Herbertstown House, Dunboyne, County Meath, Ireland:
Mona looks out the massive window in the drawing room. She wipes away the tears that have started leaking from her eyes. Her grandmother had passed away in her sleep last night. She wasn’t looking forward to calling all her aunts and uncles to let them know. She had already called her aunt Charlotte and her father.

She feels her hand nudged by a wet nose. She looks down and notices it is Lady. One of her uncle Jack’s specially bred wolves. Lady and her mate Bruno guarded the grounds and Mrs. Bounty.

Mona scratches Lady between her ears. She knew Lady had a sense that Mrs. Bounty had passed away. She had been in her grandmother’s bedroom last night and woke everyone in the house up from her howling.

Bruno had come running, along with herself and her Uncle Sheamus. They saw Lady nudging her grandmother’s hand when they entered the room. They knew this day would come because her grandmother hadn’t been doing well after her stroke a few months ago.

She wipes the tears away as she turns and walks towards her grandmother’s home office. Her uncle Sheamus has been on the phone with the funeral home that would handle her grandmother’s body. Her job was to contact all the family members.

She knew her cousin Mouse was helping her on that front. She sent all their family members a text telling them grandma Cara had died. She picks up the house phone and calls all their family members who don’t use smartphones.

Delia was in the kitchen reviewing the list of meals Mrs. Bounty had said she wanted to be served when she passed away. She has been up since Lady howled, alerting everyone in the house to know that Mrs. Bounty had passed.

Delia knew some items Mrs. Bounty wanted to serve would have to come from America. She sends the items to her contact in America. After she finishes sending the order, she prepares some light breakfast for Sheamus and Mona. She had already fed the wolves and made fresh coffee for everyone.

She takes her cell phone out to let Sheamus and Mona know breakfast is ready. She fixes their plate so that when they come walking into the kitchen. They could either sit in the kitchen or outside on the patio.

Jack’s House, Caldwell, Montana:
Jack was lying in bed with Debbie snuggled next to him. He knew it was early, but something didn’t feel right as he was lying there with his wife. His cell phone dings next to him.

He reaches behind him towards his nightstand and looks at his cell phone. It was a text from Mona, letting him know his mother has died in her sleep. Without waking Debbie, he extracts himself from his bed and walks out of his bedroom. He didn’t bother grabbing his house robe or putting on his slippers.

He walks downstairs and out onto the front porch. He felt Chaos standing next to him. He reaches down and runs his fingers through Chaos’s fur as he tries to hold the tears back. He was close to his mother and had been informed that she had a stroke a few months ago. It was just a matter of time before it happened again.

Jack feels a set of arms wrap around his bare chest. He knew, just from the person’s touch, that it was his wife.

“What’s wrong, sweetie?” Debbie had felt her husband get out of bed.

She heard his cell phone beep and knew something must have upset him. She waited a few minutes before getting out of bed and looking for him. She spotted the alarm on the front door turned off when she got downstairs. She opened the front door and spotted Jack standing outside with Chaos by his side.

“My mom just passed away.” Jack holds his wife’s hands against his chest.

“I’m sorry to hear that. I loved your mother.” Debbie loved her mother-in-law. She was a lovely woman and would do anything for her family.

She was a big help when Julia and Gina needed support and a family. She knew the girls were close to their grandmother.

“Do you want me to tell the girls, or do you want to?”

“Mouse already did it. Mona said that Mouse was informing everyone in the family.” Jack figures his sister Charlotte would be heading to their mother’s place.

“When is the funeral?” Debbie holds her husband.

“In two weeks. Mom already laid out how she wanted her funeral to be. She’s going to be buried next to my father in Dublin.” Jack knew his mother wanted to be buried next to his father.

Debbie keeps holding her husband. She finally feels him start crying as his strong arms wrap around her body and hold onto her. She wonders how the rest of the family is taking the news.

Ron’s Ranch, Cambridge, New York:
Anika’s cellphone starts playing the theme song to Kim Possible. She didn’t want to leave the safety of Ron’s loving arms, but she had to. She reaches over to her nightstand and grabs her cell phone. She looks at the text that she just received. As she reads the message, tears start leaking from her eyes.

