Hi all, please please forgive this very late update - I got cut off from my ISP and they had trouble reconnecting me! Stupid company! Anyway, here's the latest - hope you enjoy - more on the way, promise!

Kelly awoke once more to the head crunching racket that was morning alarm and then quickly made her way to a room that Kris had been temporarily given whilst she was recuperating. She entered the room and smiled at Kris, who was just scrubbing her face with her hands. Kris's ears were still ringing even though the bell had stopped.

"Hey there, sister Munro, how are you this morning?" Kelly sat on the side of the bed as Kris sidled away a little to make room for her.

"Oh, hi sister Garrett." Kris returned the courtesy and grinned. "I'm a little better today, actually. But I'm not too thrilled with wake up - or the wardrobe!" She indicated down at her grey night dress which was exactly like Kellys'.

Kelly grinned back. "Me neither, but at least someone else is doing the laundry…for now! Are you hungry? Need something to eat or drink?"

"Uh maybe later. Kel… uh, sister Garrett, have the ears got walls around here?" Kelly knew what Kris meant, that they needed to talk. She glanced behind her at the open doors - that had to remain open all day long. No-one was supposed to be hiding anything in the sanctuary. Kelly humphed inwardly. Apart from the usual - drugs, guns, knives etcetera…

"Sure have, kiddo…" Kelly replied, somewhat seriously "… maybe you could do with some fresh air, later on. I could ask brother Reardon if I can accompany you outside for a little while, what do you say?" Kelly made sure to emphasise the 'brother'.

Kris sucked on her bottom lip. "I think I could do with little fresh air, I think that's a good idea." Kris desperately needed to get right up to speed with everything that Kelly knew, but they had not been able to discuss too much. Kelly was extremely nervous about trusting anyone inside the sanctuary, even Agent Reardon. Although he had yet to do anything to turn Kellys' trust away. Just the opposite, in fact, she thought.

"Kris, will you be alright if I come back in a couple of hours - I have chores to do, then there's mid-morning class..." Kris furrowed her brow at this but then decided she'd rather not know - she had hated school. And anything to do with religion. We've so got to get out of here, she thought sombrely.

"…then I'll bring some food back and get you outdoors for a little while." Kelly was saying.

"Sure, I'll be right here - I've got nowhere to go… yet!" Kris smiled.

Kelly stood up and looked at Kris, humoured to see her usually immaculately dressed friend garbed in drab rough cotton attire. Very undercover, she mused to herself.

"What?" Kris eyed Kelly suspiciously.

"Oh… nothing!" Kelly gave a lopsided grin. "It's just… grey really suits you, you know?"

"Touché!" Kris remarked smartly. Then she flapped her hand at Kelly. "Go on now, go git yer chores done like a good little missy!" Kris mimicked in her best Southern drawl. Kelly smiled.

"See you later!" Then she disappeared out of the doorway and Kris sank back into yet another skinny pillow behind her head and began to form ideas and plans of action to get them both out of here with solutions, answers - and their hides intact.

The nurse looked up briefly from her records and saw the back of a very finely dressed gentleman as he passed by, seemingly checking the room numbers on the doors as he went. Not that she was unused to well dressed gentlemen making visits on patients, or members of staff. She watched him knock and wait for a response, at room 302, and smiled. That patient could really do with visitors, she'd not had that many, since she'd been admitted three days ago. The bunch of white lilies looked nice too. Not too many. Nice touch, she thought. She returned to her work and her thoughts also then returned to the matters at hand.

Some time later, Bosley was at the drinks machine near the waiting area, deciding that really, he'd drank too much coffee over the last few days. He wondered what the hot chocolate tasted like, then decided he'd rather not try. He punched in the number for cold water and waited while the drink was dispensed. He saw someone approaching out of the corner of his eye as he withdrew his full cup then he looked up - and nearly spilled the water down his suit, in enormous surprise.

"Jill!" He exclaimed incredulously, as Kris's older sister walked up to him, seemingly as if from nowhere, and gave him a warm hug as he held his water cup out of the way.

"Bosley!" Jill drew back and looked at her former colleague with warmth and affection. He looked drawn and tired.

"What are you doing here?" Bosley was still a little in shock at Jill's arrival, and the all-too obvious question slipped out before he could stop it.

"Bosley, Kris called me - she said Bri was attacked - and hurt pretty badly." She watched Bosley's smile disappear as if a cold wind had chased it away. Bosley held her at arms length and took in the wonderful sight of his suntanned, beautiful good friend. Boy, was Jill always a sight for sore eyes.

