Sam Spade 22: Case of the Undercover Takeover Pt. 02

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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 of 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: This story has been spans two parts and includes the musician, Alice's, back story. This story has been edited. Thanks Ed! Any errors you find are my fault for not following his notes.

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Alice, the musician, had just rubbed my nose in my mistake concerning Don Miguel. I sent him out with just nameless and the Quarm keeping him in check. Instead they would do the opposite. He would gather the other Dons' and say something along the lines of "Avenge me!" At which point the two micro life forms would kill him. But then the damage would already have been done, and I would find myself facing a full out war with organized crime. When I had asked for help Alice replied, "You already know what to do Samantha. Of all your wives, who is the most empathic? If you talk to her, I am sure she will be able to help."

My first thought was Marie, my adopted daughter. She, like me cared too much for her own good. Then it hit me with a blinding flash. Leanne was who she was talking about. "Leanne could I see you for a minute?"

"I always have time for you Samantha," Leanne said appearing.

"Allow me, your still on vacation remember?" Alice said. She looked at Leanne, "Leanne, the goddess needs you to go to Don Miguel. Find a way to make peace between him and Samantha. If peace is not to be had then he must never reach the other Dons'."

"Now wait a minute," I interjected. "You are not sending Leanne to kill him. Not on my watch."

"If not that, then what do you propose to do to him? Throw him back in time like Robin the pilot?" Alice shot back.

"I'm sure I can help him make peace with you Samantha," Leanne said quickly. She left before it could escalate.

"You tossed May Song back in time," I countered.

"No, your sister lived life beside me. She met the countless people who were nice and helped us survive. Not only that, she found love for humans in the process." Alice said patiently.

"You knew Mi Ling would come to a bad end didn't you." I said still annoyed with Alice.

"I knew that she would leave us the first chance she had. She was looking for a trade up even before we started the journey." Alice paused, "You told me to look outside the box. I did and returned with your sister reborn into someone more loving and supportive. As for Mi Ling, she didn't get one tenth of what she deserved, and you know it."

"What happens now?" I asked. "How do I keep from losing it?"

"Do you really want the answer, or are you just venting?" Alice asked taking a sip of the whiskey. She looked at the glass for a moment and then added, "I can see why you call this rat poison."

"Help me," I said as my eyes started to tear up.

Alice sighed. She was afraid that Samantha would really ask her for help. Now that it happened she had to think hard how to answer her without controlling her actions at the same time. "Attacks against the goddess and her followers must be replied with equal harshness. Attacks against Sam Spade must be dealt with as you have always in the past. Also, while Sam Spade helps the little guy, so must the goddess step forward to help when a natural disaster happens. Cichol had it right when he said you need to look at the big picture."

I nodded, all she said made sense. "Okay." I took another drink and wished the whisky had a few drops of blood in it to make it smoother. "I have questions, other questions that do not concern you directly. However, with that being said, can I ask you?"

"You can ask me anything Samantha. You should know that by now." Alice said gently.

"Why did mother start the sisterhood?"

She laughed, "Whatever gave you that idea?"

"She said she had," I replied.

"She was covering for the real person." Alice saw Samantha clouding up and added, "Don't you dare get mad! She thought the person who did it was human and was dust by now. So what harm taking credit or blame as the case may be for it is there." She paused and then added, "Would you like to meet the person who did?"

Another immortal I thought surprised. "Just how many immortals are there running around?" I asked without thinking. "Hold that thought. Yes, I would like to meet him."

"Let's see if She..." Alice started emphasizing the word she. "Can hear me." She paused a moment and then said, "Come to me my love."

"That's the first time you called me love," May Song said showing up. Instead of looking as she did before, she now looked like her old self.

"After being together through thick and thin for twelve thousand years, I figured one of us should." Alice said with a smile.

"The pair of you started the Sisterhood?" I asked looking from Alice to May Song and back again. "But why?"

"Because you needed an army, little sister," May Song said stepping forward and sitting down in the other chair. She reached forward and grabbed the bottle and took a sip. "Gah! This is vile."

