Veiled Conspiracy

Copyright © 2011 by Michele Coffman

Acknowledgments

Dedication

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

About the Author

Other Yellow Rose Books

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Veiled Conspiracy

by

Michele Coffman

Copyright © 2011 by Michele Coffman

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Parts of this work are fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, or events is entirely coincidental.

ISBN 978-1-61929-007-5 (eBook)

eBook Conversion September 2011

Cover design by Donna Pawlowski

Published by:

Regal Crest Enterprises, LLC

4700 Hwy 365, Suite A, PMB 210

Port Arthur, Texas 7764

Find us on the World Wide Web at http://www.regalcrest.biz

Published in the United States of America

Acknowledgments

A big thank you to my sister, Ruth, for your direction and guidance, and for the gift of your poem. Another big thanks to my editor Pat, for all the hard work you put into this book. I couldn't have done it without you.

Dedication

To my children Ashley and Phillip for filling my life with meaning, my heart with love, and for always having faith in me. To my granddaughter, Michele, whose smile and laughter engulfs my heart. Most of all, to my soul-mate and better half, Tamara, for not only staying up late at night to help me edit after putting in long days at work, but for loving me unconditionally these past eight years. You all have my heart--

Wake up, dear souls, wake up I say
As reason calls out, each passing day.
Yet we are blind, and cannot hear
And with each day, so grows our fear.
Our hearts are weary, our eyes are dim
We're lulled to sleep, with each new whim.
Until the day, when terror strikes
And all our hopes are turned to frights.
We try to flee and escape our fate
But yet, alas, it is too late

~~Elizebeth Leonard

Veiled Conspiracy

by

Michele Coffman

Chapter One

Uncertain Meeting

IT WAS MAY 12, 2015. Elaina Williams looked at her watch. Five more minutes. The evening was late, after ten, and the sun had long since set over the vast skies of New York City. Career-making story or no story, Kim had wasted enough of her time. "If she isn't here in five minutes, I'm going home." Just the thought of her comfortable apartment made Elaina's feet stir on the pavement.

She did not move from beneath the streetlight, but cursed under her breath. Why had she agreed to this meeting anyway? Kim had always been flighty when they'd been together. She shouldn't expect different now. "Hell," Elaina muttered, "Kim's probably at that bar down the street, beer in one hand and a blonde on the other." Or if not that bar, some other. And if not a blonde...

A chill washed through Elaina's body at the picture she'd conjured all too clearly. Kim with another woman. Easy to imagine, when she'd seen it before. In her own bed. Tanya had been a blonde. All over.

"Damn, Elaina," she scolded herself, "it's been two years. Let it go."

Go. A good idea, she decided, and headed across the parking lot. Kim had sounded desperate on the phone earlier, but if it had been that important, she should have been on time. Elaina didn't owe her anything, least of all more waiting in an empty park late at night, alone.

Kim had always been hard to predict, except for one thing. She always thought everything was serious, urgent, life-or-death. Catastrophes and conspiracies. Even back in college, she'd been searching for the hidden patterns in the fabric of society. Politics.

Kim's passionate interest was probably what attracted Elaina to her in the first place, all those years ago, when they'd shared a dorm and dreams--Elaina working toward a career in newscasting, her flashier girlfriend determined on the dangerous, exciting life of investigative journalism.

They were a match made in heaven. Well, that was what Kim had told her repeatedly, until several years later, when Kim decided to dirty Elaina's sheets with another woman's unsavory scent.

But all of that, Elaina reminded herself, was past and gone. The only reason she'd agreed to this meeting, stupidly clandestine location and all, was for the story her ex had promised her. And failed to deliver.

"Are you surprised?" she asked herself, and got in the Jeep.

As Elaina fastened her seatbelt, headlights from an approaching vehicle temporarily blinded her. A rusted-out pickup pulled along side her and Kim jumped out with a smile. "I'm glad you're here, I was afraid that you might have left."

Elaina frowned, even more irritated as she glanced at Kim, perfect as ever, with her short hair and soft, sun-kissed skin.

Kim could leap from bed looking ready for the events of the day without having to run a brush through her dirty-blonde hair. Elaina, however, spent well over an hour in front of the mirror, not to mention the cost of the whole armory of necessary beauty products it took to tame back her long, dark-brown hair. She could, she thought, be at home brushing her hair, or soaking in a bath, or any number of things. Instead, she'd waited here for an hour, and Kim didn't even open with an apology. "I was just leaving."

"I know that look." Kim smiled holding up her hands in surrender. "I'm sorry I was late. I thought I was being followed, so I drove all around Manhattan."

Elaina shot Kim a disbelieving look, biting back her impulsive retort. She sighed, feeling once again drained by this woman, but wishing to be done with this as soon as possible, and maybe, just maybe, salvage something from the day.

Slowly, Elaina exited the Jeep. "What do you have? You said you had something big for me."

Kim glanced around as if to make sure that they were truly alone. "Big story, El, I really mean it. This is the story of a lifetime."

"Then why give it to me? Why not run with this 'big story' on your own?"

Kim's laughter rang out crisply in the night air. "I didn't say I was giving you anything. I just said that I would make it worth your while. No, I'm planning to sell it to the Times. However, it's not quite ready yet."

Elaina gaped. The wretch! Calling out of the blue, making her wait alone, at night, in the middle of nowhere, and now this? She spoke slowly, keeping her voice low, even though she wanted to shriek. "Why am I here?"

Kim darted a look over her shoulder. "I plan on sharing the story with you, but not until I get the check in hand and I'm at the bank. Until then, I need you to hold onto something for me."

"Why?"

"I'm being watched, I can feel it." Kim quickly grabbed Elaina's arm. "I'm serious, El, and these people don't fool around."

Elaina shrugged free. "I am going home," she said, "and taking a long hot bath. I'm tired, and unlike you, I have to get up early tomorrow and go to work."

Kim smiled slightly, crookedly. "Still upset that I was late? Fine. Tell you what, I'll give you just a taste of information, and if it pans out, you help me."

Was she serious? Searching deeply into Kim's brown eyes, Elaina considered the offer before her. "What kind of information? Please don't let it be about the government implanting tracking chips into the brains of newborns."

A mixture of pain and defensiveness fogged Kim's eyes, but she quickly recovered. "No, it's not, but for your information that story is also real. I just haven't found anything solid on it yet." Reaching into her truck, Kim pulled out a cluttered daily planner. She flipped through a few pages then glanced up. "On June eighth we are going to be hit by a financial collapse like nothing you've ever dreamed. Call it the start of the Greatest Depression. The Stock Exchange will close, maybe for the last time, and this will begin a chain of events that will..." Kim paused, biting her lip. "I think I've given you enough for now. June eighth."

Elaina stood there with her head slightly cocked to the left, unsure of what to say, until finally finding the words, "How on Earth could you know that?"

"I have my source. However, this is just the beginning. All of us going broke is small potatoes compared to what will be coming if we don't stop it."

"I really don't have time for this, Kim."

"Look, if I'm wrong, fine, won't be the first time, right? If I'm not, though, I want you to meet me back here on the evening of June eighth. I might even be finished with the story by then. Is that a deal?"

Elaina thought briefly, remembering all the oddball theories that never panned out, the few that surprisingly had, then shrugged her shoulders. "Sure, fine, Kim. Whatever."

Grinning, Kim took out a small sealed package from the truck. "Keep this hidden. When I want it back, I will let you know. Don't open it."

Elaina nodded her agreement with a frown, unsure if Kim had finally lost it or not. But it wasn't her job to worry about that anymore, was it? She climbed back up into her Jeep, setting the package on the passenger's seat and feeling as if she'd accepted something far weightier.

Chapter Two

Beginning of a Nation's End

"CAR FIFTEEN ON site."

The dispatcher's calm voice acknowledged each patrol car as officers reported their location and estimated time on scene. Panic ensued at a bank after the morning news informed viewers that the stock market had crashed. The value of the American dollar was steadily falling. Banks and businesses who had the people's hard-earned money tied up in the now-depleted stock market were one by one locking their doors, and in turn adding greatly to public hysteria. Similar events were happening all over the country. In this case, someone had shot a banker who was trying to get to work.

Samantha Kelly was one of the first police officers to arrive at the downtown bank in the heart of Kansas City, Missouri. She was just making her way up to the top of the long line of stairs, taking two at a time, when she heard the sound of approaching sirens.

She looked back, briefly catching a disturbing glimpse of the powerfully built policeman exiting his black and white. Officer Jenkins was the last person Sam wanted to see. She rolled her eyes as she moved toward the swarm of spectators and her patiently awaiting sergeant.

"Officer Kelly, move these people back for me, will you?" Sergeant Clark directed.

Shifting direction, Sam made her way to the crowd. Her green eyes were gentle, yet firm and she carried herself with an air of confidence that said she would push back when the need arose. She was medium built, standing just over five-nine, with an athletic toned body and shoulder-length, dark brown hair. Her high cheekbones and natural tan complexion came from the Cherokee Indian on her mother's side, while her father had passed a mix of German-Irish, which gave her a stubborn streak and a short temper.

The crowd moved back easily enough for her, giving Sergeant Clark room in which to do his job. Several minutes later, Sam had the onlookers heading away from the area, except for a young woman who informed Sam that she had seen the entire disturbing event.

Sergeant Clark glanced back over his shoulder. "Nice job, rookie," he said.

Sam kept her smile in as she pointed toward the lone woman standing with a nervous look on her face. "She said that she witnessed the shooting."

Sergeant Clark frowned, looking toward the three uniformed men nearby. "Jenkins, take her statement. You other two need to find something productive to do, like go see if the detectives have arrived yet."

Clark's voice was deep, very commanding, reminding Sam of one of her drill sergeants in the Army. The three men dispersed, but not before Jenkins shot Sam an unappreciative look. Sam smiled to herself.

"Kelly, help Simmons with the guard's statement. I need to call the captain and let him know what's going on."

Sam nodded, heading off to where Simmons and the bank's guard were standing. She noticed the pale greenish color of the young guard's face and wondered if this man had ever seen a person killed before. Her heart went out to him.

After graduating high school, Sam had gone straight into the Army, where she worked for eight years in communication. During her time in-service, the Army assigned her to a Military Police unit out of Colorado, and she went overseas with them three times; two separate yearlong deployments into Iraq, and once to Afghanistan for just over fifteen months. Each time, Sam had witnessed friend and foe wounded--killed. The first time was the worst, but as time went by, she had learned to distance herself from the pain of it.

"I would say he was in his early twenties." The guard gave Sam a weak smile as she approached them. "I don't think he meant to shoot him, either. I mean, the kid appeared even more scared than I was."

Simmons directed a sympathetic glance to the guard, before handing Sam the paper he had just finished writing on. "Give this to Sergeant Clark. It's the perp's description."

Sam headed quickly back the way she came. As soon as she handed the information to her sergeant, he was on the radio to Dispatch.

After he read the information off, the crackly voice of an older woman came on. "We have multiple reports of a riot forming down on Thirtieth and Grand. Captain wants you all to head back here pronto."

Sam followed Sergeant Clark's glance up at the clear bluish sky. The weatherman this morning had predicted a tranquil high of eighty-two, with light patchy cloud cover by mid-day. "It's too perfect a day for this shit," he grumbled before he turned to gather up the rest of his men. She knew just what he meant.

THE DAY FELT about a week long, if not two, and Elaina waited anxiously as the hours moved slowly by. She tried to reach Kim on her cell any chance that she could, hanging up each time she reached voicemail.

How could Kim have known? Not just the event, but the exact date. Elaina had not believed in Kim's information--for the most part. Thankfully, however, she had listened to that little voice in the back of her mind that echoed, what if?, and she'd sold what stocks she had managed to collect throughout the years, and withdrew her money from savings not more than two days ago. It was not much, but the twenty-three thousand dollars that lay hidden in her apartment was nevertheless safe. Thanks to Kim.

She glanced up to her wall clock, feeling the dreariness of time as the second hand turned slowly by. Thirty more minutes and she would be pulling her Jeep away from the station for a quick bite to eat. Two and a half more hours and she would be meeting Kim for what she hoped to be the story that took her from her job of finding and writing the news, to a seat behind the long shiny desk reporting that news to the awaiting viewers.

This was her foot in. She could feel it. No more grunt work, no more going door-to-door for interviews on minuscule stories, or standing outside in the freezing rain to show those watching just how bad the weather truly was.

"Elaina, we need you to stay a little late tonight." The voice of the young, energetic woman brought Elaina's eyes up.

She glanced to Shelli as she shook her head, cursing silently to herself for not locking her office door behind her. "I can't tonight, I have a prior engagement."

The woman shrugged. "This came from Tony, so you'll need to take it up with him. Sorry," she ended, turning from the small cramped office.

"Damn!" Elaina muttered, standing from her desk. "Of all the days for overtime."

She found Tony, and after receiving no sympathy from the scraggly-faced man, she managed to get the extra work done with just enough time to spare for her meeting with Kim. She thought about stopping on the way to grab a quick burger and fries, but did not want to chance missing Kim, not to mention the unwanted calories that she would have to work off later.

THE NIGHT WAS a vibrant shade of bluish-black as the natural light from the moon and stars glistened down onto this part of the park from above. It appeared almost animated as Elaina pulled her Jeep back underneath the same hearty oak she had parked by a few weeks prior.

There was no sign of Kim's truck anywhere in this section of the city park. This did not deter Elaina from turning off her engine and waiting. She would wait all night if she had to. Possibly call in sick to work the next day, an action she had never taken in the five years with Channel Seven News.

What story could be bigger than a major Crash? she thought, feeling the excitement rise in her chest.

The passenger door flew open, and startled fear stifled her ability to scream. Kim moved swiftly inside, slamming and latching the door quickly behind it, as if in great desperation.

"Kim, you scared the crap--"

"Start the Jeep and drive, El."

Elaina's relief disappeared when her eyes caught sight of what Kim was holding. "Is that a gun? Why do you have a gun? You know I don't like--"

"Damn it, El, drive!" Kim shouted, glancing back over her shoulder in genuine fear. It was that fear which brought Elaina out of her hurt confusion, and within seconds, she had her Jeep started and moving away from the seclusion of the park.

Neither woman spoke for several minutes. Elaina guided the vehicle out onto the busy main road. Kim constantly glanced back over her shoulder, and Elaina glanced repeatedly at Kim.

"Sorry I snapped at you, El," Kim finally offered. "I wasn't sure if I lost them or not." She sat back, fastening her seatbelt in the process.

"What is going on? Who's after you, Kim? Are you--" Elaina's voice cut off with a swift intake of air. "You're bleeding." She threw on the blinker and proceeded to move over to the right shoulder of the road.

"I'm fine." Kim motioned for her to drive. "This isn't my blood."

"Not your blood?"

"No, I didn't do this." Kim pointed to the bloodstain covering the lower right section of her shirt. "They did. They killed my informant earlier today and tried to kill me, but I got away. I have been hiding out waiting for you ever since."

"Who tried to kill you?"

Kim gave Elaina a level look. "The more you don't know, the safer you'll be. I wouldn't have met with you tonight if I could've helped it, but I really need that package I gave you." She shot Elaina a quick look. "Please tell me you still have it."

"Of course I have it." Elaina's voice came out defensive.

"Where is it?"

"My place, but--"

"Take me there now!"

Elaina yanked the wheel quickly to the right, then slammed on the brakes.

Kim yelped, grabbed for her neck, and glanced wildly around. Horns blared followed by angry shouts, and the occasional display of middle fingers from several outraged drivers. "What happened? Why did we stop?"

"My Jeep, my package, so stop giving me orders!"

"Your package? Now, wait just a damn minute! That package is mine!"

"Possession is nine-tenths of the law, so until you start telling me what is going on..."

"I don't have time for this!" Kim spat.

"Make time!" Elaina was just as unmoving, her tone just as determined, if not more.

Kim stared angrily at her for what seemed a long time, but gradually, her face softened. "Look, El, I'm not trying to keep you out of this for my own personal gain, but for your safety."

Elaina had never seen Kim scared before. She looked exhausted, like she had not slept in days. "I just want you to talk to me. If you're in danger, maybe I can help."

Kim shook her head no. "You don't understand, El. We are all in danger if I don't find a way to get this story out."

"Let me help you, then. After all, two heads are better than one." She threw Kim a light smile.

For a long moment, Kim didn't speak. Weighing her options, Elaina thought, and sat, waiting to learn what the choice would be. Finally, Kim nodded. "Fine, let's go to your place and get the package. I need to use your computer anyway to see what is on this." She held up a small ZIP drive, explaining that her informant had given it to her just seconds before he died.

"How did he die?"

Kim's shoulders slumped. "Doesn't matter, we can't help him. Let's just go, and I promise to explain everything to you once we're in your apartment."

Feeling touched by Kim's obvious grief, Elaina placed the gearshift in drive, checked to make sure that the lane was clear, and eased the Jeep back into the flow of traffic. By the time she pulled into her assigned parking place, nearly an hour later, Kim had her head resting against the passenger window and was fast asleep.

Elaina did not want to wake her, yet the parking lot felt unusually dark and frightfully cold, unlike anything that she had ever felt before. A rustling in the bushes ahead made her ache for the safety of her apartment. Her body shuddered. "It's a rabbit, or squirrel, silly." Elaina breathed, a lump forming in her throat.

"It's not too late to back out." The sound of Kim's deep, groggy voice made Elaina jump.

She forced a smile before making her way out of the Jeep and toward the five-story apartment building. Elaina did the best she could to appear settled, if not childishly brave in front of Kim. Inwardly she breathed a sigh of relief once they were upstairs, with the door to the apartment closed and latched up tight behind them.

"The computer is on my nightstand." Pointing Kim toward the back bedroom, in the direction of her laptop, Elaina headed into the kitchen to make them both something to eat. She busied herself with preparing them each a turkey and cheese sandwich with light dressing. Once she was finished, she grabbed two diet sodas from the fridge.

As Elaina entered into the bedroom, Kim glanced up from behind the monitor. "Ah, good, I'm starving." She patted the empty spot on the bed next to her.

Elaina stopped in mid-stride, uneasiness working it's way in. The thought was harmless enough, but it was that type of careless thinking that began their explosive relationship in the first place. The last place she wanted to be with Kim was on a bed, especially her own bed. Recomposing herself, Elaina handed Kim her plate and cold drink, and pulled a chair over to the bedside, giving her a good view of the screen.

"I need that package I gave you."

Elaina took a quick bite of her sandwich before heading off down the hall to retrieve the unopened item. Once she handed it to Kim, Elaina retook her seat and continued eating. She downed half her soda in one long drink while watching Kim unwrap the parcel.

Kim withdrew a black, leather-bound notebook, and two writable disks. She placed them on the bed next to the ZIP drive. After taking a sizable mouthful of her own sandwich, Kim washed it down with a swallow from her soda, before grabbing the book and turning toward Elaina. "Where should I start?"

"The beginning is always a good place."

Generating a deep sigh, Kim said, "Six months ago, when I was doing some research on the financial corruption inside our government, I stumbled upon some information which made no sense to me." Kim chuckled, a small humorless sound. "I almost blew it off. It wasn't related to the work I was doing, but I hit a dead end with that, so decided to take a closer look at this." Kim withdrew several folded sheets of paper from the front of the notebook and handed them to Elaina.

"This makes no sense," Elaina said, after her third scan of the documents.

"That was what intrigued me the most, I think. I found out later that the writing on that paper is a code, which I have been trying to break with help from my source."

"Who's your source? Or was..." Elaina turned red, but Kim quickly answered.

"He was a member of a private organization which recruited him just before his discharge from the military. Actually, he was on the verge of being court-martialed, until this group came in and somehow managed to clear his name."

Elaina was astonished. "How were they able to do that?"

"They are powerful, El, and very smart. I'm not sure who all is involved here, that's what I'm hoping this will show me." Kim held up the ZIP drive. Instead of placing it into the computer, she laid it on the bed beside her, and retrieved both the disks. "These disks hold everything from a detailed outline of this unknown organization's financial transactions and various documents for the past fifty years, to a sketchy outline of what they have done to our country so far, what they plan to do, and bits and pieces of their objectives. There is still a lot of intel missing, and some of the info has sizable gaps, yet we have more than enough to get us started. We're missing the actual names of those who are involved, and exactly what they have in store for us. I'm hoping that is what this is for. My informant was working on this when they caught onto him."

"What is going to happen to our country?" Elaina was beginning to get the idea that she just might have ventured into something that she should have left alone.

"It's going to get bad, El, and I'm not over-exaggerating here. It's almost as if someone wants to wipe us out." Kim placed in one of the disks, and after waiting for it to load, handed the laptop over to Elaina.

Elaina's eyes widened in disbelief as she examined the information before her. The data was patchy, yet she was able to understand enough. From the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, to the planning and funding of the deadly day of the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and the failed attempt on the White House, multiple assassinations, anthrax, bombings, the list went on and on. "This is impossible." Her voice was nothing more than a whisper by the time her eyes found Kim's gaze.

"Unfortunately, it isn't."

"How did your source get a hold of this?"

Kim rose, stretching herself fully. "These people made a grave mistake when they found him. Not only was he innocent of the charges the military was accusing him of, but he was a very patriotic man. He took the job because the money was appealing, and at the time, he had nothing better to do. He had no idea what all was going on, or what they were planning, until about the time I started snooping around."

Kim rubbed her eyes with the palms of her hands before continuing. "We happened upon each other and quickly began working together to try to gather the information to expose all of this."

Forcing her dry throat to swallow, Elaina handed the computer back to Kim. "So, who is involved and what's coming?"

Kim gestured her understanding. Holding up the ZIP drive and wasting no time, she placed it into the slot. When she sat down on the end of the bed next to Elaina's chair, both sets of eyes began scanning through the information before them. The air in the room grew thick with silence as they read. As Kim scrolled through the detailed list, Elaina's insides began to quiver, as if her body was experiencing the effects of a sudden high fever. This was not real, it could not be. It was like a plot in a movie, the sort of near-future suspense story that terrified the viewer with the idea that this could happen. Just hopefully not to you or in your lifetime.

"Oh my God, Kim, tell me this isn't really happening." Elaina covered her mouth with both hands, unable to pull her eyes from the screen.

"Pack a bag quick, we have to get out of here." Kim jumped up, powering down the computer before she gathered up the rest of the items. She placed computer and all into a backpack she found in Elaina's bedroom closet.

Elaina stood frozen, watching as Kim double-checked her sidearm. She bit down on her bottom lip, unable to pull her gaze off the cold, black, life-ending gun. It seemed as unbelievable as what she had just read.

Kim turned back to her, her expression shifting from determination to something softer. Not pity, not quite. "Why did I drag her into this?" she whispered, and Elaina knew Kim had not meant for her to hear the words.

"We need to go," insisted Kim, her voice louder now. She pulled Elaina up onto her feet. "Please, pack what you need, and we'll figure this out once we're away from the city."

Elaina nodded, fighting for what little courage she had left. She made her way back out of the room to the hall closet, where she retrieved the leather bag, which contained her life's savings. Before long, she had a second bag packed, and was making her way outside with Kim.

"Start the Jeep while I load the bags into the back."

Elaina did as instructed, feeling numbed by the sharp turn in direction her life had just taken. She watched as Kim closed and latched the back opening, following her darkened figure around the length of the Jeep. Without warning, a distinct crack, then a dull ping sounded where Kim was walking. Elaina jumped slightly, unsure of the noise. Her eyes darted around nervously. Kim paused for a brief moment, stooping next to the back tire. With a sigh of relief, Elaina silently scolded her edginess the instant Kim's shadow began to move. "It's probably just a low tire, silly." Elaina whispered to herself, with a slight trembling smile.

She continued to follow the outline of Kim's figure around, until finally, the passenger door opened. "Do we need to add air to the tires? I have a pressure gauge in the..." Her voice trailed off at the glazed look of pain in Kim's eyes.

Kim tossed her weapon on the front passenger seat, her body swaying as if it was off balance. "Leave, El, please leave now." As she spoke, a thick dark substance trickled out from the left corner off her mouth, down onto the front of her shirt.

"Kim, what's going...?" The second crack was slightly louder than the first, splattering Elaina's body with a warm thick liquid even as she searched for the source of the sound. The copper aroma registered instantly in Elaina's brain. It's blood!

She spun her head quickly back, catching the final glimpse of Kim as her body fell lifelessly to the ground. A portion of the upper-right side of Kim's head was completely gone. "Kim!" Her scream came out so high-pitched that the name was almost unrecognizable.

She fought hard with her seatbelt, trying to release it in an attempt to make her way to the fallen woman. A third crack whizzed by so close to her head that she felt a small breeze tickle the hairs on the back of her neck. The next crack hit the driver's side window in a loud shattering explosion, seconds before Elaina saw the figure of a man crouched in the bushes a little over fifty feet away.

As if an outside force was controlling her body, Elaina threw the Jeep into reverse and her foot pressed the gas pedal all the way to the floor. She slammed on the brakes within inches of hitting the parked car behind her. In one complete motion, she had the Jeep barreling forward toward the exit, unsure of anything other than the need to escape the nightmare.

Chapter Three

Meaningless Expectations

THE REDDISH-BROWN LIQUID mixed with the clear water that poured out from the old chrome faucet before circling in a mesmerizing fashion around the dirty white porcelain. Elaina remained, hair wet, hunched over the inexpensive sink in the bathroom of the shabby rundown motel room. She watched the effects of gravity force the mixture of hair dye and water down into the blackness of the gurgling drain below.

She tried to recall the number of times within the last five months she had to dye her hair a different color. Seven, or was it eight times? Did she really care? Wrapping the worn white towel around her newly cut and colored shoulder-length hair, Elaina made her way back over to recheck the window through the inelegant musty curtains that hung there. They reeked of mildew and old cigarette smoke, which seemed fitting to their repulsive plaid.

Twenty dollars a night and no questions asked was better than she'd found in a long time; good enough for her to consider breaking her own rule about how long to remain in one place. But there'd been so many close calls. So many disappointments and so very many lessons learned at costs she'd never have imagined she'd have to pay. They were determined to catch her, kill her was more like it, and they were pursuing her with unlimited resources. Their most effective method was plastering her face on nationwide news stations for the questioning of Kim's death, which had sent many suspicious glances, pointed fingers, and unwanted attention her way. By now, checking the curtains was habit--she knew how important concealment could be--and so was the constant recalculating of her money. Nineteen thousand left after the past harrowing five months.

Sighing, she sank back on the appallingly patterned bedspread to rest. Five hours could be no time at all, or an eternity, depending. She'd had more than enough of both, since--since that night. Since life had suddenly, impossibly, changed.

No, don't think about that, she told herself firmly. That way lay madness. Instead, she forced herself to concentrate on the meeting scheduled for later in the day. Marcus had seemed trustworthy on her two earlier meetings with him, the first a test on both their parts, the second to exchange some information. But not all, not then. Not yet. Elaina had given Marcus copies of the first two disks, but held back the data from the ZIP drive until this third meeting.

She still wasn't certain he believed her story. Nor was she sure she trusted him, though a friend had judged him to be a moral man, and she had nowhere else to turn. His position in the FBI gave him access she couldn't have matched, even before she'd had to run. And now, well, now she had nowhere else to turn.

MARCUS WAS STANDING next to his car with a briefcase in hand by the time she pulled into the deserted parking lot. Instead of waiting for her to get out of her vehicle, he made his way over and quickly climbed into her passenger seat.

"What's going on?" she asked, unsure if she wanted to hear his response.

"I looked into the information on those disks you gave me yesterday, and it checks out."

"Of course it checks out. I wouldn't be in this predicament if it didn't." She felt agitated, but kept her emotions under control.

He shook his head. "It's gotten worse. You have been wiped from the system since then."

The confusion on her face was nothing compared to how she was feeling inside. "What are you saying?"

He sighed heavily. "You no longer exist. Everything about you is gone. Your birth certificate, social security card, everything. Someone had to have known that you contacted me, which means that whoever is involved has unlimited resources."

"They do," breathed Elaina, as his information painfully sunk in. She took out the disk and handed it to him. "I have a driver's license and all my documents..."

"Worthless. They are nothing more than forgeries now." He pulled a laptop from his briefcase and proceeded to load in the disk.

"My mother and father--" The look he gave her cut her words short, turning her blood cold.

"They're missing."

Her voice was almost hysterical. "What do you mean, missing?"

"Not dead, just missing. Look, Elaina, I'll do all that I can to figure this out. Until then, I need to keep you safe." He glanced back at the screen once the program finished loading.

"There is no safe place." Elaina turned her head away as her tears began to fall. She had not spoken to her parents since she came out to them in college. Her mother had made it clear that if she opted for this lifestyle, they would have nothing more to do with her. Her father had remained silent throughout their intense argument, not having the courage to come to his own daughter's defense.

"It's worse than I thought." He flipped off the computer, and after placing it back into his briefcase, he retrieved a slip of paper that he handed to Elaina. "Directions on how to get to my cabin in the Midwest. It's well stocked, well hidden, and it doesn't exist."

Her words were that of tired defeat. "It's all pointless."

Grabbing her roughly by the shoulder, he brought her quickly out of her feelings of self-pity. "Look, there is more at stake here than just you, me, or your parents. Damn it, Elaina, I need you to stay together. I know you are hurting, but you need to remain strong."

Wiping away the moisture from her eyes, Elaina nodded.

"Good. Now I want you to leave for the cabin right away. Stay there, and when it is safe, I'll come and get you. It could be a while before that happens. There is no phone, but if you need to get a hold of me I want you to find a payphone and call this number." He gave her another slip of paper as he opened the passenger door and proceeded to step out. "If anyone other than I should answer, then that will mean I'm dead. Do not use the internet or a cell phone. I don't want to take the chance of them tracing your signal. You are in grave danger, Elaina. I promise I will do all that I can to keep you safe."

"If you die then what do I do?" The thought of losing her last hope was overwhelmingly disturbing.

He gave her a sincere look. "I'm not sure who to trust after last night. If you can't find anyone else to help, I would look into heading to Canada, or perhaps Mexico."

"THE PRESIDENT HAS issued a freeze on all prices, and Supplemental Cards will be handed out at the designated buildings throughout the city, for those who qualify, beginning next Monday, December seventh, at eight a.m. For further information, please call six..."

Sam heard the television cut off, and glanced up from the bills she was poring over as her sister walked into the kitchen.

"I thought you cops were supposed to drink coffee." Rachel smiled, grabbing a can of diet soda from the fridge.

Sam placed her iced tea back on the table. "And I thought you were supposed to be doing your homework?"

Waving her sister off, Rachel took the seat next to her. "I'm almost done. Plus, I was watching the news for one of my assignments."

Smiling, Sam patiently waited for Rachel to continue. Rachel was so much like their mother, easygoing and laid back, unlike Sam, who had inherited their father's hurry-up, no-nonsense attitude.

Rachel gazed over to her sister, then to the pile of bills. "They're starting to hand out food assistance cards on Monday."

Sam nodded, amused by how well her sister had learned to avoid asking her questions directly.

Rachel ran her fingers nervously through her long hair as she waited several seconds for Sam to speak. She went on when no response came. "The president has ordered a freeze on all prices. It sounds like it's getting pretty bad out there."

Sam knew what Rachel wanted to ask her, but she wondered just how long it would take her little sister to ask it.

"Two of my friends are going to be moving next month. You know Jill, well, the bank foreclosed on her parents' house, and Stacy's dad got laid off three months ago..." Rachel sighed heavily.

"We are fine." Sam was ashamed when she saw the worry and heartache in her sister's eyes. She should have said something right off, instead of making her younger sister go through that.

Standing up, Sam stretched her legs. She was twenty-six, nine years older than Rachel. When her parents died over a year ago, Sam had chosen to come home to take care of her little sister instead of reenlisting for another eight years in the Army, as she had originally planned.

"I guess it is more than time for me to show you all this junk." Sam motioned for her sister to follow her.

Rachel got up from the table, still holding onto her soda as they made their way through the sizeable house. She stood an inch taller than Sam, but with a body structure that was slender and delicate, unlike Sam's athletic build. Sam was, by every means beautiful, yet Rachel's beauty was strikingly radiant, the spitting image of their late mother. Sam guided her little sister into their father's study, flipping the lights on in the rarely utilized room. She went over behind his oversized oak desk to where the grand family portrait hung.

Running her hand down the left side of the frame, Sam's fingers glided to the button, squeezing the spot where the latch was located. She motioned for her wide-eyed sister to move in closer, rotated the picture outward, before revealing the high-end safe.

"The combination goes in the order of age. First mother's birthday to the right, my birthday to the left, then your birthday back to the right."

The thick metal door swung smoothly out, illuminating the three sizable metal shelves to Rachel. Each shelf was packed full of various treasures, from large stacks of hundred dollar bills, to stocks, bonds, jewelry, and priceless collectables. The condition of the safe and all its contents appeared well tended.

"What is all of this?" Rachel breathed.

Sam chuckled at her little sister's wide-eyed astonishment. "This is our inheritance."

Their father had been an investment banker, talented, foresighted, and cautious. It had come as a surprise to Sam, too. Swiss bank accounts, overseas investments, U.S. holdings in several industries, and more durable wealth. Real estate, cash, and gold. Each shelf was packed.

"You might want to sit down," Sam told her sister.

Chapter Four

The Slow Deterioration of Time

GLANCING AT THE date on the calendar, Elaina heaved a sigh. September 3, 2016. More than nine months had passed since her arrival at the cabin, and the last time she had talked to Marcus was nearly three months ago. He said that he was close to bringing the organization down. Unfortunately, since the list of names, as with the information on the disks, was incomplete, he needed more time to look into this matter.

Her once-abundant cache of supplies was starting to grow thin, and with no cell phone or internet providing her any means of news or connection to the rest of the world, she was restless. She did find a hand-cranked TV and radio combo, but it only picked up snow and one 'all religion all the time' radio station. After an hour of listening to that, Elaina could take no more. She vowed not to turn it on again unless in dire need. She had made a list of her required supplies the night before, and after blowing out both of the kerosene lamps, checking on the fireplace, and hiding her weapon in the waistband of her jeans, Elaina set out down the thick wooded hill to where her vehicle sat hidden over a quarter mile away.

Over the last several months, she had grown to like this part of the state. It was beautiful, quiet, and very peaceful. Yet on the downside, being alone for this length of time was becoming almost unbearable. Elaina occupied most of her time with long walks or jogs throughout the area, reading from the many books in the cabin, and becoming proficient with the late Kim's 9mm handgun, along with several of the rifles that she found hidden in the back storage room.

She was not worried about anyone hearing her shoot, because there was no one anywhere around. There was a generator located in one of the two outer buildings, which she used to recharge her laptop every so often to watch one of the three movies she had saved on her hard drive. The closest vestige of civilization was a small country town thirty miles away. This was where she was heading today, and she was both excited and frightened at the same time.

The walk to the vehicle was easy enough, yet the thought of the return trip with all her provisions played heavy on the back of her mind. Maybe she could drive further in. No, the risk of getting her only means of transportation stuck out here in the boonies was not worth the lessened legwork.

It will be good exercise, she thought, and smiled as she removed the bulky camouflaged tarp covering her SUV. Her vehicle started easily enough, and within minutes, she was pulling off, down the grass-overgrown dirt trail and onto the gravel road with her windows down and radio blaring.

The drive didn't last as long as she thought, and after finding a good spot around the back of the general store, she shut off the engine with building excitement. She put on a tan ball cap and sunglasses as an extra precaution before making her way to the payphone in front of the store.

Elaina did not have to wait long after dialing in Marcus's private number to hear his familiar voice on the other end. She sighed in sheer relief as he spoke. "I was hoping you would call, I have been getting worried about you."

"I'm fine, just going stir-crazy from all the solitude here."

"You're doing great, Elaina. Just stay safe for a while longer, and hopefully this all will be nothing but a bad memory."

"How is it going on your end?"

There was a lengthy pause. "I've been hiding out for the last few weeks, to be honest. Seems someone wants me dead. Don't worry, though. I'm trying to locate a man that should hold the final pieces to all of this."

"I didn't think it would take so long. We have so much information now. Can't we just go to the media?" She knew even as she asked the question that this would not be the smartest thing to do. However, she was beginning to feel bitterly alone, and yes, even desperate to be done with it all.

"You don't understand, Elaina. We have an organization that is run somewhere outside the United States. We have a list of what they plan to do, but not why, and an incomplete list of names of those who are involved within our own government. Acting without knowing the entire story, or exactly who all is involved, could get us both killed."

When Elaina finally hung up the phone, her hand lingered on the handset. Marcus was alive, which was better than she had hoped some nights. Nevertheless, it was taking so long! Reminding herself that standing around like an ice sculpture wasn't going to help any, she turned, making her way into the store with the intention of adding a few bottles of whisky and additional soda to the list.

The store was larger than it appeared from the outside. She filled up the shopping cart within the first two rows, with more than half the list still to go. She was just debating whether to pay for these items, and return after loading them into her vehicle, or if she should try to maneuver a second cart around alongside the first, when an attractive, older woman walked up to her.

"If you have more shopping to do, you can leave this cart behind the counter and grab a new one. Jed lets me do it all the time." She smiled politely.

Elaina returned her smile, followed with a "thank you." She was just about to head up to the counter when the woman extended her hand.

"I'm Agnes Cooper, but most people still refer to me by my maiden name of Kelly. That's my husband, Phillip." She motioned with her head toward the man approaching them from down the far isle. He was carrying a robust watermelon on his shoulder, which he placed into their cart.

After Elaina finished shaking their hands, Agnes asked her husband to take the overloaded cart up to the counter and grab Elaina a new one. He headed off after giving his wife a warm grin.

"If only I could get him to do the dishes," Agnes said as she watched her husband depart. She turned her attention back around to Elaina. "You just move here?"

Elaina shook her head no. "Um, I am camping close by... Sorry, I am Amy, Amy Bishop." Elaina had a feeling this woman knew that this was not really her name and that she was not camping, but thankfully, the woman was polite enough not to pry.

"My husband and I are going to grab some lunch at the diner down the street when we're finished. Would you care to join us? It might prove to be a nice change from campfire food."

Elaina shifted uncomfortably. She knew this was a bad idea. After all, she didn't know these people. They appeared friendly enough, and the thought of human contact was appealing, but she needed to stay as unknown to people as she could. Just coming into town for supplies, and to use the phone was dangerous enough. "I would love to, but I have things that I need to do. Thank you for the offer."

After Phillip returned with her new cart, they all said their farewells. Elaina headed off to finish her shopping, wishing repeatedly that she could have said yes.

THE BOX WAS heavy, but Sam made no move to set it down, mesmerized by the television. Not that the newscaster was saying anything new to her, but somehow, hearing it all neatly summarized made it worse.

"This year and a half following the day marking the start of our second Great Depression has brought sorrow and misery for many of us living within the United States. Businesses closed or gone bankrupt, countless people driven out onto the streets unable to work, and others doing what they can to keep their families together as they hang on by a thread. The middle class is fading away, our classes separating into the rich, poor, and the poorer. Those who do have funds to protect face harsh choices, as banks may close without warning and the government can no longer reimburse losses, but the rise in criminal activity makes the mattress no safer a place to keep savings."

The young man talking into the camera glanced back over his shoulder toward an empty podium, or perhaps to the group gathered nearby. "In spite of all of this, as the air of democracy blows, it has brought with it the hope and promise of one man. A man who has sworn to do all that he can for the good of America and her people. He has promised drastic change, while pointing blame at the incompetent way our elected government officials have squandered money they did not have for so many decades. He has a plan, a plan that raises the hopes of many, earning him the next place in the White House, and in our prayers."

The scene shifted to the waiting crowd, as the group of people gathered at the platform. A tall blonde woman in an expensive dark blue dress and winter coat approached the microphone. "President Adam McMullen swears in this day, on January twentieth, 2017."

"Shh! Quiet, everyone, it's starting!" the flamboyant Steven shouted above the roar of commotion in the room, frantically searching through boxes for the remote to turn up the volume.

Steven's words recalled Sam to her surroundings, and she placed the box labeled 'Kitchen' on the massive oak table before turning back toward the newly connected television. The room was full of off-duty cops and Rachel's college friends that had volunteered to help the two women and Steven move in.

Steven had been their neighbor and Rachel's best friend since the day they had moved from the Ozarks, when Sam had been barely a teen. Several months ago, Steven had arrived home after working the evening shift, to find his house robbed and his mother brutally murdered. Sam and Rachel was the closest thing he had left to family, and both were more than happy to welcome him into their home.

They had received just over three million for their parents' high-end home. It was worth more, but the couple who bought it paid cash, and the whole thing took less than a week to work out. After buying each other belated Christmas presents, and an average three-bedroom house overlooking downtown Kansas City, the sisters put the majority of the money in their overseas accounts.

"Pizzas are here!" Jenkins yelled out above the clamor, making his way into the crowded room carrying a moving box of his own.

"How much is the damage?" Sam shouted back to the stout man.

"The kid said ninety-seven fifty," Jenkins replied. Several of the bodies closest to the door rushed outside to retrieve the multiple boxes of hot pizza.

"Quiet everyone, I'm trying to hear!" Steven insisted, turning up the volume on the TV.

"Can I shoot him?" Jenkins asked, placing his box beside Sam's on the table.

Sam looked up. "Better wait until after we finish unpacking."

Jenkins laughed as he made his way to the kitchen to retrieve one of several six-packs of beer. After handing Sam a beer, he turned to pass the rest out to the other off duty cops.

"Hey, we have beer!" shouted a tall, lanky, red-haired college kid. Sam had only seen him on one other occasion, and could not recall his name.

"How old are you, son?" Jenkins asked, narrowing his eyes at the young man.

"Twenty."

"Sorry, this drink is only for grown men. There is soda and lemonade in the kitchen."

"I've worked just as hard as you have."

Jenkins pulled out his gun, holding it muzzle-end up so the adolescent could see it. "Well, I'm a cop and you're underage."

Sam and a few of the other officers chuckled at how quickly the tall kid moved back to the front of the room. "Here, put your weapon away and give this to the pizza driver."

Jenkins, still amused by his own humor, made his way back out the front door.

"What do you think you're doing?" Steven barked in a manner that brought Sam's head quickly around, her heart racing in panic.

She rolled her eyes when she saw Steven rush over and retrieve the box that Rachel was carrying. Rachel's first boyfriend, her high school sweetheart, the father of her unborn child, had deserted her last month when he found out that she was expecting. The breakup had broken Rachel's heart, but she was a very strong-willed woman, and Steven and Sam stood by her to help her through this hard time.

"Steven, it's only full of sheets and bedding!"

"Plus, she is only two months pregnant," smiled Tashonda, a very attractive black woman on the police force with Sam and Jenkins.

"I don't care, I am still the godfather."

"And mother," declared Jeff, a slightly chunky kid grasping a box of pizza which he had already claimed as his own.

His remark set off a wave of laughter, and Steven gave the greasy-faced Jeff the finger.

"Well, we officially have a new President," Tashonda said, rising to her feet.

"Let's just hope he can get us out of this mess," Jeff mumbled between bites.

Tashonda headed over, grabbing the beer that Jenkins held out to her. Sam shifted uncomfortably as the smooth-skinned woman moved in next to her. "Need help with the unpacking?"

Sam smiled. "No thanks, I think we can manage the rest."

"Sure, we need help." Rachel grinned, giving Sam a wink.

"I don't want to put you out. Really, I'm sure we can manage the rest by ourselves."

Tashonda smiled and shrugged. "Can't blame a girl for trying, can you?"

"You can try with me any day." Jenkins smirked, moving to place his arm around Tashonda's shoulders.

"Not even if all the women on this planet were gone." Her elbow caught him lightly on his left side, making him gasp. She said her goodbyes and made her way out, as did several others. Jenkins trailed off after her, laughing.

"Ouch." Sam jumped the instant Rachel pinched her arm.

"Why did you let her go?" Rachel frowned.

"No kidding, she is so into you," Steven cut in, as he made his way back into the emptying front room. "You need to put an end to these meaningless one-night stands, Sam, and date someone with some substance."

"I appreciate your concerns, but I have no interest in dating, so let's drop it." Sam turned quickly, making her way to her bedroom to unpack.

"Wow, the last girl she actually dated must have really done a number on her."

Rachel's solemn gaze followed her older sister down the hall. "You might say that." She sighed.

Chapter Five

All Alone

THIS WINTER WAS more ruthless than the previous year had been. These last five months had not only brought strong winds, freezing ice, and a record-breaking snowfall, but also silence from Marcus. On the first of February, Elaina covered her body in thick layers, starting with a set of insulated winter long johns and thermal socks under her blue jeans and sweatshirt, topping it off with hiking boots, thermal coat, stocking cap, scarf, and insulated work gloves.

She kept the sturdy cast-iron stove and fireplace burning, double-checking their future wood consumption before heading out into the freezing morning air. Her outfit proved to be more than adequate as she made her way down the hill to her vehicle.

Elaina was grateful that the camouflaged tarp had prevented the ice from two days ago from collecting onto the windshield, but the wind made a funnel of the thing as she struggled to fold it, increasing the already brutal chill. She slid into the driver's seat and quickly closed the door, locking out that wind before placing the key into the ignition.

The engine made a slight groaning sound, the only sign of its brave but futile attempt to return to life. Elaina gripped the key, holding it into position for a few seconds, and releasing it while pumping her foot down onto the gas pedal several times. She turned the key again. This time there wasn't even a groan, only a few metallic ticks followed by ominous silence.

She tried several more times to turn the key, but nothing responded, not even the beeping sound from the door as she opened it after pulling the latch for the hood. She glanced at all the gadgets surrounding and or connected to the battery, unsure of what she was looking for. She was hoping to spot something noticeable and extremely easy to fix. Like a disconnected wire or maybe a cap that needed tightening, if there even was such a thing.

Dirty white mounds of foam covered the two wires that connected on the top of the battery. She sighed, disheartened by the notion that the battery had gone bad and the acid in it was starting to leak.

Shutting the hood, retrieving the key from the ignition, and locking the door to the SUV, Elaina replaced the tarp over the vehicle while thinking of what to do. It was clear that she needed to walk the thirty miles into town for a new battery, but when? She figured it would take her around ten good hours of walking to get there, and if she left early enough, she could make it before the auto store closed. She could use the phone to call Marcus and stay overnight at the only hotel in town, before walking back the next day.

What bothered her was the constantly changing weather lately. She would hate to become stuck out in the middle of a snow or ice storm, on the way to, or back from town. She shook her head. She really needed to talk to Marcus, but that would have to wait until the weather eased up in a month or two. Until then, she had plenty of supplies to last her, and several new books and multiple DVDs to occupy her time.

She was grateful for the volume of purchases she had made on her last trip into town. There almost hadn't been room for everything in her over-sized SUV, but she had somehow managed to fit it all in. At least she wasn't going to starve. Lowering her head in defeat, Elaina started back up the hill to her warm, waiting cabin.

"TWENTY-FIVE COLLEGE STUDENTS in Georgia have been reported dead, many more injured," confirmed the anxious voice of the radio station's announcer, and Sam pushed her squad car that much faster.

"Oh, my! This just in..."

It was March 8, 2017. Sam quickly turned up the radio to an ear-punishing volume. The crime in Kansas City had almost tripled in the past two months, with no indication of slowing any time soon. It was as if everyone had given up hope and begun an insane mission to kill one another. It wasn't just the growing robberies, murders, and gang related violence that was so hard to comprehend, but the mass casualties from targeted bombings, random crowd shootings, and bloodthirsty individuals sparking riots around town. From what Sam heard, it was the same all across the US, but she couldn't think about that. KC had more than enough trouble now.

"I just received word of a gunman opening fire at one of the colleges here in Kansas City. We are awaiting conformation and further details."

Sam knew the story to be true, for she had received the call not more than ten minutes ago, and had been unable to reach her sister or Steven on either of their phones ever since. She brought her patrol car around toward the front of the main building on campus, a crowd of running students parting around her. Spotting Jenkins' car pulling in just ahead of her, she pushed her gas pedal down hard.

"It has been reported that the first shooter in Georgia is dead. We have received confirmation that he used some sort of exploding device on himself and others around him. No news yet on the numbers involved."

Sam flipped off her radio as she brought her car to a screeching halt. Unlocking her shotgun from the holder, Sam jumped out and headed toward Jenkins. "Have you seen Rachel?" she asked, sounding almost hysterical.

"Calm down, Sam, or else you're going to get yourself killed."

"Fuck calm!" Sam shouted, turning to head into the building.

Jenkins stopped her. "Look, we'll go in. First, you need to get your vest on, and take a few deep breaths."

Sam examined him briefly, then when that little voice inside her head told her to listen; she rushed back and quickly retrieved her vest from the trunk of her car.

"Captain just called," Jenkins shouted, ushering the students out as fast as he could. Several had blood covering their bodies and others helped carry out injured friends. "He said to proceed with caution. There's a good chance the shooter has some kind of a bomb on him."

Sam quickly ran back up to him. Tashonda and her rookie partner rushed up as they were about to head in.

"Are you all right?" Tashonda asked Sam, concerned.

Sam nodded, while looking at Jenkins for the go.

"By twos. Sam and me up front, you and the kid follow behind."

Everyone indicated that they understood. Sam blocked out the terrifying images of her pregnant sister lying dead on the cold tile floor and forced herself to focus on the task before them.

They made their way quickly inside the brick building and around to the base of the first set of stairs, each taking a watchful position on either side of the area. When Sam and Jenkins moved forward, Tashonda and her partner moved up to take their abandoned positions while checking constantly behind them for any unexpected trouble.

They saw the first dead student as soon as they reached the top of the stairs.

"Crap," muttered Jenkins. Sam looked at him, surprised, then back at the corpse, understanding his tone when she realized that it was the red-haired kid that he had denied a beer not more than two months ago.

Sam did not recognize any of the other dead bodies that lay scattered throughout the hall, but many looked young, too young, giving Sam the impression that this was the area the freshmen classes were held.

Jenkins inhaled loudly, then motioned for Sam to take the far outside wall when they moved. She signaled her understanding as he held up three fingers. He and Sam moved as one around the corner, crouching down against opposite walls.

They stopped at each of the rooms along the way, and after securing the rooms, they directed any able students they spotted to move out down the hall toward the main door. When they reached the third set of doors, Jenkins stopped, and scanned the area inside. He quickly motioned for Sam to come to him and the other two to stay.

Sam and Jenkins moved into the room. A small crowd of kids huddled in a far corner, and in the middle of the room, kneeling down over a bloody unmoving body, were Rachel and Steven. Sam's heart raced and she quickly made her way over to her sister. Jenkins moved the rest of the students out as Sam examined the lifeless body.

"Rachel, get Steven out of here. I'll take care of Nathan," she said, the ache building in her heart. Nathan and Steven had been dating for the last three years, and seeing him lying there was almost unbearable.

Rachel pulled the red, swollen-faced Steven with her as Sam felt the young man's neck for a pulse. She did not need the confirmation of her fingers, nor for Jenkins to tell her that Nathan was already dead, but hearing his words brought her back to the job at hand. She rose angrily to her feet to continue on in search of other students and the bastard responsible.

They moved out, taking their positions along the hall, moving down to each of the rooms as they went. When they were two classroom rows away from the end, all hell broke loose. A man jumped out from the last room, screaming in a language that Sam did not recognize. He gripped the neck of a hysterical girl in one hand; the other held a raised automatic weapon. He sent two burst of weapon-fire down the hall toward them before rushing with the crying girl back into the room.

Sam glanced at Jenkins, then back toward the other two officers. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw Tashonda lying on her back and the rookie kneeling next to her. Just as she was about to rush back to the unmoving woman, an earth-shattering explosion knocked her to the ground, and chunks of stone and hot wreckage rained down around her.

Chapter Six

The End of Democracy

SAM ARRIVED AT the department on April 13, 2017 after a long, tiring day in the city. Crime was at an all-time high. The President's public appeal last month didn't seem to have helped the situation much. With all the violence and deaths throughout the country, the President declared a State of Emergency, and banned firearms of any kind other than military personnel and law officials. He had declared that it would be illegal for anyone to be caught breaking this law, and strongly urged citizens not to.

Her mood lifted at the sight of the petite woman heading down the hall toward her. Tashonda appeared healthy, cheerful. Her uniform hung looser than normal, yet considering what she had been through, this was to be expected.

