12/27/2020 0 Comments Chapter TwoMonday June 19, 2017 Lilith was, for once, driving through the streets of the city at the required speed limit. She was even using her turn signal and obeying the stop lights and traffic signs! But this was to be expected, of course, because Jason Leeds, her boss and friend, had asked her to. He was sitting in the backseat of her black Chevrolet Camaro with his muscular arms crossed over his chest. He was staring out the window, though he wasn’t really paying attention to the sights outside. For six years, he’d been preparing for this: for the day he’d assemble a gang to fight back against the corruption in Rhine City. But in order to have a gang, he needed to have people. So far, the only two who had joined aside from his younger brother, Valentine, were Lilith and a girl named Rika. Lilith had been easy to recruit. He knew her from high school—they’d had a few classes together—and had run into her in a bar. He was working as a barback, and she had been there drinking. Rika, on the other hand, was a chance encounter. He’d been walking home from work when a lowly thug tried mugging him. Rika, who had been nearby, jumped in to help (even though he didn’t really need it). He’d been impressed and had asked her to join his crew, to which she’d readily agreed. He’d had no luck finding new members in almost a year. He couldn’t figure out what he was doing wrong, though Val liked to tease him about it. “You’re just way to scary, bro!” he would laugh while leafing through a magazine. “Honestly, you should just let me do the recruiting!” “Yo,” Lilith called, breaking through his thoughts. “Do you see that?” She had parked the car in front of a coffee shop and was peering through the passenger side window at something. Curiously, he peeked out his own window and, though it was hard to see from the angle they were sitting at, there appeared to be someone physically assaulting a man in the alley. “Stay here a minute,” he commanded as he quickly unfastened his seatbelt and hopped out of the car. “Sure thing, Boss!” she chirped in reply before he shut the door. He was expecting a typical case of one citizen carelessly beating up another, but as he walked closer, it became obvious it was something else entirely. A thin white girl with cerulean blue hair neatly tied back into a loose ponytail at the top of her head was relentlessly kicking a man, who was curled up in self-defense on the ground. The girl was holding what appeared to be a plastic cup full of iced coffee in one hand while yelling about how much of a pervert he was for daring to touch her butt. Damn, this girl kicks major ass, grinned Jason as he walked over to the scene of the glorious beatdown. He cleared his throat as he approached her. “Hey,” he said, “having fun with this creep?” The girl immediately stopped kicking and spun around, her brown eyes wide with fear. Jason held up his hands apologetically. “Whoa, don’t stop beating him on my account! Hell, can I join in? I don’t like sexual predators myself.” He’d met quite a few during his time in jail and, with next-to-no exceptions, they were all unrepentant sickos. She visibly relaxed and gave him a huge grin. “I mean, yeah, sure. If you want.” Now that she was facing him, he noticed she was wearing a black t-shirt with a logo identical to the one on the coffee shop’s window. His eyes widened. “Damn, was this guy creeping on you at work?” He delivered a swift, powerful kick into the man’s ribs. “That’s even worse, harassing minimum wage workers like that!” He kicked him again for good measure. “People like you are what’s making this city such a shithole!” “Damn.” The girl raised her dark brown eyebrows, clearly impressed. “Who are you again?” Do I tell her my real name, or do I use that moniker Lilith came up with… In a split second, he made his decision and went into full actor mode as he grabbed the hapless pervert and dragged him over to a nearby dumpster. “You might not have heard of me quite yet,” he intoned, “but pretty soon the whole city will. For far too long, this city has been a breeding ground for the worst sort of criminals possible, and I’m sick of it! I’ve grown tired of watching parents go home to find their kids missing. I’m tired of senseless murders and gang violence. And I’m tired,” he slammed the pervert against the dumpster, “of creeps who take advantage of girls.” With a mighty heave, he tossed the guy face first into the foul garbage of the dumpster and slammed the lid shut. “Too many people in this city love crime, but me?” He turned and gave the blue-haired girl a suave, dramatic look. “I’m Loveless.” Nailed it, Jason. There was an amused smirk on her face. It almost appeared as though she might start laughing at him, but instead, she simply said, “I’m pretty sure you’re my hero, now.” He smiled. “Shit, really?” His acting skills were a bit rusty, so he was worried he wouldn’t have been able to pull the monologue off, especially since he improvised everything but the last line. Yet, it seemed he’d managed to get a fan. “Uh, yeah?” She took a sip from her coffee before continuing. “You have no idea how many times us women are told to ‘deal with it’ when someone makes a nasty comment about our chest or ass. I feel like I just found a unicorn or something.” “My mom raised me to respect women, and some of my best friends went through this same sort of shit. Hell, my friend waiting for me in the car has one hell of a story about this subject,” he said, crossing his arms. “I just don’t see any damn sense in being a creep with no morals.” He turned and shouted back to the dumpster, “She ain’t gonna like you if you’re acting a fool, my man!” “Not that I needed saving or anything,” the girl remarked, “but, like, I can make an exception for you, I guess.” She grinned as she continued slowly sipping her drink. He held up his hands again. “No, no, I know that. You were giving this guy one hell of a beatdown before I decided to check things out. But I meant everything I said: I hate perverts, and I especially hate the crime in this city, so I wanna do something about it.” “Color me impressed.” She shifted from one foot to the other. “You’re off to a good start, I’d say.” He grinned, but it immediately faltered. “I don’t think I’m off to that good of a start when I’m too much of an ass to even ask your name.” He’d been so caught up in the euphoria of someone thinking his Loveless persona was cool that he’d forgotten basic manners. His mother would be ashamed of him. “It’s Ah-na. You know, spelled like Anna, but cooler.” “Cool as a popsicle.” He gave her an awkward thumbs up before almost immediately realizing he looked and sounded like a huge dork. Before he could say anything else, a voice called out from the entrance of the alley. “Hey, boss, you gonna introduce me to your girlfriend or what?” Lilith shouted. Jason sighed. “You know you don’t gotta call me ‘boss.’ We’re friends.” “But calling you ‘boss’ makes us sound like cool big shots instead of a mixed bag of nuts!” “Boss?” Anna lifted a brow. “Yeah!” Lilith said, skipping down the alley. “I’m his driver! Ever see that one movie where Ryan Gosling drives people around? You know, Drive? That’s me. I’m Ryan Gosling, but I don’t have a cool scorpion jacket. I do have a way nicer ass than he does, though.” She held out her hand to Anna. “The name’s Lilith.” “Anna Eckehard.’” The blue-haired girl shook Lilith’s hand briefly before tucking a loose strand of hair that had escaped her ponytail behind her ear, which was decorated with several small silver hoops and two circular white jeweled studs. “Oooh, we’re doing last names too? Mine’s Crowley, like that crazy bald wizard guy. I might be related to him, honestly. That guy did fuck a lot…” Jason sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Okay Lilith, what are you doing down here?” Lilith shrugged. “I wanted to see if you were roping this girl into our crazy schemes or what.” “Crazy what now?” Anna instantly stared at her suspiciously. Lilith jerked her thumb at Jason. “Did he not give a speech to you about fighting crime and saving the city? He’s been practicing in front of the mirror every morning for weeks! Come on, man!” “Oh, yeah, no, he did.” She glanced at Jason and gave him a small, playful grin. “I guess I didn’t realize he was like, you know, actually doing it on a regular basis or anything.” “Are you kidding? This guy has me drive him around on his days off to look for criminals to kick the shit out of!” Lilith grinned and spread out her arms. “So, anyway! You wanna come on our crazy cool crusade against crusty creeps and crooked criminals?” Anna snorted. “Try saying that five times fast.” Without missing a beat, Lilith did so with perfection. “How’s that?” she smirked. Cocking her head to one side inquisitively, Anna asked Jason, “Is she always this fun?” Jason shook his head. “No. Sometimes she forces me to listen to Madonna in the car while driving fifty above the speed limit.” “Well I think that’s fun,” Lilith pouted. “Sounds more fun than what I usually do after work.” Anna shrugged and grinned. “I’m in.” Holy shit, Jason thought, his eyes widening. They’d actually managed to finally get someone else in on this. Lilith seemed to share his excitement. “Hell yeah!” she cheered, “Now there’s five of us!” “There’s more than just you two?” She resumed sipping her drink. “Yeah, my younger brother and a friend of ours we met a few months back,” Jason answered. “We’ve been doing good with just us four, but we’ve been kinda stuck trying to figure out how to break it big. Our endgame is to get in good with Ms. Mathers.” “Jemima Mathers: Hero of the City!” Lilith said dramatically as she struck a pose. “She’s tough on crime like Scruff McGruff, she’s unmatched in philanthropy, and she looks pretty damn fine for an old lady if I do say so myself.” “She’s only in her forties, girl,” Jason laughed. “Forty is the new fifty,” Lilith retorted. “Maybe. Probably not. You don’t pay me to think; you pay me to drive.” “Wait, do I get paid for this?” Anna’s eyes lit up with excitement. Jason nodded. “My brother will pay you whether you like it or not.” “Even better. So, what do I have to do?” “Help us kick the asses of people like dumpster boy over there.” He pointed back at the groaning, injured man who had finally crawled out and was covered in filth. “And I get paid for that?” She looked skeptical, but the grin on her face made it obvious she was sold on the idea. “Look, you’ll get it when you meet Valentine. You’ll take one look at him and be like ‘Yeah, this dude is crazy enough to pay me to kick the shit out of people,’ mark my words,” Lilith laughed as she headed out of the alley. “Now come on! We’re gonna take you back to the Batcave so you can get the grand tour, newbie!” Anna shrugged and started following her. As she walked out of the alley and into the sunlight, Jason noticed something on her face that hadn’t been visible in the dim shadows: a two inch long horizontal scar just under her left eye. “You got a scar too, huh?” Jason asked. “Everyone in this gang’s got one. It’s hard to miss Lilith’s or my friend Rika’s. Yours is kinda sneaky, though. I didn’t even notice it until just now. How’d you get it, if you don’t mind me asking?” Confused, Anna reached up to touch her face with her coffeeless hand, almost as though she’d entirely forgotten she had it. “Oh,” she started slowly, “this? It’s just from a stupid fight. I thought I knew what I was doing, but I didn’t, and the guy got the advantage on me. He had a knife, and I had nothing but my fists.” He nodded in solemn understanding. He’d had his fair share of injuries, though less from not knowing what he was doing and more from underestimating just how tough some of the thugs on the street could be. He’d picked up pretty quickly that if you were gonna fight crime in this city, you had to expect anything. “It probably makes me look way less attractive, right?” she pouted. “What? No, you look great, popsicle.” Did you really just call her that, Jason? Lilith snorted. “Popsicle? What, did you give her a lick and find out she tasted like blue raspberry?” “No, it’s cuz she’s cool,” Jason sighed. “You had to be there, I guess.” Lilith just shrugged. “Whatever you say, big guy. You wanna ride shotgun, Anna?” With a playful glint in her eyes, she answered, “Is it okay if I ride in the back?” Lilith gave her a wink. “Of course, girl. But make sure you buckle up.” Jason was beyond confused by this little exchange, but he seriously hoped Anna would heed her advice. If she didn’t buckle up, she was going to regret it. They got in the car and, almost as soon as their seatbelts were on, Lilith took off. Less than five minutes later, she screeched to a stop in the driveway of 1991 Loomer Street. “Well,” she said as she shut off the car, “here we are.” The house was seemingly normal, albeit slightly worn down and in need of light repairs. The grass in the front yard was a little overgrown (since Val was too lazy to mow the lawn), but overall their home had a charm to it that was more obvious on the inside. “Do you all, like, live here?” Anna asked as she stepped outside of the car. “Yeah,” Jason replied. “All four of us so far, though Lilith sometimes stays at her parent’s house or her sister’s apartment depending on what she’s up to. This house here belonged to my grandparents. They left it to my mother, but she never got a chance to obtain ownership, so it ended up being passed on to my little brother, who was next-in-line according to their will. This is where we run this operation from.” Anna didn’t look entirely impressed, but she smiled politely anyway. “Well, come on,” Jason said, gesturing for her to follow him, “I’ll show you around.” “And I’m going to look through all the unanswered texts from my sister!” Lilith exclaimed. “I bet she’s sending me pics of this male stripper from the club she goes to. She thinks I would totally be into the guy.” She paused for a short moment before adding, “And she’s absolutely right. I might have to ask her to bring me with her when she goes to ogle her friend so I can get at this man.” Anna rolled her eyes with an amused grin and followed Jason inside. “Yo!” he called out as they entered the house, “I’m back, and I got a new member for our team!” Rika, the young, fit Japanese woman he called his friend, dashed out of the living room. She was wearing a faded pair of jeans and a red T-shirt covered by a jean vest. She was stroking her long, spiky, fire engine red ponytail as she approached Anna. Standing in front of her, she tilted her head to one side curiously. “Oh, hello! Guess I’m not the newest member anymore.” She held out her