"Here let me have that," Alice said taking the bottle from May Song. She looked at Samantha as she formed a little knife and cut her left palm. Holding her palm over the bottle she watched her blood flow into it. "I give this gift freely to you so that you may live longer." After a minute the flow slowed and stopped. "There, that takes care of that," she said as she set the bottle on the desk.

I looked at her and then May Song a long moment before taking the bottle gingerly. I added some to my glass and said, "Thank you for this gift." Taking a sip, I mewed in rapture. While preforming the blood ritual with Lilly, I had drunk her blood and orgasmed from the taste of it. Alice's blood was indescribable in its purity. It was as if I was drinking from the creator, the original creator of all.

Setting the glass back on the desk I looked at it for a long moment while bracing myself for the answer to my next question. "Are you and May Song in love with each other?"

Alice traded a look with May Song, "No more than two sisters who grew up together do. Wouldn't you say May Song?"

"Or best friends," May Song agreed. "Samantha, my heart belongs to you," she added looking at Samantha. She really wanted a drink but didn't dare drinking from the bottle. She had felt her sister's rapture from a little sip.

"Here," Alice said handing May Song her glass. Turning her attention to Samantha once more she asked, "Next question?"

"What are the things Angela, the first Angela cannot talk about?"

"Call her."

"Angela, please join us. You too Jane," I said mentally. This game of twenty questions was getting old and I wanted to move forward once more.

Angela must have been waiting just outside the door because she opened it and walked in. A moment later Jane appeared with Amy hot on her trail. "Forgive me goddess, but I thought since the chairman was here you wanted her backup also."

I started to tell Amy no but suddenly heard the Alice's voice in my head. "Let her stay."

"Good idea Amy," I said with a smile. I pulled out four more glasses and offered them around.

Alice shook her head and asked, "While we are waiting, do you think someone can grab me a pure drink?"

Angela who had poured herself a drink stopped herself before sipping it. "Pure?"

"What Alice means is she gave some of her blood to taint the whisky," May Song replied before Sam could.

Heather appeared holding a dusty bottle. She offered it to Alice and said, "Father was keeping this for a special occasion. I want you to have it for giving us our sister, May Song, back."

Alice took the bottle and wiped the dust off. "I cannot take it Heather. Save it for when Samantha wins without the battle being fought." She offered it to Heather who shook her head and disappeared. Sighing Alice stood and placed it on the desk.

I picked up the bottle out of curiosity and looked at it. I read the label aloud, "Bushmills, first run unless I miss my guess." Looking up at the others I added, "Damn this must be three hundred years old."

"Closer to four," May Song said. She looked at Alice, "Remember we were there? They decanted the first bottle?"

"Yes... good times," Alice said softly. She looked at Angela, "Angela what did the enforcer forbid you from talking about?"

"The future," Angela said surprised she was able to come forward fully and answer.

"Why?" Alice prodded.

"Because if I spoke of it, it changes the equation."

"And now?"

"I...I don't know." Angela looked from Alice to Samantha. "I don't know what to tell you Woody."

"All locks put on you by the enforcer have now been removed," Alice said. She started counting on her fingers. She had just reached five when the he showed up.

"You go too far," he thundered.

"One more outburst and you will find yourself investigating the interior of a black hole," Alice said not turning to look at him.

"The board will stop you. Just you wait!"

I watched him disappear and suddenly reappear right next to Alice. "What?" he asked surprised. "Wait a minute...who are you?"

"I warned you," Alice said. She gave a slight wave with her hand and he disappeared once more.

"Do I even want to know?" I asked softly. I was afraid I was looking at the real creator of everything.

"Have your desires ever stopped you before Samantha?" Alice asked.

"No and you know it," I replied.

"Jane, when did we meet?" Alice asked.

"Alice, you had just helped a young girl find her hu..." She stopped and looked at May Song, "It was you wasn't it?"

"Yes sister," May Song replied.

"Before I answer your question Samantha, why don't we have a toast to May Song for finding her humanity?" Alice said looking at Samantha.

