Jericho, 48 hours after the war with New Bern

Despite Rob's assurances that she shut his computer down before they were able to exactly pinpoint their location, Darcy was still worried that Rob wasn't home yet. Before he had left for the Richmond farm they had set up a rendezvous point in the outskirts of town just in case something went wrong. He had told her that if he didn't return with the others she should find Jake Green and bring him with her to the rendezvous point. Rob had said that Jake knew about the bomb and how it got to be buried beneath the woodshed and that he also knew that he had tracked New Bern's movements using his computer's link to the satellite. Jake Green was a friend and could be trusted he had assured her. Just as she was opening the door to go find Jake she saw him walking up the path to the house.

"Hello, Mrs. Hawkins, I don't believe we've met. I'm Jake Green."

"I'm glad to meet you, Jake, call me Darcy. Please, we need to go get my husband," Darcy said quite urgently.

"He isn't back yet?

Darcy shook her head no. "He told me if he didn't get home within twenty four hours after everyone else returned then it meant he couldn't. He wanted me to find you and take you to him. We agreed on a meeting place before he left for the Richmond farm."

"Okay, Jake replied, "let's get going."

A half hour later Jake and Darcy reached the designated meeting point and Hawkins stepped out from the bushes.

"Dee." Robert was relieved to see that she was safe and able to make her way to him.

Darcy turned at the sound of his voice and ran to him and he took her in his arms. After a few minutes, Darcy lifted her head off of his shoulder and took a small step back, with tears in her eyes she said "I'm so glad you're safe."

"Dee, the kids, are they okay?"

"They're fine. Alison came home from the Town Hall about four hours ago and she's watching Sammy now. Rob, they're worried about you."

"Dee, everything will be alright," Rob replied before he brought her in for another hug.

Jake, who was beginning to get embarrassed, cleared his throat to remind them that he was there. Darcy and Hawkins ended their hug but kept their arms around each other. Darcy was the first to speak.

"I'm sorry. You just can't imagine how happy I am to see him right now."

"No problem, I understand," Jake replied.

"Jake, how's your father?" Hawkins asked.

Jake could barely answer the question. "He didn't make it."

"I'm sorry to hear that, he was a good man." Hawkins said. "I know it's hard, but try to stay strong. The people of Jericho will be expecting you to step into your father's shoes and will be depending on you to lead them. They're going to need you now more than ever."

"I know," Jake replied solemnly.

"Jake, I'm so sorry. If I had known I wouldn't have asked you to come with me." Darcy said apologetically.

Jake nodded then turned to Hawkins and said, "We need to talk." He looked at Darcy and then back at Hawkins. Not sure of how much he should say in front of her, he added, "Maybe later?"

Hawkins, understanding the hidden question, replied, "No, we can talk now. There are no more secrets between Darcy and me, not anymore. She's aware that you know about Project Red Bell and the package."

Hawkins saw the look of surprise in Jake's face, "I know you're wondering how I could've told her...all these years I thought I could protect my family by not telling them what my job entailed, but things have happened since we got here that made me realize I can't protect them all of the time. It's better they know what's going on for the times I can't be there for them."

Jake nodded his head, acknowledging the truth of Hawkins statement.

"Jake, there's something you should know," Hawkins said.

"Go on," Jake replied.

 "While I was tracking New Bern's movements, someone was tracking me through my computer's satellite connection. The connection was broken just before the tracking was complete. At best, they know my location within 200 miles. Although I'm not ready to go into detail with you, I suspect there's a connection between this and the army coming to stop the war with New Bern.

 "That would explain it. We would've been fighting a losing battle if they hadn't come." This realization was difficult for Jake to swallow.

Jake continued, "I was just appointed town liaison to the Army, I met with them for the first time today. They said that they'll be a presence in Jericho until the peace negotiations are finished and they complete an inventory of supplies that both Jericho and New Bern need. They figure it will take about about eight weeks. After hearing what you just told me it's not safe for you to return to town right now."

"I agree, I can't go back to Jericho. I'm going to need your help finding a hideout. I don't want Darcy to know where I am in case she gets questioned."

"I know of a place, it hasn't been used in years. It's deep in the woods, no one will find you there." Jake was startled by a sudden realization. "Wait a minute, what about the package?"

 "Don't worry about that. I was in the tool shed the day after you left and found a bag of cement. I used it to put down a new floor. No one will ever suspect there's something buried under it." Hawkins explained before asking, "How about if you meet me here at 10:00 tomorrow morning? Darcy will pack up my computer and a few other things I'll need. You can pick it up on your way out of town to meet me."

"But you can't use your computer, they'll only track you again!" Darcy interrupted the concern evident in her voice.

Hawkins turned to his wife to reassure her. "Don't worry it will be okay, I won't log in so the connection to the satellite won't open. I just need it review some research that's stored on the hard drive."

"It's getting late we better get going." Jake said to Darcy before turning and walking a few feet away to give the couple some privacy. Hawkins turned to Darcy and took her hands in his.

"Dee, I'm going to miss you. Remember, I love you and nothing is more important to me then you and the kids."

"Oh Rob, I love you too. Stay safe and come back to us."

Hawkins then pulled Darcy into his arms and kissed her passionately. When the kiss ended Darcy walked over to Jake then turned to look at her husband. "Goodbye Rob."

"Bye Dee, tell the kids I love them."

"I will."

Jake and Darcy walked back to Jericho saying little to each other. Both had many things weighing on their minds. When they stopped at Hawkins' house, Darcy turned to Jake, "Again, I'm so sorry about your father. Do you think your Mom would mind if I stop by tomorrow?"

"Not at all," Jake replied, "I'm sure she would appreciate it and I would be grateful knowing that she won't be alone all day."

 "Good, I'll stop by sometime in the afternoon. Jake, thanks for everything you're doing for my family. I really do appreciate it."

"No thanks are necessary, after all the things your husband has done for Jericho the past few days it's the least I can do. I'll talk to you soon. Goodnight."

"Goodnight," Darcy replied.

Jericho, 3 weeks after the war with New Bern

Jake was angry and was on his way to take it out on the person who deserved it the most. He walked into Jericho Town Hall, went directly to Gray's office and entered without knocking. "What exactly are you trying to do?" he said angrily.

"I don't know what you're talking about," replied Gray, puzzled by Jake's outburst.

"You know damn well what I'm talking about!  I was appointed by you to be the liaison with the Army. When it comes to dealing with them, I should be making the decisions, not you! How could you go over my head and tell them they had the town's cooperation for the house to house searches they plan to conduct?"

"Listen, I'm the Mayor here; I had every right to promise them our cooperation." Gray replied.

"Well you've made a mistake. You had no right to say it...we just went to war with our neighbors and now you want to let total strangers into our bedrooms! In case you haven't figured it out, your choices lately are undermining the trust the people of Jericho have in you. I'll do what I can to assure them that you only had the town's best interest in mind but I can't promise you won't end up with a problem on your hands." He then turned around and stormed out of the mayor's office.

Gray sat back down at his desk frustrated that yet again a Green had the upper hand. He resented the fact that Johnston, and now Jake, always second guessed his motives. He knew that the town, despite electing him mayor, had continued to look toward Johnston to lead them. He had thought that things would be different now that Johnston was dead. Instead, Jake now had the respect that was once his father's and Gray felt helpless to do anything about it. If Jake turned against him then the town would too.

After leaving the town hall, Jake went to Bailey's for a much needed drink. He sat at the bar and asked Mary for her latest brew. Eric had just walked in and had joined Jake at the bar.

"What's up, Jake?" Eric could tell by the look on Jake's face that something had him all stirred up.

"Gray Anderson!" Jake replied. "He told the Army that it was okay to conduct house to house searches of Jericho!  I'm sick and tired of him acting without thinking and making decisions without considering anyone else's viewpoint."

"You know, Jake, Gray's heart is in the right place. He really wants to do what's right for the town but he's acts impulsively, sometimes too impulsively. He did everything he could to undermine Dad's authority to become mayor but he can't lead. If he had been elected before the bombs the transition would have been easier but Gray is way out of his league now. I think he understands on some level that he needs people around him who really understand what war is about. That's why he asked Dad for his help in dealing with New Bern and that's why he appointed you to be the army liaison."

Jake was surprised by Eric's insight. "Yeah, you could be right but understanding the way Gray ticks doesn't make him any easier to deal with him."

"I know what you mean. I have to go help Mary with the bar now. I'll talk to you later."

"I have to go too. I have something to do before I pick up Mom at the Med Center and we can't be late, Emily is expecting us home for dinner tonight. Oh, before I forget, Mom wanted me to find out if you and Mary would like to come over for Sunday dinner?"

"Sure, tell her we'll be there." Eric said as he was walking behind the bar.

After leaving Bailey's, Jake made sure he wasn't being followed and headed into the woods to the old hunting cabin where he brought Hawkins three weeks earlier. He needed to tell him about the house to house searches and that his family may be in danger.

Arriving at the cabin Jake didn't waste any time making his point. "Hawkins, we have a problem."

"What is it Jake?" Hawkins asked calmly.

"The Army is planning to search every house in Jericho.  They'll start tomorrow and will work their way out from the homes closer to the center of town. They will be scheduling five to six house searches a day. It'll probably be about six to seven weeks before they get to your home."

"It's okay, Jake. Darcy knows how to handle this. We discussed various scenarios of what could happen while they were tracking my location that day. This was one of them. We have a cover story all set."

"Are you sure? Do you want me to find an excuse to go over there during the search?"

"No. It won't be the first time Darcy has covered for me. It would only look suspicious if you showed up for no reason. I need to tell you about a few things . . . things I left out when I told you about the package."

 "Go on," Jake replied, all his attention now focused on what Hawkins was about to tell him.

"One of the refugees, Sarah Mason, was my handler in Red Bell. She came here to find the package. As it turns out, she was working independently. She was offered a great deal of money if she killed me and retrieved the package."

Hawkins, wanting to keep the story short and protect his daughter decided to lie about the next part. "I killed her. She threatened my family, I had no choice. I pretended that I was her and used her PDA to make contact with the person who hired her. I told them that I was dead and that ‘Sarah' was ready to hand over the package. We agreed to a meeting in two days time. I was counting on the charade to give me a clue as to who was behind the bombs."

"I went to the abandoned factory where we agreed to meet.  I managed to get a couple of pictures of the men who arrived at the rendezvous point. When I got home and analyzed the pictures I recognized one of them as Valente, the Director of the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office in the Department of Homeland Security. I suspect that Sarah was working for him and that he was the one who wanted the bomb."

"I don't know if you're aware of this Jake, but the uranium found in bombs have a specific signature that places the origin of the device. I suspect that Valente wanted the bomb because somehow the signature in the uranium can be traced back to something he was involved in. I've been asking myself why the Army would make such an effort to squash a skirmish between two small Kansas towns. With the house to house searches its beginning to fall into place. I suspect that Valente has some sort of influence in the new government and it was him who sent the Army, not to end the skirmish, but to find the package."

"My God." Jake shook his head in disbelief.  "This would mean the attack was planned by someone here, in the U.S."

Hawkins closed his eyes and nodded, he himself had a hard time believing that he was holding the smoking gun. "The scenario makes sense, you have to agree with me on that."

"I just don't know if I can believe that someone working for the government may have been behind the attacks. What reason would they have?"

"We figure that out and we'll have the motive behind the biggest crime in the history of the world."

Hawkins was glad that he had trusted Jake with this last piece of information.  He knew that he would need his help from time to time and it no longer served him to keep Jake in the dark.  What if something happened to him?  The package would need a new protector.

With daylight slowly fading, Jake's thoughts turned to home and his promise to Emily that he'd be home for dinner.  "I need to get going. Take care of yourself. I'll be in touch soon."

"Sure thing, Jake. See you soon."

Meanwhile at the Green home Emily was just starting dinner when there was a knock on the door. She was surprised to see one of the soldiers from Camp Liberty.

"Good Evening Ma'am, Colonel Hoffman ordered that I deliver this dispatch to Jake Green."

"Jake isn't here right now, I'll take it and make sure that he gets it." Emily replied, holding out her hand.

"Sorry, Ma'am. My orders are to give it directly to Mr.Green."

"Well, Jake won't be home until later, you're welcome to wait, but it's really not necessary. I'll be sure to give him the dispatch.  Colonel Hoffman will never know you left it with me."

"Thanks, Ma'am. I appreciate it. You have a nice evening."

"You too. Goodbye."

As Emily turned and walked back into the kitchen, she couldn't help but wonder what was in the envelope. She held it up to the light but all she could make out was what appeared to be a letter written on official U.S. Army letterhead. She could only guess that they were requesting Jake to perform yet another service on their behalf.

She took another look at the envelope and her mind wandered to what Jake had told her that morning. He had promised her that he would take a break and spend the next couple of days relaxing with her. She didn't want anything interfering with their time together and decided that whatever was contained in the letter could wait a couple of days. She went upstairs to their bedroom and slipped the envelope into one of her dresser drawers.

Jericho, 7 weeks after the war with New Bern

Jake stopped by Hawkin's house to tell Darcy that she had been successful in throwing the Army off track when they searched her house the day before. He also passed on the latest news from Town Hall -- the Army was leaving Jericho. Colonel Hoffman had received orders to secure the roads between Jericho and Topeka. Before leaving the Hawkins' residence, Jake told Darcy that he would go to the hideout and bring Hawkins home after the Army pulled out.

The next day, Darcy sat looking out the living room window. She couldn't wait for Rob to get home. They had lost so much time the last few years. She was so glad that Rob had finally opened up to her about where he had been and what he was doing. She really liked how they had worked together during the battle with New Bern. They had figured out that the package in Rob's possession was the smoking gun that could reveal who was behind the biggest crime in the history of the world. She had been the one who reminded Rob that bombs had fingerprints that made them traceable. He had said it was the uranium that had a specific signature that places the origin of the device.

‘We make a good team,' she thought.

Darcy saw Rob and Jake walking down the street. What her family needed most right now was some quality time together. She decided that she would surprise Alison and Sam with their father's arrival.

When Rob came into the house, Darcy walked into his arms. It was a great feeling!

"Dee, I've missed you," Rob said as he and Darcy pulled apart.

"I've missed you too," Darcy replied.

"Our cover story must have worked."

"Yeah, good thing we went over our story before Jake took you to the hideout. They bought the part about how Sarah was your partner in the St. Louis Police Department and that we took her in when she came to Jericho with the refugees. They even seemed to accept the part about Sarah leaving to find her sister in Montana. I wasn't sure they believed me when I told them that after Sarah left you confessed to the affair and that it caused the break-up of our marriage. I let them know that Jimmy could corroborate that we were having marriage difficulties and that he took me and the kids in when I left you. I then showed them the note you prepared about leaving me and heading to Montana to find Sarah so that you could try and salvage your relationship. You know, I've had so much practice covering for you it's almost become second nature."

"Well, you did a great job. I can't tell you how happy I am to be home."

"You know, Alison and Sam have been worried sick about you. You should be proud of Alison. I've been complimented on what a great job she's doing at the Town Hall. She's actually on guard duty now. Sam has been Sam, always asking when you're coming home. I think he's worried you're going to leave us again. He's upstairs asleep right now."

"Dee, you need to know our family's survival is my top priority. I will do everything in my power not to leave you again, but in order to do that, I'm going to have to find out who's behind the bombs."

Darcy hesitated; then, she nodded her head "I'm beginning to understand why you do what you do. You play a very important role in not only protecting us but in protecting this country. I never gave you credit for that, and I'm sorry."

"You know something, Dee? None of this means anything without you and the kids. Let's go see Sam."

Darcy and Rob walked up the stairs and into Sam's room. Sam was sleeping peacefully. Rob walked over and sat on the bed and gently shook him. "Sam, Sam." He said quietly as not to startle him as he woke up.

"Dad, is that you?" Sam asked sleepily as he rubbed his eyes.

"It's me." At Rob's words, Sam leapt into his arms.

"Dad, I'm so glad you're home I missed you so much. Can we go play football?" Sam asked excitedly.

Hawkins chuckled and replied, "I'm happy to see you too, Sam. We'll have plenty of time for football now. Don't worry!"

Sam got out of bed and the three of them headed downstairs just as Alison was walking in the door.

"Mom, guess what?!" Alison looked up and saw her father walking toward her as she finished her question.

"Dad, you're home! I missed you so much," she said as her father wrapped her up in a big hug. She was glad she would be able to share her news with him. "Guess what? Jimmy asked me to start training for the border patrol next week! Can I, Dad?"

"Your mother and I will have to talk about it. Hey, I heard about the good job you've been doing. Congratulations, I'm proud of you."

Darcy interrupted their conversation. "Come on, let's go get dinner ready. I'm looking forward to all of us to finally sitting down together as a family."

Meanwhile at Bailey's, Jake was thinking about what Hawkins had told him a couple of weeks ago.

‘Is it possible that this man, Valente, is working for the government?' Jake wondered, having a hard time grasping the possible ramifications. ‘It would mean.....'

At that moment Jake's thoughts were interrupted by a loud voice....

"So, are you going to be my best man or what?" Stanley, seeing the far away look on Jake's face, thought this would be just the question to capture his attention.

"Your best what?" It wasn't until Jake asked his question that he realized what Stanley was talking about.

"I take it you finally got up enough nerve to ask Mimi." Jake chuckled at this because he knew of at least three different occasions where Stanley had tried to ask for Mimi's hand but somehow something always seemed to get in the way. At least that's what Stanley had told him. However, Jake believed that it was Stanley's nerves getting the best of him.

"Yeah, I asked her." Stanley looked down at the table, avoiding any sort of eye contact with Jake. He knew, of course, that there was no way he was getting out of Bailey's without some sort of smart-ass, Jake Green remark so he decided to beat him to the punch. "She couldn't wait to say yes, either. Though, I think it had more to do with the fact that I told her my Spidey powers were starting to kick in."

Jake laughed at this. He had a lop-sided grin on his face when he shook his head said, "You know, Stanley, if you remember, the last time I was a best man, things didn't work out all that great."

Stanley grinned and clasped his hands together as in prayer, "Please, Jake....Please, be my best man, you know you want to. Besides, you'd better say yes or you'll have Mimi to deal with. Believe me, that's something you don't want."

The thought of a riled-up Mimi chasing him around town made Jake relent.

"So, is this a Wrangler affair or are we going all out with Levi's?" Jake joked before buying Stanley and himself a round of drinks.

Just as he and Stanley were toasting to the demise of Stanley's bachelorhood, Eric walked through the door, carrying a hand-held radio. The look of concern on Eric's face made Jake feel uneasy.

He stood to greet his brother. "Eric, what's going on?"

"It's Russell, he says he need to speak with you . . . something urgent."

Jake took the radio from Eric. He hesitated a moment before clicking the button and informing Russell that he was there.

"Yeah, Russell. Jake here."

"Jake, I . . . uh . . . I don't know how to tell you this," Russell stammered. "It's Constantino, He . . . he's gone. He escaped."

"What? How the hell did that happen?" Jake demanded unable to believe what he was hearing.

"Jake, I don't have the full story yet. I know that he had a couple of accomplices that we weren't aware of. They broke into the warehouse where we were holding him, took out his guards and smuggled him out without anyone seeing them."

"When did this happen?" Jake demanded.

"It happened this morning," Russell said, "after the Army left the area. I'm trying to pull a search party together. Do you want in?"

"You bet," Jake replied. "When do we leave?"

"Can you be here tomorrow morning at 10:00?" Russell asked.

"I'll be there." Jake said, then signed off. He placed the handheld radio on the table. Jake's blood had run cold at the news that Constantino was free. Thoughts of revenge filled his mind but they were interrupted by Eric.

"I'm going with you, Jake. He was my father too."

"I'm with you too, Jake! "

Stanley wanted Jake to know that he was there for him, ready to do whatever was needed.

"Thanks, Stanley, but I have a feeling your bride-to-be might hunt me down if I let you come with me. Anyway, I need you to help Eric. It would be a load off my mind."

As Jake turned to look at his brother, he could feel the anger emanating from Eric. He knew that he would have to handle this situation with his brother delicately.

"Eric, I need you to stay here...," Jake started.

"Damn it, Jake! After what he did to me, what he did to Heather, I have just as much right to go as you do. I need to go!" Eric replied hotly. A part of him knew Jake was right and was upset because he couldn't go search for Constantino. Another part demanded that he hunt Constantino no matter what the circumstance.

"Eric! I know you want in on this but I need you to stay and protect Mom. We don't know what kind of situation we have at the moment and I need to know that she's safe. I trust you to do that. Please, don't fight me on this. I need you here."

Seeing the sincerity in Jake's eyes, Eric reluctantly gave in. He nodded. "You going to tell her or do you want me to do it?"

"I'll do it. I told her I would be home for supper tonight anyway. Eric, Stanley, don't let Mom go anywhere alone. No matter what she tells you. Oh, and Stanley....Congratulations!" With that said, Jake headed out of Bailey's.

Jake's walk home was far from pleasant. He failed miserably at trying to find a delicate way to break the news to his mother. As he bounded up the last porch step, he took a deep breath and went inside.

"Hi, Mom."

"Hi, honey. How are you?"

"I'm fine. What did you do today?"

"I was at the Medical Center all day. By the way, Emily stopped by and asked me to let you know that she's spending the night at the house in the Pines. She wanted get the house aired out. Then, she was going to spend some quiet time pulling together lesson plans for the start of school next week. Let's sit down, dinner is ready."

After dinner they went into the living room with their coffee. Gail sat down on the couch and Jake sat in the chair next to it.

"Mom, there's something I need to tell you." Jake knew from past experience that the best way to deal with his Mother was straight on.

Gail had known from the second Jake walked through the door that he had something on his mind. She also knew her son would tell her when he was ready. Her patience had paid off. When she saw the concern in Jake's eyes, she gripped the arm of her chair. The last time she saw that look in his eyes was when she walked into the kitchen at the Richmond farmhouse the day Johnston had died.

"Go on, honey, you can tell me." she assured Jake.

"Mom, Russell radioed in from New Bern a little while ago," Jake hesitated. "It's Constantino. He managed to escape."

Gail was a taken aback by Jake's news. She wanted Phil Constantino's head served up on a silver platter as much as everyone else in Jericho, but she was more concerned with Jake's reaction to his escape. Gail knew her son. He would not sit idly by while his father's killer roamed free. That scared her more than Constantino's escape.

"So, when are you leaving?" Gail asked, knowing what was coming next. She decided to save Jake the trouble of telling her that he would be putting himself in danger again.

"Tomorrow, early. I'm to meet Russell at 10:00 in New Bern."

"Well, then, I'd best be getting some food together for you trip." Gail stood
and started into the kitchen. Jake grabbed her arm.

"Please, Mom," Jake said as he urged Gail to sit down on the couch next to him. "Sit. I need to know how you really are. You never seem to be at home anymore. Are you okay?"

"I'm just trying to get through it. Sometimes, I feel so empty without your dad and don't know how I can go on." Tears start to fall freely down Gail's face. Jake leaned over and wrapped his arms around her. .

"It's okay, Mom. Things will get better. It will just take some time."

"I know that, honey, it's just that...." Gail trailed off.

"I know, I know," Jake said soothingly. "It's time you let it out, Mom. Let me be strong for you for a change. You've held it in too long."

Suddenly, Gail started to sob. Jake pulled her closer, whispering comforting words to her. After a while, Gail's tears subsided.

"Feel better?" Jake asked.

"Yes, thanks for being here for me." Gail sniffed.

"I'll always be here for you, Mom, so will Eric. Promise you'll come to talk to us whenever you need to."

"I will," said Gail.

They sat quietly for a few minutes finding some measure of peace in the quiet surrounding them. Finally, Gail said, "You know, Jake, you should talk. You are just like me."

"What do you mean?"

"Talk about me burying myself in work to avoid coming to terms with your Dad's death. I don't think you've done much better."

Jake's eyes widened in realization of what his Mom had just said. He could barely choke out his response.

"You're right Mom. It's just too difficult for me to talk about right now. I have too many regrets."

"I know, honey. We don't have to talk about it now, but you will need to talk to someone about it. You won't ever come to terms with it if you don't."

"I know you're right, I'm just not ready."

"That's okay. Remember, I'm here if you need me."

"You always are, Mom."

Jake's response brought a smile to Gail's face. He was glad. He hadn't seen many of his mother's smiles lately.

"Jake, I'm going to bed. I'll see you in the morning."

"Goodnight, Mom."

After his mom left the room, Jake's thoughts drifted to Emily. He knew that she would not be happy with this latest development. He hoped that she would understand that he had to go after Constantino.

Emily had moved into the Green house six weeks ago. Jake had adamantly refused to move into her house in the Pines. He didn't want his Mom to be alone. Emily had told him that she was determined to make their relationship work. She told him that he needed her to keep some sort of balance in his life. They both agreed they would give their best effort to make their relationship work. Unfortunately, with all that was going on, Jake hadn't found the time to figure where their relationship was going. He knew that he and Emily didn't have the kind of love his mother and father had. It was the kind of love he always wanted to share with the person he decided to live his life with. He suspected that he was just settling for Emily because he needed something to hold on to.

With that thought, Jake decided it was time for him to get to bed.

During breakfast, Jake told Emily about Constantino.

When Gail walked into the kitchen, she saw the look on Emily's face and knew that Jake had told her. She decided her best course of action would be to leave the two of them alone to sort it out for themselves.

"I have to get to the Med Center early today. Jake, if you don't get a chance to stop by before you leave, just be careful out there."

"Will do, Mom." Gail embraced her son, hoping that it wouldn't be the last time she saw him. She then gave him a nod and made her way out the door to the Med Center.

After Gail left, Emily turned to Jake. "You can't keep doing this, Jake. You can't keep taking chances with your life like this. It kills me to watch you walk out that door, knowing that you might not come back."

"Em, I have to do this. I don't have a choice. I couldn't live with myself knowing that Constantino is free."

"Jake, what about us? Doesn't our relationship mean anything to you? You're always put the welfare of Jericho above us! You're never home and now this! You're leaving again for God knows how long! I deserve more than what I'm getting from you." Emily exclaimed emotionally.

"Em, you probably do deserve more, but..." Jake trailed off, a little annoyed by Emily's lack of understanding. "You know, I just can't deal with this right now. It's going to have to wait until I get back."

Jake was trying to be as honest with Emily as he knew how. However, he was so focused on the opportunity to avenge his father's death that he couldn't concentrate on anything else at the moment.

"If we don't talk about this before you leave, I don't know if I'll be here when you get back. I'm sick and tired of your putting everyone and everything before me. I need for you to put us first. This won't work if I'm the only one willing to try."

"Are you sure that's what you want, Em? I'm willing to try to make things work when I get back. Take some time to think about this. I just can't deal with this right now. You have to understand...."

"I do understand, Jake. I know the reasons why you do the things you do. It's just..." Emily paused, running her fingers through her wavy, blond hair. "I don't think I can continue living my life like this."

"I don't want you to make any decision about us before I get back, but do what you have to. I have to get going. I'm meeting up with Russell in half an hour."

Inside the house, Emily stormed upstairs and started to pack. She was frustrated with the fact that she never seemed to come first in Jake's life. She knew that he had made a commitment to the town, but she would have never guessed that Jake's loyalty to Jericho could be their downfall. She didn't blame him. Not really. She had just thought she would be by Jake's side. Instead, it seemed like Jake was always leaving her behind.

She sat down on the bed next to her suitcase. It occurred to Emily that Jake didn't look at her the same way he used to--the way he did before he left Jericho. That look was gone. She wondered if it would ever return.

In spite of everything, Emily realized she was not ready to give up on Jake. After all they had been through, she needed to give Jake time to put this chapter of his life behind him. She would stay until he returned. She owed him that much. She took her clothes out of her suitcase and crossed to the dresser.

As she was putting her sweaters back into a drawer, an envelope slipped out and fell to the floor.

‘Oh my God, I can't believe I forgot . . .' Emily thought as she reached down and picked up the envelope

Russell and Jake were headed down Route 70 toward Topeka, Kansas. Although they were two days into their search, there were still no signs of Constantino. As they approached the outskirts of Hays, they hit a road block. When they stopped, two soldiers approached the car and told them that they would need clearance from the officer in charge to be allowed through the blockade.

The soldiers made Jake park the car. Then, they escorted Jake and Russell to see the officer in charge. Jake was not surprised to see that it was Colonel Hoffman since he had told Jake that his unit was headed towards Topeka when it left Northwest Kansas.

"Colonel Hoffman," Jake greeted the soldier and held out is hand.

"Green," Hoffman acknowledged him as they shook hands.

"You remember Russell from New Bern, don't you?" Jake asked.

"Of course I do," the Colonel replied as he shook hands with Russell. "What brings you two to these parts?"

Russell answered Colonel Hoffman with a grimace. "We have a situation. Constantino escaped two days ago. We organized a search party and there are ten teams out looking for him. Jake and I decided to head this way."

"What!?" the Colonel exclaimed. "How the hell did that happen?"

Jake and Russell were both surprised at the worried expression that crossed Hoffman's face. They knew that Constantino was no match for the heavily-armored unit that the Colonel commanded.

"Constantino had a couple of accomplices that were hidden when we swept the area and made the arrests." Russell replied.

"We've been searching two days and haven't found any clues to his whereabouts." Jake added.

"Well, you'll have the necessary clearance to go through the blockade. I'll make sure that you get the necessary permits that will allow you to go through the road blocks we've set up across Kansas."

Colonel Hoffman called for his clerk. Then, he turned back to Jake.

"I need to get word to our friend in Cheyenne. She should be warned that Constantino escaped."

"Our friend? Who are you talking about?" Jake asked, wondering what friend he and the Colonel had in common in Cheyenne.

"Heather Lisinski. You know her. Heather . . . Heather Lisinski." The colonel was puzzled by the look that came across Jake's face as he said her name.

Jake froze.

"What?! Heather Lisinski is dead!" exclaimed Jake, a mixture of pain and anger etched on his face.

"She was alive a couple of weeks ago when I put her on the transport to Cheyenne. She's quite a girl, our Heather. She was the one who told us about the skirmish between your two towns. If it hadn't been for her, we would not have shown up when we did."

He continued with a laugh, "She sure is a handful. I don't know how many times she tried to sneak on a truck headed to Jericho. I had to put her under twenty-four hour guard until I convinced her that it would be safer for everyone if she just stayed at Camp Liberty. After the part she played in trying to blow up the munitions factory, I thought it best if everyone continued to believe that she was dead. I'm worried that Constantino and his goons may try to harm her if they know she's alive."

"Makes a lot of sense," agreed Russell. "I had heard that Constantino ordered her killed because she knew too much about what was going on. I didn't hear anything else until I came to the peace negotiations and Eric told me they she was dead. I'm glad she's okay."

"At least for now," Colonel Hoffman replied. "If Constantino finds out she's still alive, she'll be in danger again. After all, she's the only one who can corroborate Eric's version of what happened. Without her, it's Eric's word against Constantino's. Unfortunately, your father's death provides a motive for Eric to lie."

Jake's heart started to race. He just couldn't believe it! He had just discovered that Heather was alive. Now, Hoffman was telling him she was in danger again.

"She's in Cheyenne? Now?" Jake asked, his voice trembling slightly. "Why didn't she come back to Jericho instead? She has friends there that would have protected her. I would have protected her!"

"Didn't you get her letter? She said she was going to explain it all to you there."

"I didn't get any letter!" Jake said angrily.

"I told my attaché to deliver it to your house. He had strict instructions to give it to you personally."

"I didn't get it!"

The colonel got up from his chair, the anger evident on his face. "Well, let me go talk to him to see if I can find out what happened."

The colonel returned a few minutes later shaking his head in disbelief. "My attaché said you weren't at home. He spoke with a tall blond. She convinced him to give the letter to her. She said that she would give it to you as soon as you came home. I have to apologize. These type of things happen when you don't have properly trained men."

"Emily," Jake muttered under his breath. "What have you done?"

Jake turned to Russell, "I have to go back, I have to know what's in that letter!" Jake was beside himself.

The colonel was moved by Jake's concern for Heather. Since he had been instrumental in apprehending Constantino the first time, he was sure that his superiors would authorize his unit to look for Constantino and those who had helped him escape.

"Now that I know Constantino has escaped, I'll take over the search from here to Topeka. I'll send out a team everyday to search for him. Russell, you take Jake back to Jericho and join one of the other search teams heading in a different direction." Both men were convinced that Colonel Hoffman would do everything in his power to find Constantino.

"I appreciate the help. Thanks." Russell knew that they would need all the help they could to find Constantino.

"No problem," said the Colonel.

"Come on, Jake. Let's get going. We should be able to get back to Jericho by tomorrow."

"Yeah, let's go." Jake replied, clearly distracted by his concern for Heather.

Jake was silent on the way back to Jericho, his mind focused on what he had just learned. He was angry at Emily for withholding the letter from him. She had done similar things in the past and they were all for selfish reasons. He had thought that maybe she had changed during the years he was gone. His thoughts then turned to Heather. ‘How is it possible that she is still alive? What could have possibly been more important to her than going home?' Jake wondered.

He was torn between being angry that Heather had not returned to Jericho and being grateful that she was alive.

Jake took a few deep breaths to calm himself before leaning his head against car window and falling into a restless sleep.

*****************************

Emily was enjoying her lunch when Jake stormed into the kitchen. She could tell by the look on his face something was definitely wrong.

"Where's the letter, Em?" Jake demanded, anger causing his voice to tremble.

It took Emily a minute to realize what he was talking about.

"Jake, it's . . . it's upstairs. Wait. How...?"

"I saw Colonel Hoffman while we were searching for Constantino." Jake snapped. "He told me about it. Where is it?"

Emily was shocked by the turbulent emotions in Jake's voice.

"Damn it, Emily, I want it now!" Jake yelled.

"Okay, Okay. I'll get it."

Emily went into their room and returned with the envelope. She could see Jake's hands shaking as he grabbed it from her. She looked at his face. She had known Jake most of their lives and could read the signs. Something very big was bothering him.

"Jake, come and sit down," Emily said frantically wanting to undo the damage she feared she had done to their relationship. She sunk into a chair at the table. "I have some explaining to do."

Jake crossed the kitchen and sat down next to Emily. He tried desperately to contain his wildly-churning emotions. Not wanting to say something that he would regret later, he decided to hold his tongue and let Emily speak first.

"I was tired of the town and Army asking you to do things for them. I didn't want to give you the letter because we had planned to spend some quality time together. Maybe I was being selfish, but I thought whatever it was could wait a couple of days. So I put it into my dresser drawer. I swear. I completely forgot about it until after you left to search for Constantino. I'm really sorry, Jake."

Jake felt incredibly frustrated. It was just like Emily to do something like this. She always assumed that she knew what was best for them.

"Oh, Em....How could you have done this? Do you have any idea who that letter is from?"

"No," Emily replied honestly. "I assume it's from the Army asking you to do something else for them. Jake, why are you acting like this? I haven't seen you like this since the war with New Bern."

"Em, the letter is from Heather. She's alive." Jake replied.

"What!? That's impossible!" Emily was shocked by what she had just heard.

"No, it isn't. She's alive. Colonel Hoffman's troops found her. She was injured in a car accident when she was trying to escape from New Bern. The soldiers took her to Camp Liberty to recover. She was the one who sent the Army to Jericho. If it hadn't been for her, Colonel Hoffman would never have brought his troops to Jericho to stop New Bern. When Hoffman found out that Heather tried to take out the munitions factory with Eric, he decided that she was safer where she was. He refused to let her come back to Jericho. He arranged for her to have a job and place to stay in Cheyenne until Constantino's trial. God knows what Constantino will do to her if he founds out that she's alive."

Emily stood up and walked to the kitchen door. She was in shock. She couldn't believe what Jake had just told her. Heather was alive! Heather had needed help and she had hid the letter from Jake...

‘Oh God! What have I done?' Emily thought wildly. ‘What if Constantino knows Heather's alive? Is that why he escaped? To get to Heather? God, please, she's my best friend. Keep her be safe.' Emily prayed as a thousand different scenarios ran through her mind. Shaking off her fear and confusion, Emily turned back to Jake.

"Jake, is Heather...?"

"I don't know, Em, but I'm sure as hell gonna find out! Listen, you can't say a word about this to anyone. Heather's life, my life, my family's life could be in danger if anyone finds out about this."

Emily nodded her head, assuring Jake that she would keep this secret. She prayed she would have the chance to apologize to her friend.

"Em, there's some things I have to take care of. We'll talk soon. Okay?"

"Sure, Jake." Emily said, needing time alone to process Heather's resurrection.

Jake left the house and drove out to the ranch. He went to his favorite spot in the woods. He always ended up here when he needed to think. The place had always had a calming effect on him. He sat down on his favorite rock and opened the envelope. His hands shook as he pulled out the letter and began reading.

Dear Jake,

I want to let you know that I'm alive and safe. A couple of Troops from Camp Liberty found me on the side of the road after I had been in a car accident while escaping from New Bern. When I woke up in camp, the first thing I did was search out the camp commander, Colonel Hoffman. I explained to him that New Bern was getting ready to go to war with Jericho and pleaded with him to send troops. He said he couldn't because his orders were to secure the roads. Imagine my surprise when I found out they moved Jericho to a priority one and were sending troops. Although I was grateful, I couldn't help but think that there was something bigger happening that I didn't know about which explained their sudden change of heart.

When Colonel Hoffman returned two days later he told me about the death of your father. My heart goes out to you and your family over the loss of your father. I had wanted to go home to Jericho but Colonel Hoffman wouldn't hear of it. He said that everyone thought I was dead and as long as it stayed that way I was safer in camp than in Jericho. He had heard about my part in building the windmills and later sabotaging the munitions factory with Eric. He said that even though Constantino was in custody, he still had followers who would stop at nothing to kill me, even if it meant hurting those around me. Concerned for my own safety and that of my friends I couldn't help but agree with him. He planned to keep my presence a secret until it was time for Constantino's trial. He said that only after I testified and everyone knew what I knew would I be safe.

One day, about two weeks into my stay at the camp. I found an envelope under my pillow. How it got there, I'll never know. In the envelope, two pieces of paper were folded. One was a letter from a "concerned citizen" asking me to deliver the enclosed document to Jericho town officials. These documents are included. I trust you to do what is needed with them.

A few days later, Colonel Hoffman informed that he wanted to send me to Cheyenne. He told me that he had received a confirmed report that not all of Constantino's accomplices had been brought into custody and that his trial would be delayed until the Army could round them up. He went on to explain that the longer I was at the camp the greater the chance was that someone one would learn I was alive. He then told me that he had made arrangements with some officials in Cheyenne for a government job for me. I wanted nothing more than to go home to Jericho but with not only my safety at stake, I agreed to go. What Colonel Hoffman doesn't know is the real reason behind me agreeing to go . . . I'm taking another page from your book, Jake. When you read the enclosed document you'll understand.

After some persuasion on my part, Colonel Hoffman finally gave in and allowed me to write to you to tell you that I am alive and will be going to Cheyenne. He said he only agreed to it because he knew that not only could you be trusted to act in the best interest of the town but that you had a personal stake in seeing Constantino brought down.

Please know that I miss you and all my other friends in Jericho. I hope to return one day and will always consider it my home.

Take care of yourself, Jake.
Heather

Jake still couldn't believe that Heather was alive but this letter proved it. Before turning to the document that was enclosed with the letter his mind drifted to the two times he had felt safe since the bombs went off. The first time was at the Town Hall when they all knew the fallout from Denver was coming. Eric turned away the bus full of people he had brought from the Medical Center. Sensing his anxiety, Heather had assured him that everything was going to be okay and had touched his hand. The touch of her hand was all the encouragement he needed. The second time was the day that he and Eric went to Rogue River. He had been surprised when Heather kissed him, but he had found himself kissing her back. Holding her tightly, he had drawn in all the comfort and strength that she exuded. He knew he hadn't done the right thing by avoiding her but he had hurt too many people in the past and he didn't want to hurt Heather. However, when they were at Black Jack and he had seen her with Ted, he had realized that he felt something for Heather. He just didn't know what. He had been determined to explore his feelings when she returned. But he had never had the chance.

He wondered why his thoughts were so consumed with Heather when he was involved with Emily. He knew he had to work through his feelings for both women, but it would have to wait until Heather was safe.

He then turned to the document that would supposedly explain the reason for Heather being in Cheyenne. After digesting all the information in the document, Jake realized that Hawkins was right. The document was confirmation of Hawkin's belief the government in Cheyenne may not be the rightful successor to the now defunct United States government.

Jake's exultation that Heather was alive ended abruptly. ‘She's says she's taking a page out of my book again!?' Jake sighed, he knew instinctively that Heather was nosing around trying to discover what was going on. She was in over her head and was in danger once again.

Knowing that there was no more time to be wasted, Jake jumped up and made a beeline straight for the one person he thought would be able to help him save Heather . . . Robert Hawkins.

After reading Heather's letter, Jake headed to Hawkins' house. Hawkins answered the door. Not giving him a chance to greet him, Jake got straight to the point.

"We need to talk," he said flatly.

Hawkins noticed the serious look on Jake's face. Without saying a word, he opened the door and motioned Jake to follow him. Jake followed him into the living room and sat down on the couch.

"What's going on, Jake?" Hawkins asked as he sat in the chair opposite Jake.

Jake pulled out the envelope that contained the letter and document from Heather. He handed them to Hawkins just as Dee entered the living room. She didn't know Jake very well but she could tell by looking at his face something was very wrong.

Over the next ten minutes, Hawkins read the letter and went over the enclosed document. Meanwhile, Jake got up from the couch and started pacing. He was anxious to set his plan in motion.

Darcy was concerned with the way Jake was beginning to wear a tread in the living room floor. It was obvious to her whatever it was that Rob was reading had Jake worried. She wondered what he wanted from Rob.

After processing all the information, Hawkins turned and studied Jake for a moment. "Jake, this letter was written three weeks ago. Why are you here now? What do you want from me?" he asked.

Not wanting to waste time on the details, Jake replied, "There was a mix-up. It was just delivered to me yesterday. The document supports your theory that Valente has some sort of influence in the new government and that he may have been the one who sent the army to find the package."

"Rob?" Darcy started to ask.

Hawkins looked to Jake who understood the unspoken question. Jake nodded his head in agreement. Hawkins handed Darcy the letter and document. It didn't take her long to get up to speed on the current situation. She was filled with dread when she saw Valente's name.

With some trepidation, Darcy asked, "Why would Valente hire Ravenwood to ransack New Bern in order to incite a war with Jericho? There must be some other motive besides the package. Valente wouldn't trust that kind of information to an outfit like Ravenwood. Is it possible that he wants a cut of Jericho's resources?"

Jake sat back down on the couch and considered Darcy's words before replying, "I'm not sure that makes sense. Why would the army have come in that case?"

"Maybe his influence in the government doesn't extend to the armed forces. When the soldiers at Camp Liberty were informed of the war, someone other than Valente could have authorized their involvement." Hawkins said.

Darcy countered Hawkins reply. "This may seem a little farfetched but maybe Valente authorized the army's involvement so he wouldn't be a suspect. It's possible that he was working outside the government and once the army found out he had no choice. If word got out that he didn't send the army to a town desperately in need of help, it could have undermined his credibility in the government."

Looking at the two people in front of him, Jake replied, "Yes, both scenarios are possible . . . and imply that the government may not be involved. The letterhead may have been intended to make Ravenwood believe they were acting on behalf of the government."

After Jake replied, Darcy nodded and asked, "Jake, I'm just curious. What did Miss Lisinski mean when she wrote that she was taking another page out of your book? And why did she believe that you would know what she meant?"

At this question, Jake rose from the couch and started pacing again. He was obviously very agitated. "It means that she is going to try and find out what's behind that damn document! I need to stop her before something happens to her!"

"Are you two involved?" Hawkins asked trying to understand the urgency behind Jake's last comment.

"No, we're just friends," Jake replied. However, Jake's body language told both Darcy and Hawkins that he harbored feelings for her whether he realized it yet or not.

Jake continued, more calmly than before, "Look, you asked for my help the other day. After reading this letter, I'm convinced that things aren't right in Cheyenne. I'm going to get Heather. Why don't you come with me?

The old Hawkins would have agreed right then and there to go; however, the new one remembered his promise to Darcy. He needed to talk to her before answering Jake.

Hawkins looked at Darcy and saw the wariness in her eyes. Immediately, he knew that she was thinking about his promise to her.

"Jake, Darcy and I need to talk in private. Please excuse us for a moment." Hawkins said, and then led Darcy into the kitchen.

When the kitchen door closed behind them, Darcy looked at Rob.

"Dee, I haven't forgotten my promise to you. You know I asked Jake for his help. I intended for him to help me here but now we need information from Cheyenne. I'll tell him no if that's what you want," Rob paused, gazing into Darcy's eyes. "He's determined to go with or without me. If you don't want me to go, I can help him with a plan before he leaves. I have a contact in Cheyenne, I can Jake to him with a letter of introduction from me.

"Rob, I have a much better understanding of what you do now. I know how important it is for you to resolve who is behind the bombs. You need to finish this. If you go will we be able to put this whole thing behind us sooner?"

"Maybe, but I made you a promise, Dee. You and the kids are more important to me than anything else. I won't do anything that will jeopardize our family again."

After a few moments of searching her husband's eyes for reassurance, Darcy made her decision. This time, however, there were no pangs of resentment or frustration. She knew that her husband and Jake Green may be the only ones on the planet who could save the country.

"Rob, the sooner we can put this whole thing behind us the better. Go. Just promise me that you'll be careful and you'll do whatever it takes to come back to us safely."

"You have my word."

After they embraced, Rob and Darcy walked back into the living room arm in arm. Hawkins looked into Darcy's face and saw the approval in her eyes. Then, he turned to Jake. "I'm in."

A relieved look crossed Jake's face as he looked at Darcy and Hawkins.

"Thanks, I need take care of a few things before we can leave. Can you be ready the day after tomorrow?"

Hawkins looked at Darcy, who nodded her agreement. He replied, "Sounds good to me."

"Good. I'll stop by tomorrow so we can finalize our plans."

After Jake left Hawkins drew Darcy into his arms again. He tenderly kissed her, and then whispered in her ear, "What did I do to deserve you? I love you, Dee."

Darcy enjoying the comfort and reassurance of being in Rob's arms whispered back, "I love you, too."

*************************

Jake stopped at Bailey's on his way home from Hawkins' house. After speaking with Eric for a moment, he continued home, making a mental checklist of the things that he needed to get done before he left for Cheyenne. One thing was for sure, he was dreading the conversation he would need to have with his Mom, Eric and Emily. He decided the direct approach with them would be the best.

When Jake arrived home, he found Gail in the kitchen. "Hi, Mom."

"Jake, you're home!" Gail exclaimed, hugging her son tightly. "Is Constantino back in custody?"

"No. I came home because I found out some information. I stopped by Bailey's on the way home and asked Eric to come by the house. I'd like to tell you together." Worry flashed across Jake's face. He quickly masked it, but not in time to hide it from his mother.

Gail saw the look that came over her son's face. She knew all to well what it meant.

‘Not again. What is it this time?! He wants Eric here when he tells me. It can't be good!' Gail, knowing that when Jake set his mind on something there was no changing his mind, tried to prepare herself for what was coming.

Eric arrived at the house a few minutes later. Jake sat in his father's old chair across from Gail and Eric who were sitting on the couch. After Jake told the story about how he found out Heather was alive and that she was in Cheyenne, he handed to the letter from Heather to them to read.

Disbelief was evident in Eric's voice when he asked, "She's alive!?" The disbelief turned to confusion, "I don't understand, Jake, why did she go to Cheyenne?"

Gail spoke up. "I don't understand it either. She has a home here in Jericho. What does this mean ... she's taking another page from your book?"

Every time he heard or read those words, Jake's stomach dropped. The same fear and guilt he felt when he first read the letter returned. The thought of Heather putting herself in danger was unbearable. "It means she's in trouble, Mom, a lot of trouble."

Gail looked at her son. She saw the worry and concern etched on his face. She knew he was friends with Heather but what she saw in his face spoke of something more . . .

"Mom," Jake interrupted her thoughts. "You'll want to read that document I just handed you."

Gail was so lost in thoughts that she became startled when Jake spoke to her. "Yes...Yes, of course." She read the document and handed it to Eric.

Eric was the first to react. "This is bad . . . it sounds like the government is behind the war. It doesn't make any sense. "

Jake replied. "It sounds that way, but it doesn't prove anything. I need to find out who's behind all this. Mom, I know you are not going to be happy but I have to go to Cheyenne to investigate this."

"Jake, are you sure it's the right thing to do? I don't want you to go! Who knows what danger you're walking into?" Gail exclaimed.

"I'm sorry Mom. I have to do this. I'm not going alone. Hawkins is going with me. He says he has a contact in Cheyenne who can help us. Besides, I'm worried about Heather. " Jake admitted.

"When do you leave?" she said resignedly.

"The day after tomorrow, Eric, tell Gray that I joined another search party that's going after Constantino. I don't want him to know anything about this, especially that Heather is alive. Not only is she in danger snooping around Cheyenne but she'll be in danger until Constantino is in custody again. She knows too much about what went on in New Bern."

"I won't say anything, Jake. You have my word." Eric replied.

"You have to do your best to keep Gray in line while I'm gone. I know it can be difficult at times."

"Jake, how long will you be gone?" Gail asked.

"I'm not sure."

"What about Stanley's and Mimi's wedding. You'll be back for that, right?" Gail asked.

"I wouldn't miss it. It's not for another two months. Don't worry I'll be back for it even if I have to go back to Cheyenne after it, but I don't think that will happen."

Eric spoke up. "We're going to miss you Jake, Not only at home but back at Town Hall. You're right, I'm going to have my hands full with Gray. Is there anything else? I need to go help Mary close the pub."

"That's it for now. Why don't you come by tomorrow afternoon? My plans will be finalized by then. Oh, by the way, I saw Emily at lunch today. She knows Heather is alive but that's all. Don't tell her anything else . . . at this point, the less people who know the better.

Eric got up to go. "You don't have to worry about that. We won't say anything to her. You know, Jake, I feel like I'm just beginning to get my brother back after all these years. I would hate to have something happen to you out there. You be careful. Not only do Mom and I need you, but this town has come to depend on you."

Jake, surprised by Eric's sentiments, gave him a brotherly hug and said, "I'll be careful, little brother. Don't worry, I'll be back."

Gail walked Eric to the door. Jake overheard her say. "Bye, honey. Tell Mary that I'll stop by and see her tomorrow. We need to set up a day where I can show her how to bake that bread you like so much."

"Will do, Mom." Eric replied, happy that his Mom was finally making an effort to involve Mary in the family. "Goodnight."

Gail went back into the living room. Jake turned to her and asked, "Where's Em, Mom?"

"She told me she was going to the Pines for the night. She left right after lunch. She said she needed the quiet, that she had some things to sort out."

"Thanks, I'll stop by in the morning and tell her I'm going."

"She doesn't know yet?" Gail asked, surprised that Jake hadn't already discussed this with her.

"No, not yet, I haven't had time to tell her." The look he gave Gail told her that the subject was closed.

"So Jake, what can I do to help you get ready to leave for Cheyenne?"

"I think I'm all set. I just need to pack some clothes."

"Okay, let me go into the kitchen and see what food I can put together for trip out there."

"That would be great, Mom. Thanks."

That night, Jake lay in bed thinking about his visit to the Hawkins' house earlier that day. He thought back to the how Hawkins had consulted with Darcy before making the decision to come with him. For some reason, it had never occurred for him to consult with Emily. He knew that this pointed to yet another flaw in their relationship. In his mind's eye he reviewed the conversation he had with Darcy and Hawkins. The mutual respect that Hawkins and Darcy felt for each other was apparent in their interactions. Although, he didn't know them well, he had a feeling that it was the same type of respect that his parents had felt for each other. It was respect that was born, not only from love, but from taking each other's thoughts, feelings and ideas into consideration and more importantly from a deep seated commitment to each other. It was the kind that formed a strong foundation for a long term meaningful relationship.

His last thought before drifting off into a restless sleep was that that type of mutual respect was missing from his and Emily's relationship . . .

He was back in San Diego being chased down the streets. His pursuer was getting closer and closer. He turned to confront him but couldn't see his face . . . it was hidden in the shadows. He turned and ran until he reached the crossroad where he had to decide to run towards the harbor or further into the city. The next thing he knew he was sailing on a boat on San Diego Harbor. The water was rough and murky. He picked up the binoculars that lay on the table beside him, raised them to his eyes and looked towards the shore. He saw Emily there, motioning him to come back but he continued to sail further and further away. The further out he sailed the murkier the water got. He placed the binoculars backed on the table and turned in the opposite direction. He saw a woman struggling in the water. Her back was turned towards him but he could see she had medium length dark brown hair. He jumped into the murky water and started swimming towards her. As he was approached her, he calmly told her that he would be taking her back to safety. He hooked his arm over her chest and side stroked back to the boat. As he was swimming he noticed that water was getting less murky. By the time he had pulled her up on to the boat deck the water was completely clear. They both lay exhausted on the deck. He was the first to open his eyes. He turned to look at the woman he had just saved. It was Heather!

The truth of the dream's meaning in his subconscious jolted Jake awake. It took another minute for the dream's message to seep into his conscious being.

Once awake, Jake couldn't go back to sleep. His mind was occupied with thoughts of his relationship with Emily. His heart, on the other hand, was full of feelings for Heather.

Jake knew he had to deal with the thoughts in his mind before turning attention to the feelings in his heart.

Tonight, he finally admitted that his relationship with Emily was over. He wasn't able to give her what she wanted, what she seemed to need. She wanted the old Jake back . . . she wanted the same relationship they had before Chris died. She was living in the past while he was looking towards the future.

He didn't want . . . no, couldn't go back, to the person he was before he left Jericho.. That man did what he wanted without consideration for anyone's feelings but his own. He was a screw up, every time he attempted to make thing right he made worse. The man he had become was doing things right. He was making a difference helping Jericho getting back on his feet. The town respected him. They were beginning to look up to him in the same way they once looked up to his father. Above all, there was one overriding reason why he couldn't go back to the person he once was. With his dying breathe, his father had told him how proud he was of him. It was the words he had wanted to hear all his life, words he will carry in his heart forever. From that day, he had become determined to live his live in a manner that would have made his father proud. He didn't want to be alone in this new life. He wanted and needed the love and support of someone who accepted him as he was now. Emily couldn't give him that, she was too entrenched in the past.

It was then that Jake realized that had more to talk to Emily about then just his trip to Cheyenne.

The next morning, Jake walked over to Emily's house in the Pines. As he was walking up to her door he saw Emily coming out of the house.

"Jake, I was just walking over to see you. We need to talk."

"I know."

"Why don't we go back inside? I'll make us a cup of coffee."

"Sure, Em."

Jake followed Emily into the kitchen and sat at the table while she made the coffee. Ten minutes later, they were both sitting with cups of hot coffee in front of them.

"Em, you said you wanted to talk. So do I. Why don't you go first?"

"Okay." Emily said warily. "I think we both know that I haven't been happy with the way things are between us. It's just not the same as it used to be, is it?

Jake hesitated. He didn't want to hurt Emily any more than he had to. "No, it isn't," he answered honestly.

"Jake. I came here last night because I needed the quiet to think things through. To see how we could resolve this. I thought we could try cooling it for awhile. I'll move back here and we can start over, take the time to get to know each other again. What do you think?"

"I don't know, Emily . . . We're always at each other's throats. You seem to want things to be like they used to be . . . before Chris died. . . "

"What are you saying, Jake?" Emily interrupted.

Jake took a deep breath and said what he felt. "I'm saying I can't do this anymore. You say you want things to be the way they used to be. I can't do that for you."

"But, Jake . . . "

"No Em, let me finish. I've changed too much to want to ever go back being the person I once was. You don't want to accept that. I'm really sorry, Em, I should never have started things up with you again. I never wanted to hurt you."

"So that's it? Just like that? It's over?"

"Yes," was all Jake could reply.

Emily's instincts knew Jake was right. They could never go back to the way things were and she wasn't happy with the way things were now. She wanted the old Jake back. She didn't understand the new the one, if truth be told, she wasn't sure she wanted to.

"If only you hadn't left Jericho. If only Chris hadn't die. We would have been happy then, wouldn't we?" Emily asked with tears in her eyes.

Jake, trying to provide what comfort he could, reached over and placed his hand on hers. "I'd like to think we would have been, but I can't go back to the way I was. I'd be living a lie. I can't make you happy, Emily, not the way you deserve to be."

"You know deep down I know you're right and the sooner I accept it the better off I'll be. I don't know what I'll do without you. I'm going to miss you."

"I'll still be here for you. Whenever you need something you only have to ask, but we'll be friends, good friends. Okay?"

Emily looked at him and gave him a small smile. "Okay, friends."

Jake returned her smile. "Good."

They sat in a comfortable silence for a few minutes before Jake said. "There's something else I need to tell you."

"What's that?" Emily asked.

"I'm worried about Heather. I'm going to Cheyenne to bring her home. I'm leaving tomorrow."

Emily was concerned by this news. "Are you going alone?"

"No, Hawkins is going with me."

"Jake, just be careful."

"I will. Look, I need to get going. I have a few more things to get done before I leave. Are you going to be okay?"

"I'll be okay, Jake. Would you mind just waiting a minute? I want to write Heather a quick note."

