Can There Be Peace Ch. 04

This story is copyrighted 2017 by Kaereni, may not be excerpted, reprinted, reproduced, or reposted in any form without the express written consent of the author. Visitors may read or temporarily download pages but are not permitted to modify or re-distribute them.

The story may contain sexual activities and situations that are to be read only by readers above the legal age of consent. All characters are above the age 18. The story is not to be read in locations where such stories are illegal. If you are not of legal age, or live in the wrong place, please do not read.

Author's note: A special thanks goes to Ed for his work on editing my stories. Any mistakes you find are not his fault; they are mine for not making all of the changes he recommends.

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Karen kept looking at her hands clenched on the table before her. "In the gun room is a trap door and somewhere below must be dad's bunker. I have to know what is down there so I am going to give an order you will not follow. I want you four to go to the grove where it is safe while I explore and disarm his traps." She took a breath and let it out slowly, "One of you has already told me no she is not going to leave my side. Better to die with me than die alone," She looked at Baby Girl, "Right Baby Girl?"

"Damn right Mistress. Punish me, kill me but don't send me away." Baby Girl replied.

"Sister is right. We won't leave you to die alone Mistress. We are in this together come what may," Cat said.

Little Bit nodded, "I can't lose you now Mistress. I found love and joy in serving you."

Red said softly, "Mistress, let me go. I can do as good as any here. Better for me to die than you."

"No Red, Baby Girl made the same offer. But I know my father and know what I would do in his place. While mom took me under her wing, he taught me plenty about traps and hiding my trail from the government." Karen said.

She looked around the table, "I want a promise from each of you. I want you to swear on your very life that if it blows up in my face and I don't die, that you won't come down after me. Not until I say so. My guess is there are two traps on the steps down. One high to catch the first person and another lower to catch his rescuers." Karen looked at Baby Girl. "That sound about right to you?"

"Yes Mistress." She stood and turned away, "You have my word Karen. I won't go and I will stop any who tries." Baby Girl turned back and pointed at her, 'But if you die my dead body will land on top of yours."

"Mistress you don't need to go down now. Let it go." Cat said worried about Baby Girl's mental state more than Karen's.

Red pulled Baby Girl down so she was seated once more. "I agree Mistress. What's the rush, you haven't worried about it until today. What has changed?" She bent over and said, "You have to get a grip sister. Don't lose it now..."

"I agree with Mistress on this one," Little Bit said. "If she doesn't it will drive her crazy wanting to know. Sooner or later she will try, might as well be today."

"At least wait here," Karen said standing. She walked back to the gun room and opened the door. An old weathered ladder attached to one wall of the rough tunnel down. "Weathered my ass," she said looking at it. At least the ladder was on the far side and she wouldn't be dragging herself down the steps. Going back to the bed she put the screw drivers in one pocket and the wire cutters and pliers in another. Putting the light on she looked at the girls who had come to the door to watch. "Here goes nothing."

She returned and dropped the end of the rope down, wrapped it around her waist and one leg then fed it through the D rings to make a crude repelling harness. As she went down, not using the steps she looked around and at them. "Claymore between step two and three wired to third step." She called out. She looked up at Baby Girl looking down at her. "Are you so eager to die love?"

"Sure am, just like you, Mistress." Baby Girl said with a smile. "Want one of the cotter pins from the ones up here?"

"Um no... but you can get me one from the packets that would fit." Karen replied as she cut the wires from the contact switch to the mine. She still needed to safe it and hand it up before going further down. Getting the cotter pin she put it in carefully and removed the mine. Handing it up she looked at Baby Girl's worried face before continuing down.

Just over half way down she found the second one. It was five steps from the bottom and set just like the first. This time she let Baby Girl crawl down to her with another cotter pin. She made it safe before cutting the switch out and handed it up to her. Baby Girl in turned handed it up to someone above her. "Wait there Baby Girl until I am sure the rest of the way down." At the bottom she made sure each step was safe before looking around. One way had a dark tunnel with wood beams and boarded roof. "Yea I can see death that way too, daddy." She said softly a vague memory rising from her foggy childhood. She suddenly turned to the right and smiled.

