"What's gotten into you!?" They finally managed to get away, due in no small part to the stunt Goniff pulled, but he really couldn't let it pass. Another trick like that and he'd be looking for a replacement pick pocket and second story man.

"Bloody Hell!" Goniff rounded on his commander and pulled one of Casino's moves by jabbing the air with his finger. "What was I s'posed to do, just let that guy get the drop on you?"

"No! And I certainly appreciate your action… but there are better ways of going about it than just popping up behind a guy during a fire fight and telling him to turn around and look behind him!"

"Worked, didn't it?"

He just stared at the man a moment, "Yeah, it worked." Garrison pulled his fingers through his hair in frustration. "But you could've gotten yourself killed pulling a stunt like that!"

"And what if I did? Wouldn't be losin' much would we?" Goniff shrugged. "Not many'd be missin' the likes of a little coward like me."

Garrison frowned and stared at his English pick pocket and opened his mouth to question that remark but Casino cut him off

"Well I'd miss ya, ya idiot! But if I have ta knock you outta the way a some Kraut that's tryin' to kill ya again, just ta have him take a bead on me instead, I might just finish his job for him and go ahead and miss ya!"

"Knock it off Casino." Garrison pulled the safecracker around and shoved him off towards Actor. "No one's questioning your courage, Goniff. You've proved it so often we all take it for granted. But if you're worried about it all of a sudden I think you'd better tell me why."

Goniff stared back at the Warden, opened his mouth and closed it.. opened it again, and then looked at the others watching him from behind the Lieutenant. "I ain't worried about nothin'!" Tuning on his heel he stalked away down the trail towards their extraction point.

Garrison shot a look at Chief and jerked his head in the direction his little hero had taken. He watched as the young man took off down the trail and then turned to face the others with a frown.

"Jeeze! What's gotten into that guy?"

"I don't know. But as soon as we get back I mean to find out." Goniff was no coward, but he had a highly developed sense of self preservation. It wasn't like him to voluntarily make himself a target..., just like the running... And he'd actually seemed more relaxed over here than he had been on their own home ground. Something was going on, as soon as they got back he'd have to find out what it was.

g

But as soon as they got back Garrison's time was taken up with meetings and briefings at headquarters. When he thought about it he couldn't really fault Goniff, he'd saved his neck after all, drawing the guards' attention away from him like he did. But to reinforce the fact that there could've been a safer way to do it he had the Sergeant Major putting all of them through their paces on the training grounds around the estate. A little course on strategy seemed to be in order. That ticked them all off enough that they were keeping their distance from him … They'd get over it, he thought, and it was a nice break, not having someone under his elbow all the time.

He was in the library, standing at the French doors watching them drag themselves back across the lawns towards the house when the call came through.

"Lieutenant Garrison?"

Stepping over to the intercom on the wall near the inner door he flipped the switch and answered. "Yes, Sergeant, what is it?"

"There's an officer from the village here to see you, sir."

Great! Even worn out from all the extra training some how they'd still had enough energy to get off the grounds and had gotten in enough trouble that a police officer needed to come out and talk to him about it. "Send him in here, Sergeant. And see to it the men come in here too."

"Yes, sir, I'll see to it."

Garrison heard a piercing whistle and the Sergeant Major's shouted orders to the men, and glanced out the open outer doors to make sure they'd decided to obey him for a change before he turned and stepped out in the hall. The Sergeant's office was several doors down from the library, with all of the rooms in the large house it would be easy for a stranger to get lost… And the police weren't regular visitors to the estate. They didn't usually come to him, he usually had to go to them..., to bail his guys out.

Offering his hand as the middle aged man reached him he drew him into the library just as his men came in from outside. "What brings you out here, constable? What can I do for you?" Shooting a look at the cons he waited for one of them to squirm and give himself away, but they all just looked back at him with innocent interest.

"Sorry to have to bother you, sir. We've had a child go missing from the village and I've come out to get your permission to search the grounds."

"Of course. Did you tell Sergeant Major Rawlins?"

"No Lieutenant. I thought I'd need to speak to you first."

Garrison moved back to the intercom and summoned the British NCO to the library. "Constable…?"

"Lamberton, sir."

"Constable Lamberton, if you'll wait just a moment I'll have the Sergeant come in so you only have to tell your story once. If you want a thorough search of the grounds he'll detail a group of men to help you do it."

