Chapter Twenty Eight.

Thunder Falls, Outside Weaver,

Washington State,

"Lady, are you out of your tiny little mind!" Frank raged, his beady black eyes wide and glittering dangerously in his flushed face, his features now contorted into an expression of horror, disbelief and pure unadulterated rage.

He had remained nervous, edgy, guarded, still spooked by the eerie, inexplicable noise that they had heard a while ago, as they continued to ascend, making good progress with the steady, even pace that Bridget had set.

As the terrain had grown steeper and it had become harder to keep from slipping, or they had to pick their way around or over jagged rock formations, Frank had taken the lead, Bridget instructing him which way to go, and grudgingly accepting his help over the trickier sections of the steeper, more slippery obstacles.

As they progressed, it became harder and harder to ignore the thunderous roar, getting louder and louder the higher they climbed. A constant, all encompassing rumbling sound that filled the head and wore away at the nerves.

Bridget knew that Frank could hear it too, and for a while she could tell from his manner that he thought that it was the same almost supernatural noise that they had heard earlier, and she began to wonder if he thought that it was some kind of ghost, or an ancient Indian spirit dogging his footsteps, and she was happy to let his mind conjure up all kinds of demons and horrors for him, until, wild eyed and completely spooked, Frank had finally asked: "What the hell is that?"

"Just a little waterfall," she had told him innocently and had never been more grateful to see the outline of the dilapidated buildings of the Rangers Station just coming in to view. Frank too had seen the buildings looming on the distant crest and had given her a wary look.

"Rangers Station. Don't worry, it's been abandoned for years," she had assured him.

"You wouldn't be yanking my chain now, would you, Midge?" Frank had raised the knife so that she could see it clearly, the threat obvious.

"We have a deal, Frank."

"Yeah, we have a deal," he had smiled maliciously at her then returned the knife to the waistband of his jeans, giving her another rough shove to encourage her to move on.

As they got closer Frank had forged ahead, leaving Bridget to fend for her self on the last few feet to the top of the crest, and then she had spent several minutes getting her breath back and waiting for Frank to return from his investigation of the run down cluster of buildings.

His sour expression had told her that he had been disappointed and had not found whatever it was he had been looking for and then he had given her another rough shove, grunting out: "Get movin'!"

As they got closer and closer to the Falls Bridget could feel her legs starting to shake and quiver with every step, not with fatigue, but sheer terror, and she found herself confronted with the possibility that her nerves would fail her at the last moment.

She did not want to die.

With every step she kept thinking of all the things that she wanted to do with her life and how much she had missed out on.

She still had so much to offer, and so much to do, not the least of which was learning to be a good mother to Kenny.

As she forced each foot in front of the other and her legs to carry her onward, Bridget found herself getting more and more angry, at Frank, and she found herself hanging on to that fury, fuelling it with her rage at being denied the chance to see her nephew grow into a wonderful young man, perhaps even raising a family of his own one day, and for robbing her of one last chance to find someone to share all of that and the rest of her life with.

Some one like Zee McVey for instance, who she knew had had a crush on her since they were kids.

Faced with the realization that she was about to die, Bridget finally allowed herself to accept that she too had had feelings for Zee McVey for a very long time. She had always resisted the temptation to get involved with him, wanting to concentrate on establishing her business, always telling herself that there would be time later, when the shop and the bakery were doing well, to turn her attention to more domestic matters.

Zee was sweet, and she had liked him and admired him since they were children, and she had respected him and been more than grateful to him for taking George's carvings and extending him a little credit in the store from time to time.

He was a good friend too, and whilst he wasn't the most attractive man on the planet and she wasn't much to write home about herself, he did have a certain charm, and she knew that he cared about her.

She silently had to concede that it would not take much for her to fall in love with Zee.

They had known each other for a long time, and they understood each other, and whilst she didn't think it would turn out to be the romance of the century, she knew that Zee would bend over backwards to ensure her happiness, and in turn, she would do everything in her power to make sure that he was happy and contented too.

Zee was a good man, a solid citizen with a heart of gold and a good businessman with a strong work ethic.

Despite his rather intimidating appearance, Zee was a kind, gentle, generous man who would treat her like a queen and make sure that Kenny got everything that a growing boy needed as well as love and friendship and a roof over his head.

