"It takes a lot of guts to do what Danielle just did," Jeremy was saying to Jim as they rode toward town.
"Yeah, it sure does."
"Did you see the look on the Colonel's face? I thought he'd have a coronary right there!"
"I was just glad she gave us a way out. I'll accept whatever punishment we have coming but I'd rather the Colonel not be quite so upset when he gives it to us."
They rode on toward town now armed with the list Danielle had gotten from Artie. This ring was bigger than anyone had thought. It encompassed people in several cities…Chicago, St. Louis, Milwaukee, Cincinnati, New Orleans and Peoria. If they were going to take this ring down it would have to be carefully and quickly.
"Jeremy, what do you think about a simultaneous raid?"
"A what?" Jeremy asked.
"It will take a lot of our agents but I think we can pull it off. The only real way to stop this ring and get the ones at the top is to pull a simultaneous raid. Arrest them all at the same time…that way no one has time to warn the others."
"Hmm…that might work. How are we going to get enough agents to do that?"
"Each of these towns has their own field office right? We just check with the Colonel and get agents we can trust. If we need more agents we can use the local sheriff's men. We send coded telegrams all the time so it shouldn't be too hard to keep the details a secret."
It'll take a few days to set this up," Jeremy said thoughtfully, already beginning to work out the details.
"Yes, it will. Now the big question is how do we keep Artie out of this?"
"After the way Danielle just handled the Colonel I don't give Artie a snowball's chance against her!" Jeremy told Jim and they both laughed.
WWWWWWWWWW
Artie woke up to see he was propped up on pillows. Danielle had her back to him dipping a cloth in water. He was admiring her hair when she turned around and their eyes locked.
"How are you feeling?" She asked him softly.
"I'd like to tell you fine enough to ask you to supper…" he paused.
"But?" Danielle prodded.
"But that would be a lie and I know how well you ferret those out!" He smiled and she smiled back.
"Good…then there will be no more of that kind of behavior. So, Artemus, how DO you feel?"
"Like I've been run over by a herd of buffalo."
"Well, it's your own fault you know. There will be NO repeat of that performance. Unless this train is on fire you'll not get out of that bed again!" She admonished him sternly.
"I know that. I just…
"You just have this stupid sense of duty to your country, your job and you partner. You have no sense of duty toward yourself! I am just as much to blame as you are if not more for allowing you to go and pull a darn fool stunt like you did but that is no excuse!" Not nearly finished with her tirade Danielle continued.
"You could have been killed. You could have gotten your friends killed. And for what? What good will it do this country if you go off and get yourself killed because you don't have the sense to come in out of the rain?"
"I will not put up with anymore stunts from you. You will stay in that bed and do as I tell you until I decide you no longer need my care. Even if that means you listen to me for the next month! Do I make myself clear?" Danielle's face was red with rage.
"Perfectly," came the quiet reply.
"Danielle, I know what I did was wrong and I know that even though you try to understand you can't. No one can. As a Secret Service Agent my life isn't my own. It belongs to the government that hired me and the people I am sworn to protect."
"Artemus, don't you see? You're just setting yourself up to fail."
"Huh? I thought I did a good job. I gave you, Jim and Jeremy time to get away and I…"
"That's not what I mean. You say it's your job to protect the people of this country right? Well, just what do you think will happen when you go off and get yourself killed because you were too weak and sick to carry out your duty."
"You owe it to the government and to the people of this country to be the best Secret Service Agent possible…I don't deny that. But you can't do that if you don't take care of yourself."
"And that means listening to your nurse. AND doing exactly what she tells you whether you like it or not and it most certainly does not include talking her into letting you roam the countryside!" Danielle shot him a lopsided grin.
"And your doctor would like an explanation about that behavior as well," they both jumped and looked at the doctor standing in the doorway.
"Uh…sir," Artie began, "It wasn't Danielle's fault. I take full responsibility for what I did."
"After listening to the reprimand you just received I don't think I have anything to add to it. Unless of course you plan on trying a stunt like that again?" The doctor glared.
"Oh no sir! I learned my lesson believe me," Artie shifted under their glares and winced.
"Danielle how is the patient today?"
"He just woke up and I haven't had time to examine him yet. I felt it was more important to have a chat with him first," Danielle avoided her uncle's stare.
"I see. Very well then, why don't you go mix some pain and sleeping powders while I examine Mr. Gordon?" Danielle nodded and left feeling rather sorry for Artemus in spite of what he had done, the doctor turned to his patient and sighed.
"Now, Mr. Gordon let's see how much damage you've managed to do."
The doctor removed the bandages from his shoulder and poked and prodded, a little more harshly than Artie thought necessary. He nodded and made the usual doctor mmhmm's and uh huh's, making note of the winces and groans Artie was making. He rebandaged the shoulder and put the sling back in place, much to Artie's dismay. Then he helped Artie to an upright position and removed the bandages from his back. The cuts were healing nicely and he just covered them with a piece of cloth to keep them protected.
