Reposting Chapter 12 as somehow it got deleted in favor of Chapter 13 twice.

Toni squirmed in the saddle trying to get more comfortable, but gave up as the hand around her waist tightened painfully. Guessing by the fading light, she thought that she must have been on the horse for at least six hours.

Roy had driven them to to the entrance of Spooner Park. He had a horse waiting. Taping Toni's wrists together he lifted her on to the horse and swung up behind her. He had guided the horse into the back country where the trails completely disappeared and the horse struggled over rocky ground; it would be hard for Matt and the Rangers to track them. "They will find me," Toni thought fiercely. "Nobody is better".

Suddenly Roy pulled the horse to a stop and used one arm to lower Toni from the saddle. Her legs were so stiff that she almost collapsed, but pure pride and anger kept her upright. Roy jumped off the horse, the rilfe that he slung across his back bouncing with his landing. His jacket opened and Toni saw the butt of a large semi-automatic hand gun in his waist band. Grabbing Toni by the arm pulled her toward a tree. There, he taped her legs at the ankles. He tossed her an emergency blanket, a meal bar and a bottle of water. Toni wanted to spit the food back at her captor, but she knew better; she needed to keep up her energy – she needed to stay strong until she was rescued. She ate the bar and drank the water, realizing that she was still terribly thirsty. She watched Roy as he made a similar meal and then, rolled up into a sleeping bag and went to sleep. There in the dark, with the moon shining down, Toni permitted herself to cry, tears running slightly down her cheeks as she stifled her sobs with the blanket.
_

"Let's break for the night," Matt ordered the team. "Its too dark. They can't be moving anymore either." The team dismounted and made camp with practiced ease. The team ate their dinner and settled down – everybody but Matt, who walked a bit away from the camp...he needed to think.

"Son," Jesse had followed him. Matt could not help but smile at the fact that as good as he knew he was, his father was still so quiet that he could sneak up on him. "You did the right thing," Jesse said. "I know you wanted to keep going, but its not safe."

Matt nodded. "We need to gain ground on them and I'm not sure that we have been."

"We'll get an early start tomorrow, Son. They have one horse for two people, they will not be moving as fast." Jesse looked at his son, standing straight and tall and looking into the night. "Matt," he asked quietly. "Are you OK? How are you holding up?"

Matt opened his mouth to retort, but then realized what his father was asking. Matt replied, "It's sore, but not so bad. I can manage. I'll be OK."

Jesse had always been proud of both of his sons, but in that moment, seeing the quiet strength and dignity in his son, his heart swelled. Gently putting his hand on Matt's shoulder, he said, "We 'll find her, son. She will be OK. She's smart and strong and she'll know that you are coming for her."

Matt just nodded, staring into the darkness, trying to see some trace of his quarry and of the woman who had come to mean so much to him.
_

Toni shivered in the cold dampness of the morning, the emergency blanket providing no protection from the chill that seeped all the way to the bone.

"Lets go," Roy ordered, tossing her another bar and bottle of water. He cut the tape on her ankles and pulled her up. Toni was so stiff and cold from being on the ground all day that she almost cried out in pain, but she bit her lip, hard and staied quiet. Again, Roy lifted her on to the horse, getting up behind her.

"Where are we going?" Toni asked.

"Shut up," was the only reply.

Toni did as she was told, but she looked back at the tree where she had spent the night and saw the shiny metal wrapper peeking out from under the rock where she had placed it...maybe...if she was very lucky, it would help Matt and the Rangers.
_

"Hold up," Jesse called out as he dismounted. He knelt down, examining the ground. "They were here," he said with certainty. "This is where they spent the night." Jesse, Matt and the Rangers had been riding for about forty five minutes when Jesse had spotted something on the ground. "Its wrapper," he said lifting it up for the team to see, "it was wedged under a rock." He looked at the shiny piece of foil for a moment longer, "Good girl, Toni," he mumbled.