All of this was to be denied her because of this cold, callous, selfish, thug. A stranger who had barged in to her life and turned it upside down inside of twenty four hours and who didn't give a damn about anything except saving his own skin.

As her rage intensified, Bridget clung to it, using it to drive her onward, telling herself that the world would be a far better place with one less Frank in it, and that she had no choice.

Frank would have no qualms about killing her.

Deal or no deal, he could not afford to leave even one witness alive or his new future in Canada would always be blighted with the fear that one day some cop would come knocking on his door.

Which ever way she looked at it, Bridget knew that she was dead and the more she thought about, with every step, the more determined she became that if she was going to die, she was damn well going to take Frank with her.

Now as they stood on an overhanging cliff looking down at the wall of water that fell over the precipice into the swirling, foaming white torrent below, Bridget felt her heart somersault in her breast as she realized that the moment of truth was upon her.

"Lady, you call that a little waterfall!" Frank seethed, eyes casting around, seeking some other escape route, or some other option, but it quickly became apparent to him that there were only two options, to go on, or turn back.

"Hey, c'mon now, it's hardly Niagara," Bridget smiled innocently and shrugged casually, praying that he would not see just how terrified she was.

"You're crazy, lady!"

"I told you it would be rough," she reminded. "And if you're not up to it …."

"It's suicidal you crazy bitch!" he screamed in to her face, and Bridget flinched in response, taking a defensive step away from him, until she realized that it took her even closer to the edge, knowing that on any other day, with any other companion, she would have heartily agreed with him.

"It's the only way, Frank," Bridget forced herself to suck in a calming breath, willing herself to keep her nerve and not give herself away.

"Once we're across the Falls, it's a pretty straight forward climb all the way to the top of the mountain, and once you're on the other side, you're in Canada," she steadily held his gaze.

"It's your choice. You can cross the Falls and be on your way to Canada, freedom and a new life, or, you can turn around and head back down the mountain, straight into the arms of the law," she paused for a moment to get her breath and to allow Frank time to take in what she had said and to weigh up the options.

"It's up to you," she told him with an edge of defiance in her voice and an unmistakable challenge in her eyes.

"You're kidding me!" Frank raged in disbelief, knowing that he was caught between a rock and a hard place.

Suddenly, his hand snapped out before him and he grabbed a handful of Bridget's clothes, roughly hauling her close to him, his hot breath fanning Bridget's face as he glared angrily at her.

"Have you ever done this before?" he demanded, dragging her closer to the edge. "Have you ever tried to get across?"

"Sure," Bridget lied, maintaining eye contact with Frank. "When I was a kid."

"You're lyin'!" Frank seethed, pulling Bridget closer to the edge. "No-one could cross that!" he accused, spitting in her face. "You scheming, conniving, sly bitch! You're tryin' to trick me! You thought fool Frank would fall for your lies and go along with you, and maybe break his damn neck out there?"

"I'm not trying anything!" Bridget gasped as Frank dragged her even closer to the edge of the overhang over looking Thunder Falls, pushing her backward so that her head was hanging over the edge and, too terrified to scream, she had no choice but to look down at the wall of water tumbling over the precipice.

"There's a ledge!" Bridget screamed out at last, her heart hammering wildly in her chest and pounding in her ears as she watched the churning whirlpool of foaming water at the bottom of the gorge, and felt the ice cold spray rising like a cloud, caressing her flushed cheeks.

"Dammit, listen to me!" she squealed, her arms flaying around as she tried to keep from falling backwards over the edge, dizzy and disorientated, adrenalin flooding through her and making her feel very sick. "Behind the main flow, there's a ledge," she managed to gasp out. "I swear I wasn't trying to trick you!" she sobbed brokenly, but he did not look convinced.

"Listen to me, Frank, why would I offer to guide you if I knew it was too dangerous and there was a chance that I wouldn't make it? I'm not that dumb! Didn't I tell you that I would do anything to live? I want to see my boy again! I want to have this baby! I don't want to die, Frank, please, believe me! I don't want to die!"

Bridget sobbed as she pleaded with Frank, praying that he would hear the sincerity in her voice, because the last part, about wanting to see Kenny again, and not wanting to die, were the truth.

"You swear," Frank took another step closer to the edge, dragging Bridget out further so that her shoulders were almost clear of the overhang.

"Yes!" she screamed.

