I wanted to add a quick note to apologize I am so late in posting the next chapter. 2020 is really throwing me some curve balls! Thank you for reading my crazy stories!

Chapter 9. Time To Start The Party

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Artemus staggered along the front of the desk, his left hand gripping the edge of the wood while his right hand twisted the tourniquet on his leg tighter. He could feel warm blood drizzling down his thigh under his pantleg. "Damn," he gasped, leaning against the desk. "I don't have time for this." He froze as the door creaked open behind him. He hadn't noticed anyone approach from outside the window but the ground was dark with a moonless sky. A shoe scuffed on the stone floor and the door was pushed shut. Artie twisted to look across the room and almost fainted with relief.

"Well it's about time," Artie said, trying to sound gruff but his face broke into a huge smile. He leaned back against the desk as his partner stepped closer. "The party is about to start."

"Sorry," Jim said, "my invitation arrived late. Personal curriers aren't always that reliable." He leaned over to look more closely at Artie's leg. "Shot?" Artie nodded. "Your currier mentioned that she heard gunshots as she ran away."

"You still took your time," Artie said, "this party was just down the street."

"I had to get the gang together," Jim laughed, "you wouldn't believe the ragtag group that wanted to help." He rolled his eyes, "they're in coaches, going to pick up Richmond and Jer and whoever else is over there." He stepped back to look at his partner, "and what about you? Can you walk?"

"Ya," Artie said, "but not too fast. More like a shuffle." He nodded toward a broom in the corner, "I was trying to get to that broom so I could use it to move around."

"Were you going to fly with it?" Jim asked, walking quickly toward the broom, "or just hobble around with a walking stick?"

"Very funny," Artie snickered, "just hand it over." He held a bloody hand out to grab it, whisk end up, and leaned on it to stagger toward the shelves of chemicals. "Since you're here, you can do what I was planning on doing." He nodded up toward the top shelf, "see that copper colored can up there?"

Jim nodded, stepping closer. "Do you want it down?"

"Yes," Artie said, "slowly and carefully. Don't even breath on it." Jim picked it up with both hands and lowered it toward his chest. "Now put it on the floor on top of those papers." Jim walked across the stone floor to a pile of papers. "I hate to do it but I ripped up some books. Burning books just seems wrong but it's all I had. It's not like these, or anything else left behind, with survive this night."

"I'm sure whatever you have planned will burn more than a few books," Jim said, carefully setting the can on the pages of type. He stood up and walked back to his partner. "The good doctor should know better than to leave you out here with a building full of chemicals."

"Well he had all the best ones," Artie said, nodding toward the wall. "I had the common bulk solvents. He was upset when his favorite chemical disappeared one night. I need to get back to his lab in the house before we end this game. I want his note books."

Jim shook his head, "ya, could we start at the beginning. I feel like I slept through a chemistry class in college and I'm about to take an exam."

Artie took a deep breath, "Loveless wanted me to mix up bulk amounts of solvent and fill those large glass containers over by the far wall." He waited as Jim turned to glance at them. "I filled seven. He said he wanted a dozen. I started stalling, broke a bottle of Toluene, stole the replacement bottle and broke that one too." He sighed, "I looked around his lab one night. It's in the bottom of the house in the far right corner. I read though his notebooks but didn't dare take them at the time. There has been a lot of work recently to further develop explosives, much more powerful than TNT. He has been mixing completely different chemicals and seems to have figured out a way to dissolve it in the mixed solvents. I think it stabilizes it, probably for storage and being able to transport it."

"What is the chemical mixture that he had developed," Jim asked, "if it has a name?"

"The chemical name is dinitrophenol," Artie said, "part of it is nitro, that makes nitroglycerin, but he has added other compounds. I have read about similar work so I am sure he has too."

"It sounds like what he had used in that clock tower," Jim said, "the first time we met him. He had wires hooked to glass bottles of liquid that looked like those you've been filling."

"Yes," Artie nodded, "I've been thinking about that. He has also made a lot of threats, the usual dire warnings about killing everyone. That's why I finally sent Celeste after you. I was at the end of what I could do and my stalling was going to get someone killed, such as Jeremy or another agent. Luckily he didn't pay any attention to Celeste or Lori. I don't think he realized they worked at headquarters."