Her adopted mother, Cara, had just died. She couldn’t make it to her wedding because of her stroke, but they did stream the wedding. That way, her adoptive mother could watch her get married. She hoped her adopted mother could meet her unborn child when it was born.

She grabs a few tissues from a box she kept on her nightstand. She dries her eyes as the tears start flowing. She feels Ron wrap his arms around her body. She leans back against him as she cries.

Ron woke up when he heard Anika start crying. He knows she has had crying fits since she was pregnant. He wraps his arms around her and holds her against his body.

“What’s wrong, sweetie?” Ron was concerned and wondered what brought on the crying.

“My adopted mother in Ireland has died.” Anika liked Cara a lot.

“How?” Ron knew Anika’s adoptive mother watched their wedding because she couldn’t make it.

“According to the text I got from my niece, Mouse. She died in her sleep early this morning.” Anika wondered how her older sister and brothers were handling the news.

“When is the funeral?” Ron knew that Anika would have to attend the funeral.

“In two weeks. She’s going to be buried next to her husband in Dublin.” Anika has seen pictures of Jack’s father. It had been when she spent a month in Ireland, learning about the Bounty family.

It was just after her surgery and Jack agreeing to add her to his family. He wanted her to know what she was getting herself into. So, she spent a few months recovering and getting to know the Bounty family. Cara had accepted her as if she had given birth to her.

Anika stays in Ron’s arms as the tears come out. She wonders how Jack is handling the news. She’ll call him later as she looks at the clock and notices he might still be asleep since he was three hours behind her.

British SIS Headquarters, Thames House, London:
Mouse couldn’t believe her grandmother had died in her sleep. She had sent word to everyone in the family from her computer terminal at work. Most of her relatives were either cops, agents, or like her uncle Jack, retired.

She wipes the tears away as she tries to concentrate on her work. They were making it impossible to see her computer screen.

“Mouse, are you all right?” Jessie looked at her supervisor as she noticed tears leaking from Mouse’s eyes.

“I’ll be fine, Jessie. I just got some bad news from my cousin.” Mouse was avoiding eye contact with Jessie.

Jessie and another two people have been added to her specialized cyberteam. She knew Jessie was recruited right out of college. Her IQ was close to two hundred, and she is extremely talented with computers. The other three members of her new team had tried hacking into highly classified government computers. She tracked them down and pinpointed where they were accessing the internet at.

They went by the hacking names Ying and Yang. They were identical twins and were very talented. There wasn’t much the two of them couldn’t hack when working together. The last person added to her division was a young girl named Bubbles. She had curly blond hair and a friendly attitude. When she isn’t working for SIS, she plays the synthesizer in a band called Shark bait.

Most of the other members in the band had other jobs and played mainly on the weekend. What made Bubbles so unique to the team? She recognizes patterns that other people miss. She could pinpoint where a hack was coming from and which hacker was doing it. She could also identify the design or programming used to create a virus by how it was written.

Today, only Mouse and Jessie were working. It was rare when the whole team was called in.

“If you don’t mind me asking, Mouse. What was the news?” Jessie liked working under Mouse. She didn’t mind if she came to work with weird hair color or wearing nontraditional office clothes.

“I don’t mind. My grandmother died in her sleep this morning.” Mouse wipes the tears away.

“How come you came in? Shouldn’t you be with your mother?” Jessie knew Mouse’s mother was a director here at SIS headquarters.

“Because my uncle Sheamus and my cousin Mona are handling everything. I’ll take off when the funeral happens.” Mouse knew her mother was going to need her support.

“If there’s anything I can do, feel free to ask.” Jessie places her hand on Mouse’s forearm.

Mouse looks at Jessie and tries to smile “thanks.”

Bruce’s Home, Early Morning, Southampton, England:
Bruce was asleep in bed, lying beside his wife when his cell phone started ringing at five. When he picks it up to see who is calling him, he notices his youngest daughter Mona is calling him. He presses accept on the phone “what is it, Mona?”

Bruce rubs the sleep from his eyes as he looks at the alarm clock beside his bed. He wonders why his youngest was calling him so early.

“Sorry for waking you, daddy. But grandma passed away this morning in her sleep.” Mona was trying to hold the tears back.

“Sweetie, I’m so sorry to hear that. Are you holding up, okay?” Bruce knew Mona and his mother were close.

