The Diamond Agenda

Part One:Idyllic Summer, cont'd

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The two hour drive wasn't as boring as Amy feared it was going to be, discounting everything related to the Torres visit it was almost like going on a good old American road trip, except they were in Spain, and they've been up and down this strip of road for two years since Lucy bought the beach house. So, no, not exactly like a good old American road trip.

At one point in the trip, her head on Lucy's lap, her feet stuck out the window, Lucy glanced down at her and said. "Why don't you call your friends?"

"Why?"

"Why not?"

"How about because of the worldwide trace they have?" Amy pointed out, "Besides I can't contact them, unless circumstances are dire, and most importantly, I can only contact them when you're like two miles away from me."

Lucy had returned to looking at the road, but from Amy's upside down point of view she could see a smile play along the corners of Lucy's lips. Amy sat up, pulling her feet from the window and almost hitting Lucy on the chin. "What do you know?"

"I have it on good authority that the phone's tracker-free at this time."

"How would you—" Before Amy could finish her sentence, Lucy took something from her jacket and tossed it to her. Amy caught it and blinked at Lucy's tiny sleek black phone.

"Call them."

"Alright, but if they raid the beach house you only have yourself to blame."

"Agreed." Lucy said, "Now call."

"Here goes." Amy dialed in the international code and the new number of the DEBS' apartment.

It rang three times before a throaty, angry voice barked: "This better be important!"

Amy laughed, a wave of nostalgia hit her. "I better hope talking to your best friend is important."

"Bradshaw?" There was a crash, "Dammit, girl you know what time it is?"

"I'm guessing really, really late."

"Damn right it's really, really late!"

Amy heard a loud dull thump. "Don't tell me you just drew your gun at me?"

"Habit." Max told her, unapologetic. "Geez. Can't you call in a decent hour?"

Amy laughed. "No rest for the wicked."

"There is for the righteous!" Max said peevishly.

Amy didn't say anything then heard Max started laughing Amy joined her, memories of all the years they had together crowding in, Amy blinked and realized that a few tears had leaked out without her noticing. She glanced at Lucy and saw that she was studiously watching the road.

"Damn, girl, it's good to hear from you!" Max said, her voice sounding suspiciously choked. "So, I'm guessing LD's far from where you are?"

"Actually," Amy said, hesitating, saw Lucy glance at her and nod. "She's right beside me."

There was a long silence. "Have you finally seen the light? Does that mean when I flip on the tracker—"

"Tell Agent Max, in her dreams." Lucy said. Amy shot a look at her, covering the mouthpiece. "I'm not listening, she's just really, really loud."

"Don't tell me she did something wacky to the phones so we can't trace you." Max said, "I figured as much. So, you want to talk to Janet?"

"Why would I want to talk to Janet?" Amy asked, "I like Janet but I thought, quality friend time."

"You don't know?" Max said at the same time as Lucy said, "Talk to Janet."

"This is rich, LD didn't tell you?"

"Max, what?" A voice said. A voice decidedly non female, a voice too loud and close to the vicinity of wherever Max was to ignore

Amy pulled the phone from her ear and stared at it for a few seconds, before placing it back. "Was that a guy's voice?"

Amy could hear a rustle of clothes and a furious thumping sound that reminded her of footsteps and a click. "Let's get you talking to Janet."

"Max…" Amy said in a sing-song voice. "Whatever happened to no boys allowed upstairs?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Max said in a clipped tone, then, "Janet open your damned door!"

"What? What?" Amy heard Janet said in a sleepy voice.

"Amy's on the phone." Came Max's voice, then louder. "Great talking to you, Amy, miss you a lot, here's Janet."

There was a lot of shuffling and finally, "Amy!"

"Uh, Janet?" Amy said, looking at Lucy. Lucy didn't look at her. "Actually I wanted to talk to M---"

"Oh, my gosh! You heard!" Janet squealed in tones too loud for a girl who's just woken up. "Scud must have told Lucy! I am so happy!"

