After West Thumb Basin, they skirted the northwest border of Lake Yellowstone toward Bridge Bay, heading toward Hayden Valley. They made a stop at the Natural Bridge…



And the Fishing Bridge…



The Fishing Bridge stands at the location where the Yellowstone River emerges from Yellowstone Lake. The current bridge was complete in 1931 and was a popular fishing spot for many years, but was closed to fishing in 1973 due to a decline in the cutthroat trout population. The group parked and walked across the bridge, the guys taking pictures of the fish below and wishing they were holding fishing rods instead of cameras…


Cutthroat Trout

As they neared Hayden Valley, Sam's voice suddenly burst across the walkies startling everyone in all cars. 23 nearly ran off the road. Maddie jumped a mile, her arm hitting Virgil on the chin and causing him to bite his tongue. Ashley started crying. H was startled awake from a light nap, reaching for his handgun. Gia threw her arm around him quickly, saying, "It's just Sam, H. It's just Sam."



"GUYS!!!! You're NOT gonna believe this!" he shouted into the walkie. "We've got a herd crossing. Repeat, a HERD crossing!!!!"

"Yeah, we HEARD you loud and clear!" 23 said, finger in ear.



Michael had no choice but to pull over. A herd of bison was making its way across the road in front of them. Before the SUV came to a complete stop, Sam was out of the car and running down the side of the road. His camera crew was following in his wake.

It looked as though the procession would take a while, so most of the group got out of the cars and came to watch. "Are you getting this on vid cam or still shots?" Sam yelled to the other guys.

"Both!" they responded.

"Sam, guys. Keep 25 yards away," Michael reminded them.



When the last of the bison had crossed, Sam called to the others and said, "Okay, show's over, campers." Loud snorts behind him let him know differently. "Oh no, it's NOT!!!" he yelled, grabbing the attention of the retreating camera crew.

Two male bison were knocking heads together. "We've got a showdown!" Sam yelled. The guys were on it right away, shooting from all angles.



"Well, for pity's sake!" Maddie exclaimed. "Michael, can't you do something?"

"What do you want me to do, Ma?" Michael asked, hand creeping toward his forehead.

"Stop the fight! And get Sam and the rest of them away from there. You never know what those creatures might do!" She yelled to Virgil and Nate, who were in thick with the rest of the guys.

"I can't stop a bison fight, Ma," Michael told her. Jackie had whisked Jie to the car as soon as the showdown started, as Kusa had done with Ashley. Maddie turned and went to join them.

Nature finally ran its course and one of the males backed down. Sam and the guys acted as though they had just watched a prize fight and come out big winners. The enthusiastic telling and retelling of the event lasted for the next ten miles and would live forever on video cam and of course, youTube…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uw9hWTH5tOs

mtc...

"Hayden Valley…approaching Hayden Valley," Sam walkie-talkied. "Keep your eyes peeled, guys. You know what to look for." Sam's announcement and request seemed to be meaningful only to his Nikon and Canon platoon.

"What are we keeping our eyes peeled for in Hayden Valley, darlin'?" Eli asked Cee, sitting next to him in the front seat as he drove behind Bill's car. "This have something to do with Sam's unexplainable sudden interest in wildlife photography?"

"I heard that," Sam returned. Eli looked down and sure enough, he was pressing the speak bar on the walkie-talkie. He gave Cee a repentant look.

"Not just bison, guys, but elk, deer, pronghorn, and grizzlies," Sam came back. "We still haven't seen pronghorn and that's definitely on my To-Do list. Not to mention finding ourselves a grizzly. This is Africa, man, and we're on safari!!!!"

Suddenly from the last car, the sounds of Deb, Di, and Jen singing the Beach Boys' "Surfin' Safari" came over the walkies. Gia and Trini, in two separate cars, laughed and started singing, too.

"Let's go surfin' now...everybody's learnin' how...come on and safari with me..."

Eli looked at Cee and grinned. "Copy that, Sam," he said, signing off.



Hayden Valley is one of the prime places in Yellowstone to view a variety of wildlife. The Yellowstone River cuts through the valley forming marshes frequented by waterfowl, including Trumpeter Swans and Sandhill Cranes. Across the sagebrush flats and the open meadows herds of bison, elk, deer, and pronghorn graze. Moose can often be seen at the river. Both grizzlies and coyotes roam the area looking for easy prey.





Within a few minutes, an excited call came from Sam again. "We've got pronghorn at nine o'clock. Pronghorn at nine o'clock." All heads riveted sharply to the left.

The cars pulled over and the group got out, looking across the panoramic wide valley. Directly to their left, a family group of pronghorn was grazing. Pronghorn are a member of the ungulate mammal family and were mistaken for antelope by early American settlers. Pronghorn are thought to be the fastest land animals in North America, reaching running speeds of 60-70 mph. They are second only to the cheetah as fastest land animal in the world.

"They're beautiful!" Jen said, peering through the zoom lens on Ric's camera.

"This is freakin' fantastic," Sam said outloud. "You're right, Jen. Look at those beauties!"







In the same area, with the use of binoculars and telephoto lenses, they spotted a moose along the river. Its reflection was caught along with that of two waterfowl.



"Awesome shot, Sam!" Gary told him.

Sam beamed. "Goin' straight into Ashley's photo album, Baby Girl," he told Kusa. She gave him a hug and told him he was a terrific dad.

A little further down, they caught a large herd of bison grazing in the valley…



Then it was on to Canyon Village.

Girl!!!! I keep trying to write for 'this weekend', and you keep distracting me with new stuff!!! Cut it out will ya!!!!:LOL:

(you BETTER know I'm just KIDDIN!!!!!!!)


KA23

The Canyon Village area of Yellowstone is one of the most majestic locations found within the park boundaries. The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River is the highlight, along with its Upper and Lower Falls. They stopped at the Canyon Village Visitor Center and then headed over to Canyon Lodge for lunch. Michael's schedule for the day was pretty tight, but he gave the group thirty minutes at the gift shop.



Cee and Eli decided to skip out on this opportunity and walked down to an area away from the lodge. They found a bench overlooking a meadow with sunlight streaming through the nearby pines.



Eli slipped his arm around Cee and she laid her head against his shoulder. "I miss our cabin at the Tetons," she told him.

He kissed the top of her head. "I do, too, darlin'," he said softly.



The group soon headed out to the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. The canyon is roughly twenty miles long, measured from the Upper Falls of the Yellowstone River to the Tower Falls area. They followed the North Rim Drive, stopping at several overlooks to view the canyon, as well as the Upper and Lower Falls.


Yellowstone Grand Canyon - Inspiration Point


Upper Falls – 109 feet high


Lower Falls – 308 feet high




They stopped to see the Glacial Boulder, a house-sized granite boulder sitting in a pine forest along the roadside. It is thought to have been deposited in Yellowstone by a glacier from the Beartooth Mountains thousands of years ago.




On their way north to Tower Falls, Sam pulled another frantic roadside stop. It didn't even faze Michael this time. It was becoming routine as far as he was concerned. He pulled over to the side of the road, turned off the engine, and said, "Do your thing, Sam."

The group stayed back to watch the drama unfold. Mama Bison had crossed the road trying to teach her twin calves road safety and haste. Didn't work. One calf decided to stop, study, and contemplate the world from the middle of the lane. Mama was fit to be tied. She didn't want to leave her obedient calf alone by the side of the road, but she realized that her wayfaring calf needed a crossing guard, to be following by a firm lecture, and some time spent in the naughty chair.





The group discussed strategy. Maybe they should spook the calf and send it running to Mama. But what if calf turned and bolted in the opposite direction? What if Mama bison charged and sent one or several of them skyward bound? What if she charged into one of the vehicles? Had Michael arranged for full insurance coverage when renting the cars?

By the time all opinions had been presented and debated, nature took its course, as it always does. Mama bison, having spent enough time waiting for baby bison to find its way, let out a series of sharp grunts. Baby bison let out a high-pitched squeal and ran to Mama. The crowd went wild. Mama sat down by the side of the road and let babies have naptime.




"Did Ashley see?" Sam asked, running back to the car.

"Ashley's sleeping, Sam," Kusa told him.

"Ah, nuts! Can hardly wait to show her the video."

"She's not even a year old yet, Sam."

"Aw, she's gonna love it, Baby Girl!"

Next stop was Tower Falls, the point where Tower Creek ends by plunging 132 feet to join the Yellowstone River below. They were able to get several good shots from the overlook, but the base of the falls was closed due to rockslides.



The agents, after a little chat, sought out Michael as they were waiting for the guys to finish up their photographic stint. "Is this it, Michael?" one of them asked.

His eyes went blank for a moment. "Is this it for…what?" he asked.

"The place where we're going to have to do something."

"Do something?" he repeated.

"Yeah, like rock climb or survival training or something like that?"

"We're surprised you didn't have us deep diving in the sulfur pools, Mike."

"What about bear wrestling? Should we learn how to defend ourselves in case of bear attack?"

"Are we going to have to bungee jump from the falls, Michael? Is that it?"

"Or climb the falls one-handed or blindfolded or something?"

He was quiet for a moment and then looked at his watch. "We're supposed to pick up the inflatable life rafts in thirty minutes," he said.

The girls looked at each other. "Inflatable rafts for what?" one asked.

"Going over the falls," Michael told them. He smiled and turned to join Fi by the railing. Once there, he turned back and gave the girls a big smile.



The girls gave a little wave and watched as he talked to Fi.

"He thinks he put one over on us, doesn't he?"

Laughter. "He can't figure us out, can he?"

"Nah. We're way too confusing."

"He's so cute when he's confused."

"Heck, he's cute anytime!"




The agents started down the hill to the restroom and Gia ran to join them. Deb and Jen talked outside, waiting for the other three. Jen suddenly backhanded Deb on her upper arm. "Look!" she pointed.

Between the ladies' restroom and the road, a bison had moseyed in for a little grazing. Wasting no time, they yelled in to Di, Gia, and Trini telling them about the bison outside the door.



As bison are extremely unpredictable and can inflict major damage on the human body, Deb and Jen backed up until they were a reasonable distance. Park rules say 25 yards. They stretched it a little.

"What do we do?" Jen asked.

"Maybe it will go away in a couple minutes," Deb answered.

They waited. And waited. The bison was totally satisfied with the weed supply in front of him. The girls sighed. Gia yelled out, "Is he gone yet?"

"Nope," they yelled back.

"Do something!" Di called.

"Like what?" Jen called.

"Get H," Gia yelled. "He has his handgun."

"We can't shoot bison in Yellowstone! It's probably a long jail term and huge fine."

"We can't stay here all day, you two!" Trini called.

Deb and Jen looked at each other. "Maybe I should go get H," Jen said. Within a second they heard whistling coming down the path.

"Hey, it's Sam," Jen said. "Maybe he can help."

"Wassup girls?" Sam called, approaching in their direction. He suddenly caught sight of the bathroom bison. "Whoa!" he said, eyes popping.

"Gia, Di, and Trini are trapped inside," Deb told him.

"Well, let's figure that out in a minute," Sam said. "Let me get a shot of this big mutha first."

Deb and Jen looked at each other. Trini called out, "What's going on out there?"

"Sam's taking pictures," Deb yelled in.

"What the hell??!!" Di yelled out.

Sam finished adjusting his camera and raised it to take the shot, oblivious of the angry girls inside. The bison looked over his shoulder at Sam. Evidently word had gotten out amongst the bison population. The bison snorted and trotted off into the woods as fast as he could from Sam, the camera man.




It was while leaving Tower Falls late that afternoon that for the umpteenth time on the Yellowstone trip, Sam went nuts. This time, it was grizzlies crossing the road.

"I see them, Sam," Michael said calmly, pulling over quickly so Sam could get out. The guidelines in the park warn visitors to stay at least 100 feet back from bears and Sam knew he was cutting it close. The others had hardly gotten out of their vehicles when the two grizzlies were gone.



"Did you get the shot, Sam?" Ric called, running up.

"You get it?" Gary questioned, cutting between the first two vehicles to where the guys were.

Sam showed them on his digital screen along with a big thumbs up. "Hoo-rah!" he then shouted, making a victory fist.

"Good one, man!" Q told him, taking a look. "I'm gonna want to upload that one. Don't forget."




Twenty minutes later over the walkie..."We've struck gold here, guys...bison and pronghorn both crossing the road at the same freakin' time!" The guys proved again just how good they were getting at the fifty yard dash.






As the group traveled the road from Tower Falls to Mammoth and then through the Roosevelt Arch for the return trip to Bill's ranch, there was one more victory for the intrepid wildlife guru.

The sun was getting lower in the western sky and hitting him in the eyes. Sam blinked, sure he saw movement up ahead. "Hey Mike, slow down, would ya? What is that up there?"

Michael squinted into the sun. "Looks like something running, Sam."

He drove on ahead, but slowed down as they neared the animal running by the side of the road. Sam's excitement level spiked. "A wolf, Mikey?" He rolled down his window and stuck his head out.

"Looks too small to be a wolf, Sam," Michael told him.

As they got closer, Sam undid his seat belt and rose up on his knees in the seat, leaning out the window with his camera.

"I see it…I see it! It's a coyote, Mike. Sloooooow down!"

Hanging out the window, Sam got his final shot…



The sounds of cheers reverberated through the cars as they made their way homeward.

"Are you just watching today?" Cee laughed as Eli leaned his hands through the slats of the wooden corral, staying on the outside. She was on the inside, waiting for one of the ranch hands to bring a horse to saddle.

"I believe so, Darlin'," he replied.

"You don't have to stick around, Eli. You can find something else to do." She walked over to him, hoisting up onto the bottom slat, elbows hooked over the top, putting her face on the level with his. "You know where I'll be."

They both turned to watch one of the ranch hands lead a horse into the corral. "Mr. Cole said to bring this horse out to you specific," the cowboy said, stepping off to the side of the horse so she could get a good look.

Cee frowned at the mention of their host's name. She still wasn't sure she liked the idea of being so "beholden" to him for her wedding and her birthday party. She'd thought a lot about the conflict during the early morning hours while she was in the barn mucking stalls. She'd particularly chosen the chore because it let her feel she was partially "working off" the amenities of the Cole ranch... And the time mucking alone in a stall with only an equine companion to share the air allowed her to think. Some people believed in meditation or yoga to clear their head; she believed in the power of mucking to do the same thing, even if most people—especially Maddie—would think she was crazy.

Not moving, she took in the sight off to her side: the chest, the legs, the butt... of the horse. With a sudden realization of why her husband had chosen to stay close, her head snapped back to regard Eli. "You don't trust me!"

"Now, Darlin', I trust you," he replied, doing his best to sound sincere. "Maybe it's other folks I don't trust so much."

She leaned over, close to this face. "Well, now, Eli, you know how I feel about cowboys," she whispered as she brushed her nose against his. Then she leaned even further in to kiss him. She hoped the eagerness of her touch, the sensuous stay of her mouth, and the reluctance to release her hold would confirm her commitment to him, and only him. When she did finally pull away, she looked him straight in the eye. "You're the only cowboy I'm looking at in that way, Eli, now and forever. Understand?"

He nodded. "Understood. Not that I truly had my doubts, but it's nice to hear you say the words."

She giggled. "So, you're free to do whatever you want, then. I'm all okey dokey here, and Jen will be out soon."

"Well, Darlin', after that kiss..." A smile spread across his face. "What I might want to do—"

"Will have to wait until later." She cut him off with another giggle, popping the brim of his hat down for emphasis.

"It's a date, then." He chuckled and gave her another quick kiss. "One of the fellas working here mentioned a problem with one of the vehicles. I thought I'd stop by and see if I could help out. I'll see you later, Darlin'." He tipped his hat at the ranch hand, then turned to walk away.

"Hey, if you see Jen, tell her I'm waiting for her," she called after him. He raised his hand in acknowledgement and kept going.

Cee turned her attention to the horse, hopping off the corral section and walking over to it. The horse was a copper-colored chestnut with white spots splashed across its rump, announcing Appaloosa as its breed, but the build was more Thoroughbred... a racehorse. She ran her hands down the horse's legs and across its massive chest. If it weren't for those spots, she'd have sworn this horse was ready for a trip around the track at Pimlico. The horse was still intact, too... a stallion. And, she was guessing worth a pretty penny or two or three or four. Why Mr. Cole wanted this horse brought out to her was a mystery.

"Do you know this guy's pedigree?" she asked the ranch hand, who was still holding the lead strap attached to the horse's halter.

"I can tell you this guy's entire lineage." Bill entered through the gate.

She acknowledged him with a nod and a curt, "Mr. Cole," moving away from him and the horse.

"You don't like me. I'm not exactly sure why, but I have my suspicions," he said, taking the lead strap from the cowboy. "Get a saddle and bridle for Ms. Langley," he told the man.

The cowboy gave a quick nod and "Yes, sir, Mr. Cole," to the boss as he rushed out of the corral. Bill held out the lead strap to Cee.

"Go ahead," he said. "I won't bite." She took the lead and pulled the horse away from Bill. "You asked about his pedigree," he continued as she walked the stallion around the edge of the corral. "Ever hear of First Secretary?"



Cee stopped and looked at him. "First Secretary was the only Appaloosa son of the 1973 Triple Crown winner Secretariat. They had trouble getting Big Red to breed when he first came off the track, so they tested him on an Appaloosa mare. The Thoroughbred bluebloods were apalled, but his son was beautiful. I've seen pictures of him." Her gaze shifted over to the horse she was leading. "Please tell me that Secretariat resides on his—"

"Dam side, exactly," he finished for her. "Secretariat is known as a broodmare sire. This is his great grandson. Can you tell me anything else about him?"

"Well, what's his name?" she asked.

"Secretary of State," he answered.

"Appropriate, considering the number of government contracts you hold." She rubbed the stallion's forehead as the horse pushed his head into her arm, wanting more attention. "Secretariat isn't the only Thoroughbred in his background."

"No, he's got more Thoroughbred blood in him than Appaloosa. I'm surprised his mama threw a baby with so many spots." Bill perched his hands on his hips. "You've got a keen eye for detail," he complimented. "That's why I'm thinking part of the reason you don't like me is because you've figured out my past relationship with Bri."

Cee glanced down at the ground before looking back over the horse. "None of my business," she said flatly.

"What I'm wondering is: Do you hold Bri in as much contempt over our relationship? You don't appear to. That relationship, at least the romance part, was over and done with a long, long time ago."

She looked at Bill. "Again, none of my business. Doesn't concern me."

"Aw, c'mon, Cee... Ms. Langley, if we're gonna keep it on a more awkward level. Sam is your brother. You're watching out for him." He acknowledged the ranch hand returning to the corral. "Go ahead and saddle Confusion for Ms. Langley," he instructed.