"Sure. It will give me a chance to enjoy another cup of coffee." Jake said as he got up to refill his cup.

In spite of everything, Emily wanted Jake to be happy. She thought back to the look on Jake's face when he told her Heather was alive. If she couldn't make him happy, she thought she knew who could. A few minutes later Emily returned and handed an envelope to Jake asked him to give the envelope to Heather when he found her.

She walked Jake to the door. "Good bye, Jake. Be careful and bring my friend back safe and sound."

"Don't worry, I will." Jake replied. As he turned and walked away he couldn't help but feel that a huge weight had been lifted off his shoulders.

Now he could deal with the feelings in his heart with a clear conscious.

*************************
Gail, Eric and Jake stood by the Roadrunner outside of the Green house saying their good-byes.

"Jake, have you talked to Stanley?" Eric asked.

"Hawkins and I are going to stop at the farm on the way out of town to let him know what's going on."

"Eric, take care of yourself and Mom. Good luck with Gray. He can be a pain in the ass at times," Jake said.

"I will. You take care of yourself too. Good luck in Cheyenne."

"Thanks." Jake hugged Eric and turned to his Mom.

"Mom, please don't worry. I'll be okay. Don't forget we'll be checking in once a week and if there's an emergency all you need to do is go see Darcy and she'll contact us."

Hawkins had informed Jake that he had four satellite phones in his possession. Threw were going to Cheyenne with him. The other he was leaving one with Darcy so that they could keep in contact with Jericho. At a predefined time each week Eric and Gail could go to the Hawkins house and wait for a call from Cheyenne. Only in an emergency, could Darcy use the phone to call them. When Jake expressed some concerns on how secure the phones were, Hawkins reply was that they had top of the line digital scramblers installed, making it impossible to track the locations of the persons using the phone.

"Jake, it's a God send to me knowing that we'll able to keep in contact. I'll try not to worry, but you know me . . ."

"Only to well, Mom, . . .only to well. Take care of yourself and I'll talk to you soon.

Jake hugged his mother and whispered in her ear. "I love you, Mom."

"I love you too, honey," Gail replied before breaking away from the hug. She then told Jake, "Take care of yourself out there."

"I will, Mom." Jake then turned and got in the car. He started it up. With one last wave to his Mom and Eric he was on his way to Hawkins' house.

When Jake drove up to the house he saw that Darcy, Sam and Allison were standing on the porch saying their goodbyes.

Hawkins turned to Sam and stooped down so he could look him in the eyes. "Sam, you're the man of the house now. I'm counting on you to help your Mom. Do you think you can do that?"

"Sure thing, Dad. You are coming home aren't you?"

"I'm going to do everything in my power to come back."

"Okay, Dad."

Hawkins hugged Sam and said, "I love you, son."

"Love you, too, Dad. Can I go play football now?" Both Hawkins and Darcy smiled.

Hawkins turned to his daughter. "Allison, your Mom and I talked last night. We've agreed to let you train for border patrol. Listen to Jimmy and do whatever he tells you. Be careful."

At his words, a huge smile spread across Allison's face. "Don't worry I'll be careful. Thanks for giving me this chance."

"You know, Allison, it's important that the family stick together especially while I'm away. Make sure you do your part, okay?

"I will, Dad. Take care of yourself. I'll let you say goodbye to Mom now." Allison turned and went back into the house.

"Dee, I'll be sure to talk to you once a week. Remember if there's an emergency, you can call me. This time won't be like all the other times when you didn't hear from me for months on end."

"Rob, I know that things are different now. You just go out there and do what needs to be done so that you can come home again."

Hawkins pulled Darcy into his embrace.

"I'm going to miss you, Dee." Hawkins said before passionately kissing his wife.

"I'm going to miss you too. You stay safe Rob Hawkins," Darcy said with tears in her eyes.

"Don't worry, Dee. I'll be back. I love you."

"I love you, too."

Darcy walked Hawkins to the Roadrunner. "Goodbye, Rob," she said as Hawkins got into the car.

"Take care, Darcy."

Darcy stayed, wistfully looking down the road until the car was out of sight before turning and going back into the house.

The two-day trip from Jericho to Cheyenne was tiring, but uneventful. Fortunately, Hawkins still had the detailed maps of Kansas that he and Sarah had used when they had gone looking for the old man. These maps had allowed them to use back roads to avoid the more-densely populated areas. Fortunately, the Army had been successful in securing the roads and the letter Colonel Hoffman had given Jake had eased their way through military checkpoints.

As they approached Cheyenne, Hawkins reached over and shook Jake.

'Wake up, Jake. We're getting close to Cheyenne.'

Meanwhile at the Ravenwood camp outside of New Bern

D.B. Goetz, leader of the Ravenwood team, had just raised Valente on their secure satellite connection to update him on their progress.

"Valente."

"Goetz, I take it you have some news to report?

"We've been able to accomplish our objective. Our operatives easily penetrated the warehouse where Constantino was being held. They took out two guards. Constantino is now being held at our safe house he will be debriefed tonight at 1800 hours before being eliminated. Word around New Bern is that he had a couple of unidentified accomplices aided in his escape."

"In spite of that, I have to say I'm disappointed, Goetz. I thought your unit handled problems not created them. "

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"Heather Lisinski is alive. You lied to me when you said she was eliminated. Did you think I would never find out? Saying she was dead and then selling her to highest bidder?"

"What difference does it make? Where she was going no one would know who she is. Hell, after a few months she wouldn't even have known who she was."

"That's not the point,You were to eliminate her and you failed to do that. In case you haven't remembered, failure to follow orders is a breach of our contract . . ."

Goetz interrupted Valente. "You don't want to go there. You forget that I have the goods that could topple this little world you've created for yourself. I‘ve already arranged for the goods to be delivered to the right people if anything happens to me Now, let's get back to business. Where's Lisinski?"

Valente nodded uncomfortably, not liking how Goetz easily turned the table on him. "Apparently, the car that you transported her in ran off the road, she was the only survivor. The army patrol securing the roads in that area found her. She's here in Cheyenne. She is presently working in the Department of Reconstruction but I've devised a plan where I'll be able to keep a closer eye on her."

"How did she end up in Cheyenne?"

The commander at Camp Liberty in Nebraska convinced her to testify at Constantino's trial. For her protection, he kept the fact she was alive quiet. When his unit received orders to move on, he arranged for her to come here. He told her that Constantino's power doesn't extend as far as Cheyenne and she would be safer here."

Goetz thought for a minute before saying, "You know Valente, sometimes you fail to see how fate works to our advantage."

"What do you mean?"

"Here's the new plan. We use Constantino to kill Lisinski and then we kill Constantino. Jericho wants its revenge against Constantino. Not only will both threats be eliminated . . . "

Valente finished for Goetz, "It will be the first step in redeeming Ravenwood in the eyes of Jericho. This along with a few supply convoys should pave the way for your team to infiltrate the town and get the necessary information we need to acquire their resources."

"I'll go to the safe house and talk to Constantino. My men say he's half crazed with anger about how things turned out. It shouldn't take much to convince him that Lisinski was the root of all his problems. I'll tell him where she is before I let him escape."

"Get to it then. Contact me at the designated time and we'll re-evaluate the situation."

"Yes, Sir!" Goetz then gave Valente an exaggerated salute before signing off.

It was unfortunate that the Army had intervened but Goetz wasn't one to run from a challenge. He was already formulating a new plan in his mind. He was determined to get his revenge.

7 weeks after the war with New Bern, the day before Jake and Hawkins arrive in Cheyenne

The alarm clock buzzed loudly. Sighing, Heather rolled over in bed and turned the clock off. She knew that she had to get up so that she could catch the eight o'clock bus to work. Free transportation to and from work and the FEMA camp was one of the fringe benefits to living in the apartments which had been purchased by the government for employees who had been displaced by the bombs.

An hour later, Heather got on the bus in front of her apartment building. When she reached the Capitol, she headed to her office. She entered the department where she worked and politely greeted the receptionist.

"Good morning, Miss Lisinski," the receptionist replied. "From the way other analysts have been complaining this morning, the stringers must have been busy this week."

Most of the news that Heather compiled and analyzed came from stringers who were placed strategically throughout the country. Since the bombs had exploded, it usually took two to ten days from the time the news happened until it was entered into the government's secured computer servers located in the capitol data center.

Heather smiled at the receptionist and said, "Keeping busy makes the day go faster."

"Well, you're going to have to stay busy today if you want to get through all of those reports. Isn't tomorrow your day at the camp?" the receptionist asked.

Nodding at the receptionist, Heather walked over to her desk. As an Information Analyst, her job gave her access to the news archives. Her computer was on the government network and she received reports from stringers every day. After she reviewed and categorized the new reports, she forwarded them to the data center to be archived. Heather flagged the reports which needed immediate attention and forwarded them to the Secretary of Redevelopment. At the end of the day, she prepared her daily report outlining situations which needed immediate attention along with possible resolutions for those situations.

At six o'clock, Heather electronically filed her report and printed out a copy for the department files. As she walked over to the filing cabinet, she saw that several of her co-workers were still at the office. Although a few of them had tried to befriend her, she had kept their relationships purely professional.

Heather was determined to do the best job she could. She knew that her compilations were used to identify when and where redevelopment could begin and to provide information so that scientists could track the effects of the bombs. Right now, it was one of the only ways she could help people whose lives had been torn apart by the attacks.

"Bye," she said as she put on her jacket. She left the building and went to the bus stop. The buses ran regularly and soon Heather was back at her apartment. After she ate dinner, she prepared for her day at Camp Cheyenne, the FEMA camp where she volunteered once a week.

When she was at home in her apartment, she felt the most lonesome. Her thoughts invariably drifted to Jake. Of all the people in Jericho, she missed him the most. Jake was one of the few people who had really listened to her and took her suggestions seriously, like the time she had suggested that they siphon gas from Murthy's Gas Station and use it to power the generator. Not only had he listened to her but he had recruited Stanley's help to siphon the gas and transport it to the generator that powered the Med Center. The three of them had worked really well as a team that day, and naïve as it might sound, she had pictured herself and Jake working together to help improve the new lives that everyone was forced to live after the bombs.

One of her favorite memories of Jake was the day of the fallout. She remembered the look and the smile that Jake had given her when he looked in the rearview mirror while driving the bus to the salt mine. Then there was that day when she had thrown caution to the wind and kissed Jake before he left for Rouge River. She had never felt safer and more cared for when Jake started to kiss her back. She was hurt and confused when Jake avoided her after that day. She still was.  Heather still couldn't believe that she had managed to call him out on his behavior before they had left Jericho for Black Jack.

After the Black Jack fiasco, when she had said good bye to Jake by the railroad tracks, she had seen a fleeting look in his eyes that had made her wonder if he actually did have feelings for her.  When she didn't return to Jericho with the men, she had secretly hoped that Jake would come after her, he never did.

Then New Bern had happened. She still hadn't come to terms with it and she didn't know if she ever would. It was something no one should ever have to live through. Sometimes she wondered if she would ever be able to trust the people around her again. She knew she had to try and, last week with that in mind, she had accepted Joe's invitation for lunch tomorrow at Camp Cheyenne.

She had met Joe Chavez the first day she volunteered at the camp.  Her education background and her current government job had prompted the Camp Coordinator to ask her to serve on a committee to revamp the news stringer training program, one of the re-assimilation programs offered to the refugees. Joe was also asked to serve on the same committee. They brought with them expertise in two very different areas that were considered instrumental in the revamped training program. Joe chaired a sub-committee charged with making recommendations to improve the survival rates of the news stringers while Heather chaired a sub-committee on curriculum development that was responsible for bringing the training curriculum up to date to reflect the latest technology and news gathering techniques.  The committee met for three hours every Wednesday. Since it was the only day that Heather was in camp, she also met with her sub-committee for two hours in the afternoon. Heather had liked Joe from the start so when he asked her to join him for lunch her next day at camp she decided that she would take the step and see if a friendship could develop between them.

Last Wednesday had been the last meeting of the committee. The camp governing council had approved their recommendations and the Director of Training Programs was charged with implementing the program changes.

Tomorrow, Heather would finally have the opportunity to finally do what she loved, teaching.

Tired, Heather decided to turn in early. There was nothing else to do. As she climbed into the bed and pulled up the covers, she thought sleepily to herself, ‘Tomorrow won't be so lonely.'

The next day Heather was excited to be at camp.  She started her day reviewing her lesson plans and the information that she had on her new students. She had a class of thirty students ranging from the ages of six to eleven. They had arrived at the camp last week from a small town in northeast Wyoming.

As she was placing the day's learning material on the students' desk a girl, who looked to be about ten or eleven, entered the classroom.

"Hello," Heather said. "My name is Miss Lisinski. What's your name?"           

"My name is Maureen."

"That's such a nice name. Did your mom or dad bring you here today?"

"They're dead." Maureen said flatly and then looked up at Heather.

The torment and sadness Heather saw in her eyes almost broke her heart. "Oh honey, I'm so sorry!" Heather said and then hugged the girl. When she felt her stop trembling, she pulled away and looked in the girl in the eyes.

Hoping to distract Maureen from thoughts of her parents, Heather asked, "I'm glad you came when you did. Would you like to help me get ready for the other children?"

The girl nodded her head and proceeded to help Heather. Just as they were finished the other children started to file into the classroom.

Heather had decided that she would spend the day doing some ice-breaking activities so that she could get to know the children better. She then had a few activities planned so that she could judge what level the kids were at in reading and math. The last assignment of the day was to write one page on whatever topic they chose.

As class was ending, Heather called Maureen over to her desk and asked her if she would come early next week to help again. There was something about Maureen that tugged at her heart and she was determined to take her under her wing.

Since the school was on Joe's way to the commissary, he told her that that he would meet her in the school lobby. After the children left, Heather checked the time and found she still had about forty five minutes before she had to meet Joe. Heather pulled out the writing assignments and began reading.

Forty-five minutes later, she left the classroom. Just as she reached the school lobby Joe walked in the door. "Hello, Heather, are you ready to go?"

"Yes, let's go. I'm starving!"

Joe laughed at Heather's remark and asked, "How was your first day?"

"It was great! I'm so happy to be teaching again, even if it's only one day a week. I gave them a writing assignment today and just finished reading them. Most of the children chose to write about how their lives had changed after the bombs. I feel so sad for them. They've lost so much. It explains the look of defeat and indifference I see in their faces. I know that things won't ever be the same for them again, but I wonder if there's a way I can reach them, to bring the smile back in their eyes . . ."

"You know, Heather, its unfortunate that they were forced to grow up too fast. There's not much we can do to change it." Joe said.

"Oh, I don't know about that. I'm not naïve enough to think I'll make a difference in all of their lives but if I can reach even one of them that will be reward enough for me." Heather said, her optimistic tone contrasting with Joe's pessimistic one.

They walked in a companionable silence until Heather asked. "I know that the camp opened three weeks after the bombs went off. How did the government manage to accomplish that?"

Joe replied, "One of the camp administrators told me that this camp compound along with five others in other parts of the U.S. were built in 2005 when the Department of Homeland Security awarded a contract with Ralls Engineering and Construction,"

"I never heard about that. Why did the government build them?" Heather asked.

"They were built as detention centers to house American detainees if martial law were declared or to house displaced citizens after a natural disaster. After the bombs, FEMA opened the camps to the refugees."

Heather nodded her head in understanding, "I've heard that conditions at some camps are deplorable . . . they're overcrowded, there's not enough food to go around and sanitary conditions are horrible. Worse is the violence and crime that people are forced to live with. I understand that this is the only camp where the residents are free to come and go as they please."

"Yes, all that's true." Joe replied and then continued, "People in this camp are very lucky. It was turned into a ‘poster child' of FEMA camps once the government was established in Cheyenne. What really sets this camp apart from others is its low crime rate, due to the military presence in the capital and the community services it offers."

Heather nodded in agreement. She had been given a run down of the services the camp provided by the Camp Orientation Manager the first day she was in camp. Medical care was provided to all residents and adult education programs were set up to train residents in the skills they would need to live productive lives once the camp closed and they were reabsorbed into American life. All children in the camp were required to attend school and there were many programs that the children could participate in after school to keep them busy and out of trouble. The camp even had a job placement service where the government, as well as other companies just getting up and running after the bombs, posted job openings. In addition to screening applicants for these jobs, the service provided career counseling to the camp residents.

Before long Heather and Joe were at the commissary. Joe opened the door and allowed Heather to enter first. They went up to the counter and both chose a sandwich, two cookies and a bottle of water for lunch. After paying the cashier they sat down at a table next to a window and began to eat. Heather and Joe both felt comfortable in each other's presence and didn't feel the need to fill the silence with conversation. After a few minutes Heather asked Joe about his life before the bombs.

Joe hesitated a minute before replying. After Heather had told him that she worked for the government as an Information Analyst couple of weeks ago he had decided that she could be the government contact he was looking for. He also realized that it was too soon to approach her. He had to be careful how he responded to her question. He knew she was perceptive and that it was important that she believed him. He decided to go with a modified version of the truth.

"Before the bombs, I was the director at a boot camp for delinquent kids. Before you say anything . . . there are a lot of bad camps out there but I ran one of the best. There were never any reports of physical or mental abuse. The staff and I prided ourselves on our abilities to turn kids around using patience and hard work. The major part of the program was two months out in the wilderness. We taught the kids how to find food and water and how to build shelter. It was a very rewarding experience for me."

Heather nodded her head. "You know that I taught third grade in a small Kansas town before the bombs exploded. I loved my job. I agree that teaching, in whatever form, is rewarding. I used to love seeing the kids' faces light up when they finally understood what I was trying to teach them. It was a great feeling! I hope one day to get back to doing it full time. So where did you learn your survival skills from?"

"Mostly in the military," replied Joe. "I also lived with a survival expert in the Rockies. After spending three months with him, he told me I had learned everything he could teach me and told me to leave. He wanted to get back to his reclusive life. I really learned a lot from him especially about surviving in the middle of winter."

"How did you go from learning how to be a survivalist to running a camp for troubled kids?" Heather asked, unable to see the connection.

"My brother-in-law died in a car accident and left behind my sister, a fifteen year old son and ten year old daughter. The death of my brother-in-law really hit my nephew hard and he started acting up and getting into trouble. My sister just couldn't handle him anymore. One day, two of his friends and him were caught stealing a car. I went to juvenile court and talked to the judge and the district attorney. I asked that they be released into my custody. I outlined a reformation plan where I would take them camping in Glacier National Park and give them a lesson in surviving. Through hard work and learning the necessity for depending on others to survive it would teach them the values that they needed to change their ways. Apparently it worked. After we returned home, my nephew and friends started buckling down and doing well in school." 

Joe continued, "My nephew is now...was vice-president of his senior class and had been applying to Ivy League colleges. Anyways, when I returned from camp with the boys, my nephew's friends' parents wrote to the judge and told them how my program worked for their kids. With the help of the judge, I became certified with the state to work with teens in the juvenile system. The program's success rate was high. All of the kids in the program who were close to graduating high school either went on to college or were accepted into good trade schools."

Heather looked at her watch and said, "Oh my gosh, Joe! Time has just flown by.  It's already three o'clock and my bus leaves at three thirty. I better get going."

"Okay, I'll walk you to the bus stop." Joe replied.

On the way back to the bus stop, Heather thought about Joe's story, interested in learning more about his background, she asked, "How did you end up in Cheyenne?"

 "My sister and her family lived in Sterling, Colorado. My niece was really into ballet and my sister promised her a trip to Denver to see the Colorado Ballet at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House.  She asked me to stay at her house and keep an eye on my nephew. At the last minute, my nephew decided to go with them to look at the University of Colorado in Denver. Since I needed some quiet time, I decided to stay there until they returned from their trip. They arrived in Denver the day before the bombs hit."

"I'm so sorry to hear that," said Heather replied. 

"Yes, well...it's been difficult. They were the only family I had left" replied Joe, "After the bombs went off, refugees from the areas surrounding Denver started coming into Sterling. It was more than they could handle. The town officials heard that this was the nearest FEMA camp that treated its occupants decently. They asked me to lead a group of refugees here. Since I've come, I've been trying to make myself useful. I have been volunteering around the camp where ever needed while trying to decide what it is I want to do with the rest of my life."

"Did you ever think to apply for a job with the government security force? You've had military experience. It might qualify you for the job." Heather asked.

"No, that's the last thing I want to do. I don't work really well in structured environments." The look he gave Heather told her the subject was closed and they walked the rest of the way to the bus stop in silence.

When they reached the bus stop, Joe turned to Heather and said. "You know Heather; I'd really like to get to know you better. Would you like to get together for dinner tomorrow?

"I don't know . . .," Heather said apprehensively. She got the impression that maybe Joe was looking to be more than just friends. It was a step that she knew she wasn't ready to take.

"Look, Heather, it's not a date . . . it's just friends getting together. I'll take the bus and get off at the capitol bus stop. You can meet me there after work and we can decide what to do. "

"Oh . . . okay," Heather replied, relieved that she was wrong about Joe's intentions. "Why don't we meet there at six o'clock?"

"Sounds like a plan," Joe replied.

*******************************************

Somewhere between New Bern and Cheyenne

Goetz was sitting across the table staring down Constantino.

Constantino's nefarious look was exaggerated by the rage surging through his body. With his black, beady eyes and beard, he looked like the devil himself. He was ranting, "I never saw your betrayal coming. You told me that the government wanted the war with Jericho but what did they do instead? They send the army to save them."

In an attempt to fuel Constantino's anger, Goetz replied, "There are some things that your little mind will never understand. You never did see the bigger picture, did you?"

"What the hell are you talking about? You made me promises. You agreed that in return for my allegiance not only would I remain in charge of New Bern but I would also oversee the Jericho operation! What other picture is there to see?!"

"Yeah . . . yeah . . . well, too bad. You know you only have one person to blame and that's not me," Goetz replied.

"If it isn't you, who is it?" Constantino was clearly getting more agitated.

"It's that girl from Jericho. Heather Lisinski. She's alive, you know. She's the one who warned the army. She's the one who brought this all down on you. She knows too much and she's gonna make your life a living hell. It's a shame she's alive," Goetz remarked, intentionally inciting Constantino. "If she were dead, she couldn't testify against you. It would be your word against Eric Green's. You could get back everything you lost."

Constantino stopped pacing. With a curse, he punched a hole in the wall before beginning to pace again. Goetz could see that the mention of Heather's name had pushed him over the edge. He sat half-listening to the ramblings of New Bern's former Sheriff.

"If it wasn't for that girl I wouldn't be in this mess right now. . . things would have been the way they were supposed to be . . . she spoiled it all for me . . . Jericho should be under my control right now. . . It's their fault our town was ransacked by the likes of you . . . I would have had my revenge on Jericho . . . I bet she went straight to Jake and Eric Green and told them everything she knew . . ."

At the mention of Eric Green, Goetz stood up and walked over Constantino. He put his hands on his shoulders and shook him to bring him back to the present.  "Did you say Eric Green?" He asked, remembering the name of on the Kansas license he found that day in Rouge River when half of his unit had been killed.

"Yes, that damned girl is a friend of the Green boys. As a matter of fact, she and Eric became closer when they worked at the factory together. Hell, maybe they were lovers. I don't know. But Green was the one who helped her sabotage the factory."

The crazed look came back into Constantino eyes and he shoved Goetz's hands off his shoulder. He looked Goetz straight in the eye and demanded, "Where is she? I need to know!" 

"She's in Cheyenne," was Goetz's reply.

Later that evening . . .

After a finishing the dinner his guard gave him, Constantino started pacing the floor again and began ranting.

"I had such plans. That contract for the mortar production would have ensured the survival of New Bern's citizens and it would have been all mine! Mine!  Do you know what Goetz promised me? He said that I could remain in charge of New Bern and get to run the Jericho operation! I would have had control over the fate of everyone in Jericho.  Any of their citizens who couldn't work the farms or mine salt would have been sent to the FEMA camp outside Rouge River." Constantino muttered. "It's all her fault that I'm didn't get what I was promised. If I ever get out of here, I'm gonna kill her. She'll be dead, the first one I kill when I get out of here. "

"Yeah, whatever," said the guard. "Shut up! I'm getting sick of listening to you. If you don't quiet down, I'm going to gag you."

Constantino stopped his ranting but continued to pace the floor. He couldn't stop thinking about his situation. A few minutes later, he looked at the guard who was just beginning to doze off, his gun sitting on the table.  He quickly walked to the table and grabbed the gun.  He then gathered up the food and water that were left with him and walked out into the night.

Goetz walked into the room a few minutes later and shook the guard. "Well, did it work?"

"Like a charm. She's the first one he's going after."

A small smile crossed Goetz's face. The death of Heather Lisinski would not only eliminate a threat to the entire operation but it would be the first step in his revenge against Eric Green for killing his men at Rogue River.

 7 weeks after the war with New Bern, the day Jake and Hawkins arrive in Cheyenne

When Heather arrived at the office the next morning, after her day at Camp Cheyenne, she was refreshed and ready to work.   When she walked into the wing that housed the Department of Redevelopment she stopped by the receptionist's desk to pick up her messages from the day before.

"Good morning." Heather said and then asked, "Do you have any messages for me?"

"Good morning, Miss Lisinski. Here are your messages. It was slow yesterday, you didn't miss much."

"That's good. I'm sure today will more than make up for it." Heather said as she turned and walked toward her office.

"Oh . . . Secretary Sheridan stopped by on his way in and asked me to tell you that he wants to meet with you at ten o'clock in his office."

 "Okay, thanks." Heather replied. As she walked to her office, she wondered why the Secretary wanted to meet with her.

The first thing she did when she sat down at her desk was to check her email. The receptionist was right; yesterday had been a slow day. She only had five emails to which she needed to reply. Once she sent all her replies, she started on the folder of news that was left on her desk early that morning. The next couple of hours went by quickly, before she knew it, it was time to meet with the Secretary.

The Secretary of Redevelopment, Matthew Sheridan, was an old friend of President Tomarchio. They had met at Stanford where they both majored in political science. After receiving their undergraduate degrees, they had chosen different paths. Sheridan had obtained a Ph.D. in political science; then had accepted a professorship at Yale University where he taught undergraduate and graduate classes in governmental affairs and foreign policy. Tomarchio, after completing law school, had decided on a political career working himself up from a Wyoming state legislator to U.S. Senator. When he was elected to the senate in 2002, he had convinced Sheridan to join his staff as Chief Political Advisor. After the bombs, Tomarchio had established himself as President, Sheridan joined his cabinet as Secretary of Redevelopment.

Matthew Sheridan was an honest politician and did not subscribe to the ‘whatever it takes mentality' that was prevalent in some offices of the president. He believed that the integrity of the government was demonstrated by the ethics of its high ranking officials. Knowing that he was in a minority, he kept silent about his feelings and his suspicions of how the government was being run.

Sheridan was sitting at his desk when his assistant knocked on his door and told him that Heather had just arrived for her appointment. "Show her in now." He instructed his assistant.

Heather walked into the office and greeted Sheridan. "Good morning, Secretary Sheridan."

"Good morning, Heather. Have a seat." Sheridan replied.

Heather had met the Secretary a few times since she started her job. He was always friendly and really seemed interested in what his staff had to say. He was a good manager and Heather felt comfortable in his presence. She sat down and directed her attention to Sheridan.

"Heather, it seems as if Chief of Staff Valente has taken a personal interest in the report you wrote on retooling factories to meet the needs of the new economy. He sent me an email today and would like to meet with you on Monday to discuss the report."

"He wants to meet with me? Isn't that a little unusual?" Heather asked with some surprise in her voice.

"Yes, it is," Sheridan replied. "But like I said, he seems to have taken a personal interest in the report and insists on meeting with you to hear your ideas first hand."

"Okay, will you also be at the meeting?" Heather asked.

"No, I'll be out in the field on Monday. You know, Heather, I shouldn't be saying this, but a new position has opened in Valente's office for a Senior Research Analyst. He needs to fill the position immediately.  I have a feeling that this meeting is Valente's way of sizing you up for the job."

‘Well, then I have to impress him,' Heather thought. ‘This could be the opportunity I've been looking for to move ahead with my investigation.

Working for Valente will give me access to more highly classified current news and I'll have full access to all the news in the government archives.'

Sheridan continued, "Heather, Valente has already asked me for a recommendation.  I told him you've become our best analyst in the short time you've been here. I have to say I'd be disappointed if you left this office. You'll be hard to replace. However, I can understand if you would feel this would be a good opportunity for you."

"Yes, it would be. I guess I'll just have to wait and hear what he has to say." Heather replied neutrally, not wanting Sheridan to think that she was excited over the opportunity.

"I would suggest that you review your report again and check the news archives for more up-to-date news on the subject so that you're prepared on Monday."

"I will. Is there anything else?" Heather asked.

"No, we're all set. Good luck with your meeting on Monday."

"Thank you, Secretary Sheridan. Have a nice weekend."

"You too, Heather. Goodbye."

"Goodbye," Heather replied before heading back to her office.

Later in the afternoon, Heather pulled up the report she was to review with Valente on Monday.  When she was done reading over the report, she logged into the news archives and searched for any recent news related to retooling factories. Her search only yielded ten new reports.  She reviewed the first nine reports and found nothing new that would support or discount the arguments she had presented in her report.

She was surprised that the tenth item related to a piece of news that she hadn't read about. As she read the report, her surprise turned into shock. The report said that two months ago the town council of a small town in Nebraska voted against retooling a rubber manufacturing facility located within the town borders. One of the council members had come forward anonymously and told the stringers covering the story that the town council had been coerced into voting it down. He went on to say that a group of three men who were new in town had approached the council and told them that aid from the government would be withheld if they voted for the retooling.

That night, the stringers set up a twenty-four hour surveillance of the factory. They saw a caravan of vans entering the factory compound and observed young men and women with their feet shackled to each other being escorted from the vans into the factory. They also saw armed guards patrolling the perimeters of the facility.  The next day the stringers approached a number of the town's citizens about what they saw but they refused to talk to them. Before they had time to investigate further, they were recalled to their news station and sent to a remote region for another assignment.

Heather was shocked by the implications of the report. Memories of what had happened to her in New Bern flashed through her mind. Tears came to her eyes. She gave into her emotions for just a moment, before putting them back into the ‘compartment' where she kept them and turning back to the matter at hand.

Her curiosity was piqued; she decided to check if the factory in the report was listed in the government database of manufacturing facilities in the west. As she suspected, there was no listing for it--just like there wasn't one for the brake assembly plant in New Bern when she checked a few weeks ago.

Not sure of what it all meant, but acting on her instinct that this information was somehow important to her investigation ,she printed out the report.  She also printed out the list of the manufacturing facilities to show that there was not a listing for the factory in the news report or for the break assembly plant in New Bern. She folded up the printouts and put them in the zippered compartment of her purse.

Heather then went back to the report that she was going to review with Valente on Monday and made a list of the talking points she wanted to bring up at their meeting before leaving work for the day.

She walked to the bus top and arrived about ten minutes before she was supposed to meet Joe. Just as she arrived at the stop, the six o'clock bus pulled up and Joe got off.

"Hello, Heather. You look nice tonight."

Heather blushed at the unexpected compliment and studied Joe. She couldn't help but notice how good he looked. He had on a pair of fitted black jeans and a gray shirt that highlighted the muscles in his arms. "Thanks. You don't look so bad yourself."

"Thanks. I brought some dinner from the commissary for us. I thought that we could stop at Holiday Park and eat there before it gets dark. I know a place that has a wonderful view. After that I thought we could just enjoy a walk through the city. How does that sound?"

"That's sounds nice to me. Holiday Park is near my apartment. I've been planning to go there but just haven't had a chance yet. Here's the bus we need to take coming now."

At the park, they found a picnic table by the pond, sat down and ate their dinner. Afterward, they walked through town. The evening went by quickly as they spent most of the time talking and getting to know each other better.

Joe talked about his childhood in Colorado. After he told her how his parents had died when he was young, he described how his grandparents had been taken in him and his sister. He talked about how much he missed his sister now that she was gone and how much his niece and nephew had meant to him. He went on to describe how his uncle influenced him to join the ROTC program in college so his education would be paid for and told her stories about the time he was in the military.

Heather had talked about how her Dad had been a mechanical engineer and had taken her to help on various jobs. Her dad taught her about techniques she could use to figure out how different things were put together and what made them work. She also talked about the time she spent in her uncle's garage learning to fix cars. She also talked vaguely about her life in a small Kansas town where she taught and how her life had changed since the bombs went off. She did not mention the fact that the small Kansas town was Jericho and that the town she grew up in was the neighboring town of New Bern. She wanted to keep this information to herself for now.

Joe could read people well. He could tell by the far away look in Heather's eyes that she was not telling him everything--that there was more to her story. As he listened to her he realized that she had the back bone to help him in his mission. He knew he couldn't ask for her help now. He needed time to convince her that she could trust him.

When their walk ended at Heather's apartment, Joe turned to Heather.

"I had a really nice time tonight. Why don't we do this again soon?

Before Heather could mask it, Joe saw the hesitation in her eyes.

"I don't know, Joe. There are some things that happened. I don't know if I'm ready for what I think you are asking for . . ."

"Look, Heather. I'm only asking for you to be a friend right now. I could use one and I think you could, too. I'm not ready for anything romantic either, but I could use a new friend. What do you say?"

"I'd like that," was Heather's reply. "Seeing as we're friends and if you don't have anything better to do tomorrow, why don't we meet at the park for lunch? This time I'll bring the food."

"Now that's an offer I can't refuse." Joke said jokingly.

Heather laughed at Joe's comment before asking, "How about we just meet at the same picnic table we ate at tonight at one o'clock?"

"Sounds like a plan."

"Well, thanks for a nice evening. I'll see you tomorrow. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Heather.

"Thanks for the dinner. Goodnight."

Joe stood there and waited until Heather was safely inside. He looked at his watch and decided that he had enough time to go to the safe house and check for messages before heading back to the bus stop to catch the last bus back to the FEMA camp.

*************************

Earlier that evening, Jake and Hawkins were sitting in the Roadrunner eating the last of the food that Gail had packed for them discussing their plan. Jake had been on edge since the arrived in Cheyenne. Hawkins couldn't say a word without Jake snapping back at him.

It didn't take long before Hawkins had had enough. "Jake, what's your problem?"

"Nothing's wrong with me," Jake snapped angrily.

"Right . . .  whatever it is, get a grip on it. You're no good to the mission the way you are now.  Either you snap out of it or you're heading back to Jericho. You need to be at a hundred percent if you want to help us."

"You won't get a hundred percent from me until we find Heather and I know she's safe."

Hawkins was losing patience with Jake's refusal to see the bigger picture. "It might not be possible to look for her right now, we don't know anything yet. We need to talk to my contact first. You may want to go off half-cocked looking for her but it's a dumb idea. You can't go out without knowing how your actions may affect our mission. Besides, you don't know what's out there. . .  "

"Heather's in danger. Look, it's my fault she's in this situation. I don't want it to be my fault that something happens to her, too." Jake replied in a agitated tone.

"Use your head, Jake. You know I'm right. What if something happens to you? Where will she be then?"

"Okay, okay. We'll try it your way. If I don't find her in the next forty eight hours, we do it my way, agreed? Jake said impatiently.

"Jake, you don't want to go there right now. It's my way or you're on your own."

A look of anger flashed across Jake's face before it was hidden behind his usual cool exterior. He reluctantly nodded his head in agreement.

"Good, this is the plan," Hawkins said. "We're going to the safe house and wait for my contact to show up. He'll know the best place to begin the search for your friend. He'll also be able to provide us with some insight into the new government and can update us on intelligence gathered since our last contact."

"Okay," Jake replied. "Let's go."

A few minutes later they arrived at the safe house. They entered it using a programmed access card that Hawkins had on him. It was a three room apartment that was spartanly furnished. There was a small kitchen area with a table and four chairs. The living room only had a desk and chair. On the desk was a computer set up similar to the one that Jake saw Hawkins using when he was on the water tower the day of the fire. The bedroom had two single beds and one dresser.

When Chavez entered the safe house two hours later, Hawkins was sitting at the kitchen table and Jake was standing looking out the living room window.

"Chavez." Hawkins said.

"Hawkins."

When Jake heard the name Chavez, his mind went pack to the Delta Force team he piloted in 2002 and 2003. His last mission with them was when he piloted them to the Honduras to extract a senator's daughter kidnapped by rebel terrorists while she was volunteering at a Red Cross medical camp. The leader of the Delta force team was named Chavez. When Jake heard him greet Hawkins, he was sure it was the same man and turned to face him.

"Chavez, it's been a long time."

"Green, is that you?"

Hawkins interrupted, "You two know each other?"

"We do," Chavez replied. "He piloted the plane that took my team on a couple of extraction missions. He went by the code name ‘Stealth Flyer' before he dropped off the face of the earth in 2004. He could fly under any conditions and land anywhere.

Hawkins had thought that there was nothing that would surprise him but this piece of news certainly did. He had heard about the exploits of ‘Stealth Flyer' from other operatives and had always been impressed with his guts and courage. He would never have guessed that Jake and ‘Stealth Flyer' were the same man.

He turned to Jake and said "I see you have your secrets, too."

"Yeah, I do," was all Jake said.

"So, what happened to you in 2004?" Chavez asked Jake.

"There was an incident that I'm not at liberty to discuss. After that, you could say I was hung out to dry by the agency I was working for. I made it back home to Jericho the day the bombs went off." Jake replied.

Both Chavez and Hawkins nodded their heads in understanding. Jake's story was all too familiar in their line of work. There were many reasons operatives were hung out to dry. In the majority of cases, it was not the fault of the operative but a choice by the government who had chosen not to acknowledge its part in the mission.

Chavez then turned to Hawkins. "I haven't heard from you for seven weeks. What's going on?"

Hawkins filled Chavez in on the war with New Bern and told him about the tracking software on his computer which prevented him from filing his reports.

With a sideways look at Jake, Chavez asked Hawkins, "How much does Green know?"

"He knows everything except what side we're working for," Hawkins said with a solemn tone to his voice.

Jake joined the conversation. "We came here because I received a document that seems to implicate the government in the war New Bern started with Jericho." Jake took the document out of his pocket and handed it to Chavez.

Chavez read the document and handed it back to Jake before asking, "How did you come across this information?"

"A friend sent it to me. She's took it upon her self to come here to investigate what's in the document. I'm here to help Hawkins and to find my friend."

"I see," said Chavez.

"Chavez, we could use your help finding her. You know more about Cheyenne then either of us. Are you in?" Hawkins asked.

"Hell, yes. Of course, I'm in." Chavez replied.

Jake said to Chavez, "I heard you left Delta Force soon after our return from the Honduras. I know Hawkins is CIA, what are you?"

"I'm officially DIA. In 2003, the DIA and CIA formed a highly classified joint anti-terrorist task force that was sanctioned by the government. I was pulled from Delta Force to lead the task force. When I met with the upper echelon of the DIA and CIA, I was told that twenty five high yield nuclear devices that the U.S. reclaimed from the Soviet Union were stolen and were to be used for committing terrorist attacks against the country. My team was charged with finding the identity of the person responsible for the thefts and the planned terrorist attacks. When we found that the Department of Homeland Security was setting up a task force to investigate the theft the agencies called in a few favors to get Hawkins and Miller assigned to the team.  My role was to act as their handler and relay any information they provided to my superiors. You know the rest of the story from Hawkins.

"Victor Miller?" Jake asked when Chavez was finished.

Hawkins spoke up. "Yes, he was the third member of our team. Our mission hasn't changed since the bombs went off. His death left us one man down which is why I asked for your help."

There's one more thing that you need to know if we are going to work together. We work for the government in the East who we believe to be the rightful successor to the U.S. government in existence before the bombs."

Chavez took over from Hawkins. "Based on the information that Hawkins provided about Valente, we believe that he is the man who was the mastermind behind the attacks. What we don't know is why and who, if anyone, he was working for. We also don't have the proof we need to bring him down. 

Hawkins then spoke up. "Jake, I know it's important for you to find your friend but like I said before, you can't forget the bigger picture here. We'll do our best to find her but our top priority has to be this mission." He turned to Chavez and asked, "So where are you in the investigation?"

Chavez replied, "I've been looking for someone with a connection to the government that could provide us with information. I finally identified that person. I just need to figure out the best way to approach her. She works in the Department of Redevelopment as an Information Analyst. I've been trying to get to know her better but my first impression is that she is feisty, courageous and determined to do the right thing. She is a recent arrival in Cheyenne and says that she came from a small town in Kansas."

Jake's heart jumped to his throat when he heard the description of the woman Chavez found. He could barely get out his question. "What is her name?"

Chavez replied. "Her name is Heather Lisinski.

 "There's not a chance in hell that you're gonna use her," Jake told Chavez with a stone face.

"Green, what the hell are you talking about?" Chavez replied, surprised at Jake's vehemence.

Seeing the anger on Jake's face, Hawkins stepped in. "Heather Lisinski is the friend that Jake came to find."

Hawkins looked at Jake and then said, "Calm down, Jake, you need to think this through. We may not have a choice."

Jake was getting angrier by the minute. "Maybe I need to repeat myself, there's not a chance in hell that you are going to use her."

Jake was beginning to annoy Chavez. He turned to him and said in a tone that would brook no argument.  "Damn it. I'm not going to compromise my mission over this. I will ask her to help." 

Chavez took a minute and continued in a placating tone, "Look, Jake, Heather's your friend. I get that, but have you considered what Heather will want to do? She came here hoping to find answers. If she's the person I think she is, nothing will stop her from searching for those answers. She'll be safer if she works with us rather than by herself."

Jake sighed as he rubbed his hand across his mouth. Knowing how stubborn Heather was, he admitted to himself that she would refuse to stand down and let them handle the investigation. Chavez was right; she would be safer working with them then by herself. "You're right, but I still don't like it." Jake said in response to Chavez's question.

"Just how well do you know Heather?" Chavez asked.

"We're good friends." Jake replied.  He wished he could say that they were much more but knew he didn't have that right . . . not yet anyway.

"Good, she'll trust you. You can go to her and say that you're here to help with her investigation. You can pass on what ever information she finds to us. We might be able to get away without telling her anything depending on the information she brings you."

"No, she needs to know exactly what she's getting into. We're not going to be able to be with her every second of the day. If people begin to get suspicious of her, she'll need to know what she's up against so that she can deal with it. Besides, I won't lie to her even if it's by omission only." Jake countered.

"How do you know that she won't break under pressure, that if she's questioned she won't say anything?" Chavez asked.

"She's one of the strongest people I know. She has a determination and integrity that I've seen in very few people. When she sets her mind to something, there's nothing that can stop her. You can trust her." Jake replied in such a way that made Chavez wonder if there was more to their relationship that Jake hadn't said.

Hawkins provided his point of view. "I agree with Jake. If she gets into trouble, the only way she'll know how to effectively deal with the situation is if she knows everything. Not telling her, would not be fair. If Jake says you can trust her, you can."

Chavez looked at the two men and knew he wasn't going to win the argument. "Okay, okay . . . I can see I'm not going to win this one. Jake, after I took Heather to dinner tonight, we made plans to meet for lunch tomorrow. I'm meeting her at Holiday Park at a picnic table by a pond...."

Jake interrupted, "Oh, they'll be a meeting alright, but you're not the one going."

Before Chavez could say anything, Hawkins spoke up. "You know he's right, Chavez. He knows her better then you do. You said it yourself . . . she trusts him."

On a personal level, Chavez wasn't happy with this turn of events. Despite his assertion to her that he wanted to be friends, he was intrigued by Heather and had been looking forward to spending some more time with her. He realized that in terms of his mission, Jake approaching her about helping them was the best option . . . that he had a better chance of convincing Heather to help than he did. He had no choice but to agree with Hawkins.

Chavez looked at the two men and replied, "Okay, I'll give you directions to get to the park. Tell her what you think she needs to know so that she'll help us; then bring her to the safe house. We'll tell her the complete story once you get there. I'm supposed to meet her at one o'clock. How about if we give you two a couple of hours and meet back here at three o'clock?"

"That should work." Jake replied and the asked, "How did you meet Heather anyway?"

"All government employees are required to spend one day a week volunteering at the FEMA camp. I met her there we both served on a committee to revamp a training program for news stringers. I liked her instantly. She has this way about her . . . she's fresh and honest yet she's feisty and stubborn as hell. Not quite like the women I'm used to meeting. She hinted at dinner that something bad had happened to her . . ."

Jake was half listening to Chavez lost in his own thoughts. ‘'Dinner? Lunch? He's talking like he really knows her. The jerk has plans for Heather that have nothing to do with the mission. Damn it, he can forget that shit! Now that I've found Heather again, there is no way in hell I'm losing her again!'

 "Jake, did you hear what I just said? I said that at dinner Heather hinted that something bad happened to her."

The expression on Jake's face when the words finally registered told Chavez what he was wondering all night. Jake did have feelings for her. He wondered how Heather felt about Jake.

Jake couldn't speak for a minute. Horrible scenarios of Heather being tortured tormented him. Anger and regret laced his eyes. Finally, he managed to say, "New Bern . . . Constantino."

Hawkins saw the struggle that Jake was going through. He gave Chavez the run down on the war with New Bern. He told him how Heather had went to New Bern before the war to help build windmills for Jericho, what she had found out in New Bern, how she and Jake's brother had tried to blow up the munitions factory and how everyone had thought she was dead until Jake got the letter from her. He also explained how Heather had ended up in Camp Nebraska and why they had sent her to Cheyenne.

By the time Hawkins had finished, Jake had calmed down enough to speak coherently again. "Constantino escaped two weeks ago. No one knows where he is. Heather knows too much about what went on in New Bern. He'll be looking for her."

Trying to reassure Jake, Chavez said, "All the more reason she works with us. We can protect her from this Constantino lunatic. She'll be safe with us."

"I hope you're right." Jake replied.

Wanting to get back to the matter at hand, Hawkins turned to Chavez and said, "Let's talk about cover stories."

"In this city, it's easy to stick close the truth. You two can be refugees who just arrived from Kansas. You can use the FEMA camp as your base. If you get to know some of the residents there, you might gain some intelligence about what's going on in other parts of the country."

"Sounds like a plan," said Jake.

"You need to stay here tonight. The registration desks at the camp aren't open now. They'll be open late tomorrow. I'll take you both to the camp tomorrow afternoon after our meeting with Heather. You'll both need to register under assumed names so leave any identification here. Also, you need to leave any fire arms and advanced electronics you are carrying here."

Hawkins and Jake nodded their heads in agreement. Chavez walked into the kitchen area and pulled a card out from one of the drawers.

"Jake, this is yours. It's the access card to the safe house. It will allow you to come and go from here as needed. It's been made to look like the ration cards that are given to all city citizens and residents of the FEMA camp."

"Thanks," replied Jake.

Chavez then turned to Hawkins and told him. "I'm going to head back to the camp now. Why don't you show Jake what he needs to know to access what's left of the DIA/CIA databases? I assume you brought your laptop and the necessary cables to connect it to the router on the desk. Three weeks ago the National Security Agency released a GPS firmware upgrade that will effectively disable the GPS chip in your computer. When you log into the network the executable will download to your desktop.

"Sounds good." Hawkins said.

"Hawkins, I'll be here at one o'clock. I can debrief you while Jake is meeting with Heather. Goodnight, Hawkins, Green"

"Good night." Jake and Hawkins replied in unison before Chavez walked out the door.

Hawkins turned to Jake and said. "Why don't you call it a night? I'm going to download and install the tracking defender software and then turn in myself."

"Yeah, that's a good idea. I'll see you in the morning."

"Goodnight . . . and Jake I know you're worried about Heather but things are going to turn out alright."

"I hope so. Goodnight." Jake said as he turned to walk into the bedroom.

The next morning, Hawkins provided Jake with the information he needed to access the CIA/DIA network on the computer. With Hawkins guidance, he learned how to use the search engine to access information, both classified and unclassified, that was stored on the network servers. He was amazed at the depth of information he found on various topics. He wasn't surprised when he looked up his dossier and found that all covert activities he was involved in after December 2004 had been purged. The morning went by quickly and soon it was time for him to find Heather in Holiday Park.

It was a nice spring day and Jake enjoyed his walk to Holiday Park. He couldn't wait to see Heather again! His mind was consumed with thoughts of her. He hoped that she would be as happy to see him as he was going to be to see her. If the truth be told, he was jealous of the time that Chavez had with Heather and worried that she may have started to develop feelings for him. He thought about the kiss that Heather had started the day he went to Rogue River. He remembered the look in her eyes when they pulled apart. He couldn't put words to what he saw in her eyes then, but now he could. He just hoped that it wasn't too late and that what he saw in her eyes was still true.

Jake found the entrance to the park and followed the signs to the pond. When he reached the pond, he looked around and saw Heather standing at the edge of the pond looking over the water. She appeared to be deep in thought. The sight of her took his breath away.

Jake remembered his conversation with Heather before she had left for New Bern. When she had told him that she had realized that he would never have feelings for her, he had been relieved. At the time, he hadn't wanted to deal with the strange, new feelings he had when she was around. But now, he was afraid--afraid that Heather might have moved on, might have forgotten how she felt about him, might not care anymore...

He needed a few minutes to calm himself. Finally, ready to approach her, he nervously walked up to her. Heather did not hear his approach and was still looking over the water. Her back was to him.

"Hello, Heather."

Jake took a few minutes to calm himself. Finally, ready to approach her, he nervously walked up to her. Heather did not hear his approach and was still looking over the water. Her back was to him.

"Hello, Heather."

Heather was startled out of her thoughts by the sound of her name. 'Jake? That sounds just like Jake...'

"Heather."

'It is Jake! Jake's here?!' Heather slowly turned around and came face to face with the man who had been haunting her.

"Jake!  What are you doing here?"  Heather asked, bewildered by his sudden presence.

Driven by his relief to finally see Heather safe and in one piece he stepped up to her and enveloped her in a hug. When he felt Heather's arms go around him he held her tighter and buried his face in her neck.

They stood that way until Heather laughed shakily and said, "Jake . . . you're hurting me. " At her words, Jake immediately loosened his hold on her and pulled back.

Heather repeated her question, "What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to make sure you were safe." Jake replied softly. He looked into Heather's eyes trying to gather the courage he needed to tell her how he felt. Instead, he froze and all his intentions of telling her how he felt flew out the window.

‘I can't do this do her . . . I'm only gonna end up hurting her . . . she'll never want me when she finds out what I did . . .  I don't deserve her.'  Jake had always dealt with his insecurities and fears by channeling them into anger. This time, much to his chagrin, was no different.

Jake dropped his arms from around Heather, demanding, "More to the point, Heather, what are you doing here? Don't you realize how dangerous it is for you to be here alone, without help?"

"Well, it's nice to see you too!" Heather replied in a sarcastic tone. Both stunned and irritated by the way Jake was speaking to her, she turned away before he could see the hurt and confusion in her eyes.

"I want an answer, Heather. Do you know how much I've worried about you since I found out you were alive?" Jake said, shocked by the sarcasm in Heather's voice, but still angry.

Holding her tears at bay, Heather turned back to Jake, forcing her voice to remain steady, she replied, "Worried!? If you were so worried, what took you so long to get here? As far as my being here, you know why I'm here! You got the letter!"

"You mean the letter that said you were taking another page from my book? The one said that you were investigating something you know nothing about, without any help . . . And you say I live for danger . . ."

"You have no right to stand there lecturing me! If you didn't want me to come, why didn't you try to stop me?! The least you could have done was to send a note back with Colonel Hoffman's attaché when he delivered the letter!"

Heather turned and started walking away.

"Don't walk away from me! We're not done here."  Jake said and followed her. When he caught up with her, he grabbed her by her upper arm and turned her around.

"Jake, take your hand off me right now," Heather said in a tight, quiet voice. Jake stood there with his hand still on her arm ready to continue his tirade but the tears he saw falling from her eyes stopped him dead.

'Damn it, I'm making her cry . . . Think . . . think . . .' Jake regretted that he had caused their reunion to get off to a bad start. ‘God, I have to fix this . . .'

Jake slowly let go of her arm. "Heather, please stay," he pleaded. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get angry. The last thing I wanted to do was upset you."

Heather could see the regret in Jake's eyes. She was hurt and confused, but she needed a friend and Jake was a good one. She decided to take the risk. She wiped the tears from her face and let Jake lead her over to the picnic table where they sat down, one on each side of the table.

"Friends?" Heather asked and tentatively held out her hand.

 "Friends." Jake replied as he took her hand. "Heather, I didn't get the letter until last week. As soon as I knew you were alive all I could think about was you and whether or not you were okay. I came as soon as I could."

A confused look crossed Heather's face. "That doesn't make any sense, Jake. I've been here for six weeks and Colonel Hoffman said that he was going to have it delivered to you the day I wrote it. It was the day before I left for Cheyenne."

"Heather, his attaché did deliver it. I wasn't home so he gave it to Emily to give to me."

"Emily? Why would he have given it to Emily?"

Jake groaned. He should have expected the question, especially from someone as perceptive as Heather. She would know if he was lying and decided it was best to respond with the truth.

"Let me explain. When my dad died, I was so..."

"Oh,Jake! I heard the news from Colonel Hoffman. I'm so sorry." 

Jake nodded his head in acknowledgement of Heather's words before looking away. When he turned back to her, she saw the depth of his grief in his eyes and sensed that he still hadn't come to terms with his father's death.

Jake leaned his forearms on the table, clenched his hands together and started fiddling with his thumbs. Worried about her reaction, he couldn't look her in the eye as he continued his explanation.

"After he died, I felt so alone . . .   I still do . . . Emily was there to comfort me. She wanted to try and work things out with me. She was living at the house when they came to deliver the letter. I had promised her some quality time and she didn't want anything to interrupt it. When she saw the envelope with the army logo she just assumed it was them asking me to do something. She said she was going to give it to me the next day but then she forgot all about it. I didn't know you were alive until last week, when I ran into Colonel Hoffman."

Heather's heart ached when she heard Jake's words. 'Oh God. He's with Emily. I should have known better than to believe her when she told me wasn't interested in him anymore. Jake should be with me not her. I'll never get a second chance with him now.  . .  I remember how he looked at me by the railroad track . . . If only I hadn't went to New Bern, I would have had a chance . . . we would have made such a good team. Jake says he's so concerned about me, but that doesn't make sense if he's with her...

"Jake. You don't know how I wished you got the letter that day. I could have used a friend these past weeks."

‘Even if we'll never be together, I'm glad he's here,' Heather thought, both sad about what would never be and relieved that she wouldn't be alone any more.

"I wish I could've been here for you earlier, but, hey, I'm here now," Jake replied.

"That you are. How does Emily feel about you being here?"

"Emily and I called it quits the day before I left for Cheyenne. I finally realized that she wanted to live in the past and I wasn't willing to. I want to live in the here and now and look toward the future."

The way Jake looked at her when he said those words made Heather feel all warm inside. She couldn't help but smile at Jake.

Jake smiled back.

"So," Heather said and then continued, "I'm meeting someone for lunch do you want to join us?"

"Heather, Robert Hawkins came with me to Cheyenne. When we got here yesterday, we met up with someone he worked with before the bombs--someone you know--Joe Chavez. He told me your plans and let me come in his place."

"Hawkins . . . that name seems familiar. Is he Sam's dad?"

Jake nodded his head.

"The day before the bombs I met Sam and his mom when she registered him for school. He was going to be in my class."

"Leave it to you to think of people in terms of their children," Jake laughed.

Heather smiled at the truth behind Jake's words.

"Do Mr. Hawkins and Joe know about the document I gave you?"

"Yes, but there's something else I need to tell you before we talk about the document. Not only did I come to make sure you were safe, I also came to help Hawkins."

"I don't understand. Why does Mr. Hawkins need your help?" Heather asked.

"Hawkins and Chavez are part of an off-the-books anti-terrorist task force. Their mission is to find the person or group that were behind the bombs. The third member of their team died. Hawkins asked me to replace him. They think the document you gave me could be a lead in their investigation."

Jake took a deep breath before continuing. "Heather, they want your help. Chavez says that you have access to information that could be helpful to them."

"Of course I'll help, especially if it means that we'll find out who's behind the bombs."

Jake said warily, "Somehow I knew you were going to say that. Truth be told, I don't want you to be a part of this. It's too dangerous, but I also know enough about you to know that I won't be able to change your mind. You're going to have to be very careful . . ."

Heather interrupted, "What they want me to do doesn't sound so different than what I set out to do by myself to begin with . . . find information that will either prove or disprove what was in the document I gave you. I'll be more safe working with you than I would have been on my own."

Jake couldn't help but smirk before he replied, "Yeah, that's what they said. At least this time we'll be taking a page out of my book together."

Heather couldn't help but chuckle. "Why don't we eat lunch?"

"Okay." Jake said, happy that Heather seemed to have put their argument behind them.

Heather reached for her bag and pulled out two egg salad sandwiches, two bottles of water and two bags of cookies.

Jake took one bite out of the egg salad sandwich and said, "Mmmm . . . I can't remember the last time I had anything with egg it. This sandwich is good!"

"I was lucky enough to get the last half dozen eggs when I went to the market last week. There's a large farm outside of the city limits that provides the city with eggs, meat and produce. It's been a godsend to the people in the city. Ration coupons for farm goods are provided to all residents. The farm doesn't produce enough for everyone yet so the goods that the ration coupons can be used for vary from week to week. The last time I was able to get eggs was last month."

"Well, I have to say I'm glad you got the eggs. This is the best lunch I've had in months." Jake said.