"What? Told Lucy what?" Then off the phone, to Lucy, "What did Scud tell you?"

Lucy only grinned at her.

"Oh, gosh, I have to tell you everything! You and Lucy have to come home, I won't take no for an answer! I mean, we have to measure you for the gowns! And you definitely have to be one of the bridesmaids—"

"You're what? I'm going to be whatting what?"

"My bridesmaid, silly! As if you didn't know, Scud proposed to me two days ago!"

"Scud what?"

"Hello? Is the connection going?" Janet said in a louder voice, Amy pulled the phone away and stared at it mouth agape, from the receiver, Janet's voice continued to emerge from it. "Hello? Amy?"

With her free hand Lucy gently took the phone from Amy, then pressed it to her ear. "Hi, Janet, its Lucy. Yeah, Amy's alright, she asked me to tell you congratulations. Yeah, yeah, we'll do our best to be there. You and Scud are great together. Listen, Janet, we have to go, we're heading in to a tunnel. Yeah, you too, bye."

Lucy clicked the phone shut and returned it to her jacket pocket. Amy watched as Lucy smile at her then continue on driving as if nothing had happened. They sat there in silence for a long moment.

"Proposed?"

"Yeah," Lucy said, nonplussed.

"Proposed?" Repeated Amy, hoping by sheer volume she could convey to Lucy the enormity of the situation.

"Yeah."

"Proposed?"

"Yep."

"And you didn't tell me?" Amy said, then hit Lucy on the arm. "

"Ow! What was that for?"

"For not telling me!"

"Well, now you know besides Scud asked me to keep it secret—"

"That was two days ago!"

"But isn't it more fun learning this way?" Lucy said, trying to reason.

Amy scowled. "Don't even try to charm your way to my good graces, Diamond." Then repeated, under her breath: "Proposed!"

Lucy only grinned, then turned the car left into the industrial section then stopped at a gray brick walled compound that practically screamed evil lair. "Behold the den of filth and crime."

"Answer me this, Lucy." Amy said, tilting her head up to get a good view of the compound, which turned out to be a boring idea since all it was was… grey. "Why in the world do you people insist on getting places like these?"

"You people?" Lucy said, eyebrows raised.

"Super villains."

"Joaquin, super villain? Please." Lucy said, sounding deeply offended. "He's like small fry."

"Okay, fine, I will not lump you in the same category as the small fry criminal." Amy said, exasperated. "At least tell me why criminals insist in getting tacky places as these for their headquarters."

"First off, I resent that you called my evil lair tacky." Lucy said, unbuckling her belt. "Second, rent's cheap."

Amy unbuckled her belt, opened her door and stretched her legs. "You mean criminals pay rent and taxes?"

"Not taxes, but we sometimes pay rent but more often than not, places like these are empty."

They walked to the huge steel door, their feet crunching gravel, Lucy buzzed at the door two times then waved at the camera overhead.

"Wait. You really called your headquarters, Evil Lair?"

"What?"

Amy struggled to keep her smile down. "Nothing."

"It's not tacky."

"I didn't say that."

Lucy watched Amy suspiciously. "It's not."

"It does prove the theory though, you do learn something new everyday."

Lucy opened her mouth to speak but then the heavy steel door opened, Amy winced, the door needed serious oil treatment.

A heavy set man with a shotgun met them, before he could loom and threaten Lucy stepped across the threshold. "Hi. Nice to meet you. Joaquin, here? Joaquin, aqui?"

"Well, well, well, if it isn't Lucy Diamond." An arrogant heavily accented Spanish voice said.

"Joaquin."

Amy turned her head and saw Joaquin, he looked like your typical Spanish football player, lean and muscular with the extra side helping of arrogance. He was the type of villain Amy couldn't stand, the type to look down at you as soon as he kills you.

"I see the Maharajah had lured you out of hiding."

