Chapter 30
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Sam Beckett found himself in the white void once again. The white void was nothing new to him, it was where he always found himself between leap. Oddly enough he was never able to remember this place once he leapt into his next host. Here he would rest until he was called to leap again. This place was vast and featureless. There was never anyone else there but him, except for this time.
"Hello Sam." The other man said calmly. He was about five foot Five and had dark hair and a mustache.
"Um… Hello." Sam said unsure of what was happening but the man looked familiar. "I know you." Sam said with conviction.
"Yes you do. I was on your first leap as well as the last leap you had with Admiral Calivicci."
"Wait, I remember that. You were the Bartender that told me I controlled my leaps. Your name was Al too."
"That's right. I was also your captain A.K.A weird Ernie on your first leap when you leapt into a test pilot."
"Right…I think I remember that. Um…not to be rude but why are you here? There's never been anybody here before."
"No, there hasn't, but there has never been such an urgent precedence to have a conversation like this with you before ether."
"What urgent precedence?" Sam instantly became worried.
"Sam, it's time for you to go home and what I told you all those years ago is still true today. Only you can send you home, only you can stop yourself from leaping. I'm telling you now to take control of your destiny and go home."
"I still don't understand how that's possible or why you're telling me this now."
"I want you to realize that the situation I'm about to tell you about is no fault of your own. I know how you like to put the world's problems squarely on your shoulders and I'm telling you, don't. You had nothing to do with what I'm about to tell you nor could you have prevented it."
"Go on." Sam said attentively.
"By the end of 2012 the world will have a cataclysmic event. Most of the continents will cease to be, including the good ol U.S.A. You need to leap back home and save yourself."
"What, Why is this happening?"
"Let me ask you a question Sam. Have you ever heard of a scientist by the name Charles Hapgood?"
"Um… yes I think so. Sam said trying to rack his brain for the information related to the name. Wait a minute, wasn't he the guy that had a theory about… earth… crust displacement?" He said slowly.
"The very same Sam. You have a good memory even when it's a little Swiss cheesed. But yes, by the end of the year the earth will suffer from earth crust displacement. That's why you need to get home."
"Then what was this all for. All the good I did is going to go down the toilet."
"That's not the way it works Sam, do you remember when we last met I told you that the people you help, helps others and those people others."
"Yeah." Sam replied.
"Well, in the end you helped all the right people because those people became mentors to people who would become neighborhood heroes and those mentored bigger hero's and those hero's now have the information and are making arrangements to save as many people as possible."
"But what can I do?" Sam asked.
"This time it's not your place to do anything but live Sam you need to go home or your body will die."
"But maybe I can still do some good if I stay here."
Al realized he may need to apply some incentive to get Sam more motivated to go home. He would have to pull out all the stops. "Sam if your body dies you die. End of story. And you have obligations at home."
"Obligations?" Sam wondered.
"If you don't go home soon there won't be time enough to compile all the data Ziggy has collected over the years."
"Ziggy's data? Oh my gosh. Isn't there enough time to save Ziggy herself."
"You're worried about the computer?" Al asked.
"Ziggy makes everything possible and she could do so much more. She could run cities and help doctors find cures. I'm not saying I'd put its existence above another's life but Ziggy's a unique highbred that can never be duplicated. I need to be able to save more than the data she can supply."
Al was quiet for a moment as he gave this some thought.
"There might be a way but I'm reluctant to say anything about it."
"Please, Ziggy could play an important part in the aftermath of what's to come if it's going to be as bad as you say."
Al considered Sam's request. Ziggy was indeed a unique A.I. computer and could be useful into the future. With a calculating look at Sam he decided it was worth taking the chance. "You'll need to contact a Colonel Samantha Carter in the United States air force. She's an astrophysicist working on a classified project under Cheyenne Mountain in Colorado. The name of the project is Stargate. You'll hear it said that it has to do with deep space telemetry radar but that's just their cover story."
"Obviously. So what is it really?" Sam asked.
Al eyed Sam to determine if he was ready to hear this, how much he could handle and how much he should tell him. After doing so he decided that it would create more incentive to go home and so gave him the simplest answer he could.
"Aliens Sam. They deal with aliens."
Sam looked at Al with a bug eyed expression. "What do you mean aliens? How do they deal with them? Are they friends or the enemy?"
"I can't tell you too much Sam. It could get you into more trouble than you need before you can save yourself. To answer your last question they deal with both. They've allied themselves with the good to push back the bad."
"You mean they deal with more than one type of alien life form." Sam asked as his mind boggled.
"Yes, and that's all I'm going to say about the project. If you want more information on it you'll just have to take the chance to ask her. But I'd wait until after the displacement. As it is she's the one most likely to believe you and she's in charge of packing everything up that's to be saved."