"I'm glad you're enjoying it."

"Oh, I forgot to tell you the latest news from home. Stanley and Mimi are getting married. They haven't set a firm date but think it will be a couple of months from now."

"That's great news! I hope we're home in time for the wedding."

"We have to be! I'm the best man! If we're not done here, we'll take a trip home for it and come back."

Heather smiled. She was happy that Jake was including her in his plans.

They finished their lunches and cleared the table. As they were walking out of the park, Jake asked Heather what time it was.

"It's two o'clock. Do you need to go somewhere? I was thinking we could take a walk around the town."

"No, I don't need to go anywhere, but Chavez and Hawkins want to meet with us at three o'clock. Does that work for you?"

"Sure. I don't have any other plans. Do you know what's up?"

"Well, you already know they're gonna ask for your help. Then they're gonna brief you on the intel they've collected to date."

"Hmm, can you tell me anything now?" Heather asked.

"It will be better if they tell you. It's big, Heather. Are you sure you're up to it?" Jake said.

"What? You're worried about me?" Heather repeating what she said to Jake by the railroad tracks after Black Jack.

 "Always." Jake didn't hesitate to reply.

For the second time today, Heather got that warm feeling inside of her.

Heather and Jake spent the next forty-five minutes walking around the town enjoying each other's company before going to the safe house to meet with Chavez and Hawkins.

Jake used his access card to open the door of the safe house. He stepped aside and allowed Heather to enter the house before him. They walked toward the kitchen where Jake heard Chavez and Hawkins talking.

As they entered the kitchen, Chavez looked up. "Hello Heather, Jake. We're just finishing up here. Why don't you come in and sit down?"

Once they were all seated, Heather didn't beat around the bush. She looked at Chavez and said, "I understand you need my help. Would you mind telling me what this is all about? "

Hawkins turned to Jake and asked, "How much have you told her?"

"Not much. Just that the document she found has something to do with your mission and that you need her help."

Chavez then spoke up. "You work in the capitol building. We'd like you to keep your eyes and ears opened and report back to us with anything unusual you see or hear. Also, you have first hand access to the news from the west that we need to build our case...."

Heather interrupted him. "Before I agree to do anything, I need to know what this is all about."

"Yes, Jake insisted we tell you everything. He also said you could be trusted. I need your reassurance that anything you hear in this room stays here."

Heather shot Jake a grateful look before she turned to Chavez and said, "You have my word." 

"Heather, Hawkins and I work for the government in the East. We have intel that someone working in the Cheyenne government masterminded the attacks."

Heather was stunned. It was the last thing she would have imagined. Without realizing what she was doing, she reached her hand out and placed it on top of Jake's hand, unconsciously seeking the support she knew she would need to get thorough this conversation. Jake turned his hand and gently clasped Heather's hand in his, quietly offering his support.

Once Chavez saw that Heather was settled, he continued. "I'll give you some background info and then Hawkins will takeover. Are you sure you're ready to hear this?"

Heather nodded her head.

"Were you aware that after the bombs exploded there were six factions claiming to be the rightful successors of the government?"

"Yes, I heard that when I was in Black Jack with Jake. What I didn't understand was how it could have happened. I thought there were clear rules of presidential succession. I know that there was a Joint Session of Congress the day the bombs exploded. In the case of such a catastrophe isn't it the Designated Survivor who becomes the president? "

"Yes you're right; he becomes the Acting President until such time a presidential election can be held. There were only five surviving members of Congress after the bombs, five senators who had just returned from a fact finding mission in South America. What most people don't know is that if a cabinet member succeeds to the presidency then the House could elect a new speaker and the Senate a new President pro tempore. Do you see where I'm going with this, Heather?"

"Yes I do. The speaker is third in the line of presidential succession and the president pro tempore is the fourth in line. Since there were no surviving members of the House, one of the senators would have been next in line to be president."

"That's right. In this case, the senators couldn't come to an agreement. They all thought they had a claim to the presidency and all returned to their home states to set up their own governments. The designated survivor, Derek Charles who was Secretary of Commerce, is now Acting President of the government in the east, which was relocated to Columbus, Ohio.  As a result of intense negotiations between the various factions, there are now only two holdouts claiming to be the rightful successor of the U.S. government. The Eastern States, headed by President Charles and the Western States, led by President Tomarchio here in Cheyenne."

"Well," Heather said then asked, "that is all very interesting but what does that have to do with anything?"

"This is where I step in, Miss Lisinski." Hawkins said.

"Please call me Heather."

Hawkins nodded his head. He then began to brief Heather about the twenty-five nuclear devices that had been stolen, the groups that had been behind the attacks and his part in the investigation.

"We believe that one person masterminded the attacks. We believe that person is Thomas Valente, the Chief of Staff of the Cheyenne government. He was the Director of the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office in the Department of Homeland Security before the bombs. He was in the unique position to know exactly when those devices were scheduled to come into the United States. I also have some intel that supports the theory he was behind the attacks."

"You said there were twenty five nuclear devices. I know that twenty-three went off and that there was one that was supposed to go off in New York that was intercepted. What about the twenty fifth one?"

"It was scheduled to go off in Columbus. I was supposed to transport it there but instead I got my family and came to Jericho. The bomb is in a safe location  . . ."

"Are you saying that there's an undetonated nuclear bomb somewhere in Jericho?" Heather asked shocked.

"I didn't say that. I said it was in a safe location."

Jake could see Heather was distressed about what she had just heard. "Heather, it's too dangerous for you to know where it is. You have to trust us on this."

Heather nodded her head.

Chavez turned to her and said, "So, Heather, now that you know everything, are you still willing to help? "

"Now that I know, how can I not help?" Heather asked in reply.

Both Chavez and Hawkins nodded their heads in agreement. Jake gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. Heather then looked down and for the first time noticed that her hand was in Jake's. Keeping her hand in his, she looked up and addressed the men.

"I'm actually meeting Valente on Monday. Apparently, he was impressed with one of my reports and wanted to review it personally with me. He has a position opened in his office for an Senior Research Analyst. My manager said the meeting was a way for him to size me up for the job. If I got it, it would mean a higher security clearance and more information would be available to me. I would also be able to keep tabs on where he is." 

"That job could make a big difference in our investigation." Chavez said

"I agree it could, but is it worth the risk? Heather will be putting herself in more danger. I don't know . . ." Jake said in a concerned voice.

Heather, seeing that Jake needed some reassurance, gently squeezed his hand before saying, "Jake, its okay. I want to do this. If we find the truth, it will be worth the risk."

Jake knew Heather well enough to know that once her mind was made up there was no changing it. He had no choice but to accept her decision.

"Okay, the minute any of us feel you are in too much danger we're pulling you out. Understood?" Jake asked.

"Understood!" Heather replied with a smile on her face.

Hawkins then looked at Heather and Jake and said, "Chavez and I were talking. We don't think Heather should be alone. Jake, we want you to stay with her."

Although this wasn't the plan they discussed the day before, Jake nodded his head in agreement. He sure as hell didn't want to leave Chavez alone with her and if someone needed to be responsible for her safety he wanted it to be him.

Heather let go of Jake's hand and turned to Chavez and Hawkins, "Oh, I don't think that's necessary . . . "

Before she could continue, Hawkins interrupted, "One thing you need to understand, Heather, is that Chavez and I are running this investigation. If we say it's necessary, it's necessary."

Heather turned to Jake, seeking his support. 

"Hey, don't look at me!" Jake said before continuing, "I happen to agree with them. If you don't have a couch, I can sleep on the floor."

Heather realized that she was backed into a corner and had no choice but to go along with Chavez and Hawkins' decision.

"I've think we've talked enough for one day. How about if we plan to meet here after Heather gets out of work on Monday?" Chavez asked.

"Sounds good." Jake said before turning to Heather and saying, "I'm going to get my stuff together. I'll be right back."

A few minutes later, Jake came back into the kitchen carrying his duffel bag. "Ready?"

"Yeah, I'm ready." Heather replied.

Jake turned to Hawkins and Chavez, "We'll see you on Monday."

"Good bye, Jake. Good bye, Heather." Chavez said as he walked them to the door.

After Chavez walked back into the kitchen, he took one look at Hawkins and they both laughed.

"Well, Hawkins, you were right. Jake has it bad and by judging by Heather's reaction, she has it just as bad."

"We need both of them at a hundred percent for this mission. Let's hope your little plan of throwing them together works. Come on. Let's head out to the camp now." Chavez said.

Jake turned to Heather when they stepped outside of the apartment building. "Heather, I'm sorry about how this worked out. I know you don't want me to stay with you but you need to realize that your safety is my top priority."

"Jake, really . . . its okay. I have plenty of room for both of us. We'll make it work."

They then started the walk back to Heather's apartment each lost in their own thoughts.

Heather had thought that she had gotten over Jake; but, after today's events, she realized that she was wrong. The fact that she had reached out for Jake's hand confirmed this. The gentle way Jake held her hand gave her reason to hope that the feelings were not just one-sided.

Jake thought back to how Heather had reached for his hand when she needed support at the meeting today. It gave him reason to hope that she still had feelings for him. He also realized that he wanted to open himself up to her in a way that he never did for anyone else. It scared him a little but not having her in his life scared him even more.

When they entered Heather's apartment, Jake put his duffel bag down and took a quick look around. The apartment was a little smaller than the safe house. The room he was standing in was a combination living room and eating area with a kitchen table and chairs set up at the far end of the room. In the living area was a couch with a coffee table in front of it and a large comfortable chair which had an end table beside it. On the end table was a light and a book that was opened faced down.  Jake could just imagine Heather curled up in the chair reading a book in her flannel pajamas.

Heather turned to Jake and said, "Well, I'm going to get dinner started. Do you want to help?"

"Sure, but can we sit down for a minute first? There are a couple of things I need to tell you."

"Okay." Heather replied nervously, not sure where this conversation was going to go. "Let's go sit at the table."

Once they were seated, Jake looked at Heather and said, "I have some bad news from back home."

Heather immediately became apprehensive and asked a little unsteadily, "What is it, Jake?"

"Constantino escaped two weeks ago. Russell has teams out looking for him as we speak. When Hawkins and I left Jericho the other day, he was still on the loose."

"Oh no, Jake! Do you think he'll come after me?"

"I don't know. The good thing is that he has no way of knowing that you're alive and if, by chance, he finds out, I think Cheyenne will be the last place he'd look for you."

"I hope so! I know I can't stop living my life because he's out there," Heather trailed off and then continued in a quiet voice, "but he scares me, Jake."

"Heather, try not to worry. I do enough of that for both of us. I'll watch over you."

"You don't know how glad I am that you're here."

"Me, too." Jake went to his duffel bag and pulled out the letter from Emily. He walked back to Heather and handed it to her and sat back down at the table.  "Emily wanted me to give you this letter. She wrote it the day I told her I was going to Cheyenne."

"Jake, would you mind if I took this letter into the bedroom and read it in private?"

"Not at all."

"Would you like me to get you a drink first?"

"Yes, water would be fine."

Jake followed Heather into the kitchen. She went into the refrigerator and pulled out a bottle of water. "Jake, I'll be back in a few minutes. Why don't you make yourself comfortable?"

"Thanks, I will."

As Heather was walking down the short hall to the bedroom, Jake walked into the living room and sat on the couch. He wondered what Emily had written in the letter and hoped that whatever it was it didn't ruin his chances with Heather.

In the bedroom, Heather turned on the light and sat on the bed. She pulled the letter from the envelope and began reading. As she read, tears began to form in her eyes and she realized what a good friend Emily was. In the letter, Emily explained that things were finally over between her and Jake.

Emily had written about how lost Jake had been when he returned to New Bern with the news of her death and the joy he saw in his face when he found out she was alive. Emily then had written how she knew right in that moment that Jake's future lay with her. Emily closed the letter by saying that she hoped that both Jake and her could find the happiness they deserved . . . with each other.

Heather clasped the letter to her chest as the tears rolled down her eyes. Words couldn't express how much this letter meant to her. She took a minute to compose herself before walking back into the living room with the letter in her hand.

She walked over to the couch and sat down. Jake took one look at her and knew she was upset. He was suddenly angry at Emily, for whatever she wrote in the letter. "Heather, what's wrong?" Jake asked in a concerned voice.

Heather smiled at Jake to allay his fears. She handed him the letter and said, "I'm fine, it's just that Emily's letter means so much to me."

Jake took a few minutes to read the letter. He turned to Heather and found the courage for what he needed to say in her eyes.

He took her hands in his and said.  "Heather, what Emily said is true. I don't see my future with her  . . . I see it with you. You don't know how much I regret not talking to you after you kissed me the day I left for Rogue River. We lost so much time . . .  I was scared, Heather, scared that you wouldn't want me once you found out about my past. Now I'm more scared of what my life would be like without you in it."

Heather saw the depth of Jake's feelings in his eyes. "Jake, I thought I was over you but I knew I was wrong the minute I saw you in the park today. I realized then that my feelings for you had never changed. I had just buried them deep inside of me."

"So, Heather, what do you say? Are you willing to take another chance on me?" Jake asked a little apprehensively.

"Jake, there's nothing I want more, but I don't want to be hurt again. I'm scared, too." Heather than turned her face away from Jake's and continued, "Something happened in New Bern . . .  something I just can't talk about now . . . I'm scared you won't want me when find out.." She said as tears started rolling down her cheeks for a second time that night.

At her words, Jakes mind began to fill with the various possibilities of what could have happened to her. ‘She thinks I won't want her . . . I want to know, no, I need to know what happened, judging by her reaction it must have been really bad.. Was she tortured for information? Eric said that she was dead, was she almost killed? Was she raped?' With each thought Jake's jaw clenched tighter. ‘Whoever is responsible is going to pay but I can't think about that know. I have to think of Heather, be there for her when she's ready to talk . . .  help her deal with it.'

Jake took a calming breath before saying in a gentle voice, "Heather, look at me," Heather slowly turned her head back to Jake. He waited until they had eye contact and said, "Nothing you tell me will change the way I feel about you. Please trust me on this. When you are ready to talk, I'll be here for you. You know that, don't you?"

Heather saw the sincerity and the depth of his feelings for her in his eyes and knew that he was telling her the truth. She took one of her hands out of Jake's and raised it to his cheek.

"As long as it works both ways, Jake. Nothing you tell me will change what I feel for you. I'm here for you, too.  In the meantime, could you . . . would you just hold me, Jake?"

"Gladly."

Jake wrapped his hands around Heather's waist and lifted her to his lap. They wrapped their arms around each other and Heather laid her head on Jake's shoulder as he pulled her snugly against him. In each other's arms, they both found the comfort they had been so desperately seeking.

It wasn't long before Jake's stomach started to growl. When Heather heard it, she couldn't help but laugh. She raised her head off of Jake's shoulder. "It seems like someone is hungry. It's getting kind of late but I can make you a cheese omelet. I know you had egg salad for lunch but eggs are just about the only thing I have left in the house. "

"That sounds good." Jake said as Heather got off his lap. He followed her into the kitchen and watched while she cooked an omelet for the both of them.

While they ate, Heather told Jake about her job and how much she enjoyed volunteering at the FEMA camp especially now that she was finally able to teach again. She told him that she mostly kept to herself and that Joe was the first and only friend that she had made since she came to Cheyenne. Except for the occasional question Jake remained silent, happy to listen to the sound Heather's voice.

"I hope I didn't bore you too much." Heather said before she yawned. "I'm tired, I think I'll clean up the dishes and go to bed."

"You didn't bore me at all. I enjoyed hearing about your life here."  Jake said as he and Heather picked up their dishes and took them into the kitchen. Heather washed the dishes while Jake dried, both lost in their own thoughts.

‘There are things she needs to know, things I have to tell her. . . She says I can tell her anything and it won't change the way she feels about me, I have to hold on to that . . . I hope she tells me what happened to her soon . . . I know what it does to you to keep things bottled up inside . . .  I don't want that for her . . .I know I can help her come to terms with whatever it is . . . ‘

‘He does have feelings for me . . .  I should be happy . . .  but I'm not . . . I'm so scared he won't want me when he finds out . . .  I have to tell him and soon . . . I don't want to start things up with him only to tell him and not want me . . . I don't think I can go through the hurt again. So much has happened  to me . . . I'm getting so tired of putting up a brave front . . . so tired of being alone . . .there's nothing I want more than to curl up in Jake's arms and take whatever comfort he has to give me . . I'm going to ask him.'

Once the dishes were put away, Heather turned to Jake.

"Umm . . .this is a little awkward for me, Jake, so please bear with me. It may be even too soon to bring this up . . . but, maybe not, since you're staying with me. It's just that . . .  that . . . "

Seeing that Heather was struggling to tell him what she had on her mind. Jake said to her in a reassuring tone. "It's okay Heather. You can tell me anything. Take a couple of deep breathes and just come out with it."

Heather took Jake's advice and then blurted out, "There's nothing more I want than for you to sleep beside me and hold me in your arms but you need to know that I'm not able to offer you more right now. I don't know when I'll be ready to."

"Hey, I was expecting the couch!" Jake joked trying to lighten the mood. When he saw the tears pooling in Heather's eyes, he knew he had said the wrong thing. He pulled her into his arms and whispered in her ear, "Heather, I'm sorry, there's nothing I want more then to hold you in my arms as I sleep. You don't need to offer me anything else. We'll take it as slow as you need it to be."

That night with Jake spooned against Heather they both slept more soundly than either of them had in months.

Earlier that day at the Ravenwood camp outside of New Bern

Goetz, had just raised Valente on their secure satellite connection to provide him an update on Constantino.

"Valente."

"Goetz, I take it you have some news to report?

"Yes, Constantino's on track, headed toward Cheyenne. I have two operatives tagging him. He's managed to hijack a car but it ran out of gas about ten miles outside of Cheyenne. He's headed there on foot now, and we expect him to reach the city sometime tonight. My operatives will give him a couple of days. If he doesn't locate Lisinski by then, we'll drop a couple of hints in his ear."

"Well, just make sure this plan doesn't fail. Constantino is a loose end we can't afford to have."

"Don't worry about it. Everything is going according to plan. What do you have for me?"

"The Eastern government has filed a complaint with Cheyenne. They say that drug trafficking is on the rise in their region. They have information from a couple of sources that the drugs are being smuggled in from the west. They want to know what we're doing about it." Valente paused for effect before continuing, "I, on the other hand, want to know what you know about it."

"I don't know anything." Goetz lied.

"Well, find out what you can and do what needs to be done so that I get a piece of that business."

"Whatever you say." Goetz gave Valente another one of his mock salutes before disconnecting.

Goetz took a minute before raising his contact at the company that he worked for.

"Goetz, this is a surprise. I didn't expect to hear from you until our next scheduled meeting in two weeks," his contact said.

"Something came up . . .  I met with Valente today. He knows about the drugs. He wants a cut."

"Well, do what you can to put him off. Worse case, we give him a cut. His influence with the government is too valuable to us right now."

"Will do, but you know one day the decision you made to keep him on the payroll after the bombs went off is gonna bite you in the ass if you're not careful."

"Well, we don't have a choice, it's a risk we have to take."

"If you say so."

"Anything else, Goetz?"

"That's it."

"At our next meeting you can apprise me of any updates in the situation. Remember we're counting on you to keep tabs on Valente. If he threatens you, don't do anything more than tell him you have evidence that you'll use against him. It's imperative to the company that you continue act like he has you in his pocket, we don't want to arouse his suspicions."

"If you say so. I'll talk to you in two weeks."

"Until then," his contact replied before dropping the connection.

When Jake woke early the next morning, Heather was snuggled up against his back. His left hand was holding hers against his heart and he felt Heather's breath fanning the back of his neck. Careful not to wake her, he raised her hand and gently kissed it before getting out of bed. At the bedroom door, Jake turned and looked back at Heather as she slept.

‘She looks so peaceful, like she doesn't have a care in the world,' he thought as a small smile touched his lips.

Jake took a shower and put on jeans and a tee shirt before heading into the kitchen where he put on a pot of coffee. He then went into the living room and sat on the couch to wait while the coffee brewed. His thoughts drifted back to his reunion with Heather the day before. Although it started off a little rocky, Jake was very happy with the way things had progressed. He had been surprised at Heather's request to spend the night in his arms but he happily obliged, needing her comfort as much as she seemed to need his. He decided that he would tell Heather about his past today if the opportunity arose. He was still worried about her reaction but he had believed her when she had told him that nothing would change the way she felt about him. He was holding on to those words. It was all the reassurance he needed to get him through what he knew would be a difficult conversation for him.  

Jake sighed, got up off the couch and poured two mugs of coffee. Then, he put the mugs on a tray with a plate of toast, and walked back into Heather's room. He placed the tray on the nightstand and sat on the edge of the bed. Heather was just beginning to stir. He couldn't help but smile as she rolled on to her back and stretched her arms out above her. Not able to resist, Jake leaned over and gave Heather a soft kiss on the lips. Heather opened her eyes. "Mmmm . . . what a perfect way to wake up," she told him with a smile as she sat up in bed.

Jake smiled back at Heather. "Here, I made us breakfast," he said as he handed her a mug of coffee.

"Wow, breakfast in bed! What a treat!" Heather beamed at Jake as he picked up his mug and walked to the other side of the bed and climbed in next to Heather. She took the plate of toast from the tray and placed it on the bed between them. Over breakfast they had decided that they would just to relax and enjoy the day with each other. After Heather got ready they would go to the farm market to restock Heather's pantry.

When they were finished with breakfast, they both got out of bed. Heather waited for Jake to walk around to her side of the bed. As he walked by her, she put her arm on his to get his attention. When Jake turned toward her she said, "Jake, thanks for this. It was really nice." 

"You're very welcome." Jake replied.

"I'll be ready in about twenty minutes," Heather said as she turned and walked out of the room.

Jake put the plate and mugs back on the tray on went to the kitchen.  After they were washed and put away, he walked over to the window in the living room and became lost in his thoughts.

When Heather entered the living room, she saw Jake staring out the window.

"Jake?" Heather became concerned when he didn't reply. She walked to him and placed her hand on his back. "Jake, are you okay?"

Jake turned to look at her and she could see the grief etched in his eyes before he turned his head away from her. Heather moved closer and, after a minute, Jake put his arm around her and pulled her closer. Heather offered her silent support while they both stood there looking out the window.

After a few minutes, Jake spoke, "I miss him."

Heather tightened her arm around him and replied, "I know."

Heather gave Jake a few more minutes before saying, "Let's go sit down." She took his hand and led him over to the chair in the living room. When he sat down, he pulled her down on to his lap and held her.

Finding the comfort and support he needed to deal with his father's death in Heather's arms, he buried his face in her neck and finally let his grief surface. Heather held him and whispered words of comfort and support as she felt his tears fall. When his tears subsided, she pulled back and said, "Tell me, Jake," and lay her head on his shoulder.

"Right before he died, he told me he was proud of me. I'll carry those words with me forever. My regret is that I never got the chance to tell him how much I cared for him, how much he meant to me..."

Heather heard the anguish in his voice and tried to reassure him. "He knows, Jake." She lifted her head off her shoulders and saw the doubt in his eyes. "He knows. You may not be able to see him but he's still here watching over those that he loves. Watching over you . . . . He had every reason to be proud of you. You're a good man." Jake saw the sincerity in her eyes and almost believed her.

Heather laid her head back down on Jake's shoulder. They sat quietly for a few minutes before Jake picked up Heather's hand and started to fidget with her fingers. "The thing is, Heather, before I came back to Jericho, he had every reason not to be proud of me. I'd like to . . . no, I need to tell you. Will you listen?"

Sensing Jake's apprehension, Heather replied, "I'll listen if you need to tell me but you need to know that nothing will change the way I feel about you." Jake squeezed her hand, acknowledging her statement and then started fidgeting with her fingers again.

"You already know that I went to Embry Riddle and got a degree in aeronautical science and you know I'm a licensed pilot. By the time I had graduated from Riddle, I had logged enough flight time to apply as co-pilot with the major airlines. My plan was to go home, spend some time with Emily and then apply to the airlines. When I returned to Jericho, I moved into Emily's apartment. Emily was working as a server at Bailey's and taking some classes at a community college.

That summer Emily and I set a wedding date for the following year. She had a set idea in her mind about the type of wedding she wanted and she was determined to have it. I agreed to stay in Jericho if I could find a decent paying job. I knew that we wouldn't be able to have the wedding Emily wanted if I didn't. I don't know why Jonah did it. Maybe he wanted to piss off my father or maybe he was just wanted to be a good father for once. Anyway, for whatever reason, Jonah told me and Em that he would help pay for the wedding if I came to work for him. Emily was thrilled. My working for Jonah meant I could stay in Jericho and she could have the wedding of her dreams. So I put off applying to the airlines."

Heather thought, ‘I heard from Eric in New Bern what becoming a pilot meant to Jake, Emily must have known that.' Without realizing it she said softly, "She did the wrong thing."

Jake was ready to continue when he heard Heather say something. "What did you say?"

Heather didn't mean to speak her last thought out loud, but since she did she felt the need to explain herself. "I said that she did the wrong thing. Jake, she never should have asked you to take that job. Eric and I talked a lot in New Bern. He told me how much being a pilot meant to you. She shouldn't have expected you to give up your dream for hers. You could have gotten a job with a regional carrier and went home on weekends or on your days off. I might have been harder for her to plan the wedding by herself, but it would have been fair to you. "

"I think I know what you're trying to say and you're right. I just didn't see it at the time." Jake replied. At the same time, he wondered what other things Eric had told Heather about him.

Heather shifted her position on Jake's lap to make herself more comfortable. Once she was settled, Jake continued his story.

"Emily and her brother, Chris, became very close after the death of their mother. The same year I came back to town, Chris had graduated from high school and was unsure of what he wanted to do with his life. Jonah offered him a job. Emily was aware that Jonah was involved in some shady business dealings and didn't want Chris to be involved in any part of it."

‘But it was okay that Jake worked for him!' Heather thought incredulously.

"She did her best to talk him out of taking the job but Chris wouldn't listen.  After their parents divorced, Emily and Chris were not allowed to see Jonah. It was only after their mother's death that Jonah started coming around. He told them he wanted to have a relationship with them. Emily didn't have much to do with him. Chris was a different story; he wanted a relationship with Jonah and saw working with him as a way to bring them closer. Despite Emily's objections, he started working for him two months before I graduated and came home. When she convinced me to take the job, Emily said that an added benefit would be that I could keep an eye on Chris.  I took the job, but not before making it clear to Jonah that I wasn't going to become involved in the shady side of his business. I think he agreed only because of Emily.  One night Jonah came to me and said that he needed my help with one of his ‘jobs'. He said that one of his team was arrested and that he was a person short. He wanted me to be the lookout for a job the next night. As payment I would get a percentage of the take. I refused. The money wasn't worth the risk to me."

‘Good for you, Jake!' Heather thought.

"The next day Jonah told me that Chris was going to do it. Chris was a great kid but I think he had some insecurity issues. He never really felt like he belonged.  I can't say for sure but I think Jonah used that to convince him to go along. I tried to talk him out of it but he refused to listen to me. There wasn't anything else I could do. That night Chris was dead. I found out that they attempted to rob an electronics store in New Bern. A witness saw them and called the police; Chris was shot and killed while trying to get away. When Emily confronted Jonah about Chris' involvement he told her the only reason he had gotten him involved was because I refused to go. When she came home later that day she told me what Jonah had said and blamed me for Chris' death. She refused to listen to my side of things. Everything she said to me that night just fed the guilt I had already felt for not being able to talk Chris out of going .That night I left Jericho. I didn't tell anyone I was leaving, not even my family. I didn't know where I was going . . . I just knew I had to get out of town."

Heather picked at the button on Jake's shirt and said, "They were both wrong to blame you. You did your best to talk Chris out of it. You had nothing to feel guilty about. You do realize that, don't you?"

Jake kissed Heather on the top of her head. "I know now," he said before continuing his story.

"I drove to Denver that night and enlisted in the Army the next day. After boot camp, I opted for special operations training. That's where I learned about explosives and medical triage. After completing training, I was asked to pilot Delta force teams to and from their missions. That's how I met Joe Chavez. He led the Delta Force team I ferried to and from missions before he joined the inter-agency task force he's serving on now. He's a good leader. He had the respect of every member of his team. I met him in 2003 when I piloted his team to the Honduras to extract a senator's daughter kidnapped by rebel terrorists while she was volunteering at a Red Cross medical camp."

Heather interrupted him, "It sure is a small world, isn't it?"

"That it is. After that mission, I was approached by a CIA/FBI joint terrorist task force. There was a private security company operating in Afghanistan and Iraq that they believed were tied to terrorist activities. This company was looking for a pilot who would be willing to drive trucks when he wasn't flying. They wanted me to apply for the job and collect evidence that linked the company to terrorist activities. I agreed, applied for the job, and a month later was hired by the company. Each month, I flew a shipment into either Iraq or Afghanistan from an airport in Saudi Arabia. After the plane landed, I drove a truck for two weeks before returning back to Saudi Arabia to pilot the next shipment. It took me six months to get the evidence the task force needed. By then, I had had established myself with the company and the task force asked me to start collecting intel about planned terrorists attacks. I ended up working for the company for fourteen months in Afghanistan and six months in Iraq before the task force decided that had all the information they needed.  It was on, what was supposed to be my last shipment, that all hell broke loose."

Heather's hand was still in Jake's hand. He had stopped fidgeting with her fingers and was instead rubbing his thumb in circles on the top of her hand. Heather could feel the tension building in Jake's body and knew that this next part would be difficult for him.

"Jake, you don't have . . . ."

"I want to. Just give me a second," Jake said and took and took a short breath before continuing.

"My superiors and the men I worked with believed that all of the locals were enemies and that they had the right to treat them any way they wanted. I did not agree with this and neither did my buddy, Freddy. Strangely, the men seemed to respect our position and left us to guard the trucks while they wrecked havoc on whatever village we were going through. In one of my intel reports, I made the task force aware of what was going on but they said there wasn't anything they could do without risking my cover. On my last shipment, the team I was on was returning to the base camp and stopped at a village about twenty miles outside of camp. The men were walking across the street toward a small café in the village, when shooting erupted. The men ran for cover and started shooting back.  Freddy and I were covering them the best we could from our position by the trucks."

Jake's voice hitched a little. "The air was filled with smoke from the gunfire making it hard to see what you were shooting at. From the corner of my eye I saw someone walking toward me and pointing a gun at me. I just reacted; I raised my gun and pulled the trigger. The shooting stopped a few minutes later. I ran over to the person who I had shot to see if he was still alive, to see if there was anything I could do . . . it was the first the time I shot anyone."

Jake's voice cracked. "When I walked over to the body, I saw it was a little girl. She couldn't have been more than ten or twelve." Jake paused, "I killed a little girl. It didn't help that I knew the insurgents trained women and children to fight . . . I had shot a little girl . . . "

Heather looked up at Jake with tears in her eyes. She saw the anguish in his eyes and raised her hand to his cheek and looked him in the eye and said. "Like Chris, it wasn't your fault, Jake . . . it wasn't your fault.  You were just doing what you had to do to protect yourself  . . . .You didn't put that gun in her hands."  Jake saw the acceptance in her eyes and felt the burden that he had been carrying these past years begin to disappear.

"There's just a little more to my story and then I'll be done." Jake told her.

"Okay," said Heather as she made herself comfortable in his arms again.

Jake then proceeded to tell Heather about the gag order regarding the incident, how the FBI had flagged his passport as ‘person of interest' and how that made it difficult for him to find a job piloting for charter airlines when he had returned to San Diego with Freddy. He ended with Freddy's death and his return to Jericho to ask for his inheritance. He felt like a big weight had been lifted off his shoulders when he was done.

They sat there quietly for a few minutes before Heather said, "You know it's getting late. We better get going if we're going to the market." She uncurled herself from Jake's lap, stood up and stretched before holding her hand out to Jake to pull him up. When he stood up, Heather put her arms around him and said.  "Jake, you need to know your past doesn't change one bit how I feel about you. How could it? It's your experiences that formed you into the man who you are today."

Jake couldn't find the words to tell her exactly how he felt at that moment. He just pulled her closer and whispered in her ear. "Thanks for being here for me." Heather looked up at him and smiled. Jake move his face closer to hers wanting to show by his actions what he wasn't able to put into words. What started out as a gentle kiss slowly grew in intensity. Jake was lost in the kiss when he felt Heather struggling to break free from the hold he had on her. He broke the kiss and looked at Heather. Beneath the tears, he saw fear in her eyes. Afraid that it was him who had scared her, he stepped away from her and dropped his arms to his side.  Then he remembered what she told him last night, that something happened in New Bern. Based on her reaction he knew that what had happened to her was physical, likely sexual. The thought of it turned his stomach and he felt the anger rising inside of him. Heather looked so forlorn standing before him that his anger was quickly overridden with concern for her.

Heather stood in front of him with her shoulders slouched, looking down at the floor. "Heather," Jake said," please look at me."

When she didn't raise her head, Jake took a step forward and placed his hand under her chin, gently raising her head until she was looking at him. When he saw the sadness in her eyes, his heart went out to her.  "I'm sorry . . . the last thing I wanted to do was frighten you."

"Jake, it's not you . . ." She said in a broken voice.

Jake held out his arms willing her to walk into them. Needing the safety and security that she felt in his arms, Heather didn't hesitate. As they wrapped their arms around each other, Heather rested her head on Jake's shoulder.

"Oh, Jake . . . I wish . . . "

Jake interrupted her and said soothingly, "Shhh . . .  it's going to be okay. You're safe with me . . . "

"I know," Heather replied simply.

As much as Jake wanted Heather to confide in him about what happened, he knew he couldn't push her. He had to be patient, he just hoped that she would tell him sooner rather than later. He didn't want her to carry the same kind of guilt that he had for so long. He knew what it could do and didn't want the same thing for her.

"Babe, I meant what I said last night, too. We'll take all the time you need. If you start to feel uncomfortable, just let me know. I'll be here for you. When you're ready to talk, I'll listen."

Heather smiled into Jake's shoulder when he called her ‘Babe.' It made her feel as if butterflies were fluttering in her stomach. She looked up at Jake and surprised him with a quick kiss on his cheek before stepping back. She smiled at him before taking his taking is hand and saying. "Come on. We better get to the market."

They held hands as they walked to the market to buy the groceries that Heather needed to restock her pantry. When they got to the market, Jake was surprised to find it set up like an old fashioned outdoor market. He had expected it to be indoors. When he asked Heather about it, she told him that it had been outside ever since she had been in Cheyenne, but she had heard that once the weather got cold, the market would move into an abandoned warehouse near the edge of town.

The market was made up of approximately twenty kiosks. About half of them were selling vegetables, flour, and other staples. The other kiosks were selling what was now considered 'luxury foods'--meat, eggs, chicken and occasionally fruit. On their way to the market, Heather had explained how the ration coupons worked. Vegetables, because they were so plentiful now, weren't rationed but all ‘luxury foods' were. Each person who qualified for ration coupons were assigned an identification number which was stamped on each of the coupons when they picked them up each month. A certain percent of the ‘luxury food' items was allocated for purchase by the government and was added to the food supply at Camp Cheyenne.

The availability of a ‘luxury food' in a particular week determined how many rations were available for purchase by an individual. Only those people whose identification number appeared on that vendor's list that week could purchase the product they were selling. Other than vegetables, Heather was usually able to get a half dozen eggs, a quart of milk and a couple of pounds of meat each week. Government employees were given bonus ration coupons to make up for their small paychecks. The number of bonus coupons a government employee received depended on his or her position. If Valente offered her the job tomorrow, it would be a promotion. She would get more bonus coupons which would come in handy with Jake staying with her.

Jake and Heather spent a couple hours at the market picking out the food they would need for the coming week. They haggled with the vendors about the price of the vegetables and enjoyed their time together, relieving the stress they both felt as a result of the morning's conversation.

When they returned home and all the groceries were put away. Heather decided to make soup to take over to the safe house for dinner the following night.  While she was cooking, Jake pulled a book off of Heather's bookshelf and settled on the couch to read. Forty-five minutes later, after the soup was finished and dinner was cooking in the oven, Heather walked over to the couch and sat down next to Jake.

"Jake, I have some questions that I didn't think to ask yesterday about what's going on. Can I ask you?"

"Sure, I'll do my best to answer them and any I can't we'll bring to Chavez and Hawkins tomorrow."

"Okay, here goes . . . "

Jake spent the next hour answering Heather's questions the best he could.  When Heather had finished asking her questions, a worried look came over her face.

"What's the matter, Babe?"

"I didn't want to mention it early but I'm really nervous about tomorrow. The thought of possibly working for a man who is callous enough to stage the largest mass murder of all time turns my stomach. I'm not sure that I can act as if I don't know anything."

"I understand how you feel. Acting as if you don't know anything will be one of the hardest things you'll have to do. Remembering the reasons why you're doing this will help.  The first day will be hard but I promise it will get easier after that. You just have to set your mind to it." Jake chuckled before continuing, "And we both know how stubborn you can be, once you set out to do something nothing can stop you."

"There is that." Heather replied with a smile. "Seriously, Jake, do you think I'll be able to do this?"

"Yes, and I'm not the only one, both Hawkins and Chavez also think you have what it takes."

"I hope you're right."

"I know I am. Try not to worry."

"Easier said than done."

Jake took Heather's hand in his and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "I know but you'll do fine."

Heather checked her watch. "The chicken's done, are you all set to eat?"

"You bet. I'm starving!"

After dinner, when the dishes were put away, they made tea and took it into the living room where they snuggled on the couch talking about whatever came into their minds. An hour later, Heather got up off the couch and said, "I'm tired, I'm going to bed I have a big day tomorrow."

 As she was walking away from the couch she turned to Jake, and said "Come in when you're ready. I'll keep your spot warm for you."

Jake smiled, happy that Heather wanted him with her again, and said, "I'll give you fifteen and then I'll be in."

It was Monday morning and Jake had just walked Heather to the bus stop so she could catch the bus for work. He was on his way to the safe house to meet up with Chavez and Hawkins. About two blocks away from his destination, he saw a man turn the corner walk toward him.  When Jake saw who it was, he quickly turned in the opposite direction and ducked into the alley he had just passed.

Leaning tensely against the wall of one of the buildings, Jake started clenching and unclenching his fists as the shock of seeing the man quickly turned to anger. He remained hidden in the shadow of the alley looking out toward the street until he saw the man walk by. Intending to confront the man, he stepped out onto the street and started to follow him. He weaved in and out of the people on the street while keeping the man in his sight.  He stopped as he watched as the man approached a group of people on the street. He was close enough to hear the man ask, "Have you seen the woman in this picture? She's my niece and I need to find her. She's the only family I have left." 

‘Oh God, he's looking for Heather. Worse he has a picture of her!'  Jake drew in a shaky breath as he watched the man turn from the people and walk down the street.

Jake continued to follow the man after the group confirmed that they had not seen the woman in the photo. As they moved forward, Jake saw the man approach a woman with three young children at her side. The sight before forced him to reconsider his decision to confront the man as he realized that he would be putting innocent people at risk. He continued to follow the man, no longer to confront him, but instead hoping to find his base of operations. Once he had that he would go back to the safe house and get Hawkins and Chavez. He followed the man until he was forced to wait at the corner while a convoy of trucks sped by. When he was finally able to cross the street the man had disappeared in the crowd.

He looked around for landmarks that he could use to tell Hawkins and Chavez where he last saw the man. He looked across the street and saw an impressive three story brick building that was set back about five hundred feet from the road in the middle of a park-like setting. The pathway leading up to the building was lined with trees. The grounds on either side of the pathway were impeccably landscaped. There was a black iron fence surrounding the grounds with a gate at the top of the pathway way leading into the building. Attached to the fence next to the gate was a huge plaque that said in large block letters ‘Jennings & Rall'. As most people would, given the company's notoriety, Jake immediately recognized the name. Jennings & Rall had been the largest government contractor until 2004 when it fell out of favor when the methods they used to secure the contracts came under scrutiny.

About a half hour later, Jake entered the safe house. Chavez and Hawkins were sitting at the table discussing the plans for the day. Jake walked up to them and slammed his hand on the table and exclaimed, "That son of a bitch is here. I saw him and he's looking for Heather!"

"Jake, who are you talking about? Who's here?" Chavez asked.

 "Constantino!" Jake exclaimed in an agitated tone before he began to pace the kitchen floor.

"Get a hold of yourself, Jake. Sit down and tell us what happened." Chavez said.

Jake reluctantly sat down. Agitated, he began to drum the table with his fingers. "I saw him turning the corner and ducked into an alley before he saw me. He stopped right outside the alley and I heard him talk to a group of people. As soon as he went by, I started to follow him. That son of a bitch has a picture of her! He was showing it around claiming she was his niece and needed to find her."

Hawkins, knowing that Jake often reacted without thinking, was surprised at what Jake said next.

"I wanted to confront him but then realized there were too many people walking the streets. I didn't want to risk it. I kept following him until I lost him. I wanted to know where he was going. "

"You did the right thing in not confronting him, Jake."

Chavez then joined the conversation. "It shouldn't be too difficult to find him. Everyone has to be off the streets by ten every night. He'll need to go somewhere. He'll have no choice but to go to Camp Cheyenne. We'll start our search there."

Chavez paused before continuing, "This man could have information we could use. When we find him, we'll bring him here for questioning. Jake, after he gives us all he knows it'll be up to you to decide what to do with him."

"What if we can't find him?" He saw the answer written on the faces of Hawkins and Chavez. "No way! She's already been through too much! No way, are we gonna use Heather as a decoy to draw him out. It's too dangerous!"

"Let's just cross that bridge when we come to it, Jake. The most important thing right now is to keep Heather out of harm's way and you're already taking care of that. She should be safe at work but with the picture Constantino is showing around you'll need to avoid taking her out."

Jake nodded his head in agreement before saying, "I don't understand how he knew to look for her here. This was the last place I expected to see him."

"He may have had an informant who knew Heather was here." Chavez replied,

Jake countered, "I don't see how that's possible. It would mean he would have an in with the army which isn't likely."

"Good point, Jake." When we find him, we'll tail him for a day or two before bringing him in. Let's see if we can find his informant, maybe he'll have some leads for us. Hawkins and I will start searching for him tonight when we're back at Camp Cheyenne."

"By the way, Jake, how is Heather?" Hawkins asked.

"She's okay, a little stressed about what we told her on Saturday but she's dealing."

"Think she can handle it?"

"I don't have a doubt." Jake said with conviction.

"Did you enjoy your time with Heather yesterday?" Chavez asked.

Jake, uncomfortable with the question, replied abruptly, "It was nice to get reacquainted again."

Chavez and Hawkins exchange a knowing look which was not lost on Jake. Wanting to steer the conversation back to business, Jake told the men what he had learned from Heather when they arrived back from the market the day before.

 "Heather told me that there was a large farm on the outskirts of Cheyenne that supplied the town with food. She said she heard that the majority of workers are transported from Camp Cheyenne and that they had once farmed their own land. Coming from a farming community, I know that farmers are tied to their land in a way that's difficult for outsiders to understand. They would never leave their farms without a good reason. It might be worth looking into."

Chavez replied, "I agree. After we deal with Constantino, it might be worth going out to the farm to have a look around."

"Good idea," Hawkins replied.

"We need to get to work compiling and cataloging the information that Hawkins and I have collected since the bombs went off.  I know it's boring work but the sooner it's done the sooner we can get to the important stuff."

"By the way, I received this report from the East today," Chavez said as he held up a piece of paper. Apparently, the government has lodged a formal complaint with the Cheyenne government. They're blaming Cheyenne for the increase in drug trafficking in the East. They say they have evidence that the drugs are being smuggled in from the west. I was asked in a separate communication from my superiors if I thought it had anything to do with our investigation. I told them I don't think it's likely but we'll add it to the mix and see what we come up with. Hawkins, I think this info is best categorized with the intel your compiling, why don't you add it to your pile."

"Okay, boss," Hawkins said in a joking matter as he took the report from Chavez.

Four hours later, when all the intel was categorized, the three men sat down and summarized for each other the intel they had reviewed.  Once they finished, Jake mentioned offhandedly, "You know, this would have gone a lot faster if Heather was here helping us. You know she's great at this sort of thing." Jake said in a serious tone.

"I bet you think Heather's great at everything." Chavez asked, wanting to get a reaction out of Jake.

"Well, as a matter of fact . . ." Jake started to say as a far away look came over his face. Hawkins' and Chavez's laughter brought Jake back to the present. He returned their laughter with a cold stare and said, "Well, I have to go if I'm going to be at the bus stop when Heather's bus arrives. I'm gonna get my gun before I leave, with Constantino around I don't want to take any chances." Jake went into the bedroom where he and Hawkins had stored their firearms and electronics. When he came out of the room he said, "By the way, Heather's bringing something for dinner."

"Sounds good." Hawkins said as Jake was walking out the door.

After Jake closed the door to the safe house, Hawkins gave Chavez a strange look and asked, "What was that last comment about? Are you deliberately trying to antagonize Jake?"
 
Chavez chuckled as he sprawled onto the couch.
 
"I just think Jake needs to be reminded that Heather is an attractive woman and there are men out there who would be more than willing to step into his shoes," he told Hawkins as he propped his feet on the scratched coffee table in front of the couch.
 
"And you're one of those men?" Hawkins asked skeptically.
 
"Damn straight. She's beautiful, intelligent and brave. What man in his right mind wouldn't be attracted to her?" 
 
Hawkins sat down on the couch next to Chavez. Cocking his head to one side, he considered Chavez's words. 

"You've got a point, but you do know you don't have a chance."

"Of course I know that but someone needs to keep Green on his toes."

"True." Hawkins replied before both men started laughing.

Meanwhile at the capitol . . .

After receiving directions from the receptionist, Heather walked to Chief of Staff Valente's office. To say there was a lot riding on this meeting was an understatement. Not only would it speed up their investigation but it would also mean they could return to Jericho sooner rather than later. Heather was grateful for Jake's patience the day before as he answered the questions she had as she began to assimilate what Chavez and Hawkins told her about Valente.  Going into this meeting, despite Jake's reassurances, she was still nervous and still wasn't sure she could pull it off. The thought that she had to face such a callous, power hungry man, who very well could be the mastermind behind a plan responsible for untold deaths and act like she didn't know anything seemed an impossible task. ‘This is a whopper of an example, where the less you know the better. I just hope I can pull this off,' she thought as she walked down the hall.

‘I don't know anything . . . I don't know anything,' Heather repeated her mantra for the day as she approached the suite that housed the Chief of Staff. When she reached the door to the suite, she took a deep breath and repeated her mantra one more time before entering the suite and approaching the receptionist's desk.

"Hello, I have an appointment at ten o'clock with Chief of Staff Valente."

"Let me call his assistant to tell her you're here." The receptionist replied and then made the call. "He's finishing up a meeting right now. His assistant will come to escort you to him once the meeting is over. Please have a seat. In the meantime would you like a coffee while you wait?"

"No thanks, I'm fine," Heather replied before going over to sit in the waiting area.

 ‘I don't know anything . . . I don't know anything . . .,' she kept repeating in her mind while she waited. After twenty minutes, of waiting her mantra ceased to have the desired effect and her stomach began churning and she started to tremble. She took a couple of deep breaths and focused on what Jake had told her that morning when she said that she was nervous. He had told her that one thing that attracted him to her was that once she set her mind to do something nothing could stop her. This, and her annoyance over being kept waiting began to replace some of the apprehension she felt. After ten more minutes, she finally heard the clicking of heels walking across the floor as Valente's assistant approached her. "Miss Lisinski, I'm Tara Wheeler, the chief's administrative assistant, the chief can you see you now. Please follow me."

"It's nice to meet you." Heather replied, before saying with hint of sarcasm in her tone but with a smile on her face. "I thought I might have to reschedule."

Tara Wheeler looked Heather up and down and with a smug expression on her face. "He's an important man, Miss Lisinski. It's best you remember that," she said haughtily before motioning Heather to follow her as she turned on her heels.

Heather heard the challenge in her voice, and not being the type of person to back down from one became determined to prove that she deserved a position in this office. Her determination went a long way in calming her nerves.

The assistant led her into a huge corner office. "Please have a seat. Chief Valente will be right in."

Heather took the seat in front of the desk and anxiously waited another ten minutes before Valente entered the office. "Miss Lisinski, it's good to meet you at last." Heather stood up and turned toward the sound of the voice.

Valente was a short stocky man who walked with a cane. He was bald with features that were almost too small for his round face and he had ears that stood out from his head.

He took a step toward Heather and held out his hand, palm side down. When Heather took his hand he gave it a firm squeeze and held it longer than necessary. He then walked behind the desk and sat down, motioning for Heather to follow suit. Heather had to actually raise her eyes to meet Valente's. He sat in a high back chair that was situated higher than hers. His unblinking stare unnerved her and she needed to take a deep breath and repeat her mantra in her mind to calm herself.

"Miss Lisinski . . .  do you mind if I call you Heather?"

"That's fine." 

"Heather, I was impressed with your report. It was very well thought out and I find your ideas about retooling factories very original."

"Thank you, sir."

"I'm interesting in hearing your opinion about why our present system of retooling factories isn't working."

Heather took a breath to calm herself and replied, "In the present system, the local governments have the last say in deciding what the retooled factory will manufacture. In many cases, the decision is made to manufacture goods that are needed locally. This results in many factories across the west manufacturing the same goods."

"Go on," prompted Valente.

"My idea is that the government should set up a national agency which would be responsible for determining what should be manufactured in the retooled factories.. They would work with regional agencies to make this determination and to hire management teams that would be responsible for not only running the factory but for setting up training programs to train workers on how to manufacture goods the factory will be producing."

"What would the advantages be to having a national agency?"

"I thought the answer would be obvious, but let me explain . . ."

‘I thought the answer would be obvious . . . most people wouldn't have the guts to say such a thing to my face. I'm impressed.' Valente thought before turning his attention back to Heather.

"The agency would be responsible for reviewing all requests for retooling factories. It would be their job to look at the bigger picture and determine what makes sense for the factories to manufacture. Based on what's currently being manufactured in the west, the demand for certain products, the region's demographics and natural resources they would make a determination on what the retooled factory would produce. The regional agencies, which would report up to the national one, would do all the initial screening and make their recommendations but the final say would lie with the national agency."

"I have to say, Heather, I'm impressed. Your plan could actually work, where would the workers for these factories come from?"

"There's a lot of expertise that can be found in the FEMA camps around the west. The government and factories could advertise at the camps and offer the families transportation to the factory locations. Part of the retooling projects would be building housing for the workers much like the factories provided at the beginning of the twenty first century. This way they wouldn't become a burden to the town. Of course, the townspeople would be given first priority to fill the job openings. It would also mean that all FEMA camps would have to offer placement services much the same way Camp Cheyenne does."

"Your plan does have its merits. I'm going to send it on to the cabinet members and get their take on it. I already have Secretary Sheridan's approval, as I'm sure you're aware."

"Yes, we reviewed it when I first wrote it."

"Good, good. How do you like your job, Heather?"

‘Here it comes . . . I hope I can convince him.' Heather thought.

"I like it. I find it very interesting. I'm learning a lot about what's going on in the world. Sometimes I feel like I'm even making a difference."

"Well, I could use someone with your talent and brains on my staff. How would you like to come and work for me?"

"I don't know . . . I like it where I am. What position are you looking to hire for?"

"Well, I have an opening for a Senior Research Analyst. You would manage a staff of eight research analysts and work on special projects with me, some of them top secret, others not."

"It sounds like it could be interesting . . ."

"Secretary Sheridan highly recommends you. I'd like you to start immediately."

Heather bristled at Valente's assumption that she would take the job but kept her counsel knowing that getting the job was necessary to carry out her part in the mission.

"What about my security clearance? I know the government has adopted the old Department of Defense security clearance classifications of ‘Confidential', ‘Secret', and ‘Top Secret'. Won't I need ‘Top Secret' clearance?

"Yes, but that's not an issue. The HR department can explain why when you go fill out the necessary paperwork, which I want done today."

"I'll head there now," Heather replied, relieved that things had gone much smoother than she had anticipated.

"I'll expect you here tomorrow at nine o'clock. You can go now and tie up any loose ends you have." Valente said than put on his glasses and started going through the documents on his desk.

Realizing she had been dismissed, Heather stood up, walked out of Valente's office and made her way back to the Office of Reconstruction. She knocked on Secretary Sheridan's door.

"Come in," Sheridan called.

Heather walked into the office and sat down. "You were right, Mr. Secretary. He did offer me a job."

"I thought he would. I can't say you look very happy though."

"Well, the job does sound interesting but I felt like he left me no choice. He wants me to start tomorrow."

"Knowing Valente, I'm not surprised. We're going to miss you around here."

"I'll miss being here, too"

"Heather, you should be aware some people in this government do not subscribe to the high ethical standards that I do. You didn't have to watch your back here . . .  but you may have to in Valente's office. Do you understand what I'm trying to say?

"Yes, I think so."

"Heather, if you find that you need someone to talk to or if you feel like you're in over your head, you can come to me."

"Thank you, sir. I appreciate that. Well, I have a few things to tie up before I leave. Thank you again for the opportunity you've given me. I have really enjoyed working with you."

"Likewise, Heather, but please don't forget what I told you."

"I won't." Heather said before she went back to her office to review the remaining news reports on her desk.

By six o'clock she had finished reviewing the news reports on her desk, had gone to the HR department to fill out the necessary paperwork and had cleaned out her desk. She took one last look around her office and headed to the bus top to catch the bus back to her apartment.

As Heather got off the bus Jake walked up to her, took her arm and started leading her quickly down the street. Heather noticed how Jake kept looking around him as they were walking down the street. He was obviously on edge. She stopped walking and turned to Jake.

"Jake, what is it? What's wrong?"

"We'll talk when we get to your apartment. Come on, let's get going. The sooner we're off the street the better." Jake said in an agitated tone.

Heather was more than annoyed at Jake's attitude but decided to hold her tongue until they got home. As soon as they entered her apartment, she turned to Jake. "Would you mind telling me what's going on? I don't appreciate being half dragged to my apartment without an explanation."

Heather watched Jake as he paced her living room floor. "Heather, I'm sorry. I couldn't take the time to explain. I saw Constantino today. He's here in Cheyenne."

"Are you sure it was him you saw?" Heather asked in a worried voice.

"Yes, it was him. I'm sure of it. He has a picture of you and he was stopping people on the street. He showed them the picture and asked them if they had seen you."

"He has my picture?" Heather asked in a thin voice.

Jake nodded his head.

"Okay, this is really spooking me. He knows I'm in Cheyenne and he has a picture of me . . . I don't get it . . . This is very scary."

"It scares us, too. Chavez thought it was a possibility that he has an informant, someone who knew that you were going to Cheyenne. I told him I didn't think it was possible, but maybe he's right. He also thinks that he'll be at Camp Cheyenne after the ten o'clock curfew. He and Hawkins are going to start looking there tonight."

"Oh, Jake. What are we going to do?" Heather asked with a worried tone in her voice.

Jake walked up to Heather, put his hands on her shoulder and looked straight into her eyes. He could see the fear in her eyes. "You're not going anywhere without Hawkins, Chavez or me escorting you. Do you understand?" Jake asked in a serious tone.

Heather nodded her head before Jake continued in a reassuring tone, "It's going to be okay. We're not going to let anything happen to you. Heather, I'm not going to let anything happen to you." He then pulled Heather into his arms and held her until he felt her relax against him before saying, "We better get going, I told Hawkins and Chavez you were bringing dinner."

"Okay, let me get the soup." Heather replied then walked to the refrigerator and pulled out the vegetable soup she had made yesterday.

When they arrived at the safe house, Heather walked into the kitchen and put the soup on the stove to heat up. As the soup was heating, she set the table with four bowls and four spoons.

"Mmmm . . . smells good!" Chavez exclaimed.

"Thanks." Heather said as she carried the pot of soup to the table. She dished out the soup to the three men before serving herself.

There was silence at the table as everyone ate their soup. Heather commented, "We're all so quiet tonight."

Jake replied, "My mom always said it meant everyone was enjoying their food."

"It's very good, Heather. The best I've had in a long time," said Hawkins.

"Yeah," agreed Jake.

Once everyone finished, Heather got up and started clearing the table. She refused the men's offer to help and came back and sat down once the dishes were washed and put away.

"I suppose Jake apprised you of the latest development?" Hawkins asked.

"If you're talking about Constantino, yes, he did."

Hawkins nodded his head. "He also told you that you're not to go out alone until we resolve the problem."

Heather glanced at Jake, "He made that very clear. Don't worry. You won't get any arguments from me on that point."

Chavez took up where Hawkins left off. "We're going to start our search at Camp Cheyenne. We think he'll go there looking for food and shelter. I don't think it's wise for you to go to the camp on Wednesday."

"It might not be wise but I'm still going! The kids are depending on me to be there. One of you can stay with me and help with the class."

"Heather . . ." Chavez started to say before Jake interrupted.

"Don't bother trying. She's the most stubborn girl I know. She's not going to change her mind. I'll keep an eye on her. With any luck, we'll have him by then."

Heather shot Jake an appreciative look before looking at both Hawkins and Chavez, "He's right, you know, I can be very stubborn. There's no sense in even trying to change my mind. I'm going and that's final!"

Chavez chuckled. "Okay, okay. You win this round. So how did the interview go?"