“Yes, sir. Uncle Sheamus has called the funeral home, and Mouse is sending text messages to all the family members. I’m going to call the rest that doesn’t have smartphones.” Mona knew it was a small list.

“Have you called your aunt Charlotte yet?” Bruce knew Charlotte would want to know right away.

“I’m going to call her after talking with you, daddy.” Mona knew her aunt would want to know.

“All right, sweetie. I’ll come by later this morning.” Bruce couldn’t believe his mother was gone. She had just had her ninth birthday a few months ago.

“Okay, daddy. Love you.”

“Love you too, sweet pea.” Bruce ends the phone call.

“What did Mona want?” Tashia looks at her husband as he puts his cell phone down.

“To let me know, my mother died this morning in her sleep.” Bruce gets up and walks out of the bedroom.

He wonders how his other siblings are handling the news. He walks into the kitchen and grabs a bottle of Guinness out of the refrigerator. He knew his mother and Jack were very close. He also knew Charlotte and Anika were close as well. He takes a huge swig from the bottle and looks out the kitchen window toward the vast backyard.

He knew he was lucky to have his mother as long as he had. She has always been there when he needed her and when his first wife died while chasing after a crook. A perp got the drop on her and killed her with a Russian gun.

The perp later learned what happens when you kill the spouse of a Bounty. He and Jack tracked the bastard down along with his gang and made an example out of them. Sure, he got in trouble with his boss at MI 5, but the criminals learned what a Bounty would do. The older street crooks cautioned the younger generation about what happens when you mess with a Bounty.

He hears his wife walking into the kitchen. He could smell the scented soap she liked to wear.

“When is the funeral?” Tashia starts fixing herself an espresso.

“In two weeks. Mom had already made preparations just in case she passed away.” Bruce takes another swig from the bottle. When he finishes that one off, he grabs a second one.

“Remember what the doctor said about you drinking too much.” Tashia looks at her husband when she says that.

“I know. This is going to be my last one for this morning.” Bruce knew he had to watch his drinking.

Jack’s House, Caldwell, Montana:
Julia, Rae, Gina, Alyona, and Silva sat stunned as they listened to their father informing them that their grandmother had died. Of the five girls, Rae hasn’t met Mrs. Bounty. She has seen her picture throughout the house in prints Debbie had mounted on the walls and the fireplace mantelpiece.

“When is the funeral, dad?” Alyona looks at her father.

“All I know, girls. It’s going to be in two weeks. Uncle Sheamus and Mona will let me know.” Jack knew Charlotte would also keep him informed as well.

“I think all of us should show up.” Julia knew the London branch would expect all the American Bounties to attend the funeral.

“I’ll let Uncle Sheamus know we will require Lup Castle.”

“Lup castle, daddy? Isn’t that the Bounty’s old home?” Gina looks at her father. She has only explored it three times.

“Yes, it is. It’s where Remus Bounty lived after his father came to England and when the Romans left. He settled in Ireland and married the daughter of the local Celtic chief.”

“I thought we were decedents of the Roman General that conquered England?” Alyona was a little confused.

“We are. The family branch of Bounty we are from can be traced back to Remus Bounty.” Jack knew a Bounty family book was at his mother’s place, in his library, and the original at the castle. Each copy was handwritten and took several months to copy by hand.

Lup Castle, North of Dublin, Ireland:
Sabrina drinks a second cup of coffee. She had been woken up by her cousin Mouse about her Aunt Cara Bounty dying this morning. After receiving that news, she knew there were things she needed to set in motion. She knew all the Bounties from around the globe would be flying in and would need a place to stay.

They would also need to be picked up and brought to the Castle or the other properties the Bounty family owned. She’ll get in touch with her great uncle Sheamus once she has contacted the housekeepers of the other properties. Every time there is a big event like this, the Castle has to be prepared for guests.

A silver hair young woman with unusual beauty, wearing a long flowing white nightgown, followed by a light tan fur cat that looked like an ancient Smilodon, walks into the kitchen. She walks over to Sabrina and kisses her on the cheek “morning, sweetie.”

“Morning, darling.” Sabrina looks at her wife and their pet. He was as big as an ancient Smilodon.