"And you came all the way over from…" He faltered and looked questioningly at Jill, "…where have you come from?"

Jill patiently took Bosleys arm and turned him towards the nurses station. "Kris contacted me in Spain, but Spain's not important. What's important right now Bosley, is Sabrina - how is she? Where is she?"

The urgent anxiety in Jills' voice pulled Bosley out of his stupor and he led her down the corridor.

"She's just up here Jill. But I have to warn you," he turned to her as they walked, "she's really…" Bosley struggled to find something sensitive to say about Sabrina's appearance.

"Sabrina really isn't looking to good at the moment, okay? But she is better than she was. What did Kris tell you?"

Jill repeated what Kris had informed her over the 'phone not too long ago, a little background on Kelly's disappearance, the beach house and Sabrina's attack. Then they reached room 302 and Bosley eased the door open and allowed Jill into the room first. Even though she had spent many hours since Kris's call trying to ready herself for seeing Sabrina, she still wasn't prepared for this. The shock of the sight of her friends physical injuries left her feeling like she'd just stepped in front of a freight train. Jill felt her jaw drop then she felt Bosley squeeze her arm. She hadn't yet made it all the way to the bed, yet what she could see so far made her guts twist in sickening knots. She stepped a little closer. Sabrina must be dozing, Jill realised, as she hadn't acknowledged anyone's presence in the room yet. She walked right up to Sabrina's bed, and pulled a chair up and sat down slowly, quietly.

"Oh my God, Bosley…!" Jill uttered softly, staring at Sabrina, now unable to tear her eyes away from Sabrina's face. She reached onto the bed and took hold of her hand, and ever so gently traced over the cool smooth skin with her thumb. "Oh Sabrina…!" Jill whispered. She looked up at Bosley, who was standing beside her, his face sombre, and felt her throat go tight. Then she felt Sabrina's hand twitch and she looked back to see her friends eyes had opened and she was staring at Jill, with a slightly puzzled look that creased through the bruising, almost bringing the blue and yellow shading to a life of its own. Jill squeezed Sabrina's hand a little, then leaned over and gave her a gentle kiss on her forehead.

"Hey, Bri. It's okay, it is me!" She smiled thinly at the thought that Bri's puzzled look maybe meant she thought the drugs were still playing tricks on her. "I got here as soon as I could. We're all really worried about you. I'm gonna stay here a little while, and me and Bosley are gonna help you get back on your feet."

Sabrina tried to smile back and managed to creak a corner of her mouth upwards.

"Jill… you didn't have to…you don't have to…" But Jill cut in.

"Hey, no arguments." she said gently. "I'm here and I'm not going back any time soon." She brushed the back of her hand lightly over Sabrina's undamaged cheek and gave Sabrina her best "don't argue" look. Sabrina didn't need telling twice.

"Missed you, Jill." She whispered, the gratitude of having Jill there for her, evident even in the whisper. "I'm sorry about the house…" She said, as a thought stabbed through her consciousness and memories came seeping up from where she was trying to leave them covered and unattended.

"Bri, don't, huh?" Jill's voice remained soft. "Don't even think about it, please. We just want you to get well, okay? Don't think about any of that stuff. Please. And I've missed you too, Bri." She finished fondly.

Sabrina heard all of the concern in Jill's voice and looked back at her caring face, wanting to say more. She wanted to tell her she was sorry Jill had to come out here, sorry that things were royally screwed up, that she felt helpless, unable to be there for Kris and Kelly. God, she was so sorry about all of it… But that terribly heavy feeling of tiredness came creeping up over her again, like someone smothering her with a blanket, threatening another dark, nightmare filled sleep.

"Besides," she heard Jill say with a note of comfort, as her eyes slid shut. "there's plenty more houses by the sea…"

Sabrina exhaustedly tried another practiced side curl of her mouth. "Sure." She heard herself murmur.

Jill realised just how tired Bri was then, and she looked back up at Bosley, then back at Sabrina.

"We'll come back in a little while Bri, let you get some sleep, alright?"

Jill stood up and saw Sabrina's hand lift and her fingers stretch towards Jill, and she took her hand and gave another re-assuring squeeze.

"It's okay Bri, we'll be right back - get some rest."

She followed Bosley out of the door and they walked back towards the drinks machine and the seats.

"Okay Bosley," Jill stopped them both and looked at Bosley earnestly, "tell me everything."