"It went fine. Valente offered me the job. I start tomorrow."

"That's quick . . . what about your security clearance? You said the other day that you would need a higher one for the job."

"Joe, I guess things have changed. When I went to HR to file my paperwork, they told me that they had completed the additional investigation necessary for ‘Top Secret' clearance when they investigated me for ‘Secret' clearance. Standard practice, now a days, they said, due to length of time it takes to complete the investigation"

"What does your new job entail?" Hawkins asked.

"Well, I'll be a Senior Research Analyst heading up a team of eight research analysts. I'll also be working with Valente on highly confidential projects." Heather replied.

"That's good. You should be a big help." Hawkins said.

"Oh, by the way, I came across something on Friday while I was preparing for my meeting with Valente today."

"What's that, Heather?" Jake asked.

Heather than pulled out the news report about the town who had voted down retooling the factory and what the stringers had observed when they did a surveillance of the factory.

"Slavery," Hawkins stated. "What they saw points to some sort of slave ring."

"That was my first thought when I read it on Friday. Jake and I saw evidence of one at Black Jack when we were trying to trade salt for a governor to build a windmill."

"She's right, but this article implies its being done on a much bigger scale." Jake said.

Heather than pulled out her other document, "This was printed from the government archives. It's a list of all the factories in the West. You'll note that neither the factory in the report nor the brake assembly plant in New Bern is on it. It's like neither of them exist."

"Does it say who compiled the list?" Hawkins asked.

"No, but it was tagged as being sourced by the Department of the Interior. When I say sourced, it doesn't necessarily mean they compiled the list, they could have hired and outside firm to do it."

"Do you think there's a connection between this and the document that was given to Heather? Jake asked.

"Probably another piece of the puzzle, but we still have nothing that will help us piece the puzzle together," Chavez answered.

Jake thought for a minute before saying, "There's one possible connection . . . Ravenwood."

"Explain, Jake," demanded Hawkins.

"Well, Heather's document says that Ravenwood was hired to ransack New Bern to incite the war. If Ravenwood were involved with before the bombs, it makes sense that they would be involved in the slave trade."

"That makes sense and it's worth looking into as and when we have the time, but I think we all agree our first priority is Constantino." Chavez said.

Heather, Jake and Hawkins all nodded their head before Hawkins spoke up. "Jake, it's eight o'clock. Time to call home."

Hawkins went into the bedroom and came out with the phones. He dialed the number for the phone that Darcy had in her possession.

"Darcy, how are you?" Hawkins asked.

On the other end of the line, Darcy replied, "We're all fine, Rob. Can you put us on speakerphone? We have some Jericho news that we want both you and Jake to hear."

Hawkins turned on the speaker phone and placed the phone on the table where everyone could hear it.

"Okay, Darcy, you're on speakerphone."

"I'll let Eric speak." Darcy replied. At the sound of Eric's name, tears came to Heather's eyes. Jake noticed Heather's emotional state and took her hand and held it against his thigh under the table. ‘I wonder what that's all about.'

"Jake, Hawkins?" Eric asked.

"We're here. What have you got for us?" Jake asked.

"Maybe nothing . . . there's a land management company that just opened in Jericho. It's called RJ Land Development. Their agents have been going around talking to the farmers, saying that they have a deal to discuss with them. They've set up a meeting to discuss new opportunities for them. I voiced my concerns to Gray and he told me the agents requested a meeting with him when they got to town yesterday. When I asked him what was discussed, he vaguely said something about incentives in return for the town's help in getting the farmers to go along with their plan. He said the agents asked him to draw up a list of the town's needs and they would make every attempt to figure them into the incentives. Gray said that he offered them the use of one of the abandoned office buildings on Main Street. Other than that, he was really closed mouthed about the whole thing. It's set for Wednesday night." Eric explained.

"I don't like it," Jake said.

Darcy spoke up, "Neither do we. Eric and I talked it over. The company is looking for an administrative assistant. I applied for the job."

"Dee, . . . "

Darcy cut him off, "Rob, I'm going to do this. I want to help. Who knows? Maybe it's a piece of the bigger picture."

"I was just going to tell you to be careful." Hawkins replied. "We'll call again on Thursday at the same time so you can tell us about the meeting. Will that work for everyone?"

Darcy took a minute to consult with Eric and Gail. "That will be fine, Rob."

"Is there anything else you need to tell all of us?" Jake asked.

Eric replied, "We're all set and taking you off speakerphone now."

Hawkins switched off the speakerphone and took the phone and walked into living room.

"Dee, how are the kids?"

"They miss you, Rob. Sammy asks for you every day. Apparently, I'm a poor substitute for you when it comes to football now."

Hawkins chuckled before asking, "And Allison, how is she? Is she still as enthusiastic about border patrol now that she started training?"

"Yes, Jimmy's doing a good job with her. She'll complete her training in two weeks. Her training has been somewhat delayed. They opened school again. Classes are only half a day, to give the kids a chance to help with the chores at home now."

"How did they like getting back to school?"

"Sammy loves it but Allison would rather be on the training field. She's becoming more like you every day."

Hawkins smiled before saying, "Listen, Dee, I want to give Jake a chance to talk to his family. You be careful, you hear me? Keep Eric informed of what's going on at the company. If either of you feel that you're getting over your head, leave the job, promise me?"

"I promise, Rob. We'll let you know what's going on Thursday. I love you Rob."

"I love you too, Dee. Let the kids know I'm thinking of them."

"I will, Rob. Until next week . . ."

"Bye, Dee. I'm handing the phone to Jake now."

"Bye, Rob." Darcy then handed the phone to Gail.

"Jake, honey?"

"Hi, Mom," Jake replied.

"How are you?"

"I'm fine. Keeping busy."

"Have you found Heather?"

"Yes, she's fine Mom," Jake said as he turned to smile at Heather.

"When will you be home?"

"I don't know. We're just starting our investigation."

"Well, be careful. Don't forget Stanley is expecting you home for his wedding."

"Don't worry Mom, We'll be home for it."

"Good. Honey, I'm going to put Eric on now. Be careful."

"Jake?"

"Eric, how are you?"

"Fine, Gray is as much trouble as we expected, but I'm trying my best to keep him in line."

"I'm sure you're doing a good job. Will you get a message to Russell for me?"

"Sure, Jake."

"Tell him that I saw Constantino in Cheyenne."

"What the heck is he doing there?"

"We suspect that he has an inside track with someone who told him Heather was here."

"Heather . . . so you found her?"

"Yes, she's right here with me."

"I need to talk to her." Jake noted the desperate tone in Eric's voice and turned to Heather. "Eric, wants to talk to you."

When he looked at Heather, Jake knew something was up. She was sitting at the kitchen table wringing her hands together. When she looked up at him, he noticed the tears in her eyes.

Heather took the phone from Jake and slowly got up from the table. She walked into the bedroom for some privacy. In Jericho, Eric walked into the kitchen also looking for some privacy.

"Eric, you don't know how worried I've been about you."

"Heather, I'm really fine." Eric hesitated, then continued vehemently, "They told me you were dead. You know that I wouldn't have left New Bern without you, don't you? Heather, I swear. Will you ever forgive me?

"There's nothing to forgive, Eric. Hey, I know what you'd do to protect me. . ." Heather joked weakly.

Eric closed his eyes in relief. When he had found out that Heather was alive, the thought that he had left her behind in New Bern had eaten at him.

"I can't tell you how happy I was when we found out you were alive. I just needed to talk to you to make sure you were all right."

"I am. I'm fine. I'm sorry for everything I put you through. If I hadn't tried to talk to that woman, we would have both gotten out of town safely. I'm so sorry. I should have been caught, not you!" Heather said tearfully.

"Heather, it's okay. We're both fine now and that's what counts. How are you and Jake getting along?"

"We're good, Eric. I'm so glad he's here . . . You were right, he does have feelings for me. We told each other how we felt the first night he was here."

"Did you tell him everything that happened in New Bern, Heather? You need to tell him. If you don't it will always be there, hanging between the two of you. Neither of you deserve that. Take it from someone who knows. Tell him and let him help you through it. It will only bring you closer together. Jake can handle it. Everything will be all right."

Heather wasn't surprised that Eric had figured out she hadn't told Jake what had happened to her in New Bern. She and Eric had become close friends while they were in New Bern. They talked about everything---Jake included. Eric knew about the kiss and how hurt and confused Heather had been. He was glad that it was over between Jake and Emily. Eric had suspected that Jake had had feelings for Heather that he wasn't willing to admit. He just hoped that Jake didn't screw it up again---that he realized just how good Heather was for him.

"I know. I'll tell him."

"Try not to worry.It'll be okay."

"I'll get Jake for you," Heather replied then she walked out of the bedroom and handed the phone to Jake.

Jake was angry at Eric when he saw Heather. Whatever Eric had said really upset her. He walked into the bedroom that Heather had just left and shut the door.

"What the hell did you say to her, Eric?" Jake asked angrily.

"We talked about New Bern."

Jake sighed, his anger replaced by anxiety. From the tone of Eric's voice, he instinctively knew he wouldn't enjoy hearing about Heather's adventures in New Bern.

"I know something happened to her there but she hasn't told me what. Do you know?"

"Yes."

"And you never mentioned anything to me?" Jake asked incredulously.

"When I heard she was dead, I just wanted to forget what happened. Then, when I found out she was alive, I realized that it wasn't my story to tell. Don't worry, Jake. She'll tell you when she's ready."

 "I hope so, Eric. I hope so." Jake replied more calmly,

"So, Heather says things are going good for you two. Does this mean what I think it does?"

"Yeah, it does. We still have that ground to cover but we'll get there."

"Jake, just be patient with her. She went through hell."

"I will, little brother. I will."

"And Jake, you need to tell her about why you left Jericho and what you were doing those years you were away"

"She knows now. We talked this morning."

"That's good, Jake. You did the right thing. I'm glad to hear about you and Heather. You're lucky to have her. I'm going to go now. We'll talk next week."

"I am lucky. Thanks, Eric."

"Anytime. Take care, Jake."

"You, too. Good bye."

"Bye."

Eric hung up and walked back into the living room. "Is everything all right, honey?" Gail asked.

Eric smiled at his mother and said, "Everything is working out just fine. Let's go home, Mom."

Eric turned to Darcy and said, "Let me know how your interview goes."

"I will. Gail, I'll see you tomorrow at the Med Center after I drop Sammy off at school. I'm glad you convinced me to volunteer there. I hope I can still manage it if I get this job."

"I hope so, too, Darcy. You've been a great help there."

Darcy walked them to the door. "Eric, I'll let you know how the interview goes and Gail, I'll see you tomorrow. Good bye."

"Good bye, Darcy." Gail said and Eric repeated as they walked out the door.

In Cheyenne, Jake walked out of the bedroom. Heather was sitting at the kitchen table holding her head in her hands silently crying. Hawkins and Chavez hovered around her, unsure of what to do.

Jake put the phone on the table and went over to Heather. Gently, he placed his hands on her shoulders. He bent down and whispered to her. "It's going to be okay, babe. Let's go home."

Heather nodded her head and stood up. Jake helped her get her coat on and put his arm around her.

He turned to Hawkins and Chavez and said, "I'll meet you at the entrance to Camp Cheyenne tomorrow at ten o'clock. Heather can tell me how to get there."

"Okay Jake. See you then." Chavez said, then mouthed, "Take care of her."

Jake didn't take the bait this time. Instead, he gave Chavez a hard look; then with his arm still around Heather, he led her out of the safe house. They didn't say a word on the way back to Heather's apartment. When they arrived home, Jake helped Heather get her coat off and removed his. He took Heather's hand and led her over to the couch. They sat quietly together with Jake's arm around Heather and her head resting on his shoulder.

After a few minutes, Heather began in a detached voice, "You already know that Eric and I found out that New Bern was making mortars and was planning to attack Jericho. What you don't know is that we heard rumors of people being held in the building next to the factory. Eric and I decided to investigate. We watched the building for a few days after work and saw that there were only three guards patrolling the perimeter of the building and saw no one entering or leaving the building the time we there. We also noticed that two of the guards took dinner at the same time--at six thirty. We decided the next night that we were going to try and get into the building to see what was going on."

Heather paused and took a few deep breaths. Jake felt Heather tense and tightened his arm around her. He gently kissed the top of her head before whispering, "It's okay, babe. You can tell me anything."

Heather continued her story in the same detached voice. "The next day we were able to slip by the guards and get into the building. After we walked through the lobby, we came to this room and entered it. We saw two cells; one had young women in it, the other young men. Their feet were shackled together. When I walked over to the cell that had the women in it, one of them grabbed my arm and started pleading for help. Then, we heard footsteps. I couldn't get the woman to let go of me. Eric ran and hid behind a wall. The guard saw me and yelled at me telling me to stop. He didn't see that I couldn't move, that the woman was still holding on to me. When he finally saw the woman, he took the end of his rifle and pushed the woman out of the way. He grabbed me and dragged me to his office."

Heather was beginning to lose her composure but she took another deep breath and did her best to continue.

"He started asking me all these questions. When I wouldn't tell him what he wanted to know, he said he couldn't let me go, that I was going to suffer the same fate as the men and women I saw but first I had to be punished."

Heather started to sob into Jake's shoulder. Jake suspected what Heather was going to tell him next and he wondered angrily where Eric had been while all this was going on.

Although he needed to hear the rest of the story, he whispered soothingly to Heather, "Babe, it's okay. If you're not ready you don't have tell me the rest. I can wait."

Heather lifted her head off his shoulders and looked into Jake's eyes. The look she saw in them gave her the strength to continue. She put her head back down on his shoulder and felt Jake's arm tighten around her once again. "He was going to rape me, Jake. He was on top of me when Eric came into the room. Eric grabbed the gun the guard left on the table and shot him. He fell on me, I felt like I was being smothered until Eric pulled him off me. I couldn't move I was so scared. Eric shook me, telling me to get it together because we had to leave. I pulled myself together the best I could. Eric took my hand and we started running. As we left the building the other guards were coming back from dinner and saw us. They ran after us. As we turned the corner, Eric shoved me into an abandoned building. I peeked out the window and I saw the guards catch him. They roughed him up before dragging him to his feet and bringing him back to the building we just ran from. That's the last I saw of him. He saved me twice that day."

As soon as Heather finished her story, she burst into tears. Tenderly, Jake lifted her on to his lap and held her until her sobs subsided. Thoughts raced through his mind. He was glad the man who did this to her was dead. He just wished he could have been the one to kill the son of a bitch himself. He was grateful to Eric for everything he had done to protect Heather.

‘God, I owe him!' Jake thought then his mind turned to the woman in his arms. ‘What would I do without her? I need her so much. She completes me in way that no ever has.'  He then realized, without a doubt, that he loved her.

When Heather stopped crying she asked a question that Jake hadn't expected.  "Do you understand now? I want to be with you but . . .  but it's hard for me right now and I don't know when . . ."

"Heather, look at me. Please." Jake pleaded.

Heather lifted her head and looked into his eyes. Jake spoke what was in his heart. "I do understand. I really do, but I need you to understand, that this . . . this thing that happened to you isn't going to make me run. I'm here for you, Heather. I'm not going anywhere. We'll get through this together and we'll take things as slow as you need them to be. I already lost you once, I'm not going to let it happen a second time." 

The look of acceptance, sincerity and something else she wasn't ready to put a name to told her everything she needed to know and without a doubt, she knew as long as Jake was by her side everything would be alright.

"Jake, I do believe you. I'm so glad you're here. Please hold me."

They sat on the couch cuddled together for a few minutes before Jake said, "Come on, you have a big day tomorrow. Let's go to bed."

As they did for the past two nights, Jake held Heather as they slept through the night.

Earlier that day . . . .

Goetz had received a message that his contact at the company he worked for wanted him to connect at 14:00 hours. At the designated time, Goetz raised his contact.

"My superiors are asking for an update on our latest venture. Do you have anything for me?" his contact asked.

"Things are proceeding as planned. We had no issues since the incidents since Nebraska and New Bern."

"Good. When is the first shipment expected to arrive in Mexico City?"

"A week from today."

"You know where to take the return shipment and where to deposit the additional money we'll be receiving for our shipment?"

"All set on both counts."

"How is Valente doing on getting us those mortar contracts?"

"He says he needs a couple of more days."

"Well, tell him he has a week before we start peddling them to the East."

Cheyenne, Heather's first day as Senior Research Analyst

Heather entered the Chief of Staff's suite of offices at exactly nine o'clock ready to start her first day at her new job.

She walked over to the receptionist desk, "Hello, I'm Heather Lisinski."

"Miss Lisinski, we've been expecting you. Welcome to the Chief of Staff's office. My name is name is Cindy Jones."

"Please call me Heather."

"And I'm Cindy; I'll call Miss Wheeler to tell her you're here. She'll be showing you the ropes today and will introduce you to your staff."

Recalling the haughty woman from her first meeting with Thomas Valente, Heather thought sarcastically, ‘Oh great, I can't wait," but she replied cheerfully, "Thanks, Cindy."

The receptionist picked up the phone and called Miss Wheeler while Heather waited beside the desk.

When Cindy got off the phone, she informed Heather, "She'll be down in a few minutes. You can sit in the waiting area"

"Thanks, Cindy." Heather said before walking over to same area she had sat in yesterday. She sat on the couch and leaned forward to look through the magazines on the table in front or her. Among all the Time and Newsweek magazines she found a May 2006 issue of ‘Working Woman' magazine. She picked it up and began leafing through it until an article titled, ‘How to Survive Working in a Hostile Work Environment', caught her eye. She became engrossed in the article and was almost finished when she recognized the clicking of Tara Wheeler's heels on the floor as she walked down the hall and approached the waiting area. When Tara Wheeler stopped in front of her, Heather continued looking down at the magazine in her hands waiting to be acknowledged.

Tara stood in front of Heather with her hands on her hips and started tapping her foot impatiently on the floor. After a few minutes, Tara Wheeler cleared her throat trying to get Heather's attention. After another pause, Tara Wheeler sighed and rolled her eyes before saying, "Miss Lisinski, we don't have all day."

Heather than looked up from her magazine and said, "Well, hello, Miss Wheeler, I didn't realize you were there. I was just reading this interesting article on how to survive working in a hostile work environment."

Tara's foot suddenly stopped tapping the floor, she was stunned that Heather had the nerve to make such a comment to her. Remembering her meeting with Valente yesterday afternoon she decided it would be wise to refrain from making a comment and instead said impatiently, "I've been standing here for three minutes."

"Sorry about that. I didn't realize. Why didn't you say anything?" Heather said cheerfully as she stood up. "By the way, please call me Heather."

"Well, come on . . . let's get going. I don't have all day." Tara Wheeler replied brusquely. 

To say that Tara Wheeler was not happy that Heather was working in the chief's office was an understatement. She had spent two hours yesterday afternoon in Chief Valente's office. He couldn't stop talking about how impressed he was with Heather Lisinki and how she was going to bring fresh ideas into the office. Then, he told Tara that Heather was to have direct access to him and to make sure she had his direct work line, a number only Tara and the president had. He then told Tara that he wanted her to make sure that Heather was comfortable in her new office and had everything she needed.

After that meeting, Tara Wheeler realized that Heather was a threat to the power and influence she held in this office.  All the other staff didn't dare make a move to see Chief Valente without clearing it with her first and nothing reached his desk without it first being reviewed by her. Direct access to Chief Valente could only mean one thing...and she was planning to nip that in the bud as soon as possible.

Tara led Heather down the hall past Chief Valente's office and into a large room that had ten cubicles with an office and small conference room at one end. Eight of the cubicles were occupied. As they walked by them, Tara stopped at each one and introduced each Research Analyst to Heather.

When they entered the office, Tara explained in a demeaning manner, "This is your office. It's been stocked with the usual office supplies.  Your log in and password into the government network are the same as you had before. You'll see a new menu when you log in, due to your change in security status. It's very intuitive, you should have no trouble."

Tara then turned around and took the few steps to the office door, shut it and turned back to Heather. She walked back over to Heather, looked her up and down, put her hands on her hips and practically sneered at her.

"Listen, Heather, I just want to give you some friendly advice."

‘Oh brother....I can't wait to hear this...'

"Chief Valente is talking very highly of you.....Let's put it this way, Chief Valente and I are very close,  If you think that you, some ordinary girl off the street, can come in and ruin what we have together think again."

‘Eeewww! If she's saying what I think she's saying, she has nothing to worry about on that score.  Just thinking about it gives me the creeps.' Heather thought and then replied, "I can assure you that I'm just here for the job."

"I've heard that before. What do you think happened to the last person who had your job?" Tara replied menacingly.

"She moved on to bigger and better things?" Heather couldn't help but ask a little sarcastically as the two women engaged in contest of wills, each trying to stare the other down. Tara Wheeler, taken aback by Heather's assertiveness in response to her superior and threatening attitude, was the first to look away.

Heather motioned to Tara to take the visitor's chair. Once she was seated, Heather looked down at her and asked in a very business-like manner, "Now, do you think you we can get down to business?"  

Tara spent the next two hours reviewing office policy and procedures. She told Heather that unlike all the other administrative staff who reported up to her she reported directly to Valente, a change that she was informed about yesterday afternoon.

"Look, Tara, I may call you that, right?" Heather asked in an assertive tone.

"Yes. I suppose."  Tara replied beginning to feel a little intimidated by Heather.

"I just want to clear the air. I'm not after your job and I have no desire to get ‘close' to Chief Valente as you put it. I just want to do the best job I can. I won't get in your way and you won't get in my way, okay?"

"Well, it seems like we want the same thing. We'll try it your way for now, if it doesn't work out...."

 "I can assure you that it will work out. Truce?" Heather said interrupting Tara before standing and holding out her hand.

"Truce," Tara said as she took her hand.

"Well, I'd better start reviewing the personnel files of my staff. I'd like to meet with each of them this afternoon."

"Yes and I have a meeting with Chief Valente in twenty minutes. Oh, I just remembered the chief wants to have a lunch meeting with you tomorrow. I sent you a meeting request. One other thing, you'll no longer be volunteering at Camp Cheyenne, Chief Valente's orders. HR is sending a memo to the camp saying you've been released from your obligation."

"What?" Trying to maintain a professional demeanor, not wanting to make Tara aware of just how upset she was about this news.  "I was told yesterday that it wasn't required for staff from this office to volunteer but that you still had the option to do so."

"That's true, but in your case, the chief says your job will require you here five days a week. He had me draw up the memo to HR yesterday telling them that you won't be volunteering during the week any longer."

Swallowing her disappointment, she put a tight smile on her lips and replied. "Thanks for letting me know. I better let you go so you can get ready for your meeting."

"Okay, if you need anything let me know." Tara said and then turned and walked out of the office.

Heather was not happy that she could no longer volunteer at the camp on Wednesdays. It was the one thing that kept her going before Jake had arrived and she had been happy finally teaching again.

‘The children are counting on me being there...what about Maureen...she's going to be there early expecting to help with the class. I'll send an email to the school coordinator and let her know. Oh well, it's probably for the best with Constantino out there looking for me.'

She took a minute to sit back in her chair and think about her meeting with Tara. She had thought that she had done a good job of turning the tables on her but only time would tell. Tara had told her that she was ‘close' to Valente and warned her off him.

‘It makes me cringe to think that he could be attracted to me. I don't see how it's even possible . . . after all, Tara and I look nothing alike.'

Like most women in the post bomb world, Heather wore no make-up, as their own personal supplies were depleted or hoarded away for special occasions.  Also, she followed the standard dress code for these days where acceptable business attire was anything from khakis to jeans that weren't worn or torn and any type of shirt except for tee shirts.

In contrast, Tara overdressed. A suit with a tight fitting jacket and skirt appeared to be her uniform of choice. Yesterday's was pin stripe and today's was a solid navy blue.  As a matter of fact, the only other person she saw in a suit since she arrived in Cheyenne was Chief Valente.

Tara had blond hair which obviously wasn't her natural color as her brown roots could be seen along the part in her hair. Her makeup was overdone. Both days Heather had seen her, she had worn foundation that was two shades darker than her skin tone, bright red lipstick, dark blue eye shadow, thick eyeliner and her mascara was clumped on her eyelashes. Underneath her make-up, she had a tired worn face with wrinkles around her eyes and her mouth. Although she appeared older, Heather guessed that Tara was in her mid-thirties.

Heather stirred herself out of her thoughts and sent meeting requests for her first one-to-one meetings to each of the eight analysts that reported into her. All eight meetings were schedule for that afternoon.  She then opened the first of eight personnel folders that were sitting on the desk to prepare for her meetings. Time went quickly by and before she knew it, it was time for lunch. As she was walking into the capitol cafeteria, she ran into Secretary Sheridan who asked if she wanted to join him for lunch. Happy to see a friendly face, Heather quickly agreed.

Secretary Sheridan started the conversation after they went through the cafeteria line and sat down at one of the tables next the window on the far side of the room.

"Heather, how is your first day going?"

"Secretary Sheridan, it's going okay. My first impression is that there's a completely different work culture in the chief of staff's office than yours."

"Yes, every manager has their own style of doing things. By the way, you're not working for me any longer so please call me Matt."

Heather graciously accepted Secretary Sheridan's request, "Thank you, Matt. I have to say the work environment doesn't feel as inviting as the one in your office. This afternoon I'm having my first one-to-one meetings with my staff. It should be interesting to hear what they have to say."

"It should be, but don't expect to change things over night. An open work environment is difficult to achieve. First, you need to gain the respect and trust of your staff. It's going to take some time."

"I know, baby steps...."

"That's right...but I know you can do it."

"Thanks," Heather said, smiling at the compliment. "So how are things in the Office of Reconstruction?"

"Twice as busy as yesterday when you still worked there. The other analysts are swamped trying to pick up the slack. I have interviews for your replacement scheduled for this afternoon."  Matt Sheridan then looked at his watch and continued, "As a matter of fact, my first one is in twenty minutes. I hate to cut our lunch short, but I better run. Same time next week?"

"That would be nice, Secretary.... I mean Matt. I'll meet you by the entrance to the cafeteria if that will that work for you."

"Sounds good. It was nice seeing you today."

"You, too." Heather responded as Matthew Sheridan turned and headed out of the cafeteria.

Heather finished her lunch and arrived back at her office just in time for her first one-to-one meeting.

Three hours later, she was reviewing the notes she had taken during her meetings. She had asked open ended questions and the replies that she had received had led her to believe that their former manager micro-managed. Rather than coaching the staff as they tried to resolve their issues, Heather's predecessor had either told the analysts exactly what to do or took it over for them. She also concluded that there was little exchange of ideas among the staff and that there was little to no collaboration to complete projects. They were all surprised when she told them that before she left today she was scheduling their first staff meeting for the next afternoon so they could review with one another the research projects they were working on.

By the time Heather prepared an agenda and sent out a meeting request for tomorrow's staff meeting, it was 5:30 and time to meet Jake at the bus stop outside the capitol.

Cheyenne, Camp Cheyenne - the search for Constantino begins

At the capitol that morning Jake wished Heather good luck on her first day at her new job and then kissed her good-bye before going to the safe house to pick up the equipment that Hawkins, Chavez and he would need in their search for Constantino.

Hawkins and Chavez were waiting just outside the gates of the camp when Jake arrived.

"Chavez, Hawkins," Jake said by way of a greeting.

"Jake," replied the two men in unison.

Jake put the duffel bag he was carrying on the ground and stooped down and opened the bag. He reached in and handed both Hawkins and Chavez a gun and a silencer. He then pulled a silencer for himself and put it in his jacket pocket.  The last thing he pulled out were two of the satellite phones that Hawkins had brought from Jericho.

"You have the gun you took with you the other day?" Chavez asked.

"Yeah," Jake replied as he gave Hawkins and Chavez each a phone before folding up the now empty duffel bag and hiding it a nearby pile of rocks and returning to the two men.

"You go with Chavez, Jake. He doesn't know what Constantino looks like. If you see anything, call me. I'll do likewise." Hawkins instructed Jake.

"Sure . . . are we meeting back at the safe house tonight? Jake asked.

"No. Hawkins and I figured we'd stay here tonight. We need to deal with Constantino. He's delaying the mission."

"So we'll meet up here same time tomorrow?"

Chavez nodded his head before saying, "Hawkins and I already set up the routes for today. Let's get going."

"Later." Hawkins said before turning and walking away.

"We're going that way." Chavez said as he pointed in the direction of the commissary.

They walked a few minutes before Chavez asked, "So how's it going with Heather?

"Just fine," Jake said wondering what Chavez was getting at.

"You know you're a lucky man . . . if you hadn't come to town, I would..."

"You'd what?" Jake interrupted angrily.

"Let's just say that I might have a chance with Heather if you weren't here."

"Well, you're right about that. You sure as hell don't have a chance with her now."

Chavez laughed at the expression on Jake's face before replying, "I know, I know. Even a blind man could see you make her happy.  I can accept that, but, Jake, just make sure she stays happy because the minute she isn't, she's fair game.

Jake's immediate reaction was to lash out at Chavez, but that thought was quickly over shadowed by his realization of just how lucky he was that he had received Heather's letter when he did. He simply nodded his head and continued walking.

Chavez could tell by the subdued look on Jake's face that he had made his point. .

"Let's get going, Jake, we have a lot of ground to cover."

* * * * * *

After leaving Jake and Chavez at the camp gate, Hawkins started walking the route that he and Chavez had laid out earlier that day. While keeping his eyes peeled for Constantino, he thought back on his life before and after the bombs.

Hawkin's mother had raised him and his older sister by herself in a three room apartment in New York City. He never met his father; he had left right before Hawkins was born. When his mother wasn't instilling in him and his sister the importance of doing well in school, she was out working two jobs to provide for them.  Her insistence that her children do well in school had paid off. In his senior year of high school he was offered a full scholarship at American University where he studied international relations.

He first met Darcy in his junior year when she was dating his roommate. She was a freshman at George Washington University where she was studying public policy and administration. She had come from a privileged background. Her father was a three star general, a career soldier who had worked himself up through the ranks.

When he graduated, Hawkins hadn't been sure what he wanted to do with his life, so he joined the army where he opted for special ops training. After his two year stint in the army was up, he joined the CIA as a Paramilitary Operations Officer where he specialized in clandestine operations.

He became reacquainted with Darcy when he had attended a military reception she was at with her father. She had just finished her undergraduate degree and had been accepted in the graduate program at George Washington.  Their first date was the following week and six months later they were talking about marriage. They had just set a date for the following year when Darcy had become pregnant. Their wedding date was moved up and they were married nine months after their first date.

Six months after they married, Allison had been born and Hawkins had asked for and received a transfer from clandestine operations to training operations where he trained CIA operatives at "The Farm". Those years were happy ones for his family. He had no trouble giving up his undercover life in order to be around for his family. They meant the world to him and little Allison had tightly wrapped him around her little finger. Three years after Allison was born, Darcy had gone back to school and completed her graduate degree in public policy. After finishing school, she accepted a position with the largest lobbying firm in Washington D.C.  In 1998, after Darcy was firmly established in her career, they had their second  child, a boy, whom they called Sam.

In 2003, he was approached by his former superior in clandestine operations. The DIA and CIA were putting together a highly classified anti-terrorist task force and wanted him to be a part of it. He accepted with the understanding that it would involve minimal travel and when it did, it would not be for extended periods of time.  It was on this task force where he first met Victor Miller and Joe Chavez.

Later that year, twenty-five high nuclear devices on their way to Oak Ridge from the Soviet Union were stolen and the Department of Homeland Security set up a task force to investigate the theft. Both the DIA and CIA called in favors to get Victor Miller and himself assigned to the team.

When he told Darcy that his assignment to the Homeland Security task force would require him to go deep undercover, she had taken the children and left him. He was a difficult time for him. He missed his family. They had been the center of his life for thirteen years.

It didn't take long for his mission to consume every waking hour of his time. His was tasked to infiltrate one of the groups of terrorist cells that they suspected would use the stolen nuclear devices to carry out a large scale attack against the United States. Sarah Mason had joined the team a couple of weeks after him. She became his handler and after six months she had also become his lover.

Two days before the bombs were to go off, he got his assignment. He was to drive one of the bombs to Columbus, Ohio, wire it and set the timer to go off in forty-eight hours. He knew he couldn't be responsible for the death and destruction that would result if that bomb went off. He decided to get his family and go to Jericho, the rally point, where Chavez, Miller and he were to meet up after the bombs. Two months prior, the rally point had been decided giving Hawkins a chance to buy a house and furnish it with the things his family would need.

He knew he would have a hard time convincing Darcy to willingly go with him. He also knew that she wouldn't let him take the children. The day they had left for Jericho, he picked up both Sam and Allison up from school. Then he found Darcy and told her that she could either come with him or stay but he was taking the children. Darcy at first refused to get in the truck but when she saw how upset and scared Allison and Sam were she had relented.

He knew that Darcy was angry with him the first weeks after the bombs went off. He also knew how difficult it was for Allison and Sam to get their story straight regarding their move to Jericho. He tried to be patient with both of them but sometimes his frustration got the better of him. His fear for the safety of his family that was the cause of this frustration . . . he had one of the bombs in his possession and he knew that whoever was responsible for the attacks was going to come for it. Despite everything, even Darcy's continuing resentment toward him, he was happy to be with his family again. As time went on, he slowly began to gain the trust of his children again.

In the meantime, he had continued communications with Joe Chavez, via his lap top. He had informed Chavez about Sarah Mason's arrival in Jericho and his suspicion that Valente had been somehow involved in the terrorist attacks. From Chavez, he learned that their mission to find out who was responsible for the bombs was still active. Chavez also told him that he was not coming to Jericho and that he was staying in Cheyenne to investigate the possibility that someone in the new government may have been involved in the attacks. They both agreed to continue their investigations, keeping each other informed about what they found out.

He had felt that he was getting his marriage slowly back on track when Sarah arrived in town. Darcy had left him the day Sarah threatened to take Sam and Allison had been forced to shoot her in order to save him. 

Throughout it all, Darcy, Allison and Sam, remained loyal to him. Darcy could have done serious damage if she didn't maintain their cover story. The fact that Darcy didn't reveal the truth about Sarah's death kept him going. Maybe just maybe there was still something there and somehow, some way they would be able to get their relationship back on track.

Then New Bern started its mortar attack on Jericho. That day Darcy met up with him on the street. He wanted her to take the kids and run but she refused. Instead she said, "Let's go home." It was at that moment he realized that things were going to work out.

The turning point for their reconciliation came later that day. He opened up to Darcy about his involvement in the task force and told her what he knew about the attacks. He had always wanted to protect her, keep her safe. That day he realized that in trying to protect her he had not given her the means to protect herself if something had happened to him.  In their discussions she proved herself to be a valuable sounding board and he found that her logical mind had been able to draw conclusions that he himself, hadn't even thought of.

He missed Sam and Allison and especially missed Darcy. He couldn't wait to complete the mission and get back home to his family.

Hawkins was jolted from his memories by the sight of a man standing on the outskirts of a group across the street.

‘Constantino!'

Although he was sure that Constantino had not seen him when he was in New Bern, he still kept his distance as he followed him. When it became obvious to Hawkins that Constantino was leaving the camp, he raised Chavez on the phone and told him to meet him at the camp's gates.

At the gate, Chavez joined Hawkins. "That's him over there," Hawkins said as he pointed out Constantino at the bus stop.

"Looks like he's headed into town."

"Where's Jake?"

"He left about a half hour ago to pick Heather up at the capitol."

"Just as well he's not with us. Let's go. There's the bus coming now."

Hawkins and Chavez took a spot at the end of the line of people waiting to get on to the bus.

When they got on the bus, they found a seat a few rows behind Constantino. Twenty minutes and three stops later, they followed him off the bus.

An hour later, they saw two men approach Constantino. Hawkins pointed out the Ravenwood patches on their jacket sleeves.

"Those are Ravenwood operatives. It looks like something is going down."

"Yep. If they take off, I want you to follow them . . . see if they lead you to their headquarters. We'll meet up at the safe house tomorrow evening, as planned."

Hawkins nodded his head in agreement.

* * * * * *

Constantino saw the two men approach him and recognized them as two of the Ravenwood goons that worked for Goetz.

He gave the two men a cold hard stare and he addressed them heatedly, "I'm not going back with you. You can just forget it." The pitch of his voice rose as he said the following words.  "I want my revenge! You can't stop me!"

"Calm down, man! We're not here to take you in. We're here to help,"

"What do you want then?"

"Goetz said you might need this," the taller of the two men told him as he handed him a sack.

Constantino grabbed the sack from the man, turned and started walking in the direction he was heading in before he was stopped.

The taller of the two men looked down at shorter man and said, "Come on, let's get out of here."

* * * * * *

Hawkins motioned to Chavez that he was going to take off before he sprinted down the street after the Ravenwood operatives. Chavez followed Constantino for a few yards and watched as he stopped, held up the sack and slowly open it with both hands.

Constantino looked down into the sack the Ravenwood men had given him spotting  a gun, a set keys and a copy of the picture of Heather that he had been showing around. He pulled the picture out and noticed an address written on.

‘About time I caught a break. I can finally get to her . . . get my revenge . . . she'll be sorry she ever laid eyes on me . . . . I can't wait to see the look on her face. . . I'll make sure of she pays for what she did!'

His mind was so full of the opportunity of exacting his revenge that he didn't even consider the possibility that it could be a set up and that he might be walking into a trap.

* * * * * *

Constantino led Chavez into a residential neighborhood that he was not too familiar with and watched as Constantino walked up to the entrance of a building. Chavez took a quick look around and recognized the bus stop where he had met Heather to take her to the park for dinner and then looked back at the building Constantino was walking up to.

‘Shit!' Chavez thought as he remembered that Heather said her apartment building was right behind the stop . . . the very building where Constantino was standing at the entrance. He raced to catch up to Constantino and managed to hide in the shadow of the entrance way as Constantino opened the sack and pulled out a set of keys, unlocked the door and entered the building. Chavez quickly jumped from his spot and grabbed the door before it could shut and lock again.

When he went into the building, he didn't see Constantino. He went to the bank of mailboxes just inside the door. When he found the name Heather Lisinski on a mailbox labeled 4C, he knew where Constantino was heading. He pulled the gun and silencer out of his pocket, attached the silencer to the gun and quickly walked down the hall and into the stairwell.

* * * * * *

Constantino was walking down the third floor hallway.

‘I'm so close now . . . I can taste the revenge . . . it's all because of her... I can't wait to see the look on her face . . . let's see 4C . . . ahhh...here it is.'

Constantino put his ear to the door and when he didn't hear any sounds he opened the sack, took out the gun and keys, and threw it on the floor. He then unlocked and slowly opened the door.

He heard a woman's voice say, "I'm going to get a drink of water, I'll be right back." He jumped behind the large chair in the living room just as the hall light was turned on. He peeked around the chair and saw Heather go into the kitchen.

Heather walked into the kitchen, took a glass out of the cabinet, turned on the tap and filled her glass with cold water.

In the meantime, Constantino had crawled to the kitchen entranceway and was standing right outside it with his back pressed against the wall between the kitchen and dining room.

He heard the tap go off and turned into the kitchen just as Heather was turning around with her glass of water.

He watched as the shock registered on her face.

"Going somewhere, Miss Lisinski?"

Heather dropped the glass she was holding and it shattered when it hit the tile floor.

Jake heard the glass breaking in the kitchen and got out of bed. As he stepped out of the bedroom, he called, "Heather, are you alright?"

At the sound of Jake's voice, Constantino grabbed Heather, pushed her in front of him and pointed his gun at her head. He then turned himself around so he could see who walking down the hallway.

"Well, well, if it isn't Jake Green. How convenient! I can kill two birds with one gun." He laughed maniacally at his own joke. His voice then turned serious as he sneered, "Back off or she's dead."

Jake froze in the spot he was standing but he wasn't about to let Constantino take away another person that he loved.

"Let her go! She didn't do anything to you!"

"She ruined everything for me! She brought the army! I could have won the war if it wasn't for them. She owes me."

"You got that wrong," Jake said trying to draw Constantino's attention away from Heather. "If anything, you owe us, for what you did to my family . . . my father."

Constantino laughed, "You deserved what you got . . . your family . . . the high and mighty Greens of Jericho . . .and Johnston he was the worst of you all . . . always spouting off about how great Jericho was . . . pretending to be a friend then stabbing you in the back...."

Jake became angrier with every statement Constantino made against his family, but he could see his tactic was having the desired effect. Constantino was beginning to lose it.

"My father was a great man. He loved his town and his family." Jake said emotionally in a loud voice.

Constantino started laughing and loosened his hold on Heather, "Believe what you want Jake. I went on those hunting trips with Johnston. He told me what he really thought about his family . . . "

Heather took the opportunity to raise her foot and stomp it down on the instep of Constantino's foot. As he cried out in pain, he dropped his hold on Heather and she ran toward Jake.

Constantino turned his gun towards Heather's retreating form.

Jake tackled Heather to the floor and covered her body with his. As he lifted his head he saw Constantino fall to the floor. He turned his head and saw Chavez in the doorway lowering his gun to his side.

Jake picked himself off of the floor and helped Heather stand. Facing her, he placed both his hands on each of her shoulders, "Will you be okay for a minute?"

Heather was in shock over everything that had just happened and could only nod her head. He then led her over to one of the chairs in the dining room and helped her sit down before walking to Chavez and taking his gun. He then turned and walked up to Constantino. He used his foot to turn him over and pointed the gun at his chest.

The pained expression that Heather saw in Jake's face as he was walking toward Constantino jolted her out of her shock. She knew that Jake was thinking of his family and her heart went out to him for the pain he must be feeling. She called "Jake, Jake. . . "

Jake slowly turned his head toward Heather.

"Jake, he's dead. He's never going to hurt your family again."

Jake gently nodded his head. He then walked over to Chavez handed him the gun and said, "I wished it could have been me and not you." He then turned and walked back to Heather and squatted down in front of her. He put a hand on either side of her face and sighed, "Oh Babe." Heather looked into his eyes and saw not only the pain and concern in his eyes but something else. Something she was not sure she could name. She wrapped his arms around his neck just as he was sliding his around her waist. He stood up, bringing her with him, and pulled her into a tight hug.

After a couple of minutes, Chavez cleared his throat. "I hate to interrupt you two, but we have to clean this up."

Heather was embarrassed when she realized that someone had witnessed her tender moment with Jake. She pulled back from the hug and rested her forehead against Jake's and whispered, "You need to help Joe." She then raised her head, unwrapped her arms from around Jake's neck and stepped back. Jake turned and looked at Chavez and the body lying on the floor. His eyes became hard as anger started to course through his body.

He stalked over to Chavez and said angrily, "How could you let this happen? How could you let him within a quarter of a mile of her?"

"Jake, we wanted to nab him and bring him in for questioning. I had no idea he was heading here until it was too late."

"Questioning? You let him come this close to her so you could nab him for questioning? How could you say what you said to me this morning and do this without any consideration to her safety?" Jake argued loudly.

"Listen  . . . I've only been in this neighborhood once or twice. I didn't realize we were so close. By the time I got to the building and realized it was Heather's, it was too late."

"I'm only going to say this once . . .  don't ever risk the life of someone I love again . . . "Jake stopped short, realizing what he had just said and looked at Heather. She was staring at him with wide eyes. Tears were streaking her face and she had a slight smile on her face.

Jake turned back to Chavez and said, "Give me a minute."

He walked over to Heather and put his arm around her and guided her back into the bedroom. When they were in the room, Jake shut the door and then pulled Heather into a hug.

"Jake, is it true?" Heather whispered into Jake's shoulder.

"Yes, it's true. I didn't want you to find out that way, I was waiting for the perfect time to tell you. It's true. I love you, Babe. More than I can ever tell you."

At Jake's words, Heather fell apart. She buried her face in Jake's shoulder and started sobbing.

Jake gently stroked his hands up and down Heather's back trying to offer her some measure of comfort.

Jake held her until her sobs subsided. When Heather lifted her head Jake caught her eyes with his. He saw his love for her mirrored in her own. He gave her a slight smile before saying, ""Not exactly the reaction I was hoping for ... "

The comment had the desired effect, Heather laughed through her tears. "Sorry, Jake...it's all been too much."

"I know Babe, don't worry. We'll get through it. Come on, let's get you too bed, okay?"

"Okay," Heather said as she walked over to the bed and pulled down the covers. Once she was settled, Jake walked over, sat on the bed and tucked the sheet and blanket around her. He leaned over and gave her a soft kiss on the lips. "I'll be back as soon as I can."

He got up and went to open the bedroom door.

Heather sat up in bed and called softly to Jake. "I love you too."

Jake turned and smiled at Heather as he watched her lay back down and pull the covers over her. He walked over to the bed again and bent down and tucked her in again. He gave her another kiss before walking out the door and back into the living room.

 When he walked out Chavez said, "I called Hawkins. He'll be here in ten. How is she?"

"Okay for now."

"Some declaration you made tonight . . ."

Jake gave him a cold stare, "I want to know how this all came down."

Chavez raised his arms in surrender and told Jake how they had found Constantino at the camp and followed him here. He told how him how he and Hawkins had watched as some Ravenwood operatives stopped Constantino and gave him a sack and how Hawkins had followed the Ravenwood men, trying to find their base of operations.

". . . Like I said before, by the time I got here it was too late. He was using a key to get into the building."

 "How the hell did he have a key?"

"This probably explains it," Hawkins said as he walked into the apartment carrying the sack that Constantino had dropped on the floor.

Hawkins walked over to the kitchen tabled and turned the sack upside down. The only thing that fell out of the sack was a picture of Heather with her address written on it.

"Well now we know how he knew where she lived. The keys and gun must have also been in the sack." Chavez said.

Hawkins then went over to the body and began searching the pockets of Constantino's jacket and jeans. He walked over and deposited what he found on the kitchen table, all except for a picture he was holding.

He laid the picture he had in his hand next to the picture that fell out of the sack.

"It's the same picture!"  Jake exclaimed.

"Yes it is. Ravenwood must have given him this picture of Heather, too." Chavez said.

"This proves that Ravenwood was connected to Constantino." Jake said.

Chavez and Hawkins nodded in agreement before Chavez said, "But we'll need more solid proof then this."

"I have something that might help get the proof we need." Hawkins said

"What's that?" Jake asked.

"The location of the Ravenwood headquarters in Cheyenne. We'll talk more at the safe house tomorrow evening. Let's get this cleaned up. We'll take the gun and the pictures back to the safe house and spend the night there. Jake, you take the keys. You might be able to use them."

The three men then proceeded to clean everything that Constantino had touched. They wrapped the body in the carpet that Constantino had fallen on when Chavez shot him.

"Tomorrow we'll go to Ravenwood headquarters and have a look around. Jake, meet us at the safe house after you drop Heather off."

Jake turned to Chavez, "We need to finish the conversation we started earlier. I need a better explanation as to why you let him get so close to Heather."

Hawkins stepped in, "We'll talk more about it tomorrow evening. Heather will be there and she should hear it too."

Jake nodded his head and then Hawkins asked, "How is she by the way?"

"She's resting now."

"We're going now. You go back to her, Jake. I'm sure she needs you."

Chavez and Hawkins picked up the carpet and walked out of the apartment.

When Jake walked into the bedroom, Heather was curled on her side with her back to him. He climbed in bed, curled up against her and wrapped his arm around her. Heather took his hand and held it to her heart and murmured sleepily. "I love you, Jake Green"

Jake smiled and whispered before kissing the top of her head, "I love you Heather Lisinski."

* * * * * *

Hawkins and Chavez had just disposed of the body and were two blocks away from the safe house where they decided they would spend the rest of the night.

"I have to say that your matchmaking scheme was a success. When Jake was ranting at me about what happened tonight, he let the ‘L' word slipped out. He didn't mean to say it but that look they gave each other spoke volumes. I would've loved to have been a fly on the wall when he took her into the bedroom. Good job, partner!"

"Well, I try!"

Both men laughed as the continued to walk down the street. 

Jericho, the same night

Darcy was in the town hall meeting chamber setting up the refreshment table for the meeting that night when Eric walked in.

"Hey, Darcy, how's it going?"

"Oh, hi, Eric, I'm almost done here, just give me a minute."

Eric took that minute and walked the length of the refreshment table looking at the variety of food that lay on the table. There were vegetables and dip and unexpectedly, cookies, cake and fresh fruit. At the far end of the table sat two large coffee urns. Darcy finished laying out the last plate of cookies and turned to Eric.

"Quite a spread you put out here."

"Yes it is, isn't it? A truck delivered it to the office this morning. Everyone's in for a real treat tonight."

"They sure are. So how's the new job going?"

"It's good. I'm still in the process of setting up the filing system and learning their proprietary accounting software. It's been interesting so far. I think it will take another week or so before I understand everything."

"Sounds like it's going good. Just be careful, okay? Watch your back."

"Oh, I will. I'm just glad to be doing something to get to the bottom of all this."

"I can understand that. Mom isn't going to make it to the meeting tonight. She traded shifts with someone at the med center who wanted to come to the meeting. She wanted me to tell you that she misses you at the center and looks forward to seeing you tomorrow night for our call."

"Well, I miss being at the med center, too. I'm planning on stopping there on Saturday to visit with everyone."

Eric walked over to the window. "Well, here comes Gray with one of the agents now. If I don't talk to you later, Mom and I will be over tomorrow at the same time as last week."

"Why don't you come over a little earlier and we'll have dinner together before the call?"

"I can't. I need to help Mary at Bailey's but I'll tell Mom. I'm sure she'd like to catch up."

"That would be great. I'll see you later, Eric."

"Bye," Eric said as he was walking out the door.

A half hour later, the meeting chamber was full and Gray took the podium.

"Quiet, please. Quiet." Gray said loudly into the microphone. "I need some quiet here."

Once Gray had the attention of the crowd, he continued, "I'd like to introduce Jim O'Leary. He's an agent from RJ Land and Management. He has a proposal that will benefit both the town and the local farmers. Let's give him our full attention. There'll be a short question and answer session after he speaks followed by refreshments." Gray turned and motioned for Jim O'Leary to take the podium as he stepped back.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. My name is Jim O'Leary and I work for RJ Land and Management. Our mission is to do everything we can to help the citizens of the Western States to recover from the greatest crime of in history. Things are hard now but, with a little help, you'll get back on your feet. You will recover. We are a strong nation and we will recover! We will recover!" He repeated the last phrase three more times each time was louder than the last.  The crowd was soon taken in and began chanting, "We will recover! We will recover!"

After a few minutes, Jim O'Leary held up both his hands trying to get the crowd to quiet down. Soon, Gray joined Jim O'Leary at the podium and took the microphone. "People, people . . .  please. Mr. O'Leary is not finished. Quiet down, please."

Once the crowd had settled down again, Jim O'Leary continued. "RJ Land and Management can help you recover. We offer services to farm owners that will help get you back on your feet.  Our services include, but are not limited to, farm equipment rental, management, consultant and labor services, and discounted seeds and livestock. If there is something you need, we can provide it. All you need to do is ask. There are different service levels and each one will be offered at a thirty percent discount for those who sign on by the end of the week.  On top of all this, we have a standing guarantee that we will buy any crops and livestock that are on our approved list from farmers who purchase our services. 

In the back of the room, Stanley snorted, turned his head and leaned down to Mimi and muttered, "What's a consultant gonna tell me?  'It's time to plant'?  Ooohh!  'Now it's time to harvest'?  Thanks, I think I've got that covered."

Jim O'Leary waited a minute to let the noise of the crowd die down before asking into the microphone, "Does anyone have any questions?" He then looked at the hands raised in the air and pointed to one of the famers in the third row.

Eric, who was standing by with the microphone, walked over to the farmer who had stood up and handed him the microphone.  "Most of us lost all our money when the bombs went off. Can we still get services if we want them?"

Jim O'Leary nodded reassuringly to the crowd and spoke into the microphone, "We know how important our services are to landowners, especially in this time of great need. Considering the times, we offer generous credit terms and any amounts due us can be paid back when your crops come in or when you sell your livestock."

This reply generated more buzz in the audience. After a few minutes, Jim O'Leary spoke into the microphone. "Who else has a question?"

There were a number of townspeople at the meeting who didn't own a farm, one of them raised their hand and Eric handed him the microphone.

"How do the non-farmers benefit from this?"

Jim O'Leary cleared his throat before responding, "I'm glad you asked that question. The whole town benefits indirectly. Incentives are offered to the town and include but are not limited to gas to power the generator and medical supplies. I've had a number of meetings with your mayor and we've drawn up a list of what this town needs. Your incentives will be chosen from that list. The level of incentives the town will receive is tied directly to the revenue generated from services provided to the people of this town. In addition, bonus incentives will be granted to the town if at least one third of the farmers sign up for services tonight. "

"Is there anything else that would benefit the non-farmer directly?"

"As a matter of fact, there is. We provide labor services. While we have a pool of human resources that we can draw from to provide these services, we give priority to workers from the town where services are provided. Now, are there any other questions?"

Jim O'Leary spent the next twenty minutes answering questions before concluding the meeting by pointing to the sign up table where Darcy sat with a pile of brochures and a stack of contracts.

After the meeting was adjourned, Stanley met up with Eric at the refreshment table.

"Hey Stanley, what do you think?" Eric asked.

"I don't trust ‘em as far as I can throw ‘em." Stanley stated a matter-of-factly

"Me either. What do you say we go try and talk to the farmers lining up at the sign up table out of signing anything tonight?  You can remind them that I'm a lawyer and I can represent them. I can make sure they get a fair deal but in order to do that, I'll need some time to review the contract."

"Sounds like a plan, man." Stanley grinned and then said, "Looks like we have some competition. Just look at Gray working the crowd."

Eric nodded his head, "Well, we better go see what we can do. I'll meet up with you after the meeting."

Over the next hour, both Eric and Stanley did their best to convince the farmers to look before they leaped while Gray went around trying to convince the farmers to sign up for services that very night.

Despite Eric's and Stanley's best efforts, by the end of the night, RJ Land and Management met their target. One third of the farmers living outside of Jericho had signed up for services provided by RJ Land and Management.

Stanley, Mimi and Bonnie met Eric outside of town hall. Both Mimi and Bonnie were holding two plates of refreshments covered with napkins in their hands. Eric looked at the plates the women were holding and raised his eyebrows.

At his expression Mimi said, "Aw, come on. They aren't all for us. We're going to go drop two of the plates off at the med center. One is for your Mom to take home and the other is for the staff."

Eric smiled at her and then asked, "And the other two?"

"Well, there for us! I just loved the chocolate cake; it has chocolate chips in it. I can't remember the last time I had it. This plate is full of slices of the chocolate cake and the one Bonnie is keeping has chocolate chip cookies, her favorite!" She then turned to Bonnie and said as she was motioning with her head, "Come on, Bonnie. Let's go."

As they were walking away, Stanley shook his head and said, "You gotta love her!"

Eric chuckled and then asked, "So, Stanley, what was the general feeling from the farmers?"

"Well, while I was able to convince most I talked to not to leap into anything, most are on board with the idea. I asked them to give you a chance to review the contracts before they sign anything. They agreed to wait a couple of days but I think they're gonna sign."

Eric nodded his head, "I'll be able to look at the contract tomorrow. The following day if you're on board we can go visit the farmers who didn't sign up tonight. How do you feel about coming to town tomorrow night?"

"Yeah, I'll go with you the day after tomorrow. Why do you want me in town tomorrow?"

"I'd like you to be there when we talk to Jake. You can't say anything, but Hawkins gave us access to a satellite phone. Mom and I go to Hawkins' house once a week to talk to them. Tomorrow's the night, around seven, if you can make it."

"I'll be there. Any news about Heather yet?"

"Yeah, she's fine. Jake met up with her the day after he got to Cheyenne."

"Well, let's hope he doesn't make the same mistake twice."

"I don't think you have to worry about that! He's staying with her."

"Well, that's just about the smartest thing I think Jake's done in all the years I've known him." Stanley said then laughed.

"Yeah, I have to agree. Well, I better get going."

"Okay, I'll see you tomorrow night."

"Bye." Eric said and then walked away.

Stanley turned, started walking in the opposite direction, and then he stopped short and turned and started walking toward the town hall. "Eric," he called and then a little louder, "Eric."

Eric heard him the second time, turned and waited for Stanley to catch up to him.

"I forgot to tell you something. Do you remember when I told you about Jay Kent? He's the one who bought the farm next to mine. Well, last week, I was driving by and saw that he had put a fence around his property and I ask myself, why would anyone do that? Then, yesterday I was in the fields and saw two vans pull in front of the house and saw about twenty men and women getting out with their gear. My gut is telling me something fishy is going on there."

‘Well, you could be right. I don't have time to talk about it now, but my inclination is to deal with one problem at a time. Let's talk more tomorrow night, okay?

"Sure Eric, see ya tomorrow."

"Good night, Stanley."

They then both turned and went their separate ways.

Heather woke up a couple of hours later and lay in bed, plagued by thoughts of the events that culminated in the death of a man in her living room. She couldn't get back to sleep as the memories flashedf through her mind.

‘I was almost raped. . I felt like I was suffocating before Eric pulled that man off me. . . Eric.shooting him to save me. . .  I felt so helpless . . . Eric being captured . . . Eric saving my life again  when he pushed me into that abandoned building . . . It's my fault, I should never have stopped to talk to that woman . . . the threat of Constantino hanging over me for the past two mofnths . . . and then him being shot in front of me, in my own living room . . . to be honest I feel relieved . . . that makes me feel guilty too.... no one deserves to die like that. Then there's Jake . . . I don't know what I'd do without him . . . he's been such a comfort to me and he loves me . . . .he's been so patient with me . . . . he doesn't think I've noticed but I have, every morning when I wake up and feel him against me, how can I help but not notice . . . I wish I could give him that . .  . how long is he going to be willing wait? I can't lose him....I just can't!'