"Thank you, sir that would be a great help." Lamberton turned and acknowledge Rawlins as he entered the room, then swung back to face the Lieutenant. Three of the men that had been standing in the outer door moved up near the Army officer, one, a fidgety blonde fellow, held back by the doors and drew his attention.

Garrison's attention had been drawn to the pick pocket too. Goniff had lost what little color he had and looked like he wanted to bolt from the room. The Warden watched the stranger study his cat burglar and a cold feeling seeped up along his spine and sent tendrils out into his heart. A missing kid? Goniff? It was all he could do to concentrate on the stranger in their midst, "Well, Constable Lamberton?"

"Right." He focused on the officer standing in front of him. "As I said, one of the little fellows from the village has gone missing. We've searched the town and the surrounding area and come up empty, I'm afraid. Now we're having to move a little further afield."

"How old's this kid?" Casino asked, "How long's it been since he took off?"

Lamberton had his notebook out and checked it. "The boy's nine years old, according to the records."

"The records?" Stepping up shoulder to shoulder with Garrison Actor frowned "You mean his parents didn't report him missing?"

"Hasn't got any, poor lad. They were caught in a firestorm that got started after one of Jerrie's little nighttime visits to London. He doesn't have any other family so the boy was sent up here to stay."

"This one a Ms. Reid's kids?"

Lamberton turned to consider the darker skinned young man who'd just spoken. He'd heard there was an American Indian in the mix out here. "No. She's got her hands full with the refugee children she takes in from Europe. He's been sent up to stay at the youth facility the new vicar's started at the church." Turning back to the Lieutenant and his British aid he gave them the particulars of when the boy'd gone missing, what he looked like and his name… "but the other children call him Saint V." and to answer their questioning looks, "Seems he's a bit of a jumpy lad."

"How long's he been here in town?"

"I'm afraid he only spent ten days with us before he decided to strike off on his own."

"Then surely he's trying to head back to his home in London."

"Yes. That's what we think as well, but until he shows up there we'll need to keep looking."

"Jeeze a little kid like that, goin' all the way to London, from here?"

"It's not all that far, Casino. All the kid'd need to do is hop on one a them trains." That's how Chief had gotten away from one of the schools he'd been sent to once… just hopped a freight train and ended up in a whole different state…And he'd managed on his own for several months before he got picked up. But he'd had his grandfather to train him…and he was older, not some little city kid.

"No one has seen him around the train station… and during the time he's been missing we've had an increase in reports of petty theft. Those reports lead in this general direction, and as you are on the road to London…."

"…It'd make perfect sense for him to be here… if he could get on the grounds." Garrison turned on his expert escape artists. "Gentlemen since you are so good at getting off the grounds, I think you'd be perfect to lead the search for just how a young man might get on them." And, as he'd expected, they all agreed…all but Goniff, he was already gone.

g

"I don't know. I just got this feelin' he's just one step ahead of us." At least searchin' for the kid had kept Rawlins off their backs but the safecracker was gettin' tired, and frustrated that they weren't comin' up with anything.

"Come on, Casino. A little tyke like that give us the slip? We're experts."

"Yeah. If we're such experts how come we ain't caught him yet?"

Goniff turned to stare out at the rain that was just beginning to fall. "Well, it's been three days, he's prob'ly long gone by now."

"If he's gone, how do you explain the missing food from the kitchen?" Garrison studied the pick pocket. Normally any missing food could be laid down to Goniff's foraging through the supplies, but the naturally thin second story man had been dropping weight lately. If he had a hand in removing the items, as he suspected, he certainly wasn't consuming them. He'd also gone from sticking to him like glue to avoiding him like the plague.

"Well, there's nothing more we can do until morning. I suggest we all turn in so we can get an early start. I want to go over this place one more time before I'm willing to give up and say he's taken off for greener pastures." Ushering the men out of his office he watched as they started up the stairs… all but Goniff who was shuffling his feet in the hall, his hands jammed down in his pockets. "You got a problem, Goniff?"

"Who? Me?" The Englishman shrugged and then grinned at his commander. "Nah, it's just that, well, all that talk a missing food's got me hungry is all." Moving off towards the kitchens he called over his shoulder. "Any a you blokes want a little something?" But the others were tired from their search, he knew they wouldn't take him up on his offer. Stopping he turned back and met Garrison's gaze and held it for a moment.. "It's alright, isn't it Warden?"

