Rita Ch. 02.5: An Angel Awakens

"Oh, you know Agent Goodall too?" Pat asked.

"Yes. We are old friends." Rita gave a nervous smile and went inside.

"She is stunning, Tony. Who is she?" Katy asked. "How does she know our friend from Langley?"

"Just a very special lady. She's never worked for any people like us. Your typical former model slash ninja." Tony said laughing. "I know her past, she's cool." He got up and hugged Pat and Katy together. "Two of my favorite people are together. It's wonderful guys. This is great!"

Rita came back with Dennis close behind. "Dennis, this is Tony's friend Patterson and Commander Katy Harris." Rita stepped to Tony while Dennis shook Pat's hand. "Dennis knows Leslie also."

"If you people keep calling me 'commander', I'm going to go put on my uniform." Katy said.

"Retire and I will drop the rank." Tony said smiling.

"Two years, big man. My rank draws a good pension. Dennis, this place is nice. I had dinner here a couple of years ago." Katy said.

"We need to get to know you, since you are Tony's friends." Dennis said, as he wrote 'Chef's Table" on the back of his business card and gave it to Patterson. "Come by for dinner anytime on me. You may have to remind me, I'm very distracted."

"They have security clearance, I want to tell them what's going on, OK?" Rita asked. With a nod from Dennis, "Dennis has friends that could not conceive. He has loved the girl for years as his best friend. They ask him to help, and they made a baby the romantic way. It is a secret that Dennis is the father."

"She is going in labor now. I'm turning the place over to Rita and Tony."

Pat got to his feet and took Dennis' hand. "Go to her son. It's a magical time. Bless you all."

Rita hugged him. "We are all here for you, Denny. Call me if you need something."

Robert Renard intercepted Dennis as he turned around. He hugged his nephew and kissed his cheek. Rita and Tony both watched to see if Leslie washed in on Robert's wake. She didn't.

"I'm proud of you, son. Did you tell them?" Robert asked.

"No, my mind is scrambled. Tony, I'm your new data systems manager. I've been staring at that shitty website for a year. I have some pages ready for an overhaul. Gotta go!"

"Dennis is a wizard with the tech stuff, and he stays up on all the latest developments. He is going to teach Phillipe some things if he gets time. He may be occupied." Robert said.

"Hallelujah, I thought that I might have to send Rita to talk to him." Tony said.

"How do you know that I did not?" Rita asked, straight faced until Tony laughed. He could read her... sometimes. She broke into laughter. Rita made the introductions.

Tony discretely held two fingers together and pointed at Pat and Katy, nodding the affirmative. 'Should I add social secretary to my resume?' he asked himself.

"Tony says you are some of his dearest friends and now you are together. It is wonderful to meet you. Did you get the case we put aside for you?"

"Yes, sir. Phillipe carried it out for us." Pat said. "You are too generous."

"Nonsense. Tony said that you are good friends and have helped him in the past. Put a wine-rack in your home and we will fill it." Robert said. "I was thinking about unlocking Claude's liquor cabinet. What would you folks say to some top shelf whiskey?"

Pat reached into his jacket pocket and produced some premium cigars. "I'd say, 'would you like a cigar with that?'"

Phillipe finally made it to the patio with a plate of food and a Coke. He had gone to his room at The Pioneer and freshened up. He wore a new black golf shirt with the stylized 'R&B' logo. He wore it tucked in neatly. Carrying several cases of wine had his muscles pumped up. He put his meal on a table and approached the group.

"Oh, my goodness." Katy said softly. Rita heard her and both ladies giggled.

"Phillipe, you did a wonderful job tonight. You have a bit of showman in you." Robert said and shook his hand.

"Thank you, sir. When I worked at Club Phantom, we sometimes put on a comedy show or just tell an odd joke. Sometimes guest acts needed extras."

"Extras or dancers for a chorus line." Rita said and winked at Phillipe. She finally got him to blush.

"Let's have a quick meeting. I have some ideas about next week." Robert said.

"We will go for fresh drinks and a pit-stop. I saw some vermouth in there. Who likes a Manhattan?" Pat asked.

"Oh, I do!" Rita said.

"Ok. Tony and Rita know this, Pip. Long ago. Andre and Claude loved the same girl. Lady Katrina was a hell of a woman, I knew her. She married Andre and everything was fine. Then eight years ago she passed away and these two old friends have scarcely spoken since Katrina's funeral. They pass messages through poor Lydia like schoolgirls. Tony, you and Phillipe need to put in the new security system for Andre and Phillipe needs time at home. Take Claude with you whether he wants to go or not. Rita, I need you to stay here and help Dennis with the Bistro and monitor the babies for us. Can you two separate for a couple of weeks? I have seen how tight you are now." Robert said smiling.