"How will she help me? How are any of these so call hero's going to save any of us if there won't be any land to stand on?"
"Funny you should ask Sam. You see the governments of the world decided to go old school, so old that you could say biblical." Al said deciding not to tell Sam about space ships yet.
"So, what do you mean? Are they creating an ark or something?"
"Bingo. You got it in one Sam. Only more massive than the original was said to be. However, there's not just one and they're made of steel not wood."
"That kind of undertaking is impossible if we have so little time left. The cost alone would bankrupt most countries"
"Ahh… but you're forgetting human ingenuity, not to mention the leaps and bounds in technology since you've been away. Don't underestimate your species Sam."
There was pause as Sam thought about the situation and mulled over the information he'd been given.
"Are you sure there's nothing more I can do here."
'Damn,' Al thought. He thought he got through to him. This was becoming difficult. "
"Sam, what about your wife?"
"My wife? …I have a wife?"
"Yes, Donna… you're married to Donna Beckett knee Elesee."
"Donna! Oh my god I forgot about Donna. How could I have done that?" Then realization hit Sam and his face drained of color. "Oh god, this isn't the first time… I actually forgot it again because I forgot it before."
Al chuckled before becoming serious once more and said. "Relax Sam, she's waiting for you but she'll be left to die if you don't get back to her because she doesn't know about the upcoming disaster."
"But how do I do that? How do I get back?"
"As I've been telling you Sam, You, are leaping you. You control your destiny. Once you believe that, you can stop any time you want to and go back to save your wife and daughter."
"Wait a moment, did you say daughter?"
"You're forgetting about Sammy Joe, Sam. You're child from a previous leap. She works at project quantum leap now."
"Right! Mine and Abigail's daughter. Oh my gosh! What Donna must think of me?" Sam said disgusted with himself.
"Calm down Sam. It was Donna's decision to let you forget. She knew if you had that knowledge hanging over you, you wouldn't have been able to have done much of what you've accomplished. She accepts Sammy Joe as if she were here own. Don't you see Sam, you have so much waiting for you when you return. But you must return soon or all could be lost."
"Okay, alright. I get it. But how will I get this astrophysicist to help me? If I call her and tell her I know about this stargate program she works on it'll become a national security issue."
"Just tell her your information comes from an ancient and I think that you'll become her new best friend."
"An ancient? Is that what you are? What does being an ancient mean?"
"Ancients are your peoples name for our species. Just like other races call the people of earth the Tau'ri. The name of my species at its base, are known as the Alterans. The first form of humanoid that came to Earth
"You're… You're an alien? But you look human."
"Yes and no. What you see as human today are kind of our descendants, but this is the form Alterans had before we ascended. We look vastly different now. I just took this form so I wouldn't spook you. My species believe in non interference. I however, have always been a rebel. The others don't know about this place. I only know about it because of my work in time travel."
"You're a time traveler? Wait, of course you are."
"It's one of the reasons I took an interest in you Sam."
"Can I see what you really look like?"
"That depends, are you going home?"
"Your right, I have to go home. I have so much waiting for me that I have to save."
"Then behold Sam and then go home." Al said.
With that, what seemed to be an inner light shone from the center of Al's being. It consumed him as he transformed into what Sam could only call an angelic jellyfish. Then Al spoke once more.
"My real name is Janus. I believe Colonel Samantha Carter will take interest in that. My name appears in many of the Alteran archives she's found pertaining to time travel."
"There are Alteran archives?" Sam asked excitedly.
If Janus was still in his human form Sam would see him smile as he said. "Goodbye Sam Beckett, perhaps we'll meet again." And then he faded away.
Sam stood there in amazement for a while before smiling and whispered. "Home." A blue light engulfed him as he faded from the void to head back to New Mexico and back to present day project Quantum Leap.
/Scene Break/
Oz knocked on Jim and Blair's motel room door; after a few seconds Blair answered dressed in a bathrobe looking like he just got out of the shower. When he saw who it was he stood aside and let him in. Blair's time with the Guardian Council had taught him to never invite anyone into his dwelling even if it was only temporary lodgings. Oz walked in.
"The rest of the band got here a few hours before us; they already had dinner and are making with the Z's as we speak. So what have we decided," Oz began. "Take-out or will we be going out for dinner?"
"Aw man, we're too beat from the long drive getting here. Jims in the shower at the moment after that we were just figuring on having a pizza delivered." Blair announced.
"Sounds good; load mine with meat. It'll be a full moon in a couple of days and the wolf craves it." Oz explained.
"But you won't be turning, will you?" Blair asked concerned.
"No, I have it under control." Oz confirmed.