"Did you miss me?" Tashonda asked, giving Sam a seductive smile.

On any normal day, Sam would have evaded this engaging, highly flirtatious woman. However, since that day at the college, over a month ago, when a bullet hit Tashonda in the leg, she had been on sick leave, and Sam had been worried.

"Yes. We all did. How's the leg?" Tashonda playfully narrowed her eyes. "Better, but you'd have known that if you came around to check on me." "I sent you several care packages." "Yes, with Jenkins. Thanks, by the way. Now he and my baby sister are dating." Tashonda rolled her eyes.

Sam coughed back a laugh and avoided eye contact with the other woman. When her cell phone rang, she held up a hand to Tashonda, politely excusing herself for a moment.

She stiffened as she took in what the caller had to say.

Her distress must have been obvious, for Tashonda's voice sounded concerned the moment the call ended, "Is everything all right?"

Replacing her phone back into her front breast pocket, Sam could hear the stress in her own voice when she spoke. "That was my Aunt Agnes. She said that Mr. Dowell, one of my family's closest friends, was shot and killed last night."

"Oh, I am sorry. What happened?"

Sam shrugged. "She didn't want to tell me on my cell phone, but she sounded pretty upset. I am supposed to call her back later tonight."

Tashonda placed a gentle hand on Sam's shoulder. "Let me know if you need anything."

"Kelly, Baker, meeting in ten minutes!" shouted a voice from the other end of the hall. Both women acknowledged their Sergeant, watching as Sergeant Clark turned back into the conference room.

"What's up with him?"

"Not sure. He has been like that for the past week." Sam smoothly played off a slight turn to the left, bringing the hand Tashonda had just placed on her shoulder down and off.

"Why do you constantly fight me on this? You know, you just might like me if you were to only give it a chance."

Sam peered into Tashonda's eyes for a moment before she spoke. "It has nothing to do with you."

"Here we go," Tashonda mumbled, rolling her eyes.

"You asked, so I'm telling you. I'm happy being single. I'm sorry, but I'm not looking for a relationship of any kind."

"I am not asking for the U-haul truck, Sam. Just a drink. Hell, we can even make it coffee if you say yes."

"Come on, you two, we better get in there. I just got off the phone with the Sarge and he sounds pretty upset," said Jenkins, making his way down the hall.

Tashonda gave Jenkins a look before turning sharply and heading off for the meeting.

"You know, I don't think she likes me dating her sister."

Smiling, Sam followed Tashonda into the room. Sam did not care one way or the other, she was just happy that Jenkins had shown up when he did. "She will, just give her time."

The conference room was unusually quiet as they made their way into the crowded area. Sam noticed eight, well-dressed men in dark blue business suits lining the outer walls. At first glance, she had them pegged for FBI agents, yet something about the way they glared at Sam's fellow officers quickly told her that she was wrong.

"What's going on?" Tashonda leaned over, whispering in Sam's ear.

However, before Sam had a chance to respond with an "I have no idea," a tall man wearing a dark blue suit walked into the room. His hair was short, reddish-brown, and neatly tapered to the middle of his neck. The suit he wore had a slightly different cut than the others, showing off his slim waist and powerfully built chest. He made his way casually up to the podium in the front of the room.

Something about the man's eyes disturbed Sam, and she turned her gaze away as he spoke. "I'm Agent Brandon Clayton with the HTF. For those of you that have not been watching the news, that would be the Homeland Task Force." He snickered, implying to all present that he meant that last part as a joke. The majority of his audience remained silent, but light laughter did emerge from his fellow agents.

"We are the agents assigned to this department. Our orders are to assist you fine officers with the implementation of the Homeland Protection Act. We will be with you for as long as it takes to bring this crisis to an end. Therefore, please don't hesitate to let me know if there is anything I can do for you."

Sam was not the only officer to jump at the loud thumping sounds. She quickly realized that the noise was coming from huge, thick books striking down hard on top of each desk, as the HTF agents dropped copies in front of each officer in the room. Without thinking, Sam glanced over to the agent standing behind the podium. Her gaze froze. Brandon was eying her like a starving lion glares at a raw juicy steak. She had never before seen a pair of eyes like his. If someone had asked her to describe them, she would have used words like disturbing, sinister, or maybe even evil. She shifted uncomfortably in her seat, opened the book that thumped down before her, and stared down at the tiny, typed words, reluctant to look up again.

"This is absurd!"

The unmistakable voice of Officer Simmons brought Sam out of her daze, and she glanced up in time to see him rising to his feet.

Brandon stopped in mid-sentence and addressed the agitated officer. "Pardon me, Officer..."

"The name's Simmons, mister, and the provisions in this document take away every constitutional right that we as Americans hold dear."

"Well, Officer Simmons, we are in the middle of a crisis--"

"Turn to page thirty-nine." Simmons cut the agent off, and Sam could tell by the look on Brandon's face that this was something that did not happen often. Pages rustled throughout the room as everyone, including her, turned to the page Simmons directed. However, everything was so crammed together that she had no idea what he was referring to.

"Now go to Section A, Sub-part D, of law HPA thirteen-dashseven."

It took Sam several seconds to find it, but as she did, Simmons began to read aloud:

"Any individual discovered to have broken any of these laws, attempted to undermine the provisions of this Act in whole or in part, or deemed a threat to the Government of this Nation, can be taken and held up for an indefinite period of time, without prior notification or elucidation to any other individual or party. The direct or extended family of said individual may also be taken. In addition, the Government may confiscate any and all property and assets held by the individual or family, to dispose of in accordance with the Government's immediate needs."

Simmons ended the reading by slamming his book closed, and tossing it down onto the desk beside him. "I became an officer to serve and protect. Not to become a member of the Nazi party!"

Brandon waved down several of his men who were moving angrily toward Simmons's direction. "I'm sorry you feel that way, Officer Simmons, but this is the law, and as a fine officer of this country, you are required to enforce its laws."

"Not anymore," he said in a low, firm tone. He proceeded to empty his weapon, placed it and his badge down on top of his desk, and quickly exited the room.

A few of the other officers stood to follow suit. Brandon's voice was clear, unwavering, as he spoke. "In case you all have forgotten, we are in a major Depression. The unemployment lines, work lines, and bread lines you go by every day are not figments of your imagination. They are real, people. Families are being separated because of starvation and poverty. Please, I beg you to reconsider." His eyes held no sympathy. "Think about your children, and those that count on you for support, before you walk out that door."

Sam detested this man, this much she knew, but Brandon did get his message across. One by one, the officers slowly retook their seats. Sam didn't need the money, but she did feel a need to wear her uniform.

The meeting lasted for well over an hour, and when everyone had filed out, Sam made her way to the locker-room to change. She was halfway down the hall, heading for the main doors in her civilian jeans and T-shirt, when a figure appeared out from one of the larger offices.

"Ah, Officer Kelly, I was hoping that I might run into you. Could you spare a moment? There are some things that I need to discuss with you."

"Well, actually I was just on my way home. Could this wait?"

"It will only take a minute."

Sam paused for a few seconds before following Brandon back into his newly claimed office. Brandon motioned for Sam to take a seat in front of his desk and he made his way around to his position of authority.

"I really must be--"

"Your name is Samantha?" He flipped through a file on his desk. Hers, she assumed.

Sam nodded, unsure of where this was going.

"Several of the officers said that you preferred to be called Sam, is that right?"

Sam nodded again.

"Well, Sam, it says here that you were in the United States Army for eight years before joining the Force."

This time, Sam didn't respond.

"Just in the two years that you have been a police officer, you have earned several awards, including a certificate from the mayor himself."

"Have I done something wrong?"

Brandon laughed while standing and making his way slowly around the desk. "On the contrary, Sam, I was planning to give you a promotion."

"What kind of promotion?" Sam shifted in her seat as Brandon moved in front of her and leaned back against the edge of his desk.

"You are just the sort of person this government needs to help heal this out-of-control nation. You are tough, patriotic, and a real go-getter, if I may be so bold." He motioned with a flick of his head over his shoulder to Sam's folder. "It says that you were deployed three times into combat zones, have been given two purple hearts, and a bronze star. Yes, the HTF could use a woman with your caliber."

Sam kept her voice level as she spoke. "I like being an officer. Sorry, but I must decline."

Brandon seemed slightly taken aback, but recovered quickly. "This will more than triple your current salary, not to mention..."

Sam stood up quickly. It took some restraint, but she remained composed. "There is more to life than money."

Brandon grinned. "Oh, so you're one of those." He stood up and moved slightly closer to Sam. "There are other benefits that come with the promotion." His voice was low, his eyes hungry. He placed his right hand suggestively on Sam's shoulder.

Sam bit back the urge to deck this man. She figured that with these new laws, that probably would have earned her the firing squad. "I'm with someone, but thanks anyway."

Brandon smiled. He allowed his fingers to glide down Sam's arm as he withdrew his hand. "I guess we are done here, then."

Just as Sam was about to leave the room, Brandon called her name. Sam turned, throwing him a forced smile.

"It might take time, but I eventually get what I want."

"Not this time," Sam muttered to herself as she quickly left the building.

SAM HAD DONE everything that she could to avoid Brandon throughout the next several weeks. From changing in and out of her uniform at home, to checking the shift schedule to see what times Brandon worked, the better to avoid being in the station then. She often waited out in front for Tashonda or Jenkins to show up before clocking in. Both had asked her if anything was the matter, but she always had some excuse ready just in case. It wasn't that she was afraid of him. She just didn't want to place herself in an uncomfortable situation if she could avoid it.

The riots in the city grew steadily worse as the President announced new laws one by one. The two most recent laws were the least favorite by far. First, there was a mandatory nationwide registration of every man, woman, and child. Next, a mandatory curfew from nine in the evening to five in the morning soon followed.

Sam, along with most of the other officers, often let people off with warnings when the HTF was not around. However, if the HTF was present and the citizens were without the proper travel documentation, they had no choice but to immediately incarcerate the citizens, no matter their excuse.

She could not believe how quickly life in America was changing. The once free air that soared throughout the nation was transforming into something thicker, dangerous. The unreal for Sam was becoming real. Her once beloved land of the free was turning into a police state. For Sam, the American Constitution was feeling more like a discarded scrap of paper, than an affirmation of Freedom and Independence. She felt helpless.

Today was the first day in a week she hadn't been called in early for riot control. As she made her way down to the detail board with Tashonda and Jenkins, the three engaged in light conversation.

"What is checkpoint detail?" Tashonda asked, turning from the board toward Sam, who shrugged her shoulders.

"Checkpoint detail is a new system that we are going to begin carrying out, starting today," Brandon replied from behind them. He gave Sam a small grin before continuing, "You'll proceed to Agent Baxter, and he will fill you in on where you need to be."

As they turned to leave, Brandon called out to Sam, "Officer Kelly, may I have a quick word?" Tashonda and Jenkins each noticed the look in Sam's eyes and both stopped in mid-stride. "Just Officer Kelly, you two may go."

Tashonda gave Jenkins an uneasy look, which he returned. Sam followed Brandon back into his office, while keeping herself alert and at a distance. Once they were inside, he shut the door behind them.

"Officer Kelly, please take a seat."

Sam did as instructed. She had known for some time now that this moment would arrive. She sat there, wondering whether she should hand in her weapon and badge now, or if she should wait until after she got in a few good punches first. Sam decided to wait.

"I'm starting to think you're avoiding me."

Sam didn't say a word. She just sat there, staring silently up at the arrogant man.

After a few moments, Brandon smirked, moving a few feet closer to Sam, away from the door. "Have you changed your mind about the job offer?"

"No, and I don't plan to, either." Sam smiled, sitting back in her chair.

"You know, I could have you fired."

Sam stood up, ready for a fight. She was getting sick and tired of being nervous about going to work every day. She wanted this to end, and she wanted it to end now. "Then fire me!"

Brandon looked surprised, but quickly recovered. The room filled with his hearty laugh. "I like you, Sam. I'm not going to fire you. I was just..."

"Threatening me?"

"Of course not. You have me all wrong." He moved in closer. "I've never met a woman like you. So determined, so full of confidence in the way you carry yourself."

"What do you want?" Sam asked in a low angry voice.

"Why, I want you, of course. I just need to find your weakness. Even though it's taking longer than expected, I can see that you will be worth it." His smirk felt like a slap in the face as Sam moved toward him with her fist clenched.

"You can go to hell!" Sam shouted.

"Is this foreplay?"

The door opened quickly, and Tashonda and Jenkins came rushing in.

Brandon looked outraged. He turned sharply toward the intruders, like a coiled snake preparing to strike. His dark eyes softened instantly as if a new personality had taken over, giving Sam the feeling that Brandon's wiring was slightly off.

"We heard yelling," Jenkins stated, looking from Brandon to the heated Sam.

"No, everything is fine. Right, Officer Kelly?"

Sam gestured with a quick chin movement, too upset to speak.

"You see. Now if you three would leave, I have some work to do."

Tashonda turned to Sam as soon as they were at a safe distance down the hall. "What's going on, Sam?"

"I can handle it."

"This is why you have been acting odd lately, isn't it?" Jenkins seemed upset. "Sam, you need to see the Captain, you can't mess around with these people, especially him."

"Don't you think I know that?" Sam felt bad at how angrily her words came out. He was only trying to help, after all. "Listen, thank you both for your concern, but I will handle this on my own. I'm not sure what that man is capable of, and I don't want either of you to get hurt."

Tashonda looked from Jenkins to Sam. "Let's just do what we can to watch each other's backs."

CHECKPOINT DETAIL CONSISTED of searching every vehicle, and travel paperwork of people coming into or going out of different major roads throughout the city. The detail was grueling as the three of them, along with Sergeant Clark, worked alongside three of the newer HTF agents. Sam and the other officers noticed how the agents became excited when they arrested someone.

"I need your travel papers," Sam said to a middle-aged man who was traveling with his wife and two frightened kids.

Sam examined the man's documents. Their traveling papers seemed in order. She breathed in an inward sigh of relief. "Could you pop the trunk, please?"

"What do you want to see inside my trunk for?" His tone and the building stress on his face sent up warning flags in her mind. Sam peered over to where the HTF agents were tearing through two other vehicles.

"It's just routine, sir. Are you carrying anything that would be considered illegal or unsafe?"

"No, we're just going to my brother's down south."

Sam nodded. "Please pop the trunk."

He reluctantly did as she asked, and Sam walked around to the rear of the car to examine the various contents. Just when she thought all was clear and she was about to step back to the front, the outline of a long familiar object caught her eye. She reached down slightly, lifting the sheet that was covering the rifle, so that only she could see.

"Sir, I need you step back here?"

Sam moved over, observed the man squeeze his wife's hand, and waited while the man climbed slowly from the car and made his way to where she was standing.

"Why do you have this?" Sam asked, keeping her voice low.

"Look, officer, I'm a law-abiding man. I bought this item two days ago for this trip. I really am just trying to get to my brother's farm. With everything that is going on, I need to protect my family, don't I?"

"It's illegal."

"It's necessary."

Sam peeked over, noticing that one of the HTF agents was looking her way. She quickly looked back to the man. "Don't bring it back into the city. If you come upon another checkpoint, find some way to dispose of this."

He nodded wiped his brow with a great look of relief. Quickly, he proceeded back to the driver's side of his car. Sam turned, noticing the agent making his way toward her. She moved up to the man's window, instructing him to leave quickly.

"Hey!" She heard a shout from behind her as the car began to pull away.

"They were clear," Sam insisted, turning to the agent.

"My ass, they--"

The shot that rang out spun them both quickly around.

"What the fuck are you doing?" screamed Sergeant Clark, who rushed over to where a biker laid sprawled out on the ground.

"He had a gun!"

"He wasn't going for it. You didn't have to shoot him."

Everyone rushed over to where Clark crouched down next to the unmoving man. "He's still alive."

"I can fix that." The moment the agent brought his weapon up to take aim at the injured biker, Clark drew his sidearm. Within a flash, everyone was pointing weapons at each other. Cops at the agents, agents back to the cops.

"What the hell is going on here?" The Captain's voice demanded Sam's attention, yet she kept her eyes on the agent and her weapon on her target.

"I'm ordering everyone to lower their weapons now!" Brandon's words were hard, crisp, and his agents obeyed. As soon as they had their weapons holstered, the officers dropped their own.

The captain called in for an ambulance for the injured man, as agent and officer each gave their side of the story.

"This is getting out of hand!" the Captain bellowed the second he got off the radio.

"Yes, it is! Next time your men pull on my agents, I will have them all arrested!"

"Your agent was going to shoot an unconscious man!"

"It's within his right, and we are in charge! I want everyone back at the station and in my office as soon as this shift is over, and that includes you as well, Captain Miller.

Chapter Seven

Time To Leave

THE LAST OF the winter storms that passed through was over a week ago, followed by a number of warmer days and several frostless nights. This gave Elaina the hope she needed to start her long thirty-mile walk into town. She was not positive how heavy her backpack would be with a new battery crammed inside, so she packed light, with just enough provisions for the round-trip journey.

She headed out on the first day of May, before first light, keeping her body hidden within the thickness of the trees, but near enough to the road to prevent her from falling off course and becoming lost. Impressed by the time she was making, she allowed herself to stop once when she was over halfway there for a quick snack, and a much-needed potty break.

Even though she had worked out in the cabin throughout the winter months, with push-ups, sit-ups, and various calisthenics, her legs still ached from moving through the rough terrain. The foliage was thick in this area, and the massive Ozark hills didn't make the hike any easier. By the time Elaina finally made her way past the first building in town, her body was screaming out in exhaustion.

Dusk began to blanket itself over the vast area, pushing Elaina to move herself that much faster. She was unsure what time the store closed, and she wanted to purchase a battery before using the phone, and afterwards, head to the small downtown motel for the night.

Something felt off as she made her way along the first several rows of house-lined streets, toward the heart of downtown. It wasn't until just before her last turn when she realized what had caused her uneasiness. There were no sounds of laughter from children playing. No cars drove past, bringing their passengers to wave to her their friendly small town greeting. All was silent, quite unlike her other trips into this once-spirited place.

She glanced around, as if for the first time noticing the cold unfriendly houses that stood on either side of the road. Several homes appeared empty, vacant of their former tenants. The rest had bars or boards covering the windows. Elaina pulled her jacket around her tighter. The weather had not suddenly dropped, but a cold chill passed through her nonetheless.

She wanted nothing more than to get her battery and go. She had a good idea what was happening around her. She had hoped that this would not happen. She often prayed that somehow Marcus had managed to stop it. Yet here it was. The beginning of the devastation soon to come.

Feeling under her jacket for the security of the gun that lay hidden, Elaina quickened her pace. Her heart sank as she turned onto the downtown square. The general store was not just closed, but out of business. Thankfully, the auto parts store across the street was still open, but the inventory, once she stepped inside, seemed very limited.

It took several minutes for the man behind the counter to determine which battery her SUV needed, and several more minutes for him to find it. She could feel his eyes curiously watch, as Elaina placed the battery into her backpack before heading back out onto the main road, toward the payphone.

She dug a handful of change out from the front pocket of her jeans, placed quarter after quarter into the slot located at the top of the black and silver mounted box, and dialed in Marcus's number. On the third ring, the phone picked up. However, instead of hearing the familiar voice of Marcus on the other end, Elaina's ears encountered complete silence.

She stood there, waiting for several seconds, wondering if the phone had lost the connection. "Hello? Marcus, are you there?"

Still there was nothing. Hanging up the phone, Elaina repeated the entire process again. "Marcus?"

"Is this Elaina? Sorry, Marcus just stepped out, but he will be back shortly." The sound of the deep male voice on the other end froze Elaina in place. "If you don't mind waiting for a second, I can run and get him for you. I know he has wanted to talk to you for quite some time."

The man spoke slowly. Playing for time? If anyone other than I should answer, then that will mean I'm dead. The memory of Marcus's words cut like a knife, and Elaina slammed the receiver down hard.

Marcus was dead, and they were trying to track her location through the phone. Do they know where I am? She gripped the wall-hung booth for support. Her mind spun. Her body felt weak, and she fought hard to regain herself. How long do I have? Her stomach knotted, causing her to fight down the urge to be sick from rising fear. She silently cursed herself, taking several deep breaths for temporary courage.

Not wanting to linger out in the open, Elaina made her way back out of town in the same direction she had come. Her eyes kept constant watch for any signs of movement around her. She didn't care that night was falling, or that the temperature had dropped several degrees within the last twenty minutes. All she wanted to do was to head back to the safety of the cabin. Once there, she would plan her next course of action.

RACHEL WAS SITTING on the couch with Steven, who was talking to his unborn goddaughter in Rachel's stomach, when Sam walked in. She collapsed heavily down onto the overstuffed chair with a long sigh. It was the third day of May. Other than the weather outside, nothing else was changing.

Rachel glanced over, exchanging an uncertain look with Steven, before both turned their attention onto Sam. "You're home late, is everything all right?" Steven asked.

Sam gave a weak smile. "Oh, you know, just another wonderful day with the HTF," she muttered sarcastically.

Rachel stood up and left the room, returning quickly with a newly opened, cold bottle of beer that she handed to her sister.

"Where did you get this?" Sam tapped on the glass with an impressed look. "Beer in a glass. Have you been getting into the emergency fund?" Sam chuckled tiredly before taking a long soothing drink. There hadn't been beer in the house since the night they'd moved in. With the high prices and rationing, Sam denied herself this one small treat. Instead, she spent her extra money on baby items.

Rachel smiled. "Steven knows a guy who knows a guy, and if I wanted to get into the emergency fund then I would."

Sam laughed at her sister before turning to Steven. "You don't like beer."

"Yes, but you do, and with everything that you have done for me, and with the stress you've been under lately, I figured you needed it."

Sam gazed at him, touched, before lowering her eyes to the drink in her hand. "So, you've noticed?"

"We both have, and we have been worried about you," Rachel said, as she sat back down onto the couch.

"Sorry. I tried to keep the stress from that place away from home." Sam heaved a sigh. "I guess I didn't do so well."

Steven waved her off. "What's going on, Sam?"

Sam shook her head slowly.

"We're your family, please talk to us." Rachel gave her sister a tender look, reminding Sam of their mother.

Letting out a deep breath of air, Sam finally gave in. The weight that hung heavy on her shoulders seemed to lift as she spoke. She talked for great lengths on Brandon, and the stressors she was going through at work because of him and the HTF.

Once she was done, Steven angrily got up, replacing her empty bottle with a fresh one. "He can't do that!"

"Unfortunately, he can," Sam grumbled.

"Let's leave here, Sam. Steven and I have been talking about transferring schools anyway, so let's leave, and move back down to the farm."

Sam slowly shook her head. This thought had entered her mind several times in the last month alone, but it was important that Steven and Rachel finish their education. "You both need to finish school," she said, slowly rising to her feet.

"We can go to school in Springfield. We have already applied to the college for the next semester and..." Rachel paused, jumping up to grab two envelopes from the kitchen table. "We both got in. It's around forty-five minutes from the farm and we can carpool together."

Sam looked down at the two envelopes Rachel was holding. For a split second, she felt a wave of parental anger for not having been informed sooner of this plan they had concocted. However, she quickly realized that both were mature enough to make their own decisions.

"This is what you both want?"

Simultaneously, they nodded. Sam moved over to the massive bay window in deep thought. Several of the houses around them were empty, and a few had boards on their windows for fear of the growing vandalism throughout the city. She closed her eyes to the view. She was growing tired of her once-beloved city. She was sick of the violence, disheartened by the numbers of homeless families wondering the streets of Kansas City. She was ready to return back to the land of her ancestors. More than ready. "Well, I guess a move just might do us all a bit of good."

SAM HAD THE next two days off from work, giving her time to get the affairs with the house in order, along with gathering all of their financial documentation and travel passes. At first, she had planned to give her two weeks notice at work. However, the thought of being on the road, of heading away from the city, away from Brandon Clayton, was more exciting than Sam had first realized. She finally decided on a week.

She wasn't sure what she was going to do once they got there. The thought of applying at the police department in Springfield crossed her mind. However, she wasn't keen on the idea of a profession that forced her to work hand in hand with the HTF. She did not want to be a farmer, that much she knew. She loved the land and the wide-open space, but she had worked it when she was younger with her father and Aunt Agnes, and even though the work was hard and fulfilling, it was also quite lonely, and too tranquil for Sam's energetic nature.

When Sam opened the front door, piles of packing boxes stacked along the walls in the oversized front room, greeted her. She chuckled. Rachel and Steven were just as ready to leave town as she was, if not more so. She called out to them that she was home, placed her weapon and holster down on the table, and headed off with a smile on her face into the kitchen.

After opening one of the several beers in the fridge, Sam made her way around to every room in the house, eager to share her exciting news. The realtor had called her less than thirty minutes ago, to tell Sam that she found an out-of-town buyer for the house. It was a company that was buying up homes in this neighborhood to turn into condominiums for the upper-class citizens, who were apparently unaffected by this Depression. Those were not the woman's exact words, but Sam read between the lines as the boisterous woman spoke.

They agreed to Sam's asking price. All she had left to do now was to head into the realtor's office first thing in the morning, sign some paperwork, and close the deal before she went into work.

Sam didn't find anyone on the main or top floor of the house. Feeling happier than she had in a long time, Sam made her way quickly downstairs to the finished basement, whistling an old ninety's tune as she went. She stopped abruptly at the bottom of the stairs. The lights in the main room were off, giving the suggestion that no one was down there. She placed her beer on the pool table before quickly making her way into and out of each of the closed rooms, yelling out Rachel's and Steven's names as she went.

With her heart racing, Sam took the stairs two at a time. She continued to shout out into the eerie silence while moving back through each floor of the house. She ended her search back in the front room, where she began to pace nervously.

It was five minutes to nine, five minutes before the start of the curfew. Sam was a police officer, and allowed to venture out late at night without a permit. Rachel and Steven were not.

Just as the clock struck nine and Sam had her jacket thrown back on, the front door opened. "Where were you?" Sam demanded, fuming with worry.

Rachel quickly made her way into the house. Her eyes darted frantically around the room before she turned to her sister. "Has Steven come home yet?"

Sam fought to keep her voice controlled. "I thought he was with you."

"He was, but I left him at the college to finish his transfer paperwork three hours ago. I went to rent the moving truck, and he was supposed to meet me out front after he finished." Rachel looked terrified. "Sam, there was a riot at the school. I drove around for quite some time, but it was getting late. I didn't know what to do." Rachel stared back toward the kitchen, before glancing outside. "I thought that maybe he came back home. I need to go find him." Her last remark came out in almost a cry.

Sam grabbed her arm. "No, I'll go. You wait for him here. If he comes home, you call me first thing."

Rachel motioned that she understood.

"Whatever you do, don't leave the house." With that, Sam was gone.

THE FIRST STOP Sam made that night was to the security building located on the college campus. No one had reported seeing a student meeting Steven's description after curfew check. However, both guards promised to call Sam if they did happen to find him on one of their many rounds. She made a sweep of the area in her truck twice before turning her vehicle back to the main road for the station.

If they arrested anyone during the riot, they would have taken the detainees to Sam's police station, since the school fell under its jurisdiction. Parking her truck out front, Sam quickly made her way up the stairs, heading into the main door. She was surprised to see that the front desk was empty. She made her way down the deserted hall in search for answers.

The unpleasant feeling that rose in her stomach drastically increased by the time she reached the stairway leading down to the lower holding level. It was far too quiet in the building, giving her the feeling that something bad was happening. Yet her gut told her to push on.

There was no preparing herself for the horrific view when she opened the door at the bottom of the stairs. The high laughter of the three HTF agents reached her ears, while her eyes drifted downward in disbelief to the bloody, crumpled body of the blonde-haired Steven lying on the floor at their feet. Their jackets were off, and their sleeves rolled up high, each man enjoying the beating they were inflicting on this defenseless teenager.

Rage filled her completely, and she reached under her jacket for her gun. The image of her weapon lying, useless, on the table at home, flashed in her mind when her fingers came back empty. She had begun a sweep around the room for a weapon when one of the agents punched Steven hard on his swollen face, and another aimed a powerful kick into his stomach.

Sam rushed forward, grabbing up a metal chair as she went. She sent it with as much force as she could to the closest of the three agents. The man's high-pitched shrieks, combined with the cracking sound that followed, played like gratifying music in Sam's ears. Ferociously, she kicked her leg out into another's kneecap, bring him down hard, wailing on the floor next to the first.

The last agent standing surveyed his fallen comrades in disbelief. He narrowed his eyes at Sam with a smile rolling across his tight lips. "Little girl officer want to play?"

Sam remembered this man, the same agent who had watched her inspect the car with the rifle in it on the first day of Checkpoint Detail. The agent she had pulled her weapon on, and who pulled his weapon on her that same day.

Sam glanced down at Steven, not liking the shallow breaths he was taking. She saw a movement out of the corner of her eye, with just enough time to move her head out of the way before the agent's fist made contact. He had put all that he had into that hit, leaving him exposed to Sam's crushing right uppercut. The force of the impact sent his body back hard against the solid brick wall, and sparkling flashes of light jumped into his vision. She fired two more blows, sending the hefty agent onto the floor next to the other two, except this one was out cold the instant his head made contact with the unyielding concrete floor.

She didn't hear the other agents come in until it was too late. The stout muscular man who tackled her aimed two hard punches straight into her kidneys, causing her to double over with pain.

"That's enough!" shouted Brandon's deep, familiar voice from somewhere behind Sam.

"But, sir, look what she did to our agents."

"Be quiet! I said everything that happens here tonight is off the record. Now, put the kid back into his cell and take Officer Kelly up to my office!"

Sam felt hands grab her arms and two men lifted her up onto her feet. She roughly shook them off before spinning angrily around to face Brandon. "What the fuck is going on here!"

"Such language. Please follow these men and I will explain everything to you."

"Kiss my ass!"

Brandon looked over to the agent who was placing Steven into one of the many empty cells. "Agent Griffin, I will call you on the phone later tonight. It will be either to kill that young man in there or to release him into Officer Kelly's care. Do you have a problem carrying out either one of those orders?"

"No, sir, I don't," the agent replied, smiling.

"Good, now, Officer Kelly, please accompany these men up to my office."

Sam pushed by the men. "I know the fucking way," she muttered. Brandon waved his bristling agents to stand down, and followed.

"Sam, please take a seat," he said, closing his office door behind them.

He was acting as if what had just happened down in the basement, what had happened to Steven, had never transpired. It pissed her off. Sam picked up the chair and threw it with all her force into the wall of books, delicate trinkets, and glass-plated plaques sitting on the built-in shelves in the back of the room. It hit with a thunderous crash, bringing books, shattered glass, and shelves down in one massive heap.

"Feel better?" Brandon asked with raised eyebrows.

"Not yet," Sam answered, taking two steps toward the amused man.

"It only takes one bullet to end the life of that boy downstairs. Do you really want to see that happen?" he asked, leaning back on the edge of his desk.

"What do you want?"

Brandon stared at Sam evenly. "You know what I want."

"I'm not for sale!"

"All right. I have your answer." Brandon stood up casually, heading to the closed door.

Just as his hand touched the cold metal handle, Sam spoke. "You have no soul," she whispered, fighting down the urge to vomit.

Brandon turned with a look of surprise. "Sam, I'm not your enemy. I care for you a great deal. You have no idea the lengths I had to go through to plan this night out."

Sam stood there, dumbfounded.

"Sam, please understand that everything about you inspires me. I have sat in this room for hours upon hours thinking about what this moment would be like."

"What do you want me to do?" Sam didn't want to hear anymore, she only wanted this night to end.

"Why, be with me, of course."

"Then you will let Steven go?"

"You have my word."

Sam walked over to Brandon, unsure of what to do. Her heart was not in this, her insides turned colder than ice as she fought down the cry building in her throat. She wanted to be sick, to strike out, and to run as far away from this soulless monster as she could, and never look back.

Brandon leaned in to kiss Sam on the lips, but Sam quickly pulled away. Brandon tried again, but came up with the same ending. "Fine. It's just business!" he spat. He removed his jacket, throwing it down onto the floor.

Sam watched, feeling ill, as Brandon unfastened his shoulder holster, tossing it aside, angrily undid his belt, and unzipped his pants. He leaned back on the edge of his desk and pulled Sam to him. Sam closed her eyes as she brought her head down between the man's unfastened slacks. As soon as she reluctantly lowered the top of the separating boxers, Brandon forcefully pulled it back up, throwing Sam's hand away hard.

"Isn't this what you wanted?" Sam more mouthed than spoke.

"Fuck you!" Brandon moved around his desk and picked up the phone in his room.

Sam rushed over with a mixture of anger and fear spreading through her. She yanked the handset from his hand, returned it to the receiver, and slammed the phone down hard on the desk, where it shattered under the force of the impact.

"How dare you--"

Sam shoved Brandon roughly back against the wall. With one jerking motion, she tore Brandon's shirt open, sending buttons flying everywhere. She pushed her mind away as far as she could the moment her mouth covered his overly firm appendage. Sam sucked in hard, wishing to cause as much pain as possible to this man. She could feel Brandon's muscles tighten with desire. Sam closed her eyes as tight as she could, as unwanted tears began to slide down the length of her cheeks.

SAM GENTLY PLACED Steven into her truck, buckled his injured body in, and closed the door. She leaned forward, vomiting up everything in her stomach and then some. Refusing to look back at the building, Sam climbed in behind the steering wheel and started the motor. She drove as fast as she could to the hospital, while images of the last hour ripped through her mind. "Damn woman, that was remarkable," Brandon had said. Sam fastened her jeans, and walked toward the door. Just before she turned the handle, Brandon laughed, bringing Sam back around. "What, no cuddling? Well, maybe next time."

She was livid. "There's not going to be a next time," she declared through clenched teeth.

Brandon's laughter turned sinister. "Oh, this is where you are wrong, my sweet dyke."

Sam turned back to the door feeling sick, not wanting to hear the sound of Brandon's voice ever again.

"Just make sure I don't have to go through the trouble of bringing that boy in next time."

Sam slammed the door on the repulsive sound of Brandon's laughter.

She pushed back the urge to vomit again as she forced the disturbing image from her mind. The cough that came from Steven sent her to push the truck that much faster, as she sped down the winding streets of the desolate city. Picking up her phone, Sam called Rachel telling her that she had found Steven and was taking him to the hospital. Before hanging up the phone, Sam told her sister to go through the house and make sure that all the doors and windows were secure. Sam instructed her sister to take her weapon off the table and keep it within arm's reach until she returned home.

"What's going on, Sam?"

"Nothing, Rachel. I'll pick you up after I get Steven checked in." Sam hung up the phone just as she arrived at the emergency entrance. It was not as crowded as it usually was these days, and with Steven's condition and Sam's badge, he was in relatively quickly.

Once the doctor came out and informed Sam that Steven's condition was stable, Sam rushed home to pick up Rachel.

"How is he?" Rachel asked as soon as Sam walked into the living room.

"Two cracked ribs, a broken nose, and his hand is smashed." Sam gave a shaken sigh. "He is covered in bruises, cuts, and both of his eyes are swollen shut."

"What happened to him? Who did this?" Rachel asked, looking grief-stricken.

"HTF agents. Please get ready and pack Steven a bag. I need to take a quick shower."

Sam ran up the full length of the stairs. It was not her usual charging from place to place but more of a retreat. Slowly, Rachel made her way around the furniture, following her sister. She squared her shoulders, as if determined to find out what was going on.

The instant Rachel walked into Sam's bathroom her shoulders slumped. Sobs were pouring out over the sound of the high-pressured shower. There was only one other time in Sam's life that she had cried in front of her sister. It was twelve years ago when she was sixteen and Rachel was only seven. Their parents had just brought Sam home from the hospital, and like today, Sam was in the shower crying.

The scene could have played out verbatim. Sam was scrubbing hard at the flesh of her body when Rachel opened the shower door. Except this time, it was the Rachel of nineteen and she was the Sam of twenty-eight. Both of the sisters' eyes were red with tears. Rachel climbed into the shower, wrapping her arms tight around Sam. They both knelt down into a ball just as they had so many years ago, except this time Rachel was not wearing her pink pajamas, but a soaked pair of maternity jeans and a drenched blouse. Rachel rocked Sam for some time, until her sister's cries subsided, and her tears finally ceased.

Neither woman spoke about what had happened as they climbed from the shower, Sam to finish getting ready, and Rachel to change out of her wet clothes and to pack Steven an overnight bag. Rachel watched in silence as Sam double-checked the security of the house before replacing her weapon into its shoulder holster.

The ride to the hospital was equally as silent, and Sam fought the urge to glance over to her sister several times. She wanted to say something, to reassure Rachel that she was all right. However, 'all right' was far from the truth. Therefore, she remained silent.

"I'll go park the truck," Sam said, stopping the truck in the circle drive around the emergency room entrance.

Rachel paused for a moment, but after glancing into Sam's eyes, she climbed down from the truck. She stood there for a few seconds watching Sam's truck pull away.

TWO LONG DAYS had passed before Steven was awake and smiling, and almost back to his normal upbeat personality. He complained often about the hospital food, so on this trip to see him, Sam sneaked him in a large greasy cheeseburger with a side of equally unhealthy fries. Sam smiled as Tashonda walked in carrying a sizeable box of chocolates, which she handed to the pleased Steven.

Rachel was pulling back the covers and adjusting Steven's bed, when Steven asked the unanticipated question. "How did you get them to let me go?"

Tashonda looked over to Steven, then to Sam, before she spoke. "I thought you got caught in the middle of a riot. That's what Rachel told me, anyway."

Steven shook his head as he worked at swallowing a healthy bite from the cheeseburger. "No, I avoided the riot easily enough, but these HTF agents grabbed me when I was waiting for Rachel to return."

Tashonda studied Sam, even though she directed her question to Steven. "What happened next?" Her voice sounded calm, but her eyes were red with fury.

Steven shrugged. "They took me back to the station and beat the shit out of me. Didn't tell me what I did, just pounded on me." He waved a hand to Sam. "She came in and took out three before they tackled her from behind."

"Then what happened?"

Steven shrugged his shoulders again, wincing at the pain. "I was in and out of consciousness by then, but I do remember some man telling Sam to go upstairs, and if not, I was dead..." He trailed off as he saw the look of pain in Sam's eyes. "Was that Brandon? What did he want from you, Sam?"

Sam turned away.

"I'm going to kill him!" Tashonda shouted, bringing two nurses quickly into the room.

Sam waved them back out. She closed the door before turning onto the angry woman. "Why? So they'll come after you and the ones you love?"

"He can't get away with this!" Tears were falling from Tashonda's angry, bloodshot eyes.

"He can, and he did." Sam walked over to Tashonda. "He's crazy. Tashonda, you need to listen to me. Do you want what happened to Steven to happen to your mom or dad?"

Tashonda glanced at Steven with a worried look.

"We are leaving. I have almost the entire house packed, so once Steven can travel, we are gone."

She tried to hand Tashonda her badge and gun, but the woman shook her head. "He is crazy. Do you think he will come after you once he knows you've left?"

"I'm sure of it." Sam said.

"Keep them. I'll try to get in touch with the Captain. Maybe he can put you on extended sick leave or something. If he thinks that you're coming back, maybe he won't come after you, or by then maybe he'll be over this."

Sam agreed, saying that this was a great idea, even though she doubted that it would be that easy. At least it would give the three of them some time to settle into their old house. Tashonda turned, heading quickly from the room with the drive of a woman on a high-priority mission. She returned over twenty minutes later with a look of relief etched into her face. "I spent most of the conversation calming the Captain down, and reassuring him that you were all right. He is going to do all that he can, starting with putting you on extended sick leave. He said once that starts to lose strength, he will tell everyone that you are doing some undercover work with the Feds or something. Either way, you will still be drawling full pay. He also said that he wants you to call him if you need anything--"

The knock on the door made them all jump, as one of the nurses stuck her head into the room. "Sir, you just had some flowers delivered. Do you want me to bring them in?"

Steven nodded, and Sam went to the door to retrieve them.

"Who sent those?" Rachel asked, rubbing her swollen and throbbing ankles.

The roses were long and extravagant, and so was the crystal vase that they were sitting in. Sam handed the flowers to Steven.

"Looks like Steven could have a rich admirer." Tashonda's smile was clearly forced, but Sam appreciated the effort.

Steven took the roses. As he read the card, his curious look turned to an expression of hatred. Rachel jumped, surprised when Steven threw the vase to the floor, muttering a curse.

The same nurse came rushing back into the room. "What happened? Is everything okay?"

Steven looked over with red eyes and a pale face as he held up his bandaged hand. "Sorry, I lost my grip."

The nurse's expression warmed into a motherly smile. "I'll call for housekeeping," she said.

Sam grabbed the card from Steven that he held out to her in his outstretched hand. She read the note at first to herself, and after giving Steven a quick glance, she read aloud. "Dear Steven, hope you are better. Please give our love to Rachel and her unborn child. Signed Brandon Clayton and the HTF Staff."

"He sent that to let Sam know who he could hurt other than Steven." Rachel whispered, holding her stomach with a worried protective glance.

Sam turned and left the room. She came in again ten minutes later, informing everyone that the nurse said that Steven was probably going home tomorrow, and that she was going to go finish packing.

"I'll come with you and help," Tashonda said, waving down Rachel. "You take care of Steven and try to get some rest. We'll be back when we're done."

Tashonda called Jenkins and her sister on the way to Sam's, and with the added help, Sam had the remainder of the house packed into the full-size rented moving truck, and her sister's SUV hitched onto the back bumper.

"I didn't think we would get it all in." Tashonda laughed. As she finally managed to shut the door on the two thousand and fifteen Chevy four-door, she turned, surprised to see Sam standing unfamiliarly close to her.

Sam handed her a slip of paper with her new address and her Aunt Agnes's phone number on it. "If you need anything, including a place to stay, please don't hesitate to get a hold of me."

"Is this an invitation?" Tashonda asked, with a tired, yet mischievous grin.

"I gave one to Jenkins and told him the same thing, so don't let it go to your head."

Tashonda laughed, then caught her breath when Sam pulled her into a tight embrace. "Thank you for everything."

Tashonda was smiling when they pulled away. "Did you hug Jenkins, too?"

Sam laughed. "Actually, I did."

Chapter Eight

Unexpected Homecoming

IT WAS JUST after noon when the three individuals headed out of the city the following day. Rachel driving Sam's truck, Steven following behind her in his old, foreign clunker, with Sam navigating the oversized moving truck, bringing up the back to their tight little convoy.

Sam suggested that Steven leave his car behind, mainly because of the condition he was in, but also because his rust-covered jalopy was unlikely to make the two hundred mile road-trip, let alone drive for much longer once they were there. Sam said that she would buy him another, more reliable vehicle just as soon as they settled into the house. Unfortunately, he would not hear of it.

The normal three-hour road trip turned into a nine-hour nightmare. They had to stop three times along the way to do minor repairs on the ugly contraption, including jump-starting it once in the town of Clinton. However, after several under-her-breath cusswords and a half a roll of duct tape later, Sam found herself tired, hungry, and pulling the rental truck down the long gravel drive at nine thirty that night.

Sam knew that she was not in a pleasant mood when she climbed down out of the gas-guzzling truck, so she took a moment to breathe in the cool, crisp, country night air. She hadn't realized just how much she had missed this place until her headlights had shown on the solid, massive house less than three minutes ago.

She had loved this place when she was younger, with the wide-open pastures that wrapped up snugly against acres and acres of thick Ozark woods. Their family's land surrounded a thick tree-covered, massive hill that was once the family gold mine when their great, great, great grandfather was alive. The property stretched out for miles on all four sides of this vast hill. The house that passed down to them from their late father, sat up close to the hill, as with their Aunt Agnes's place which was just on the opposite side. Their Cousin Michael's place was to the right, and adjacent to that was their late Uncle Sam's house along with more sprawling land.

When Sam and Rachel's grandfather had died, he left the land to his three kids, which he had divided evenly among them. Their Uncle Sam Kelly, whom Samantha's father named her after, had died a few years later, leaving no wife or descendants, just an enormous empty house and well over two thousand acres that split once again to Agnes, and Sam and Rachel's father.

Sam had often made her way through this land in her youth. She had explored it numerous times on horseback, several times on a dirt bike or four-wheeler, and quite often on foot. She stood there in recollection of these excursions, gazing off beside the truck, hungering for the first opportunity to head off once again as she had done so many years ago.

"Sam, could you grab this bag for me?" Rachel asked, bringing Sam's meditation to a sudden halt. Sam did as her sister asked, pausing long enough to place a soft kiss on Rachel's conspicuously pregnant stomach before making her way up to the large front door.

The house was extravagant, much like their old house that they sold when Rachel graduated high school. It was two stories tall, with a full-furnished basement and a partially furnished attic, which their mother had used for her office. The upstairs held her parents' old master bedroom and bathroom, her bedroom, Rachel's bedroom, a guestroom, and a sizeable second bathroom. There were two more guest bedrooms on the first floor, each with their own bathrooms. A modernized kitchen that Sam's father had worked weeks on designing, a massive family room, a formal dining room, their father's huge office, and a library. There was also a laundry room located in a separate room in the back off the kitchen. The basement comprised a massive den, a generously supplied game room, three extra spare bedrooms, and two bathrooms.

Their mother had complained several times during the building phase of the house that it was too big for their family. However, their father had his heart set on giving his wife and daughters the best. After all, he was a successful businessman and his wife was a skilled surgeon. It was well within their means, and it would provide a solid home for many generations to come.

Sam smiled in a daze of recollection, as she took each step slowly up to the grand wraparound porch, as if savoring the memory of it all. When she was fourteen, she had helped her father build this eye-catching part of the house, along with other father-daughter projects here and there. He had told her often that she would make a splendid carpenter the way she swung a hammer, bringing a smile each time to her young teenage face.

Her father often went out of his way to let the women in his life know what they meant to him, and how much he appreciated each of them. Why couldn't every father be like that? Sam had often wondered when she was younger, as she witnessed the distant relationships that her friends had with their fathers.

"Sam, do you have the keys or did you leave them in the truck?"

Rachel's question brought Sam back to the present, and she blinked over in surprise.

She was not sure how long she had been standing in front of the door. Still half-lost in memory, she retrieved the rarely used set of keys from the right front pocket of her jeans. The lock and deadbolt turned easily enough, and Sam and the other two finally made their way inside.

"Oh, where is that blasted light switch?"

"It's on the other side of the door by the coat rack, but the lights won't work. We have not lived here for twelve years," Sam reminded Rachel, rolling her eyes with a grin.

The fist that struck Sam was hard and accurate, sending her almost to the ground. She shook her head as she heard a loud crash next to her, followed by a pained yell from Steven when the weight of his body hit the floor. She glanced over, noticing the faint outline of a figure rushing over to where Rachel was crouched down, her back against the door, her arms protecting her stomach.

Sam sprang in one movement, sending the weight of her body and the would-be-attacker hard against the wall, then down onto the hardwood floor. She sent a strong right fist to the face of this being a mere seconds before someone from the stairs above shouted "No!"

Sam was not sure who turned on the lights, or how many people were in her house. She stood up in a ready stance, with Steven and Rachel behind her. The frightened woman at the top of the stairs hurried down, throwing her body over the bleeding-faced boy.

"Please, leave him alone!" she shouted, her somewhat familiar voice causing Sam to look at her more closely.

Her heart began to race. "Christina?"

The long, auburn-haired woman glanced up as if she was inspecting each of the women. "Samantha? Rachel?"

"Christina Dowell?" Rachel muttered, as the reality sank in, bringing with it a smile across her faintly parted lips.

"I take it you all know each other?" Steven followed his question with a slight grunting sound as he climbed slowly to his feet.

Christina quickly got to her feet and ran over to embrace Rachel. Sam bent down to help the teenage boy stand up. He angrily jerked his arm away at Sam's touch, while sending her a look filled with hate. "I can get up on my own!" he growled, refusing to take his eyes off Sam.

"Mike, be nice. This is Sam Kelly and her sister Rachel. They own this house." She gave Sam a warm hug.

"She hit me!" He wiped the blood from his split lip off with the back of his hand.

"As I recall, you hit me first, attacked Steven, and were proceeding to go after my pregnant sister."

"So? I thought you were breaking in," the boy muttered, before spinning quickly around, and stomping off up the stairs.

"Sweet kid. He makes me relieved that I never reproduced."

"He has been through a lot this last month." Christina's smile was warm, yet her eyes looked tired and somewhat strained to Sam. Christina leaned in giving them each another long hug.

Sam's eyes followed Mike, who turned into her sister's old bedroom, slamming the door behind him. A movement at the top of the stairs caused her gaze to shift, and she noticed a young set of scared eyes looking back down at her from a partially closed door. "What is going on here, Christina?"

"Maybe we should make some coffee," Rachel said.

"Good idea." Christina said. She led the way past the massive family room, formal dining room, and down the long dimly lit hall toward the back of the house, to where the fully furnished kitchen sat. She had the coffee on and proceeded to warm up a fresh plate of homemade bread, which she mentioned their Aunt Agnes had brought over earlier that day.

Rachel dug through the refrigerator bringing out a large jar of strawberry jam and a container of butter to go with the bread. Christina excused herself briefly to go tend to Mike's lip as Rachel fussed over Steven.

"For the last time, I'm fine," he insisted, rolling his eyes.

"What about your ribs? Do I need to rewrap them?"

"Oh, for heaven's sake, Rachel, will you leave him alone?" Sam chuckled at her sister.

"I'm just worried," Rachel said, taking the seat next to Steven.

"You worry too much. If he passes out or goes into seizures, then you can worry."

Steven laughed under his breath as he watched Sam cross the distance of the kitchen to where the coffee had just finished its brewing.

Rachel opened her mouth to speak but Christina walked back into the room. "Sorry it took so long. I about had to hold him down to get the ointment on him." She smiled as she studied Sam. "Looks like your eye will have a nice bruise by morning. Do you want some ice for that?"

Sam shook her head no, bringing Christina around to Steven.

"Any new injuries that you need me to look at?"

"How do you know these are old?" Steven asked. "That kid could have really torn into me before Sam popped him."

"Those cuts and bruises seem a few days old by their color and how well they are healing, and I'm betting that the bandage on your hand was done at a hospital."

Steven glanced up impressed. "Are you a nurse?"

"She's a doctor," Sam said, directing herself to Christina, who appeared slightly taken aback.

"How did you know I was a doctor?" Christina asked, apparently touched that Sam had known about this part of her life.

"Aunt Agnes wrote me in Iraq when you were just starting your residency. She said that your father was so proud..." Sam gave her a remorseful look, remembering that Agnes had told her of Mr. Dowell's recent death. "I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking."

Christina's eyes were warm and her smile tender as her words came out. "It's all right," she said. "Yes, Dad was very proud of me."

She poured herself a half-full cup of coffee. Sam watched in wonder as Christina added a hefty amount of creamer and a generous portion of sugar, bringing the liquid up to the brim where it threatened to spill over. She had to take a couple of small sips before she could carry her cup over to the table without spilling any.

"Sorry, it's been a long day," she blushed when she noticed Sam's intrigued gaze.

Sam didn't realize until then that she had been staring at Christina. This brought her to glance temporarily away before she remembered why they were in the kitchen in the first place. "What's going on here, Christina? Who are those kids?"

"What, there is more than one?" Steven asked, sounding surprised and somewhat disappointed.

Christina nodded. "Yes, Mike who you all have met is sixteen, and as you can tell, he is very angry and untrusting."

"Is that what you call it? I think my mother would have said rotten to the core, or a bad egg." Steven chuckled.

Christina ignored Steven's sarcasm as she continued. "Billy, his younger brother, is ten. He is very shy, but he has a good heart."

Sam slowly exhaled, briefly glancing up to the ceiling as if she was trying to see the two siblings.

"Their mother and father were taken along with a group of campers a month ago by the HTF. Aunt Agnes and I found the boys hiding in my father's barn the night we went there to break into the house."

"Oh, the poor little kids. Why were their parents taken by the HTF?" Rachel asked, sounding heartened.

Sam bit back her tongue when the urge to remind her sister that one of these 'poor little kids' had attacked them not more than twenty minutes ago.

"They and the others were traveling from town to town to organize an uprising against the government."

Steven let out a long whistle. "Not a bad idea, but it's very dangerous these days if you ask me."

Christina opened her mouth to speak, but closed it quickly as if she was unsure if her words would have been a good idea.

