Nathan paused and stared icily at Ariel for a long moment, then went on. "Sixteen. Ariel Dawson. Beat and use her, then perform some mutilation before setting her on fire. She is to be tied up so she can't get away. She has some magic, so be careful--however, she is nowhere near as powerful as NT Dawson or Capri Monroe, so this will work in your favor."

Ariel shuddered and NT sprang from her seat. She said nothing, but was going to head straight for Nathan. Her fists were already in position to beat the crap out of Tompkins.

"NT!" Ariel went after her. She caught the girl just as NT was about to punch Nathan in the nose. "Get back here." Ariel admonished, although it was more of a whisper than a scold. Ariel was just as incensed as NT, but knew better how to control herself, and anyway, she did not want to risk angering Capri and was worried NT might just do that by acting out.

"He is the sickest piece of crap!" NT hissed as Ariel dragged her back to her seat.

"I know, dear, I know." Ariel whispered back.

"NT, you simmer down too." Capri warned.

Nathan resumed. "Seventeen. Drug the girl, NT Dawson, so she can watch but can't move. Be careful when approaching her, as she is powerful magically and potentially very dangerous. However, once you have her and her mother, make each of them watch the other's misery until one of them dies, use the one that's left and then, if Ariel, drown her. If NT, lock her up and starve her to death. Make sure she is either drugged at all times, or exposed to and catches some sickness so she is too weak to get out. However, before you do this, search the house--there is a possum called Mia somewhere within, most likely the girl's room. This animal is to be destroyed, as slowly and painfully as possible. Make sure NT is alert enough to watch."

"Sicko!" NT shouted.

"Eighteen. In Tampa you will find Connor DeCant. Drug him, and beat him while NT is still able to watch. Then locate a woman Natasha Majistik, and her companion, an elderly woman known as the Wise One, believed to be her mother. Once you have contacted these two, turn the boy over to them."

NT zapped Nathan with magic, and he let out a moan.

Capri hit the gavel, glared at NT, and demanded, "Knock it off!"

NT returned the glare but soon it went from Capri back to Nathan.

Nathan continued. "Nineteen. Brett Halden. Have Galaxy Music Corp. cancel his contract. See to it that he also is blacklisted. This should be extended to Patrice Mitchell and anyone else currently in his employ."

Brett looked ready to rip Tompkins apart. Lisa was in fact standing up in her place and it was only Brett's hand on her arm that kept her there.

"Twenty. Lisa Halden. Make contact by offering to reverse her condition, or at least ensure that she does not continue to age at an accelerated rate. Then administer the serum described in attached note...this should create a reaction. Estimate once treatment begins, she should have a year to live at the most. This is the most effective way to deal with her, as unless so weakened, she would be difficult to take down by physical means due to her size and physical strength."

"Damn you!" Brett shouted, taking a step forward as if intending to lunge at Nathan.

But then Lisa started to cry, and it was only having to comfort her that kept Brett from throwing himself at Nathan right then. He did, however, curse at Nathan.

Nathan only looked at him coldly and shook his head. "You, sir, are a mistake. That sister of yours is another. And mistakes must be corrected."

Brett lost it and started to lunge for Nathan.

"Cool it Halden! An' Tompkins ya just keep readin'!" Capri thundered.

Nathan gave a mocking bow in her direction, then continued. "Twenty-one. Brightman Insurance Corp. to cancel all medical insurance on Duncan MacLeod, Tompkinsville, Kentucky. (Attached is a copy of Mr MacLeod's medical records and his insurance policy #.) See to it that no other carrier is willing to pick him up."

"Twenty-two. Megan MacLeod. Use her, but do not kill her. However, one small bit of mutilation--cut out her tongue, as a lesson about the price of talking to the wrong people."

"Twenty-three. The General Store, Tompkinsville, Kentucky, also to be torched. Make certain Drew and Emma Catlin are *not* present when this is done, they must know what it is to lose everything. Of course, my insurance company will offer to make good on any financial damages, but they will have lost all their personal effects."

As these items were read out, Shirlee cried and Shawn positively glowered. Emma Catlin wailed and Drew tried to comfort her. There were horrified looks and cries from the entire Monroe County contingent, including Duncan and Megan.

Nathan paused for a moment and looked at Capri, not the least bit apologetic. "You forget, as did they, that the title to every piece of land of any value in Monroe County is ultimately in my hands. That means so are those who have use of it."

There were shouts and cries from the Tompkinsville contingent at this.

"Cut yer babble an' just keep readin'!" Capri snapped.

"Twenty-four. Jesse Lein. Circulate some unfavorable documents made to look like they were written by him, to his employer. In addition, see to it that certain company property is missing, to be discovered later in Mr. Lein's possession."

"Bastard!" Jesse shouted.

Nathan ignored him and continued. "Twenty-five. Titania Ross. See to it she is turned, but be sure to deal with Ameh Chase first, so she can not restore Miss Ross's current condition."

Tani and Jesse exchanged sick looks.

"Twenty six and twenty seven," the terrible litany went on. "Ameh Chase and Pippi Longstocking. See to it that Ameh Chase is killed before her eyes. You may need to injure and drug Miss Longstocking so that she cannot interfere. See that Ameh is used violently before drowning her. Then, see that Miss Longstocking is killed."