"Celeste was a hysterical pile of dirty lace but she lead us right back here," Jim grinned. "Tougher than she appears."

"She's been very helpful," Artie said, "did everything I asked. Lori, on the other hand," he said, with a chuckle, "she has suddenly turned everything upside down. The guards are afraid of her, Loveless thinks she's a violent streetwalker," he paused as Jim rolled his eyes, "I tell ya, Jim, she is one tough customer. She marches around, came out here this morning, beat the crap out of a guard, the others couldn't open this door fast enough for her. I was so relieved to see her."

"Has she been an actual help or just causing a distraction," Jim said, curious.

"She helped me make bombs all morning," Artie said, grinning as his partner's eyes widened in surprise, "and she spent the afternoon hiding them everywhere. Lord only knows where she put them all. Her only problem was she is still wearing a fancy red evening gown with no pockets. Women should always have pockets. Crazy."

"So what's the plan." Jim asked, looking down at the copper pail. "You want to burn this pail; it obviously has this explosive in it. Lori hid bombs everywhere. But I want Loveless, and Voltaire too, if I can catch them both."

Artie nodded, "yes, this explosive needs to be detonated," he said slowly, "but I want everyone outside of the compound's walls when it goes. I have no idea how large the explosion will be."

"Jeremy and the others should be loaded into the carriages by now," Jim said, holding out his watch. "I sent Steve in one carriage and Christian is driving the other." He snapped the watch shut, "all the ladies at the office wanted to help so I gave them all jobs to do like rolling bandages and making sure anyone injured is taken care of. Steve and Christian will make sure they collect everyone."

"We need to collect Lori," Artie said, "it shouldn't be too difficult. Follow a trail of injured guards."

"The only guards I have found tonight appear to be sound asleep," Jim said, "did you give them something or do they sleep on the job around here?"

Artie grinned, "Lori did hand out a few bottles of wine she found in the house, just as an innocent apology for her earlier rudeness. We may have added some sleeping powders I had with me." He nodded toward the canister, "I just need to put a few things around that can. I am working on a chemical buffer to act as a timer and hopefully give off a red smoke as it burns. It should give us a few minutes warning. That fire will have to be hot to melt that copper can, which hopefully will be strong enough to give off a green smoke. If we see the green color, we need to run for the gate. This stone building might contain the explosion but….well, then I'm not sure. At least there aren't homes in this area of the city."

"Loveless must be upset you stole his new toy," Jim said, thinking, "and even if you take his books, he will still have the knowledge. We have to arrest him."

"That won't be easy," Artie said, worry lines on his forehead. "He's been saying odd phrases about how he's going to kill you and I'm going to help him do it. I don't like hearing that, I can tell you, but I have no idea what he might be referring too."

"Well I should hope you don't help him, partner," Jim grinned, "I expect he is just running his mouth, as usual. He likes to talk." Jim turned to look at the wall. "Where do we start? This needs to be quick."

Artie stood up and walked slowly to the chemicals, leaning heavily on the upturned broom, and turned on the Bunsen burner. He looked up at the broom bristles and nodded, "that will do nicely, as a matter of fact." He tipped it toward Jim, "would you be able to break that end off?"

"Gladly," Jim said, taking the broom. He walked to the door and pushed the end into the door jam. He gave the wooden handle a push and a crack was heard. He opened the door and then end was on the ground. "That worked well." He brought the two pieces back to his partner. "A much improved walking stick and a timer?"

"Thank you, James," Artie said, taking both. "This should only take a minute." He paused as a carriage pulled up outside. "Is that our ride?"

"Probably," Jim muttered. He hurried to the door and moved outside. Steve was holding the reins on a team pulling a carriage. Christian was just jumping down from the seat. "Wait here, he isn't ready."

"But I…" the dark haired girl said, her eyes darting toward the door.

"But nothing," Jim snapped, "he'll just take longer if you help. Did you find everyone?"

