CH40

"I wonder if I can make this my new cruiser for work?" Kate mused as Rick parked behind her Jeep. This 2001 Dodge Durango had everything her old one didn't. It was nice! "You need to make sure you still have a job first, though you do have all that information you got from your friend in New York. Plus everyone there heard him get arrested as you mentioned," he pointed out. Kate and he had been talking about what happened at the sheriff's office during the drive home.

"We'll find out tomorrow. What I could use now is a shower," she said longingly as they walked to the front door. "You and me both," he groaned. "Plus I should get Alexis in the tub." He stopped suddenly. "I don't have any clothes for her here." So much had been happening lately he just wasn't thinking. "Go home and get clothes for her and you. Mom can watch Alexis while I take a shower," she offered. "Good plan." He turned intending to go to his truck but was stopped by Kate who kissed him. "We'll be here babe," she assured him.

Johanna was in the kitchen making a shopping list for things they needed when she heard the front door open which got all three dogs to head for it instead of hanging around her in the kitchen begging for handouts. Kate and Alexis were delayed since they had to pet the dogs. Midas and Maggie spent a lot of time trying to sniff them because they both had a lot of new smells on them.

"What happened to you two?" Johanna looked them over. Kate was wearing dirty, greasy coveralls that were too big for her and she was still trying to figure out what Alexis was wearing. "We've…had a long day. I'm going to go take a shower. Would you watch Alexis? Rick should be here soon with some clothes for her." She didn't wait for a response as she headed for the stairs and her bathroom.

"How about a cookie?" Johanna offered which immediately got Alexis's attention. "So did something happen today?" she asked sitting down next to Alexis who had her hands filled with cookies. Alexis nodded with her mouth full of cookie. "Was it exciting?" Johanna tried another question and got Alexis to nod.

"Was Katie involved in this excitement?" she asked another one and got Alexis to nod again as another cookie was stuffed in her mouth. Johanna realized this was getting her nowhere so she got back up and went back to her grocery list. She would drill her daughter for answers after Kate came downstairs. Rick, however, was back first with clothes for both of them. "Do you have a tub downstairs?" he asked Johanna who nodded and pointed the way to the bathroom. "Let's get you washed pumpkin. Then it's my turn." He took her to the bathroom to put her in the tub.

Kate made it downstairs wearing shorts and an oversized t-shirt. "What have you been up to Katie?" Johanna now had someone to answer her questions. "Rick and I met a couple of people today. One of them even knew me from when I was a homicide detective." Kate was still surprised about that. "Really, who was he?" Johanna guessed it was a him. "Actually it was a woman, Joanne Delgado. Her mother had been killed by a man who was going from home to home stealing high-end jewelry. She and her friend were passing through and Rick and I ran into her." Kate kept her answers simple. Her mother didn't need to know a whole lot about Paladin or Rick's parents unless he wanted to talk to her about it. It was his tale to tell.

"I'm sure you solved the case and gave her some closure." Johanna had faith in her daughter. "I did though I don't think she lives in New York City anymore either." Kate had forgotten to ask where they were and how to contact them. Still it was likely they would see them again.

"Sounds like people are escaping from New York City in droves," Johanna joked. "I'm sure the city will survive Mom." Kate was smiling. She was saved from answering anymore questions when the house phone rang. Johanna grabbed the cordless phone off the charger. "Hello? Oh, hi Oscar!" Kate couldn't help but notice that her mom's voice changed tone when she talked to Oscar. "Next week?" Johanna sounded surprised. "No, I would love to have you come take a look. Maybe you can tell me what they're doing." Johanna had asked questions but construction was just a little over her head. To her the place was a huge mess. "No, I'll come get you." Johanna listened for some time. "I look forward to it. I'm sure Patch misses Thor." Johanna laughed at herself which was music to Kate's ears.

Kate let her talk, went back to her dragon book, and picked up where she left off. Or at least she had until Alexis showed up with a towel wrapped around her head and came up next to Kate. "Why are you still wet Alexis?" Kate took the towel and started drying her hair.

"You go up to my bathroom and come back with my brush and I'll brush your hair for you," Kate offered and watched as Alexis smiled and scampered upstairs. It was only when she ran toward the stairs that Kate noticed she was wearing clothes that fit her, which told her Rick was here, too.

Kate was sitting next to Alexis and was slowly brushing out Alexis's long hair when a clean Rick walked out of her mother's bedroom. "Feel better?" she asked him and got a nod in response. "Much. I'm going to go get those ledgers that you grabbed," he told her, and went out to the Durango, and came back with the five of them.