"What do you mean that you and Aunt Agnes were going to your father's to break in? Isn't it your place now?"

"No," she told Sam with a flat look to her eyes. "When he was shot by the HTF for going after one of the agents, the government seized the land and everything on it. This is becoming routine with these people, or I should say, our government. If you break the law and get taken away, you lose everything."

Sam shook her head in disbelief. "He went after one of the agents?" She had known Mr. Dowell since she could remember, hell, she dated his oldest daughter. Even though he was a hardheaded farmer, he was also a very intelligent man. He would have known that this would have been a bad mistake.

"Remember Todd Kirkwood?" Christina directed her question to Sam and Rachel.

Rachel shook her head slowly.

"His father owns the hardware store downtown," Sam said to her sister, to help Rachel put a face to the name.

"That's him," Christina said. "Well, he is a Sheriff now, and he was there the night my father was murdered."

"Murdered?" Sam was not sure why her question came out sounding so surprised. After all, she knew first-hand how heartless these HTF agents were. She had, as of yet, to work alongside one with even the slightest trace of human compassion. Nevertheless, she had somehow hoped that the new laws and its unwelcoming change would less affect life down here in the country. Apparently, she had been wrong.

"Yes. He said that my father was trying to stop the HTF from taking my grandfather's antique German rifle, from World War II, the night they came to confiscate all the weaponry. In the process, one of the agents shot and killed him."

Rachel took in a sharp breath of air, and Sam remembered the look on Mr. Dowell's face the first time he had shown her that monument from his father, which he cherished so deeply. "Why didn't Todd stop it?" Sam asked slowly, the muscles in her body tightening with anger at the thought of Mr. Dowell's unjust death.

Christina placed her cup on the table in front of her. "He said that it all happened so fast. Plus, he would have been dead as well, if not his entire family, and Dad would not have wanted that. This is not the same place as it once was. The people around here have suffered so much."

Sam glanced away briefly, from the pain of it all. She looked back at Christina. "When did you move back here from New York?" she asked, wanting to change the subject. She gulped coffee before continuing. "Aunt Agnes said that you were doing your residency in New York."

"Yes, I moved back here a year after finishing to be closer to my father." Christina said, with a tender expression. "I also missed being here, and the slow pace of it all. It is so very different than New York where everyone is always in such a hurry."

"Have you been living here long?" Rachel asked.

"I've been here a little less than a month. I arrived home the morning after my father's death. I knew something was wrong when your aunt picked me up at the airport, instead of Dad."

"Oh, that's horrible." Steven's voice cracked, and Sam knew he was trying to push the image of his mother's lifeless body back down to the far reaches of his mind.

"It has been hard, but it gets easier as time passes." Christina's eyes fixed on Sam. "I'm sorry we're in your house. With what has been happening around town, it just felt safer. It's close to your Aunt Agnes and Uncle Phillip, so when she offered, I took it. I promise that we will find somewhere else to go first thing tomorrow."

"Absolutely not, Christina! We won't have it!" Rachel insisted, as Steven motioned his agreement. "This place is big enough for all of us, and then some. You all can stay here as long as you want."

"Better listen to her," Sam grinned. "She's just like our mother."

Christina laughed, nodding her head at the mention of Sam and Rachel's kind but unwavering mother. "It had not mattered that their father was twice as tall as their tiny, petite mother, or that his muscular frame had easily overpowered her elegant build. When their mother was upset or persistent, he had listened." Christina told Steven before turning to Sam. "Your mother is the reason I decided to be a doctor in the first place."

Sam's eyes brightened. "That means a lot, Christina."

"You look so different than I remember," Rachel said to Christina, bringing a chuckle from Sam.

"That's because the last time you saw her she was twelve, with pigtails and pimples covering most of her face."

"I was fourteen, and they were freckles, not pimples," Christina said with a matter-of-fact glance toward the woman across from her.

"Oh." Looking up, Sam tried to recollect her memories from the past. "Didn't you have a lisp, though?"

It was Rachel's turn to laugh. "No, Sam, she had braces." She rolled her eyes at her older sister. "I was only seven when we moved, but even I can remember that."

Sam shrugged her shoulders. "It was a long time ago. Wow, Christina, I have really missed you."

"I sent you several letters when you were over in Iraq, but you never wrote me back."

A generous portion of guilt filled Sam. "I still have them." Her words came slowly out. "It was still too hard. It took some time to get over what happened, and seeing your letters brought back the memory of it all."

"I knew it!" Steven exclaimed excitedly, as if someone had just gave away some deep, priceless secret. "You two dated! Am I right? Tell me I'm right!"

Sam glanced briefly away. Christina and Rachel looked simultaneously at Sam, neither sure of what to say. "No, Christina has always been like my little sister. I dated her older sister, Sarah." The name felt heavy as it passed Sam's lips, making her wonder how long it had been since she had even said her name. "She died several months before we moved to Kansas City."

Steven appeared as if he wanted to crawl under the table. He shifted in his seat uncomfortably. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..."

"You did nothing wrong, Steven." Christina gave him a warm nod.

Steven smiled in return.

"How are you doing with being back here, Sam?" Christina's concern was clear.

Sam sighed. "To be honest, the hardest part was when I first saw you. You have the same eyes." She rotated her index finger around the rim of her coffee mug. "I'm doing fine. It was a long time ago and since then I have learned that you need to take the bad with the good. If not, the grief will eventually consume you."

Sam felt the warmth from Christina's hand, followed by a gentle squeeze. She smiled back before getting up to refill her half-empty cup of coffee. The footsteps that echoed down to them from the ceiling lifted the awkward silence in the kitchen.

"You are fine with taking care of two kids?" Steven's question was full of admiration, making Christina smile.

Sam's sudden laugh brought them all around curiously to look at her. "Christina was always bringing home strays. Do you remember that baby raccoon you rescued? Chip, wasn't it?"

Christina's grin was wide, amusingly light, when Sam sat back down. "It was Chuck, and as I recall he tried to follow you home more than once." She glanced at Steven. "That was how it always worked. I would take in the animals, and they would bond with Sam instead of me."

"I fed them better."

"Most people would not consider French fries or cheeseburgers healthier."

"I said better, not healthier." Sam chuckled.

"Anyway," Christina continued, "every animal I rescued ended up over at Sam's and Rachel's one way or another, and by the time I was twelve, the outside of their house resembled wild kingdom."

"Mom was livid." Rachel laughed. "Remember when Bambi the Third ate her green beans for the fourth time?"

Sam rolled her eyes. "If Dad and I were not there to stop her, I think she would have actually shot the poor thing. Well, if she could have figured out how to load the bullets into the rifle in the first place."

Steven's eyes were wide in disbelief when he tried to picture Sam and Rachel's lovable mother insisting on shooting anything, let alone a cute little deer. "What happened to Bambi One and Two?"

Sam shrugged her shoulders. "Hunters probably got them. I know Aunt Agnes was always bringing us over deer jerky."

"Oh, that's horrible."

"That's country." Rachel smiled at Steven.

Christina giggled. "Their Aunt Agnes is about as country as you can get."

"So Christina, is there any special someone in your life?" Steven asked, his voice emphasizing the word someone.

She gave him an even smile. "I have sort of been seeing a man for a few months now."

"Sort of?" Steven leaned curiously forward.

"Well, we have been on several dates, and he wants to move to the next level."

"Which is?"

Christina's face flushed as she smiled. "He has been pushing me for sex, but I don't feel that we are at that stage yet."

"You have been with him for a few months and you two have not slept together yet?" Steven's eyes were wide in disbelief.

"I think that is very responsible," Sam piped in.

"This is coming from the woman that doesn't date at all." Rachel smiled at Christina.

"I date," Sam insisted, sounding defensive.

"You have never gone out on a date, Sam."

Sam shot Steven an unappreciative look. "I date once, maybe twice a month."

"One-night-stands are not considered dating," Rachel threw in.

"I still think you and Tashonda should hook up," Steven said, with a playful grin.

"Who is Tashonda?" Christina asked, clearly happy to have the conversation directed toward Sam's relationships rather than her own.

"Oh, just a woman that Sam worked with. She is very beautiful and very into Sam."

"Why don't you two date?"

Sam laughed at Christina's question. "Now, don't you start. As I told these two, work and relationships don't mix. I did that once in the military and it just about got me killed."

"You need to let it go, Sam, and jump right back in with both feet," Rachel told her sister as she got up to get Steven some more coffee, and herself a sizeable glass of milk.

"What does your boyfriend do?" Rachel asked, as she handed Steven his newly filled cup.

Sam stood up and retrieved the bread from the oven, keeping both ears open for the response.

"He's into sales and marketing at one of the larger firms in Springfield."

"Oh. That's impressive."

Sam watched as Christina nodded. "He has done well for himself."

"What?" Rachel asked, noticing Christina's frown.

"I don't know. As of right now, he seems predictable but also mature; he appears to have his life together, oh--and did I mention he is ruggedly handsome. We've only gone out a few times."

"Ruggedly handsome, that sounds like another word for old. Next subject. So, did you all grow up together?" Steven questioned, spreading a small portion of butter onto his freshly sliced bread.

Christina laughed, clearly liking Steven more with each passing minute. "Well, yes. I mean Sam and my sister met in kindergarten, but I didn't first meet Sam until..."

Sam waved her arms frantically at Christina from behind Rachel's back, her movements and Christina's grin bringing her sister's head quickly around.

"What?" Rachel asked, looking from Christina, to Sam, and back to Christina.

Christina's grin turned into a smirk. "What, she doesn't know?" She laughed. "Your own sister. Oh, this is juicy."

"Don't do it, Christina!" Sam's voice was firm, yet her eyes glistened in good humor as she sat back down at the table.

Rachel bubbled with delight at the idea of having something on her older sister. She insisted that Christina spill.

"We met at..."

"Christina, I'm begging you. If you have any respect for me at all, you'll keep your trap shut."

Christina smiled. "I've always had great respect for you Sam, even when we took baton lessons together." She covered her mouth with both hands.

"Sam. You took baton lessons?" Steven roared with laughter, and Rachel quickly followed suit.

"Gee, Christina. Thank you so very much." Sam rolled her eyes.

"She was only in it for six months until Mrs. Pumpernickel kicked her out."

"What, Pumpernickel like the bread?" Steven continued to laugh.

"What did she do?"

Christina looked at Rachel. "She popped Jacklin Carter in the head with her baton."

Steven laughed, but Rachel frowned at the name. "She probably deserved it."

"She did, or at least your sister thought so." Christina turned to Steven. "You see, my mother died when I was two, leaving me and my sister with my dad. He did a great job raising us. Better than great, he was a wonderful father." She continued when Steven motioned that he understood what she meant. "However, when it came to fashion, especially with girls, he had none. He was just a simple farmer, after all. Well, the outfits he got us were dreadful, yet we said nothing because he tried and we loved him for that." Christina sighed, shooting Sam a thoughtful look. "That night Jacklin made fun of us and our clothes, and when I started to cry, Sam swung her baton back and nailed her right on her head."

Steven's hard laughter brought a scowl to Sam's face. "Not very funny when Mrs. Pumpernickel ended up being the fifth grade math teacher. Thank goodness it only took three weeks of class for Mrs. Pumpernickel to realize that Jacklin was really a bully who needed a good hitting."

"Which you obliged quite often, as I recall." Christina grinned.

"Sam!" Rachel shouted from out of nowhere. "You lied to me!"

Sam frowned to her sister. "How did I lie?"

"I showed you a picture that I found after Mom and Dad died of you in tights holding a baton and you said that it was a Halloween outfit mother had made you wear."

"Sam!" Christina giggled, wide-eyed.

"Sam in tights. Were they pink?" Steven beamed. He laughed even harder when Rachel said, "Yes."

Sam stood up with a grin toward Christina. "Thanks, chick. I owe you a big one." She turned, raising her brow at Rachel and Steven who were imitating a feminist version of the tomboy Sam in tights. "Now would be a good time for me to unload our overnight bags from the truck." She started to leave the room as Steven held up a pretend baton and acted as if he was twirling it high into the air.

"Oh, do I owe you," she muttered again to Christina just before walking out of the door.

IT WAS COLD and raining when Sam awoke into the blackness of night. Her head was throbbing, and she could feel the damage to her body as it screamed out in pain at every little movement she made. Even the rapid blinking of her eyelids felt labored as she fought with herself to wake up. Why wake up? Why not just sleep until morning?

She moved her head slightly, feeling the roughness of the wet muddy earth beneath her cheek. Something is wrong, she thought, squeezing her eyelids together as if this would help to lift the fogginess in her brain. Why am I cold and wet?

The sounds from the insects in the woods started to pour into Sam's bloody, rain-soaked ears, and fear built itself up deep inside Sam's naked, quivering body. "Where am I?" she mumbled, but only a rough gurgling sound came out. She focused with all that she could, to recall the events that would explain why she was here. She remembered going to school that morning after dropping Rachel and Christy off at their schools.

She tried to move her arm, but the pain that shot up was excruciating, sending her breaths into a quick, shallow rhythm. She closed her eyes tight and continued in thought. Sarah was laughing as they pulled into the high school parking lot, about something that Sam had said just moments before. "No, Chris is young, her crush on you is normal." Sarah smiled, as she bent in to place a kiss onto her lover's lips.

"Sarah..." Sam mumbled, as the flash of the drunken man on top of Sarah and her loud sharp screams, devoured Sam's previous memories of the day, flooding her brain with the terrors of the night.

She willed herself to rise, twisting her naked body to the unbearable pain that each movement sent. She bit hard into her bottom lip producing a trickle of fresh blood, while her legs quivered under the weight that they could not hold. She hit the ground hard onto her knees, her lungs forcing out the word "Sarah" in one high-pitched scream. With every frantic painful turn of her head as she glanced around for her partner that would not, or could not answer, Sam had to fight off the urge to pass out.

"Sarah, answer me!" She climbed back to her feet, forcing her weak legs to move, one in front of the other, her heart pounding to a threatening beat. It was dark here, where the trees grew up thick, shadowing out the moon from shedding its rays onto this part of the Earth.

"Sarah, please tell me where you are! If you are unable to speak, then try to make a noise, baby!" Sam stopped, leaning most of her weight up against the side of a large oak tree. She strained her ears to detect the faintest of sounds.

She glanced down at her painful, naked body, in hopes of assessing the damage, but it was just too dark. She took in a few short breaths before pushing herself on. She glanced ahead, squinting off into the distance, seeing the opening of the thick trees a little ways further. Maybe Sarah had woken and made her way out? She thought to herself hopeful, slightly quickening her pace.

Her right leg caught on something hard, bringing Sam quickly to the ground. She landed sprawled out onto her face, fighting back the pain with a sharp cry.

Sam sat quickly up in bed. Her lungs took in swift gulps of air as her eyes darted swiftly around the room. It was only a dream, she thought, burying her face in her hands. Her body was drenched in sweat and she was unsure if she had just let out a loud cry or if she had kept it confined inside her nightmare. The room was dark and her mind disoriented as she climbed from the bed in a daze. "I'm in the downstairs guest room," she muttered, forcing herself to remember.

She made her way through the dark room, to the smallest of five bathrooms in the house, located off in the corner. "Crap," she muttered, spotting her black eye in the mirror.

The cool water from the shower felt rejuvenating as it washed the remembrance of the nightmare from her mind. After towel drying and brushing out her hair, Sam quickly changed into a comfortable pair of jeans and loose sweatshirt. She was surprised when she gazed at her watch, revealing the time. Four o'clock in the morning.

After putting on her socks and shoes, Sam moved through the dark, quiet house toward the kitchen to start a fresh batch of coffee. She jumped when the figure in the corner moved.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," Christina said, rising to her feet. She flipped on the main light in the kitchen before sitting back down again.

Sam was happy to see the pot of coffee, fresh-brewed and almost full, other than the cup that Christina held. "Couldn't sleep either?" she asked, when she fixed herself a cup of the hot liquid energy, before taking her spot at the table across from the other woman.

"I woke when..." Christina stopped just long enough for Sam to realize that she must have cried out in her sleep, then went on, "I got up to use the restroom and couldn't go back to sleep."

Sam nodded, taking a long drink from her cup.

"Rachel is up in your parents' old master bedroom since it's the biggest. Mike is in Rachel's old room. His brother is in the upstairs spare bedroom. Steven claimed the other spare bedroom down here next to the one you slept in last night."

Sam made no comment as Christina spoke of the arrangements they had made after she'd gone to bed.

"I will move my stuff down to the spare bedroom and you can have your old room back."

Sam shook her head no. "Don't be ridiculous. You are already settled, and I like being closest to the front door anyway, just in case."

Christina's mouth curved into a smile. "Still like being the protector, I see."

"What do you mean?" Sam asked.

"Nothing, just that you were always the first one to step in when someone we knew was being bullied or was in trouble."

"Hey, you two. It's awfully early to be up, isn't it?" Rachel inquired, making her way into the kitchen.

"We couldn't sleep," Christina replied. "Plus, this is a farm, and we country folk are supposed to be the first ones up."

Rachel grinned. "Yes, but not two hours before the rooster crows."

Christina shrugged her shoulders.

"You missed out last night, Sam," Rachel informed her sister. "We stayed up for several more hours reminiscing after you went to bed."

"I'm getting older, whereas you are young and full of life."

Rachel rolled her eyes before pouring herself a full glass of milk.

As soon as Rachel sat down, Sam got up. She downed her black coffee and proceeded into a full stretch. "The sun will be coming out soon. I guess I'll start with unloading the truck."

"Need any help?"

"Sure, Christina, the more the merrier."

Gesturing Rachel back to her sea, Christina got up and followed Sam out the door.

"NO. JED WAS taken the same night my father died. They seized his house and business as well." Christina's face was turning slightly red from the weight she was holding in her hands.

"Can we rest again?" Christina asked, and she lowered her end of the couch without waiting for Sam's reply.

Sam laughed. She watched as Christina and Rachel plopped down in an exhausted heap on the sofa-sleeper, now resting on the lawn halfway between the truck and front porch. Rachel was busying herself with the light items like pillows, and bags of bedding that weighed less than ten pounds. However, in her late stage of pregnancy, the walking to and from was enough to wear her down.

Mike had shown up over an hour earlier and jumped right in. He ignored Sam the entire time, but since he was pleasant to Rachel and Steven, Sam didn't mind. She peered up to the front door, wondering why it was taking Steven and Mike so long to hook up the fifty-two inch television in the front room. After all, they had mounted it to the wall over an hour ago. With his cracked ribs, Steven couldn't do much. However, every little bit helped, and he was good at organizing the rooms.

Steven had them move all of the old furniture from the house out into the yard, where it remained in cluttered piles, until they finished with emptying the truck. They decided that they would load it all up, and take it to the drop-off point in town, where it would be passed out to those in need.

"These days, the numbers around here are steadily growing," Christina had told them earlier that morning.

"They started going through the houses down here on the last day of firearm turn-in? That doesn't sound right." Sam raised her eyes in troubled doubt as she took the open spot in the center of the couch. "I mean, taking people away in buses, with no word to anyone. So, the HTF didn't take you because you were not at your dad's house when they found the weapon, therefore you didn't break the law."

"Yes, that is how Todd explained it to me. Your Aunt Agnes and Uncle Phillip's place was also checked that night, but the HTF didn't find anything."

"I think I'll go get us something to drink," Rachel said, readying herself to rise.

"I've got it, you rest." Sam was quick to her feet, ignoring her sister's protest. "I want to see what's keeping Steven anyway." With that she turned, heading quickly toward the house.

She made her way up the front porch, mulling over what Christina had said. Those locals now in need were all people from her past, and the thought of what was happening to them was unsettling.

"Aren't you done yet?" Sam called to Steven before the screen door closed all the way. Once she caught a good look at what he was doing, Sam came up short. She glared at the young man square in the eyes, before her gaze fell to Billy's look of alarm. "You've got to be kidding me..."

RACHEL FOUND SAM out in the garage an hour after Christina left for work. "Want some dinner?" Rachel asked, taking a seat on a stool close to the workbench next to Sam. "I made spaghetti and meatballs, figured the kids would like it."

Sam continued going through the tools, organizing them onto the multiple shelves in front of her as she spoke, "I'm fine, thanks. Is everyone else still awake?"

"Yes, they're all engrossed in that game of yours. Death something."

Sam chuckled, remembering the looks on their faces when she found them playing with the game system instead of working. "Good, those kids look like they have been through a lot."

"Yes, I know what you mean. Steven and I have already decided to take them out shopping tomorrow in Springfield for some new clothes and things. I also need to head to the grocery store to stock up on some food. You want to come?"

"No, thanks. I have a list of things I need to do."

"Well, don't get too busy too soon, because I have a favor to ask of my dear, sweet, mechanically inclined sister. Christina's Blazer is on the fritz. She hasn't had time to get it fixed and she is too stubborn to ask for help. The guy she has been seeing is taking her to and from work."

Sam chuckled. "I'll put it first on my list."

Rachel watched in silence as Sam unpacked box after box, placing each item into its proper spot. "Planning on doing an ample amount of work in the near future, I see."

Sam shrugged her shoulders. "I thought about it. Figured I might as well bring the farm back to life if we're going to be living here." Taking one of the shop rags down from the shelf, Sam busied herself with dusting off the full-sized table saw. "I'm going to head into town to update several of Father's tools and get a few items for the tractor..." Sam paused, seeing the smirk on her sister's face. "What?"

Rachel's smirk turned into a warm smile. "I'm just happy. I've missed it here. And, well, you look like you might have come back home yourself."

BY THAT EVENING, Sam had Christina's Blazer moved out of the barn and positioned underneath one of the strong oak trees in the front yard. While she was making the repairs to the vehicle, Sam told Christina's tilted-headed canine, Roy, everything that she was doing, speaking to Roy as if she was speaking to a fellow human.

"Now, this is a ratchet and this piece is an extension that goes on the ratchet to help me get into those tight places easier." Sam paused, giving Roy a sincere look. "I'm sorry I said that unpleasant word a few minutes ago. I rather lost my cool when I knucklepunched...um, never mind. It won't happen again."

Roy's head cocked back over to the other side, making Sam chuckle.

"You know, a phone call every once in a while would not have killed you."

Sam's smile broadened when she glanced up to the aged woman astride a tall painted mount with a well-groomed tan mane and tail. "It's interesting how the phones in this day and age can not only receive calls, but also send them."

Aunt Agnes laughed, swinging herself easily down from the back of the horse and wrapped her niece in a tight embrace. "Fine, you made your point. You must have inherited your lack of conversing from our side of the family, as with your good looks," she added with a grin.

Sam and Aunt Agnes had always been close. Agnes was the one who had gotten Sam through the hard times when she was overseas, sending inspiring letters and understanding e-mails every few days. She was a set woman, with a strong heart and equally strong drive, which allowed her to perform the long difficult chores of running a successful farm and tending to her family.

She was attractive in an uncomplicated, down-home way, with her firm figure and strong Irish features, her dark-brown and silver hair pulled back into a loose hanging ponytail. Sam could faintly see the effects of age on her aunt's features, worn with the lines of a life full of reasons to smile and to frown.

Agnes surveyed the hefty engine suspended into the air on a thick chain and pulley, which Sam had rigged up over the sturdy looking tree branch above Christina's vehicle. She laughed. "Oh how this brings back fond memories. Do you remember the first time you helped your father and me replace the engine on my Buick? I think you were eight, maybe nine."

"Yes, I learned many cuss words from you both that day. If Grandma could have heard how you and Father spoke to one another, she would have been livid."

Agnes casually shrugged her shoulders, ignoring her niece's comment. "I guess you forgot that your dad and Uncle Phillip installed a lift in the garage the winter before you left."

Sam blankly stared at her aunt's amused eyes, then to the engine a few feet from her. "Crap," she muttered as she thought how long it had taken her to lift the engine with Steven and Mike's help.

Agnes grinned. "It's too late now."

"Well, I think I'm close to being done anyway." Sam sighed. She offered her aunt one of the cold beers in the cooler next to her.

Agnes reluctantly declined. "I need to get back before it gets dark. Your uncle is with the vet back at the house. One of our thoroughbreds is about to deliver, and I need to be there if something goes wrong. Oh, that reminds me, I brought over three good horses just in case you needed them around the farm. I put them up in the barn a few minutes ago." She glanced to the house. "Is Rachel inside?"

"No, she and Steven took the kids into town to go shopping, but they should be back here shortly."

Agnes looked at her levelly. "Are you both all right with the kids staying here? I should have told you weeks ago, but we've had a lot going on lately..."

"It's fine. Actually, we're all getting along great together. Mike and I butted heads when we first arrived, but we are doing better."

"I'm impressed. It took more than a week before we got along, but then again I don't have the patience I once had." Agnes's look matched her words. "And how about money? Do you guys need anything?"

Sam explained to her aunt about the documents and paperwork on the overseas bank accounts and stocks that she had locked up in the safe inside the house, along with the sizable amount of cash that they had in there as well. With the selling of their last house and their emergency fund, they had close to seven hundred thousand in cash.

"Good, I figured with your father's business sense he would have more than enough put back to take care of his girls. I'm also impressed that you managed to get Christina to let you fix her Blazer."

Sam smiled. "She doesn't know about this yet."

Chapter Nine

Settling In

ELAINA'S HEART FLUTTERED uneasily as she paced the area of the cabin. Every few seconds she would send a nervous glance over to the opened laptop, which rested in the center of the sturdy wooden table. The screen glowed bright in the middle of the dark room, casting an eerie assortment of shadows around the outskirts, at the points where the light touched the unsettling darkness.

It was not supposed to get this far. Elaina's stomach tightened. She made her way slowly back to the chair in front of the computer system. Reluctantly, Elaina retook her seat. How much damage has already been done? Is it already to the point where our country is lost? She blinked back a tear and reread the information before her for about the hundredth time. There was listings of hidden cells this group had planted throughout the United States to increase the crime rate and death toll of the American people. It mentioned bombings and targeted areas to take out massive amounts of citizens with single blows. From riots, to shootings, to biochemical offenses. It told of how laws were to be taken away and acts and other laws enforced, to weaken the strength and morale of the American people, while steering this vast power to the control of this unknown entity. Yet, they appeared to have planned this in ways to keep the challenging masses at bay. Much like the frog who did not jump from that slowly burning pot of water, but allowed itself to be gradually boiled alive.

The taking away of weapons, unlawful search and seizers of homes and businesses, or the unconstitutional ways in which this group mentioned how they were going to enforce nationwide registrations and curfews was nothing compared to what else was coming, if it has not already taken place.

My God, what of the camps? Elaina thought as she lowered her head to the feel of the cold hard table. How far into this are we already? Her eyes spilled over with tears of worry and regret. A year and a half gone, wasted. Marcus is dead, so now what am I supposed to do? I, one woman, against this mighty conspiracy to destroy America. I don't even know who is behind it, or who else to trust. Is it too late for me to try another way to stop this? Should I wait here and hope for the best? Maybe they know where I am? Did they trace my phone call? Elaina fell into a restless sleep that night while clutching her pillow tight in

one hand and her gun in the other.

THE NEXT SEVERAL days on the farm were overflowing with hard, yet exciting work as each person pitched in with turning the house and land back into a fully functioning farm. Mike and Billy worked alongside Sam, fixing fences, burning overgrown brush, cleaning out the barn, and making repairs here and there. The others scrubbed and cleaned the inside of the house, restoring it back to the grand structure it once was.

"Like I told you yesterday, Billy, you don't have to help. It is Saturday after all, and other than caring for the animals, we try to take off on the weekends around here, if our work permits."

"I want to help, Sam. Plus, I've never built a house before."

Sam gave him an amused chuckle. "We're not building a house, only fixing the guest house up."

"Oh, that's right."

The two-story four-bedroom house sat up against the base of the hill like the main house, but was located a little ways past the barn. The outside had matching siding and high-end brickwork as the main house, giving one the false impression that it was in tiptop shape as well. However, the inside was old and tired, and in need of much, tender loving care.

It was the original house that Sam and Rachel's father grew up in. The summer before they moved, Sam and her dad had just started fixing the place up for when their out of town family came to visit.

"Why are we fixing it up, Sam?" Billy asked, as he made his way inside the house.

"Well, so if anyone comes to visit, or needs a place to stay for a few days, they can stay here."

"Like that man that worked on the farm with us yesterday day?"

Sam shook her head with a smile. "Yes, like him."

"I guess this would be better than the barn."

"I guess so." Sam smiled as she looked around. They had multiple stacks of different types of wood, flooring, and drywall, which they had loaded into one of the corners in the front room of this house two days ago. The tools and hardware they had put in the kitchen. Sam decided to wait on the kitchen appliances and bathroom fixtures until after they finished the rough-in stage of the house.

"Grab the radio, and I'll bring our tools upstairs," Sam instructed, and Billy rushed happily off to do his first task.

They both dove right in, ripping up carpet in each of the bedrooms, and sanding the old floors. Mike showed up a few hours later looking somewhat rested. "You were supposed to wake me up." He frowned, placing one of the tool belts around his waist.

"I was going to, but you were out cold. I decided to let you sleep in."

He shrugged, wiping the remainder of sleep from his eyes before starting to work. Sam had realized several days before that Mike was not a morning person. He would often grumble his responses when asked a question, and occasionally appeared short-tempered if Billy talked too much. However, after the first hour or two of the morning, his mood became considerably more pleasant.

Sam had the radio tuned onto the oldies station just before noon, and was singing along to the different songs of the eighties and nineties to the boys. She was enjoying each of their upbeat conversations on topics ranging from their favorite foods, to which state they liked living in the most.

"No, we were home schooled," Billy told Sam when she asked. "It wasn't bad, but there weren't many kids to play with."

"We lost our house over a year ago, and have been on the road ever since," Mike added with an expression of one who had seen and been through more than he would have liked.

Sam smiled warmly, then glanced at the radio when the music suddenly stopped. She had just stood up to fix the unreceptive device for the third time that day when the normally upbeat announcer came on, sounding worked up. "We've just learned that a massive uprising has taken place outside the White House."

"What's an uprising, Sam?"

Mike waved down his brother and Sam turned the radio up.

After a slight pause, the man continued. "Yes, it's confirmed that an unknown group of citizens have tried to overrun the gates at the White House. There is still no word on the number of casualties, but apparently, the President was not at the White House when the attack occurred. I'll keep you informed with updated news as soon as I receive it. Now back to the music here on 'SMYZ.' "

After a short moment of unmoving silence, Mike stared up at Sam. "Dad said this would happen."

"What, Mike?" Billy asked.

"A war. A great war here in the United States. He said that it was just a matter of time."

Sam looked at Mike, giving him, then Billy, a reassuring smile. "It was only a demonstration. We're not at war, so there's no need to worry."

"It was the White House, Sam."

Sam sighed, feeling somewhat worried herself. Since they had moved in, Sam had almost forgotten how bad life in the United States was becoming. They had a few people pass by looking for a day's work or any food that one could spare, but they were in a Depression after all, and this was to be expected. However, this attack on the White House brought Sam quickly back to an awareness of reality.

"Sam, are you all right?"

Sam glanced over at Mike, then to Billy, who was standing looking worried next to his brother. She smiled to the pair as she removed her fully packed tool belt from around her waist. Mike and Billy did the same.

"Why don't we forget this for today and let's do something fun."

"Like what?" Billy asked, his anxiety quickly lifting.

Sam shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know, you tell me."

"We can go play Death or Glory," Mike offered with a grin.

Billy's head shot quickly to Sam. "Oh, I know, let's build a clubhouse."

"That's for babies."

Sam laughed. "No it isn't, Mike. Why, I had a clubhouse up until I was fifteen, well it was more of a hideout, really..." She paused, and her eyes lit up with a wonderful idea. "Hey, do you two want to see it?"

The corners of Billy's mouth spread out wide in a grin. "That sounds like a great idea!"

Mike threw his little brother a cheerful wink. "I guess so."

Sam chuckled, motioning for the two to follow. They stopped off at the house to get several flashlights, pack a lunch for later, and to tell Rachel where they were heading.

"Sounds like fun," Rachel and the 'late to bed late to rise' Steven said together.

"Want to come?" Billy asked, overjoyed at the idea.

"No, I have some things to do, and Steven is going to the grocery store soon to pick up a few items for dinner."

"Where is Christina? She might like to see it."

"She was called away again for her volunteer work. I swear that poor thing is always working."

Sam shrugged to Rachel, and they said their goodbyes. She led the children out to the barn, after motioning for Roy to stay behind. They made their way to the over-sized tackle room in the back, past the multiple rows of horse stalls.

"This is it?" Billy asked, sounding let down.

Sam grinned. "It wouldn't be much of a hideout if it was."

She placed her backpack on the ground and started to move several items to the side, off the center of the floor. Once finished, she grabbed for a knothole in the floor. With one smooth motion, she lifted a thick, inconspicuous door revealing a huge dark hole in the middle of the room. A weight system attached to the door from below, so it lifted relatively easily for Sam. Both kids gawked at her in silence.

Sam winked at each of them, flung her backpack over her shoulder, and proceeded down the row of thick wooden steps first. Just as Billy retrieved his flashlight and flipped it on, a bright light emerged from below, with the sound of Sam's voice drifting up. "Ah, thank God the electricity still works."

The brothers quickly followed Sam down into the bright unknown. When they got to the end of the stairs, Sam was standing next to one of the many fully stocked shelves in the vast, dusty, underground room.

"That's odd," she said, as she inspected the large can of processed meat in her hand. "This is new." She placed the can back before moving down several rows to retrieve another. "These all look new, well they are less than a year old anyway." She placed it back, making a mental note to ask her aunt about it later tonight.

"This is great, Sam," Billy finally said. "It's a real hideout."

"No, this is just the beginning." Sam focused her attention back to the boys. "Has either of you ever seen a real gold mine before?"

They examined one another, puzzled, and shook their heads.

"Ah. Well, you're both in for a treat." She looked around, found an adequate size box to sit on, and motioned for the brothers to take a seat on the steps. "This old mine is full of history, dating all the way back to seventeen-ninety-two I believe."

"That's along time ago."

"Yes it is." She smiled to Billy. "That is when my great, great, great grandfather Sam Kelly first staked a claim here. Some would say that he fell in love with the massive green hills and the thick Ozark landscape, while others insist that Granddad Sam had a nose for gold."

"He had a gold nose?"

Mike rolled his eyes to Billy. "No, it means that he could smell gold."

Sam beamed. "Yep, I think it was both actually. Anyway, Granddad Sam struck it filthy rich, so they say. He took all his gold and buried it out on his land somewhere so no one would find it."

"He didn't spend it?" Billy looked bewildered.

"Well, no one really knows. However, his true love was farming. It's a love that has passed down in my family from one generation to the next."

"Like to you and Aunt Agnes, you both are farmers, right, Sam?" Billy asked, sitting smartly up on the step.

Gazing at the boy across from her, Sam was at a brief loss for words. This was the first time that anyone had ever labeled her a farmer. She sat there motionless in deep thought, and, with much pride in her heart, Sam nodded. "Yes, like me and Aunt Agnes. However, we are drifting off the history story. Now, where was I? Oh yes, this mine was used around eighteen-o-five until close to eighteen-fifty for the Underground Railroad. Then..."

Billy raised his hand high in the air, causing Sam to nod her head amusingly to the little boy. "Where are the tracks, Sam?"

Sam frowned, not understanding what Billy meant. "What tracks?"

Mike laughed. "He thinks the Underground Railroad is a train, Sam."

Sam threw Billy an understanding look. "It's not a real railroad, it's only a figure of...well, Billy, do you know about people owning slaves and the Civil War?"

"The Civil War was fought to free the slaves, right, Sam?"

"No, Billy, it was fought over states' rights. However, before the Civil War was fought, many people didn't believe that one should own other people, so they would help slaves escape from states that allowed slavery, to other states that didn't. Missouri was a slave state, along with many other southern states. Several folks around here would bring runaway slaves to our mine where they would hide out until it was safe for them to go to the next safe place."

"Oh, Mom talked about that before," Billy said with a wide grin.

Sam smiled back to Billy. "This mine is extremely large and has several hidden entrances that led to different areas on our land. This came in very handy during those times. However, many of those entrances were sealed during the Cold War by my grandpa and great grandpa, and the mine was made into a fallout shelter of sorts."

Billy frowned. "What's the Cold War? I don't think we went over that yet."

"The Cold War started around nineteen-forty five I believe. That was a very scary time for people in the United States. It was when our country and the Soviet Union were having problems getting along with each other. The United States was very afraid that they were going to attack us by using nuclear weapons. Therefore, many people prepared themselves just in case this happened."

Leaping to his feet, Billy shrieked with delight. "We can stay here in the mine if there is a war. We have a lot of food and we can shut the door and lock it so no one can get in."

Sam laughed. "That is a wonderful idea. This isn't the mine, though, just one of the entrances into it." Sam stood. "Do you both want to see the old family gold mine?"

Billy jumped excitedly, causing his brother to let out another laugh. They followed Sam to the far back corner of the sprawling, low ceiling room. She stopped in front of the last row of shelves, which housed many dusty items like batteries, flashlights, rope, blankets, and so on.

"Now this is a family secret. You must both promise not to tell anyone about this place, understand?"

They both shook their heads in unison, and watched as Sam felt under the center shelf, retrieving her hand back after the sound of a faint click echoed in their ears. Sam pulled back on the edge of the dusty shelf, swinging it, along with its fake backing, out wide before the three of them. "My father once told me that an enormous cave system connected somewhere through one of the lower tunnels. I have never seen it, but he said they figured it to be seven times larger than the mine itself, and there is a sizeable underground spring in one of the center chambers."

The brothers stood there side by side staring wide eyed at the solid wooden door. They watched as Sam turned the metal handle and pushed the heavy door open, revealing a sizable dark tunnel. She retrieved her large black flashlight from her backpack, and the boys did the same.

"Are you sure it's safe?" Billy asked, appearing suddenly unsettled.

Sam smiled, lowering herself in front of the boy. "My family has gone to great lengths throughout the years to make this mine very safe. If you don't want to go in this first time, it's all right. I can bring you back later."

The child shook his head no, squaring his shoulders to his grinning brother. "I'm not scared, Sam. Let's go."

Giving the boy's arms a reassuring squeeze, Sam stood up and led the way down the long wide tunnel. "You see these supports?" Sam pointed her light along the walls and overhead. "They are solid steel and very strong." She shot Billy a comforting look.

"Do these old lanterns still work?" Billy asked, as his light shown on the one hanging on the ceiling next to Sam.

She looked up, puzzled at the unfamiliar objects. "I don't know. I don't remember ever seeing them before. Aunt Agnes must have added them." She reached up to take the lantern down from its hook, but quickly realized that the light was not an old, oil-fueled lantern it had appeared to be, but instead, it was electrical and attached into a thick black wire that ran along the distance of the ceiling. She followed the wires and the other lanterns back out, almost to the barn entrance where they had entered.

"Here it is, Sam." Billy flipped up the switch, lighting the dark passageway in one quick movement.

Sam felt an odd uneasy sensation pass through her. She turned off her flashlight and replaced it into her backpack. When she glanced down, her body froze as her eyes took in the multiple sets of footprints on the dusty earth below. Her and the kids' prints were more recent and easily identifiable. However, the other markings were larger, older, and the manner in which they had pressed into the ground told Sam that they were from heavier people, probably men.

She moved down the tunnel a short way. The instant she noticed the familiar imprints of combat boots in the brown dirt, Sam turned quickly to the boys. "I need you both to go back to the house and wait while I go further in. No, don't argue." Sam gave them both a stern look. "When I get back I'll come get you, but first I want to make sure that it's safe."

She stood there and waited until the brothers left the tunnel before she slowly continued down the pathway. She paused again, this time considering whether to go back for her weapon, but she figured that this would only alarm Rachel, so Sam pushed on, trying to detect any noise or sounds of life ahead. She finally came out to a huge, unusually lighted entryway, which she had used as her hideout for so many years.

The smaller wooden doors to the right and left were firmly padlocked as they had always been, with the familiar, red faded 'Danger do not enter' painted onto their surface. The broad door in front however, was not familiar. It was no longer wooden and latched like the other two, but constructed of thick metal and standing slightly ajar. Sam also noticed the beams and supports that had been added to the walls and ceiling.

What's going on here? Sam wondered, feeling the uneasiness rise to her chest. She turned and glanced back down the tunnel, debating with herself if she should go back to the house for her weapon after all.

The sound of far-off laughter brought her head quickly back around. More than one voice, definitely male, two maybe three, sending Sam to move forward, crouching down to the slit in the door to try to get a glimpse of what, or who, was on the other side. She did not see any movement in the spacious open mine ahead, but did spot multiple boxes and crates lining the outer walls.

She took a deep breath after retrieving the knife from her backpack, and quickly made her way in, to the first set of unlabeled containers, which she used as cover from the unknown individuals further ahead. Unfastening the strap around the handle, Sam pulled out her broad survival knife from its holder, and began to work the nails off the top of one of the wooden crates.

Prying up the lid, Sam glanced in to a crate full of metal trays of ready-to-eat meals. She glanced around, and when she felt it safe to proceed, Sam made her way to the opposite wall, down to the next set of unidentified items. After working another of the lids off, Sam discovered a container full of the old-style, green camouflaged military uniforms, with several pairs of black combat boots.

She continued down the mine, passing several branches and turnoffs, yet she stayed to the main part of the passageway. Sam had gone this way once with her father to her aunt's house as a fun little excursion when she was younger. However, then it had felt safe, exciting, unlike this experience washing over Sam as she moved.

She discovered along the way several more piles of food, clothing, and even first aid items that hundreds of people could live on for years. However, she was not ready for the next few rows of square and elongated crates that held the fine print of 'Property of the United States' all over the sides. Prying the lid off the top box, Sam grimaced at the sight of grenades and claymore mines. The next lid she opened contained numerous brand new M-16s and 9mm weapons, stacked neatly on top of one another. She peered over to the wall across from her where slightly smaller crates sat with the dark thick lettering of 'AMMO' printed in bold letters across the outside.

Feeling the hairs rise on the back of her neck, Sam grabbed her knife and quickly spun, facing two men who just stepped out from one of the side tunnels behind her. The first man was well-built, but appeared awkward and clumsy. The second was tall and slender, with thin-framed glasses, giving him the appearance of someone who belonged in an office behind a computer, not in an old mine such as this. He and the other man were both dressed in full military uniforms, and each had an unloaded M-16 slung over their backs. She locked eyes with the first man, noticing his expression change from peaceful to alarm in a matter of a second.

"Halt!" he demanded, as he moved to retrieve his weapon. The skinnier man did the same.

Sam flipped the knife in her hand and raised it in one smooth motion, readying herself to throw it. "I don't want to kill either of you, so please don't make me."

The larger man inspected the sincerity in her eyes, and his voice cracked slightly as he spoke. "We have guns, you only have a knife." He tried to give her a smile of confidence as he brought his weapon up, pointing it to her chest.

Sam's mouth turned upward as her gaze slid down to each of the weapons. "Those work much better when they have magazines."

"Crap, John, I told you I'm not ready for this," the skinnier man complained as he glanced over nervously to Sam's upraised knife.

"Quiet, Kevin, I need to think."

"Look...John, is it?" Sam moved slowly as she lowered her knife and placed it back into its holder. "Why don't we all just calm down and talk this out."

He nodded. Just when he started to bring his own weapon down, John's eyes shot to an object from somewhere behind her. The sound of running feet made Sam spin seconds before the two men were on top of her position.

She aimed a high kick at the right cheek of the first man. The blow sent him crashing into the row of crates lining the wall. Crouching, she spun her leg out low, sweeping the legs out from under his companion. The flailing man landed hard on his back, scattering a cloud of dust up from the earth into a light haze around him. She twisted back around to the first two men, just in time to duck swiftly out from the blow from the butt of John's weapon, and sending a hard right straight into the large man's groin, doubling him over.

Kevin moved in, looking uncertain and terrified. He brought his leg up reluctantly toward Sam's stomach. Sam moved over easily, giving his kick nothing but air, and she pushed the off-balance man onto the pile of broken crates where the first man had landed. Sam felt the presence of another attacker, maybe two. She turned just as a shoulder caught her right in her middle, driving the air briefly from her lungs as she and the unknown man crashed painfully to the ground.

Sam brought her head up quickly, driving it into the nose of her attacker, who spun off with a wild screech, dripping fresh blood everywhere. Fighting for air, Sam slowly climbed to her feet. She was unsure of who was advancing, yet she managed to avoid the blow of a wild flying fist. She sent back one of her own, feeling the impact as her fist struck out hard against the falling man.

"Leave her alone!" Billy's cry echoed in her ears, making Sam's heart flutter in panic, and she spun in time to hear the high-pitched scream of one of the men and to see the ten-year-old boy go flying down to the ground in a small heap.

"Billy!" Mike shouted out to his brother, and he rushed over, reaching the child the same moment Sam did.

"What is all of this?" shouted an older woman from somewhere behind Sam, and Sam quickly yanked the boy up to his feet. Billy's mouth was swollen and bleeding but he stood up straight, as if ready for another round.

"Stay behind me!" Sam insisted. She turned, pulling her knife back out, ready to protect the two kids with her own life if it came to that.

"What's going on here?" The older woman spoke again, and something in her voice was familiar. Sam leaned forward, trying to see her face.

"Samantha Kelly?"

Sam slightly lowered her knife. "Mrs. Pumpernickel?"

"Joyce, do you know her?" asked one of the men who was helping one of the others to his feet.

"Yes, I know her! This is her land and six men against one woman is not a very fair fight! You all should be ashamed of yourselves!"

Sam could hear the running footsteps of others approaching from down the mine. She replaced her knife, before speaking to the stout man close to her. "Did you hit him?" Sam asked, her eyes glaring as she pointed to Billy.

"I didn't mean to...he bit my leg...I didn't know he was just a kid."

Sam cleared the ten feet from her and the man, clenching her teeth tight as she spoke. "He is only ten!" She put all her strength, all her anger, and all of her weight into the punch that she sent across the big man's face.

They both landed hard on the floor with the shout from her fifth grade math teacher reverberated off the walls. "Samantha Kelly, now I said enough!"

"Sam, what are you doing here?"

Sam stood, hearing the familiar voice of her Aunt Agnes. "I could ask you the same."

"Billy!" Sam didn't see Christina approach, until she was running up to the bleeding boy. She surveyed Billy's gash before turning to Sam. "Why did you bring them down here?"

"Tee didn't. Tam told us to go back to da house, but we didn't listen," Billy informed the onlookers through a mouth full of blood.

Agnes looked down at the boy, then to several of the bleeding men before turning to her niece. "Well, let's all go get cleaned up and we can discuss where to go from here."

Mrs. Pumpernickel shrugged her agreement with her hands on her hips. However, before she allowed her feet to move she turned to Sam. "I see you still like causing a ruckus, Ms. Kelly." She motioned with her hand at the damaged boxes and equipment littering the floor of the passageway.

Sam opened her mouth to speak, but closed it quickly feeling like a guilty student standing before her stern teacher.

At Sam's apparent lack for words, Mrs. Pumpernickel gave a loud "Humph" before moving herself in step with Christina and Billy. Agnes didn't say anything, only aimed an amused glance at her confused niece.

Following the group down into the vast mine, to the fourth branch on the left, Sam avoided eye contact with her old math teacher for fear of getting one of her many lectures. The branch opened into a giant room, with several occupied and empty cots scattered throughout. There was another narrow passage in the back, but the group remained here, surrounding one of the three large, lightly dusty desks. Several metal storage cabinets and multiple shelves, full of medical supplies, took up most of the wall area around this cavernous room.

Christina and Agnes, with the help of Mrs. Pumpernickel, proceeded to tend to the injuries from the brawl. "She really worked you men over," Agnes laughed, dabbing ointment on the cut over Kevin's right eye.

Christina glanced over to Sam, who was staring uneasily at one of the women lying covered on a cot in the corner. The woman looked eight months pregnant to Sam, and appeared a few years older than Rachel. A bulky white dressing covered the woman's head and she appeared to be sleeping relatively peacefully. As if feeling another presence, the woman stirred slightly, blinking her eyes open to Sam. She smiled warmly, and Sam returned her smile and made her way over to her.

"Do you need anything?"

The woman gave Sam a light shake of her head. She brought her hand up quickly to her forehead, as if the slight head movement had caused her pain or discomfort. "I'm fine, thank you," she answered, before closing her eyes once again.

Sam glanced down at her for a few more seconds, before turning back to the others. "What's this all about?"

"Joyce, why don't you take Billy into the conference room and get him something to drink."

"That's a splendid idea, Agnes," Mrs. Pumpernickel said, and she hurried off with the child nearby.

"I would like for the rest of you to get back to your posts." Agnes glanced at Sam. "Mike and I will go clean up the mess in the passageway, and afterwards, I'll send him up to bring Rachel and Steven down here." Agnes placed her hand on Sam's shoulder. "Now, you let Christina look at your hand. We can talk later after I get everyone together."

SAM PACED THE oversized conference area while mulling over the new information. "This is suicide!" she insisted, turning to her Aunt Agnes. "These people are farmers and simple town folk, not the military."

"We farmers and simple town folk are Americans as well, Miss Kelly," Mrs. Pumpernickel declared, shaking a finger in Sam's direction. "We have rights that are being stripped from us, and loved ones that are being killed or captured by our so-called government! They killed Christina's father in cold blood on his own porch! They have stolen homes, business, lives for no reason! I am not waiting around to be next! No American should!"

Sam glanced around the room filled with people, most of whom she had known since childhood. She lowered her shoulders at how real this idea of a war teetering so close to home.

"Sam, our forefathers fought a tyrant many years ago to insure our rights and freedoms in this land, and they wrote a constitution to uphold those freedoms. It's not only our right, but our duty as free Americans to protect that."

Sam glanced over to the man in his mid-fifties. He used to play chess with Sam's father out in front of the general store every Sunday. "Mr. Douglas, I went to school with your son Bryan. He's still in the Marines, is he not?" Mr. Douglas smiled proudly, nodding. "Aunt Agnes, Michael is in the Army over in Iraq, right?" Agnes also bobbed her head in agreement. "These are the people you will be fighting against. Your sons and daughters, your friends and neighbors. You will not be fighting a tyrant on the other side of the ocean, but people you love and care for right here in your own backyards."

Mr. Douglas rose slowly. "Sam, we have already discussed this. We have sent word to those in the military that it is time for them to come home, but if it comes to that, it comes to that. My Bryan would understand." He retook his seat.

Agnes raised her eyebrows to Sam. "We could use you and your training to help get us ready, Sam. We do have a few ex-military here, but though they are skilled people, they are not spring chickens anymore, and they don't have the recent combat experience that you have."

"Don't ask me to do that." Sam shook her head. "Using the mine I'm fine with, so long as Rachel and Steven are all right with it. However, don't ask me to help you prepare for this slaughter."

Rachel stood, feeling awkward and somewhat self-conscious. "Sam, Steven and I have just talked it over, and we have no problems with this use for the mine. Actually, we would both like to help if we can. Maybe assist Christina in the hospital, or..."

"Do you realize how dangerous this is? And for God's sake, Rachel, you're in your third trimester."

Rachel squared her shoulders. "I'm not a child, Sam, and thank you for the heads-up. I didn't realize I was pregnant. I thought I had been eating too much lately."

Her comment brought a stifled giggle from Steven and a flash of worried anger from Sam. "This isn't a joke, Rachel!"

"No, it isn't! This is why we must do something, Sam! Oh, and for your information, being pregnant does not make me useless, it makes me even more determined to be a part of this. What future will my baby have if we sit back and do nothing?"

Agnes stood up, holding up both hands to silence the two. "Christina could use the extra help, and we would appreciate it, Steven. However, I have to agree with Sam, Rachel. Until this child is born, you should avoid the stress of the medical area as much as possible. However, there are many other things that we can use your help with."

Rachel acknowledged her aunt then turned back to her sister. They stared at one another for some time before Rachel retook her seat, leaving Sam to stew inwardly.

Todd Kirkwood gave Sam a sympathetic look. "I felt the same way until I saw first-hand what was happening to innocent people. Just think about it Sam, and if you change your mind, we would be fortunate to have your help."

"You're a coward, Samantha Kelly!" A tall, teenage boy yelled out from the back of the room. "You don't deserve to be here!"