Reassured Blair looked through the local phone book for pizza places that delivered. He was using the land line to call when Oz said he was going to report in to the Council. He pulled out his cell phone and dialed. After a few rings Willow answered.
"Hey Oz, how is the trip going?" She asked.
"We just pulled into Fort Worth Texas about an hour ago. Were beat and after some take out we're hitting the sack. Just wanted to touch base and let you know we made it." He replied.
"How did Louisiana turn out?" She enquired.
"Well, it kind of freaked out Blair and Jim. Her Majesty can be quite intimidating. We lost the battle of the bands but had a great time jamming with the winners."
"From the rumors I've heard, I can only imagine how freaky it would be to meet her. So, will she accept the portkey we send her?"
"Nope, and you wont have to imagine much longer. Queen Mousette will be coming to you. She wants to help first hand."
"What?...She's coming here? But she's supposed to be a one hundred and forty six year old Voodoo witch and a cannibal. She doesn't leave her plantation to see people. What would we feed her when she got here or will she be bringing her own food? I don't want to sit down to dinner to see her pull a human arm from her bag and watch a toothless old lady gumming a bicep cracking jokes about it being finger licking good."
Uncharacteristically Oz broke into laughter. This was Willows babble at its best. Jim, who just walked out of the bathroom, heard and was laughing as well. He was able to hear both sides of the conversation because of his sentinel abilities. Once Oz calmed himself he told Willow to breath. "She's not a cannibal but she is formidable."
"Okay, but why is she leaving her plantation club to come here?" She asked.
"I think it has something to do with Africa. It's where she was born or something. I suppose you'll hear about it when she gets there. Oz speculated.
"I thought if she knew that Africa was the safe spot she would go back there if she had a property or family there."
"Well, don't tell any of the others where it is. We don't want to draw the attention of too many people leaving for Africa at one time." She said
"Right, and one other thing, I don't think she's a Wicca. Even though she did everything wandless I believe she may be one of those wand witches like Hermione."
"Really, why do you think that?" She asked.
"It was something about how her magic felt. It was more like hers than yours. At least that's the way it tickled my senses." Oz explained.
"I'll have to ask Hermione if that's possible. So, when will you be making contact with White Eagle?"
"We'll be heading out to see his tribe tomorrow after we check out where we are playing tomorrow night. Blair's really stoked to see them. Jim and I may have to sedate him if he doesn't calm down."
"I'm sure he isn't that bad." Willow said with a laugh.
"He does a convincing imitation of you during a babble fest when they're mentioned."
"Hey!" Blair said in mock indignation and then smiled.
There wasn't anything Willow could say because she knew her babble fests were legendary. With a smile in her voice she spoke.
"Well then good luck tomorrow and I expect an update tomorrow night after your gig."
"Will do, talk to you then, good night."
"Good night Oz." She said and ended the connection. Blair approached him eagerly.
"So, you were able to sense her magic and differentiate between the two magics. What can you tell about it? Which senses did you use? Did you feel it? Did you smell it? Jim, were you able to sense anything and forget to tell me?"
"Whoa, hold on there Chief you need to let the man breath, me too for that matter. You're sucking up all the oxygen in the room with your questions." Jim said smiling at his partner's enthusiasm.
"Okay very funny Jim. But tell me do you sense anything around magic?"
"I sense something but it's with more of a sixth sense than anything else so it's hard to describe." Jim responded.
"Wow! And what about you Oz, how do you sense it?"
"The wolf senses are more acute and work differently than humans but if I were to describe it I might say it was sixth sense-ish, but I also feel it with a combination of other senses. I'll try and describe it in writing for you later I'm too beat to put any effort into it and I'll be even more so after I eat."
"Yeah, I know where you're coming from man and thanks, now that we work with the Guardian Council I like to be able to contribute once in a while even though we're already on a mission. I can actually get my work published within the Council."
"Yeah I get it, you want to give them something of yourself to show your self-worth. It's totally unnecessary, they like you well enough already." Oz confirmed.
The food came, a short time later and after they ate the three men were too tired to stay awake much longer. Oz said good night and went back to his room and everybody got some shuteye for the big day tomorrow.
/Scene Break/
The next morning the three men drove into town to check out the location of the bands next gig. They asked for directions to the Cherokee reservation. It wasn't difficult. An employee at a bar called C.D.s bar and grill gave them impeccable directions because she had lived near there. After a discussion of where the band would be setting up and what type of music they expected to hear they thanked her and headed out. A few miles away they found the dirt road that led to the reservation. They pulled over at the first building which seemed to be a kind of check-in point for newcomers and tourist. A Native American man approached them as they got out of their vehicle.
"What can I do for you folks?" The man asked.
"Hello, I'm Blair Sandburg and these are my colleagues Jim Ellison and Daniel Osbourne."
"Call me Oz." Oz said.
