"Welcome everyone to Dodge City. You've only made it here because you've survived all the other tests and trials at Station One. You are now, the best of the best. But here, I am the best. I am Lee Stetson and I hold the highest score here at Dodge City. In over ten years, no one has beaten my almost perfect score and let me tell you, that's saying a lot considering I normally choke on tests of any kind. But Dodge City isn't just a test." Lee began his monologue, speaking to the nine men and women standing before him. He paced slowly back and forth as he continued, "Dodge City will test your ability to act and think under pressure. It is a full pursuit and avoidance course where cardboard figures will appear randomly, and you'll only have a split second to decide if they are armed, have a hostage or if they are simply innocent bystanders. You will each be given an agent to track and apprehend and a fully loaded weapon. However, instead of live ammunition, you'll be using stun rounds. It's a solid rubber pellet, similar to a bb only it packs a little more punch. You'll be scored on time, how many correct targets you hit, with points taken off for incorrect hits. The high score is just over 400. Good luck!"
The small group applauded when he finished. Lee began handing out the assignment sheets, selecting three gentlemen and one woman for the tougher patterns and routes. He looked over the rest of the group and mentally reviewed their files before passing out the remaining assignments. Before he handed out the pistols, he was called over by one of the agents assigned as a runner. "Scarecrow, McNeil isn't here. He's got the stomach bug," Agent Jansen explained.
Lee looked at the recruits and called out, "Who has McNeil?"
A small, older gentleman wearing a sweater vest and khakis nervously raised his hand, "I think I do. I'm Anderson Cass."
"Well, Mr. Cass, McNeil isn't here so that means you'll need to catch me. Same route, same pattern. Understand?" Lee informed him. The gentleman nodded, his eyes wide and frightened.
"Ok, let's get this show on the road. First up, Remillard," Lee called out a name off the list. He waited and watched as each recruit took their turn, no one quite catching their intended target, but their scores were impressive. Finally, with only two recruits to go, a woman named Margaret Morrissey not only managed to score 398 but she caught up with her intended target, Agent Jansen with a full body tackle after leaping over the railing on a set of stairs. "Very impressive Ms. Morrissey. I see your training in track and field in college has paid off. Now that leaves Mr. Cass and…" Lee paused to check the remaining list, "Mr. Hamilton. Who wants to go first?" Neither man answered so Lee laughed and asked, "Who doesn't want to go last?"
"I'll go," Mr. Cass stated. "Get it over with."
"All right, Mr. Cass. Let me get into place and when you hear the buzzer, you may begin," Lee nodded. He jogged down the mock street, around the corner where he couldn't be seen and hid at the top of the staircase to the second-floor balcony where he could watch Mr. Cass's progress. He pressed the remote for the buzzer and heard it echo, signaling the start. Lee listened to the pops of the cardboard figures then the distinct sound of the pellet hitting and splintering the cardboard. Leaning his head to the side, he watched Mr. Cass tentatively pick his way down the street, reacting to every sound. Lee crept slowly across the balcony, trying to stay hidden in the shadows. He jumped when he accidentally triggered a figure above him. Lee exhaled when he realized it was representing a civilian.
Unbeknownst to Lee, Mr. Cass's head had snapped in Lee's direction and he watched Lee's shadow as he crawled to the other end of the balcony. Mr. Cass followed and hid between two buildings as Lee descended the next flight of stairs. Taking aim, Mr. Cass fired as soon as he saw Lee's legs, hitting the banister spindle, splintering it, sending a large piece in Lee's direction. He heard Lee cry out in pain as he tumbled down the last few steps, cursing. Mr. Cass immediately ran across the street, ignoring the figures popping up around him. "Mr. Stetson?! Are you hurt? I'm so sorry, my aim is bad," he rambled as he dropped to his knees beside Lee now holding onto his leg wincing.
Without waiting for a reply, Mr. Cass immediately removed his tie and pushed up Lee's bloody pant leg. On Lee's calf was a gash approximately five inches long caused by the splinter ripping through his jeans. Mr. Cass wrapped the wide part of his tie around the gash, pulling it tighter to staunch the blood flow. He tied it tightly and said, "I'll help you back. You're going to need some stitches to close that. I'm so sorry."
Lee looked at the man as he helped him stand and replied, "That's ok, it happens. That was some good work though. I never saw it coming." Using Mr. Cass for leverage, he limped slowly back to the beginning of the course. Everyone gasped as they came around the corner, three agents immediately rushing forward to help. Lee hobbled over to the closest car and leaned against it as he called out, "Hamilton, you're up. Make it fast and we can all go home from here." He laughed when everyone just looked at him, mouths gaping, "Ok, I'll be heading to see the Doc but the rest of you can head home. It's just a scratch. I'll be fine." Slowly Hamilton got into place and ten minutes later, his drill was complete with the course low ball score of the day. Lee dismissed everyone and slowly limped his way to his car, cursing the entire way.
