Voyager Shadows: Poor Little Rich Girl

Chapter 7: Swampland

Voyager Headquarters: Mid Morning

With Michelle Nelson running at his heels, Jeffrey stormed down the hall from Jaiden's Academy class to retrieve his omni and communicator from the complex. His face clouded over furious.

"Why didn't you say something sooner, Michelle? Why doesn't Bogg know about this?"

"I didn't realize you were back! Jeffrey, I'm very sorry, I couldn't tell Bogg about the Seekers, Councilor Garth put me under oath."

They rushed inside and Jeffrey swung around. "Oh sure, now you want to start obeying the Voyager Code, right? If you had warned Bogg earlier, this could have been avoided! And I don't care if I'm on the moon, if something's wrong where Bogg is concerned I want to know about it! That's why we have these!"

He shouted into his communicator. "May 4th 1964, Wisconsin. I want Natalie Powers' exact coordinates in the swamp right now!"

Michelle felt terrible. She made a mess of the entire situation from the beginning. "How could I warn him when I just found out last night? Don't you realize that my message could have been intercepted? I was scared. More than that, I was being cautious." She rubbed her face exhausted. "The time-line feed of my daughter's death keeps changing. Now her car is abandoned and she's found dead and battered off the edge of the swamp with a broken neck. Until Bogg saves her, it's going to keep pumping out vile information."

"Don't you think I know that? I'm not a rookie, Michelle! But Bogg may be in trouble too. What's his life-line status?"

"He's alive, Jeffrey. Which is more than I can say for my baby!" She shouted back at him, and then sank onto the couch in tears.

Jeffrey's gaze softened. He sat next to her and took her hand. "Michelle, I'm sorry. I don't mean to snap at you, its just…Bogg sent me a message after I finally apologized to him and now you tell me something like this. My nerves are still rattled from my last mission."

Michelle smiled wearily. "Believe me, I understand. Jeffrey, this is bigger than all of us, we can't even trust our own people at Headquarters. We may all be targets. Our candidates are targets! That's why I came to tell you in person. I need your help."

"You got it." Jeffrey shook his communicator. "Where are they? They are so damn slow!" He went to the closet and removed his taser. "VHQ may not want us to carry these all the time, but this is an emergency." He powered it up to maximum.

Michelle was not against the use of weaponry. "Whatever it takes, Jeffrey. The OCC is getting coordinates, they'll send them through your communicator any minute."

"Fine. But I just realized, how can we trust anyone?"

"Well right now we have to. Look, I had no idea Drake was involved, it was all speculation…it still is." She tugged his arm. "Listen to me, you cannot tell anyone about the Seekers, not yet."

"Michelle, at this point, I don't care about this hide and go seek crap! All I care about is finding Bogg and…" He stared at her care-worn, attractive face and calmed his temper again. "And helping to save Natalie. That's the mission, and she's one of our own now. Bogg plunges into every mission and risks life and limb, that's how much he cares…I care too."

Michelle hugged him. "I love you both. I know this won't fail with the two best on it."

~Oo~

Natalie turned her car off Skidmore Lane and brought it a stop to catch her bearings. She drove extra carefully in all the mud. After a few minutes of reflection, Natalie banged the steering wheel and re-started the engine. "This is ridiculous. Who cares about a stupid gang? I'm the stupid one for even coming out here! When Phineas finds my pillows he's gonna laugh in my face. He'll think I'm a total nerd."

She wanted to turn back. The muddy roads made it hard to navigate and she wondered how her friends fared driving to Oak ridge. The so-called 'rebellion' wasn't worth the hassle. She peered through her rear-view mirror and a chill trickled down her spine. She tried to tell herself that the black car two miles back wasn't following her. The car turned when she did. Less than a mile ahead the road forked, Natalie veered left fast and didn't realize her mistake until the surrounding area became dense with trees and brambles.

"NO! I needed to go right! Where is your head, Natalie?"

She listened carefully and the car still trailed behind. Her heart thudded. The car phone jangled and she answered fast.

"Hello?" She whispered.

"Natalie! I'm so glad you picked up. Why did you go out like that?"

"Phineas, I'm sorry! I wanted to meet the Hot Devils gang with some friends in Oak ridge. But I changed my mind. I'm trying to get home and I took a wrong turn. I'm not sure where I am now."

"Honey, it's okay, never mind that. I'm on your trail. Can you keep driving?"

"Yeah, but I think it's a dead end or something up ahead." She glanced behind her and the black car drove closer.

"I gotta go! He's coming."

"Nat! Nat! Wait! Hold on! Who's coming? Don't hang up!"