Mike was the first to his feet, followed by several others who appeared just as outraged as he felt. "Who said that?" He demanded, glancing around the room.

"I did!" The dark-haired teenager moved slightly toward Mike, causing Mike to ball up his fist and take a threatening step forward.

"Son, if I was you I would keep my mouth shut about things you know nothing about," Mr. Douglas said. "Samantha Kelly is anything but a coward." His eyes held empathy as he directed his words to Sam. "Teenagers think they know everything about everything. Do not pay him any mind, Sam. We all know you, and we understand what you are going through, because we each had to go through it also."

"I'm sorry, but I don't feel that this uprising against our own government is the answer." Sam sighed, gesturing Mike back to his seat. "I'm not prepared to point my weapon at American soldiers, or to take an American life." With that, Sam made her way from the crowded room.

Rachel stood quickly and followed her out. "Sam, no one here wants this to happen, but it's happening whether we like it or not."

"Rachel, can't you see how traumatizing this is going to be for everyone? I remember the first time I killed someone when I was in Iraq. I thought I was going to shrivel up and die inside." Sam glanced down at her hands. "The only thing that got me through it was Aunt Agnes telling me to look at the people I was fighting beside, and knowing that with each enemy I killed, I could be increasing the chances of sending them back home safely to their families." She searched her sister's eyes. "How would I justify this? How could I see myself through killing people I once called my countrymen?"

"Sam, you need to open your eyes to what is going on around us." Rachel's gentle gaze touched Sam's own. "This is not the same country you once fought for."

Chapter Ten

Martial Law

ELAINA PULLED BACK the wooden floor panel. She placed her laptop in the dark hole, along with a shoebox that contained the multiple disks, ZIP drive, notebook, paperwork, and most of her money.

For the last week, since making that phone call to Marcus's number, Elaina had been hiding out, too scared to leave the only home that she had known for over a year. She had replaced the battery in her SUV the moment she arrived back to the cabin, only to find out that her vehicle still refused to start. This had left her feeling trapped in these woods, as if waiting for a death sure to come.

She was sick of waiting, sick of pacing the wooden floors, tired of rereading the information on the computer screen, cowering at every little noise outside. Even the cracking from the fire at night had unnerved her, making it hard for her to settle into a full evening of rest. She felt drained, spent, and unable to take the solitude of the cabin any longer.

Other than giving up, her only choice was to head back into town in the hopes of purchasing a vehicle that would take her up into Canada. She needed to acquire new identification, somehow, to make it over the border. However, she would deal with that when she was on the road and driving away from here.

She planned to come back and grab her items, including the now-hidden disks and documents, which she would drop off to one of the local news stations along the way. What else could she do? She was only one woman, after all. She had nowhere else to go, no one else she could trust. She needed to pass on this information, and with any luck, this story would find itself in the right hands.

Packing her backpack light, Elaina placed in several snack items, a few water bottles, and four thousand dollars for the purchase of anything reliable with four-wheels. She tucked in her pistol under her jacket and set out moving as fast as she could, while keeping both eyes open for any sudden movements.

The weather proved much more pleasurable than the cold walk back over a week ago, but her heart was too troubled to enjoy it. I have lost everything, she thought, pulling her jacket up tight around her. The chill that passed through her was not an effect from the cool May winds, but her own hopelessness, as she continued making her way between luscious green trees and bright wildflowers.

She stopped halfway through the woods for a quick bite to eat. However, after feeling no desire for the taste the food had to offer, she discarded the partially eaten can of peaches and quickly set out again. She was close enough to the road to hear several massive vehicles go by, but far enough away to remain undetected.

I cannot do this, she thought, once she reached the edge of town. She closed her eyes tight, while lowering her body down into a squatting position just inside the tree line. She was several blocks away from the area where she had noticed the used car lot on her other trips, but the thought of being in the open, for even that short of distance, was unnerving.

Why was she so scared? Was it the fear of dying? Was she that selfish to value her life over those that have already died to try to put an end to this nightmare? Did she consider her existence more significant than the people who might live if she was able to expose the truth? Settling herself, Elaina stood, taking in a large mouthful of air.

Do not think, Elaina, just do it! Her feet moved. Before she knew it, she was standing in front of the used car lot, unable to remember much of the walk that brought her there. She glanced around the huge empty slab of asphalt, feeling the alarm go off in her head before her mind registered the problem. They closed down! The reality sank fully in. There were no cars, no trucks, no vehicles of any kind. Her eyes darted anxiously from one end of the lot to the other. Even the large, old mobile home that they had converted into their office was gone.

She turned and glanced down either side of the street, hoping that she was at the wrong place. That was when she spotted the black government-looking SUV with dark-tinted windows approach from the other end of town.

Without thinking, Elaina turned slowly and began to walk back the way she had come. She fought to keep her pace casual, yet her heart pounded rapidly inside her chest, threatening to give her away. She could feel the sweat droplets form on her forehead, and dampness built over the palms of her hands as she continued, turning down the first side street.

Just two more blocks, she thought, giving herself a little hope. She glanced back when she was halfway down the block. At that moment, the shiny hood of the black vehicle entered her line of sight. She quickened her pace, forcing her eyes to focus on the line of trees dead ahead as she made her way to the end of the long line of brick buildings.

As she made it halfway across the street, everything around her, including her own breath felt frozen in time. A second, matching SUV appeared from around the corner ahead of her, blocking her normal route just as a short siren-burst sounded from behind her. She didn't need to turn her head to see that red and blue lights were flashing out from the vehicle's dash, for the lights reflected off of everything glass or metallic around her.

Run to the right! her mind shouted, and Elaina did just that. She moved as fast as she could, blocking the sound of tires peeling out on concrete from behind her. She ran toward the first yard that she came to, and somehow cleared the chain link fence in a fraction of a second. She could hear the sounds of men shout at her from behind, but she kept going, not daring to look back for fear of the movement slowing her down.

She dashed across the street to the last row of houses just as the sound of a weapon firing and a loud metallic ding from a near miss rang in her ears. She saw the second vehicle turn down at the end of the street from the corner of her left eye, and she knew that if they cut her off before she could reach the section of woods ahead, it would be all over.

She pulled out her weapon without slowing her pace, and took aim at the front right tire forty feet away. She pulled the trigger three times, feeling the repetitive kick from the pistol. The second bullet found its mark. The SUV jerked to the right, smashing headfirst into a massive thick tree, standing unmoving in the middle of the neighboring yard.

Elaina stretched out her legs as her body moved swiftly across the street and up onto the tree-covered embankment. The sound of a second shot echoed from behind her, and a sharp painful sting burned deep into her right side just seconds before the thickness of the trees engulfed her body. She pushed herself forward, spinning her arm around, and squeezed off two more rounds, unsure of their mark, just trying to put as much distance between her and them.

Branches snagged at her hair and clothes, uneven terrain threatened to send her off balance, and all sense of direction was lost as she pushed on deeper and deeper into the thickness, with the fading sounds of footsteps falling slowly behind. Without warning, the ground under her right leg vanished, sending her face first down a steep earthy hillside as twigs and rocks cut deeply into her face and hands.

She heard the loud splash the impact made, but couldn't recognize up from down as her entire body submerged in the cold moving water, pulling her several feet down. She kicked her legs frantically; her jeans, sweatshirt, backpack, and jacket clung heavily to her body. Genuine panic was sinking in as the current whipped her around under the water, while forcing her down stream. Her lungs were beginning to burn for a much needed taste of air.

Just when all hope was lost, and her muscles twitched with exhaustion, Elaina's right hand grabbed hold of a rough, unmoving object sticking out above the surface of the water. She gripped it with both hands and pulled with all that she had left until finally, hands, arms, and head were out of the water. She gasped, swallowing sweet-tasting air.

The minutes felt like hours, while she worked her body along the low-hanging branch until at last she lay in a cold wet heap on the muddy earth, with overgrown brush all around her. Even though she was freezing, she did not move for some time, for every muscle in her body ached with burning pain. When she was finally able to move, Elaina stood with the sudden realization that her weapon was gone. She glanced around quickly, but was certain the powerful force of the waters had swept it downstream. Elaina was unsure of where she was, but she knew she needed to move swiftly, because more importantly, she was unsure of where they were. She clawed her way up the hillside keeping her eyes and ears open.

As soon as she hit the top of the hill, excruciating pain from her side shot through her, causing her to double over onto her knees. Looking down, Elaina spotted the blood covering the lower right side of her sweatshirt and jacket, and her mind began to race. She pulled her shirt up revealing a dime-sized hole to the far right side of her stomach, directly across from her belly button.

"Crap!" she muttered, and the thought of bleeding to death out in the middle of nowhere flashed before her eyes. This followed another thought. What of the items she had hidden in the floor of the cabin? If she died, then their deadly secret died with her.

Trembling, Elaina stood, and removed her jacket from around her shoulders. She tore off a piece of the lining and pushed it into the wound as hard as she could to slow as much of the bleeding as possible. She bit down on her lip, stifling a scream, as warm tears slid down both sides of her cheeks. The pain was greater than anything she had ever experienced in her life. It took her several minutes before she was able to continue in the direction that she thought led back to the cabin.

SAM HAD THE coffee on, eggs and bacon frying in the skillet by five the following morning. Rachel made her way into the kitchen. "You're cooking, what's the occasion?" she asked, giving Roy a pat on the head.

"For your information, I don't need an occasion to cook for my family. Now make the toast."

Steven and Billy entered next, discussing the new game that Steven bought at the store the day before. "Want to play it today?"

Billy appeared excited for a moment, then frowned. "I'm working on the guesthouse with Sam today."

Sam smiled inwardly and turned to the ten-year-old taking his seat at the table. "I was hoping that we could take a break today, if you don't mind, Billy."

Setting up straight, Billy smiled. He cringed with pain when his grin stretched his cut lip. "I don't mind, Sam."

After Billy had finished his breakfast, Steven instructed him to go shower before they started playing. He turned to Sam and Rachel as soon as Billy cleared the stairs. "I think it would be best if we don't tell him what we're doing in the mine. He is only ten, after all, and it might be too complicated for him to understand. I thought about telling him that we are helping people who have lost their homes."

"That's a good idea," Sam agreed, and Rachel followed suit. "What about when you both start summer classes?"

Steven smiled at Sam's worried look. "We're going to work around our schedules."

Sam glanced at both of them. "I know you two are old enough to make your own decisions. Just promise me that you'll be careful."

Several minutes later Mike walked in, keeping his head low as he retrieved the last of the coffee. He began to work at making a fresh pot and yawned.

Sam could tell that something was on the boy's mind, but she kept her emotions to herself and turned back to the stove. "Do you want some breakfast, Mike?"

Mike glanced at her briefly before opening his mouth to speak. "Yes, please."

"How do you want your eggs?"

"Any way I can get them. If you manage to save a yolk or two, then that would be good." Mike glanced down awkwardly. "I fed the horses for you this morning, and cleaned out the stalls. If you like, I can help you with the guesthouse today."

Sam studied him for several seconds before speaking. "We decided to take the day off. I do have to go into town later for more horse feed, and would appreciate the help."

"Sounds doable." Mike said, on the verge of a smile, before turning to take a seat at the kitchen table. "Sam, are you..." Mike's words trailed off.

Rachel and Steven watched in silence at Sam's swift look of understanding. "Yes, I'm afraid, Mike, but not so much afraid of dying, but seeing those around me that I care for in danger. I'm also afraid of ending the life of another American who is only doing what they think is right."

Mike glanced down at the floor. "That's what is scaring me, Sam. I want to fight, I know it is right, but I have never killed anyone before."

"You are too young, Mike."

"I turn seventeen next month." Mike squared his shoulders.

Billy came in with a smile on his face. "I was getting ready to load the game, but Christina wanted me to tell you that the President has issued a Nationwide Marital Law. Does that mean everyone has to get married?"

Steven looked at the amused Billy with an odd glance. "I don't know, I have never heard of such a thing."

Sam turned suddenly. "Billy, do you mean Martial Law?"

Everyone looked at one another then quickly made their way into the front room without waiting for Billy's response.

The news reporter seemed stressed, and his voice strained. "--The President is activating all members of the Armed Forces, including those in the Reserves and National Guard branches, to assist. Soldiers already stationed overseas will remain on their current missions until further notice. The President insists that Martial Law will be the safest and most effective way to bring our ever-growing crime wave under control. The President also wants to remind everyone that Martial Law means there will be more solders on the streets. There is no reason for concern. We are to continue with normal everyday life, and know that these soldiers are here for our protection." He paused briefly as he read the information before him. "Those soldiers who fail to report to their assigned units immediately, or leave without proper orders, will be declared AWOL, and they will be dealt with swiftly."

He turned to another camera. As he spoke, his words came out sounding more upbeat. "Bingo will be held tonight at five at the Westside Nursing Home for those who wish to come."

The woman next to him giggled. "Sorry, Leonard, that's not until tomorrow and it's at seven."

Sam had been in the military long enough to read between the lines. She had witnessed Martial Law first hand, when the U.S. marched into Iraq and obliterated the entire government and took control. All of the lives lost, the destruction, the mass hysteria, the total control of a whole nation of people, virtually overnight.

Sam turned to Rachel. "Martial Law, you have got to be kidding me."

"This is for real, Sam. Maybe we'll find out more tonight at five."

"At five, what do you mean?"

"Leonard is in the movement also. That line about bingo was his signal to let everyone know what time the meeting is." Steven glanced at her before adding, "Agnes said that you are welcome to come whenever you wish to, Sam."

SAM PACED THE area of the living room, thirty minutes after the others had left for the meeting, feeling restless and out of control. She wished that she could have talked them out of being involved in this group, but they were all old enough to make their own decisions. The only thing left to do was to sit by and hope for the best.

Billy had talked Christina into allowing him to go and play with some of the other children that he met in the mine the night before, leaving Sam to face the quiet home-front alone. She switched off the remote on the television before heading into the kitchen. She stuck her head aimlessly into the fridge.

Sam stood up straight, cursing under her breath as she flung the door shut on the refrigerator. "This is going to be a long night," she grumbled, heading back into the living room, unsure of how to bide her uneasy time. She glanced at the barn through the oversized bay window, next to her bright red truck parked out in the drive. After a long frustrating sigh, Sam grabbed her keys, motioned for Roy to stay, and headed outside to her awaiting cherry-red, extended cab.

Once Sam started the Dodge Ram's engine, turned on the headlights, placed the gearshift in reverse, and spun the truck around with the front end pointing down the long gravel driveway, she shifted into drive and allowed her mind and body to clear itself from every form of stress that was currently pressing it down. The thought of finding an open lesbian club and having an evening of unattached sex crossed Sam's mind once or twice as she drove aimlessly down the road. She knew the chances of a club still being in business were slim to none. Especially since the curfew-law had gone into effect. Who wanted to leave a club and be home by nine?

Sam had no idea where she was going, but she didn't really care. Just being on the road was all that mattered. She needed to get away, to think, to blow off a little steam. Eventually, she pulled her truck into the only remaining gas station in town, where she bought a cold six-pack of diet soda, and a large box of chocolate iced doughnuts to help ease her unpleasant mood. Just as the older man behind the counter rang up her purchases, Sam, in a split-second decision, had the man add a pack of cigarettes and a disposable green lighter to her other items.

Several minutes later, Sam found herself sitting in her truck in the parking lot of the gas station staring down at the unopened pack, as her fingers fidgeted with the lighter. She took up smoking after getting out of the hospital when she was sixteen, to help her cope with the trauma she was going through. She finally quit after her parents passed away, with the help of her supportive sister, and the much-needed pills from her physician, while swearing to herself that she would never take up the habit ever again.

It is only one, she thought, removing the wrapper from the pack. The first inhalation of smoke felt as if her throat and lungs had suddenly caught fire and sent her into a coughing fit that lasted several minutes. It didn't take long, however, for the familiarity of the old habit to work its way back in. She smoked the first one down, then lit another.

By the time evening rolled around and the sky began to grow dark, Sam was parked behind the old deserted train depot with less than half a pack of cigarettes left. She knew that she needed to stop and purchase something to remove the smell, not just from her, but from the truck as well, before Rachel had a chance to get close to either.

Tossing the most recent cigarette butt into one of the empty soda cans, Sam fastened her seatbelt, preparing to start her truck's engine and head to the closest store. Just as her hand was about to turn the key, the sound of multiple vehicles approaching this dead-end area stopped her. Her eyes held tight to the thick outline of trees and brush. Something about this felt wrong, sending warning signals off inside her head. She wasn't sure what it was, but she knew the vehicles didn't belong in this unused part of town.

On a sudden impulse, Sam started her truck and moved it behind one of the old, half-standing, lean-to structures toward the back of the depot. She had just turned the engine back off when the headlights and heavy reverberation from several huge vehicles blew out past the open space surrounded by overgrown foliage.

Not getting a good view where she was sitting, Sam silently exited her truck. She moved forward, taking a concealed position behind a pile of old boards and a mound of overgrown weeds. She counted seven prison buses with blackened windows, and four large semis pulling what appeared to be cattle trailers. At least that was what they called them in the Army when she was in basic training many years ago. They were giant trailer compartments with handrails throughout, giving just enough room for her and eighty plus other soldiers to squeeze snugly in next to each other. Standing room only.

Sam eyed a rough looking man who exited the first bus. "I get first dibs on the women!" he shouted, bringing hearty laughter from several, well-built men who were quickly filing outside the buses.

Sam counted eight men in all, each of them bearing a loaded automatic weapon. She also noticed by the brightness of the multiple headlights, that each man was dressed in uniforms similar to the U.S. Army, except that their outfits were solid black, instead of camouflage green, brown, and black.

"Lock it up!" the commanding voice of a large, stocky man caught everyone's attention, including Sam's.

His rugged face looked strangely familiar, but before she could get a good look at him, the sound of a train's whistle off in the distance brought her slightly up. She noticed that the men around the vehicles grew oddly excited at hearing that echoing shriek in the night, and her brow furrowed. The train no longer stopped here, not since before she was born. Something told Sam that this was not the case tonight, and uneasiness crept inside her.

She was able to hear the sound of metal grinding down on metal even before seeing the grand body of the slowing locomotive coming around the bend ahead. Sam leaned slightly in on her position and she strained to see against the darkening night.

As soon as the train appeared, the men took strategic positions around the area in a fashion that told Sam they were well trained, and used to working with one another. Their relaxed expressions turned quickly hard, like night and day, giving Sam the remembrance of hungry drill sergeants waiting for their new company of unworthy troops.

When the train came to a stop, the large boxcar doors quickly opened, chilling the blood throughout Sam's body. It was not the angry uproar from the uniformed men or the cold chill from the night breeze as it blew across her face that made Sam feel the way she did. It was the terrified faces of men, women, and children who stood packed in the sizeable metal containers, visibly too frightened to move.

Sam could tell that these people on the train were not criminals, yet the armed men forcefully removed the young and old from the train, directing them onto the awaiting line of vehicles. The eyes of the captives were wide with fright, and their faces appeared pale, as if every drop of blood was gone. The soldiers placed the men onto the buses as the women and children were ushered into the cattle trailers, several weeping and or pleading for their freedom.

Sam remained unmoving, mouth gaping, unsure if this was real or just a dream gone wrong. All recollection of why she was there in the first place vanished upon witnessing the confused, terrified faces of the kids pulled forcefully away from their fathers, the little ones calling out to them for protection.

"No, please. I need to stay with my family!" a middle-aged man begged the guard closest to him, who was yelling repeatedly for him to get into the bus. The man reached out for his wife's outstretched hand. Swiftly, the guard brought the butt of his weapon down hard across the man's face.

Even though Sam was over fifty feet away, she was certain that she heard the sound of the crunching impact as the hard weapon made contact with flesh and bone.

"No. Father!" a tall, red-haired teenage girl screamed, and she rushed quickly to his side.

Sam was worried that the blow might have killed the man. With great relief, she saw him slowly move his left leg. The same guard that first exited the vehicles when they arrived, quickly made his way over, pulling the girl up to her feet as few of the male prisoners helped the bleeding man to his.

"Don't worry, honey, your daddy will be fine," the guard sneered while he pulled the girl over to the trailer. "If you like, I can be your daddy now."

His comment earned laughter from several of the other guards close by, and the strapping, dark-skinned man shouted out orders to each of them. Sam was not sure when she had stood to her feet, or how long she had been exposed as she felt her anger grow into rage. She fought down the suicidal urge to rush forward, and fight with no weapon to try to free these people. Luckily, her voice of reason prevailed, bringing her back down to crouch low behind her cover.

Several more train cars were unloaded in the same fashion, giving Sam a rough count of over three hundred women and children and well over four hundred men. She quickly climbed back into her truck as the convoy of vehicles pulled out.

Keeping her lights off, and remaining a safe distance back, she followed. The convoy stayed to the back roads, and to Sam's good fortune, she knew this area inside and out, allowing her to fall even further back without losing them. What I would give for a set of night vision goggles right about now, she thought, after swerving her truck on the gravel road for the third time, nearly missing the barely visible ditch.

She had just brought her truck around the curve, close to the entrance to her Uncle Sam's old farm, when she spotted the line of buses breaking off from the rest of the convoy. Puzzled, she watched them take a road leading away from the direction of the town, as the cattle trailers continued down the gravel road. Sam stopped briefly, weighing her decision before proceeding. She remained a good distance behind the trailers carrying the women and children.

They drove on this road for ten more minutes, giving Sam a sudden idea of where they might be heading. She slowed as she approached the top of the next hill, just in case she was right. The moment her truck reached the top, Sam's eyes caught sight of the brake lights from the last vehicle. The vehicle gradually turned right, into a newly constructed security gate.

Sam backed her truck up off the road, trying for as much concealment as possible. Throwing on her jacket, she searched through the full-size toolbox mounted onto the back of the truck bed where she kept a wide assortment of items.

As soon as she found her binoculars, Sam set out on foot, making her way through the thick woods as quietly as she could. The distance Sam covered to Christina's old farm took longer than it should have. However, Sam was unsure of the protection or defenses this group would have in the area, therefore her movement was slow.

She came to a stop at the top of the next hill, overlooking the sizable valley below. The once thickly wooded area surrounding the farmhouse was now a vast open stretch of gravel and chain length fencing, with dense, tree-covered Ozark hills surrounding all four sides. Several massive, high-powered lights shined down on the hidden encampment, encasing the vast area in a full bubble of brightness that was unseen past the tall hillsides. The inside area consisted of multiple tents and metal buildings which surrounded Christina's old farmhouse.

Sam moved to a good position halfway down, alongside the remains of a huge fallen tree, giving her ample cover. Adjusting her high-powered binoculars, she focused on the commotion below. The shouting uniformed men forced the frightened women and children off the trucks and into semi-organized groups as they clung tight to one another. Sam watched, feeling helpless, while the soldiers separated the prisoners one by one into spacious military tents.

There were two well-built guard towers erected on opposite corners of the encampment, each positioned to provide a perfect view around the enclosure to the armed men perched twenty feet up in the wooden structures. She didn't see any heavily armed bunkers or defensive positions other than the two towers, but they did have several armed men walking the fence line below.

A disturbance near one of the corner tents brought Sam's focus quickly around. Two of the guards were antagonizing one of the older teenage girls, while several of the other armed men watched and laughed at the commotion. Sam couldn't hear what the men were saying to the frightened child, as they pushed her from one to the other with great amusement. Their twisted game ended quickly when their leader shot two rounds into the air directly above them. He barked out several commands before making his way into the front door of the farmhouse.

Sam closed her eyes and lowered her head to the cold ground, unsure of what to do. She was one unarmed being against many. Without warning, the sound of sudden movement close by sent a heart-pounding alarm throughout her entire body, causing her to remain extremely still. Her breathing was shallow, silent, as the figure of a man passed within a foot of her position, his weapon raised.

Chapter Eleven

The Encampments

THE TRANQUIL REDDISH-BLUE color of morning was peeping up over the green flourishing trees as Rachel dabbed at the corner of her eye with a tissue. Wrapped snug in the warmth of two patchwork quilts, with a fresh cup of hot chocolate in their hands, Rachel and Christina rocked slowly on the front porch.

"Did it seem like Sam was still upset with us? Maybe I should try to call Agnes again?"

Christina placed her hand on Rachel's arm. "Sam will be fine. She is a smart woman, and can take care of herself."

"This is not like her, Christina. Sam always calls me if she is going to be out all night, even if she is upset." Rachel gazed off down the length of the driveway as her lips started to quiver, and a fresh wave of tears began to fall.

"I found Mike passed out on the couch next to Billy," Steven sighed, and he wrapped his feathered blanket back around his body before retaking his spot on the porch-swing across from where the two women sat. "I put Billy to bed and threw some blankets on Mike."

Just when Christina was about to wrap the weeping Rachel into her arms, Christina's phone went off. Rachel watched in silence as Christina hurriedly checked the text message. "It's from Mrs. Pumpernickel, I need to go." Christina stood.

Within a few seconds Mike came rushing outside, somewhat off-balance with a tired yet keyed up expression. "I just received a message to report down in the mine--"

A shrill beep cut Mike off, and Rachel picked up her phone. A few seconds later, she glanced up to the other three. "So have I."

The four rushed inside, and quickly discovered that Steven's phone had received the same message. "Something big must be going on," Steven said, throwing on his jacket.

"What are we going to do with Billy?"

"Take him with us. We can keep him in the medical wing," Christina said, donning on her own jacket. "Mr. Douglas told me that they finished the new area in the back and hooked up the ventilators yesterday."

Mike nodded, rushing off to get his brother ready.

Within ten minutes, they were all making their way down into the mine. They were surprised by the vast amount of movement and commotion outside the conference room, but not as surprised as when they finally made their way inside past the crowd of awaiting onlookers. There was a mud-covered Sam, leaning over an extensive map. She appeared to be pointing out places to Aunt Agnes and a handful of others.

"What is going on? We've been worried sick over you." Rachel threw her arms around Sam, then stood back, eyeing her sister. "Sam, have you been smoking?"

Sam glanced at Rachel briefly before her bloodshot eyes moved over the rest of them.

"Are you sure this is what you want, Sam?" Agnes asked, looking apprehensive.

Sam turned to her Aunt Agnes with a nod.

"We're behind you one-hundred percent, Sam," Mr. Douglas said, patting her on the shoulder.

Christina and Rachel glanced at one another. However, Steven was the first to ask. "What's going on, Sam?"

"We're just about ready to explain this to everyone." Agnes placed her hand on Sam's back. "Why don't you go with them to take Billy down to the medical wing, and I'll start getting everyone around."

"We won't be long." Sam said, making her way out with the others.

No one spoke until Billy was safe in the care of the two volunteers, and heading back down the passage. "What's going on, Sam?" Rachel demanded.

"We're planning something tonight."

"So, you're in the group, Sam?" Mike asked with a grin.

Sam gave him as much of a smile as she could. "Someone needs to keep an eye on you."

Rachel sighed, frustrated. "Will you please stop avoiding my question?"

"There's a lot to this, and I promise you'll find out shortly. However, if you don't mind, I would like to speak with Steven alone."

Rachel stood there looking deeply troubled, but after a gradual exhale of air, she followed Christina and Mike back into the conference room.

"What is it, Sam?"

Sam could see the concern in Steven's eyes as he stared back at her unknowing. She smiled in hopes of easing his worry. "Everything's fine Steven. I'm just covering all of the bases here."

"I'm listening."

"If anything should happen, I want you to get them as far away from here as possible. There is plenty of money in the safe, and Rachel has the combination. Canada would be my choice, but I leave it up to you."

"What are you talking about, Sam?" Steven's eyebrows dropped into a troubled frown.

"Just promise me you'll look after them if anything should happen."

"Sam, you know I will, but nothing is going to happen."

Sam gave her best attempt at a laugh. "Of course not, but there is peace at knowing that my loved ones have a back-up plan."

"Um...Sam, Steven, Agnes told me to come get you two."

"Thanks, Mike." Sam watched the teenager head back into the room. "I guess we better go." Steven moved over to where Rachel and Christina were standing, and Sam made her way up to the front with Agnes.

"Everyone settle down, please." Agnes waited until the soft murmurs and whispers stopped before she continued. "Thank you. Now, I know you are all wondering why we are here this morning, and I do appreciate everyone for showing up so quickly." Agnes's look was grave as she continued. "We have all known for some time that things were getting worse, this is why we joined together in the first place."

Many shouted, while others mumbled their agreement. The room grew silent again, waiting to hear what Agnes had to say. "Unfortunately the time for planning has past. We must act now."

The room filled with cheers, and Sam's heart twinged. These people were not soldiers. They had not seen the bloody edge of battle. Never had they had it stare up to them with its sharp razor teeth, bringing with it the promise of pain and or death. "No." She had made the right decision, Sam realized, looking into each of their eyes. Even though they were more than willing, most were untrained for this fight.

Agnes held up her hand bringing silence once again. "Most of you know my niece, Samantha." Several clapped, others whistled as Agnes went on. "She has learned that the government has turned the Dowell farm into a camp that holds civilian women and children as prisoners. We have reason to believe that there is another camp in this area for the men, though we have not been able to locate it."

Anger spread like fire, and a male voice in the back shouted, "I knew this would happen." This followed quickly by an elder woman's cry of, "Just like Hitler and the Nazis."

"Please, everyone." Agnes held up her hand once more, but few noticed.

Mr. Douglas brought a hard fist down onto the surface of the table, producing an impact commanding enough to silence the room instantly. "I don't believe Agnes was finished." He gave her a nod to continue.

"We have come up with a plan to attack the camp, and God willing, free everyone there. Now I will turn this over to my niece and she will walk us through this."

All eyes turned to Sam as she moved forward. "Before I start, I would like to take this opportunity to ask you all to think about what we are about to do." She looked around, making eye contact with many of them. "We are only a handful of citizens who are preparing to go to war against a powerful government that has thousands upon thousands of trained soldiers under its control. Any one of you can leave now, and we will more than understand."

Sam waited for several minutes before continuing. "I didn't want this to happen. I love my country, as do all of you. However, with what I witnessed last night, I feel by being here, I'm doing my duty as an American citizen, and I'm saying no more!"

The room rang with loud echoes of applause and cheers until Sam held up her arms for silence. "This is an uprising against a corrupt government that is no longer functioning for the welfare of its people, but against the people, and it must be stopped." Sam gave the room a solemn look. "Nonetheless, we must be smart, cunning, and we will need to cover our tracks as much as humanly possible. We must organize and pull together to see each other through this safely. We will continue with our daily lives as if nothing has changed. We will start training and we will do all that we can to unite with, and help, others along the way."

"When are we going to attack the camp?" The same teenage boy that had called Sam a coward the night before shouted out.

"Tonight. And we have already assigned the team."

"What if we want to be on the team?" someone else asked.

"I'm sorry, but the team has been hand-picked due to prior military experience. We do, however, need help back here to get this place ready for when the group returns."

"I want to fight!" the teenage boy insisted, and half the room erupted in an uproar of agreement.

"Have you ever killed anyone, son?" Mr. Douglas asked, narrowing his eyes at the young man. "Could you go over to the screaming man next to you and shove his bloody innards back inside him, while at the same time being shot at?" The boy remained silent under the older man's gaze, looking somewhat sickened by the thought. "If you or anyone else goes out there half-cocked, then you will not only risk getting yourselves killed, but also the people on your team, and possibly those we are trying to save." Mr. Douglas glanced around the hushed room. "And I do not plan to die tonight."

Sam agreed. "Several groups like this one have already been slaughtered or captured because of arrogance or impatience. The more careful we are, the more good we can do, and some of us just might come out of this in one piece if we are lucky."

"Who is going?"

Sam turned to Rachel, noticing the look in her sister's eyes. She could tell that Rachel knew she would be going, but thinking it and hearing it are two different things. "The team will be Mr. Douglas, Todd Kirkwood, Frank Johnson, and me. We have acquired four school buses that we will bring the captives back here in, but we need some volunteers to get everything ready."

"What do you need, Samantha?" Mrs. Pumpernickel called.

Sam nodded, grabbing one of the lists from the table. "We will need to set up sleeping and bath accommodation in areas of the mine that has ventilation already hooked up."

"I have my plumbing license, Sam, and George here is a carpenter. Just give us three others and we will see that it's taken care of," shouted a man standing toward the front of the room.

Over half the room raised their hands and Mrs. Pumpernickel chose three out of the group. She went up on the platform to the desk, took out paper and pen, and began writing those names onto a list.

Sam continued. "We need to move all the weapons and explosives out of the pathways and secure them into one separate room." Several more raised their hands, and again, Sam's old math teacher pointed at four, before scribbling down their names. "The largest entrance into the mine is through Uncle Sam's barn, but it has been sealed off. I think we will be able to bring the buses in through there, but we need to open that entrance back up."

Agnes smiled proudly when Phillip stood with his hand raised. "Sam, I can help with that. My backhoe is in good shape, but I'll need several individuals to help with reinforcing the supports once we get it opened." Sam nodded to her uncle as Mrs. Pumpernickel selected eight strong-looking men.

Sam continued until they had enough volunteers to help with organizing the food and water supplies, get the medical wing together, erect several lookout posts throughout the area, and set up communications from the mine to the buses, and to the people on lookout.

"If you notice that we are being followed, call it in. We have an alternate spot designated, just in case." Sam turned back to her aunt, then to the group. "We will need to organize better if we want this to work. I suggest we elect a committee to oversee all areas of our group. We will need to focus on areas such as training, supply, medical, communication, maintenance, financial, but more importantly security. I assume you are all parked at my Aunt Agnes's." Almost the entire room indicated that they were. "Overly conspicuous, and at the present time with these new laws, this many people in one spot is highly illegal."

SAM AND THE three other members of the night's team made their way through the back southeast passageway, coming out into one of four grand rooms in this part of the mine. Lining the well-enforced walls were multiple shelves and containers, and each packed with different types of weapons and equipment. There was enough firepower to supply a small, third-world country. Frank Johnson told Sam he had acquired these items over the last several months.

"I have my connections," he said, giving Sam a sly smile when she asked him where he obtained this vast assortment of weaponry. "Not only was I in a Rangers unit during Vietnam, but I was also in charge of supply at times due to my, shall we say, thriftiness."

Sam smiled to herself as she searched through several of the containers. "Tonight just might turn out better than I hoped it would," she commented, running her hand over a long-barreled rifle with a high-powered scope mounted on top. "This is a M82A1 fifty caliber semi-automatic sniper rifle. Not bad for bringing down helicopters or low-flying aircraft."

Frank raised his eyebrows skyward. "I'm impressed, Sam, you know your weapons."

"To an extent." Sam said. "It's quite handy in a pinch, but it will be too much firepower for tonight, I'm afraid."

"Ah, don't worry, little missy, I also have several of these." He moved next to where Douglas was standing, and unlatched the top crate.

Sam whistled. "Whoa! You have M-40A3 Marine sniper rifles. Yes, these are an excellent choice for tonight."

"Correct, and I must say you are very knowledgeable for having a communications background."

"I love my weapons." Sam grinned. "However, the unit I was with made sure that every member was proficiently trained, so I would have to thank my commander for that."

"I'm just glad that you two are on our side," Todd remarked, running his eyes over the multiple shelves.

"Douglas, you was a sniper, wasn't you?" Frank asked with his head tilted toward his friend.

"That was a very long time ago, Frank."

"I built a firing range in the back. Let's say we all brush up on our skills before going over the plan once more." Frank turned to Sam and Todd. "Choose your weapons, you two, and I will get the ammo ready."

STUMBLING HER WAY down the massive hill, Elaina caught her breath as her footing threatened to give way. Her body felt weak, feverish, causing the wound in her side to ache that much more. She wanted to stop and rest, but they knew that she was somewhere in these woods, and she had to find her way back to the cabin before they caught her.

The bleeding had stopped sometime during the night. Yet, without food or medical help, Elaina was sure her strength wasn't going to last much longer. If only she could find somewhere to rest for a while, to build a little strength, then maybe she would be fine. She had less than one full bottle of water left in her backpack after using one this morning to flush the dirt out of the bullet wound. Therefore, she drank sparingly, even though her dry, scratchy throat demanded more.

She took a few shallow breaths before willing herself forward, using several of the trees that she passed for temporary support. Thinking back, Elaina let out a tiny laugh that broke free sounding more like a gurgle than a giggle. Often in the cabin, Elaina had found herself wishing for the normal everyday comforts to which she was accustomed. Her queen-sized pillow-top bed, sturdy cast-iron bathtub, electric stove, microwave, television, and radio. Now, however, she found herself wishing for the simplicity of the cabin and her few worldly possessions inside.

A moan escaped her, and her gaze slowly lifted. She halted in disbelief, her tired eyes squinting tight to focus, her body slightly swayed. Up ahead, past the end of the vast forest that she had made her way through all night, and beyond a wide-open pasture, stood a grand farm. She had to blink twice before believing that it was real and not a hallucination brought on by the fever.

After looking around the vast area ahead, Elaina moved forward as fast as her legs could take her. She fell once when making her way over the first wooden fence, but recovered quickly. It took her some time to cover the distance to the enormous red barn, but once she made her way inside, she discovered that the trip was well worth it.

It was easy to see that the barn was well cared for, and as she stumbled her way to the back of the massive building, she noticed that only three of the numerous stalls held well-groomed horses. They made a little ruckus at her presence, but quickly settled down. At the very back and to the right, she found a sizeable room, which held several canisters of horse feed, odd and end equipment, and four high-polished western saddles. The whole barn smelled of hay and leather, and the soothing aroma made her weary head ache for slumber.

Further in, Elaina found a cozy room that was more than she had, or could have, hoped for. There was a sturdy wooded desk, a matching wooden cabinet, a generously stocked refrigerator, a microwave, a comfortable looking couch, and a table with four matching chairs pushed underneath.

Her heart skipped a beat when she opened the large doors of the cabinet, revealing a significant white box labeled First Aid, giving her hope for survival.

NIGHT HAD FALLEN early, thanks to the new front of storm clouds making their way into the area. Sam had managed to get only a few hours of sleep as the visions of the captive women and children played at the back of her mind. The four team-members dressed in solid black military outfits, with black military boots and gloves, courtesy of Frank Johnson's black-market connections. They each had smeared black camouflage paint on their face and neck, and topped it off with black stocking caps on each of their heads, with tiny headsets for communication with one another.

"Well, we might be under-trained and unprepared for this mission, but by God do we look lethal." Mr. Douglas grinned as he climbed down from the bus.

Sam smiled to herself as her gaze fell to her three companions. Yes, we do look sharp. Let's hope we perform that way. "Just remember your jobs and we will make it out all right. They're not expecting anything to happen, so their security is minimal." She cocked her head slightly. "Consider this a good refresher exercise to get us back into the swing of things."

"Like I said today, I have little combat experience, but I'll do my best."

Douglas slapped Todd hard on the back. "I'll have you covered, son, just keep your kills as quiet as you can."

Sam flipped on her headset. "Let's go," she said, slinging her M-16 over her back, before fixing her suppressor onto her pistol. Todd did the same.

When they were a quarter mile from the encampment, Douglas and Todd moved out to the left, while Sam and Frank continued on their course to the right, each group heading for opposite ends of the compound. They remained quiet, alert as they moved, while keeping as hidden throughout the trees as possible.

As soon as they made their way to the top of the hill, Frank glanced around inspecting the terrain. "This is good here, Sam," he whispered, removing the M-40A3 from around his back and placing it in a good position on the ground, with the front leg supports propped up onto a decent sized bolder. He attached the silencer to the end before taking a comfortable firing position at the rear of the weapon.

A loud crack from a snapped twig echoed in her ears, causing Sam to crouch down beside Frank.

"He is thirty feet to your right, Sam," Frank whispered, motioning with his first two fingers.

She glanced over, scanning the vicinity where Frank was gesturing. Once she spotted the shadowy outline of the unsuspecting figure, she raised her pistol. Her target moved casually along, to the right of their position. Normally, with this type of weapon, Sam fired straight on. However, with the suppressor, she adjusted her aim slightly higher and to the left, to acquire her perfect shot. She took in a lungful of air and slowly let out half before holding her breath and bringing the trigger slightly back until the slack was gone. She aimed for the target's chest and squeezed. A light whooshing sound, followed by a barely audible crack, and the shot was made.

"Good girl."

Sam breathed slowly out before speaking into her headset. "Todd, this is Sam, we are in position."

"Copy that, Sam, we are good to go," Todd's voice responded, giving Sam the signal to move out.

Sam placed a gloved hand on Frank's shoulder, before setting off down the hill toward the well-lit camp. She kept her body low, her pistol ready, with her eyes scanning the trees for any sign of movement. When she was less than fifteen yards from the ten-foot, chain link fence, a second unknown figure shifted slightly to her left, next to the base of a thick, over-turned tree. Sam moved closer, taking steady aim as she readied her body to fire. The shot was perfect, sending her next victim face-first to the ground.

Her adrenalin raced. She quietly repositioned herself, crouched down against the tree before giving Frank the signal into her headset that she was ready. She did not look down at the fallen body next to her. There was no need, for he was dead and she had a mission that needed completing. Yes, she had learned well to distance herself, learned to control her feeling, to push her emotions back until she again needed them.

Sam glanced up to the tower at the exact moment the figure of the soldier high on his perch, jerked slightly before collapsing straight down in a heap onto itself, his corpse hidden conveniently by the sides of the wooden structure. She pushed forward to the fence, choosing a partially dark spot from the shadow of the closest tent. Removing the metal cutters from the side cargo pocket on her pants, Sam cut out a sizeable hole in the fence and moved quickly in. She took cover along the back of the tent, staying out of sight from anyone inside.

"Sam, hold up for a moment. I see two guards moving toward the front of the tent to your right. Not sure which way they are heading yet, so don't move."

Sam did as instructed, keeping herself low and her breathing steady. The commotion that followed caused Sam's blood to boil. Women from the next tent began to shout out protests, before a loud smack silenced them.

"So help me, I will put a bullet in anyone of you if you don't keep your voices down," growled a deep-voiced man who sounded somewhat familiar to Sam. A second man began to laugh in a sick, twisted way, which made Sam's skin crawl.

"You, stand up!"

"Hey, I get first pick this time, you had it last time!"

"Fine, then pick one and let's go!" the first man spat, sounding irritated.

"I want her."

"Damn. Well, you over there, you stand up!"

"Please sir, don't do this. They are only children, after all."

More sinister laughter. "Once a girl develops tits like these, she is no longer a child. Now move!"

Sam quickly moved over along the edge of the tent, halfway to the front to try to get a better view. Her eyes caught sight of four individuals exiting the tent. Two of them were men from the train depot last night, along with the tall red-haired teenage girl who had cried out for her father. The shorter, dark-haired girl Sam didn't recognize. By her appearance, Sam figured this child was not a day over fifteen. Sam bit back her anger at seeing the men pull the frightened girls toward the house, while pushing away the muffled cries of several of the women still inside the tent.

"Frank, see anything?"

"No, Sam, just those two assholes in front of you."

"Todd, are you inside yet?"

"I'm moving in now, Sam. I dropped two over here by the fence and Douglas got the one in the tower. I do see movement to my right, but everything else is quiet."

Sam paused for a moment of contemplation, before continuing the rest of the way up to the front of the spacious green tent. "Frank I'm going in. Watch my back."

"Gotcha, lass, just take it slow."

Sam glanced around one last time before sprinting off low, toward the direction of the main house. Once there, she dropped down and waited for any signs of life around her. She spotted a guard leaning against a green military vehicle, smoking a cigarette and looking as if he hadn't a care in the world. She raised her weapon and took aim. The guard dropped suddenly, just as she was about to fire. Todd emerged from behind a metal shed and dragged the dead body back to where he was hiding. She smiled to herself and quickly moved forward.

The front door to the main house was partially ajar when Sam made her way to the top of the steps. Several voices drifted out from inside, bringing her to bend low and listen. She made out two separate voices to the right, maybe three. Sam moved her body into position. Without lingering, she rushed in, weapon raised, letting her training and reflexes take control.

The first two kills were easy, two bullets and two fallen bodies. The third man proved quicker, but still gave Sam little work as he dove to the right, to where his weapon and the radio system sat on the desk in the corner. She was not sure which item he was reaching for, and frankly, she did not care. She pulled back on the trigger and sent her latest victim straight to the floor.

She waited briefly for any movement down the hall to emerge, but none came. This pushed her on. The first door along the hall to the right was Christina's old bedroom. Sam placed her ear to the door but encountered only silence. She turned the handle slowly, opening the door just enough to get her hand inside to feel for the light-switch. She counted to three and as she flipped on the lights, she pushed open the door and trained her weapon inside.

The first shot she sent went straight to the forehead of a man lying fast asleep in a twin bed directly in front of her. The next bullet caught a second man in the heart, as he rose, half-awake, from a cot in the right corner. Both men, to her good fortune, died without a sound, bringing no movement from the other two bedrooms.

She moved steadily on, keeping her mind focused and her breath even. She placed her ear to Sarah's old bedroom door. This time, instead of silence, she detected the muffled cries of a struggling girl. Sam had to fight down the urge to barge in as burning rage sparked inside her. Turning the knob, Sam slowly cracked the door open. As Sam's eyes found the man with his back turned to her, his hand flew up, backhanding the red-haired girl across the face. The hard blow sent the helpless teen flailing back onto the bed.

"So help me, if I feel even the slightest hint of a tooth on my dick, I will personally knock them all out of your fucking head!"

Sam holstered her firearm, drew her knife, and went quickly in. Her mind burned with hatred. She grabbed roughly onto a handful of the surprised man's hair and jerked his head back hard.

Before he had a chance to defend himself, Sam brought her knife across his exposed neck in one smooth movement. His death-scream was only a low gurgling as his body twitched, then fell to the floor.

Sam moved quickly forward, placing her gloved hand over the mouth of the frightened, half-naked teenager. She shook her head no. "Don't scream. I'm not here to hurt you." Sam replaced her soiled knife with a slow steady movement before continuing to talk. "I'm taking you out of here, but first I need to get to that other girl."

After the teenager shook her head, Sam removed her hand from over the girl's mouth. This brought the girl's arms to fly forward and wrap themselves tightly around Sam's neck. "Thank you," she half-cried, half-whispered, burying her face into Sam's right shoulder.

Sam patted the girl's back before gently pulling her away. "Stay here and don't make a sound. I'll be right back." The girl's understanding nod sent Sam swiftly from the room.

The door to the last room, Mr. Dowell's bedroom, was down the hall and to the left. It became steadily darker the further down Sam went. She made a mental note to ask Frank about procuring several pairs of night-vision goggles. Pulling out her pistol, Sam moved up to the door, listening for any forms of life. The air around her felt stifling, somewhat unnerving, carrying no sounds of life from within the room. All was quiet, too quiet, as she turned the knob and slowly pushed the door open, while keeping her body low and against the wall.

The light from the room spilled out into the dark hall in a wave of brightness, followed by a deep commanding voice from within. "Drop your weapon, or I'll slit her throat!"

Keeping the bulk of her body hidden against the edge of the doorframe, Sam peered slightly in. The appalling sight of a man holding the dark-haired girl in his arm like a shield, with the tip of a bayonet pressed into the edge of the young girl's throat, greeted her. Unsure if it was the terrified look on the young girl's face, or the battered appearance of the girl's naked body that caused something dark, animal like, to snap inside of her, Sam placed her weapon down onto the ground, while keeping her eyes fixed on the man in front of her. Standing slowly to her full length, Sam withdrew her bloodied knife as fury flooded within her.

"This is going to be fun." The man's lips parted, curling upward into a smile. He tossed the girl to the side before pointing his knife at Sam. He moved forward, crossing the distance of the room in less than three strides, with a high look of confidence etched into the lining of his face. "This is not going to be over quickly," he stated, thrusting his blade forward to the right side of Sam's midsection.

She blocked the attack with her left hand while bringing the metal handle of her knife up hard into the man's face with a nose-breaking crunch, and her assailant tumbled backwards. "I agree," she said, clenching her teeth together and rotating her body a few steps further inside the room.

He recovered quickly, and raised his free hand up to his nose, to feel the free-falling manner of his blood. His reddened grin widened, his eyes watered slightly from the pain. "I hope you enjoyed that hit. You won't get another." He moved swiftly forward, this time with a fake sidestep to Sam's left before sending his bayonet straight in.

Sam pivoted to her side on her left leg while bringing her right leg up, first to block his strike, and next up into a smooth, yet powerful motion, once again striking his broken nose. He let out a pain-filled yelp, his head jerked back, and he threw his hands upward to cover the bulk of his face. The pain finally sent him down to the ground on one knee.

"You fucking bitch!" blood muffled his carnal scream, yet Sam detected a hint of alarm in his tone.

Sam looked over to the girl in the corner. The child had her head buried in her knees as her entire body trembled. Sam's eyes glared back down to the man evenly. "You will not live to see another day."

He growled angrily at her words and flung his body forward into Sam. She sidestepped, this time with ease as she brought her left boot up, smashing it with all her might back into his face. His neck snapped back, followed by his body, landing him hard onto his back in the middle of the room. His limbs moved slowly, his cries came in a low hush, and he tried to pull himself over onto his stomach. Sam waited, biding her time, savoring her anger.

Finally, after much struggle, the man slowly climbed to his feet with his knife hung loosely by his fingertips. He threw Sam a humiliated glower of defeat. His eyes shot to the cowering child. Instantly, his lips pulled back into one last sinister smile.

The time in the room played in slow motion. Sam observed the grip of the man's hand form tightly around the handle of his blade. At the same moment his body jolted to the right toward the girl, Sam flipped her own knife in her hand in one fluid motion, while raising it up high behind her head, before sending it with deadly force, flying toward the man. The knife stuck in his side, but the man didn't go down. He grabbed the frightened girl by the arm, ready to slice the girl's throat in his final act of defiance. Sam's eyes frantically darted around the room for her weapon. Seeing it within reach, she maneuvered a front roll and snatched the gun from the ground. She seamlessly fired off two shots. The man fell hard to the ground with a thunk, at the now-crying girl's feet.

Sam moved over to the bed and yanked the top blanket off, which she used to cover the shaking child.

"Jesus, Sam," Todd's voice echoed out from the direction of the door behind her, and he entered the room, lowering the weapon in his hand.

"Help me get her dressed," Sam whispered, not looking back.

After they had the girl up and clothed, and were moving both of the teenagers out to the front of the house, Todd called to the others that they were ready to go. A thick folder on the desk by the front door caught Sam's eye, and she veered from the other three and made her way to the file.

"Sam, we don't have time..."

"Take them outside. I'll be right behind you."

She began flipping through the paperwork and her excitement grew. The folder contained document after document of other camps located throughout the United States. Sam could scarcely believe how many encampments there were. All appeared located in remote areas. She figured it was to avoid detection.

Closing the folder, Sam picked it up, and turned her body to face the door. A sudden thought crossed her mind. She changed direction, making her way around to the front of the desk, where she proceeded to go through the drawers one by one. Nothing of interest struck her. Sighing to herself, Sam glanced over, noticing the filing cabinet to the right. She wasted no time, but hurriedly made her way to the cabinet and began scanning through each drawer for anything significant. It was the bulky file in the second to last drawer that caught her eye. She yanked it out and quickly skimmed through it. Her blood turned cold, then hot with anger as she read. After scanning through the information on the first three documents, Sam shut the folder, adding it to the other she held in her hand, and quickly made her way outside.

The once-silent camp was alive with heightened commotion. Sam watched her companions move the anxious, yet grateful captives out from the confinements of their tents.

"They are ready to go, Sam." The look in Douglas's eyes was one of heartfelt pride as he signaled for her to lead the way.

"Ladies!" Sam called out, bringing many happy, tear-streaked faces instantly toward her. "We have a half-mile walk ahead through the woods and we need everyone to be very quiet as we move. It's dark out there, so keep an eye on the children and each other."

The four positioned themselves on each side of the group with Sam leading the way. Halfway to the buses, Sam voiced her building thought to the others through the headset. "I know where the men are being held, and I have a good idea of the numbers guarding them."

"Good, we can go through it as soon as we get back..."

Sam cut Frank off. "By tomorrow, once they find out about us hitting this camp, their security will have raised drastically."

"What are you saying, Sam? You want us to hit it tonight?"

"Yes, but only if we are all in agreement." There was a lengthy pause before Sam pushed on. "We don't have the trained manpower for another attack anytime soon, if they do increase their security. As of right now, they are still unaware that their camps are under any threat--"

"I'm with Sam," Todd cut in. "She knows what she's doing."

