The Cortelli Family was known throughout the world; any affiliated, was considered a friend. It wasn't easy being apart of such violence and brutality, it was worse if you were related. Noelle was considered a spinster, being that she knew she would never find love; especially not when her dates found out about her family tree. It wasn't easy being the daughter of a notorious Mob Boss like Robert Cortelli. She and her mother wanted safety, so aliases were made. She was putting the finishes touches on her makeup.

Her hair was in a curly up do, and she was wearing turquoise blue dress that was backless and fell to the floor. She had on her lucky black pearl necklace and hoop earrings. Being a waitress didn't allow her to experiment with her talent for cosmetology. She was excited to see her relatives; it'd been years since she saw her Grandparents and Great-Aunts.

The only one she dreaded was her brother. He'd made his choice to be a Veer, and no one's heard from him since that day. It was the Cortelli- Mazzola Family Reunion, and everyone was armed. Her mother, Robyn was in the Imager next to her.

"Your FATHER is coming....and Joey and his new girlfriend, Nikki Aquila are sittin' with Wanda." She replied

"Not Playboy Joey and--n-not Nikki the Waitress that he dumped Wanda FOR?" She inquired, her mother nodded.

She took the handgun, and they ran out the Washroom. Nikki was throwing knives at Joey, pleading with him to love only her. Wanda was sitting down smoking a cigarette. Nikki dropped her knives when she saw him.

   Everyone bowed their heads when they saw Noelle's father. The Don, Robert Cortelli. They grabbed their weapons when her brother showed up.

"Not very welcomin', even for a FAMILY...I mean no harm." He saw Noelle.

"Hey, Natty." He said with a smile

"It's NOELLE." She disciplined

"Right--right. You and mom changed the FAMILY name. Let's see from Natalia and Barbara CORTELLI to....Noelle and Robyn Amus. It doesn't really suit you." He said, but Noelle aimed her pistol at him.

"What do you WANT, Byron?" She asked, and then shot at him.

He fell back toward his father, Robert gripped him by his forearm. He helped Byron keep his footing, but he was angry. His face was that of disappointment and repulsion.

He knew his father too well, he pulled his arm away and aimed his hand at Noelle.

Giovanni Orso, her assigned bodyguard was the first one to her defense; he smacked his away from her and aimed his handgun directly at his forehead.

"Hands OFF freak. Orders Boss?" He said.

Byron noticed the attendants, Patrol Men and armed soldiers sporting dangerous weapons and monitoring his every move. They were all dressed in all black and white sunglasses, it was always the designated attire for their profession. The eldest members were also present, they didn't approve of Byron's Choice or his actions. Robert pulled his fighter out of the way, and stepped in front of his daughter. His other G.I.s were armed and ready for a fight.

"Byron, you shouldn't be here." Robert said

"Dad! I'm handling this." She explained

"Really, Natalia?" Her father teased

"No--but I COULD! Let me, please." She pleaded, Robert politely stepped aside to humor his daughter. Noelle lifted the firearm again, and Giovanni stayed by her side.

"You weren't invited here, so LEAVE Byron!" Noelle ordered

"Who's gonna make me--YOU?"

"And them, " She acknowledged the other Regulars around holding weapons. "YOUR choice. It doesn't have to be this way, you know."

"That's true, Natty but--" He pulled out his weapon and shot her in her kneecap. She cringed on the ground and managed to shoot his ribs.

He was tackled by soldiers and his family, Robyn and Wanda held knives to both sides of his neck. He was pinned down and getting tired of it.

"No more!" He yelled

His body was on fire, and women started to scream. Children started crying, and ran away with their families.

"Let's have some FAMILY fun!" he said happily.

The heat from his body caused the fire alarm and soon everything had gotten wet. Ben had arrived in the middle of the destruction, he attempted to muddle through the frantic crowd.

Giovanni guided Noelle to a nearby chair, he knelt by her side, he watched the chaos.

"Orders, Boss?"

"Don't call me that! I'm NOT your Boss....yet."

"True, but I need an order. Unless you want me to stay here." He rubbed his finger against her knee.

"No! Help my mom, take some combatants, and SAVE the women and children." She responded

"But your knee, Boss--"

"Go! That's an order." She said,

He shook his head and took off his black turtleneck to hand to her. "Here, once you get the bullet out, use it to apply pressure." He left

    Noelle peeled back her skin for the bullet. She yelled and grunted at the slow extraction, and screamed as she pulled. Bodies of her love ones were falling and laying still forever. She cried and rose out from the chair. She shot bodies through her screams and tears. The body of an legionnaire fell directly at her feet, he looked up and handed her his shooter. It was Alfonso, a man she'd known since she was two years old. The man who home schooled her until she was thirteen, and was like a father to her. She knelt by him, his face was scorched and steaming and his stomach was leaking blood. She touched his face and head.

"Thank you, for EVERYTHING." She said with a teary eyed smile.

She watched as he nodded and then his body lay still, she took his sunglasses for her own to honor his memory. She put them on her face and ran towards Byron.She aimed the firearm and gasped when she heard a clicking sound, there were no bullets left. Byron stood directly in front the pistol, and smiled deviously. She dropped it and tried to balance herself, she would fight her brother the old fashioned way.

"No bullets, huh? Well, this should be fun then." He stated, and took a fighting stance

"Thought you meant 'no harm'." She explained

"You SHOT me so. That statement means nothin' now but if it helps, I won't use my powers." He lunged for her.

  Noelle was ready to toss his body over hers, but she underestimated her big brother's strength. She was taken down by his weight. Their bodies rolled around until her stomach was pressed against the ground. She struggled under him and he wrapped his arms around her neck. He squeezed his arms tighter around her neck. She panicked and started punching at his hands.