"How do you know where to find me? I don't even know where I am. Phineas, a car followed me out here and I'm trapped! What do I do?" She cried.

Phineas tried to stay calm for her. "Cut your lights now."

She did as she was told. "Okay! They're off."

"You can't stay in the car. I want you to ease out the passenger side and try not to make any noise. What's the other car doing?"

"It stopped, I can hardly see…wait…" Natalie shrieked. "He got out! I heard him!"

"Shh! Don't make any more sounds! I'm almost there, sweetheart, I just made a left fork turn off a deserted road."

"Yes! That's where I am!"

"Good, now quit talking to me. Get out – then make a run for the woods as fast as you can and hide. I will find you."

Tears streamed from her eyes. "Phineas! Who's out here with me? What's happening?"

"Never mind that, just do as I say, Natalie! Hang up! I'll be there! I promise!"

~Oo~

Natalie dropped the phone and shoved open her passenger door. Laying flat on her stomach, she slid off the leather seat until her hands touched the dirty ground. She crawled her way out of the car and rose up. She broke into a run. The pursuer heard dead vines and leaves snap and crunch.

"Natalie Powers, you can't hide from me!" He sneered through the darkness.

"Stop! Get away! Leave me alone!"

The person ran and picked up speed when she did. Natalie sprinted breathlessly through the forest. Branches and thorns smacked and scraped her. They tore at her clothes and mud sloshed everywhere. She couldn't stop to tend to wounds or wipe dirt off. Her feet sank in the mire past her ankles. The empty swampland continued for miles. She charged ahead and solid ground disappeared beneath her. She screamed as she flipped into the cold murky water and flailed around.

"Help me! Phineas! Where are you?" She screamed. Her feet couldn't touch the bottom. Grimy bits of weeds and marshy plants enveloped her.

Her pursuer stopped short of the water and laughed cruelly. She only saw his broad outline and a long trench coat. He methodically removed it.

"We got you right where we want you, pretty girl. You will never serve the Voyager cause! Never!" He snarled.

"What do you mean? What's a Voyager?" She wept and tried to swim farther away.

"That's something you'll never have to know!" The man dove after her, and grabbed her body as he went under.

"Let go! Phin…!" She burbled as she was dragged down.

Another man nose-dived from ten feet above and slammed into the water. Jeffrey Jones popped up from the middle of the agitated swamp. Natalie and her attacker burst to the surface. She screamed and fiercely clawed at his face. He cursed and held his cheek. She swam for Jeffrey.

"Hey! Help me!"

Jeffrey shook off the effects of the cosmic trip and lunged for her.

"Natalie, take my hand!"

"I can't reach!"

"Try!"

Their fingertips skimmed. Jeffrey was about to yank her arm when the man pulled her leg and thrust her under again.

"Natalie!" Jeffrey dove after them.

The man put her in a headlock, intent on snapping her neck. Natalie put up a valiant fight and she bit his arm hard and pulled off bits of flesh. The man loosened his grip in pain. Jeffrey kept his communicator light on to see through the murk. He swam close and tugged him off her. With a free arm he shoved Natalie away and she surfaced rapidly, gasping and choking.

Still underwater, Jeffrey gripped him across the waist. They plunged deeper and a new fight ensued.

Phineas dashed to the water and jumped in to save Natalie. Blue beams lit up the entire swamp and a few shot into the air. Headquarters sent in Voyager reinforcements.

"A taser!" Phineas looked around dazed as he shielded Natalie's body. "Stay down!" He held her tight and swam her to land. She grappled for anything solid and dragged herself up.

She pointed in shock. "There…there's…there's…another man down there! He saved me!"

"Wait here!" He plunged beneath the murk.

Phineas saw a faint communicator glow and Jeffrey reached out for his arm. Phineas grabbed him and aided him to the surface.

Jeffrey shook out his curls and heaved drafts of air. "Bogg! Bogg! I got him!"

"Jeff! Who? What the…"

Jeffrey submerged again and came up fast with the pursuer's body. "It's Drake! We finally caught the bastard!"

They swam the body to the mud and rolled him over. "Careful, this sludge has a high voltage in him." Jeffrey warned. "Watch out for his skin."

"The charges are not deadly once they've entered the body, but you're right, we're soaking wet." Phineas waved his communicator over the dead man's face, lighting it with a vivid green glow. He had black hair and Drake-like features, but looked no older than twenty-five.

"That's not him! Who the heck is that?" Jeffrey looked on confused.

Phineas sat back in the mud disheartened. "Probably someone Drake manipulated to take his place. A rogue Voyager maybe."