Frank laughed. "She sure scared the crap out of me tonight." He broke off in deep thought. "Count me in."

"Well, I'm not going to miss out on the show, but if we want to do this before sunup, then we need to hurry and get these people back to base."

THE FOUR LOADED buses arrived at the farm at three minutes past midnight. Sam told her Uncle Phillip and the others waiting what the new plan was, and to close up the mine entrance behind them once the people were inside.

"Your aunt and sister are going to be upset by this sudden change in plans," her Uncle Phillip said, looking worried himself.

Sam smiled. "That's why you're not going to tell them until we've left."

The volunteers off-loaded the women and children and moved them into the mine as Sam and her team browsed over the map and information on their next target. "This is Jed's old farm," Frank said.

"Now we know why they are so eager to take everyone's property," Douglas grumbled.

"If this is right, we will be facing thirty-two guards. That is right at double what we have already encountered." Sam frowned, feeling the effects of little sleep.

"It's not too late to back out," Frank offered.

Sam let out a lungful of air as she tilted her neck back. She knew that this was the best time to strike, but if she led these men to their deaths, she could never live with herself.

Douglas looked at Sam warmly. "We know what we are getting into, Sam. I think I speak for everyone when I say that if this is my time to go then it's my time."

"Let's just see what happens," Frank grinned.

Chapter Twelve

Unexpected Company

AFTER THE LAST of the men exited the bus, Sam placed her head down on the steering wheel and closed her eyes. Her bus was the last of the four to pull into the mouth of the mine, sending her Uncle Phillip and several others to close the two thick metal doors behind them. They stacked hay bales on the other side to hide the entrance from trespassers.

She brought her head up as her name echoed from somewhere down the passage. The stern voice sounded like her sister's. The thought of hiding in one of the seats in the back crossed her mind, but only for a second. With a tired heart, Sam watched two of the men they freed less than an hour earlier help the injured Todd down from the bus in front of her. The view caused Sam to lower her head once more.

"What in the hell do you think you were doing?"

Sam gradually raised her eyes, feeling drained and overstretched. She knew this had been the right decision. However, Rachel still had every right to be upset. She stood and made her way slowly down the steps to where Rachel and her Aunt Agnes stood waiting. She allowed her eyes to glance quickly over to where Christina and Steven were loading Todd up onto a transportable stretcher before turning back to her sister.

"I'm sorry for worrying you, sis, but it worked out." Sam handed over the two folders she had acquired from the first camp to her Aunt Agnes.

"Worked out? You went in reckless and unprepared. You're all lucky to still be alive." Rachel's body shook, her eyes watered with worry and anger.

Sam placed her arms around her sister's neck and pulled her into a warm hug. "It won't happen again." Her sister's struggle quickly subsided, giving way to falling tears and a returned embrace. Glancing over to her aunt, Sam mouthed silently that she was sorry. Her aunt smiled back, looking worried herself, yet her eyes were full of pride.

"There must be over fifty camps here." Agnes held the folder open and read as they made their way back to the center of the mine.

"At least, and with several hundred imprisoned at each camp, with room for more, it makes you wonder what this is all about."

Rachel looked over to her sister. "What do you mean?"

Agnes sighed. "Rachel, look at the people they brought back here tonight. These people are not a threat to the government. They are mothers, sons, fathers, and grandparents."

"Maybe they are a threat?"

Agnes gave Sam a questioning look. "Go on."

Sam rubbed the back of her neck. "I don't know. What do they have in common besides being American citizens? The government is imprisoning entire families together, so on a whole, they see them as somehow being a threat. Plus, the people we brought in tonight are not from around here, but the West Coast."

"Why do you think that is?"

Sam shrugged her shoulders. "Well, maybe because if they did manage to escape, they will be farther away from friends and others who could help them. I also think it might be because they do not know this area as well, harder for them to move without being caught."

"Why arrest them, though?" Rachel threw the question back in, still needing an answer.

"I don't know, Rachel, but I do know these people here are not the bad guys. Look through that other folder and you'll see what I mean."

Agnes did as Sam instructed, guiding her fingers, flipping through photos and information on men who she had never seen before. She stopped walking, glancing worriedly at her niece. "Sam, were these men in the prison camp? Are they here now?"

"Those were the guards."

"The guards--" Agnes broke off, looking disgusted. Rachel glanced from her aunt, to her sister, then to the documents for a closer look.

"This man was sent to Leavenworth military prison for life after raping and beating a woman officer in Iraq and leaving her for dead."

Sam nodded. She reached over, flipping the page, and pointing to the bottom. "He was pardoned two months ago. They all were." Sam glanced down at her gloved hand, knowing that the dried blood was his. "Tonight, I found him in a room with one of the girls. I better go let Christina know that some of the women will need medical treatment."

Agnes and Rachel both stared at Sam, worried. "I'll do it, Sam. You go wash up, and head back to the house. You look as if you could use some rest." Agnes closed the file. She placed a tender hand on Sam's arm. "I'll send you up some breakfast with Rachel."

Sam headed off in a daze, down the pathway, pushing back the memory of the lives she had ended tonight. She quickly cleaned up and changed back into her original outfit, debating if she should chance smoking another cigarette before heading back to the house.

Rachel came over, guiding Billy, who looked half-asleep. "Could you take him with you up to the house? Mike is helping me get everyone situated, and Steven and Christina have their hands full in the medical wing."

Sam grinned at the sleepy-eyed boy. "Of course, just promise me you'll take it easy."

Rachel laughed, rubbing her pregnant belly. "Don't worry. Aunt Agnes and Mrs. Pumpernickel are keeping a tight watch on me."

Sam led Billy back out of the mine, noticing how quickly the boy's energy level rose as they went. "Did you beat up anybody tonight, Sam?"

"I don't know what you're talking about. I went out on a drive with..."

"I'm not stupid, Sam. My friends back in the mine told me what is going on."

Sam turned to Billy, bringing her body down to her knees, her eyes level with his own. "Billy, there are many lives at stake here. If anyone finds out..."

"I know, Sam. I'm not a snitch," Billy cut in. "My parents were taken because someone snitched, and they are probably dead because of it."

Sam gazed deeply into the boy's eyes. "Never lose hope, Billy. We don't know what has happened to them, so you mustn't stop believing."

"What if we never find them?"

Sam's heart felt heavy. "You and Mike will always have a place with us."

Sam was unprepared for the arms that encircled her neck. She held onto the boy until he finally broke free. He turned, not saying anything more on the subject, and made his way down the pathway with Sam close behind. "Did you beat up anyone tonight, Sam?"

Sam laughed with a nod. "Yes, Billy, I whipped them good."

Billy kept the conversation entertaining as they made their way up to the tackle room in the barn. Sam closed and secured the hidden door before answering Billy's most recent question. "I have been a police officer for more than two years now."

"Do you like being a police officer, Sam?"

Sam frowned, noticing the light coming out from the gap under the door to the office across from them. She made a mental note to remind Mike later to turn off the lights when he left the office. She closed the tackle room door behind her. "Billy, can you flip off the lights in the office while I feed the horses?"

"Sure, Sam."

She sighed to herself, grateful for the temporary break from Billy's apparently limitless supply of questions. Making her way around to all three stalls, Sam checked the supply of hay and water already laid out for each of the horses. Maybe she wouldn't bother Mike about leaving the lights on, since the animals were obviously well-tended.

"Move away from the door!" a female shouted.

Sam spun quickly around, surprised by the unfamiliar voice behind her. Her top lip pulled back into a scowl at the sight of a woman holding a kitchen knife to Billy's neck. "If you hurt him, I swear I'll kill you." Sam's words came out in a low growl, her eyes burning hot with rage.

"I don't want to, but I will. Now, move back!"

Sam glanced around, looking for a weapon of her own. Her eyes found Billy's, instantly turning her rage of a fighter into the desperation of a guardian. She swallowed hard, taking a few steps back. "I'll give you anything you want, just let the boy go."

"You're a cop. If I release him, you'll arrest me."

Sam shook her head no. "I have money in the house..."

"I don't want your money! I just want to get out of here!"

Sam slowly placed her hand into the front pocket of her jeans. She pulled out the keys to her truck and tossed them in a slow, underhanded motion over to the pale-faced woman. "Billy, everything will be fine, trust me." Sam forced a smile across her lips for the wide-eyed child.

Sam examined the woman who was holding Billy in her arms. She could see that the woman was frightened. Yet something in her eyes informed Sam that Billy was in no danger. Squinting for a closer look, Sam noticed that the woman's thumb was resting on the blade of the knife, separating the dull edge from the boy's flesh.

A wave of hope appeared before Sam. "You're bleeding. I can help you if you let me."

Sam watched the woman glance down at the large circle of blood on the side of her sweatshirt. The sudden movement appeared to cause her to rock lightly on her feet. Sam could tell by the pale complexion on the woman's face that she had lost a lot of blood and her strength was fading fast.

"You're a cop."

"My name's Samantha Kelly. I was a cop, but I moved here over a week ago with my sister and a friend of ours. That boy's name is Billy. He is only ten years old. HTF agents took his parents--"

"Stop talking!" The woman shouted, swaying slightly.

Sam observed the woman's eyes momentarily closed, sending the injured woman a few steps backwards, off-balance. The knife slipped from the woman's hand, the instant she lost her grip on the boy. Within seconds the woman's knees buckled, sending her down on all fours. Vomit, the caramel color of soda but smelling of sour milk from partially digested ice cream, splattered against the wood floor seconds before the warmth of Sam's arms encircled the woman's waist.

Waiting until the vomiting ceased, Sam picked the woman up and cradled her in her arms. She watched as the woman's eyes rolled backwards in their sockets, indicating that she was out cold. "Billy, get the door," she instructed, making her way back into the tackle room.

"Is she going to be okay, Sam?" he asked, closing the hidden door behind them.

"I'm not sure, Billy."

IT WAS COLD and raining when Sam awoke into the blackness of night. Her head was throbbing, and she could feel the damage to her body as it screamed out in pain at every little movement she made. Even the rapid blinking of her eyelids felt labored as she fought with herself to wake up. Why wake up? Why not just sleep until morning?

She moved her head slightly, feeling the roughness of the wet muddy earth beneath her cheek. Something is wrong, she thought, squeezing her eyelids together as if this would help to lift the fogginess in her brain. Why am I cold and wet?

The sounds from the insects in the woods started to pour into Sam's bloody-rain soaked ears, causing a mounding fear to build itself up deep inside Sam's naked, quivering body. "Where am I?" she mumbled, but only a rough gurgling sound came out. She focused with all that she could, to recall the events from earlier that would explain why she was here. She remembered going to school that morning after dropping Rachel and Christy off to each of their schools.

She tried to move her arm, but the pain that shot up was excruciating, sending her breaths into a quick, shallow rhythm. She closed her eyes tight and continued in thought. Sarah was laughing as they pulled into the high school parking lot, about something that Sam had said just moments before. "No, Chris is young, her crush on you is normal." Sarah smiled, as she bent in to place a kiss onto her lover's lips.

"Sarah..." Sam mumbled, as the flash of the drunken man on top of Sarah and her loud sharp screams, devoured Sam's previous memories of the day, flooding her brain with the terrors of the night.

She willed herself to rise, twisting her naked body to the unbearable pain that each movement sent. She bit hard into her bottom lip producing a trickle of fresh blood, while her legs quivered under the weight that they could not hold. She hit the ground hard onto her knees, her lungs forcing out the word "Sarah" in one high-pitched scream. With every frantic painful turn of her head, as she glanced around for her partner that would not, or could not answer, Sam had to fight off the urge to pass out.

"Sarah, answer me!" She climbed back to her feet, forcing her weak legs to move, one in front of the other, her heart pounding to a threatening beat. It was dark here, where the trees grew up thick, shadowing out the moon from shedding its rays onto this part of the Earth.

"Sarah, please tell me where you are! If you are unable to speak, then try to make a noise baby!" Sam stopped, leaning most of her weight up against the side of a large Oak tree. She strained her ears to detect the faintest of sounds.

She glanced down to her painful naked body, in hopes to access the damage that it held, but it was just to dark. She took in a few short breaths before pushing herself on. She glanced ahead, squinting off into the distance, seeing the opening of the thick trees a little ways further. Maybe Sarah had wakened and made her way out? she thought, hopeful, slightly quickening her pace.

Her right leg caught on something hard, bringing Sam quickly to the ground. She landed sprawled out onto her face, fighting back the pain with a sharp cry. She laid there unmoving for several minutes in the mud, allowing her mind to concentrate on the rain that fell down on the back of her tattered body.

Finally, after getting her breathing back under control, Sam slowly moved up to her knees. She felt around frantically for a branch that would support her weight and help her continue. Her fingers encountered something cold, yet familiar to the touch. She ran her fingers up slowly, along the lifeless body of the girl that she loved, as fear and uncontrolled panic gripped her insides.

"Sarah," she whispered, crawling up next to the unmoving teenage girl.

"Sarah!" she shouted, and she shook the sickly twisted body beneath her desperate hands. She frantically felt for her girlfriend's mouth and quickly began to perform what little she knew of CPR, as her mind yelled at her that it was too late.

After a few heart-wrenching minutes, Sam struggled to her feet with Sarah's naked body in her arms. She had lifted Sarah up many times, but when it mattered, when she needed her strength the most, none came, and both bodies tumbled back to the muddy ground.

Fighting off the urge to cry, Sam moved back onto her feet, as she dug down deep, summoning all the power that her body would give, and lifted Sarah once again. She moved out as fast as she could go in the direction of the opening ahead, while she told her lover repeatedly not to die, to hang on until help arrived to care for her.

Every part of her shook as she stepped out into the clearing, onto the solid concrete road. The blinding of headlights and the screeching of tires rang through her pounding head.

"IT'S ABOUT TIME you woke up." Christina smiled down, handing Sam a plate of food. "I can heat it up if it's too cold."

"It's fine." Sam sat up, slightly shaken, turning her attention to the woman on the cot next to her. The woman had an IV, the tube feeding from a clear bag of fluids hanging on a hook above her head. Her face did not look as pale as when Sam had first seen her, but she still lacked color. "Is she going to make it?"

"Yes, I believe so. I'm worried about possible infection at this point. I gave her some antibiotics, so we'll see."

Sam glanced around the ample room as she ate. "It looks different, more like a hospital in here." Sam smiled, motioning to the newly added Sheetrock walls and tile dropped ceiling.

"We are supposed to have a floor put in by next week, and Frank is working on getting us some new equipment and supplies."

"Nice."

"Well, it'll make my job much easier." Christina said, taking a seat by Sam. "These are pills I would like you to take to help you sleep easier at night." Christina held out a small brown pill bottle to Sam. "You only need to take one."

"I'm fine, Christina, really."

"You didn't sound fine. Now I'm the one with the medical degree, so here." She handed the bottle over to Sam.

Sam sighed. "I really am fine. It's only a few bad dreams."

"Everything stays with us, Sam, the good, and the bad. Sometimes the terrible things we work through or try to suppress deep inside can resurface, especially if we fall under stress or experience something traumatic."

"It was a long time ago."

"Just take the pills in case you should need them." Christina's eyes held the love of a sister as she spoke. "If you need to talk to someone, Sam, I'm here. We also have a man here who is a psychiatrist."

Sam stood, with a forced smile. "Thanks, but I don't need to see any more head doctors."

"Sam..."

"I'm going to have a guard posted outside the door for when she wakes up, and when she does, let me know." Sam sat her half-eaten plate on the desk by the wall. She paused on her way out, turning back to Christina. "I know you're trying to help, but I promise I'm fine."

"I know you are, but I also know how stubborn you can be." Christina stood and made her way over to Sam. After a warm hug, she stepped back. "You have always been like a sister to me, Sam. I'm only worried about you."

"Don't be." Sam gave Christina a playful wink before she left.

After finding someone to watch over the unconscious woman in the medical wing, Sam made her way down the spacious pathway in search of her sister. She found Rachel standing outside the conference room talking to their Aunt Agnes.

"You look much better." Her aunt smiled when she spotted Sam.

"I feel better."

Agnes gave each sister a tender hug. "I know this all has felt overwhelming at times, but I just wanted to let you know how proud I am of the both of you. You have stood strong for one other when your parents died, especially considering the shape this country is in. You are strong women, and I consider it a great honor to be your Aunt. Without a doubt, you both have the Kelly blood running through those veins."

The three embraced once more. "I say we take a few hours off, grab the boys, some fishing poles, and go to the lake like we did when you two were younger."

It did not take long for all to agree to Agnes's idea.

SAM, CHRISTINA, RACHEL, and Billy headed back to the house that evening for a home cooked, sit-down dinner, while Mike and Steven stayed behind in the mine to assist one of the nurses in the medical wing. Christina's next twenty-four hour shift at the hospital was the following afternoon, so they ate early to give her a good night's sleep.

Sam was getting ready for bed when Roy began to bark. Seconds later vehicle headlights shown through her bedroom window. "Good boy. Bed." Sam pointed, sending Roy up onto the bed while she slipped her jeans and shoes back on. "Stay," she instructed before heading back out into the living room. She glanced up the stairs to Christina and her sister as she passed, motioning for them to remain there.

The knock on the door was firm, commanding, giving Sam the impression that the person on the other side demanded authority. She opened the door. "May I help you?" She kept her body in the doorway as her eyes caught the dark eyes staring in at her. Her heart skipped a painful beat. Quickly however, she realized that even though the man looking back at her resembled Brandon Clayton, this agent was not him.

He flipped out his badge. "I'm Agent Brown with the HTF. May we come in?"

Sam moved over, opening the door wider for the man and his two companions. "Could I get you gentleman something to drink? We have tea, soda..."

"No, thank you."

"Is there something we can help you with, Agent Brown?"

The man looked at Sam for a moment before sweeping the place with his eyes. He spotted the two women at the top of the stairs, and turned back to Sam. "We are looking for a woman in this area." He made a move to hand Sam an eight-by-twelve photo, but pulled it back. "The last time we came through here this house was unoccupied."

"We just moved back. I'm Samantha Kelly, my sister Rachel, and our roommate Christina." Sam motioned with her head to the women on the landing, praying silently that Billy remained asleep in bed.

The man glanced back up the stairs, and again to Sam. "The Kellys. Yes. Well, we need to search this house for firearms. Johnson, can you bring in the dog?"

"There is no need for that."

Agent Brown shot Sam a look of disagreement. "On the contrary, I'm afraid..."

"I have two firearms. One is in my bedroom, and the other is in a safe in the back office."

His widening eyes showed surprise mixed with confusion at her casual tone. "Guns of any kind are outlawed except for law enforcement personnel. I'll have to place you all under arrest."

"My badge is in the bedroom beside my weapon. I'm a police officer out of Kansas City, Missouri on temporary leave."

He seemed unconvinced as he spoke. "The Agent-In-Charge in your area is...?"

"Agent Clayton, and if you don't believe me you may call my captain."

"We know Brandon, we will check with him." Agent Brown nodded his head to one of the other agents, who took out his cell phone and began to dial.

After a few moments of talking, the broad man hung up the phone. "Sir, Agent Clayton was unavailable, but an Officer Jenkins confirmed her story."

Sam made a mental note to give Jenkins a big kiss the next time she saw him.

"And you are on leave for how long?"

"A few months. Brandon offered me a job with the HTF and I'm thinking about taking it. I just wanted to get my sister settled first, and the farm up to speed before I went back."

The look on Agent Brown's face softened. "Hmm, good to hear. We do have an opening in Springfield if you should choose to stay. If you do, then a reference from Agent Clayton would more than suffice." Brown gave a half sigh, handing the picture over to Sam. "Well, to get back to why we are here. Have you seen this woman, by any chance?"

Sam glanced down at the picture for a few seconds before shaking her head no. "I haven't, but maybe they have." She handed the photo to the agent by the stairs and he took it up to Rachel and Christina. Both replied no in the same easy manner as Sam. "Are you looking for her to arrest, or is she missing?"

"Arrest. She is a great threat to the government."

"Is she armed?"

"Last we knew. She took out one of my men a few days ago."

Sam glanced out the door with a worried look. "So she is in the area." She turned back to Mr. Brown, showing him her look of worry. "If she was able to drop a skilled agent, then she must be dangerous." Seeing the look in the man's eyes, Sam knew that she was on the right track. "Is there any chance that you would be able to...no, I would probably need to call Brandon for it."

"Officer Kelly, I assure you that we are just as capable in Springfield..."

"Oh, I didn't mean to suggest that you weren't. I just don't feel that I should impose."

"Nonsense. We are all officers of the law here. Just let me know what you need and I will see it done."

Sam raised a brow, choosing the right words. "Well, if you would be able to issue a weapon permit for my aunt or her husband who lives across the way, that would make me feel more at ease for their safety. At least until you caught this woman."

A smile played across Agent Brown's lips. "I can understand your worry and I assure you that your request is well in my means, and it will be no trouble at all." He glanced up at the two women above him and back at Sam with a prominent rise in his chest. "I can even do you one better. You have your sister, your roommate, and your aunt and uncle."

"That is correct."

"Well, come by my office tomorrow around lunchtime and I will have four cards issued, signed, and ready to go. You will just need to write in their names and have them sign the front, but being an officer of the law, I will have no worries trusting you with that."

Sam gave the man a friendly smile while mentally patting herself on the back. "You are a true gentleman."

Chapter Thirteen

Elaina's Story

"HE JUST HANDED these over to you?" Todd leaned in on his crutch, flipping one of the permit cards over in his hand.

"Sam was in and out of his office in less than five minutes." Rachel took a seat at one of the empty spots around the conference room desk. She stretched, rubbing a spot on her belly as if massaging the child within.

"The names are blank. It is virtually impossible for a person, even in law enforcement, to obtain one, and he gave you four." Todd glanced up at Sam, looking lost.

"It was easy. He has a very large ego, and expects people to respect him for the position of power he holds. I played to that, making him believe that I thought he was incapable of using that power." Sam grinned. "For our good fortune, he proved me wrong."

Rachel added. "She also wore a revealing shirt, tight jeans, and she might have suggested that she really liked men in uniforms."

Sam blushed. "Whatever works, plus he offered me a job."

Todd's eyes shot quickly to Christina, then back to Sam. Sam could tell by the look on his face that Todd was deep in thought. "You know, that might not be a bad idea."

Rachel looked at the man in disbelief. "Tell me you're kidding, Todd."

"It would give us a big edge to have someone inside the HTF."

"Do you realize how dangerous that would be?" Rachel shook her head forcefully. "Sam is risking her life enough. I'm sorry, but find someone else."

Frank placed his coffee cup down on the table, and cleared his throat. "Todd is right, Rachel. There could be a good opportunity here."

"Aunt Agnes, tell them this is stupid." Rachel peered across the table to the older woman, her eyes pleading.

"This is up to Sam, Rachel."

Rachel's eyes were wide, her forehead pulled down into a frown as she glanced around to each person in the room, obviously disbelieving what she was hearing. Sam was the one who spoke. "I'm not planning on taking the job. If things change, and I feel this move will benefit us, fine. However, until then, I'm not going to put my family through the added worry."

They knew that by her family, Sam meant Rachel, but no one argued, not even Rachel, who didn't appear fully satisfied by Sam's answer. Christina's question broke the uncomfortable silence. "We attacked two camps, and yet they asked us no questions, made no hints about it. The only thing they were interested in was finding the woman."

"Those camps don't exist. At least we're not supposed to know about them." Frank leaned in closer to the table. "However, their interest in finding this woman does intrigue me. Is she awake yet?"

"No," Christina replied. "She lost a lot of blood before she arrived here, and her wound is infected, but I believe she'll pull through. I'm going to be leaving for work shortly, but Steven and Janis are keeping an eye on her progress. They'll call me when she wakes."

"I would like to keep a guard posted with her until she is able to answer some questions."

"I met her in town several months ago at the store, Sam. She didn't strike me as a dangerous person."

Sam peered over to her aunt. "Do I need to remind you that she had a knife to Billy's throat?"

"I don't believe she would have hurt him. She had a bullet hole in her side, was frightened half to death, and was on the run. Frightened people do desperate things, but they still know where to draw the line."

"This is why she'll be watched. You are not sure what type of person she is. She might have no problems crossing that line."

"Agnes, Sam's right. We need to keep an eye on her until we find out why the HTF is looking for her. She could be a danger to others, we just don't know for sure. You said you had seen her several months ago. Is there anything you can remember that might help us get a better idea of her situation?" Douglas asked, adjusting his position in his chair.

Agnes thought back. "She said her name was Amy. I don't remember her last name, but she told me she was camping."

"Did you believe her?"

"No." Agnes glanced off in contemplation before slowly continuing. "She was too hesitant for that to be her real name. Plus, the amount of food and supplies she bought suggested that she was holing up somewhere with more storage than just a campsite." Agnes glanced at her niece. "She struck me as a good-hearted woman, Sam. I think waking up to the sight of a stranger with a weapon would only add more stress to her situation."

Sam stared at her aunt for a long time. Agnes had always been a good judge of character, but in the same thought, her aunt had not been there to see the knife at Billy's throat. If she placed an unarmed person in the room with this woman and something happened, Sam would not forgive herself. She sighed. "Fine, I'll pull off the guard and personally watch her. However, if she wakes up showing any signs of aggression, we'll go back to armed guards."

Agnes smiled her agreement.

"What about the other camps? We are planning on doing something, right?"

Agnes nodded to Frank. "We are holding another meeting tomorrow night. At which time we will vote in positions for a committee to oversee this group."

Douglas stood with a grin. "Well, my cows are not going to milk themselves. I suppose I'll see you all tomorrow night."

Douglas was the first to leave the room, followed by Agnes and the others. Sam and Christina broke off from the group and headed down the left passageway toward the medical wing. Sam relieved the guard, positioned a chair next to the unconscious woman's bed, and Christina double-checked the situation of her patients before bidding Sam and the others farewell and heading off to work.

"You looked as if you could use some coffee." A short, slightly plump, middle-aged woman, with peppery grey hair handed Sam a white, ordinary coffee cup with swirling steam rising from its rim.

"Thank you."

The woman smiled at Sam warmly with a tiny shake of her head. "I'm the one that needs to do the thanking. If it hadn't been for you, we all would still be in the camps. I'm Janis McMullen."

Sam raised her eyebrows as she shook the woman's outstretched hand. Sam had not recognized this woman from her other trips into the mine, and now she understood why. "I figured they would give you all some time to settle in before putting you on shifts."

"Oh, I volunteered. Actually, quite a few of us have. My husband is an architectural engineer and he is helping with the construction of the living quarters and such." She shrugged her shoulders. "The stuff he does is over my head. Give me a hammer and I eventually manage to break something." Sam smiled at her giggle. "I'll stick with nursing, less dangerous."

"You're a nurse?"

"Yes, an RN. Well, I was up until two months ago when we were arrested."

Sam studied her questioningly. "I don't mean to prod, but why did they arrest you? I mean, a nurse and an engineer, what was their reasoning?"

"I told him to get rid of his gun." Janis slumped in a seat next to Sam. "He refused, saying it was his right as an American." Janis let out a long sigh. "I don't blame him, though. After all, I agreed with him. I just didn't want to give the Task Force any reasons to arrest us as they have done to others we knew."

Janis pointed, directing Sam's eyes to one of the cots on the far edge of the room. Sam's heart sank the instant she spotted the dark-haired teenager from the night before. Even though the girl was asleep, she appeared unsettled, as if she had drifted off into a restless nightmare. "That is our daughter over there. He blames himself for what has happened to her. I can tell it is killing him inside..." Janis broke off, turning away.

Sam moved her eyes away from the cot and off the girl, wishing she were somewhere else at this very moment. The room felt as if it was closing in around her, making it difficult to breathe. She stood, shutting her eyes tight. She needed air. "Would you mind keeping an eye on things, I need to use the bathroom."

"Oh, yes of course, dear." Janis rose to her feet with a warm smile. Her eyes were red and puffy, yet her tone pleasant as she spoke. "Why, there is Steven now. You go do your thing. We'll manage fine here until you get back."

"Thanks'." Sam said, turning quickly away from Steven as he emerged from one of the back rooms. His arms were full of medical supplies, blocking his view of her. The last thing she wanted at this moment was to get involved in a lengthy conversation with him. They had not had much of a chance to talk these last few days, and now was not the time.

Sam turned off into a corridor just off the main medical wing, staying within earshot in case something happened. After a few moments of steady breathing, Sam removed her almost empty cigarette pack from her back pocket, lit one of the semi-bent cigarettes, and deeply inhaled. She fought hard to keep down her coughing fit, wishing that she had a shot of whisky to wash it down.

Biting her bottom lip, Sam cursed inwardly as she leaned back against the wall with her eyes closed. She felt ashamed for leaving Janis the way she did. She felt ashamed for feeling this weak, this out of control with her own emotions. What happened to her was a long time ago, yet for some reason, seeing that broken-spirited girl brought back the exact feelings she had when she found Sarah's lifeless body.

"Damn it, Sam, get a grip!" she scolded, keeping her voice to a low grumble.

Finishing her cigarette, Sam blew off the temptation to light a second one since she was running low and unsure when she would get a chance to buy another pack. She made her way back into the room feeling less healthy, yet more under control of her emotions.

Retaking her seat next to the unconscious woman, Sam returned Steven's smile. "You look good in that coat, it fits you."

Steven glanced down at the long white medical smock, then back up at Sam with a slight blush to his cheeks. "Yes, it does feel comfortable. However, these are Christina's idea. She says it makes the patients feel more at ease when we wear them." He smiled with a shrug. "Something about instilling confidence with the care we provide."

Sam grinned. "It does give off a certain air of assurance."

Steven laughed, handing Sam a fresh coffee. "Yes, well. Let's just keep the truth to ourselves, shall we?"

"Nonsense, Steven, you are doing a wonderful job." Janis peeked up from the desk where she was writing something down in a file. Sam assumed that it was a medical record. "He's not afraid to ask questions, and he retains what he learns. Furthermore, he works well with the patients. That is a trait few doctors have these days."

Janis pointed to the woman lying covered on the cot next to Sam. "He started her IV himself."

"It took me three sticks." He sat in the chair next to Sam.

"She was very dehydrated. A small feat, if you ask me." Janis smiled at Steven before focusing her attention back down to the file in front of her. "Just give it time and before long you'll become proficient at it," she added before her hand resumed a writing motion.

Steven leaned in so only Sam would be able to hear. "Once I graduate and start my own practice, I'm taking her with me."

He meant it as a joke, but Sam could see the appreciation in his eyes as he spoke. She grinned, taking a sip of her coffee. "Are you planning on staying down here forever, or do you plan on going up to the house for some rest?"

"Oh, I have a room set up in the back. It isn't grand, but it works." He leaned back with a sigh. "I'm sick of taking cold showers, though. If they don't get the hot water hooked up soon, I might have to head up top for a while."

She gazed at him, concerned. "You are doing a good job. Just don't over-stretch yourself, all right?"

He laughed. "You have room to talk, Sam. You look as if you haven't had a decent night's sleep in days."

Sam glanced away briefly before turning back to Steven while holding her smile. He was right. With everything that was going on these last few days, Sam had found little time for sleep. The few times she did manage to get some shuteye proved less than restful, thanks to her recurring nightmare.

"Where am I?"

Though the voice from the cot next to her was low, just above a murmur, Sam about jumped out of her seat. Steven was the first one to the woman's bed with Janis right behind. Sam remained unmoving, feeling awkward and out of place.

"You're safe, child. The bullet that hit you, thankfully, missed anything of importance, but you did lose a lot of blood and your wound is infected." Janis leaned over, checking her patient's vitals.

"Is this a hospital?" The woman's eyes glanced around the room swiftly, her look of confusion changed into fear when she caught sight of Sam staring down at her. "I have been arrested?"

The nurse followed the woman's eyes to Sam, bringing her to smile. "Oh, no, dear, this is Sam Kelly. She is the one who brought you here."

The woman's voice shook slightly, her eyes remaining fixed on Sam. "Where am I?"

"You're in an underground--"

"Janis," Sam cut in, taking a step forward, "we don't have any idea who this woman is..."

"If she is wanted by the Task Force, then surely she is not a threat to us."

"You didn't turn me in? That boy said you were a cop." The woman's eyes shifted slightly. "Is the boy all right?"

"His name is Billy, and yes, he's fine." Sam gave the woman a solemn glance. "It's still not too late to turn you in."

Janis stood, turning to Sam. "I understand that it's your job to keep us safe. However, she is my patient and until I feel that she is up to the task, your questions will have to wait."

The eyes that peered at Sam were not hard or angry, but insistent. Sam thought for a moment before nodding her head in agreement. "I understand. I must ask you, however, not to give her any information regarding this place or the people in it until after I have a chance to talk with her."

Janis agreed, shooting a smile at Sam before telling Steven to go call Christina. She turned back to the woman. "What is your name, child?"

"How long have I been here?"

"Close to two days."

A look of surprise shown across the woman's face and she made a weak attempt at sitting up. This movement brought Janis's hands to hold her gently down. "I need to leave. If I've not been arrested, why are you keeping me here?"

"It's for your safety as well as ours. Now, please rest. We'll talk later." Janis went to one of the shelves by the front desk and returned with a thick green army blanket, which she added to the one already covering the woman's body.

Turning her head away, Elaina closed her eyes. She was sick of hiding, sick of running away from everyone and everything. Her life had felt over the day Kim had died and she went into hiding. These people had not turned her in. Yet, if she told them the truth and they proved to be on the wrong side, where did that leave her? Where did that leave everyone else?

Elaina turned back, her eyes moist, her mind racing. I cannot do this alone. I'm so sick of being alone. She thought, staring up into the kind eyes that were looking down at her. "My name is Elaina Williams. I worked for a news station in New York City up until the day the Stock Market crashed, and my life came to a sudden halt."

She spent the next hour telling Janis, Steven, and Sam her entire story, covering these two long years. She began with the encounter with her ex and the package, to Kim's death and her own narrow escape. She talked in detail of Marcus, the FBI agent who had been helping her for the last year and a half, and her reasoning for his believed death. The three listened as she told them of her time in the cabin, ending with the events leading up to her injury, and her narrow escape.

When she finished talking, Elaina stared at each of them, wondering if they thought that she was completely nuts. All three remained silent, seated in chairs beside her cot. Feeling self-conscious, Elaina pulled the blankets up around her neck and waited.

Sam was the first to move, rising slowly to her feet. "I would like to take a look at those disks. Can you tell me how to get to the cabin, and exactly where you hid them?"

"Those disks and the ZIP drive are the only proof I have left."

Janis patted Elaina's hand gently. "She freed me and my family from camps they were holding us in. You can trust her."

Elaina's eyes rose to Janis, to Sam, and back to Janis. "What camps?"

Janis shrugged. "Well, holding camps. The HTF found a weapon in our home and arrested us. We were taken to an encampment close to here."

"So, they have outlawed weapons..." Elaina's voice trailed off.

"What is it?"

Elaina looked up at Steven. "There is a plan, or it is more of an outline of the events that this organization is planning. Some have specific dates, but not all of them. It mentions the disarming of weapons and several new laws that are to be enforced. It also talks of martial law and encampments for those who break the laws brought on by this organization."

"This is already happening."

"Yes, but that is not all." Elaina glimpsed at Sam as she continued. "There is much more that will happen, including getting rid of the people in the camps."

"Getting rid of?"

"It did not say it specifically, but the way I read it, I took it to mean the execution of every person there. It's as if they want to arrest as many people as they can within a specific period of time that they allotted for it." Elaina's eyes held fear. "The Secretary of Defense was one of the names listed. I'm not sure how he connects in all of this. Like I said, the information's choppy, but several other key people are also mentioned."

Retaking her seat, Janis frowned toward her daughter's cot. Sam felt her own heart pounding in her chest as she moved over to the desk and grabbed out a pen and notepad from one of the side drawers. She returned, tossing them both down on Elaina's bed. "I want the location of the cabin and where you hid the disks."

SAM DROVE INTO town less than an hour later, filling up the gas in her truck, and headed inside to purchase a soda and a couple packs of cigarettes. She wanted to be seen in town, just in case she did happen to run into any of the HTF agents later. However, the two packs of cigarettes she hid from her sister in the glove box were an added little bonus. She knew for her own sake she needed to quit smoking, but the way things were heading, now was not the time.

Elaina's directions started from Jed's old boarded-up store in the center of town and headed out to the north, thirty-miles down the road. Sam's farm was located in the opposite direction, and after the first twenty-five miles, Sam pulled off onto a barely visible and apparently unused gravel road. Her truck bounced and weaved around dips and potholes, causing her to slow considerably.

She almost missed the overgrown grass-covered road. Impressed by how thick the trees grew here, Sam thought back, wondering why she had never ventured out this way in her youth. This would have been a good scenic place to ride her horse, but the woods here were too dense for her dirt bike or three-wheeler.

Pulling her truck up as far as she could, Sam climbed out, retrieving her pistol and Elaina's backpack, which she had grabbed from the office in the barn before she left. She double-checked the safety switch before tucking the pistol into the back of her jeans and moved her way forward. Less than twenty feet ahead, Sam stopped as her eyebrows pulled forward in a questioning look. An SUV sat hidden underneath a tarp and pile of brush. She made her way over uncovering the driver's side window. Peering in, Sam found herself impressed by how well Elaina had hidden her vehicle. Nothing seemed out of place but an old battery in the front seat. Replacing the tarp and tree branches, Sam continued her walk up the hill.

The full surrounding of trees hid the cabin and the outer buildings well, making this a good hiding place for an FBI agent or anyone he had wanted to protect. Sam waited, crouched down next to a moss-covered stump, watching for any signs of movement inside. When none came, she slowly made her way around the buildings in a wide circle, eyes scanning for any broken windows or signs of forced entry. Once satisfied that the buildings remained untouched, Sam moved her way cautiously into the area.

She went straight to the woodpile at the far end of the cabin, and removed the key hidden underneath the misshapen log, as Elaina had instructed. The dead-bolt locking the door from the outside looked weathered and rusted, yet sturdy. Sam put in the key turning it to the right with very little force. A sharp click echoed around her as the lock sprung open, allowing her entry into the cabin.

The inside was clean, holding a warm cozy feeling. Sam closed the door behind her and made her way around the high polished rocker, past the thick sturdy table, and into the space separating the living room from the kitchen. She bent down, using her eyes and fingers to inspect the floor below her.

"Ah," she breathed. A small smile formed across her lips when her fingers found the tiny gap and worked up the board from its place of rest. She removed the laptop and shoebox from the hole, then replaced the board and headed to the table beside her. She quickly opened the top of the box, revealing the disks, ZIP drive, and money. Satisfied that everything was as Elaina described, Sam closed the lid, placed the items in her backpack, and made her way back out of the cabin.

After locking the cabin door and replacing the key, Sam made her way back down the hill to her awaiting truck. How did she make it so long out here by herself? Deep admiration for this woman worked its way up as Sam moved in behind the wheel, tossing the backpack in the seat next to her. A year out here alone would be hard enough for anyone, and Elaina had done it while appearing to have kept her sanity intact.

Pulling her truck back out onto the gravel road, Sam pondered over the eyes that had stared into her own. She guessed Elaina's height to be five-four maybe five-five tops, with a petite frame and feminine features. What interested Sam the most was the strength with which Elaina's eyes had held her own. It was as if their intensity did not match that of her delicate build.

Who was she? What kept her going after being on the run alone for so long? Questions like this flipped through Sam's mind as she turned off from the gravel road and onto the asphalt. She did not see the red and blue flashing lights, or the black SUVs blocking the road ahead until she drove up over the hill less than a mile outside of town.

It was too late for her to turn around as the agent twenty yards down the road began to motion for her to slow her vehicle down. Sam leaned over, grabbing the backpack and tucking it under the passenger seat beside her. "Damn it!" She hid her weapon inside the front waistband of her jeans, underneath her T-shirt and flannel over-shirt.

She counted four agents, knowing that if they discovered the backpack and the disks, she would have to shoot her way out of this mess. "Pull over," the agent mouthed through the windshield, the other three busying themselves with another vehicle heading in the opposite direction. Sam did as instructed, rolling down her window in the process.

"Routine inspection, please step out of the truck and remain where I can see you."

Sam complied, keeping the smile on her face and the driver's side door opened. The feel of the cold metal against her stomach comforted her as she watched the man move from the front driver's seat to the back passenger's seat, and head around to the other side of the truck.

He pulled open the large red door, reaching right for the glove box. "I would not have pictured you as a smoker," he said, tossing the contents along with the two packs of cigarettes out onto the passenger seat. "Your teeth are too white."

"I have several hidden secrets." Sam's words, delivered in a flirtatious tone, brought the man's head up, his eyes sending her an interested glance.

"What secrets might those be?"

Sam laughed, keeping the other three agents in her peripheral vision. "If I told you, they would not be secrets."

He grinned, running his eyes down to Sam's chest, and slowly back up again. "I guess not." He sent his hand quickly under the front seat as his eyes remained on Sam. "You're clean. Wait, what's this?" He glimpsed down to the backpack that his hand retrieved from under the seat.

Sam held her breath along with her smile. Damn it, I was so close, she thought, moving her hand up to her front right pocket, readying herself to draw. "It's only my laptop and a few music CDs, nothing exciting."

The agent grunted, not bothering to lift his eyes. His hand unzipped the backpack, removing the laptop from within. What am I going to do, try to kill all four, and if I succeed, throw the bodies in the back and find a place to bury them? Sam raised her eyebrows to her own question. I guess so. She watched the agent's hand move back inside the backpack.

"Hey, Andrews, she's clean."

Sam and the agent both glanced over to the approaching man, questioningly. It was not until that moment that Sam recognized him as one of the agents in her house the night before last, with Agent Brown. Sam watched the other two agents make their way over after finally releasing the other vehicle.

"How do you know she's clean? I'm the one inspecting her."

"This is Samantha Kelly, the woman I told you about. You know, the cop from Kansas City."

The agent quickly looked at Sam. "So you are the one Brown gave all those weapon permits to. Now I can understand why." He glanced back down to her breasts with a grin, before proceeding to replace the laptop into the backpack. After zipping it up, he left it on the seat.

"You're right, she is freaking hot." His words brought a reddish appearance to the other agent's face, followed quickly by an angry glance.

"We're sorry to bother you, Ms. Kelly, please continue on your way."

Sam smiled, climbing back into the truck while the agent who inspected her shut the front passenger door. He made his way around and watched as Sam buckled her seatbelt. "You know, Ms. Kelly, I have tomorrow night off and my wife is out of town."

Sam gave him a level look. "Sorry, I'm not into married men." She pulled away to the sound of the other agents laughing at their companion's expense.

As soon as Sam turned onto her gravel drive, she pulled her truck over to the edge, threw the gearshift in park, and lit a much-needed cigarette. Her nerves were raw. Back in Kansas City, she could have found release in a meaningless, mutually satisfying fuck. The thought of turning the truck around and driving straight for Kansas City rose, tempting her. Instead, she took in a deep drag on her cigarette, sighed, and sent the truck rolling down the drive.

She parked the truck in front of the house, grabbed the backpack, and hit the door lock before making her way back into the mine. She debated using one of the computers in the conference room, but thought differently seeing as how these disks were Elaina's to begin with.

"She's asleep," Steven said, glancing up from the desk. "Unless you want Janis to give you a lecture, you had better not wake her."

"Where is Janis?" Sam asked, slumping down in a chair next to him.

"She's taking her daughter to the showers, then to get something to eat."

Sam glanced over to the woman asleep on the cot, then to the empty cot beside her. "I'm going to get some shuteye. Can you wake me when she gets up?"

Steven nodded with a smile. "That is a good idea."

Chapter Fourteen

The Committee

"HEY. ARE YOU all right?"

Sam opened her eyes slowly, feeling lost and confused. She blinked twice, staring up to a face she could barely remember. Her clothes felt wet, sticky, as if she was back in Iraq, surrounded by its desert landscape during the blistering heat of summer.

"What happened?"

"You had a bad dream."

Sam quickly sat up, a wave of reality washing over her. She was not injured, had not just survived the conflicts of a battle, but the childish effects of a bad dream. Her face flushed with embarrassment when she peeked over to the woman kneeling beside her cot. Elaina's eyes were warm yet worried. The tube carrying fluids down to her body through her arm stretched to the fullest.

"I'm all right. You, however, should get back into bed." Sam swung her legs over onto the ground.

Elaina's eyes shot up, glancing restlessly around the room before she did as Sam suggested. "I'm sick of being in bed. If I wasn't worried about getting another lecture from that one nurse, I would walk around for a bit."

"Where is everyone?" Sam asked, glancing around the vast room.

"Dinner. Well, that young man is in the back getting me something for my headache, but the other two nurses left a few minutes ago."

"Two nurses, I thought there was only Janis."

Elaina's eyes shot upward to Sam. "Janis." She smiled. "Yes, she is the nurse who has been mothering me nonstop. The other nurse arrived about an hour ago. Tracy, I think." Elaina's eyes narrowed. "Tracy is a very arrogant girl. I'm sorry if she is a friend of yours, but I can't stand her."

Sam grinned. She was beginning to understand why her aunt apparently liked this woman. "I have never met her. How long have I been asleep?"

"Not sure. It's just after seven in the evening, if that helps."

"Seven p.m.?" Elaina's nod brought Sam to glance over her shoulder for Steven.

"It's not his fault. He was going to wake you, but Janis insisted that he let you sleep. That woman is very good at getting her own way."

"She will fit in nicely with the women here, then," grumbled Sam, thinking mainly of her aunt, sister, and old math teacher. Yes, the women here had a way of getting what they wanted, when they wanted it. Sam sighed, reaching a hand underneath her cot for the backpack.

"Oh, I already have it." Elaina offered, noticing the look of panic on Sam's face when her hand had come up empty. "Thank you for getting it for me."

Sam exhaled, unsure of what she was feeling. She stood, retrieved a chair from the sidewall as Elaina pulled out her laptop from the bag. "Who is Sarah?" Elaina asked, keeping her eyes focused on the screen before her.

Sam took her seat, giving Elaina a guarded look. "Why do you ask?" she finally questioned.

"You mentioned her name several times while you were sleeping." Elaina shrugged. "Sorry, I shouldn't have asked. I guess working for a news station has given me some bad habits." She glanced at Sam, looking sincere.

After a few seconds of uncertain silence, Sam's expression softened. "She is a memory from my past." She stood, making her way over to the coffee pot. "I would offer you a cup, but Janis would probably not approve."

"No, she wouldn't. I have already asked her." Elaina grinned, not taking her eyes off Sam. The way she moved, the way she carried herself, seemed to radiate with unwavering confidence, making her natural beauty that much more striking. The unusual spark that burst deep within her was sudden, unexpected, causing Elaina's stomach to tremble slightly.

She glanced quickly away when Sam turned and made her way back to her seat. After the laptop powered up and was ready to go, Elaina placed in the first disk and they both waited.

"Sorry I took so long, apparently Tracy rearranged the meds in the back." Steven took off the cap to a preloaded syringe and inserted the needle into the place on the tubing designed for such use. "I'm also sorry I didn't wake you up, Sam. I had my orders."

"She already told me." Sam pointed to Elaina as she watched the information on the screen load. She read in silence, as did the other two. It was obvious that bits and pieces of information were missing, but for the most part, Sam could understand it.

"I'm not sure why it's patchy like this, but certain events are apparent."

"It's not complete," Sam said to Elaina, not taking her eyes off the screen as she scrolled down. "Probably for added protection, in case this fell into the wrong hands. What's on the other disk?"

"Financial records, and I also have a ZIP drive with names, but both are the same as this, very patchy. I guess we're missing another disk." Elaina raised her eyebrows. "Wait, there is something else, maybe this will help." Elaina withdrew the notebook from the shoebox in the backpack. "Kim said that this was a code, but she was unable to break it."

Glancing over the paperwork, Sam shook her head. "No, it looks like the language for a program file."

"Are you sure?"

Steven grinned. "Sam was working on a degree in programming when she was in the army. She would know."

"You have a programming degree?"

"I never finished it." Sam blushed slightly at the look on Elaina's face. "I like computer games, and the idea of making my own was interesting. I had time on my hands and the chance for a free education." She shot Steven an agitated glance. "This, however, is over my head."

"What is the point of this, then?" Elaina said, pointing at the notebook in Sam's hand.

Sam shrugged. "Not sure. I do agree with you on the camps, though. It sounds as if they are holding these people just to execute them later."

"Why not kill them now?"

"I don't know..." Sam's eyes widened as her voice broke off. She picked the computer up off the cot and placed it onto her lap. They both watched in silence as she worked. After going over the first disk, Sam proceeded to the second disk, and finally to the ZIP drive. "Ah. Look here," she finally said, turning the laptop so that both could see it.

"What?" Steven asked, giving Sam a questioning look.

"The program size, it doesn't fit." She pointed to the screen. "I have all files opened, but the size that is on these devices is greater than what is showing up."

Elaina felt sudden excitement. "So, that means?"

"That means that there are more programs on each of these. The computer just can't read it."

Steven stood. "How do we get the computer to read it?"

Sam held up the notebook. "I'm betting that is what this is for. We'll need someone with a programming background, though."

"Kevin."

Sam glanced up to Steven. "Kevin. I don't know a Kevin?"

"You met him, Sam." Steven grinned. "The first day you came down here. Scared the shit out of him, I might add."

Sam thought back, trying to recall the encounter. Finally, she shook her head no.

Sighing, Steven continued. "You pushed him into a pile of boxes, crates or something. He cut his forehead and has been avoiding you ever since."

"Oh yes, him." Sam let out a laugh. "I can't believe he didn't shoot himself with his own weapon."

"Some of us are not as talented as you are, Sam."

She glanced up at Steven with a look of surprise. "Do you two have a thing going? I mean yes, he is cute, but you and him?"

He placed his hands on his hips bringing an even larger smile to Sam's lips. "For your information we have just met, and no, we don't have a thing going. But he is a wiz with computers."

"Steven, calm down. I was only joking. I'm happy for you, really."

"We're not dating." He frowned down at Sam's expression. "Or anything else. Get your mind out of the gutter, Sam, before I tell Rachel you're smoking again."

Elaina had to lean in and snatch the computer before it hit the ground. Sam stood, squaring her shoulders. "Who says I'm smoking?"

"You do." He removed a pack of cigarettes from the front pocket of his smock with a look of triumph. "These were sticking out of your back pocket when you were sleeping. I didn't want Rachel to come in here and see them, so I took them for safekeeping."

Sam glared at him for several seconds. "Fine, I won't tease you and you don't tell Rachel."

"I don't know Sam, this is pretty big..."

"Are you blackmailing me?" Sam asked, narrowing her eyes.

He glanced skyward, then casually back to Sam. "Of course I am."

She thought for a few minutes, but finally sighed. "What do you want?"

Sitting down in the chair, Steven handed Sam the cigarette pack. "Well, it just so happens that I do like Kevin. However, he's not only very handsome, very smart, but he's also very shy."

"So?"

"I asked him out on a double date to help break the ice. I figured that we could go up to the house and I can cook dinner. Maybe play some cards or something."

"You want me to find you another couple you can spend the evening with?" Sam frowned when he started laughing.

"No, girl genius. I want you to find someone to ask out."

"I can't just go around asking people out, and as you know, I'm not into dating."

He blew off her last comment. "You're hot, Sam. Women would fall down at your feet if they thought that would get them into your pants." He turned to Elaina. "If you were gay you would go out with her, right?" Elaina's look of amusement at watching the two bicker back and forth, changed into a mixture of fear and surprise at Steven's sudden question. She opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out.

"Wait, you are gay. You said that one girl, Kim, was your ex."

"Steven, she said her ex was killed. Good lord, you're a sensitive one."

"Oh, wow, I'm truly sorry, Elaina. I was not thinking. I just really like this guy."

"It's all right." Her smile was warm, reassuring. She turned to Sam. "Why don't you date?"

"Okay, this is a ridiculous conversation. I would like to get back to Kevin. If you would ask him to look at this, maybe he can figure something out."

"Not until you agree to go on a double date. Tracy hounded me about you when you were asleep. I think she really likes you."

"Tracy? As in that nurse that was here? You're not going to set Sam up with her."

"Why? She's attractive."

Elaina shifted uncomfortably, apparently not liking the attention. "I don't know. She strikes me as a very shallow person."