"All but Colonel Richmond. Jeremy said he was taken from his area to meet with Dr. Loveless," she said, "we brought them all out to Marlita and Melinda at the gate. They said they would all go to headquarters and wait but some needed to go to the hospital. Jeremy said they tried to fight the guards when Richmond was taken and they got banged up but nothing too serious. We wanted to come back to see if we could help you."

"We definitely need a cab ride to the house. Then you can wait again while we run a few errands inside. Then it will be a fast drive to the gate to get the hell out of here," Jim said, looking at Christian and then up at Steve. "He's going to set off the explosive that Loveless has been developing and it might take out this entire compound. We are hoping that wall will stop the worst of the damage."

"When is he setting it off," Christian whispered. "We have to find Lori."

"We'll find her, hopefully she is with the Colonel," Jim said, "We will have you drive us to the main house. Then move this carriage to the far side. We'll come out and get through the gate. I hope to have Loveless with me by then too." Jim looked up at Steve, "just keep out of sight. Don't let anyone steal this. Artie won't be able to run, he seems to a leg injury." Christian gasped and Jim looked back to her, "he's fine," he growled. "Just moving slow."

The door creaked behind him and Artie appeared. Christian pushed past Jim and grabbed him, pushing her face into his neck. Artie gave her a quick hug but pushed her back, kissing her forehead, "glad to see you and your carriage," he grinned. "Help me inside?" She put her arms around his waist as he leaned against her, still clutching the walking stick. They moved into the carriage as Jim pushed the door shut. He jumped onto the seat and Steve slapped the reins. The horse moved toward the main house.

Darkness was almost complete. The stars flickered above but the moon was nowhere to be found. The hot late summer air hung heavy as they crossed the open ground. Jim grimaced at every over turned stone as the carriage rattled over the hard ground. "Would have been more quiet to run but Artie wouldn't have made it." Steve nodded, "stop under that tree in the shadows. And move to the far side after we go in. We'll meet you later. And keep Christian with you. I bad enough I have to look for Lori and Richmond tonight."

"Maybe they'll just show up," Steve said, "Lori must have seen us all moving around outside."

"If she did," Jim said, jumping down, "so did Loveless." He turned as Artie moved stiffly from the carriage. He clutched a hand to his thigh as Christian climbed down next to him. "Maybe you should stay in the carriage. Lord knows you have enough books now…"

"Oh, no, you aren't leaving me behind," Artie snapped, pulling out a pocket watch. He flipped open the cover and looked at Christian and up at Steve. "If we don't come out in twenty minutes, move beyond the walls. It's about all the time I can guess." Christian opened her mouth to protest but stopped, slowly nodding in agreement. She gave Artie a quick kiss and turned to climb onto the carriage seat. Artie turned to his partner and they moved into the house.

"You lead," Jim whispered. They moved quickly through the rooms and down the halls. Artie leaned on his wooden broom handle and on furniture as they passed. Jim grimaced at the bloody red hand prints Artie left in a trail as they moved.

Artie paused at a set of stairs, whispering, "Lori has been held in a bedroom on the third floor, though she has been able to get out of it in the past. But she might be stuck up there. Maybe you should run up and look while I move to the laboratory."

Jim looked up the staircase and back at his injured friend, "and the lab is down that hall on this floor?" He nodded toward the long hallway. Artie nodded, "ok but don't scare Loveless off. One look at you and he'll run for sure."

"Oh, if I see him, "Artie chuckled, "I'll let him know you are on your way. He'll wait." He started down the hall, rubbing a bloody hand along the wallpaper.

Jim darted up the staircase to the top floor and raced down the hallway. Many shorter halls branched off and he cursed, pausing, not knowing which way to go. A loud crashing noise came from one direction, followed by woman's voice cursing like a sailor. He grinned, recognizing Loris's voice and usual anger. He hurried in the direction of the sound. Turning a corner, he stopped again, watching Lori kick a man in the shin who was pulling on her arms. He yelped with pain and she pulled free. Her right hand darted out to grab his throat. Squeezing, her nails digging into his skin, she snarled, "I told you never to touch me!" The man's hands dug at her fingers. He kicked at her legs, trying to unbalance her, but his boot got caught up in her skirts. She released him and stepped back, turning in swirl of red as she noticed Jim approaching.