Matt looked around, trying to gauge Roy's direction from where he and Toni had settled last night. "I think, he'll try to make to Newton's Plateau," he said, his eyes following the rise of a several hundred foot hill with a wide expanse of meadow on top."He'll have the view of the entire valley from there."

Jesse nodded, agreeing with his son. "Yes, If he gets up there, he would be able to pick us off as we moved through the valley and up the hill."

Matt frowned, he had been thinking the same thing. He was not going to risk his men needlessly. "There may be a way...," he said speculatively.
_

It had taken them until after noon to get to the top of the plateau. Again, Roy lifted Toni off the horse and taped her ankles together. She was sitting, leaning on a rock. She was hot, tired and felt a little dizzy; she knew that it was from dehydration as she had only had a few bottles of water over the last twenty four hours. She was looking down into the valley and had to blink her eyes several times to make sure that she saw what she thought she did. There...small against the backdrop, seven people on horseback. Matt and the Rangers...she knew it!. She quickly pulled her eyes away, but it was too late; Roy had seen them too.

He unslung his rifle, assumed a sniper's position on the his belly on the grass and took aim.

Toni's heart raced, she couldn't let Matt and the Rangers get hurt. Just as Roy was drawing the bead and as she saw his finger just touch the trigger, she made her move. She literally threw herself at Roy; she could not stand, but standing on her knees, she launched herself on top of Roy. The shot went wild, echoing until it faded away. Roy lost hold of the gun and Toni saw it tumble down the hill.

Roy grabbed Toni off his back and threw her on the ground. He reached for his handgun. Toni wanted to close her eyes so she would not see her death, but forced herself to keep them open. Instead, Roy swung and hit her on the side of the head, stunning her and causing her to see stars.
_

The Rangers had heard the shot. They were all immediately off their horses, their weapons drawn. "There...it came from there," Hart breathers, pointing up the hill.

"That's where they are," Matt said, his face composed, but Jesse saw the tension in the jaw muscles. "He's armed and dangerous and he has Toni. We approach with weapons drawn. He is dangerous and unpredictable." Matt took a deep breath. "Don't take chances. Be safe. I need you all go be able to go home after this."

Toni came to and realized that not only were her hands now tied behind her back, her mouht was taped. Roy towered over her. "That was stupid. But that's OK. Your boyfriend will be here soon and it will be all over." Toni shut her eyes and tried to not see or hear her tormentor. She must have lost consciousness again, because the next thing she rememvered was Roy hauling her up. "Come on, Toni," he whispered in her ear. "Its show time."

Matt and the team had positioned themselves beneath the overhang on the far side of the plateau. They were now using hand signals only. Matt signaled the team to make their way around and to come up to encircle Roy and Toni. The team nodded and proceeded to take their places.

"Matt," Roy called out, tauntingly. "I have her and I have the high ground. There is no way that you can sneak up on me." He had Toni in a hard grip with the gun pressed under her jaw. "Any sudden move, and I will blow her pretty head clean off," he continued to taunt.

Matt took his sniper's rifle and released the safety. He took the last few steps and stood on the plateau facing Roy. "Let her go, Roy," he commanded. "Your fight is with me." Matt saw Toni standing stock still. He knew he was an expert marksman; he was going to have to be. One inch off his aim..."Roy," he called out again. "You don't want to do this. This doesn't have to end this way."

"Not going to happen. You will fail this one, Matt. You will fail this test. The great Matt Hawkes will fail the most important test of his life." Roy shoved the gun harder into the soft tissue under Toni's chin. She did not mean to, but she let out a small whimper.

Matt was focused on Roy. His gun was aimed and he was just waiting for his chance. For a moment, his eyes met Toni's, then his finger moved purposefully to the trigger.

Pleasae let me know your thoughts. i really wanted to give Matt some additional time and really show him in both a leadership position and also being an officer of the law. I think that in his role, he should be ready to use a weapon to save a life. I want a little bit of him not flinching in the face of danger and tension...it would be something that he and his father would share. As always, I am so ver grateful for your time to read and review this.