"I'm Wounded Crow but you can call me George."
"We're looking for a man named White Eagle." Blair announced.
"You're in luck. If you would have come two weeks ago we would have told you he was dead." George stated in amusement.
"You thought he was dead?" Jim bewilderedly asked.
"He had gone into the forest to communicate with the Great Spirit for so long we were about to declare him so. Since he came back it's been a party ever since." George explained.
"I wonder what made him come back now." Blare pondered aloud.
"He said the Great Spirit sent him back to meet with some outsiders. Would you be them?" George asked with a smile as he thought he was joking.
"Well, we were sent by a spirit from the other side. Does that count?" Oz announced."
George looked him in the eye and could find no deceit there. His smile dropped from his face and from that point on he stumbled over himself to please them as they went further into the reservation in search of White Eagle. They passed a mix of teepees and houses. They came upon several teepees near a creek in which George went to the biggest one and found White Eagle.
"White Eagle…White Eagle there are some people here to see you. I think they are the people you've been waiting for. They say they were sent by a spirit." George said and introduced them as White Eagle came out of the teepee. He was a formidable looking man. Blair thought he could see ancient wisdom within this mans eyes and felt a little awed by it. White Eagle walked directly to Blair and put out his hand.
"I can sense you are the shaman of the group. It is a pleasure to meet you. Blair. I can also see your spirit guide is the wolf. You will be a powerful shaman indeed."
"Really, you can really see my spirit guide? That's amazing." Blair said excitedly.
"This confused White Eagle. I can see you have been a shaman for some time. Can you not see your own guide?"
"You'll have to excuse my friend. He was told by a dieing shaman that he passed on his responsibilities to Blair. But, Blaire didn't understand what that meant and spent his time helping me instead."
"You are a sentinel, sentinels haven't been seen among my people in many centuries. The panther that is your spirit guide means you also are very powerful. It is an honor to welcome you among our tribe. It is sad that Mr. Sandburg has yet to embrace the shaman ways but it is an honor to see such friendship that he would hold off his pursuits to put the needs of his friend before his own."
"Yes, he has proven that many times over." Jim replied
"We would be honored to help you on your journey when the time comes that you would pursue such an endeavor. The shaman ways aren't always easy but the rewards are very fulfilling." White Eagle said to Blair.
"Wow, that would be awesome. Thank you." Blair acknowledged.
"Yes, we do appreciate that, but it's not what we came here for." Oz said trying to get the conversation on track.
"Daniel, I can see you are a moon wolf. It has been many years since a shape shifter has graced us with his presence and no, it is not why you have come to us today. I already know why you are here. We will talk inside. George, send for the other elders."
"Will do." George replied.
As George ran off to find the others, the group walked into the teepee. Once the flap made of animal skins closed, Jim was disturbed. Blair noticed and asked him about it.
"I can't hear anything beyond the interior of this teepee. I know there is a creek just a stones toss from hear but I can't hear it nor can I hear the kids that were playing just down the road. Not to mention the birds and other noises." Jim explained
"He's right it is unnaturally quiet." Oz confirmed.
"That would be because of the talismans hanging around the teepee. It was a gift given to me by the Great Spirit in a vision. It was known that what we were to discuss needed to be held in confidence until it was time. These talismans will keep our secrets safe."
Blair took note of the wrapped bundles of twigs, feathers, and animal claws. He was going to ask what they symbolized when to other men entered the teepee.
White Eagle introduced them as the elders, Tom Running Squirrel and Robert Flat Snake who liked to be called Bob.
White Eagle told the other two elders that what these gentlemen came here to say is the truth and needed to be taken seriously. If they didn't it could cost the Native Americans their future.
Oz took the bag from his shoulder and pulled out a battery operated portable DVD player as he began explaining.
"We represent a group known as the Guardian Council. We deal with the things that go bump in the night and we bump back."
"Are you demon hunters then?" Tom Asked.
"Uh …Yeah," Oz said a little stunned that they knew about demons. "We have also averted quite a few apocalypses in our time when we lived in Sunnydale and still do."
This got their attention for obvious reasons. People from Sunnydale were special but defenders of the hellmouth were legendary worriers and therefore honored guests. Whatever these men said next needed their full attention and they would take in their words as if the Great Spirit were talking.
Seeing that the elders were so aware of the ways of the world, Oz decided to cut to the chase.
"Several months ago some of our members were researching prophecies that had yet to be fulfilled when they came upon an earth shattering one, literally. The prophecy can be found in many religions and this is what it says, kind of." With that Oz pressed the play button. When the video ended everyone remained silent for a few moments. Blair broke the silences by confirming that the governments of the world already knew and have been monitoring the steady rise in the temperature of the earth's core.