"Well it's about time you got here," she snapped, as the guard collapsed to his knees. "We need to find Artie and…"

"He's downstairs heading to the lab," Jim snapped, "sorry if I didn't come in time to rescue you from your abuser." He looked down at the guard, "you didn't seem to be in any danger just now."

"He's annoying but isn't dangerous," she said, "Jim, meet Peter Harvey. Peter, meet Jim West." She chuckled, "now that we're all friends, let's get out of here."

Jim grabbed Peter's shoulder and dragged him to his feet. The man swayed, holding a hand to his throat. He coughed, rubbing his skin. "You really shouldn't touch her," Jim whispered, "she's a little crazy."

The guard nodded in agreement.

"Now where is Dr. Loveless?" Jim asked quietly. "I don't have all day, either." The man tried to talk but coughed instead. "Great, don't talk, lead me to the lab instead." He turned the guard and marched him down the hall. He turned to Lori, "where did you put the bombs Artie gave you?"

"All over," Lori said casually. She fumbled with her hair as she moved, pulling pins out and in again. "Upstairs, in bedrooms, downstairs in the kitchen and dining room. He said they are mostly noise and smoke for a diversion."

Jim nodded, keeping a hand on Harvey as he pushed him down the stairs. "Richmond is here somewhere too. Or at least, he isn't with Jeremy. Hopefully he's alright." He shook Harvey, "have you seen an older gentlemen wearing a dark blue coat? Maybe you helped drag him away from his friends earlier today?"

"Maybe", Harvey muttered, clearing his thought. "I escorted an older gentlemen to meet with the doctor but I didn't hurt anyone. He's fine. They're just talking. Mostly about you," he said.

Lori rolled her eyes and glared at Jim. "The number one guy; Artie wouldn't do anything until you got here."

"We work together for a reason, he knows not to go after Loveless alone," Jim said. He turned back to Harvey, yanking the guy's coat. "Where are they?"

"In the lab," Harvey said, as they reached the main floor.

Jim's throat caught, knowing Artie was heading that way. "Move," he snapped, shoving Harvey ahead of him but keeping a tight grip on him.

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moments later...

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"Mr. Gordon," Loveless's voice traveled down the hallway as Jim stood outside the doorway of the laboratory. Lori held Harvey by the jacket as they listened. "You are bleeding on the rug. Come and sit down and join our conversation. I am having the best of times speaking to your Colonel Richmond."

"There do seem to be a lot of details not included in your reports, Artemus," Richmond's voice said. Jim and Lori exchanged a look as the Colonel's voice dissolved into coughing.

"Go," Lori mouthed to Jim, nodding to the doorway.

Jim nodded and gave his right arm a twist. His Derringer slid into his hand. He shifted it to his left hand and drew the revolver. He stepped closer to Lori and handed her the smaller handgun as he pointed the 45 Colt at Harvey. "Move," he whispered. "But not too fast." He gave the guy a shove into the room.

"Doctor," West announced as he entered the large room. Everyone was seated in a circle of large armchairs on the far end of the lab's room, except Artemus who stood leaning against a sideboard table along the far wall. "Colonel, good to see you," he said, nodding to his boss. "Hope you are doing well, sir." He stepped to the side of Harvey, stealing a closer glance at his partner's blood stained pant leg.

Richmond smiled, his shoulders relaxing at the sight of his young agent. "I'm fine, James," the older man said, "good to see you and Artemus. Lori is around somewhere too. Mustn't forget her, of course."

"I'm over here," Lori said, "with my new best friend, Pete." She walked behind the guard and punched him in the spine, sending him further into the room. "Pete isn't feeling well. He fell and hit his throat." Harvey turned and glared at her but stayed silent, rubbing his neck.

"I know how he feels," Artie muttered, holding a hand to his bleeding leg.

"Ah, yes, now we are all here except, of course, the one young lady, who, like a fancy feathered bird, flew over the wall recently and escaped her gilded cage," Loveless said, looking down his nose at Lori and then at Artemus. He turned back to Jim, grinning, "And now we can have that party I was speaking of. Mr. Gordon knows what I mean. We've talked often these past few days about what would happen to when you arrived."

