The Black Willow 3
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This part 3 will connect The princess and the Captain and The Black Willow though, I suggest you
read the Princess and the captain first. This part starts 9 years before the Princess and the
Captain and ends when Jim contacts her to help.
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Mary stretched, it had been a long night, Ann her sister sprang from her bed dressing in a
hurry. “I start work at the palace today!!” she shrieked in glee.
“Yeah, yeah, so glad uh huh,” Mary grumbled not quite ready to get out of bed.
“Sister get up! You have to see what I am wearing now! Come on get up!” she shrieked again,
grabbing her sister’s arm almost pulling Mary out of bed.
Groaning Mary sat up sore all over last night’s job had been a hard one, “alright, alright, I’m up
geez!” Mary almost growled she loved her sister but there were times that she could be a pain in
the ass.

Trying to not upset Ann , Mary really didn’t give a rat’s ass about the palace or the
empire, but this was a good start for her sister. At least she would be legitamite, her sister
never expressed a real desire to play the games Mary and their guardian did. She also never really
wanted to know what Mary was doing when she was away, it seemed because she could read at a high
level that she was in demand teaching and being a nanny. At 16 Ann was extremely beautiful, this
slightly worried Mary making Ann a target. Damnit! with the jobs she was starting to take off
world now she was gone for days at a time.

Sighing she knew she worried far too much but then again being that worried all these
years HAD kept her alive. Thomas was finally starting to slow down, the years having finally
caught up with him but each day he still stretched with Mary. Hell, Ann had even gotten into the
stretching each morning with them, now her body was also starting to tone up making her even more
beautiful. This was what Mary was afraid of, a lovely young beauty like her, as innocent as she
was would be fair game to the many playboys, among the not caring royals. Mary listened with
pretended interest as her sister Ann prattled on and on about the palace and palace life.

Preparing to leave soon after Ann did, Mary took Thomas aside, “You have to meet her each
night, I won’t be here for a week this is the first real high paying job and will be the most
difficult to date. If I do this I am afraid I will be in a much larger demand.”
“I don’t see how any job would be difficult for you Mary, your tech is far from anyone’s detection
systems,” he said low so Ann wouldn’t hear.
“It’s not the tech I am worried about it’s the mark he’s been known to pay assassians off, you
know I’ll work for the highest amount, I have no loyalty except to my family and Jim and I don’t
really expect him to ask a favor for a long time. As I told him when we went our seperate ways, it
better be damn important or I’ll come for you.” she answered.

“Look Mary, you have a good head on your shoulders, you have been taught by the best of
all in the city, hell the whole world girl. Oh yes, I know about all your training, I may be old
but I still have ears everywhere as I heard you do.” Thomas said.
Mary smiled slyly, yes, she had kept tabs on him also. They both smiled, then Mary told Ann to be
good as she would be gone a week and wanted to hear all about it when she got back. Sighing Ann
wished her luck and kissed her cheek, after they left she contacted all her spys in the city to
watch Ann they’d be paid when she returned. With that she set out to the space port she almost had
enough to get her own ship, it had taken time but this job was the one that would get it for her.

The trip out was boring as usual giving her time to work on her tech, she had kept up with
Jim hearing about some of the improvements he had made, damnit he’d already passed her on the
cloak but she had far surpassed him on the voice configure box and the matter through matter
teansmitter. Shit, she felt she was back in the lab with him all those years ago each trying to
out do the other, sighing she knew he would always out do her with what ever he was working on. He
was brilliant to a fault, and from what she had heard after the war he had all but disappeared, it
seemed his family had lost most of their holdings but was still prized by the emperor

She had heard about a new space station on the outskirts of the empire with more advanced
weapons than anything she had ever heard of. For some reason she felt that Jim had a hand in that,
checking further she was sure of it, then she heard about the shields, son of a bitch. They were
what really impressed her, hell with those she could do her jobs directly and never be touched. Oh
well, there always was wishing, the ship docked 2 days later Mary was ready. Heading to her
contact she again donned a disguise, this time an old poor woman. The contact wanted her to kill a
high ranking official, nodding she listened to everything. “All right, first you pay me but know
this if the man can offer me more I will forego the job,” she said.
Nodding the man paid her 10 times what she was going to ask for hmmmm they obviously thought her
tech was better than it was or, here she sighed, this was a trap.