"Never mind," Cee countered. "I don't feel like riding. I need to go find Jen and tell her I'll have to give her a lesson some other time." She handed the lead off to the cowboy and tried to make her way out of the corral.

"Cee... Cecelia... Ms. Langley!" Bill finally called out, grabbing her shoulders to prevent her exit. "Damn it! I told you Bri and I are no longer a couple, haven't been for a long time. I love my wife and my daughter; I'd do anything for them."

"I believe you," she replied, stepping back to free herself. "No need to keep explaining."

"There's another reason you don't like me, and I think this is why your feelings for me are so hateful: You don't like owing a debt, do you? And you think that because I paid for the trip and your party here, and, especially your wedding and honeymoon... You think you owe me."

She took another step back, but didn't say a word.

"You don't owe me. I've got money, lots of it. I don't mind spending it on my friends. None of you owe me a dime, even you." He smiled. "Of course, if you're determined to pay me back, you're gonna have to get up earlier and muck a helluva lot more stalls to pay the rental bill on that cabin you and Eli are staying in." He paused, waiting for her to answer.

When she didn't reply, he continued. "Please, Ms. Langley, can we call a truce? I swear my relationship with Bri is over, but I still consider her a dear friend, as I do Sam." He sighed at her still mute form standing in front of him. "I would have to be a complete moron to even try anything with Bri now, considering Sam has his own personal assassin staying right under my nose."

Another pause, and he wondered if he would ever be able to win over Sam's sister. He tried one more approach. "If you want to truly pay me back, I could use your help on some Thoroughbred matings and purchases. I noticed you and the girls pretty much cleaned up at the track while you were helping them. Help me create or buy the next Three Year Old Eclipse Award winner, and you'll have repaid me for any debt you may incur."

She narrowed her eyes. At least it was a response. "My advice in exchange for payment of my wedding, honeymoon, and birthday party?"

"Hell, I'll even throw in a couple more weeks at that cabin in Wyoming!"

She stuck out her hand. "Deal, Mr. Cole."

He reached out to shake a conclusion to the arrangement. "Any way we can make first names a part of this business plan?"

She smiled... finally! "I'll try... Bill."

"Thank you, Cee." He looked over at the horse, all saddled and waiting. "Looks like your ride is ready to go. Still not feeling well?"

"I think I can manage a few turns around the corral."

"Even though what you really want to do is take him out on the flat lands and let him loose?" Bill winked at her. "You can, you know. You have my permission."

She put her foot in the stirrup and swung her body up into the saddle. "Seriously? Not only do I get to ride a great grandson of Secretariat, I get to run him, too?" The stallion felt her excitement and danced with the anticipation of a chance to kick up his heels. She started him walking around the corral to keep him calm.

"Sure, we'll make it part of the deal we just brokered. 'Course, I may want to add in some betting advice to that deal to cover the extra privileges."

"No problem." Her smile dimmed for a moment. "Hey, just curious: What's with the nickname Confusion?"

"Secretary of State... State of Confusion... Confusion's main job is for breeding, but we like to follow the lead of some of the more progressive Thoroughbred farms and make sure the stallions get ridden daily for exercise. Confusion seems to like running more than breeding, but there aren't a lot of ranch hands around here who enjoy racing with the speed this guy can take off with. There's only one other person staying on this ranch right now who likes that kind of riding and is good enough for me to trust her with a horse that can run that fast... But she's already got a favorite."

Cee trotted Confusion up to the barn where Jenna was waiting.

"Wow, he's pretty!" Jen remarked.

"Pretty doesn't even cover half of what this horse is about," Cee replied, sliding off the stallion's back and patting him on the neck. Confusion pushed his nose into her shoulder, thanking her for the opportunity to stretch his Thoroughbred legs out from his Appaloosa body.

"One of the guys said he'd get a horse that's right for me," Jen continued, jabbing her thumb in the direction of the stables. "I'm not exactly sure what that means."

Cee laughed. "We'll see what they come up with and adjust appropriately."

The same ranch hand that had saddled Confusion for her earlier led out a sorrel Quarter Horse gelding, already saddled and bridled. He acknowledged Cee with a friendly, "Ms. Langley," and a touch to the brim of his hat. "Did you enjoy your ride?"

"Yes, I did. And I want to continue walking him to make sure he's completely cooled down. We just gotta get Jen up on her horse first." Jen allowed a panic to pass across her face. "Not to worry, you're in good hands."

The ranch hand held the horse while Jen tried putting her foot in the stirrup. It took a couple of tries, but she managed to get a leg up on the horse. She grimaced as she settled in the saddle. "I can't believe I'm on the back of a horse again," she nearly moaned.

"Okay, let me give you a few pointers on sitting in a saddle," Cee began. "First off, scoot back in the saddle a bit. Good. Now, lower your heels." Cee pulled on Jen's calf. "A little lower. Better." She looked up at the girl in the saddle. "Feel different?"

"Yeah, more comfortable."

"You balance on the back of the ball of your foot," she explained, taking Jen's foot in her hand and shaking it. "If you keep your heels down, you sit more secure in the saddle and don't bounce so much. Less bouncing means not so much tushy pain."

"Oh, I could use a lot less tushy pain about now."

"I'll keep reminding you about your heels for a while, but it'll start to feel normal, and you'll be sitting right without even thinking about it." She took the reins from the cowboy's hands and nodded at him. He retreated back into the barn. "The reins go in your left hand. Do you know why?"

"I have no idea." Jen shook her head.

"Most people are right-handed. If you put the reins in your left hand, that leaves your right hand free to grab your gun." Cee laughed. "I don't think we're planning on a shoot out at the OK Corral today, so you can put the reins in both hands, if it makes you feel more secure." Cee helped Jen place her hands, moving the reins through the other woman's fingers. "A little looser. Otherwise, the horse will think you want him to stand still. Okay, bounce your hands a bit." She stepped back and watched Jen move her hands up and down. "Comfortable?" Jen grinned and nodded her head. "Ready to walk some?" Jen nodded again.

Cee walked back over to Confusion and scrambled up into the saddle. "Don't kick him, or he'll take off," she instructed. "Just give him a nice, easy push with your feet." Jen got her horse going, and Cee moved Confusion along side. "Good, heels down... Better. Easy with the hands. Heels down, Jen!"

"Ugh, there's so much to remember!"

"Then don't think so much, just feel it."

"'The Force, Luke. Use the Force.'" Jen said, mocking a deep tone. Then she giggled.

"'No try... do,'" Cee replied in a Yoda-like voice. Both women laughed outloud. "Good... down a little more with the heels, Jen. Okay, keep him walking. We'll try trot and gallop a little later." Jen shot her another panic look. "Later, as in 'don't think about that now,' okay?"

The two horses walked calmly away from the barn while Cee explained the different parts of the saddle and bridle and why things were configured the way they were. Jen listened, adjusting her posture when Cee made suggestions.

"How did you learn to ride so well?" Jen asked in the midst of Cee explaining about why a rider mounts the horse from the left side. The younger woman was surprised when Cee suddenly fell silent and turned away. "Did I say something wrong? I'm sorry if I did... I was just amazed at how this is all second nature to you."

Cee contemplated her next words. Her first instinct was to blurt out a None of your business, but she looked over at Jen. The agent had a sincere, honest look in asking her question, and Cee didn't want to seem cruel by blowing her off. "Well, it's a story I've never told anyone, Jen... not my mother, not Sam, not even Eli. And, I'll tell you if you promise to keep the secret."

Jen nodded eagerly, wondering how a story about riding lessons could carry such a deep response from the woman.

Cee began, speaking slowly, as if she had to dredge the words from a safe place in her heart. "I ran away from home the second, and I mean the second, I graduated from high school. Sam was off in the Navy, and Mom and I never seemed to be able to say more than two words to each other without a fight, so it didn't seem like such a crazy idea to me. I was only seventeen for the first couple of weeks, but still convinced I could take on the world and win. I had some money, and I was pretty good at faking my credentials... so I picked up odd jobs like waitressing, working a cash register, that kind of thing, to keep myself flush."

She chuckled. "I always was a little horse-crazy... what girl isn't? And I got my cowboy obsession from my mother." She turned to Jen with a smile. "Don't let Sonja fool you. If you want to get on her good side, pop in an old John Wayne movie, and you've got her attention for the duration."

Her smiled faded as she retreated to pull out more memories. "I found myself in Missouri, somehow... not exactly sure how I got there, but, hell... it wasn't the destination, it was the journey, right? Anyway, there was a rodeo going on at the coliseum there. I had a few extra bucks, enough for the price of admission, and I went. It was a lot of fun, watching the roping, the riding, the trick stuff. When it was all over, I went down to the arena. A bunch of kids were lined up there, trying to get the cowboys to sign their programs."

She sighed. "This one cowboy asked me where my program was. I didn't hear him at first; I guess I was staring, because he looked like he walked right off the screen of some Hollywood Western... a younger cross between Guy Williams and Pernell Roberts, ya know?"

Jen bobbed her head up and down, even though she knew nothing about the two men Cee had just mentioned. She just wanted Cee to keep talking.

"Anyway, he asked me for my program again. I told him I didn't have one. And then he laughed, and I got mad because I thought he was making fun of me. He grabbed my hand to keep me from walking away, and he apologized. Then he asked me to go out and grab a bite to eat with him." Cee pointed at Jen's leg. "Heels," she said, and Jen quickly adjusted her seat. "Good, that's better."

"Did you go?" Jen prompted when Cee didn't go right back to her story.

Cee smiled and dipped her head. "Of course I went," she replied. "And, I stayed, too. Didn't have anything to keep me in the town, so when the rodeo left, I took off with it."

"Took off with the rodeo... or him?" Jen asked, wanting to know more.

Cee giggled. "With him, absolutely!" She sighed. "Anyway, to answer your question, he was the one who taught me about horses: how to take care of them, how to ride them." She giggled again. "Okay, and he taught me a few other things, too, more personal things."

Jen giggled, too. Their horses walked on while both riders were silent. Finally, she dared breach the quiet with a question. "What happened with you two?"

Cee stared at the horn of her saddle for a few moments. "Well, during a performance at one city six months later... someplace in Virginia, I think... I got sick. I hadn't been feeling well for a while, and I started throwing up so much that as soon as the rodeo was over for the night, he borrowed a truck and took me to the emergency room. I was shaky and scared. He sat with me in the exam room and waited while I had some tests done. But..." She paused and exhaled sharply before continuing. "The rodeo was moving on that night. The tests took longer than he was willing to wait. I remember laying in the bed in that room while he paced. Finally, he pulled some money out of his pocket and put it on the bedside table, kissed me on the head, told me goodbye... And he left." She rubbed her eyes. "I never saw him again."

Jen leaned over. "You didn't go after him?"

Cee shook her head. "We had been fighting for a while, lots of little arguments. I think he woulda liked for me to have left long before he did, but he didn't know how to tell me." She looked at Jen. "I think I cared more about us than he did. It's not easy to carry a love affair all by yourself. Not that you have to worry about that with Ric." Cee smiled again.

"Or you with Eli." Jen dipped her head, returning the smile.

"No, not Eli. So, that's the story of me and my cowboy," she continued. "No one else hears that story from you, right?"

"Promise!" Jen replied.

"Pinky swear?" Cee asked, holding up her right hand.

"Pinky swear!" Jen shifted the reins to her left hand and held her right hand up to lock little fingers with Cee.

"Heels, Jen!" Cee reminded, and Jen pulled her hand away to take hold of the reins with both hands again. "Better... good." She fell silent again, remembering that when the test results did come back from that hospital visit so long ago, she had found out she was pregnant with the cowboy's baby and how she had decided from that moment she wouldn't, couldn't keep the child. It took a while after that, but she had found Sam, intruded into his life, made her problem his as well... But he had taken care of her without a grumble before, during, and after the birth... something she'd be eternally grateful for.

"Cee," Jen's voice interrupted her thoughts. "How did you meet Eli?"

Cee looked over at her. She shook her head. "None of your business." She smiled, clicked her tongue at Confusion, and the horse stepped up into a trot. She chuckled when Jen's horse followed suit, and the agent strangled a panicked surprise in her throat.

"Heels down, Jen!"

Music, laughter, and occasional shouts sounded from the main house as the group sat at card tables playing Texas Hold 'Em using poker chips. Jen had snuck out after folding in the last game, wanting a chance to sit under the stars again. She pulled a chair off the porch of the bunkhouse and placed it in the yard away from the lights, propping her feet up on a large, decorative stone next to a circular flower bed.

She had pulled on a sweatshirt and felt comfortable now in the coolness of the night air. She breathed in the pine scented air, looking up at the sky. So many stars, as far as the eye could see. Ric had taught her a lot about the constellations and she searched for them now. To the north, it was easy to spot Ursa Minor, the Little Bear, and Boötes, the Bear Driver. She was pretty sure of Libra, the Scales, and Lupus, the Wolf. Planets were visible too, especially Venus and Mars. She looked for Saturn, Ric having pointed it out to her before their Yellowstone trip.

Hearing movement, she sat up, looking toward the stable. A man walked up the path, his gait familiar. As he got closer, he spotted her and stopped. "That you, Jen?" Bill called.

"It's me," she answered.

He detoured from the path to the main house and headed her way. "Stargazing?" he asked.

"Yes," she said. "I've never seen so many at one time. Ever."

"It's pretty spectacular, all right," he answered. "Mind if I join you for a few?"

"Not at all!" She sat up straight as he went to fetch a chair from the porch. Setting it next to her, he sat and stretched out his legs.

"I've seen you working with Cee," he commented. "I can tell you've improved a lot. How are you feeling about the riding lessons?"

"My confidence level has definitely improved. Cee's an excellent teacher. She won't let me slack off and that's good."

"You liking horses better?"

"I'm getting there. I appreciate them tremendously from a distance, it's just up close that kind of freaked me at first."

He laughed, not thinking he'd ever get used to the way these girls talked. Hilarity erupted from the main house.

"Sounds like they're still knee deep in poker up there," he commented. "You not a poker fan?"

She shook her head. "Not much. The stars were a bigger draw than poker tonight. It's not often that one gets the opportunity to enjoy a sky like this."

"That's true," he said. "Especially in Miami with all the lights."

They fell silent for a moment, soaking in the sounds and smells of a June night in the mountains. Jen finally spoke, "The second thing I fell in love with here, after the stars, was the air."

Bill chuckled. "The air, huh? I think that's the first time anyone told me that. I know what's special about the air here, but what strikes you about it?"

"It's not humid, for one," Jen told him.

"No, it's not that," Bill agreed.

"And it's not dry, like Arizona or New Mexico. It's perfect, actually. My first thought was it reminded me of home."

"Home where?" he asked. "I know you're not referring to Miami."

"Northern California. The air here feels a lot like the Sierras and a little bit like Monterey. Just the coolness, that is."

"I enjoy the Sierras a lot," he told her. "Tahoe, Gold Rush country, Yosemite, all of that. Monterey would be more salty sea air, right?"

"Right," she said. She was quiet for a moment. "It's been a long time since I've been there."

"You have family in Monterey?" he asked, although he already knew the answer.

"My mother," she said. "I haven't been back since my dad died six years ago."

There was the sound of an owl hooting in the distance and rustling in the bushes to the side of the house. "Maybe it's time you go back for a visit," Bill told her.

It took her a full minute or more to answer. "Maybe so," she answered.

Sam Axe's Father's Day in Montana started out something like this...




Instead of two kids and a dog, however, it was three kids. One, an almost grown-looking teenage boy, Boomer. One who was almost a teen, Adam. And adorable, barely-able-to-walk-and-talk Ashley.

"Dad!" the boys shouted, one of them bouncing on the bed causing Sam to suddenly startle into waking mode. The other carried a big, big tray loaded with breakfast-in-bed goodies. Ashley, crawling on the floor, was picked up by Kusa and laid gently on the end of the bed. Ashley took one look at Daddy, complete with morning scruff and breath that could kill a rhino, and scrambed gleefully toward him, crawling up over his legs to his stomach.

"Oooooh...Ashley, angel," Sam said, suddenly shooting up straight in bed, "Watch it there, sweetie girl!"

"Dad, we brought you breakfast in bed!" Adam said, bouncing on the edge of the bed on his knees.

"I see that, cowboy!" Sam told him. "What have you two got there?"

Boomer proudly placed the tray on Sam's knees, as Ashley had taken possession of Daddy's lap. "Whoa!" Sam said as the tray began to shift floorward and the orange juice sloshed into the scrambled eggs. "Adam, you want to hold your sister while I see what we have here?"



"Sure, Dad," Adam told him, picking up his half-sister. Ashley was insistent on staying with Daddy, though, and began to physically resist, holding her ground.

"Sweetie girl, have some toast," Sam said, sticking a piece within her grasping range. Ashley stopped fussing and reached for it. She stuck it in her mouth and bit down. After getting it nice and wet, she pulled it out and held it up for Sam to take a bite. Sam chomped a piece out of it and Ashley giggled. Once he swallowed, she held it up again.

Sam tickled her to distract her and she switched her interest to pulling out one of the flowers from the vase on the tray.

"Wow, look at all these sausage patties, boys!" Sam said, eyes widening. There must have been a dozen of them. "Did you cook all these for me?"

Boomer nodded. "We know you like sausage, Dad!"

"Sit down here and help me out!" Sam said, passing out sausage patties to all the kids. Ashley held hers in her hand and looked at both sides of it. She put it on top of her head and dragged it across her hair. Then she held it up for Sam to take a bite.

"No, you eat that, sweetie girl," Sam told her. He guided it toward her mouth. She bit into it and then shook her head back and forth rapidly, the sausage flinging from side to side. When she saw she was amusing her Daddy, she was on a roll. She squirmed out of Adam's lap and on to Sam's chest, wiping the sausage all over his t-shirt.

"Aw...lovely...sweetie girl!" Sam commented with a laugh, checking out the grease stains.

"Dad!" Adam shouted. "We have presents!"

"Yeah, Dad, and a cake. We made it ourselves. Wanna see?" Boomer asked.

"SHOW ME THE CAKE!!!" Sam ordered boisterously, pumping his spoon and fork up and down.

Boomer hurried over to the dresser where he had laid the aluminum foil-covered tray next to a pile of presents. He brought it over for Sam to see. "We made it, Dad!" he said, face beaming.



"Yeah, but Ashley stuck her fist in it," Adam told him. "We filled up the hole with frosting, though."

"Ah....Ash...that's my girl!" Sam said, pointing at her with a grin and a wink.

"Da-da-da-da-da," was Ashley's response.

"Aunt Cee gave us the M&M's," Adam told him. "She has tons."

"And I told Adam not to lick them before putting them on the cake," Boomer said, narrowing his eyes at his brother.

Adam jumped across the bed and plowed into Boomer. "You liar!" he cried.