"He said you made your usual tiresome threats," Jim said, glaring at Loveless. "But I think we would be better speaking about this at headquarters. I have a carriage waiting outside and we should all just move toward the door."

"You amuse me, Mr. West," Loveless smiled, though his eyes narrowed in anger. His teeth ground together, "now here I am having such a pleasant visit with your superior, exchanging shop talk," he raised a wine glass toward the Colonel. "And right away you want to spoil it." He twisted his head around the other way, nodding toward Voltaire at the other end of the large lab. "Maybe you would like to go outside with Voltaire?"

"Of course, he is invited too," Jim said, giving the giant a quick glance as Voltaire stepped a few paces closer to him. "We're all going, even Antoinette." He smiled and gave the pretty dark haired woman a nod. "Now let's all stand up and move to the door." Everyone in the room exchanged nervous looks. Jim saw his partner glance at his open pocket watch. "Not to make anyone unduly nervous," Jim continued smoothly, "but we are under a time constraint and need to get moving."

As if on cue, an explosion was heard nearby inside the house. Smoke drifted into the room from the open doorway into the hall. Antoinette's hands went to her face and she turned panicked eyes toward Loveless. Richmond moved to the edge of his seat and looked at his agents. Another pop was heard farther away in the house and smoke drifted past the windows outside.

"They will get larger," Artemus said, his voice deep with stress. His hand clutched the watch. "We need to leave."

Loveless looked from Jim to Artemus. He opened his mouth to speak but another explosion was heard very close by, just outside the doorway. The room shook and wine glasses rattled on the table. Heavy grey smoke blew in from the hall. Loveless stood, his hand clenching his wine glass. He turned to the table to pick up the wine bottle. He calmly poured the dark liquid into his glass and sipped from it. "I will not be frightened by fools. And I am not going anywhere and nether are you!" He stomped his foot in anger, "these are just your usual childish games. These are just little popping smoke bombs of yours," he snarled at Artemus. "You have no idea how to make a large explosion like I do with my…"

"With your missing dinitropheno?" Artemus snapped. "Where do you think your secret ingredient went? Do you think a guard was dusting and misplaced it?" Artie pushed away from the table, his hand grabbing at this thigh. "Now we need to leave, all of us, now." His eyes moved to Loveless, Antoinette, and Richmond.

"You fool!" Loveless said, his anger fading to shock. He threw his wine glass to the floor, shattering the glass. "You utter fool, Mr. Gordon. You have that set to explode? All of it at once?" He suddenly wrapped his arms around his waist and started to laugh. "I must say, you surprise me. However, if that is the case, I agree, we do need to leave and without haste. We will need to retreat a far distance from here." He walked across the room to a shelf along the wall to set the wine bottle down. He turned to look at the agents, noting Jim had pivoted, keeping the revolver pointed at him. "Mr. Gordon, I told you when you first came that you would help me kill your partner." Artie swallowed hard as Jim glared. "But I thought I would have to do the hard work myself of setting the deadly scene but no, you did it for me!" Loveless, chuckling, nodded to Voltaire and then looked back to Antoinette, as the two conspirators gathered near him. "I think we will leave, immediately." He reached to the shelf and grabbed a long handle of an open fruit bowl on the serving table. He looked back at Jim and smiled. He yanked the handle, turning the large bowl. A loud crash was heard from above. Jim and Artie looked up to see large metal frames dropping from the ceiling. Jim jumped forward reaching toward Loveless but the smaller man easily dodged his grasp, darting away. The metal frame dropped just in front of Jim. He turned and another one fell behind him, and then to the two sides. The crashes echoed throughout the room, shaking the floor.

"Wonderful," Loveless laughed. He and Antoinette were standing near the doorway.

"I have men waiting outside," Jim shouted. "If you run out, they'll arrest you. Now come back and lift these before…" anther small bomb exploded nearby sending the room rattling again.

