CHAPTER 4

After bringing Gunterson up to date on what little they knew, Matt stood up and walked over to the window. "I think they're going to try to hit the Marine Combat Training Center at Twenty Nine Palms." Gunterson looked at Hoyt and Oakley. Oakley seemed as surprised as he was.

"Uh, okay. Any particular reason?" Mitchell gave Hoyt a questioning look.

"You're going to think I'm crazy." Matt turned around and walked back to the couch where he sat back down. No one said a word and he picked up his cup of coffee and took a sip, before starting to tell them. His voice was so hoarse they could barely hear him. "I've been having these nightmares…," he looked down into the coffee cup then back up at Oakley. "There's a big explosion and fireball. But a few minutes ago it happened again and right before the explosion I saw a Marine." It had the expected reception from Oakley.

"Oh boy, Hoyt, you didn't tell me you had a psychic on staff." He gave the lieutenant a look of disgust.

"You know what, I took up for you earlier, Oakley, but now I'm not…that man right there has done things that you would not believe." He came around his desk. "Now you haven't known him as long as I have, but I'll tell you what: if he told me the moon would be purple tomorrow I'd believe that there was a very good possibility that it would happen."

Matt looked up at Hoyt, totally astounded. Gunterson looked back at Matt, then over at Hoyt, and then at Oakley. "I haven't known him very long at all, but I know he's damn good at what he does. After what you told me about the militia group and the area, his idea actually makes a lot of sense. It sounds like a reasonable place to start looking – even more so because you don't have a clue where in the hell to start, Oakley."

"Oh so let's all jump on the…" Oakley started in and Hoyt grabbed him by the collar. Gunterson and Matt were frozen in disbelief that the normally non-violent cop had done such a thing.

"You came to us for help and that's what we're trying to do, Oakley. I believe I need to make a call to your boss and see if he wants to send another agent out here." He shook the man. Gunterson stepped over and pushed the two apart.

"Come on guys, we've got a job to do here. You can fight after it's all over." He kept his hands on the chests of both men. "Oakley, you know as well as I do that the training center would be a high value target, am I right?"

"Yeah, I guess so." He straightened his shirt and tie.

"So we start there and work our way outward. Does that make sense to everybody?" They all nodded. "Okay, Houston, what do you need us to do?" He turned and looked at the private investigator.

"My uncle is searching around the area right now with a satellite." Oakley's jaw dropped and Matt saw what was fixing to happen. "Don't ask, because I'm not going to tell you." He stood up. "When he spots something we'll move in. We need to get a team together. Oakley, do you have any idea how many are in the group?"

"We've got estimates of fifty to sixty men. There are possibly women and children at their headquarters, though. We can't be sure."

Matt nodded. "Alright. You put together however many people you think we'll need." He threw the empty cup in the trash. "Hoyt, do you mind giving me a ride?"

"Not at all. Let's go." They walked out of the office and left Gunterson and Oakley to plan the operation.

On the way down to the parking garage, Matt looked over at Hoyt and grinned. "What?" Hoyt tried to look nonchalant.

"Purple?" Matt started laughing, which didn't last long – it made his throat hurt even worse.

"Oh shut up. Lousy PI's are like lightning rods." Hoyt tried to keep from smiling but couldn't help it.

"I'm proud of you." Matt patted him on the shoulder.

They drove through the LA traffic and finally made it to Carol's clinic. As soon as Christie the receptionist saw Matt she waved him on back and got one of the assistants to take him to a treatment room. Hoyt followed along to make sure he didn't try to slip out the back way.

Carol walked into the treatment room a couple of minutes later with a surprised look on her face. "Well, I'm amazed. I didn't think you would actually show up."

"I kinda had to – I promised Uncle Roy." He could barely talk above a whisper.

"Ooookay, let's get a look at you." She stuck the thermometer in his ear and grunted, then put the blood pressure cuff on his arm. "Uh huh." Matt looked at Hoyt and rolled his eyes. "Open up, Houston…" she looked at his throat. "Mary, Joseph, and a grilled cheese sandwich!" She reached for a culture swab and took a sample from the back of his throat, causing Matt to almost choke. He shot her a dirty look. "How long have you had this sore throat?" She was typing into his record on the computer.