"Whatever." Lucy said, "Look, Joaquin, is there someplace we can talk?"

Joaquin spread his arms, "Here's as good as any," then he wiggled his eyebrows at Lucy. "Unless you want to talk."

"Get your head out of the gutter, junior, I'm here to talk business."

"Like I will ever talk to a ladron, a mere thief like you, Lucinda." Joaquin said.

Amy twitched, looked around and counted the guards, she surreptitiously weighted her sidearm in her jacket. She really hated these type of criminals. Amy wondered how Lucy could look so calm. If it were Max who was in Lucy's place, Max would have toasted his ass since the word go.

"Where's your potato friend?" Sneered Joaquin.

"Scud," Corrected Lucy, "isn't here. This is just business between us."

Joaquin nodded at Amy's direction. "And the blond?"

"Is with me."

"Oh, really?" He mimed a kiss then leered, Amy bit the inside of her cheek, when Joaquin suddenly let out a yowl, he glared at Lucy. "What is your problem, you crazy bitch?"

Lucy looked back at him, "My foot slipped."

"On my toes?"

"You have gigantic feet." Lucy reached up, hooked Joaquin's collar with a hand and pulled him to a table. "Let's talk."

One of Joaquin's henchmen sniggered.

Joaquin pulled away. "How dare you?"

"I told you I wanted to talk to you somewhere private. You didn't want to." Lucy said reasonably. "Look, Jack, I'm just here to talk, I'm not here to match BS with you."

"You may not have noticed, Lucinda, but this is my home, whatever will happen, will happen because I wish it."

Lucy massaged her head. "Okay. Fine, you're scarier. Can we talk in private now?"

"No."

Lucy sighed and muttered something Amy didn't get, then loudly. "Okay, here's the thing, there's a girl in trouble, made some bad calls in the gambling deck and now owes you a lot of money. I'm here to pay off her debt."

"Yeah, what's her name?"

"Katrina Torres."

"What's this Torres mujer to you, Lucinda?"

"Nothing." Lucy said. "But her family's a friend of my family."
"Okay." Joaquin said, rubbing his thumb on his chin. "Here's what I'm going to do… Not a goddamned thing."

"Don't be stupid, I'm offering you money."

Joaquin laughed contemptuously. "You think I will take money from a turn coat bitch like you? Think I don't know who you're with?" He turned and looked at the pillar with the huge rust stain. "Why don't you enlighten Lucinda as to who her companion is?"

Amy followed his gaze, then felt herself go pale as a tall man with a big frame and a memorable scar on his cheek stepped out. "Son of a bitch."

Lucy looked at the man then at Amy and whispered. "How do you know Salvador Salvatore? And please tell me you met him in a bull fight down south."

"I'd love to tell you that but I really didn't meet him in a bull fight down south," Amy said, feeling her palms go sweaty.

"I will tell you who she is, oh, I will tell you!" Salvador said, glaring at Amy. "This puta is
the reason why I was in jail! The reason why I lost my empire!" Then he pointed at Lucy. "And you, Diamond, what are you doing with the likes of her?" Then spat. "A DEB!"

Lucy looked at Amy, trying and failing to look betrayed. "What? Amy? A DEB!"

"You didn't know she was a DEB?" Joaquin said, suspicious.

"Me, talk to a DEB?" Lucy said, still unconvincing as a betrayed person. "I spit at the idea!" Then spat on the floor.

"You didn't know that hija de puta is a DEB?" Salvador echoed.

"Oh, no… not at all. I'm hurt! Crushed! Mortified!" Then Lucy turned and stepped directly in front of Amy. "How could you?"

"You're not a very good actress." Amy whispered.

"With Salvador?" Lucy whispered back, "He's thick as a brick, still get ready to act." Then Lucy turned on her heels, grabbed Amy's arm and louder. "You know what I always say Sal, a good DEB is a dead DEB!"

"Yes! That's true! A dead DEB!" Shouted Salvador.