After the credits were transfered and then confirmed, Mary left on her way to kill the
man. Mary had worked the whole time on the ship refining her MTM to pass through the castle walls
apparently, they were made of a different stone that interfered with it, Mary had worked a week at
home and almost had it but she needed the real thing to test it on. Passing the castle she went to
a little used wing and took readings, satified she set her plan for that night. checking her
network she had no messages about any traps but still wasn’t sure something didn’t feel right.

That night a shadowy figure moved with ease through the moonless night, the guards were on
high alert, someone had leaked information that the official’s life was in danger. Phasing through
the walls she snapped the MTM off to conserve power, this having saved her life a few times a
minute’s, worth more of power was always a god send. Setting up she moved like a light breeze
through the castle to her target. Entering, the man was asleep, creeping up she saw that he wasn’t
alone, Damnit! oh well. First she made sure the other man stayed asleep, then she took a small
needle from her pouch. Injecting the man, he woke up screaming but only a moment, she heard guards
rushing to the room activating her MTM she moved to the wall, when the door burst open, the guards
moved to grab her but she was through the wall and out.

Damn, damn, damn! Running wasn’t something she had to do. Rounding a corner she changed
her disguise to an old woman and moved into the shadows. Many guards moved by yelling they were
looking for an old woman or young girl, WHAT!? it had to be her contact. Changing to a guise of a
young man she looked through the city for the man who contacted her. In a pub on the opposite side
of the city she found him. Siding up to him she listened to his tale about his poor uncle that he
had been killed, never one to pass up information she recorded all she heard. When the man went to
releave his self, she put him to sleep. In a small hut outside of town she awaited him to awake,
then the real fun began after 3 hours the young man was pleading ,begging, confessing everything,
satisfied she cut off his cock and balls shoving them into his horror stricken mouth.

Leaving the body outside the castle with a note that read , here is the one who hired me
for the assassination, come for me and I will come for you. Do not make it personel and neither
will I, look for me and I will know. The Black Willow. After that life became more interesting for
her, though from that point on she researched her targets for a week at least then decided to take
the job or not. For the next 5 years many thought they had her, though no one ever really got
close, as her fame spread so did the price of her jobs increasing till finally one job was enough
to keep her and her family a year. 5 years later, she’d grown extremely, rich her family wanted
for nothing, then one night, that changed Mary and her life forever.

Ann now almost 21 had, had many proposals for marrage, she always asked her sister if he
was a good catch or if he was right. Mary always said no, she knew all the dandies they wanted her
for a trophy, something she knew her sister wasn’t and wouldn’t be. Mary had taken a job across
the galaxy and was on her way home, her ship one of the fastest in the empire, she’d made the trip
in 2 days, was on her way back with a day left when Thomas called.
His tear stained face had Mary worried the look of hopelessness was even worse.
“Mary, I can’t find her, no one has seen her all day, I have tried all my contacts and no one is
saying anything,” he blurted out.
“Ill be there in a few hours they may not talk to you but to the Willow they will!” with that she
increased her speed, this was a little used engine she had installed, with it hers WAS the
fastest.

Returning home Thomas wasn’t there, she found him an hour later dead in an alley a knife
in his back. Hmmm, walking to another ally way she reached in and grabbed a small man.
“You will tell me everything now or the death I give you will be the slowest that I can find , you
do know who I am?” she snarled.
Shaking the man nodded and told her everything about Duke Gregor’s guards killing her guardian
exactly which three it had been. Paying him she advised him to spread the word the Willow was out
for blood and anyone withholding information would die a slow, painful, horrible death.