"You lie!" Boomer said, pushing Adam away.

"Guys...GUYS!!!" Sam interjected hastily. "Where are those gifts you were telling me about?"

The boys separated and raced each other to the dresser, each grabbing a package and trying to beat each other back to the bed. "Mine first!" Adam called....

"Whoa! Well, what can this be?" Sam asked. He picked up the package, which had obviously been wrapped by Adam himself, and shook it. He raised his eyebrows and gave Adam a sly smile. "Hmmmm..." he said, beginning to tear the wrapping off. Adam helped him.

"A tie!" said Sam, eyes widening again. He held it up, looking at the animals on the front. "A bison tie! Well, well, well..."



"You like it, Dad?" Adam asked excitedly. "I know you liked the bison at Yellowstone!"

"I love it!" Sam said.

"Then wear it, Dad!" Adam urged him.

"Right now?" Sam asked, looking down at his t-shirt.

"Yeah, Dad. You can wear that tie with anything!"

Sam put the tie around his neck and fastened it. "Look good?" he asked, sticking his chest out to show it off.

"Yeah, Dad! You can wear it with your suits, okay?"

"Okey-dokey!" Sam grinned, trying to imagine the response he would get next time he had to wear a business suit. "What's next?"

"My gift, Dad," Boomer said, handing him a present wrapped even more loosely than Adam's. Sam tore off the paper in seconds flat. Ashley confiscated it and began scrunching it up with her hands.

"It's a car waxing set," Boomer said proudly. "You're always waxing your car, Dad!"



"Way to go, Boom!" Sam told him, holding his hand up for a high-five. Boomer slapped his hand a hard one, happy that his dad liked the gift. "Son, I'll be teaching you how to wax cars when we get home," Sam told him. "You can count on that!"

Next came Ashley's gifts. Kusa and Jackie had taken the little girls into Livingston to have Father's Day gifts from the girls specially made for Sam and Bill. Sam turned solemn when opened the box and saw what was inside. In two individual frames, sand prints had been made of one of Ashley's hands and a foot. He was misty-eyed looking up at Kusa. "Following in Daddy's footsteps," she said with a smile.



Sam picked up Ashley and hugged her, giving her a kiss on the forehead. He called the boys over to sit next to him and gave them hugs, too. "Wait, Dad, there's one more!" Adam called. "One more, Dad!"

He brought the package over and Sam tore off the wrapping with gusto. Adam laughed, wadded the gift wrap into a ball and threw it at Boomer. Boomer caught it and began to stuff it down the back of his half-brother's shirt, Adam crying out for him to stop.

"Aha!" Sam exclaimed loudly over the ruckus. "If you have it...you need more of it." Boomer and Adam stopped wrestling and looked up at their dad quizzically. "The point is, sons...if you've never had any of it...ever...people just seem to know." Sam held up the gift for Kusa to see, along with a raised eyebrow and a knowing nod.



Boomer and Adam looked at each other. "Huh, Dad?"

"You're nuts, Dad!"




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Af1OxkFOK18

Ok, starting a bit early, just to make sure we don't miss anything...


As they were getting back later that morning from the latest of Kusa’s rides in the wild and Sam was collapsing into the sofa in their suite…his cell rang….



“Gordon….How the Hell are ya buddy!!!! Long time no hear….How are the lights shining on Broadway this time of year….Oh…your in Hollywood now….then I guess it has been some time!!!! What’s that…can I come down???”



Sam looked up at Kusa and started scratching his head…”Well, ya see Gord…old Sambo doesn’t travel as light as I used to…ya might say I’ve got a bit of an entourage now…and….bring em with me………”



Then, there was a long period of silence from Sam’s side of the conversation….which was highly unusual….“oh…..you’re in that deep…..Well, I’ll…I’ll talk to my wife….Yes…you heard me….I said WIFE!!!!!...I’ll talk to my wife about it and call you right back…ok…..don’t worry…we’ll get this all figured out….” And with that, he hung up…



“How long has it been since you and Moore last spoke….?” Kusa enquired, not even looking back at him as she took another swig from the water bottle she had grabbed from the fridge while he was on the phone. Sam just looked at her, dumbstruck…She knew about that too????



“Well…it has been a while….bout 8 years I think….”



“You’ve been a little busy….” She smirked….he lowered his brow and raised his eyes…he could definitely tell she was busting his chops…Moore had been one of the busiest actors in the business…not necessarily the top rated…but had always managed to stay popular among various groups…Those who followed his career might call him an ‘acquired taste’, but unfortunately the mainstream kept trying to spit him out…But he stayed true to what he believed he could do, finding solace in the circle of friends he knew he could trust the most….his fans…



Well, apparently…that planned backfired a little bit….As Sam began to explain to Kusa, Gordon had gone out on what he thought was a gag audition from his prankster agent….and barely got away with his own hide…The guy sent a 19-20-something, an alleged ‘fan’, to plead with him to help with something that sounded like an old independent movie plot he once did…. He then discovered the ‘audition’ was on location…not being one to let one of his own down….he followed the kid to an abandoned mine shaft that was about to go though a planned collapse….Explosives had been rigged and the locals in the town had been warned for weeks when the final blast was set to go off….Then, in the middle of this wilderness, his ‘guide’ disappeared! If it hadn’t been for a random teenager roaming the area for some final ‘historic keepsakes’, he might have been blown to bits.



“So…when do we leave…?” his wife questioned patiently. Sam was a bit surprised…They hadn’t had this much time off in a good long while….Probably not since they had gotten back from Hawaii….Now she was ready to jump right back on the horse…..



Uhhhhh….just the mental mention of the word ‘horse’ made his rear ache…but he knew he couldn’t complain. Kusa would probably josh him…but at the same time, she’d be sympathetic…He was never as into horses as she was…and he did love watching her ride…especially when he was following behind…So he had a bit of a sore tailbone…it was worth every second….



“Don’t look at me like that…Can’t have the girls going soft now, can we…Bill will own the ranch till the end of time…and then it will be Jie’s turn…We can always come back…Your friend needs us…So…When do we leave….?”



“Do you think we should take the team or do this one solo…”

“If we’re heading anywhere NEAR Hollywood and DIDN’T take the girls….do you think we’d ever hear the end of it????”



“Good point….Do you think Bill will….”



“I’m not answering any more of your questions till you answer mine….” She hurumphed.



“Tonight…if possible…”

“I’ll start making the flight arrangements…you go brief the squad…”



In a flash, Kusa was simultaneously on her cell and computer…By the time Sam had gathered the troops and explained the situation, she came back down, all travel arrangements made….



“I’ve got a….” Bill started…



“They already know we’re coming….” Kusa interrupted. Jackie looked at Bill. Bill looked at Kusa…Kusa just looked up at the ceiling, innocent as anything…Jie looked at Jackie who looked back at Jie…and they both started laughing…If there was one person who knew how to handle Bill’s properties even better than Bill…it was Kusa!



In an hour, the Galpals and guys were packed and ready. G and H knew this wasn’t going to be an FBI ‘sanctioned’ trip…but they weren’t going to miss it…



“So Sam..” Maddie enquired….”This ‘Gordon’ friend of yours….Is he in any way related to Roger????”



Sam just bowed and shook his head…he couldn’t believe how many times he and Gordon had both heard that question…and there actually was a thin blood-tie there….but he wasn’t going into the explanation.



Jackie insisted on staying back a few days with Jie for a few trips they had already planned. Sonja decided to stay back with Adam as well, who started to complain about missing the excitement of Hollywood…



“Don’t worry, it will only be a few days…Don’t you want to come on my trips with me….” Jie invited….



“Where are you going???”



“FAIRYLAND!!!!!” She shouted excitedly, showing him a brochure of a little fairytale themed amusement park just a few miles from the ranch. Adam tried to vaguely hold back his disgust…His dad might be able to handle getting a make-over from this chick…but did he really have to dig this deep into girlie-girl land????



Sam slipped up next to him, putting a reassuring hand on his shoulder, and a comforting $20 in his adjacent hand. When Adam felt the cold cash in his hand, he didn’t even look at the number on it…He just looked down at his smiling ‘cousin’. ”So….when do we leave????”



Kusa couldn’t convince herself that there was going to be a real security issue, but decided on the issue based on ‘other factors’ that it was probably best if she left Ashley with Sonja as well…Sonja got the message, and nearly teared up as she accepted the task.





MTC




KA23

The flight was fairly long. Gia was out like a light, almost without the help of Fi’s Eclipse pills, which Kusa steered noticeably and purposefully away from. When they landed, Sam was already worried…There was no sign of Gordon, who was supposed to meet them at the terminal…When he called….there was no answer…



“Maybe he’s at the studio…” Kusa tried to reassure. “You know these actor types…if they’re not working…their thinking about work…”



“Yeah…” Sam responded…”But on a Sunday?????”



When they arrived at the gate of Fourhills Productions, Sam tried to start in with a line of bull to get them in, but Kusa had already worked that out too….



“Yes, Emma Fasulo on behalf of William Cole to meet Sam Brunkner.” She formally announced to the loudspeaker microphone.



“Yes, Ms Fasulo, he’s been expecting you….” The gate went up and Sam drove on in…Shooting Kusa a stunned look. Was she really meeting with THE Sam Brunkner???



“I told you Bill still gives me a little leeway when it comes to his businesses…he’s been trying to get into the movie business for a while…but he’s being coy….I thought now’s a good a time as any to really get the ball rolling and arrange a meeting between the two…” She smiled. “And while I’m doing that, you excuse yourself to the little boys’ room and….well, I think you can handle it from there….”



He gave a suspicious smile and focused his eyes back on the road….”Thanks, Baby-girl….”



“Anytime, Big Guy…” She whispered.



MTC

They arrived at the VIP visitors parking area. Most of the rest of the fleet had gone in through the regular touristy section, so as not to attract attention…Each were ready to perform their task, then hightail it out and report to base. Kusa Mike and Fi were the distraction committee. Kusa to get Sam into the higher security locations, and Mike and Fi to get the others out, should trouble arise….



While Kusa was in a large board room style meeting, with all of 4 people in it, including herself and her husband, Sam made his way out of the mens’ room, got changed into the uniform Triton had provided and proceeded to get ‘lost’. He found the security room, just as Garcia’s information had provided, and went forth to ‘protect’ the studio….





“Hey Mack…Name’s Chuck…Chuck Finlay…I’m the new guy…”



“Where’s Ronald?”

“Out sick…”



“That guy…Gets so much as the sniffles and thinks he’s got Swine flu!...Well, Chuckers….”



“It’s Chuck…just Chuck….”



“Well, Chuck…I presume you know how to handle one of these things…”



“I’ve seen it done a time or two…”



“Well then…have at it…Boring as watching paint dry…you ask me…I’m going to use the head…”



“…the what???” He asked ignorantly.



“The head…the Bathroom?!?!!?!” but as the other guy traded locations and turned to open and walk out the door, Sam slammed his head into the steel structure…



“Now That’s what I’d call using the head…” he one lined…”Sorry buddy…but you’re more helpful to me here…and just as you are right now…” He laid him out carefully on the far side of the floor, wrapping him with a few stray furniture blankets that were strewn about “Why do I have a feeling that’s not the first time someone’s caught you like that in here…”



He went back to the camera command center. Finding the room With Di and Q in it, he waited till they were looking straight at the camera, then quick shifted it back and forth. That was the signal. He was in position….Play time!






MTC

A few minutes later, one of the guards on patrol caught up to the love birds, making out heavily on the wrong side of the ropes of a Gone with the Wind mock up display…When he finally pulled the two off each other, Diana tried to excuse it….



“Well, I just addddddorrre that movie and with no one around, we just got up close and….well….I guess lost control a little and….



“Frankly, my dear….He don’t give a damn….” Q responded, grabbing her by the arm, nodding to the guard, and hustling her out as the guard watched….totally not noticing Jen and Ric picking the lock of a door clearly marked ‘Employees Only’ and making their way quickly inside before he turned around…Sam caught it all on the camera….The timing was so perfect, it had to make him the proudest cinematographer on the lot!



Sliding into one of the locker rooms, Jen slid out of her clothes into her underlying black leotard and leggings. She could see by the look in Ric’s eye that had they not been on a mission…but there was not time for that now….He hoisted her up into the HVAC vent he had opened while she changed and away she went.



As Jen made her way, Deb walked in the wrong entrance, as planned, in a professional looking formal suit and glasses thicker than the chick on the Old Navy commercials! Tripping over everything six, seven, and sometimes eight ways to Sunday with a degree of acrobatics that would have made Barnum and Bailey proud, she finally announced herself as Ms Fasulo’s assistant when she got to the security desk at the front office…unfortunately it was of the building that was clear across the campus! The head agent confirmed her appointment and arranged for another guard to bring around a golf cart to transport her to the right building…without incident….



By the time Sam caught Deb at the half way mark, he received the communication from Jen she was just 10 feet from her destination, the office of the executive producer of Gordon’s last completed project….”Spaghetti Sunday”. The movie was just clearing post-production and already rumored to be a bomb….The only thing that might save it was some good gossip about a romance among the stars….who couldn’t STAND each other….or a Poltergeist style haunting of one of the cast to gather the curious….This would have been the unlucky 7^th of this producer’s ‘anti-hits’…possibly the last his career would be able to take….What’s more, it was the only lead they had…



She approached the vent and began the process of removal. There was no fear of being discovered by the room’s occupant, Gia and H had already taken him off to a conference room to ‘discuss’ with them and Barry, under the guise of a forensic accountant, some financial questions the FBI had about his previous film, “The Gumdrop Kid”, a rip off of an old Bob Hope classic that irked H to no end….He loved the ol’ USO standard and any tarnish on that memory was more than he could stomach!



She slid down the gap like going through a corral opening of an undersea cavern, reaching the corner of his desk with her tip toes, then letting go with her fingers, and deftly jumping down to the floor beneath. Losing no time, she immediately booked for the computer and installed a blank CD and radio linked USB drive into the system…allowing Phi and Garcia to work their magic from there…



MTC

Twenty minutes later, sheets were printed, the CD door popped open and the screen shut off. The girls were done…Jen slipped the miscellaneous items back into her outfit as Sam watched from the hidden camera above. Knowing exactly where it was from the vid link they had ‘acquired’ earlier, that told her where the table would be, she looked up at him and lip synced Enjoying the show??? Sam humphed a laugh and shook his head…Seemed the girls were up for games even when they were in the middle of one….



Just then, the guard started to stir from beneath the blankets. Sam looked around the room for something to knock him out with again, but there was no need…He turned over on his side and shortly after started snoring away…







Now it was extraction time. Deb had been escorted straight to Kusa, who seemed perturbed to see her so late and disheveled from so many tumbles….She then quickly and urgently excused herself….It seemed now there was a run in her stocking and she needed to go to the ladies room to fix it…



The two girls met again in the wash room. Deb’s immense bosom deflated when the blouse and dresspants were removed for her counter part, and her bag became much lighter when the shoes were removed.



“I know you prefer minimum four inch heels…but these were all that would fit in the bag…”



“Well, at least they match it…” Jen teased back, trading the shoes for what was raising her rump, and dropping those items into the purse.



Now, both more professional in appearance, and fairly inconspicuous, they made their way out the front door and to the waiting golf cart…Her driver was still inside, expecting Deb to rejoin the meeting and to drive her back when it was done….







A short time later, G and H returned the producer to his office, Di and Q managed to explain their way out of a trespassing charge, and Sam managed to rejoin Kusa….Ms. Fasulo…just as the meeting was finally breaking up…



“Sorry I took so long, darlin’….shouldn’t have had that last Sausage McMuffin, if you know what I mean….”



‘Emma’ just looked at him…totally disgusted. Between that comment and the disappearance, once more, of her newest assistant, it was a wonder she could focus on the business at hand at all…But a preliminary deal had been struck and arrangements had been made for Bill to be involved financially in the production of Jake Nicksen’s upcoming production of “EuroShocker IV: Attack on Little Italy!”



When they said their final goodbyes and drove away in the Town car, Kusa finally broke character a little…”Aside from the bathroom…did you have a productive day….”



He smirked. “Let’s just say, from the ‘bathroom’ and beyond, everything came out ok….”





MTC

Arriving back at the Cole’s West Coast estate in Las Flores, just north of Santa Monica, Sam and Kusa found the gals, guys, Mike Fi and Maddie all scouring through the information Jen and Deb had returned with, including some things Phi and Garcia had been able to download directly while hacking into the system. Cee had planned on being a part of the action too, but Gordon, who apologized for not meeting them at the airport, saying he was too afraid of being followed or having even more things go wrong to be seen in public, had been so beside himself with worry bordering on paranoia, that she had to turn over driving duties to Eli while she tried to get his mind off the situation by talking him up about his most popular films…A couple times he got a little ‘too interested’ in her attentions, and she had to quietly remind him of the ring on her finger. He was a gentleman and always got the message….but loved the attention nonetheless…



“If only I could figure out where I had been taken…I’m sure there has to be someone who recalls my coming or some remnant of my being there….the kid…some old guy at the bait store….SOMETHING!!!!!”l



“You don’t even REMEMBER where you were?????” Maddie asked incredulously….



“When the Authorities found me, I was catatonic…back in California….Northern, if that helps….”



“Ok, so we’re looking for a recently collapsed mine in Northern California or the surrounding areas…shouldn’t be that difficult” Deb entered.



“Deb, the ground shifts so much in these area, and the sheer age and number of the shafts on this side of the country…mine collapses are fairly commonplace…If it were one of the bigger more known mines, that would be one thing…but if what little he’s been able to tell us was true…it’s the ol’ needle in the haystack.



“Hey…has anyone ever heard of a town called ‘Platinum Gulch, Oregon’?”



“No, why?”



“Says here, there was a collapse there that occurred a day ahead of schedule. No explanation was given as to the schedule change….”



“Wait…it says here, our friend had done some location scouting in….Well that’s just three towns away….”



“The same time you were reported missing…”



“That little…..” Cee was almost startled….Gordon, the little pussycat that had curled himself under her comforting arm…had his hackles up…He was PISSED!!!!



“Anyone care to do a little hiking in the great green wilderness???” He invited with a growl….










Yes...there's MTC...but you might just have to wait for tomorrow for it







KA 23

Arriving back at the Cole’s West Coast estate in Las Flores, just north of Santa Monica, Sam and Kusa found the gals, guys, Mike Fi and Maddie all scouring through the information Jen and Deb had returned with, including some things Phi and Garcia had been able to download directly while hacking into the system. Cee had planned on being a part of the action too, but Gordon, who apologized for not meeting them at the airport, saying he was too afraid of being followed or having even more things go wrong to be seen in public, had been so beside himself with worry bordering on paranoia, that she had to turn over driving duties to Eli while she tried to get his mind off the situation by talking him up about his most popular films…A couple times he got a little ‘too interested’ in her attentions, and she had to quietly remind him of the ring on her finger. He was a gentleman and always got the message….but loved the attention nonetheless…



“If only I could figure out where I had been taken…I’m sure there has to be someone who recalls my coming or some remnant of my being there….the kid…some old guy at the bait store….SOMETHING!!!!!”l



“You don’t even REMEMBER where you were?????” Maddie asked incredulously….