hand to Anna. “I’m Rika.” Jason glanced at Anna with slight concern. He noticed her looking at the pale scars covering Rika’s left arm—she didn’t do too much to hide them. Thankfully, she didn’t say anything, opting instead to simply shake her hand in return. “Nice to meet you,” she smiled. “I’m Anna.” Rika gave a small, reserved smile in return. “I like your hair. It’s kinda funny... My hair’s red, Lilith’s is white, and yours is blue. We’re finally an All-American crime fighting team!” Before Anna could even open her mouth to reply, Jason’s little brother came cartwheeling down the front stairs like the colossal showboating dork that he was, finishing off his stunt with a flip through the air to land a foot away from Rika. “Howdy! I’m Valentine!” Jason shook his head in amusement. It was hard for him to believe, but Val had really stepped up his game with his gymnastic tricks; those classes he took seemed to have really paid off in the end. It wasn’t exactly what one would expect from a perpetually-smiling young man who looked like Michael Jackson did in the 80s, right down to wearing a jacket that appeared identical to the one in “Thriller,” but it was just one of the many things that made him unique. “Holy shit,” Anna exclaimed. “That was awesome! Where did you learn to do that?” “I took some classes! My brother said I was not fighting crime if I couldn’t handle myself!” “Yeah, yeah. Wish you didn’t know how to handle yourself. Would be one less thing to worry about...” Jason snorted. “Hey!” Val exclaimed. “You can’t expect me to not want to be Robin when you’re off playing Batman!” “Ooh, are we superheroes now?” Anna piped up. “Can I be Poison Ivy?” Val put his hands on his hips and looked at Anna as if she had just grown another head. “Um, excuse me? Poison Ivy is a villain, and we beat those up around here!” “Let’s just be random characters,” Lilith chimed in as she walked past, staring at her phone hungrily. “I wanna be Garfield. I fucking love lasagna, dude.” “I’m hopping on the cat theme! Let me be Skimbleshanks the Railway Cat!” Rika added. “Guys,” Val whined, “we’re supposed to be superheroes, not a bunch of cats!” “No, wait, I think they’re on to something,” Jason teased. “I wanna be a Thundercat; those guys were pretty ripped. What was the main guy’s name? Lion-O?” Val groaned loudly in response. “Wait, Catwoman is a superhero, right? Can I be her?” Anna laughed and glanced in Jason’s direction. “Bro, you suck. Stop encouraging everyone to be weird.” Val ran his hand through his hair and sighed. “...Okay, fine, I guess I’ll be Hello Kitty. Happy now, Jason?” Anna turned back around to face Val. “Aw, you’d make a cute Hello Kitty. I think a bow would look really nice in your hair!” The tone of her voice sounded playful and friendly, thankfully indicating she was being genuine and not teasing him. Val’s smile brightened. “I changed my mind, I like this girl. She knows what she’s talking about!” Jason tapped Anna’s shoulder. “Well, now that we’ve determined we’re all cats, want me to show you around?” “Yeah, sure,” she nodded, turning back around towards him once again. The front hallway wasn’t the best place to have a conversation, especially since she was caught in the middle with Rika and Val on one side and Jason on the other. “Alright guys, let’s spread out so I can show our new friend around!” Jason stated. Val and Rika moved out of the way and left Jason free to give her the grand tour. He showed her the cozy living room with its old, but functional, TV stand, the well-stocked kitchen (the only place in the house that was totally clean since he loved to cook), the backyard with its old tool shed, and, finally, the upstairs bedrooms. “That one’s Rika’s, that one’s Val’s, that one is where Lilith stays, and that one’s mine,” he said as he pointed each one out. “We had to repurpose a few rooms, but our grandparents were pretty well-off, so they’re all pretty spacious. Wasn’t too hard to set things up, and we even have a few rooms to spare.” “Dang, that’s really cool,” Anna admitted. “Your house is really neat, honestly.” “Thanks,” Jason grinned. “I have a lot of good memories here from when I was a kid. Making gingerbread cookies with Grandma at Christmas, watching the Shaft movies with Grandpa, playing out in the backyard with my sister…” He trailed off as the memories hit him with the strength of a freight train. God, did he miss his sister. He hadn’t seen her since the day he was released from prison and she’d told him that Val should go with him since he’d be better at keeping their little brother safe than she could (which was total bullshit since she was tough as nails and stronger than he could ever hope to be). Anna’s concerned voice cut through his pain. “Are you okay?” Jason shook his head. “No, yeah, I’m fine. Anyway... You, uh, wanna see my room? Can’t show you the others but I guess I can show you where I sleep.” The corners of her mouth curved upwards in a sly grin. He wasn’t entirely sure, but it almost looked like she was blushing. “Yeah, sure.” He led her down to the end of the hall and pushed open the door to his room. He didn’t think it was anything particularly special; he had a king-sized bed, a bookshelf filled with all sorts of classical literature, some posters of his favorite plays from high school hung up on the wall, and a black dresser with a cute blue stuffed poodle perched on top facing towards his bed. “Well, I don’t think it’s anything super special, but it’s still my space,” he admitted. “I like it,” she complimented. “It looks cozy.” He nodded in agreement, then gave her a curious look. “So, I get you probably deal with a lot of shit being a woman working in a city like this, but I gotta ask: What makes you want to fight crime so much you’d just jump in with me and the team like that? Cuz I got a feeling there’s something more to this than some creepy pervert trying to grab ass at the coffee shop.” The smile faded from her face, and she shoved the hand that wasn’t holding a now-empty cup in the pocket of her jeans. “It’s… complicated, really.” “Well, I’m willing to try and untangle what you throw at me if you’re willing to talk.” He moved over to his bed and sat down on the edge, patting the spot next to him as a sign for her to sit down as well. She pulled her hand back out of her pocket and did so. “You’ve probably never heard of him, but my dad used to be a pretty well-known lawyer. He was my hero, honestly. He helped put away a ton of criminals, and everyone at the law firm he worked at loved him. He got along pretty well with the police, too. Like, he was one of the best. “But, I mean, he pissed off quite a few people too. I can’t even tell you how many times someone would throw a brick through one of our windows or leave notes with threats on his car. I was always scared for him, but he always told me he’d be okay. And he was. Until he wasn’t.” “What happened?” “I don’t know.” She lowered her head and stared at her empty cup, absentmindedly playing with the straw. “He pissed off the wrong gang, I guess? Locked up someone pretty important to them? I was only twelve, so how could I possibly begin to understand what he did to deserve getting attacked? I still don’t know what they did. Dad never told me. But it had to have been pretty bad because he’s blind now. He was forced to retire, and