a centimeter of the door was still open. It was hot, and pitch black in the room. But he knew its size and he knelt to begin his own training. His meditation, katas and sets gave him strength, focus and calm. He would need all of these to do what needed to be done.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
The Craven abode had sunk into the same pitch black they had experienced the night before. After caring for the new addition, Kim Pile, Kate had returned to her worry. There was nothing to see outside, so she had settled down at the dining table, a deep sadness and loneliness covering her. Her sister walked in, bumping into another chair.
“It is going to be okay, Kate,” Kayla had offered, “you will see. Besides, Kim prayed for you.” They both chuckled at this. Their mother was a believer, but neither of the younger women still bought into the beliefs of their youth. They could hear the soft playing of Rich on his guitar. He played well even in the dark. It was what her mother would have called “a blessing” to have him there, playing his soft melodies. It really calmed the nerves.
Kate smiled, though she doubted her sister could see it. “Is it weird that I find that guitar super comforting?”
Out of the darkness, Kayla said, “No. I do too. I think he has a gift. I feel hope, and a little emotional strength just listening to it.”
“Me, too” came her brother-in-law’s voice out of the dark somewhere behind her.
His wife was the first to respond, “Damn it, Ted, make some noise. That was creepy as hell.”
They all chuckled. “Kim and Mom in our room?” Ted asked quietly. There was a long pause. “I can’t hear you nodding honey.” They laughed a little louder.
Kate was actually beginning to feel that everything was actually going to be okay. “Did you talk to Max again?”
“Yeah, a little. She is just the same sweet little girl. This is just bizarre. You know there are seven dogs on the porch now?” Ted’s voice had a hint of pride in it. “They can all stay. Can you imagine if those bastards had got to my little girl? I would have torn them apart also. The dogs are fine in my book.”
Kate felt Ted’s hand on her shoulder. “Don’t be too lovey, that isn’t Kayla you are touching.” They laughed again. “Well, if we are going to all sleep in the living room, I guess we better go find our places so we don’t trip over each other in this dark.”
They all walked into the other room, each with a hand on the shoulder of the person in
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