A/N HI ALL OF YOU! THANK YOU FOR ALL REWIEWS AND E-MAILS, IT IS NICE TO KNOW THAT THERE IS SOMEONE WHO LIKES ALSO THIS CRAZY PRODUCT OF MY MIND :-) HERE IS THE SO-LONG PROMISED NEXT CHAPTER. HAVE FUN WHEN READING IT...IF YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS, CRITICISM, COMPLIMENTS, WANT TO ASK ANYTHING, OR JUST WANT TO LEAVE A MESSAGE, FEEL FREE AND REWIEV.
FEW TECHNICAL COMMENTS – WORDS BETWEEN   OR WRITTEN IN CURSIVE MEANS WHAT IS SOMEBODY THINKING, BUT NOT TELLING, OR WHEN REFERING TO FIREBALL AS TO HIM. – BECAUSE OF IS GOING A LITTLE CRAZY TO POSSIBILITIES. MY ENGLISH IS SAME BAD AS TILL NOW, SO PLEASE BE TOLERANT, IT IS DIFFICULT TO WRITE IN A DIFFERENT LANGUAGE, WITH DICTIONARY PERMANENT ON MY KNEES  I TRIED TO PUT AWAY AS MANY MISTAKES AS POSSIBLE, BUT STILL....

LAST COMMENT: I DO NOT OWN NOTHING, I HAVE ONLY LENT THE CHARACTERS AND PLAYED WITH THEM A LITTLE

WINTERMAGE

Chapter 7 – Fireball's choice

Underground of the destroyed base – Samantha's room

Samantha opened her eyes. First, she was not sure, if she has really opened them because of the darkness. The dizziness was vanishing quickly. She noticed, she's lying on something soft. To her astonishment, both hands and feet were free, so she tried to stand up. Successfully. Judging by the height, she was lying on a bed.

Dark, dark, everywhere. She extended hands in front of her and started to investigate her prison.

"AUU!" she hit the table with her hip. She continued until reaching the wall and followed it. Suddenly, there was a door. She tried to open it.

A door that can be opened! Can I really be so lucky?

The space behind the door was also dark. An instinct led her hand to the place, where civilized people used to install a switch. It was really there!!!

Strong light blinded her first. After a minute, she dared to open her eyes again. Samantha found herself in front of a small bathroom. She used the light from it, to have a look on the rest space.

It was quite big and it contained only a bed with a low table. Next to the door leading out of room (locked of course) was a second switch. She turned the light on in the main room and left the bath sink into darkness again.

This is a jail? Somehow, it didn't fit into the picture of Outrider prisons and prisoner's camps that she created from Eagle's story.

Sam sat down on bed. Now she has noticed the two books on table.

Even entertainment!

She took them. After one look on them she realized, she's holding her favorite titles in hands. She put them aside and started to make order in memories on what have exactly happened by the monitors...

Jesse has called me Sam...what else does he know? He said, he doesn't wish my death, but why is he keeping me here? And who are his helpers?

She knew, that she has noticed something astonishing on face of the strange woman. Unfortunately, the drug messed the last seconds before loosing senses and she could not remember, even when she closed her eyes and tried to concentrate...

xxxxxxx

Underground of the destroyed base – monitor room

Jesse with Marco were observing the wreckage on monitor.

"All of them gone. Look, Marco, what have they left!"

"That's good, no one is going to assume anybody here. By the way, have you explained your absence to the Outriders?"

"They believe, I'm following secretly the Starsheriffs...Oh, look who woke up!"

"Is she really all right?"

"Judging by her movements, the chloroform didn't harmed her. But why is she looking so surprised on the titles of the books? You haven't chosen them by accident, have you?"

"Actually, this are her favorites..." confessed Marco guilty.

"Are you completely mad? Leaving there your signature would be less obvious!"

Simona with a tray full of food broke the line of Jesse's complains.

"I'll bring this to Samantha while she's sleeping. She will be hungry after waking up."

"Too late, dear."

"Mhhh, maybe I should let Marco do the job now...we both know how likes he to care about demands of Samantha's body..." was Simona teasing with an evil grin.

"I'll do that. Maybe I can bring her other thoughts..."

"What have happened?" asked Simona after seeing Samantha on monitor.

"Your superintelligent brother here, has left there her favorite books. Give me the tray."

"Marco!"

xxxxxxx

Samantha's room

Samantha was still sitting on the bed, the arms wrapped around knees, looking to nowhere. She has not noticed the door opening and Jesse coming in.

"How are you after such long beauty sleep?"