now he stays at home with a live-in caretaker.” Jason clenched his fists. It was the sort of story he’d heard so many times before. “I’m sorry, Anna. That’s beyond fucked.” “That’s not even the worst part.” She lifted her head and stared at him with a furious expression on her face. “All his friends in the law firm? All the police he got along with? Not a single one even bothered to try to find who did this to him. They all turned their backs on my dad when he needed their help the most.” “It’s always shit like this, isn't it? Everyone working in law is too self-serving…” He could feel his anger rising too, and then, through the anger, an idea began to form. “These lawyers… Are you telling me they just threw your dad under the bus? That they might be in on this shit? Her eyes widened, and she looked completely dumbfounded. “I don’t know. I’ve never really thought about it. Do you think they might have been?” “Maybe. I dunno. But with how shit the cops and lawyers in this city are…” He turned towards Anna and grinned. “You wanna find out? And if they are behind what happened to your dad, you wanna kick their asses?” A mischievous smirk appeared on her face. “Damn right I do.” “Well then, guess I’m gonna tell Lilith to go talk to her little Italian buddy with the connections and see what he can dig up.” Anna lowered her head again, the loose strands of her hair falling around her face. “You’d really do that for me? Even though we just met?” “Hell yeah, girl!” Jason exclaimed. “Someone’s gotta bring some justice to this damn city! And if this is really something, if there’s really a bunch of crooked lawyers… this might be just the thing to put this team on the map. And once we’re on the map, it’ll only be a matter of time before we can team up with Jemima Mathers and really be productive at kicking crime out of the city!” ****** Nothing was more satisfying to Jemima Mathers on a lovely Monday morning than punishing an incompetent mercenary. She’d given such simple directions, but he couldn’t manage even that. “How hard is it to keep track of one person?” she barked before backhanding the man, who was tied tightly to a wooden chair in the middle of her basement. He yelped in response. “Dozens more before you could, so what the hell is your excuse?” Behind her stood two men she trusted more than anyone else in Rhine City: Macavity, her personal bodyguard, and Ryo Amano, a wealthy restaurant owner who she’d befriended over the past few years. Ryo had loaned her one of his men for this job as it was a rather easy one and her own mercenaries were all tasked with jobs to accomplish over the weekend. She’d been extremely displeased to discover that morning that the man had failed to keep tabs on his target. Perhaps it was the person in question that ignited her fury further. Minerva Bright had been a thorn in her side for the past ten years. Miss Bright had once been an employee of hers, but she’d quit after refusing to do a very simple job. Ever since then, Jemima had been trying to run her out of town, particularly since she was afraid the woman would attempt to soil her reputation in the city. Jemima was, without a doubt, the richest and most powerful woman in Rhine City. She was seen as a guardian by the citizens; she was a protector who punished the criminals running amok and assisted the police department. The mayor of the city was useless, and the people deserved someone who was going to keep them safe. Yet all the money in the world was worth nothing when there was someone out there who threatened her good name. “Don’t go easy on him!” Ryo called out in a sing-song voice. “He knew what he was signing up for here! Very, very disappointed in him.” “Not exactly my place,” Macavity spoke out in his even British accent, “but considering who he was tailing, might want to cut him a little slack. Been ten years and we ain’t caught Minerva yet. How’d we think this stringbean would get her?” “I didn’t expect him to apprehend her,” Jemima explained. “I expected him to watch her. She was on the move again, and now we have absolutely no idea where she’s hiding.” Ryo let out a frustrated sigh and moved forward to the tied-up mercenary, grabbing his cheeks. “What is it I ask of all the people in my employ to do? Follow my orders and follow Ms. Mathers’ orders to the letter. And what, exactly, have you done? The exact fucking opposite,” Ryo hissed. The mercenary whimpered as Ryo squeezed his cheeks even harder before finally letting go and backhanding the man himself. “Fuck! I think I sprained my wrist, you little shit…” The Japanese man whirled back towards Jemima, a pleasant smile on his face. “I have no idea how you handle this sort of thing day in and day out, Jemima.” “Lots and lots of wine,” she joked with a light-hearted laugh before turning her attention back to the mercenary. “Whoever trained you should be absolutely disgusted with your abysmal performance. This is certainly not the quality I expect. You will find her location before the sun rises tomorrow morning, or there will be hell to pay. Do you understand me?” “I can tell you one thing for certain,” Ryo chuckled. “Kenzo sure didn’t train this guy. Where the hell even is he, Macavity? Is he still in the bathroom?” “Must be,” Macavity replied. Her bodyguard, a tall black man with impressive muscles that often intimidated almost everyone he met, stepped forward and looked down at the hapless mercenary, who shivered in genuine fear as the man peered at him from behind his dark glasses. “What you want me to do with this one, then? Get ‘em cleaned up and ready to work? Or we just leaving ‘em here for now?” “Leave him there for now. Perhaps he can use that time to ponder his next course of action. I believe my breakfast is waiting for me upstairs. Shall I have the table set for four, Mr. Amano?” He gave her a playful, casual shrug with a charming grin on his face. “How can I refuse such an offer?” "You can’t,” she answered with a laugh. “Especially not with the delicious ham and eggs I had the chef whip up. Shall I meet you in the dining room, then?” “Sure, sure, I think I just need a minute to make sure my man here is explained in crystal fucking clear terms what to expect if he messes this job up again,” Ryo politely waved to her. “You go on ahead, Jemima. And tell Kenzo to get down here if you see him. I promise, I won’t keep you waiting long.” She stared at him with a stern gaze. “Keep in mind my one rule, won’t you?” She smiled sweetly. “We never kill. Ever.” “Right, right, of course! I’m a sucker for rules, you know! Promise!” He pulled out an ornate gold pocket watch emblazoned with the letters “RA” with detailed depictions of thorny vines carved into it. “I’ll set this for just two minutes. That’ll be plenty enough time to talk sense into him.” “Very well.” She, with Macavity right behind her, turned towards the thick concrete staircase and ascended to the main floor. Waterfall Springs Villa was a massive three-story mansion that sat in one of the richest neighborhoods in the city. She had few neighbors, all of whom owned large homes of their own. The privacy was perfect for a woman of her status, and there was more than enough room for her to house a full staff and yet still have plenty of space for unexpected guests (not that she generally had any). “Please see to it that the table