"If you don't mind, Mr. West," Loveless said, "I will bid you good bye. Such a shame we had such a short visit. Our final one should have been longer somehow. But Mr. Gordon is so persistent with his plans." He paused as Voltaire joined him at the doorway. "And Colonel," he said, nodding to Richmond who was still sitting in the chair, clearly shocked at all that had suddenly happened, "I have enjoyed meeting you, sir. Again, I wish it had been longer. Not often I find someone with whom I can converse."

"Loveless," Jim snarled, holding the hand gun up, "don't move. My men will be in shortly if you don't want to meet them outside."

"Oh, Mr. West," Loveless laughed, "How I will miss you. Mr. Gordon, adieu," Antoinette, behind him, pulled the thick cord attached to the curtains covering a nearby window. A square of flooring dropped into a ramp under their feet. The trio quickly slid out of sight as Jim pulled the hammer back on the revolver. But the click of the gun's mechanism echoed in the empty space. From the darkness below the ramp could be heard the soft laughter of Dr. Loveless. The ramp suddenly raised and fit back into place, invisible again in the wooden flooring's pattern.

"Damn," Jim snarled, turning to look at his partner. "How much time do we have?"

"Another ten minutes, maybe fifteen," Artie said. "This is bad." He looked up at the bars in front of him and at the other walls. "A perfect square but no top."

"Ya," Jim snapped, "I noticed. How the hell does he build this shit?" He turned to see Richmond still sitting in the chair. "Sorry, sir, but you seem to be stuck on the wrong side of the barrier with us." He turned to see Lori standing near him. "Where's that guard?"

"Ole Pete is over there, hiding," she snapped, glaring at the guard who was on floor behind Artie. "He didn't know which way to run so he hid under a table. I think he knew what was going to happen. Loser," she said.

"Harvey," Jim snapped, "how do these work? Just turn the damn fruit bowl?" The guard nodded. "Great, I just have to reach it." Jim turned back to the metal, pulling a small bottle out from an inner jacket pocket. "Hopefully this acid eats through quickly."

"That will have to remove a lot of bars to get out," Lori said, staying by his elbow to watch. "Amazing that doesn't leak in your pocket and burn your skin." She watched Jim put a few drops on a horizontal section. It immediately started to smoke. They leaned closer, watching, as more bombs exploded in the distance, inside the building. Lori looked at the doorway as more smoke poured into the room. "I wish I had counted those damn things. " She squinted at the windows on the far side of the room. "Artemus, is there red smoke outside?"

Artie turned to look, nodding, "yes, it will burn red for a while and then it will turn green."

"And the green is the copper pot?" Lori chewed her lip, thinking. She looked back to Jim, as he added more acid. The metal smoked more. "Is it working?"

"No," Jim said, gritting his teeth. "I don't know what this metal is but it's not putting a scratch in it." He stepped back and took a deep breath. He put the bottle back in his coat. "Maybe I can climb up to the top and get over the bars." He leaned back, hands on hips, and studied the ceiling where the metal fence had dropped from. He noticed Artie looking at the watch, "partner, tell me time is standing still, just for five minutes."

"Sorry," Artie said, sighing loudly. He looked up and leaned over to look past Jim. "What is she doing?"

Jim turned to see Lori putting her head between the bars on the far wall, near the chairs where Richmond was sitting. As he watched, she slid an arm out too and began to slowly pull herself through. Jim hurried toward her, "can you fit all the way? Maybe start over without your dress on!"

"I'm not taking my dress off, you idiot," She snarled, twisting to get her other arm though. "I have seen Christian do this but she's thinner than I am. But these two bars looked farther apart than the others." She pulled her shoulders through and started to smoosh her chest in with her hands, moving slowing.

"Sure I can't help?" Jim said, grinning, watching her twist.

"Shut up," she snapped, "I thought you were climbing something!" Jim shrugged, turning to see Richmond and Artie also watching. She pulled herself through to her stomach, her hands twisting to grab at bars for balance. "Actually, grab my ankles and hold my legs out straight."

Jim wrapped his arms around her skirts, lifting her legs. "If you can get that big butt of yours between these bars, I'll be impressed," he said, ducking as she kicked at his head. She pulled her hips through and paused to catch her breath. Hanging with her hands, she pulled her feet through and dropped to the floor on the far side of the metal bars.