"What do we do?" Bob Asked.
"What can we do?" Asked Tom
"I refuse to believe we are just expected to die. There has to be a reason for these prophecies and a reason these people came to warn us. They must have a plan. What is the government going to do build an ark?" Bob wondered.
"That exactly what they're doing, and you didn't hear that from us. However, they won't be taking any of us with them anyway." Jim said.
"But we believe that we can find a safe spot that will go untouched by the destruction. It's hinted at through out the prophecies. We plan on moving people there just before the end occurs." Oz continued.
"Just how will we get there if we are to wait until the last minute when it occurs? The mass panic will undoubtedly shut down any means of travel." Bob asked.
Oz fielded this question. "There are very powerful magic users that have developed a spell called a portkey. It's used for almost instantaneous travel between two points. It can be cast on any object and takes as many people as can touch it at the same time. We will send one to you when we have a location nailed down. It will activate with a password which will come with the portkeys. Your people will be able to take whatever they can carry."
"I have a question." White Eagle announced. "How big can they be made? I only ask to find out how many of us can take hold?"
"I've heard them being made with hula hoops and from what I've heard all you need to do is have at least a finger on it for it to take you to your destination." Oz replied.
After some thought White Eagle spoke. "We may need more than one of these Hoops."
"You need to realize that no mater what number you take you will be responsible for them. Were only providing transportation at the moment; however, that's not to say we won't try to help if we can. I'm sure you can imagine the chaos there will be when this goes down."
"We understand, but you must remember the Native American people are very self sufficient. We can live off the land anywhere in the world. We only ask because it will take many to make a sustainable tribe. If your people need help wherever we find ourselves all they need to do is ask." White Eagle announced.
"White Eagle I hate to tell you this." Tom began. "But there are people within this tribe that don't live by the ways of the Cherokee people. Many have moved away into the white mans world looking for jobs. There's barely a tribe left."
"I have already come to the conclusion that the Cherokee nation isn't what it once was. That is why I sent Grey Wolf to call a gathering of the devout Native Americans to come here under the pretense of the winter solstice. They will show us what they know. Their skills will determine the ones who will be going with us."
"Wow, you guys work quick. The Guardian Council has known about this for a while and the people in charge are still trying to pick the right people to go." Blare announced.
"It is true that it is a difficult decision but it is one that leaders can not take lightly. Our gathering will be huge and we will be taking too few. Picking and choosing will be heart wrenching and the people left behind will be the stains upon our soul."
"Taking more with less or no skills will only create hardship for the rest of your tribe. It has to be done." Bair commented.
"It still doesn't make the choice any easier." Tom said.
"No, I suppose not." Blair said with some sorrow in his voice.
"Well, I think that covers it. After tonight's gig I'll need to call Willow and ask if she knows who else we need to warn and where our next stop is."
"I may not know that information, but the Great Spirit had asked me to pass on a message to you." White Eagle informed them.
"Okay, what do we need to know?" Oz asked
"At some point in your journey you'll need to find yourself in Fresno California, go to China town. Ask for Cain, he needs to know."
"Is that it?" Oz asked.
"That was all I was told." White Eagle confirmed.
"Why do deities have to be so cryptic?" Blair asked.
"I've always believed that it was their way of getting their jollies." White Eagle said with a smile.
"Yeah, you may be right about that." Oz said with a smirk and a chuckle.
"Where is this gig you plan on playing at?" White Eagle suddenly asked.
"Oh it's a place called C.D.'s bar and grill." Oz replied.
"Then I must warn you to please say nothing of my presence here. There are those I wish not to know, that I have returned just yet." White Eagle requested.
"Not a problem, we've been there man." Blair said referring to their present situation.
"Well, we got to go. We hope that everything goes well for you and hope to see you at the safe land." Be well. Oz said.
"Live long and prosper." White Eagle said giving them the Vulcan hand sign which caught everyone off guard as they all cracked up laughing.
"We do it to the tourists all the time. They seem to like it." Goodbye my friends.
They said Goodbye as they exited the teepee and entered their vehicle. As they drove away, Bob asked White Eagle why he didn't want Cordell to know of his return. White Eagle refused to speak. Bob simply walked away shaking his head. When Bob was out of earshot White Eagle whispered. "Because I know what Great Spirit has planned and it would hurt too much to see him now."
/Scene Break/
Later that night Oz's band 'Dingoes ate my baby' were in full swing playing their second song of the evening. At the moment they were putting a country and western sound to a popular rock and roll piece that everyone in the bar was going crazy over. They thought the country version so much better. The band could play many styles of music but could never bring themselves to play a polka no matter who asked. Jim and Blair acted as roadies/security while the band played on. Blair was coming over to the stage with drinks for some of the band members. The lead singer especially needed his lemon juice to keep his vocal cords running smooth. This particular set was coming to an end. Blair was waiting for it so he could pass out the drinks, when he noticed both his sentinel, and Oz looked alarmed as they began franticly sniffing the air. They followed their noses to the front door where a couple of shady looking men one with a duffle bag slung over his shoulder had entered.