"I think we can handle it, Papa Robert. I will talk to Claude about going. They need closure; this is all about grief. I am sure that he really wants to have his best friend again." Rita said.

"We all need a few days to rest after this busy week, so maybe later in the week. Is that good?" Robert asked.

"Every time one of your plans starts with days off, I'm in. I promised I'd take the kid fishing."

"I love this restaurant and they need some help with the babies. It will be nice." Rita said. In her mind, she thought about how she felt holding baby Gregory.

"Can we open this place for lunch tomorrow?" Tony asked.

"Hell no! We will try for dinner with a reduced menu. Everyone will be whipped tomorrow, and ninety cases need to go into storage somewhere." Rita said.

"The day shift staff can move the wine into storage and tidy up. That way, the work gets done, the staff gets paid, and all the leftovers disappear." Tony said.

"Perfect! Tony, I will make a restaurateur of you one day." Rita said and kissed him.

"Oh no, baby. Too much like work." Tony said and looked past Rita. "Woah, Pat! Let me help you with that." Tony took two over-sized martini glasses from Pat's tray of shorter glasses and guided them to a table.

"Tell Chef Claude that he is out of Russel's Reserve." Pat said, drawing laughter from Robert and Tony.

Rita stepped away from the group and discretely stretched her back muscles. It had been a long day. She sat on the bench to the side of the patio. Rita took a deep breath. She thought of holding Gregory and the old feelings bursting through. 'How can I not know that Leslie Goodall had been friends with the Renard's for many years? Robert has hidden this...'

....

The Awakening

Rita's dull and troubled mind spun through memories, both old and new. Thoughts eluded consciousness, and consciousness eluded Rita.

"My name is Dr. Isabella Renard. An old friend asked me to talk to you." "Chrissy, my name is Dr. Isabella Renard. An old friend asked me to talk to you." 'She said it to me, she said it to her.' Rita said to herself. Her mind flew through foggy memories of the evening. "You know Leslie, too?" Pat asked her. Patterson knows Leslie. How long has Tony known her?

"So, is this your crew, Peanut? Is this your team?" Pat's voice laughing.

"No, we aren't a team or a crew. We just do multiple jobs for Renard and Benoit."

"Oh, Peanut, you are right out of a comic book. You are the meat-headed ex-military leader. Rita is your walking, well, staggering weapon." Pat laughed. "Robert is the money man, and you get intel from Agent Goodall. Now you have a wizard of computers. The kid is an 'operator in training'."

"He is a sidekick; comedy relief." Tony said.

"Oh God, please tell me I didn't say 'man-whore'" Rita thought as Rita's mind spun out into the weeds again.

An unknown amount of time slipped by before Rita's mind began to spin again. It grew rapidly into a category five tornado complete with flying CGI cows and the Gale farmhouse. "Robert knew I could fight. I don't know how he knew, but he did." Could he have known all along? Did he want a warrior or a nurse? "My name is Dr. Isabella Renard. An old friend asked me to talk to you."

Rita forced herself awake. She was alone in her hotel bed in her underwear. Her head felt swollen, and her mind was dull. Her mouth tasted terrible. Rita sat up and turned on the lamp. "Shit on that!" The light hurt so bad that she turned it back off, but not without noticing that Tony wasn't there. Trying to get to the bathroom proved difficult and showed Rita that she was still intoxicated. "Where is Tony?" Rita felt weak and helpless. She wanted to collapse into his warm embrace.

Rita pulled a cold bottle of water from Tony's cooler. The water washed her funky mouth and felt good going down. She drank over half the bottle on one draw. She was standing near the sink. This was convenient because her stomach rejected the cold liquid and she vomited forcefully. Rita remembered vomiting earlier. She remembered Tony carrying her from the bistro, his strong arms and the slight limp in his gate. "I love you, Tony. Hold me like this forever." Rita fell back into bed with a moist towel to her face.

"Senora Montenegro, could you read back the high points for us?" Rita could see her mother with large reading glasses and a notepad. She read in a flat, mechanical voice with her Russian accent.

