When morning came, Jim was up early. He showered and got dressed and went outside. If there was one thing he had always enjoyed when he lived in Iowa, it was the sunrise because he could see so far. As he looked across the misty fields, he could remember that there were many enjoyable memories in Iowa. He watched the sky become lighter and lighter until the first ray of the sun came over the horizon.

Carol came out onto the terrace. She would not mention how alarmed she had been when she woke up and he was not in the bed. "What are you doing?" she asked.

"You know how much I like to watch the sunrise," Jim said.

"You didn't wake me. You didn't feel like sharing?"

"I didn't want to disturb you."

"Have you remembered anything else?"

"No."

"You talked in your sleep."

"What did I say?"

"I don't know. You didn't speak plainly."

Jim looked out across the fields. "This looks a lot like Iowa."

"I know. Just as far as you can see. It also reminds me of our little place in Nebraska."

"Yeah. Carol, when we retire from Starfleet, don't you want something like that?"

"I don't know what I want."

"You wouldn't want our little farm back?"

"I don't think we could get it."

"Probably not. It's just a thought, but we could build another one. After all, we have experience now."

Carol smiled. "Who knows what we'll do?"

When everyone else was up, they went to breakfast. "Where should we start today?" Ajah asked.

"We're gonna start with the transport pilot," Jim said. "Maybe we'll even ride the transport and get a better idea about the area."

"It might be better and quicker than walking," Helek remarked.

"I thought I was supposed to make all the wise cracks," Bones said.

"Not when he's around," Ajah replied before anyone else could say anything.

"You all make your share of wise cracks," Jim said. "We're just gonna start with the transport and go from there."

"Do you think they may have been alerted to our presence?" Carol asked.

"I wouldn't know. Besides, I don't think they could just jump up and leave from here. I haven't seen a space port here."

"But there is the transport, and I'm sure it takes people from here to the other side of the planet at times."

"Maybe. After meeting that bartender, who knows whether they want to go over there or not."

"It's hard to believe something like this really exists on Pacifica," Carol said.

"Like we said before, there's always another side," Jim replied.

After breakfast, they went outside to wait for the transport but walked down the street of the small town. "This is like another time," Bones declared. "It's like we've stepped out of our century."

"Don't say that," Jim said. "I don't want to be in any other centuries again."

"It wasn't all that bad."

"No, but it wasn't all that good either. We were just lucky we could survive there."

Just then, Solan appeared in a swirl of light right behind them. "Well, that was pretty precise," he said. "At least I don't have to search for you."

"Did you find out anything?" Jim asked.

"No. They must not have been over there very long. What are you finding out here?"

"They're here."

"Where?"

"We don't know yet, but we're waiting for the transport. It seems Lieutenant Brand has family here, but we don't know where they are at the moment."

"So, no one keeps up with who all lives around here?"

"Well, Solan, this is not a Starfleet base," Jim reminded him.

"So we have to find them the old fashioned way by tracking them down?" Solan asked.

"If you want to call it that. When the transport comes, we're going to see who all gets off it, and then we'll talk to the pilot."

The transport was right on time. Jim and the others stood in the shadows watching who would get off. Several people and beings got off the transport. Jim wondered how they could all fit into this small town, but they all scattered out. The last person to get off was none other than Lieutenant Stow. He was carrying a backpack, and he was scanning the area.

"That's him," Solan whispered.

"I see him," Jim replied. "Let's not spook him back onto that thing."

Stow walked on and suddenly, he saw Jim. "Stop right there!" Jim yelled, but Stow turned and ran.

"They never listen to the word stop!" Bones declared as they were giving chase.

Stow had gone around the side of the building, and by the time they got to the corner, he was going around the other corner. "We should split up," Jim said. "Maybe we can surround him. Some of you go back that way, and two of you come with me!"

Jim ran on after Stow, and Carol and Solan followed him, while Bones, Helek, and Ajah went back the other way. Jim rounded the corner of the building and found that there was another group of buildings behind the first row. "This just got more complicated," he said as he ran down between the rows of buildings. He slowed down as he came to the corner of one of the buildings. He looked between the next two and so on, but he did not see Stow anywhere. "He has to be here somewhere!"

"I'll go back here," Solan said, pointing toward the back of the second row of buildings.

"Good. I'll go this way. Carol, stay here and let us know if you see him."

Jim started down the row of buildings, looking between them as he came around each one. He had seen no weapons on Stow, and he hoped he had none. Jim came to the next to last building and moved up to the corner of the building. As he looked around the corner, he saw nothing. He went on to the next corner and looked around.