"What is it Jim. What's going on?" Blair asked with concern.
"I smell plastic explosive. I think Oz does too. It came from those guys that just walked in. I got to get over to them before they disappear."
With that Jim made his way to the smaller and thinner of the two men as he tried to intercept him before he could reach the door. Blair followed discreetly.
The man was the one who deposited the duffle bag in the far corner and was now in the process of leaving when he found Jim blocking his path.
"Excuse me sir but you seem to have left your duffel bag behind."
"I didn't have a duffel bag." the man replied keeping his eyes glued on the door.
"Wrong answer, I watched you since you entered. Why don't we go see what you brought to this fine establishment?" Jim said.
"I don't have to listen to no rent-a-cop. Get out of my way." Said the belligerent small thin man.
"Actually, I happen to be a real police officer." Jim replied.
"Well you're out of your jurisdiction there Mr. Policeman, because this here is Ranger country."
"I happen to be a Ranger." One of the patrons said at the table besides them. "What's going on?"
"This suspicious character just came in and dumped a suspicious looking package and was about to leave."
"That doesn't sound good. Let's go see what's in the package shall we?"
The man tried to make a run for the door but Jim held him with no problem and practically dragged him over to the duffel bag. The smaller man looked into the crowed and made eye contact with the bigger one. The ranger saw it and yelled to another ranger near the door not to let him get away. The female ranger was much shorter than the big guy and Jim thought she might not be able to stop the hulking man who threw several patrons out of his way in his attempt to make it to the door. The ranger at his side didn't even seem to think twice about her capabilities as his attention was focused on cuffing the suspect he had in his possession. When the large man got to the other side of the room the only thing between him and the door was the little lady. At least that's what she was to him. He tried to back hand her out of the way but to her, his movements were slow and lethargic and gave her the excuse to open up a can of whoop ass on him. At least that was the thought Blair had at seeing her become a whirl wind of kicks and punches. It now made sense that the other ranger didn't seem concerned as she took him down with such ease. Both Jim and Blair suddenly realized that they should be used to seeing this kind of thing as they had just come from a slayer school but in all their time as police officers they hadn't seen any officer take down a suspect with such force let alone a female officer. Chase and shoot at yes; but, bring down with physical violence as seen here, not so much.
What did you say your name was?" The male Ranger asked.
"I'm Detective James Ellison out of Cascade Washington. That's my partner Blair Sandberg." Jim said pointing to Blair.
"Ranger Francis Gage, the ranger at the door is my partner Sydney Cooke. The ranged replied. The people you've just apprehended are on the Texas most wanted list. There part of the Patriot gang. Todd and Wyatt Plaque, they're brothers and terrorists."
"Well in that case I think we should have a look inside that package." Jim said as he walked over to the bag. Taking the precaution of not opening it the normal way, Jim took out his pocket knife and cut through the canvas material in case the normal way would trigger an explosion. Once the hole was big enough beebees and ball bearings as well as glass, nails, and screws started pouring out of the hole before he found the rather large bomb at the center.
"Oh yeah, these guys were looking to do some major carnage." Gage said to no one in particular and then addressed the room. "Alright people, there is a bomb in the building. Everyone that doesn't need to be here must leave now. Sydney, call the bomb squad." He commanded.
Jim lifted the cover that hid the timer.
"I don't think we have that long." Jim announced. "There's only seven minutes left on the timer and there's enough explosive here to take out the whole block. Just where would you guys get high grade military plastic explosives?" He asked.
"The younger brother Todd happens to be a chemist that worked for the military for a while, before he was dishonorably discharged. He was on leave when he announced his antigovernment beliefs during a demonstration in front of the capital building here in Texas." Gage explained.
"I don't get it, why would these guys target a bar of all places? Is there a government building nearby?" Blaire asked.
"No. This is a Ranger bar." Gage announced. "Almost everyone in here is a Ranger, related to a Ranger or at lest knows a Ranger. It's where we go after the day is through. The bar itself is named after a Ranger."
"So, I'm going to go out on a limb here and say they were targeting Rangers." Oz guessed.
"Good bet." Jim responded. "But you should get outside with the rest of the people Oz. And tell them to move far back and take cover. We have less than seven minutes to try and deactivate this thing."
"Wait a minute. You guys know how to do that?" Gage asked, as oz left the building in a hurry to relay the message.
"We've worked with the cascade bomb squad. We had to take a few classes to be near them while they worked. We're the best chances you've got to keep this thing from going off."