"Ah!" Now has she noticed him putting a tray on table and sitting down to her.

"No reason to be worry, I won't harm you."

"Sure."

"I thought, you were more clever..."

"Actually, I have noticed, but why?"

"I can't tell you, not now." his tone was apologizing.

"And when?"

"Later." he knew, that with this answer has he probably ruined her grooving trusting.

"Of course." she said sarcastic and turned away.

He took her kin in hand and forced her to look on him. "Listen to me, you stubborn Turbofreak, it's for your own good..."

She read it from his tone, she read it from his eyes. He was not talking with a man.

"You're in a big danger. Your...our enemies are powerful and if something happens, you will not tell them what you don't know."

"Can you at least tell me, where are we?"

"Still on the base. No one will look after you here."

"You don't know the Starsheriffs."

"They think, you're in Vapor Zone. And it will be better, if they don't find you. Your presence can bring them in danger." he said and looked her eye to eye. "Don't forget that."

Sam could stand his look only for a while, than turned away.

"The base doesn't seem to have an Outrider origin." she tried to change the subject of the conversation.

"The humans built it, than abandoned. We have found it and rebuilt the upper part. The atomic shelters in the underground on the other side needed only little adjustment. Now are they the only left."

"You mean – "

"I mean, we're under a thick layer of rubbles."

"Hey, for how long have I been...out of order?"

"Not whole 24 hours. Your team did a great job, up there."

"What have you used?"

"Chloroform. Old, but effective. Now, you must be hungry, I suppose, so I will leave you alone."

With those words, Jesse left Samantha. She looked on the tray. Her stomach remembered her, she was not eating for almost 30 hours. Her mind was too distracted to listen to her body till now...

So, Bon Appetite, Sammy!

xxxxxxx

Monitor room

"Oh, Jesse, you have returned alive!"

"Yes dear. She's an intelligent person at all. And my charm, together with my good looking have done the rest." was Jesse teasing not only Simona, also Marco.

"Ha-ha....Oh, sorry dear....you must be very attractive for every woman, Samantha including."

"Of course, she found me attractive."

"Pha, after a half year of sexual abstinence, I'm also starting to consider you attractive."

This time was Simonas mouth faster than her brain. "Do you think, she was also not having sex all the time?"

Marco paled radically already in the middle of the sentence."

"Marco, sorry, I'm sure sh-"

"She has the right to live her own life. I would not be surprised, if she has found someone." he said and left the room.

"Gods, sometimes you can not hide the fact, you're his sister!"

"I know....Do you think, he's going to do something stupid?"

"This whole history is stupid from the beginning!"

Because of the discussion, none of them has noticed a small spaceship landing near the base...

xxxxxxx

Calishian ship

The small ship was quick, but not quick enough. The base, or what has left from it, better said, looked abandoned again. Charenster called his chief immediately.

"Sir, we're too late, here are only rubbles."

"A message, that the captain of the Starsheriffs is captured by the Outriders, who has brought her in Vapor Zone has come, but I don't believe that. Try to find something there."

"Yes, sir!"

xxxxxxx

Base

Jesse found Marco sitting on floor in the corridor.

"Bad mood?"

"No!"

"Really?"

"No. She was not supposed to stay alone for the whole time. That would be cruel."

"Come on, I know you since we were children. I would be mad on your place."

"Jesse, I'm not mad. Simona just caught me unprepared. I was never thinking about such possibility before."

"And if there would be someone else?"

"If he makes her happy...now please, let me alone."

"Good, Marco, but think twice about all what will you do..."

xxxxxxx

Samantha's room

Samantha was lying on back with hands under head, trying to make order in her head. The light was turned off.

This is ridiculous! Jesse knows my name and not only the name. I could read it in his eyes. It would say it's impossible, if it wasn't the second time, that someone knows everything about me. We were suspecting Jesse is giving us all the information. And now was he trying to play friendly, but does he really want to help me, or is he following a totally different purpose? What to do? Run away? Again? And then what?

She knew that returning to the Starsheriffs isn't very wise solution. Not only because of what has Jesse told her. She remembered THAT evening with John on Yuma, shortly before leaving.

...as he entered the dark room...as he looked in her eyes and took her in arms...as they kissed...how safe was she feeling in his near...it all remembered her on someone to far away and suddenly, she realized, her lips are kissing John, but her mind is passionately kissing a memory...since finding the grave of Dr. Andersen was she feeling the grooving attraction to John...now has she knew, he's only remembering her on someone and that's unfair against both of the boys...scared by the discovery, she ran away...