Lee drove to the agency where one of the staff doctors closed the wound with seven stitches. The doctor injected lidocaine into the surrounding area and gave Lee a handful of painkillers in case he needed them. Checking his watch, Lee estimated he had just enough time to pick the boys up from school without being late. "Thanks, Doc," he called out as he left the room, his limp barely noticeable.
After picking up both boys on time, Lee immediately drove to his apartment. He pulled up in front of the building and parked. Jamie and Philip jumped out and raced for the door, giving Lee time to tentatively test the pain in his calf. Deciding it wasn't that bad, he retrieved a two wheeled dolly from the back of the Wagoneer and rolled it toward the doors, consciously trying not to limp. Inside his apartment, Philip let out a low whistle when he saw the piles of boxes Lee had already packed, before he said, "Lee, this is not going to fit in Mom's car. I'll telling you. We're going to have to make like ten trips for this."
Lee laughed then leaned forward and began stacking boxes on the dolly. He fit four comfortably and carefully tilted the dolly back, testing the weight and balance. "If each of you can grab one more, we can bring these down and start packing. We'll drop the seat and see how it goes," Lee said. Jamie reached down and picked up one labeled 'Kitchen'.
Philip hefted two smaller boxes into his arms and followed. "Lee, are we leaving this unlocked?" he asked before he pulled the door tight. Lee stopped and thought then shook his head no. Outside, Lee opened the back doors and released the latches to drop the back seat down. Philip began handing Lee boxes and he pushed and stacked them carefully.
Once all seven boxes were in, he closed the car door, locked it and the trio went back inside. Lee stacked four more boxes and turned in the direction of the door when Jamie lost his grip on the box he was carrying, dropping it. He tried to catch it, instead knocking it against Lee's injured leg. Lee immediately groaned loudly, but pursed his lips to avoid swearing. "I'm sorry, Lee! It was heavier than I … Lee! Your leg is bleeding!" Jamie panicked.
Lee looked down and saw the blood stains on his pant leg from earlier. He held his hand up and stated, "No, no that's from earlier today. I'll be okay."
"What happened to you?" Philip asked. He leaned over to get a good look at the blood stain and cringed. "That must have hurt!"
Lee shook his head, "Yeah, it did. But seven stitches and some good numbing medicine, I'm not complaining. Come on, let's keep moving these boxes. The faster we get this done, the faster we can get Quickie Chickie!"
"Hey, Jamie, let me take that one, you take these. They're lighter," Philip offered two more smaller boxes to Jamie. He leaned down and picked up the heavy box and laughed. "Yeah, it says books. No wonder it's so heavy."
"Here, switch that one with me then. Let the dolly do all the heavy work," Lee pulled the top box off the stack and took the box of books from Philip. He led the way back down to the car.
Three hours later, Lee pulled out of the drive thru at Quickie Chickie laughing at the amount of food the boys insisted he order. They excitedly chatted about the new house as they drove to Maplewood Drive. He pulled into the driveway, surprised to see the Vette already there.
The boys helped carry the bags of food inside where they found Amanda and Dotty sitting in the family room. Amanda immediately jumped up and hurried over to Lee. She planted her hand on her hip and firmly asked, "OK, Buster! When were you going to tell me you got hurt today?"
"Ooooohhhh, Lee's in for it now! Mom has that voice," Philip whispered to Jamie. They stopped and huddled together, waiting for Amanda to get angry.
"Amanda, I'm fine. Really. It's just a scratch. Look, it barely even hurts," Lee tried to convince her. He lifted his leg up and wiggled his foot around.
"Uh huh. Seven stitches and it barely hurts? What did Doc McJohn inject you with? Special boo-boo medicine?" Amanda teased. She tried to sound angry, but the look on Lee's face told her he really wasn't in much pain.
"Nnnnoooo, Doc McJohn wasn't even there. They used some lidocaine and gave me a handful of pain meds if I need them, which I don't," Lee teased right back.
Amanda looked at the blood stained pant leg then back up at Lee. "Then head upstairs and get those pants off so I can soak them. I should be able to get that stain out and I can probably stitch that tear too. Boys, why don't you start eating with your grandmother, Lee and I will be right down," Amanda said. She followed Lee up the stairs to her bedroom where he closed the door and pulled her close.
"So, Mrs. Stetson, did you really follow me up here so you can clean my pants or was that just an excuse to get me out of them," Lee teased as he kissed her lips.
Amanda kissed him back and with a straight face, replied, "Drop 'em buster. I want to see this scratch. And if this interferes at all with our wedding night or honeymoon like that last time, I'm not going to be happy."