"Why would you need to be near them?" Sydney asked hauling the half unconscious bulk of the bigger Plaque brother.
"Protection detail," Jim explained. "So, what do you say? You want me to try and defuse it or do you just want to let it blow."
"I think there would be a little too much property damage to let it blow. Alright, I authorize and deputize you two to deactivate this thing."
"You want me to take these two outside?" Sydney asked Gage.
"Why? If these two wanted to see a bomb go off they should get a front row seat." Gage said thinking he would let them sweat it out until the last minute.
Jim made sure not to move or jostle the package as he looked over the wiring.
"Okay, we have a bit of a problem these brain dead masterminds didn't use any kind of customary wiring techniques. Off the top I can see the leads coming from the power supply should be black and red. Here they made them purple and green. There are also a lot of wires that lead from one side of the bombs framework to the other which do absolutely nothing but add to the confusion."
"So what are you saying? Can you do it?" Sydney asked.
"Yeah, we might still have a chance. Blair do you remember how we handled the Lambert case?"
Blair racked his brain, the Lambert case was two years ago but now that he recalled it he remembered as if it were yesterday and, he knew that Jim wanted to run the same gambit here.
"Alright, you focus on which ones should be cut and I'll do the actual cutting." Blair said as he took a seat in front of the bomb with a pair of wire cutters, Gage fished out of the toolbox from behind the bar. Knowing full well that you never cut the wire to the power supply Blair intentionally asked. Should I cut the green one?
Without anyone knowing what they were actually doing Jim listened to the Plaque brother's heart beats. Blair's inquiry acted as a control question for a lie detector interview. As Blair moved to cut the wire Jim found the heart rate of the smaller brother quicken. Jim said "no."
"How about the white one?"
Jim didn't detect any change in the brother's heart rates. "Yes, you can cut the green one."
Blair cut the wire and asked about the brown one. Jim said it was okay.
"Red?" Blair asked.
Again the smaller brother's heart rate doubled, so Jim indicated 'not' to cut it.
In the end when it came to the last wire to be cut Jim couldn't get a read on the brothers because they were yelling over each other.
"I don't want to die." The bigger one yelled. "Cut the blue one."
"He's lying; I don't want to be a martyr. Cut the yellow one."
"He's the one that's lying, he's trying to trick you. You cut that wire and we all go boom. Cut the blue wire."
Blair looked to Jim who could only relay his confusion. One of the brothers could be telling the truth and he suspected it to be the smaller of the two but he couldn't be sure. Ether one of the brothers could be lying to make the bomb go off. Both brothers heart rates were beating fast one of them didn't want to die, while Jim suspected the other was excited for it to go off. Within mere seconds before the bomb was to go off. It was Blair who made the decision to cut the yellow wire. The count down stopped with five seconds to spare. The smaller brother was relieved, the larger was furious.
"Todd, you idiot, you couldn't keep your mouth shut. He could have cut any one of the other wires and we would be hailed as posthumous heroes but you didn't want to die you yella cowardly piece of dirt. I should have killed you in the crib."
"Ranger, I had no idea what was in that bag, my brother just told me to bring it in here. I didn't know it was a bomb."
"You're not only yella you're a liar." The bigger one shouted.
"So then, what you're saying is that we won't find your fingerprints on any part of this bomb because if you didn't know about it there shouldn't be any prints on the bomb itself only on the bag." Gage surmised.
The smaller brother looked at the floor and became quiet.
"There you see. You're not so smart after all. If we blew up, everything would have been over and done with but now we'll have to live the rest of our lives in a prison cell. You're such an idiot."
"How did you figure out which brother told the truth about which wire to cut?" Jim whispered to Blair.
"I didn't. I just figured that they named themselves the Patriot gang so I figured the most likely wires not to be cut were red white and blue."
/Scene Break/
Outside Oz was making his way to the end of the street where the rest of the rangers were setting up barricades they were encouraging people to stay behind when he got a whiff of something he always hated smelling. Blood and from the smell there was a lot of it. The sent was so heavy it was the kind he associated with death. He followed the scent to a parked SUV. Not seeing anything in the front or back seats he yelled for the first rangers he saw to come his way.
"Sir you really need to get behind the barricade at the end of the street." The young ranger said as he came over.
"Yeah, I was there when they found the bomb, but listen I believe this is the bomber's vehicle and I smell blood coming from it. I think there might be a body in the back wrapped in that tarp."
"I don't smell anything."
"Genetics, most of my family have acute sense of smell." Oz explained.
Although I might be inclined to agree that there looks to be a body under that tarp I can't justify breaking into it without cause or a warrant. We don't even know if that's really the boomers SUV."