"Wish I could do that," Richmond said, standing slowly. "I'd even take my clothes off."

Jim grinned at him, giving him a gentle tap on the shoulder, "She should be able to turn that pot around and hopefully these will lift. Get ready to run out that door." He pointed to the door as he moved to the metal wall closest to the sideboard. Lori was already pushing the fruit bowl's handle but it wasn't moving.

"It won't budge," she snapped, "what the hell?!"

Jim leaned over, watching, "maybe there is a hidden hook or button." As she struggled, he turned to Harvey, "is there some trick to this?"

"I never touched it," he said, "but Loveless always had to have Voltaire put the frames back up. Loveless said the weight made pressure against a latch. I think you have to twist the handle and shove it back at the same time." His words croaked out as he rubbed his throat.

"Great," Jim snapped, "I can't fit through these damned bars! Try to use both hands to make it move. Maybe you just need to be stronger than Loveless."

"Wait," Lori sapped, "I felt something. I think there is a latch." She leaned over to study the underside of the handle. Jim and Artie exchanged a worried look as red smoke started to come in the window. "Dam it, move!" She twisted the handle with both hands, bracing a heeled shoe against the cupboard door, and slammed the pot around. The metal started to go up but very slowly. "Got it!" She turned around to watch the walls of bars lift from the carpet, keeping her hands clamped onto the handle.

"Sir, come on, move!" Jim raced to Richmond and helped him down to his knees. "Crawl out and run out the door," he said, pushing the older man under the metal ends. Lori released the handle and hurried over to help him back up. "Run to the carriage outside." Jim hurried to help his partner. Harvey was already out and racing past everyone, disappearing out the door. "Come on, partner," Jim said, leaning over to push Artie underneath the rising metal frame. "Damn, Harvey could have helped us."

"That red is turning green, Jim," Artie said, struggling to his feet again. "Just leave me here and run for the carriage. I can't move fast enough." Jim wrapped his arm around his partner's waste and pulled an arm over his shoulder, dragging him.

"Move," Jim snapped, "Christian would kill me if I came out without you so let's just go." They crossed the room and moved out the door. The carriage was waiting with the girls helping Richmond through the carriage door. Steve sat of the seat above with a gun pointing at Harvey who stood nearby, hands raised. "Inside," Jim said, handing his partner to the girls. He spun around, took a couple of steps, and punched Harvey in the jaw, knocking him to the ground. "Bastard wouldn't lift a finger to help anyone." He picked up the now unconscious man and threw him into the carriage. The girls climbed in, stepping on him in their haste. Jim closed the door and jumped to the seat. Smoke, swirled with green and red colors, blew around the corner of the building. "GO!"

Steve slapped the reins onto the horses and the carriage leapt into motion. "Yaaaa!" He slapped the reins again as the horses raced down the graveled drive toward the opening in the tall stone walls.

Jim turned in the seat to look behind them. The large home was engulfed in smoke and the cloud was spreading toward them. The air was heavy with an odd stench. "That chemical must be burning. That's not just paper I'm smelling."

"Maybe Artie was wrong," Steve said, "maybe it won't explode at all."

"Artie is never wrong about his chemicals," Jim sighed, his eyes on the approaching gate. He took his hat off and waved it at the horses, yelling, "Yaaaaaaa!" The terrified animals raced headlong down the lane. The carriage flew between the walls and shot out onto the paved street. The horses continued their headlong race down the road as the street turned to run along the prison walls. "We need to get away from this area. This wall may all come down." Jim pointed to a side street. "Go down there a ways and then turn left, get some buildings between us."

Steve slowed the horses slightly to make the corner but the carriage still tilted, one wheel coming off the ground. He straightened the team and the wheel dropped to the ground again. Jim stole a look over his shoulder and the smoke was pouring over the top edge of the wall. "Seems like it should have blown by now but…" as if on cue, a huge explosion was heard in the distance. The smoke suddenly shot up, filling the sky with black swirling clouds. Burning pieces shot up in blazing arches, falling into the street. Smoke boiled sideways, obscuring the wall and pouring into the street where they had just been.