Sheriff Gilbert drove up the lane towards the gates and the huge wall that was supposed to keep all those unwelcome, out from the Chosen of the Lord. It was late in the afternoon and he'd had a busy day. But he was more than curious to come up the mountain and finally get to see this place for himself, and meet 'brother' Marcus. His predecessor had met him many years ago, but Sheriff Gilbert was relatively new to the area and still some local people of infamy eluded him. So now, he was finally going to meet in person, the man that all the townsfolk referred to, as "that crazy bible basher up the mountain". He knew a few people in town were not happy that someone they knew were camping out here, but these ones had informed him on the phone in person during many enquiries he made up there, that they were there of their own volition, searching for God and trying to discover a meaningful life. He'd had no real reason to come up and investigate anything. As far as he could tell, it took a crazy to know a crazy. But as yet, there was no evidence to suggest any crimes were being committed. That was, until Brother Marcus called him yesterday. He got out of the car and found the intercom, and buzzed.

"So, as I was saying Sheriff, I am very concerned about the welfare of my charges here." Brother Marcus walked the Sheriff into his office and showed him the broken window. The sheriff stepped up to take a closer look, and saw a that a few pieces of glass were still hanging a little loose from the wooden frame. What really interested him though, was the fact that these pieces seemed to be jutting outward instead of towards him, as one would expect, as the result of a blow from the outside. He stood up and carefully opened the window, then looked down to the ground. He saw larger shards of glass scattered around in the grass, as should be expected. The sheriff narrowed his eyes. He was starting to get the feeling that Brother Marcus wasn't being entirely honest. For a man of God. He sighed and pulled his head back into the room and turned to face Marcus.

"And you're sure no-one was in this room when the incident happened?" Sheriff Gilbert asked again.

Marcus responded without hesitation. "It's like I told you earlier Sheriff, everyone was at evening prayer. I always lock this office when I leave it."

"Why, exactly?" The sheriff asked. Marcus was taken aback. "Well Sheriff, I do have private … erm… personal documents I keep here. Things which are no-one else's business but my own."

Nicely recovered, Sheriff Gilbert thought. He really didn't feel ready to trust the man. He also wondered why a bible preacher would keep 'personal' items locked in an office desk drawer, when he could lock them in his own room, wherever that was, but he let it go. Like the man said, it was none of his business - for now.

"Well, apart from trying to get any fingerprints, there isn't a lot I can do right now, brother Marcus." The sheriff was rapidly coming to the conclusion that the guy was yanking his chain. Probably wanted to claim off his insurance or something. He probably had run out of funds. Whatever, the Sheriff wasn't convinced that Marcus wasn't hiding something.

"But Sheriff, you don't seem to grasp the seriousness of this incident." Marcus said, his voice becoming, not louder, the sheriff noted, but more intense.

"Well this looks like a simple case of vandalism brother Marcus." Sheriff Gilbert was getting a little annoyed at having to address this man as "brother". It didn't feel right.

"I'll log the incident and get one of my deputies to come up tomorrow and check out the whole building and grounds, but that's all I can do. Sorry."

Marcus sighed. It would have to be enough. He hoped Vincents' goons were getting a clear view.

"Okay Sheriff, well anything you can do would be appreciated. Let me show you out."

Just as they walked out of the office, Reardon appeared.

"I am very sorry to interrupt you Brother Marcus, Sheriff. But I have two girls who said they might have seen something yesterday. Would you like to see them, Sheriff?"

Marcus threw Reardon a look which clearly said 'What the hell are you playing at?' but Reardon again apologised.

"I'm very sorry Brother - they have only just informed me."

"No problem - er - brother." Sheriff Gilbert responded. "Where are they?"

"I'll take you to see them." Reardon answered. Then Marcus stopped him.

"No brother, but be sure and bring them here, as I would very much like to know what they saw." He smiled evenly at Reardon. Reardon cursed silently. No ball game. The girls were staying then.

"Yes, of course, brother Marcus." Reardon turned away and went to find sisters Garrett and Munro, but of course, knew he would not be finding them now. They had apparently, inconveniently disappeared. He returned shortly to the Sheriff and apologised for not finding the girls and probably wasting the Sheriffs time. Then when the Sheriff had left, Marcus let rip.

"Brother Reardon, what are you trying to do?" He fumed, waiting for an explanation. "You know fine well what happened to the window! Are you trying to make me look stupid?"