"Alysha, my name is Dr. Isabella Renard. An old friend asked me to talk to you. I felt my heart hurt for the babies. That's when I met Isabella and Robert. Robert already knew that I could fight. Someone gave Robert Tony's name, and he went to work for him. Leslie got us in and out of Mexico. Dennis has known Leslie for a long time. She has come around when Uncle Robert was here for years. I snapped and broke some chairs. That's when I met Isabella and Robert." Her mother lowered her glasses and laughed. "Deux et deux font quatre, moi Sara-Dina." (Two and two are four) More laughter, excessive laughter fading...

"Ahh, Rita and her crew!" Claude said.

"Oh, Papa Claude. Not you, too." Rita sat up in bed. Thoughts of Sandy in labor sliced into her mind. "Shit!", she barked. Tony had come in and was lying on the other bed still in his clothes. On impulse, Rita patted his firm ass and smiled. She found that walking was much easier and began trying to freshen herself. Rita heard Tony get a bottle of water for himself without speaking. He sat on the foot of the bed.

"Tony, I am so sorry. What did I drink?" Rita sat on the bed beside him.

He was staring at the floor. "Pat made two double Manhattans, one made with bourbon and the other with rye whiskey. We were supposed to pass them around to see which one we liked. You drank both in twenty minutes on an empty stomach. You took my cigar and I think you inhaled some smoke. You are always making sure everyone else is taking care of themselves. You forgot to take care of yourself, you hardly ate anything." Tony took her hand. "Sandy is in labor. David and Phillipe took her and Dennis to the hospital a few hours ago."

"I am so sorry. I should be with Sandy right now. Holding that handsome baby set me on edge then, I jumped the tracks when Dragon Lady dropped in."

Rita's mother laughed hysterically in her consciousness.

"Calypso. Leslie Vollmer Goodall is Calypso. I was sworn not to tell you, for unknown reasons. I was hoping you would figure it out. When she showed up last night, I decided to tell you."

"I thought so but was not sure. What else is there Tony? What else haven't you told me?"

"What I have is incomplete, but I was going to tell that too. You were kind of out of it. Look, it's almost impossible for a civilian to spy on an intelligence operative. I dug through corporate records and found that sweet old Andre and later, Robert used to move allied intelligence people around Europe under the cover of the wine company."

"Well, that's not too bad. They don't do that kind of thing now, do they?"

"No, satellites have put a lot of spooks out of business, and it's easy to move people around these days. Robert probably keeps Leslie in hotels and airfare, but that's just a guess."

"You told me that she checked on me sometime. She sent Robert and Isabella to get me when I ruined my nursing job. I bet she gave Robert your name before he hired you. Did she know you in the Navy?"

"I wasn't aware of her. Patterson knew her. Naval Intelligence supplies information to the CIA and vice versa. I really was good at getting through a mountain of bullshit and finding the facts. I never thought of it then. Robert and Andre needed me. The company was losing a fortune to theft, and truck loads highjacked. I hired some marines that spoke French. We busted some heads and fired a bunch of people. The theft stopped and they think I'm a saint. Still, it was just cutting through the bullshit. That's it, baby. All I have."

"I knew what you did about the theft. That's when I knew that I wanted you as a lover." Rita smiled. "Do you still love me?"

"Of course, Baby."

"Good. I am going to try to kill you with sex later. Take me to the hospital. I feel like shit and may still be drunk." Rita rolled up her braid and tucked it into a lacy black snood and tied it behind her head.

"Not until you eat. Let's go to the bistro and make some toast and coffee."

....

After spotting the Roadmaster parked at Claude's Bistro, they walked there and found Phillipe in the kitchen watching TV on a monitor at the chef's table.

"Phillipe, why are you not in bed? Have you had any sleep?" Rita asked and hugged him.

"I thought I should stay up until you were. Are you OK, Rita?"

"I am fine, Pip. I'm sorry that I let everyone down last night." Rita said and kissed his cheek. "I need to eat a bite and go to the hospital."

Phillipe started coffee while Rita sliced bread for toast. "I do not think I can face eggs right now." She said. "Phillipe, did you meet an attractive lady about Robert's age last night, Leslie?"

"Yes. A blond in a white blouse with large boobs." Phillipe smiled. "She tried to charm me like Isabella does."

"What do you mean, little brother?" Rita was puzzled.

"You know. She steps too close and speaks softly, she looks you in the eyes, rubbing her tits on you if she can. I am wise to the way of the cougar. I am not immune to this, but I am cautious."

Rita's mother laughed in the back of her mind.

"Wise, kid. We think you have earned our security clearance. She is retired CIA, but not as retired as most people would think. Robert and Leslie have been manipulating things around us, especially Rita's life. We think that we are part of some kind of thing Robert is putting together."