"To May Song!"

"No, to Alice for guiding me back to the light," May Song countered.

"That I will drink to," Angela said. "To Alice!"

Alice watched with a little smile as they drank. When Angela, Jane, and Amy passed out she looked from Samantha to May Song and said, "Guess I used too much blood."

Who are you really," I asked again. "And don't give the line about a woman who just wants to help."

"Samantha, one of the hats I wear is the board's interface with troubleshooters and enforcers," Alice replied slowly to choose her words carefully. "Who better to help set policy than one of their own."

"What will happen to Alice after I win or lose as the case may be," I asked thinking about Amy. "It's not fair to the human side of you to be suddenly without your voice of guidance and comfort in her mind."

"Unlike that psychopath you ran afoul of, I don't have voices in my head telling me what she is going to make me do vs what I want to do. No matter what happens, she and I will always be together." Alice answered. She tilted her head and then added, "Before you ask, I can't tell you how to win. All I can do is help stack the odds in your favor in my own little way."

"Little way," May Song snorted.

Alice looked at May Song, "Did or didn't it work?"

"It worked all too well," May Song laughed. She turned her attention to Sam, "Little sister, I understand why you care so much. There is too much good in this world to let it burn." Turning back to Alice she asked, "When will you marry us?" Mentally she added to Sam, "You know she's devoted to you little sister."

"Well... two things about that. First, it is not just me; have you forgotten my dancers?" Before May Song could answer her, Alice added, "And then there is the little fact that Samantha has not asked."

Ever since Alice had stood up to me on the masa I had been looking at her in a new light. Gone was the simple school girl. Instead I saw someone who lived and died countless years, just so she could help me. But the question was; did I love her? That one I didn't know. However, I knew I needed her help. "Well?" I finally asked looking at her. I saw her give a little smile and then realized everyone else was frozen. She had pulled herself and I to another time line.

"Yes, conditionally Samantha," Alice replied.

"What are the conditions?" I asked trying to keep from getting mad.

"While the others, my dancers included, have all soaked and bound themselves to you; I cannot. It was bad enough that the Guardian did. But I understand your reasoning, Jane needed to learn the true cost of thinking of others first. That was the reason she could continue in that role. I even understand her mirroring the knowledge to Amy. She already had it and then it was stripped from her mind by that psychopath. Having it returned has healed her." Alice paused a moment before continuing. "Samantha, I love you more than life, but I can't submit to you. I can marry as equals, but not as your submissive."

Before I could agree, Leanne appeared. She looked around and saw the others frozen and gulped. "Still fighting?" she asked timidly.

"No, we are discussing the fact that marriage is between equals, not god and followers," I replied.

"No, that's not it at all Samantha." Alice sighed, "You are missing the point." She looked up at Leanne and asked, "How did it go with the man to the south?"

"I have him calm, but now he wants to talk to Sam personally," She replied looking at me.

As I stood up I said, "Good, I have some things I want to say to Uncle Gomez too."

"No! You are still on vacation remember?" Alice countered. "Samantha, go marry May Song. I will deal with him." She turned to Leanne, "Lead the way."

Before I could open my mouth to say no, the pair disappeared. "I really hate vacations," I said as I returned to the normal timeline. What I didn't realize, until I returned, was that everyone had seen me ask Alice to marry and now she was missing. I was bombarded by questions asking me what happened and had I chased her off like I had with May Song.

Leanne returned and said, "The musician is dealing with Don Miguel, so Samantha can relax." She looked at me and added, "She told me to tell you to think on what she said and let her know."

"Will I ever win a fight with her?" I asked Leanne

May Song laughed, "I never did little sister."

Alice was taken to a small room with a table and a pair of chairs in it. Don Miguel was standing by a window and looking out. Without turning he said, "Samantha my little beauty how good of you to come." He turned and saw her, "Who the hell are you? Another lackey?"

