[mention]TayDay95[/mention] [mention]Bigballgag1[/mention] [mention]NotSeen[/mention] [mention]TomYi[/mention] [mention]Trammel[/mention] [mention]Pantyhose971[/mention] [mention]Nainur[/mention]
Bandit666 wrote: ↑2 years ago
Thank you my friend. For all you’ve produced. All your efforts. But most of all for the enjoyment you’ve provided to one and all.
Dear Bandit, thank you for your kind words - your support during this Journey was most helpful. That being said: Dear Friends, dear Readers the Journey which began nearly 10 Months ago is about to come to an End and I want to thank each and every one of you.
Personally I want to thank some People whose support, encouragement, astute reading and critic has contributed much to the fact that dared to write this wild Child of my Imagination and was able to finish it, if I fortot anyone, the blame is mine
Thank you [mention]GreyLord[/mention], thank you [mention]Bandit666[/mention], thank you [mention]Beaumains[/mention], thank you [mention]mrjones2009[/mention], thank you [mention]Mineira1986[/mention], thank you [mention]slackywacky[/mention] and at last to [mention]wolfman[/mention] who performed the - at the beginning - arduous Task to read each and every Chapter.
P.s.: Thank you [mention]bondagefreak[/mention] for this fantastic banner of mine!
So, here is it, the final Chapter of the Hunt for the Weinstein-Collection
Hurghadda, the Resort: The next Morning:
On the Tarmac in the bright morning Sun stood two Private Jets, ready for take-off. Rachel Weinstein, Dana Scully, Hayley, Kirsty and Kate would depart with one of them to New York.
Chris, Anna, Sybil and Sophie would board the second one for Hamburg. From Hamburg Sophie would fly to Nuremberg. Their luggage was already on board. Now it was time say goodbye – for now. There were a lot of hugs and some tears.
Kate hugged Sophie tightly “Whenever you want to talk, I am just one phone call away”
“I know” the German returned the Embrace and pulled herself together “Good bye Kate!”
“Good bye Sophie we will soon met again!” The Detective replied warmly “Stay strong!”
“I will!” Sophie replied and she meant it
New York: A loft in Queens, later that day:
Sarah McKenzie typed the Security Code in and the massive Door swung open. While she was entirely sure that nobody could have penetrated her High-End-Security-System the Dark Lady searched each Room thoroughly. One could never be careful enough in her line of Work.
One hour later the Thief had freshened up and had a light meal. She went to another massive Door and typed in another Code, additionally the System demanded a retina-Scan, and a Scan of her right Palm. Only then the Door opened. Her “Chamber of Secrets” was a heavily shielded, windowless Room.
One of the Computers stood on a separate Desk. The PC had no connection to the Net and was more heavily shielded than Fort Knox. Only after she had entered five different Access Codes the System granted her Access to “the Vault”
The Dark Lady opened one Folder:
Mission Parameters for Operation Black Eagle
Target: Christine von der Marwitz
Profession: Pianist, grandiose Chopin- and Schumann Interpret, Art Detective, speciality: Recovery of stolen or lost Scores, Instruments and other art works.
Begin of the Operation: Saturday, September 10th, 1800 hours
Primary Objective: Deliver a warning
Secondary Objective: Having fun
And so it all had begun. Sarah McKenzie had achieved said Objectives. She had delivered a Warning, she had had fun. Lots of it – the Thief smiled to herself.
That day in Hamburg had a special place in her heart. But it had not ended there. The Artist and the Thief had become … she searched for the right term: “Friends?”
Of one thing she was sure though: The future held interesting prospects. Sarah McKenzie looked forward to see a certain Musician again - a devious Smile crossed the Canadian´s lips - and to have some more fun with her, with her glorious butt, with her beautiful feet and with her ample bosom, to be exact.
Details mattered.
And to her ultimate surprise she felt another Emotion, something different that went beyond simple physical attraction.
The future held interesting prospects indeed.
New York: Castle´s and Kate´s Loft around the same time:
Captain Kate Beckett with the NYPD left the Elevator and pulled her Trolley behind her. The Detective hesitated a moment before she opened the Door of the Loft she inhabited with her Husband and Mystery Writer Richard Castle.