Steven laughed. "A woman that offers Sam no hope for any kind of a future relationship is just what she likes. Tracy is perfect." He gave Sam a puppy-dog look. "Please, I promise I won't tell Rachel about your addiction, and who knows, you just might have a nice time."

Sam threw her arms in the air with a hopeless look. "Fine, one date, but I need to talk to Kevin as soon as possible." He stood with a sizeable grin. "I'll go call him." They both watched him leave before Sam turned to Elaina. "Sorry about that. I guess he really likes this guy." Elaina grinned. "I figured that out on my own. You did not answer my question, though."

Placing the items back in the backpack, Sam tucked it under Elaina's cot, and folded her unused blanket, placing it on the end of the empty cot. "I have no time for a relationship."

"That is a cop-out answer."

Sam looked up, studying Elaina's eyes. "It's complicated. Listen, I need to go get something to eat, do you want me to bring you back anything?"

Elaina opened her mouth to speak then closed it. She paused, appearing as if she was debating whether to push the subject any further. "I would love it, but I'm not supposed to eat anything except ice chips until the doctor examines me tomorrow morning."

Sam nodded, before making her way quickly from the room. The cigarette was in her mouth and lit by the time she turned the corner. She stood against the wall just off the medical wing entrance, enjoying her tiny bit of solitude as her eyes traced the rising smoke from her cigarette. Her mind kept flashing back to the image of Elaina lying on the cot beside her. Sam was not sure why, but something about that woman intrigued her.

By the time Steven showed up Sam was just finishing her second cigarette. "You know, those things really do kill you."

"What did Kevin say?"

"He had to go to Kansas City, but he will be here first thing tomorrow. I didn't tell him about the disks on the cell phone, but I did tell him that it was important." He paused, holding Sam's gaze to his own. "You don't have to go on this date, Sam. I won't tell Rachel about you taking up smoking again, either."

"What's with the change of heart?"

He leaned on the wall next to her, his lips forming into a grin. "Guilt, I guess. I don't know." Sam noticed his grin falter slightly after he gave a long sigh. "When Nathan was killed, I swore that I would never fall in love with anyone ever again. I was wrong; this man really gets to me, Sam. I'm not sure if it's his personality or his boyish charm, but I can't seem to get him out of my head." His eyes fell on Sam. "Is this wrong? I mean, do you think I'm disrespecting Nathan's memory for liking this guy?"

"No, I don't. I know Nathan would have wanted you to be happy." Her heart felt a mixture of sorrow and happiness for him as she turned, placing his hand in hers. "You are a good man Steven. Kevin would be a fool to pass this up." She squared her shoulders, changing the mood. "Now, I'll ask this girl out tonight sometime, but I'm not cooking. I might throw a salad together, but you'll be in charge of everything."

Steven placed a kiss on Sam's cheek. "It's a deal."

SAM REMAINED IN the medical wing looking over the information on the disks, after Steven went to his makeshift room for some much-needed sleep. Janis kept herself busy by fussing over Sam, over Elaina, over anyone who was close enough for her to fuss over. Sam wondered what kept the woman on her feet all day. "I really am fine," Sam said, as she took the vitamins from Janis's hand and washed them down with a generous glass of water.

"Janis thinks a lot of you." Elaina grinned. She was in better spirits after Christina called agreeing to the removal of her IV. "I have noticed that everyone does."

"I have them all fooled." Sam's smile faded when she caught sight of Tracy. The boisterous woman had come on too strong, trying more than once to get Sam alone in the back supply room. Even though Sam was more than ready for an intimate moment, she had learned to avoid having casual sex with a woman who she might run into afterward.

"I take it you haven't asked her out yet."

Sam sighed. "No, and I hope to find a way to avoid the drama of it all." Sam turned to Elaina as an idea crossed her mind. "Hey, you wouldn't be interested in a home-cooked meal and an evening of cards, would you?"

Sam waited, paying close attention to Elaina's breathing, or lack there of. Had Elaina really stopped breathing? Sam wondered if she had been out of line for asking such an on-the-spot question? She didn't mean anything, or plan to send Elaina in a state of panic, by the proposition. "Are you asking me out on a double date?" Elaina finally inquired.

Noticing how Elaina's hands began to nervously fumble with the book she had been reading, turning it this way and that, Sam smiled to herself, feeling for the first time in her life, intrigued, or better yet, baffled by another individual. Sam fought to hide her smile. "Sorry, I didn't mean to put you on the spot like that. I was only looking for a way of turning a disastrous evening into a pleasant one." Sam stood, stretching the muscles in her backside. She looked over across the room seeing the flirtatious grin on Tracy's lips. Her eyes traveled down to the nipple line visible through the woman's too-thin, low-cut shirt. She quickly turned back to Elaina, in need of another cigarette. "However, if you did say yes, I promise to throw in any movie you want, and also dessert."

Elaina glanced toward Tracy with a look of understanding. "So, you want me to save you from yourself?" Her lips turned slightly downward with Sam's affirmation. "Fine, I want Boston cream pie, and an entire evening of the Lord of the Rings."

Sam's green eyes sparkled. "You are a woman after my own heart. I love Boston cream pie, and I have the extended edition of all three movies."

After throwing Sam something resembling a forced a smile, Elaina glanced down at her book. Sam remained motionless, a swaggering grin spreading across her lips. She was debating on whether she should point out Elaina's blunder to the apparently oblivious woman, or if she should just walk away.

Finally, Elaina glared back up into Sam's unwavering eyes. "What?"

Sam chuckled, taking her seat next to Elaina. "I've heard of speed readers and people who read books from back to front, but I have never seen anyone read a book upside down before."

Horrified, Elaina glanced quickly downward. The instant her eyes landed on the upside down book in her hand, a sickening expression spread across her face. She flipped it back around so fast, that it almost flipped out of her grasp.

"Hey, Sam, look what Rachel got me!" They both looked up as Billy made his way into the room, Roy bouncing briskly at his side. "You flip on the button here, and on the back of the remote."

Grinning, Sam handed Elaina the computer, and did as the energetic boy instructed. Instantly, the miniature helicopter went straight up, turned, and dive-bombed the area where Roy had been standing seconds prior. "Sorry, boy." Sam leaned forward to rub the dog's back with her free hand. He had taken refuge under the empty cot, refusing to come out. "Where have you two been hiding?" Sam asked, looking up at the boy.

"They have been with me."

Sam smiled, watching her sister enter the room. "Rachel, this is Elaina. Elaina, this is my overly pregnant sister, Rachel."

Rachel rolled her eyes at her sister before extending her hand to the other woman. "I've heard a lot about you. Actually, that is why I'm here. Aunt Agnes would like for you to come to tomorrow night's meeting if you're feeling up to it."

Placing the book down on the cot, Elaina sat up. "Why does she want me to go? You have the information you need, right? So my being there is not important."

"We will be voting on a committee, and she feels that you should be the one to explain your story to them."

Sam could see the reluctance in Elaina's eyes. She handed Billy back the remote to the helicopter before turning to the woman. "This meeting is set up to not only bring us together, but to give every one an equal vote. You don't have to go, but if you do plan to stay here with us, you might want to reconsider."

"Of course, she plans to stay. Where else would she go, she is on the run after all."

Elaina cleared her throat. "Actually, I was planning on going to Canada..."

Rachel studied the woman. "Why? You are an American citizen. This fight has to do with all of us."

"I have done my part. I'm ready for a semi-normal life again."

Rachel frowned. "We're all ready for a normal life again. However, if all the capable people left, what good would that be for the rest of us?"

"Rachel," Sam cut in, "this is her decision. She has done her part just keeping herself alive, and this information safe, for the last two years. We have the disks and hopefully this will give us the edge we need." She turned to Elaina with a look of understanding. "If you want to go to Canada, I'll take you there myself. However, I think you should come to the meeting, just in case you do change your mind."

SAM SPENT THE remainder of the evening and the rest of the next day in the medical wing with Elaina. She reasoned with herself that the long talks with Elaina, multiple hands of rummy, and several games of chess, were just her way of being neighborly to the new resident. However, deep down there was something more. Something that Sam was unable to put her finger on.

Sam had never stepped foot inside a Union meeting, but the meeting the following evening was what she had pictured. The commotion was lively as she and Christina helped Elaina into the room. Elaina was recovering her strength, but Christina was not completely comfortable allowing her out of bed this soon.

People packed themselves into the spacious conference room, with over a hundred more men and women waiting in a huddle on the outside, trying to hear everything that Agnes was saying. She began by giving everyone the list of positions that needed filled, and the duties those positions required.

"I nominate Agnes to be the Head of Committee," Frank called out, his motion answered by a chorus of strong agreement.

"What if we came from the camps and we don't technically live here? Do we get to vote?" a woman shouted from the center of the room, causing a high level of bickering to break out.

"Everyone gets to vote." Agnes held up her hands for silence. "We are all together on this, whether you have a residence in the area or not. As of right now, this mine is home for most of you and it is only fair for you to have a say."

"Then I vote for Samantha Kelly to be in charge of our training and military," the same woman called out, and Sam realized that the unknown woman was Janis. The rest of the room quickly agreed to Janis's nomination.

The next hour consisted of voting in the rest of the staff. Sam nominated in Frank for supply and Christina for the medical officer slot. She was surprised when she heard Douglas, instead of Steven, offer up Kevin's name for the communications spot. However, Steven was the one who seconded the motion. Agnes nominated Douglas for security, and Mrs. Pumpernickel to oversee the finances. Sam's old math teacher turned it down, however, instead offering up the idea of a position for the education of the children living in the mine. They voted her in and Sam said a silent prayer for the kids who would be attending. They voted a woman from the camps into the financial slot, after the women standing next to her explained that her friend had a degree in finance. Janis's husband became in charge of maintenance, due to his Engineering degree, and the last position fell to Todd. They gave him the task of administration and record keeping of everyone in the mine. Sam laughed silently to herself at the surprised look on his face.

After the completion of the voting, Agnes went down the list of items that needed addressing, starting with the new information she had just learned that morning. "For those of you who don't know Leonard Harris, he is one of Springfield's news anchors. He has brought it to my attention that, starting yesterday, the HTF is now monitoring all television and radio stations here in the United States. Nothing is done live anymore, and many of the stations have been canceled due to this so-called threat to the government. We feel it is so they can keep a closer watch on the type of information that is reported to the people. The less they have to monitor, the easier it will be to do just that."

"What you're saying is that our First Amendment rights are completely gone?" Mrs. Pumpernickel asked, looking outraged.

"I'm afraid so. For those of you who live outside the mine, we have devised another way of keeping you updated of meetings and times. See me after we are finished, and I'll go over it with you."

Agnes finished covering the remainder of the items on the list relatively quickly, and before long, the meeting ended. It took more than half an hour for the room to clear, and Sam took her seat at the sturdy table between Christina and Elaina.

"I thought these sessions were going to be closed," the finance woman said, with a nod toward Elaina.

Sam sat up, readying herself to defend Elaina's presence, but Agnes was the first to answer. "This is Elaina Williams, she has vital information that you all must hear."

"Nice to meet you, Elaina, I'm Brenda. I'll be in charge of finance." The woman smiled, extending her hand across the table. For some reason, the way Brenda's hand held onto Elaina's caused the tiny hairs on the back of Sam's neck to stand-on-end. Perhaps it was the apparent softness of the grip, or the way Brenda's hand seemed to linger. "Would you like some coffee?"

"She can't have any." Sam blushed at her own words. They were supposed to come out sounding intelligent, informative, not like a schoolchild refusing to share her best friend. "Sorry, those are her doctor's orders," Sam added.

Brenda raised her eyebrows to Sam, still holding onto Elaina's hand. "Yes, well, maybe some water, then?" she asked, turning back to Elaina.

"I'm fine, thank you." Elaina smiled, withdrawing her hand. Elaina's eyes shot to Sam quickly, then down to her hands, a grin dancing lightly across her lips.

Christina leaned over to whisper in Sam's ear, "Did I miss something when I was at work?"

"What do you mean?"

Christina shrugged her shoulders. "You seem edgy, are you all right?"

"I'm fine..." Sam's voice trailed off when her aunt started to speak.

"I would like to begin this meeting by having Elaina present the information she has regarding a group we believe is responsible for the problems here in the United States."

All eyes remained on Elaina the entire time she spoke. She went over everything, ending with Sam's concept of a hidden program or programs on the disks.

"Your idea sounds farfetched." Brenda shot Sam a look before turning back to Agnes. "A program in a program, I mean, how is that even possible?"

"Actually, it looks to be a good possibility." Kevin kept his eyes on the laptop screen as his fingers typed frantically on the keyboard. "It does look like quite a large volume of information is not coming up."

"The notebook beside you might help. I'm thinking the writing on those papers is a form of computer language--"

"So, you're an expert on this subject?" Brenda butted in.

"Do you make it a habit of interrupting people?" Sam glared at the woman across from her. The thought of taking a swing at Brenda formed in her mind, and she let it linger there, enjoying the feeling it produced.

"From what Steven has told me, Sam is pretty knowledgeable in this area. I heard that she was working toward a degree in programming." Kevin opened the notebook, removing the papers from inside. "I see what you mean, Sam. This is going to take some time, but I think I can figure it out."

Christina leaned forward, changing the subject. "I'm going to put in my two weeks notice at the hospital in Springfield, but we still need volunteers for the hospital wing. Can we see if anyone from the camps has medical experience?"

Brenda and Sam exchanged one last stare before turning back to the meeting at hand.

"Todd, you should be writing this down," Mrs. Pumpernickel directed. "I will need supplies for the kids and text books as well." She turned to Frank. "I can get you a list of things I'll need." He nodded, and instructed the others to do the same.

"We need to start planning for the next camps." Douglas looked at Sam. "Do you have any ideas?"

"I would like to see if we have enough people to form two groups. If we are able to hit two camps on the same night, that will make our travels that much easier. I will need to go through and see who has experience. We will also need to go out and recon the areas first. I'm sure their security has improved since the first two camps were taken."

"You can bet they have." Douglas looked over to Frank. "Care to go sightseeing with us tomorrow?"

"Sounds like fun. I have some new equipment that you both will like."

"How about you, Todd, are you coming?"

"I have to work tomorrow. I won't be back until the following morning."

"We will also need to plan a way to bring people up topside for at least an hour a day. The human body needs sunlight."

"Give me two or three days, Christina," Douglas said, jotting down some things in his own notebook. "I'll be setting up monitors and defenses throughout the area. I'm thinking three miles in every direction. The room off the back here I would like to use for security and communication." He glanced over at Kevin. "I'll need your help in setting things up." Finally, his gaze fell on Agnes. "This stuff won't be cheap."

Frank cut in. "Give me your lists when you have them finished and I'll see what I can do. What I'm unable to acquire through skill..." He gave Agnes a sly grin. "I'll let you know, Agnes, and we can go from there. Do we have any funds set up, just in case?"

Agnes and Sam examined one another. Sam nodded and Agnes answered Frank's question. "Money won't be a problem."

The remainder of the meeting went smoothly, except for Todd who continued to have his spelling corrected by Mrs. Pumpernickel. After the fourth time, he turned to her with a polite yet matter-of-fact tone, explaining that he was going to use spellchecker after he typed everything into the computer.

"That does not excuse laziness, Todd."

Sam and Christina grinned to each other as the man lowered his head in defeat. "Yes, ma'am."

Chapter Fifteen

Uncertain feelings

"YOU RETIRED AS a Sergeant First Class in the Army?"

"That's correct. I spent most of my time with the Tenth Mountain Infantry. I was with them during Bosnia and Desert Storm." David's voice was hard, rugged.

Douglas smiled at Sam before turning to the tough-looking man in front of them. "Those Tenth Mountain guys were some crazy sons of bitches. How long were you a drill sergeant?"

"I did four years during the middle of my enlistment."

Sam inhaled slowly, flipping through the pages on her clipboard. This man was definitely qualified. Maybe he was too qualified. "You do understand that these people are all volunteers. This is not the Army. We are not paying them; they are citizens, not soldiers."

David smiled, revealing a set of tobacco-stained teeth. "I know why we're here, Ms. Kelly, and it's not to hold one another's hand. You're asking me to get these people ready for combat, not a walk in the park on a warm sunny day. Give me the reins and I'll get the job done."

Douglas leaned in toward Sam. "I like this guy," he whispered, with a slight chuckle.

Sam handed over the clipboard to David, feeling somewhat apprehensive. However, the man was right. The tougher he trained them, the greater chance they would have for survival. "We have over a hundred and fifty volunteers so far. The first page is a list of those who have prior service in the military. They will help you with the training. If you feel someone is medically incapable, let me know, and I'll take care of it."

"What about weapons? I need to know what I'm working with here."

"Douglas will take you to the arms room when he goes over security with you. As of right now our outside time is limited, but you will have to make due until he finishes getting everything set up and working. I have thirty more M-16s on order and several cases of ammo for training purposes. Give me a list of anything else you'll need, and we will do what we can."

After the two men departed, Sam sat down on the desk in the conference room. Her body was sore, her mind tired. Since the committee meeting ended the day before, Sam had spent her time organizing the weapon room and setting up her office. She constructed a list of names of the people wanting to take part in their developing military group, and any experience they had. She made a list of supplies for Frank, and spent time on her computer organizing documents and forms for future record keeping. She went to bed late after feeding the horses, and woke up extra early to do the same before she left with Frank and Douglas to recon the next two camps.

Both camps were well-guarded and more than forty miles away. They developed a rough plan of attack on the ride back to the mine, but it still needed a lot of work. Frank took off as soon as they got back, to perform a much-needed supply run, leaving Douglas and Sam alone to look over the map and throw some ideas around.

Her mind raced with a list of things she still needed to finish before stopping for the day. Grabbing her coffee cup, Sam stood, deciding to go see how Christina and the medical wing were doing. Actually, she was more interested in checking in on Elaina, but she would not allow herself to believe this to be her reasoning for veering off-schedule.

"I was wondering when you would show up." Christina smiled the moment Sam stepped into the room.

Sam poured herself a cup of coffee. "What do you mean? Why would you think I would be coming by?" She took a seat next to Christina.

"Well, after the display between you and Brenda in the meeting yesterday, I had a strange feeling that there was something here that you were both interested in." Sam frowned, not liking Christina's amused tone or the look she had on her face. When Sam said nothing, Christina continued, "You can tell me, Sam. I promise to keep it to myself."

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

Christina gave Sam a look of surprise. "You're serious. You really have no idea what I'm referring to."

"I know you're not making any sense." Sam glanced over, noticing that Elaina's cot was freshly made, with a partially read book by the pillow, and her belongings lined neatly underneath. "Where's Elaina?"

"Why?"

"What do you mean, why?"

"I'm just curious. Why you want to know?" Christina held Sam's gaze with her own. "Why not ask about one of the other patients, or Steven? Why are you interested in Elaina?"

Sam gave a confused look. "I'm only asking as a friend, nothing more."

"Are you sure about that?"

"Yes, I'm sure. What is the deal with you, Chris?"

Christina gave her one last mind-reading stare before sitting casually back in her chair. "It's nothing." She waved a hand toward the back of the room. "Elaina was bored and wanted something to do, so I sent her to the back supply room to reorganize the mess that Tracy made."

"Good, she was looking kind of restless yesterday."

Christina turned her head just enough to see Sam taking a drink of her coffee. "Brenda came in looking for Elaina twenty minutes ago. She has been back there with her ever since."

Sam stood quickly up, spilling part of her coffee on Christina's desk. "You let her back there?" Her eyes shot angrily from the direction of the back room then to the woman sitting relaxed in her chair.

Christina's voice was calm as she spoke. "Of course I did. Why would I tell her no?"

Sam placed her cup down on the desk with a loud clank before stomping off to the supply room feeling suddenly hungry for a fight. She made out the sound of Brenda's voice before she turned the corner with her fists clenched tight. Elaina was sitting on a chair looking through a box on the floor, and Brenda standing uncomfortably close behind her, telling her about a vacation she took three years ago to Egypt.

"I'm telling you, Elaina, the scenery was breathtaking at night from the hotel window."

Elaina kept her eyes down into the contents of the box. "Why go to the desert when you can go to Ireland or England or someplace less sandy?" she asked, using the back of her right hand to stifle a yawn. Her movement eased Sam's mind considerably.

Brenda let out a laugh that made the skin on Sam's face feel hot. "I think you would like the desert. It's beautiful in a wild, untamed sort of way. If we ever get out of this damn cave, I'll have to take you there to show you just how nice it can be."

Sighing, Elaina brought her head up. "I don't think I'm..." Her eyes widened when they caught the figure standing in the doorway, bringing with it a slight smile across her lips. "Sam, what are you doing here?"

Moving into the room, Sam kept her eyes fixed on Brenda. "Christina said you were back here. I just wanted to see if you needed anything."

"As you can see, I've already got it under control." Squaring her shoulders, Brenda returned Sam's glare. "If we need anything, we'll let you know. You can close the door on your way out."

"I wasn't talking to you."

"I could care less who you were talking to."

"I was planning on taking a break anyway." Elaina broke in, her voice tensing, almost pleading. "Why don't we go get something to eat?" Elaina reached up to put some supplies away.

Sam went over and grabbed it. "You shouldn't be lifting."

"I'll get it." Brenda butted in, pushing Elaina back into a shelf. Her efforts were more of a rugby match than a noble attempt at chivalry. Sadly, the outcome ended with angry shoves, a partially ripped box, and a surprised, yet thankfully uninjured Elaina on the floor.

"What is going on in here?" Elaina relaxed the instant Christina walked through the door. "This might not be much of a hospital, but it is a hospital nonetheless. If you two want to act like children, take it somewhere else."

Looking away from Brenda, Sam relaxed her stance. "I'm sorry, Christina. I wasn't thinking." Her eyes moved over to Elaina who was slowly climbing to her feet. Not liking the jealous feeling that was working through her body, she turned and made her way quickly from the room.

Christina waited for a moment before turning to Brenda. "You need to leave, too."

"Why should I leave? I was here first."

"Because this is my hospital, and I said so."

Brenda raised her eyebrows. "It's because Sam is a friend of yours." She turned toward Elaina. "Do you still want to get something to eat?"

Before Elaina could speak, Christina cut in. "Elaina needs to rest. You can come back in an hour. After you have had a chance to cool down," Christina said under her breath.

Brenda gave Christina a grunt as she left the room.

"I'm sorry. I did not mean for anything to happen. One minute Brenda was talking to me, the next thing I know Sam came in, and both..."

Christina held up her hand. "I don't blame you for those two acting like Neanderthals." She motioned for Elaina to take a seat. "Unfortunately, this is what happens when two dominating women become interested in the same female."

Elaina glanced down at her hands, then back up to Christina. "Sam's attracted to me?"

"It's interesting how you asked me about Sam and not Brenda." Her smile was gentle, yet Elaina detected a hint of concern in Christina's eyes. Christina sat down on a crate next to her. The lines on Christina's forehead crinkled skyward as she carefully chose her words. "Sam is a very complicated woman, with a past that is equally as involved."

"I know, the way Steven talks about her past relationships, she has definitely been around the block a few times." Elaina stood. "Look, I told myself that I would not get mixed up with a woman like Sam again."

"What do you mean, a woman like Sam?"

"I'm not trying to offend you, or Sam. However, I have already been with one disloyal woman, I do not need to make it two."

"Sam is anything but disloyal. She chooses not to be in a committed relationship. That has nothing to do with loyalty." Christina took a deep breath of air as she motioned Elaina back to her seat. "I have no worries about Sam mistreating you. I am worried, however, about Sam getting hurt." Elaina gave Christina a defensive look, so Christina hurried on. "I'm not suggesting that you would hurt her, Elaina, at least not intentionally."

"We are talking about Sam, right? I just met her. This conversation..."

"This conversation needs to happen before Sam becomes too hung up on you." Christina gave Elaina a thoughtful glance. "It's also for your benefit. As I said before, Sam's past is very complicated. You might decide that it is too complicated for you. This is between you and me only. It will not leave this room."

Elaina nodded, feeling a tinge of worry in the back of her mind.

"Sam has only had one love in her life, and that was my older sister, Sarah," Christina began after a lengthy sigh. "Sam has always been a good person, ever since she was young. Always there to help her father out on the farm, never gave her mother a lick of trouble, and with both of her parent's busy careers, Sam helped with the raising of her little sister, Rachel.

"When Sam was sixteen, something terrible happened to her, and to my sister. You see, they were out one evening at the lake and two men attacked them." Elaina shifted uncomfortably on the box as Christina's words came out. "Sam fought hard to save my sister, which was why they about beat Sam to death. They viciously raped, then stabbed, both girls and left them in the middle of the woods to die. The only thing that saved Sam was the way her body had laid in the mud. It slowed her bleeding." Christina gradually took in a deep breath, as if she was fighting back threatening tears.

"We don't know how she did it, but Sam managed to carry Sarah's body out to the road where Jed, a man from town, found them, and rushed both girls to the hospital. Sarah didn't make it, and Sam was staggering close to death."

"You don't need to tell me..."

"Yes, I do. I saw the way you looked at her. You need to know." Christina went back into her story. "After Sam got out of the hospital, she seemed lost. She started drinking and hanging with the wrong crowd, and finally, when she hit the bottom, Sam came dangerously close to ending her own life." Christina turned slightly and brushed a tear away. "Her mother and father packed their girls up and moved from here to give Sam a new start. Sam went into the military after graduating high school, and she did her part for God and country. The hometown paper wrote of Sam's service as 'exceptional heroism'; of how she saved many lives, was injured twice, and earned multiple metals and awards, including two purple hearts. However, Agnes showed me the real story in the letters that Sam wrote to her. Sam saw several of her close friends die or badly wounded. She witnessed the deaths of unarmed women and children, and other horrible things that no one should ever have to live through. All of this left an even greater mark deep inside her."

"How does a woman live through that?" Elaina's eyes were wide in disbelief, her voice just above a whisper.

"By not letting anyone get close to her, by adding to the wall she had already built from her past. Her father and mother died unexpectedly, so a couple of years ago, Sam came home to take care of Rachel. She joined the police force in Kansas City, and you can figure out the rest from there."

Christina stood, placing a hand on Elaina's slumped shoulders. "Sam is neither a coward nor a disloyal woman. She is a good woman, with a good heart. Life has dealt her some rough and painful hands, but she has lived through all of them. Please do not make her live through another. If her road is too complicated for you to handle, I'm asking you not to lead her on."

Elaina looked up, studying the eyes of the other woman. "You love her."

"I would be a fool not to. This is because I know what kind of a woman she is. I have broken the hearts of many men because they were not able to show me even a fraction of the love Sam had shown my sister." She smiled. "However, I love Sam like a sister and nothing more. I would appreciate it if you kept what I told you to yourself. Sam would kill me if she knew I had told you all of this." Once Elaina signaled her understanding, Christina left the room.

STEVEN SHOWED UP that evening when Sam was behind her desk in the weapons room. "Agnes wanted me to get you. Frank came back early, and he and Mike brought back two truckloads of supplies that we all need to go through."

Sam rubbed her eyes as she rose to her feet. "I hope he brought back a coffee pot for my office. I need something to help get me through all this paperwork." She followed the man out down the passageway, surprised by the number of people heading the same way.

"I asked Kevin if he would like to have dinner the day after tomorrow with you and Tracy, and he agreed." His upbeat expression changed when he saw the look on Sam's face. "You didn't ask her, did you?"

"No, I asked Elaina to go."

"Really?" He raised his eyebrows with a look of great interest. "What did she say?"

"Well, she said yes but on two conditions. We have Boston cream pie for dessert, and watch the Lord of the Rings trilogy."

He chuckled. "You lesbians are an odd people, but that sounds doable." He stopped laughing when she glanced over to him with a grave expression. "What?"

"I might have screwed it up, though. I'm not sure."

"Then unscrew it. This really means a lot to me, Sam."

She forced a smile across her face. "I will. If I have to I'll find someone else."

Frowning at the look on Sam's face, Steven sighed deeply. He opened his mouth, appearing to have something important to say, but closed it up quickly, followed with another sigh. Before Sam had a chance to inquire on his odd behavior, Christina showed up from around the corner, with Janis, Tracy, and Elaina right behind.

"I guess you got pushed into this too?"

Sam frowned at Tracy, not understanding what she meant. Tracy laughed, grabbing Sam's arm. "I mean unloading the supplies off the truck. That is where you're heading, right?"

"Oh, yes. I guess so." Sam glanced back over her shoulder. Her stomach plummeted when she noticed the look of disappointment on Elaina's face. She really is upset with me. Sam turned back, missing the question that Tracy had just asked. "I'm sorry?"

The woman gave a girly giggle, not bothering to release Sam's arm. "I asked what you do around here for fun."

"Oh, um, fishing."

Tracy gave Sam a slightly disgusted look, but Sam didn't care. She was too preoccupied with glancing back over her shoulder again to pay Tracy much attention. "Fishing?" Tracy's words broke off when her other arm was quickly pulled in the opposite direction.

Sam was relieved that Tracy was no longer beside her. She stopped short and waited for Elaina, who was several paces behind. "I want to apologize for what happened earlier," Sam began, falling in step with Elaina. "I had no right to barge in on you and Brenda like that."

Elaina rolled her eyes, directing Sam off to the side, away from the crowd of walkers. "That's not what you should be sorry for, Sam. If Christina hadn't come in when she did, you two would have gotten into a fight."

Sam crammed her hands in the front pocket of her jeans, feeling childish for her earlier actions. "I just don't like her."

"So, you want to fight her because you don't like her?"

"No, that's not what I mean. I...well, I'm not sure what I mean." I'm not exactly sure why I don't like her. Sam thought the last part as she glanced down at the ground. For the most part, she had always been able to get along well with people, and the people she didn't get along with, she tolerated. However, she not only didn't like Brenda, she detested her. "I know you're upset with me. You have every right to be..."

"Sam," Elaina sighed. "I'm not upset with you. I just don't want to see you two get into a fight. Promise me you will stay away from her."

Sam frowned. "Are you sure you're not upset? That expression you had on your face a minute ago when we were walking down the hall. Well, you seemed rather displeased with me."

"That was not directed at you, but to that thing that attached itself to your arm."

"Do you mean Tracy?" Sam grinned. "Is she still annoying you?"

"You could say that."

"Hey, Sam. Do you want your stuff in the weapons room or left to the side?" Mike called out as he appeared around the corner of the passageway, a little over thirty feet from them. Sam glanced around for the first time, realizing that the passageway was empty. "I'll be right there," she called back before smiling down to Elaina. "I guess we better go. Oh, do you still want to do the double-date thing?"

"Yes, I'm looking forward to it actually." She placed her arm around Sam's and walked with her for the remainder of the passageway. Sam might not have noticed the feel of Tracy's arm around her own, but she sure was aware of Elaina's. Part of her brain demanded that she pull away, but it was a very small part. The remainder of her mind enjoyed the feeling of Elaina, and she wanted it to last as long as it could.

THE FOLLOWING EVENING, Steven entered the medical wing with a broad smile across his face. Sam and Elaina were sitting at one of the three desks, where both women deeply engaged the other in boisterous conversation. A deck of forgotten cards laid scattered about the hard surface, in front of the two women.

"I'm not sure what came over me." Elaina laughed as Sam grinned, fully engrossed in the other's story. "I pulled out as fast as I could, not bothering to say another word." Her words brought a hearty laugh from Sam, who shook her head in disbelief.

"Sounds like my first boyfriend," Steven piped in.

"Get your mind out of the gutter." Sam chuckled. She stood, throwing Elaina a playful wink.

Elaina moved to rise, but Sam waved her back down. "I need to go work on some more paperwork, and to see if Kevin has had any luck with the computer files." She said her goodbyes to them both.

As soon as Sam was gone, Steven filled up his coffee, and took the empty seat across from Elaina. "Has Sam been here long?"

Elaina shuffled through the deck, with a far off gaze. "She's been here off and on throughout the day," she began, with a tranquil look in her eyes as she spoke. "Cards, mainly, but we've played a few games of chess earlier."

"Who won?"

"Hmm?" Elaina's eyes jumped as if coming out of a peaceful dream. "I'm sorry, what did you say?"

He fought to keep his laughter inside. "Who won?" he repeated.

"Who won what? Oh, you mean chess." Elaina blushed. "Oh, I don't really remember if we ever finished a game. We started a couple of times, but seemed to get lost in conversation. You know, Sam is such an intelligent woman."

Steven nodded. "Yes, she is."

SAM TOSSED AND turned in bed that night, but it was not from her recurring nightmare, as it had been since she arrived back on the farm. Instead, her sleeping mind conjured erotic images of Elaina. Elaina alone, Elaina with her. She was standing, sitting, lying down, in extraordinary and seductive positions in every room of the house. She awoke several times during the night feeling more frustrated and under-sexed than she had ever felt in her entire life.

"God damn it!" she shouted when she awoke just after three in the morning. She sat up quickly in bed, realizing her mistake with the sound of footsteps running down the stairs. Her door opened, revealing a tired, worried Christina panting heavily in the doorway.

"Sam. Sam, what is it?" she asked, flipping on the lights.

Sam squinted to the brightness, as she pulled the covers up around her. "Sorry, I was just dreaming."

"You're drenched. Are you running a fever?"

"Is everything all right?"

Sam rolled her eyes at the sound of her sister yelling down from the top of the stairs.

"She's fine, go back to bed, Rachel," Christina called back, her words answered by the sound of Rachel's grumbling.

"I really didn't mean to wake you all. I was only dreaming."

Christina made her way over, placing her hand on Sam's forehead. "You don't feel hot. Did you take the pills I gave you?"

"This was not a nightmare."

"Really. What was it, then?" Christina sat on the edge of the bed, giving Sam the impression of a doctor making a routine house call.

Running her fingers through her hair, Sam gave the woman a sheepish look. "I don't really feel comfortable talking about this."

"Sam, you know you can tell me anything."

Sam blushed. "Not this."

"Oh, that." Christina held out the second word a little too long. "That's normal. Just take care of business and go back to bed."

"Christina!"

"What? Oh, come on Sam, we're both grown-ups. Masturbation is not..."

"It's not something I want to discuss with you."

Christina laughed. "Well, fine. Just do what you need to do and let us all get some sleep, will you?" She stood up giggling, and made her way to the door.

"Hey, Chris." Christina turned back to the bed with her brows raised in question. "I have had dreams like this before, well not this in-depth, but anyway there was never really a face on the other woman."

"And this time there was one?"

Sam's head fell. "It was..."

"Elaina?"

Sam looked up, stunned. "How did you know?"

Cristina smiled as she rolled her eyes. "Lucky guess." She sighed. "It could mean nothing, or it could be something. That is for you to decide."

Sam cleared her throat. "I'm starting to get feelings, feelings that I have not felt since Sarah was alive." She glanced down. Thinking it and saying it aloud were two different things.

"Sam, this is a good thing." Christina spoke softly. "My sister loved you very much. I'm sure that she would have wanted you to fall in love again."

"I know she would have, I'm just not sure I want to."

"This is also something for you to decide. However, I have noticed that life does seem more enjoyable when you have someone to enjoy it with." She smiled gently at Sam, before heading out of the room, and shutting off the lights behind her.

Sam lay in bed staring blindly up at the ceiling. She tried closing her eyes several times to drift back to sleep. However, images of her dream continued to circle around in her mind, and a pulsating ache built between her legs.

Finally, after the fourth failed attempt at sleep, Sam brought her hand reluctantly down between her legs. She felt wet to the touch, possibly wetter than she had ever been before. Closing her eyes tight, willing the images to reappear, Sam began to move her middle finger smoothly over her clit. Her mouth parted as the throbbing sensation grew, bringing with it the promise of a swift release. Her throat dried, her back arched, the muscles in her legs tightened as her mind soared upward toward the top-most mountain, ready for the explosion deep within. Right before reaching the peak, Sam grabbed a fistful of pillow with her free hand, bracing her body for the sweet impact just seconds away.

Her breathing quickened. Her hand moved back and forth frantically beneath her briefs as the seconds passed slowly by. There was nothing. She bit down on her bottom lip as she willed the orgasm inside her to explode. Still, there was nothing.

"Crap!" she muttered, throwing the blankets off her body. She knew this was not going to work. She had known it even before she began. Her feelings of frustration, her need for release, the burning desire deep inside her had nothing to do with her need to orgasm. It had to do with her desire to bring Elaina to orgasm. The thought of tasting Elaina on her lips, feeling the woman's climax with her head between Elaina's legs, drinking Elaina's wetness in as the woman's entire body quivered... "Crap!" Sam grumbled again, keeping her voice low so as not to wake the others, again.

She stripped out of her clothes and headed for the shower. The water was cold, refreshing, and she allowed it to engulf her entire body. Yet, after standing several minutes under the cold stream, her desire remained, burning as hot as ever. Shutting off the water, Sam did not even bother to dry off. She dressed in her running outfit and headed outside into the semi-cool darkness of the early morning air.

After a quick moment of stretching, Sam started down the drive at a brisk pace. She would have preferred jogging on one of the horse trails in the woods, but it was still too dark out. The first two miles energized her. Instead of turning around, as she had planned when she started, Sam kept going, deciding to add two more miles to her run.

The first slap of reality was the rough burning sensation in her lungs. She pushed herself onward. A sharp pain struck her right side less than a minute later with no warning, making the movement of her legs and her irregular breathing that much harder. She slowed her pace, bringing her arms up over her head to relieve the pain.

"Damn." She turned around. Her pace now became more of a haphazard limp with all thoughts of her burning desire for Elaina, or any other woman, pushed completely from her mind. Sam heard the sound of a car behind her, before hearing the quick whoop of a siren that followed.

She turned her head back, stopped, while fighting the urge to drop to her knees for a quick thankful prayer.

"Hey Sam, do you need a..." Before Todd could finish his sentence, Sam had the door to the police car opened, and more or less fell into the seat beside him.

"Drive," she gasped, shutting the door behind her.

He chuckled through the length of the drive and continued even after Sam limped her way into the house. She pointed to the kitchen when he asked her about coffee and she turned, making her way into her bedroom.

It took her longer than usual to remove her clothes, but the warm water of the shower was well worth the wait. By the time she turned off the water, her body felt considerably better. She towel-dried the dampness from her body, fixed her hair, and made her way to the closet to pick out an outfit to wear.

For some reason, the process of selecting clothes felt more complex today than usual. Normally, the first thing she grabbed, she wore. She did not have to worry about matching, because, for the most part, all her outfits seemed to match. Jeans, T-shirts, sweatshirts, and flannel shirts. What was there to clash? The few nice outfits she owned were still in suitcases in the bottom of her closet.

Her mind drifted. She wondered what type of outfits Elaina wore when she was not wearing medical scrubs. She could easily picture the woman's curvy body in sexy clubbing outfits, or all dolled up in a power suit. Just as she was imagining Elaina in skimpy, tight, see-through lingerie, reality sunk in. She hurriedly threw on her clothes and made her way to the kitchen.

"I heard you went for a run." Christina hid her grin behind her raised coffee cup.

Sam narrowed her eyes at Todd. "You have a big mouth." He chuckled as the two watched her fill her football travel mug with coffee.

"Where are you heading so early?"

"I need to make a quick run. Can you have Mike see to the horses?"

Christina shook her head. "He left last night with Frank on another run."

"What about the curfew?" Todd asked, looking worried.

"Being out past curfew won't matter if they are caught with a truckload of stolen goods. Agnes did give Frank one of the weapon permits, but that won't matter either if they have to shoot their way out." Christina smiled, looking at the expressions on each of their faces. "You both know Frank is too clever a man to get caught. I have no idea how he gets away with the things he does, but he manages." Teetering on the edge of laughter, Christina stared at Sam. "Don't worry. I'll take care of the horses. You just make sure you let us know next time you go running, so we can come and pick you up."

Todd laughed, ducking when Sam sent the wet dishtowel soaring at his head. She could still hear his hearty laughter as she made her way out to her truck.

ELAINA AWOKE FEELING stiff and restless. The dreams she had of Sam the entire night left her feeling flustered. The cot gave its usual squeaking sound as she sat up rubbing her neck.

"Did you have a long night?"

Elaina glanced up and smiled, taking the cup from Christina's outstretched hand. "I have had better. What time is it?"

"Just after eight. Sam came in to check on you earlier but you were still asleep."

Elaina had to fight to keep the excitement out of her voice. "Sam was here? How long ago did she leave?"

"Twenty minutes or so, I don't remember. She came by to take you to your new lodging."

"What new lodging?" Elaina stood up slowly.

"Well, you can't live here in the hospital. We will need the bed in a few days." Christina smiled. "Sam set you up in the guest house, along with the committee members who've been living in the mine. It still needs work, but some of the people have pitched in to speed things up. Douglas is working on installing alarms in the buildings up top. They will go off if anyone is in the area, giving everyone time to get back into the mine."

The idea of getting out of the mine was appealing, but the thought of seeing Sam was even greater. "Where did Sam go? Is she planning on coming back?"

"She is working on a plan with Todd and some of the other guys. She said she would not be finished until later this afternoon.

I, however, am free now. Would you like me to take you up to your new quarters?"

Elaina nodded, feeling a small tinge of disappointment, but her mood brightened with the idea of being back inside a normal room again.

The sun felt warm and somewhat blinding, causing her to squint when she followed Christina out of the barn. She wanted to bask in the beauty of the surrounding area, but the idea of a warm shower won out. They made their way up to the smaller of the two houses with the loud sounds of power saws operating, hammers banging, and boisterous voices coming from the inside.

"Hey, why does the plumbing not work down here?" Brenda's familiar agitated voice rang out just as Christina and Elaina entered past the opened front door.

"Sam said to do that last," a man answered from somewhere in the kitchen. "Good lord, that woman complains nonstop."

"You're not kidding. Unfortunately, I'm the one who is going to be living in the same house as that," a second man replied from the same direction as the first.

"I'll stick with the mine." The first man chuckled softly enough so Brenda could not hear.

The second man smiled the moment he saw both women. "Ah. We've been expecting you, Elaina." The second man, she realized, was Janis's husband who was in charge of maintenance on the committee. "Go to the top of the stairs and your room is the first door to the left. Sam already took your personal things up earlier, but your new bedroom set and linens will not be here for a few hours."

"What personal things?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "Not sure. She said they were yours."

"Damn it! Is anyone listening to me? Why can't I have the extra bedroom on the first floor?" Brenda stormed in, looking irate. Her mood changed the moment she spotted Elaina. "Hey, you're moving in? I guess things are not that bad, after all." She shot the man beside Janis's husband a hateful look. "My bedroom downstairs is not going to work."

"What's wrong with it? You have new carpet, new bathroom fixtures, a big spacious closet, hell, woman, even the walls are new."

"The walls are painted pink!"

"Well, move to one of the other rooms down there."

"They are all pink."

The man shrugged his shoulders. "That's the color Sam gave me."

"Then I want to move up here."

"Sorry, Sam made it clear that the room on this floor is for guests only."

"What guests?" Brenda narrowed her eyes at Christina. "I see what Sam is doing. It will not work, though." Brenda went over to the pile of gallon-sized paint cans in the center of the unfinished living room, and began going through the cluttered mess one at a time. She chose two cans and grabbed a paintbrush from a second pile. She turned back to the men with a raised head and a determined look. "I'll paint the damn room myself!"

The first man fought to stifle his laughter until Brenda had stomped angrily down the stairs.

"Well, that was pleasant." Christina sighed, turning to the chuckling man. "As soon as you finish the kitchen, please hook the plumbing up downstairs."

He threw her a thumbs-up, swapping his laughter for a grin, before turning quickly back to his project.

"Well, I'd better get back and relieve Steven. He is biting at the bit to head to the grocery store for your dinner tonight."

Christina's reminder of her double-date with Sam brought a smile to Elaina's lips. After the doctor said her goodbyes, Elaina made her way quickly upstairs, clutching her backpack tight to her shoulder. The moment she opened the door, her mouth dropped. It was not the munificent bright space in her room, or the walk-in closet, or grand balcony, which made her heart begin to flutter. No, it was seeing all of her items from the cabin stacked neatly in the corner of her room that brought the tears to her eyes.

She went over, sat on the newly carpeted floor, and began to go through each item one by one. None of her possessions was extravagant or valuable, but it was everything she had left in the world. The fact that Sam thought this much about her to risk her own life for a second trip to the cabin was worth more than any gift she had ever received.

Chapter Sixteen

Close Call

SAM LEANED IN, pointing to an area on the map hanging on the wall. "We will be exposed for three miles on this road, but the rest of the trip to and from we can manage on back roads, so we should have little problems. We will need to set up stations on each end of the road in case there is trouble. The first bus on the way to the camps can drop them off, and the last bus can pick them up on the way back."

"What firepower do you want to leave them with?" Frank asked, as he watched Todd jot down the highlights on a pad of notebook paper.

"Fifty-cal machine gun each, and maybe a claymore mine for both groups," David offered.

"No, better go with grenades instead of the claymores. I don't want to waste time breaking down the mines if we don't use them."

David turned to Sam. "I figured we would leave them."

She frowned. "This is not Iraq. Anything dangerous will not be left lying around for some un-expecting child to find."

"Ah, wasn't thinking. Good point, Sam,"

"These camps are bigger. We will need at least four more buses to get them all out."

"I already have that taken care of, Douglas." Frank tossed his reading glasses down on his daily planner. "We now have four buses for each team, so transportation is more than adequate."

"Did you fix the oil leak on my bus?" Todd asked, bringing his eyes up to Frank.

"Yep, and put on all new tires as well."

"Everyone satisfied with the plan?" When everyone concurred, Sam turned, coiling the map back up out of sight.

"Hey, Sam, you have a visitor." Todd smiled, waving the woman in.

"I can come back later." Elaina stood there, feeling self-conscious as twenty sets of eyes turned to her. She had just finished setting her room up after the furniture arrived, and she wanted to thank Sam for everything she did.

"Nonsense, we have talked long enough anyway." David rose, removing a sizeable wad of black mush from his mouth. He tossed the glob of chewing tobacco in the waste bin in the corner of the room and turned smartly around. "I want your trainees in full gear and outside within the next twenty minutes," he directed. The group of men and women crammed around the table rose quickly, chair noises clamoring loudly around the room. "I feel like giving the troops a little run today." David grinned at the remaining individuals before following his instructors out into the hall.

Sam frowned, taking a seat with her elbows on the desk and rubbing both sides of her temple. "I have a last-minute change in the roster. Douglas, Todd, you two can have David, and Frank and I will take the kid with the nail-biting fetish."

"Hell, no! That man scares the crap out of me. I like the nail kid, he reminds me of the son I never wanted." Douglas stood, slapping Sam hard on the back. "Sorry, Sam, maybe we'll take him next time, if we make it back from this mission in one piece." Grabbing his stuff, Douglas left the conference room, followed by the remainder of the group.

"I didn't mean to intrude."

Sam looked up. When their eyes met, Elaina's pulse quickened, sending an excited shiver up her spine. A tired smile appeared on Sam's lips. "You're not intruding." She stood up, finishing her drink.

As she did, Elaina's eyes moved down Sam's body, taking everything in. Sam had her white tank top tucked neatly into a dark, well-fitting pair of boot-cut blue jeans. Elaina's eyes lingered over Sam's breasts, which were full yet firm. They protruded slightly from underneath an unbuttoned flannel long-sleeve shirt, which hung comfortably over the white tank. Sam's boots were light-brown, soft leather that went well with the belt around her firm waist.

When Elaina glanced up, she realized that Sam was staring back at her. The skin on her face flushed and she opened her mouth to speak. "Sorry, I was just wondering why those other men were dressed in camouflage clothing and the rest of you weren't."

Sam laughed, making her way down to where Elaina was standing. "Well, that's one of David's things. He says if you want the troops to act like soldiers, they need to look like soldiers." Sam sighed. "He talked Frank into making a run last night to acquire enough military uniforms for every trainee to have three sets of everything, including socks, T-shirts, and ugly green underwear." Sam grinned, and Elaina wondered if Sam was wearing a pair of the ugly green underwear underneath her well fitting jeans. She blushed again trying hard to clear her head.

"Are you all right? You seem kind of flushed?"

"Oh, yes. I just wanted to say thank you for getting my stuff from the cabin. You really didn't need to do that."

"Yes, I did. I should have done it the first time I was there, but I was more interested in finding the disks." Sam stood back, appearing as if she was inspecting Elaina's stonewashed blue jeans and bright red baby doll tee for the first time. "You look very nice." Her throat sounded tight, almost to the point of constriction. "Did Steven say what time dinner was?" she asked, turning her eyes away.

Elaina sensed how edgy Sam was becoming. She nervously watched her move over to grab the mounds of paperwork from the table. "He said that he will be ready to start cooking dinner by five. Kevin's not going to show up at your house until seven, so Steven's timing dinner around his arrival. Do you need help with that?"

Watching Sam pile file after file on top of an already monstrous stack, Elaina went over, halfway leaning across the table to grab several of the files scattered around its surface. When she did, she instantly felt Sam's eyes on her chest. She was certain of it. Without warning, Elaina experienced an old, yet familiar, arousing sensation swell beneath her shirt, to her supple breasts. She closed her eyes tight, willing herself to focus, and for heavens-sakes, breathe! Her nipples were turning hard, and her mind raced. They were becoming the perfect size for Sam to flick a thumb over, or better yet, a tongue.

Elaina's cravings flashed. She begged her eyes not to glance up, but in less than a split second, they betrayed her. Without warning, she and Sam locked gazes. Elaina didn't know what to do. Before she could react, she painfully watched Sam's expression turn to utter panic.

Sam turned away so suddenly from Elaina that half the files in the stack followed, landing in a cluttered mess on the floor. "Shit!" Sam muttered with an agitated sigh. She knelt down and began arranging the files in order as best as she could.

Elaina was having a hard time reading Sam. She could tell that she was off, but not for sure of the why. Was Sam experiencing good feelings or bad? Did Sam like her, or was she repulsed by her. Damn it, she wanted to know!

Bending down to help, Elaina's body brushed up against Sam's side. Just the feel of Sam's closeness made her desires ache. She longed for Sam to touch her, caress her. She fought hard to keep her emotions under control, and under the present circumstances, it took all the strength she had.

Sam closed her eyes. "I can get this." Her voice was rough just above a whisper.

The pounding of Elaina's heart moved upward into her head, making it difficult to hear. "Don't be silly."

Eventually, Sam shrugged her shoulders.

Elaina was not sure how she made it through working so close to Sam, but in less than ten minutes they had the files stacked and were carrying them back to Sam's office. During this time, Elaina was finding it overly difficult to keep Sam engaged in any form of conversation. Maybe Sam had tired of her. Elaina worked at keeping the topics light, while spending most of the time talking of the work they were doing in the guesthouse. She figured Sam would like this type of thing. After all, Sam was definitely a top.

Just when Elaina was about to reach her breaking point, and straight out ask Sam how she felt, Sam came up with some lame excuse about feeding the horses. Without warning, the bewildered Elaina found herself standing in Sam's office, alone.

SAM ENTERED THE kitchen at half past six to the tantalizing aroma of seasoned meat and savory flavorings, which tickled the inside of her mouth and nose at the same time. "I can't do this," she said to Steven, who stood humming a lively tune as he stirred a red sauce that was simmering in a pan on top of the stove. He rotated his body slightly around, in a black pair of neatly pressed dress slacks, dress shoes, and a white, long-sleeve button-down shirt. He had his red silk tie tucked neatly into his shirt in an apparent attempt at keeping it clean while he prepared dinner.

He rolled his eyes at the towel on Sam's head and the robe wrapped tight around her body. "You need to hurry and change, Sam. You're cutting it awfully close."

"You're not listening. I said I can't do this."

"Do what? Eat dinner, watch a movie, talk to people you already know, and maybe have a little fun for once in your life?" He smiled, popping a cherry tomato smartly in his mouth.

"You don't understand, Steven. I'm having a hard time being around Elaina."

He frowned. "I thought you liked her."

"That's just it. I can't stop thinking about her." Sam sat down hanging her head low with her shoulders slumped forward. "When I'm around her, all I want to do is...well, never mind. All I'm saying is that I'm becoming so frustrated that I don't trust myself being around her."