is set for the four of us, Macavity,” she instructed, waving a hand dismissively as she made her way to the small first floor bathroom. With the door closed behind her, she quickly washed the blood from her knuckles, which had started to swell and bruise, an unfortunate side effect of the discipline she’d dished out. With a sigh, she gazed at her reflection in the gold-rimmed mirror hanging on the beige sandy bathroom wall above the white porcelain sink. Her older age was quickly catching up with her, likely because of the stress her work brought. Soft wrinkles had begun to set into the almond brown skin on her face. Though she was able to cover them up with foundation and makeup, she knew they were there. Her hair was beginning to grey as well, turning the lovely chestnut brown color into an ashy bistre. It wasn’t as noticeable when she tied her hair into a neat bun at the top of her head fortunately. That’s life, I suppose, she thought to herself sadly. Whether she liked it or not, she was going to continue to age. She pushed her grey-rimmed glasses up the bridge of her nose and straightened her black pantsuit before leaving the bathroom and walking towards the dining room. A thin, tall Japanese man with a very serious face nearly bumped into her. “Ah, forgive me, Ms. Mathers. I expect you are done with your guest?” “Indeed,” she replied. “Mr. Amano is still in the basement and wishes to see you.” “Very well.” With a slight bow, he headed in the direction of the lower floor, leaving Jemima alone once more. Macavity, as expected, was already in the dining room, standing behind his seat and waiting politely. “I know what you’re going to say,” she sighed as she entered. She’d known him for ten years now, during which they’d become friends (though she’d never admit it out loud). He was, without a doubt, the best member of her staff. She’d met him while dining one evening at Ryo’s restaurant. At the time, Macavity had been a cook. It wasn’t typical for the kitchen staff to be in the dining area of the restaurant, but Jemima was quite glad he had been. Apparently, a newer server asked him for help delivering a large order to one of her tables. Coincidentally, at the same time, someone tried stealing her purse. As Jemima had been wearing heels, pursuing the thief was nearly impossible, but Macavity quickly chased him down and retrieved her bag. She’d been so impressed that she demanded he work for her as her personal bodyguard. Naturally, spending so much time together meant they grew quite close. While this had its benefits, as he was able to anticipate her needs before she was even aware of them, he also became her voice of reason (often when she really didn’t want it). “Which thing?” he asked with subtle amusement. “‘Boss, you really shouldn’t have busted that guy up so bad if you want him working the next day,’ or ‘Bloody hell, I’m glad I don’t work for that guy anymore?’” She contemplated these answers before admitting, “Both.” He snorted. “Think you might have psychic powers, boss. Or maybe I’m just too predictable these days.” “I’ve known you for nearly a decade, Macavity,” she pointed out as she took her seat at the head of the rectangular oak table. “You’re too predictable as far as I’m concerned.” He simply shrugged. “Long as I can keep you safe, don’t much care how predictable I am.” Ryo marched into the room shortly after, Kenzo by his side, and slammed his pocket watch shut. “Ah, just in time! The gang’s all here now!” “Excellent.” She smiled and gestured to their seats, inviting them to sit. “I’m starving.” She turned her head towards the swinging white oak door that led to the adjoining kitchen. “Breakfast please, Juan.” Almost immediately, a middle-aged Hispanic man, dressed in a classic white chef’s outfit, entered through the door with a younger man following behind him who looked almost identical. His teenage son was working as his apprentice during the summer to learn culinary art skills. Jemima had been quite happy to take him on in a summer position. She loved fine food and was quite glad to provide the youth with such opportunities whenever possible. Juan and his son dished out seasoned scrambled eggs and pieces of honey-glazed ham onto each plate and filled their glasses with passion fruit juice before returning to the kitchen. The food looked and smelled divine. Juan was an amazing chef and excelled at his job. But, of course, her staff contained only the best of the best. She deserved nothing less than that. Lifting her glass, she gazed at her guests and said, “A toast to our success in finding Minerva Bright once again and driving her from this city for once and for all!” “Hear, hear,” Ryo grinned, lifting up his glass, followed by Macavity and Kenzo silently doing the same. They all took a sip of their juice before digging into their food. It tasted as delicious as it looked, and Jemima lost herself in the exquisite flavors. I will accept failure no more, she thought with a satisfied smile. I will find Minerva, and I will ensure she leaves. I will not have my name tarnished by such a selfish woman. ******
Victoria Akdemir was often lost in memories of the past; today was no different. Though she appeared to be standing by the floor-length windows in her bedroom watching something outside, her mind was elsewhere. Today, she was reliving a memory of a dinner she and Dracula had shared. It was shortly after he asked for her hand in marriage. They had celebrated with the finest wine and their closest friends. The happiness she’d felt at the time and the smile on his face made her chest tighten in pain. It had been exactly 127 years since he had been killed in front of her, and, yet, she still was unable to move on. Many members of the coven whispered behind her back where they thought she was unable to hear them. Many believed she was too lost in her grief and needed to put him to rest, so to speak. It was so easy for them to say considering almost all of the current members did not even know him personally; they’d merely heard stories. But she’d known him better than anyone else, and now he was gone. Or that’s what most believed. Deep down, she knew he would return, but how and when, she did not know. And every day since his death, her very soul ached to be near him again. A gentle knock at the door drew her attention back to reality. “Miss Victoria?” came Macheath’s voice from the other side. “I brewed you some tea.” She hastily wiped the tears, which she hadn’t been aware had fallen from her hazel-colored eyes, and turned towards the door. She quietly cleared her throat, then announced, “Enter.” Macheath entered the room dressed in their uniform from the bar they worked at. They were one of the few who still remembered the old days and understood Victoria’s pain. They had been in Dracula’s school, joining shortly after their turning. Macheath Sharpe had once been a roguish highwayman who had robbed and plundered travelling nobles. Eventually, however, their misdeeds had caught up with them, and they were thrown in jail. As a result, they were disowned by their family. The jailor had apparently been a vampire who turned them for unsavory purposes, but she and Dracula had managed to rescue them before anything untoward had happened. Being turned, however, was quite beneficial for Macheath as their power allowed them to