Walking the streets she waited for the guards to leave she followed them, learned where
all three lived and waited for the first. Just before he died frozen by the stun beam he told of
the son of the Duke liking beautiful women that he had taken a young raven haired beauty that
morning he’d watched for a month, he said that she was to be tortured and used repeatedly, he
realized the error of what he’d said when he saw the look of blood lust in willows eyes. Right
before she cut the guards throat she whispered in his ear that the girl was the sister of the
Willow and the Duke’s son was living on borrowed time.

The other 2 guards faired even worse after they told where the Duke’s son had taken Ann.
They each took an hour to die as she slowly sliced them to pieces. Arriving where the guard told
her Mary looked around everywhere, with each passing minute she was becoming more and more
enraged. An hour later she was almost finished searching the area the 10 guards that were supposed
to keep people out already lifeless, when she found her sisters’ body. Staring at the lifeless
body battered, abused, her face cut and punched her body violated, Mary became calm a boiling rage
deep inside her. She vowed when she found him she would take her time killing this monster, so
he’d know the terror before he died that all his victims had known at his hands.

Over the next 4 years Mary went from job to job improving her tech. She had buried her
sister and the man she had never called father but more a friend. After going through his things
she found a letter from a man called the rat, in it the man discribed how he had kidnpped the
three children and they were to raise them till it was safe for them to go back to their home.
Mary thought three? So there was another out there? Reading on it said the boy was Jimmy, the
oldest girl was Mary and the youngest was Ann. He would give more details when he got in, Mary
remembered Thomas muttering about that idiot rat, getting his ass caught at least he never said
nothing.

Mary was estatic she had a brother! but who? Jimmy? That was a common name, digging deeper
she found that the year she had been taken, 10 other sets of girls had been taken, 5 of them had a
bother Jim, Jimmy, James it was maddening of those 5 two families were comnpletely dead 2 of the 3
of the Jims were dead and the other was locked away in a nut house. Sighing she was disappointed a
brother, she’d always felt there was someone out there now she’d never know him. This took her
back to her search for the Duke’s son. A little upset she had wasted almost a year looking for her
brother, now she devoted all her time into searching for Gregor’s son. Two and a half years later
she was close she had taken a job for him the little prick, an arrogant bastard that was for sure,
arranging to meet him she was prepared at last to take the revenge that she had longed for.

On the opposite side of the empire as far from the capital world as one could get she set
down. The job was a simple one nothing hard involved at all, as if she really needed the money now
the last she saw she had more than the empire had, all of it’s world’s put together. Moving into
position she waited, she could almost taste the blood she would spill this night, it was sweet and
would finally put an end to the murderous little bastard letch who had tortured and killed her
little sister all those years ago. A look of hatred crossed her face as she waited. Finally the
little ass appeared, springing from her hiding place she knocked him out and dragged him to a
specially set up area she had aranged ahead of time.

Waiting till he woke up was the hardest thing she had done in a long time, but she decided
when he did and his screams rang out into the night that it was well worth it.
“Well Gregor, after all these years you’ve been caught and now you’re going to die, I want you to
feel the terror and pain all your victims did before they die. I want you to feel the hopelessness
they did as they begged you to stop. I want you to know it isn’t going to stop till you’re dead.”
she spat at the man now spread eagled and naked.
The man started screaming after the first shallow cut then even more as she slowly made more. Then
he started screaming he wasn’t Gregor that she’d made a mistake that the real Gregor had paid him
to talk to her. Unfortunately for the man she was well past hearing or caring cutting him
everywhere saving his scrotum and cock for last. After almost a week the man succumbed to the
blood loss and injuries.

Mary was quite pleased with herself when she left the room paying 2 men to clean up and
dispose of the body. Thinking she had enough money she was undecided whether to retire or not, for
a month she took a vacation of sorts living in a shack in the woods, no communication with anyone
at all. Emerging she felt refreshed and alot cleaner though she still hadn’t decided to retire or
not yet. Looking at her network she saw a few jobs out here on the frontier hmmmmm a little work
to take her mind off things hell it might even be fun. Taking the first 2 she had both done before
the sun set, she had been right it had been fun! Just a little terror no blood, no death, pretty
much basics, what she had started out doing. Hopping out to another nearby world she took 3 more
nothing to her really, just simple retrievals those she finished in a week.