By now, Heather was too agitated to go back to sleep and she didn't want to disturb Jake. She got out of bed, left the bedroom and walked down the hall toward the living room. As she stopped at the end of the hallway, her eyes swept across the living room. The carpet that had been on the floor was gone and the coffee table and end tables had been wiped clean. Her eyes focused on the floor in front of her and she noticed a spot near the couch. ‘What's that? It couldn't be, could it? Oh my God! I have to get rid of it. I can't look at that every day!' Heather walked into the kitchen, pulled out a bucket from under the sink, poured some ammonia in it, lifted it into the kitchen sink and turned on the water. While the bucket was filling, she went back under the sink and pulled out a scrub brush.

She walked back to the living room and placed the bucket to the side of the spot and knelt down. She swished the scrub brush in the bucket before leaning over and scrubbing the spot. She kept scrubbing.  Heather knew that if she could just get that spot out, everything would be better, everything that had happened since she'd gone to New Bern would be better.  Tears streaked down her face as she continued to frantically scrub at the floor.

Jake turned over in bed and reached for Heather. His eyes shot open when he realized that that she wasn't there. As soon as he turned over and saw the open bedroom door, he scrambled out of bed and rushed down the hallway. The sight he saw in the living room stopped him cold. Heather was on her hands and knees in the middle of a puddle scrubbing a brush back and forth at a frantic pace. She was talking to herself as frantically as she was scrubbing the floor.

"I have to get this out! It can't say here. Get out! Get out! Get out! It's not coming out, need more water. I have to get rid of it! I can't live with it here! Get out! Get out! Get out!"

Jake recognized it for what it was. Heather was channeling all that had happened to her into scrubbing the floor. He understood the reaction after all that she had been through and witnessing her desperation broke his heart. He just had to do something.

He approached her and placed his hand on her back. "Heather, Heather." He called to her softly.

"Get out! Get out! More water." Heather sloshed the scrub brush in the bucket again and then went back to scrubbing the floor.

Jake stooped down beside Heather, put his arm around her shoulder and gently shook her.  "Heather," he said a little more forcefully.

"Jake?  Jake is that you?"  Heather looked at him with glassy eyes.  She loved him, and he loved her.  She desired him, she wanted to be with him, and she knew he wanted the same.  It would make things better, she was certain.  She could shut everything else out - Constantino, New Bern, Valente, all of it - if she could lose herself in him.  "Jake... Jake, I want you..."  Heather then launched herself at Jake, tumbling him to the floor. Before Jake could react Heather started sweeping kisses up and down his neck and across his face. "I want you, Jake . . . I can tell you want me . . .  please!"

Jake, as much as he had been wishing for this, knew he couldn't let it happen.  It would be wrong given her state of mind and he didn't want her to have any regrets about their first time together. He couldn't let this continue, he had to stop it while he still could. He grabbed her shoulders just as she was trying to get her hands underneath his tee shirt.  "Heather," he said rather forcefully. When he got no reaction he shook her and said in louder and more desperately, "Heather, stop! We can't do this."

Jake's words finally penetrated Heather's frenzy. She immediately stopped her quest to get her hands underneath Jake's tee shirt and looked down into his face.  The reality of what she was doing and why she was doing it set in when she saw the look of concern in his face. Feeling his very physical reaction underneath her a deep blush spread across Heather's face.  Now embarrassed, she immediately moved off of him and sat on the floor. Jake lifted himself off the floor. When he was standing he offered Heather his hand and pulled her up beside him.

He led her over to the couch and helped her to sit down. Knowing that he needed a moment to himself he bent down and kissed Heather on the head. "Babe, I'll be right back, just give me a minute, okay?" he said before walking into the kitchen. He placed both hands on the counter, leaned over it and let out a big sigh. Despite his body telling him otherwise, he knew he made the right decision by stopping things. He knew their time would come, that he just needed to be patient He took a couple of deep breaths before he opened a cupboard and pulled out a glass. He went over to the sink, turned on the faucet and filled the glass. He downed the glass of water, took a couple of more deep breaths and walked back into the living room. He walked over to Heather and held out his hand to her, she slowly reached up and took it. He pulled her up, sat down on the couch and pulled her onto his lap. Heather sat quietly there with her head down and clenched his hand in both of hers, too overwhelmed over what had happened to do anything else.

"Hey Babe . . . Heather...." Jake pleaded, "Please look at me."

Not able to resist Jake's plea, Heather slowly lifted her head but quickly lowered it again.

"Babe..." Jake caught Heather's chin with his free hand and gently raised her head. "Please look at me."

Heather slowly turned her eyes to Jakes and became overwhelmed once again, this time it was from the concern and love she saw in his eyes. Tears started streaking down her face.

Jake slid his hand from under her chin and raised it to her cheek and swiped at the tears. "Shh....shh...Babe. It's gonna be okay."

"Oh Jake . . . I'm so sorry." Heather said with a breath hitching in her voice

"It's okay, Babe. . .  Come here." Jake used the hand that Heather was holding to pull her down so that her head rested on his shoulder. "Let it all out, Babe."

That was all that Heather needed to hear. She released Jake's hand, turned her head into his shoulder. With her hands clenched his tee shirt, she started sobbing. Jake reached his arms around her and gently stroked her back while he patiently waited for her tears to subside.

When Heather quieted, Jake kissed the top of his head and said, "Do you want to talk about it?" She hiccupped as she nodded her head.  "I woke up and just couldn't stop thinking about everything that has happened since I left Jericho." She sniffled a few times and continued, "Everything that happened . . . I feel so helpless at times . . .  like I'll never get my life back . . . then what happened tonight . . . it was all too much."

"I know, babe," Jake said soothingly. "Trust me, it will get better . . .  just promise me one thing."

"Yes?" Heather asked.

"Just promise . . .  you'll talk about it if you need to . . .  don't be like me and hold it inside of you until it eats at you . . . ‘til you don't know who you are anymore," Jake said with anguish seeping out in his voice.

Heather took one of Jake's hands and brought it to lips. Then she placed it back down, resting their clasped hands in her lap. "I promise Jake. I'm so glad you're here for me."

"Me too, babe, and that works both ways." Jake said stroking her hand with his thumb.

"Jake, about before . . . I worry sometimes that . . . that . . . that . . ."

Jake waited patiently as Heather tried to get out what she wanted to say. She took a deep breath before blurting out. "I worry that if I make you wait too long to . . . you know . . . then you won't want me anymore."

"Oh Babe . . .  that's never gonna happen." Jake took his free hand and placed it under Heather's chin and gently turned her head until she was looking at him at him. A warm blush was spread across her cheeks and her eyes spoke of her love for him. She had never looked more beautiful to him. "You'll see Babe, it'll it happen when the time is right for both of us and when it does it will be perfect." He promised right before his lips touched hers.

This time when the kiss grew more intimate, Heather didn't pull away.

Cheyenne; Later that morning at the capitol

Heather stopped by the coffee station after her staff meeting, poured herself a cup of coffee and went back to her office. She sat down at her desk and yawned, thinking she had to get to bed early tonight to catch up all the sleep she missed the night before.

What a night it had been! As much as she hated Constantino, she still couldn't believe he was dead, shot in her own living room, no less.  Then she had suffered a meltdown, triggered by his death. She knew it had been a long time coming and she was relieved that Jake had been there to see her through it.

When she had woken up this morning she had felt as if a huge weight had been taken off her shoulders and had thought that, just maybe she could start looking toward the future . . .  a future with Jake. She couldn't help but smile as she pulled her chair forward, picked up her pen and started to write up her notes from her first staff meeting.

Based on the answers she had received yesterday at her one to one meetings she had concluded that her staff didn't function as a team and that there was very little exchange of ideas. She was not a proponent of this type of work environment and she was determined to do her best to change it. She favored an open work environment where there was a free flow of ideas. At the meeting she had asked each of her staff to give a status of the research projects they were working on. She then divided her staff into four two person teams and the individual projects that each one had been working on became ‘team projects'. She had told her staff that she was adding another weekly meeting to their schedule, a mini-team meeting. At these meetings, she explained, each team would be able to review any issues or problems that they needed her help with.  When she announced this change to her staff she could tell by their body language and facial expressions that they were not happy with the change but she hoped that they would soon see the benefits of being part of a team.

She checked her email and scheduled the mini-team meetings for the following week. She looked at her watch and checked the time. It was ten o'clock, in another two hours she would have to leave to meet Valente for their lunch meeting. Thinking back to the questions that had come up when Jake and she had talked about Cheyenne Farm after they returned the market, she decided to gather some information about the farm. The only thing she knew about it was what she had heard, that it was the source of the town's food supply.  She did a search of the government archives and came up with five documents related to the history of farm. As she read she began to take notes.

When she finished reviewing the documents, she looked down at the notes she had jotted down on her pad:             

• Cheyenne Farm is five hundred acres
• Location is twenty miles outside Cheyenne
• one of twenty parcels of land bought by RJ Land Development  (RJ LD) throughout the west from Jan 2004 to Dec 2005
• all parcels of land acquired are in areas not affected by bombs (locations crossed check against fallout maps that are on file)
• land Cheyenne farms sits on bought in Jan 2004
• Late Jan 2004 - Ralls Engineering and Construction do the necessary construction and development to make the Cheyenne parcel a working farm.
• Mar 2004 - RJ LD recruit staff to work the farm and take care of livestock. The farm is named Cheyenne Farm.
• June 2006 -RJ LD inform those working the farm that the land will be subdivided into two acre plots
  • on 249 of the plots  Ralls Engineering & Construction is contracted to build 2 room cottages
  •  on the last plot 3 buildings are constructed
  •  building done in stages to minimize impact on farming activities, construction is completed September 2006
• Nov 2006 RJ LD declare Cheyenne Farm a self contained village
  • offer employees a choice:  farm and live on one of the two acre plots or be let go
  • 50% of the employees agree to stay on and move their families into the cottages on the plot of land they will be farming
  • Remaining 50% of the workers recruited from Camp Cheyenne
  • 3 buildings on the 250th plot are fitted to become a church, administrative building and a store
  • stores stocked with seed, supplies, food & clothing that would be needed by the occupants of the cottage
  • wire fence is put up around the boundaries of Cheyenne Farm
  • Dec 2006 - Remaining parcels of land, bought by RJ LD that had remained dormant since their acquisition, were subdivided into 250 plots of land
  • Ralls Construction and Engineering contracted to do construction on all remaining parcels of land, the end result was 19 additional farms all built using the same model as Camp Cheyenne
  • RJ LD go to the nearest FEMA camps to each of the additional 19 farms and recruit workers, not too hard due to conditions at the camp
• Dec 2006 - RJ LD contracts with Ravenwood to provide security for the farms

 After reviewing her notes she wrote down some questions

• Where did she hear the name Ralls Engineering & Construction and RJ LD before?
• What agreements were signed between RJ LD and the workers?
• Wire fences?
• Ravenwood?

She was just about to do a search on Cheyenne farming contracts when she noticed the time on the bottom right of her computer screen, it was ten minutes to noon and time for her to leave for her lunch meeting. She tore off the two pages from the pad, folded them, put them in her purse and walked out of her office.

As she approached Valente's office she saw him standing by Tara's desk and discreetly stood back until they had finished their conversation. When they were done talking she approached Tara's desk. "Hello Tara, Chief Valente."

"Hello Heather." Tara said with a smile frozen on her face, wanting Valente to think that there were no conflicts between herself and Heather.

Valente turned to Heather and quickly looked her up and down with his beady eyes. The look did not go unnoticed by Tara. She looked at Heather with an unspoken warning in her eyes, before sitting back down at her desk and turning toward her computer.

Heather was unnerved by the look Valente had given her but the look Tara had given her made her want to laugh as she thought again of how different they were. She assumed that Valente's look was a ploy to intimidate her. It was identical to the same look he gave her during her interview.

"Hello Heather. Are you ready to go?" Valente asked.

"I am Chief Valente. Good-bye, Tara." Heather smiled at Tara before turning and walking with Valente down the hall.

"Heather, I arranged for us to eat in the reserved section of the commissary today."

She had heard about the reserved section when she was working in the Office of Reconstruction. Only those people in the upper echelon of the government and their guests could eat there. She was told that the food served there was the same quality as a five star restaurant. She had remembered wondering at the time what exactly that meant in the post-bomb world they existed in today.

"I've heard the food was excellent in that section, Chief Valente."

"Yes, it is, as you will soon find out. How was your first day yesterday? Did Tara make sure you had everything you needed?"

"Yes she did. My first day was okay. I met the staff and had my first one to one meetings with them. I announced some changes today that I hope will foster a more open work environment. It seems like everyone has been keeping to themselves."

"That's interesting, Heather." Valente replied in a seemingly disinterested tone. "You can try what you want, as long as it doesn't interfere with the research work I need from you."

"I don't think it will, Sir."

"Very good. Here we are now."

They entered the commissary. As they were walking toward the room designated as the reserved section she noticed a few of her former co-workers from the Office of Reconstruction staring at her.

When they entered the room she saw round tables, some larger and some smaller than others, with comfortable chairs surrounding them. All of the tables had tablecloths on them and a candle burned in the middle of each one, in an effort to create some ambience.  Valente led her to a table and motioned for her to sit down as he sat in the chair across from her.

Recognizing Valente, one of the waiters rushed up to the table. "Good afternoon Chief Valente, May I get you something to drink before you order?"

"I'll have a glass of your white wine. Heather?"

‘Wine? I haven't had a glass of wine in ages, I don't think I'd be able to work this afternoon if I had one---better stick with water.'

"I'll have a glass of ice water," she replied.

The waiter handed them each a menu before saying, "I'll be right back with your drinks."

They both opened their menu and looked at the choices for lunch. Heather couldn't believe selection. There were all types of sandwiches: Reuben, hot roast beef, pastrami and cheese to name a few. She also saw a wide variety of hamburgers on the menu and sweet potato fries, her favorite. She knew she wouldn't be eating dinner tonight!

The waiter returned with their drinks and placed them on the table. "Are you ready to order?"

"Heather?" Valente asked.

"Yes, I'll have a bacon cheeseburger with lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise and the sweet potato fries."

"I want the Rueben and an order of fries." Valente said rather brusquely.

When the waiter left, Valente started to converse with Heather the tone of his voice the complete opposite of what he had just used with the waiter.

"Heather, you do understand that you report directly to me?"

"Yes, Tara explained that yesterday. She said that it was a change; that the former senior analyst reported into her, just like everyone else in the office. Can you tell me the reason for the change? "

Valente again was impressed with Heather's gumption. Most people wouldn't question him but here she was doing that exact thing in a very assertive manner, he might add.

"Nothing that I want to go into right now. Suffice to say that you'll be working on a number of very sensitive projects with me."

"I understand." Heather said knowing that it wouldn't be wise to question him further on the subject.

"The Cabinet approved your ideas on factory retooling. I'd like you to write up a formal proposal and implementation plan."

"Okay, is there a deadline?"

"Yes, I want it done in three weeks. I want to review it before sending it to the Cabinet and then Congress for its final approval."

"I think I can manage that."

"There's also another project, a highly sensitive one, I need your help on. It's top secret, no one can know about it."

"What is it?" Heather asked confidently while at the same time feeling rather nervous.

"The government in the East has sent our government a memo related to increased drug trafficking in the East. They're saying the drugs are coming from the west and are accusing us of not doing anything about it. I want you do some research to see what you can find out, go out in the field if necessary, and then draft a reply to them memo. The memo has been highly classified. Since you now have top secret clearance, you'll have no trouble accessing it in the government archives."

‘What does he mean field work?' Heather thought a moment, ‘Hmmm... field work....where have I heard that before? I know! Rob called the work he did for the CIA field work . . . . What is he thinking?'

"Go out in the field? You mean you want me to spy?" Heather asked incredulously.

"Yes, if it comes to that."

 "You do realize I have no field work experience, don't you?" Heather asked in a slightly sarcastic tone

‘There she goes, questioning my judgment . . . standing up to me. What an attractive quality . . . ‘

"I have every confidence that you can do this." Valente replied.

‘Yeah, right . . . well, I'm sure the boys can give me some pointers, maybe even help.'

"I'll give it my best shot, Sir."

"That's all I ask Heather," Valente said. At the same time he was thinking, ‘And once you're done.  I'll be in a better position to negotiate with Goetz.'

"Is there a deadline for this project, sir?"

"I'll need you to draft a reply to the memo by the end of next week; however, in order to get to the bottom of all this, your research may have to continue beyond that date."

The waiter then appeared with their lunch. Heather's eyes grew wide as her favorite meal was place in front of her. The look didn't go unnoticed.

"Been a long time, hasn't it?" Valente asked.

"Yes, it has." Heather said smiling.

"Well, keep me happy and I'll make sure you have as many of these lunches that you want," Valente said in an almost sinister tone.

The smile on Heather's fast quickly turned into a frown as she worried about the implication of his statement. She looked down at her plate and thought, ‘No one is going to keep me from enjoying this!

They ate in silence. Valente kept himself amused by watching her eat. He didn't think he ever saw someone eating with such enthusiasm. When they were finished, the waiter came up to the table and cleared it before asking, "Coffee? Tea?"

"I'm all set. I have a meeting with the president in half an hour. Let's go, Heather."

Heather was more than happy to get out of there. Despite the excellent food, which she did enjoy, she had felt uncomfortable when she noticed Valente gazing at her with a bemused expression on her face while she ate her lunch.

Now forty-five minutes later, she felt more than uncomfortable. Delicious as it was, lunch had left her feeling rather queasy. Not only that but her lack of sleep finally catching up to her and she felt a slight throbbing in her head.

She added the two new projects Chief Valente had assigned to her ‘To Do' list. She knew that wouldn't be able to focus enough to start on the two projects that Valente had assigned to her during lunch so they would have to wait until tomorrow. She looked at the other three things on her list and decided to start with her list of questions from her research this morning on Cheyenne Farm.

No sooner did she log back into the network when she heard the familiar sound of heels clicking on the floor. ‘Not her... just what I need.' Heather put her elbows on the desk and propped her head on her hands and sighed. As the sound came closer, she lifted her head and sat back in the chair and plastered a smile on her face.

"Heather, I just wanted to drop these reports off to you." Tara said as she stepped into the office.

"Thanks, Tara,' Heather said in a dismissive tone before looking down and opening a folder on her desk.

‘Shoot! This isn't working, she's not leaving. What the heck does she want? She can't be worried about my lunch with Valente, can she? Exactly, how insecure is she? It's only my second day and I have had it!'

Heather looked up at Tara, "Is there anything else you need?" She asked brusquely.

"As a matter of fact there is." Tara stated in a defiant tone.

'Oh no! Here we go!'

"I want to know what happened at lunch," Tara demanded.

"We had lunch," Heather said in an unconcerned voice and looked down at the open folder on her desk.

 "I want to know . . ."

"Don't even ask! I told you yesterday that I'm here to do my job---nothing else. I don't report to you and I don't have to answer your questions." Heather said in a tightly controlled voice, and, then looked back down at her folder.

Tara grabbed the folder Heather was looking at and threw it to the floor. She then put her hands on the desk and leaned over and invaded Heather's personal space.

"Listen . . .  you . . . you country bumpkin, consider this your last warning. You can't have him, he's mine! Tommy and I have an . . . an . . . understanding! Don't think you can just walk in here and steal everything that I've worked so hard to get. I won't let it happen, not now, not ever!"

I heard his first name was Thomas . . . but Tommy?!  Ewww . . . Ugh, my headache it's getting worse! I have to end this.' Heather slammed her hand on the desk and stood up to her full height.

"I have had it! I'm already sick and tired of your attitude and innuendos and it's only my second day on the job. I tried to reason with you yesterday, but that didn't work. Let me make it clearer. . ."

At this point, Heather was furious. She stood up, walked around her desk, stood in front of Tara, looked her straight in the eye and enunciating each word slowly said loudly, "I - just - want - to - do - my - job."

"Just remember, Heather, I can make work miserable for you. Don't think I won't," Tara said through clenched teeth.

"I'm going to have to ask you to leave now. I have work I need to get done and I think you do too." Heather replied in a tightly controlled voice, before walking back behind her desk. She remained standing while at the same time, giving Tara a cold stare.

"Just remember what I said," Tara warned before turning on her heels and walking out of the office.

‘Thank goodness!' Heather sighed as she listened to the clicking sound of Tara's heels fade. She walked back around the desk and picked up the papers that Tara had dropped and then went back and sat at her desk. ‘Ugh, my headache it's getting worse'. Heather then opened her desk drawer, pulled out her purse and took out the bottle of ibuprofen.

Cheyenne; That morning at the safe house

Jake entered the safe house determined to get the explanation he didn't get the night before.  "Chavez!" he shouted, spotting the other man at the table in the kitchen cleaning his gun.

Chavez looked up just as Hawkins came out of the bedroom carrying a box. As Hawkins walked by Jake he turned his head, nodded and said "Morning Jake, how's it going?" before walking to the kitchen table and putting the box down.

"How's it going? I'll tell you how...."

"Why don't you sit down?" Hawkins suggested calmly trying to head off the tirade he knew was coming.

Ignoring Hawkins, Jake pointed to Chavez, "I want to talk to you now!"
 

"What is it, Jake?" Chavez asked in an unconcerned voice.

"How the hell could you have let that happen last night?!" Jake demanded.

"I already told you. I didn't realize where Constantino was headed until it was too late. I had never been to Heather's apartment before yesterday," Chavez explained in a calm voice.

"So why didn't you do something as soon as you realized where you were?!" Jake asked hotly, "You thought that he'd lose it when he saw her and would start talking, didn't you? It was all a set up. You risked her life, she could have been killed last night," speaking each word in a louder voice.

Chavez stood up and walked up to Jake. "You know my stand on this, mission must always come first.

The fact that Jake was seeing red did not go unnoticed by Hawkins. He stood up and walked over to the two men who were facing off against one another.

"I went along with your idea to use Heather, on your word, that we wouldn't put her in danger! You totally disregarded that last night. "Jake spat back at Chavez.

"What the hell are you talking about? I made sure nothing happened to her. She's alive isn't she?" Chavez said almost flippantly.

Chavez's apparent disregard for Heather's safety was the last straw for Jake. He took a step forward and grabbed Chavez's shirt in both fists, and said in a tight voice laced with anger, "If you ever . . ."

Hawkins interrupted by grabbing Jake's arm and saying in a quiet and controlled voice, "Jake, you don't want to do this."

Jake turned to look at Hawkins, took a quick breath and nodded his head before turning back to Chavez. He sneered angrily at him and shoved him before dropping his hands from his shirt and allowing Hawkins to lead him across the room.

 "Get a grip, Jake. We have a job to do." Hawkins said in a placating tone as he released Jake's arm. "Accept it . . .  it happened . . . rehashing it isn't gonna help."

Hawkins waited a second letting the words sink in before putting his hand on Jake's shoulder. Then, he gave Jake a slight shake and said, "The important thing is that she's safe, Jake. She's safe."

Jake slowly took a breath, released it and nodded to Hawkins. "I need a few minutes; I'm going for a walk." Jake glared at Chavez before turning and walking out of the Chavez.

Hawkins turned and walked over to Chavez. "You know he's right. You knew damn well where you were last night. You made a bad call, letting it get as far as it did."

Chavez defended himself, "No, if Constantino started talking we could have learned a lot . . . "

"You know how Jake feels about Heather. Damn it, Chavez, we need him on our side. You should've never risked that. In case you haven't figured it out, we need Jake to carry out the mission or have you forgotten we're down a man?"

"I haven't forgotten, but he needs to understand that this kind of thing happens, it's part of the job. Look, I don't want anything to happen to Heather either but the mission comes first.  We need all the intel we can get."

"No you forget . . . She's a third grade teacher not some seasoned operative . . . and you know how Jake feels about her. Of course, he's going to protect her at all costs. . . "

"I wouldn't. . ."

"Don't tell me you wouldn't! If it were Dee instead of Heather I'd feel the same as Jake."

Unwilling to say more, Hawkins glared at Chavez, before sitting down at the kitchen table, opening the box he had brought out of the bedroom and looking at the contents as if he was trying to find something.  Chavez, not wanting to risk further conflict on his team, wisely decided to let the matter drop and sat back down to finish cleaning his gun.

They both looked up when they heard someone at the door and watched as Jake entered. Jake walked to the table pulled out a chair, sat down then said in a tight voice. "Let's get to work."

Hawkins was the first to speak, "Ravenwood is holed up in what appears to be an abandoned warehouse right outside of down. I say we go there and have a look around. Agreed?

Hawkins looked between the two men, who were glaring at each other. "Agreed?" He said a little louder.

Jake leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest, looked at Hawkins and replied, "Agreed."

 "Agreed," Chavez responded.

"These pictures," Hawkins said as he pulled the two identical pictures out of his pocket and place them on the table. "Jake, do you have any idea when they were taken?"

Jake looked down at the pictures and his breath hitched at the reminder of all Heather had been through.

"No," he said in an emotionless voice before uncrossing his arms, standing up and walking into the living room.

Chavez shot Hawkins a questioning look to which Hawkins replied, "I'll go talk to him."

"We leave in ten." Hawkins told Chavez, before getting up and going into the living room. As he walked in he saw Jake pacing the floor clenching and unclenching his fists.

"A hundred percent, remember Jake? If you can't give that, leave now."

"No, Hawkins, I can't give you a hundred percent and I was a fool to tell you that I could. Heather has been through too much, Hawkins. We're going back to Jericho," Jake said resolutely. 

"I thought I could count on you," Hawkins said flatly.
 
"You could," Jake replied, "until Chavez became a threat to Heather. I'm sorry, Hawkins, but this isn't going to work out."
 
Jake ran his hand through his hair and continued, "The bombs gave me my life back. I've got my family and someone I love to keep safe. I'm not risking them to save thousands--hell, even millions--of Americans. If I could save them without hurting Heather or my mom or my brother, I would, but it looks like I can't."
 
Jake turned and walked toward the door, leaving Hawkins staring at his back. He opened the door, paused for a moment and looked back at Hawkins, "I'll look out for Darcy and the kids for you..." 

Reckless and headstrong Jake Green was right. The mission was becoming all consuming, just as it was before the bombs . . .  before he came to Jericho. It was in Jericho, where he had stood shoulder to shoulder with people who fought for their homes, their families, their way of life. Those farmers, bankers and teachers had made up for what they had lacked in training and weaponry with an impassioned determination that helped them and their town to survive the attacks. It was where he got his like back on track, where he became close to his family again.  He was grateful for Jake's reminder that he was fighting the war to make the world safe for Darcy, Alison and Sam.

"Jake," Hawkins said, "Wait."

Jake stepped back into the room and faced Hawkins.

"Believe it or not, Jake, I do understand where you're coming from. That same instinct you have to protect your family and Heather is why I brought my family to Jericho before the attacks."

Hawkins saw Jake's stance relax a little bit and knew that he was listening. He continued, "But, the threat has to be eliminated. Until that Heather and your family won't be safe. Taking Heather back to Jericho won't eliminate the threat. Like it or not, Heather is a part of it now. If they perceive her as a threat, taking her back to Jericho isn't going to keep her safe."

Jake knew Hawkins was right. The threat had to be eliminated; his family and Heather wouldn't truly be safe until it was. He would stay and do his part and do his best to keep Heather safe while she did hers.

"You've got to rein Chavez in, Hawkins. No more playing hard and loose with Heather's safety. Do we have a deal?"

Hawkins nodded solemnly, "I promise you it won't happen again, Jake.

 "Okay, I'm ready."

 "Good" The risk Hawkins took when he pulled out the pictures had paid off, Jake was now focused on what needed to be done, instead of what had happened last night.  "Chavez, let's go," he said in a loud voice so he could be heard in the kitchen.

"Ready." Chavez said walking out of the kitchen, following Hawkins and Jake out the door.

Cheyenne; Ravenwood base camp on the outskirts of town

"So you would recommend no change in current investment strategy?" Mike Collins asked John Carter the chief financial advisor of Jennings and Rall.

"Yes. Until the monetary system has become established our best bet is to continue to store our assets in the commodities our liquid assets were converted into before the bombs. Based on current projections, there's no need to convert these back to liquid assets. The money you expect to make from your activities will more than cover any expenses you incur. "

Mike nodded his head before John continued, "The bank accounts for your new shell, WVR Inc., were set up one week ago as planned, in time for payment on your shipment to Mexico. Once the funds are deposited they'll be transferred through your other shell companies' accounts.

"Do your operatives know where to deposit the payment?"

"Yes." Mike replied, "Everything's in place."

"Good. Is there anything else you need from me today?"

"No, all set. Same time the week after next?"

"Works for me. Here or at your J&R office?"

"J&R, we need to work on the quarterly financials from our other set of books. No need to do that here."

"No problem, how about we meet in my office then?"

"Fine by me. I'll walk you out."

Mike walked John to the entrance of the abandoned warehouse that Ravenwood had taken over two months before the bombs went off. At that time the street floor of the building was converted to office suites and after the bombs the upper two floors were converted to housing for operatives stationed in and around Cheyenne.

When Mike arrived back in his office he pulled out a set of books, that only a few of the highest echelon of management at Jennings and Ralls books existed,  from a safe that had been built into the wall during the construction of the office suites.  Just as he was returning the books to the safe the Goetz entered the office.

"Goetz." Mike greeted and motioned for his visitor to sit in the chair in front of his desk.

"Collins." Replied Goetz as he sprawled in the chair and watched Mike walk over to his desk and sit down.

"Status on Valente?" Mike asked.

"I'm keeping him in line, no additional requests for a bigger cut of the drug money. I don't know why you just don't get rid of him; he's more trouble than he's worth." Goetz replied.

"Not my decision. He's still serving a purpose according to my superiors. Until he runs out of value for them, my hands are tied."

"A big mistake, if you ask me."

"Status on the Kent farm?"

"Still on target. The electrical fence was put up around the farm last week. Fifteen workers will be transported next week and seeds will go in the following week."

"The storage facility at the farm, is it finished?"

"No, but it will be in time for the shipment from Mexico at the end of the week. The holding facility has just broken ground. Once that's complete we'll be retooling the building so it can be used to increase mortar production.

"Good. Things seem to be moving along very nicely. Anything else you care to report?"

"All set."

"Are you heading back out to the field?"

"Yeah, I have to check on a few things. Tomorrow I leave for New Bern to check on our operation there. No need to arrange a remote meeting, I plan on being back in Cheyenne in one week."

"All right. I'll walk out with you. I have to be back at J&R for a two o'clock meeting."

Cheyenne: the bus stop and then safe house, that night

Jake was waiting at the bus stop when Heather's bus pulled up. He saw her inside the bus making her way to the door and smiled, but one look at her face as he watched her exit the bus turned his smile into a concerned frown. He walked up to her, put an arm around her shoulder and led her away from the crowd of passengers who had just got off the bus. He turned to her and rubbed his hands up and down her arms. "Babe, are you okay?" he asked in a concerned voice.

"Yeah, I'm getting there."

"Is it last night, are you thinking about that?"

"No, Jake, it's not that," Heather tried to say in a reassuring voice before adding, "Nothing that traumatic." She smiled, put both her hands on his shoulders and gave him what she hoped was a reassuring peck on the lips. "I had a bad day, that's all. Come on, let's get going. I'll tell you about it on the way." She took his hand and started walking.

Jake pulled on Heather's hand, stopping her, and stepped in front of her. "Heather, are you sure you're up to meeting with Chavez and Hawkins tonight?"

"Yes, I'll be fine." Heather said before giving Jake a slight smile.

"Okay, let's go then." Jake responded still not convinced that the cause of Heather's current unrest was the result of a bad day.

The two walked hand in hand down the street. As they turned the corner Jake said, "So, tell me about your day."

"Well, it started off fine. I had my one to one's with my staff; they all had questions about the changes I told you about at supper that I'm implementing. I think they were satisfied with my answers but it was obvious they were leery of the changes but I really think they'll work to everyone's benefit."

"I'm sure they will, they make a lot of sense." Jake said in a reassuring tone.

"That remains to be seen, but, yeah, I have to agree and believe that in the end everyone will be more satisfied with their jobs.

"I'm sure they will be."

"Well, after my meetings I did some research on Cheyenne Farms, I have the notes in my purse. If you don't mind, I'll wait to go over them until we get to the safe house so I only have to say it once."

"I don't mind. Today was your lunch with Valente, how did that go?"

"We ate in the reserved section in the commissary. Only the president and his direct staff and their guests are allowed to eat there. It was so, weird Jake; it was set up just like a regular restaurant. There were tablecloths and candles on every table. The menu had a wide variety of deli sandwiches and all different kinds of hamburgers. They even had fries."

"You're making my mouth water, Babe. I can't remember the last time I had a burger and fries."

"My thoughts exactly, and don't think I didn't take advantage of it. I order a bacon cheeseburger and sweet potato fries, it was delicious."

"Oh. . . I'm so jealous." Jake said with a smile in his voice.

"Well, don't be. I forgot how greasy it was; my stomach started doing somersaults as soon as I got back to my office."

"And now?"

"It's better, I'm just a little queasy now."

"That's good. How was Valente at lunch?"

"He was okay, he told me that I was reporting directly to him and he gave me a couple of projects to work on."

"Anything you want to share?"

"Sure. He wants me to come up with a formal proposal and implementation plan for retooling the factories based on my report. That made me feel good."

"I'm sure it did. Congratulations." Jake replied, pulling Heather to him and giving her a quick kiss on her lips."

Heather smile and said, "Thanks! I'm beginning to feel better already."

They turned and started walking again. Jake prompted, "You said two projects, what was the other one?"

Heather looked around and then said in a low voice. "This one is top secret. I'll tell you about it at the safe house." Jake agreed by nodding his head and Heather continued in a normal tone, "My afternoon was just awful."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, no sooner did I return from lunch than Tara walks in."

"Tara?"

"Yeah, she's not only Valente's assistant," feeling a blush rising on her cheeks, she took a breath and quickly said, "She's . . . she's Valente's woman."  She glanced up a Jake to make sure he got the meaning of her words, and continued, "A point she made perfectly clear to me yesterday and today. She warned me to stay away from him. She thinks he's interested in me."

Jake suddenly stopped walking, pulled Heather to his side and turned to face her. He dropped her hand and clasped her by her upper arms, "What? Valente is interested in you?

 "Don't worry, Jake, there's no way he could be interested in me. If you only saw Tara you would understand. There's no way he could ever be interested in me when he's with someone like her."

Jake tightened his hold on her. "Heather, you don't know that for sure, you need to be careful."

"Jake its fine, really it is. Don't worry."

"I don't think I can stop," Jake replied honestly. "I need you to promise me that if you ever feel uncomfortable with him, that you'll talk to me about it, so we can discuss what's best for you. You've been through so much already, Babe." He said in a concerned voice.

"I know, and I promise." Jake gave her a quick hug, kissed the top of her head, took her hand and they once again started walking down the street.

"So, where was I? Oh yeah, my headache had just started right before Tara walked into my office. We had a few choice words before I literally dismissed her by opening up a folder on my desk and ignoring her. I was so relieved when she finally left. By that time my little headache had turned into a pounding one. I didn't get much done the rest of the afternoon. I was so relieved when it was time to leave."

"You did have a bad day. I'm so sorry, Babe." Jake said before he teased, "You're night will be a lot better, after all your with me!"

"You got that right." Heather replied in a serious tone.

They walked the rest of the way to the safe house in silence each happy just be in the company of the other.

The smell of the spaghetti sauce that Chavez had been cooking assaulted Heather when she and Jake walked into the safe house. As she stepped into the living room she tried her best to fight off the nausea that was creeping her way into her stomach but it didn't work. She turned to Jake and mumbled almost incoherently, "I think I'm gonna be sick," before turning and running into the bathroom.

Chavez who had been sitting on the couch, witnessed the whole exchange, and mumbled under his breath, "She didn't look good, Hawkins was right, I did go too far," as he suffered a pang of guilt.

Jake caught a couple of the words and glared at Chavez, "What did you say?"

Not wanting to admit what he had just said to Jake, "Oh, umm, nothing. Just talking to myself." Chavez replied nonchalantly as he stood up and walked into the kitchen.

Jake followed him into the kitchen and demanded, "I want to know what you said."

"You'll hear the words when I say it to the person who deserves to hear them and that sure as hell isn't you."

Jake nodded his head indicating that he understood. "Just be sure you say them," he told Chavez before leaving the kitchen to check on Heather.

Jake reached the bathroom just as Heather was coming out. Her face had taken on a pasty hue and she had a forlorn expression on her face. Jake held out his arms and Heather didn't hesitate to walk into them. Jake's arm went around her and he started stroked her back trying to provide her some measure of comfort. After a minute, Heather raised her head off Jake's shoulder and said, "I think I need to lie down for a while." Keeping one arm around Heather, he led her into the bedroom and helped her get her coat off. He then waited as Heather sat on the bed, unlaced her shoes and pulled them off.  As Heather lay down, Jake reached for the blanket folded at the bottom of the bed and covered her with it. He then leaned over and tucked the blanket around her, gently pushed a few strands of hair out of her face, and gave her a soft kiss. "Love you."

"Mmmm . . . I could get used to this. Love you too," Heather mumbled and then let out a contented sigh.

Jake couldn't help but smile as he turned and walked out of room, shutting the door behind him.

As he walked back into the kitchen Hawkins was putting plates, forks and knives on the table. Chavez had just put the spaghetti in a ceramic bowl and was pouring the sauce over it.

"Jake, you want to grab some water out of the fridge?" Chavez asked before carrying the bowl of spaghetti to the kitchen table.

Jake went to the refrigerator and pulled out three bottles of water and went to join the two men at the table.

"How's Heather?" Hawkins asked Jake as he put some spaghetti on his plate and passed the bowl to Chavez.

"She's lying down; she didn't get much sleep last night."

 "After seeing her tonight, I'm worried about her. I never expected she would take it this bad." Chavez said in a concerned voice.

Jake glared at him, as he took the bowl of spaghetti, not bothering to say the real reason why Heather wasn't feeling good. He wasn't willing to let Chavez off the hook that easily. ‘Let him stew in his own guilt awhile. It serves him right.'

Hawkins spoke up, wanting to change the subject. "Jake, that man you saw walking out with Goetz at the Ravenwood camp was Mike Collins. He's the founder of Ravenwood. As part of the purchase agreement, Jennings &Rall guaranteed Collins the position of president and chief operating office when the acquisition became final in 1995."

"He's a ruthless SOB. Take it from me, I should know." Chavez added without further explanation.

"Wouldn't surprise me." Jake contributed, thinking about the dealings he had had with Ravenwood in the past, not only after the attacks but during his time in Afghanistan and Iraq.

"Want to share Jake? Hawkins asked, suspecting that there was more to Jake's comment.

"No." Jake replied before winding some spaghetti around his fork and putting it in his mouth.

"This may or may not be relevant," Chavez stated before continuing, "Judicial hearings were scheduled by Congress to investigate allegations that Ravenwood was involved in illegal activities, most notably weapons trading and drug trafficking. The hearings were scheduled to start the middle of October 2006 but then the attacks happened."

"Coincidence or not, that's the question." Hawkins said took a drink from the bottle of water he had in his hand.

Jake shrugged his shoulders, thinking what the reaction would be if told them Ravenwood was the private security company he had been investigating in Afghanistan and Iraq, and that it was his evidence that prompted the hearings. Everything he heard about Collins over the course of his investigation supported Chavez's assessment of the man.

Chavez was the next to speak up. "At the camp the other day, I went to the Placement Office. Ravenwood was advertising for security positions in and about Cheyenne. I thought it might be a good way to get some leads so applied. They offered me a job today. I'm starting next week. They're still advertising, interested?"

"No." Jake said emphatically.

"Not a good idea. Goetz knows who we are." Hawkins said in the way of explanation.

"How?" Chavez asked before putting a fork full of spaghetti in his mouth.

"He and his goons wanted to ransack Jericho. We forced them to turnaround at the Tacoma Bridge on the outskirts of town." Jake explained.

"Yeah, and you were up front and center for that one." Hawkins commented.

"Why am I not surprised?" Chavez said with a hint of sarcasm and humor in his voice.

Jake snorted at the comment, picked up his bottle of water and took a drink.

After the men had finished with their spaghetti, Chavez sat back in his chair, crossed his arms and said, "I cooked, you two clean."

"Sounds fair. Let's get to it Jake." Hawkins said as he stacked the plates picked them up along with the glasses on the table and walked into the kitchen.

Jake picked up the silverware on the table and placed in the empty spaghetti bowl and followed Hawkins into the kitchen. Chavez walked into the living room and sat on the couch waiting for the other men to finish cleaning up.

A few minutes later Chavez spied Heather coming out of the bedroom and watched her as she walked down the hallway. The first thing he noticed was that her hair was mussed up, her shirt was half tucked into her jeans and that she hadn't bothered putting her shoes back on when she got out of bed. He watched her as she walked slowly, slightly crouched over with her hand resting flat against her stomach, down the hall. When she walked by him she raised her head slightly and mumbled in a low, tired voice, "Hey, Joe." She then walked into the kitchen plopped down into the chair at the head of the table, sighed, crossed her arms on the table and buried her face in her arms.

‘She is really bad off.' Chavez thought before standing up and walking over to her. "Heather, Heather are you okay?" Heather raised her head slightly, and looked up at him. "I'm okay," she slurred before burying her head in her arms again. Joe sat down at the table and placed his hand on Heather's forearm and gave it a slight shake. "Can I get you anything? How about something to eat?" Heather groaned in way of a reply and kept her head resting on her hands.

Chavez gave Hawkins a worried look as he walked out of the kitchen holding a glass of water and took the seat on the other side of Heather. "I brought you some water." Hawkins said as he slowly slid the glass of water toward her. It took a minute before Hawkins heard Heather mumble, "No thanks."

Jake had just put on some water to boil and had been rummaging through the cabinets for something he thought he saw there the other day when Heather walked to the kitchen table and sat down. He finally found the small sealed box of herbal tea bags that he was looking for. He couldn't imagine how they got there in the first place. He doubted that Chavez had gotten them; he didn't seem the type, so he decided that they must have been left by a former tenant. Not that it matter, he was happy that he would be able to give Heather something that might make her feel better.

While he was waiting for the tea to steep in the mug, he amused himself watching both Chavez and Hawkins hover around Heather trying to make her feel better but failing miserably at it. When the tea looked strong enough he took out the tea bag and threw it away, picked up the mug and walked to the kitchen table and set it down next to Heather's head.

He crouched down next to her and gently rubbing circles on her back, he whispered next to her ear, "Babe, I brought you some mint tea; it will help you feel better." At the sound of Jake's voice Heather raised her head and gave Jake the biggest smile she could muster. "Thanks Jake."

"Anytime, Babe, anytime," he said then leaned forward and kissed her cheek. As Heather slowly sat up, he stood and walked behind her and began to gently knead her shoulders. She reached for the mug of tea, took a couple of sips, let out a contented side and said, "Mmm, this tea hits the spot and that feels heavenly. You do know how to take care of me," as she leaned her head back against Jake stomach and looked up at him.

Jake looked down into Heather's face and smiled, "My pleasure," he replied as he took a step back, bent down and gave her a soft kiss. Chavez cleared his throat, interrupting their moment. Heather raised her head and a blush spread across her face, realizing that both Chavez and Hawkins had witnessed the affectionate exchange between Jake and herself.

Jake smirked at Chavez, walked to other side of the table picked up the chair and carried it to the head of the table and placed it down beside Heather. As he sat down he turned to Heather and said, "Are you ready to begin?" Heather nodded in confirmation as Jake reached for her hand under the table. He turned to Chavez and said a little coldly, "Why don't you start?"

Chavez shifted uncomfortably in his chair and cleared his throat. "Before I start, I just want to say . . . to say that I'm . . . sorry for last night." He then looked nervously at Heather before continuing, "I went too far, I should have stopped him before he got that close. . . I just thought that once he saw you he might start talking. It was a mistake and I'm sorry."

Jake felt Heather's hand tighten in his and gave her a quick glance to make sure she was okay he then looked at Chavez and nodded his head acknowledging the apology he had just given Heather.

"Thanks, Joe. I forgive you." Heather said quietly before she laughed nervously, "I can't say I'm sad that he's dead after all he's done. I just wish it didn't have to happen in my living room." She took a deep breath and looked at Chavez and then at Jake and finished with a determined breath, "But what is done is done and it's time to move on."

Hawkins nodded his head approvingly at Heather's words. "She's right, time to move on. Jake? Chavez?"

"Agreed." Jake said as he held his hand out to Chavez.

"Agreed," said Chavez taking his hand.

Hawkins flashed Heather a quick smile and mouthed "Way to go," as the two men shook hands.

Heather smiled and looked at the three men and said, "Now, boys, shall we get down to business?"

Chavez turned to Heather and gave her a mock salute. Yes, Ma'am!"

He then looked at Hawkins and both men started laughing, obviously relieved that Heather was feeling better. Heather felt her cheeks turning red at her overly enthusiastic comment. When she turned and found Jake smiling at her, she started giggling. Jake leaned over and kissed her temple and said, "Great way to start a meeting."

Once the laughter died down, Hawkins was the first to speak.

"Heather, we need to bring you up to speed on a few things that happened last night. Are you up to it?"

Jake gave Heather's hand a reassuring squeeze. "I'm okay, let's get it over with."

Hawkins continued, "Chavez and I followed Constantino out of Camp Cheyenne. About forty five minutes out, he was stopped by some Ravenwood goons. They gave him a sack." Hawkins reached into his pocket as he continued, "It had a gun and this picture in it." Hawkins laid the picture down in front of Heather.

Heather drew in a quick breath. "It has my address on it! They told them where to find me?"

Sensing her discomfort, Jake spoke up, "Babe, are you okay? Do you want to stop?"

Heather took another breath, "I'm fine."

"Do you know when that picture was taken?" Hawkins asked.

Heather picked up the picture and studied it. "The shirt I had on is new. I got it when I when I first got to Cheyenne. Let me think a minute . . . Jake, did you see where I put my purse?"

"It's in the bedroom, do you need it?"

"Yes, I want to show you my government I.D. badge." She said as she let go of Jake's hand and pushed her chair out, getting ready to stand up.

"No, you stay, finish your tea. I'll get it." Jake said as he stood up, squeezed her shoulder and walked out of the kitchen.

Heather picked up her mug and managed to have a few more sips before Jake walked in and handed her the purse.

Heather opened it and pulled out her government I.D. badge and put it down next to the picture.

"It's the same picture." Jake confirmed.

"Yes, that picture was taken during my orientation the day I started work at the capitol. They must have gotten the picture from my HR file."

"Valente," Jake hissed.

Heather saw the concern in Jake's face. "Don't worry..."

Jake looked at Heather incredulously, "Not only is your boss trying to seduce you, but he wants to have someone kill you too. Of course I'm gonna worry!"

"He is not trying to seduce me." Heather said through clenched teeth, enunciating each word. She was annoyed that Jake said Valente was interested in her in front of Chavez and Hawkins.

Jake realizing his mistake, turned to Heather. "Look, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said it. But don't tell me not to worry. Of course I will. As long as you're in Cheyenne, I'm gonna worry!"

She took his hand in hers and looked him in the eyes as she said in a reassuring tone, "I know you are but I'm fine, Jake, really I am."

Hawkins spoke up. "You don't know for sure the picture came from Valente. Even if it did, we don't know why he gave it to them. It could be as simple as he wanted an additional check into her background."

"Yeah, the right hand doesn't always know what the left hand is doing at the capitol and that can work for us." Chavez added.

 "But that's only if we can find out what they're both up to." Jake mumbled to himself.

Heather had heard Jake's comment and was anxious to change the subject. She looked at the three men, smiling, and said, "What's next?"

"I followed Constantino while Hawkins followed the Ravenwood goons. Hawkins found their base camp. We went there today. Didn't see anything that unusual."

"Heather, you heard about the Ravenwood contingent who wanted to ransack Jericho who we stopped at the Tacoma Bridge?" Jake asked.

She nodded her head yes. "That was the day Emily was going to get married, right?"

"Yeah, Goetz, their leader, is in Cheyenne. We saw him today."

"Jake, I heard about what you did on that bridge. He knows who you are. Did he see you?" Heather asked worriedly.

"No, we were well hidden." Jake reassured her.

"Good." Heather replied, relieved.

Chavez continued from the point where Jake had interrupted him. "I thought it might be a good idea to infiltrate them, that it might give us some leads. I applied for and got a job working with one of their security forces. I start tomorrow. I told Jake and Hawkins while you were sleeping. I figured it might be a good way to learn what both sides are up to. I'll keep an eye on Ravenwood and Heather can keep an eye on Valente."

The look that came over Jake's face at Chavez's statement wasn't lost on Heather. Trying to head off another possible conversation like they had earlier, she decided to change the subject for a second time that night.

"Well, I learned a few things today." Heather said.

"Care to share?" Hawkins asked.

Heather smiled at Hawkins, "Sure." She lifted her purse off the floor, opened it and pulled out the notes she had taken earlier that day. "I did some research on Cheyenne Farm. Let me give you the key points from my notes." She then summarized her notes for the three men.

"Do you mind if I take your notes? I'd like to enter them into our files." Hawkins asked.

"No problem. I do have some unanswered questions. I'm going to try to do a little more research tomorrow."

"What are they?" Jake asked.

"Well, the names Rall Engineering and RJ Land Development both sounded so familiar like I heard them before."

"Remember the story I told you about Camp Cheyenne, Heather?" Chavez asked.

Heather thought about it a minute and then her eyes lit up and she exclaimed, "I remember now! That was the company you told me about who won the government contract to construct the camps, right?"

"Yes."

"RJ Land Development is the company that Darcy told us about, the one that's in Jericho trying to make a deal with the farmers." Hawkins said.

"Rall Engineering is a subsidiary of Jennings & Rall." Chavez said then thought out loud, "I wonder if there's a connection between RJ Land and Jennings & Rall?"

"That should be easy enough for me to find out." Heather volunteered. "I'll add it to my list to research tomorrow. My next question is what the workers agreed to, when RJ Land handed over the plots of land for them to farm."

"Now that's a good question," Jake chimed in. "Especially, since  it appears that they'll be offering the farmers back home some kind of deal."

"My last two questions were why they constructed a barbed wire fence around the property? And what's the Ravenwood connection?"

"They'd probably tell you that barbed wire protects from the outside world, which we all know is not a friendly place today. Of course, it also conveniently imprisons their employees." Hawkins said in way of an answer to the first question.

"Ravenwood is owned by Jennings & Rall, which may or may not indicate that RJ Land is also connected to Jennings & Rall." Chavez said attempting to answer the second question.

"All worth looking into, Heather. Good job!" Hawkins said.

"Thanks, Rob!" Heather said as she smiled at him and handed him her notes.

"Anything else, Heather?" Chavez asked.

"Yes, there's one more thing Valente wants me to work on, it's a top secret project. The Eastern government sent a memo to Cheyenne related to increase drug trafficking in the east. They're claiming the drugs are coming from the west and they're accusing the government here of not doing anything about it. Valente wants me to find out what I can about it and to go out in the field if necessary to get more information."

"He wants you to be a spy?" Jake asked incredulously, before saying emphatically, "No way in hell!"

Heather gave Jake an annoyed look and turned to face Hawkins to continue her report. "I told him I had no field work experience and his reply was simply that he had confidence that I could do it."

"Heather...." Jake interrupted.

"Jake. Please, not now," Heather said through clenched teeth, so only Jake could hear, before locking her eyes on Hawkins and saying, "I told him I'd give it my best shot while thinking to myself that I didn't have to worry. After all I have an expert spy at my disposal and two other men who can help me and give me pointers."

"Damn straight," Hawkins replied smiling back at Heather.

"Hey, you know he's not the only expert here. I have the same amount of experience as him!" Chavez exclaimed, he couldn't help but feel a little miffed that Heather didn't think of him as an expert too. "But hey, at least I'm good for a few pointers."

Hawkins snorted at Chavez's comments then assured Heather, "We'll help all we can."

 "The same memo came through in my intel file. It's the one I told you my superiors asked if I thought there could be some connection to our investigation. I told them that I didn't think there was a connection but I'm thinking now I may have to revisit that in light of the importance that Valente is putting on Heather's project." Chavez stated.

"Sounds like you may have to," Hawkins agreed and then added, "Well is there anything else? If not, we have a phone call to make."

"All set here." Heather said.

"Jake, Chavez?" Both men shook their heads. Hawkins then took the phone out of his pocket and called home.

Jericho; the Hawkins house

Darcy and Gail were sitting at the kitchen table enjoying a cup of tea.

"Thanks so much for inviting me to dinner. It's good to get out of the
house." Gail told Darcy.

"It was a pleasure having you. I hope Sam didn't bother you too much. He
does ask a lot of questions."

"Not at all. He is so cute; I had a lot of fun with him tonight. Now that Johnston is gone and Jake is in Cheyenne, it's so quiet at the house. This was a nice change."

"Well, we'll have to do it more often then."

"Allison and Sam must be missing their father."

"Yes, I think they do, Sam especially. Rob hasn't been around much since the time he was about two years old. That changed when we moved here.

"Did Rob travel a lot for work in his old job?" Gail asked.

Darcy was glad to have another woman to talk to. It had been so long since she had a friend. She was happy that she and Gail had hit it off. Despite their new found friendship, she knew she couldn't tell Gail the truth so she settled on a half-truth. "Yes, it was very hard on our marriage. We were separated for four years. When we got back together, we wanted a new start, and ended up in Jericho.

"I didn't realize," Gail said sympathetically.

"Rob and I are closer now then we've ever been. We did have a rough patch just a short while ago, put now we're very much on track."

"I'm glad to hear that. Putting something back together is never easy."

"Well, getting back to Sam, during the four years we were separated Rob constantly traveled for work. Maybe he saw the kids four times a year. Sam never really got to know Rob. Since we've been in Jericho though, the two have gotten a lot closer."

"That's good, and I'm sure once Rob is back they'll become even closer."

"I'm sure they will. I just can't wait until he's back home and we can be a family again."

"I know the feeling. You know, Jake and Johnston didn't get along from his teen years until the time he came home to Jericho. Johnston loved Eric and Jake dearly, and he expected a lot from them, but never more than he knew they could give. Eric seemed to pride himself in being the Mayor's son but with Jake it was just the opposite he rebelled under the scrutiny, he went as far in the other direction that as he could. Adding to that they were both very stubborn, neither wanted to give an inch to try and make things better."

Gail lifted her mug and drank the last of her tea before continuing. "Jake, ended up working for Jonah Prowse . . . something happened that caused Jake to leave home. You know the day Jake came home, the day of the attacks, was the turning point in their relationship. Johnston said he came back a changed man, but you know, I think Johnston changed too. Well, whatever it was, Jake and Johnston became a lot closer. Johnston was so proud of him. It breaks my heart, though, they lost so much time and they were just getting it back when he died." Gail pulled out a Kleenex and dabbed at her eyes.

Nodding, Darcy reached out and squeezed Gail's hand.

Gail sniffled and said, "Thanks dear. I'll be okay."

"Can I get I get you another cup of tea?"

"That would be wonderful."

Darcy returned a minute later with two fresh mugs of tea, after placing Gail's in front of her and sitting down with hers she smiled at Gail. "So what's this I hear about Jake and Heather, is it? Miss Lisinski? I don't really know her, but I liked her when I met her. Before," she explained, sighing. "She was going to be Sam's teacher."

"Yes, Miss Lisinski and Heather are one and the same." Gail explained then chuckled, "Well, they're together. That's about all I know. Jake was like a caged animal before he left for Cheyenne, he couldn't get out of here fast enough. When I talked to him last week and he told me Heather was safe, he sounded so relieved. I'm hoping everything works out between them."

"That day Jake came over and asked for Rob's help, we both suspected he had
feelings for her. You should have seen him, caged animal is right!" Both
women giggled.

Darcy then asked Gail, "Sam and I like to go for nature walks. We're planning one for Sunday, would you like to come?"

Gail smiled brightly and said, "I would love it!"

"Great, we usually leave around eleven o'clock and walk for about an hour. We'll stop by your house on the way."

"That sounds fun. When we're done with the walk we can go back to my house for lunch. Stanley brought over some vegetables the other day, I'll make a soup."

"That's sounds wonderful. We'd be happy to stay for lunch. Thank you."

Their conversation was interrupted when the doorbell rang. Gail looked at her watch. "It's quarter to eight. That must be Eric." Both women got up and walked into the foyer. Darcy answered the door, "Hello, Eric."

"Good evening, Darcy. Mom" Eric said before walking over and giving his
mother a kiss on the cheek.

"How was your day, dear? Gail asked.

"Busy. Gray was a handful today bragging about the part he had in getting
the incentives from RJ Land Development. I can't believe how dumb he is, Dad
would've seen right though what they are trying to do."

"He sure would have." Gail said wistfully, the sorry she still felt keenly showing in her eyes.

"Are you okay, Mom?" Eric asked.

"I'm fine dear, where's Stanley?"

"He said he'll be here at eight, but you know him, he's always late. I know he
spent a lot of time today talking with the farmers who haven't signed up for
services yet."