"Daddy taught us well, but what I know surpasses EVEN him, Natty." He stated, and turned his head around to reach her ear. "You need a thick skin to survive in THIS family, so you might wanna learn to fight better than this." He demanded.

She was close to suffocation, and he was too strong. Noelle managed to move her arms, and she used her elbows and gave him hard blows to his ribs.

Byron grunted and released his grip, he fell backward. She rolled forward in self-defense, but moved when she saw him grab for his rifle.

Noelle saw a nearby switchblade and dove for it. She was too distant, so she fell hard against a pillar, and she was unconscious.

Ben scanned the room but could barely see for the sprinklers. He saw no sign of his target, Robert Cortelli. He walked around and ducked when he felt cold metal against the back of neck.

"Halt! Let me see your invitation." Noelle said

He whirled his body around and gripped her shooter, and gave her an uppercut to the face. He grabbed her before she hit the ground.

He seemed familiar to her, but he stayed focused on his mission. There was shouting coming from outside, it was the bustle of Rangers. He tossed the girl over his shoulder and ran out the back entrance, her sunglasses hit the ground. Once outback, he placed the sleeping girl in the backseat of his olive green Jeep Wrangler.

He drove away to a safe location. Soon he was in the middle of nowhere, and he lifted his watch to report.

"Snap, here. No sign of Cortelli." Ben said

"10-4 Snap, any GOOD news?" It was Piper

"Yeah, I did catch A Cortelli."

"Which one? BYRON?" She inquired

"Nope, even better." He boasted

"Right. Find a safe house and stay there until told otherwise." She instructed

"Roger that." He put the car in Drive Mode.

   Noelle awoke up to the sound of rattling metal. There was a pair of handcuffs attached to a bedpost, along with one of her hands. The small room had a nightstand, a lamp, a recliner, a Streaming Viewer, and a large window. There was a duffel bag in the corner and the paint on the walls was old and peeling away. The bed felt slightly lumpy, and it smelled of cedar. She was slightly dazed from the fall, and felt a body next to her. The sound of her HC Receiver alerted the stranger, and soon they were staring at each other.

"Oh! Hey you're awa--Ah!" He was cut off the strike of her elbow to his face.

He hurried over to her side, he wouldn't let her scream. She managed to swing her legs around enough to kick him in his chest. Her feet and elbows were her strongest body weapons.

The impact caused her to fall off of the bed, with one of her hands still in chains. Before he could get up, she used her free hand to reach in her dress. She pulled out a knife, but dropped it when she saw Ben's weapon pointed inches from her eyes.

"Long time, Natalia." He said with a smile

"I don't go by that anymore, BENJAMIN." She was cold, but started smiling happily.

"You really hurt my nose." He lowered his weapon

"Oh! Sorry, call it an occupational hazard?" She responded

"I'll take that as an apology."

"Good. Now help me out. I'm dangling here."

"Right, hold still." He said and began freeing her, she rubbed her wrist.

"So I'm your PRISONER now?" She asked

"Nope, you're more like bait." He said

"My dad's....right?"

"Sadly....yes." He walked over to the duffel. "Here's a change of clothes for you, for hiding out."

"So, you just KNEW I'd be here?" She pressed

"No, my handlers did though--they assumed."

"Good thing 'cause my dress is STILL soaking wet." She stated

She took down the rest of her destroyed up do. The cold ends whipped her face as she shook her head vigorously.

How long was I out anyway?" Noelle asked

"I'd say about 20 minutes, I hit you kinda hard." Ben explained

"Very true."

She walked over toward the duffel bag and looked inside. The contents were that of a black fedora, patterned skinny jeans, a graphic t-shirt, and black riding boots.

"Pretty Radikal, don't ya think?" She stated

"That's the point. The Cortelli family is Con-serve at best--it's the PERFECT disguise for you." He explained

"Oh! Right, you got any towels in this bag?" She inquired

"Nope, but room service we'll be bringing some up for us."

[Ugh! THIS place has ROOM service?] She thought.

She laid the clothes on the bed as a display. She sat next to them and realized something was missing.

"Hey, did you see my HC Receiver anywhere?" She asked

He started patting each of his pockets. "Oh yeah, it's right here--"

She walked toward him, and he moved away. "Yeah, I can't give it to you though."

"Why not?" She asked and flopped back on the bed.

"Because, you're playing this part called BAIT, and in this thing called INCOGNITO."

"Your wit ASTOUNDS me. You're still annoyingly handsome--I always hated that."

"Thanks. You're still violent and trigger happy--bad habits for the future Boss." He observed

"You-you know about that?"

"It's my job to know. I AM an Informer now."

"Right. Congratulations on working your way up."

"Thank you. Congrats, back."

"I wasn't trying to work MY way up."

"It's your Family Business."

"Yeah, and it blows! People die.... around me."

"I know the feeling, comes with the territory I guess."

"I guess, so what happens now?"

"I gotta check with--" He was interrupted by a knock on the door.

Ben grabbed his weapon and motioned for Noelle to get behind the door.

"Who is it?" He asked

"Housekeeping, Sir."

The woman gave him a stack of towels. Ben closed the door slowly, being sure to smile at the friendly employee.

"Right. You should get dressed....I'll wait in the hall." He said and left.

Seconds later, he heard a chiming sound coming from belt.

He soon returned to the room, with new instructions.

"We're leavin'--new orders. I'm to leave you in good hands. A close friend's gonna take over the next steps."

"Who's this friend?" She asked skeptically