“When the Authorities found me, I was catatonic…back in California….Northern, if that helps….”



“Ok, so we’re looking for a recently collapsed mine in Northern California or the surrounding areas…shouldn’t be that difficult” Deb entered.



“Deb, the ground shifts so much in these area, and the sheer age and number of the shafts on this side of the country…mine collapses are fairly commonplace…If it were one of the bigger more known mines, that would be one thing…but if what little he’s been able to tell us was true…it’s the ol’ needle in the haystack.



“Hey…has anyone ever heard of a town called ‘Platinum Gulch, Oregon’?”



“No, why?”



“Says here, there was a collapse there that occurred a day ahead of schedule. No explanation was given as to the schedule change….”



“Wait…it says here, our friend had done some location scouting in….Well that’s just three towns away….”



“The same time you were reported missing…”



“That little…..” Cee was almost startled….Gordon, the little pussycat that had curled himself under her comforting arm…had his hackles up…He was PISSED!!!!



“Anyone care to do a little hiking in the great green wilderness???” He invited with a growl….










Yes...there's MTC...but you might just have to wait for tomorrow for it







KA 23

Ok, I'll be nice

Just as Bill, Jackie and the rest of the ‘civi’s’ flew in to catch up with the team, they met them at the airport to take the jet north….Adam was totally stoked about meeting Gordon and finding out his own dad had a history (which they were not going to go into much detail in considering his age) with one of his icons. But when he found out they were leaving just as he was arriving he was bummed again…And no amount of bribery was going to fix it this time….



“Listen, kid.” The boy’s favorite star reassured. “Your father and your friends get me out of this mess and I promise you, you can plan a movie party with all of your favorite movies and all your friends, wherever you want, here or back on the east coast….and I’ll be there….but no grumpusing…ya get me????”



With that, the big ‘ol boo-boo lip got pulled in, and a giant smile took its place. “So…when do you leave????”





Landing once more, they had already scouted out the territories they were going to cover.

Phi, Barry, Gia, and H would inquire at the three local towns and see if anyone remembered Gordon being or the producer being around….while the rest scoured the mountainside for proof of other hands being involved in the implosion of the mine.



Di was finally the one who came upon it….actually, she tripped over it.



“I told you lady doc martins weren’t going to cover it for this excursion….” Q reprimanded as he massaged her already swelling ankle.



“Well, I wasn’t putting those hiking boots on again…after finding that scorpion inside…esshhhhhhh!!!!! Bad memories…..”



Mike and Sam took a closer look at the unseen package that had tripped up their team mate. It was a radio detonator, professionally made, but set up in the location by an obviously rank amateur.



“I just don’t get it Mikey…Why????” Sam asked.



“I think I’m getting the picture….literally….” Fi answered from behind them, pointing out a number of small cameras hidden in various locations in the trees all over the property…Whatever was supposed to happen during Gordon’s first visit to the area….someone wanted to see all the action….live and direct…



“I know the dude hit the ol’ catnip a little hard back in the day….but what brought THIS on….?” Gordon entered, catching on to all that had been said as he approached.





Gia and H had the answer….











MTC

When they returned to the lodge, Gia started on their report. "Apparently this guy's got small cabin in the woods, just outside Morristown…He had it built a few years ago as a replica of one of the featured structure in his first picture…." She passed a picture of the house they had taken while 'sightseeing'









(hey, I said I wasn't an Evil Dead/Horror film FAN….didn't say I was totally OBLIVIOUS to it )





"Yeah…I remember that place….That crazy flick is what brought him out in the movie business…both of us actually…He was the one who put me through all those insane stunts in the early days…but I still don't get why he had it in for me….I thought we were friends…."



Then, H stepped forward. "Wolf sent me up some intel on our friend after the meeting….something just didn't sound right after our little 'conversation' the other day…so I did some more digging….It seems the studio's only giving him one last chance to make good on his reputation. With the pre-release buzz going around….one could see where he might get a little desperate…."

"But Marty's been in tougher scrapes than this and always come through with flying colors…what changed…?"



Sam sat on the armrest of the sofa and hung in closer. "Well, buddy…none of us are as young as we used to be…"



The words only riled Gordon up more…."No WAY!!!! I'm NOT past my prime…I'm just reaching my stride…and Marty Maher is NOT responsible for this….for ANY of this…you hear me!!!!"



The company all shook their heads…It was admirable of Gordon to defend his long time friend…but all signs pointed to Marty….





Then Jie, who had been nosing through a 50-cent local tabloid Gordon had gotten at a nearby convenience shop, trying to help the grown ups find any 'sus-techs' as she called them, began to laugh. Pointing at a picture on one of the middle pages, she giggled "Mommie Mommie…look at the man's funny red hair!!!!"


Everyone in the team knew who she was probably talking about…Gia just about lost it the moment she saw him...Carrot top was an understatement….Still, she just but managed to hold it together…but could it be they had documentable proof he was there????

The whole entourage took notice of the young girl's reading material. The mass motion toward her scared her a little, but when the new nice man walked up to her and smiled, asking her for the paper, she handed it to him…and with a smile and a wink…she knew it would all be ok…





"But wait a second….that's not him….that's….Oh…my…Ged!!!!"












MTC

That night, Gordon made a phone call to an ‘old friend’ from way back…inviting him up to where he was staying to join him on a ‘mini-vacation’. The friend was a taken a bit back by the invite, but not wanting to seem suspicious…agreed to come up for a visit. The next morning, he arrived. Gordon met him in the lobby lounge.

“Lenny….Lenny Forester….Great to see you, old man!!!!!”



“Not as old as you, Gordy!”



Gordon knew Len hated the old man comment, being the youngest of the old crew….but on this occasion, he couldn’t help himself….so he let the age comment slide…a little….



“C’mon in…man….it’s been an age…How you been…What’ve you been up to???”



“Getting by…You know….A little of this…a little of that…not so much of the big stuff…but enough to get by…Not like you, big man!” he slyly smiled with a hint of only mock admiration.



“Not true, Lenny, not true…I’ve always kept one foot firmly on the ground…ok, so occasionally tip-toe…But you know if you ever thought I was getting too big for my britches…” Gordon’s voice trailed….could Lenny have taken him at his word????



“Lenny…I’ve been up here a couple days already, and well, there are some fine specimens up here, let me tell you….and I’m not just talking flora and fauna! I would like, if I may…to have you….meet some…‘friends’…of mine…”



“Would they happen to be ladies of the female persuasion….”



“They would indeed….”

“Lead on, MacDuff!”



“But we don’t have to go anywhere…they’re coming to us….Ladies????”



Hearing their cue, the GalPals, dressed in solid but sultry outdoorsy attire, began to swirl themselves all around Gordon before they gathered round the awestruck new arrival, leaving Kusa and Cee to fuss over the former. Lenny adored all the attention…



“Fantastic specimens indeed….”



“But be careful, my good man….these ladies are like the black widow…..the prey mantis…a lioness…and a Killdeer…” He guffawed to himself as he made the last comment, looking directly in Diana’s direction, who had been in a foam ankle brace since the wilderness outing. She just shot him a playful glare over her shoulder and turned her attentions back to Lenny…. “Each one fascinating….but often deadly….”



With the last word, each of the girls drew out their weapons. Sam and Mike had already arranged for the lobby to be cleared of pedestrians before things started rolling. Even the attendant behind the desk was pulled to the back office by the manager, and local authorities waiting inside.



As Lenny tried to speak, the guys began to close in…



“Hey, pip-squeak…” Ric growled, with Q seething over his shoulder…. “Are you trying to steal OUR Women????”



Lenny watched as Ric’s hand gently caressed Jen’s hair….but her eyes…and hands…were still all over him…including the one holding the gun!



“Ahhhh…Gordon….Buddy….What is this about??????”



“This…you little Pr&*#!!!!” he threw down the tabloid, with the picture in it…that wasn’t of Marty…but his little brother, in a WIG!!!



“Shabby reporting like that….this guy will never make it to the big leagues…I don’t look anything like Marty…”



“Then why were you trying to….”



Len could see in Gordon’s eyes, the game was up….His only chance was to try and explain his way out of it. “I wanted my brother to see I had talent too….All these years, if he was directing, you were staring…and if he didn’t feel like holding the reins for something…he’d pass them on to you….I never had a shot…I figured if I put together even the SMALLEST of action scenes, arranged for, choreographed it, shot it, and showed it to him…THEN maybe he’d realize I really had something…and THEN start letting me handle some of the important stuff….I wouldn’t just be a ‘Bit Part Bobby’ anymore…”



“Lenny…You could have gotten me KILLED out there!!!!”

“PLLEEEEEEASE Gordon!!!!” If there’s one thing I know about you….it’s that you are just totally INVINCIBLE!!!!! I remember all the stuff my brother did to you though the years…and you always came out of it unscathed!”



Gordon just looked at Lenny with disbelief…He wanted to regale him with the plethora of injuries he had suffered over decades of movie making, but there were still the girls to consider…Even if none of them were available….He still enjoyed their admiration…he didn’t want it turning to empathy….He just shook his head….”Lenny….”



“If only that meddling kid hadn’t shown up…if only you had been there for the real blast…then I would have had something…Instead, all I got was a far off shot of you flying across a rinkie-dink two lane road….Might have been cool if it had been closer…but not what I was looking for….” He looked pensive for a moment….”No chance I could talk you into a retake….?”



Fury flamed once again in the actor’s eyes….”Not on your life….or should I say MINE!!!!!” He wanted to go into where that flying leap had landed him, and all he had been through since…but again….the ladies….



With the full confession audible to those present and those waiting in the back office, the authorities made their way forward to find Gia and the girls already having the future defendant standing and handcuffed. As the locals led the loco to the waiting vehicles, the stirring silence was broken by Kusa….



“Did he really say ‘meddling kid’….”



Cee dropped her head with a laugh. “You know there was only one thing that flashed in my mind after that statement….”



At that moment, an impromptu chorus of voices came from all parts of the room





“SCROOOOBY—ROOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!”












(ok, he wasn't in that one.....but I couldn't resist )

After a celebratory dinner, the gals all broke away with their counterparts for a variety of evening activities ranging from star-gazing, to clubbing, to…..other things….Bill Jackie and Jie retired for the evening, while Kusa slipped away to put Ashley down for the night…



As they sat quietly in front of a blazing fireplace, each with a glass of 20 year old scotch in their hands, Gordon broke the silence.



“Sam, old boy….I don’t know how to thank you for this….”

“Hey, what are friends who haven’t seen each other in ten years for….”



“Has it really been ten???”

“Yeah, but don’t tell Kusa…I told her it was only eight…”

“She does have an unusual name….”

“She’s an…unusual woman…”



“You were never the sort to hang out with the shy and quiet types….”

“Hey now…I’d hang out with just about any type that would hang out with me…”

“I stand corrected…”

“But you’re sitting down???”

“I can’t get away with anything with you, can I????”



“No more than you could when I was the technical advisor on your third horror film, ‘Navy Night’…”



“I still can’t believe I survived that thing….remember the U-boat incident?”

“Remember it…I was supposed to be the one DOING it…but Marty insisted….he wanted you in the shot…”



“Then the gear box got stuck and….”



“And you nearly became a ‘part of the set’ permanently!”





A little silence passed….



“Those were good times, Sammy….”



“Good times….”



“I still don’t know how I’m going to thank you for this…”

“Well….there is that party you promised my son…”

“Done deal, Sam…You know that…”



“And…well…maybe you might call a little more often….”



“That door swings both ways, man….”



“True enough…then…well, there’s one more thing….”



“Name it…”



“Give this guy a call for me…he’s a friend of a friend of mine…They’re looking to make a sequel to a very popular film and….Well, let’s just say…their expecting your call….”



“I don’t know Sam…I don’t do very well with sequels….I prefer new stuff, you know….”



“Just call them…see what you think….You can even do it tonight…He’s on the east coast right now…Golfing I think…”



Gordon sat back in his chair and thought a while. Then, just to prove he was a man of his word, he drew out his cell phone and began to dial the number. With that Sam got up, nodded his goodnight, and started heading for the room. Reaching the base of the stairs, he turned just for a moment to make sure he could see the look on Gordon’s face as the ‘friend of a friend’ answered the phone….



“Jake Nicksen…talk to me….”



















MTC (Tomorrow! )







KA23

Am loving this adventure/mystery Kusa!! Almost spewed the screen on the "Deb deflating" part!!!! Looking forward to the rest, girl!

Arriving back in Las Flores and the Chateau Cole West earlier that day, Sam sat in his chaise, mojito in one hand, the remote to the TV in the other as the quiet afternoon lulled along. After seeing the immense natural beauty that is Oregon, Kusa insisted he spend more of his relaxation time outside, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t mean he couldn’t enjoy indoor activities while he did so…especially when there was a screen door available, and “Bridge on the River Kwai” was on…..



As good as the movie was and had always been, Sam couldn’t resist the massaging feeling of the sun on his skin, the wind in his hair….or the drink in his hand…With Kusa and Jackie busy with the little ones poolside, and Bill in his office on some business call or another, no one would notice if he leaned back for a little cat nap….





















When he opened them again…things were distinctly different than they had been just a short while before…the glass in his hand had become a chalice…the remote a scepter…and he definitely wasn’t wearing THIS when he went to sleep….


















“Your Majesty.” A strong, noble voice could be heard just inside….uuuhhhh…outside the door….


















“Who’s there???”



“It is only I, your faithful servant, Virgil Kralahome, King Chulalongkorn….”



King….ahhh yes…now he was starting to remember….or so he thought….



His father, King Mongkut had died several years ago, leaving him in control of the Kingdom. After the mourning of the grand funeral and the celebration of the coronation, including many motor boat races, there had been many years of difficult rule, which he was grateful to have been prepared for by his teacher, Mrs. Anna (Westin)











And his mother, Lady Sonja Thiang.






“I hope Your Majesty rested well, for it is time to choose the lucky lady who will be your bride…”






(Phi, Di, Deb, Jen, Gia, and Trin)

The words just flew out of his mouth…even though he was not sure he knew what he was saying…”Kralahome, you know I have made my choice….”



“I am afraid Your Majesty, the woman of your preference is not a candidate….She is a commoner….your Queen must be of Royal blood…She has not even the slightest drop…Your Royal Advisors will never stand for such a match. But have no fear, I have seen to it she has found a proper match….there is a lord of a far off land who has agreed to marry her….One Victor Ko-Ko….Lord High Executioner…”














“I will not allow…” King Sam started up…but he never completed his sentence.



“…You’re not in the mood to meet the ladies…I understand….We shall keep them in the ladies’ chambers till you feel you are ready…” Kralahome made a quick bow then stood straight and looked the King in the eye, in keeping with the new ‘courtly fashion’ “By your leave…”



Sam waved him off and he speedily dismissed himself. Royal ladies indeed….Most of them were prissy and self-centered…especially that Carla Katisha….


















There was talk she had once been a Most Beautious Maid….But that must have been several years before she had come to court (if you’re reading, sorry Trish—just funnin’ ) .



Now his Yum-Yum….there was a Royal Treat for sure!


















Gentle and caring…yet brave of heart and strong willed…She could be quiet at times, but she was no fading flower like the other girls who waited for him in the ‘ladies chambers’….she was a real woman….



But just as Kralahome had said…she had no Royal blood in her…But she was the only one he wanted…what was he to do…?



As he sat, pondering his misery, his full sister, Princess Cee-Yang Yawolak entered. Through the parade of all their father’s children, they had stayed close since childhood. Both were quite pained by the near departure of their dear teacher, but thankfully, just before their father died, she did decide to stay on, and Buddha smiled on them for a time…Ying was the one who spoke boldly up and begged Mrs Anna to stay…but from even before then, he knew he could always trust her good and honest counsel.









She came in, must have been just after a bath, for she was still combing her still damp hair…As always her gown was just slightly askew…Formality had never been her strong suit, unless she was tended to directly, and she hated all that fuss almost as much as he did.



“What is on your heart, Dearest Brother?”



“As always, dear sister, you have found the cause of my distress at the core….my heart…”



“Is it Yum Yum again?” she shook her head with an expression on her face as though she was about to give her King the Royal RASBERRY!!!!!



“Indeed it is….Kralahome still insists I will not be allowed to marry her…”



At this…the princess began to giggle….”Allowed…I thought You were the King????”



Chulalongkorn’s head just sunk…His sister was still very young, and extremely protected…even sheltered, he had seen to that himself…How could she ever understand how it felt to love someone so deeply….



“I do understand your pain, brother…more than you know…But I am aware of something that you are not….”



“And what is that, dear sister…



“Did you ever wonder why our mother was never even given the title of Princess…never mind Queen…”



“I always thought our father was…well, you know…just not interested in ‘smaller matters’ such as that…”



“You are wrong there, my dear sangkahaya-headed brother…” She smiled.



Did she just call me a pudding-head?????



“Our mother was of common birth as well, just as your dear Yum-Yum…Father was the King, and REFUSED to be denied what he wanted…His council was finally made to submit to his demand of marriage, but insisted she never be given the title...”



How could his father have let his mother be so wronged???? He thought. Still, Lady Thiang never complained about it, but remained only his strongest, quietest, but most ever present support through all their years…It could be seen in her eyes even to this day how much she dearly loved her husband…no matter what she had had to contend with through those long years…Perhaps the title didn’t mean as much to her as being given the opportunity to be close to her dearest one…And even if his father didn’t show it directly, Chu could tell even as a young prince how much great affection he had for this one of his many wives…



Could Yum-Yum be the same for him??? There was only one way to find out….












MTC

Gently directing his sister out of the room so her state of semi-dress would not be an embarrassment, more to him than her most likely, he clapped his hands hard three times which sent his ministers, including Kralahome, scurrying into the room…



“I have made a determination….In time, will marry any of these princesses you desire…but first I shall marry the woman I desire….”



“But Your Majesty….It…” Kralahome tried to interrupt…



“It has been done before…by my own very dear FATHER!!!!” He steamed…



Kralahome was taken aback…He should never have told Ying that secret…



“It is so… your mother was…”



“Of the Common People….” He bellowed, relishing the ability to finish the sentences of OTHERS for a change. “And so shall my bride be…And I shall marry NO others before her…just to see that you keep your promise.”