"Well, let's hope he succeeded," Darcy said before asking Eric, "Can I get
you a drink?"

"No, thanks. I'm fine."

"Well, it's a few minutes before eight. Why don't we get settled in the
dining room? I think with Stanley coming we'll all be more comfortable in
there."

On the way to the dining room, Darcy stopped in the living room and went to
the shelf where she had hid the phone and pulled it out. She went into the
dining room and joined Gail and Eric at the table and placed the phone down.

Exactly at eight o'clock the phone rang. Darcy answered, "Hello, Rob. I'm
going to put you on speaker phone; we have a few things to tell you." Darcy
then turned on the speaker and placed the phone in the middle of the table.



Cheyenne; back at the safe house

Hawkins turned on the speaker and placed the phone in the middle of the
table. "Dee, we have Chavez, Jake and Heather here."

"Eric and Gail are here and we're expecting Stanley." Dee replied. "There's
the door bell now. That must be Stanley, I'll be right back."

The group in Cheyenne could hear the shuffling of chairs while room was made
for Stanley at the table.

"Jake, you there old buddy?" Stanley said.

"Yes." Jake said, smiling.

"How's that girl of yours?"

The look Jake gave Heather warmed her to her toes. "Ask her yourself."

"Heather's there?"

'Yes, I'm here." Heather replied, smiling.

"You okay?"

"Yeah I'm fine," she replied, looking at Jake. "I couldn't be better." She was rewarded for her comment by a quick kiss from the man sitting next to her.

Chavez rolled his eyes and Hawkins spoke up, "Let's get down to business. Constantino is dead."

Jake leaned over and whispered to Heather, "You okay?"

"Yeah," she replied, squeezing the hand that still held hers under the table.

"He was in Cheyenne?" Eric asked incredulously.

"He was looking for Heather. Ravenwood told him where to find her," Jake replied.

"What happened?" Stanley asked.

Chavez gave a brief run down of the events of the previous night to the Jericho contingent. While he was talking, Jake let go of Heather's hand, resting his on the table. A few seconds later he started to drum his fingers lightly against the wood, clearly agitated by Chavez's account of the events of the prior evening. Heather seeing Jake's reaction, reached over and covered his hand with hers, stopping his action. Heather then clasped it reassuringly, looking at him. Jake saw the questioning look in her eyes, he looked down at their clasped hands, and then at her. Looking into her eyes he mouthed, "I'm okay, now." Heather beamed at him.

"Ravenwood, So they are involved in all this." Eric concluded.

"Yes, to what extent we can't prove yet. We're working on that." Hawkins said in way of a reply.

"Eric, make sure Russell knows, okay?"

"Will do, Jake. Speaking of Russell, he was elected mayor of New Bern at their special election this week. He's coming to Jericho for a meeting Monday. I'll tell him then."

"Tell him that Heather and I say ‘congratulations'". Jake requested then asked, "So how did the meeting go last night?"

"Not as well as I would have liked." Eric commented, then continued, "The rep, a Jim O'Leary, tried to steam roll the farmers into buying services from RJ Land & Development on the spot. He was somewhat successful; thirty percent of the farmers had signed up for services by the end of the night."

"Thanks in no part to Gray," Stanley said sarcastically.

"What about Gray?" Jay asked.

"We'll get back to him." Eric replied then continued, "Some examples of the services they offer are equipment rental, management, consultant and labor services and discounted seeds and livestock. There are different service packages all of which were being offered at a discount for any farmers who signed up."

Heather asked the next question. "How do they expect to be paid for their services?"

Eric explained, "They're offering services on credit, on what they call generous terms, and they are telling the farmers they can pay them back when their crops come in or their livestock is sold. They're guaranteeing that they will buy back crops and livestock as long as they are on their approved list from any farmer who buys their service."

"I don't trust them as far as I can throw ‘em. Wait until you hear about the contract." Stanley interjected.

Eric continued, "Last night Darcy gave me one of the contracts. I reviewed it this morning. It's a huge risk for the farmers. Those credit terms I was telling you about? Well, there's small print in the contract that says if services can't be paid from crops or livestock then the farmers would be required sign over a percentage of their land to the company that is equivalent in value to the services contracted for."

Heather was the first to catch on to what Eric was saying. "But Eric, land values are way down, no one has the money to buy land. If they can't pay with crops or livestock, they could lose their farms."

"That's right, Heather, and to make matter worse, farmers who sign the contract are agreeing to let RJ Land handle all record keeping and are agreeing to let RJ Land have the final say in the settling of all disputes." Eric replied.

Heather thought a moment before speaking up. "Hmm . . . I wonder . . . I did some research today on RJ Land. Between January 2004 and December 2004 they bought twenty parcels of land in the west. I'm wondering if this is part of bigger plan to create some kind of farming monopoly."

"Sounds logical." Chavez muttered.

Darcy spoke up. "There might be some information I can find out at work, let me poke around see what I can find. It might be interesting to find out what other towns they've approached."

"At the meeting last night, Eric and I tried to convince the farmers at the meeting not to sign up. Today I spent all day talking to farmers that haven't signed," Stanley interjected.

Following up with what Stanley had just said, Heather asked, "What are they saying, Stanley?"

"They're scared, they feel backed into corner, like they don't have a choice. They want to make sure their families are taken care of. The company's guarantee to back the crops and livestock is making it really appeal to them. I told them what Eric said about the contract. I got most of them to promise to think about it, to hold off a day or two before they make a final decision, but I don't know. If it hadn't been for Gray last night we would have been more successful, I never saw him work a room like he did last night."

"What about Gray?" Jake repeated his earlier question.

"He's really gung ho on getting the farmers signed up." Stanley said.

"'I'll take it from here, Stanley." Eric said, then continued, "Before the meeting the rep met with Gray they drew up a list of town needs. They promised incentives to the town based on the amount of revenue generated from the services provided."

"You didn't know this before the meeting?"

"No, Gray pulled me aside right before the meeting started. I asked him how he knew it was in the best interest of the farmers. His statement was, ‘There are more citizens in town than on the farms', they have to be our first priority."

"Well, I know who's not gonna get a share of my crops this year," Stanley quipped.

"Stanley, keep doing your best to convince them not to sign anything. I'm with you, I don't trust them either," Jake stated then asked, "Eric, do you think Gray is getting some kind of a kickback from them?"

"Wouldn't surprise me, Jake. I'll try and feeling him out some more, see if he'll tell me something."

"Good. Is there anything else?" Jake queried.

"Yeah. I mentioned this to Eric last night. This guy, Jay Kent, who bought the farm next to mine, has put up a barbed wire fence around the property. The other day when I was out in the field that border his property I saw two vans pull up and watched as about twenty men and women getting out with their gear. My gut's telling me something's fishy is going on out there." Stanley explained.

"Agreed. Keep an eye on it will you? Anything else?" Hawkins asked.

"Sure thing and I'm all set, Eric, Darcy?"

"No." "No." Darcy said, echoed by Eric.

"Darcy, I'm going in the other room hold on." Hawkins said as he turned off the speaker stood up and walked into the bedroom for some privacy as he spoke with his wife.

"Rob, how are you doing?"

"Good. All things considered."

"And the investigation?"

"We're making a little progress. Now that Heather's in place things should start moving faster."

"That's good. The sooner the better, I miss you and the kids miss you."

"I miss you and the kids too," Hawkins replied, before asking, "How are the kids?"

"They're fine. Sam is doing really well in school. So is Allison, but she has an incentive. I told her that she couldn't do border patrol unless she does well in school. I saw Jimmy the other day. He says that she'll be done with her training next week. She's really excited. Jimmy is going to put her on the schedule for Saturdays."

"Good. I know you're worried about her being out there, but she'll do fine."

Darcy chuckled before saying, "I am a little worried, but you're right, she'll be fine. You know, Rob, she's a lot like you."

"Yeah, she is," Hawkins said a little apprehensively but not without some pride in his voice.

"She was asked to do a solo for the spring concert. I think she would like if you could be home for it."

"When is it?"

"I think it's in three weeks. It's the day before Stanley's wedding."

"I'll be there, Dee."

"I told Allison chances are you won't be there, that you'll still be working . . . . you said you'll be there?

"Yeah. Jake's in the wedding, he'll be going home for it, even if we haven't finished here. I'll go with him."

"Oh...Allison will be thrilled. If you're not finished by then, you'll be going back?

"I might have to Dee . . . probably, we'll see."

"Whatever you think is best, Rob."

"How's Sam?"

"You know Sam, he misses you,

"Yeah, well I miss him too. Dee, you be careful at work."

I will, Rob."

"I know I can't stop you but I do want you to be careful when you start snooping around.

 "You know me too well . . .  and I will be careful," Darcy said before teasing, "And Rob, you don't know everything about me . . . I have one skill, you sure don't have."

Hawkins snorted and said, "Oh yeah, what's that?"

"I can play office politics!" Darcy chuckled and said in a more serious tone, "I used office politics to get ahead, to expand my authority in D.C. No reason I can't do the same here.

"I'm sure you can but Dee...,"

Darcy interrupted, "Allison and Sam just walked in the room, they want to say hi. Here's Allison."

"Hey Dad!"

"Allison. How are you?"

"Good. Guess what?"

"What?"

"I got asked to sing a solo in the spring concert!"

"Good for you." Hawkins replied not wanting to let Allison know that Darcy had already clued him in.

"Do you think you'll be home for it?"

"I wouldn't miss it."

"Wow, that's great Dad."

"Your mom says you're doing well in school."

"Yeah. I don't have a choice. Mom says if I don't do well, no border patrol," Allison complained.

"She's right."

 "Yeah. Yeah. I already got that message, Dad."

Hawkins snorted at the remark and then asked, "So you're almost done training for border patrol?"

"I finish up next week!" Allison replied brightly before adding, "Jimmy's putting me on the schedule for Saturdays. He said when school's out then I can have more hours."

"Listen, Allison, remember what I told you. Things are better now, but things can still happen. Always go out there expecting something will happen, keep your senses sharp, you never know when danger will strike."

"I know that, Dad. Listen, I have to run I have to finish up a project for school. Bye, Dad."

"Bye, Allison."

"Okay, here's Sam," Allison said before handing the phone to Sam.

"Hi, Dad!"

"Hey, short stuff, how ya doing?"

"I miss you, Dad. When are you coming home?"

The question pulled at Hawkins heart, it reminded him of all the time he missed out on with Sam when Darcy left him when he told her he had an assignment where he'd have to go deep undercover. Since they came to Jericho, he had worked hard to establish a relationship with Sam and his effort s had just begun to be rewarded when the war with New Bern happened. He just hoped that after this investigation was finished he'd be able to get their relationship back on track.

"Soon. I'll be home for the spring concert. Are you in it too?"

"Yeah, us little kids are going to sing a couple of crummy songs. The high school kids get to sing all the good stuff." Sam complained.

"Well, when your older, Sam, you'll get to sing the good stuff." Hawkins said chuckling to himself.

"Yeah. Yeah. You sound just like Mom. Guess what, Dad?! I got a hundred on my spelling test!"

"Good work, Sam. You keep doing that well and you can be whatever you want when you grow up."

"Thanks Dad. I went to Mr. Taylor's house the other day and played football with him and Woody. It was a lot of fun, Sam said and then added, "But not as much as playing with you."

"We'll play when I get home. I miss you, short stuff."

"I miss you to Dad. Love you."

"Back at ya."

"Dad, Mom wants to say good bye. Bye, Dad"

"Bye, Sam."

Hawkins waited a minute as Sam handed the phone back to Darcy.

"Dee?"

"Rob, I just wanted to say good bye."

"I love you Dee. Remember, be careful."

"I will and I love you, too."

"Hold on a sec, Dee. I want to go back in the kitchen and ask Jake and Chavez something."

"Okay."

Hawkins walked back into the kitchen and held his hand over the speaker. Looking between the three people sitting around the table, he said, "I'm going to tell Dee, that we'll call again on Monday, maybe Heather will have more info on RJ Land.   Agreed?"

Jake, Heather and Chavez all nodded their heads. Hawkins then removed his hand from the speaker and spoke to Darcy.

"I just checked with Chavez and Jake. We want to call you on Monday. We think Heather may have more intel on RJ Land and if you have anything by then you can tell us. Okay?"

"Sure, I'll let Gail and Eric know."

"I'm going to hand the phone to Jake now. Good bye, Dee."

"Bye, Rob."

Jake stood up and took the phone from Hawkins.  Stanley was the first to get on the phone.

"Jakey. How the heck are you?"

"Fine Stanley," Jake said as he started walking toward the bedroom. Suddenly, he turned and spied Heather still sitting at the table. "Hold on a minute, Stanley." He walked back over to the table and held his hand out to Heather.

Heather said quietly so Stanley wouldn't over hear her. "It's okay, Jake. You go talk to your family."

Jake replied quietly, "I want you there." Heather beamed up at Jake, took his hand and followed him into the bedroom.

"Stanley, I'm back."

"So you and Heather, huh?"

"That's right," Jake said as he smiled at Heather.

"Good for you buddy. You're a lucky son of a gun."

Jake snorted then said, Yeah. That's what they keep telling me."

"How's our girl?"

"Hold on, I'll let you her tell you herself."

"Cool."

Jake handed the phone to Heather.

"Stanley?" Heather said into the phone.

"Hey, Heather! It's good to hear your voice."

"Yours too."

"Are you okay, Heather?"

"I'm fine now that Jake's here."

Heather turned and smiled at Jake who had moved onto the bed. He was sitting, leaning against the headboard, with the pillow he had pulled out from under the bedspread behind his back. When he saw her looking at him he patted the spot beside him.

"Hey, Jake told you me and Mimi are getting married, right?" Stanley said .

"Yeah," Heather said as scooted over on the bed so that she was sitting next to Jake.

"Well, consider this your invite. You'll come with Jake, right? ‘Cause you know, he needs a date."

Heather laughed at that and replied happily, "He already asked me, so there. And I wouldn't miss it."

"Well that's a relief. I've been trying to get Jake dates for years."

Heather laughed again causing Jake to look at her with raised eyebrows. "What's so funny?"

"Stanley, hold on." Heather covered the mouth piece with her hand, smiled sweetly at Jake, "Private joke," she said solemnly before starting to laugh again.

Jake realized that the joke was on him, but the effect was worth it. It had been a long time since he heard Heather's spontaneous laughter and was grateful to his friend for being the catalyst of it.

The sound of Stanley's voice came from the phone, "Heather? Heather?"

"Sorry Stanley, I'm still here."

"Tell Jake to take good care of you."

Heather looked at Jake as she spoke into the phone, "I don't have to tell Jake to take good care of me, he already does." On hearing the comment, Jake smiled at Heather, wrapped his arm around her and kissed her temple.

"I'm gonna give the phone to Eric now."

Heather moved the phone from her hear and said to Jake, "Eric's getting on the line now."

"It's okay, you can say hi," Jake murmured.

Heather lifted the phone back to her ear to hear Eric say, "Jake?"

"Hi Eric, it's me."

"Hi Heather, how are you after all that's happened?"

"I'm okay."

"You can depend on Jake, he can help you through it."

"I am depending on him. He's been taking good care of me," Heather said, earning another kiss, this time on the cheek, from Jake.

"He knows everything now?"

"Yes."

"You're coming back with Jake for Stanley's wedding, aren't you?"

"Yes, it will be so good to see you again."

"Same here."

"Talk to you soon. I'll put Jake on now. Bye, Eric."

"Bye, Heather."

Keeping his right arm around Heather, Jake reached over and took the phone from her. Heather settled herself more comfortably against Jake, resting her head on his chest and wrapping her arm around his waist. Jake absentmindedly stroked his hand up and down Heather's side while talking to Eric.

"Hey, Eric," Jake said into the phone.

"Jake, how are you?"

"Okay. Busy but things are good, overall."

"Heather?"

"Coping."

"You know Jake, you are lucky you have her. She's the best. I don't know that you deserve her, but you got her. You better take care of her."

Jake replied, slightly annoyed with the comment, "What do you think I'm doing Eric? And don't you think I know how lucky I am?"

Heather could tell from the sound of Jake's voice that he was annoyed. Trying to calm him, she lifted her head, when Jake turned to look at her she whispered to him, "No, I'm the lucky one." She then gave him a quick kiss on the lips before settling her head down back on his chest. Jake gave her a quick squeeze and turned his attention back to Eric.

"Jake, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you."

"Let's just forget about it. Heather told me what you did for her in New Bern. I owe you for that. Thanks for keeping her safe."

"I did my best. She's a great girl and doesn't deserve all that's happened to her."

"Yeah you're right, she didn't. But none of us have. You must have your hands full with Gray," Jake said wanting to steer the conversation away from Heather.

"Sure do. It's been a tough couple of days. Something doesn't seem right with him lately; I can't put my finger on it."

"Well, keep an eye on him."

"I will. "

"How's Mom?"

"She still has her moments, especially since she's alone now that you're gone. I've stayed over a couple of nights since you've left and I'll keep doing that ‘til you return."

"Good idea. Heather and I will be back in a few weeks for the wedding. Hopefully, we'll be done here and won't have to come back, but I'm not counting on that."

"Talking about Mom, she's anxious to talk to you. I'm going to put her on now."

"Okay, talk to you soon."

"You too."

Jake gave Heather another squeeze and a quick kiss while waiting for his Mom to get on the phone.

"Jake?"

"Mom, how are you?"

"I'm okay, Jake. I do miss having you around the house. I'll be glad when you're back."

"Me too."

"How's Heather doing? That poor girl having to go through what she did last night."

"Yeah, I know. It was hard on both of us."

"Well, she's lucky to have you!"

"Thanks, Mom."

"And you're lucky to have her!"

"I am, Eric said the same thing," Jake said while thinking, ‘But it's much easier hearing it from you, Mom.'

"I've been seeing a lot of Darcy lately. She and I are becoming good friends. It's nice to have someone to talk to. I had dinner here tonight. Sam was so much fun, he reminded me of you when you were that age, always asking questions! I'm going for a nature walk with Darcy and Sam on Sunday and then we're having lunch here."

"That's nice. It's good that you found a new friend."

"Heather is coming back with you for the wedding isn't she?"

"Yeah, she'll be there."

"Well, tell her she can stay with us. It will give me a chance to get to know her."

"I was planning on it, Mom."

"You know, your Dad, told me about what happened before you left for Black Jack. He said if there was anyone who could handle you it was her. He said he admired her spunk for calling you out that day."

Jake snorted and said hoarsely, "I always wondered what he thought about that whole scene. "

"Well now you know. He also told me about your reaction when Heather left for New Bern. Even if you didn't know it yet, he said, your future lay with Heather. I didn't believe him when he said it, but looks like he might have been right." Gail said then sniffled.

"Well, he was right, Mom. Absolutely. I can't even . . .  Mom, are you going to be okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine." Gail said than sniffled again, "It just that sometimes..."

"I know Mom. It's going to take awhile but it'll get better. I still think of him a lot too. I'm glad we had those last few months. They meant a lot to me."

"I know, dear. Well, I better not keep you any longer. You tell Heather for me, that I said for her to take good care of my boy."

"Aww, come on. I'm not going to tell her that."

"You tell her Jake, tell her to take care of you."

"No." Jake said, rolling his eyes.

"Jake..." Gail teased.

"Okay, okay." Jake turned to Heather and said a little sarcastically, "She says for you to take good care of me."

Heather smiled, "Let me talk to her for a minute."

Jake handed her the phone.

"Mrs. Green? I just want to assure you that I will take very good care of your son." Heather said seriously and then smiled up at Jake before adding,  "And he's taking very good care of me."

"I know you will, dear ... and I know he is. I just couldn't resist teasing Jake a little bit.  By the way, call me Gail."

Heather chuckled, "Well the teasing worked, and you should've seen the blush on his face when he told me what you said." Out of the corner of her eye she saw Jake roll his eyes and then smirk.

"Just what I thought his reaction would be!  Jake says he's planning on asking you to stay with us when you come back for the wedding. I just want to let you know you're welcome to. It'll give us a chance to get to know each other better."

"Thanks, Gail. I'll be looking forward to it."

"Good. Well, I'm going to say good bye now. I have an early day tomorrow. Good night, Heather."

"Good night, Gail. It was nice talking to you."

"You too, dear."

"I'll put Jake back on."

Heather handed the phone to Jake.

"Jake, I'm going to say good night. I have to be at the med center early tomorrow."

"Okay, Mom. Good night"

"Good night. We'll talk soon."

Jake turned off the phone and placed it on the nightstand next to the bed. Heather than shifted herself so that she was laying half on Jake with both of her forearms resting on his chest she looked into his eyes. He lifted his hand and while curling a piece of her hair in her fingers said wistfully, "Gail, huh?"

"Yep," she said, her smile reaching her eyes, making Jake smile back at her.

They gazed at each other and saw the love they shared mirrored in each other eyes. Entranced, Heather lowered her face to Jake's tentatively touching her lips to his.

Jake was pleased by Heather's assertiveness, glad that she was beginning to feel comfortable with the physical side of their relationship. He deepened the kiss, enjoying the feeling of her relaxing against him when he pulled her closer.

They both became so lost in each other that they didn't hear the knock at the door, followed by the creaking of the door opening. It wasn't until Chavez cleared his throat, embarrassed that he had walked in on them, that Heather and Jake realized they were no longer alone. They quickly pulled away from each other. Heather, blushing furiously, buried her head in Jake's chest. Jake looked at Chavez with eyebrows raised, silently questioning his presence.

"Uh....yeah...right . . . uh....sorry," Chavez stammered with a bemused expression on his face, before making a hasty retreat out of the room.

As soon as the door closed, Jake started laughing.

Heather raised her head and playfully swatted Jake's chest. "That is so not funny!"

"You'd be laughing too, if you saw the look on his face when he walked in!"

"Jake..." Heather warned, the blush deepening on her cheeks.

"What?" Jake asked before laughing again.

"This is what!" Heather said before she pressed her lips to his, effectively silencing his laughter.

Again they both became lost in their kiss, when they finally broke apart both were breathing heavily. Heather laid her head on Jake's shoulder while he made gentle circles on her back.

"We should go soon, I'm getting sleepy."

"Yeah, just give me a minute."

They lay quietly for a few minutes more before Jake murmured, ‘Ready, Babe?"

"Yeah," Heather replied.  When she got out of bed, she started looking for her shoes that she had taken off earlier in the night, when she had lain down for her nap. Finding them, she picked them up and sat back down on the bed and put them on. In the meantime, Jake got out on the other side of the bed and waited patiently for Heather to finish. Once she was done Jake took a hold of Heather's hand and pulled her up. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close while Heather wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Love you, Babe."

"Love you back."

Jake gave her a quick kiss and pulled her into a hug. "Ahhh . . . you feel so good, Babe," he said. He picked up his head and leaned his forehead against her, "Ready?"

"Yes, let's go, I'm sleepy." she said a little breathlessly.

When they pulled apart from their hug, Jake took Heather's hand in his and led her out of the bedroom. They walked into the kitchen where Chavez and Hawkins were sitting.

"We're going to get going." Jake announced.

"Okay." Hawkins said.

Chavez, who had regained his composure, after leaving the bedroom, looked at the couple and said a little suggestively, "Have a good night."

Jake glared at Chavez before turning and leading Heather back into the living room.

Jake picked up Heather's jacket from the chair where he had left it when he had carried it out of the bedroom earlier that night. He helped her into it and then picked up his from the same chair and put it on. "All set?"

Heather hooked her arm through Jake's. "Sure am," she replied tiredly as she rested her head on Jake's shoulder and yawned.

Chavez handed Heather her purse. "Here you left this in the kitchen."

"Oh, thanks Joe." Heather replied before taking the purse and yawning again.

"Are you feeling better?" Chavez asked in a concerned voice.

"Yeah. I'm just tired and my stomach was giving me trouble earlier."

Chavez couldn't let this chance to rib Jake yet another time go by. He plastered a surprised look on his face and said, "Geez, you can't be pregnant already!"

A puzzled look came over Heather's face. "What did you say?" she asked tiredly.

At Heather's question, Chavez felt some regret at his comment. It wasn't only at Jake's expense, it was also at Heather's; he wished he thought of that before he blurted it out.

"Never mind, Babe," Jake soothed. "He didn't say anything worth repeating," he added before kissing the top of her head, turning to Chavez and giving him a cold stare.

Jake looked at Hawkins, "I'll be here after I drop Heather off at the bus stop. We'll take the car and ride out to the farm, see if we can learn anything."

"Sounds like a plan. Now, you better get our girl home and into bed." Hawkins replied.

Heather smiled at the comment and lifted her head off of Jake's shoulder. "Sounds like a good idea." She yawned again. "Sorry."

"Come on, let's go, Babe." Jake said giving Chavez another death stare as he led Heather out of the safe house.

As they were walking out, Heather turned her head. "Good night, boys."

"Good night." Chavez said

"Night, Heather," echoed Hawkins as he shut the door behind Jake and Heather.

 "That bedroom? From now on, that's Heather's and Jake's room. Trust me on that. You don't want to sleep there." Chavez said to Hawkins as soon as the door was shut.

Jake and Heather walked arm in arm in silence back to Heather's apartment. Heather too tired to participate in any meaningful conversation and Jake's mind too occupied with thoughts of the future. Like it or not, Chavez's comment before they left had affected him.

When they arrived at the apartment, Heather took off her coat and threw it on the chair next to the couch. Jake walked over to her and put his hands on her shoulders and then began to gently run his hands up and down her arms. "Let's get you to bed."  Heather nodded her head gratefully and let Jake lead her to the bedroom. "You get ready for bed. I'll be back with at glass of water."

"Okay," Heather said as she turned and walked into the bedroom.

By the time Jake returned to the bedroom, Heather had changed and was in the bathroom washing up. Jake put the glass of water on the night stand on Heather's side of the bed and pulled down the covers.

Heather walked into the bedroom, saw Jake and went to him; put her arms around his neck. "Good night," she said before giving Jake a gentle kiss on the lips.

"Night, Babe," Jake replied before pulling Heather into a hug. When they pulled apart, Jake led Heather over to the bed and watched as she lay down. He then pulled the covers over her and rubbed soft circles on her back while she fell asleep.

When Jake was sure that Heather was sleeping soundly, he got up, walked into the kitchen and pulled a bottle of water out of the refrigerator. He went back into the living room and sat on the couch. He placed the bottle on coffee table, leaned back and raked his hand over his face.

The comment that Chavez made about the possibility of Heather being pregnant, even though he knew it wasn't possible, had affected him in an unexpected way. It made him think of the future of what lay ahead for him, Heather, and their family. It made the burden he already felt for their safety and well-being weigh more heavily on him than it ever had before.

Knowing he would have a hard time getting to sleep, and not wanting to disturb Heather, he took off his shoes off and stretched out on the couch. Riotous and conflicting thoughts about the future filled his head as he fell into a restless sleep.

Early the next morning, Heather woke up, turned and reached for Jake. When her hand couldn't find him she opened her eyes. He wasn't in bed. Concerned, she got up and walked into the living room. She found him on the couch, on his back with one arm resting behind his head and the other laying on his stomach. She quietly walked back into the bedroom, pulled a blanket off the bed and returned to the living room. She bent over and covered him with the blanket.

Just as she was turning to go back into her room Jake's hand reached out and grabbed hers. Heather turned to see that he had rolled to his side and was holding up the edge of the blanket in an invitation for her to join him. Heather lay down next to him. His right arm was resting just below her neck and his left arm found its way to her waist. Heather lifted her eyes to his; despite the semi-darkness, she could see the look of despair in his eyes. She raised her hand to his cheek and gently stroked it. "Tell me, Jake," she said simply.

In that instant, looking in Heather's eyes he thought he might find the answer he was looking for if only he could just tell her. He took a deep breath and started talking. Heather quietly listened as he talked to her about his fear of what the future held . . . of his overwhelming concern for keeping her and his family safe as well as his concern for the welfare of Jericho. He hesitated, not knowing how to say what he wanted to tell her next. 

Seeing Jake's struggle, and guessing what had brought this conversation on, she decided to take the bull by the horns.  "Jake, I heard Chavez's comment tonight, but when I saw the look in your eyes, I decided to pretend that I didn't, I didn't want to add to your worry. That's what this is all about, isn't it?" she asked before looking at Jake's face.

Grateful that Heather understood, Jake nodded his head and ran his hand up and down Heather's side. She raised her hand to his cheek and continued passionately, "We can't live in the present, being afraid of the future. We just need to trust in each other and know that whatever happens we'll face it together."

"Oh, is that all?" Jake asked with a chuckle before wrapping his arms around her and pulling her in for a hug. He held her close for a moment, feeling her gentle breaths against his cheek, before he pulled away, looked into her face and said solemnly, "How did you get so wise? I love you. I trust you. I know everything will be fine as long as you're by my side. Don't ever leave me."

 "I'll never leave you, Jake. I love you." Heather said as Jake pulled her in for another hug. 

As Heather relaxed in the comfort of Jake's arms she decided that now would be the perfect time to tell him the one thing she had been holding back. She had started to tell him a couple of times but she just couldn't get the words out; with the way things were progressing between them she knew her window of opportunity was quickly closing.

 "I need to tell you something," she said softly into Jake's ear.

Jake released the arm that he had wrapped around her shoulder and pulled away just enough so that they lay side by side, looking into each other eyes. "What is it, Babe?" he asked quietly.

Heather took a deep breath, before she replied somewhat embarrassed,   "You know, it's inevitable that what Chavez said will happen one day, don't you?"

"Yeah, I do," he lifted his hand to her face and brushed her cheek with his thumb and gave her a chance to continue

 "I just . . . I just want to tell you that when it does you'll be my first," Heather said as she felt the blush spreading across her face.

Jake's eyes widened slightly in surprise and he took in a sharp breath. He felt a little overwhelmed, not only by her love, but by the trust she was placing in him.

 "That will make ‘our first' all the more special," he paused then added , "when you're ready, Babe"  and  continued to brush his thumb along her cheek.

"And Jake?"

"Yes?"

"You're going to be my last, too." Heather said, smiling shyly.

"That's what I'm counting on, Babe," Jake replied as he brought her close for a kiss. In the middle of the kiss Heather started to giggle.

Jake lifted his head. "What? What's so funny?"

Heather managed to get out, "Sorry - I'm sorry," before breaking into another round of giggles.

Jake found the giggles contagious and couldn't help but laugh before saying, "Heather, tell me what's so funny?"

Heather finally managed to compose herself. Wiping the tears from her eyes she looked away and told him shyly, "Well, I got this picture in my mind . . . . of what our son would look like."

"Yeah?" Jake asked. He'd never really thought about having kids, until now, with Heather, and he was surprised to realize he liked the idea. 

She turned her eyes back to Jake's, "Yeah. Imagine having a little Jake running around," before she started to giggle again.

 "God forbid," Jake laughed as he rolled his eyes. "We're only having girls, and they are all going to be just like you!"

"Maybe, maybe not," Heather said with a smile on her face. She lifted Jake's hand and looked at the time on his watch. "Oh my goodness, it's seven o'clock, I have to go get ready for work!" She sat up swung her legs over the side of the couch. She patted Jake on his leg and asked, "Will you put the coffee on?"

"Sure," he replied as he watched Heather stand and walk down the hall.

With a smile on his face, and a new determination to live each day in the present, he got up and walked into the kitchen to put on the coffee.

Cheyenne; Friday morning, Heather's Apartment

Jake started the coffee and then began searching the cupboards and refrigerator for something for breakfast. In the last cupboard he checked he found a shaker of cinnamon and had an idea. He then checked the sugar canister and found enough sugar for what he wanted to make. He took out a bowl and poured a half of cup of sugar in it and then mixed in two tablespoons of cinnamon. He then took out what was left of a loaf of bread from the cupboard and the butter dish from the refrigerator.

A few minutes later Heather walked into the kitchen. "Mmmmm, that coffee smells so good!"

"Hey, Babe," Jake said as he filled one of the mugs on the counter with coffee and handed it to her. "Why don't you go sit down? I'll be right out with breakfast."

"What a treat! What are you making?"

"It's a surprise. Now go sit down so I can make it," Jake replied before giving her a quick kiss.

Heather smiled at Jake and then made her way to the kitchen table. Jake soon followed carrying a mug of coffee and a plate with four slices of toast, buttered and sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar, cut in half diagonally.

"I don't remember the last time I had cinnamon toast!" Heather exclaimed as she reached for a piece and took a bite. Heather closed her eyes, savoring the taste of the toast, "Mmmm . . . this is so good!" she said dreamily before opening her eyes and smiling at the man who sat across from her. "Thank you, Jake. This is such a nice treat!"

It never ceased to amaze Jake how the simplest things could make Heather so happy. It was one of the many things he loved about her.  He took great pleasure being in her presence. Her delight in the simple, good things in life and her positive outlook grounded him and gave him hope for the future. 

Jake smiled at Heather, reached over and squeezed her hand as he said, "My pleasure, Babe."

As they spent the next few minutes in the quiet of each other's company, Jake thought about the special night he had planned for Heather and the question he wanted - no, needed - to ask her. Every time he looked to the future Heather was there beside him. Until she had come into his life, he'd never thought he could have what his parents had; with her he knew he could. This realization had surprised him and strengthened his resolve. He wanted the whole package and everything that came with it.

"Jake, thanks again. Breakfast was delicious."

"You're welcome. It was the one thing I knew I could cook; as a matter of fact, it was the first thing I was allowed to cook. You should have seen the messes I made when I was four, five trying to get the right combination of cinnamon and sugar. One time we ended up with about four cups of cinnamon and sugar before I got it right. It must have lasted us a year!" Jake chuckled at the memory.

"Well, I have to say you're an expert now. You'll have to add making my cinnamon and sugar for the rest of your life to your 'To Do' list!" Heather joked.

Jake chuckled, "Consider it added, Babe. After all it's my specialty!" After a brief pause Jake continued, "By the way, I used the last of the butter. I'll go to the market and pick up whatever else you need. After all, it's the least I can do seeing as I'm mooching off you."

Heather giggled at the comment. Standing, she came around the table and sat down on Jake's lap. She wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a kiss. "Yes, you are my kept man but I love you." She laid her head on his shoulder and sighed contently.

Jake laughed at the comment and hugged her tight before saying in a serious tone. "You know, it's not always gonna be like this. One day I'll be taking care of you." Remembering their early morning conversation, Jake couldn't help but smile and add in his mind, ‘And any little Heathers that come along.'

Heather lifted her head off his shoulder and looked Jake in the eyes. "Jake, I know, and that will be fine too, but surely you must realize that you already take care of me in all the ways that are important. All the ways that I need you to."

"Same here, Babe, same here," Jake said with a hitch in his voice before pulling her in for a kiss that Heather didn't hesitate to return. After a minute they pulled apart and rested their foreheads against one another's. Jake took a breath and said huskily, "I need to get ready. It's almost time to leave."

"Okay," Heather said in a half-whisper. She untangled herself from Jake's arms and stood.

Jake quickly followed her. He grabbed Heather's hand and she turned to look at him. "I love you, Heather."

"And I love you, Jake." Heather squeezed Jake's hand and smiled.

Jake smiled back, released her hand, and went to shower and change.

Heather cleared that table, washed and put away the dishes, and then sat down at the table to write out a shopping list for Jake. When she was done, she reviewed the list and couldn't help but giggle at all the doodles she scribbled in random spots around the list.

She walked over to the kitchen drawer where she kept an envelope of food vouchers and grocery money. She removed all the vouchers and fifty dollars from the envelope. She then folded the shopping list in half, slipped in the cash and vouchers, and folded the list in half again.

Jake walked into the kitchen, "Ready to go?"

With her list in hand, Heather walked over to Jake and put her arms around his waist and gave him a quick kiss. "Here's the shopping list," she said as she slid her hand down past his belt and slipped the list into his back pocket.

Jake recovered quickly from his surprise at Heather's boldness. "Thanks, Babe," he couldn't help but say somewhat suggestively before pulling her closer and thoroughly kissing her.

Fifteen minutes later, at the bus stop, Heather gave Jake a quick kiss before she climbed on the bus that would take her to the capitol. As soon as the bus pulled away Jake's thoughts turned to his plans for that night and the question he was going to ask her.  While he didn't consider himself a romantic, he wanted to try for Heather. He could propose to her anywhere, but she had been through so much since he had arrived in Cheyenne and before that too, he wanted to give her at least one good memory from her time here with him. He wanted to give her a memory that she could share joyfully with family and friends.

He had decided on a picnic. So many of his happy childhood memories were associated with the picnics his parents had taken Eric and him on when they were young boys. It was those times where he felt that they were truly an ordinary family - not the mayor's family - and best of all his father wasn't busy being the mayor. It was during those hours real life was left behind and the world shrunk to be just the four of them. Besides, the first day he saw Heather in Cheyenne - the turning point in his life - they had shared a picnic lunch.

Jake entered Holiday Park thirty minutes later and found himself by the lake where he had shared lunch with Heather that first day. While the view of lake was nice, there wasn't much else around that would create a romantic setting. Besides, there were too many people roaming around and he wanted as private as setting as possible to ask his question. He looked around saw what appeared to be a trail and decided to follow it.

The path was clear and it led to a small rise. When Jake reached the top he grinned; he had found the perfect spot. On the other side of the rise there was a field of wildflowers. Before him was an array of colors:  pink, white, red, yellow, purple to name a few. The only flowers he recognized were the Black Eyed Susans that were spread around in patches in the field before him. His breath hitched at the thought of seeing the joy in Heather's face when she saw the field. He looked around and saw the perfect place for the picnic - under a cottonwood tree, that stood right near the top of the rise. Yes, it was the perfect place. They could have their picnic overlooking the field and then he could take her for a walk in the field and propose. Jake sighed, excited yet nervous, for tonight to happen. He turned and started to walk away when a thought occurred to him. He turned back around and walked down into the field and picked a bouquet of flowers that he would give Heather when he met her at the bus stop that evening.

Later Hawkins turned from the computer and raised his eyebrows when he saw Jake walk into the safe house carrying the bouquet of flowers he had picked for Heather.

"For me?" Hawkins smirked. "You shouldn't have."

 "They're not for you," Jake grumbled.

Hawkins snorted. "Special occasion?"

 "Ahmmm . . . not really," Jake replied, as he walked into the kitchen, half-filled a glass with water and feeling  a little silly, arranged the bouquet in it.

"Yeah right, whatever you say," Hawkins said sarcastically, not believing Jake.

"What are you working on?" Jake asked when he walked back into the living room.

"We got word today from the East," Hawkins replied as he nodded his head toward the computer. "They want the bomb transported to Oak Ridge National Laboratories in Tennessee."

"When?"

"Not sure yet. They want a nuclear fingerprint of the bomb. The scientists with the ‘know how' to do it were displaced by the bombs. The Eastern government is in the process of locating them. ‘Til then they want the bomb kept where it is."

"So, they hope to find where the bomb originated?" Jake asked, his brow furrowing.

"Yes. I don't really get the process. Something to do with ratios of isotopes in the plutonium and uranium found in the bomb."

"Isotopes?" Jake questioned, recalling the term from high school science class. He knew what it met in general terms but didn't remember the specifics.

"Don't ask, don't know. All I know is that it can be done," Hawkins replied a little frustrated - he never did like trying to explain things he didn't understand. "They want the bomb at Oak Ridge because the lab has samples of uranium mined at all sites in the U.S. The scientists can compare the fingerprints to pinpoint where the uranium was mined ,  if it was mined in the U.S. I'm just about finished here. What are you doing today?"

"I'm going out to check the car and make sure it starts, and then I'm heading toward the market."

"Market?"

"Yeah, I told Heather I'd pick up a few things."

"Want  company?"

"Sure."                                                                                                                                               

Jake's car was parked in a residential neighborhood about three blocks from the safe house. In order to conserve gas, it had remained parked there since Jake and Hawkins had arrived in Cheyenne. This would be the second time since Jake's arrival that he would be checking on the car. When the two men arrived at the Roadrunner Jake got behind the wheel and turned the key in the ignition.  The car wouldn't start. He pumped the gas pedal a couple of times and the car still wouldn't start. He got out of the car and popped open the hood while asking Hawkins, "Can you get in the driver's seat and try and to the car when I tell you?"

"Ah . . . sure Jake," Hawkins replied before asking, "Are you sure you know what you're doing there?" He sounded a little skeptical of Jake's auto mechanic skills.

"Well, I know a hell of a lot more about planes, but I know a few tricks that might work," Jake replied with a lopsided grin before bending over and looking at the motor.

Hawkins, who was now sitting in the driver's seat, stuck his head out the window and yelled to Jake, "Tell me when."

Jake shook a few wires and yelled, "Try now."

Hawkins turned the key in the ignition. The car made a clicking noise, but the motor didn't turn over.

Jake checked the belts and shook the wires connecting the batteries to the alternator. "Try again," he yelled.

The motor still didn't turn over. Jake stood up and dropped the hood of the car. Brushing his hands together he walked over to the driver's side and told Hawkins, "I ran out of tricks. Any ideas?"

Hawkins shook his head no. "I have a feeling you used up all my tricks, too."

"I'll need to have Heather take a look at it." Jake could just picture Heather bent over the motor of his car. Not only would he enjoy the view but he'd have fun playing her assistant.

"Heather? She can fix cars?" Hawkins asked surprised. He had never known a woman who had any interest in cars.

"Are you serious? Of course she can! After all she knows how to make windmills," Jake replied incredulously, a dreamy look coming over his face.

Hawkins shook his head and smirked. "Man, have you got it bad. I bet you think there's nothing she can't do."

"Yeah, there's not much she can't do. . ." Jake said, his voice trailing off.

Hawkins snorted and rolled his eyes. "Nothing much else we can do here, let's get to the market."

Seeing the lock still up on the driver's door, Jake opened it, pushed down the lock and shut the door before double checking to make sure it was indeed locked. "Let's go."

Thirty minutes later they arrived at the market. Jake pulled the list Heather had given him out of his back pocket unfolded it and took a minute to study the list.

Shopping List
green beans
carrots
                                    Heather loves Jake
cucumbers
tomatoes
                            Jake & Heather sitting in a tree...         
herbs (whatever they have)
flour
potatoes
meat (whatever they have)
                                    Heather + Jake, forever
eggs
fruit
whatever else you think we need
                                    HL ♥JG
I love you Jake
XXOOOXXX

Jake shook his head and chuckled at the list. Although he would never admit, those little notes she had written gave him a calm sense of well being, a feeling that was all too rare these days. He heard Hawkins laughing behind his back and turned to look at him.

"What?! What's so funny?" he asked impatiently.

"You know what they say . . . "Hawkins laughed again and then said, "First comes love, then comes marriage..." He managed to get out before he started laughing again.

"So is however old you are the new twelve?" Jake deadpanned, a little embarrassed now that he realized Hawkins must have been reading the list over his shoulder.

"Seriously Jake, isn't it time you make an honest woman out of her?" Hawkins managed to get out once he regained his composure.

"Yeah. As long as she agrees," Jake said pensively.

"Well Jake, I don't think you have to worry about it. You've got her answer in your hand," Hawkins said, pointing at the shopping list Jake was holding.

Jake looked down at the list, quickly re-reading the little love notes, and then grinned as he answered Hawkins, "Yeah, I think you're right."

"So you're asking her, when?" Hawkins asked.

"Tonight," Jake said reflecting on his plans for that evening.

"Congratulations, man!" Hawkins said as he clapped Jake on the back.

"Thanks," Jake replied distractedly while looking at his watch. "I better go pick up the things on this list," he told Hawkins, holding up the paper he held in his hand.

"I'm gonna take a look around. How much time you need?"

"About an hour. Meet back here then?"

"Sounds good," Hawkins replied as he turned and walked away.

Knowing that he had a number of stops to make before he went to the market Jake had had not taken Heather's cloth shopping bags when they had left the apartment. He opted instead to purchase six plastic bags at twenty cents each at the kiosk behind the spot where he and Hawkins had gone their separate ways. After securing the bags he quickly picked up the non-luxury items that Heather had on her list and then concentrated on what he needed for the picnic he had planned. The menu he had decided on was chicken, hard boiled eggs, and carrots. The only non-luxury item that was on the list was carrots, which he found at the vegetable kiosk. The two luxury items on his menu - chicken and eggs - weren't a problem to get as the identification number on Heather's coupon appeared on the vendors' lists. After securing the chicken and eggs, he matched the numbers on the coupons with the other vendor lists and was able to pick up a quart of milk and two pounds of chopped beef. He had three sacks of food and was on his way to meet Hawkins when he walked by the fruit kiosk. He saw a special on strawberries and decided that they would make a good dessert for the dinner he had planned. While normally an item that was rationed, today the strawberries could be bought without food coupons .Heather had said that these end-of-the-week specials happened occasionally when the supply for a certain item exceeded the demand for it. He bought two pints of strawberries thinking that whatever they didn't have for dessert they could have for breakfast the next day.

Hawkins, carrying four burlap sacks filled with food, met up with Jake the spot they parted at an hour earlier.

"Hey," Jake said and nodded toward the bags Hawkins was carrying, "I see you did some shopping, too."

"Not exactly."  As the two men started walking out of the market Hawkins explained. "I was taking a look around and saw a couple of goons beating on a truck driver. I broke it up. Let's just say the items in these sacks are my reward. After I sent the goons on their way he gave me these four sacks from the back of the truck and told me to fill them with whatever I wanted from the truck."

"Good deal," Jake replied before asking, "See anything?"

"Nothing suspicious."

A few minutes later they arrived at the safe house. Jake laid his bags on the couch and followed Hawkins into the kitchen to get the bouquet of flowers he had picked for Heather.

"Wait a minute until I unpack these," Hawkins said pointing at the bags. "I have something for you." Hawkins added.

Jake leaned against the stove and watched as Hawkins pulled out a couple of steaks, a whole chicken, and a variety of vegetables and fruits out of three of the bags.

"Apples?" Jake said looking at the fruit on the counter. "They're out of season. I wonder how they got a hold of those."

"Must have been in cold storage somewhere. The driver said that they are Tomarchio's favorite and that he delivers them regularly to the capitol."

 "They're Heather's favorite, too," Jake said thinking about a conversation they had had the other day where they ended up talking about their favorite foods.

"Well, there's plenty of fruit. Why don't you take them home to her?"

"You sure?"

"Sure."

Hawkins reached into the fourth bag and pulled out three bottles of wine and set them on the counter. He picked up a white wine and handed it to Jake, "Here, I picked this out for you. Figured you'd have something to celebrate tonight."

"Thanks. This is great."

"You and Heather come over tomorrow around two. We'll do a status meeting and then cook up the steaks for dinner. Can't remember the last time I had a good steak."

"Me either. Thanks for the invite. Better get going. I only have a few hours before I have to meet Heather and I have a dinner to cook. Do you have a box that I can use to carry this stuff home?"

"Yeah, let me get it for you," Hawkins replied and walked out of the kitchen.

He returned a few minutes later with the box. Jake walked into the living room and brought the bags on the couch into the kitchen and put them in the box. Hawkins took the apples on the counter and put them in one of Jake's bags. He then placed the bottle of wine in the one of the corners of the box.

"Hey, do you have wine glasses?" Hawkins asked.

"I don't think so," Jake replied.

"Take a couple from that cupboard over there," Hawkins said nodding to the cabinet to the right of the sink.

Jake took out two wine glasses, carefully wrapped them and situated them in box so they rested against the side. He positioned one of the bags so the glasses wouldn't rattle as he walked. The last thing he did was to remove the bouquet of flowers he had picked out of the glass and placed it on top of the items in the box.

"All set. I'm going to get going. I'll see you tomorrow," Jake said.

"Okay. Bye."

"Bye," Jake replied and then left.

As soon as Jake walked out the door, Hawkins checked his watch to make sure that Darcy would be home from work and then walked into the bedroom. He took the phone from the closet and called home.

"Hey,Dee," Hawkins said when his wife answered the phone.

"Rob, is everything all right?" Darcy asked, concern evident in his voice.

"Everything's fine. I need you to do a favor for me."

"Sure, what is it?"

"Tell Eric and Gail to come to the house tomorrow around three. Tell them that we have some information that they'll want to know," Hawkins replied.

"Rob, what's this all about?" Dee asked sensing that her husband wasn't giving him the whole story.

"Just between you and me, it's Jake and Heather that will have some news for Gail."

"Are you saying what I think you're saying?" Darcy asked, unable to hide the surprise in her voice.

"I am."

"Gail, will be so happy!" Although Hawkins couldn't see Darcy, he could ‘hear' her smile through the phone.

"Remember, Dee. This is just between you and me. Not a word to anyone," Hawkins said seriously.

"I won't tell a soul," Darcy promised.

"How are you and the kids?" Hawkins asked.

"We're fine. Not much new to report since we talked earlier in the week. I have to get going. I told Gail I'd put in some volunteer time at the Med Center today since this is my short day at work."

"Okay, Dee. I'll talk to you tomorrow. Love you."

"Love you, too."

"Bye Dee."

"Bye Rob."

Hawkins hung up the phone and put it away. He shook his head, not quite able to believe the success of his first attempt at matchmaking before going back to the computer to do some research on nuclear fingerprinting. Next time someone asked him what was involved with the process, he wanted to sound like he knew what he was talking about.

Cheyenne, Friday Morning, Ravenwood Headquarters

Joe Chavez would not have considered himself a particularly reflective man. He believed in looking forward rather than looking back. Whether out of necessity or by choice, this was his modus operandi. Yet as he stood outside Mike Collins office, he recognized that his past was about to collide with his present - and maybe the future of their nation.

Mike Collins looked up from the dossier on his desk when he heard the knock on his door.  "Come in."  As Chavez walked in Collins stood up, stepped around his desk and held out his hand.

"Mike," Chavez said as they shook hands. He studied the man before him. Other than that he didn't seem as tall as he remembered, the only difference he saw in the man before him was that his hair was peppered with gray.

"Joe," Collins replied as he let go of Chavez's hand, motioning him to sit before walking around his desk and dropping into his own chair.

"What's it been? Twenty years?" Collins asked.

"More than that, the last time I saw you was at my dad's funeral."

"Your family, Joe, did they survive the attacks?" Collins asked a little anxiously.

"My family? I'm surprised you asked," Chavez said a little incredulously remembering the promise that Collins made to his dad before he died.

Collins took a deep breath as he tried to gather his thoughts. "You're right, Joe. I should've been there for the three of you. If it wasn't for the business I would've been, it took years to get it on its feet, and by then I thought it was better to just stay away, it had been so long," Collins said in way of an explanation. He then continued, "I initiated a search for you and your family before the bombs," Collins said before muttering to himself, "I just didn't expect things to happen so fast."

‘Didn't expect things to happen so fast?" Chavez wasn't surprised at the implication that Collins knew something about the bombs. He kept his question to himself and replied, "Looks like you've done well for yourself."

"I have....Joe, your mom? Sandra?"

"Mom died six years ago. Sandra was in Denver with her two kids when the bombs went off," Chavez replied in a subdued tone. Although it had become easier as time went on, he was still grieving the senseless death of his sister and her children.

"I'm sorry to hear that Joe. Your mom was a good woman, and Sandra, she was...," Collins said his voice trailing off when he saw the grief flash across Chavez's face.

Chavez cleared his throat.  Steering the conversation away from his family he asked, "I had heard that you had retired from the job. What brought you back?"

Collins shrugged before he explained, "I did retire when the sale closed in 1989. A couple of months later J&R approached me; they asked me to come in as a consultant to train the person they had handpicked to run the company. When that person didn't work out they asked me to stay on in his place."

"What is it you wanted to see me about?" Chavez asked, turning the conversation back to business.

Collins looked down at the dossier he had opened on his desk. "I see you followed in your father's footsteps. Your credentials are impressive."

"Thanks," Chavez replied, though some part of him doubted that he would be ever be the man is father was. He had watched his father juggle his duties to his country and to his family. It was something that Joe had never attempted himself. He had witnessed the disappointment of his mother when his father didn't come home when expected. The only time she was truly happy was during his infrequent visits. Her sadness between those visits made him determined not to become emotionally involved with any woman.  His life had become his job; it was the mission at all costs. Seeing Jake and Heather together had made him realize that his military success came at great personal sacrifice. Hawkins and Darcy had proved it could work. Sure they had had their issues but Chavez saw through Hawkins stoic exterior. He saw the light in Hawkins eyes and heard the warmth in his tone when he spoke about Darcy.

"I could use you in this office as my senior advisor, to act as my right hand man. Are you interested?" Collins asked as he raised his head and looked into Chavez's eyes. "It's obvious to me you can do the job."

Chavez was smart enough to realize that one of the reasons Collins extended the offer was to make amends for not being there for his family. He couldn't help but resent the offer. After all his family had been through when his father died, the death of his sister and her children when the bombs hit,  it was a little late for Collins to be thinking of the promise he had made to his father. In any case, he was going to take advantage of the situation; it was too good of an opportunity to attain information critical to the mission. Not wanting to appear too eager he asked, "What exactly will I be doing?"

"You'll act as my right-hand man, be where I can't be. Analyze situations and report back to me with recommendations. One thing I'll be counting on you is to do is to act as a liaison between this office and the administrative offices at the sites of our various operations. What do you say?

"Yeah, I'm interested. When do you want me to start?"

"Today, this afternoon I want you out at Cheyenne Farm to meeting with the security director. There are crops and livestock being smuggled out and sold to the black market. I want you to get to the bottom it."

"Sure. There's just the small matter of transportation and weapons."

Collins pulled out a form from his desk and quickly filled it out. "Here take this to the procurement office. It instructs them to give you a car and your choice of gun and rifle. You can also pick up your credentials there."

Mike handed him the slip of paper. "Stop by after you get back from the farm to give me your report."

"Will do," Chavez turned to leave the office only to see another man walk in.

"Joe, wait a minute," Collins called after Chavez.

Chavez turned and walked back to Collin's desk and stood next to Goetz.

"Goetz, Joe Chavez. Chavez, John Goetz," Collins said, introducing the two men.

If the cool glare he received was any indication, Chavez had the sense that Goetz considered him a threat.

"Goetz is my Operations Commander," Collins said to Chavez before turning to Goetz, "Chavez just accepted a position as my senior advisor."

"Glad to have you aboard," Goetz said half-heartedly as he shook Chavez hand while sizing him up a second time.

"Thanks,  I better get going I have some things to get done before I go out to Cheyenne Farm this afternoon," Chavez said holding up the slip of paper Collins had given him.

Goetz nodded his head and Collins said, "Later," as Chavez nodded to Collins walked out of the office without acknowledging Goetz.

Once he was sure that Chavez was out of ear shot Goetz placed both hands on the desk and leaned down until he was looking Collins in the eye. "Are you crazy? What do you know about him?"

Collins slammed his hand on the desk and said angrily, "Everything I need to. This is no business of yours. All you need to know is that he's my right hand man and deserves some respect. Now get your hands off my desk and sit down. I want to hear your report."

Jericho; Friday Morning, Gray Anderson's office

"Gray, do you have a minute?" Eric asked as he stood in the doorway to the mayor's office.

"What can I do for you?" Gray asked as he motioned for Eric to take the visitor's chair in front of his desk.

Eric, refusing the invitation to sit, walked over to the desk and stood looking down at the mayor of Jericho. His eyes narrowed as he studied the man in front of him.

After seeing the list of incentives posted on the town bulletin board he was undecided whether Gray was incredibly corrupt or unbelievably inept. Whatever it was it, certainly didn't bode well for the future prosperity of their town. Gray, seeing the look on Eric's face and knowing he was about to be confronted, leaned back in his chair and prepared to defend himself.

"I looked over the list of incentives that RJ Land and you agreed on which were posted on the town bulletin board, and I have a few questions," Eric said.

"Yes . . . Yes. What are they?" Gray asked impatiently.

The mayor had met with Jim O'Leary from RJ Land two days before the town meeting and had agreed on the incentives the town would receive based on the services purchased by the farms outside of Jericho. With Jake out of town, he had thought that just this once he would escape the censure of the Greens. Looking at Eric now, he knew that he wasn't going to get the free pass he had hoped for.

The realization that he had needed Johnston's mentoring to see the town through the hardships that it faced since his election had irked him. He had thought that with Johnston's death that he would finally be able to step out of the shadows and the town would start looking toward him for leadership. The war with New Bern had proven him wrong, and there was another Green overshadowing him and stealing his chance to shine. This time, it was Jake Green that the citizens of Jericho considered their leader.

Gray had always been at odds with the Greens but dealing with Johnston had been a lot easier than dealing with his older son. At the very least Johnston had listened patiently to his reasoning before he shot down his ideas. On the other hand, Jake had no regard for his position and any attempt to reason with him was futile. Gray supposed he should be grateful that at least Jake didn't seem to have any inclination toward a political life. He was certainly glad that Jake had been out of town when he met with RJ Land. He knew that if Jake had been here there would have been no end to the questioning and criticism as he tried to defend the incentives he had agreed to. His thoughts then turned back to Eric, and he braced himself for the questions he knew were coming.

"Some of the incentives don't make sense," Eric stated emphatically.

"What do you mean, don't make sense? Let me assure you I had the town foremost in my mind when I met with RJ Land," Gray replied defensively.

"Gray, it's July and two of the incentives are for winter parkas and long underwear! How useful are those?"

"Well, I'm planning ahead. The town can't survive another winter like the last one," Gray said, almost flippantly.