Sam thought back to when she and Elaina were in the mine earlier, after she had made a mess of the files. She was beginning to worry about her self-restraint. Her body had ached to pull Elaina into her arms and she had the feeling that she had been seconds away from doing just that. There's nothing like a good slap on the face before a nice sit-down dinner, she thought.

She snapped her head up to the sound of Steven's laughter.

"Sam, I think you really like this woman, and it scares the shit out of you."

"What scares me is that I barely even know her."

He took the front skillet off the stove, and made his way over to where Sam was sitting. "All right, from what you do know, what do you like?"

Sam's eyebrows pulled together as she thought. "Well, when she smiles her right lip curls up slightly, but not when she laughs. When she laughs her lips lightly pull back making them look even fuller, especially in the front." Sam's grin brought a smile to Steven's face. "She has this sort of tic thing when she is in deep thought that you can spot if you look close enough right about here." Sam pointed just above her left brow indicating to Steven where the tic was.

Sam stood and began to pace the floor. "I noticed how her mouth moves when she talks. I'm not sure how to describe it, but it drives me crazy." Sam turned to face Steven. "Did you know when she was younger she wanted to be a veterinarian?" He smiled, shaking his head no. "Her father was a respected journalist and I believe that had a lot to do with why she changed her mind. She talks quite often about her father but she has never once mentioned her mother."

Sam smiled, taking a seat next to Steven. "Her favorite color is green, her favorite food is lobster, and she is the first woman I met that likes John Wayne almost as much as I do. Did you know she wrote a paper on quantum physics when she was in the tenth grade?"

"What exactly is that?"

Sam leaned back against the table with a deep laugh. "I have no idea."

Shaking his head, Steven stood and made his way back to the stove. "Sam, you learned more about Elaina in these last few days then most couples learn after several years of being together," he said, heading back to where she was sitting. He popped a cherry tomato in her mouth and pulled her up to him. "I love you, Samantha Kelly, and I am telling you this as a friend and as your unofficially adopted brother. This woman fits you like a glove. If you passed this up you would regret it for the rest of your life." He pulled off the towel from her head and draped it over her left shoulder. "Now, go get ready before I kill you." He gave her a slight push toward the doorway. "Oh, and jeans are fine as long as you have on a nice shirt with it."

SAM EXAMINED HER reflection in the full-length mirror for the seventh time, feeling uncertain about the color of her fitted button-up blouse. She liked the way the neckline hung low when the top two buttons remained unfastened, but she did not wear purple often, mainly reds and blacks. The doorbell chimed. Too late to change again. Sam tucked in her shirt, fastened her black leather belt, dabbed on a hint of cologne, and slipped on her black loafers.

She waved Steven back into the kitchen and made her way to the door. She assumed by the sound of his wolf whistle, that he approved of her outfit. Right before she opened the door, Steven flipped on the stereo to the sound of soft jazz, apparently to ease the mood. The first to arrive was Kevin carrying a bottle of wine and red, long-stemmed roses. Crap! Sam thought. Why didn't I think of flowers? She showed him into the kitchen and made him a drink before heading off to the bathroom to splash handfuls of cold water on her face.

"Just breathe," she whispered to herself, sitting on the edge of the tub. The doorbell chimed again, bringing Sam straight to her feet on a pair of wobbly legs. Feeling slightly lightheaded, Sam made her way back into the living room.

Opening the door, Sam held her breath as her eyes absorbed the woman before her. Elaina was wearing a black strapless dress that came a few inches above her knees and hung low enough to reveal just a hint of cleavage. Her stockings and heels were also black, grandly displaying Elaina's well-shaped legs. Her hair pulled back elegantly behind her ears, completing the breathtaking ensemble.

"You look beautiful." Sam was not sure if she actually spoke the words out-loud until Elaina replied, "I was just thinking the same thing about you."

Sam tried but she could not take her eyes off Elaina, even as the two made their way into the kitchen. She went over, making them each a drink, trying hard not to spill the liquor all over the drink-cart.

Conversation among the four felt easy, natural, almost as if they had been best friends for years. Kevin explained to Elaina the first encounter he had with Sam, and how she single-handedly took out six men and several crates of ammunition. Laughter filled the kitchen by the time Steven served dinner, and Sam refilled everyone's third round of drinks.

"Tonight, we have rack of lamb with a red currant wine sauce," Steven informed, placing the large serving tray down in the middle of the table. The three sitting at the table were speechless as Steven dished out a generous helping to each of them.

"I have never tasted anything as wonderful as this." Elaina grinned, closing her eyes in delight.

"Watch it girl, I found him first." Kevin shot Elaina a playful look. The four laughed but Sam could see the excitement sparkle in Steven's eyes. Her heart felt overjoyed for the delighted look on his face.

"Let's have a toast." Kevin raised his glass high in the air and the rest followed suit. As Sam raised her glass, she noticed how quickly Kevin's shyness vanished. She was not sure if it was from his comfort in the people he was with, or if it had to do with the amount of alcohol he was consuming. She hoped it was the first, but would settle on an even combination of the two.

After finishing dinner and dessert, Kevin asked Steven if he wanted to go for a walk for some fresh air. Steven jumped at the idea, leaving Sam and Elaina alone in the kitchen.

"I want to thank you for giving me the best evening I've had in a very long time." Elaina smiled, standing from the table.

Sam stood quickly up. "You're not leaving, are you? After all, I did promise you a movie."

"I'm not going to hold you to that, Sam." Elaina walked over standing next to Sam. She stood slightly on her tiptoes and placed a kiss on Sam's cheek. "I really had a wonderful evening," she said, before heading out of the room.

Sam stood in the kitchen feeling lost and confused. She was not sure what she did wrong, but she knew that she didn't want Elaina to leave. Hurrying out of the kitchen, Sam made it to the door just as Elaina reached for the knob.

"Don't go," Sam breathed, placing her hand on the door.

Elaina did not turn, did not look at Sam as she spoke. "I don't need to stay. Steven and Kevin are doing well together."

"I want you to stay."

The sadness in Elaina's eyes cut like a knife in Sam's chest. Elaina turned her head back to her. "I'm not blind, Sam. I know how you feel about me."

"What do you mean, you know how I feel? If you knew you wouldn't leave."

Elaina turned her head back to the door. "That is the alcohol talking. Today, when we were in the mine, you acted as if being near me was uncomfortable for you. Then, when you left...I'm not stupid, Sam, I knew you made that up just to get away from me."

Sam sighed, feeling like a complete moron. "Yes, I did make it up, and it has been very difficult being in the same room with you."

Elaina turned the knob, but Sam's hand pushed hard against the door, not allowing her to leave. "Elaina, please let me explain." With a drop in her shoulders, Elaina placed her head against the doorframe. Sam continued. "The reason I've been acting so different is not for the reasons you mentioned." Sam paused not sure exactly how to say what she felt. She could feel her heart beat as a wave of nervousness swept over her. "I don't want you to take this the wrong way, and I know it's going to come out sounding degrading. No, I don't mean degrading, I mean..."

Sam broke away from the door feeling frustrated. "I like you a lot, Elaina. I can't seem to stop thinking about you."

"Why avoid me?" Elaina spun around. "Why turn your eyes away from me when I look at you? That doesn't make any sense."

Sam rubbed the back of her neck, unsure if she was too embarrassed or too worried to speak. When Elaina made a move back toward the door, Sam sighed. She leaned the weight of her body against the wall, her eyes focusing down on a tiny speck of lint lying against the baseboard. "I had a hard time sleeping last night because of you. Every time I drifted off to sleep, I dreamt of you and me...well, I would rather not say. Just know that it was very moving."

Sam anxiously began to pace slowly back and forth. She did not look at Elaina for fear that she would lose her nerve and not finish what she needed to say. "I noticed yesterday that I was thinking a lot about you when you were not around. It was just stupid stuff, really. Like once when you laughed, your nose wrinkled upward and you gave a little snort, well, it could have been a grunt, but I'm almost certain you snorted." Sam brought her head up to the ceiling with a tiny grin. "Oh, my God, when you and Steven went on and on about the government system and everything that was wrong with it, I didn't know if I wanted to shoot myself or record it for future enjoyment."

Sam stopped next to the banister leading upstairs and shoved her hands deep into her front pockets. "However, after last night, it has been very hard, damn near impossible to concentrate on anything besides you. When you're not around, I start to think of small details like a facial expression you made, or something you said, or I just think about you. Your hair, your eyes, your lips..." Sam frowned and proceeded to kick the bottom step with her foot. "I'm sorry, I've been rambling. Look, I'm having a hard time controlling myself around you. Whenever you're near me something inside my head seems to snap. This desire starts to build, and all I want to do is reach out and grab you, hold you, caress you..."

Sam swallowed back her words. She was not sure why she said this to Elaina, but as her face reddened, her mind spun. She suddenly felt open, exposed, vulnerable, and she didn't like it. She didn't like it one bit. She wished on all the money in her safe, on every possession she owned that she could take back everything she said. "You know, maybe we should call it a night." When she turned, her heart leapt. Elaina stood less than a few inches away.

Elaina brought a warm hand up to the back of Sam's neck, pulling her gently toward her.

When their lips touched, a surge of energy ignited from within Sam's body. She put her arms around Elaina's waist as her mouth drank in the sweet taste Elaina had to offer. Her mind shouted more. She could feel a shiver escape from Elaina's body and the breathing from the woman quickened, matching her own.

Is this another dream? Sam's heartbeat accelerated, followed by a throbbing sensation deep between her thighs. Again, her mind shouted more. Moving her legs forward, Sam pushed Elaina's body back against the wall, as her need for this woman grew. She brought her left hand up to the soft curve of Elaina's neck and her other hand dropped down to the lower part of Elaina's back, pushing their midsections close together. This movement sent a moan to escape from Elaina's throat, fueling Sam's desire even more.

Sam moved her right hand around and quickly raised the bottom of Elaina's black dress, pulling it up past her thighs. She firmly pressed her leg in between Elaina's, as her left hand moved around unzipping the dress. Grinding her leg in a steady motion, Sam felt Elaina's warm wetness through her jeans and she pushed in with even more force.

As the dress began to slide down her chest, Elaina brought her hands upward, stopping it. "What about Steven and Kevin?" Elaina whispered. "What if they come back inside?"

Closing her eyes tight, Sam forced herself to take in a deep breath. Her heart raced so fast it produced a ringing sound in her ears. As she backed away to steady herself, Elaina grabbed her quickly to stop her. "I just want to move someplace besides the front entryway."

"What if we..." Her voice came out sounding husky, broken. She cleared her throat. "What if we watch the movie I promised you?"

The eyes that gazed up to her held the same desire that Sam felt. "Is that what you want to do?"

Sam shook her head no. "My need for you is maddening." Sam wanted to take Elaina into her bedroom and make love to her, to caress every inch of her. This want was greater than anything she had ever experienced.

"I don't want to stop." Elaina brought her lips back up to Sam's for a passionate embrace. "I only want to move somewhere else."

"Are you sure this is what you want?" Sam's eyes searched Elaina's as if trying to read what the woman was thinking.

Elaina's hand found Sam's and she guided it down under the dress to her wet slit. "What do you think?"

It was a mixture of feeling Elaina's throbbing wetness, and the seductive way Elaina's words came out that forced Sam past her limit of fighting for self-control. She pushed Elaina back against the wall, hungrily covering Elaina's mouth with her own. Her hand grabbed at the damp panties pulling them down out of the way, almost ripping them off in the process.

"Sam!" Elaina gasped, off-balance. "Sam, we can't do...we can't do this here."

Elaina's words were lost when Sam pushed herself in. The amount of dampness covering her fingers was exhilarating Sam, and she brought her mouth down tasting, working, caressing the flesh on Elaina's neck with her tongue. Elaina spread her legs wider, as if she was welcoming every stroke deeper inside. She released her grip on the dress, allowing it to slide down past her strapless bra to her waist. The only thing keeping it from hitting the floor was Sam's powerful hand, as it worked the first two fingers around deep inside her. Elaina brought her head backwards, letting out a moan.

The sensation for Sam was overwhelming, greater than any pleasure she had ever felt before. The pressure she sent inside Elaina increase and Elaina spread her legs even farther for Sam. Elaina brought her hands upward, tracing the muscles in Sam's arm though her shirt, and working her hands all the way around to the muscles in Sam's back.

Sam's other hand moved up, unhooking the bra from around Elaina's back. The red lace undergarment dropped down, revealing Elaina's full, shapely breast. Her fingers worked harder, faster. Bringing her mouth down to encircle the dark brown nipple, Sam sucked in while she ran her tongue over the tip.

"I'm going..." Before Elaina could finish her sentence, her body shook. Sam's arm encircled Elaina's waist, supporting the trembling woman as she continued to push her fingers deep inside. Elaina held her breath, and the sweet ripples poured throughout her body.

Sam could feel the wet effect of Elaina's orgasm flow between her fingers and onto her hand. She pulled her hand slowly out and placed her wet fingers into her mouth, sucking them to their fullest. "Mmm. You taste so sweet."

Wrinkling her nose, Elaina brought a trembling hand up and removed Sam's hand from her mouth. "I'm not sure if that is sexy, or disturbing."

Sam smiled. "I want to taste more of you." Without waiting for a reply, Sam bent over, picking Elaina up and cradled her in her arms. Elaina's eyes were wide with surprise as her arms wrapped around Sam's neck.

Sam turned, but before she could take a step toward her bedroom, Elaina glanced backwards. "My bra is on the floor."

She made to move out of Sam's arms, but Sam only held on tighter. "I got it." Sam turned while holding Elaina, bent down, and snatched up the bra. "I like this color on you." She smiled, turning back toward her room.

ELAINA AWOKE THE following morning wrapped safely in Sam's protective embrace. She felt Sam's chest pushed up against her own naked back, bringing a smile to spread across her lips. Elaina closed her eyes tight, savoring the moment.

They had made love four times that evening, stopping occasionally for a few glasses of water and a quick shower. Oh lord, the shower, Elaina thought, wondering how Sam was able to make her body feel so alive in such a limited space.

She felt Sam stir behind her, and she held her breath not making a sound. She did not want to get up. She did not want Sam to move. Elaina wanted to stay here just a little longer and lose herself in the arms of the woman behind her. The powerful feel of Sam was deeply invigorating. Elaina closed her eyes reliving the experience of last night one more time.

The only small snag of the evening was that Sam would not let Elaina see her naked. Even during the shower, Sam had kept the lights off with only the glow of a tiny candle flickering in the darkness of the room. Every time Elaina had gone to move her hands under Sam's shirt, Sam had stopped her. Even now as Elaina lay naked in bed, Sam was wearing a loose fitting white T-shirt and baggy red boy-shorts. She looked sexy, but Elaina knew Sam would look even sexier out of them.

She felt Sam's hand move slightly and she could tell that Sam's body was working itself awake. Sam let out a tired grunt, then, as if realizing she was not alone, Sam tightened her arms around Elaina's body, her lips pressing gently into Elaina's back.

A few minutes later, Sam kissed the nape of Elaina's neck. She gently began to move her arms from around the other woman. "I was hoping you would sleep longer," Elaina whispered, and she turned to Sam with a smile.

"I didn't mean to wake you. I just need to use the bathroom."

"You didn't, I was lying here enjoying the feel of you against me." Elaina moved her head up, attempting to give Sam a good morning kiss, but Sam turned her head away. She tried again, but with the same outcome causing Elaina to frown slightly, with a building sense of worry.

Sam grinned at Elaina's look. "It's not that I don't want to kiss you, but my breath is pretty bad. Drinking alcohol does that to me for future reference."

Relief filled Elaina. "I don't care."

Sam laughed. "You asked for it." She leaned in, giving Elaina a light kiss on the lips, and when she tried to pull away Elaina pulled her back in, forcing Sam's lips open with her tongue.

The good morning kiss turned into a good morning orgasm, with Sam's head between Elaina's outstretched legs, and Elaina's trembling hands hanging onto the headboard for dear life. Elaina let out a forceful moan the moment her body shook from the eruption between her thighs. Sam made her way back up, pulling Elaina affectionately into her arms.

"I don't think your breath is bad," Elaina said, steadily panting.

Placing a kiss on Elaina's forehead, Sam smiled. "I'm going to go shower and brush my teeth." Sam shook her head as Elaina made to get up. "If you come in we'll end up having sex again."

"What's wrong with that?"

"Oh, well, let's see. It's ten fifteen, so I have less than an hour before I need to meet Frank in the mine."

Elaina looked over at the bedside clock in surprise. "Crap. Why didn't you say so? I was supposed to be at the hospital by ten." She jumped from the bed and started to get dressed.

THE DAY IN the hospital ticked slowly by, yet Elaina's mood soared during her entire shift. Steven showed up a little after seven that evening looking just as cheerful, with a smile fixed to his lips. "Looks like someone had a wonderful evening," he said, as Elaina folded the freshly laundered hospital blankets while humming a lively tune.

"You have no idea."

"Actually, I just might. Let's talk about your evening first then we can move onto mine." He sat down beside her, placing his folded newspaper in his lap. "Did you make it through all three movies?"

"We didn't watch any of them. We were, um, busy."

He grinned. "Ah, so you had a really nice evening. What time did you end up leaving?"

"Around ten-thirty, give or take two minutes."

Steven laughed. "Ten-thirty, you lesbians don't take much time out for foreplay."

"No, I left at ten-thirty this morning." The lines on her forehead pulled forward into a question when she saw his eyes widen. "What, is that still not enough foreplay for you?" She grinned.

"You stayed the night with Sam. The entire night?"

She laughed at his disbelieving look. "Yes, why, do you think we had too much foreplay?"

Steven slowly shook his head no. He leaned toward her slightly. "Elaina, Sam has never slept with anyone before. Ever."

"That's not what you said the other day. You said Sam has been with quite a few women."

"Fucking and sleeping are two totally different things, Elaina. One is meaningless and the other, well, significant, especially for Sam. I could tell last night by the way Sam spoke about you, she had feelings, but this is different."

Elaina's heart fluttered. "What did Sam say about me?"

"Sorry, that is confidential." He leaned back in his chair with a grin. "Don't worry, it was all good."

"What's all good?" The sound of Rachel's voice surprised them both. She struggled for a few seconds, but finally managed to sit down on a chair in a semi-cocked angle.

"When are you going to pop this kid out?"

Rachel threw Steven a smile. "In about a month, or as Aunt Agnes says, when she's damn good and ready. I just wish she would quit being so stubborn and move down an inch or two." She looked from one face to the other. "So, what's all good?"

"Well, it looks like our Sam has gone and fell for this woman." He waved a hand directing it to Elaina. Elaina blushed slightly, forming a smile as she glanced at Rachel. Rachel, however, was not smiling. She was not showing any signs of excitement by the idea of her sister finally finding someone with substance.

Steven frowned. "You did hear what I said."

"I heard you," Rachel snapped, keeping her eyes trained on Elaina. "Last I heard, you were planning on heading to Canada. Has that changed?"

Elaina glanced from Rachel to Steven. Her mind raced. She had several months of solitude in a cabin to plan for her new life, and now, all of a sudden, life felt once again out of control. "Well, I don't know. I haven't had time..."

Rachel stood to her feet with surprising speed for a woman a month away from giving birth. "You don't know?"

"Rachel, this has nothing to do with you."

"It has everything to do with me!" Rachel barked at Steven. "I'm her sister. I'm the one who'll have to clean up the mess after this woman leaves. What do you think this will do to Sam if she ends up falling in love with her?" Rachel shook her head no at the thought. "I don't want you to see my sister again!"

Steven stood. "Rachel!"

"Stay out of this!" Rachel's face had grown wild with anger. She turned, glaring down to a wide-eyed Elaina. "If you care for her, you will let her be." With that, she spun on her heels and shuffled quickly from the hospital.

STANDING BY HER bus, Sam glanced down to her watch. They were to leave for the camps in less than ten minutes, and Elaina still had not shown up. "David, do you have the explosives?" she asked the man dressed in black, who was making his way over to her. He held up a satchel, giving her a grin consisting of stained teeth and a bulge in his bottom lip from his remaining chew. Her stomach turned uneasily with her approving nod, directing him onto the bus.

"Please take care of yourself, and see that you make it back in one piece."

Sam smiled to her approaching sister. "I will. Listen, I don't want you waiting up for us. My nephew needs for you to get your rest."

Rachel huffed. "For the hundredth time, I'm having a girl."

Sam shrugged. "I can always hope." Sam glanced back down to her watch. "Have you seen Elaina? I thought she was supposed to get off work an hour ago."

"Why?"

"I don't know. I was just hoping to see her before I left."

Rachel frowned. "Look, Sam, I don't think it would be a good idea if you two..."

"Sorry I'm late. I had to help Christina get some things set up." Elaina rushed in out of breath from running, and placed a kiss on Sam's lips.

Sam grinned when they pulled away. "You now have black camouflage smudged all over you." She glanced around trying to find something to clean the muck off Elaina's face.

"I don't care, it's fine."

Remembering the item in her front breast pocket, Sam removed the black fabric and used it to wipe Elaina's face. "What is this?" Elaina asked, wrenching the material out of Sam's hand. "Sam, this is one of my stockings."

"You dropped it in your haste to leave my room this morning." Sam gave Elaina a sheepish grin. "It's for luck." She grabbed the stocking and placed it back in the pocket it came from.

"It's time to go, Sam," Frank called out, before climbing onto his bus. Sam turned back to Rachel. "Remember, get some rest." She glanced down to Elaina. "Do you like fishing?"

"I don't know. I never tried it."

"Would you like to go tomorrow, if you're free?"

"I would love to."

Sam was about to lean in for another kiss, but the idea of covering Elaina with more camouflage kept her from it. Just as she was about to turn to board the bus, Elaina stopped her. She brought her hand up, pulling Sam down to her. Their lips met. Sam's heart skipped a beat at the passion in Elaina's kiss and her eyes closed.

"I'll be waiting here when you return," Elaina whispered when they broke apart. She watched Sam smile, watched Sam turn and make her way behind the wheel of the bus, and watched as the buses pulled out from the entrance of the mine one by one until the last one vanished out of sight. Her eyes remained on the spot even after the doors closed and the people around her departed.

"I decided to stay," Elaina said, feeling the presence of Rachel beside her. She turned her head and was surprised to see the smile on the face of the woman who had looked as if she wanted to kill her not more than three hours ago.

"I had a feeling you did. I could see it in the way you ogled her." She sighed, taking Elaina's hand in her own. "Let's go get you cleaned up and see if there is any dinner left in the dining facility. The baby is starving." She guided the woman down the hall as her eyes glowed. "You know, I have always wanted a sister."

"Sam is your sister."

Rachel laughed. "Yes, but she has always been more like an older brother, really. It was very hard to talk to her about the boys I liked when I was younger. She would find them and explain what she would do to them if I was ever hurt or unhappy." Rachel laughed. "They didn't want to have anything to do with me after she spoke to them. I eventually stopped telling her. Yes, it will be nice to have a sister."

Elaina's cheeks blushed. "I think you might be jumping the gun."

"Oh, I'm not going to plan your wedding just yet. I realize that with my sister that kind of commitment will take a very long time. However, she is definitely falling for you."

After Elaina washed off the black splotches from her face, the two made their way into the dining area of the mine, where several people were busy preparing a vast assortment of food.

"Why are they cooking?" Rachel asked her Aunt Agnes who was standing off to the side talking to one of the cooks.

"We're going to have several hundred men, woman, and children show up soon from the camps, and these people will be hungry."

"That makes sense." Rachel nodded. "Do you guys need any help?"

Agnes laughed. "You are under strict orders from Christina not to lift a finger until this baby is born." She shook her head. "Get some food and go rest. We can manage just fine without you two."

They did as she instructed, enjoying a pleasant meal of beef stroganoff over egg noodles, mixed vegetables, canned peaches, and a huge slice of chocolate cake. The meal was nothing compared to the dinner Steven had served the night before. Nonetheless, for a meal looking as if it had come straight from Elaina's old high school cafeteria, she thought it all actually tasted quite nice.

They talked for over an hour after finishing their plates. The conversation consisted mostly of Sam's amusing flaws, since she was not present, but off and on about each other. "So, your mother thought that you being homosexual would be bad for their social life."

"That's it in a nut-shell."

"What about your father, what did he think?"

"I don't know. He was too petrified to go against my mother. Most people are."

"I'm sorry." Rachel said. "I didn't realize people still felt that way." She brought her eyes over to a commotion that was forming around the massive flat television mounted on the far wall. "Hey, can you turn that up?" a man shouted, sitting at one of the tables beside them.

Within seconds the volume rose, sending not just the face, but also the voice of the President of the United States. His dark hair was thick, neat, and it feathered professionally back on his head. His suit was also professional, expensive, and his eyes held a look of command as he spoke. "These attacks started several hours ago, and we have reason to believe that they will only get worse from here. I'm sending a sizeable portion of our reserve force over to assist with this threat."

"What's going on?" one of the female cooks shouted, while clutching a large serving spoon to her chest.

Someone close to the television turned to the woman. "Several of our military bases overseas are under attack."

"Who is attacking them?"

"Terrorists, I think. I'm not sure."

Rachel watched as the President sighed. He looked as if the demands of office were wearing him thin. "Therefore, I feel we have no choice but to call for foreign aid to assist us with our efforts here in the United States. I'm asking for Congress to hold an emergency session next week to vote for this very thing."

"Foreign troops on American soil, they can't do that."

"They can if both the House and Senate approve it."

Rachel stood, not bothering with what the people were saying.

She went over to her aunt, who had her back turned from the television. "Aunt Agnes, I'm sure Michael is fine." She placed her arms around her aunt, not seeing the tears slide down the older woman's cheek.

Agnes patted her arm. "Of course he is."

"The buses are back!" Mike ran in shouting, then turned and ran back out of the room. His words had brought movement from most of the people in the dining area, including Rachel, Agnes, and Elaina, who rushed from the area with the flow of the crowd.

The first group to pull in was not Sam's group, but Douglas's. He and Todd, with several others, worked at getting the injured from the buses. "What happened?" Agnes asked, seeing that one of the soldiers from their team was leaving the bus on a stretcher.

"He was shot in the leg, but he'll be fine. Several people from the camps will need medical attention, though." He sighed, rubbing his tired, black-painted face with his hand. "It seems some of the assholes we killed tonight really got off on torturing these people." He turned to her, looking angered. "Hell, Agnes, they whipped a young man within an inch of his life. He cannot be more than twenty. I found him hanging in the basement of the main building..." The older man broke off, losing his words.

Agnes placed a hand to his back. "Go get cleaned up and grab something warm to eat." He nodded slowly before walking away.

"What about Sam's team. Any word?"

Todd shook his head no. "They must have hit a snag, because they were supposed to be in before us. Do you want me to go look for them once we get the injured taken to the medical wing?"

Before she could reply, the loud reverberation of other huge vehicles bounced around the entrance of the mine. They watched as the buses pulled in one by one. "Where's Sam?" Rachel asked, looking at the rugged man behind the wheel. Elaina held her breath. The engines from the buses turned off and the people inside began to unload.

"We need a stretcher over here." David climbed from the vehicle and headed to the bus parked behind the one he had driven.

"Where's Sam?" Rachel's voice grew more desperate, and Elaina and Agnes followed her over to where David was heading. As soon as Frank exited his bus, he went straight for the women with his hands raised.

"Where's Sam?" This time Agnes was the one to voice the question and she threw Frank a worried look.

"Sam's fine, just had a little mishap." Frank waved over the two men carrying the stretcher. "She's in the bus." He directed the volunteers before turning to David. "You might want to stay clear of her. She's still pretty upset with you."

"What sort of mishap?" Rachel moved in closer to the bus, trying to get a look inside. "Was she shot? Is she all right?"

"Now, calm down. Everything is fine. She has an injury in her backside, but she will be fine." He turned his eyes quickly to David, then back to Rachel.

"Hey, I thought she said Halo. It sounded like Halo."

"What happened?" Agnes looked to each of the men.

"Well." David glanced casually at the three women. "I set up some explosives around their command building that I was supposed to blow after Sam was cleared and gave me the signal."

"The signal was Halo and she was calling for Harold."

"It sounded like Halo," David cut in, frowning at Frank. "Anyway, if I wouldn't have set off the explosives, those men might have killed her. I saved her life."

"Bullshit, David. You've seen the way Sam works. You know damn good and well that she would have taken both those guys out."

"I need a drink," David said, rubbing the back of his neck. He glanced up when one of the men who carried the stretcher onto the bus stuck his head out. "We need a hand moving her out. I'm afraid we might get the wood caught on something."

Frank motioned for David to remain. "She called you every name in the book on the ride back. You might want to stay here." He made his way onto the bus.

"Were there any other casualties?"

David looked at Agnes. "No, other than Sam, it all went over well. Some of the people from the camps look as if the guards used their faces as punching bags, but there is nothing major. I was impressed with your niece. She really knows her shit.

"Okay, slowly now. You, watch the left side."

Elaina brought her hand to her mouth when she saw the huge sliver of wood protruding from Sam's butt-cheek on her right side. The amount of blood soaking through Sam's pants and the bandage surrounding the wood appeared massive, even from where she stood.

"You did well out there, kid."

Sam glared up to David with a heated expression. "Tell that to my ass, you moron!"

David shrugged his shoulders before leaning his head close to Sam's backside. "You did well..."

Sam jerked to her side and made a move for her pistol, sending Frank to hold her down and grab it. "I want to shoot him! Frank, damn it, let me shoot him!"

David laughed and Frank quickly pocketed Sam's weapon.

"That woman has spirit!" David blurted out.

Frank signaled the men to take Sam down to the medical wing before shaking his head disapprovingly to the amused man standing next to him.

Chapter Seventeen

The Source

KEVIN MADE HIS way down to the medical wing with his laptop clutched under his arm. The entire medical wing, from the rich wooden floors, spacious divided rooms, and the bright drop ceiling, was finished in record time. He stepped through the large, newly constructed doors at a brisk pace. Kevin's stern expression stated he had something of utmost importance on his mind. Spotting Steven behind one of three sturdy desks off to the side, Kevin's lips parted into an energized smile.

"Where's Sam?"

Steven glanced up from his paperwork. He stood with a warm smile. "Hey, I've missed you..."

"No time. Where's Sam?"

Steven frowned, looking slightly hurt, and pointed to one of four spacious sectional rooms to the left. Kevin gave Steven a warm smile before quickly turning to the room Steven directed.

Sam was located in the back of the room, which held divided space for nine other occupants. A mixture of hideaway beds and old-style hospital beds, which appeared to be from World War II, replaced the cots. This made the room feel a little more like a hospital and less like a vast area located in a mine.

Sam was lying on her side talking to Elaina when he stepped up to the bed. "Sam, you really need to look at this." Kevin placed his laptop down on the ugly metal nightstand in front of her and pushed the power button on. After the system loaded, Kevin entered in his password, S T E V E N. Sam smiled. He swiftly worked his fingers over the keypad. Before long, vast amounts of information flashed on the screen.

Sam scanned her eyes over the wording then turned up to him. "Tell me if I'm wrong, but it looks the same as it did last week."

"It is, however, I figured out the information you gave me. You know, in that paperwork. You were right, it's a language," he said, smiling down at her. She only gave him a blank stare. "I broke into the files, Sam." He worked his hands over the system again and after hitting Enter, the information on the screen changed. No, it did not change, Sam realized looking closer, it grew. Multiple words, sections, and numbers appeared, filling in dates and events, and altering the once choppy structure into a readable program. He did the same thing with the information from the other disk and ZIP drive, which he had saved in his laptop, producing the same outcome.

"This information shows us a detailed outline of the gradual fall of the United States that began more than fifty years ago." Kevin nodded at Sam's surprised look. "Apparently, this organization has obtained steady control over numerous American investments, banks, and assets, giving them enough power to crash the American dollar. It lists key people they have placed in government offices throughout the years, to help slowly pull the rights away from the people and the states, while giving more power to the government. The current Attorney General and Secretary of Defense are two of the names mentioned. The end of that section reveals their plan for the fall of the United States government, and how a new, Unified Government is going to take control."

Sam could feel her muscles tighten. "If this doesn't change, we are in for a world of hurt."

"I know, that's why I came right to you when I figured it out," Kevin said.

"Who is behind this Unified Government?" Elaina asked, taking in the information on the screen.

"It doesn't really say, and there is nothing significant to 'officially' tie anyone to them. Over half of the names translate into sort of a hit list."

Sam scrolled further down, grasping the severity of the situation. "This makes no sense, Kevin. How is a military force from outside the United States supposed to come in without our troops, or our people, putting up a fight?"

"Sam, this is what the President is calling for." Sam gave Kevin a puzzled look. "Last night, the President announced that we needed the help of foreign aid to protect us. Didn't someone tell you?"

"No, but I was in surgery having splinters removed from my ass, and..." Sam froze. "The President is involved in this," she said, working it around in her mind.

Kevin gave Sam a nervous laugh. "What, our President? Sam, that is highly unlikely, don't you think? I mean, President McMullen was born here in the Mid-West..."

"Look, it makes sense. Almost everything recent on this list was initiated by him once he became President, and it mentions here the amount of money this Unified Government invested into his presidential campaign." She scrolled down to the bottom of the information. "Over the years, the power of the Presidential office has grown, and with these new laws, the President has almost total control."

"We still have a Congress, and they will undoubtedly vote this down," Kevin argued.

Time felt almost stationary as Sam thought. She glided her eyes over the screen not really taking anything in, until something in the wording seemed to jump out at her. "This looks like it might be a web address. Maybe we can find out something that would help. Is the security system on our computers set up yet?"

Looking at the screen, Kevin tilted his head in a movement to say kind of. "I'm not quite finished with that. I have been putting most of my time in on this. I do have scrambling boxes that we can hook up to buy us some time before they manage to trace this location."

Sam shook her head. "No, I don't want to chance it. Is there a library or Internet café still operating in Springfield?"

"One library. Well, I believe it hasn't closed yet, but both of the cafés have gone out of business. That's a good idea. We can hook up a box in the back of one of their computers or to a laptop. That should buy us forty-five minutes to an hour."

"Why take the risk?" Elaina fixed her eyes on them both. "What are you hoping to accomplish by snooping around in their system?"

"Well, for starters, hopefully find out if the President is involved or not," Sam said. "If he is, we need to find out who isn't that might have the power to stop this. I would also like to see if it could offer us some insight into these future dates. One is for this next week and it's highlighted." They all looked down to the date of this coming Wednesday with a bold C.H. following it.

"What do you think C.H. stands for?"

Sam shrugged at Elaina's question. "Not sure." She looked up to Kevin. "Tell Aunt Agnes to get the committee together as soon as possible. Let them know what is going on. Tomorrow, I would like for me and you to head to the library in Springfield."

"Tomorrow is Sunday, Sam, the library won't be open."

"Fine, Monday then."

"You're not going anywhere for at least a week. That was Christina's orders." Elaina stood up, appearing upset with the idea of Sam taking any more risks.

"I can handle Christina." Sam smiled, looking at Kevin. "You just make sure you're ready to go on Monday. Oh, and you're going to have to drive."

"This is ridiculous. You're in no state to travel. Sorry, but," Elaina glimpsed around as if finding a way to keep Sam here, "if you plan on doing this, I'll tell Rachel."

Sam brought her brow curiously up. She turned to Kevin, giving him an amused nod, and waited until he left the room before looking back at Elaina. "You're going to tell my baby sister. Wow, you have learned my weakness. Fortunately, I can handle her, also." Sam leaned slightly forward in bed. "I think you're worried about me."

Elaina frowned. "You're not Wonder Woman, Sam. You can't stop a bullet."

"Actually, it's Superman who can stop bullets. Wonder Woman had the truth lasso and invisible airplane."

"This isn't funny, Sam! This is dangerous. I know what I'm talking about here. These people killed Kim, Marcus, and probably many others. Don't think they won't be able to kill you." Elaina turned away.

Sam sighed. "Look, I don't mean to make light of this situation, but it has to be done."

"I want to come with you," Elaina suddenly announced, turning back to Sam.

"No."

"Why?"

"Because, if anything does happen, you being there will only complicate things. After all, the HTF is looking for you. Your presence could put me and Kevin in more danger."

"I can take care of my appearance and myself for that matter. I have done all right without your protection for the last two years."

"You had a bullet hole in you when we met!"

"So? You have a hole in the side of your ass, what's your point!"

Sam frowned, feeling frustrated. When she moved to get out of bed, Elaina sighed and went over to stop her. Sam grabbed Elaina and pulled her into her arms. Elaina struggled for a few seconds, but Sam pulled her tighter in. Elaina relinquished control and allowed herself to savor the feel of Sam's strong arms around her. It was long and heartfelt. Their lips telling one another their feelings without uttering one word. Sam moved her mouth down to Elaina's neck, eager for the taste of her skin. Elaina moaned, moving her body even farther up on the bed.

A loud beeping sound of Sam's phone went off, indicating that she had a message. Surprised, Elaina jumped at the sudden interruption. She attempted to move from the bed but Sam pulled her back, holding Elaina's back tightly against her. With one arm, Sam pulled Elaina close as her mouth laid sweet kisses over Elaina's soft neck. She brought her other hand around unbuttoning Elaina's jeans. Elaina arched her back and pushed her supple ass into Sam's groin.

"What if someone walks in?" Elaina whispered, with her head tilted back on Sam's shoulder.

"Does that scare you?" Sam asked, her words followed by the sound of unzipping jeans.

"Yes." Elaina swallowed, closing her eyes.

"Good." Sam slipped her hand inside under Elaina's panties. Her fingers slid down through the curly hair and between the lips. She worked her middle finger around, gliding it back and forth to the steady rocking of Elaina's hips. Elaina's moans became louder and her hips began to thrust hard with desire. Sam drove her finger deep inside the warm opening several times. Each time she did, Elaina let out a lustful moan.

Sam felt the swelling of Elaina's clit just moments before the building eruption exploded out from Elaina. She held the quivering woman tightly against her, until Elaina's breathing slowed back to normal.

"God, you're crazy."

"You can try to flatter me all you want, but you're still not going." Sam said, nibbling on Elaina's ear.

"Are you always this stubborn?"

"Hmm. Only when I'm right."

The sound of voices outside the room brought Elaina quickly from the bed. She fastened her jeans and sat down in the chair beside Sam. She looked guilty, like she was about to be caught doing something illegal. Sam laughed, turning her head back toward the door.

Frank entered the room followed by three men and one woman. He smiled at both Sam and Elaina, before turning toward the grey-haired man next to him. "Sam, Elaina, I would like to introduce you to Richard Ludlum. He is my weapons source."

Extending her hand to the well-dressed man, Sam smiled. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Richard." Her greeting was genuine, yet under the surface, she remained guarded.

"The pleasure is mine, Ms. Kelly. Frank gave us a tour of your mine, and I must say, we all find it very well organized." He quickly continued, as if he was sensing that Sam was skeptical about strangers being in the mine.. "Your security officer, a Mr. Douglas I believe, has already cleared us. Plus, I can assure you that everyone here is trustworthy. You see, we are all fighting for the same thing."

Relaxing, Sam raised her eyebrows. "What exactly is that?"

"To end the corrupted assholes strangling our government and to restore America back to the beautiful woman she once was."

Frank stepped forward. "Sam, I have known Richard since I was seventeen. We served in the same unit in Vietnam together. Not only was he in the FBI for twenty-one years, but he retired from his career in the Secret Service less than two years ago. He has connections, Sam."

Sam appeared interested. "What is the FBI or Secret Service doing about this corruption you mentioned?"

"They have no proof that any corruption exists. Not only that, the HTF have just about taken things over. Not much is left of the FBI, CIA, or any of the other governmental agencies."

Sam raised her chin.. "Who are these people?" Sam asked, waving a hand indicating the others beside him.

The expression on the man's face brightened. "Ah, they are the reason I have come. They are from other groups, such as yours, located around the United States. I, with the help of a few others, provide them with weapons and military supplies. I have told them about the encampments and what you are doing, and they want to join."

"Sam, we can't fight them all. Besides, at the rate we're going, our space here will soon run out. We have well over fifteen hundred people and room for what, five, maybe six hundred more. That is two camps at the most," informed Frank.

"We all have places set up, or areas we are working on, to take people to." The woman beside Frank offered. She reminded Sam of an ordinary housemother, or perhaps an English teacher. Either way, she did not look as if she belonged on a battlefield. "We need to organize, though. We want to unite in one single movement throughout the United States. The more we pull together, the stronger we all will be."

The excitement that began to churn around in Sam's mind grew as her hope rose. This was what they needed to gain strength. A united force that was willing to risk their lives for the sake of others. "It's not only dangerous, but you'll be fighting against the government."

"You are telling us something we already know," said a younger man off to the side. Sam envisioned him as an accountant in a nice clean office, pouring over numbers and dollar signs. "My group was a part of the uprising at the White House. Several of my friends lost their lives that day, and others captured and probably tortured to death by now. We are all willing to do what is necessary, Ms. Kelly. I would, however, like to do it in a more organized fashion in the future." He stepped in closer to her bed. "We want to learn your setup here and use it. We want to become a part of your group, but we will remain located in strategic areas throughout the entire United States."

Sam's eyes brightened when she glanced at Frank. She gave him a thankful glow before looking at the others. "It will be nice working with you all." She smiled. "Frank, take them to see Aunt Agnes. She is getting the committee together either today or tomorrow, to go over new information that Kevin has discovered. This will be a good chance for everyone to become acquainted and to work out the issues for this alliance. I'm also sure that all of you will find this new information quite enlightening."

As soon as the room emptied, Steven came in holding two crutches. "It's time for your walk, Sam. Sorry, but Christina wants you up and moving around as much as possible."

"It's about time." Sam sighed, throwing the blankets off her body.

ELAINA REMAINED IN the room with Sam that day into the late hours of evening watching The Lord of the Rings trilogy on Steven's laptop. They took several breaks to go on Sam's therapeutic walks around the hospital wing, eat dinner, and once for an intimate moment. When Kevin entered the next morning to tell them that the committee was meeting in less than thirty minutes, Sam was fast asleep. Elaina insisted that Sam needed her rest, and she followed him from the room and into the meeting.

Elaina returned to Sam's bed over an hour later. Sam was up and eating a decent sized breakfast, while talking to Rachel. "Did you go to the meeting?"

"How did you know about the meeting? You were asleep when Kevin came in."

Sam smiled at the surprised look on Elaina's face. "Rachel told me about it. I figured it would last longer, though."

"It's still going on. They are working out all the details, especially communication between the different groups." Elaina sat down in the chair, feeling somewhat guilty. She looked at Sam and Rachel, unsure of how to come clean with what she had done. "Did you tell her?"

"What, about going to Springfield tomorrow? Oh, yes I did. We were just discussing it, as a matter of fact." Sam smiled, playfully narrowing her eyes. "So, you have nothing to use against me."

Rachel glanced at them both, clearly unsure of what Sam meant. Elaina shifted in her seat, while holding her head slightly raised as if showing that she was set on what she was about to say. "I don't need your permission to make my own decisions."

"No, you don't. However, I'm in charge of the military end of this group, and I say that the risk is not justified."

"This is not a military mission. This has to do with security and Douglas has already given me permission to go with you. The entire committee, in fact, agreed to it." She watched as Sam pushed herself up higher in bed. Her heart felt almost heavy, yet Elaina's eyes remained fixed on Sam.

"I think I'd better go see if Janis needs anything. She was looking tired when I came in." Rachel directed one last worried look between the two women before making her way from the room.

"This is why you let me sleep when you left? You were afraid I would go to the meeting and prevent them from allowing you to come." Sam pushed aside her food tray with a sigh. "If it means this much to you, we'll work around the details and take extra steps to avoid detection. You will listen to me, though. If I tell you to do something, you do it."

Elaina stood, surprised. "You're not upset with me?"

"Well, I'm not pleased with what you did, but I would have done the same thing if I was you. The intimidation tactic apparently doesn't work on you." She shrugged her shoulders. "What else can I do, you're an adult after all."

Elaina ran to Sam's bed and threw her arms around Sam's neck.

Sam rolled her eyes upward with a smile. "Just give me your word that you'll listen to me, and I promise to keep you safe."

Elaina released her grip looking into Sam's eyes. "I promise. Thank you, Sam. This means a lot to me."

Sam waved her off, and she moved out of bed. "You said you could shoot, well, I want to see just how good you are."

Elaina handed Sam her crutches. "Why?"

"If you can't handle a weapon, then you're not going to carry one. We don't need to make this more dangerous than it already is by arming someone who might accidentally shoot themselves."

The excited giggle from Elaina brought an even bigger smile to Sam's lips. "Just wait, I might surprise you."

"You already do," laughed Sam as they made their way to the firing range.

THE MORNING BREEZE felt refreshing against Sam's skin, and the clean scent promised rain. She gave Elaina a pistol and magazines, while Kevin loaded a few items into the full-size backseat of Sam's truck.

"Hey, where's my weapon?" Kevin asked, closing the rear door. "Shouldn't I have a weapon in case something happens?"

"I have an extra one for you in the glove box if you need it. However, I would feel better if you didn't carry it around until you've had more practice handling one." Sam gave him a friendly wink before climbing into the passenger seat of the truck. She adjusted the donut cushion under her butt. Kevin grinned back, as if remembering their first encounter, and returned her wink with a nod that resembled amused understanding.

Elaina moved into the back seat of the truck. "Don't feel bad. She made me break the weapon down and put it back together blindfolded before she agreed to let me carry one, and that is after firing the damn thing for over an hour."

Sam chuckled. "I knew within the first five minutes that you'd be fine. The rest was only for my amusement." Sam caught Elaina's hat with a chuckle when it came flying at her from the back seat. "Hey, don't make me come back there."

The drive to Springfield went by with no problems, thanks to the list Todd had provided of the scheduled places and times the HTF was conducting vehicle checks. They were unnerved, however, by the number of military convoys they passed along the way. Even when they stopped in one of the small towns to fuel up, they observed the numerous armed soldiers on foot, and in vehicles, patrolling the tiny community street-by-street.

After they pulled into the library parking lot, Kevin ran in to scope out the area. He came back ten minutes later looking grave. Climbing back behind the wheel, he closed the door before informing the awaiting women of the situation. "I don't like it, Sam. The building is highly monitored, especially around the computer stations. I think we should head to Kansas City or St. Louis. It's only two and a half to three hours away to either."

Sam shook her head. The thought of running into Brandon or one of his agents sent a chill down her back. "We can't go to Kansas City, how about St. Louis?"

"How do we know if anyplace will be open there?" Elaina asked, sliding forward in her seat. "We might encounter the same problems there as we did here."

An idea seemed to strike Kevin. "Give me a moment." He exited the truck with his cell phone and began to search through the directory. After a few moments, he punched in several numbers, before holding the phone to his ear. His talk was not long, but he entered into the truck with a smile on his face. "I know a place we can go in St Louis. An Internet café owned by an old acquaintance of mine."

BY THE TIME Kevin pulled Sam's red truck into a space behind the building, Sam's butt felt as if it was on fire from the drive, and Elaina's eyes were watering from an extremely full bladder. "Look, there is something I should tell you both about the owner," he began, grabbing his computer carrier from the backseat.

"Can it wait until we get out for a stretch, my ass is killing me?"

"I just don't want you two to get the wrong idea. This is the only..."

"Sorry, sweetie, I need to go to the ladies room." Elaina about dragged Sam from the truck, and quickly pulled her along toward the back entrance.

"Oh, for the love of...will you just go pee before you end up ripping my stitches..." Before Sam could finish her sentence, Elaina released Sam's arm and charged forward in search of the restroom.

Sam fell into a step-limp next to the grinning Kevin. The atmosphere inside the establishment gave Sam the feeling of a laid-back bar rather than an Internet café. Dark mahogany-stained wood surrounded the baseboards and trim, while dark-green textured paint covered the remaining walls. Many of the pictures that hung from the walls were huge black and white photos with highly detailed wooden frames. A splash of green foliage ran throughout, in large and small dark-brown decorative pots and containers. Attractive, brightly stained glass covered most of the area of the windows, including the two enormous wooden front doors, giving the place the right amount of color it needed.

"Kevin, it's so good to see you." Sam turned to the man connected to the voice. He was tall, slender-built, with long shoulder-length hair that hung in a clean fashion while harmonizing with his preppy, turtleneck outfit. "I held my breath, knowing that one day I would see you again."

Sam watched as Kevin rotated his cheek into this man's kiss, while keeping the space between them casual, friendly. If the man noticed Kevin's cautious stance, he did not say anything. He turned smartly, running his eyes over Sam. "So, who's your friend?"

"This is Sam Kelly. Sam, this is Andrew. He is the owner and an old friend of mine."

"Please, call me Andy."

"It's nice to meet you, Andy." Sam smiled, shaking his hand. "I really like your place. It's not what I was expecting."

"Ah, I had the place redecorated after the curfew law began. I have found a way to give my patrons a well-rounded environment without having to stay out late. We provide restaurant meals, with a bar type atmosphere in this little café."

Sam smiled. The last word she would have used to describe this place was little. "How do you and Kevin know one another?" she asked, as he escorted them to one of the secluded booths in the back.

"Why, didn't he tell you? We dated for a few years. Unfortunately, he decided to break my heart and move away."

"Not exactly how the story goes," Kevin cut in. "I enjoyed the home life, and he enjoyed other men."

"Why don't we say that we didn't mesh well, and leave it at that?" Andy directed his grin to Sam instead of Kevin. "However, I do remember our sex-life was pretty awesome, or did you forget."

Kevin laughed. "No, I did think it was somewhat remarkable, until last week that is. Now, however, I have come to realize that the sex we had was pretty..." Kevin shrugged his shoulders in thought. "Average." Kevin held up his menu, skimming his eyes over the selection as he spoke. "I'll have an extra-sweet French vanilla cappuccino to start."

Andy frowned with a nod, before turning to Sam. "I'll have any beer on tap and two glasses of water." Once the man left she glanced at Kevin. "Are you happy now?"

"Actually, I am." The grin on his lips appeared sly. He sent her a wink across the table. "The loaded nachos here are to die for. Want to eat first before we start snooping around?"

"Sounds wonderful, I'm starving," Elaina said, making her way to the booth. She sat down in the open space next to Sam.

"Do you feel better?"

"Yes, much better."

"That should teach you not to drink so much soda between rest-stops." Sam grinned.

Elaina smiled back, while looking over a menu. "It should, but it won't. I live for my caffeine."

"I ordered you a water to start off with. Kevin says the loaded nachos are good, by the way."

"Oh, that is tempting. Unfortunately, I think my arteries are about a year and a half past due for a large, messy cheeseburger."

Sam's eyes shot quickly to Elaina. "God, that sounds good."

Elaina smiled. "Why don't you get the nachos, I get the cheeseburger, and we split both."

Sam sat up, excited. "That sounds like a great idea. Damn woman, I love you." Elaina's eyes widened and so did Kevin's, but Sam didn't notice. She casually skimmed over the drink menu.

Elaina nodded, too taken aback to comprehend what Kevin was saying. Her entire body felt warm, tingly, excited. She could tell that Sam was unaware of what she said or how it affected her, but she didn't care.

Andy came back to take their orders. Sam and Kevin ordered the food, and Elaina ordered herself a fruity, alcohol drink. She scooted slightly closer to Sam. By the time the meal was winding down, Kevin had plugged in the scrambling box and laptop. Sam slid her arm around Elaina's shoulder. She bent in, wiping off a cheese spot on the corner of Elaina's mouth with her tongue.

"Oh for heaven's sakes, Sam, I just ate."

Sam grinned over to the man across from her. "Sorry, I was only having a little dessert." She laughed at Kevin's playful gagging motion. "You're only jealous that Steven isn't here. You would be doing the same thing."

Kevin raised his eyes over the monitor. "That isn't where I would have found my dessert."

"You're both gross," Elaina said, throwing a napkin across the table at the grinning man, and elbowing Sam gently in the stomach.

"Hey, you were right, Sam. It's a web address." He glanced up, angling the monitor so both women could see. "What do you think the password is?"

"Try SUNKC."

He turned the computer back toward him. His fingers frantically typed, and then hit Enter. "That was it. How did you know?"

"It was a guess. It's in small type at the bottom of several of the documents. I don't know what it stands for, but..."

"Crap! I know what it means." This time when he turned the laptop, he moved around to the back of the booth so they could all see. He appeared anxious as he spoke. "It stands for the Soviet Union, North Korea, and Cuba. They're the ones behind this. Or, I should say, the countries behind this, to be more accurate."