“What promise Your Majesty?” one of the others finally spoke up…



“To respect her as you respect any of the other Royal women in court…Once I have witnessed you offering her the proper courtesies as will befit her as my wife, then and only then will I submit to your ‘recommendations’ for other marriages…”



The ministers all looked at each other. This was surely his father’s son…and there would be no changing his mind. They bowed in obedience to their Lord, and quietly stepped out of the room….



Time seemed to pass quickly, and by late afternoon a few days later, he found himself relaxing, lying back upon a cushioned settee, on an expansive veranda, with his dearest Yum Yum at his knee, his hand gently stroking her raven hair…



“But…what I don’t understand…is how you brought me back…I was promised in marriage to the lord of a far off land…How could you…”



“Oh…” He smiled down on her…Her Questions never seemed to end…”We sent him a Royal Princess instead….”



















































































(Author's note: Per 'Chins', The King and I was Bruce's first production as a teen (where he played Prince Chulalongkorn. I added characters from Mikado as well (like 3 little maids, times-two ) for storyline purposes )







MTC

As Sam awoke once more, he found Kusa had slid onto the chaise with him and was now laying beside him, and their daughter was crawling over both of them…As he tilted his head to look down on her, she raised hers to meet him...



“I must have dosed off…” he feebly excused, wiping some no-so-indistinct dried drool off his chin…



“Only for the past hour or so…” she smirked…”I thought I’d better let you rest…you’ve got a big night ahead of you…”



“The girls…”



“But of course…It’s hard to have a ‘surprise party’ when you’re this close to the big day…But you know how much they love doing it so….Promise me you’ll…”



“Oh….I’ll be as shocked as anything….Just what are they planning on…”



“They wouldn’t even tell me…Afraid I’d give them away, I guess…”



She was good, but he could tell she was covering…She probably knew every nook and cranny of this plan, but was giving him this line of bull so he wouldn’t ask questions….Maybe it was best to play along…



“Not trusting their own BOSS???? Now that’s just down right unfair!!!!”



“Tell me about it…” she humphed. “Cee’s been avoiding me the past three days…no doubt she’s in on it…”



“My own sister…The NERVE!!!!” He tried to hold back a laugh…With Cee in on whatever this was….there was no DOUBT things were about to get VERY interesting…”Well, let them plot and plan all they like…I’m enjoying our little time on the side…Alone for once…”



Just as he said it, Ashley pushed herself up into a seated position, right into Sam’s gut, which made him wince and Adam screamed down from his room on the second floor to Kusa about not being able to find his favorite tee shirt…



“Well…not exactly alone…” She smiled…”You handle her, I’ll handle him???”



“You got it, Baby-girl….but first…” she grabbed her arm just as she managed to get standing, and brought her in for a deep, strong, passionate kiss….



“That must have been some dream….” She smiled, nearly blushing as their daughter giggled over witnessing the whole affair, then turned back for the screen door to see what their son and remaining guests inside wanted.



Yup…Sam replied to himself, his eyes now on his adorable little daughter…some dream…I guess even princes and kings have to fight to get what they want…but I certainly would be the first one to tell them…when you get there…it’s DEFINITELY worth it!!!!







KA23

Here we go, Kus...



Sam stretched and began to rise, then gave it up and settled back down onto the pillows on the king-sized bed. Outside, he could hear horses neighing in the corral. Someone must be getting ready to do some riding. Kusa walked in from the adjoining bathroom. He studied her with one eye open.

“What time is it?” he yawned, stretching his shoulders and back again.

“Ah, Prince Charming awakes,” Kusa said dryly, coming over to deliver a kiss. “Or is it Sleeping Beauty?”

“Join me and it will be both,” he said, trying to pull her down on the bed with him. She struggled and won, pulling away to finish dressing.

“Sam, it’s almost noon,” she said. “You completely missed breakfast and lunch is being served at 12:30.”

“Noon?” he asked, eyes suddenly wide open. “How come you let me sleep so late? And why didn’t the kids jump all over me at the crack of dawn as usual?”

“They wanted to, but Bill had the wagon hitched up earlier than thought. The kids are off on a hayride with the girls. They’ll be back in a while.”

“So we do have some time to ourselves,” Sam said lustily. “Come over here, hot cakes—let’s see what kind sizzlin’ we can do...”

“Later, Sam,” she said, pulling a sweatshirt out of the drawer. “I’m going riding.”

“Braaaanndiiiiiiii…..” he said in a wistfully hopeful voice. She looked over at him and he tucked his chin, looking up at her with puppy dog eyes.

She caved. Taking a running leap, she threw herself up on the bed, surprising not only herself, but Sam, who caught her gleefully and wasted no time unbuttoning things. “Let’s just have little look-see, shall we…”

“Sam, the minute we hear that wagon pull in…” She was stopped by his mouth on hers.





Downstairs, sometime later, they found the kids, Cee, Jackie, and the girls having lunch in the dining room. The guys had gone fly-fishing at the river. Ashley looked up at her mommy and daddy with a big smile, sticking a piece of cracker in her mouth. “Da-da-da-da-da,” she said.

Sam came over to give her a kiss. He rubbed the top of Adam’s head and clasped Boomer’s shoulder. “Kids, we’ll see you in a while. Don’t wait up,” he joked.

“Where are you going, Dad?” Adam asked.

“Brandi and I are going on a ride in the car. We’ll be back. And you, little angel,” he said, bending down to kiss Ashley again, “you’ll be staying with Jie and Jackie. Be good, I don’t want to hear any reports of backtalk or sneaking out with boys. Got it?”

“Ma-ma-ma-ma-ma,” Ashley replied, reaching up her hands to Kusa. Kusa picked her up and kissed her, too, then gave her to Jen to hold. When Ashley saw her parents leaving, she started to fuss, so Jen took her into the kitchen to find something to interest her for a few minutes.

When she came back with the little tyke, the others were deep in conversation regarding the event that afternoon and evening. Jackie took charge of Ashley and told Jen and the others that they better be heading into town. “We’ll be there by four,” she told the girls with a smile.





Kusa relaxed in the front passenger seat of the SUV. “This is perfect,” she said, putting her hand over Sam’s. “I’ve been wanting to do this ever since we arrived…a nice long drive, just the two of us.”

“Where you want to head, Baby Girl?” he asked.

“Sacagawea Peak,” she said, “in the Bridger Mountains between Livingston and Bozeman. I’ve been there only once and it’s beautiful. Did you bring the camera, Sam? I want pictures.”

“Got it, Brandi. Pictures coming up.” He put the car in reverse, made a u-turn in the gravel driveway, and they were off.

They had only four hours to kill, of which Kusa was mindfully aware. She would have to watch the time carefully. Once they arrived at the Bridger Range, Kusa kept Sam busy photographing everything in sight. Sacagawea Peak stands as the highest point at 9,665 feet. It was still snow-covered in parts, with wildflowers gracing its slopes. They also discovered beautiful Fairy Lake at the base of the mountain and took pictures for Jie.








“Bet Jackie’s forgotten about this lake,” said Kusa. “We’ll have to bring Jie and Ashley out here, maybe for a picnic.”

“Sounds good, Baby Girl,” he said, his arms wrapped around her from behind. “And did I tell you how good that was earlier today?” he whispered in her ear.

“Several times, but you can tell me again,” she answered.




Driving back through Livingston in the late afternoon, they passed Neptune's Brewery. “Look, Sam,” Kusa pointed out. “I’d forgotten all about that place.”

Sam slowed down for a look. His interest immediately sparked and a smile went ear-to-ear across his face. “A brewery, huh? My kind of place, Baby Girl.”

“Pull over,” she said. “Let’s try a few samples.”

“Don’t have to ask twice,” he said, pulling into the nearest parking spot.

As Kusa got out of the car, she pulled out her cell. “Wait, Sam. Let me call Jackie and tell her we’ll be just a little late. That way she can go ahead and feed Ashley dinner.”

Sam waited while she talked on the phone for a few minutes. Hanging up, she called, “Sam, I forgot to comb my hair.” She reopened the car door and slid into the passenger seat, pulling down the visor. Checking herself in the mirror, she did her hair and reapplied some lipstick, taking her time.

“You look fantastic, Brandi,” Sam called. “Come on…the brewski’s are waiting.” Kusa stalled a couple more minutes, then got out and joined Sam. He took her hand and led her across the street to the brewery.

They entered a small lobby, where Sam removed his lightweight jacket. “Looks dark in there, Brandi,” he said. “And quiet. Think they’re open for business?”

“Let’s check,” she shrugged.

Walking in, the lights suddenly came on and the entire group, kids and all, shouted “SURPRISE!!!!!”

“Happy birthday, Sam!”

“Happy birthday, Dad!”

“Da-da-da-da-da!”

The crowd burst out in “For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow,” for a rousing two rounds before Sam held his hands up and put a stop to it.

Grinning, he said, “I think someone’s already been hitting the brewski’s!!!”

“And now it’s your turn, Sam,” Gary told him.

“Belly up to the bar, good buddy,” Virgil said, slapping Sam on the shoulder.


The owners of the brewery came forward to greet Sam and to welcome the group. It had been arranged for them to take a tour of the brewery first and then select the beers and ales they wished to sample.




“First thing I want to say,” the owner told them, “is that Neptune’s Brewery was named, of course, for the Roman god. Most people think of Neptune as ruler of the seas and rivers, but he was worshipped by the Romans primarily as a horse god, Neptune Equester, patron of horse racing. What better place to have his brewery than in Montana, with its wild horses and clean mountain streams?”

“Here, here!” Sam agreed readily.

“So welcome to Neptune’s Brewery,” the owner told them. “While you’re here, don’t drink like a fish, drink like a god!”

“Ohhhhh, buddy…I’m with you all the way on that one!” Sam told him.

The group followed as they were taken on the grand tour…

Bill had made arrangements with the owner to have one of the best BBQ restaurants in town come in to grill and prepare dinner for the party. Bill had Kusa and the girls choose the menu. Two large grills had been set up outside. The spread was amazing...


BBQ ribs and corn-on-the-cob


Grilled salmon, oysters, hot dogs, and vegetable kabobs


Grilled shrimp and chicken


Grilled fruit kabobs


Veggie burgers...

There were also plenty of side dishes...


Potato Salad


Deviled eggs


Green Salad


Garlic bread


Kusa especially requested one of Sam's absolute favorites...beans with fatback. The chef called the house early in the afternoon to ask specifically what kind of beans, but got no answer. So, he played it safe...


Baked beans with fatback


Green beans with fatback


And, navy beans with fatback.

Sam was in fatback heaven. "Oh, Baby Girl!" he said.

While plenty of soft drinks, iced tea, and juices were provided for the kids and adults, there were also the beers and ales from the brewery...

http://www.neptunesbrewery.com/Our_Beers.php

The beer-lovin' guys and gals were enjoying themselves quite well. Toward the end of dinner, Gia and the girls were surprised to see Captain Wolves show up. He slipped in through the door, watching at the back. Gia rose and dragged him over to join in the festivities.

"Wolves, old buddy," Sam said when he spotted him. "Join me in some of this fine, fine beer."

"Can't refuse that kind of offer," Wolves responded, lifting his glass.


Bill had hired a local country band to play throughout the evening. They performed some of their own music, but sang quite a few cover songs, too. "More Barbara Mandrell!" Sam called out repeatedly. The girls noticed that by the time the group had done their third Mandrell song, they began looking at each other uneasily. They had most likely reached the extent of their musical knowledge of that particular singer's repertoire. The girls laughed when the group began substituting Shania Twain songs instead. Sam was having such a good time, he didn't seem to notice.




Next came cake. Maddie and Virgil had just begun to wheel Sam's birthday cake into the room when poof!! The cake went up in flames. Everybody looked suspiciously at Fi.

"I had nothing to do with it!" she exclaimed defensively. The brewery owner reached behind the bar for the fire extinquisher.



"Too many candles, Sam!" Maddie commented.

"Gettin' old there, Sam," Virgil sympathized.

"Thanks a lot, guys," Sam answered dryly.



The dilemma of the crispy and charred cake was easily solved. The first one may have been consumed by flames, but there were two more in the wings.

A delicious chocolate cake from the kids...



And a sparkler-fest of a cake ordered by the girls...



"Woohoo!! Love it Sam?" they asked.

"Love it, girls," he answered. Eyes wide from the pretty sight, Ashley clapped her hands and laughed.

Then came everyone's favorite time….PRESENTS!!!


The first gift was a stylishly wrapped bottle of 25-year-old Scotch…unopened….from Mike and Fi.




"Johnny Walker Blue," Sam said with a very satisfied grin. "You two know how to pick 'em!"

"Kind of figured I owed you from a few jobs back," Mike smiled.

"I still say you should have taken the first sip," Fi retorted. Mike hugged her tight, trying to pull her away before she could say anything more.



Deb, Di, and Trini were next. "The guys refuse to admit any part of these gifts…but we saw them in the store and just couldn't resist."

"Words we've heard soooooo often..."

Sam opened the boxes and couldn't believe his eyes. (And neither could I when I saw you'd picked these, Kus...LOL) The whole room roared with laughter...









"And wait...there's more," Di spoke up.

"We took Jie and Ashley shopping," Deb told him.

Sam opened the box from Jie first...



"Hello Kitty boxers!" Sam exclaimed in wide-eyed stunned surprise. "Jie, come here, sweetie girl!" He hugged the delighted Jie, who giggled behind her closed fist.


"And what did Ashley get for daddy?" Sam asked, opening the box while winking at Ash. He pulled out the fifth pair of boxers for the night. "Papa Smurf! Ash! You shouldn't have, sweetie girl!" He put the boxers on his head and tickled her.



"Da-da-da-da-da," sang Ashley.

"Model them for us," Maddie called.

"Maddie!" Virgil rebuked with a chuckle.

"Ah, come on, Sam. It would be like Chippendale's, right, girls?" The group dissolved in laughter and began hooting for Sam. He waved the chanters off, removed the boxers from his head, and placed them on Ashley instead. As she pulled her head through one pant leg, everyone cracked up again.


When Kusa could breathe well enough to regain her footing, she stepped up with her gift…smiling, but almost reluctantly….Sam unwrapped it and opened the fine mahogany box, totally astounded by what was held within…





"A dozen Cubans????"


"I know I can sometimes be a bit of a harpy when it comes to you and the 'bad stuff.' And you've always been an angel about it…well, at least as far as I know…heaven knows what you all haven't been telling me." Mild laughter followed. "Nonetheless, I suppose a bit of moderation…minimal…moderation," she emphasized, "can't hurt anyone…Just a….couple…conditions," she pleaded. His adoring eyes looked up. "Not in the house and never within even 20 yards of the kids…"

"You got it Baby-girl," he smiled, reaching for her arm to pull her gently down for a kiss.

"So, Sam…is that one a month???" one of the guys chimed in.

"Or one for each of us?" another questioned.

"You heard my woman…not within even 20 yards of the KIDS!!!" He joked.

Virgil inched closer, "Hey, Sammy…I ain't no kid…"

"Neither am I…" Gordon added slyly.

"Yeah….well…I'll think about it…"



Gia and H presented him with two leather-bound photo albums for storing the pictures he took at Yellowstone...




The guys went in together to purchase Sam a fly-fishing rod...




Eli and Cee bought him a tackle bag to go with it...





Jen presented Sam with the next wrapped gift. He opened the box and stared. "Chutes and Ladders?" he asked, eyebrows raised.

"Well, you already have Candyland to play with Ashley when she's old enough. You need Chutes and Ladders, too," Jen told him.

"Ah," he said holding it up for Ash to see. "Look, sweetie girl. A game for daddy and Ashley!" Ashley grinned and grabbed the wrapping paper to play with.

Not to be ones who would break with tradition…Bill, Jackie, Maddie, and Virgil came up with the grand finale….an all expense paid trip to Detroit, Michigan.

"Detroit?" Kusa’s eyebrow raised. Why didn’t they just send them to Jersey or something?

“Yes…Detroit…car making capital of the world. We’ve arranged for the hotel, limo, VIP restaurant, and whatever other reservations you may want.”

Sam, always the car fanatic, looked over the paperwork, eyes glazing as he began anticipating each featured location...


Detroit skyline


Ritz Carlton Hotel


Henry Ford Museum...home of the...


Oscar Meyer Wienie-Mobile


Henry Ford Estate - Fair Lake


Greenfield Village - 19th century town

and...


The Motown Museum!

Sam was beside himself with joy. "Let's go next week, Brandi!" he told her. "I can hardly wait, Baby Girl!"

"Easy, Sam, easy. We'll discuss..." Kusa told him.

“Hey Kusa,” Virgil interjected. “If you’re not interested in going, I’ll be happy to hitch a ride…”

“Leaving you two unescorted in ANY city would be far from wise,” She snorted playfully. ”I’ll be going. I’m sure there are a few things I could find up there to-"

Hey, there were parts of Jersey that might still qualify it as the Garden state, she thought. Maybe the same could be said for....ehhhhhh...





"I think it's time to dance, friends!" H announced, pulling Gia up and onto the floor.

The band, on cue, struck up the country songs again.

Jackie, Bill, and Sonja gathered up the children to take them back to the ranch. The others stayed to dance the night away.

Line dancing....




Texas Two Step...



That kind of stuff.

"More Barbara Mandrell!" Sam shouted, spinning Kusa 'round the floor.

"You're almost done, right?"

Cee looked up from her mucking. The ranch foreman had his head poked into the stall. She smiled at him. "I think this one will do me for the day. I appreciate your guys dumping the buckets for me, that's most of the work right there, Gus."

Gus laughed. "Oh, you're doing most of the work there, missy, don't let them talk you into thinking different. If you're almost done, I'll get Confusion saddled up for you. Still riding today, right?"

It was Cee's turn to laugh. "Why the hell do you think I'm working so hard here?"

He chuckled, too. "Hey, been meaning to ask you. I travelled the rodeo circuit way, way back when my body wasn't so old. I remember one season, one of the guys had a girlfriend with him. I know it's a far stretch, but, if I'd add a few years on my recollection of the girlfriend, she'd look a lot like you."

"You talking about a woman looking like someone whose had a few years added on to her, you're talking trouble, Gus." She smiled, hiding her uneasiness. She thought she'd recognized him, too. And Jen's question had stirred up old memories, bringing the recollection even closer. She wasn't surprised Gus had ended up here; she'd heard a lot of talk about what the guys wanted to do after they retired from the rodeo circuit. Working on ranches in Montana, Wyoming, and Texas were always high on the list. "How many years are we talking about?"

He rubbed his chin. "Hmm... Wow, twenty-five years, at least, probably more."

She laughed out loud. "I remind you of someone you knew that long ago? Gus, can you remember what you did last month?"