When she crossed the Threshold she closed the Door behind her. Kate went into the living Room and took in the Scene before her: The Table was laid for two and lavishly decorated, the soft Candlelight filled the Room with warm light; Scents of Italian Cuisine hang in the air, Ossobuco?
So engrossed the Investigator had been that she did not notice that her Husband had entered the Room, in his Hand he held a bottle of red Wine “Hello Stranger, what are you doing here and where is my beloved Wife?”
Kate smiled “she is here, come closer” The Writer sat the bottle aside and they walked at each other “Prove to me that you are the real Captain Beckett” he demanded “I will” she whispered and kissed her Husband full on the lips and embraced Castle tightly. How much she had missed him!
When they came up for air the Writer told his Wife “I am still not totally convinced that you are the real Katherine Haughton Beckett”
“Then let me convince you” Kate whispered, took his hand firmly and pulled him towards their bed room ….
New York: The Mansion of Hayley´s Father:
Hayley was very silent as they drove up the Pathway which led to her Father and Mother´s Mansion. She had been silent most of the Drive. After they had landed at the Airport she and Kirsty had driven to Hayley´s Flat, to freshen up and get a change of clothes.
It had been awkward to enter the Flat. The last time she had been there had been seven Months ago, when Crawford had blackmailed her in returning to Mystery Island after she and Gabriella had escaped aided by Kirsty.
She had skyped with her Dad, the Commissioner, several times after the Final Assault on the Adlernest. The American had been incredibly thankful for Chris gracious Offer to lead the new American Bureau of Art Incorporated together with Kirsty. Kate Beckett and Sarah McKenzie would consult on a regular Basis.
“You are nervous as hell you know” Kirsty chuckled “Is it that obvious?” the former Investigator replied a bit indignantly “You have barely said a word for over an hour and that is just not like you” the Briton teased her Friend.
They walked to the Entrance Door and Hayley pressed the Door Bell – nothing happened at first, then steps neared the Door, then it swung wide open. The Commissioner and his Daughter looked at each other, stood still for a Moment.
Hayley threw herself in his father´s Arms and hugged him tightly. Overwhelmed by her Emotions she welled up and her Father softly stroked her about her back …. Hayley was home – finally she was home.
Stein, near Nuremberg, Germany, Reichenbach Castle:
The Cab held before the Main Entrance of Reichenbach Castle. With every passing Mile, Sophie had felt more uneasy. Almost six Weeks had passed since she had last been there. Only six Weeks, but to Sophie it seemed a Life Time ago. So much had changed.
The Cab Driver had lifted her Trolley out of the Trunk and bade Sophie a good bye. Pulling the Trolley across the paved Pathway she had walked to the Main Entrance. Sophie entered the Code into the Pad and the large heavy oaken Gates swung open.
The District Attorney crossed the Threshold. Her Heels clicking loud on the Marble Floor, the last time she had been here, in the spacious Entrance Hall she had been restrained in Elizabeth Crawford´s enhanced restraining System, blindfolded and gagged.
Her Husband, Lucas, would not return from a Photo-Safari in Spain before tomorrow evening, so she would have time to get settled in – for the time being at least.
There would be some difficult Conversations to be had. Since she and Chris´ had escaped from the Adlernest Lukas and her had talked several times over the phone. To call those Conversations awkward would have been an understatement. There was that 600 Pound Gorilla in the Room: How Lucas´ Father had blackmailed and abused her.
Simply to return to her old life and pretending that nothing out of the ordinary had happened in the last six weeks was out of the question.
Sophie would find a buyer for Reichenbach-Industries. The Money she would give it to a Charity. She would quit her Job as District Attorney. As soon as possible she would join Art. Incorporated and work as Corporate Lawyer and begin her training as an Operative – continue her Musical Studies and may, just maybe record a recital of Handel Arias. Chris had the necessary Contacts in the Business.
At some point she would have to enter the Bureaus of her Father in Law. The last time she had been there had been the day of her Abduction. Sophie had had an Appointment with the old Bastard.