One part of her mind was satisfied with this solution – a longer separation from John. On the other side, would it not be easier to speak with him about it? Maybe he would understand...But what if Jesse is right and her presence can bring the whole team in danger? In that case would it be better to stay here. And Jesse's plans are very unclear right now...she remembered the protective eye, that was Jesse having on the strange woman.

No, if she is here Jesse would not dare to try anything, I'm sure. They're obviously a couple. And the stranger can give me the answers I'm looking for. 

If she is here....later, there has to be a possibility how to get to her...

Sam was satisfied after coming to this important conclusion. Now can she concentrate on the next problem...the face of the stranger and something on the third one...she knew, if she remembers herself on this particular details, half of the mystery is solved. Unfortunately, memory betrayed her this time.

Than, sound of steps coming near interrupted her effort...

xxxxxxx

Monitor room

Since saying that comment had Simona a strange feeling, there is something wrong. For two hours was she refusing any assurance from Jesse and Marco, that there is nothing to be afraid of. Life and especially the last episode in the Highlands has learnt them to take serious her feelings, when they have such intensity, so now everybody was patrolling in the corridors of the previous atomic shelter.

Marco entered the monitor room and now was staring on the monitor that was showing Samantha's room. It was dark, she was probably sleeping. Oh, how was Marco regretting the fact that Jesse with Simona decided to provide her at least some privacy, so the cam was transmitting only picture, but no sound. How would it be to hear her breath again?

He quietly went to Samantha's room. Nothing suspicious around, everything quiet and peaceful. One half of his brain warned him. This is exactly what was Jesse afraid of! The rest ignored it and decided to use the opportunity. Samantha is obviously sleeping. What can there go wrong, if he opens the door and listens to her for a while...somehow he oversaw the fact, that most people are not tired after sleeping for 24 hours...

xxxxxxx

Sam was listening to the steps. They were coming near and near. Suddenly, it was quiet again. Someone is waiting in front of the door? Jesse? What does he want?

xxxxxxx

Marco opened the door quietly. No sound was coming from the room...

xxxxxxx

Sam shifted in the bed, preparing herself for defense. When she heard the doors opening, she hold the breath in...

xxxxxxx

Why is it so quiet here?  Marco stepped into the room...

xxxxxxx

In light from corridor saw Samantha a tall, slim figure entering the room. So trusting Jesse was indeed a mistake! She was not moving, not breathing...

xxxxxxx

One more step and he's there. He bowed over her bed...

"Chchchch–"a pair of strong feet hit him in the middle of his chest. He felt down on all four. The next kick hit his rib cage from side and sent him to the floor completely. Together with air an outcry of pain escaped from his lips. With one eye, he caught Samantha running away...

xxxxxxx

Jesse, please, don't do that, please, leave... was Samantha praying. No such luck, he was coming near and near...Sam could already hear him breathing. She clenched teeth together and prepared for the kick. She's not going to make it easy for him! Three, two, one...in a second was he lying on floor and she was running away.

Her ears caught an outcry.

Wait, this isn't Jesse's voice! 

Strong hands grabbed her and someone covered her mouth with a hand. She felt a strong pain and then lost mind.

xxxxxxx

It took at least a minute till was Marco able to follow Samantha. She was obviously not wasting time, because there was no sign of her in the corridor. He could see only two familiar people hurrying to him.

"Marco!"

"Samantha escaped!"

"With your help, I suppose..."

"Jesse, I admit it was only my fault, but we have to catch her now."

"Too late, brotherheart, Charenster is already having her. Away from here!"

Charenster's name has stopped all Marco's protests for a while, but as soon as were they sitting in the spaceship, his first words were:

"We have to save her."

"And have you an idea how, Marco?"

"Their ship doesn't seem very big. How many people can be inside?"

"We have counted five, but there are two more at least, I suppose."

"If we surprise them..."

"Not a chance, Marco. You can't go with us and such action would bring Samantha in danger."

"If we let them do as usually, she's already death!!!"

"That was obvious from the moment, they started to interest for her."

"We have to do something!" Marco jumped to the controls. Jesse with Simona jumped on him simultaneously and only their weight supported by giant effort stopped him.

"Marco, calm down! If we stay behind, they will maybe not notice us. That's probably the only chance for Samantha!"

"Jesse's right, brother. Think! The Calishians want to give the Cavalry a lesson. What will be a bigger blow? Finding her body on a moon on the other end of galaxy, or –"

"- or on Yuma, under the noses of the Commanders, you wanted to say, dear."

"But than, we could reach Yuma faster than they...."