Jim barely missed getting a club to the face, but he ducked just in time as Stow swung a club-like tree limb at him. Jim tackled him and they were in a struggle on the ground. Stow was not out of shape, and he swung his fist making connection with Jim's face. Then, Stow was running. Solan was coming around the building just as Stow was taking off at a full run.

Jim got up and they both went after him. "What is this guy? A sprinter?" Solan asked as they were running at full speed.

As they were running, Stow was pulling a blaster from his pack. When he was far ahead of them, he turned to fire. Jim and Solan barely got out of the way of a stun bolt. Solan slipped getting back to his feet and he was hit with a stun bolt and crashed to the ground unconscious. Jim was retrieving his phaser and had to dodge another stun bolt. He set his own phaser to stun but had to dodge again. He got a glancing blow from the stun bolt and felt his left arm go numb. He managed to get between two of the buildings, however and was ready to stun Stow if he came into his view.

"Stop right there!" Carol exclaimed as she now had her phaser trained on Stow.

Stow did not stop, but darted between two of the buildings on the other side of the alley. Carol looked in at Jim who was trying to get up. "Are you alright?" she asked.

"Yeah," Jim replied. "That guy's determined." He grimaced at the weird feeling in his left arm and leg. "He almost got me too."

"At least he's using a stun bolt. Solan is out."

"I know. Do you know where Stow went?"

"He went between two of the buildings there."

Just then, Bones and the others came into the passageway where Carol stood with her phaser. "I take it you guys found him," Bones said as he went over to Solan.

"He's stunned," Carol said.

"Out cold. He must be using full blast with that thing."

Jim came from between the other two buildings rubbing his arm and limping slightly. "I'd say he is," he agreed. "I'm gonna get that guy."

Ajah and Helek moved down the row of buildings looking for Stow. "We need a place to power up," Helek said.

"We have enough to capture him," Ajah replied. "Besides, you can draw from inside."

"Yeah, but not like I can from a power source. I can resist stun bolts."

"We'll just have to be careful."

Before they could find Stow, three other people came into the passageway, and one of them was obviously security. "What is going on out here?" he asked.

"We're looking for someone," Jim replied.

"We don't allow people to come here and terrorize the people of this community."

"I'm Admiral James T. Kirk of the Federation. I'm after someone."

The security officer was surprised and turned just a little pale. "I'm sorry, Sir," he said.

"It's alright." Jim showed him pictures of the people they were looking for. "Do you know where they've been staying?"

"No, but I've seen them around town."

"Lieutenant Stow was out here and we were trying to capture him." Jim pointed. "He went out that way somewhere."

"There's nothing out there but farms and fields, Sir."

Jim could not see past the row of buildings at the moment. "Yeah, plenty of places to hide," he said. "And we didn't see where he went." He looked at the security guard. "We're going to be looking for him. I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't let this become news so the other one won't run."

"What are they wanted for?"

"Kidnapping, and I don't know what other charges. Just keep it quiet."

Jim took out his communicator. "Spock."

"Yes, Admiral," Spock answered promptly.

"We found Stow, but he got away. We're gonna be hunting him for a while. I need you to transport Solan back to the ship…along with Carol."

Carol started to protest, but she just folded her arms. "Yes, Admiral," Spock replied.

Jim kissed Carol just before she was surrounded by light. He knew she was not happy about it. "Talk to you later, Spock," Jim said.

"Jim, Admiral Winston wishes to speak with you," Spock said.

"Did he sound urgent or mad?"

"I am not certain."

"Well, tell him I'm on a mission."

"I will relay the message."

"Thanks. Kirk out."

Jim put his communicator away. "You're gonna tell Admiral Winston that you don't have time to talk to him right now?" Bones asked.

"That's not what I said," Jim replied.

"It might as well be. Wow. You're in for it."

"I don't have time to go back to the ship and talk right now. We have to find this guy."

Jim was still limping slightly as he walked, and he was rubbing his shoulder and arm. "I hate stun bolts," he mumbled.

They made their way around the last of the buildings and then there was nothing but wide open fields, farm houses, and barns. "You think he's out in one of those corn fields?" Bones asked. "I'm not going to enjoy searching a corn field."

"There's four of us; we can just go two to each farm and ask if they've seen him, and find out if he's hiding in a barn somewhere."

"What if he's hiding in a corn field?"

"Will you stop worrying about the corn field? We'll get Spock to scan the corn field."

"Whatever we do, he's probably already alerted his pal that we're here."

"Let's just find him. Ajah, you're with me. Bones, take Helek and go on to the next."

Bones wanted to make some sort of protesting, smart remark, but he could not think of one at the moment. "Let's go," he said to Helek. They walked over to a farmhouse that had waving fields of corn behind it. "I can just see myself chasing this guy through a corn field."