Instead of rising to his challenge, Alice went over to the table and sat down. Although she didn't normally make mundane things, she now made a bottle of Spanish wine and two glasses. Pouring two glasses she raised one to her lips and sipped it. Not looking at him she said, "Miss Spade said I couldn't kill you. However, she didn't say anything about others doing it for me." She turned towards him and added, "What would happen if I put a one million new dollar bounty on your head and took you to the Don controlling Chicago?" She giggled, "How long do you think you would last?"

"Spade don't have that type of green," Gomez spat in return.

"She may not, but I do." Alice replied as she placed a check on the table.

Despite himself, Gomez walked over and picked up the check. It was a certified check from Chase Bank payable to the barer for one million and zero cents in new dollars. Suddenly unsure of himself he asked, "Who are you?"

"I'm known as the musician, but you can call me Alice, you can say I am a trouble shooter." Alice said. She gestured to the other seat as she continued, 'Please sit, we have much to discuss. There are two ways this... discussion can go, we can work together or work against each other."

Sitting Gomez said, "How can we work together, Spade destroyed my house, killed my men, and took away my Maria and daughters."

"To be fair you put a ten thousand new dollar bounty on her and anyone connected to her so in my eyes your men were fair game. As for your wife and daughters, they are somewhere safe, so they won't get taken or killed." Alice paused and reached forward to touch his hand, "You and Maria will be rejoined once we have finished talking. Peace or no, you two will be together for as long as you wish. You have my word."

"Thank you for that senorita Alice. But there is the bombing of my house."

"If we work together, the check is yours to rebuild your villa." Alice replied. "Now are you ready to listen to what I have to say and offer?"

"Spade give this to me," he tapped the check. "As restitution?"

"No, I give to you as a sign of good faith," Alice replied. "Yes or no..."

"Speak. I will listen," Gomez finally said.

"There is a war coming, you know it and I know it. The smart thing for you and the other Dons to do is join the goddess's forces. In the end she will win and thus you will win. However, I don't see that happening. So, the best course for organized crime in North America to do is keep a low profile. Don't help those wishing war from the middle and far east. If you do, that will attract the attention of the feds." Alice paused, "Don Miguel, you know Spade will not be able to talk to the others as an equal. They won't accept her."

"This is true," Gomez nodded in agreement. "But where do I come in?"

"You need to go to the others, speak of peace and sitting off to one side quietly. This is all I ask of you." Alice reached out to touch his arm, "Then once the war is done and we move forward, you will be seen as a hero by the other Dons. That my friend will put you and by association Samantha in positions of power. You know she is not interested in any more power than she has now. That is not her way. You on the other hand will be the man the others look to for guidance. Do we have peace?"

No matter how he figured it, it was a win for him. "Yes. I agree senorita Alice. You are not just a musician of music, but of words also."

Alice smiled, "I try my best to keep the peace. Are you willing to go to Samantha and make peace with her while you and your wife and daughters visit?"

He thought for a moment before answering. All he needed to do was make peace with her until the war was over and then do her in. "Of course."

"The last person who wanted to double cross Samantha ended up in the past trying to survive by her deceitful ways." Alice paused, "Give up the idea of killing Samantha after the war. Where we are going, all can read thoughts. What would your Maria think about you making peace and breaking it? What would your daughters think about their father?" Okay so she was stretching the truth a bit. However, she needed him on their side or out of the way. "Why do you want to kill her so bad?"

"She stopped my supply to the Northeast drug trade," Gomez growled. The thought of the drug trade losses made him mad. "She went to another supplier when it was agreed by all the Dons that I would be the only supplier east of the Mississippi river."

"She didn't go to another supplier. Samantha blew up the warehouse where the drugs were stored and said she was getting out of the drug trade. It had nothing to do with you Don Miguel,"

"Out of the drug trade?" he paused and then asked, "So she wouldn't mind if someone else happened to pick up the slack?"

"Right now, I would say it would be better to leave that one alone for now. Once things calm down, I'm sure you and I can work out something agreeable to both of us. If nothing else I can cover the loss of revenue between now and when we work out our deal."