Jesse with Simona looked on Marco surprised.

"Have you forgotten, that the shortest and most widely used way is controlled by various satellites? Nothing bad, but you have to land on all of them and they check you, or you need the so-called entering codes. I renew mine always when visiting the Cavalry database a-"

"Hm-hm"

"And Charenster will avoid them...he as hurry as much as he will, we can reach Yuma faster. If we only were sure about their target...."

"Easy help, Marco. You with Simona will fly to Yuma. Luckily, you're still having the codes. I have parked Badlander here inside, after last trip. Now, I can follow our dear Charenster with a ship, that can easy escape a radar. And you will have time to find a quite place to stay after."

"Now have you described the whole universe except Yuma. There are either big towns, or deserts. We can stay in neither of them."

"That means, we will do what?" asked Simona.

"We could go to Durango Planet, for example. Far away, rarely inhabited, everything green...after the storm around the Starsheriffs is over, I return to the Outriders, you with Sam could return to our HQ in Calishia. This will be too dangerous place for you to stay and you both could be more useful there. Love, you could continue with your work near Yuma and maybe even inform Mum..."

"How about visiting Mum and Edward together instead of flying to Durango? They're already back from holiday and the castle is not guarded any more." suggested Marco

"Eeeee, Marco, is this a good idea? Edward was trying to kill me last time we met and he doesn't know Simona either."

"Not so bad. I was speaking with Mum during your last trip. You asked her to keep secret in front of Samantha, but she told Edward. They will welcome us."

The spaceship opened the ramp and Badlander left.

xxxxxxx

Secret Calishian base on Yuma

Samantha was sitting tied down to a chair. She was not able to recognize where have they brought they, due to the fact, that she spent the bigger part of the journey unconscious and the rest with bounded eyes. Now someone behind her removed the piece of cloth from her eyes.

"So, Miss Hikari, finally, we have met. Or should I call you Mrs. Osakura?"

"How do you kno- "

"Your name? Oh, your husband, I will call him so, got a big fortune when trading with us. We usually check our potential partners first, but there was no time, so we had to do it afterwards. Our secret service is the best in universe. This time, they have put a very interesting material together."

He took out few papers and waved with them in front of Samantha's face.

"Better, than a novel."

"But in that case, you must know, he cheated you."

"Of course, but we had more important things to do. And he will not escape. Now, enough about him, you're more interesting at the moment. As you joined the racers first and Starsheriffs later, pretending to be a man. At least one your colleagues knew, you're not. After he vanished, you have become the new captain."

"What are you trying to say? I lo-"

"Indeed, you loved him and that's the best reason to help him disappear!"

"I don't understand!"

"Oh, you do! Why have you stayed in the Outrider base? Alone..."

"I was force-"DAMN, he probably doesn't know, who was there... "And why are you asking, when is your secret service so good?"

"Who forced you?"

"Guess!"

"Miss Hikari, let's play with opened cards. We want your famous Cavalry Command to capitulate. Some of the Commanders recognized on the beginning, that resistance is useless, it would only prolong the whole process. The rest was not so wise. Most of them have not really decided yet, but there is a small fraction, that just doesn't want to cooperate. If we prove our power..."

"You will fail!"

"I would not be so sure on your place. On the meeting with Commanders, you knew about it, I suppose, we gave them an ultimatum. If they're not going to cooperate, the Starsheriffs will loose a captain again. The same way like Doctor Andersen. Remember him, Samantha, before you say anything. The Commanders refused, of course...now, once again, who was with you on the base?"

You will not tell, what you don't know...don't know...don't know... sounded Jesse's voice in Samantha's head. She paled, when hearing Andersen's name.

"I was alone!"

"No one can help you, Samantha. Again am I saying this sentence to our prisoner – I'm not offering you life, but you can choose your death. Quick and painless, or a slow horror. I'm asking you like Andersen before. Don't do the same mistake as he before. Your team mates are far away..."

Run away from John, run away from Jesse... now she felt regret for not being more patient. Good, let it be. Darling, I'm coming.

"You can ask me hundred times, my answer will be the same."

"You're too stubborn. It's a pity, because I hate wasting of good material..." then he said few words in a strange language and one of his helpers gave him a syringe..."

xxxxxxx

Universe

Red light on Badlander's communicator informed Jesse, he will soon become a call.

"Jesse, can you hear me?"

"Clearly, dear."

"Anything new?"

"No, looks like, their target is indeed Yuma. But how will we follow them on the planet? It has a good radar system, if I remember..."