Feeling more releaved she actually stayed and rested a few more days taking in the sights,
having a date (now that was a strange thing) something she hadn’t ever done. Her family had always
come first, now there was no one else but her, but she was a little home sick and decided to go
home. Arriving on the capital world she went to her house she hadn’t been here in over three
years. Looking around many of the people were startled when they saw her and quickly avoided her,
no one wanted to tangle with the willow not even the huge bounty on her head was worth it. No one
had ever been close to catching her and really no one really knew who she was.

Going into her old guardian’s room she was looking around when she saw a part of the wall
different from the others. Funny she hadn’t noticed it before, removing a false panel she found
two blankets with a family crest on them, a crest she’d never seen before. Pulling out her comp
she started looking into it, after 2 hours she came up with the only conclusion she could it was
the crest of a family that had been removed from all but the royal records they only did that
when the family was hiding or on super secret work for the empire. Why had Thomas hidden them
here? Under the blanket she found two necklaces, both had initials on them MS and AS they were
small like for the neck of a child. Mary thought hard S? so my last name started with an S good to
know maybe one day she’d find out what it was.

Mary had settled into the old house for about 3 months but soon became bored, rumors were
starting to circulate that the Black willow was dead having made a mistake and been shot escaping.
Mary smiled at this, her birthday was about 2 weeks away, almost 11 years ago her and Jim had
celebrated the end of the war. Taking a job to shut the rumors up Mary was on her way back when a
call came in to her private line. What? No one knew the number but her guardian and her sister and
ah hell now what did he want?. “After the war she took her skills on the open market I believe she
is worth alot of credits now” She heard Jim say to someone off the screen.

“As I told you before Captain this had better be real damn good or you’re my next target,”
she almost growled at him, “it’s bad enough you know who I am as a matter of fact you’re the ONLY
one who knows who I am.”
“I thought a chance to completely erase your record might make you jump at the chance” he replied
a slight irratation in his voice, “but if you don’t want to…” he let his voice tail off and
reached to disconnect.
“Hold on a damn minute you called me and now you’re just going to cut me off!???” she screamed
incredulous, “I should kill you anyway just for irratating me you bastard.”
“yes, but they would still be after you wouldn’t they?” he smirked.

Sighing Mary inquired, “just how do you suppose to do that? as far as I know the only one
with that kind of power is the royal family and as if you didn’t know they are all missing
presumed dead”
“All but one is dead say, hello princess Amber” growling a petite woman elbowed him in the ribs as
she spoke up.
“Hello Willow I’m not sure of this plan of his but I have put my complete trust in him” she
replied.
Hardly able to contain her self Willow started to laugh something she didn’t do much anymore and
to be honest it felt good, “still pissing off the ladies I see Cap.” as Mary tried to stiffle
another laugh.
“You always did have a strange sense of humor didn’t you? he asked.
“Only where you were concerned Cap., only where you were concerned.” finally unable to hold back
she let loose a loud guffaw.

“Ok here’s the plan I have so far, it seems that the royal family had been set up by most
of the council. They had 6 assassin bots trying to take out everybody,” at this Mary’s eyes opened
wide damn! 6? shit somebody wanted to make sure. “I was able to destroy them all and got the info
off one that was still active with a tri cobalt explosive,” Damnit! He’d really out done her with
his tech damn he took out six? He had obviously been working all these years on them hmmmmmm maybe
he’d share? “Any way afterwards The princess ow! stop that or I’ll never get done.”
“I thought I told you it’s Amber to you, never Princess again,” Mary burst out laughing.
“As I was saying,” Jim continued, “we suspect that Duke Gregor was…”
“GREGOR!? that bastards still alive? I thought I killed him almost 6 months ago! Damnit!”
“Wait, you know him Willow?” Amber asked.
“Yes,” Mary hissed,” he’s the bastard that killed my sister almost 4 years ago, as far as anyone is concerned, he’s mine after you are through with him.” Amber and Jim looked at each other surprised, then they smiled, nothing would stand in the way now.

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