Missy Makes Mayhem (Missy the Werecat Book 5) (18 page)

She quickly made her way up and into the room, but arrived too late.  She saw Cadet Evan Melo had just finished raping a young woman and was adjusting his pants, which he obviously had just pulled back up.  The woman was lying on a desk with her clothes in disarray; her breasts were exposed where her blouse and bra had been pushed upwards and her legs and lower body were bare, with her skirt up around her waist and her panties lying on the floor.  She was sobbing now, uncontrollably, and making no effort to cover herself.  He had obviously done what he’d wanted and having clothing on no longer mattered to her.

Missy could tell Melo had been drinking but this seemed more than just something which had gotten out of hand because of alcohol.  No, based on what her senses were telling her, this had not been any accident or some random act but had been carefully planned.  Clearly, Melo had moved on from making advances on female cadets after being caught harassing Emily.  While Missy didn’t know the young woman he had just taken advantage of, she recognized her as one of the many civilian staff members who worked in the kitchen.

When Melo finished with his trousers he looked back at the woman.  “Okay, you can get dressed now … we need to get out of here.  And, stop all your crying.  Maybe next time …”

She screamed at him, “There won’t be any
next
time, you bastard!”  She sat up and adjusted her bra and blouse.

He bent down and picked up her panties which he put into his pocket.  “Shut your mouth, Carol, or I’ll slap you again.  We don’t want anyone wondering what all the noise is about, now, do we?”  He bent down again and grabbed her sandals which he tossed at her.  “Now, hurry up!”

Missy could sense the woman really did not want anyone finding her, in spite of having been raped.  Or, more likely,
because
of having been raped.  She probably didn’t want her co-workers or any of the cadets to know.  Once she was seen as a victim, or even worse, perhaps as someone who’d invited the sexual advances, regardless of then claiming rape, her hopes for ever finding some Prince Charming at the academy who might swoop in and carry her off to Happy-Ever-After-Land would definitely be gone.

Maybe she really needed her job and simply didn’t believe she was in any position to bring any charges against Melo.  In any case, it was apparent she would not be doing that.  From the way he was acting, which was not at all worried, Missy sensed he had known she was vulnerable and had taken advantage of that as well.

“What about my panties?”  Carol stared at him with real hatred in her eyes.

“Oh, I’m keeping those.  For my collection.”  Melo laughed.  “Let’s go.  I need to get you home and then get back to my barracks.”

Carol hopped off the desk, pulled her skirt down and then, after further adjusting her clothes, she positioned her floppy sandals on the floor and stepped into those.  “I can find my own way home without any help from you.”  It was apparent she had already accepted what had happened and was now just anxious to get away from Melo.

“Yeah, right.  I’m sure you can.  But, I want to make certain you manage getting there without anyone seeing you.  We can’t have you telling any wild tales about why you’re out so late on Halloween.”  He grabbed two coats from another desk and handed one to her.

Missy watched them leave and felt very conflicted.  While she really wanted to strangle Cadet Melo, something he richly deserved, she wasn’t a cold-blooded killer.  Oh, she had killed others, but those kills had been more than justified.  This one simply wouldn’t have been right and so she held herself back.  Barely.  Her cat
really
wanted to pounce and rip out Melo’s throat but she resisted.

She did, however, tag along and follow them until she saw Carol get safely home.  Knowing which barracks Cadet Melo would be coming back to, she went there ahead of him and had no difficulty locating his room.  Her scenting ability, like all her other abilities, was even more enhanced in her spirit form.  She entered his room without disturbing Melo’s roommate.  Again, using her scenting ability, she located where he was hiding his collection of panties.  There were several.  For two of them, the lingering scents were enough … she would now recognize from whom he’d taken his prizes.

Then, she whisked herself to a remote area and finished her Change.  Her cat wanted to scream but she controlled herself and resisted doing that.  Cougar screams weren’t exactly normal for this area.  She instead merely hunted until finding a raccoon to eat.  Finally, frustrated but determined to eventually see justice done, she again Shifted and returned back to her room where she materialized into her human form, accompanied by a pulse of energy which woke Tracy up.