Jeffrey dug for the man's wallet. His Wisconsin State I.D wasn't issued by Voyager Headquarters. He grabbed the man's cuff and lifted his arm. "Edward Deslick? Doesn't ring a bell. He would have been in my graduating class. I don't recognize him." Jeffrey peered closer at his finger. "I knew it! Look at his ring. He's a Seeker. He's wearing the symbol. This loser died for his cause. Good riddance."

"What's a Seeker?" Bogg looked at Natalie. She wrapped her arms around her legs and rocked back and forth with sobs. "Forget it, tell me later. Whatever it is, it can't be good."

Jeffrey pushed damp hair away from his face. "It's worse than you think."

Phineas bristled. "I'm sure we'll be the first Voyagers to know about it. Thanks for dropping in. I might have been too late."

Jeffrey quickly hugged him. "Any time, Bogg. That's why we're partners. I'm glad Michelle told me."

Phineas crawled to Natalie and she scrambled over petrified. "Phineas! Keep him away from me!" She wailed and buried her face against his chest.

"It's okay, honey! It's okay! You're safe now! He's dead, look, look, he's dead." He turned Natalie's head and she stared dully at the body, and then at Jeffrey. Her shivers lessened.

"Who are you? Where did you come from? How did you know to find me here? Where's that light coming from?"

"I came to help Bogg, Natalie. And you." Jeffrey eased his way closer. He kept himself visible through the light and rubbed her arm consolingly. "My name is Jeffrey Jones. I'm a friend. Bogg and I are a team…on a special protection unit."

Natalie looked at both men peculiarly. "I knew Phineas wasn't a real Chauffeur! Are you…Voyagers? That's what the guy said to me. He said I'd never serve the Voyager cause. What does that mean?"

"I can't explain it all right now. But yes, Natalie. We are Voyagers." Phineas told her.

Jeffrey patted Phineas' back. "I can't stay, Bogg. Company's coming." He pointed through the trees and they saw a slew of headlights fast approaching and police sirens blared. "Try not to get yourself arrested again, okay?"

Phineas waved him off. "Yeah, I know, but this isn't Alabama '61. Go ahead. And Jeff, in case my message didn't get through, I forgive you."

"I know you do. I got the message loud and clear." He smiled.

Natalie grasped Jeffrey's arm. "Wait! Please don't leave us, please stay."

Jeffrey's heart went out to her as she cried. He brushed the muddy hair off her cheeks and gently cupped her chin. "Natalie, I have to go. Don't worry, you're with Bogg, he's the best man you could ever have as a protector. Trust me on that one, because I'm alive to tell you he is. He's my best friend, he's my family."

She glanced up at Phineas and smiled teary-eyed. "I know he's the best…and now I think you are too. Will I ever see you again?"

Jeffrey grinned bashfully and kissed the top of her head. "Thanks, kid. You just might. Will you be okay?"

Phineas held Natalie's head close to his shoulder and stroked her hair; she closed her eyes tight and nodded. She suddenly didn't feel cold anymore. Phineas pulled the omni off his waistband and it finally rang a green light. He looked up gratefully.

"She'll be fine now. I'm sure of it."

~Oo~

Kevin bounded through the mud. He yanked Natalie out of Phineas' arms. "You stay far away from my daughter you sick, perverted…officers, arrest him now! I can't believe I trusted you with her care!"

"Wait, Kevin, you don't understand!" Phineas objected.

The Sheriff pulled out his cuffs and slapped them on his wrists. Natalie came to her senses and jumped between them.

"Dad! No! Don't!" She blocked Phineas. "He didn't do anything! He saved my life, he and Jeffrey…uhh, no, he saved me, dad!"

"Natalie, you're in shock and you don't know what your saying! Who's Jeffrey?"

"Our friend…No…Yes, he is! And yes I do know!" She screamed. "Look! Look over there! That was the guy following me. He tried to drown me and strangle me!"

Kevin stared disgusted and shocked at the body and then gazed at Phineas. "Is this true?"

Phineas nodded. "Yes, Kevin. Natalie snuck out of the mansion to meet friends, and I had a bad feeling so I followed her. I'm glad I did."

Barbara trudged through the mud in her rain boots. She pointed at Phineas. "You got him! Good! Take him away, Sheriff. He seduced a young girl! Thank goodness I caught him in time last week."

Natalie's anger blazed. "Liar! You're the one who seduced him! Why don't you tell my dad all about your trysts with all the hired help in the bungalow! Phineas was the only one who stood up to you and put you in your place! He would never hurt me or my father!"

Natalie jumped at Barbara and knocked her in the mud. Phineas and Kevin had to drag her off while Barbara screamed.