"Go," Jim yelled, pointing down a side street. The carriage tilted again as they rounded the sharp corner. Burning debris bounced onto rooftops of buildings and fell into the road. The horses shied away but Steve slapped the reins, urging the tired animals on.

"At least the wall held," Steve yelled. Again, "it must be holding a lot of the explosion back from us." The horses approached a space between two buildings as smoke poured out. They passed through the dark cloud, feeling the heat for an instant. Then they were past and ducked behind another structure. The horses were slowing as they air cleared. The sun was coming up and people in the distance were moving into the street. Many were pointing toward the prison.

"Just go slow now," Jim said, "I want to bring them both to the hospital so don't even stop at headquarters. After we drop them, we'll come back. By then we should be able to speak to officials. Hopefully only the prison was damaged."

"I hope that smoke wasn't toxic to breath," Steve said, coughing. "Smelled bad, that's for sure. Glad we got all the guards out. I wonder where Loveless went. There weren't any other carriages around."

Jim sighed, sitting back into the seat, watching the shocked faces of the people in the street as they passed. "Loveless and his friends dropped into a basement which probably leads into a tunnel. Who knows where it comes out? If they moved far enough, and fast enough, they were probably safe. The explosion would have made a hole at that small stone building but then went up and out sideways." He thought for a minute, "he could have come out beyond the walls, maybe into another building, had a carriage waiting." He shook his head tiredly. "So much work to find him and I barely spoke to him."

]

Later that day…

]

"At least we got everyone back," Artie said. "Including me," he added, smiling up from the hospital bed. "Richmond went home with his wife but they won't let me go home! Why is that?"

"Because you don't have a wife to take care of you," Jim laughed, as he paced nearby in the small room, "at least not yet. And don't be rushing it either." He pointed a warning finger at his partner.

Artie snorted, "maybe I need one." He sighed, relaxing into the pillows. "Maybe I will just relax and dream about a house with a white picket fence and a loving wife taking care of me."

Jim grinned at his partner, seeing how exhausted his friend was. "The doctor had said you lost some blood but you just need to rest for a few days." Jim said, starting to move toward the door, "I was going to tell you about the blast site and what happened to the buildings but you're probably too tired so I'll just…"

"What?" Artie sat up and opened his eyes. "You were there? Already? Was it hot? What did it smell like?"

Jim grinned, walking closer to his friend again. "I really should let you rest but I had a couple of quick questions. And I didn't notice a smell. The entire area was wiped clean," he added, waving his hands out sideways. "And a huge hole where the stone building had been." He dropped into a chair, "but hot, very hot. I couldn't even get to the edge of the hole, much less climb down inside."

"Do me a favor," Artie said quietly, his brown eyes watching his partner, "don't touch too much and don't climb down into the hole. Let the area air out." He let out a long sigh, "and keep everyone out too."

"I have guards along the perimeter of what's left of that wall," Jim said, shaking his head, "it must have contained most of the blast shock wave but it all toppled over. The surrounding buildings had some windows blasted out and roof damage but they held. We were lucky we got out when we did."

Artie smiled, "Lori saved us this time. Good thing she found that wide area between the bars," he said. "You have to admit she was very useful, smart, tough…"

"All right," Jim said, "I admit she had times she was useful. Christian was too. She traveled around with me tracking down leads, though I can't believe we searched everywhere and you were just down the street." He took his hat off and shook it at Artie, "and, of course, Celeste was amazing, especially since she isn't used to this kind of work."

"She was amazing," Artie said, "we need to make sure Colonel Richmond understands what she went through and what she did in spite of fear. She rallied and did everything I asked, well beyond what she thought her own abilities were." He closed his eyes and lay back on the pillows again. "You better let me sleep for a while. Come back later and tell me more updates."

"All right," Jim said standing again, "we can visit the site when you're feeling better and see how to fix it. Probably fill it with chunks of broken wall and cover it with dirt." He paused at the door to watch his partner. Artie was already sound asleep, soft snores coming from him. Jim grinned, put his hat back on his head, and walked out.

tbc