Missy said, “Go back to sleep.  I’m just having one of those nights.”  She located the tee shirt of Mike’s she liked sleeping in, climbed back into bed, and tried unsuccessfully to get some sleep herself.  While she didn’t really need the rest, as her energy level was still off the charts, she did manage to lie there quietly until morning.  But, between how she felt physically with so much excess energy combined now with all her thoughts about poor Carol and all the other women just like her who were nothing but prey for guys like Melo?  Worst.  Night.  Ever.

Nov 2, 2019

Mike drove down that morning and by the time he arrived at the Visitor’s Center, Troy was there waiting, as they’d arranged beforehand.  Missy was actually not available yet, due to the Rifle Team getting in some last minute practice before the football game.  They had one of their matches scheduled for the next evening.  Missy didn’t need the practice, of course, but was there helping Emily.

Tracy was waiting for them, however, and she signed them in, gave them their tickets to the football game and then brought them over to Cullum Hall.  Over in one corner, some tables had been pulled together and one contained a huge sign:

Kickoff w/ KK@KK

     & Krazy Kin!

Mike laughed when he saw the sign.  “Am I
kin
to any of
you
crazies?”  There were several people at these tables, busy talking in a language he couldn’t understand.

Marcus looked up and said, “You belong to Missy so that’s a big ‘
yes’
, Mike!  Good to see you again.  Glad you could make it down this time.”

Mike already knew most of them and helped Tracy introduce Troy to everyone in the group.  Kelsey was there without Mitch since he was already suited up and out on the field with his team.  Sharon was there without Lee who, like John, had not been able to come to this game.  But the rest of the group was there: Gary and Kelly, Tony and Cassie, Marcus and Chandra, and … of course … Sally Navarro.

Major Khan and Sergeant Town, the KK@KK instructors. were both there along with Missy’s TAC Officer, Captain Bonomo, who was also a student in the class.  They were seated at a separate table from the cadets, along with two other men.  Sergeant Town had gotten close with a couple of the TAC NCO’s, Sergeant Frele and Sergeant Chasen.  Sergeant Frele, like Captain Bonomo, was assigned to Missy’s Cadet Company.  He had provided sniper training to Missy and Tracy during the previous semester.

After everyone had finished welcoming the latest arrivals, with several getting up and rearranging their seats so Mike and Troy could join them, it somehow turned out that Troy ended up sitting next to Sally.  Of course, that had not happened by any accident.

As Missy had told Tracy earlier, “I love it when a plan comes together.  Now, you and Sharon make sure everyone else is in on this.  I want those two spending the day together as though joined at the hip.”

Sally was aware her friends were manipulating her but she didn’t mind.  She indeed had been badly burned by yet another relationship which had ended badly, upon her return to the academy.  The guy she’d thought was so wonderful during the summer had decided they should start dating others.  He’d shared that decision in an email rather than facing her in person.  It had been a month since then and she was finally over him.  She had not, however, been ready to move on.

Or, at least, not with anyone at the academy.  She and Missy had been grabbed during the previous semester and, while that had led to exposure of a secret sex club with many cadet resignations, she was still not comfortable with all the exposure she’d received.  While Missy was the one responsible for making that happen, saving her in the process, everyone knew she had been involved.  Because of all the notoriety, she couldn’t trust that guys weren’t now paying attention to her only because of that, rather than any real desire to know her as a person.

Of course, she had noticed Troy during a few meets last year.  The guy was athletic and good looking and carried himself with such confidence … she had inquired, just asking, merely curious.  That had been
after
hearing other girls talking about him.  And, now … here he was, sitting next to her.  She could sense he was definitely interested, which surprised her, in spite of what Missy had said earlier.  But, she was going to go slow, for sure.  No way would she let herself get burned yet again!