"About a week." Matt looked at Hoyt and rolled his eyes again.

"Don't do the eye roll thing with me, Houston, I'll tell CJ and she'll put a whoopin' on you." She continued to type.

"Are you planning on telling me what's going on or do I have to play twenty questions?" His mood hadn't improved.

"You know what?" She turned and looked at him. "I don't think you could play twenty questions. That voice would probably play out before you got to number seven."

Hoyt cracked up and Matt shot him a dirty look.

"Houston, you've got a really bad case of tonsillitis to go along with your cold. Those suckers have got to come out – now." She started to pick up the phone and Matt stopped her.

"I can't do that right now." He looked her dead in the eye.

"Well, you're sure going to – or do you want me to call CJ?" She put her hand on her hip.

"Carol, I seriously can't right now. I've got something important…" his voice left him. He looked at Hoyt and pointed between him and Carol.

"He really does, Carol. We can't tell you what's going on, but I swear to you, as soon as it's over I will personally take him where ever he needs to go to get it done."

She looked at both of them and tapped her toe. Matt's expression was serious and so was Hoyt's. "Oh alright. BUT…you will get to the hospital as soon as this is over. It's not something to play with, Matt. Do you understand? You've got a major infection going on. Your temp is 102 degrees and your blood pressure is on the low side. Yours usually runs a little lower than most people. If your temp spikes, your blood pressure will drop and you might well pass out. Just like that." She snapped her fingers. "I don't want you driving, understand?" He nodded. "I'm going to give you a shot of antibiotic and some prednisolone to help take down the swelling in your throat. But this is just a temporary fix. Those need to come out within forty eight hours. No excuses, no delays. Got it?" He nodded again. She turned to the cabinet at the back of the exam room and pulled out what she needed and started loading the syringes. "I'm going to need a hip." Matt unfastened his belt and the button on his jeans, then lowered the right side when she came back over. After swabbing the area with alcohol, she gave him the first shot. Hoyt saw him wince as the medicine went in. Then she grabbed the second syringe and gave him the other shot. "Alright, I mean it, Houston. Forty eight hours or less. I'll get you a prescription for more antibiotics filled and you can pick it up out front on your way out." He nodded again and tried to thank her but his voice was gone. "You're welcome, hon." Turning to Hoyt she said, "Keep him out of trouble…and good luck with whatever it is you two are doing." They both nodded and she left.

As they got in Hoyt's car, he looked over at Matt. "I guess you know this means you're being childish, right?" He grinned as Matt shot him yet another dirty look. "I'm just kidding. You've got to admit, it's usually kids that you hear about with tonsillitis." Matt nodded. "You know, this sore throat thing is kinda peaceful." Houston gave Hoyt a rude gesture. "Do it again and I'm gonna tell CJ." Matt tilted his head back and closed his eyes, sighing heavily. Just then his phone rang: CJ. He handed the phone over to Hoyt.

"Hi CJ. No, he's here he just can't talk. Literally. His voice is gone… As a matter of fact we just left there. He's got to get his tonsils out… Yep, that's what I told him and he… uh huh, that's exactly what he did." Hoyt grinned over at him. "Okay, hang on." He hit the speaker and laid the phone on the seat between them. "Go ahead."

"Matt, you better do what Carol said. When is he supposed to get them out, Michael?"

"She gave him a deadline of forty eight hours. We're kind of in the middle of something major and she agreed to give him that long but no longer."

"Ah hah. Well, I think this will be wrapped up here tomorrow and I'm going to fly out just as soon as possible. And Matt, I've got a big surprise for you." She had his attention. "I'm going to let you go, but you do what Carol tells you and I will be back just as quick as I can, hon. I love you."

Matt wanted so badly to tell her that he loved her, too but nothing would come out. "He says he loves you, too Babe." Michael had used Matt's pet term for CJ; he looked at his friend who nodded.

"Okay, you two be careful. 'Bye." She hung up and looked over at Vince and Rosa Novelli.

"Boy, this is a first. I've only seen him shot, stabbed, beaten up, and hit by cars but I've never seen him sick. I didn't think he did that." Vince grinned.