Brutus butts his head against Sabrina’s right arm. He wanted some attention from his human.

“Good morning to you as well, Brutus.” Sabrina scratches between his ears and under his hairy chin.

Allura looks at her wife and wonders why she was up early. She puts a kettle of water on the ancient stove and says a few words in an ancient tongue. The wood under the iron plate starts heating up.

The kitchen was a combination of ancient technology and modern technology. She preferred the old style of cooking to the newer style. She knew Sabrina liked their current appliances.

“So, what got you up so early this morning?” Allura knew Sabrina had gotten up and left their bedroom with her cell phone.

“My aunt Cara Bounty died this morning.”

“Which means the entire Bounty clan will be coming for the funeral.” Allura knew that the whole family always showed up when a full-blood Bounty died or the spouse of a Bounty died.

“Yes, and that means the Castle has to be prep, and transportation will have to be arranged. Also, the family's other properties will have to be prepped.” Sabrina knew she had a job ahead of her.

“You better call in some reinforcements to help you.” Allura knew her wife couldn’t handle everything on her own.

“Already on it. Oliver and Lucas are going to handle the transportation. The housekeepers for the other properties the family owns will inform me which ones are ready, and we’ll assign each family to one.” Sabrina knew it would be easier this way.

“Have you heard from your cousin Tessa MacLeod lately?” Allura knew Tessa owned and operated a new airship business.

Tessa had always loved airships and started studying them when she was younger. She built her first hot air balloon when she was fourteen. After that, she created her first airship when she was seventeen.

“I’ll try her again around mid-day. Who knows where she might be.” Sabrina knew her cousin loved being up above the clouds on her airship.
While Allura and Sabrina are talking, a young girl with long reddish-blonde hair walks into the kitchen. She walks over to Allura and hugs her first. Afterward, she walks over to Sabrina and hugs her. She also hugs Brutus as well.

“What should we make for you this morning, Fennec?” Sabrina holds her and Allura’s daughter.

“Mmmm!!” Fennec has to think about it.

She points to the container containing the Lucky Charms. She loved her Lucky Charms.

“You do know how to speak, sweetie.” Sabrina looks into her daughter’s purple color eyes.

Allura smirks when she hears Sabrina chastise their daughter. She knew Fennec didn’t speak much. It wasn’t because she couldn’t talk. It was because she didn’t like to talk.

“I know, mommy.” Fennec looks at her mother with a smile on her face.

Sabrina hugs her little girl and places a kiss on her cheek. She got in trouble genetically engineering Fennec with DNA from herself, Allura, and one of their dead ancestors. The DNA from their ancestor had been well preserved and came from one of their ancestors from the 12th century.

The head of the Bounty family wasn’t happy she broke into the ancient burial crypt. On top of that, she lost her medical license and was forbidden to do any more research into genetic engineering. Or she would go to jail the next time. She wasn’t in prison now because two of her uncles pulled some strings to keep her out.

“What am I going to do with you?” Sabrina hugs her daughter one more time.

“I say we feed her to Brutus and Mia.” Allura looks at her wife and daughter.

“They wouldn’t eat me. They love me too much.” Fennec reaches over and pets Brutus.

Both women smirk as they watch their daughter pet the big cat. They knew neither cat would hurt her.

“Come on, munchkin. Let’s get you fed.” Allura grabs the cereal and a bowl.

Fennec gets off her mother’s lap, walks to the small kitchen table, and sits down. Allura sets the bowl in front of her and pours the cereal into the bowl. She gets the milk out of the refrigerator and pours the milk into the bowl.

The Next Two weeks:
The following two weeks are hectic for Charlotte, Mona, Sheamus, and Sabrina. Every Bounty family or representative was coming in. Sabrina still hadn’t heard from her cousin Tessa. She wasn’t sure if she was going to make it or not. She didn’t have to attend by all rights because she was a MacLeod by birth.

Her father was a MacLeod, and her mother was a Bounty. However, she has always been close to her mother’s relatives than her father’s. There was still some resentment going back years between the two clans. However, one of the Bounty’s fell in love with a MacLeod and married him.