Twenty minutes later Missy joined the group, fresh from her shower and with her hair drawn up in a tight bun.  The others joked about being glad she’d taken time to wash up since otherwise, as they’d noted many other times when she’d returned from the firing range, she’d have brought back a strong stench of cordite along with her.

Missy said, “Come on, guys, you all know
cordite
hasn’t been used since World War II and the gunpowder in today’s weapons is very different!  Geeezzz!”

Sharon said, “Still stinks to high heavens, though, and
you
of all people are the last one who should be objecting to our complaints.  We all know how sensitive that damn nose of
yours
is!  Wheh!”  That got laughs as most of those present, in spite of not knowing Missy was a supernatural, had still managed to learn how enhanced her senses were.

Cassie and Chandra had
not
learned that about Missy before but, having picked up from the others how Missy wasn’t normal, they now just added that to all those other things they’d learned about Missy.  Ever since those magazine articles had come out, telling how Missy had served with the Special Forces that past summer and how she’d earned those medals she now wore, they’d been learning more and more things about her.  This latest fact hardly mattered at all.

Tracy said, “Hey, we’d better get going now.  Otherwise, we might not get to keep all those great seats we’ve got waiting for us out at the stadium!”  That got everyone up and moving and they all headed for the exit and on out to Michie field.

-----

General Blake had reviewed the latest report from the CIA with its threat assessment concerning all the dangers for his niece.  He was having very mixed feelings now about letting her and Oliver make this trip.  While he had every confidence in Colonel Chory and Team Twenty-Two, he realized just how difficult it might be to stop any suicide attacks.  As much as he liked the idea of having Oliver check these embassies for possible supernaturals, he was very worried about the risk.

Originally, knowing how well all the diplomatic compounds and military facilities in each of these countries had increased their security measures over the past few years, just like at the embassies, he had been confident she would not be vulnerable.  Getting these threat assessments by the CIA had merely been an added precaution, since he had not wanted to overlook any possibilities.  Now, he wasn’t so confident.

Candace had definitely changed since her return home.  She now believed she had a mission in life and was determined to get started right away, even while still only in college with graduation more than two years away.  She wanted to see what U.S. Embassies overseas might really be like and, having recently received worldwide publicity thanks to WIJO, she wanted to take advantage of that.  She could make these visits not only as his niece but as someone who had stood up against WIJO.

She had survived, thwarting not only their attempt at making outrageous demands.  No, once those were not met, their intent had been to humiliate her government and her country by executing her in a public and horrific manner.  Thus, now?  Now they were the ones embarrassed.  Rather than fading away into obscurity, hiding as though she were afraid, she wanted to “get back in the saddle” by making these visits.  She wanted the world to know she would continue to stand up against the enemies of her country.

She also wanted firsthand knowledge and experiences which she could use in better preparing for her future role.  She would be coming back, working in some diplomatic position.  And, she wanted to put all those terrorist organizations on notice.  Yes, America was strong and she was part of that.  She was a citizen who would be doing her part.  Yes, she was a woman … hear her roar!

The general smiled, recalling that last conversation he’d had with her.  How much of her change was due to the trauma she’d been through versus the help she’d received from people like Alice Mathews since returning versus now having Oliver as her soulmate?  Probably all of the above.  Regardless, Candace was happier now than ever before and he was thrilled.

He called Drew Martinson who answered on the third ring.  It was Drew’s private line and after Drew acknowledged he’d read the report, the general got right down to business.  “Does “P” Branch have any resources which might help with security over there?”

“Paul, you know our work is to
monitor
supernaturals and not get involved in asking or influencing them to get involved in anything like that.  And, we don’t know of any supnats in any of those countries right now … you know that.  It’s why you want to have Oliver go there, in case we’ve missed anyone, which of course is quite possible.”

“What if I ask Missy to help?  Will you have your team support her, as you’ve done before?  I can’t be sending her over there in any official capacity.  Not without interfering with her status at the academy.  But, I can maybe get the Superintendent to grant her some emergency leave, like before, when she helped find Candy.”

“I see.  And, if she says she’ll help, you’ll want my team making all the
unofficial
arrangements.  Like last time.”