"As soon as you're sure about the location on Yuma, Jesse, try to land near this city..." coordinates occurred on Badlander's monitor "meantime Simona can lend here a car from our agent, that's the safest way, how to travel near big cities..."

"But Marco, how can we come in time with a car?"

"I'm not going to sit and do nothing. It's not a problem to establish a connection with a satellite, unnoticed of course, so we can observe the whole Yuma-city and its surroundings."

"Computerfreak!"

None of them has mentioned the possibility, that the Calishians can change their usual strategy, because in that case no one can help Samantha any more...

xxxxxxx

Again together, siblings with Jesse were looking on monitor in their spaceship. Two to them very well known men were preparing a hole. A grave.

"We've got them. Hurry now." Jesse jumped from his seat.

"No, we can make the distance smaller, when we fly. We will do only the last part by car."

xxxxxxx

Somewhere

Sam woke up. Again, everything around her was in dark. She started to get used on the situation. She tried to move her hand, but it refused to cooperate. First, she was only dimly remembering the last events. The temperature around her was rising.

Suddenly, the memory came back in full wide and hit her like a fist.

...the man pricked the syringe in her forearm....limbs were getting heavier....eyes were closing...."Remember Andersen!" were the last words she heard.

Where am I now?

She registered the air getting heavier.

"Remember Andersen!"

Nooooo

With huge effort backed up with panic, she moved her hand. Wood. Around her was only wood.

A coffin! Heeeeeeeelp!!! her mouth was deadly dry, so the outcry was only in her mind. Now was she clearly feeling the lack of oxygen.

Heeeeeeelp!!! she heard strange sounds in the near, but she considered them as pre-dying hallucinations.

The darkness in front of her started to sparkle. She knew, the end is coming, resistance was useless...suddenly, she saw a strong light and in it two silhouettes. First only blurred but their outlines were getting more clearly every second.

Mum, Dad?

Come with us, my baby, give me your hand....

She felt, how is her spirit leaving her body, extending the imaginary hand to the parents......when something hold her back!

xxxxxxx

Jesse stopped the lent car he was driving.

"Here we are."

"Hurry, there's no time."

Together with Marco he took out a shovel, a canister with petrol and a bag. They brought it to the simple wooden cross. Jesse started to dig. Marco took out a torch and was holding him light. From previous experiences they knew, that it takes too long to take the whole coffin out. It's quicker to undercover only a part, make a hole in it and take the body through it out. Sometimes difficult, when the victim is a man, but by Samantha's slim figure were they not expecting any problems. Of course it also means, there is place only for one worker.

After Jesse started to gasp. Marco changed him. He was not so quick and also his movements were not so smooth. It was obvious how strong hit him Samantha before. Only the idea of saving her was giving him power. Anyway, he was not able to stand so long as Jesse before.

Boys were not noisy, still, they could be much more silent if they wanted. Fact, that Simona was monitoring the whole area from the spaceship allowed them to hold on only the basic rules of foresight. They were not talking, the contest with time was too serious. The question – will we be there in time? – was occupying their minds and refreshing their exhausted muscles.

After the third exchange hit Jesse into something hard.

"We did it!"

Marco gave Jesse a knife. "Hurry."

Jesse made first only small hole, than started to dig again putting the soil mixed up with sand away. Finally, the revealed part was big enough so he enlarged the opening, praying to all known and forgotten gods of galaxy to avoid any harm of Samantha's body. He put there only one hand first, trying to find out if she is breathing.

"She's alive!"

He took her out as carefully as possible. Marco already prepared a blanket so now could he relief Jesse from his burden and wrap her in it. He lied down the torch to keep free hands.

Samantha gasped few times as fresh air woke her up. The consciousness was only slowly returning to her, but as soon as was she able to realize what have happened during last minutes, she started to shiver and sob. Strong arms hugged her and a quiet voice was whispering words of comfort in her ear.

"Shhh, you're safe now, I don't let anybody to harm you any more, it's after you, you're safe..."

Jesse was meantime using their usual strategy to destroy clues. He opened the canister and poured its contain into the coffin. Then, he thrown there an inflamed match and stepped a piece aside.

The sudden light caught Samantha's eyes. She has noticed Jesse and in a sudden shock looked on the face of her second rescuer.

That's impossible!, then the welcoming darkness took her away.

"She fainted!"

"Not so astonishing, she saw your face in the light of fire. You were probably the last one, who she was expecting here. Put her in car and help me. She will be all right after the shock vanishes."

Marco did as he was told and lied her down on backseats of the car, putting one more blanket over her.