There was her childhood handprint in brown paint on a rock. Karen laughed as the rest of the grand adventure memory rose in her mind. Her father had brought her down here while he was making it and had her put her tiny hand print on a switch so she would always remember it. Pressing the switch caused a panel to open. She giggled as she put her hand on the scanner and said, "The government sucks eggs."

"What was that?" Baby girl asked from up above her.

"A password I gave the door when I was little," Karen replied. She pushed on through and into the bunker. "Tell your sisters to come on down but don't go down the tunnel."

Inside it was just as sterile as she remembered as a child, the walls, ceiling and floor were painted gloss white. The furniture was stainless steel and she remembered being happy she had a bunk bed for her and a friend for a sleep over if she had one. On a stainless-steel table was an old fashioned tape recorder with batteries next to it and a note saying, "Play me first."

By the time she had the batteries in it Karen saw the four girls were inside the bunker with her. Pressing play, she heard her father's voice, "Pumpkin, if you are listening to this, it means the government got your mother and I. I want you to be strong and remember everything I taught you. If you do and lay low, you will be safe. Go get the lock box we three got at the bank in your name you will find instructions. Remember always we love you. She was about to turn it off when she heard him say, "You mother wants to tell you something too."

"Karen," like a voice out of the past she heard her mother. "I know you are dancing with glee right now. But I want you to know I did everything because I love you. Sandy was not worthy to walk beside you. But she is worthy to be your slave. She will do anything for you, up and including throwing her life away so that you can live. I made sure of that. I know I never coddled you and I could see the resentment in your eyes as I belittled you. I'm sorry but as a mother I had to do what I thought was best for you. In time you will see I was right and thank me. Be strong, never bow, and always remember I love you."

"Some love," Karen replied. Turning off the tape. She walked back and opened a door. "The storeroom. Not a freezer but a year's supply of dried food for six. I'll be upstairs when you finish looking around. Pull the door closed behind you."

Karen when up and out to sit on the porch. A minute later Baby Girl came out and knelt beside her and rested her head against her leg, "She was right for the wrong reason. I would throw my life away to save yours because I love you Karen."

"I know you do," Karen said softly. "That tape changes nothing about how I feel about her. She was evil pure and simple. Daddy was just paranoid; she was a psychopath. We still need to buy a freezer." She looked at the others as they came out and said, "How do you feel about going out to dinner tonight? We can go clubbing afterwards and see who can get me more hot and bothered." They all liked that idea so she said, "Wait a minute, I have one condition."

"I knew there had to be a catch," Cat said. "Okay I'll bite, what is the catch?"

"No more sisters or brothers," Karen said. "I know we will see and meet people who need a Mistress and loving sisters. But let's try to have a week, calm and relaxing with just the five of us."

Little Bit looked at Red, "Bet you we have a sister by midnight."

"Why do you say that sis?" Red asked as she looked at the grinning faces.

"Mistress picked me out and made me hers, not Cat or Baby Girl."

Red looked at Karen, "Yes she does have a commanding presence."

"Okay so I was talking to myself," Karen threw up her hands in mock surrender. "Let's get changed and go."

After dinner they went back to the same club and got a larger booth than before. Leaning back with the four girls, two to a side, around her made Karen feel relaxed for the first time. The recording from her parents made her feel good and she wondered why. She saw someone had put the dog collar on the table as a centerpiece but didn't pull it off or ask who, she just wanted to relax. The waitress came up looked at them and then stormed off unspeaking. "What was that all about?" she asked.

"That was Tiffany, she's a bitch." Little Bit replied. "Her father owns the place and she lords around like she is the fucking queen of England."

A few minutes later the bouncer came over and said, "Patty, I'm going to have to ask you and your friends to leave."

"Excuse me?" Karen said. "Why is that?"

"We don't serve your kind here," He said.

"John, if you value your life, walk away now," Little Bit said.

He looked at her and then the other women. There he felt the short hairs rise on the back of his neck when he met the hard stare of the woman in the center. Never in his life had he felt fear, that was until he looked at her. He tore his gaze away and looked at Patty, "I'll just be at the door looking the other way." Instead of turning around he backed away slowly.

Cat looked at the rage building in her Mistress and said, "Mistress, let me handle this. Please?"

Karen closed her eyes and after a second nodded.