"But winter parkas and long underwear?  Eric asked incredulously, before pulling a piece of paper from his pocket. "Oh, here's a few more.....syringes for the med center but no needles . . .  toys for the children . . . books for the library. There's nothing on the list that the town needs to survive. What about food, fuel, mechanical parts, and building materials? The things the town needs to get back on its feet."

"Listen Eric, I did the best I could with the list they provided," Gray said in a patronizing tone while in the back of his mind thinking, ‘Easy for him to be so critical, he wasn't at the meeting he has no idea what a difficult position I was put in.'

"This is the best you can do? Come on, Gray, toys for the children? Christmas wasn't a lot of fun last year, but they all survived without Barbie." Eric said aggravated. He was quickly losing his patience with the man he was looking down at.

"Well, they need them to keep busy so they'll stop wandering the streets," Gray said, defending himself again.

Eric just rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"Gray, it's the teenagers that are wandering the streets, not the children. Toys aren't going to help. I just can't believe this!"

At Eric's comment Gray completely lost his patience, he slammed the palm of his hand on his desk and said in an angry voice, "You have no right to judge me! You didn't see the choices I had. I picked the best of the lot."

"You picked the best of the lot? If this was the best how could you have agreed to do business with them? What about food, fuel, construction materials? Are you saying they weren't on the list?" Eric demanded angrily.

"Well . . . I . . .I," Gray sputtered, peeved that he was letting Eric get to him, before continuing in the most pompous tone he could muster, "You don't have to tell me how to do my job. I don't have to answer to you!"

"That's where you're wrong, Gray. How do you think you got your job? You not only have to answer to me, you have to answer to every citizen in Jericho!" Eric said forcefully, infuriated by Gray's attitude.

Gray could see the anger flash across Eric's face and felt compelled to back track, irked by his need to stay on the good side of the Green men. Whether he liked it or not, the Greens still continued to carry weight with the townspeople. If he could just get Eric to look at the situation rationally, see things from his perspective that would go a long way toward appeasing others.

"You don't understand, Eric," he sighed before continuing contritely, "they did have those things on the list but the only way to get them would be to have one hundred percent of the farmers sign up for services. I just couldn't risk it, something is better than nothing."

"Gray, you could have tried negotiating," Eric replied, rolling his eyes a second time.

"There was no room for negotiation," Gray said decisively and then thought, ‘Good thing he doesn't know about the new SUV I'll be getting.'

"There's always room for negotiation," Eric replied emphatically.

"Well, in this case there wasn't!" Gray declared.

"Okay, Okay . . .  I can see we're not going anywhere with this. You made your first mistake by offering to help this company sink its claws into the town and your second by not trying to negotiate with them. The whole town is going to suffer for it!" Furious, Eric turned to walk out of the office.

At the doorway he turned around and walked back to Gray's desk. "Oh, by the way, just want to warn you that the farmers are up in arms. They just found out the incentives don't apply to them since they aren't town citizens and want to know why you excluded them from the negotiations."

Eric than placed both hands on the desk, leaned down and looked Gray square in the eyes. "You're alone in this one, Gray. I refuse to support your position to either the farmers or the citizens of this town. You sold them out and what's truly pathetic is I don't think you even realize it. The thing is, one of these days, you're going to turn around, and someone's going to pull something over on you the way you did to these people. When that happens, you're going to get what you deserve."

Eric stood up, turned, and walked out of the mayor's office while Gray leaned back in his chair wondered what he got himself into this time.

Cheyenne; Friday at Lunchtime, Heather's office

Heather checked her watch for what must have been the twentieth time that morning. It was only eleven thirty and she couldn't wait for her day to be over.

When she had arrived at work her mind had drifted back to the conversation she had had with Jake that morning. She couldn't help but smile again at the image of a ‘little Jake' running around before turning her thoughts to the reassurance that Jake had given her when he had said that their 'first' would be all the more special because it was her 'first'. She nervously bit her lip. Though she had no doubts about giving herself completely to Jake, she had to admit, that she was filled with the slightest trepidation.  Not only because it was her ‘first', but because of Jake's resolve to wait until she was ready. She understood and appreciated it but it would mean that she would have to make the first move. She needed to let him know that this was truly what she wanted, that she had absolutely no reservations.

She then thought about her advice to Jake that he needed to trust the love they had for one another and realized that she had to do the same, and once she did all would be right. In that moment she decided that she wanted tonight to be their ‘first'. Her heart fluttered at that thought, from both the excitement and the anxiety that arose within her. A smile came to her face as she realized just the thing that would get a rise out of Jake while at the same time making her feel special and feminine. She checked her watch again; finally it was lunch time! She took her purse out of her desk drawer and walked out of her office. She was going shopping!

Ten minutes later, when Heather entered Serendipity, a small lingerie boutique, a bell above the door rang out, announcing her arrival. Heather was the only one in the shop. This didn't really surprise her. In this day and age most people did not have the money to spend on such luxuries. As a matter of fact, she didn't either, but just this once she wasn't going to let her practical side get the better of her.

No sooner had she walked in the door when a sales clerk walked out of the back room. The clerk appeared to be in her sixties; she was slender and about the same height as Heather. She had on a black dress with a pink smock. Her gray hair was done up in a bun, and she had bi-focal glasses hanging from a pink beaded eyeglass chain around her neck.

"Hello dear," the clerk greeted kindly.

"Hello . . ., "Heather smiled as she looked down at the name tag the clerk wore on her smock, "Olga."

Olga smiled at the woman in front of her. "And you're?" she asked.

"Heather, nice to meet you,"

"So what can I help you with?"

"Ummm . . . I think I'll just look around for now," Heather replied, a little embarrassed. Being the practical person she was, she could count on one hand the number of times she had been in a shop like this.

"That's fine, dear, I'll be right over here if you need anything," Olga replied pointing to the check out counter.

"Thanks," Heather replied as she looked over Olga's shoulder at the displays in front of her.

To the left, she saw a display of bustiers with matching lacy thongs that made her blush They were so not her, and there was no way she would feel 'special' wearing those things - uncomfortable, yes, but special, never!  To the right she saw a display of lacy, frilly bras, again not her. She began to wonder if she made a mistake in coming here.

Olga watched as Heather glanced at the displays behind her. Sensing her new customer wasn't comfortable with what she saw she said reassuringly, "Oh honey, don't worry, that isn't all we have. I'm sure we have exactly what you want. Now let me guess, you're going for sophisticated and demure. Maybe a satin or silk nightgown trimmed with lace? Something that says ‘I want to be with you' without going over the top?"

Heather felt the blush bloom her cheeks. She smiled and said quietly, almost shyly, "Yeah, something like that."

Olga understood perfectly and smiled at the woman in front of her. It had been a long time since she had a customer like Heather. Most women who came into the shop were almost crass in comparison, seemingly willing to go to any lengths to get a man to take care of them. She could tell by the blush on Heather's face that she was different, and it was a refreshing change. "I have some nightgowns in the back; let me show you where they are."

Heather followed her and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw the displays.

"These are our nightgowns, I'm sure you'll find one that suits you. If you'd like I could give you some suggestions."

"I think I'll just look for now. Thanks for your help."

"You're welcome. I'll be right over here, straightening up, if you need me," Olga said before she turned and walked away. She stopped at one of the displays and pretended to go about her task as she watched Heather.

The nightgowns were arranged on hangers by color. Olga frowned when she saw Heather step over to the rack that had the beige and white nightgowns. She definitely needed a bolder color to set off her skin tone, like a blue, green, or red. She continued to observe as Heather pulled a few off the rack and walk over to a mirror and hold them in front of her. She couldn't help but smile at the dreamy look she saw on her customer's face as she contemplated the perfect nightgown. She frowned again when Heather seemingly settled on a long, soft beige nightgown trimmed with lace and decided she would to do her best to convince her customer that beige wasn't the color for her.

"I think I'll take this one," Heather said as she approached Olga.

"Oh, dear are you sure? We have plenty of other selections for you to look at."

"Don't you like it?" Heather asked, now a little unsure of her choice.

"Why don't you let me show you a few more? I think we might have some other colors that would suit you better. Why don't we take a look at those before you make your final decision?" Olga asked tactfully.

Heather gave her a weak smile and said, "Sure."

"With your fair skin, I think something with some color would suit you better," Olga said as she led Heather over to the rack with the red tone nightgowns.

"Red isn't really my favorite color."

"Well, that won't work then. Let's take a look at these green ones." Olga said as she walked over to the rack next to the red ones. She pulled out a long nightgown similar to the beige one Heather held in her hands. "Come on. Let's go over to the mirror."

When they reached the mirror Olga said, "Now I'll hold up the green one and you hold up the beige one." Heather did as requested and looked at herself in the mirror, amazed at how much better the green looked against her skin.

"See the difference Heather? The green brings out the tone of your skin while the beige makes you look a little washed out."

"You are definitely right. I need a bold color."

"Let me run over and get you a blue one. I think I know just the one!"

Olga returned a moment later with a short sapphire blue nightgown.

"Here you are dear. The color is perfect. It matches your eyes! I know you were thinking of a long one, but I'd like you to consider the short one. You have such a nice little figure. The short one will set it off much better than the long one would.  Well, let's decide the color first, the length later. I'll hold the blue up in front of you and you hold up the green."

Olga watched Heather in the mirror as her eyes darted between the two nightgowns and asked, "So which color do you like better?"

"Most definitely, the blue! You're right, it matches my eyes. I'm just not sure about the length."

"Well, why don't you try it on? That's the only way you'll know for sure. I have a long one in the same color if you don't like the short one, but I think you'll be very happy with it."

"Can I try on both the long and short one?"

"Sure, honey. You wait right here while I run over and get the long one."

When Olga returned she led Heather over to the dressing room and handed her the two gowns. "Why don't you try the long one on first?"

"Okay." Heather replied as she walked into the dressing room and pulled the curtain closed.

Olga gave Heather a few minutes before she said through the curtain, "Are you ready for me to take a look?"

As Heather slowly opened the curtain Olga exclaimed, "Very nice! That color is perfect. Your eyes sparkle in it."

"It is the perfect color." Heather smiled at the clerk, happy that Olga had steered her away from the beige nightgown.

"And the look is what you're going for, demure and sophisticated, and not vulgar! I just don't think the length is right for you. Now go try on the short one." Olga demanded pleasantly.

Heather giggled at Olga as she backed into the dressing room and pulled the curtain closed. She put on the short blue nightgown and looked at herself in the mirror. Her mouth opened in surprise; she just couldn't believe how she looked. A smile came to her face and her heart fluttered as she imagined Jake's reaction when he saw her in it. Her breath hitched. She knew that it was the perfect choice.

Olga said from behind the curtain, "Heather, can I see?"

For the second time, Heather slowly pulled the curtain aside allowing Olga to see how she looked.

Olga looked her up and down, "Absolutely perfect!" she exclaimed. "It matches the color of your eyes and with your fair skin and dark hair it's the perfect color. It's sophisticated and demure but it also as that awe factor," she gushed before asking, "How do you feel in it?"

"I feel . . . umm . . . wonderful! I'll take it," Heather replied before backing into the dressing room again. She glanced at herself in the mirror one more time as she thought of what Jake's reaction would be. She had told Olga she felt special but there were no words to describe just how special she felt.

Heather changed and brought the nightgown to the counter where Olga was now standing. She paid for it, and as Olga was handing her bag, Heather told her sincerely, "Thank you for all your help. I really appreciate it. It's perfect."

Olga couldn't help but quip, "Well, I hope you're not going to be the only one who thinks it's perfect."

"Well . . .," Heather stammered.

Sensing her discomfort, Olga reached over and placed her hand over Heather's. "I'm sorry, honey. I didn't mean to embarrass you. It really looks beautiful on you. That's all I'm trying to say."

Heather relaxed and smiled at Olga before admitting quietly, "I'm sure he'll think so, too."

Olga smiled at her customer. "Now don't be a stranger."

Heather smiled back, "I'll try not to be. I'll come to visit, if nothing else."

"I'd appreciate it, honey. I don't often get customers as nice as you," Olga replied, walking Heather to the door. "I'll see you soon."

"Bye," Heather said.

"Bye."

As Heather walked out the door, she came face to face with Tara.

"Hello, Tara."

"Heather," Tara practically sneered.

Not wanting anything to spoil her mood, Heather just rolled her eyes and stepped around Tara. As she walked down the street, she cringed at the picture that came to her mind of Tara entertaining Chief Valente in one of the bustiers and thongs she had seen on display in the shop. Needing to erase the thought from her mind she looked into the bag she carried to glimpse her new blue nightgown, confident that she had made the right choice.

Cheyenne; Friday Afternoon, Cheyenne Farm

As Chavez was pulling into the parking spot reserved for visitors in the 2006 GMC Envoy that had been issued to him, he saw a short, bald man with glasses step out of the building and approach the vehicle.

"Mr. Chavez?" asked the man, peering through the open window of the Envoy.

"That'd be me, and you are?"

"Stephen Jones, Farm Director. It's nice to meet you."

 Chavez had a different picture in his mind of what the farm director would look like. He was half expecting that it would be a Ravenwood operative, but this man didn't fit the mold. Curious about the director Chavez asked, "So have you always had a career in the farming industry?" as he opened the door of the SUV and stepped out, engaging the alarm.

Jones was surprised but also pleased at the question; visitors seldom took a personal interest in him. He smiled at Chavez and said with pride, "Oh no, I was CFO at a medium sized company in northern Wyoming. I was six months into helping get the company back on its feet when it emerged from bankruptcy. A month before the attacks RJ Land approached me about this job. I was surprised they didn't want someone with farming experience. They explained that they already had an operations manager who dealt with the farming side of things and they needed someone who could oversee the business side of things. They made me an offer I couldn't refuse."

"I see. I can't say that I blame you," Chavez replied.

"You know, if you don't mind me saying, over the past few months I've come to realize that while Ravenwood does most things well, their orientation program leaves a bit to be desired," Jones said with a chuckle before continuing. "I've been vocal with your HR department about my feelings on security staff they send over who have no idea what we're about. So did they tell you about Cheyenne Farm during your orientation?"

"Nothing, except to brief me on your report of suspicious activity."

"Just what I thought," Jones said laughing. "Why don't I give you some information about the farm and a short tour before we have our meeting? I think it will help in your investigation to have some history and an understanding of how things work around here."

"Sounds like a plan." Chavez said.

Jones launched into the history of the farm.  "RJ Land Development bought this parcel of land in January 2004, and contracted with Ralls Engineering to do the necessary construction to make working farms or ranches. While building was in process, staff was recruited to work the farm. By 2006 the farm was viable, producing enough crops to feed a small city."

‘That makes no sense,' Chavez thought before asking, "What was RJ Land planning to do with a farm?"

"Good question. Matter of fact, I asked the same question at my interview. I was told that agribusiness was the wave of the future and they wanted to get in on the ground floor.  My first week in the job, I asked if there was a business proposal drawn up before they purchased the farm; I wanted to have a look at the projected numbers. They told me to that I should just......" Jones trailed off as soon as he realized that he might be saying too much.

"That you should just what?" Chavez asked; his interest piqued.

"Oh, never mind that now," Jones replied, dismissing the question. "When Tomarchio took office, RJ Land secured the government contract to supply food to the Capitol Complex and Camp Cheyenne. Other than meats, poultry, and dairy goods, the farm is the only supplier of food for the citizens of Cheyenne."

Chavez had wanted to press Jones into to telling him what they had told them about the business proposal, but after what Jones had just said a more immediate question came to mind. "Cheyenne Farm is only four thousand acres, and you're saying that this farm is the major supplier of food for the Capital complex and all the citizens of Cheyenne?" 

"Are you including the Feemies?  That's your problem.  They're not citizens of Cheyenne," Jones said, clearly annoyed at the idea, "I have to say, and I know most will agree with me, that they are a lazy and worthless lot. It's been almost nine months since the attacks. It's about time they get off their rear ends and make something of themselves."

Chavez had to bite his tongue. From the time he had spent in the FEMA camp, he knew the prejudice was unfounded. The majority of the camp's occupants were hard working people who had been dealt a bad hand. There was nothing they wanted more than to leave the confines of the camp and establish themselves in the new post-bomb society. What people didn't realize was that the present state of affairs with Camp Cheyenne, as well as other camps in the West, was the result of the government's negligent attitude toward improving the quality of life for its citizens. Besides, where else could those displaced by the bombs go? 

"Be that as it may, you're right to be surprised, and you are correct. There are 140,000 citizens of Cheyenne and the 60,000 Feemies that reside at the camp. This is a crop farm, food not produced here is brought in weekly from other farms owned and operated by RJ Land.  Another thing you have to realize, and it's not something I'm happy about, is that according to the terms of the government contract, a percentage of the food provided by RJ Land is required to be allocated to the Feemies," Jones said by way of an explanation. "With all those Feemies you can imagine the drain it puts on our resources - which is yet another reason we need your help getting to the bottom of our little mystery."

‘This is definitely something I have to get to the bottom of, all right,' Chavez thought as he nodded his head. He looked Jones directly in the eye, his face taking on a somber expression, and said, "That's why I'm here." Then, wanting to steer the conversation back to the farms, Chavez ignored Jones' latest comment about the refugees and asked, "So, RJ Land owns other farms besides this one?"

"Yes, I found out after the attacks about the other farms and ranches owned by the company. Cattle and sheep ranches and poultry and dairy farms, but that's all I know."

Chavez couldn't help but be suspicious of what Jones had just said. He made a mental note to himself to ask Heather to do some additional research on RJ Land before turning his attention back to his host.

"It's also worth noting that RJ Land saw a chance to help the independent farmers and ranchers get back on their feet after the attacks. They are now offering a new service that provides discounts on seeds and livestock and management services and recruitment services for a small fee. From what I understand, this side of the business is growing by leaps and bounds."

Chavez, thinking of the last phone call with Jericho, muttered under his breath, "Yeah, I bet it is."

"What's that you said?"

"It was nothing, just absorbing," Chavez said, forcing a smile.  "Thank you, Mr. Jones.  You're right, the company orientation leaves a bit to be desired," he chuckled.  "Now, I believe you said something about a tour?"

Stephen Jones cleared his throat. "Yes, we'll start here. The building I came out of is the Administration Building. My office is located there, as well as the accounting office. The three buildings surrounding it were once administrative offices, but after the attacks the administrative staff was either transferred or let go and the buildings repurposed."

Stephen Jones talked as he pointed out each of the buildings, "That building over there is the farm store stocked with clothes, equipment, seeds, food. Any necessity that the workers need is available in the store, as well as a few luxuries. There's no need for the workers to leave the farm. Everything they need is right here or can be brought in." Pointing out the next building Jones continued, "This one has been converted into dormitories for what we call ‘transient workers'. During planting and harvesting seasons these workers are brought in and the farmers working the land can contract their services." Pointing to the farthest building from the Administration office Jones explained, "The last building over there a schoolhouse. All children living on the farm with their parents are required to attend school. Along with the basics, agricultural and livestock classes are taught."

Chavez interrupted with a question, "There are families living on the farms?"

"Yes, there are. I forgot to tell you that this farm is divided into one thousand, four acre plots. One of the plots is where we are standing. The remaining plots each have small two bedroom cottages and provide living space for the displaced farmers who have leased the plots and their families. All farmers who lease land have to go through a rigorous application process and are selected based on their crop and/or livestock expertise and experience."

"I thought you said this was a crop farm, why do you need livestock expertise?" Chavez said.

"Yes. Well....Well , I...I.. think we're all set here."

The man was obviously flustered Chavez thought as he watched Jones lift his arm and start rubbing the back of his neck and shift from foot to foot. He watched as Jones took a couple of relaxing breaths before asking, "What's next?"

"I wanted you to meet the operations manager but he's off site. For the last part of our tour, I've arranged a visit with one of our farmers so that you can see firsthand how our operation works. We'll go to the farm closest to here. It's only a half mile out. Would you like to drive or shall I?"

"I'll drive," Chavez answered and walked over to the SUV with Jones following him.

A couple of minutes later Chavez pulled into the dirt driveway that Jones pointed out to him, and he took a second to survey what he saw in front of him. There was a small white-washed cottage with a window with red shutters on either side of the door. The path leading up to the two steps in front of the door were lined with colorful flowers, of which he only recognized the daffodils because they had been his mother's favorite.  A man and a woman stood on the front steps with two young children in front of them. The man had his arm around the woman's waist and a hand on the shoulder of the child who was standing directly in front of him.

‘This is too good to be true. Who do they think they're fooling?' was the first thought that entered Chavez's mind at the scene in front of him.

When Jones and Chavez stepped out of the car, the man raised his hand in greeting, "Good afternoon, Mr. Jones. It's nice to see you again. And who have you brought to visit this time?"

Jones replied, "This is Mr. Chavez. I thought that I'd show him around a little before we go back to the office and talk business."

Chavez waited a second to see if he was going to be introduced to the man before him. Glaring at Jones and taking a step forward, he held out his hand to the man. "It's nice to meet you," Chavez said before asking, "And you are?"

The man shook his hand and replied, "Derek Johnson." He then took a step back before saying, "This is my wife, Mary and our children, Katie and Tim."

"Nice to meet you, ma'am .You, too, Katie and Tim."

Mary then bent over and said to her children, "Why don't you two go play? After our visitor leaves, you can start your homework."

"Okay Ma," Tim said followed by Katie saying, "See ya later." Mary smiled as both kids ran off before she turned to the two visitors, "It's hot today. Why don't you two come in for a drink before Derek shows you around?"

"Sure," Chavez replied.

When they entered the cottage Chavez was not surprised to see how comfortable and homey the house looked, and it only served to feed his suspicion that the director was trying to hide the reality of life on the farm. To the left of him was the living room. It had a fireplace, a small blue plaid couch and two solid color blue chairs. There was a coffee table in front of the couch that had what appeared to be a small stack of magazines on it. On each of the walls hung landscape paintings that appeared to be carefully picked to coordinate with the furnishings. The mantle of the fireplace had a couple of wedding pictures of Mary and Derek, as well as various pictures of the children at various ages. On each side of the fireplace were built-in shelves that housed both hard and soft-covered books, as well as a small collection of vases and decorative boxes. There were two windows, the one in the front of the house and the other on the side of the house.

To the right of Chavez was the dining area, there was a rectangular table surrounded by six chairs. Against one of the inside walls sat a buffet with mirror above it. In the center of the buffet was a bronze copy of the Remington sculpture, Cowboy.  A white lace tablecloth and vase of flowers adorned the table. Off the dining room was a small kitchen that had all the modern conveniences.

Looking down the hallway directly in front of him, Chavez saw three doors, which he could only assume led to the two bedrooms and a bathroom. Taking one more glance at the décor and despite the welcoming atmosphere, he couldn't help but suspect the scene before him was staged and didn't represent the reality of life on the farm.

"Why don't you men go sit at the table and I'll bring out the drinks," Mary said interrupting Chavez's line of thought.

Once the drinks were served and Mary was sitting at the table with the men, Chavez began the conversation, "Mrs. Johnson, you have a very nice home here. My mother and sister always took pride in their homes and I can see that you do, too."

"Thank you, I enjoy decorating. Most of the furniture in the house came with us from our old home when we moved here. The rest we were able to get at the store right here on the farm. We find that we can buy everything we need at the store. There's a monthly shipment from Cheyenne that is used to stock the store. All the farmers are notified when the shipment is coming in, and you have to get there early if you don't want to wait in a long line."

Derek glared at Mary and cleared his throat before explaining, "One of the benefits to leasing land at the farm is that it entitles you to store discounts, and during harvesting and planting seasons, discounted labor services."

Jones took over from Derek, "Compared to independent farmers, these farmers have it made. In addition to discounted goods and services, RJ Land guarantees to buy all the crops grown on the farm."

Chavez looked between Derek and Mary and said, "It certainly sounds like you have it good here," while at the same time thinking of similarities between what he had just heard and what he heard from Eric Green and Stanley Richmond when they called Jericho the other day.

"We're very happy here," Mary said as she stood up from the table and started to collect the empty drink glasses.

The three men rose and Derek said, "Let's go outside, I'll show you around before you leave."

Forty-five minutes later Chavez and Jones were sitting in the administrative offices. "Seems like you have a good operation going here."

"Yes, it's profitable," Jones replied.

"So what's the problem?"

"My accounting supervisor came to me the other day. It seems like things aren't adding up. One thing you have to understand is that all people living on the farm are required by the terms of their lease to buy all goods they need at the farm store. This not only benefits them, because everything in the store is sold at a discount, it benefits the FEMA camp as a portion of the store profits goes directly to the camp to help finance their community services."

"I see," Chavez said encouraging Jones to get to the point.

"Bottom line, Mr. Tyler came to me and said he was unable to reconcile the amount of the purchases made at the store with the amount paid to the farmers for their produce.

"And you're worried that produce not accounted for are being embezzled out of the farm," Chavez finished for Jones.

"Yes, there's a big demand on the black market for them. I think we might have some kind of smuggling ring in operation here."

"Makes sense. How often do you have trucks coming in and out of here?"

"Twice each week, except for the last week of the month when we get the delivery for the store. Shipments arrive and leave on Tuesdays and Thursdays."

"All vehicles require permits?"

"Yes, in addition, standard procedure dictates that searches are performed on all vehicles entering and exiting the farm."

"Good. There's a fence around the perimeter of the farm, right?"

"Yes, and the entrance gate is locked each night."

"Seems like you're taking all the necessary precautions. Everything points to the fact that there's someone on the inside involved. I'm gonna send over a few men tomorrow to have a look around and to inspect the fence. I want to make sure that no fence wires have been cut which would allow access into and out of the farm. I'm also gonna want to see a report of all the goods sold back to the store compared to the money spent at the store for each farmer since they've signed their lease. Can you send that to Ravenwood headquarters to my attention on Monday morning? I'll be coming out on Tuesday to have another look around, and it will give me a chance to review the report before I get here."

"No problem, I'll have the report sent to you Monday morning by eleven o'clock. What time will you be here and how long do you plan to stay?"Chavez raised an eyebrow and gave Jones an incredulous look that wasn't lost by Jones who then added, "I need to block out the time on my calendar."

"I'll be over early and plan to spend at least half a day, but I'll only need an hour of your time. Shall we say eleven o'clock?" Chavez said as he got up to leave.

"No problem. We usually don't let visitors go around the farm unescorted, although with your credentials you have free reign of any facility owned directly or indirectly by Jennings & Rall."

‘So RJ Land is owned by Jennings & Rall. Another piece of information I wasn't aware of that might come in handy,' Chavez thought as he walked out of the office.

An hour later Chavez was sitting in Mike Collins' office.  Chavez had just finished telling Collins about his plans to investigate the purported embezzlement at the farm and wanted to gauge his reaction when he told him about the tour.

"I have to tell you I was really impressed with the operation. Jones took me on a tour of the farm and we met with one of the farmers, Derek Johnson. It seems like RJ Land takes very good of its farmers. Makes me wonder why anyone would jeopardize that by engaging in illegal activities."

"Don't tell me you fell for that dog and pony show!" Collins said before laughing.

Chavez wasn't surprised at Collins' reaction; it just confirmed his suspicion that they were trying to cover up something. Keeping his expression neutral he asked, "What are you talking about?"

Collins laughed again, "Ever hear the saying that things are not always as they seem? The show you saw today was for the benefit of Tomarchio and his staff.  Though it's good to know Jones is still practicing.  He didn't do so well the first time."

Chavez stared out Collins for a few seconds, before taking a calculated risk by saying what was on his mind. "What are you saying? Things aren't what they seem?  Practice?  I need to know what's up if I'm gonna do my job."

"All in due time, Joe. All in due time," Collins said before changing the subject. "Hey, I have something for you, a gift of sorts. I thought you might enjoy it."

Knowing that he wouldn't get more information if he continued to press the point, Joe snorted and said sarcastically, "Aww . . .  you shouldn't have."

Collins smiled and reached down to pick up the box next to his chair. "I'm sure you'll appreciate this," Collins said as he placed a case of Coors on the desk.

Chavez couldn't hide his surprise. He smiled before saying, "You're right I certainly do appreciate it. I don't remember the last time I had a cold beer."

"Well, now you have twenty-four. Enjoy them."

"You bet I will." Chavez said and then looked at his watch.  "I think I'm going to shove off now. Is there anything else you needed?"

"No, all set. I'll see you at Monday at nine o'clock. Your office is going to be the one on the right as you leave my office. It will be ready for you when you come in."

"Thanks," Chavez said as he stood up and reached for the case of beer. "And thanks for the gift. Have a good weekend, Mike."

"You too, Joe."

Chavez left the Ravenwood office thinking that for his first day on the job he had gathered quite a bit of information to report back to his team. He couldn't help but smile when he thought of what Jake's and Hawkins's reactions would be when he offered them both a cold beer when they met the next day.

Jericho; Friday Afternoon, Town Hall

Eric was furious as he hurried into Jericho Town Hall for the second time that day, his fingers just itching to get themselves around Gray's neck. No more than ten minutes ago Darcy had stopped him on the street and had told him what she had overheard Jim O'Leary telling one of the other agents in the office.

‘This shouldn't surprise me one bit! At least it answers my question as to whether or not Gray is incredibly corrupt or unbelievably inept. He's both!'

As he approached Gray's office he saw Jim O'Leary leaving it. They nearly collided in the hall before Eric begrudgingly moved aside, all the while casting a ferocious glare at the man passing him.

Jim O'Leary couldn't help but notice the look on Eric's face as he passed by. The look confirmed his impression of Eric from the meeting . . . he was going to be trouble. 

Eric reached the mayor's office just as Gray was walking out of it. He blocked the exit forcing Gray back into the office.

"Gray, I want to talk to you now." Eric said angrily.

Completely missing the disgust clearly written on Eric's face and in the harsh tone of his voice Gray said frantically, "Eric, I'm so glad you're here. I have a problem you need to help me with."

Eric crossed his arms and planted his feet firmly on the ground. "How could you, Gray? How could you sacrifice the town's needs for your own gain? How could you abuse your position that way?" Eric asked, his voice getting louder with each question.

Too wrapped up in his own problems, Gray wasn't even listening to Eric. Instead, his own concern came tumbling out in a rush. "They're twisting my arm, Eric. They want me to contract for services for the salt mine." He shook his head slightly, his mouth agape, and his eyes wide. "I don't want to, I don't trust them. You're a lawyer, you can help me. If you don't they're going to take away my . . . .," Gray said his voice trailing off.

Eric's eyes narrowed.  Until now, he'd always thought the expression ‘seeing red' was merely a cliché but as he examined the ineffectual man standing in what had once been his father's office, Eric saw more than red.  He saw treachery, selfishness, and stupidity.

"They're going to what Gray? Take away your new SUV with an unlimited gas supply? Take away the electricity that will allow you to light your house 24/7 Take away the fuel they promised you to keep your house toasty warm this winter while everyone freezes in those worthless winter parkas that you say you worked so hard to get included in the  incentives for the town? " Eric replied angrily, pointing a finger at Gray each time he asked a question.

"You...you don't understand. I can't sign the contract. It's too risky. I could lose the salt mine!" Gray practically sputtered.

"I understand that you sold out this town for your own gain and you're worried you'll have to give back your thirty pieces of silver!"

Gray clasped his hands together, his stance vaguely reminding Eric of a begging man. "Eric, you have to get them off my back. I can't sign their contract. You have to help me out!"

"You want me to help you out? You have got to be kidding me!"

"I don't know where else to turn. You're the only lawyer left in town!" Gray pleaded, his concern for his problem overriding the frustration the he felt for having to depend on a Green to solve his problem.

The corners of Eric's lips curled upward, but his smile did not reach his eyes.  The effect sent a cold chill down Gray's spine

"No way in hell. Lots of luck, you're going to need it," Eric said derisively before storming out of the office.

Cheyenne; Friday Evening, Heather's Apartment

Heather smiled when she saw Jake through the bus window. He was standing at the bus stop with one hand behind his back, shuffling from foot to foot as if he were impatiently awaiting her arrival.  She wondered what he had hidden behind his back and couldn't help but think that just maybe there was a surprise in store for her.

"Hey, Heather," Jake said as he walked up to her a few moments later when she got off the bus.

"Hi Hon!" Heather replied as she placed her hand on his arm and gave him a quick peck on the lips.

When her hand slid down Jake's arm, he took it in his and gave it a slight tug. "Come with me," he said as he led her away from the crowd of people at the bus stop.

"Hon, huh?" he asked once they were half a block down the street, away from the people.

"Yeah, I figured that if you get to call me ‘Babe' I can call you ‘Hon," Heather replied giving Jake a shy smile.

"Sounds like a fair trade off, Babe," Jake replied giving her a quick kiss.

Heather noticed that Jake still had his hand behind his back. "Jake, what are you trying to hide?"

Jake had a fleeting thought of the all the times he had been asked that exact question, there had always been an accusation behind the question. This time the question was curious and playful.  He smiled at the woman before him.  "What?" he teased, turning away from Heather when she tried to peek behind him.

"Come on Jake, show me what you have, please?" Heather pleaded.

"I don't know if I should . . . "

"Jake..."

"Well, okay. On one condition; you call me ‘Hon' again," Jake said with a smile on his face.

"Hon. Hon. Hon   .  . . please Ja...I mean Hon!" Heather said.

"Since you put it that way," Jake said as he pulled his arm from around his back, "These are for you."

"Flowers! Oh Jake, they're so beautiful! I love them!" Heather exclaimed as she took the bouquet of wildflowers from Jake. "The last time I got flowers was when my when my Dad gave them to me at my college graduation. Thank you. This is really sweet," she said as she leaned over and gave him another kiss.

Jake reached down to take her hand only to find she was holding a bag. He took a hold of her wrist and raised it so he could take a look at the white plastic bag. "Serendipity," he read out loud.

"Yes, that's what is says. It's a store downtown."

"Oh? What kind of store?"

"That's for me to know and you to find out," Heather replied with a smile as she pulled her wrist from Jake's grasp and switched the bouquet to the same hand that was holding the bag. With her newly freed hand she reached out to Jake's and entwined her fingers with his. She gave his hand a tug and said, "Come on, let's go home."

After walking a few minutes, Jake, who had not quite given up on his quest to find out what was in the bag, stopped short and pulled Heather around to face him.

 "Hey, wait a minute," he said, then continued in a teasing tone, "I showed you what I had, it's only fair you tell me what you have in the bag."

"But Hon, you don't understand. A girl's got to have her secrets!"

Jake laughed then said, almost pleading, "But Babe . . . we promised there would be no secrets between us."

"That's true . . . well . . .let's just say, that what's in the bag won't be a secret forever. You think you can live with that?" Heather said as she closed the distance them and gave him another kiss.

"You keep kissing me and I'll agree to anything you say."

"Well, in that case . . ." Heather replied before giving him another kiss.

"Come on. Let's get home, Babe," Jake said as he took Heather's hand.

A few minutes later they were in the apartment and Heather was sitting at the kitchen table arranging the bouquet in a tall glass she decided to use as a vase.

"There. Done.  Jake, how do you think it looks?"

"Hmmm . . . nice?"

Heather laughed before saying, "I think I'll leave the flowers right where they are, at least for now. They look good there don't they?"

"Hmmm . . . yes?" Jake replied, earning another giggle from Heather.

As Heather approached Jake, she saw him eyeing the bag. "Remember, Hon . . . my secret," she warned.

"I know," he said before he grabbed her and pulled her toward him. "Now you're going to have to pay the price for your little secret," he mumbled before he crushed his lips to hers.

When they pulled apart, Heather rested her forehead against Jake's while they both caught their breath.

Jake whispered, "As much as I'd like to continue this, we can't." He smiled as he lifted his head, "I have another surprise for you. We're going on a picnic!"

Heather's eyes widened in surprise, "A picnic?! It's been so long . . .,"

Jake smiled, pleased with himself that he actually managed to surprise her. "Well, come on. Let's get going. The night's wasting away."

"But Jake, the food . . ."

"The food's all made." He walked into the kitchen and came out carrying their meal in one of the plastic bags he had used to carry the food back from the market. "See?"

"Oh, Jake! I can't wait! I'm going to run into the bedroom and get a blanket. You can't have a picnic without a blanket!" Heather replied enthusiastically. She picked up her bag and clutched it to her chest as she threw Jake a mock suspicious look, batted her eyes and said, "I'll take this with me . . . away from your prying eyes."

Jake laughed, amused by her antics. "You better hide that bag really good. When we get home, I'm going to start my own little investigation into the whereabouts of that bag."

"Oh, I'm not worried about that, Hon. I know a spot where you'll never find it." Heather replied batting her eyes one more time before turning and walking to the bedroom followed by Jake's laughter.

Heather came back into the living room carrying the blanket and dropped it on the couch. She walked over to Jake and threw her arms around him and gave him a hug. She turned her head into his neck and said, "A picnic. I'm so excited! Thank you so much!"

"Come on, Babe. We're losing light."

Heather dropped her arms from around Jake's neck, walked over to the couch and picked up the blanket. She turned to Jake with a smile on her face. "Ready!"

One of the things that Jake loved about Heather was her enthusiasm over the simplest things. It was so easy for him to be caught up in it. At that moment he felt he didn't have a care in the world. He picked up the bag, smiled at the woman in front of him and said, "Well, let's go then!"

Twenty minutes later they arrived at the entrance of Holiday Park.

"I bet I can guess where we'll be eating!" Heather exclaimed.

"Guess away."

"I'm thinking we're going to eat at the picnic table where we had lunch that first day you found me again."

"Hmmmm . . . . no," Jake replied. He turned to Heather and gave her a slightly smoldering look and added, "Nice spot, but too many people around for the private picnic I have planned."

The look he gave her sent shivers down her back. "Where then?" she asked almost breathlessly.

"You'll see. I found the perfect spot."

Heather was taken aback at Jake's statement. He had obviously made a special trip here to find the ‘perfect spot' to take her. She couldn't even begin to describe how pleased she was that he had taken the time to make this picnic special for her. She wasn't surprised to feel tears coming to her eyes.

Jake looked to his side and saw the look in Heather's face and got worried. He stopped walking, turned around to face her and raised his hand to cup the side of her face. "Babe, are you okay?"

Heather felt a few tears escape when she looked at his face and saw the concern in his eyes. "Oh Jake....I'm fine. I'm just so happy . . . that you did this. It's been so long since anyone's done something like this for me. You make me feel so special."

"Ah Babe...you are special," Jake reassured her as he rubbed his thumb along her cheek. "You're everything to me."

Sniffling, Heather said, "I love you Jake," her voice cracking.

"And I love you," Jake replied before giving Heather a quick kiss. "Come on, losing light, remember?"

Heather laughed and wiped her eyes. She smiled at Jake and said happily, "I remember!"

Jake took her hand and led her past the lake and the picnic table where they had shared lunch the first time he had seen her since she left for New Bern. As they walked by, each became lost in their memories of that day. That ordinary day, made extraordinary when they saw each other for the first time after so many months apart - the day that had irrevocably changed both their lives.

A few minutes later Jake stopped walking and turned to Heather. "We're almost there. Here take this," he said as he held out the paper bag to her.

"Okay," Heather said as she took the bag from him.

Jake smiled at Heather, who was standing before him with the blanket held against her chest with her right hand and the paper bag held beside her in her left hand.  "Got everything, okay? Can you manage?"

"Yeah. I'm fine."

"Okay," Jake said as he moved behind Heather. "Your surprise is almost here, it's right over that rise. I don't want you looking until I say you can."

Heather laughed and said, "I don't see how you're going to manage that. I have to see where I'm going!"

"You trust me, right?" Jake said jokingly.

"With all my heart," Heather said sincerely.

Now it was Jake's turn to be taken aback. The sincerity of Heather's statement gave him pause. He had never experienced the unconditional trust inherent in her statement with anyone else. It reaffirmed the decision he made earlier . . . the decision that brought them to this place tonight.

Jake placed his hands on Heather's shoulders and kissed the side of her head. "Ready, Babe?"

Heather giggled then replied, "As ready as I'll ever be."

Jake then moved to Heather's side and raised one hand and covered her eyes, while putting his other around her shoulders. It was a little awkward he had to admit, he was almost wrapped around her. While he didn't mind the position - the closer he was to Heather the better - he could see it that it would be a little difficult walking like this.

"Okay, Babe. Walk straight ahead, slowly," Jake requested.

Heather laughed again. "Here goes," she said as she took a step forward. It took a few steps of practically tripping over each other and a round of giggles and chuckles before they got their rhythm. Soon they reached the top of the rise.

"You can stop walking now," Jake said.

Keeping his hand over her eyes, he stepped behind her, and wrapped his free arm around her waist. He bent his head down said into her ear. "Are you ready for your surprise?"

"I am so ready!" Heather exclaimed.

"Okay, hand me the bag and the blanket."

Once the two items were settled on the ground beside Jake he said, "Now look straight ahead," as he slowly moved his hand from her eyes and slid it down her side so that it rested on top of his other hand, at her waist.

Heather looked down from the top of the rise. Before her was a small field filled with wildflowers. There was a riot of colors before her all blending to make a beautiful scene. She leaned against Jake and he pulled her closer burying his face in her hair.

"Oh Jake, it's so beautiful! Thank you. It's the best surprise ever."

"My pleasure, Babe, my pleasure," Jake said smiling against her hair.

Heather turned in Jake's arms and placed her hands on her chest. "My bouquet . . . you picked the flowers here didn't you?"

"I did." Jake replied, pulling the woman in his arms closer.

"Did anyone ever tell you that you make a girl feel real special?" Heather asked.

"Can't say that they have," Jake replied, smiling down at Heather before kissing her thoroughly.

Right at that moment Jake heard Heather's stomach grumble. He raised his head, "Someone sounds hungry," he said.

Heather laughed. "That'd be me," she said in way of a reply.

"See that tree over there?" Jake asked as he pointed to a tree about ten feet way. "I figured we could eat over there that way you can look down at the field while we eat."

"Sounds wonderful."

Jake picked up the paper bag and blanket, once again in awe of how the simplest things seemed to make Heather so happy. They walked over to the tree and together laid down the blanket and sat down to enjoy their dinner.

"So what's for dinner?" Heather inquired as she saw Jake reach for the bag.

"Let's see," Jake replied as he reached into the bag and started to layout its contents on the blanket. "Chicken, hard boiled eggs, carrots, water . . . and for dessert an apple to share."

"Chicken, Hon?  Hmm . . . you can make chicken and cinnamon toast? Is there anything you can't cook?" Heather teased.

Jake chuckled, "I'm afraid that's the extent of my cooking abilities.  After the chicken lesson, my mom gave up. She said with all the messes I made that it wasn't worth the trouble and that she was going to leave it to my wife to teach me."

"And I'll be happy . . .," Heather started to reply before suddenly realizing she was assuming too much. ‘Well, I can only hope,' she thought.

Embarrassed over what she almost said, she turned her head away and nervously rubbed her hands on her pants.

What she was about to say wasn't lost on Jake.  There weren't any words to describe how he felt in that moment, realizing that Heather wanted the same thing as he did. Any nervousness over the question he was going to ask her tonight quickly dissolved.

Sensing her discomfort, he place his hand over one hers, stilling its movement on her leg.

"Babe," he said quietly.

When she turned her face toward him he smiled at her. His comforting gesture and the smile she saw on his face did the trick. Heather forgot her embarrassment and couldn't help but smile at the man sitting across from her.

"So let's get down to business here, Babe. So which comes first? The chicken or the egg?" he joked.

Heather's stomach chose that exact moment to growl a second time. She laughed, "That's my stomach asking for some of that chicken!" she exclaimed as she reached for a piece.

 "Mmm . . . this is so good!" Heather exclaimed after taking a bite of the chicken.

"Well, it is one of my two specialties." Jake replied while reaching for his own piece of chicken.

While they were eating Heather took the lead in the conversation, talking to Jake about her meetings with her staff and how she felt they were beginning to come together as the team she envisioned when she started her new job. Jake contributed to the conversation by telling her about his trip to the market with Hawkins.  He then told her that his car had some trouble starting when he and Hawkins had checked on it before their trip to the market.

"You want me to take a look at it for you?" Heather asked.

"Sure do. I put my dad's tool box in the trunk of the car before I left home." A look of sadness crossed Jake's face before he added, "You should have everything you need."

Heather reached over and gave Jake's hand a comforting squeeze and smiled sympathetically. "Good thinking, Hon." she said before releasing his hand to collect the garbage left over from their dinner and placed it in the paper bag.

Jake shifted his position on the blanket so that he sat with his back against the tree they had laid the blanket beside. "Come here, Babe," he requested as he patted the space between his legs.

Heather picked up the apple, went over to Jake and sat between his legs, leaning her back against Jake's chest and her head against her shoulder. She took a bite of the apple and then looked up at Jake. "Want a bite?"

"Yeah."

She raised the apple to his mouth and waited for him to take a bite. Smiling at him she noticed a bit of apple on his lower lip. She raised her hand to his chin and used her thumb to wipe his lip clean. Looking into Jake's eyes she slowly licked her thumb clean and took another bite of the apple. "My turn," Jake mumbled as he lowered his face to hers and licked the juice off of Heather's lip before giving her a lingering kiss.  When they pulled apart Heather smiled at Jake and raised the apple to him, "Want some more?" she asked with a glint in her eye.

"Of you or the apple?" Jake replied before taking another bite.

Between kisses they managed to finish the apple and Heather leaned over and put the core in the plastic bag. Once she was settled back against Jake, he wrapped one arm around her waist and his other around her shoulders, just below her collarbone.

"Hon, it's so beautiful here. Such a perfect date, you couldn't have picked a more perfect place."

"Or a more perfect person to share it with," Jake replied as he buried his head in the crook of her neck.

"Oh, Jake," Heather sighed and turned her head up to him she raised her hand to his cheek. "You make me feel so . . ."

Jake looking into her eyes, interrupted her, "I know, Babe you make me feel the same way," before lowering his lips to hers.

When their kiss ended Heather leaned her head back against Jake's shoulder and he rested his head on top of hers. The sat quietly for a few minutes before Jake said, "Why don't we go for a walk?"

"Hmmm . . . I don't think so. I like it where I am now."

"Well it looks like I'm going to have to change your mind," Jake said as he started to tickle her sides.

"That is so not fair," Heather managed to say as she laughed and broke from his grasp. She made her way on her knees to the middle of the blanket and when she turned around she saw Jake on his knees in front of her.

"Okay Hon, you've asked for it now," she threatened as she launched herself at him, knocking him down as she started tickling his sides.

"I don't know about that," Jake replied before starting to tickle her again.

The tickling match ensued for a few minutes before Heather gave up, "Okay, Okay. You win. We'll go for a walk," she managed to say between giggles.

By the time the tickling had stopped Jake was flat on his back on the blanket and Heather was lying on top of him. His arms were wrapped around her waist and her hands were resting on his chest. Heather looked down into Jake's eyes and was mesmerized by how the love she felt for him was mirrored in his eyes.

Jake raised his hands to the sides of Heather's face and used them to brush her hair back as he pulled her head down. He mumbled against her lips, "I love you," before he crushed his lips to hers.

When the kiss ended Heather whispered against Jake's lips, "I love you too." They both got lost in the kiss that followed; their universe shrinking until it was just the two of them. Jake's hands found their way under Heather's shirt and he smoothed them over her back, enjoying the feel of her soft skin beneath his hands. When Heather started kissing his neck he moaned softly. His control slipping, he realized he had to stop this now, before it completely undid him.  As he reined in his desire, he muttered, between Heather's kisses, "We'll never get our walk in at this rate."

"That's okay, Hon. I don't want to go," she said softly in Jake's ear, before continuing her assault on his neck.

Jake groaned, struggling to get his breathing under control, he pulled his hands out from under her shirt and gently grasped her arms. "Babe . . . Babe, we need to stop. Babe . . . . Heather," he said, his voice growing more urgent with each word. Heather raised her head, Jake looked into her eyes as he pleaded, "Babe, we have to stop, now is not the place or the time," he insisted, before finishing in a cracked voice, his voice trailing off,  "You have no idea what you do to me, how you make me feel...."

"If it's anything like how you make me feel, I have a good idea," she whispered in his ear before moving herself off Jake and resting her head on his shoulder and putting her arm around his waist. She gave them both a moment to calm themselves before saying almost breathlessly, "Okay Hon, we'll do it your way for now, we'll stop, but I promise you this is not over."

Jake took her hand and raised it to his lips, wondering exactly what she was promising. He took another minute to calm himself before saying, "Hey, don't forget I won the tickle war, you owe me a walk." Jake said.

Heather raised her head and gave him a slight smile. "You're right. You won fair and square. Let's go for your walk." She stood up and offered her hand to Jake. Once he was standing he gave her a quick kiss.

"Come on let's go," he said as he pulled her in the direction of the field below the rise they were standing on.

When they reached the field, Heather spotted a patch of Black Eyed Susans. The dark eye of the flower reminded her of her favorite part of Jake's face, his eyes. They were most expressive eyes she ever had the pleasure of looking into.

She let go of Jake's hand, ran to the patch, and picked a single flower. She turned and saw Jake looking at her with a bemused expression on his face as he starting walking toward her. When he reached her she took the flower she was holding and put it into the pocket on the front of Jake's tee shirt, "This is for you."

Jake smiled at down at the woman in front of her, "Thanks, Babe." He reached for her hand, "Babe, I want to ask . . . "

Heather caught up in her thoughts, didn't realize she was interrupting, "This  is such an amazing place, Hon." She let go of his hand and took a few steps back and twirled around a couple of times, much to Jake's amusement and frustration.

"Hey Hon," Heather called, "I bet you can't catch me!"

Jake, not seeing much choice, decided to play along, "I betcha I can," he called back as he started toward her and watched as she turned in the opposite direction and started running.

It didn't take long for him to catch up to her. He grabbed her from behind and turned her around in his arms. "Babe, I need to ask you something . . ."

"You lost your flower! Let's get you another one."

"You're not going anywhere until I ask you my question," Jake replied tightening his arms around Heather.

Hearing the frustration in his voice Heather said, "Jake, what's wrong? Why are you -"

This time Jake interrupted Heather, "Will you marry me?"

Heather continued her line of thought, "Why are you mad? We were having such a good time and I thought ...."

Jake was just beginning to wonder if he would have to repeat his question when Heather suddenly stopped talking as the realization of what he asked sunk in. Tears came to eyes and she threw her arms around Jake's neck.

"Ask me again," she whispered.

Jake raised his hands to her faced and wiped at the tears falling from her eyes.

"I love you Babe. I can't picture a future without you by my side. Will you marry me?"

"Yes, Jake. Yes, I'll marry you. I want nothing more than to be by your side and to face our future together." She gazed into his eyes for a moment before giving him a shy smile and adding, "As your wife."

"Yes?"  Jake asked, not quite believing that she had actually accepted him.

"Yes," Heather confirmed.

"I'm so happy," Jake said as he smiled down at his fiancée, picked her up and twirled her in his arms both of them laughing.

When he finally set her down he looked into her eyes and said, "You make me happy."

"And you make me happy," Heather said as raised her face for a kiss from her fiancé.

When they ended their kiss, they stood in the middle of the field entwined in each other's arms each thinking of the life they would build together while they faced the future together.

After a few minutes, Heather raised her head and said, "It looks as if we are running out of light."

"Yeah, Babe," Jake replied as he rested her forehead against hers, "We should get going."

"Yeah, let's go home." Heather said, looking forward to carrying out her plan for the evening.

Jake gave her a quick kiss and took her hand and led her through the field and back up the rise. Together they folded the blanket and Heather noticed that the flower she had put in Jake's pocket was missing.

"Hon, your flower, I forgot to get you another one. I'll be right back."

Jake watched with a bemused expression on his face as she ran down the rise and picked  two Black Eyed Susans and ran back up to face him.

She put the flowers into his pocket and leaned over to kiss him. "There now, don't lose them this time," and then remembering their earlier conversation, she added, "and I have to say, I'm so looking forward to teaching you how to cook!"

Jake laughed as he dropped the blanket he was holding and pulled her in for a quick hug, burying his face in her hair and breathing in her scent. He let go over her, picked up the blanket, handed it to Heather and then picked up the bag. He took her hand and led her out of Holiday Park.

As soon as they were in the apartment, Jake pulled Heather into his arms and kissed her soundly. When they pulled apart, Heather looked into Jake's eyes and was captivated by the depth of the emotion she saw in them. Keeping her eyes focused on his she said, "I love you, Jake. Words just can't express how happy I feel right now." 

"I know the feeling, Babe." Jake replied before smiling and giving her a quick kiss.

"Jake before I forget, do you mind if I take back the Black Eyed Susans I gave you and put them with the bouquet you gave me?"

"Not at all Babe." Jake replied with a question in his voice. 

"I want to dry the flowers Jake, so we can use them for the wedding. I'll hang them to dry tomorrow. It will take a week or so and we'll need to be careful when we pack them to bring them home."

Heather took the flowers out of his pocket and with Jake following walked to the table and placed them in the glass that held her bouquet. Not quite understanding the importance of having the flowers as part of their wedding but not wanting to dampen her enthusiasm he watched as she completed her task then took her into his arms, smiled down at her and said, "Sounds like a plan, Babe. Come on, let's celebrate."

"Celebrate?"

"Yeah, celebrate," Jake said taking Heather's hand and leading her into the kitchen. She watched as Jake went to the refrigerator and pulled out a bottle of wine.

"Wine? Wow, first cinnamon toast, a picnic, chicken, and now wine. You do know how to spoil me!" Heather exclaimed.

"My pleasure, Babe. We have wine glasses, too," Jake said before giving Heather a quick kiss and motioning to the wine glasses on the counter.

"I have to say I'm impressed. How did you ever get a bottle of wine? I haven't seen one since the attacks."

"Hawkins . . . he got us the wine glasses too."

"Well, I guess that explains it," she said matter-of-factly as she took the bottle out of Jake's hands. She studied the label for a minute, "Mmmm....Pinot Grigio. Hawkins has good taste," she added as she handed the bottle back to him.

Jake laughed before saying, "He sure does." He took the corkscrew, opened the bottle and poured the wine. He handed a glass to Heather and picked up the other one and raised it in a toast, "To the soon to be, can't-be-soon-enough, Mrs. Green."

"Mrs. Green . . . Mrs. Green," Heather said dreamily, "I like how that sounds." She tapped her glass to Jake's and they both took a sip.

"Me too, Babe," Jake replied, kissing her again. "Come on, let's go sit." Picking up the bottle, he let Heather lead the way into the living room. After placing his wine on the coffee table he settled himself on the couch next to Heather.

"Jake, I always wanted to try that wine thing I see in the movies. Can we?"

"Wine thing?"

"Yeah, you know when couples celebrate in the movies and they have wine or champagne, they link their arms together at the elbows before they take a sip of wine."

Jake chuckled, "Oh yeah....the link your arms together wine thing."

"That's it! Can we try it?" she replied, practically bouncing in her seat and grinning at the man next to her.

"Sure thing, but it's all or nothing and you know what always come first," Jake teased suggestively and then reached over and picked up his wine glass.

Heather nodded enthusiastically, "Yeah, and that's not a problem. That's for sure!"

"Okay, ready?"

"Yep."

They leaned toward each other for a kiss, just before their lips met, Heather sighed, "Jake?"

"Yes?"           

"I love you."

"Love you too, Babe."

Jake gave Heather a soft kiss. They lifted their heads and while looking into each other's eyes, they linked their elbows together and each took a sip of wine.

As they unwound their arms Heather said, "Aside from your proposal tonight, that has got to be the most romantic moment I've experienced."

Jake chuckled and said, "That tells me I need to work harder." He kissed Heather and reached for the bottle of wine and topped off their glasses. They leaned back on the couch, Jake's arm around his fiancée, holding her close. Heather leaned sideways into Jake and laid her head on his shoulder.

"Mr. and Mrs. Green. Has a nice ring to it, don't you think?" Heather said happily.

Jake kissed Heather on top of the head, "Sure does."

They both sat quietly while they finished their wine, Jake thinking of the difference the young woman by his side was making in his life and Heather thinking how much she wanted to be with Jake and about her plans for the night.

"More wine?"

"Yes, please," Heather replied, handing him her glass.

Jake poured them each another glass of wine and turned to see Heather twirling her hair with her finger a sure sign that something was on her mind.

"You okay, Babe?"

"I'm fine."

"You sure?"

"Yes."

Jake then watched Heather throw back the half glass of wine he had just poured her. "Hey, hey . . . slow down there," he said before taking the glass out of her hand and setting it on the table.  "Are you sure there's nothing wrong?" he asked as he took her hand and squeezed it.

"I'm just feeling a little tired, that's all. It was a big day, you know."

Jake wasn't sure he believed her but decided to let it go. "It was, and it's getting late. Why don't you go get ready for bed? I'll clean up out here."

"Okay, good idea." Heather replied before standing and hurrying into the bedroom.

Jake sat back on the couch and sipped his wine. He was surprised at the thoughts that had been running through his head since this morning. He was overwhelmed by her trust in him. Sure, he had people who loved him but the trust part was a lot harder to earn and keep. Heather was different. He felt they shared an unconditional trust that didn't need to be earned but was all important to keep.

He saw possibilities with Heather that he never saw before. She had told him that he was going to be her ‘first' but she was his ‘first' in a lot of ways, too. She was the first woman he could imagine having a family with, the first woman who engaged him mind, body, and soul, the first woman who accepted him wholly, without reservations. It was the first time he saw his path to a happy and meaningful life.