She finished brushing Alexis's hair and pulled her dragon book into her lap. Alexis pulled a chair over next to her, sat down, and looked as well. "You can read that?" Alexis didn't understand a word if that was the right name for what she was looking at.

"Yes, I can." She ran her finger under a single line. "Before my wife fell to being evil, dragons of various colors mixed willingly, after that they all only mated with their own kind. It was one of the unexpected downfalls of the war," Kate read to her. The look on Alexis's face told Kate that she didn't see it. "My dragon is doing the reading and telling me what it says. Without her it looks like gibberish to me too." Kate kissed her head and went back to reading silently.

"What are those?" Johanna sat down next to Rick on the sofa leaving Kate and Alexis in the dining room. "I think they're ledgers that show what my father was doing. I know they own a uranium mine and a casino/hotel complex over in South Dakota. I just can't make heads or tails of this mess," he admitted. Expenses and other bookkeeping he left to the lawyers, certified accountants, and their bookkeepers to unravel.

"Give it to me." Johanna took it from him and started running her fingers over the columns. "If I'm reading this right they have a contract for the uranium that provides them an amount of 27.5 million dollars per year. The contract is good for 25 years and it looks like they are 12 years into the 25 years, which means they have collected 330 million dollars so far," she told him. "Then there are the costs associated with the mine including employee pay." Johanna tilted her head to try and make the math in her head easier. "If my math is right he is paying the people who work the mines peanuts. Barely above minimum wage." She couldn't believe it. "Hand me the next one." Johanna placed the first one on the coffee table.

She began running her fingers over the entries. "This one is the casino. If my math is right they are pulling in 24.8 million dollars annually before expenses and employee wages. Johanna tilted her head again. "If my math is good the people who work here are being paid minimum wage. Only a few people are paid more." She was thinking her math must be bad. What she needed was more time and a computer.

"Next." Johanna placed this book on top of the other and took the next one Rick handed her. Once again she ran her fingers over what was entered on page after page like last time. "This one is the hotel that's attached to the casino. It's pulling in an average $4.11 per room with 343 rooms which is just under $508 thousand annually. One would think a hotel would generate more money." Johanna didn't understand and yet she was pretty sure she was right. "OH! That's after expenses and employee wages. Five hundred eight thousand net. Okay, maybe that isn't so bad." She put it on top of the others.

"Another," she said and took the next book just as her oven alarm sounded, which got her to lay it down and head for the kitchen. "Dinner in ten minutes," Johanna called, getting Kate and Rick to set the table. He sent Alexis off to wash her hands.

"Whose books are those? I've never heard of a casino/hotel complex near here," Johanna said while they were eating. "My father's and the casino/hotel complex is on the far side of Black Hills National Forest just outside of Rapid City," Rick explained. "You didn't tell me your parents live near here. How are they?" Johanna asked him. "Mom." Kate shook her head trying to get her to stop. Rick placed a hand on Kate's. "She deserves to know," he told her and stopped eating.

"I was born and raised in a Kodiak Bear community a little northeast of here. Most of it is located in South Dakota. Much like Kate is a dragon, the community there is made up of bears," he explained. "I'm a brave bear," Alexis piped up feeling better about herself now. "Yes, you are sweetie, you're a very brave bear," Kate told her smiling that Alexis was finally willing to accept being a bear.

"That would make you…" Johanna tailed off. Rick finished for her. "A Kodiak bear, yes," he told her. "And you knew, Katie?" Johanna questioned her. Kate nodded. "Ever since that trip I took with Rick out to the lake north of here. He's a really big bear mom, really big." She was still amazed at just how big Rick was...in more ways than one.

Johanna was silent for a time while they went back to eating in silence. "Dragons, bears. Are there more kinds?" Johanna asked. Rick put his fork down and finished what was in his mouth before speaking. "Quite a few actually. I personally know of polar bears, black bears, various tigers. I recently learned of mountain lions and red-tailed hawks. There are probably more," he told her. "How many are there of you?" Johanna asked. "Last I knew the community was just under 100 but that was a few years ago. It has likely grown while I've been gone," Rick said.

"A hundred bears." Johanna tried to imagine that. "And yet Katie is the last of her kind."