"Oh, please." Joaquin said, "Don't tell me you believe her!"

"Stay out of this, junior, let the seniors deal with this spy." Lucy said, looking at Joaquin contemptuously.

"That is right boy! Let your seniors deal with a DEB."

"You're actually believing her more than me?" Shouted an outraged Joaquin.

Salvador stalked towards Joaquin, alarmed Joaquin backed off a few steps. "What did you say?"

"I said you were stup—"

"Here!" Lucy shouted, pushing Amy to Salvador. "Why don't you do the honors of killing her?"

Salvador stopped his advance to Joaquin and opened his arms to receive Amy, Amy let the momentum carry her to Salvador, and as soon as Salvador caught her he locked his big arms around her. Amy inhaled sharply at the crushing embrace. "I am more than happy to, Diamond, you truly are worth your father's empire!"

"Oh, please, no!" Quavered Amy.

Salvador only laughed at her, from the corner of Amy's eye she could see Joaquin stare at Salvador in disbelief.

"Are you really this stupid?" Joaquin demanded, then pointed at Lucy. "Maybe its because you were out of commission for a while, but it was pretty big news that Lucinda here had turned turncoat. She returned everything she ever stole and apologized."

Lucy made a pshaw sound. "So I retired big deal. Your father retired too, I don't know why you're such an ass about it."

"Retired?" Joaquin repeated and spat on the ground. "He became a coward, just like you!"

"Respect your elders!" Shouted Salvador, red in the face, "I will not let you talk like that to my old friend Rodrigo!"

Lucy strode to Joaquin. "Don't get Sal angry, Jack, he's doing an important thing, ridding the world of one more DEB. Why are you trying to aggravate him?"

"You may have fooled that stupid idiot—"

That seemed to be the last straw for Old Sal Salvatore, he roared like an injured old bear and rushed at Joaquin. The henchmen suddenly moved, turning their guns at Sal then a small pop echoed in the din. Sal stopped from advancing, looked down at Amy and saw a patch of red on her shirt pulled Amy slightly away and saw the red on his chest. Sal staggered to his knees and fell, Lucy watched as Amy look down at her shirt, touched it and saw the red stain of blood. She looked at Lucy before she fell next to Sal.

Lucy stood there a long, long moment staring at Amy's sightless eyes, the blood pooling beneath her. There was an uproar around her, shouting and the like but all Lucy could do was stare at Amy.

"The hell?" Joaquin said, brining Lucy's attention back to him. Watched as he approached the old man and Amy warily. "What happened?" He kicked Sal's prone body but the old man didn't move. Just like Amy.

"Assassin," Lucy heard herself say, saw movement above then pointed to the railings. "It's a DEB!"

"What?" Joaquin shouted, "Are you certain?"

"Plaid skirt? Plaid necktie? Of course I'm damned certain!" Lucy shouted, fury written in every expression, she turned to the henchmen. "What the hell are you all standing there for? Get the DEB! I want her dead!"

The henchmen scrambled. They climbed steps, they opened doors, they all ran guns cocked ready to kill a DEB.

In a matter of seconds Lucy and Joaquin were alone.

"Dammit, it's because of the DEB you brought here, I can't believe—"

"Is it always this hard to get you alone, Jack?"

"What?"

Lucy turned on her heels, lips pursed. "'Cause doing that every time must is tiring."

"What?"

"I really don't appreciate going through all this trouble just to get some five minutes alone to talk to you."

"What are you talking about?" Demanded Joaquin.

"I'd really appreciate it if you just take the money, Jack, take the money and leave the business, it isn't for you."

"You've gone completely loca, Lucinda." Joaquin said, stepping close. "You think you can come into my house and order me about?"

Lucy didn't back down, she put her hands in her jacket pockets. "Yeah, I think I can do exactly that, Jack. I think I can tell you to dial down your macho bullshit or—"

"Or what Lucinda?" Joaquin said, right in her face. "You can't do anything to me, word is you've gone soft."