Ameh hissed and glared, and Pippi bit her lip, trying to keep herself under control. Ameh drew her gun and Pippi put a hand on her arm, hoping to keep her from losing it again. Pippi looked positively livid.

"Damn you to hell, you f***ing shithead bastard!" Ameh railed. "I hope they kill you as painfully as possible!!"

"Ameh," Pippi tried again.

"Put yer gun away, Ameh, 'e won't go down without feelin it." Capri said.

"Twenty-eight." Nathan continued, and as he said this he glared at Capri, so cold and hard that if looks could kill she'd have been struck dead right there. "Capri Monroe. Arrange for her to be poisoned to death, whatever most agonizing and slow poison you can find. This is another that you will need to be careful about approaching, as she has a considerable degree of magical ability. However, there are ways to neutralize even that, so take all appropriate precautions."

"Ya ain't got a damn clue, d'ya?" Capri only sneered. "Jus' be glad somebody else's puttin an end t'ya an' not me." Her stare was just as evil as Nathan's.

"Thirty. The man known as The Crow, aka Eric Draven, has mocked me and this cannot be tolerated. Kill him. Slowly. If that damnable black bird is with him, kill it also. You will need to take precautions as there is powerful magic associated with him."

"Thirty-one. Wendi Leonard. This woman was given an important task, and then ceased to continue carrying it out, without orders from me to do so. This betrayal can no more be tolerated than any other, and so she, too, must suffer. Strip her of her magic, then find some disease-ridden, drug-starved streetwalker and use the transference magic. Let Miss Leonard learn the price of breaking an agreement the hard way."

A slender woman with golden blonde hair--the mage who'd switched Nathan and Shawn last year--wailed as this was read.

Nathan looked around the room. "The rest of those mentioned here, do not appear to have chosen to participate in this little game, Madam."

"Read 'em anyways!" Capri thundered.

Nathan nodded, still unruffled. "Thirty-two. Frost Evans. She also must learn the value of silence. This woman is so talented with computers--so, cut off her hands, but do not allow her to bleed to death once this has been done. And cut out her tongue, as well. Let us see how she manages a keyboard then."

"Thirty-three. Valyn Corey. It would appear that he and his...companion, the woman known simply as Eleanor, have vanished. Neither Christine nor myself have been able to locate them, nor, from what I have observed on the Telegraph, has anyone else. However, this does not mean our hands are tied. Locate Mr Corey's former wife, Mary Cecelia O'Brian. Take her and the three children--Sean, Trish, and Jeannette. Beat and use Mrs O'Brien, but do not kill her until after you have killed each of the three children, one at a time, as slowly as possible. Make sure she is forced to watch. You may have to tie her up to prevent her interfering. Once all three have died, kill her. Make a video recording of this entire proceeding and put this recording in a safe place. Should Mr Corey and Eleanor reappear on the Telegraph, take them both. Be aware that Mr Corey is not only a mage of considerable ability, but adept in the use of certain archaic weapons, swords etc. Take proper precautions. Once you have them both immobilized, make them watch the tape. Then force Mr Corey to watch while Eleanor is raped and killed. Once that is done, kill Valyn Corey."

NT's glare just kept getting more and more deadly, and she shook with the effort to keep her magic and herself from losing it.

"Thirty-four. Lady Selene, also known as Selene LaLune. While this woman has not directly worked against me, she has dealt with another who has made threats and this cannot be tolerated. Therefore...Miss LaLune owns a villa in Firenze, Italy, which doubles as an orphanage called the Casa di Bambini. Torch it. Burn it to the ground. Make certain to block all exits first, so that no one inside can escape. Before this is done, however, take Miss LaLune and bind her outside at a safe distance. You will need to be careful in doing so, as she is a sorceress of considerable ability. Once you have her bound, then seal the building and set fire to it. Make certain she watches the result. Once nothing is left but ashes and the dead, rape her and kill her."

"Thirty-five. Damon Lazar. Make contact with the entities known as Mr Croup and Mr Vandemar. Do whatever is necessary to ensure that they take permanent possession of the man. Inform them that they are to torture him as many ways as they care to. If he cannot die, then at least he can live on in endless torment."

"Thirty-six. There is a man called Ingev, currently at a location--exact site unknown--called Amentet. While we cannot determine precisely where this is, traffic on the Telegraph has given a very general idea. Keep monitoring this area (coordinates listed here) and watch to see if this man leaves it. When he does, take him. Be careful as he has military experience. Since he talked of "pushing me out an airlock" let us see how he enjoys a similar experience. The Mir space station is still in orbit and should be accesible by magical means. Place him aboard it, then throw him out into space. Without a suit."

"Thirty-seven. The Princess Zoe Comnena. She chose to ignore my request, let her now pay the price. She is vampire, so take proper precautions. She is to be staked, tortured, then raped. And then behead her. Make certain that what remains crumbles to dust; if it does not do so immediately, expose her body to sunlight until that happens."

"Thirty-eight. Dejah O'Donnell. Kill all those she calls the boys...the vampire Tres, the werewolf Braedon, and Dakota the mage. Make certain she is stripped of all magic of her own first, bound, and forced to watch. Then use her and kill her."

"Thirty-nine. Find the man calling himself "Lord" Ruthven, and destroy him. You must follow the steps I have laid out for the Comnena woman and Mrs Tallant, as like them, he too, is vampire, and one of considerable experience."