Friends

Chapter 2

Okay, here's another chapter. I thank you for the reviews. Please be patient for the next one, I am working very slowly. Sorry.

Groaning, Scarlett slowly opened her eyes. Her head ached and pounded as she tried to lift it.

"Scarlett?"

It was Cat who spoke and she didn't sound very well.

"Whatever you do, don't get up fast."

Scarlett contemplated the advice, considered what to do, and slowly turned her head in the direction she had heard Cat speak. She saw Cat sitting with her head in her hands.

"Are you okay?" Scarlett said carefully.

Cat raised her head and tried to grin. "Yep, and as soon as I find the guy hitting my head with the hammer, I'll be better."

Scarlett chuckled and winced. "Whatever they used, it was potent, wasn't it?"

"Uh-huh." Cat leaned back against a wall and closed her eyes. "Deep breathing helps some."

Taking a few deep breaths, Scarlett's head cleared a little. Enough so that she sat up and looked at their cell for the first time. She saw that they were in an empty room with only a door and a few vents. The vents were small, but fresh air was coming in regularly.

"Have you tried the door?" Scarlett moved closer to Cat and also leaned against the wall.

"Not yet, but I'm getting ready to because I haven't seen Timber." There was anger in Cat's voice.

Scarlett looked around and realized that they were the only ones in the room. The lobo was nowhere to be seen.

Cat turned to the door and whispered. "Someone's coming." She moved her arm a little. "I won't be able to tackle anyone yet."

Scarlett silently agreed. Whatever they had been hit with, it was taking too long to recover. Scarlett waited silently the door opened to reveal their captor. She heard Cat's intake of breath as the man came into view.

"Storm Shadow." Scarlett said.

Saying nothing, Storm Shadow stood over them; looking from one to the other. He smiled as he reached down and lifted Cat's chin. After moving her head from side to side, he let her go and moved to Scarlett to do the same thing.

Scarlett pulled her head away quickly and regretted it. Her breath came in gasps as pain blinded her for a second. She felt Storm Shadow grab her chin and raise her head.

"The pain will disappear in a few minutes…or so I've been told." Storm Shadow grinned.

"What do you want with us?" Scarlett said.

"The Commander will fill you in when he sees you." He straightened and headed for the door. "I'm sure you will find it…enlightening." When he closed the door, they heard the lock click.

Cat jumped to her feet, swayed a little, but headed for the door anyway.

"Cat?" Scarlett slowly got to her feet and leaned against the wall, breathing hard as she tried to keep from falling.

"I am not going to wait here for the 'Commander' to show up. I'm getting out of here." She tested the door and found it solid and no access to the lock on their side. Hand on the wall to steady her; Cat looked up at the vents that were about two feet above them. "How steady are you?" She came up to Scarlett and looked at her with concern.

"If I need to, I can run a mile." She said determinedly. It was then she noticed that Cat had her boots on with her shorts and night top.

Cat sat down and reached into the left boot to pull out a small tool. She stood up and pointed to the vent above their heads. "Do you think you can give me a boost?"

Scarlett nodded and braced herself.

Snake Eyes slowly looked around the corner of the hallway. For now it was empty and at eleven at night it was quiet. He moved quickly to the door at the end of the hallway. He made sure once more that this was where the signal of the locators was coming from before opening it slowly. His jaw clenched when he saw shelves of objects; it was a storage room. He entered and found what he was looking for. In a box were the phones with other objects that belonged to the missing women. He pocketed the phones. Searching brought the suitcases and bags with their clothing and shoes. Nothing gave him a clue where the women were. He looked out of the store room and went out.

"Snake Eyes, what have you found?" Ripcord's voice came over the communicator.

Jaw clenching in irritation, Snake Eyes tapped on his wrist-writer.

"Nothing?"

"Rip, will you leave him alone. He knows what to do." Heavy Duty's voice took over. "Keep up the search, Snake."

Acknowledging, Snake Eyes continued his search of the ranch house. As he made his way to where plans said the office sat, he mulled over where he would have to search first. When he heard someone coming, he stopped.

"Really don't understand why they want to keep those two women. If they are Joes, we should kill them." One viper said as they walked down the hall.

"The Commander said that we should keep them for him. If you want to go against Storm Shadow, then, be my guest."

"No thank you. I've seen what he can do."

"Okay, let's just go check on them before the Commander gets here. It was a good idea to buy this place. It's a good cover." They walked on not stopping until they reached a turn and disappeared. They never noticed the dark shape that had been above them.

Snake Eyes silently dropped down to the floor. They knew where the girls were, so he followed as quickly as he could. He silently wished to meet up with his 'brother', if he was still here. Once that was done, they would follow the locator to Timber.

Scarlett slowly inched her way through the vent. It was a tight fit but with bare feet and the silk nightgown, but she was making headway. Once in a while, she would pause and receive a tap to the bottom of her foot. Cat was still with her.

After Cat had opened the vent, she gave Scarlett a boost and then easily followed her into the vent. One thing she hated was that she had to leave the boots behind. She wouldn't have been able have traction with them; but the real loss was the small weapons and tools that were hidden in them. She hoped that Snake Eyes wouldn't be angry for leaving them behind.