Halfway through the second week, families arrive by plane, boat, or caravan. The first family to arrive was Jack and his family. Anika and her family came on one of Jack’s planes the next day. Gina and Julia took a separate plane with her family. Aylin and her family traveled on another plane with her adopted sister Jamie and her wife.

When Jack and his family arrive at the castle, they are met by Mona, Sheamus, Sabrina, Fennec, and Allura. A smile appears on Debbie’s face when she spots Fennec “you never said Fennec was so cute.”

“That’s because the last time I saw her, she was just a newborn.” Jack couldn’t believe how cute Fennec looked.

Alyona, Rae, and Silva stood near their father after hugging their uncle Sheamus and cousins. Debbie gives Fennec a big hug. The twins were in their baby stroller. Selina had stayed back on the ranch with Rosa. She had taken Rosa under her wing and taught her to be a good housekeeper.

“How are you holding up, Jack?” Sheamus knew Jack was close to his mother.

“I’m doing okay, Uncle Sheamus. My wife and kids are very supportive.” Jack takes a sip of whiskey from his glass.

Jack, Sheamus, Sabrina, and Mona had gone to the old office in the castle. Debbie, and the girls, were settling into their rooms. Fennec and Allura were helping them. The head housekeeper and the maids were helping them.

“I’m sorry your mom passed, Uncle Jack.” Mona looks at her uncle. She looked tired and had red eyes.

“Thanks, Mona. I know how close you were to your grandmother.” Jack knew Mona was close to his mother. She was more like a daughter to his mother than a granddaughter.

“Grandma died peacefully in her sleep, uncle Jack. The look on her face was peaceful.” Mona wipes the tears that are leaking from her eyes.

“Your mother was one hell of a lady, Jack.” Sheamus liked Jack’s mother a lot.

“She would have to be to put up with this family.” Jack knew his mother was a no-nonsense woman, and she didn’t put up with disrespectfulness, not to her or the family.

“I’m going to miss grandma.” Mona starts crying again.

Jack gets up, walks over to Mona, and gathers her in his arms. He knew that out of all his mother’s grandchildren, and she was the closest to his mother. He holds her against his shoulder and lets her cry. Afterward, the four of them go over everything his mother wanted to be done for her funeral and after that.

Chayton shows up the next day with his Aunt Basset, Mouse, and her adopted daughters. He’s been attending college in England to join the British military. Mouse had been given several days off to attend her grandmother’s funeral.

Chayton visits his grandfather first. He’s been to the castle a few times since coming to England. He spots Brutus and Mia playing out in the courtyard. It reminded him of his grandfather’s wolves when they were playing.

He walks into the castle and spots Fennec being chased by Haylee and Misty. He didn’t see his sister.

“Slow down, girls.” Chayton stops and looks at his sister and newest cousin.

“Chayton!” Haylee runs over to her big brother and hugs him.

Chayton returns Haylee’s hug. He loved seeing his sister, and he looked down at her “where’s Catori, Haylee?”

“She’s upstairs with mom getting her hair braided.” Haylee knew Catori liked her hair braided.

“Which room is mom staying in?”

“She’s on the second floor, corner suite.” Fennec liked her American cousin. He taught her how to play basketball.

“Thanks, Fennec.” Chayton gives his sister another hug and heads for the stairs.

“Tag, you’re it.” Misty tags Fennec and starts running.

“I wasn’t ready, Misty.” Fennec starts chasing after Misty.

Chayton watches as his sister chases after Misty and Fennec. He takes the stairs to the second floor and walks down the ancient hallway toward the corner suite. He knew which suite Fennec was talking about. He stops before the door and knocks on it.

“Enter!” Christmas’s voice echoed through the door.

Chayton walks into the suite and spots his mother’s. His Aunt Gina, Aunt Anika, and her husband. His mother, Julia, and his little sister Catori. His little sister sat on a stool so his mother Julia could braid her long black hair.

“Chayton!” Catori jumps up and runs over to her big brother. She gives him a big hug.

Julia lets go of Catori’s hair when she jumps up to greet her brother. She and Christmas look at their son and can’t believe how well he has filled out. She knew her father had had him on an exercise regimen to strengthen his strength and build his endurance. She knew how hard the training to be a British SAS was.

Chayton walks over to his mother, Julia, and hugs her first. He noticed that his mother, Julia, had been crying.