"Do you really hate corn fields that much?" Helek asked.

"No, but I don't want to chase anyone through one."

"I like popcorn. How do they make that?"

"It's a long story."

Bones knocked on the house door. "I feel like I'm in another timeframe," he said. "We're knocking on doors that aren't technologically controlled."

"What's wrong with that?" Helek asked.

"Nothing."

A woman came to the door. "Yes?"

"Have you seen this guy?" Bones asked and showed her the picture of Stow.

"No, not for a long time."

"How long is a long time?"

"I saw him in town a few days ago."

"Oh. Thanks."

They walked away from the house. "I don't think he would go into a house," Helek said. "He would have to know we're gonna find him."

"Not if someone around here is hiding him," Bones replied.

Jim and Ajah had just about the same luck. "This is getting us nowhere," Jim declared. "Bones, go back and talk to that transport pilot before he leaves. I want to know if he knows where they go around here."

"Alright," Bones replied. "What are you going to do?"

"I'm going back to where we were hunting him before. I don't think he came out here at all."

"You mean you think he's back there hiding in one of those buildings?"

"Could be. Just talk to the pilot."

Jim and Ajah went back to the row of buildings behind the first row. He thought these must be storage buildings because there was a lot of grain around them, and also a lot of chickens and birds and other small animals. "Well, these animals are obviously used to people," Ajah remarked.

"Right," Jim replied. "So they might not have even been spooked when he came through here."

"Why do you think he could be hiding out here?"

Jim considered that. "Could be waiting for something…or someone."

"You think she's gonna come and pick him up?"

"Well, if I was being chased by a bunch of maniacs, Carol would come and get me."

"Maniacs? We're not…never mind. I see your point."

"Exactly. So why should he run if he has a way out? During the time we were out there, he could have gone over here to the stores to get what he came into town for."

"And might even get back on the transport."

Jim nodded. "You start going into the shops. I'm gonna search these buildings."

"Admiral…"

"Don't argue. That's an order."

Ajah wanted to protest more about Jim being alone out there, but he knew if Jim said it was an order, he might as well be quiet. "If something happens to you, Carol is going to skin me alive," he said as he turned to walk away.

Jim chuckled at that but then became serious as he looked toward the buildings which looked like they had to be storage buildings. He made sure his phaser was on stun and moved back out to the buildings. It was very quiet out there except for the sounds the chickens made. He was glad they at least made sounds. The silence reminded him of Garresant. He would like to go back there and tell Garath what he thought of him. He thought maybe now that the mating season was over, perhaps he could find out more about the people there.

Jim crept around the side of one of the buildings and then he heard something. He stopped and leaned against the building. He heard the sound again…a soft footstep. As he stood and listened, he was sure it was not one of the chickens or birds. Then he heard a soft, electronic beep.

"Where are you, Sophie?" Lieutenant Stow said. "If you don't hurry, they're going to get suspicious."

"I'm almost there, Will," Sophie replied. "Are you sure they're not watching you?"

"How can they be? I gave them the slip."

"You always were overconfident."

"I'm not this time."

"But they know we're here now," Sophie said. "Admiral Kirk won't stop looking."

"We'll just have to go somewhere he won't think of looking?"

"Oh? And where is that? It can't be on a Federation world because everyone will know us."

"No. They won't. I have a plan."

"Good."

Jim stayed where he was. He thought maybe this was his chance to get both of them. He figured Lieutenant Brand must be coming to get him in some sort of ship or even a ground vehicle. If he could get both of them, this manhunt would be over.

Jim wanted to call the others with his communicator but he figured Stow would hear it and would run for it. He hoped the ship or whatever she was coming in would land…but what if she transported him? Jim touched the button on his communicator what would alert the others. He would not activate it until the other quarry arrived. If he activated it too soon, the others would come running, and Stow might alert Brand not to come down. As he stood there, he heard Stow shuffling around and thought he must be digging around in his pack. Then he heard a quiet beeping sound.

Jim gripped his phaser and moved as quietly as he could toward the corner of the building. He thought maybe he could capture Stow and not let him alert his partner that anything was wrong. He got to the corner and waited a moment and then aimed around the corner. "Stow," he said.

Stow was startled, but he had his phaser in his hand and he did not hesitate to fire. Jim jerked back, avoiding the bolt from the phaser. "You can't escape!" Jim declared.

"I think I can, Admiral," Stow replied.

Jim thought that sounded further away, so he peeped around the corner again. To his surprise, Stow was standing right there and had his blaster aimed right at Jim's face. The last thing Jim saw was a bright flash…