"Cat?" Scarlett had stopped again. She called back, hoping Cat could hear her. "There's a 'T' here. Wait a minute." After a few seconds she felt a breeze, so Scarlett began moving and turned left. After going for at least ten feet, Scarlett paused and received another tap on her foot. She continued, she hoped, in the direction of their freedom.

Snake Eyes had followed the two outside and to the barn. When they entered a door that showed stairs, he hesitated enough to let them go down and around a corner before he followed. They seemed to be the only ones here at the ranch, but Snake Eyes knew looks can be deceiving. He was proven right as, ten feet in, two other vipers greeted the first; they were guarding a room in the hallway they were in. Cobra had one fault; there were too many places in which a ninja could hide in their bases.

"We're here to check on those Joes." Said one of the first two vipers.

"It's been quiet so far. Storm Shadow left here about fifteen minutes ago."

"We know, that's why we're here, he wants to know if they've recovered enough to be moved. That gas has a kick that lasts a while."

One of the guards shrugged and turned to open the door.

Snake Eyes tensed, ready to rush in and dispatch the guards to get to the girls. He was a little pleased and suprised as the guards stood shock and then called an alarm. One ran into the room as the others turned to push a button.

"They've escaped! They got out somehow!"

The one that went into the room came out holding a pair of soft boots. "They got out through the vents. They could be almost anywhere!" He dropped the boots and all together, they ran toward the entrance up the stairs.

Looking around carefully Snake Eyes came out of the shadows and grabbed up the boots. Tucking them into his belt, he moved quickly and quietly to the entrance.
_

Putting the small tool aside, Scarlett pushed the vent cover away and crawled out. She looked around as she heard Cat climb out and stood up beside her.

"How did you know…" Cat began to ask then looked around also. "Oh."

They were standing in the barn with its small rows of stalls.

"We were at the ranch all the time." Scarlett said.

"Then we can get to the car and get out of here." Cat said as she started to head for the ranch house, but stopped as Scarlett grabbed her arm.

"Can't, I left the keys in our room." Scarlett looked down at herself.

Cat did the same and grinned sheepishly. "I supposed you don't have a spare on you, huh?" When she saw Scarlett shake her head, she thought for a moment and then nodded. "Come on." She headed for the tack room and grabbed a lead rope, bridle, and bucket.

"What are you going to do?" Scarlett asked as Cat handed her the bridle.

"Going to get us out of here." Cat said as she tied the lead rope around her waist and got a little feed into the bucket. "I'm going to get one of the horses and we'll get to the next town and call."

"How are you going to do that? All of the horses are loose in the corral and you're going to need a longer rope to get one, aren't you?"

Cat grinned. "Nope."

They both jumped as an alarm sounded.

"Uh-oh, we've got to hurry." Scarlett ran to a saddle.

"We don't have time. Just go to the corral gate and open it as soon as I get a horse." Cat grabbed her arm and ran to the corral at the back of the barn.

Scarlett ran to the gate and waited as she saw Cat go into the corral shaking the bucket of feed. She saw, although spooked by the alarm, a few head over to Cat as soon as they realized what she had and push to get their heads in.

Cat looked the horses over and with her free hand grabbed a grey gelding she had ridden yesterday. She put the bucket down and, using the lead rope around his neck, led it Scarlett.

"The bridle!" Cat easily slipped the bridle on and leaped onto the grey's back. She reached down as shouts sounded. "Come on, Scarlett!" She urged above the shots that were ringing out.

Scarlett grabbed her hand and for a second, Cat faltered but with a strong yank, Scarlett was on the grey behind her.

"Keep a good hold on me!" Cat kicked and gave a yell. "Heeyaw, giddup!"

Scarlett gasped and nearly fell as the grey leaped forward, but Cat reached back and held her on. Scarlett saw the other horses in the corral follow as they ran for the trails in the lightening day. Now she understood why Cat wanted her to open the gate. The vipers couldn't get a clear shot, but she hissed as something bit into her arm and side.

"Scarlett?"

"I'm fine; keep going!" Scarlett clasped her hands together around Cat's waist and closed her eyes. She tried hard to do as Cat did while the grey ran. She could feel the animal's muscles as Cat made the animal weave toward the trails.

They didn't see a dark figure take out the vipers and run past the barn and ranch house, thru the trees toward the road.

Snake Eyes hesitated at the tree line and listened. He heard the thundering of the horses as they made their way through the trees and wondered if Cat would head for the road after she got further away. He tapped on his communicator.

"What do you mean, they're on a horse?" Heavy Duty's voice came over the headset.

Tap, tap.

"Which way?"

Tap, tap.

"Got you. Do you want us to wait for you?"

Tap, tap, and tap.

"Okay, we'll be back for you after we get Scarlett and Cat." Heavy Duty signed off.

Snake Eyes nodded absently to the trees and motioned with his hand. His head lowered as Storm Shadow stepped out of the trees and approached him.

"I was expecting you, Brother." He said as he stopped about ten feet away. "Something told me you would arrive if those two were detained."