“Are you okay, mom?” Chayton knew his mother loved her grandmother.

“I’m all right, sweetie.” Julia looks at her son with love on her face.

Christmas walks over to Julia and hugs her. She knew her wife was putting on a brave face for the kids. She also knew how close Gina and Julia had been to their grandmother.

“Chayton, how has college been so far?” Anika looks at her nephew and notices how he has developed.

“I’m doing good, Aunt Anika.” Chayton looks at his aunt.

“Chayton, how often have I asked you to call me Anika?” Anika looks at Chayton for a response.

“Sorry, Anika.” Chayton knew his aunt didn’t like being called aunt or auntie.

“Catori, come back here, so I can finish your braid, sweetie.” Julia looks towards her youngest.

“Yes, ma’am.” Catori walks over to her mother and sits back down on the stool.

“So, you said before Chayton showed up that the viewing is tonight?” Ron looks at Gina.

“Yeah, for the next three days, grandma Cara’s body will be on display for everyone to pay their respect to.” Gina looks over at Ron.

“Yeah, the body will be displayed in the old family church.” Julia looks at Ron.

“You guys have an old church?” Ron looks at Anika, Gina, and Julia for an answer.

“Yeah, we have an old church. Somewhere back in our family line. We had a few priests and a couple of nuns. Plus, since we are descended
from the Celts. The church was a temple dedicated to a Celtic god/dess.”

“I didn’t know that.” Christmas looks at Anika when she mentions that.

“Yeah, it’s written down in the family history book.” Anika spent a long time reading the history of the Bounty family.

The Next Day:
Cara Bounty’s casket arrives in an old fashion carriage hearse pulled by two black stallions. Following behind the hearse were Jack, Bruce, Charlotte, and Anika. They had their spouses with them in the carriage. Behind them were the grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Chayton and Haylee rode beside the carriages on pure black horses. Behind them were the heads of the different Bounty bloodlines, followed by family members.

The whole clan proceeded to the ancient church where all Bounty’s were blessed and displayed before being buried in the family crips. Once the procession arrives at the church, Jack, Bruce, Chayton, Arlo, Arnold, Mark, and Ron carry the casket into the church and set it on the ancient stand.

After they do that, the Priest, Cara requested, walks over to the coffin and watches as friends and family come in and lay white flowers on it. Aylin lays a Lily on top of her grandmother’s casket. She was already showing that she was pregnant with her first baby.

While people were waiting to pay their respects, a silvery-colored airship descended behind the church. The name on the side of the airship was Excelsior. While it was landing, a figure dressed as a pilot came sliding down a mooring rope. Several members were already securing the airspace.

The figure runs toward the church, and the people gather there. As the person got closer, everyone could tell it was a woman with shoulder-length light brown hair. She was dressed in a pilot’s uniform similar to the ones airline pilots wear.

Tessa spots her grandfather. She waves to her grandfather Remington as she tries to reach him. When she finally catches him, she looks at him “sorry for being late, grandfather, but I had engine trouble.”

“You could have called to let us know, Tessa.” Remington looks at his granddaughter.

“I tried, grandfather. For some reason, my communication system wasn’t working either. I need to take the airship back to the hangar and go over everything with a fine toothcomb.” Tessa couldn’t believe how many problems they were having with the new airship.

She had done a complete system check before taking off. She would hate to think she had a saboteur onboard the airship. It wouldn’t be the first time someone could get by background checks done on every employee.

“How did Aunt Cara die?” Tessa walks with her grandfather into the church.

“Don’t know, but she died in her sleep.” Remington stops next to Cara Bounty and sees all the flowers someone put inside the coffin.

He didn’t know her very well, but he did know she was a strong person. She raised his nephew Jack and handled other family members who stepped out of line like a pro.

“I have always liked her.” Tessa looks down at the lifeless body of her cousin Jack’s mother and felt tears sliding down her cheek. She knew what a loss it was to the family.

Remington puts his arm around Tessa’s shoulder and holds her. He knew what it was like to lose his wife to cancer. He remembered Cara being there for him and his family.

They move on, so the following people behind them can come up and pay their respect. He spots Jack, Bruce, Charlotte, and Cara’s newest daughter, Anika standing nearby. He walks over to the small group. “I’m so sorry for your lost.”