When she had entered the Office Brunhild, one of von Winterfeldt´s Valkyries, had just executed the old Reichenbach. Sophie had frozen in shock, when the cold Steel of Gun had been pressed into her Neck ….
She pulled herself together and went to the Elevator.
Her old life was over, her new life was about to begin.
Hamburg, Blankenese, Villa von der Marwitz early Evening:
Chris and Anna watched the Cab leaving. The Flight from Hurghadda to Hamburg had been uneventful. While Sybil had decided to spent the night in the Penthouse in the City, Chris and Anna had decided to return to the Villa Chris and the Russian inhabited at Hamburg Blankenese
Chris´ Villa in Hamburg-Blankenese
For Mid-November it was a surprisingly warm and sunny day for a Citizen of Hamburg at least. Chris shuddered despite her warm coat. The Contrast was stark: Only Yesterday they had hiked through the Egyptian Dessert under the warm Egyptian Sun.
When was the last time she had been here in Blankenese? If memory served it must have been shortly after the Dark Lady had paid them a visit, a day after her former Fiancé had been shot. Almost three Months had passed since then.
Ragna Sigurdsdottir, Chris´ “Lady in Waiting” as the Herculean Blonde with the Pose and Bearing of one of Odin´s Valkyries called herself awaited them. With 6´,5” she towered even over Anna.
Almost effortless she had fetched Chris´ and Anna´s heavy Trolley. She would have even taken the Russian´s Violin Case, but Anna never let the Lord-Dun-Raven out of her Hands.
As they entered the spacious Entrance Hall, they were greeted by the heavenly Smells of a Bouillabaisse. A smile curled Anna´s lips “Do my nostrils deceive me?” “They do not Miss Anna” the Icelander smiled “I have been on the Market this Morning – why don´t you freshen up and we have Dinner around 0700 PM?”
Later, after Dinner around 0900 PM:
After Dinner Chris and Anna retreated to the Lounge with a Glass of Wine, Chris sat on the Couch, her legs folded under her and perused the Post which had piled up during their Absence. Anna saw that Chris took an envelope of heavy handmade Paper and let it fall as if her Hand had been burned – her face had become pale.
“What is it?” Anna looked concerned at her Friend, Chris just pointed to the Envelope. Anna stood up and took it. The handwriting in black ink looked vaguely familiar, clear but a little shaky as if the Writer was not used to write by Hand.
Anna read:
To Christine von der Marwitz and Grand Duchesse Anna Romanova.
Anna looked at Chris who had regained her composure “Do you think it is from him?”
“I do Anna” her Friend replied softly.
“Then let´s see” with a quick and decisive Motion the Russian broke the Seal and took a Card out of the Envelope, and this she read:
“To me belongeth vengeance, and recompence; their foot shall slide in due time: for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste.”
Deuteronomy 32:35”
“I never pegged the Bastard for a religious fellow” Anna stated dryly.
Chris nodded “He isn´t – but I guess this is his way to tell us, this is not the End”
“Let him come” Anna spoke with Steel in her Voice “I will gladly put him out of his misery”
Chris smiled as Anna stood and threw the Card and the Envelope in the large fire place: They watched as the Card turned to Ash.
Anna was right Chris thought: Let him come. They would deal with him when he dared to show his ugly face again, as they had dealt with him before. And next time von Winterfeldt would not just lose his left Eye and his right hand.
Unknown time and location deep in the Western Desert: An Egyptian Palace:
Mortuary Temple and Palace of Rameses III Medinet Habu, Egypt
A tall Man stood, dressed in the traditional Garb of the High Priests of Ancient Egypt, on a Balcony of a Palace, two Stories above the Ground and looked into the far Distance to the West. He had received the Reports from a certain Resort at the Red Sea. The Stage was set:
His time would come.
It would come soon.
Death was only the beginning after all.
This is the End of the Hunt for the Weinstein Collection
This is not the End of the Adventures of Chris and her Friends.
The Story continues
in
“The Hunt for the lost Scrolls”
Soon
Stay tuned