General Blake said, “I’m only thinking ahead, in case she might be needed.  If Team Twenty-Two asks for her help or our CIA informants learn something is imminent, I’d like to have things ready in advance.  She’ll be spending Thanksgiving at home so, if you have your plane waiting up in Boston, with your team …”

Drew laughed.  “My team spends their holiday sitting around up there, just in case?”  He knew the general fully realized Les and Marsha along with any of the “P” Branch pilots would agree.  They wouldn’t be happy but they’d agree.

“Hopefully, she won’t be needed.  And, when Candy is back home, I’ll make it up to your team.  A week at whatever resort they want, anywhere in the world.”

Drew knew this tour of Candace’s was important and understood why the general wasn’t merely canceling the whole thing.  In the continuing battle against terrorism, this move was one that might make a difference for several reasons.  Not the least, of course, was if Oliver were to actually identify any supernaturals over there.  If he did find any, it was fairly certain they wouldn’t be working for the good of America.  That only made it all the more necessary for continuing, as planned.  And, for agreeing to these additional plans the general wanted to make.

He told the general, “My team will be counting on your making it up to them.  I’ll let them know.”

-----

It had been an exciting game with Army coming from behind late in the fourth quarter to take the lead and then holding on for the final few minutes.  The football team had already been well on its way to one of its best seasons ever and, after this win, all the talk now was about which bowl game they’d be invited to play in.

The celebration back at Cullum Hall was going strong and Missy couldn’t remember a time when she’d been happier.  She was surrounded by a great group of friends and her life at the academy was good.  And, of course, Mike was there.  Since John hadn’t come down, Tracy was keeping track of Evan Melo for her.  That way, Missy could fully enjoy herself and not worry about any distractions.

Missy hadn’t had any chance yet to search for the other two women whose panties were in Melo’s collection but she had explained things to Tracy.  Melo’s days at the academy were numbered; he just didn’t know that yet. Meanwhile, until they managed forcing him to resign, they would make certain he didn’t take advantage of any more girls.

Tracy was also keeping tabs on her plebe, Donald Quigby.  She was glad to see he was sitting with Missy’s plebe, Emily Robinson, and the two of them seemed oblivious to anyone else being there.  While she and the other Quigby girls had all been teasing the two of them that previous Sunday, when they’d been introduced to one another, there actually seemed to be some real chemistry going on between them.  How nice!

Tracy pointed them out to Missy, pulling her and Mike aside, saying, “Looks like our two plebes are getting to know one another over there.  Are you able to listen in, with your super hearing?”

Missy laughed.  “I can’t hear them from here, with all the other noise all around us … they’re too far away.  But, I
am
able to catch what’s happening with Sally and Troy.”  They were also sitting by themselves, deep in conversation, but only twenty feet away.  “Sally doesn’t know it yet but he’s totally smitten with her.”

Tracy giggled and said, “I know.  That reputation of his, about not ever getting serious with anyone?  I’m betting that’s going to all change after tonight.”

Mike said, “He’s always been very concerned about anyone finding out he’s a witch.  That’s really what’s behind that reputation he has.  His mother has been paranoid all her life and some of that has rubbed off on him.  That was one of the things we talked about that night we rode around, searching for Sal’s daughter.”

“His mother or his paranoia?”  Missy raised her left eyebrow and wiggled it.

Mike laughed at her.  “He was very impressed at that coven meeting.  Not just with you two girls but even more so with Candy.  Seeing her, a non-witch, be so open and relaxed about witches and so obviously in love with Oliver … that really opened up his eyes.  It made him realize relationships like that were possible, in spite of what his mommy-dearest has always preached.”

Tracy nodded and said, “That’s good.  Even so, he’ll find it’s a bit of a challenge if he really sets his sights on Sally.  After all the guys she’s been hurt by, he’ll need to be very patient and prove he’s never going to do that.  And, his reputation for being more of a love-‘em-and-leave-‘em kind of guy will make things that much harder.”