shapeshift. Prior to being turned, they had struggled with their identity. Though it hadn’t been an immediate discovery, eventually, they had found a form they were comfortable with (the one they currently wore). Watching Macheath gain self-confidence over the years brought a smile to Victoria’s face, albeit a small one considering her constant state of misery. “Figured you might want something before I head out to work, and all…” they said, gently placing the mug of tea down on her bedside table. “Also, uh. Might want to go downstairs soon. Matt and Sakura are at it again, her sister is scared, and Eric’s trying his best but it’s not doing much, to be honest.” She, quite honestly, did not have the energy for this. Then again, she never did. Though she knew deep down this was not the life Dracula would want her to live, it was hard not to be trapped in a never-ending state of sorrow. Without him by her side, she felt lonely and lost. Regardless, she picked up the mug and took a sip. Macheath had prepared her favorite: warm chamomile tea with honey. “I will see it is taken care of. Thank you, Macheath.” She offered them a smile, though she knew it likely wasn’t very convincing. Macheath gave her an understanding nod in return, then politely backed out of the room. For the next few minutes, Victoria sipped her tea slowly. It felt comforting and would likely give her the strength and patience she needed to deal with Sakura and Matt. She was, after all, the leader of the coven now in Dracula’s absence. It was her duty to ensure the members behaved. Once her tea was gone, she set the mug on her bedside table and began walking through the house to the living room. Hawthorne Manor was not her first choice of a home, but it provided just what the coven needed: safety. The house was old and decrepit; the mortals of Rhine City barely gave it a second glance. It’s location, in a small, quiet neighborhood, and the rumors that lingered about the manor being haunted kept most mortals away. Still, she would have rather had a much more elegant setting. She knew this house was not what Dracula would want for the coven, but Victoria opted for safety over beauty. They’d been here for several decades already without incident. Unlike previous homes they’d had, the coven had yet to be discovered in Rhine City. Hawthorne Manor was safe, and it was, unfortunately, home. The sounds of an argument echoed down the hall; even from this distance, she could tell it was Sakura and Matt bickering as they often did. Both Matt and Sakura joined the coven about a decade ago. Sakura Himura and her sister, Yuriko, had apparently wandered the Earth doing as they pleased for quite a long time. Sakura often spoke of the Satsuma Rebellion with the bitterness of someone who was there, which would mean she and her sister were over 150 years old at least. Not that she would admit it, but she preferred the shy, devout Yuriko to her brash, loud-mouthed, and more bitter sister. As for Matt Black, he was a much younger vampire who had more humble roots. He had been a wanderer and a hitchhiker, traveling America to hang out at various bars and attend a number of concerts. His turning occured in the 90’s, and he had wandered about until he had found the coven and settled for the safety of Hawthorne Manor. Unfortunately, much like Sakura, he had a tendency to be foul-mouthed and raucous and doubly unfortunate was his long-standing rivalry with Sakura. The two frequently butted heads over the most inane of subjects. Dracula, grant me strength from wherever you rest, she thought to herself as she reached the ground floor and entered the living room. With the loudest and most authoritative voice she could muster, she asked, “What is going on in here?” Sakura whirled around, her glassy, clouded eyes sightlessly fixating on her. She gave Victoria an overconfident grin. “I was just trying to politely inform Matt that a samurai could take out a cowboy any day of the week.” Victoria was silently thankful she was unable to see the sheer exhaustion that was, no doubt, etched on her face from having to deal with this. On the other side of the room was Matt, silently fuming while his face turned red with irritation; standing closer to the wall behind Matt was Yuriko, who was nervously tapping her fingers together with awkward discomfort on her face (a common sight when she became stressed due to her sister’s belligerent tendencies); and finally, standing with his arm wrapped around Yuriko’s shoulders in a comforting manner, was Eric Madden. Eric was another younger member of the coven, having voluntarily joined in the late 90’s so that he could be around others of his own kind and ensure the safety of his mortal family. He had been rather distant at first, but, eventually, he warmed up to the other members and became a more active and popular member. Victoria sighed in irritation and rubbed her temple. “We have discussed your anger management before, have we not? It is possible to have a debate without shouting. Need I remind you we all have heightened senses and can hear the two of you from several rooms away?” “Do you know how irritating it is to hear your life’s passion be so disrespected? Some punk with a gun could not beat a samurai!” Sakura grumbled. As usual, Sakura’s anger stemmed from her irritation at Western culture. It had always seemed like there was some underlying heartache to her bitterness towards the West, but Victoria had never had the emotional capacity to try and understand it in all the time she’d known her, something she was rather ashamed to admit. “Maybe I wouldn’t need to disrespect it if it wasn’t lame as shit!” Matt snapped. “Both of you will refrain from further outbursts or I will be forced to take unwanted action.” She stared at both of them sternly, though she knew only one was likely to be affected by it. As expected, Matt took a few deep breaths and muttered a sheepish, embarrassed apology. Sakura, meanwhile, continued her tirade. “I’m always the damn villain around here. Where’s your best pal, Roarke? Can’t you pick on him instead? He probably did something wrong.” Roarke’s very existence was wrong, but she wasn’t about to voice that. She’d taken on the same principle Dracula had whenever a vampire wished to join the coven: So long as they weren’t untrustworthy, they were welcome in with open arms. This applied to even the most intolerable vampires, like the pretty boy who was infamous for sleeping with as many women as possible. “Fuck’s sake, Sakura, leave Roarke alone,” Eric snapped. “And can you maybe just accept you’re being a bit of a hothead and apologize? Whatever, Matt doesn’t like samurai, there’s no damn reason to be causing a huge fucking scene over it!” Sakura’s entire face fell, any ounce of confidence she might have had vanishing. Eric was one of the few people Sakura actually liked in the coven, and hearing such anger in his voice was clearly not enjoyable for her. “A-Alright,” she mumbled. “I’m… I’m sorry, Queen Bee. Sorry, sis, and Eric… and… Matt.” She said the last bit through gritted teeth before holding out her arm and staring down at the floor. “Sis, can you take me up to see Carlos, please? I think I need to cool down for a bit.” Yuriko gently pulled herself from Eric’s grip and took her sister’s arm. She gave Victoria a polite bow. “I’ve got