Jim West paced back and forth in the train car again like he always did when he was puzzled. Jim Kirk was standing looking out the window. "Invisibility," Jim said.

The others all looked at him. "What?" West asked.

"It's the only explanation. They had to be invisible."

"Are you saying someone walked in there and stole that fake diamond and…they were invisible?" Artemus asked. "That's farfetched."

"Well, what do you suggest?"

"In a time of limited technology, it is highly unlikely that someone could achieve invisibility," Spock said.

"Then how do you think they did it?" Jim asked. "Diamonds…even fake ones, don't just disappear."

"I realize that, Captain. However, to achieve invisibility and the feat which this thief achieved, it would take a great deal of research. I believe we are looking for a scientist."

"Oh great," Bones said. "Another mad scientist. How do we stop this one if he's making himself invisible?"

"We're gonna continue on our mission to find out who's doing this," West said. "Once he or she figures out that the diamond they stole is a fake, they're going to be very furious, and may make a mistake."

"Like what?" Gordon asked. "They haven't made a mistake yet."

"They've been successful so far. They haven't had a reason to get anxious." West looked at Gordon. "By the way, what did you do with the real diamonds?"

"Oh, I placed them in the hands of our Vulcan friend there."

West looked at Spock. "Where are they?"

"I do not believe it would be wise to divulge that information," Spock said.

Jim almost laughed but refrained from it. "Don't worry, Mister West, he won't tell anybody where they are," he said.

"How do you know?" West asked.

Jim cleared his throat and walked over to Spock. "Where are they?" he asked.

"I do not feel the need to tell you either," Spock replied.

"I'm your captain. I want to know where they are."

Spock just stood there and Jim looked at West. "See?" he asked. "He's a stone wall when you give him something to do like this with a big secret, and he can't be threatened either."

"Well, I guess it's safe to say that the diamonds are safe then," West said. "I do think we should know where they are in case something happens that we have to retrieve them."

"I assure you that they are quite safe," Spock said.

"But we don't know where they are," Jim replied.

"Mister Gordon and I had an agreement that I would keep the diamonds safe until the display."

They all looked at Gordon. "Do you know where they are?" West asked.

"Well…no," Gordon replied. "I thought it would be best not to since this is such a sensitive matter."

"Again, we're back to the point that only Spock here knows where they are. What if something were to happen to him? The diamonds would be lost."

Spock looked at Jim. "Captain, do you recall how you hid the artifact from Teemax?" he asked.

"Yes," Jim said. "But you don't have…"

"No, but the best place to hide something is in a place that no one expects."

Jim just stared at him a moment. "Well, I don't know much about this train, Spock. So I wouldn't know how to guess where you could have hidden the diamonds."

"It is logical that one would not expect the jewels to be hidden in plain view, but rather that they would be locked away in some safe or compartment."

Jim scowled at that. "Are you telling me that they're right here somewhere?" he asked.

"Mister Gordon and I have managed to create an illusion."

West looked at Artemus. "I thought you said you didn't know where they are," he said.

"I don't exactly," Artie replied. "But I could figure it out if I had to."

West folded his arms and looked from Artie to Spock. "I think the two of you are a lot alike," he said.

"Well, you can't argue with genius."

"Alright. As long as there is more than one who knows where they are. Tomorrow, I'm going back to that mansion to look around. I'll take Kirk there with me. We'll see if we can figure out how someone got in and out of there without using the door."

"Maybe it was one of the people who was there for the party," Jim said.

"Oh don't worry. We'll get a guest list. Vortan only wanted us out of his house tonight, so we'll go tomorrow when maybe he will be more cooperative."

"And Spock and I will be rigging the display cases with booby traps," Gordon said.

"What about me?" Bones asked.

"And us?" Carol added, referring to herself and Uhura.

"You can all discuss that," West said. "Right now, I only need one person with me and Artie is going to be busy trying to secure the diamonds when they're displayed in case we don't get this thief. I suppose you can help him."

"I'll go with you and Jim," Bones said. "You'll probably need a doctor around."

Jim rolled his eyes at that. "He thinks we're gonna get into trouble together," he said.

"Don't even get me started."

"Alright," West said. "We'll all be up early in the morning and get this plan into motion. Let's get to the hotel."

They all went to the hotel, including Spock. "Doesn't that hat get uncomfortable?" Uhura asked. "Or that bandana?"

"Not really," Spock replied.

"Are you going to tell me where the diamonds are…and that will be our secret?"

"I believe that whoever is stealing these diamonds must be a dangerous individual. Therefore, I believe the fewer who know, the better."

The hotel they were staying in even had elevators. Nothing like the turbolifts on the Enterprise, but elevators, nonetheless. "Jim, don't you think that if people can develop elevators, they can figure other things out even if it's not announced to the world," Carol asked.

