CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE

Hormones

"You were right the house will be the perfect spot to lie low. Nadir sighed, "I got the car stuck in those craters you call a driveway, Erik. I had forgotten you had restored that place.

"You know, I don't regret our stay here in the cave. I found some mushrooms last night that are extremely rare. Guess I owe Ratcatcher."

Nadir shot a satisfied glance around the cave. "Looks like no modern human was ever here."

"Darius, take a limb and sweep the cave floor behind you." Erik ordered as he picked up his rucksack.

In his peripheral vision, he noticed that Darius had shouldered Ms Daae's backpack as well as his own. The young Iranian shyly shook his head, stepping aside when she reached out to take it.

Nadir grinned, "Youth. Looks like Darius has found someone fancy."

Erik grumbled, throwing out an elegant hand, "We don't have time for such Mickey Mouse sentiments,"

The Phantom strode over to relieve Darius of his burden. He then threw it at a confused Christine.

"I would like to leave any time." The Phantom snarled.

"I could stay here and you wouldn't be a bit late," hands on her hip; Christine glared at the masked man, her tone sickly sweet.

"And I could use the knock out serum.. again," Erik retorted.

Ignoring the red splotches on the woman's face, Erik exited the cave entrance. With a martyred sigh, he stopped and impatiently waited for Christine to catch up with him.

Nadir shouldered his pack, muttering darkly, "Whenever you two get within speaking distance of one another, it feels like Desert Storm all over again."

Hawke nonchalantly listened in on the foreman's conversation. Nothing. The man actually seemed to expect him to eavesdrop.

Now Connie was a different matter, she just had to giggle and every red-blooded male on a horse found their way to her resting spot.

Hawke's visage darkened, 'she had better be careful', he thought.

The brunette actress had rolled her pants legs up and was splashing water on her face. It looked to the disgruntled brave as if she was deliberately allowing some of the liquid to dampen her shirt.

"How you gentlemen stay on a horse all day is beyond me. I guess you are mighty big and strong all over…er, your leg muscles must be mighty big and strong," Eyes all innocence, Connie prattled on delicately downing a flavored drink offered by a Fabio look-alike.

Hawke strangled on his water, she didn't just say that?"

"This exercise is good for me but I need something to keep my mind occupied. I work better that way. I'm sure y'all get paid by how much we do, right?"

She looked over the cliffs to the calm ocean. "You think I would be able to take a swim today? That is if I can borrow a bikini."

"I'll be glad to take you, Connie," the lanky blond smiled.

Hawke didn't miss the group reaction to the word bikini.

"Is there anything interesting at all around here," she reached out and picked a leaf off Fabio junior's shirt, leaving her hand on his arm.

"You're the most exciting thing to happen in a long time," the foreman leered.

Eager to oust his superior, one of the younger men interrupted, "We did have some excitement last night, Sorelli's healers came in…"

Connie lowered her lashes as the older man elbowed the newcomer in the solar plexus.

"Nice work Einstein, the information is good but how are you going to dodge lover-boy?" Hawke had impatiently waited until they were alone once more.

"That time of the month?"

"Ai yi yi," Hawke placed a palm to his aching forehead.

Carlotta closed the book she had finished reading to Anya. Pulling the soft blanket to the sleeping child's chin she ignored the pain racking her pelvis as she tip-toed across the room to close the shutters and lock the window.

Preparing to check Cole, she heard a floorboard creak in the hall. Freezing she felt her stomach clench. The Vandykes were in the workshop! Backing up to the wall, she grasped her crutch firmly.

The door knob slowly turned. Shooting a quick look at Anya, Carlotta waited for the intruder. The door opened to a darkened hall. A shadowy figure crept in. With a rebel yell, Carlotta swung the crutch.

A muffled 'oomph' met her ears, as the figure hunched over. Preparing to strike again she heard a strangled voice cough, "I really did want to be a father some day."