"I notice you didn't mention that we got our heads whacked," Douglas said, as he and Harry sat in the limo watching the day care house. They had parked in the driveway of an Anglican Church down the block and had a clean view of the house.

"I didn't think it would raise our esteem in Austin's eyes, particularly since you gave away his name."

"She'll tell him anyway. The bitch."

"Maybe. They seemed to get Rabb away from her without much trouble, considering her documented abilities." The statement oozed scorn.

"I told you she wasn't as tough as she let on."

Harry only rolled a sideways glance and held his tongue. He was more than aware of Vera's capabilities, and he wanted no part of them. Douglas was doomed to learn the hard way. He suddenly straightened up as a car pulled up in front of the day care and a woman got out, hurrying up the walk to the door.

"That's the mother. I recognize her from the bank this morning."

"How do we do this?"

"Follow them home and then we have a little invasion and some information gathering."

"What about the kids? Austin said--"

"I know what Austin said. I'm makin' the decisions on the ground and I want this damn job over with."

******

Vera sat on the front porch of Dylan and Catlin's house, feet up on the railing and a cup of coffee cradled in her hands. Mary had divulged the address during their pyjama party together - among other facts about their friends and themselves - in return for a pain free night. She knew that at some time soon they would be back home with their kids and she would be there to greet them.

Douglas popped into her head and she smiled to herself. How her father had become involved with such a poor quality specimen she couldn't imagine but when this was over Douglas would pay for his reckless disclosure of her father's name and his persistent attitude. Harry wasn't so bad, just an over the hill old pro without a lot of imagination.

The word imagination triggered suppressed fantasies and she stared up at the clear, cold sky as she saw little children sitting at her feet while their parents crawled helplessly around begging for mercy. The parents suddenly became white-coated medical people that towered over her, pointing syringes and tiny cups filled with coloured pills, scolding her for crying and pleading.

The heat from her tipped coffee jarred her awake from the hallucination and she swore, sitting up and patting at the damp spot on her lap. As she sat up she saw the car turn into the drive and she forced her mind to concentrate on the business at hand. The family emerged from the car and started up the sidewalk, the children bouncing around and clinging to their parent's legs, laughing.

Vera suddenly hated the parents and she tossed her coffee over the side railing and stood. The limo slid to a halt across the street and Harry and Douglas popped out, hurrying across to the house. Vera sighed and shook her head then froze as a huge Malibu rocked to a halt across the end of the driveway.

"Dylan!" Peter jumped out of the car and turned to face Harry and Douglas as they ran toward the drive.

Catlin quickly grabbed up the children and ran for the house while Dylan joined Peter as Douglas pulled an ugly looking knife from his jacket, waving it menacingly. Harry made a face but continued on, his momentum carrying him right into a tussle with Dylan.

The two men threw wild punches and then wrestled to the ground, rolling back down the drive to the sidewalk. Peter danced and dodged the flailing knife, putting Dylan's car between him and Douglas. The painful cry made everybody pause for a second, their attention on Douglas as he fell, bouncing off the trunk of the car and down onto the drive. Cheryl stood over him shaking, the wrench she'd carried dangling from her fingers.

A minute later Harry was face down on the sidewalk with duct tape being wound around his arms and legs. Dylan stood and dusted his hands.

"Not bad for amateurs, eh?"

"Where's Catlin?" Mary panted, holding the roll of tape out to Peter.

"She must have taken the kids inside. Where's Harv?"

They all ran up the drive to the house calling loudly. The crash inside made them stop and Dylan pulled the door open cautiously and called for his wife. Another crash, a scream and then the crying of children brought the group bursting into the house and through the living room to the family room.

Catlin was huddled in one corner by the TV holding both children. The coffee table and one chair lay broken in the middle of the room and Harv and Vera faced one another in fighter's crouches.

"Harv! What the hell...?"

"Harv here is very good," Vera called, smiling. "Actually very good for an old man."

"Watch out this old man doesn't take offence and kick your bitty butt right up into your smart mouth." They circled one another slowly and the group watched, mesmerized.

With blinding speed, Vera launched into a spinning high kick that Harv managed to defend with his forearm, but it hurt and he fell back into a bookcase. She moved again, this time a straight leg aiming for his chest and he dropped to one knee driving his other fist hard up into her thigh then spinning with a savage kick to her back as she rolled away grunting.

Immediately, Vera was on her knees, teeth bared and fingers curled into claws, bracing herself for a spring. When she did, surprise filled her face as Harv stepped nimbly to one side, forced her off track with a forearm slam to her own arms, followed by a hammer-fisted punch to the side of her head. Vera sailed across the room and slammed noisily into a plastic pedal car that split and fractured, one sharp edge burying itself in Vera's leg.

She tried to lift herself but suddenly her eyes rolled into her head and she flopped back jerking spasmodically.

"She's having some kind of fit, call an ambulance!" Mary stepped closer and stared down at the woman who had terrorized her but a brief time ago.

******

Douglas had apparently regained consciousness and untied Harry then they both jumped in the limo and fled before the paramedics arrived. The group agreed on a hastily concocted story about a martial arts practice and the resulting injury. Harv accepted a cursory examination, a couple of bandaids and then left with Cheryl.

Peter and Mary stayed with Dylan and Catlin and helped them tidy up their home. Peter promised to make good on the damage and he spent so much time apologizing Dylan pleaded with Mary to call a cab and get him out of their hair.