this from here, Victoria. I’m sorry Sakura was such a bother. She’s a bit too excitable sometimes.” She gave her a sweet smile before leading her cantankerous sister slowly out of the room. With that settled, Victoria quietly left the living room and started up the stairs to return to her bedroom. This little interaction had taken up all of the patience and energy she had. However, upon reaching her bedroom door, she was stopped by a voice calling to her from further down the hallway. “Hey! Mom!” She turned to see Dahlia, her youngest daughter, skipping towards her. The dark cloud that lingered over Victoria’s head lightened ever-so-slightly. With her freckled face, lightly tanned skin, and blonde hair that cascaded down her shoulders, Dahlia was like a sunflower given human form, always ready to clear away the darkness with a warm smile. Victoria had greatly appreciated her daughter for sticking by her side, even as she kept to herself and, unfortunately, neglected to spend much time with her after Dracula’s death. “Hello, dear,” she answered her, aware of the fatigue in her voice. She really did try to appear cheerful for Dahlia. The last thing she wanted was to worry her daughter anymore than she likely was. Within a moment, Dahlia embraced her. “How’re you doing today? Cuz, honestly, you sound beat as all hell.” Victoria wrapped her arms around Dahlia and held her close. “I am, my dear. It is... not a good day for me.” This was really a moot statement as no day had been good for her since she lost her beloved, something Dahlia knew well, but she attempted a smile regardless to put on a brave face for the girl. Victoria had borne two children in her old life before she was turned, but she never felt an emotional connection to them. It was simply part of her duty as a slave; she’d had no choice in the matter. But her relationship with Dahlia was different. They weren’t that different in age, with Victoria only being a year older at an eternal age of 20, but that didn’t stop her from taking on the role of her mother. “Well, it might seem tough right now, but I promise you, things will pick up! I can feel it in my heart!” Dahlia beamed. Dahlia’s eternal optimism baffled Victoria, but it was also one of the things she loved most about her. Dahlia had been the daughter of plantation owners in the American South. She did all she could for her parents’ slaves, even making sure to look the other way and aiding some of them when they escaped. And even when she found out that her family had been selling slaves to feed the vampiric Confederate slave master, Cyrus Lovelace, she kept a brave face, helping as many as possible escape from that grisly fate before Lovelace caught her, turned her, and planned to sell her off as a slave herself, an immortal and indestructible one who could be used for the most depraved of purposes. Even when confronted with such horrors, she stayed defiant and strong, a strength rewarded when Victoria and Dracula saved her from Lovelace and drove him into hiding. Her willingness to stay brave in the face of adversity often gave Victoria comfort. Victoria smiled softly as she released Dahlia from their hug. “My days are always better when I see your smiling face.” “You know what would make your day even better than that? Going outside!” Dahlia gently tugged at her hand. “Come on, come on! Get some fresh air with me!” “I don’t have the energy for an outing, my dear.” Truthfully, it would probably do her some good as she hadn’t left the manor in years. Dahlia pouted. “But it’ll be fun! And you need some of that for sure! Come on, we can at least walk around the yard a bit or something!” She really wanted to tell her no and return to the safety of her room, where she could hide and be lost in her memories for as long as she wished, but it was quite difficult to refuse Dahlia when she was so insistent. With a small sigh, she gave in. “Very well.” Dahlia leapt into the air with joy. “Some fresh air’ll help clear your mind! Come on!” She practically dragged Victoria through the hall, down the staircase, and to the back door, which she flung open with unbridled excitement only to be greeted by a peculiar figure standing right in front of them on the porch. It was a woman who appeared to be in her mid-twenties. She was dressed in a strange arrangement of items: a green top hat with a purple ribbon tied around it rested atop her messy brown pixie cut; a dark green vest covered her top with a white dress shirt underneath, the sleeves rolled up to her elbows; a black and green checkerboard-patterned thigh high skirt; black fingerless gloves on her hands; and a pair of knee-high vibrant green boots. She seemed to be humming something to herself, rocking back and forth on her heels happily. It almost seemed as if she had been waiting for them to appear. It took her a moment to process exactly who she was seeing, as she had last seen the woman in 1887. Any doubt this was who she believed it to be was eradicated when she saw those blue-green eyes, with the left pupil being smaller than her right. “Rose?” Dahlia and Victoria exclaimed in unison. “‘Ello!” Rose chirped. Rose Millner was not a coven member Victoria particularly liked, though she didn’t like most of the current members. However, it wasn’t her disdain towards the woman that made her appearance on the Hawthorne Manor doorstep odd. Rather, it was the fact that she’d been missing since Dracula’s school was destroyed. “Sorry I didn’t call ahead of time! Would’ve been dangerous, it would! People on my tail, people on my trail... I had to come in person to deliver this news, I did! You want the good news first, or the bad news first?” Victoria didn’t want any news, really, but saying such would be irresponsible. With a sigh, she crossed her arms over her chest and stared expectantly at the woman. She was in no mood for Rose’s games. Rose continued to rock back and forth on her heels and hum happily, watching Victoria with increasing curiosity. “Well?” she finally demanded. “You didn’t tell me what you wanted first! I ain’t a mind reader! Wait! I am!” She giggled hysterically at this. Rose could indeed read minds, being a powerful telepath among other mental powers. In fact, she often heard other’s thoughts involuntarily, gleaning details most would not wish known by accident. This was something that could only be ameliorated (but not cured) by keeping her well-fed and in good spirits. Yet another reason she was not particularly happy to see her; she did not need anyone prying into her private thoughts. Immediately, she steeled her mind to attempt to prevent Rose from intruding on her constant sorrow. “I apologize, Dahlia, but it appears we will need to postpone our outing. Please come inside, wouldn’t you, Rose? This is, after all, your home too, yes?” Rose looked stunned. “It… It is? You’re okay with that?” “You’re a member of this coven, aren’t you? Unless, of course, you’ve joined another since we’ve last seen you.” “Course not! Who else would want me?” Her joking tone was betrayed by a sad look in her eyes. Victoria and Dahlia stepped back to allow the woman to come inside. She led them to the living room, which had emptied since the argument just moments before. Exhausted all over again, she sat down on the couch. Dahlia joined her, and Rose sat in an adjoining chair