“Thanks, Uncle Remington.” Jack shakes his uncle’s hand.

Bruce shakes it as well, and Charlotte and Anika hug him. They also embrace Tessa as well. Anika didn’t know Tessa that well but figured Charlotte and Bruce did since they grew up in England.

She noticed the way Tessa was dressed. The uniform she wore looked like one of those that airline pilots wear. She saw the giant airship that had landed behind the church in the pasture.

The rest of the day, Jack and his siblings shake and hug the people who came to pay their respect to his mother. He was surprised that his aunt and uncles on his mother’s side of the family showed up. When his aunt Clair, his mother’s oldest sister, approaches him. He hugs hers. He knew his mother and her oldest sister were close.

“You look good, Aunt Clair.” Jack couldn’t believe how young his aunt looked.

“Thanks, Jack. I’m sad my sister passed on.” Clair will miss her little sister.

“I know mom missed you these past few years.” Jack checked in on his aunt. He knew one of her sons was having financial problems. He quietly helped out without letting his cousin realize it was him.

“I know, we spoke. Is that young lady my sister’s newest child?” Clair looked at Anika as she spoke with an older gentleman.

“Yes, her name is Anika, and mom adopted her as her child.” Jack knew a word about his change was getting around.

Clair wonders why her little sister adopted a grown woman. She knew Jack used to be MI 6 and still does missions that require his special touch. He had to rescue her one time because of her stupid son.

Clair leans in close to Jack “is she like you?”

A smile appears on Jack’s face “let’s just say you don’t want her or any of her team coming after you.”

“I thought you retired from that business?” Clair looks at Anika and wonders who trained her.

“You should know better than that, Aunt Clair.” A smile appears on Jack’s face.

Clair shakes her head as she walks off. She wonders what has happened to Jack and why he didn’t just retire. She knew he had done a lot for England and America.

Bruce looks at his older brother “you know, mom, I was proud of the things you have done and of the children you adopted and helped.”

“Thanks.”

After everyone has paid their respects, there is a vast banquet afterward. All the food and drinks Mrs. Bounty wanted to be served were served.
Whole pigs, cooked Hawaiian style, vast slabs of beef cooked Texan style, and different barbecue styles.

There was a large selection of English, Spanish, Irish, Scottish, and German food. Even some Chinese food. All the kids were fed first and everyone else I provided afterward. Jamie and Aylin walk over to Jack and his siblings.

“How are you holding up, Uncle Jack?” Jamie looked down at Jack as he sat at the main table.

“I’m doing fine, Jamie. How are you and everyone doing?” Jack looks at Aylin because she is showing two. After all, she lost her mother when she was young.

“We’re doing okay.” Aylin knew what Jack was asking. Because she got a few looks from several law enforcement officers in the family.
Charlotte looks at Aylin “don’t worry about law enforcement coming after you. All charges against you have been pardoned.”

“I’m I still listed as dead?” Aylin wanted that to stay the same. She had a new life and didn’t want to lose it.

“Yes, Aylin Christian Green is still listed as having died fourteen years ago. You are buried next to your mother in your mother’s family mausoleum.” Charlotte made sure all records about Aylin were sealed. It would take an order from Parliament to open those files.

“Thanks, Aunt Charlotte.” Aylin hugs Charlotte.

Cara Bounty is buried next to her husband when the three days are over. Jack and his siblings watch as the custom-made coffin is lowered into the ground. Charlotte feels Zoey hug her. Ashley was on her other side, holding her.

Jack looks at his family later. “I’m going to stay in England for a while. There are certain things I need to handle since I’m firstborn.”

“Okay, daddy. We’ll fly back with Julia and Gina.” Alyona looks at her father and mother. Since she was the oldest after Gina, she was in charge of Rae and Silva.

“Remember, girls, if you need anything, call Julia.”

“We will, mom.” All three girls hug their parents and kiss them on the cheek.

Jack and Debbie watch as the girls head to the airport where the private plane Julia and Gina came on was parked.

Tessa and several techs from her company work on the airship. She gives her grandfather a tour of it and shows him all the newest technology she used to build it. The first one she ever made, the Hood, was back at her company’s airfield in its hangar.