"There is no more Soviet Union, though, it's called Russia now."

Sam searched through the site, not liking what she was reading. "When this was started, it was the Soviet Union. We were also in the middle of a Cold War. Not only that, we were at war with North Korea, and Cuba has never liked us."

"We get along with Russia though," Elaina began. "We have for some time. We even signed a new trade agreement with them four or five years ago."

"Keep your friends close, but your enemies even closer." Kevin pointed at the screen while loading a blank disk into the drive on the side of the laptop. "Look, they are planning on killing everyone in the camps." He swallowed hard. "We have less than six months if they stay on schedule. Once the foreign troops get here and get positioned throughout the U.S., it will be just a matter of time."

"That's impossible." Elaina eyes moved down the screen. "They don't want to only kill the people in the camps, that's just the beginning. They wanted to wipe all American people off the face of the map, entirely. But why? Why do they want to eradicate us?"

Sam stood up and began to angrily pace. "It says so right there." She flicked her hand toward the monitor. "They hate us.

They feel we are nothing but greedy, filthy sinners. We offend them just by breathing. Once they wipe us out, they will divide the land and our natural resources." She wanted to strike out. To stop each and every one of them personally. This was her America! No matter how imperfect it might be, she would die defending it.

"Sam, you need to calm down, please." Kevin glanced nervously around the bar. "We will think of something, I promise.

After taking several deep breaths, Sam did as Kevin asked. They began to copy files, one after another, onto the disk. "Go to this file, it has President McMullen's name on it," Kevin said.

Sam moved the arrow down and clicked twice over the folder. They all read in silence. Kevin scowled. "The American parents that raised him are not even his real parents. They were nothing more than greedy, upper-class lawyers. Look how much money they were paid. I wonder if they even knew what was in store for the United States when they made the deal." Kevin's voice shifted, and Sam could almost feel a spark of hatred begin to overshadow his fear. "His real parents are Russian. Look, SUNKC funded everything from his birth to his Presidency. How does this happen? How does a man like this become elected? We have rules. They check for this stuff, do they not?"

"Any record can be altered. Hell, he was raised right here with us. All these people on here were from the looks of it." Sam pointed to the list of names off to the right of the screen. After each name it showed which position of power they held in the United States."

"Go into this file, Sam. No, the one that says the Vice President. Damn, this is bad." They all watched as an unfamiliar name and picture loaded onto the screen. "He isn't the Vice President." Kevin looked from the monitor to the two women.

Elaina's head shook slowly. "No, look. This is the person SUNKC wanted, but I guess the party he ran for didn't agree. That is the Vice President there. Look at the photo next to him. Isn't that the guy we met in the mine? Richard Ludlum, is he in on this?"

Sam leaned in closer to the screen. "No, he was guarding the Vice President and took a bullet to save his life. Look at how it reads. It's as if this group wanted the Vice President dead."

Kevin slapped the table. "They do. It makes sense. If the VP is dead, they can bring in their own man. The Vice President is in charge of the Senate. That's a good position for them to have. What is this? It's the same date as the one on the disk. Why is it under the VP's name?"

Elaina's eyes widened. "Not just the Vice President, but these other people as well. Look, they are all members of Congress."

Sam quickly scanned through the file. "It's a hit list. I'm sure of it."

Kevin fixed his eyes on Sam after copying the file onto the disk. "How in the world can they take out all these people on the same day?"

"Capitol Hill!" Elaina shouted, bringing several eyes to turn toward their table. She lowered slightly in her seat and talked just above an excited whisper. "C.H., Capitol Hill. President McMullen has called for members of Congress to meet on Wednesday. Look, that is the date by C.H." She took a breath. "Anyway, they are supposed to convene to vote on sending foreign troops over here. I bet those troops are from Russia, North Korea, and Cuba, but of course Congress probably doesn't know that."

"That's a perfect time for them to wipe out the majority of the government." Sam's face went instantly white. "How long have we been on here?"

Kevin's eyes followed hers out through a clear piece of window. Two black SUVs stopped across the street from where they were. He unplugged the laptop, the scrambler, and quickly shoved everything back into his bag. "Get your stuff, we're leaving."

Sam threw down a hundred dollar bill onto the table before following Elaina out from around the booth. "Do you have your weapon?" she whispered, as they moved toward the rear exit.

"I have it tucked into the back of my jeans."

"Leave it there, just be ready. I don't think they know exactly where to look yet. However, I could be wrong."

Chapter Eighteen

The Fall of the Government

THEY ALL REMAINED silent until Kevin pulled into a truck stop on the edge of St. Louis. He continued to look into his rearview mirror even after Sam told him three separate times that no one was following them. He was anxious, they all were. Sam climbed out of the truck to stretch her legs, gently rub her butt, and light the first cigarette since her so-called run.

Elaina was the next one out, then Kevin, who took a drag off Sam's cigarette, once he finally got his hands to stop shaking. "What do we do now, Sam?" he asked between coughs.

Sam rubbed the back of her neck in thought. "We need to find a way to stop them."

"How are we going to do that? Whom can we trust? We can't just call up the FBI, the HTF is running things."

Flicking away the remainder of her cigarette, Sam began to pace. "We have the list of names of the people involved, and those who are marked for death. The Vice President looks to be our best hope."

Kevin frowned. "Sam, we can't just walk up to the Vice President and say 'excuse me sir, we need to show you something'. He is almost as well guarded as the President."

"Can we get a hold of Mr. Ludlum? After all, he did take a bullet for the guy."

Kevin raised his brow toward Elaina. "That is a great idea." He quickly dialed in a number on his cell phone and waited. "Agnes, this is Kevin. Sorry, but I have no time to explain. I need Lud..."

Sam snatched the phone out of his hand and hung up. "His name might be marked. After all, he was on their site. If they are monitoring calls, they will be able to trace the call back home. Don't use his name, and call from a pay phone."

"Jesus. You're right, Sam." Kevin fished a handful of change from his pocket, spun on his heels, and rushed off toward the building. He returned five minutes later with the number. "I have his number but I need more change."

Sam ran inside the store. She bought Elaina her diet soda and handed Kevin ten dollars in quarters.

"We'll need to keep to the interstate, and stop around seven to avoid the curfew."

"You're not going." Sam gave Elaina a fixed gaze. "This has become too dangerous."

"I am going, Sam. Please don't start."

Sam frowned. "If anything happened to you..."

Elaina placed her fingers to Sam's lips. "I'll be fine, Sam. I promise to listen to you every step of the way."

"Good news. He thinks he can get us in. He's going to meet us in Pennsylvania tomorrow. We'll need to head out now, though. I'm thinking it will take us ten hours to get there."

"Why don't you and I fly?"

Elaina frowned at Sam and Kevin shook his head no. "It takes twenty-four to forty-eight hours for a flight pass these days, no time. We'll have to drive and find a motel before curfew."

Sam shrugged at Elaina with a sigh. "You can't blame a girl for trying."

"God, you really are stubborn." She leaned up placing a kiss on Sam's lips. "You're stuck with me, so deal with it."

"Not to break up this touching moment, but we really need to get going." Kevin climbed in behind the wheel and started the engine.

THEY MADE GREAT time during the drive. Elaina had to stop once to use the restroom and they stopped again to purchase hygiene items and an extra change of clothes. Kevin breathed a sigh of relief the moment he pulled the truck into the parking lot of a rundown motel, twenty minutes after seven.

They decided to rotate guard shifts throughout the night. Therefore, they shared a room with two queen-size beds. Sam took first watch.

"Want some company?"

Sam smiled to Elaina. "Sure, but you should try for a little sleep."

"Could you sleep through that?"

Laughing, Sam looking back over her shoulder to where Kevin was snoring with great enthusiasm. "I have learned through my time in the military to sleep through anything. I even managed to sleep standing up a couple of times."

"Not me. I'm a baby when it comes to my sleeping environment." She exhaled loudly. "There's a vending machine area at the end of this walkway, do you want anything?"

"You have a soda in the fridge."

"It's flat."

"This is not the best area to go walking around in, especially at night."

Elaina stood, directing Sam back down in her seat by the window. "Don't worry, it's not that far. I promise not to talk to any strangers."

"Fine, give me a diet soda and a candy bar." Sam glanced out the window one more time before nodding at Elaina that it was all clear.

Elaina rolled her eyes. She finally placed a tender kiss on Sam's lips. "You're more protective than my father, Ms. Kelly."

Even after Elaina left, Sam held her smile. She liked how Elaina made her feel. The thing that was bothering her was what she had said at the café. I love you. She realized it the moment she said it, but she played it off. Apparently, neither of the others caught it, and for that, she was thankful. She had only told one other person, other than her family, she loved them, and that was Sarah. They had also been dating for over a year before she said it. Surely, this is too soon for me to be feeling this way, Sam thought, turning the room key around in her hand. She cautiously gazed out of the window, then down to her watch.

Elaina had only been gone for five minutes, but she was still getting restless. She opened the door, and pulled it tight behind her. She placed the key in her pocket and glanced down over the balcony. All was quiet. Giving her body a quick stretch, she turned, heading for the outside walkway that housed the vending machines.

If only things were different, Sam thought, tossing around the image of her and Elaina on a private beach far away from here. She wanted to get to know Elaina better, spend quality time with her, experience things together, not traipse throughout the United States on a task that just might get them all killed.

Just as she reached the corner, a low scuffle brought her to a sudden halt. Her senses switched to high gear and she brought her body up tight against the wall. She moved her head around just enough to peer over and see what was going on. She had to fight to keep her cool when she saw Elaina pushed roughly up against the wall beside the soda machine, with a switchblade pressed to her throat.

The punk and his two friends were wearing gang colors that Sam didn't recognize. "All you have is a few dollars in quarters. What else are you going to give us to keep this knife from cutting you?" His grin was revolting, suggestive. His two companions gave each other an amused look.

"Why don't you show us your tits?" said the one who was wearing a scraggly-looking ball cap tilted to the side. "Or better yet, why don't you take turns sucking us off. That sounds fair." He brought his hand down, and proceeded to rub himself over his baggy jeans. His friend choked back a laugh as he took a sizable drink from his whisky bottle.

Sam moved back, glancing frantically around the area. Pulling her weapon or charging in recklessly would certainly get Elaina hurt, if not killed. She needed to think of something, and fast.

Removing her cigarettes from her back pocket and lighting one, Sam unbuttoned the top three buttons on her shirt, just enough to expose a suggestive amount of cleavage. She took a steadying breath. Moving forward, Sam nonchalantly stumbled into the area, acting if she did not see the four people already there.

"Hey, what the fuck!" The one holding the knife snarled at Sam. His two friends jumped slightly in surprise.

"A party..." Sam gave a hazy smile, and made her way over to the individual holding the liquor bottle. "I have a room." She took the bottle and ran her tongue seductively over the rim before taking a huge swig. After a brief pause, the three friends grinned to one another.

"You wanna party with us tonight?"

Sam rubbed herself against the man she took the bottle from, before glancing around. "Three guys, two gals, what more can a woman ask for."

The three thugs chuckled to one another. Sam went over to Elaina, next to the man holding the knife to Elaina's throat. "I see she's not into playing. I guess we can tie her up to my bed. I like the rebellious girls, they taste sweeter." When she traced her tongue up along Elaina's neck to her cheek, the man holding the knife dropped his hand slightly, groaning with enjoyment.

Sam grabbed the man's hand. At the same time, she brought a forceful blow of her head hard into the punk's nose. He let out a scream. Grabbing his shirt, Sam slammed him back into another nose-breaking crunch. This time he dropped the knife and she let him fall backwards to the ground. She pulled out her gun with Elaina behind her and pointed it to his two wide-eyed companions.

"If I wasn't worried about drawing unnecessary attention to myself, I would shoot all three of you." Sam narrowed her eyes. "As it is, tonight is your lucky night. Grab your friend and get the fuck out of here!"

They cautiously moved forward, looking as if they bit off more than they could chew. "If I see any of you back here again, I swear I'll kill you," she snarled, cocking her pistol.

Sam put her weapon away once they left, and pulled Elaina into her arms. She waited until Elaina's shaking subsided before leading her back into the motel room, neither one saying a word. Kevin was still snoring when they entered, and after locking the door, Sam sat down in the chair and Elaina lowered herself slowly into Sam's lap. She placed her head on Sam's shoulder and Sam wrapped her tight into her arms. The position she was in made her ass hurt, but Sam remained there, staring out the window, unmoving. Soon Elaina drifted off to sleep.

"WHY DIDN'T YOU wake me for the next watch?" Kevin yawned, noticing the tired lines under Sam's eyes. He glanced over to Elaina lying in the other bed, then back to Sam. "Did you stay up the entire night?"

"I couldn't sleep."

He narrowed his eyes at her in disbelief, but decided to leave it alone. "Want some coffee?"

"I would love some. Why don't you start the coffeepot and jump in the shower. I want to let her sleep a little longer."

He signaled ok, with his hand, produced another yawn, before heading into the back of the room. After the coffee had finished brewing and Kevin was done with his shower, Sam went next. She just finished washing her body, and was in the middle of shampooing her hair, when the bathroom door opened. Her heart raced.

"I want to thank you for last night."

"It's no big deal. Look, why don't you wait outside, I'll be done in a moment, I promise." Sam ran her head quickly under the water to get the suds out. As soon as she saw Elaina's leg enter in through the back of the shower, Sam turned the front of her body away. "Please leave, Elaina. I'm not comfortable with you being here."

"I love everything about you, Samantha Kelly." Elaina placed her arms around Sam's waist and stood there as the warm water covered them both. "Inside and out, everything about you fascinates me."

Sam's shoulders slumped. She turned around to face Elaina. "There is nothing fascinating about a scarred, damaged body." She kept her eyes away from Elaina's, wishing that she was anywhere but here. "I'd understand if you decide that I'm..." Her voice faltered with the stroke of Elaina's hand gliding over the scars on the front side of her chest.

As Elaina's fingers glided over Sam's body, Sam began to shiver. She wasn't sure why, after all, Elaina's skin was warm, her touch, gentle. Elaina traced each of Sam's old bullet scars from battle, and both of the jagged marks left from Sam's childhood stabbing. "You are very beautiful, Sam." Her words brought a half chuckle, half sob from Sam's throat and Elaina pulled Sam's body close to hers.

"Hey, we need to leave in less than ten minutes you two. Let's speed things up." Kevin said with a few quick raps on the door.

"I wanted to show you a few days ago when we were in my bedroom, but I didn't know how. No one has ever seen them before."

Elaina stood back looking at Sam. "Are you telling me, no one has ever seen you naked?"

"Well, my first girlfriend, Sarah. She..." Sam paused, not sure where to begin, or if she even wanted to talk about it.

"Christina told me what happened. Please don't be upset with her, she did it because she was worried about you."

Sam shook her head slowly. "Sarah was her sister, if anyone was to tell you, I'm glad it was her."

"Is that what these two scars were from?" Elaina asked, gently brushing her fingers over the two pale scars on Sam's chest.

Sam nodded. "We planned that evening several weeks ahead. It was going to be our first time." Sam turned her head away. "She was too good of a person to die like that."

Kevin banged on the door again. "I'm hungry, and the sun is starting to rise. Wrap things up and let's get a move on."

"I guess I better let you take a shower before he breaks down the door."

Elaina peered up into Sam's eyes. "I have never met a woman more beautiful than you. These are a part of you, and I love it all."

Sam placed a kiss on Elaina's lips. She opened her mouth to speak, but Elaina stopped her. "I don't expect anything of you that you cannot give. I know what we have is new, and I'm fine with taking it slow."

Sam gave Elaina a warm smile. "We are standing naked in the shower together, after knowing each other for just over a week. I think we're past taking it slow."

"You know what I mean." Elaina grinned. She kissed Sam on the lips, and ushered her from the shower.

The truck was packed and Sam checked them out of the room less than twenty minutes later, giving them just enough time to swing through a drive-thru for an early morning breakfast. After devouring her sandwich, hash browns, and iced coffee, Sam reclined her seat back and fell fast asleep.

"SAM, WE'RE HERE."

Opening her eyes slowly to adjust her vision with the light of the sun, Sam blinked. The countryside landscape composed of thick shades of green grass, colorful wildflowers, and full, thriving trees scattered in clusters everywhere. The windows were up, yet the smell of freshness drifted in through the vents on the dash, and Sam was all too happy to breathe it in.

"Wow, this is beautiful." Her throat felt scratchy, dry, and she sat up in search of a drink. She smiled when she saw that Elaina's jacket draped over the upper part of her body, and she had to fight down the urge to climb into the back seat for a long kiss.

Apparently, Elaina had sensed her desire, because when she handed Elaina back her jacket, Elaina leaned forward softly pushing her lips onto Sam's own. "Good afternoon, sexy."

Sam glanced down at her watch. "I must have been tired. Do you have anything to drink?"

"Of course." Elaina said, passing up her soda. "We stopped a few hours ago, but neither of us had the heart to wake you."

Sam took a sizable gulp and handed it back. "How far do you think we are?" she asked Kevin, who seemed as if he could use a quick stretch.

"If this address is right, then this is it." He slowed the truck before making a right turn onto a dusty gravel driveway. It curved upward for less than a mile before inclining back down toward an enormous metal structure off in the distance, which rested against acres and acres of trees.

Sam recognized Richard the moment he stepped out of the smaller side door of the massive building. He had a huge smile on his face, as if he was seeing old friends for the first time in years. It was impossible for the three not to return such a welcoming expression. After a quick round of handshakes, Richard ushered them inside to his so-called humble establishment.

Sam stopped beside the others the instant they entered the building. This was anything but humble. Various crates and weaponry covered the walls and floors. In the center of the massive room, stood three brand new military tanks and several different types of artillery. More than thirty men and a few women, dressed in camouflaged uniforms, hustled about as a high-ranking officer shouted out orders to them from the side.

"Where did all this stuff come from?"

Richard grinned at Elaina's partially opened mouth. "Why, they fell off trucks, ships, and train cars, of course. Where else?" He waved a hand casually in the air. "I've been setting camps up like this all over the United States. This is a bit smaller than the rest, but it serves its purpose."

"Aren't you worried about the HTF finding this place?"

"I assure you, I know how to keep myself well hidden." He gave Elaina a wink. "If we ever were found out, I'd feel sorry for any HTF agents that tried to take this group on. They are the best of the best. People that I've had a privilege working with throughout my career."

"So, you're a weapons salesman?"

"Sam..."

Richard motioned to Elaina that it was fine. "Yes, it does appear that way." He gave Sam a genuine glance of understanding. "The only difference between my group, and ones who benefit off the fighting of others, is that I charge no money for my items. We have acquired everything from closed or closing military bases, along with a few other places here and there. Everyone is here because we believe in the protection of America and the freedom of her people, not for a paycheck. We make no money and we lose no money, it's as simple as that."

"Why are you stockpiling so much, though?" Kevin asked, inspecting the contents of an opened crate.

"We are certain there is a war coming, and it will not only be fought by us, but by every man, woman, and child strong and competent enough to fire a weapon. We have made it our mission to personally see that they have those weapons, and anything else we can get our hands on." He turned to Sam. "We are making plans for two separate attacks next week at four camps close by. We still have some last-minute things to work through, but we have built cabins and lodging throughout the woods behind us to take the people to."

Sam nodded. "Sorry I doubted your intentions."

"Not at all, I would have thought the same if the roles were reversed."

Kevin glanced down at his watch. "We need to leave if we intend to make it to DC before curfew."

Richard grinned. "Oh, didn't I tell you? I called in a favor with an old friend of mine. He is providing us with a quicker means of travel." As if on cue, the sound of a helicopter vibrated the walls around them. "Well, it sounds like our ride is here."

"JESUS, RICHARD! WHY didn't you tell me you would be coming in a helicopter? I almost ordered the Second Division to shoot your ass down." The agent in a dark-blue suit motioned for the pilot to cut the engine as his hair whipped wildly about.

"I radioed you when we were close."

"It was almost too close." The Secret Service agent frowned. His displease mood raised even more the instant he turned his attention to the three standing to disembark the helicopter. "You didn't say you would be bringing anyone with you. Sorry, but I can't clear this."

Richard jumped down and looked solemnly in the man's eyes. "Jeff, you know I would not put him in any danger. Crap, I took a bullet for the guy, what more do I need to do..."

Jeff held up his hand with a dramatic upward roll of his eyes. "Yes, yes, yes, I know the story. You tell it every time you want something from me, or the department." He narrowed his eyes to the individuals still waiting to exit the helicopter. "Are they armed?"

"I don't know. I forgot to ask." Richard turned with an amused wink to the others. Sam and Elaina removed their pistols from behind them, and laid them on the ground inside the helicopter. Kevin was not so graceful.

He opened his backpack and fished around for a few minutes. When his hand gripped the butt of the weapon, he automatically pulled it out with the front end pointing toward the agent, as if saying look I have one too. He about pissed himself when he realized the mistake he made. Richard reacted quickly, preventing Jeff from retrieving his weapon completely from its holster.

Sam yanked the weapon out of Kevin's shaking hand and placed it beside the others. "Sorry, he's not very skilled when it comes to handling firearms."

"You're going to have to leave," the agent said, with his hand still on his holstered gun.

"Look, Jeff, you know as well as I do that our government is dying. Hell, so does the Vice President. That's why he refused to take any HTF agents into his security staff." Richard signaled with his head to the people behind him. "That is why I brought them. They just might have the proof we need to end this."

Jeff glared from Sam, to Kevin's frightened face, and then to Richard. "You are a piece of work, do you know that?" He turned, and waved down the other agents that were running toward them. Jeff thoroughly checked the contents of Kevin's backpack before turning to the agents. "They're clear. Could you tell the Vice President that Mr. Ludlum has arrived?" Jeff glanced back to Sam and the others with an uncertain expression. "And that he has brought guests."

Richard grinned at Jeff with a slight chuckle before motioning for the others to follow. The house was more like an estate, and as soon as the door opened, casting a glow of light out into the darkness, two massive Great Danes bounced out on stout muscular legs.

"Oh, my," Elaina whispered, gripping onto Sam's arm for protection, while Kevin grabbed the other one.

"Brutus, Pepper. Did you two miss me?" Richard ran forward and greeted the dogs as if they were his own.

"They don't take kindly to strangers, so you three might want to keep your distance," Jeff said, not taking his eyes away from the reunion between man and animal. "Down, Brutus," he ordered in a commanding voice as the stout fawn-colored male approached the people standing beside him. At once, the dog laid himself down on the ground with a quick, deep bark.

Sam stepped forward, Elaina and Kevin remained behind. They looked at Sam as if she was crazy. Richard watched with his brow raised, while rubbing Pepper's back.

"I warned you," she heard Jeff say.

Sam smiled, keeping her voice steady. "He will either bite me or he won't, either way it's a fifty-fifty chance."

"Sam, are you crazy? Come back here," insisted Elaina, in a voice just above a whisper.

The dog stood when Sam approached. She pressed her knee up into the dog's chest, causing him to back up slightly. She did not say a word, just stood there acting as if the dog did not matter. Brutus huffed, tilting his head unsure of how to take Sam. Eventually he stepped forward and rubbed his face into Sam's hand that was hanging by her side.

"A fellow dog person, I take it."

Sam glanced up to the man standing in the doorway. "I had a few animals growing up, Mr. Vice President."

His smile sent both dogs bouncing forward toward him for some fatherly affection. "Well, come in and let's talk about why Richard has brought you here to see me."

They followed him inside, along with Jeff and two other agents. The inside was eloquent, confirming, to those select few that entered, that an important individual lived here. Shooing the horse-sized dogs away, the Vice President entered into a huge library with a sitting area in the center. A stone fireplace with dancing flames, cast light around the room. Everyone, except for the three Secret Service agents, took a seat.

"It's good to see you, Richard. It has been too long." His look was warm, thoughtful. "How's the shoulder doing?"

"I can't complain." He went around the room formally introducing his three companions.

"So, why have you come?"

Scooting forward on the leather couch, Sam motioned for Kevin to open the backpack. "We have come to save your life, and to stop the slaughter of most of Congress."

The Vice President raised his eyebrows. "You have my attention."

Nodding, Sam continued. She explained to everyone listening, of what they discovered, and what was going to happen tomorrow morning when Congress conveyed. Kevin loaded in the disks one by one, ending with the most recent disk filled with the information that they acquired from the internet café the day before.

An hour later, after the discussion was over, the Vice President stood up in deep thought. He began to pace the carpet in front of the fireplace before stopping and spinning on his heels to where Jeff was standing. "Go through this list. Find out which agents we can trust and whom we cannot. We need to stop this, but I don't want to risk going through the wrong channels to do it." He turned. "Pack up my wife and kids and take them and two agents with you to the safe house until this mess is over." He said, to the agent by the door. "Oh, and don't forget my dogs."

"Yes, Mr. Vice President."

Richard stood. "Sir, your life is in danger. We need to get you out of here."

"No, I will see this thing through. We have a corrupt President, Presidential Cabinet, and many, many others. I'm staying."

"Sir, Richard is right. If you fall, we all fall."

"Just concentrate on the list, Jeff."

Sam listened as the third agent called for reinforcements. By midnight, she'd seen a score of additional personnel check in, and no telling how many more agents were protecting the land surrounding the house.

"This is the list of everyone that checks out, sir."

"Good, start calling. I don't want a single member of congress to enter the Capitol."

Sam stood up and made her way back out to the helicopter.

"What's going on?" the pilot asked. "This place is crawling with men. Is Richard still inside? I saw a car pull out twenty minutes ago with two big dogs."

"You better come inside. This might take a while." She grabbed the three weapons lying in the middle of the helicopter, and tucked one in the back of her jeans and another in the front. As soon as she went inside, Sam handed Elaina her weapon and told her to keep it on her.

"My cell phone went dead," Jeff informed.

"Here, use mine."

"No, it's not working either," Jeff said to the agent who had called in for back-up earlier.

"Don't you guys charge your batteries anymore?" Richard pulled out his phone and threw it to Jeff.

"Sorry, old man, it's not working either."

All at once, everyone in the room dug in their pockets for their phone. Sam and Kevin each shook their heads no at one another after trying their phones.

Jeff made his way over to the home phone sitting on the desk in the corner. He slowly shook his head. "Try to get on to the Internet." He told the agent closest to him, but it ended with the same response.

Sam stood up when she realized what was going on. "They know someone hacked into their system. I'm betting this is their way of making it hard for us to raise the alarm."

The Vice President frowned. "Jeff, take some agents and head to DC. I want you to blockade the Capital and prevent anyone from stepping foot inside that building."

"Yes, sir." He turned and randomly picked three agents. Everyone in the room remained quiet as they watched the four men leave the house.

THE PICTURE-FRAME WINDOW in the library showed a beautiful dawn sky when Sam rolled up the paper and tossed it back onto the coffee table where it came from. She shifted her weight to the side and gently lowered Elaina's head onto the pillow she had been sitting on. She stood, rubbing the spot on her butt cheek with the tips of her fingers.

"Does it hurt?"

"No, it's beginning to itch some." She smiled down at Elaina. "Want me to get you something to drink?"

"Um, a diet soda would be wonderful, but I'll settle for sweetened coffee if you can't find any."

The Secret Service agents Sam passed looked tired, yet alert. She made her way into the kitchen feeling weary and overstretched. Richard was in by the stove talking to a few agents when she walked in.

"Where do you keep the soda?" she asked.

One of the agents walked over and opened one of three massive refrigerators. She pulled out two diet sodas then she smiled with a "Thank you."

"Ludlum said that you rescued some people from prison camps."

"Yes."

He withdrew a photo of a young woman standing next to him at the beach. "This is my sister, her name is Nicky. Well, it is actually Nakasha, but I call her Nicky. My family hasn't heard from her or her husband in some time..." His eyes turned hazy.

Sam inspected the picture closely. Something clicked. "Is she pregnant?"

His eyes widened and he let out a shaky sigh. "Yes, you've seen her?"

"Yes, I have." Sam said. "She wasn't one of the people at the camps, but I did see her in the mine. She was in the medical wing.

However, she is safe and in good care. I'm not sure about her husband, though."

The man clutched the photo tight in his hand as his large masculine physique crumbled into shoulder shaking sobs. "Thank you," he whispered.

Sam placed a hand on the man's back and started to rub, unsure of what to say or do. The agent standing closest to Richard made his way over to his colleague. He gave Sam a warm look before placing an arm around his friend's shoulder and taking him out onto the back porch.

"He is a good man," Richard said. "They all are."

Sam nodded, blinking more than usual, and hurried back out and into the library. "Still no word?" she asked, sitting down on the couch next to Elaina and Kevin.

"No. Why are your eyes red?" Elaina asked, opening her soda.

"Someone's peeling onions in the kitchen. What are the plans?"

"Wait and see is really all we have. There is less than two hours to go until congress assembles." Kevin stood, looking over at Sam. "Do you want to go out for a smoke?"

When Sam got up, so did Elaina. "You two are not leaving me here alone."

The next hour and a half that passed made everyone more restless. Sam went in search for Richard, and found him by the front door, staring blindly out the window. "We should start making plans to get the Vice President out, just in case this doesn't turn out so well."

Richard sighed looking worn. "The vehicles are already packed and the helicopter is ready. If this goes bad, I want him moved into the mines. At least until we can get this figured out."

"Are you taking him in the helicopter?" Sam asked.

"Yes, with a few of the men, and you three. The rest of the agents will drive there."

Sam looked away then back to Richard. She had been tossing something around in her mind for the last two days, and just when she was about to say it, her mouth would not open.

"What?"

Sam shook her head no.

"Sam, if you need to say something just say..."

"The President has to be killed."

He grinned, but there was no humor in the expression. "It's a hard pill to swallow, even if the guy is a corrupt bastard." He stood looking down at his hands. "We have already started throwing that idea around. We talked about it all night, actually. It's going to be difficult, but I think we might be able to pull it off."

"Richard, it's time," informed the closest agent.

They both walked into the library where everyone was gathering around the grand television. A woman with a microphone was on the screen standing out in front of the Capital building. "--As for the issues with the nationwide communication outage that we are still experiencing, we would like to assure everyone that this should be fixed by this evening. Since we are the only station currently able to broadcast, we will keep airing regular reports. Consider this a very small taste of what Y2K would have been like if it actually had happened." She paused, with a half smile, than quickly began explaining to the viewers, the details behind the issue that Congress was getting ready to vote on. After a few minutes passed, she touched her hand to her right ear and her eyes widened. "We just received word that several members of the Secret Service have been shot while attempting to assassinate the Vice President. No word yet on whether the Vice President was injured, but we will keep you all informed."

"They didn't make it." Richard turned to the Vice President. "Sir, we have to leave now. They will make the connection if they haven't already."

"It's Agent Dixon!" A man shouted. Richard brought his head around just in time to see a paramedic covering Jeff's vacant face with a white sheet.

The view switched back to the woman in front of the Capital. "We still do not know the reasons behind the attack..."

The explosion that followed was greater than anything Sam had ever seen before, even during her time in combat. Everyone in the room jumped backwards as if they could feel the effect of the blast first-hand. The explosion blasted the reporter into the camera a split second before the station went off the air. The second explosion felt as if it shook the foundation of the house. All eyes looked around unsure of what was going on.

"Someone blew up my fucking helicopter!" A rain of gunfire from outside followed the shout from the pilot and he dove hard, headfirst to the floor.

"Get the Vice President into the safe-room!"

Sam ran forward, taking Elaina by the hand and yelling for Kevin to follow. They went with the agents and the Vice President into a large hidden area off the kitchen. Sam turned and gazed deep into Elaina's eyes. "Stay with the Vice President and we'll come get you when it's safe. Keep your weapon ready, you might need it." Sam stood back and waited for the thick steel door to close and latch behind them. She was grateful Elaina kept her word and didn't argue with her.

Sam followed the three agents through the kitchen, with both her weapons out and ready. They moved swiftly through the back door and around behind a huge wooden shed in the backyard. "If we make our way to the tree line, maybe we can flank them."

The lead agent pointed. "Jackson, you two head to the east side, and we'll take the west. Watch your crossfire when we go around to the front." They both turned without a second's hesitation. "I'm Agent Harrison, Ms. Kelly. You ready?"

Sam raised her brow. "I was born that way."

He shot her a grin before crouching down low into a run, with Sam on his heels. They took cover behind a large pillar. He motioned with his hand, directing Sam's gaze to the two HTF agents making there way along the southwest corner of the house. "I'll take the one on the right," he announced, bringing his weapon up and taking aim. They fired almost simultaneously, leaving the two HTF agents dead right outside the bedroom window. They moved forward.

Sam was not sure if her stitches ripped open or if her right butt cheek had decided to sweat profusely, but the area on her ass felt warm and wet as she ran, and a sharp pain formed in the same area. At least it doesn't itch anymore, she thought, throwing her body down on the ground next to the man.

He glanced back noticing the pain on her face. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine, just out of shape."

"You're bleeding."

Sam shrugged her shoulders. "Old football injury, it acts up occasionally."

He laughed. "I like you. You're funny." He said the last part sarcastically, before pointing to the grouping of HTF agents fifty feet from the front of the house.

"I could sure go for a grenade right about now," Sam grumbled. "No kidding. Hey, do you think we can make it around to those bushes without being seen?" "Not sure, but I'm game if you are." "That's the spirit." He said. "Let's go."

They both sprinted forward as fast as their legs would carry them. By this point, Sam's butt had turned almost completely numb from the pain. When she dove behind the bushes, she heard, more than felt, the final rip from her stitches, along with a fresh wave of moisture moving down her right leg.

A bullet came soaring within an inch above Agent Harrison's head and Sam turned and fired. She hit the first man in the head and the second in the throat. The dying HTF agent dropped to his knees and Agent Harrison sent a final round between the man's eyes. Just then, all hell broke loose. Bullets went flying around them from all directions, and both pressed their bodies tight to the ground.

"Shit! This was a great idea!"

"Hey, this was your idea. I'm just a guest here."

"Guests first."

"You're too kind." Sam's eyes darted around, studying their situation. "All right, this is what we're going to do. We're going to shoot at the agents behind us and pray that your friends in the house take out the ones in front." Sam reloaded her weapons.

"What kind of a plan is that?"

"Do you have a better idea? Maybe you would like to try and make another run for it?"

The agent looked at her with a long dramatic sigh. "Fine, let's roll over on our backs and just start shooting."

Sam was not sure how they managed to hit anyone, but somehow they had managed to take out several HTF agents from where they were lying. Before long, the two agents that Harrison sent the other way came around and assisted in cleaning up the mess that surrounded them. Agents from inside the house were making their way outside the front door, taking cover behind the bricked barrier on the gigantic patio. It was not long until their bullets drove the HTF agents back into a retreat, giving Sam and the other three Secret Service agent's perfect targets to hit.

Harrison shouted to Jackson ten feet away. "Try to wound that one there. No, Jackson, not that guy, the tall lanky one with the red hair." He turned back to Sam. "He looks like he would be a good talker, and we need to get some intel out of these fuckers."

Chapter Nineteen

The Rise of Dictatorship

THE MAN LEANED back, feeling the comfort of the soft leather chair, as the woman worked the light foundation into the key areas around his nose and chin. The spacious room of his office overflowed with commotion, but he tuned it out, not wanting to spoil his feeling of victory. This was his moment, his place in time that separated him from the line of so-called great men before him. He was in control and more powerful than he could have ever dreamed possible. Soon, what was left of this nation would fall, and he would be there on that grand day to see it happen.

His office door burst open, allowing in a short anxious man with a high-pitched voice. He hated that voice, hated everything about it, but it had not been up to him to pick the members of his Cabinet. No, they had done that, his superiors. However, after the explosion this morning, he should now have a say in the way this country was run, should he not? After all, he was the President.

"Mr. President, I have urgent news."

The man sat up casually in his seat as he waved away the woman and her brushes from the room. He leisurely removed the catchall cloth from around his neck before lifting his eyes slowly to the man. "What is it?"

"The agents we sent have all been killed but one, and he is missing."

"What of the Vice President?"

"He's gone, sir, along with a number of his Secret Service agents."

He threw down his fist hard against the surface of his highly polished desk, causing everything on it to clatter. "Who did this? How could this have happened?"

"We don't know, sir. The security tapes at his house were erased."

The President tilted his head back, and began to rub his temples to try to relieve his newly building headache. "It would be so much easier to blame all of this on the Vice President, instead of having to track him down and assassinate his ass."

The squeaky voice man nervously cleared his throat. "Mr. President, I'm afraid the public wouldn't believe that the Vice President could be capable of these allegations."

"Of course they wouldn't believe it, you jack-ass!" The President shouted. "He's a fucking goody two-shoes, who's incapable of harming a fly, let alone a human being. Jesus, he's a God-damn vegetarian, after all!" The President came up short. "How much of our information did they get a hold of?" How much of our future plans do they know?"

The voice of the short man rose even higher. "We don't know, sir."

"Is there anything your incompetent agents do know?"

The high-pitched voice caught on a stutter. "We know that the ones who helped him are probably the same people who hacked into our system a few days ago."

"They are probably the same ones!" The President's chair squeaked as he rose quickly, almost violently. "No shit, they are the same ones, you moron! Get the hell out of my office!"

Half-tripping, the man scurried from the room as fast as he could. The President turned to the four men sitting before him. "This is what happens when you don't let me pick my own people! I become surrounded by complete idiots!"

"We'll find the Vice President and those helping him. You have an announcement to make in a few minutes. I suggest you calm down."

"Don't give me orders. I'm the one in charge here!" When the man sitting on the couch stared into his eyes, The President realized he had overstepped his boundaries. "I didn't mean...look, Viktor, I'm just worried, that's all."

"Could you gentleman please excuse us for a moment?" Viktor waited patiently, not taking his eyes from the President.

Once the room cleared, Viktor stood from the couch and made his way slowly over to where the President was standing. He placed a hand on the President's shoulder. His fingers dug in, swiftly sending the President down to his knees in agony. "We're not doing this for the power of one man, but for the good of several nations. You will remember your place in the future, or I'll see that your reign here is short lived."

The President let out a tiny whimper and quickly bobbed his head up and down. The man standing over him smiled, then released his grip.

Viktor helped the President back onto his feet, never losing his smile. "Now, you will go back over and sit behind that grand desk of yours, and prepare yourself for the speech we rehearsed."

"I didn't mean to talk out of place."

"I know, Adam. I know." The man almost cooed his words. "You were raised for a grand purpose, and soon, after the fighting is over, and this great country is ours, you will get your fair reward."

The President nodded before turning back to his place behind the desk. His legs felt weak. He carefully lowered his body down onto his seat. For some reason, the chair that was so comfortable only a short time ago now felt as hard as a board. He shifted uncomfortably, trying to find a tolerable position, then finally glanced up and signaled to the still-smiling man before him that he was ready.

Viktor turned and made his way out through the door. He returned a short moment later, followed by three separate news station reporters and their crews carrying equipment. The lights of the cameras finally flipped on, temporarily blinding the President. He recovered just in time for his cue.

"I come before you tonight with much sorrow and worry in my heart. An act of hatred and terror shook this great nation of ours in an explosion this morning that claimed the lives of many great men and women." He paused briefly, appearing disheartened by the gravity of it all. "This horrific act of terrorism has left us weak and vulnerable. It has torn through the very fabric holding us together, and I for one refuse to let this happen." His look of sorrow changed to controlled anger, giving his public the suggestion that this event had outraged him to the fullest. "This is why I'm calling for the assistance of foreign aid to help us through this crisis. We are not sure, as of yet, how long it will take before they can respond, but when they do, I am positive that I can count on each and every one of you to show them the gratitude they deserve."

His eyes glanced down to the paper on his desk, then back up again. His head slightly shook and his movements played into the camera. "It has been confirmed that several of the men responsible are Secret Service agents. We are not yet certain of the identities of all those involved in this horrendous attack, but we have strong reason to believe that several other agents of the Secret Service, as well as members of the FBI and CIA, are implicated. Until we are able to perform a full investigation into this matter, I'm ordering the temporary suspension of these agencies. The Homeland Task Force will take over their duties until we deem it safe for normal operation to resume."

He paused as he watched Viktor write some things down on a notepad. The cameras were still on, yet he was unsure of what the man with the ugly scar over his right eye wanted. He turned back to the camera. "I know that we will see each other through this difficult time..."

Viktor walked over and handed the President a folded sheet of paper, while keeping his body out of camera-shot. Adam unfolded it and started to read. This is brilliant! he thought, looking back up at the camera with a critical expression. "We have received information that the Vice President is alive, but that he has been kidnapped by members of his own security staff. If anyone has any information regarding his apprehension, please notify the local HTF Agency in your area. My prayers are with us all."

THE ALARMS IN the area went off, sending Agnes quickly from the medical wing at a brisk pace. Swarms of people were hurrying about as the sound of David's commanding voice echoed loudly through the passageway. Frank turned into the conference room at the same moment as Agnes, both heading for the security room located in the back.

"What is it, Douglas?" she asked, looking up to each of the eight monitors.

"There are six vehicles approaching from the south. It looks like they're heading straight for the back entrance."

She followed his finger with her eyes and sure enough, four black SUVs and two black government looking vehicles turned down the long gravel drive, all with dark tinted windows. "It's the HTF. Radio David and tell him to meet us there with his troops in two minutes!"

Frank turned, and quickly headed out of the room with Agnes. "How do you think they found us?"

Shaking her head, Agnes indicated to the worried man that she had no idea. However, deep down, she did. The last time they heard from Sam and the others was three days ago. Moreover, with everything she has seen on the news within the last twenty-four hours, Agnes was already on edge regarding the welfare of her niece, and her companions. Even though she argued with the committee that they were still alive and safe, this new development was proving her wrong.

She knew Sam would never give away their location, even under great torture. However, Elaina and Kevin, well, that was different. She didn't know either of them well enough to be certain. Moreover, the HTF used means of torture that most civilized nations wouldn't even consider doing. She pushed this from her mind. The idea of their deaths was hard enough. Imagining the brutal way in which they could have died was unbearable.

"We're ready to go."

Agnes signaled to David when they entered into the vast area. The movement in the mine began to settle as weapons and the eyes of men and women took aim in the direction of the strong metal doors.

"I have over one hundred armed soldiers here and several hundred more in the back to replace them." David shifted his stance raising his voice over to a small grouping of men. "No, I want the fifty-cal set up in the middle."

Agnes moved forward, glancing up into the large monitor by the door. She watched as each vehicle came to a stop just outside the barn. Several men dressed in dark-blue suits exited the vehicles, took out their handguns, and proceeded to take positions around their convoy. "I'm thinking twenty-five, maybe thirty."

"They probably have more on the way."

She studied Frank. "We should start moving people down into the cave."

"It's not set up yet."

"We don't have a choice." Just as she turned, a movement on the screen caught her eye. She stepped forward, closer to the monitor. "Call your troops down, David."

"What's going on?" Frank didn't need to wait for her reply. His lips turned upward into a grin the moment he saw the woman waving into the monitor from the opening of the barn. The other two were walking up beside her. "Yep, she sure is a tough one, your niece."

"She's a Kelly." When Agnes smiled at Frank, her eyes were moist, and full of pride. "David, call Douglas and tell him to turn off the alarm. It's Sam."

It took them close to twenty minutes to get a team outside to open the doors. However, for Sam, just smelling the familiar air of her family's farm was well worth the wait. After the last of the vehicles were safe inside, Sam limped over to her aunt, where she received a hug.

"I can see you ripped your stitches out. Rachel's not going to be too happy."

Sam glanced around. "Where is she? I assumed she would be here..."

"Your sister is in the medical wing. She started to go through contractions at four this morning." Agnes grinned at Sam's concerned look. "Don't worry, she's fine. Christina says she still has a long way to go before this baby comes out."

Feeling somewhat relieved, Sam raised her eyebrows to the approaching man. "Sir, I would like for you to meet my Aunt Agnes. Aunt Agnes, this is the Vice President of the United States."

Agnes's eyes widened and she brought a hand up to straighten her already tidy hair. She blushed slightly while shaking his hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Vice President."

"Please, call me Ben." He smiled, revealing a perfect set of white teeth. "Sam has told me so much about you on the ride here, that I feel we are somehow related." His laugh was genuine, and he looked warmly at both women.

Agnes liked him instantly. "So, I take it my niece did not kidnap you."

"Kidnap? Oh, heavens, no." He grinned. "Actually, she saved my life."

"Aunt Agnes, a lot has happened in the last few days and I'm not really sure where to begin." She waved over Agent Jackson. "But first, his sister Nicky is here." She showed them the photo that the agent handed to her.

"Oh, yes. She's in the medical wing with Rachel. She had her baby two days ago," Frank said.

"How is she?" The agent seemed as if he was deciding whether to cry or shout out with joy.

"She's fine. I can take you to her. It isn't far."

Sam watched as Frank guided the man down the passageway. Before she opened her mouth to speak, her aunt stopped her.

"You all look done in. Why don't you have Elaina take you to the medical wing and let Christina re-stitch you? Kevin and I will accompany these men to the dining facility, and they can fill me in on what's going on. I'm sure you all are quite hungry."

"I could go for a bite to eat." The Vice President smiled, offering his arm to Agnes.

"I'll have someone send you both down some food."

Sam watched her aunt leave. Her forehead pulled down into a frown. She had never seen her aunt act this way before, and she was not sure if she was comfortable with it. "Does she seem all right to you?" Sam asked, turning toward the woman standing beside her.

Elaina let out a tiny laugh. "Of course, Sam, she's fine." Elaina reached up and rubbed at the wrinkles between Sam's eyes, as if trying to wipe away Sam's unnecessary worry. "How often does someone famous come around to visit?"

"That's it!" Sam snapped her fingers, just as Elaina began to direct her down the wide tunnel.

"What is?"

"Aunt Agnes is acting like a groupie."

Elaina laughed. "She is entertaining a very important guest."

"They're not guests. That is the Vice President of the United States and we are hiding him here for his protection."

Elaina stopped Sam and pulled her into a warm kiss. "Your aunt is a big girl, Sam. Stop worrying, she's happily married after all. They both are." Their second kiss was more passionate, bringing Sam's mind and body to focus on nothing else besides the woman in her arms.

All thoughts of her aunt vanished, and her body turned hot with desire. When her hand moved upward underneath the front of Elaina's shirt, Elaina quickly pulled it back. "What, are you crazy?

Someone is bound to walk by."

Sam leaned in. "Are you scared?"

"Oh, no you don't, Sam. We're not doing this here." As she walked, she pulled Sam with her.

"You're no fun."

THEY DECIDED TO let everyone rest that evening and schedule a committee meeting for the following morning. Douglas, Frank and several men began working on getting the old farmhouse, which once belonged to Sam's late uncle, fixed up for their new guest. It was a good strong structure with a good foundation and quite a bit of living space, but not yet an adequate place for the Vice President of the United States, or his agents.

Janis's husband, with the help of a second team, worked at reopening the entrance to the mine that ran underground to a secret door in the basement of the house. They were eager to be done with everything in a week, but with the way Agnes was working them, it was more than likely going to be a few days sooner.

"Guys, it's time." Christina removed her long white hospital coat and draped it over the back of her chair.

"You did good, sis." Sam kissed baby Jennifer on the head before handing her back to Rachel. "I love you both very much." She kissed her little niece again, then her sister, before grabbing her crutches and turning from the room with the others.

"I believe that girl already has you wrapped around her little finger."

Sam smiled at Elaina, too happy to say anything. They stopped by the next room and informed Agent Jackson that the meeting was about to start. He looked proud, happy, the same way Sam herself felt.

The meeting lasted well into the morning, with the entire committee, the Vice President, and all of the Secret Service agents in attendance. They discussed the most recent events, and threw around different ideas on what to do.

"Everyone involved with the organization that holds a high office must be killed." Richard directed his words to the Vice President. "Sir, they are too much of a risk to the government if we keep them alive."

"What government?" Brenda snidely questioned. "The government fell the moment the members of the Senate and House of Representatives died. The few politicians left are probably just as involved as the President."

"The government lives as long as there are people still fighting for it." Richard shot Brenda a flat glance.

"How many corrupt politicians are we talking here?"

Agent Harrison answered, "Twenty-seven, maybe twenty-eight, but there are a couple of names on the list that we still are not sure about."

"We need to hit them at the same time, you realize that, right? If we don't, warning flags will go up, and we might not get a second chance."

Richard nodded to Sam. "I know. The only problem we have is finding them all. The information regarding the location of the President and the members of his Cabinet is not easy to come by. You can also bet their security has increased; now they know someone is onto them."

"Who will have access to this information?"

"Sir, that is limited to high-ranking members of the HTF only. As of right now, we're stuck. Too bad our damn prisoner died on the way here."

Sam shook her head in response to the questioning look on her aunt's face. "You don't want to know," she mouthed.

"Agent Brown would probably have access. He's in charge of the entire Midwest," Todd informed Richard, after first glancing to Sam.

"Who's Agent Brown?"

Before Todd could answer, Sam spoke. "It looks like he is my new boss, if we can overcome one little snag."

"I'm not following."

Sam explained to Richard and the others the job offer Agent Brown had made her.

"That's just what we need!" Richard about jumped at the good news.

"The problem, though, is that he wants a letter of recommendation from Agent Clayton in Kansas City. That's not going to happen."

Agent Harrison leaned back in his chair. "Sam, that's not a problem. I can send out my two best men to take Clayton out of the equation. But, just so we're clear, you do realize the amount of danger you'll be putting yourself in by taking this job."

Sam smiled. "My sister has already informed me of the dangers, and I assure you, the greatest danger I'll be facing is telling my sister that I took the job." She turned to Richard. "I guess we have the beginnings of a plan." Her gaze drifted over to Elaina, yet once their eyes connected, Elaina glanced quickly away.

The muscles in Sam's stomach tightened. She couldn't tell if Elaina was upset or not, but Sam could tell that Elaina's mood had suddenly shifted. If she could take Elaina away from here and try for a normal life, she would. In a heartbeat. However, she knew that a normal life would not be possible until they ended this, and that would take time.

What else can I do? If we don't try to stop this before SUNKC's troops get here, it could mean the end of freedom, or worse, the end of existence for all of us. Sam shifted in her seat, unable to keep her focus on what Richard was saying. What will happen if their troops do make it here to the U.S.? She closed her eyes tight, wishing the war-torn images away. Cursing under her breath, Sam forced herself to focus back on the issues at hand.

"So far, they have confirmed that over three-hundred members of congress died in the explosion, and they are still going through the wreckage looking for survivors."

The Vice President slowly exhaled. "Of those select few elected officials who were not caught in the explosion, how many of them are not apart of this conspiracy?"

"Only twelve, sir," Agent Harrison said, heavy grief showing in his eyes. "Like I said before, sir, there are a few names on the list that we are still checking into, but twelve have been confirmed."

"Jesus, twelve?" The Vice President replied. He paused, appearing to weigh his troubled thoughts. "What is being done for their safety?"

"Several trustworthy members of the CIA and FBI are moving them to a few of our protected camps." Richard Informed.

"And what of my family?"

"They will be here sometime next week once we feel that it is safe to transport them," Agent Harrison told the Vice President.

The instant the meeting ended, Sam pulled Elaina aside and waited until the room finally cleared. "I noticed that look you had during the last part of the meeting. I thought that maybe we should talk."

Elaina placed herself into Sam's arms. "I'm only worried about you."

"So, you're not upset?"

"No, I'm not upset." Elaina's smile wavered as her building fear won out. "I don't want to lose you, Sam. Not after I just found you. I've already lost people in my life because of the HTF, and now you'll be working with them every day. The danger you'll be in--" Elaina stopped, unable to go on.

"I promise you won't lose me." She gazed directly into Elaina's eyes. "I'm actually quite tough when I want to be." Sam tilted her head down and their lips came together. It felt natural, perfect, as if some higher being had made one specifically for the other.

Elaina's lips broke away. "Why don't we go say goodnight to your sister and niece, before we head back to your room?" she whispered, pressing her warm lips against Sam's neck.

Veiled Conspiracy

"That sounds like the best plan I've heard all night." To be continued...

About the Author

Michele Coffman lives in Leavenworth, Kansas and works as a Journeyman Plumber in the Kansas City area. She is the proud mother of two and is a newly blessed grandmother. She served in the Army for over fifteen years, which is where serendipity brought her together with her partner.

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