"I don't know," Jim said. "You have to admit that making yourself invisible is a lot more complicated than building an elevator."

"Yes, but what I'm saying is…"

"I know what you're saying. Obviously there's someone here somewhere who's clever enough to do it."

"The question is: how?"

"I'll leave that to you scientists to figure out."

They left the elevator and went to their rooms. Jim stood looking out the window of his room as the sun was going down, and darkness was falling over the city. He could hear scuffling down in the alley below his window, and he wondered what was down there. He thought maybe he was looking forward to tomorrow and getting into some trouble…maybe. He had to admit, he missed the Enterprise and even the trouble they found in deep space. It was what he was used to…not sitting around waiting for something to happen.

"Pssst!"

Jim scowled as he heard that. He leaned on the window sill and looked down into the alley. "Psst!" someone hissed again.

"Who's down there?" Jim whispered.

"Are you Jim Kirk?"

"Who wants to know?"

"I'm here to deliver a message to you…if you're Jim Kirk."

"No one knows me here, and no one would know that I'm here."

"OH yes, someone knows you're here. Curly Bill knows you're here."

Jim was surprised to hear that name. "What does he want?" he asked.

"He's very anxious to meet up with you again, Mister Kirk. You've ruined his reputation and made him a laughing stock after his being outdrawn by a green horn."

"That was his fault."

"Nevertheless, he wishes to meet with you at Noon, the second day of the week, out in front of this hotel!"

"NO! I am not going to be in another gun fight."

"Then you will find yourself dead, Mister Kirk. Either you will draw, or you will die."

Jim frowned. "Fine. If that's how he wants it."

"Good. I will tell him."

"You can tell him this too: I think it just shows how much of a coward he is to send you to deliver his message rather than come himself."

"I will relay the message, Mister Kirk."

Jim sighed as he heard footsteps leaving the alley. How did he get into this? What would the others think? He knew what Carol would think, and he dreaded telling her. He thought maybe he would not tell anyone. He would just let it happen. Then they would not have anything to worry about, but first he had to go with West on this mission.

The next morning, Jim was up early. He got dressed in his gold shirt, which was much the same color as the one he wore on the Enterprise, and he wore his black leather vest, black jeans, and he even wore the black hat. He was not crazy about hats, but today, he thought maybe it would hide his face a little…and his blond hair. He had heard some of the description that had traveled up the line about the cowboy who outdrew Curly Bill. No one bothered to point out the fact that he did not kill him.

After breakfast, Jim Kirk and Jim West went to the Vortan Mansion where the diamond had been stolen the night before. Vortan was not happy to see them but he let them in. "We're sorry that the diamond was stolen, but we're just as puzzled as you are about that," West said.

"I do not see how it can help for you to be here looking around," Vortan replied.

"We want to see if we can find how the thief got in and out. There had to be a way because I know they were not staying here. Right?"

Vortan was incredulous. "Of course not," he said. "No one is staying here."

"Then we're going to look around. Do you have any passageways in this house that aren't normally used?"

"Every old house like this has passageways, but they haven't been used for years."

"Would anyone else know about them?"

"I do not believe so."

"May we take a look?"

"Right this way. I'm not even sure you can open the entrance anymore."

Jim followed Vortan, along with West. Jim was not at all certain that this guy did not have something to do with this robbery. Was there a big insurance payoff? He would have to talk to West when they were in that passage.

Vortan showed them the entrance and they opened the door without much trouble. West looked at Vortan. "Looks like someone's been using this," he said. "Is there a way out through this passage?"

"I suppose there could be," Vortan said.

"Are you telling me you've never been through this passage?"

"A long time ago, but I don't like closed in spaces."

West looked at Jim. He thought that was a very convenient…and suspicious answer. They went on into the passage. "You might need this, Mister West," Vortan said as he handed him a lantern.

Jim Kirk took the lantern and they stood there a moment as Vortan walked away from the doorway. "You trust him?" Jim whispered.

"I've found that it's not wise to trust anyone too much," West replied. "Let's go."

Jim followed him through the passage. "Looks pretty dusty," Jim said. "You think anyone's been going through here lately?"

"Hard to say. If they were just walking through…"

West squatted and looked at the floor as Jim brought the lantern close so they could see that there were footprints in the dust on the floor. "I'd say that's a very good indication that someone's been in this passage recently," West said.

"I agree," Jim replied. "But where are they now?"

"There are prints going out that way and prints going this way so looks like whoever came out went back in."

"So I guess we follow the prints."

"It's a start."

They followed the prints until they came to a doorway that went down into a dark basement. "Why does it have to be a basement?" Jim asked.

"You'd be surprised at how intricately made these old houses are," West said as they were going down the creaky stairway. "They're even old in our day."