"Natalie, get a hold of yourself!" Kevin shouted.

"You evil little brat! How dare you!" Barbara wiped mud off her chest and face. "You are still going to get what's coming to you!"

Natalie stared deep into her eyes and shuddered at the malevolence she saw. "It was you all the time! You set this whole thing up, didn't you? You knew this was going to happen! Always threatening me with Boarding School! You wanted me out of the way and you tried to get Phineas in trouble with dad! All you want is dad's fortune!"

She implored Kevin. "You have to believe me, daddy! Please don't arrest Phineas."

Phineas couldn't let her lose any more control. She was liable to have a nervous breakdown. "Natalie! Stop! Let them do what they feel is right. We both know I'm innocent. We'll clear this up at the police station." Despite his cuffs, Phineas hugged her. "Please, sweetheart. You had a bad trauma so don't make it worse. It will be okay. You'll see."

Natalie took a few deep breaths and nodded. The benevolent effect this man had on his daughter amazed Kevin. He should have been the one comforting Natalie like this. He wanted to cry with her, but he couldn't out here. There was always a time and place for everything.

"Okay…Sheriff, I drop the charges. Let him go."

"Whatever you say, Mr. Powers."

A lanky deputy crouched beside the body with a flashlight. "Does anyone know who this man is? Or why he was chasing the girl? There are signs of a bad struggle on this one." He fished out his wallet and studied the contents. "Hey, Powers, I think he's one of yours!"

"What do you mean?" Kevin came nearer.

"He has an I.D for one of your Wine breweries."

"He must be a new hire, I don't get to meet them all right away. I'm still inspecting the beer employees."

Natalie showed them her hands. Her fingernails were chipped and bloodied. "Look, I got his face. Daddy, if Phineas attacked me, he would have been scratched. See? I bit his arm too!"

"Then this sad sack here is definitely your perp. He's got four claws across his cheek and a chunk of flesh missing on his right arm. Woah, are those burn marks?" The deputy went to roll him over and jumped back. He wagged his hand and blew on his fingers. "Yowie! The man shocked me, Sheriff!"

"Shocked? You mean he's still alive?" The Sheriff asked alarmed.

"No! But he's more charged than a live wire, don't touch him yet. Darndest thing I ever saw."

When Barbara finally saw the body she let out a stifled cry. "Ohh, Edward!"

Kevin glared hotly at her. "Edward? You actually know this monster?"

"It's not what you think, honey! I know him from town, that's all! He worked at your brewery; he came for an interview one day. Yes, he did and…and you weren't home. I can't believe he would try and hurt Natalie!"

Kevin struggled to control himself. "I bet you can't! You know what I believe? I believe my daughter! I believe Phineas Bogg…I believe everybody but you! Officers, take this woman away for conspiracy to commit murder. My daughter's murder!"

"What? Are you joking? I'm your wife! You'd take this Voyager's word over your mine?" Barbara yelled.

Phineas glared at her. Something was definitely wrong with this picture if she knew about Voyagers. With all the chaos and shouting, Kevin missed the word, but Natalie didn't. She glanced at Phineas and he quickly put a finger to his lips.

Kevin shook her up furious. "I'll believe anyone over you! And as of tomorrow, or as fast as I can get the papers, we are no longer married! My wife died three years ago, you are nothing. A bad mistake. One that I mean to correct any way I can!"

The Sheriff scratched his head at all the high drama but he did as Kevin asked and brought her to the squad car in handcuffs.

"You don't know what he is! Bogg was going to ruin everything! Kevin, they want to destroy the world! They want to change history! Kevin! They're using your daughter for their cause! Listen to me! It's all in the Seeker book! I'll show you!" She kicked and yelled as they shoved her in the backseat.

The deputy sighed and removed Phineas' handcuffs. He regretted that such a beautiful woman like her was a raving lunatic. A deputy dispatcher called in. They apprehended the Hot Devils gang and a few teens in Oak ridge trying to loot the town. One of the gang members was shot.

"Oh boy. Okay, we're on it, Ned. We just made an arrest off Skidmore Lane. Yep, at the swamps. Call the hospital; we need an ambulance out here. We got ourselves a cold one too. This is a helluva night!"

Kevin turned to Phineas and they shook hands briskly. "I'm very sorry for all this, Bogg. You saved my daughter. I can never repay you in a million years."

Phineas smiled relieved. "I don't want to be repaid, Kevin. But I sure could use a hot shower and a warm bed."

Kevin grinned and helped him through the mud with Natalie hugging his side. "The sky's the limit. You're the brother I wish I had." He kissed Natalie's head and she kissed his cheek. "Let's all go home."