Garrison studied him. "Sure, Goniff. Just make certain all the doors and windows are locked before you head up to bed." Turning his back on the cat burglar he made his way up to his own room.

g

Trailing Goniff across the grounds was harder than he thought it would be. The English thief was cautious and jumpy, turning at every sound. If he hadn't had the rain to mask his own steps Garrison thought he wouldn't have been able to follow him out to his destination. He thought he'd caught an invitation in his pick pocket's stare, but it could have been his own wishful thinking.

The gardener's cottage had lain unused since the grounds had been turned over for the military's use. It was too far away from the main house to be useful as a storage building, too small to quarter any of the men. In the first few weeks Chief had come out here when he needed to put some space between himself and the others, but since they'd settled into their friendship the building hadn't even been used for that. They'd searched it over and over again and hadn't found any sign that the boy was there, but there must be some reason for the pick pocket to lead him here now, in the middle of a rain storm, almost in the middle of the night.

Garrison leaned against the tree and listened, straining to hear voices through the sounds of falling rain, but it was useless. If the kid was in there, and they were talking, the rain drops pattering down around him were blocking it out. He'd have to catch Goniff on the way back and get the truth out of him when he had him face to face. He didn't have to wait long, he spotted movement in the shadows by the cottage door and watched as the wiry cockney headed back towards the house. He decided to follow him back and get far enough away from the cottage that they wouldn't spook the kid into running again. At least he was out of the rain in there.

"You want to explain why you're out here?"

Goniff's heart stopped when he heard the quiet question. He'd expected him, but wasn't sure now he'd really wanted the Warden to follow him out here. He opened his mouth, but closed it again and hung his head, when the Warden spoke again, digging the toe of his shoe into the mug.

"And don't try 'just getting a breath of air' on me, because I won't believe you." Garrison stepped out of the darkness a few feet a head of him and motioned him forward.

Goniff jammed his hands deep in his pockets and drug himself forward into the irritated presence of his commander. "Warden, I, uh, well." he grinned up at him and then looked away. "I… It's like this…"

"Goniff, it'll go a lot faster if you just tell me the truth." Waving back the way they'd come, back towards the cottage. "How long have you had him stashed out here, and how much longer did you think you could keep him hidden?" And with an exasperated sigh he pointed out. "The police are looking for that kid, Goniff and you're likely to get in a lot of trouble for helping him stay out of their reach. Now I want an explanation, and I want it now."

"Well, he run away… He don't like it at that school…"

"Look Goniff, I know he's had it rough and he probably doesn't understand why he's in a strange place all of a sudden, but he'll settle in."

"It's not that easy Warden... I mean, I know the kid can't stay here, but he don't want to leave, does he?"

"He's too young to decide that and you know it."

"He ain't got no where to go."

"He's got the youth hostel at the church in the village…"

"Right! A little bloke'd have ta be bloody desperate to go back there." Goniff looked at the man standing in front of him. The Warden was a clever one alright, he could pull them outta almost any tight spot with his quick thinking, but there was just some things he didn't know nothin' about…. And as much as he didn't want to explain it all to him he didn't have much choice in the matter, did he? He'd just have to do it. "Warden, you and me's got somethin' to talk over. And that little guy ain't goin' nowhere," Goniff squinted up into the falling rain, "Least wise not tonight."

g

They were holed up in the library and he'd hemmed and hawed around enough that he'd run himself out of time and worn out the Warden's patience, so finally he just up and told him. Garrison sat there still as a statue for a bit, just starin' straight ahead and breathin' slow and careful like, before he finally glanced up at him. Goniff sighed and licked his lips. He didn't' want to go any farther, add any details, but the Warden was sitting there, staring at him ,waiting.

"I had a brother, Albert… Bertie. He died when he was just a kid. He was a scrawny one, sickly from the time he was just little. The doctors said it was the air where we was livin' and the folks, they sent him to the country, out to stay with me Dad's uncle so's he could be out of the smoke and dirt… Didn't do no good though, he just got worse and worse until the doctors, they said there wasn't no help for it. He was gonna die, so me parents brought him home to be with them, and they sent me out to stay in the country. Kinda got me out from under foot while they was dealin' with him, see."

Goniff studied the Warden a minute before he took a deep breath and continued. "That's where I first met that Reverend fella. He had the church there in the village, him and his wife, they ran the school…." Goniff shot a worried glance at Garrison and then got up and started pacing the room. "Well, uh, I..." He settled in the corner of the room, shoving back into it and hunching his shoulders forward he concentrated on the carpet at his feet. Taking another deep breath he lauched off

"Well, see there was this kid that I knew there. This other little kid at that school..."