He chuckled. "You've got a point, there, missy. I better get to saddling that stallion while I still remember how to do it. Confusion will be waiting for you when you're done."

-----

Cee reined Confusion in and took in a deep breath. "Ready, 'Fuze?" she asked. The stallion snorted and pawed at the ground in anticipation as she looked over the open land before them. "Okay." She gathered the reins tighter and crouched over his withers. "Hyah!"

The horse broke from standing still into a dead run in the wink of an eye, covering the ground like he was flying. Cee had to remember to breathe as she balanced over the stallion's back, mentally clicking off the time as Confusion ran, his running steady and fast. The horse was having no problems breathing, and she listened to his husky inhales come regularly with each stride. Even if he hadn't been specifically trained for racing, 'Fuze knew instinctively what he had to do, and he was damn good at it.

"Whoa, whoa," Cee commanded a minute or so later as she pulled back on the reins, but she was as reluctant for the horse to slow down as he was. However, she didn't want to take the chance that Confusion would overextend and hurt himself. "Wow!" she exclaimed as the stallion slowed to a trot. She looped the reins around the horn of the saddle, spread her arms up and out from her body and threw her head back. "Woo hoo!" she shouted, and the horse snorted and bobbed his head in agreement.

Exercise run over for the morning, Cee gathered up the reins again, turned Confusion around and headed him back to the ranch.

-----

Cee dropped her hat on the bedroom floor and started peeling off her clothes. She was alone in the cabin; Eli had probably left shortly after she had earlier in the morning. He'd found a "job" on the ranch, too, helping the master mechanic with the maintenance on the vehicles. So while she was working in the barn, he was working in the garage... neither too far from each other.

She entered the bathroom, started the shower and stepped in, letting the hot water flow over her. She just stood there for a minute or so, thinking about what Gus had said about recognizing her. At least he couldn't link her with the name she used then, even if he remembered it; she'd used an alias as soon as she'd left home. She wondered if Gus knew where he was now and if she hadn't quieted him so quickly about talking about the past, maybe Gus would have at least hinted about his whereabouts. She shook her head as she reached for the soap... She really didn't care.

Minutes later, Cee stepped out of the shower, clean of all the morning's chores. She dried herself off and wrapped a towel around her, then proceeded to comb out her hair. Hearing the front door of the cabin open, she poked her head out of the bathroom.

Eli was carrying a tray of fresh fruit and breakfast goodies. "Hungry?" he asked, sitting the tray down on the table. He smiled at her.

"Famished," she answered, returning his smile. All thoughts of the past evaporated from her mind. She walked over to him and tried to put her arms around him.

"I'm still dirty," he said, holding her at arm's length, but bending in for a kiss. "I did a few oil changes and helped out with some other repairs. I'll grab a shower while you eat."

"Did you have breakfast?" She watched him disappear into the bathroom.

"Yep," he called back.

It wasn't long until she heard the water running, and she turned back to the food on the tray. She was finishing off a biscuit with strawberry preserves as she gazed out the window when Eli walked out of the bathroom. She turned to look at him, taking a sip of the tea in the mug. His hair was still damp, and he had a towel wrapped around him, too. Cee smiled, then giggled as he came closer.

"What's so funny?" he asked.

"I was just thinking this is a schedule I wouldn't mind living with," she replied, putting her mug down on the table. "Maddie needs to watch out. If Bill were to offer us real jobs for what we've been doing on his ranch, I can't say I'd turn him down."

"We'd definitely have to have a thought or two about it," he said, wrapping his fingers around the top of the towel around her. "Finished with breakfast?"

"I am now," she replied as he tugged the towel loose and let it drop to the floor. "Are you clean enough for me to put my arms around?"

He chuckled. "Yeah, and that's a good beginning."

She laughed and snaked her arms around his neck. He picked her up and kissed her, walking back to the main bedroom of the cabin.

"Yeah, I really like this schedule, Eli," she whispered in his ear.

"Me, too, Darlin'."

“You sure you don’t want to go, Mom?” Michael asked, meeting with Maddie privately in Bill’s office at the ranch.

“No, I don’t, Michael,” Maddie answered, “I think I’ve already proved to Virgil, Sam, and any other naysayers that I have what it takes to survive in the wilderness. Arizona was all I needed, thank you!”

“I thought you enjoyed the survival training with the agents,” he answered with a slight shrug.

“Are you kidding? Extreme heat, rattlesnakes, and sleeping on rocks?” Maddie gave him an exasperated look. She paused a moment. “Well, I did enjoy being with the girls. We kicked ass in the desert, Michael, but my backpacking days are over. I’m going to sit on the front porch in a rocker for the next few days and read smutty romances. Lots of sex.”

Michael’s eyes froze in position. He closed them and said, “Didn’t need to hear that, Mom…didn’t…need to hear that.”

“Well, besides that, Michael, the girls already have plans. I think they’re going on a picnic tomorrow with Jackie, Kusa, and the kids.”

“This is not a vacation for the agents, Mom. This whole thing has been a wilderness training trip.”

“Well, except for the insufferable three-day hike you made them endure in Arizona and then the rock climbing you put them through, they darn well think of it as a vacation! And so do the rest of us.” Maddie eased down a little. “Look, Michael, they did well in the survival training and the rock climbing. They did an excellent job on Sam’s mission, too. Why don’t you just give them a break and let them do what they want the next few days?”

Michael sighed. “I can’t believe those words are coming out of your mouth, Mom. They’ve been feasting ever since Yellowstone…I haven’t seen one of them running or working out all week. It doesn’t take long to get out of shape. I’m taking them and that’s that.”

“Well, you go right ahead, Michael. Just don’t be a bit surprised if you find you have no help on this one.” Maddie picked up her paperback book and headed for the porch.




Michael found Kusa and Cee next. Kusa was adamant. “Sorry, Michael. Jackie and I promised Jie and the kids we would take them on a picnic at Fairy Lake tomorrow. After that, we’re going into Bozeman for ice cream.”

Cee told him, “Michael, if you absolutely need me, I’ll go. I was hoping to spend some more time with the horses before we head back to Miami, though. And some time with my husband.”

Michael backed down quickly. “Of course. Sorry, Cee. It’s not a problem, believe me.”




He found the guys sitting on the porch of the bunkhouse, comparing fishing gear and arranging their fly boxes. Sam, Virgil, H, and Eli were with them.

“Aw, Mike,” Sam replied after hearing Michael’s proposal. “Man, I’ve got to spend some time with my new fly fishing rod and reel. Time’s short, good buddy.”

“Mike, ordinarily we’d be all over a trip like that,” Ric spoke up, indicating Q and Gary next to him. “But we’re fly fishing tomorrow, too.”

“And the next day!” Q laughed. “Good luck, Mike. You’re gonna need it!”

“H?” Michael asked.

“Sorry, Michael,” H smiled. “There’s a spot in the river that has my name written on it. Gia might be interested, though.”



Michael found Gia in a meeting with Captain Wolf. “Sorry for the interruption,” he said, turning to leave.

“We're finished,” Wolves told him. “What’s on your mind?”

Michael quickly mentioned the agenda to both of them. Gia spoke up quickly to beg off, but Captain Wolf beat her to it. “Sign Agent Sanders up for that one,” he told Michael. “She’ll be more than glad to accompany you.”

Gia’s mouth flew open and her blood rapidly began to boil. “No way in h—”

“Way!” Captain Wolves told her, with raised eyebrows. “That’s an order, Agent Sanders.”

Gia gritted her teeth and uttered a tremendously long string of expletives in her mind.

“I heard that,” Wolves told her with a laugh.



Fi was next. She threw back her head and laughed. “Are you kidding me, Michael? No, I have a shopping trip planned with Phi to Bozeman. So, I doubt that she’ll want to go on your little excursion, either. You and the girls have fun, though. Just not too much fun,” she told him, patting his chest.

Michael sighed and went to find the agents. They were at the swimming pond sunning themselves in their bikinis. The moment he discovered them on their towels, he quickly turned around and said, “Agents, would you put on your shirts, please?”

The girls looked at each other. “Why, Michael? You’ve seen us in our bikinis before,” Di answered.

“Agents!” he called firmly. They shrugged and slipped on their shirts.

“Okay, Michael. You can look now,” Jen laughed.

He turned around, digging in his pocket for something. Pulling out some folded sheets of paper, he began to pass them out to the girls. They looked at the sheets, their curiosity piqued.

“What’s this, Michael?” Trini asked, getting a sinking feeling.

“A list of things each of you need to have ready by five a.m. tomorrow. We’re taking off for a three-day backpacking trip to the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness.”

The girls exchanged glances and they weren’t delighted ones. “We’re going backpacking?” Deb asked.

“Didn’t we already do that?” Jen added.

“You’re doing it again,” Michael told them. “With me this time.”

The girls looked at each other. “Who else?” Di asked. “Can the guys come?”

“The guys already have plans. So it’s just us and Gia.”

“Why, Michael?”

He looked puzzled. “Why, what? You mean why is Gia going?”

“No, why are we going at all?”

“Yeah, Michael. We kinda had plans, too.”

“Well, change them. This is part of your job.”

“Our job is backpacking? I thought we were agents.”

“Yes, and you will be agents in top physical shape so you can handle any situation.”

“We’re in shape.”

“You’re falling out of it quickly with the constant barbecues and easy living. What are you going to do when you get back to Miami and the humidity is so extreme it’s going to seriously affect your running?”

“We’ll work out in the gym?”

Michael sighed. “You’re arguing with me. Agents, be ready at five tomorrow morning.” He looked at his watch. “It might be best if you start now.”

They watched silently as he turned and left. Several eye rolls, sighs, and facial grimaces later, the girls lay back down to soak up some sun.

The agents stumbled down the path from the bunkhouse at five-fifteen the next morning after kissing their still snoozing boyfriends a hasty goodbye. They made their way to the dining room in the main house, expecting a hearty breakfast. They found Gia there, eyeing an empty buffet counter.

"Where's breakfast?" Trini asked.

"The cook isn't up this early," Michael said, entering the room. He tossed some granola bars on the table. "Breakfast, girls. Grab 'em and let's go."

Out in the chilly pre-dawn air, Michael opened the back of the SUV for them to stow their backpacks. The six packs barely fit. Gia climbed in front with Michael, while the other girls took up the remaining four seats in back. Within minutes, the car was making its way down the gravel road to the main highway.

As they drove, Michael shared the itinerary with them. He soon paused, expecting a response. When he got none, he turned his head to get a quick look at his captive crew. They were all asleep, heads against windows or neck rests. He sighed and kept on driving.



The Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness is located in south central Montana, with a small portion in northern Wyoming, just north of Yellowstone National Park. The area spans more than 900,000 acres and consists of towering mountains, hundreds of alpine lakes, lush forests, and hundreds of miles of trails. It is home to grizzlies, elk, and mountain goats. The wilderness is made up of two mountain ranges, the Absaroka Range, and the much more rugged Beartooth Range. It was to Beartooth that Michael was headed.

The Beartooth Mountains are the highest peaks in the wilderness area, with Granite Peak towering above the rest at almost 13,000 feet. Massive granite plateaus are found well above timberline, along with numerous small, alpine lakes. Many glaciers are also located in the Beartooth Range and hiking is very popular. Its beautiful scenery, combined with the extensive amount of open country that lies above timberline, creates wonderful hiking conditions both on and off trail. Michael had selected Russell Lake for their first night destination and Fossil Lake for the second night.


"Agents…wake up!" Michael finally ordered when they had reached their turn-off. The car was immediately filled with stretching, yawning, under-breath mumbling, and complaining.

"I'm hungry!"

"Can we get coffee, Michael?"

"I've gotta go to the bathroom!"

"We're almost there," Michael told them. "Just hang on."

"Will there be coffee there?"

The girls found there was one huge downside to sleeping for the entire trip. By the time they woke up, all amenities had been bypassed. There was a restroom near the trailhead, but that was it.

"Are you telling us there's no coffee?"

"No coffee," Michael answered. He pulled into a parking area and turned off the engine. "Let's unload, girls."

"Where are we, Michael?" Trini asked.

"I explained all as we drove," Michael answered.

"You did?" Gia asked.

"Yeah, but all of you were asleep." Michael pulled his pack out of the back and checked the straps. "Ready, girls?"

"Ready? How can we be ready?" Jen asked.

"Michael, aren't you going to tell us where we're going?" Deb questioned.

"We're in the Beartooth Mountains and will be hiking up the Clark's Fork Trail. Tonight we'll camp at Russell Lake. Tomorrow night at Fossil Lake. Now, anything else?"

"Can we use the restroom first?"

The Clark's Fork Trail followed through a dense Lodgepole Pine forest for several miles. The girls had trail mix and energy bars stuck in a hip pack that each wore in front and they made frequent use of this instant carb fix as they traveled. It wasn't until they arrived at Kersey Lake that Michael stopped for a twenty-minute rest break.




Kersey Lake


"Lunch time, ladies," he told them.

"Woohoo! What's for lunch, Michael?"

"Energy bars."

Disappointment oozed from their faces. "I was hoping for a turkey and avocado sandwich on seven grain with a dill pickle spear."

"I wanted Chinese chicken salad and fried prawns."

"What about—"

"Girls! Eat your energy bars. You can have gourmet food tonight for dinner."

"We can?" Di asked, eyes brightening.

"Yeah, I think you have a choice of beef stroganoff or vegetable lasagna."

The girls looked at each other. "Freeze-dried beef stroganoff, Michael?"

Michael smiled. "All you do is add hot water and stir."

"Yum," came the non-enthusiastic reply.


As they started up on the trail again, Gia asked Michael about the burned trees around the lake. "The Yellowstone fire of '88," was his answer.


Fire damage at Kersey Lake


Following fast-moving Russell Creek with its rapids and waterfalls, the hikers made their way up trail for several more miles. Forest surrounded them, but occasionally they caught sight of meadows, lakes, and other mountains in the distance. Although they would never confess it to Michael, the girls soon began to feel the serene, calming influence of the mountains aligning with exhilaration from the physical effort they were expending. In simple words, all felt good…muscle, body, spirit, soul.


Russell Creek


Along Russell Creek Trail






In one area they crossed a small footbridge over the creek and by mid-afternoon had arrived at Russell Lake. Michael scouted for a good place to camp for the night and had the girls pull out the two-man tents, then helped to pitch them.


Russell Creek near footbridge


Russell Lake


Camp at Russell Lake


"Okay, ladies, I've done the math," Michael joked, causing the girls to look at him with surprise. It was the first time all day he had lightened up. "There's six of us, so that's two to a tent," he said.

Looks were exchanged again. "So...one of us gets to sleep with you, Michael?"

He blushed. "Uh, no. I mean, yes." He was now beet red and wouldn't make eye contact. "Uh…in bear country it's not a good idea to sleep out under the stars."

"Can't bears rip right through tents in no time, Mike?"

"Uh, yeah, but it's usually a little less enticing for them if a person's in a—"

"So are we going to draw straws on who gets to sleep with Michael?" Trini interjected.

"Here, I'll get twigs," said Jen, looking around to gather some. She found five about the same length and broke one in half, mixed them around, and stuck them in her fist. "Okay, who's first?"

Everyone drew and compared. "Wooho—I mean, I guess it's me," said Di, conscientiously notching down her excitement level a few pegs.

Michael looked away with another blush and got up to look for firewood. The girls elbowed each other back and forth and high-fived Di a few times. "Oh yeah, like something's gonna happen," Di told them.

"You never know," Jen shrugged. "Sometimes things happen when you least expect them."

Everyone looked at Deb, all of them still highly suspicious about Michael, Deb, and Hawaii. She looked at them wide-eyed. "I have no idea what you're talking about!" she said, giving Jen a sneer, followed by a laugh.

"Hey Di, let us know if he snores," said Trini.

"Or talks in his sleep," said Jen.

"If he puts his arm around you during the night, go with it," laughed Gia.

"Or wants to zip sleeping bags together for extra warmth," added Jen.

"What happens in our pup tent...stays in our pup tent," Di teased back.

"Just make sure you tell us about it tomorrow, girl," Trini laughed.



Michael returned with firewood and began gathering stones to make a fire pit. He sent the girls out for more tinder, kindling, and dry wood. When they had everything assembled, he pulled out waterproof matches.

"Wait a minute!" exclaimed Jen. "Aren't you going to use flint? You made us use flint."

"Nope," said Michael, holding up a match. "Matches."

"Geez, Michael, what goes around should come around," said Di.

"What do you mean by that?" he asked.

The girls looked at each other. "Oh, nothing," sighed Di.

With the sun starting to settle below the mountains, the air turned cool and the warmth of the fire was both welcome and intoxicating. Michael entertained himself by keeping it going. "Ready for dinner?" he asked.

"We're starving, Mike," said Trini.

"Check your backpacks," he said. "You should each have four packages of freeze-dried food. Two for tonight, if you wish, and two for tomorrow. Trini, yours is vegetarian."

As the girls dug through their packs looking for the foil packages of trail food, Michael set up the cookstove to boil water. When it was hot, he had them open their packages, after which he poured in a measured amount of water. Within a few minutes…voilà…instant dinner.

"Good, girls?" he asked.

The replies were mumbled and unintelligible. There was dried fruit for desert.


Dinner over, they washed dishes. Well, foil containers, to be exact. They rinsed out the containers to rid them of food odor, zipped them in double layers of Ziploc bags and packed all of the packaged food, trail mix, dried fruit, and energy bars into one backpack. Michael strung the backpack between two trees, a lodgepole pine and a smaller tree to prevent bear pillage.

"Can't bears climb trees, Mike?" the question was asked.

"Yes, but not walk tightropes, as I recall," Michael told them. "If a bear-proof container is not available, then this is the best way," he explained.

After night fell, they sat by the fire for a couple hours. The girls managed to get Michael to open up some about things he liked to do when he was a boy and also about his early years as a spy. It was the longest they'd ever heard him talk at one sitting and they found themselves eating it up.

When it came time to turn in, the question was asked, "Michael, if we have to get up during the night, do we call you?"

"What did you do in Arizona?" he asked.

"We went in pairs."

"Well, do that then."

"Who do I go with?" asked Di, enjoying the sudden look of panic on his face.

"Yeah, Michael, who does Di go with?"

"Uh…call any of us, I guess."

"It's a little scarier here, Michael."

"What? Why?"

"There weren't grizzlies in Arizona."

Michael sighed. "Okay, if anybody has to get up, call me. Is everybody good now?"

"Yep. Night, Michael!"

"Night." The girls all watched as Michael headed to the two-man tent. Then they looked at Di. She was smiling ear to ear.

"I think I'll give him a minute to get settled, then make my entrance," she said.

"He'll be asleep by then," Jen told her.

"Or pretending to be," Di sighed. They all cracked up, biting lips and hands to keep from laughing out loud.