"You creep around in these houses all the time?"

"Not all the time."

They made it to the bottom of the stairway and they were definitely in a basement with a dirt floor, and looked like a cave. "Over there," West said.

Jim did not think he wanted to get any further into this dark dungeon but he followed. "Look," West said pointing. "Footprints. They're going out this way."

They followed the footprints through a tunnel that definitely led outside. "Well, I guess we know how the thief got in," Jim said. "But how did he know about this tunnel?"

"That's a good question," West replied.

"Does he collect insurance on that diamond that was stolen?"

"Well, he would if no one knew it was a fake, but since we know the diamond was a fake, it's strange to believe that he wouldn't know it by now if he was in on the robbery."

Jim nodded. "But he wouldn't admit that," he said. "As a matter of fact, he would know that we are the ones who had to swap the diamonds."

"And what action would he take?" West asked thoughtfully.

Jim scratched his head. "I don't know. It doesn't seem like there is any action he could take without incriminating himself."

"For now, I don't think he'll do anything, but if he is involved, he'll do something after he gets that insurance payout."

"And the government has to pay it, right?"

West looked at him. "You're catching on fast."

"So what are you going to do about it? Use one of your connections to stall that payment as long as possible?"

West smiled. "Something like that. After all, I know the diamond that was stolen was a fake."

Jim chuckled at that. "Won't Mister Vortan just be surprised when he finds out he won't be getting his money?" he asked.

"Furious."

"That would mean that he knows exactly how the diamonds are being stolen."

"Right, but I don't see him as any sort of scientist, so he has a partner somewhere."

"It's all about money."

"As are most things. Trying to get power in a growing nation."

"So what do we do? Go back through this tunnel?"

"I don't see that it'll hurt."

Artemus Gordon and Spock had arrived at Margaret Midas's house which was also a large plantation house. There was a horse and buggy leaving just as they arrived, but they thought nothing of it. They dismounted from their horses and went up onto the porch of the house. Spock just stood there while Artie knocked on the door. They waited a moment and then a man whom he figured was the butler opened the door. "Greetings. I'm Artemus Gordon," Artie said. "I'm here to see Ms. Midas. She's expecting me."

Just then, a young woman came into the doorway. "May I help you?" she asked.

Artie realized this was the young woman who had been at the party the night before and was there when the diamond was shown. "I'm here to see Ms. Midas. She's expecting me."

"She's not here. She's gone on a trip."

Artie was puzzled now. "That doesn't make any sense. She was expecting me to arrive today to collect the diamonds for the display."

"She is not here."

"Well, when will she be back?"

"I do not know."

"If you'll just let me collect the diamonds, I'll talk to Ms. Midas when she returns."

"I'm afraid that would be impossible. We cannot authorize anyone to take anything without her consent."

"Well, who are you?" Gordon asked.

The woman shut the door in their faces. Artie looked at Spock as he put his hat back on. "Well, how do you like that?" he asked.

"It would seem that someone is attempting to keep the diamonds out of our hands," Spock said.

"We can't just bust in, so I guess we'll go on and work on the security. I'll tell Jim about this."

"Do you believe he and the captain have found anything of value?"

"You can never tell with Jim West. Come on."

They mounted up and rode out. "That's strange," Artie said. "Margaret Midas would never leave when she knew I was coming to collect the diamonds."

"If this woman is as trustworthy as you say, I would agree that it is peculiar," Spock replied. "It is not in the nature of those who do business and have an upstanding reputation to behave in such a manner."

Artie shook his head, thinking maybe he heard all that right. "You have quite a talent for turning a phrase, Mister Spock."

"Thank you."

"Something's definitely up. That young woman was at the party last night."

"That is a very interesting fact."

"Isn't it? And I can't believe that it's just coincidence that she's at this house preventing us from collecting those diamonds after one was stolen last night."

"You are very perceptive, Mister Gordon."

"I'm sure Jim will find it very interesting too, and he won't take no for an answer. He'll just barge right in."

Jim West and Jim Kirk left the house of Vortan the same way they had gone in. "What now?" Kirk asked.

"We'll go see how Artie's doing with the security," West replied.

They mounted up and headed out. West hoped everything else was going as planned, but when they arrived, Artie told them what had happened. "Well, then Mister Kirk and I will go and persuade them to cooperate," West said. "You get these security measures in place."

Just as West and Jim were about to leave, Thaddeus Baines came in. "Mister West," he said. "We have a lot to talk about. I've been trying to track you down."

"Mister Baines, I don't have time right now," West replied.

"You will take time."

"Fine. I suppose there is something I want to discuss with you."

West looked at Jim. "I'm bringing my associate with me, if you don't mind," he said.

"Who is this?" Baines asked.

