"No!" Joe stated firmly a little later. He was not going to give up. What if the entrance had already been sealed? He might be able to dig his way out. And what about Spirit? She knew what they were going to do to him. Or, at least, she had a general idea. If she got away then she would make sure he was found. And if she didn't get away... "Then I have to save her," Joe said with determination, trying to scoot around.

Okay, he thought. I can't see but I can feel. His searching hands came into contact with a rough edge. With a grim set to his lips, he began using the rough edge to slice through the cable ties.

A few minutes later, Joe not only had his wrists free but also his ankles. "Now to find my way out of here," he said, his voice echoing in the chamber.

The trip out of the mine was a little more time consuming than the trip in but Joe's spirits rose when he saw a glimmer of light ahead of him. "Daylight," gasped Joe as he began to make out shapes. Either his captor hadn't set the charge right and the entrance wasn't completely sealed or...

"Or it hasn't gone off yet," Joe finished the thought out loud as he looked out of the cave's opening. Putting on a burst of speed because there was no telling when the charge would go off, Joe raced out of the cave and toward a set of trees that had not been touched by the lumberjacks.

He held onto one tree, looking around for the truck that had brought him here or for any sign of human life. No one was about. He started the trek back to Farkas' s house at a run, not slowing down until he neared the homestead. He slowed to a stop, his eyes narrowing with curiosity when he saw several dozen men scattered before him. Were these the terrorists? Were they planning on killing Farkas and the others? More worried about Spirit than ever, Joe continued forward and didn't stop until he saw the barrel of a rifle stick out through a clump of bushes that he neared.

"Don't make a sound," Joe was ordered.

Joe looked at the newest player in this drama, his eyes widening in surprise as the man with the weapon held open a small wallet revealing a government issued card identifying him as Wallace Pearson. "You're the kid Blane told us about," the agent stated, looking at Joe closely.

"Blane?" asked Joe in confusion.

"Tall. Big bushy beard," Pearson stated, describing the man who had been supposed to set the charge at the cave.

"He works with you?" asked Joe.

"That's correct," Pearson acknowledged. "Good thing for you too," he continued. "Or you would have died in the mine."

"It's radioactive and I was left there," Joe reminded him sourly.

"The radioactivity is minimal at the present," contradicting what the driver had said earlier. "It would take weeks for it to start causing you problems. We would have had you out of there in a few more hours."

"Are the buyers here yet?" Joe asked, deciding not to pursue the matter.

"No," was the answer. "But they should be here within the next few minutes. You will have to accompany me back to the van before they arrive."

"We have to get Spirit out of there," Joe said.

"We can't risk this operation for a horse," Pearson stated.

"She's not a horse," explained Joe. "She's Dr. Fairbanks's daughter and she is tied up in the basement."

"Then she will be fine for now," declared Pearson.

"You don't know that," argued Joe.

"We can't risk..." Pearson started but Joe cut him off.

"Yeah, yeah, I heard you the first time," Joe snarled. "I thought the CIA was supposed to protect the people."

"We aren't CIA," Pearson stated.

"FBI, then." Pearson shook his head. "Well, what branch of the government do you work for?" demanded Joe.

"That's classified information," Pearson answered. "Now, come with me."

"I'm not going without Spirit," Joe replied stubbornly.

"Then I'm placing you in custody," Pearson stated. "You have no choice," he added, holding his weapon on Joe.

Joe glared at Pearson before turning to his left and going in the direction Pearson indicated. Once they reached the van, Joe was locked in the rear with orders to remain quiet.

Joe sat quietly in the interior of the van and waited for Pearson to retreat before looking around the vehicle. Not exactly a paddy wagon, Joe realized, looking at the monitors in front of him. Even though they, like most of the machinery inside the van, were off, he knew Pearson had locked him in the hub of their traveling headquarters. And he knew, although he wasn't quiet sure how, that there was a panic button located somewhere on the circuit board near the last monitor that would immediately unlock the van.

"But which one?" he muttered, tucking his bottom lip between his teeth. His sharp eyes searched the board until, with a sparkle, they landed on a green button in the upper left-hand corner. Joe reached out and pushed it. Immediately, he heard a loud click as the door unlocked.