"On your kid's life?" Frank sneered, pushing her a little further backward, and closing her eyes briefly, Bridget found herself offering up a silent prayer to her Maker that he would forgive her for what she was about to do, not wanting to die with a deliberate lie on her lips, but knowing that she had no other choice.

She had one hand free, concealed behind her back, and she quickly crossed her fingers.

She knew that Frank was talking about Kenny's life, but she deliberately misunderstood as she opened her eyes and forced herself to look straight into Frank's beady black eyes.

"Yes. I swear. On my baby's life, I swear!"

Just as suddenly as he had grabbed her and thrust her out over the edge, Frank was hauling her back toward him, spinning her around at the last minute so that she was a safe distance from the edge with her back to the Falls when she finally regained her balance.

"You'd better not be lyin' to me, Midge. God fearin' woman like you, you should know what that would mean."

"I know," Bridget panted raggedly, hatred in her eyes as she fixed them on Frank's unforgiving countenance. "I'll take my chances with Him when the time comes."

She leaned forward, heaving dryly and trying to drag air into her lungs, willing her shaking legs not to let her down then she raised her head once more and gave Frank a silent, meaningful look.

"Well, don't just stand there, Midge. Let's get on with it!" Frank threw back his head and laughed raucously. "But don't try anything stupid," he warned, pulling himself together quickly, his meaning clear as his hand again gravitated toward the hilt of the knife in the waistband of his pants. "So where is this ledge?"

"We have to go down. You can't see it from here," she told him breathlessly. "It's set back in the cliffs, behind the water. We have to get level with the top of the Falls, then you'll see it."

0-0-0-0

"Where the hell are they, Cait?" Hawke demanded once Dominic Santini had Airwolf airborne.

"Hey, I thought I was the designated driver!" Santini turned his head slightly to give his young friend a meaningful look. "You sit back and relax and enjoy the ride, and let me worry about finding Pea brain!" he grinned at Hawke, very much aware that the younger man did not like having to relinquish control and take a back seat.

In return, Hawke gave Santini one of his patented frosty glares and clamped his lips shut, although Santini could see that it was killing him to keep quiet and do as he was told.

"Now, as I was sayin' where they hell are they, Cait?"

"Still heading in a southerly direction, and still ascending."

"What?" Hawke frowned, surprised to find that Frank and his hostage where not where they were supposed to be. "They're not making for the border?"

"No. They're heading back down the mountain, back toward Weaver, only they're climbing," Caitlin confirmed.

"Kenny!" Hawke snarled through clenched teeth.

"Hey, take it easy, String," Santini warned, giving the younger man another pointed look, silently reminding him that the boy was probably terrified out of his wits after everything that he had been through in the last twenty four hours.

"Talk to me, Kenny!" Hawke ignored Santini's warning. "Where's she taking him?" he growled.

"I don't know!" Kenny squeaked in reply, and Caitlin found herself reaching out to lay a reassuring hand on the boy's knee.

"I'm sorry, Kenny," Hawke sighed deeply, realizing that he had been too harsh and wishing that he could swivel around in his seat so that he could give the boy an apologetic look. "I'm not mad at you," he told the child sincerely. "But we need to figure out what Midge is thinking, and where she's taking Frank."

"I know." Kenny sighed softly, obviously disappointed that he was letting down his new found friends. "I've never been down that way," he explained.

"Ok," Hawke sighed deeply once more. "Cait, put up a topographical map and let's see if we can figure this out."

"Say kid, why haven't you ever been that way?" Dominic Santini was curious to know, well aware that with the whole mountain on his doorstep, any boy would be curious to see as much of it as he could and explore it to its very boundaries, and for Kenny not to have gone in a particular direction, there must have been a specific reason.

"My Dad wouldn't let me."

"Why not?" Hawke asked now, also realizing that a kid as curious and spunky as Kenny would have thoroughly explored every inch of his domain.

"Because it's too dangerous."

"What's too dangerous?" Hawke and Santini spoke in unison.

"Thunder Falls."

"Thunder what?"

"Hawke!" Caitlin gasped, drawing Hawke's attention as she put up the topographical map that he had called for and saw exactly what the boy was referring to filling the screen.

"Caitlin?"

"Oh boy! It's a waterfall at the head of some kind of gorge, Hawke, approximately two kilometers southwest, elevation one thousand five hundred meters and approximately one hundred feet wide by ninety feet deep," Caitlin filled him in quickly. "There are also some buildings approximately half a kilometer away from the Falls," she added.