"This is Jim Kirk. He's been hired by us to help in this matter."

"How do you know you can trust him?"

"He's proven himself."

"If you say so, West. This was only supposed to involve you and Mister Gordon."

"We need a little more help. Now, are we gonna stand here arguing all day wasting my time, or are we going to talk?"

"In here, West."

Jim and West followed Baines into the next room which had a long table in it with lavishly decorated chairs and other upholstery. "Mister Baines, I think it would be best if you call off this diamond display until we can figure out what's going on here," West said.

"We will not, Mister West," Baines replied. "You will catch this thief. You are responsible for the theft that occurred. You were right there! And you did nothing! Do you know how this looks? The United States is trying to establish foreign relationships and we can't even have the competence to protect a diamond! Our own operatives right there in the room."

"You didn't see how it happened," Jim said. "We didn't see anyone. The diamond was there one second, and it was gone the next."

"I don't see what you have to do with this, but there's something going on here. It is thought that this was an inside job."

Jim's mouth dropped open slightly. "Are you suggesting that one of us stole that diamond?" he asked.

West cleared his throat. "I think my associate has asked an interesting question," he said. "And furthermore, I don't appreciate being accused of being a thief."

"You're going to be responsible if any more of the diamonds are stolen. You are in charge of security!" Baines declared.

"I think you should be responsible. You refuse to postpone this event until we catch this thief."

"See to it that you catch this thief and that the diamonds are safe!"

"Mister Gordon is working on security, along with one of our other associates. I'm sure you will find their work very interesting."

West looked at Jim. "Come on, Jim," he said.

Jim put his hat back on and glared slightly at Baines. He wondered what a person had to do to get respect. From what he knew about West, he was a well-trusted agent. As they were going out the front door, Bones was coming in, along with Uhura and Carol.

"Let me come with you," Bones whispered to Jim.

Jim smiled. "You tired of hanging around with the women?" he asked.

"Please, just let me go with you."

"I don't see why you can't."

Carol grabbed Jim's arm and kissed him before he went out the door. He was a little surprised. "Be careful," she said.

"I will," Jim replied.

Jim and Bones went on out the door where West had already mounted up. "Let's go," West said.

They were soon on the trail to the Midas house. "So, how are you going to persuade them to give you the diamonds?" Jim asked.

"I'm simply going to take them whether they want me to or not," West replied.

"Of course," Bones said. "Sounds familiar."

Jim looked at him. "Do you have to do that right now?"

"I'd like to know exactly how you're going to take them with or without their permission."

"I don't know yet, but we'll see when we get there," West replied.

"Oh. That sounds perfectly logical," Bones said sarcastically.

Jim did not see any other way to do it. They had to see exactly what was going on when they got there. "Artie said the woman who answered the door was at the party last night," West said. "She was the one who commented Vortan on the diamond just before it was stolen. I think she was just a little distraction."

"She wasn't there after it was stolen," Jim said. "I remember. Everyone scattered so much, I guess it just wasn't noticeable at the time, but now, it means something."

West nodded. "Yes, I believe she was in on it as well," he said. "Proving it will be another matter."

"This is getting more interesting all the time."

Suddenly, Q appeared on a horse beside them. "Oh, this is getting so interesting!" he said excitedly with that same sarcasm he always had. "A mystery!"

Jim frowned. "What do you want?" he asked.

"Oh, don't you want my help?"

"Not particularly. I think we're doing just fine without your lies and deception!"

"Captain, I'm hurt. You wound me deeply."

"You really know how to put on an act, don't you? You should be on the stage."

"Oh, now you're just trying to be insulting, but I take that as a compliment! And perhaps I will!" Q leaned close to Jim. "You're keeping secrets from your friends. You shouldn't be so secretive about your own trouble. After all, you're not a captain here."

Q disappeared again. Jim sighed. Seeing Q only reminded him of not being where he was supposed to be…and that it might be a totally different world and galaxy because of the changes they had made. And he thought about that trouble he had with Curly Bill whom he was supposed to meet at Noon tomorrow.

Bones hit Jim on the shoulder. "Stop letting him cause you to fret," he said. "That's why he keeps appearing like that. He probably realizes you're starting to go with what we're doing here and not fretting, so he comes to upset you again."

Jim frowned. "He is right," West agreed. "Don't let him distract you while we're in the middle of this."

"I won't," Jim said. He was feeling a little nervous, but he had to get his mind on what they were doing. He had put his feelings aside plenty of times, and he would do it now.

"What was he whispering to you about?" Bones asked.

Jim looked at him. "Uh, nothing," he said.

"Jim…"

"I said nothing, Bones."

Bones knew it was not "nothing". Jim had a hard time lying to him and he knew when he was. He would just have to keep an eye on him, and not let him out of his sight.