Jim and Jeremy went into the records room in the regional office. Jeremy instantly felt ill at ease. The clerk didn't seem flustered to see two agents with ratings as high as theirs, in fact he almost seemed insulted. He showed them to the section they needed and sternly warned them about removing any records from the premises before he rudely turned his back on them and left.

"Do you get the idea he's not very pleased we're here?" Jeremy asked as he pulled open a file cabinet drawer.

"Yeah, kind of like we're interrupting his daily routine or something. And he didn't seem too happy about that letter from Colonel Richmond."

"Maybe he thinks we're here to check up on him."

"It looks like he needs it," Jim frowned as he blew dust off the table before he place a file on it.

They sat quietly leafing through files making notes. Neither man noticing they were being watched.

WWWWWWWWWW

Danielle readied another spoon of broth and paused half way to Artie's mouth. His expression had changed from a smile to a frown then to a pained look. She returned the spoon to the bowl, set it on the sideboard and stood next to the bed ready for anything. Artie put his hand to his forehead and groaned. He looked at Danielle and a strange look came over him. Being a nurse she recognized the look, Danielle grabbed the paper and pencil form the sideboard and pulled a chair close to the bed.

Artie stared, eyes not focused on his surroundings, at a point just above the sideboard. He took several deep breaths, his expression confused. Suddenly he began to talk. Danielle wrote quickly, trying to keep up. He recited several names, addresses and some rather odd comments associated with some of the names. After several minutes Artie finally stopped. He sat with his eyes closed breathing heavily for several moments.

"Artemus? How do you feel?" Danielle placed a water soaked cloth on his forehead.

"I'll be fine," he replied tiredly, "Where's Jim I need to talk to him."

"He's…uh…not here," Danielle replied hesitantly.

"What? Where did he go?" Artie asked.

"Relax, Artemus, Jeremy is with him. The Colonel sent them to the record office to see what they can find on some high level government officials," At that Artie sat bolt upright, causing his vision to swim.

"No! It's not safe. I've got to warn him," He clumsily threw the covers off.

"You are going nowhere! Lay back down. The Colonel left some Army men here…I can send them after Jim," Danielle tried to push him back.

"No…I'm going and unless you plan on shooting me to keep me here you have two choices my dear…one get those soldiers out there to keep me here or two…help me get dressed and come with me. Either way I find a way to go," Artie regarded her sternly.

"There isn't time to brief those soldiers out there and most of them don't have the security clearance for this information anyway," Artie said as he swung his legs off the bed.

"Hell, I don't even know if I have the clearance," Artie closed his fist on the edge of the bed, fighting off the vertigo and nausea.

Danielle helped him dress and sat him in a chair while she collected her medical bag and supplies. Might as well see if he can take sitting up, Danielle thought as she looked at Artie out of the corner of her eye, He is a most stubborn man! I can tell he's ready to fall out of that chair. But his stubborn sense of duty to his country and his partner are keeping him from thinking about himself. She didn't quite know if she should be impressed or upset.

She helped him to his feet and he declined her offer to help him into his fringed riding jacket and asked her instead for the corduroy. She helped him slip it on and vehemently dared him to slip his right arm out of the sling. He gave her a lopsided smile, winked and left the sling on, tucking the right sleeve of the jacket into the pocket. Danielle followed him to the stable car, where she sat her bag down on the hay bales in the corner. She grabbed a nearby saddle and hoped she put it on the right horse. Artie moved next to her to help.

"Oh please…sit down, Artemus. I can't be Douglas Richmond's Godchild and not know how to saddle a horse," She rolled her eyes at him.

"Oh yeah…Wait a minute! Did you just say…?"

"Yes, Artemus, the doctor is my uncle and Colonel Richmond is my Godfather."

"Well I'll be! I never thought of the Colonel as having a…well, a…"Artie seemed to be at a loss for words.

"As having a life outside the Secret Service?" Danielle supplied.

"Well, yeah."

"Most everyone sees him as the stiff Colonel of the Secret Service. It's something my aunt has been trying to remedy for years. Honestly, I don't think she'll succeed despite her best efforts."

"There, the saddle is on. Now what to do about you? With your vision you can't sit in front and try to steer the horse…that will never do, I'll have to sit in front," Danielle looked around.

"Just help me to the horse I'll do the rest."

Danielle steadied the horse and placed Artie's foot in the stirrup. She glanced up and saw him reaching for the saddle horn with his eyes shut. She reached up and placed his hand on the saddle horn and stood behind him in case he fell. Artie pulled himself into the saddle with almost too much ease. She shook her head He is way too accustomed to this, she thought. Artie slowly opened his eyes and smiled down at her.

"Would my lady like a hand up?" Artie said as he offered her his hand.

She took his hand and pulled herself up. They exited the train and Danielle gave the soldiers a letter she had written to Richmond then she took the reins from Artie and slowly guided the horse toward town.

"Do you know where the regional record office is?" Danielle asked him, "I have been to the main office but not the records office."

"Yeah it's just a few blocks down the street from the main office."

"All right, I know a short cut that will be easier on you than taking that steep hill."

"Well, thank goodness for short cuts," Artie said as he put his arm around her waist and breathed deeply, inhaling the lilac scent of her hair.

He's holding on a bit too tight, Danielle thought, while I do enjoy feeling his arm around me and oh how good it feels…it's almost like he thinks he's going to fall off. I knew this was a very bad idea. Some doctor I'm going to make…I can't even make my patients listen to me. She guided the horse up the trail mentally kicking herself for allowing the dashing agent to use his charms on her to such a degree.

They entered town and Danielle steered the horse though the alleys. When they reached the back of the Secret Service Record Office she pulled the horse to a stop.

"You stay here, Artemus…" she said as she slipped down.

"Oh nooooo…I'm coming with you."

"No, Artemus, I'm just going to check and see if Jim and Jeremy are still here. You wait here, I don't want you getting down if there's no need," Artie finally nodded and Danielle slipped inside the building.

She crept along the hall peeking in rooms as she went. When she passed the old file storeroom she peeked in and started to go to the next room when something drew her back. There, under the table was the handkerchief she was certain she had seen in Jeremy's pocket this morning. Danielle snuck into the room and picked it up. In one corner the initials J P were embroidered. That tears it, she thought, they were here! Now if I were a Secret Service Agent where would I go from here? She looked around and saw the files strewn all over the floor and the desk. This doesn't look good! Danielle quietly slipped our of the room and back outside.

Artie heard her coming and quickly opened his eyes, gun drawn, just in case. He was weaving back and forth in the saddle. Oh just great! Danielle thought as she steadied him by placing her hand on his leg. She quickly weighed the evidence she had found against her stubborn charge and pondered her words carefully before she spoke.

"Put that thing away before you hurt yourself, Artemus," he holstered his weapon.

"Where are Jim and Jeremy?" Artie took in her worried expression.

"What is it?" Artie replied has he slid off his horse.

"I didn't find them but I did find this…" she handed him the handkerchief, "and there were papers and files strewn all over the room."

"Show me," Artie said as he opened the door and drew his gun.