"The book has our family history in it Mom. No one else's, just ours." Kate got up to retrieve her book. She sat down, opened it, then searched near the end of the book."Here it is: James Beckett, black dragon, the only child of Leonard Beckett, black dragon, and his wife Eleanor Beckett, white dragon. His father was Edward Beckett, white dragon, and his wife Edna Beckett, amethyst dragon. His father was Howard Beckett, sapphire dragon, and his wife Francis Beckett, silver dragon. It goes back over 1,600 years Mom. Sixteen hundred!" She was amazed at that. It also told her that if she had kids they could be black, white, sapphire, silver, or amethyst like herself, and that was just on one side of the family. She hadn't yet read the other side of the family, so there might be more dragon types. Or they could be Kodiak bears like Alexis. "I've still got a number of pages to go." Kate closed it and set it on the table.

"How are your father and mother?" Johanna inquired getting back to Rick's family. "After dinner Mom?" Kate asked her. Seeing the stubborn look on her face, "Please Mom," Kate pleaded with her to drop it for now. Johanna silently acquiesced but the look Johanna gave her told Kate that she owed her mom one.

Dinner was over and the kitchen was cleaned up; Rick suggested that Alexis take the dogs outside so they could get some exercise and do their business. "OK!" Alexis was happy to run with the dogs.

Johanna sat down and silently waited. "Mom…" Kate stopped when Rick placed a hand on her leg asking her to stop. "My father is in charge of the Kodiak Bear community and has been since before I was born. He is also a thoughtless tyrant who cares little for others. He rules by power and force."

"After I was born he started 'training'" Rick used air quotes with his fingers. "me to be just as ruthless and commanding as he was. His plan was that after his rule was over I would take his place and rule just as he did. It would be as though he had never left."

"Whenever I didn't do something fast enough I was whipped, viscously. If I even thought about fighting back I was beaten severely. If I provided a wrong answer I was either whipped or beaten depending on the topic or his mood at the time," he explained.

Johanna had her hand over her mouth with a look of shock on her face. "MY GOD! … What about your mother? Didn't she try to put a stop to this?" she asked only to watch Rick shake his head.

"My mother is his mate and subservient to his wishes. Mother also wanted me to take over for the family so my 'training' was something that was required in her eyes. My healing while in bear form is far superior to that of a human, though if you look close enough you can see a hint of the scars mostly on my back," he told her. What he said made Kate think. She had seen his back but hadn't studied it that thoroughly. What she was most interested in wasn't on that side of him. Still she made a mental note to look next time she saw him shirtless.

"I don't understand. How could a parent do such a thing? How could a parent not love their child? I don't…" Johanna shook her head. "But you were in New York City, I know you were. I waited in line to get my book signed," she told him. He sat up straight. "You were at one of my book signings? I've met you before?" Now Rick was the one who was shocked as he tried to think back to all of his book signings, attempting to see if he could picture her. "Don't bother. I was in front of you for all of about 10 seconds. Though when it came to the women lined up for your autograph I did feel a little out of place. You even signed the chest of the woman in front of me," Johanna mentioned while smiling at him. It did, however, cause Kate to smack him in the arm and glare at him.

"It must have been soon after my publisher and publicist talked me into cultivating a playboy image to help boost book sales. I was younger and far more stupid back then. If it wasn't for Alexis I might still be back there doing just that. Completely lost and miserable." Rick took one of Kate's hands in his and squeezed softly.

"And your parents just let you leave?" Johanna doubted that from what he'd said about them. "Oh no, between classes in school and classes at home with whippings and beatings, I found that I was pretty good at escaping into my imagination and was able to write about it. I bribed someone in the community to mail it to a publisher I found. It was almost three months before I was slipped a reply that they were interested in me."

"I had an airline ticket waiting for me in Rapid City, I just had to get there. I spent three months tracking and following the security that my father put together to keep humans and everyone else out except for delivery trucks. I snuck into a refrigerated meat truck from Rapid City after it made a delivery," he explained. "Didn't you freeze? I mean those trucks are cold," Johanna questioned. Rick shrugged his shoulders. "I'm a bear," he stated as if that explained everything.

Johanna opened her mouth to speak and thought about it and had to admit that it made sense. "And your parents did nothing?" If they were that obsessed with him taking over would they really just let him go?

"Apparently they found out where I had gone, just not exactly where. New York City is a big city, one that's easy to disappear into even if it's not on purpose. Plus early on I moved a lot until I met Alexis's mother. Even after she left me, I kept moving. I never thought where I was was good enough until I started looking for the best elementary school for Alexis," he said. He didn't know it at the time but his almost constant moving from one rental to another until he had Alexis probably saved him from being forced back home. It did explain how Hunt knew he had been married and had a child.

