Chapter Nine

We Got Troubles

The next morning, Annie was up much earlier than usual. She wasn't sure why, but if anything, she knew whenever she got that gut feeling that something wasn't right, then some thing wasn't. As she thought about it, she had the feeling it was probably Gabrielle's frantic call a half hour after dark for Harry to come get them as soon as possible. And the fact that both she and Xena were very closed-mouthed about the details of their investigation of Hector's store and neighborhood.

Not long after she put on the coffee, Mattie joined her. No matter which one woke up first, the other was awake soon afterward.

"So, what do you think happened?" Mattie asked as she took the offered cup of coffee.

Annie shook her head. "I wish I knew. But, unfortunately, I have a feeling it won't be long before we do. And I'm almost afraid to find out."

"Do you want me to wake them up?"

"They're awake, or they were a little while ago. I'm surprised you didn't hear them -- just like you and I were after some big battle or confrontation with a warlord."

Mattie smiled at the memory. "It certainly made our blood boil. And only one thing could cool us down."

"I heard them at least three times last night. So, something happened. And I know it can't be good."

"Well, let's see what we can find," Mattie said as she opened the newspaper. It wasn't until she reached the local news section did she come across what she was looking for.

"Here it is."

Annie looked over her shoulder at a grainy black and white photo of a dark haired woman reaching out for a blurry white ring. The story accompanying the photo, made from the video of an outdated surveillance camera, described the woman as tall, attractive, with an exceptional foul mouth as she threw the disk at two young men who may, or may not, have been attempting to rob the owner of the grocery store. There was a brief mention of her blond companion.

"Shit!" Annie exclaimed out loud. "Just what we need! Dammit! Damn her!"

"I wonder if it made the morning news," Mattie said as she turned on the TV. Ten minutes later the story was there, in more detail, and with the newscaster saying that both women could have been the same two who were dressed as Xena and Gabrielle and were involved in the jail break the previous week. And that a similar disk-like weapon was used.

Annie stormed from the kitchen to the bedroom door and began banging on it and yelling for them to get their asses out of bed, NOW! Xena yelled back that they were getting up and would be out as soon as they got dressed. Annie was back in the kitchen trying to calm down when Gabrielle entered the room. Mattie immediately showed her the photo, and then to Xena as she appeared.

"What in the HELL were you thinking?" Annie said, trying to keep her voice, and temper, in check. "Do you know this story is on the news? And that there is a good chance Hector told the cops you two work for me? And where the office is? And that it would take them all of ten seconds to get this address?"

"Anything to eat?" Xena asked. She then leered over at Gabrielle with a lascivious grin. "After last night I could eat a centaur."

"Are you even listening to me?" Annie said, her temper starting to slip.

"Relax. Hector's cool. Before we left he said he wouldn't say anything to the cops."

"After you told him you'd come back for him and his wife if he did," Gabrielle said.

"You threatened him? You...." Suddenly Annie was speechless. She couldn't believe what Xena had done.

"What is WRONG with you?" Mattie asked. "Don't you realize this is NOT the Greece we came from? The police are not incompetent soldiers assigned to keep the peace. They know what they're doing and they have the resources to find people like you."

Just then Harry came out from his bedroom, awakened by the yelling.

"Speaking of incompetent," Xena said.

"Don't even think you're going to change the subject," Annie said, finding her voice again. "We're going to get to the bottom of this, and we're going to make sure this, or anything like it, never happens again."

Mattie looked over at Gabrielle but before she could say anything, Gabrielle beat her to it. "I tried to get her to leave before it got dark. And I tried to keep her from threatening those two boys. And I tried to keep her from throwing the Chakram. But I might as well have been talking to --"

"Joxer?" Xena butted in.

"To a damn ROCK!" Gabrielle finished, now also becoming angry.

"You people worry too much. So the cops come here. You say you don't know me, you've never seen me, and you don't know where I am."

"It doesn't work that way," Annie tried to explain. "If they have a warrant I'll have to let them in and let them search the house or they can arrest me."

"And you'd LET them?"

"I told you," Mattie reiterated. "This ISN'T Greece!"

"You're telling me is isn't."

All five of them looked over at the strange voice, which really wasn't so unfamiliar.

"ARES!" Xena yelled out happily. And before anyone could move or say anything, she ran over to him, threw her arms around his neck, and planted a wet, passionate kiss on his mouth. A kiss he readily returned.