that, unfortunately, didn’t match the couch whatsoever (something that irritated Victoria, but she’d never been in the right mind to acquire a matching set to replace them). “Rose,” Victoria sighed, “please just tell me whatever it is you need to tell me.” “The snake’s got the last amulet,” Rose replied quickly. “Stole it from Raz, she did. I wouldn’t have known if she didn’t have some vampire killers try and tail me.” Closing her eyes, Victoria inhaled a deep breath slowly. This was not what she wanted to hear at all. Possessing the amulets of each member of the last Order of the Black Orchard would allow Eve to regain her full power, as it had been trapped and divided among the seven amulets by Dracula and Yefim Rasputin shortly before the former’s death. “But I got some good news too! Ain’t all doom and gloom from Rose! Raz found this down in Hong Kong, in the hands of some old killer who he liberated it from!” Victoria opened her eyes in time to see Rose remove her hat and reach inside it. She rummaged around for a moment before her face lit up, and she pulled something small and dark out. “Ta-da!” she exclaimed, using her telekinesis to levitate the item across the room and present it to her. It was a pitch-black ring inlaid with a shining ruby, undoubtedly the work of Rhiannon Rhydderch, a covenless Welsh blood mage and jeweler. She recognized it instantly, but she was too afraid to touch it. Was it real? Was it just a cruel joke? Could the legends, rumors, and hushed tales really be true? In a breathless whisper, she asked, “Is this...?” Rose nodded excitedly. “Take it! Take it! Put it on!” With a trembling hand, Victoria reached out and picked up the ring, her heart aching as she slipped it onto her finger. For a moment, nothing happened. Then, in the back of Victoria’s mind, an unmistakable voice rang out, the voice of her beloved Dracula who so many had long presumed dead. “...Victoria...” Her ringless hand rushed to cover her mouth, muffling a gasp, as tears rushed to her eyes. It couldn’t be... could it? She knew that voice very well, and she missed it dearly. Dahlia looked at her, startled. “Mom, what happened?” Rose smiled brightly. “There’s a way. A way to get him back, there is.” “What?” she breathed in disbelief. They were the exact words she had waited what felt like a lifetime to hear, but she couldn’t believe it. Was she really right all this time? Next to her, Dahlia gasped in disbelief, understanding dawning in her eyes. “Holy shit…” “Probably got a lot of questions, you do. Ask away! I got lots of answers! Raz gave me some!” Rose chirped. “How?” she whispered. “How do we bring him back?” Rose sighed. “Well, that’s the tricky bit, it is. Raz told me we need the blood of those who killed him in the first place! We need blood from a Moore, a Starr, a Quincey, a Carter, a Lovett, a Dangerfield and, um…” She paused nervously. “...Marianna.” All hope she’d had just a moment ago shattered completely. How in the world were they going to accomplish that? Finding one from each of the families of vampire killers and extracting blood from them was tricky enough, but Marianna Cross, the one who had dealt the final blow to her betrothed, as well? In her opinion, that wretched woman was as bad as Eve. Pinning her down long enough to get even a drop of blood would be nearly impossible. She hated how weak she felt in the presence of anyone, let alone Rose, but she couldn’t fight back the oncoming tears. She’d never be able to embrace him again and feel the warmth of his body, would she? The black ring on her finger seemed to warm for a moment and then fade; an odd feeling passed over her, as if someone had just gently caressed her cheek. Faintly, in the back of her mind, quiet as a whisper, came Dracula’s voice yet again. “Do not... give up... my love.” She knew he was right, and his quiet encouragement made her nod her head slowly. It wasn’t impossible, but it would take very careful planning. Dracula had chosen her because he believed in her. She lifted one hand to wipe away the tears, then mentally steadied herself. There was more information she needed from Rose. “What happened to Grigori?” Victoria asked. “I do not believe for one moment he’s truly dead.” “He... He covered for me when the snake came. Gave me time to escape with the ring, but I heard fighting back up the mountain when I fled, and since the killers were on my tail...” She shook her head. “I know he’ll be back, but it’s not fair. He should be here too now, he should.” Victoria nodded her head slowly as she processed this. Rasputin was alive somewhere, and he likely needed their help. Unfortunately, the coven was in no state to search for him, so all she could do was hope he could survive long enough to find them. “Is there anything else I need to know?” Rose nodded. “Yep! You got two extra rooms? This bit’s important for what I’m gonna tell you next.” There was a very excited smile on Rose’s face. “We have plenty of extra rooms,” she answered cautiously. “Well, to get out of Europe, had to go to a Silverwing base, and I figured, why not stop by the one where Teach’s old school was? Francis and Winston say hi, by the way! But I think there’s someone there you’d rather hear about, you would! And when I told her all this that I told you, she said she was going to come and help!” “Who?” she asked, completely perplexed. “Nadia!” Rose exclaimed. “Surprise! She’s on the way here!” Tears rushed to Victoria’s eyes again. “Nadia…?” She hadn’t seen her eldest daughter since Dracula died. Nadia had hidden away for reasons similar to Victoria: heartbreak. Though she had received the occasional letter from her daughter, it simply wasn’t the same as being able to speak with her, hug her, and spend time in person with her. Dahlia leapt out of her seat with excitement. “Sis is coming back?!” “She is, she is, she is! And she has ideas, and schemes, and…” Rose looked at Victoria and gave her a gentle smile. “And she feels awful ‘bout leaving you. She wants to make it up to you by doing this thing here.” For the first time in a very long time, Victoria felt a genuine smile on her face. “I believe I owe you a sincere apology for my poor behavior, Rose. No matter what state of agony I may be in, it is no excuse for the way I treated you when you finally came back to us.” “I… I’m just happy to have a home again,” Rose said, her eyes shifting downward to avoid looking her in the eyes. “It’s been too long, it has. I just hope we can save Teach. Maybe my brother, too. I got hope again cuz of all this.” “Dahlia,” Victoria started as she slowly rose to her feet, “can you please help Rose settle into a room? I… I would like to retire to my room.” “Of course, Mom.” Dahlia gently took Rose’s hand. “Come on, hun. Let’s find you a nice little room to call your own!” Her daughter dragged Rose off, leaving her alone once again. And yet, she was not truly alone. Dracula was there, even in a small way. They would be together again soon. After living in sorrow for so long, they would finally be reunited. She absentmindedly rubbed the ring as she made her way to her bedroom. I promise you, my love, I will do everything I can to ensure you’ll be with us again.
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AuthorsMichael & Tierney Ford Archives
July 2023
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