"Thank you," Cat replied.

Karen watched as Cat got up went to the bartender and talked to him for a minute. Another man came out and she talked to him and he gestured towards the waitress, Tiffany. As she was talking to the girl, she motioned for Red to get up. "I'll be right back."

Karen went to the ATM and withdrew 200 dollars and then walked over to the bar. Before the bartender could speak she said, "Bottle of Jack...Black."

"I'm sorry mam but I have orders," he replied.

"Let me put it differently." Karen said in a cold dead voice. "You are going to grab a bottle of Jack Danial's, five glasses and I am going to hand you one hundred dollars. Or I am going to go outside and grab a combat shotgun out of my truck, return, stuff it up your ass and pull the trigger. Oh sure you can call the cops. But you will be dead by the time they get here. Now do I get my bottle?" She leaned forward and said, "Fuck with me and you will die."

The moment he shook his head no; the bartender knew he had made the wrong choice. He watched the woman turn and head towards the front door. "Wait!" he called out stopping her.

Karen turned back and watched as he reached under the back counter and pulled out an unopened bottle. He put it on the counter and added five glasses. She counted out five twenties and laid them on the bar. She took the bottle and the glasses she said, "Word to the wise, never fuck with a spec op who's on leave." Returning to the table she set the bottle down and sat back down. "Sorry about the lack of ice."

Opening the bottle Baby Girl poured five glasses half full and passed them out. Taking a sip, she said, "Cat seems to be holding her own."

Little Bit said softly, "That bitch really needs to be taken down a notch. What I wouldn't give to see that."

Cat was just about to snap dealing with the stuck up girl when she got slapped. She stuck out a hand towards the table palm up and made a fist without turning. "That was your last mistake," she said coldly and sucker punched the girl. "Now you are going to crawl over there and beg forgiveness."

Instead of doing what the crazy woman said, Tiffany grabbed her phone and called home, "Daddy... she hit me," she sobbed into the phone. Before she knew it the woman ripped the phone from her hand and was talking into it.

"Who am I speaking to?" Cat asked.

"Yes sir I punched your daughter in the belly. However, before that she spit on, slapped and tried to get myself and four others removed because this bar doesn't serve our kind." Cat paused and then said, "My name is Major Marie Stevenson, United States Army." She paused and then said, "I recommend you come down here and deal with your daughter and manager before the word gets out that you have refused to serve a holder of the congressional medal of honor. Who is having an Irish wake with a DSC holder and the remaining survivor of her squad. I imagine the fallout from that will ruin you." She listened for a moment and then laughed, "Yes sir we will be right here waiting for you." Cat tossed the phone behind her and smiled coldly.

"Daddy will come kick your ass, he's a powerful man," the girl said.

"He is going to come kiss my ass and when he is done with you, I'm personally going to fuck you up. No one fucks with my family and I am a lot tougher than you are little girl." Cat said. She noticed Karen standing beside her and said, "I have it handled Mistress, just relax."

"I'm relaxed Cat but you and I will have to have a little talk... Major Stevenson." Karen replied handing the woman a glass of whiskey.

She felt her heart sink and knew she was in hack. Gulping the drink down she glanced back to see Karen returning to the table and threw the glass to the floor where it shattered. Turning to the girl she said, "Scratch that fuck you up. I'm going to make you beg for death."

Karen sat down and looked at Little Bit, "Did you know?" she looked around the table, "Did any of you know?"

"Know what Mistress?" Baby Girl asked worried.

"About Cat..."

"What about her," Red asked looking at Cat.

"Major Marie Stevenson, retired Congressional Medal of Honor holder." Karen said softly.

Cat's Major Stevenson?" Baby Girl asked not believing her ears? "Our Cat? No fucking way Mistress."

"Our Cat..." Karen said softly. She looked at Little Bit and then Red who didn't understand. "Cat is... oh my god what have I done?" She turned to Baby Girl, "Sandy what do I do?"

"Calm down Mistress," Little Bit said. "Take a breath, and let it out..."

"Mistress, it's okay. Give Cat a chance to explain first." Baby Girl said softly.