"No bandages on my back?" Artie asked happily.
"No, I think your wounds are at the stage now where they will heal quicker letting the air get to them. I want you to keep that cloth on there for a few more days, however, it will keep them from reopening until the scabs can form properly."
"But, Mr. Gordon, that is NOT a license to get out of that bed!" the doctor warned him with a hard stare.
"Yes, sir."
"Now, let me look at your eyes. Yes…they are much improved. Not as cloudy as they have been. You seem to still have a low-grade fever. That should lessen with the powders Danielle is making," the doctor turned to look as Danielle returned.
"Ahh…good you've mixed the powders. He'll need to take them three times a day for the next week. And keep an eye on that temperature. It should go back down to normal now that he has agreed to stay in bed where he belongs," the doctor looked at him expectantly.
"Oh yes, sir. Unless this train catches fire I'm not moving an inch," Artie smiled at Danielle while the doctor regarded her with a raised eyebrow.
"Yes, well, let's hope you do that. Danielle has the Colonel been in to see him yet?"
"No, uncle. He wanted to wait until you finished your examination. He's waiting out in the parlor car."
"I'll go get him, you stay here with Mr. Gordon and get that first dose of powders into him," he turned to Artie and said, "You'll be doing a lot of sleeping with those powders don't fight it…just sleep. That will also help with the dizziness."
"Oh anything that helps with that I'll give a shot. I don't like not knowing which end is up," Artie replied as the doctor left to get the Colonel.
"Danielle…" Artie began as she poured a glass of water and began to mix the powders into it.
"Don't say it, Artemus, I know you're sorry and so am I."
Danielle perched on the edge of the bed and gently leaned him forward to drink the mixture. After he had finished the glass, Danielle eased him back. Artie was grateful they had agreed to allow him to remain propped up on the pillows. He reached over and touched her dress sleeve gently drawing her hand into his and intertwining her fingers with his. Their eyes locked and when he spoke his voice was soft and gentle.
"You're sorry? What did you do except to try and keep me and my stupidity in check?" Artie gazed tenderly at her I won't be able to keep myself in check if he doesn't stop that!
"I let myself get so caught up in what was going on that I lost sight of my objective. I never should have allowed you to leave…it could have gotten us all killed."
"But it didn't," Artie seemed fascinated by her, "we all got away safely and…and where are Jim and Jeremy? Don't tell me the Colonel sent them to the stockade?" Artie looked at her quizzically.
"No…he…uh…uh…"
"Don't worry, Danielle, you can tell me where they went. This time I have absolutely NO desire to follow them. I learned my lesson. Besides as bad as my head hurts I probably wouldn't get two feet!"
"Finally you listen to what your body is telling you," she smiled at him as she swatted his arm.
"Jim and Jeremy took the information we got from you and they are going to try and find a way to stop that ring."
"Oh, good. I hope Jim could make some sense of those comments I made with some of the names. They will have to deal with some pretty bizarre individuals," Artie had a far off look in his eyes and Danielle knew he wished he could be there with them.
"Artemus, you explained all that on the ride back from that house. Don't you remember?"
"No…I don't really remember the ride back at all. You gave me something to drink and…hey you spiked my drink! That was dirty pool."
"A nurse must do what a nurse must do!" She shrugged.
"Ohhhhh….you're going to make a fine doctor, you've got the sneaky little underhanded tricks part down pat all ready," he smiled at her.
The Colonel entered the room and tried to keep the smile off his face. He was happy Danielle was in such a good mood. She hasn't been this happy in some time, I just hope Artie doesn't break her heart, not that he would do so on purpose, Richmond thought as he caught the twinkle in her eye as she gave him an update. Satisfied that the patient wasn't going anywhere anytime soon the Colonel informed them he would be going to town to join Jim and Jeremy.
"Sir, I really wish I could go with you," Artie said as Richmond stood to leave.
"I know you do, son. You just stay here and concentrate on staying out of the way of her wrath," Richmond winked at him.
"Yes, sir," he replied, "Sir, I wish you all the best of luck."
"We'll need it, Gordon…the plan to take down this ring came from West not you like it usually does," he grinned as he slipped out of the room.
Danielle watched her Godfather leave, then looked at Artemus as he pulled her hand to his mouth and kissed it gently never taking his eyes off hers. There was a need in his eyes that trapped her in his gaze. Caught up in the moment, Danielle leaned inward toward Artie until her lips gently brushed his. Ignoring the pain, Artie eased his right arm out of the sling and brought his hand up to the nape of her neck, leaning forward and pulling her into a soft, gentle kiss, his fingers catching in her wavy brown hair. She lingered for a moment letting the kiss convey her thoughts to him before she drew back.