His mind then turned to the physical side of things. He could tell that Heather was feeling more comfortable with him. She no longer tensed if he surprised her with a touch or if they got carried away by the moment, as they certainly had at the park. He was looking forward to making love to her but was resolved to wait until she was ready, as difficult as that was getting to be. He finished off the last bit of his wine and then stood to straighten up before going to bed. When he was done picking up he walked over to look out the living room window and again became lost in his thoughts.

Heather walked into the living room and saw Jake standing by the window. She went over to him and slid her hands around his waist and rested her head against his back. "Hi, Jake."

Jake turned in her arms and noticed she had on her bathrobe, something she only wore when she was cold. "Hey, you cold?" he asked before pulling her in for a hug and rubbing his hands up and down her back to warm her.

"How could I be cold in your arms? You always warm me up," she replied as she settled her head on his shoulder. They stood quietly for a couple of minutes each enjoying the comfort and love they felt in each other's arms. Heather was the first to break the silence.

"Jake?"

"Yeah, Babe?"

"I'm ready to show you what was in the bag."

"Yeah?"

"You want to see it?" she asked innocently.

"Now?"  he asked, wondering at the timing of her request.

"Yes."

"Okay," he replied, pulling her closer.

"You have to let me go, Jake."

"Do I?" Jake replied quietly, tracing his hands down her back.

"Yes."

"I don't want to, I want you right here," he replied huskily, pulling her closer and burying his face against her neck.

"Jake...."

"Okay," he said as he reluctantly dropped his hands.

Heather took a step back loosening the knot of her belt keeping her eyes locked with Jake's.

His eyes widened as he watched Heather slide the robe off and let it drop to the floor. He took in a sharp breath as he broke eye contact and let his eyes travel down the length of her body. She had on a sapphire blue silk nightgown trimmed with lace.  The nightgown hugged her in all the right places and ended at the middle of her thighs. His eyes continued down until they reached her toes and then they traveled back up to lock eyes with her. He felt his stomach tighten and he could barely breathe.

Heather's mouth went dry and she felt a jolt of longing as she watched Jake looking at her.  When they locked eyes she saw the unmistakable look of desire and knew without a doubt that he wanted this as much as she did. She took a step toward him and stood completely still, her heart racing as she waited to see what he would do.

When he saw the love and desire he felt echoed in her eyes he knew beyond a doubt that it was the right time for both of them. He took a sharp breath, raised his hands to her waist and pulled her closer. His voice hitched as he said, "You are so beautiful. I never thought - " 

"Jake, this time I don't want to stop," she whispered longingly, as she wound her arms around his neck and leaned in to kiss him.

Her lips met his in a kiss that was soft and undemanding. And amazing. But soon it wasn't enough for him. His tongue swept her mouth requesting entry, which she immediately granted. He pulled her tighter as the kiss deepened. When it ended he started to nuzzle the side of her neck, "Ah Babe, the things you do to me . . . what you make me feel." The warmth of his words against her neck sent shivers cascading all the way down to her toes as she let out a soft moan and started quivering in his arms.

He felt her trembling against him and lifted his head, once again tracing his hands up and down her back gently.  "You okay, Babe?"

"I've never been better," she replied quietly, almost shyly. She paused while she tried to calm herself and then lifted her eyes to meet his and asked demurely, "So, should we take this somewhere more comfortable?"

"Good idea," he replied huskily, smiling as he swept her off her feet.

He locked his eyes with hers, "I love you, Heather Lisinski."

"I love you, Jake Green."

He brought his mouth down to hers for another passionate kiss before carrying her to the bedroom.

Cheyenne; Heather's Apartment, Saturday Morning

When they had finally gone to sleep the night before, Jake was spooning Heather, her back pressed against his chest and her legs tangled with his. Dropping a kiss on her collarbone, he wrapped his arms around her shoulders and waist.  In the darkness, she found his hand and had clasped it in hers, holding it over her heart. Sometime during the night, they had shifted positions so that when Heather opened her eyes the next morning she was looking into Jake's face. She was happy to have this chance to observe him as he slept and could not help but think how peaceful he looked. She hoped that one day they would have the tranquility in their lives that she saw in his face at that moment.

She leaned over and placed a gentle kiss on his lips. It was enough to stir him and he slowly opened his eyes to the woman he loved. He wrapped his arms around her and rolled over onto his back bringing her with him. She laid her head on Jake's chest as memories of last night flashed through her mind. Her mother had been right when she had told her that intimacy between a man and a woman was the ultimate expression of love. The wait was well worth it; Heather had never felt as loved and cherished as Jake had made her feel the night before. He had been so gentle with her. His caresses, the way their bodies moved in harmony still had her feeling like it was all a delicious dream. And yet, lying this way with the man she loved, his skin against her skin, told her the dream was a reality. As her head rested on his chest she couldn't help but sigh in contentment as Jake began rubbing gentle circles on her  back, sending shivers up and down her spine.

"'Morning, Babe. Are you feeling okay?" whispered Jake, concern evident his voice.

"Oh Jake," Heather said quietly as she lifted her head and looked into his eyes, her hands splayed on his bare chest. "I'm fine. Last night was . . . was so perfect," she sighed.

"No, Babe, you're perfect," Jake said while lifting his hands to either side of her face, tenderly pushing her hair back, before bringing her face down for a kiss.

When their kiss ended, she laid her head back down on his chest. This time he smoothed his hands up and down her back, sending another series of shivers down her spine. She slid off him, propped herself up on an elbow and ran her hand up and down Jake's chest causing him to draw in a sharp breath. When her hand traveled down and gently stroked Jake's thigh, he moaned as he pressed his hand over hers, stilling its movement.

Feeling heady and emboldened from the reaction she had elicited from him, Heather began to plant small kisses across her lover's chest as she pulled her hand out of his grasp and started to stroke his thigh again. "Jake?" she asked languidly glancing at her fiancé to see his eyes darken with desire. It excited her to see the power she held at that moment and she trembled with anticipation at the thought of sharing herself, completely, with the man she loved.

"Yeah, Babe," Jake barely gasped out as he started to feel a very physical reaction to her kisses.

Heather looked up and they locked eyes. She gave him a seductive smile and said quietly, "I want to give you . . . I want to do . . . for you . . . what you did for me."

Jake had no words to describe the excitement he felt at the thought of Heather's hands on him where his had been on her,  the thought of her kissing him in the same places where he had kissed her. He moaned, "Ah, Babe," as he steeled himself for the onslaught of sensations and emotions he knew he would experience as the woman beside him continued to show him just how much she loved him.

Later that morning, convinced it was one of the most difficult things she had ever done Heather dragged herself out of bed.  Unfortunately, as tempting as staying in bed all day with Jake was, real life was pressing.

She was sitting at the table with a cup of coffee when Jake walked in, his hair still damp from his shower. He stopped to give her a kiss before going into the kitchen to pour himself a cup of coffee.  With cup in hand, he moved to the table and sat diagonally across from her.

Heather glanced at him and then looked down at her hands wrapped around her cup of coffee. "Umm...Jake?" she asked glancing at him and then looking away again.

Jake recognized the signs. Heather was obviously uncomfortable with whatever it was she wanted to tell him. "Yeah, Babe?" he asked soothingly. Heather slowly turned her head until she was looking at her fiancé with a soft blush on her cheeks. He reached across the table and covered her hand with his own. "It's okay, you can tell me," he said reassuringly.

"Maybe we should try to find something before we . . . you know . . . do it again?" Heather asked a little apprehensively. "I guess what I'm trying to say is -"

Jake knew what was worrying her and interrupted her by lifting the hand he held to his mouth, giving it a soft kiss. "You know, when I asked you to marry me, I was asking for the whole package, and sooner or later that'll include kids."  He did not miss the tears that came to Heather's eyes before she turned her head.  "What is it?" he asked gently.

Heather tried to take relaxing breath before turning back to him.  "Times are different now, things could happen . . ."

Seeing where this was leading Jake gave Heather's hand a reassuring squeeze and interrupted her, "Ahh, Babe. I understand why you might be scared."

"When we were in New Bern Eric talked to me about April I saw what it did to him. I don't want -"

"What happened to April was no one's fault, it just happened. It doesn't mean it will happen to you - to us."

"But what if does? I don't want you to have to . . .," Heather said her voice trailing off unable to continue.

"As my dad said more than once ‘When bad things happen, we have two choices. We can either stop living or start living.' I choose to start living with you."

A few tears escaped Heather's eyes, "But that doesn't mean - "

"Babe, to be honest I'm scared too, but delaying the inevitable isn't going to prevent something from going wrong. We can't delay getting on with our lives forever." He gave her hand another squeeze and told her what he truly felt. "It wouldn't be fair to me or to you to decide not to have kids over something that may never happen. And most of all it would be unfair deprive our unborn children of having you for a mom." When Jake saw a smile starting to break through Heather's tears he reminded her, "Like I said, I want the whole package, kids included."

Heather's concerns melted away at Jake's words and any other argument she may have had flew out the window.  "I want the whole package, too, and besides you there's nothing I want more than to be a mother to your children." She paused before asking, "But what if it happens sooner rather than later?"

"Well, to quote one of the smartest people I know . . . ‘all we need to do is to trust in each other and whatever happens we'll face together'." Jake lifted her hand and kissed the tender flesh of her inner wrist before saying, "If you think we should wait, I can try and find something."

Heather could not help but smile when Jake repeated her words from the other day back to her before saying shyly, "Only if you want to."

"Only if you want me to, although I have to admit that thought of a ‘Little Heather' has me intrigued," Jake replied.

Heather smiled and said, "Or a ‘Little Jake'. And I don't want you to. I just want us to be sure."

"We're sure. I'm glad we're on the same page," Jake said before leaning over the corner of the table and kissing Heather. As they were pulling away from the kiss, both their stomachs growled at the same time eliciting a giggle from her and a chuckle from him.

"We are hungry, aren't we? I'll go make breakfast," Heather said.

Jake made a big deal of looking at his watch and asked with a raised eyebrow, "Breakfast? It's noon, don't you mean lunch?

"No wonder we're so hungry! I'll be right back with our scrambled eggs and toast," Heather said with a smile on her face as she stood up.

"Need some help?"

"Sure, you can make the toast while I scramble the eggs."

A few minutes later, they were sitting at the table enjoying each other's company and talking about when they would get married. While they wanted to get married as soon as possible, both were adamant about waiting until they returned home to his family - their family, Jake insisted, squeezing her hand - and their friends so they could witness their commitment to one another.

Their conversation turned to other topics, one in particular that others might have considered mundane, but Heather's eyes sparkled as she talked about Jake's Roadrunner, which was evidently in need of some tender loving care.

"So Hon, are you ready to go take a look at your car?" Heather asked after she finished her last mouthful of scrambled eggs.

Jake glanced at his watch, "It's quarter to one now. Hawkins wants to meet at two today and then wants us to stay for supper. I don't think we'll have time, Babe." He stood up and offered his hand to Heather, pulled her up and into a hug and whispered huskily against her hair, "Love ya."

Heather turned her head and nuzzled Jake's neck before replying, "Love you too, Hon." She raised her head and asked, "Maybe after the meeting but before dinner?" Heather asked hopefully.

"You sound like you really want to work on my car."

"Yeah, I do. It's been so long since I've worked on anything mechanical, and I was looking forward to getting my hands greasy," She informed him, wiggling the fingers on both her hands.

"We'll have to see what we can do then," Jake said as he smiled.

"There's always tomorrow," Heather said, hopefully optimistic.

"As long as it's not too early, Babe," Jake replied as he bent his head, his breath tickling her ear, to whisper, "We ..." he nibbled her ear, eliciting a moan from his future wife, "have . . ."  he trailed kisses along her cheek and whispered against her lips, "other plans." He felt Heather tremble and tightened his arms around her as his tongue played across her lips. The way he kissed her left no doubt in her mind what he had planned for the next morning.

Heather moaned her agreement into Jake's mouth and he became lost in the kiss. His hands slid under her shirt and he pulled her as close to him as was possible given the confines of their clothes. All he wanted to do was to take Heather back into the bedroom and make love to her. She excited him in a way that no other woman ever had and had showed him how thrilling it could be between a man and a woman when they truly loved one another. Not sure how much longer he could keep his desire in check he lifted his head and leaned his forehead against Heather's.

"Jake . . .Hon . . ." Heather pleaded breathlessly.

"I know Babe, I know . . . but we need to go . . ." Jake replied just as breathlessly.

"I know, but I don't want to," she pouted lifting her head to look into Jake's face. She watched him as he took a breath and shut his eyes as she felt him shudder with desire against her.

Heather moved her arms from around his neck and rested them on his chest. He dropped his arms from around her waist, reached up, and placed his hand over her hand that rested on his heart. "Save that thought Babe," he said as her brought her hand up and kissed it.

Recalling Jake's reaction when she had kissed and touched him earlier, Heather pulled her hand from Jake's grasp and wrapped her arms around his waist, skimming her fingers back and forth under the waistband of his jeans as she trailed kisses along his neck while whispering, "I don't want to save it, Hon."

"Ah, Babe, the things you do to me," Jake ground out huskily as he put his arms around Heather and ran his hands down her back.

Heather lifted her head and replied huskily, with hooded eyes, "The things you do to me," as she slid her arms from around Jake's waist, wrapped them around his neck and pressed hers body against his.

Jake groaned as he crushed his mouth against hers. Pulling away despite her silent protest, he mumbled against Heather's lips, "Be careful what you wish for," as he cupped her bottom and lifted her. When Heather wrapped her legs around his waist, he slid his hands under her thighs and carried her to the bedroom.

Jericho; Hawkins’ House, Saturday Afternoon

“Mom, Mom!” Sam yelled from his perch on the window seat that looked out onto the front yard. “I see her! I see her! Mrs. Green is here.”

As soon as Darcy walked into the living room, her son ran over to her, grabbed her hand and began to tug on it. The grin on his face betrayed his excitement, “Can I answer the door? Can I?”

“Okay, go ahead, answer it. Don’t keep Mrs. Green waiting.”

“Thanks Mom!” Sam all but ran to the door. With both hands on the knob he twisted the door open. “Hi, Mrs. Green, know what? I drew a picture of me and my mom and dad today. You want to see it?”

“Sam,” Darcy chided, “why don’t you ask if our guest wants to come in?”

“Do you want to come in, Mrs. Green?”

“I’d love to, Sweetie.”

When Sam opened the screen door Gail walked in and ruffled his hair, “Why don’t you go get that picture? I can’t wait to see it!”

“I bet you’ll really like it. Be right back.”

When Gail could no longer hear Sam’s footsteps on the stairs she turned to Darcy with a concerned look on her face. “Do you know what this is all about? I took the second shift at the med center last night and found a note from Eric saying that Rob wanted a meeting today.”

Darcy smiled at her new friend. “I agree the meeting is unexpected, but I assure you things are just fine.”

Gail raised an eye brow. “You know this because…?”

"Um . . . well because . . ." Luckily, Darcy was saved from further explanation when Sam came barreling into the room, picture in hand. As much as she was looking forward to Gail's reaction she deserved to hear the news from her loved ones and was grateful for her son's interruption.

Stopping in front of Gail and grinning from ear to ear, Sam held the picture out to her. "Look at this!”

Gail gave Darcy a pointed look that told her their conversation was not over before turning her attention to the boy standing in front of her. She took the picture from Sam’s hand and made a big show of looking at it.

The three figures that Sam had put in the picture were just like the ones her sons had drawn when they were Sam's age. The only difference was that Jake's pictures always had a plane, and for Eric, it was always a dog. She shook her head at the memory. It had taken an umpteen number of pictures and a lot of perseverance for Eric to finally convince his father to get one. Her heart clenched as she thought of the times that she and Johnston had laughed over the pictures that hung on the refrigerator while her husband tried to guess the message behind the pictures and who  was in them.

A tug on her shirt startled her from her memories and she looked down to see Sam's excited face.  She glanced at the picture again and saw a football in the air between two of the figures, and in the background a blue house. The third figure was standing on the porch. The blue sky held a bright yellow sun, its rays stretching toward the green grass. “What a lovely picture. Is that you and your dad playing football?” Gail asked as she held the picture down for Sam to look at.  

"No, me and my mom. She plays a lot better than my dad." Sam pointed to the third figure, "See, that's my dad on the porch. He's watching us play. Didn't you recognize them?" he said with a frown.

"Hmm, let me have a closer look," Gail said as she looked over the picture another time. She glanced at Darcy with a gleam in her eye before looking down at Sam again. "Yes, I think I see the resemblance now."

Sam's smile was contagious and Gail couldn't help but smile back as she pointed to the picture of house, "This is your house right?"

Sam grinned, "Yeah. Doesn't it look just like it?"

"It sure does, Honey," Gail responded and then continued, "and it's such a bright and sunny day. You are quite the artist! The colors you chose were just perfect! Good job!”

Sam beamed at the compliment. “We hang all our special pictures on the fridge. Will you hang this one up with me?”

Gail glanced at Darcy who nodded her approval. “I’d like that. Let’s make sure we find a special place for it.” Sam took the hand that Gail offered and smiled at his mother before leading Gail into the kitchen. Darcy chuckled at the sight. There was no doubt in her mind that it wouldn’t be long before Gail considered Sam an adopted grandson, and for that, Darcy was very happy. Sam had been especially close to his grandfather and had asked repeatedly those first months after the bombs if he was ever going to see him again.

Darcy would never forget how her dad had been there for her and the children during the times her husband was away. She had been especially grateful for the time he had spent with her son, doing the simple every day things with him – like taking him to the zoo, to the park - the things that Rob should have been doing. Her father had also known about the troubles in her marriage and had encouraged her to stick it out, reminding her that Rob loved her and the kids, and that just maybe what he was doing was important and necessary. She had no idea at the time what he had been talking about but remembered being a little resentful that her father had taken Rob's side.

It wasn't until after the war with New Bern that she had learned the truth from Rob. Her father, who had a high-ranking position in the Pentagon, had served on the joint committee on anti-terrorism; the same committee that had tapped Rob to be on the task force that had been assigned to find out who had been responsible for the thefts of the nuclear devices and the planned terrorist attacks. Rob had gone on to tell her, that her dad had held a private meeting with him after he was given the assignment and had told him that he had objected to the assignment but the other committee members had reiterated what was at stake; and that the mission required the best – and his son-in-law was one of the best. It was a point he couldn’t dispute. He promised that he would watch over Darcy and the children and in turn, he expected that Rob would do his best to take her and the children to a safe zone should the task force fail in their mission. She smiled when she thought about what Rob had said he told her father in response – that there was no need to for him to make that promise, that he loved her and the kids, and that he would do everything in his power to keep them safe – that plans had already been put in place should the need arise.

Now, as she watched her son and Gail walking into the kitchen, she was grateful for the relationship that seemed to be forming between them. Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted when she heard a knock on the door. She opened it to Eric, Stanley, and Mimi.

“Come in, come in,” Darcy said as she held the door open.

"Mary wanted me to thank you for the invite, she couldn't make it – couldn't find anyone to fill in for her at the bar," Eric said.

Stanley held out a bag to Darcy. “We had some extra tomatoes, green beans, and squash. Thought you might want them."

"That's so nice of you. Thanks, Stanley," Darcy said as she took the bag from him. Sam and Gail walked out of the kitchen. Sam still had a smile painted on his face, “Mom, wait till you see the picture. We found the perfect place for it!”

“I’m sure you did! I’m going in there in just a minute. I’ll be sure to check it out. Did you thank Mrs. Green for helping you?”

“Yeah," he replied, shifting from foot to foot and looking away from his mother.

“Good.”

Gail spoke up, “Sam said that he has a coloring book with trees in it and he’s going to color the ones that he hopes we see on our walk tomorrow.”

“Yeah. I know just which ones they are. I’m gonna go up and color them now.”

“Before you go, say hello to our new guests,” Darcy said to her son.

“Hi everybody, bye everybody,” Sam said before turning and running up the stairs much to the amusement of all standing in the foyer.

“That’s some son you got there!” Stanley said earning him an elbow in the side from Mimi and laughs from everyone else.

“I couldn’t agree with you more! I know you're probably all wondering why I asked you all here. Well, I'm expecting a call from Rob. Apparently there's some news from Cheyenne –"

"Good! That'll give me a chance to remind that best man of yours to make sure he makes it back for the wedding.” Mimi interrupted.

“And we have some news for them, too,” Eric interjected, a grim look on his face. “Stanley, you can tell them what you told me about that farm next to you, and I need to tell Jake about my meetings with Gray yesterday.”

“Yes, he should definitely know, " Gail said.

The questioning looks that Darcy, Stanley, and Mimi threw Eric weren’t lost on him. He glanced at the three of them and snorted, “You’ll have to wait for the call. I don’t want to have to tell the story more than once.”

Darcy shifted the bag she was holding to her other arm. “I’m going to put these vegetables away. I’ll bring out water for everyone while I’m in there. You can all make yourselves comfortable in the dining room.”

“Can I help?” Mimi asked.

“Sure. Thanks.”

Stanley gave his fiancée a sideways hug and teased, "Look out, Darcy. She may try to rearrange the kitchen on you.” Mimi shot him an exasperated look that melted into laughter before following Darcy to the kitchen.

"What was that all about?" Eric asked.

"Private joke," Stanley said, laughing as he walked into the dining room.

A few minutes later, Mimi and Darcy rejoined the others and handed out the glasses of water. Mimi took a seat next to Stanley and while Darcy put down her glass of water she said, “I’ll be right back. I’m going to get the phone.”

Allison walked in the front door as Darcy was walking into the living room. “Hi Mom.”

“Hi Honey. How was training today?”

“It was good. You know Maryann, who's in my training class?” Darcy nodded and Allison continued, “Since tomorrow is our only day off, she thought it would be a good night for me to sleep over her house. Is that okay with you?”

"Are her parents going to be there?"

Allison let out an exasperated sigh and decided to deal with all her mother's questions at once. "Her parents are gonna be there tonight . . . no boys . . . we're meeting up with the kids from class at the picnic tables outside the school for a game of Monopoly and after that we're just gonna hang out at Maryann's house."

Darcy smirked at her daughter, glad that her daughter knew the drill. It saved her from dragging the answers out of her. "You can go. If anything changes I want to know about it and please check in no later than ten tomorrow morning."

"Okay, Mom. No problem."

“I’ll be talking to your dad later. Do you want to stay long enough to say hello?”

Allison, looking at her watch, replied, “Wish I could, but we’re meeting up with everyone in half an hour.  Will you tell him I said hi and that I’ll talk to him next time?”

“Sure. You know I saw Jimmy downtown yesterday. He said that you’re the best student he’s had. I’m sure your dad will be glad to hear that—" a smile crept over her daughter’s features “--and don’t let it get to your head, young lady.” Darcy teased.

Allison did an exaggerated eye roll, “Well, if I am the best, why not?” she teased back.

“Allison Hawkins!”

“Just kidding, Mom,” Allison said before she started laughing.

“You better be!” Darcy said smiling at her daughter. She looked at her watch. “Go on, get your stuff and get out of here. You only have twenty five minutes before you need to meet up with your friends.”

“Okay! I’ll see you tomorrow, Mom.”

“See you then. Don't forget ten tomorrow morning."

"I won't."

When Allison came back downstairs with her backpack, she heard Darcy in the dining room and went to tell her she was leaving. She walked in, saw everyone around the table and quickly greeted them. She caught her mother's eye and said, "I’m leaving now.”

“Have a good time. Remember by ten o’clock tomorrow.”

“Okay, see you tomorrow.” Allison took another quick look around, smiled, and waved. “Bye everyone!” she said, before turning and walking out of the dining room.

When Gail heard the door shut, she looked at Darcy and chuckled. “At least you get more than just the ‘hi’ and a ‘bye’ I used to get from the boys. Not much more I’ll grant you, but more.”

Stanley raised his eyes in surprise and said, “Aww, come on. That isn’t true, Mrs. G. We used to have a lot of good talks.”

An amused look came across Gail’s face, “Stanley, you tell me one time after you turned sixteen when you or Jake wanted to sit down and have a good talk.”

“Hmm….let me think….” Stanley said as he started drumming his fingers on the table. “Well, there was that time….No, I was wrong about that,” he said more than once as if he was talking to himself.

The giggles and laughter that spread around the table interrupted Stanley’s deliberations. He looked at Gail and said, “You got me!"

Gail reached over and patted Stanley’s hand, “That’s nothing new. You and Jake have never understood that I’m always two steps ahead of you.”

‘Well, I have some news that I know you’re not two steps ahead of,’ Darcy thought, laughing silently to herself.

Gail gave Stanley the motherly look he knew so well, the one that said ‘you should know better than to doubt me’ and he couldn’t help but say with a smile in his voice. “Here I am, thirty-three years old and you’re still looking at me and talking to me like I’m fifteen.”

“Well, you know what they say, Stanley, when the shoe fits . . .,” Mimi chimed in.

Another round of laughter including Gail’s and Stanley’s could be heard around the table.

“It’s time to call,” Darcy said when the laughter died down. “Is everyone ready?”

Each person at the table responded with either a nod or by saying, “Ready.” Darcy then picked up the phone and punched in the number.

Cheyenne; the Safe House, Saturday Afternoon

Hawkins looked at his watch. "Where the hell are they?" It wasn't only that he didn't want them to miss the phone call. He found himself surprised that he was actually worried that something could have happened to them. He looked at his watch again and decided he'd give it another fifteen minutes. If they weren't here by then, he'd send Chavez out to find them while he dealt with the questions he knew would come if Jake and Heather weren't around when Jericho called.

"What's up with you? That's the third time you've asked that question in the last forty-five minutes."

Hawkins was spared from answering Chavez when the door opened and Heather walked in. "Hey guys! Sorry we're late, we were -"

"Delayed," Jake abruptly finished as he walked in behind her, glaring at both men, daring them to say anything.

Looking at the couple before him, taking in their damp hair, her spreading blush and Jake's hand at the small of her back, Hawkins smirked. He knew exactly what had delayed them. 

Heather, reading the expression on Hawkins's face, suddenly became bashful. She decided she needed a minute to herself and took the bag that Jake held. "When Jake told me we were coming for dinner I decided to bring dessert. I'm going to get it started. I want to get the baking done so that the oven will be free when you guys start dinner. I think everyone will like dessert, it'll be a real treat in this day and age." Heather prattled before slowly retreating into the kitchen, a slight hitch to her step.

Chavez turned to Jake. "Is she okay?

"She's fine . . . just fine," Jake replied distractedly, his eyes on his fiancée. Words couldn't even begin to describe the elation he felt. Never in his wildest dreams had he thought that he would find the perfect person to share his life with - and that that person would feel the same about him. He loved Heather, and for the first time in a long time, he was looking forward to the future.

Hawkins took in the small smile that crept across Jake's face and the look in his eyes as they followed Heather into the kitchen. "I take it she said yes?

"Well, she doesn't look . . . wait a minute, said yes to what?" Chavez interrupted.

His smile now reaching his eyes, he turned his attention to Hawkins. "Yeah, she did."

"Congratulations," Hawkins said as he clapped Jake on the back.

"Said yes to what?" Chavez repeated, measuring his words, slightly annoyed at being left out of the loop.

At that moment, the phone sitting on the table rang and Hawkins said to Jake, "That's Dee. I told her to call at three that there may be some news that Jericho needs to know. Why don't you answer it?"

Jake gave Hawkins a small smile, nodded his thanks, picked up the phone and answered the call as he was walking into the kitchen to get Heather. "Hello."

"Jake, is that you?"

 "Yeah. Hi Darcy, is my mom there?"

"Yes. Let me get her for you."

Jake took the opportunity to take Heather's hand and say, "I'm going to tell my mom, okay?" Her eyes sparkled, and smiling, she nodded her head in agreement. He turned his attention back to the phone when he heard his mom's voice calling his name.

"Hi, Mom."

"Jake, honey, is everything all right?"

"Things are fine. Great, in fact. Hold on a sec while Heather and I go in the other room. We'd like to talk to you alone, okay?"

"Okay, I'm heading to the living room now."

When the couple walked into the bedroom, Jake sat on the bed and motioned Heather to sit beside him. When she sat down, he put his arm around her and started rubbing small circles on her arm. She rested her hand on his knee as he took a deep breath and turned on the speakerphone.

"Hi, Gail."

"Hi, Heather. How are you and my son doing?"

"Oh . . . we're both doing great," she replied beaming at Jake.

"Mom, how have you been?"

"Today's been hard. You know your dad and I would have been married forty years today."

"Are you doing okay?" Jake asked concern evident in his voice.

"I'm okay Jake. Just trying to keep busy. I was at the med center all morning. Eric and Mary surprised me with lunch ... and brought me a beautiful bouquet of flowers."

"Mom, we kind of have a gift for you, too. Are you sitting down?" He chuckled to himself as he pictured her gushing over the news, going nuts with wedding plans, and embracing Heather as one of her own.

"I am. What's going on?"

"Well, Mom . . . how do you feel about having a new daughter?" Not giving his mother a chance to respond, he continued, "Heather and I are getting married."

Had she heard Jake correctly? "You're getting married?" she asked waiting for the words sink in. Tears of joy stung her eyes. For the first time in a long time, Jake sounded happy and she couldn't help but conclude that it was all due to Heather. The knowledge that he would have someone by his side to share the good times and to help him through the bad times was like a balm to her soul. Her intuition told her that her son had found his soul mate, just as she had found hers with Johnston. While she didn't know Heather very well, she'd always liked the young woman, and given her apparent positive effect on her son, she couldn't wait to welcome her home with open arms. Gail couldn't remember the last time she felt so happy and excited. She couldn't have gotten better news, especially on this particular day. Unable to keep the smile out of her voice, she repeated what she had just said, "You're getting married!"

Heather let out the breath she had been holding when she heard the excitement in Gail's voice. "Jake asked me last night. It was so romantic!"

"Romantic? Jake was romantic?" Gail asked incredulously.

"Very! He took me on a picnic and proposed to me in the middle of a field of wildflowers. It was so beautiful."

Gail chuckled at the picture of her usually pragmatic son turning suddenly romantic. "Well, I never knew he had it in him."

"Well, now you know." Heather glanced at Jake and was surprised to see his face turning red. She smiled and looked him in the eyes as she told Gail, her voice taking on a dreamy quality, "It was perfect." 

The couple became lost in each other's eyes. Momentarily forgetting that his mother was on the phone, Jake kissed Heather. Hearing the smooching noises on the other end, Gail laughed silently and cleared her throat. The couple drew apart and Heather giggled, embarrassed that they had been caught kissing 'in front' of Gail. "Sorry, Mom," Jake said somewhat sheepishly,

"That's okay. I remember what it was like." Gail laughed softly before allowing a soft sigh, "Heather?"

"Yes?"

"Welcome to the family. I'll be happy to call you my daughter. I hope that you'll call me 'Mom' now."

"Thanks, Gail . . . I mean, Mom."

She liked the sound of it. She hadn't called anyone 'Mom' since her own mother's untimely death when she was fourteen. They had been very close and she especially missed the quiet talks they used to share. There were many times in the intervening years when she had longed for her mother. She didn't know Gail very well, but her instincts told her that she would soon be enjoying those quiet talks with a new mother.

Jake, seeing her eyes well up, remembered the sad expression on her face as she had told him about the death of her mother and her father, four years later, over dinner the other night. Knowing what this moment meant to her, he gave her a sideways hug. "I second that request. I'm more than happy to share my mom with you," he whispered in her ear before kissing the side of her face.

"So, have you two set a date?"

"No, we just know it won't be until we get home," Jake replied.

Gail breathed a sigh of relief.

"Mom?" Heather asked, not at all surprised at how easily the word rolled off her tongue.

"Yes, Honey?"

"I don't know anything about planning a wedding. Will you help? Obviously, with times being as they are, it won't be fancy, but it's important to both Jake and me that our family and friends are there."

"I would be so happy to help you!" Gail gushed.

"Good! I'm going to try to write down some ideas. Maybe you can do the same, and we can compare notes when we're back for Stanley's and Mimi's wedding."

"That sounds like a good idea. We can talk over coffee, and you can tell me all about that proposal you got from my son."

"I'd like that."

"Jake, I'm going to get Eric now. I'm sure he'll want to hear the news from you two."

"Okay, Mom."

"I'll be right back."

Jake stood up, stretched and sat back down on the bed, this time at its head with his back leaning against the wall. He held out his hand, "Come here, Babe."

Heather scooted up to the head of the bed and settled herself between Jake's legs. Just as she was leaning back against Jake's chest, she heard Chavez bellow, "They're getting married!"

Heather leaned to one side and turned her head. "Yes, we really are getting married."

"You better believe we are," Jake replied.

Before he could kiss her, they heard Chavez say in a somewhat quieter tone, "Wow, Jake's one lucky son of a gun."

"Yeah, I am," Jake said before he lowered his mouth to Heather's.

Their kiss was interrupted by the sound of Eric's voice, "Jake? Heather? Are you there?"

"Hey Eric," Jake greeted his brother.

"Mom came back in the dining room all excited. She said you had some news."

Jake was surprised that, despite his mother saying otherwise, that in her excitement, she hadn't let it slip. He was glad that his brother would hear the news from Heather and him. "Yeah we do, Heather and I are getting married."

"That's great news. Congratulations from both Mary and me. Jake, you're one lucky son of a gun!"

Jake and Heather both laughed at the comment. "So I've heard."

"You know, he's not the only one who's lucky," Heather chimed in happily.

"Just warning you, Heather, my brother doesn't know how to pick up his socks." Eric chortled and then cleared his throat, "Just kidding. You're both very lucky to have each other."

"We are," Heather and Jake said simultaneously.

"You should have seen Mom's face when she walked into the dining room. She was literally beaming. I haven't seen her look that happy in a long time."

"Good," said Jake.

"I'm glad," said Heather,

"Welcome to the family, Heather."

"Thanks Eric."

"Mom just came in. Jake, she forgot to tell you something. I'm going to put her back on. When she's done Jake, we need a meeting with everyone. Okay?"

"Sure thing, Eric."

Jake and Heather heard some rustling on the other end as Gail settled herself before she spoke into the phone. "Jake?"

"Yeah, Mom."

"I wanted to remind you about that talk your grandfather had with you at your grandmother's funeral."

"Huh?" he asked, having no idea what his mother was talking about.

"Jake, think about it. It'll come to you," Gail replied, a little exasperated. She paused, hoping her son would understand what she was talking about without her saying anymore.

It took him a minute but it finally dawned on him when his mind wandered back to the day of his grandmother's funeral. His grandfather had taken him aside and had told him that as the oldest grandson he was to have his grandmother's engagement and wedding rings.

"Like the ranch, the rings have been in the family for over a hundred years," he had said. "Your great-great grandfather won the diamond fair and square in a saloon poker game a couple of years before he married. He had it set in a ring for my grandmother - he told her the diamond sparkled like her eyes - when he asked her to marry him. It was in 1900, when he won the ranch and had a place to bring her home to." His grandfather had laughed, "Of course it was a different poker game and the ranch was a quarter of the size it is today."

Jake remembered he had enjoyed hearing the story, but it had not meant anything to him at the time. After all, he had been only eighteen and marriage had been the last thing on his mind.

"You still have them?" he asked when he felt Heather tapping her fingers on his thigh, bringing him back to the present.

"Of course I do, Honey."

"I'm glad, Mom."

"I'm sure she'll love them. It'll be a nice surprise," Gail said forgetting that she was on speakerphone and that Heather would be able to hear.

"Yes, I think you're right," Jake said, knowing how much Heather would appreciate and love the history and sentiment behind the rings.

Heather leaned to one side and looked up at Jake, her brows furrowed in question. "It's a surprise," he mouthed. He smiled at the little pout he saw on his fiancée's face before turning his attention back to the phone. "Thanks, Mom. For everything. We're going to head back into the kitchen and give Hawkins a chance to talk to Darcy. Then we can hear the news that Eric has for us." He gave Heather a gentle push, and she scooted to the edge of the bed and stood up then held out her hand for Jake. Hand in hand, they walked into the kitchen.

************

"Dessert. Strawberry shortcake. The post-apocalyptic variety," Heather replied.

Jake handed over the phone and said, "Your turn. Then Eric needs to talk to us." He looked at the bottle Hawkins held. His eyes widened, and his mouth started to water, "Any more where that came from?" 

Chavez snorted when he saw the expression on Jake's face, "Don't worry. There's one for you."

Hawkins gave Jake a wry smile as he took the phone, raised the beer in a mock salute and headed toward the bedroom that the couple had just left.

************

"Dee?" Hawkins spoke into the phone as he sat down on the bed.

"Rob? How are you?"

"Good. You and the kids?"

"We're all fine. There's a lot of excitement here tonight. Gail can't stop gushing. She's very happy. Heather asked her to help plan the wedding, and she's really excited about that."

"Good. I'm glad she's happy."

"Jake and Heather, how are they?"

"Acting like they're on their honeymoon," he chortled.

"Remember when we were like that, Rob?" Darcy asked wistfully.

"Yeah. Those were good times."

"You're right, but I like the way things are now even better."

"Me, too, Dee."

************

Heather turned toward Jake and Chavez, "Speaking of strawberries, I better go slice them so they can sit in the fridge for a few hours before we eat."

Chavez caught hold of Heather's arm as she walked by him, "Hey, wait a minute! Don't I get to say congratulations?"

Heather turned to Chavez and gave him a bright smile. "Sure."

No sooner did Heather get the words out when she was enveloped in a tight hug. Chavez gave Jake a smug look over her shoulder before he pulled himself away from her, his arms still around her waist. "Congratulations Heather," he said before bringing her in for another hug.

"Hey, that's my girl! Let go of her!" Jake said with a hint of amusement in his voice.

Chavez pulled away from Heather and said with a smile on his face, "Are you sure you know what you're getting into, honey?"

Heather raised an eyebrow at Chavez, stepped out of his embrace and walked over to Jake. She wrapped her arms around him, beaming up at him before turning her smile to Chavez and saying, "I sure do." She looked back up at Jake only to be greeted by a warm kiss.

"Okay, okay. I get it. You two love each other . . . you just could have said it!"

Jake broke the kiss and smirked at Chavez, "Why say it when you can show it?" before turning and giving Heather another quick kiss.

When the kiss ended, Chavez walked up to Jake and Heather, "You are one lucky man. Congratulations, Jake," he said sincerely as he held out his hand.

As they shook hands, Jake replied earnestly, "I know."

"Heather, all kidding aside, you got yourself a good man there."

The couple exchanged a surprised look at the unexpected compliment. Heather gave Chavez a kiss on the cheek and stepped back into the circle of her fiancé's arms. Jake nodded his thanks while Heather said, "Thanks, Joe. Your good wishes mean a lot."

"To us both. Thanks," Jake finished for Heather.

Chavez looked at the happy couple before him and felt a sudden yearning to have someone special, someone who would share his life. After so many years of sacrificing his personal life for his work, he couldn't help but wonder if it was too late.

Hawkins shifted his position on the bed while Dee continued, "Tomorrow, Sam and I are going to spend some time with Gail. We're going for a walk and then back to her house for lunch. She's becoming a good friend."

"That's good, Dee."

"And Stanley invited us out to his house so Sam could see how the farm works."

"You going to milk a cow, Dee?"

Darcy couldn't help but laugh. "Really funny, Rob. Tell you what: I'll milk a cow the day you go on a turkey shoot." She smiled to herself as she pictured the corners of her husband's mouth turning up slightly when she heard the amused chuckle on the other end of the phone. It made her heart jump just a little.

 "Who would have ever thought . . . our city boy on a farm. I hope he likes it better than camping."

"You should have heard Stanley talk about the farm. You could really tell he likes what he does. He actually made milking a cow sound fun. Sam's very excited. He can't wait to go!"

 Hawkins wished he could be there, especially if Sam was as excited as Darcy said he was. He could imagine the awe in his son's face when he sat on a tractor and couldn't help but picture the look on Sam's face when he fed chickens and milked a cow for the first time. All he had done, he had done for his family, to keep them safe, to give his children a future. He wasn't sorry for that, but there were times, like now, where he couldn't help but have some regrets. "Dee, I wish I could be there."

 "I know Rob, and you will be. I haven't said this to you yet, but I now understand why you do what you do. I know now that it wasn't only your sense of duty to our country. You knew things that we wouldn't have thought possible and didn't trust anyone but yourself to keep us safe, to give our children a future. When I realized that, it made me love you all the more."

Hawkins cleared his throat and blinked a couple of times before telling his wife, "It means a lot that you understand. I love you, too."

"Come home soon."

"As soon as I can."

"I'm going to visit with Mimi while Stanley shows Sam around. They invited us to their wedding. I'm looking forward to going. It's the day after the spring concert."

"Sounds good. The plan is to be back in Jericho the day before."

************

Heather looked between her friend and the man she was going to marry, "All right, boys, I'm off to the kitchen. Try not to miss me too much."

"You know I will, but go ahead anyways," Jake replied bringing Heather in for a quick kiss before letting her go.

"Oh, I think we can manage," Chavez said. He clapped Jake on the shoulder.

"Come on, let's sit down. I'll tell you about my first day at Ravenwood while Heather gets her work done. And if you're lucky, later I'll take you down and show you my new set of wheels."

Heather rolled her eyes at Chavez and shook her head before walking into the kitchen to slice the strawberries and sprinkle sugar on them for the dessert she had planned.

************

"Rob, Allison isn't here right now and I just checked on Sam a few minutes ago. He must have been tired. He's curled up on the bed fast asleep. Do you want me to get him up so you can say hi?"

"No, let him sleep. I miss you, Dee."

"And I miss you, Rob. I'm going into the dining room now."

************

A few minutes later, when Heather had finished preparing the strawberries, she opened the refrigerator and took out two bottles of Coors. She placed one on the counter and carried the other one out to the table where the men were talking. She set it in front of Jake and then leaned down and kissed him softly. "Will you scoot the chair out a little bit? I'm going to need just a little more room."

"Sure thing," Jake replied.

Heather sat on his lap, put her head on his shoulder and sighed in contentment when he started rubbing small circles on her back. After a moment, realizing that he couldn't reach his beer, she leaned over for the bottle and handed it to him.

"Sorry, hon."

"No problem. Thanks Babe," he murmured against her lips before capturing them in a quick kiss.

A moment later, Heather watched as Jake closed his eyes and savored his first sip of beer in ten months. He opened his eyes to see her beaming at him, "That good, huh?"

"Yeah."

"Mind if I have a taste?" she asked in a sultry voice.

"Help yourself," Jake said huskily. The second her lips touched his they were both lost in their own world.

Too soon, the sound of Chavez loudly tapping his foot intruded on their private moment. "You know you'd get a better taste if you took a swig from the bottle," he grumbled loudly.

Heather ended the kiss and leaned against Jake so that she was half-facing Chavez.

"Hmm, let me test that theory," Heather said. She took the bottle from Jake's hand, took a drink and then put it on the table. She smiled sweetly at Chavez and said in the same sultry tone she used when she asked Jake for a taste, "You're wrong. Tastes better the other way."

Chavez rolled his eyes and got up from the table. "I've had enough. I'm going to get another beer. Heather, I was going to ask you if you wanted one, but seeing as you don't like to drink out of bottles -"

Heather interrupted, "I took one already and it's sitting on the counter. I have something special planned for mine, so leave it alone."

Chavez raised his eyebrow in question.

Heather smiled before telling him, "It's a surprise, and don't touch that bottle!"

Chavez snorted and shook his head, "Warm beer, huh? Now what kind of a surprise can you make with warm beer?"

"You'll see and stop fishing," Heather chided before Chavez turned and walked into the kitchen. She giggled and turned to Jake. "I hope I didn't embarrass you too much."

Jake chuckled and tightened his arm around Heather. "That's impossible, and I enjoyed watching you get the better of Chavez."

"Yeah it was kind of fun, wasn't it?"

"Sure was," Jake said as he raised his hand to her neck and gently brought her head down for another kiss.

"Alright, enough already!" Chavez bellowed.

Jake and Heather broke their kiss and looked at Chavez. He was standing next to the table holding two bottles of Coors, his face slightly red. The couple looked at each other and started laughing. "This time you did it," Heather said between giggles.

"Did what?" Chavez asked.

Heather looked up at Chavez, "Private joke." Her eyes narrowed when she saw the two beers he was holding. "You didn't take the one on the counter did you?"

"No. I took one out of the fridge for you," Chavez smirked before placing one of the bottles on the table just out of Heather's reach. "There are just two conditions. You sit in that chair," Chavez pointed to the one next to Jake, "and no more public displays of affection."

Heather took a moment to consider her options before saying, "Okay, I'll sit in that chair, but as far as the other condition, no guarantees from me."

"I'll take my chances," Chavez muttered, rolling his eyes.

************

"Dee, before you go back in . . ."

"Yes?"

"I love you."

"Love you, too," Hawkins told his wife.

Hawkins walked back into the dining area in time to see Heather pick up a bottle of beer and drag a chair as close as she could to Jake.

"You said I had to sit in the chair," she reminded Chavez. "You didn't say I couldn't move the chair."

Hawkins shook his head and chuckled to himself as he imagined what he missed while he was in the bedroom talking with Darcy.

"That is not -" Chavez began to say before being interrupted by Hawkins.

"I'm at the table now, Dee. I'm going to turn on the speaker phone and put the phone down."

"Okay, Rob."

As soon as the phone was on the table there was a cacophony of congratulations, but the loudest was Stanley's.

"Jake, Heather?"

"Yeah, Stanley?" Jake replied.

"Congratulations!"

"Thanks," Heather and Jake said in unison.

"Honey?" Gail said when the voices quieted down.

"Yeah, Mom?" Jake replied.

"Not you Jake. Heather."

Jake turned to Heather and smirked before whispering to her, "Looks, like I've been replaced."

"You know that isn't true," Heather whispered back before saying into the phone, "Yes?"

"I just wanted to tell you, I'm looking forward to a long girls-only chat as soon as you get back. I have a few tips to pass on."

Jake groaned, and Heather put her hand on his arm, squeezing it affectionately as she replied, "Thanks, Mom. I'll be looking forward to it."

Hawkins chuckled when he heard Chavez say under his breath, "I'd like to be a fly on the wall when that happens."

Eric spoke up next. "I hate to break up this conversation, but I have some news I'd like to relay, and then Stanley wants to say something." The serious tone of his voice effectively quieted and caught the attention of everyone on both ends of the phone line.

After a brief pause, Jake spoke up. "Go ahead Eric."

"We have a problem. Without consulting anyone, Gray agreed on the incentives that the town would receive from RJ Land in return for getting farmers to sign up for services."

Eric still couldn't believe that Gray would go along with RJ Land's idea of services. The company did weave a good story - equipment rental, management, consultant and labor services and discounted seeds and livestock - all offered at what they called very generous credit terms. Terms that could mean the loss of their farms if they couldn't pay for what he was sure was ‘over priced' services out of the sale of their livestock or crops. Sure, the company had guaranteed they would purchased any approved products, but at what price?

Heather furrowed her brow. "But isn't it a good thing for the town to be on the receiving end of some incentives? I mean, I remember when I was there that there were so many things that we could use. Now it'll finally happen."

Eric drew in a sharp breath as he replayed his conversation with Gray in his mind. "I had hoped it would. And, I'm sure the winter parkas and long underwear  he agreed to are going to go a long way in helping the town this coming winter . . . in six months," he said sarcastically. "And the list only gets worse ... syringes but no needles for the med center, toys for the children, books - romance novels, for everyone who has time for a little escapist reading - for the library."

"How much food and fuel will the town get?" Jake interrupted.

"Any mechanical parts, building materials?" Heather asked.

"That's just it!" Eric replied through clenched teeth.

Gail reached over and patted her son on the hand. "Eric, calm down. Getting angry again isn't going to change anything."

After taking a breath Eric continued, "No, not any of those things. His excuse was he did the best he could with the list he got. He blamed it on the farmers who didn't sign up for services. Said we would have everything we needed if a hundred percent of the farmers signed up for services. He said he had no room for negotiation."

"Yeah, us farmers who aren't town citizens and aren't eligible for incentives," Stanley chimed in.

"Are you saying that Gray thinks that winter parkas and long underwear are going to get Jericho through another winter like the last one?" Jake asked incredulously.

"Like I said, he told me that it was the best he could do. Wait, it gets worse. Darcy, why don't tell them what you heard O'Leary saying to one of the other agents in the office?"

"Oh, okay. I was sitting at my desk eating my lunch when Jim O'Leary stopped one of the other agents. I heard them talk about the rewards the company had to pay out to the mayor for agreeing to those useless incentives. He told the other guy, they saved a ton of money and that the kickbacks were a standard practice that worked ninety percent of the time."

Eric interrupted, anger lacing his voice. "He sacrificed the town's needs for his own! Now he's driving a new SUV with an unlimited gas supply and all the fuel and food he needs to get through next winter!"

"Why am I not surprised?" Jake asked, disgust tingeing his voice. He turned and gave a slight smile to the woman next to him, grateful for the comforting hand she had just placed on his arm.

"To top it all off, RJ Land is twisting his arm to sign up for management services for the salt mine. He wants me to act as his lawyer. Says he doesn't trust them. I told him to go to hell and stormed out of his office."

Hawkins spoke up. "The way I see it, there's not much we can do about the incentives Gray agreed to for the town."

"I agree, but are you so sure you shouldn't help Gray? Do you think the town will be better off if RJ Land controlled the mine? Because, you know as well as me, that's what will happen," Jake added. The way he saw it, Eric didn't have a choice, and the nods he received from both Heather and Hawkins confirmed that they agreed with him.

There was a pause on the phone before Eric said, "Oh hell, I have to help him, don't I?"

"I think you do, but you can ask for something in return," Jake replied. "Tell him he can keep the car but you want the fuel and the food that he's getting. We can allocate some of the fuel to the med center with the remainder going to the ration bank along with the food."

"The last thing I want to do is help that man, but I suppose you're right, Jake. I think I'm also going to tell him that I'm setting up a committee of town citizens and farmers to look into granting the farmers more rights to town resources. Not much of a chance that Gray will refuse any conditions we place on receiving my help, so I might as well strike while the iron is hot," Eric said.

"Sounds like a plan. Everyone agree?" Jake said.

A round of yeses was heard on both sides of the phone line.

"Has anyone thought about the possibility of the new government declaring eminent domain over the salt mine?" Darcy asked before continuing, "It's such a valuable commodity nowadays and it could go a long way in helping the reconstruction effort. I think it's a real possibility."

There was a pause in the conversation as Darcy's words sunk in. Jake watched as a troubled look crossed Heather's face before she said, "Well, I have. And I'm pretty sure the government doesn't know the mine exists."

Hawkins raised an eyebrow, "Meaning?"

Heather wrung her hands together as she began to explain, "My first assignment when I started my job was to look into the government database that had just been recovered and make a list of all natural resource mines and wells in the west. Naturally, I included the salt mine on the list. But I went home that night and thought about the document that I had passed on to Jake and got a very bad feeling."

Heather paused and took a breath. Jake, sensing her discomfort, reached over and brought her hand to his mouth for a kiss before bringing it to rest on his thigh. She gave him a wan smile as his thumb began drawing comforting circles on the top of her hand. "I really don't know what got into me," she said, continuing her explanation, "but the next day at work, I went into the network and deleted the file on the salt mine and opened my file from the day before and deleted it from my list."

"What about backups?" Chavez asked.

"The files aren't on the backups. They only recovered the files to the network a few days before I created my list, and they did their initial backup the night after I deleted the information. Once the backup finished the tapes they used to recover the original files were destroyed for security reasons. I found this out two days later when I was asked to file the network recovery schedule in the archives. I was so relieved when I realized there was no way for them to trace what I had done." Heather looked nervously around the table, trying to gauge the reaction to what she had just said before she finished, "I wasn't sure then if I made the right decision, but after hearing what I did tonight, now I am."

"Impressive," Hawkins said.

"I second that," Chavez said.

Jake leaned over and whispered in Heather's ear, "Good work, Babe."

Heather beamed at him, before turning her smile to Hawkins and Chavez. "Thank you."

"Thanks for taking the risk, Heather. You did the town a big favor. Jake, give her a big kiss for me," Eric said.

"Gladly," Jake said before leaning over and kissing Heather.

"Awww.....don't encourage them...they can't keep their hands off each other," Chavez said, making a face.

The round of laughter around Darcy's table was drowned out by a hoot from Stanley. "Way to go buddy!" followed by an "Ow!" when Mimi kicked him under the table.

Darcy began, still chuckling softly, "Well, that explains what I heard the other day. I was sitting at my desk and heard Mr. O'Leary telling another agent something about the salt mine not appearing on any government list he's checked, and he said he'd checked them all. They walked away, and I couldn't hear anything else."

"Sounds like O'Leary is planning to take advantage of that fact. Eric, you're going to have to keep a closer eye on him," Hawkins said.

"I'll do my best," replied Eric.

"And I'll do some snooping at work, see if I can dig up anything," Darcy said.

"Dee, you be careful," Hawkins cautioned his wife.

"I will Rob," Darcy assured him.

"Stanley, you had something you wanted to say?" Chavez asked.

"Yeah, I want to give you an update on the farm next to me."

"Go ahead."

"I've been trying to keep my eye on it. Since the last time we talked, I've seen two supply trucks go in and out. The trucks were too big to go through the gate at the end of the driveway so they had to unload them on the street and cart them up it in a few SUV's. I watched for a few minutes and noticed that all the men were wearing black shirts with a patch on them. I saw the same patch on those guys who stole gas from me before the Tacoma Bridge incident. You know the red patch with the black bird holding a sword?"

Heather drew in a sharp breath and dug her fingers into Jake's thigh. He turned to look at her and saw that she had become pale. She felt his eyes on her, turned to him and mouthed, "I'm okay. Later." Jake nodded; he suspected he knew the cause for her reaction and understood that now was not the time to discuss it. He reassuringly squeezed her hand before turning his attention back to the conversation.

"Ravenwood," Chavez uttered.

"We need more info about what they're doing at the farm," Hawkins said.

"What can I do?" Stanley asked.

"Nothing for now," Chavez said. "Just keep an eye on things like you've been doing."

"Don't get too close," Hawkins warned.

"Don't worry. I'll make sure he doesn't," Mimi contributed.

"We'll check things out when we're home in a few weeks," Jake said.

"They were in New Bern, I saw them -" Heather said before being interrupted by Chavez.

"Who?"

"Ravenwood, I saw them...those black shirts, in New Bern . . .," Heather trailed off, as memories of what happened to her flashed through her mind. She had never thought she would think it, but just this once she was glad she wasn't home in Jericho.

"Heather, are you okay?" Eric interrupted, concerned for his friend.

Jake answered for her, his tone clipped. "She's fine." Trying to draw the attention away from Heather he continued. "They're after something. Chavez, what are the chances you can find out what's going on?"

"I think I have a good shot at it, but it may take awhile," Chavez replied. Gauging Heather's reaction and Jake's quick response in coming to her defense, he realized that that she had more than a passing acquaintance with Ravenwood. He remembered that she had told him that something happened to her in New Bern and now he was almost sure it had something to do with them. He'd have to have a talk with Jake when Heather wasn't around.

"You have a Ravenwood connection?" Eric asked, stirring Chavez from his thoughts.

"Yeah, yesterday I started working for them. We thought it would be an opportunity to gain more intel. Now I can see I made the right decision," Chavez replied.

"Rob?"

"Yes, Dee?"

"There's something going on with the books at work. When they installed the new accounting software, I think they forgot to assign permissions to the files. I accidentally opened a file that made no sense to me. The numbers don't look like anything I'm used to seeing. They must have fixed the permissions that night. I couldn't see the file the next day when I turned on my computer."

"Sounds suspicious. Would have been nice to know what's in that file."

"Rob, I wasn't sure but I thought it might be important. I printed it out before I left for the day. It's hidden in the house. I was never good at accounting so I can't make heads or tails out of it. What should I do with it?"

"I'm an accountant. I can take a look at it," Mimi chimed in.

"Only if you promise to be careful. I don't want anything happening to my bride," Stanley said.

"Oh, I promise. Nothing is going to make me miss my own wedding."

"You better keep that promise!" Stanley said.

"Darcy, how about if you bring the print out with you on Tuesday when you bring Sam over? We can look it over while the boys play. It might help if you also bring a printout of the books that you do have access to." Mimi said.

"I think I can manage that. Thanks."

"We covered a lot of ground tonight," Chavez said before asking, "Does anyone have anything else?"

"Jake? Heather?" Gail said.

"Yes?" Jake said speaking for both himself and Heather.

"I'm so happy for you. Come home safe."

"That's the plan, Mom." Jake said before adding, "You take care of yourself, okay?"

"I will, and I look forward to seeing you two."

"And we look forward to coming home," Heather said.

There was a short pause before Darcy spoke up. "We're fine here."

"Here, too," Hawkins said. "Our next call can be Thursday at seven o'clock. Does that work for everyone?"

"We're okay with that here," said Darcy.

"Mimi, will that give you enough time to look at the books?" Jake asked.

"It should," Mimi replied.

"You want us to come Thursday?" Stanley asked.

Jake looked between Chavez and Hawkins -both understood the unspoken question and nodded their agreement.

"Yeah, you're part of the team now."

"We'll be there then."

"Good," Jake replied.

"Dee, we're hanging up now. We'll talk to you in a few days. Take care."

"You too, Rob. Good bye."