Jen awakened in the middle of the night to heavy snorts and a whirring, flapping sound. She looked down to check her illuminated watch dial. Three a.m. The noise stopped and all was quiet. A minute later, there was a sound like a tree branch cracking. Her heart leapt into her throat as she reached over to shake Gia awake.

"I'm up," Gia returned. "What do you think it is?"

"I don't know, but it sounds like a big animal to me," Jen said.

"Huge," agreed Gia. She reached over into the far corner of the tent and picked up her Glock pistol.

"You brought your gun?" Jen whispered.

"Heck, yes," Gia said. "I always carry it. Especially backpacking."

She reached forward and unzipped the tent flap. "You're not going out there, are you?" Jen asked.

"I'm just going to peek out for now," Gia told her.

Just as she stuck her head out into the night air, they heard Michael's voice. "Ladies," he told them in a loud whisper, "stay inside. We've got a bear."

“Michael—” called Gia. He had already walked away. Where...they didn’t know. Gia wasted no time unzipping the rest of the flap and the two scrambled out into the night. The moon was bright overhead, reflecting off the lake in shimmering patterns.

“Gia, that you?” Deb called, unzipping the tent she shared with Trini. She and Trini both crawled out, pulling on fleece jackets as they stood. Within seconds, Di had joined them.

“What’s up, gals?” she asked groggily. “And where’s Michael? I woke up and he was gone.”

“He’s bear chasing, we think,” Jen told her.

“He’s WHAT?” Di asked.

“We woke up to noises and he said we have a bear. We just don’t know where he—”

A loud whirring sound, coupled with branches crashing and leaves rustling broke the conversation. The girls whirled around in the direction of the treeline. Behind them, yards away, they stood mesmerized, mouths open, as they watched the next few minutes unfold.

A huge bear stood on its hind paws next to the small tree from which Michael had suspended rope holding the food pack, attached at the other end to a larger tree. The small tree was no more than a sapling and evidently, extremely pliant. The bear bore its weight on the tree, bending it and then releasing. The tree snapped back up, with the rope strung from it reverberating, causing the pack to boing-boing up and down repeatedly. The bear rushed to the middle of the rope, stood up, and tried to capture the pack, without success. This happened three more times in quick succession.



During the third time, Michael came up behind the girls, causing them to quickly stifle screams, looking back and forth between him and the bear. “I thought I told you to stay in the tents,” he whispered tersely.

“Michael, I’ve got my Glock. Want me to shoot it?” Gia asked.

“Shoot the bear?” Michael asked incredulously. “No way…they’re protected. We wait this one out. It’ll either have success or tire soon.”

After ten minutes of repeated attempts, the bear rested for a few minutes, then began again. He was nothing if not determined, and he snorted in continual disgust. The girls could actually get whiffs of his bad bear breath when the breeze headed their direction.

“Michael, it’s freezing out here. Can’t we do something?” Trini asked.

“How about firing the gun into the air?” suggested Jen.

“There’s at least one more camp of backpackers nearby,” Michael told them. “I saw them while searching for firewood.”

“How about banging pans together?” Deb questioned.

“What pans?” Michael answered. “Our food’s in foil packages.”

“What about the water pot and the little cookstove?” Deb asked.

“Both are probably too small to make much noise, but you can try if you’d like. They’re by the fire pit.” Deb walked over to retrieve them, just as the bear began its tree bending exercises again.

“Wait a second,” Michael told Deb. He reached back and pulled his gun out of his waistband and released the safety.

“I thought you said we couldn’t shoot him,” Gia said.

“If it decides to attack, we’ll defend ourselves,” Michael told her. “You have yours, G?”

“Right here!” she said, zipping it out and aiming in the bear’s direction.

“A little gung-ho there, G,” Michael noted. “You worry me. Okay, Deb, on the count of three, start banging the water pot, and girls, start yelling…loudly. Ready? One…two…”

Deb clanged away, metal against metal, while Di, Trini, and Jen yelled and hooted. The bear turned and looked over its shoulder with only minor annoyance, then turned back to the task at hand.



The agents stopped the noise making. “Stubborn bear!” lamented Jen.

“Is it a grizzly or a black bear?” Deb asked Michael.

“Black bear, fortunately,” he told her. “Doesn’t have the hump on its shoulder.”

“I just wish it would go away,” Trini said. “I’m cold and need my sleep!”

“Maybe the bear thought we were a cheerleading squad the way we were yelling,” commented Di. “Maybe we need to get scary with it.”

“Yeah, and how do you propose to get scary with a 500 pound bear?” Deb asked.

“Remember what they say about confronting wild animals? Make yourself larger and do something intimidating?” Di reminded them.

“How are we going to do that, Di?” Jen asked. “Climb trees ourselves?”

“No,” Di said, “but we could do this…” She shared her plan with the others. Michael was doubtful, but the gals urged him to give it a try.

“If either Gia or I need to use our weapons, it’s going to make it hard,” Michael told her.

“Not necessarily,” Di answered.

Agreed upon, within seconds they were ready for action. Becoming “nine feet tall” people, Di sat upon Michael’s shoulders, Gia sat on Jen’s, and Trini on Deb’s. Di held Michael’s gun and Gia, her own. Wobbly, but together, the nine feet tall people stood in a patch of moonlight where the bear could easily see them. Instead of yelling, the girls on top held up their arms and made monster moves with their hands, all growling at the same time.

The bear stopped his tree boinging with one quick halt. Looking at the three monsters in the moonlight, it snorted a couple times and then headed pell-mell into the woods. The monsters fell to the ground in a heap, laughing, cheering, and rubbing bumps and bruises. They high-fived Di and congratulated her on her brilliant thinking. Michael headed back to the tree to secure the rope and pack, while Gia and Deb kept watch with the guns.

“Okay, agents, back to sleep,” Michael told them when he was finished.

“Michael, we need to go out in the woods for a minute,” they told him.

“All of you?” he asked.

“Yeah.”

Michael sighed and followed to keep watch. A discreet watch.

Michael was a little bit lenient in the morning. Instead of getting up at dawn, he let the agents sleep until seven. The great thing about this morning compared to the last was getting to have coffee. True, it was instant, but the warmth of the liquid and the caffeine jolt made it bearable. They poured hot water into foil oatmeal packets, ate, washed and packed up their trash, then repacked their packs and were on their way.

In a short while, they were above timberline. They passed a succession of alpine lakes...Lake Lynne and then Ouzel, Bald Knob, and Skull Lakes.






By early afternoon, they had reached the top-of-the-world of the Beartooth Plateau, Lake Fossil. Lake Fossil was formed long ago by glacial ice and sits at 9,900 feet above sea level. It is somewhat octopus-shaped, with legs sticking out all over. They scouted the lake until they found a good camping spot on the northeast end, fairly protected from wind by several well-placed boulders.


Fossil Lake


Setting up camp

Knowing there would be little, if any, firewood available at the lake, Michael had them collect wood on the way up. They carried what they could, hoping it would be enough for the one-night stay. He suggested they hold off until almost sundown on building the fire and the girls agreed.



Once camp was established, they went exploring. They did a fun climb up Mt. Rosebud to the east, involving a lot of rock scrambling. Sitting at about 11,500 feet, they rested, eating energy bars, drinking from their water bottles, and taking pictures. They had encountered a mountain goat on their way up, but other than soaring hawks or eagles, the goat was the only wildlife they had seen in the area.


Rock scrambling up Mt. Rosebud


Fossil Lake from Rosebud




There were patches of snow at this elevation and on the way back, ignoring Michael's warning, they slid down a snowfield on their rear ends. The gals cheered when they looked up to see him following.



"Woo, Michael…you're livin' it up on this trip!"

"Yeah, Mike. Way to get with the program!"

"You rock, Michael!" He closed his eyes for a second, shook his head, and then took the lead again, downtrail.




When they got back to camp, Michael lit the cookstove and heated water so they could eat dinner while there was still plenty of sunlight. Trini enjoyed Louisiana Red Bean Jambalaya and Pesto Hummus. The rest ate freeze-dried Turkey Tetrazzini and mixed vegetables.



"Tastes like the 'mystery meat' in my elementary school cafeteria," Gia said.

"How come my carrots are mushy, but the lima beans are rock hard?" asked Jen.

"Remember the steak and ribs at Cee's and Sam's birthdays?" mused Di, wistfully.

"And the potato salad and garlic bread?" added Deb.

"Did you see Sam sneaking all the fatback out of the beans?" Trini laughed.

They all cracked up and even Michael laughed a bit on that one. "Well, he was the birthday boy," Gia summed up.

"Yeah, but…ewwwwww!" Trini said and they all laughed.



While the girls washed out the foil packaging and ziplocked it, Michael asked Gia to use the SAT phone H had sent with her. She dug it out of her backpack and handed it to him. "I'll be back in a few minutes," he told them, disappearing behind the boulders toward the overlook.

The girls decided to get the fire pit built and began on that while Michael was gone, waiting until he returned to light it. Twenty minutes passed and he still wasn't back.

"Do you think he's still talking?" Jen asked.

"Maybe he had trouble placing the call," Deb said.

"Maybe nature called," Di suggested. They giggled and let that pass.

Ten more minutes passed while the girls discussed the bear from the night before, wondering if they would have trouble with bears at this elevation. They also wondered where Michael would store the food that night, considering they had no trees to string the food between. There was very little food left, as they were returning to the ranch the next day, but they still had oatmeal left for breakfast, plus remaining energy bars and trail mix.

Gia rose and said, "It's been too long. We probably just have an hour now until sundown. I'm going to look for him."

"I'll come with you," Deb told her. Together, they headed in the direction Michael had taken.

Almost ten minutes later, the girls at camp heard Deb's whistle and then a yell. They went running.

Cee picked up the pitch fork with one hand and pushed open the stall door with the other. The horse inside turned his head in her direction to look at her then went right back to munching his hay. She stowed the pitch fork against the stall wall and left the door open to get her shovel.

This was her third stall of the morning, and she was looking forward to finishing the job so she could take Fuze out on his morning run. She reached for the shovel, miscalculated her grab, and the shovel clattered to the floor.

“Hey! What are you doing?” she asked. Bent over to pick up the shovel, she watched the horse walk halfway out of his stall, and she stood up to catch hold of him. He continued the rest of the way out, and she made a reach for him, her fingers snatching part of his tail as he took a few more steps.

She let go long enough to dash up to reach under his chin and place her hand across his nose, just above his nostrils. “That’s better,” she said when he stopped. Standing next to the horse, she put pressure across his nose and backed up. The horse backed up, too.

“So far, so good.” They retreated until they were standing right in front of the door, and she pushed his nose inside, hoping he’d go in. “C’mon,” she coaxed, clicking her tongue and pressing his shoulder to get him in. The horse set his hooves and refused to move. “Come on,” she tried encouraging again, a little more forceful with her fingers on his shoulders, and the horse took a step forward. “Good.” Another click of the tongue, and the horse took a couple of steps back. “No, no, no!” Cee countered, grabbing the horse’s nose, one hand just above his chin, the other hand over the bridge of his nose again. The horse stopped. “Forward!” she urged, putting pressure from behind.

Suddenly, the horse decided it was a good idea to be in the stall, now. He rushed past Cee, and she lost her footing as the horse’s shoulder shoved her down onto the straw. The horse moved away from her and over to the other side. Cee laid there on her side for a moment, trying to figure out what had just happened. She looked up at the horse, which was now looking down at her. “Well, you put me here!”

“Are you okay?” Gus was just outside the stall door, breathless from running. “I saw what Nuisance did from outside. We shoulda warned you about him.”

She rolled over on her back, then remembered the straw hadn’t been mucked yet. “Sh!t!”

“Exactly.” He chuckled and held out his hand to help her up. “He didn’t knock you out, did he? We got a rule around here: you get knocked out, you go to the hospital to get checked out.”

She groaned as he pulled her up. “No, he didn’t knock me out.” She tried brushing the straw and manure off her jeans, glancing up to see Nuisance still looking at her. Suddenly she started laughing. “It’s been almost thirty years since I’ve been run down like that.” Realizing what she’d just said and who she'd said it to, she quit chuckling and focused on Gus to gauge his reaction.

Gus sighed. “I was right, wasn’t I? You're the girl Dean left behind, aren't you?”

“It was a long time ago, Gus. Doesn’t matter anymore,” she said, shaking her head. She lifted the arm she’d landed on, stretching it out. “I think I’m done for the day.” She took a step and groaned again. “Yeah, I’m done. Think Fuze will hate me if we don’t race today? Maybe I’ll take him out later.” She picked up the pitch fork to carry it out.

Gus grabbed her arm. “I know where he is. Actually, he’s not far from here.”

She looked at his hand on her elbow. He let go. She lifted her eyes to his face. “It doesn’t matter, Gus. I don’t care.”

“Sure, I understand.” He nodded. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

She smiled. “Yeah, nothing a hot shower or a long soak in the tub won’t fix.”

“I’ll get that,” he said, taking the pitchfork from her hand.

“Thanks.” She brushed what she could off of her and tried walking away. “Ow.” Her hand pressed against her back.

“Are you sure you’re okay? I can go get your husband,” Gus offered.

“No, no...” Cee insisted. “I’ll be fine. Just need to walk it off.” She patted Gus’ shoulder. “Seriously, I don’t care,” she said.

“Sure, whatever you say.”

“Don’t forget to close the stall door!” she called back. One of her hands rested on her hip; her other hand swung beside her as she limped out of the barn.


MTC

Cee groaned as she pulled her shirt over her head. She unfastened her jeans and pushed them down to the floor.

“Yeah, that’s what I thought,” she said as she looked at her right side where she’d landed. The skin was already discolored, the beginning of a bruise. She lifted her arm; the outside of her elbow showed the telltale signs of the start of another bruise.

Cee sighed and kicked her soiled clothes into a corner of the bathroom. She walked over to the shower and started it, then finished getting undressed. Stepping into the shower, she let the hot water run over her. All she could think about was what Gus said, he’s not far from here, and she allowed herself to wonder what Dean looked like now.

She groaned again as she lifted her hands to her head to wash her hair. She was going to be sore today. The hot water felt good running down her back, and when she was done with her hair, she eased herself into a sitting position on the floor of the shower, her back to the flowing water. Pulling her knees to her chest, she wrapped her hands around her legs and rested her head.

“Damn it,” she whispered as the memories overtook her. Tears mingled with the shower water as she remembered the sound of his voice, his smile, the way he... “Don’t forget the rest of it,” she told herself, forcing her mind to recall her time in the hospital, watching him pace, getting more impatient by the minute. She had suspected what her symptoms had been pointing to before Dean had taken her to the emergency room, but she’d kept her tongue. She knew he wouldn’t have been ready for a baby; hell, she hadn’t been ready for a baby back then. But, even without an unwanted pregnancy, she doubted if they’d have stayed together much longer. There were too many arguments, too many accusations... too many lies.

So why was she allowing him to take over her mind? She was happy, so happy with Eli. She couldn’t imagine anyone else taking the place in her life her husband occupied... Still, she couldn’t help thinking: What if Dean had accepted the fact she was pregnant... What if they’d stayed together... What if they’d tried?

She had just closed her eyes when she heard the front door of the cabin open. Something clattered on the kitchen table, and there were footsteps just outside the bathroom.

“Darlin’?” Eli’s slightly worried voice cut through her thoughts, and she opened her eyes. He had the shower door open and was reaching in to turn off the water. “Are you okay?” he asked, crouching down beside her. “I was on my way over from the main house with breakfast, and Bill told me what happened.”

Cee smiled, her head still resting on her knees. “Does everyone on the ranch know I let a stubborn horse get the best of me?”

“He said you got knocked down. Are you hurt?” He put a hand on her shoulder.

She sat up. “I’m fine, Eli. Got a couple of bruises on my arm and side, but that’s all.” She showed him her elbow. “Kiss my boo boo?”

He smiled and obliged her. She held her arm out, and he helped her up.

“Ooh,” she groaned. “I’m sore, and my pride’s a little hurt. But I’m fine.” Someone knocked on the outside door as he handed her a towel. “Please, don’t tell me everyone is going to be parading to the cabin to make sure I’m okay.”

He winked at her. “I’ll tell whoever it is that you’re not available,” he said as he turned to leave the bathroom.

She was almost finished drying off when he returned. “It was Bill. He just wanted to make sure you were okay.”

“And you told him...?”

“Just a little damage to your pride.” He gently took her by the shoulders and turned her toward him. “And, by the looks of it, those bruises might take a might longer to heal than your pride.”

She glanced down at her side. “That might be.” She reached out to put her arms around him, and he held her at arms length.

“Darlin’, I’m dirty,” he warned.

“I don’t care,” she replied, pushing his hands out of the way and wrapping her arms around him. “I can take another damn shower. Hold me.” She pressed her face against his chest.

He put his arms around her and pulled her close. “Are you sure you’re okay, Darlin’?”

“Absolutely,” she answered. “Just promise me you’ll never leave me.”

Gia rose and said, "It's been too long. We probably have just an hour now until sundown. I'm going to look for him."

"I'll come with you," Deb told her. Together, they headed in the direction Michael had taken.

Almost ten minutes later, the girls at camp heard Deb's whistle and then a yell. They went running.



Racing around the boulders, the girls spotted Deb and Gia at the far end of the overlook, Gia waving her arms overhead and Deb yelling for them to hurry. They did, fear overtaking them as they ran.

"It's Michael!" Deb yelled as they got closer. "We found him on the ledge below."

The girls stopped a few feet away from the rocky overlook. They could see one of Michael's hands extended above the cliff edge.

"What happened?" Di asked, her face turning pale.

"He must have been using the phone at the edge and the rocks gave way. The ground is very unstable there. Come down this way and you can see him," Gia told them, stress evident in her face.

Moving down the overlook, flush against a boulder, they took turns looking over the edge. Michael was on a ledge just below the cliff's edge, his body wedged vertically between a boulder and the cliff face. The drop had to be no more than eight feet, as his hand was visible above the top.

"He's alive, isn't he?" Jen asked, tears coming to her eyes.

"One way to find out," Di said, approaching the edge.

"Di, stop!" Deb ordered. "The edge isn't secure. If the rocks give way again, you could fall, too."

"Then I'll do this," Di told her, kneeling on the ground and laying on her stomach. She belly-crawled slowly toward the edge until she could reach his hand. "Hold my feet," she told them.

Deb and Gia both grabbed an ankle, while Di reached for Michael's wrist. "He's got a good pulse," she said, backing up.