Grinning with his success, he hurried out of the van and surreptitiously made his way to the homestead. He came to a stop beneath the porch, aware that the government men were watching him but knowing they would not attempt to stop him because two cars had just pulled to a stop a few feet away.

He waited with bated breath as over half a dozen men piled out of the cars and entered the house. As soon as they had disappeared inside, Joe made a beeline for the basement window. He eased it open and squeezed through the small opening.

Spirit's eyes widened in shock when she saw Joe tumble headfirst into the basement via the window. Joe got to his feet and put a finger to his lips so Spirit would not draw any attention from above then looked around the room for something he could use to slice through the cable ties.

His eyes lit on a broken flowerpot in the corner. He hurried over and picked up a jagged piece then moved to Spirit's side and released her. She threw her arms around him and buried her face in his neck, her silent tears moistening his skin.

Joe gave a contended sigh, feeling good because he knew that at least someone really did care about him and hugged her tightly. "It's okay," he whispered. "But we need to get out of here. There are terrorist upstairs and government men outside. It's going to get nasty."

Spirit pulled away and nodded. "Let's go," she whispered back.

"We will have to go out the same way I came in," Joe told her. "I'll go first."

"Be careful," she begged.

It didn't take long for the two of them to wriggle through the basement window. Outside, they paused long enough to make sure no one inside the house was aware of their presence before taking off at a run for the trees.

"You could have blown everything!" hissed Pearson, stepping in front of the two as they finally slowed down in the safety of the trees.

"Oh well," Joe shrugged defiantly. The smile that played along his lips let Pearson know exactly what he could do with his operation.

"Back to the van," ordered Pearson, his voice deceptively calm. "And if either of you leave it then you will be doing time for interfering in a classified military operation."

"You're military?" asked Joe with raised eyebrows.

"No," Pearson answered with a smirk. He was a member of the anti-terrorist organization known as the Network but he wasn't going to reveal that to two troublesome teens.

Joe and Spirit spent the next hour in the van waiting for permission to leave. When the back doors finally opened, the teens exited with alacrity.

"We'll need statements from each of you," Pearson told them. "After that, you're free to go."

"Can I call home first?" requested Spirit. "My parents are going to be frantic."

"You may," Pearson agreed and offered her his cell phone. "You can too," he added, looking at Joe.

"He's staying with me," Spirit said as she punched in her phone number.

Later that night Joe was seated at the dinner table with Spirit and her parents. "I'm glad that's over," Rachel said with a shudder. Joe and Spirit had just finished telling Roger and Rachel about their ordeal.

"I'm sorry you got involved," Roger said, looking at Joe. "I should never have let you go see Donovan. I never expected him to help Farkas get his hands on you."

"I wonder what is going to happen to Dr. Donovan?" put in Spirit.

"He will be charged as an accessory to start with," Joe said. "One thing is for sure though," he added. "He will lose his practice." Joe went silent. "I guess I should go see Sheriff Tanner again," he said after a moment's thought. "Since Farkas wasn't my father, he will need to make arrangements with social services or at least arrange a hearing so I can be declared an adult and in charge of my own life."

"No," Dr. Fairbanks stated firmly. "It has already been decided. Until your real family is located or until your memory returns, you will stay with us."

"I can't keep mooching off of you," Joe objected, feeling touched.

"You're not mooching," Rachel insisted.

"And I like having you around," Spirit said. "I've always wanted a brother."

"Look, if you're worried about our finances, don't be," Roger told Joe. "Rachel and I both work because we want to make a contribution to the community, not because it's necessary."

"And if you want spending money and don't want an allowance then you can get a part time job," Spirit told him.

"She's right," agreed Roger. "Matter of fact, Riley has been looking for someone to help him out at his store part time."

"Are you sure?" Joe asked, his eyes suspiciously bright because of the Fairbanks' readiness to accept him into their family.

"We insist," Rachel answered for all of them. "And now, as the newest member of the family, you can help Spirit with the dishes," she added with a twinkle in her eyes and a smile on her lips.