"I wonder where she stayed last night. I don't know when she left." Rita speculated.

"That is a thing I know. She took Chef Claude home and was to stay in his guest room." Phillipe said.

"Interesting." Was Tony's reply. The wheels in his head turned through what he knew. "I think we should check on Sandy by phone, then drop in at the Renard house. Call Dennis, Babe."

"Yes, Tony. I have questions for Robert." Rita turned to Phillipe. "You have earned my trust also, Phillipe. Alysha is now my legal name, but I was born Lucia Sara-Dina Montenegro. My parents were murdered ten years ago. That event has shaped everything that is happening now and who I am today."

....

Epilogue

Rita retrieved a spare key from under a flowerpot and let them in the kitchen door of Claude's home. "You guys wait here for a few minutes."

"Rita don't hit anyone. They are family and a little old." Tony said.

She went to Claude's bedroom first. He was sitting up in bed awake watching TV news. He smiled. "Rita! Good morning. How is everything?"

"Fine, Papa Claude." Rita checked his pulse and color. "You look well, old friend."

Claude hugged Rita and helped himself to a squeeze of her ass cheek. "You were so beautiful last night, mon amour."

Her mother was still laughing in the back of her mind.

"Behave, Claude! The day shift is cleaning up and moving the cases of wine. We will open for dinner at four. I was going to ban you from the bistro, but you need to write a short menu for tonight. Sandy is still in labor. It will not be long until you have another grandson." Rita kissed him on the cheek. "Tony and Phillipe are needed in Marseille. We think you should go with them."

"Yes. Robert and I talked about it. I look forward to it, but not the flight."

"Good! I am going to the hospital as soon as I talk to your kid brother." Rita stepped briskly out into the hall.

Claude thought for a second and remembered... "Rita, wait!"

Rita was in another bedroom and beside the bed before she realized that there were two human shaped lumps in the bed. "Papa Robert?!"

"Rita! Is something wrong?" Robert sat up and swung his feet to the floor. "Are Sandy and the baby all right?"

Leslie Goodall sat up on the other side of the bed. "What's the matter, Rita?"

"Oh, shit!" Her mother's laughter stopped.

"What the fuck is up?" Rita asked. "What about Isabella?"

"Nothing went on here but sleep. I was exhausted." Robert said. Rita noticed, to his credit, that he was still mostly dressed.

Leslie got out of bed and started for the bathroom, still in her blouse and undies. "I was in bed by midnight. Bobby stumbled in around three. Not his first time in my bed. Bella and I were lovers long ago and I introduced her to Robert. We all had our fun back when we were younger. Check with her if you don't believe me."

The storm in Rita's mind was kicking up again, but she was too hungover to sort it out. She knew only one thing to do. She briskly left the room and went to Tony's arms in the kitchen.

Robert followed her. "Relax, Rita. Everything is alright." Robert said as he started working on coffee.

"Leslie has been manipulating my life for ten damn years." Rita was fighting tears.

Leslie walked into the kitchen in a robe. "You have needed a little help a few times in your life. You needed Bobby and Bella. I think they needed you too. Robert needed Tony when he did. I have done little else other than monitor you. You did nurse's school all on your own and I was very proud of you." She turned to Tony and Phillipe. "Good morning, gentlemen."

"Why, woman? Why the concern for some Spanish girl?" Rita demanded.

"Fellows, can we have a minute?" Leslie asked.

"Rita, I have never seen you drink like that. I don't expect to see it again. Are we clear? Now, take a breath. Leslie loves you every bit as much as I do." Robert turned to Tony. "Meet me in the gazebo in two minutes. I'm going to put my shoes on."

"Pants too, Papa Robert." Phillipe smiled, enjoying the minor jab.

Robert looked down and rolled his eyes. "Good thing I have on my boxers." He went in search of his clothing.

Rita kissed Tony and Phillipe on their way back out the way they came.

"Now, tell me why you have been so devoted to my wellbeing."

"I owe it to your mother; I owe it to both of your parents." Leslie let some emotion come through. "I owe you a debt that I can never repay."

"What are you talking about? I cannot imagine."

"I hoped that I would never have to tell you, but I owe you this like I owe you, my life." Leslie paced around. "I slipped up. I got sloppy. The Wall had fallen decades before. I thought everything was cool. Who could still care who she was? They called them 'the rats that fled the ship'. Someone followed me to a meeting with her. Two days later, the hit crew got to them."