"Kenny?"

"It's the old Rangers Station. It was closed a long time ago when they decided that the Falls were too dangerous. The Falls are meant to be out of bounds because the water is very fast and very cold and the rocks are crumbling away around the edges. Most folks around here know it's too dangerous and they stay away."

"One hundred feet is one helluva drop," Santini mused out loud. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" he turned to Stringfellow Hawke, a startled expression on his face.

"Yeah, Dom. I told her she'd have the advantage out here because she knows these hills and Frank doesn't. I think she's planning to sacrifice herself, and take Frank with her," Hawke intoned gruffly.

"Oh hell!"

"Yeah. Right. We have to get there, ASAP, Dom!"

"You got it!" Santini confirmed adjusting both the collective and the cyclic to gain altitude and increase speed.

0-0-0-0

Bridget Goodwin stepped down onto a narrow patch of flat, gravel covered earth, dislodging a handful of small stones which disappeared over the edge and out of sight in the swirling spray and water below, and moved aside to allow Frank to join her.

She reached out to the rocks beside her which formed part of the rock wall on either side of Thunder Falls, her chest heaving as she dragged in air after the perilous climb down, feeling their slickness beneath her palm, wet from spray and lush mosses and lichen, and a cloud of ice cold spray waft across her flushed and perspiration dewed face.

Frank too was breathing hard as he stepped closer to the edge of the narrow ledge, kicking more loose stones over the edge to disappear into the swirling, raging torrent below without causing so much as a splash or a ripple in the already agitated water.

The noise was deafening so talking was pointless, but as he turned back to look at her, Bridget understood the question she saw in his glittering eyes and still clinging to the rocks with one hand, she pointed to the fast flowing main cascade as it tumbled over the brink, indicating to where she thought the ledge they needed to get to was located.

Frank peered closely into the hypnotizing wall of water, scrunching up his eyes to try to look beyond the surge of water but Bridget could see that there were no breaks in the flow, and she offered up a silent prayer of thanks that her bluff seemed to be working and that her deception had not yet been revealed to Frank.

When he turned back to look at her, Bridget could see the indecision in his eyes, and so she decided to take the bull by the horns and with a long, deep sigh of resignation, gently pushed off from the rock formation and carefully easing her way past Frank began to search for the next safe place to descend the final few feet so that they would be on the same level as the top of the Falls and they could begin to cross.

With the sure and certain knowledge that in a few minutes she was going to die, Bridget found her whole body quaking with terror, the breath catching in the back of her throat as she picked her way slowly down and down, feeling her feet slipping on the slick rocks and the rising spray dampening her hair and her clothes.

This was it.

Just a few more feet ….

And then what?

How the hell should I know!

I'm sorry Kenny. I love you.

They had just reached the periphery of the cascade of water when suddenly, despite the deafening roar of the Falls, the whole mountain was filled with that strange, machine/animal kind of beating sound, booming and ricocheting off the rock walls, disturbing the air and the equilibrium, and out of the corner of her eye, Bridget saw Frank's panicked reaction as he too recognized the sound.

"What the hell is that!" he screamed, eyes wide and wild, seeking out the source of that supernatural sound which was also sending a shiver down Bridget's spine as she shook her head carefully, indicating that she had no idea what was making that racket.

She didn't know what it was, and she didn't care right now, she was just grateful for the distraction.

"Let's go!" she screamed back at him, wanting him out there, closer to the waterfall, praying that panic and paranoia would make him careless and that perhaps he would lose his footing and fall without her having to intervene, seeing a chance for her to get out of this without having to sacrifice herself. "C'mon! Keep moving!"

As he looked back at her, Bridget could see that Frank had the look of a trapped animal, scenting death on the air, eyes wide and filled with rage and terror, and panic stricken he suddenly grabbed her arm and shoved her roughly out onto a slick piece of jagged rock that jutted out into the abyss.

"Hurry up, bitch!" he snarled into her face, his fingers biting into the delicate flesh at the top of Bridget's arm as he raised the knife in his other hand, waving it in front of her face as he shoved her again, encouraging her to take another step toward the wall of constantly moving water. "Don't try anything stupid! If I go, you go with me!"

Yeah, pal, that's the plan!