"And word is you're a coward without your henchmen."

"I can handle you without them."

"Uh-huh, look, Jack, for once in your life, be smart. Take the money and walk away."

Joaquin growled and lunged at her, Lucy saw the move a mile away, he was taller than her and was two stones heavier. If she had been anybody else, she would have been overwhelmed. But she wasn't. She was Lucy Diamond, she had speed and experience on her side, no way in hell would there ever be a comparison between her and this small fry. She sidestepped the punch, caught his arm and twisted it behind him.

He raised his fist to hit her over the head, and tried to elbow her, he tried to use his weight to drive her down, Lucy let him, using the momentum to her advantage then dug her heels in, and swung him around, straight to the metallic table. She grabbed a fistful of his hair and pulled.

"Three things, Jack," Lucy hissed, "One: I'm not a rat, never was, never will be. Two. You gonna take the money and leave this business alone. Three: No one calls me Lucinda except my parents. You got that?"

"No, crazy, fucking bit--!"

"Wrong answer." She banged Jack's head straight into the metal table, the force of it echoing in the now empty warehouse. "Let me repeat, you got that?"

Joaquin didn't answer.

"Don't play stoic with me, Jack," Lucy shouted, banging Jack's head against the table again and again. "I could do this the whole damn day."

"Lucy! Lucy! Stop!"

"Not gonna stop until he says uncle!"

A hand grabbed her arm, stopping her, Lucy turned glaring and stopped when she realized it was only Amy.

"He can't say uncle." Amy pointed out.

Lucy blinked then pulled Joaquin's head up, his face was a mess, his nose was broken and blood was everywhere. On his face, his shirt, his table, even her hands were blood spattered.
Joaquin's eyes had rolled up, sometime between when he started and when Amy stopped her, she had knocked Joaquin unconscious.

"Whoops." Lucy said, careful to place Joaquin's head on the part of the table that had no blood on it. "I guess I got carried away."

Amy looked at Joaquin's battered face then back to her. "Yeah, carried away."

"Well, that's a favor done, put the fear off God on him." Lucy said, unable to look Amy in the eye. She glanced back at Salvador. "How long will he be out?"

"An hour." Amy continued to look at her.

"C'mon let's get Jacky boy cleaned up."

"And what about the other favor?"

"Leaving him a note and a threat," Lucy said, grabbing a couple of rags and wiping the countertop.

"You think its wise to do that? Won't he come after you?"

"Jacky? Nah. He's a coward at heart, and he knows what I'm capable of. Ten to one, he'll get back to his dad, tail between his legs."

They grabbed Joaquin and hauled him into his office, Lucy wiped the blood off his face and made sure his nose wasn't too broken he'd die on her. The henchmen were still scrambling around, not too organized as Lucy suspected and they made their way to the car as easy as pie.

"What just happened back there?" Amy asked after a long moment of silence.

"Nothing happened, I just got carried away."

"Just got carried away?" Repeated Amy, the disapproval clear in her voice.

"What, don't tell me good ol' Agent Max don't get carried away at times."

"During high octane situations, yeah."

Lucy turned at a corner. "Jesus, Amy, I got carried away can we just drop it?"

"For now."

"Thank you!"

Another moment of silence fell, broken only by the beat of the tires on the pavement and the few kids brave enough to brave the Spanish heat.

"Damn. This was my favorite shirt." Lucy heard Amy say, she glanced and saw Amy pick at the shirt gingerly.

Amy caught Lucy's look and sighed. "Fine you can say it."

"Say what?"

"I told you so." Amy said, "If I wasn't there I wouldn't have soiled this shirt."

Lucy smiled. "You said it not me."

"But I think it was still worth it that I was there."

Lucy returned her gaze to the dusty road, the sunlight searing her eyes. She lifted her right hand, saw the flecks of dried blood. "Yeah, good thing."

The drive home was silent.