Fated

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Over the next few days Rob found that Lizbeth knew quite a bit about the Gorskys, having had hacked into their phones and computer systems. In past times she had ravaged their money accounts, anonymously transferring several million dollars at various points in time to different charities, however she could no longer do that since they had finally hardened their systems -- at great expense -- to essentially preclude that. She still monitored their communications; however, since she never let on that she had that ability.

While Lizbeth at first was against Rob's suggestion of dealing with the major players in the Gorsky family so that they were dealt a lethal blow, and anyone with recollection of Amelia Worthington would be eliminated, after Rob convinced here that it was the only alternative, and he brought to the surface the travesty of her parents and the good agents guarding her being killed, she relented.

Lizbeth provided Rob with all of the information that he'd need to track down the Pakhan Mikael Gorsky, Mikael's son, the four Brigadiers, and the still living safe house hitmen. The plan was for Rob to assassinate the son and several hitmen which would result in the Pakhan calling a meeting of his Brigadiers.

Having familiarity with, and the ability to assemble everything that he didn't already have, including sniper rifles and explosives, Rob drove a tricked-out SUV to the NYC areas where the targets lived. His plan would work the best if the Pakhan called for the expected meeting at his house -- and since Lizbeth would be monitoring the communications she would be able to alert him to that, or to an alternate venue.

Given his lethal well-developed skills, Rob was easily able to assassinate the Pakhan's son, two henchmen with him, and fortuitously at the same time a Brigadier who was with the son, using a Dragunov -- ironically a Russian manufacture rapid-fire sniper rifle.

Lizbeth provided the intel that the day after the son's funeral there would be a meeting of the remaining Brigadiers and the most trusted "soldiers" in the conference building on the Pakhan's residential property. During the funeral, Rob snuck onto the property and set explosive charges in the building. Once the meeting was underway -- with a view of the property and with a US Barrett M82 sniper rifle -- one of the five most accurate long distance sniper rifles in the world -- Rob detonated the charges.

Once Rob detonated the charges he shot the two "soldiers" acting as guards outside the conference room building, and the only two men who staggered out of the building as it was burning and collapsing. Then Rob calmly drove back to Tompkins, Missouri.

When Rob got back to Tompkins two days later he immediately went to Lizbeth's house. As he approached she jumped into his arms crying tears of joy. After five minutes of exchanging kisses and hugs while he held her up they went into the house, gave Genghis and Attila each a rawhide, and then sat down.

"What's the news?" he excitedly asked.

"Not only do the news reports indicate that the entire leadership of the Gorsky crime family has been killed, but my monitoring of their electronic communications confirm it. The Pakhan Mikael Gorsky, all four of his Brigadiers, and a dozen 'soldiers,' have been eliminated. There are only two of the twelve hitmen who killed my parents and the government agents protecting us that are still alive. Also -- I know that it is important to you -- no women or children were killed, although a woman who worked for the Gorskys who was near the conference building when it exploded sustained non-life-threatening injuries."

Rob got a big smile on his face, kissed Lizbeth, dropped to one knee, pulled out an engagement ring with a central diamond and surrounding emerald baguettes, and asked "Lizbeth Portis would you make me the happiest man alive and live a normal married life with me for the rest of our time on earth, replete with children?"

"So you want to succumb to the stuffy, irrelevant, antiquated institution of marriage?" she grinned.

"Hell yes," he snickered.

"OK," she laughed and melted into his arms when he slipped the ring onto her finger.

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Epilogue:

Lizbeth and Rob were married in a simple ceremony by the justice of the peace in Tompkins with Genghis and Attila as their attendants. They became the biggest philanthropists in Tompkins history, with a recreation center and High School building named after them. Their three children became a medical doctor, a Nobel Prize winning chemist, and a Governor of Missouri, and they had seven grandchildren. They died peacefully within a month of each other having lived a happy, safe, non-violent, productive, life since the day of their engagement.