"So where are they now?" Johanna asked, worried that Rick was still in danger and by association so was her daughter.

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Serena was powering down to idle and followed Joanne into the cargo bay where their passengers were located. "Time to exit my nice plane you two. Please don't think of doing something stupid," Serena warned Hunt and Martha as Joanne worked at removing Martha's restraints. Once free, Martha rubbed her sore hands and arms and just sat there.

The second Hunt was out of his restraints he jumped up quickly, however Serena already had her weapon leveled at him. "As I'm sure you've noticed by now, you can't shift into a bear. The shot I gave both of you knocked you out but it also had a serum that prevents shifters from shifting. Since you were human at the time of the injection, human is what you'll remain. Plus you both know that if I empty my clip into you the bear inside you won't be able to heal the damage and you'll die," Serena told Hunt what he had already worked out. "NOW! Out of my plane!" Serena barked and motioned to them as Joanne pressed the button to open the ramp.

The second it began to open a blast of cold air hit all of them. The plane was already cold, but now it was freezing cold. "Where are you taking us?" Martha asked as she hugged herself trying to stay warm. "Right here actually. There's a small community a few miles that way, which is the closest form of sanctuary from the cold for over a hundred miles. It's a Polar Bear community whose leader is the strongest polar bear known by me or anyone in the shifter community. Should you be foolish enough to try anything, he alone can take both of you at the same time, let alone the rest of his family combined. They are expecting you and will put you to work. Something I'm sure neither of you know anything about," Serena informed them.

"We'll freeze to death long before we reach it even if we can find it at all," Martha complained as Hunt remained quiet since he could feel something happening. "Oh you'll make it as I'm sure Hunt has started to figure out. Have a pleasant stay." Serena followed Joanne back into the plane. Serena turned back for a moment. "Oh, one last thing. Should you be foolish enough to make your way back to your old community, I have an outstanding hit out on you. You'll be killed the second you set foot inside the boundary or onto Rick's land, and that person will become a millionaire." And the ramp slammed closed.

Serena heard Hunt roar his defiance. She sat in her seat and increased power to take off. Ten minutes later a very cold Martha and Hunt shifted into Kodiak bears and started walking towards their exile, never to see or hear about their son ever again.

"Hey what about me?" Dahl yelled over the noise of the plane. Serena simply smiled since she had a plan for him and started talking softly with Joanne over their headsets.

She was flying high enough to show up on someone's radar and made arrangements to land and do maintenance on her engines again as well as re-fuel. Four hours later she was landing yet again but not powering down completely, much like she did with Hunt and Martha. "Okay Dahl, time for you to exit my plane," she informed him and while Joanne covered her, she released Dahl's restraints.

Serena opened the ramp. "OUT!" She waved for him to exit down the ramp. Dahl wasn't sure what was going on. Outside the ramp's opening he saw trees and realized they had landed on a dirt road. What he was thinking was that once he exited the plane they'd shoot him in the back.

"Out Dahl, or I'll shoot your kneecaps out and throw you out. NOW, OUT!" Serena shouted motioning impatiently. And they both watched Dahl walk out. As soon as he cleared the ramp, it started to go back up and close.

Moments later he watched the plane/helicopter take off vertically and fly out of sight. First thing Dahl did was walk over to a tree and pee on it. After that he started looking around. What surprised him was that he knew where he was. He was only 3 miles from his home. He had traveled out here with his oldest son on one of the quads he had purchased with the money he had gotten from Paladin. Dahl was soon jogging towards home.

"You're sure this is going to work?" Joanna questioned as Serena landed yet again and shut down all power. "Paladin is cleaning house. We have Haley and her Red-Tailed Hawks, Damian and his Golden Eagles, and Stephen and his Turkey Vultures watching his house. Lance and his Bobcats will be here within the hour. As soon as any of them see anything we'll power up and swoop in, and if we're lucky, take some of Paladin's killers captive even if we have to fly them to the closest hospital."

"Dahl knew almost nothing about Paladin but the men they'll send to kill him will likely know more. It's a risk but Dahl is all we've got left to gain our next lead. Plus we have an ace in the hole. We have the only dragon in existence; we just have to convince her to help us if we need her." Serena opened the ramp and took the ladder with her so she could do maintenance on the engines again.

They couldn't afford for one of them to start acting up later.