The girls exhaled sharply with relief. "Okay," Deb said, taking charge. The other three had always respected Deb's position as lead agent. "We're going to need the ropes, harnesses, ATC's, carabiners, and other climbing equipment he brought with him. Jen, run back to camp and get those. Trini, get the first aid kit, water, and a sleeping bag. Di, stay here and help me find a place to anchor the ropes. Gia, I'm assuming your SAT phone went with him over the edge, do you want to check around the lake quickly to see if there's any campers who may have cell phones? If so, and if you can get a signal up here to make a call, make sure to check our coordinates on the GPS to give to H or whoever you can contact. Got it, everyone? We probably don't have even an hour left of daylight, so we have to work quickly to get him up."

While Gia was checking around the lake for other campers, Jen and Trini gathered and hurried back with the equipment. Deb and Di, meanwhile, looked for a secure place to anchor for a top rope climb.

Once Jen and Trini returned, the four of them decided on a boulder set away from the edge. It was huge, securely grounded, and would be easy to tie off to. It had a slot behind it, braced up against another boulder, where the rope wouldn't slip out. They did a simple bowline tie-off to secure the rope. Next to it was a similar boulder, where they tied the second length of rope. By that time, Gia was back with the news that she could find no other campers around the lake.

"We'll decide what to do after getting him up," Deb told them. "I need someone to go down with me."

The others all volunteered at once. "Okay," Deb said, "remember it's going to take two of us to hoist him up over the cliff edge. We need a lot of upper body strength for this, and I know you all have it, but Jen, I think your shoulders are the broadest. You sure you don't have a problem doing a loose edge rappel?"

"Not at all," she said. "Let's harness up."

"Good," Deb continued, "Di and Trini, I want you to belay for us. You'll need to be harnessed in with a large loop of rope to the anchor. Gia, you'll have to be the one to pull Michael up as we push. Can you do that?"

"Of course," she answered, without hesitation.

"Yours is potentially the most dangerous job, Gia, if another rock slide occurs. You'll be harnessed and anchored, but in the event of a slide, you'll probably take a header over the cliff. If that happens, Di and Trini, you need to check out the situation immediately. If Jen and I have fallen out on the rope because of that, you'd need to take turns belaying us along with Gia and Michael, because we will have him harnessed at that point."

The two nodded and Deb continued, "It's probably best that once you're attached to the anchor to keep your leash taut and sit down with your knees bent. That will create more friction because of the 90-degree bend in the rope where it passes over your leg. You'll have much more control over a top-rope fall if you're sitting rather than standing."

Di whistled. "How do you remember all this, girl? I think we only had instruction in top-roping once."

Deb shrugged, "I don't know. I just remember things."

They checked each other's harnesses, knots, belay devices, and carabiners twice around. Then Deb told Jen, "I'm going down first to test the anchor."

"I can do that, Deb," Jen answered.

"No, it's going to be me." Deb insisted. "Remember the commands," she said to Di and Trini, "Slack', of course, to make the rope looser, and when we tell you 'rope,' make it tighter. 'Take' is when we want to lean back on the rope for whatever reason. Got it?"

They both affirmed that they understood. Di seated herself in position to belay for Deb, who then called, "on belay." They watched silently as she went over the edge. Some small loose rocks went with her, but nothing more. After the short rappel, she called "off belay," and the four looked at each other with a sigh of relief. They then heard her call for Jen.

"My turn," Jen said, readying to lower herself over the edge. She called "on belay," to Trini and headed down, feeling loose gravel hitting her helmet and shoulders as she did so. Within two seconds, she was on the ledge next to Deb, and called to Trini that she was off belay.

Deb was already doing a physical assessment of Michael's condition. He was unconscious and had blood on his face. "He's breathing," she told Jen, "and has a strong pulse."

"Possible concussion?" Jen asked.

"That's what I'm thinking," Deb answered. "Let's get him harnessed."

They called "take" to their belayers as they both leaned back on their ropes to begin the harnessing process. Jen had scooted herself across the top of the boulder to Michael's left side, while Deb took the right. Leaning off the side of a cliff with a several hundred feet drop below was something neither of them wanted to think about. They carefully hurried about the task and attached Michael's harness and ropes, checking that the carabiner was locked tight. After making sure Michael's body was correctly positioned, they called to Gia.

With Gia in prone position, ready at the cliff's edge, Deb and Jen checked Michael for possible broken arms or collarbone, finding no apparent breaks.

Deb spoke to Jen and to Gia above, "On my count, we're going to begine pushing him up. Gia, take his arms as soon as you can. Don't take any unnecessarily risks and don't injure yourself."

"Don't worry about me," Gia told them, "let's do this."

With every ounce of adrenaline and strength in their bodies, Deb and Jen lifted and pushed Michael up the side of the cliff. Gia took hold of his arms and pulled from above. Within a few minutes, they had him at the top. Gia pulled him to safety away from the edge and called to the agents below that he was safe, while Trini and Di cheered from up above. Each of them was emotional at that moment, feeling tears push to the surface, but settled for cheers and sighs of relief instead.

"Gia," Deb called. "I'm sending Jen up first."

Jen tried to argue, but Deb ordered her up. "Watch your hand and foot holds," she told her. After Jen had rehooked her carabiner, she called up to Trini, "on belay," and started her ascent. The edge seemed sound and she made it up and over in seconds.

Deb went on belay and followed. Once she was at the top, everyone gathered around Michael. Di, having had more than just first aid training in the past, went to work assessing him immediately.

"His skin feels okay and his pulse is strong, so he's not in shock…yet, anyway. He has a cut at hairline on his forehead, that's the reason for the blood. We'll get that cleaned up and butterfly it. He doesn't seem to be running fever, but get me that thermometer from the kit, would you, Jen? Trini, would you find someway to elevate his legs, please?"

In cleaning the blood from his face, Di noticed a watery trickle of blood from his nose. She looked up at Deb and the others. "See this?" she said. "A probable sign of concussion." She opened his eyelids to check his eyes. "His pupils seem equal, fortunately."

Di patted his cheek gently. "Michael! Michael...wake up." He roused and opened his eyes, trying to focus. He looked at her and blinked.

"What's your name?" she asked him.

He blinked several times and said groggily, "Michael." He swallowed and then said, "Weston." His eyes shut again.

"Shouldn't we keep him awake?" Jen asked.

"It's thought by most doctors now that it's okay for a person with with head trauma to sleep, but to awake them periodically. Let's give him a few minutes and then wake him again. Deb, he really needs to see a doctor as soon as possible."

Deb rubbed her hand across her forehead. "Okay, let's have two of us go down the trail tonight to get help, the rest stay here."

"I'll go," Gia spoke up immediately. "Because of my bureau status, I'd be able to cut through channels quicker, if necessary, to get help."

"Agreed," Deb told her. "Trini, why don't you go with her? You move quickly and always seem to tire less quickly than the rest of us. Help us move Michael back to camp first and then you two need to go."

They each took off harnesses and ropes and Deb sent Jen and Trini back to camp to pile some sleeping bags together to lay Michael on. Then the five of them lifted him, one at each limb and one supporting his head and neck. They moved him into camp and onto the sleeping bags.

Once he was settled, with Di attending to him again, Deb and Jen helped the other two locate flashlights. Deb insisted they take energy bars and water along. Gia stowed her Glock in her hip pack, the two donned their fleece jackets and took off.

"Be careful…" was the call that followed them.

Twilight had settled over the mountain when Gia and Trini left. Jen offered to light the fire and Deb agreed. It was at the point at which the campfire was going well that Michael stirred.

Deb and Di were on it immediately. "Michael, can you hear me?" Di asked.

He opened his eyes, closed them, then opened them again. He seemed dizzy and disoriented. "Where…" he asked, then stopped.

"We're in camp at Fossil Lake," Di answered. "You fell, Michael. Do you remember?"

He shut his eyes, then shook his head. "No." He attempted to take some deep breaths and then tried to rise to a sitting position.

"No, Michael," Di said, placing one hand on his chest and the other behind his head. She eased him back down. "Let's wait a while on that, okay? Just rest for now."

His tongue moved across dry lips. "What happened?" he asked.

"You must have been talking on the SAT phone, Michael, and the ground gave way. You slipped over the cliff onto a ledge."

He licked his lips again. "Would you like some water?" Di asked. He nodded. She held his water bottle for him. "Just a couple sips for now," she said.

"How did I get back up the cliff?" he asked when he was finished.

"Deb and Jen went down to get you," Di told him. "Good thing you brought that climbing equipment with you."

This seemed to be all that he could take in at the moment. He closed his eyes and rested. Within ten minutes, he woke again and tried to rise.

"Not yet, Michael," Deb told him. "Gia and Trini have gone for help."

"She take her gun?" he asked.

"Definitely," Deb answered. A thought struck her. "Michael, who were you talking with on the SAT phone this evening?"

He closed his eyes. "Fi."

Deb went on hope here. "Do you think the fall happened while you were still talking with her?"

He thought a moment. "No. We ended the call."

Deb looked at Di and Jen, all thinking the same thing. No chance, then, that Fi had been alerted to something gone wrong. The only hope now was that Gia and Trini would reach help soon.

The trail that had taken Michael and the girls four hours to travel that morning was accomplished by Gia and Trini in half that time on the way down. They hurried quickly, yet carefully, in the dark, using their flashlights to look for obstacles on the path. They talked loudly, warning any potential bears of their presence. As they entered the Russell Lake camping area where they had been the night before, they could see a campfire in the same spot they had used. Heading that way, they were suddenly stopped by an out-flung arm beside a tree.

"Well, well, well…what do we have here?" A large man, maybe in his forties, was zipping his pants, evidently having just taken a leak. He was wearing a flannel jacket over a Led Zepplin t-shirt. He caught Gia by the arm to stop her from passing.

"Remove your hands," she ordered, pulling away.

"Just a minute, kissy-cheeks, I wanna know what your hurry is," he said, still holding on to her with one hand, while he fanned a mosquito away with the other. He could have killed mosquitoes with his beer breath alone.

"We need a cell phone immediately. Do you have one?"

"Hmmm…well that depends. If I do you a favor, what do I get in return?" he asked, sizing her up and down. "My buddy and I were just talking about how nice it would be if we had a couple of hot little gals to sweeten up the night and looky here!"

"Well, we're going to have to sweeten your night another time. Right now we need a cell phone," Gia said, unzipping her hip pack unnoticeably, she hoped.

"Earl!" came a voice from the path leading to the campsite. "Who you talkin' to up here?" Within a few seconds, a second man arrived, with a beer gut twice the size of Earl's.

"Jumpin' Mick Jagger!" he said when he saw Gia and Trini. He shined his flashlight in their faces. "Well, wouldn't you two make nice Playboy bunnies? Looks like you two have everything it takes and then some! How 'bout come join us in our tents for a photo spread?"

"How 'bout not?" Gia said. She pulled her ID out of the hip pack and flashed it. "Agent Sanders, F.B.I., boys. Now you need to let go of my arm, Earl, and make it quick!"

The two men looked at her for a moment in stunned surprise and then burst out laughing. "F.B.I.? F.B.I.? That's a good one!!!" Earl slapped his knee as he howled in laughter.

"You get that ID out of a cereal box?" the other man guffawed. "Maybe Special K or sumthin'?"

"Hmmm, Jimbo, I'm wondering if F.B.I. stands for "Fine Babe Inspection?" Earl joked to his friend, "Cuz that's what I'm gonna do with you, honey," he said, jerking Gia towards him. "I'm gonna inspect you REAL good!"

"And I'm gonna do the same with you, sugar buns," Jimbo told Trini, grabbing her and forcing her into an embrace.

With her free hand, Gia grabbed her Glock and with one hard pull, broke away from Earl. Drunk as he was, he went stumbling forward and did a header into a nearby tree. Recovering quickly, he whirled around to grab her.

"Freeze!" she yelled, aiming straight at him. He stumbled back a step, then uprighted himself. Both men looked at her in shocked surprise again and then started to laugh.

"Well, looky here, Jimbo, my bunny's got her a gun. Does it have REAL bullets in it?" he laughed snarkily.

"I don't think you want to find out," Gia told him. "Now you, Jimbo, let go of my friend." She moved back a step so she had them both in range. "NOW!"

Jimbo drew Trini closer and began rubbing his nose through her hair, looking at Gia all the while. Gia released the safety and put a bullet in the ground at Earl's feet. Earl did a jig and let out a high-pitched squeal. Jimbo let go of Trini, who moved behind Gia quickly.

"I don't have time to waste, boys," Gia told them. "Now which one of you has a cell phone?"

Both men hastily pulled cells out of their pockets at the same time. "Put them on the ground," Gia ordered, "and place your hands over your head." Both men followed her direction to the letter.

"Kick them easily this direction," she told them. Both men complied. "Now, empty your pockets completely," she said. "Trini, get the phones and see if you can get a signal."

Trini retrieved the phones and tried one. "The signal's weak," she said. "The second is a little stronger."

"I was able to make a call down by the lake," Jimbo said, his voice squeaking in fear. "Please let us go…we didn't mean any harm." The men stood with their pockets inside out and nothing on the ground except wallets and Swiss Army knives.

"On your knees…both of you!" Gia ordered. She pulled out two plastic handcuffs. "Jimbo, turn around!"

Jimbo turned on his knees and Gia handed one of the cuffs to Trini. Trini cuffed Jimbo and then Earl while Gia held the Glock on them.

"Now up, both of you!" The men struggled to their feet and walked down the path to the camp in front of Gia and Trini.

"Keep walking to the lake," Gia instructed. Once there, she separated the two of them and made them kneel again. Trini tried the phone and got H's line. "Got him!" she said, almost laughing with relief, handing the phone to Gia.

"What's up, G?" were his first words.

"H, we need a medical evac as soon as possible at Fossil Lake, with a helicopter that can land at 9,000 feet. Michael fell and most likely has a concussion, but we're not sure. His vitals are good, he's stable."

"Hold on a minute, G," he put his phone down for a minute to confer with Bill, Kusa, and Sam, who were with him at the moment. "Okay, Bill's already on it. What else do you need, Gia?"

She told him about Jimbo and Earl. "I have no choice but to take them back to Fossil Lake with us," she said. "I don't want to uncuff them, but if I leave them here, they're bear bait."

Jimbo and Earl both looked up at her with terrified eyes on that comment. "We'll take care of it, Gia," H told her.

"One more thing, H," Gia said. "Tell Maddie and Fi that Michael's going to be okay."

"Will do, baby. Bill said to tell you it will probably be first light. See you soon."

The trip back to Fossil Lake took longer than Gia and Trini expected, especially now that they had drunken Jimbo and Earl to deal with. Both men pleaded with Gia that if she would uncuff them and let them go, the girls could keep their cell phones. They also promised not to follow them. Gia told the two there was no way in hell she could trust either of them.

"Like I told my police lieutenant friend," she said, "if I leave you here, you're bear bait. My friends and I were camping in this very spot last night and had a hungry visitor at three a.m., so boys…you're coming with us. If you run, I'll take out your kneecaps...or worse. Now get up and get moving!"

Before leaving, Trini doused their campfire with a bucket of water. No telling what their camp would look like when the men returned…they had hot dogs, opened cans of beans, potato chips, and beer cans strewn beside the fire pit. Trini stuffed what food she could into a backpack and left it.




The agents at Fossil Lake stayed up together watching and caring for Michael, making coffee on the cookstove, and talking long into the night. They had, fortunately, collected enough wood to keep the fire going for hours. Michael drank water, but felt nauseous, and didn't want anything else. He stayed awake most of the night and seemed to gain more strength by the hour.

He wanted to hear the entire story of how they had gotten him off the cliff and between the three of them, they told him all that had happened. He was silent when they finished.

"Did we do okay, Michael?" Jen finally asked, shyly.

He smiled. "You get an A+ from me…all of you." He was quiet for a moment and then said, "Thank you."



The girls were tremendously surprised to see Gia and Trini come in with two handcuffed drunk guys at three in the morning. "Last night it was a bear," Gia told the girls, "tonight it's Earl and Jimbo."

Deb rose with Michael's gun and made the men sit. Earl and Jimbo looked up at her and cringed as she waved the gun their direction and told them not to move or they might be missing their favorite body part by dawn.

Gia shared the news immediately about the call to H and checked the phones for service. There was none. They would just have to sit and wait for dawn.




It started as a low level hum on the horizon and gradually got louder. The girls stood to watch as the Huey military chopper landed in a boulder-free area close to the lake. They watched as H, Sam, Fi, Gary, Q, Ric, and 23 deboarded and ran in their direction. Following them were two Montana state police officers.

Gary, being trained as a medic and first responder, immediately went to Michael, checking his blood pressure and other vitals. Sam, Ric, and Q helped him transport Michael on the litter and they boarded him on the Huey immediately.

The officers took a quick preliminary statement from Gia and then began transporting Jimbo and Earl down the trail. Gia was sure that they would let the men off with a warning once they reached the trailhead, and that was fine with her. H approached the girls and asked that one of them go along in the chopper to the hospital in Bozeman to help with first responder information. Since H would be accompanying Michael, along with Sam and Fi, the girls unanimously decided that Gia should go. Gary went along, too, in a paramedic capacity.


The girls all bid goodbye to Michael and he raised a hand in reply. As soon as the Huey took off, the girls turned to their new companions…23, Q, and Ric.

"We'll be escorting you down the trail, girls," 23 told them.

"We were doing pretty well on our own, thanks," Deb responded, "but we're glad you're here."

"What about Nate?" Trini asked.

Ric and Q exchanged a look. "Maddie wouldn't let him come," Ric told her.

"She's angry, isn't she?" Di asked. "She thinks it's our fault."

Q hugged her. "I wouldn't go that far," he said. "She's upset, but it's because she's worried about Michael. Nate is driving with her to the hospital in Bozeman."

Jen went into Ric's embrace for a moment, feeling the comfort of his arms around her. Breaking away, she said, "We better clean up camp and get this stuff back downtrail."

"Well, we brought a little surprise for you gals," 23 told them. He had a small pack on his back and opened it, drawing out sandwiches and fruit. "Courtesy of Jackie," he said. He also had a thermos of hot coffee.

The girls ate sandwiches and drank coffee while the guys put the down bags back into their stuff sacks, took down the tents, and cleaned the campsite. Before they left, they wanted to see the place where Michael fell. The girls showed them and also pointed out the boulders they had used as anchors for their ropes. The guys were impressed and told the gals so.

"We did what we had to do," Deb shrugged. "Now we just hope Michael's okay."

They reached the car at Clarks Fork Trailhead by late afternoon. The SUV seated seven, but it was a tight squeeze. By dinnertime, they were "home." Gia had surrendered Jimbo and Earl's cell phones to the state police, but 23 and the other guys had cells with them. Once they were able to get service, they were in touch with H at the hospital.

The girls high-fived, hugged, rejoiced, and yes, cried, when they heard Michael was fine. He would have to spend one night in the hospital for observation, under protest on his part. Nobody was surprised by that…