No, Marcus, you're doing that all by yourself, Reardon wanted to retort. Instead he tried to placate Marcus with his explanation.

"Please, brother Marcus, I was only trying to help." He infused his tone with a trickle of contriteness. "It's just - well I know how much trouble sister Garrett has been - I thought we could get her out of our hair, along with sister Munro, who evidently needs proper medical attention." Reardon bowed his head in submission.

"Oh, and have the Sheriff ask how she came to be injured so?" Marcus voice was stony, but now somewhat quieter. "And have this place overrun with police?"

Reardon kept his head bowed. "I am in error my lord, please forgive my short sightedness."

Marcus looked at Reardons bowed head and wondered if he was really sincere. Perhaps time would only tell.

"I am very disappointed in your lack of wisdom in this matter, brother." Marcus purposefully neglected to fully address Reardon and Reardon didn't miss the dig.

"You should have raised this with me earlier." Marcus paused. "However, you have served with wholeheartedness up until now. I will not speak of this further."

"Thank you lord." Reardon intoned, then raised his head until he could see Marcus's eyes. They were glinting with something close to malice - or perhaps even insanity - or both.

"But, brother - do not cross me in such a way ever again. I will not be so tolerant." Marcus left the threat hanging then dismissively went into his office, shut the door and left Reardon feeling ready to grab Marcus' scrawny neck and squeeze until his eyes bulged. He took a deep breath then walked away, having a sneaking, crawling suspicion that, if he didn't keep tight control, something was about to go FUBAR around here very soon.

Kelly and Kris had indeed, disappeared - outside, having requested permission from another brother who helped Kelly walk Kris and even brought a seat out for her to sit on. But the brother had restricted them to thirty minutes and said he would return to help them inside. Kelly waited for the brother to go, moved the seat away from any windows then eased Kris down onto the seat, before leaning against the wall next to Kris, grateful for the chance to actually be out in the open air.

"So, what's really going on in here Kel - have you got anywhere on the Limardo girl?" Kris spoke quietly down toward the ground, knowing that ears were more likely to have windows.

Kelly drew in a breath and shucked herself down to Kris's level, into a crouch against the wall.

"Okay." She replied equally quietly. First of all, there's an FBI agent here, someone called Reardon. He's working on what I think is a drug running case here. There's a basement half full of …" Kelly paused to think. "…what might be cocaine."

"Great!" Kris interjected.

"Yeah. I got into trouble with the head honcho, brother Marcus, after getting a little nosey and he threw me down into a walled off part of the basement. And I got a little more nosey and discovered a few things." Kelly then went on to tell Kris all that she had discovered, her thoughts on Colleen and sister Clayton and the point that they were all even possibly being drugged into obedience. She then filled Kris in on her theories about Alda Limardo's untimely demise and what she thought about Reardon. Then Kris quickly gave Kelly all the information she had, including the possible runaway, Molly Jason, and they then matched points up, discarded impossible scenarios and Kris finally felt easier, knowing they both shared the same information and both, just as importantly, had each others back. Kris checked her watch.

"Boy, thirty minutes sure don't buy you the time it used to!" She said, looking back at the door, waiting for the brothers return. "So, do you really think the foods being spiked with something Kel? How do we find out?"

Kelly kept an eye on the door also. "I think we need to talk to Reardon first, find out what he knows and make sure we're all singing from the same hymn book."

Kris smirked at Kelly's pun. "Right. Then all we need to do is get some evidence on Marcus, then get the hell out of here, before we end up like the hallelujah version of the Stepford Wives!"

"Right!" Kelly chuckled, then became serious again.

"We go to Mrs Limardo with what we have, get ourselves off the hook, and then hopefully by that time it won't matter, we can leave it with the police because Marcus will be bun deep in the brown stuff with the FBI." Kelly looked up above and watched few white streams of cloud float listlessly over head in the spring blue sky. It was warm and Kelly appreciated the sun on her face. She wished so much they were somewhere else. Anywhere away from this mess.

Kris looked across at Kelly.

"And maybe, just maybe, the FBI will have caught another fish in their net. A New York sized fish in our L.A. pond."

Kelly looked back across at Kris and smiled hopefully. "You never know, huh?"

They were both then startled as the nearby door opened and a brother stepped out from the dim interior, into the light. It was Reardon. He smiled.

"Sisters! I've been looking for you."

I've forgotten what FUBAR means, but saw it the other day and thought i'd use it! ;-)