Red didn't understand why her Mistress was freaking out. But she had seen her brother lose it like this before and knew what worked for him. "Mistress... Karen look at me." She waited until Karen looked at her. "Now I want you to focus on my words. It will be okay. Say it with me. It will be okay."

"It will be okay." Karen said looking at Red.

"Tom always said that when everyone lost it, you would tell them that it will be okay. You made them repeat it back to you. I know you feel the world crumbling around you. But you have to believe it will be okay. You're not alone Karen. You have your family here." Red said trying to break through the panic gripping her Mistress.

She still was on the verge of losing it but Karen felt herself calm down. "Thank you for reminding me Red. It will be okay. I don't know how but it will work out." She looked at Baby Girl and said, "At least daddy would be proud of me now."

Baby Girl laughed, "He would at that. This would be a wet dream come true."

Karen was nursing her third drink when she saw a man storm in and talk to Cat. A few minutes later he came over with Cat as the waitress stood in the background. "Please forgive the actions of my daughter. I had no idea," he said.

"Tom?" Karen said sitting up and looking at him. "Is that you?"

"Karen? When did you get home?" Tom said surprised. He looked at her and then the four women with her.

"A few days ago," Karen said getting up and hugging him. She looked at the others, "Girls, this is Tom. You remember him visiting don't you Baby Girl?"

"Of course, Mistress," Baby Girl replied. "It is an honor to see you again Mr. Smith."

He looked at her and then the others and finally at Karen. He smiled and then laughed softly, "I see you're picking up where your mother left off." He paused and then added, "Please forgive Tiffany. She's like a bad penny I can't get rid of."

"I didn't know you had a daughter Tom," Karen said just making talk.

"Step daughter. Her mother had an... accident... and I haven't been able to get rid of the leach since." He lowered his voice and said, "You don't think you could... work with her for me..."

Before she could reply, Karen caught a look in Cat's eye. She looked at Cat and then turned to the man, "Seven am sharp. Make sure everyone knows she went off on an extended trip."

"Thanks," Tom replied with an evil grin.

"Tom, one thing you have to understand. I am not my mother." Karen said.

"No one expected you to be Karen. Your mother was... different," he replied.

"She was a psychopath," Karen said.

"Yes, different..." He paused and then added, "She will be there first thing in the morning." He looked at the bottle and then Karen, "I will have a word with the manager and clear your tab and make sure he knows your money is no good here from here on out."

"Let your bartender know not to fuck with special forces. It's a good way to end up dead," Karen replied.

"I will..." He started to turn away but stopped and said, "It's good to see you home Karen. Stop by the bank when you get a chance, I have something for you there."

Karen watched him walk over to Tiffany and the pair of them talk. After a few minutes, he left and Tiffany came over and said, "I'm sorry Miss Karen for my actions." She looked down as she continued, "I know I must right the wrong I have done you and your girls. I.... I..." She faltered and then quickly knelt before the table. "I am yours to do with as you will."

She looked at the girl kneeling before their table. Before Karen could speak, Baby Girl said, "Tiffany, if you are true in your submission, then you will beg your father to blind your wrists and ankles, blindfold your eyes, and place you in the trunk of his car before delivering you to Mistress. If not, then ride in the passenger seat when you come to right the wrong in the morning."

"Ignore her," Karen said. "Do what feels right to do. We will talk in the morning."

"Thank you, Mistress Karen. I will not fail you," Tiffany said standing once more.

After she left, Karen patted the seat next to her, "Have a seat Cat." As the woman sat she looked at the others, "Don't you feel like dancing?"

"No, I would rather hear this," Baby Girl said smiling. She bent over and kissed her Mistress's cheek. And motioned Little Bit and Red to get up. Standing she said, "If you need us..."

Karen looked at Cat who looked like someone killed her puppy. "I want to know why. But your sisters deserve to be around for that one. What I really want to know is why did you want me to take Tiffany? I thought we agreed no more sisters."

"Mistress... she is a spoiled brat. That bitch called you things that I won't repeat." Cat finally looked at Karen, "No one fucks with family. We protect our own."

"Yes, yes we do." Karen said. She took Cat's head in her hands and said softly, "Who you were doesn't matter one damn bit. You are my Cat and nothing more." She kissed the woman tenderly and added, "But dear, I want to hear and understand why you were up for sell."