"Fare enough." Oz replied. He looked at the ground and found a good sized rock and heaved it through the back window. The ranger did nothing to stop him. Oz opened the hatch back and unrolled the tarp.
"Oh dear lord!" The ranger said in horror.
/Scene Break/
Back in the bar Gage was congratulating Jim and Blair on defusing the bomb when Oz and the young ranger burst through the door.
"Jim, we found their SUV and there's a body in the back." Oz said.
"I don't know what you're talking about. My brother and me came here in a limo." The bigger brother Wyatt said and they began laughing.
"Gage, the body, it was Ranger Trivette's. He was killed by a shotgun blast to the chest. There's no sign of the murder weapon." The young ranger announced a bit shaken.
"Trivette's dead?" Sydney cried out in shock and disbelief. "He was watching Walkers kids."
Gage turned to the brothers and asked. "Where are the kids?"
"Those were Walkers kids? Gosh, when we saw a ranger with two brats we thought he was guarding some rich guy's rug rats or maybe government kids or royalty but to find out they were Walkers kids…" at this point Wyatt turned to Todd and they looked in each others eyes as they yelled happily in unison. "We hit the jackpot!"
"What were you planning on doing with Ranger Trivette's body? Was he supposed to look like he died in the blast from the bomb?" Oz asked.
Wyatt and Todd smirked and Todd awnsered. "After the General shot him he told us to take him up to the compound and feed him to the critters that live near there." The brothers both began to snicker.
In a fit of anger Gage grabbed Todd by the front of his shirt. "Where are those kids?" he yelled in his face.
Todd smiled at Gage in superiority before calmly saying. "With the General and he'll probably feed them to the critters before long."
"We ain't talking. But if you want those kids to be let go you'll have to leave us go." Wyatt said.
"Not a chance in hell." Sydney said. "You're going to talk or so help me I'll throw my badge away and beat the hell out of you till you do."
"Bring it on little darling. As a Patriot I swore an oath to my fellow Patriots that I'd stay true to our cause and never reveal our secrets on pain of death." Wyatt replied.
"Just to join the gang the General would give you a secret and the other members would torture you for days to get it out of you. If we never talked then we sure as hell won't talk now." Todd added.
"We can find them." Blair said.
"How?" Gage asked.
"We're very good at tracking. I'm sure we can get a few clues from them and that SUV. Then we can take it from there."
"That could take to long. Their base is somewhere in the foothills of the forest off carven road. There are so many trails in every direction that cover so many square miles of terrain. We'd never be able to cover them all to find them in time."
"If you have an area then we have a place to start. Trust us, they will be back in your care before long." Blair urged.
As Gage and Sydney called in to the ranger station to relay what had happened and the situation so far, Oz pulled Jim and Blair to the side with some urgency to relay some disturbing information.
"What's the matter Oz?" You seem agitated.
"The SUV also had another sent I'm familiar with. Where ever this base is it's near a Morrog demons nest. We may have to call in some back up."
"Demons? That's just great." Jim said sarcastically.
"I thought you said there isn't a slayer house for over fifty miles." Blair wondered.
"True but I did some research during dinner. I wondered why the Cherokee knew so much about us. Turned out they're actually demon hunters themselves. What do you think? Should I call them?"
"What choice do we have? Unless they use magic it would take the slayers to long to get here." Jim said.
"Slayers don't usually use that kind of magic unless it was an emergency of apocalyptic or world cleansing proportions." Oz confirmed.
"Well then, you better give the Cherokee a call." Jim said.
As Oz nodded and moved off to the side to put things in motion, Gage and Sydney came over. Sydney was wiping tears from her eyes as she was upset over Ranger Trivette's death.
"We got Todd and Wyatt secured and put in a car headed for jail. We need to get the ranger station to come up with a plan of action."
"We should call Walker before we do anything." Sydney said.
"That goes without saying." Gage replied. "The only thing that worries me is that it could take a couple of hour to sweat the information from the Plaque brothers before we can get support from the feds or for a big enough search party. The helicopters alone require requisitions from the feds. Not that they wouldn't give it to us, after all investigating a kidnapping is right up their ally."
"What about us, we said we can track them. We're really good at it." Blair announced.
"Our superiors are making us follow procedure. We can't let these guys get away because we didn't follow protocol. They want this gang caught and put in prison never to see the light of day again."
"Fat lot of good that is to Walkers kids. They're probably so scared right now. If Walker were here the gloves would be off. I just know he would throw his badge away and hunt them down." Sydney said.
"Well, it's a good thing he isn't here then. Where is he anyway?" Blair asked.
"He's and his wife took one of the twins to the Dallas medical center for a medical condition." Sydney answered.
"We really appreciate everything you've done but there is no need for you to put your neck on the line any longer. Our superiors want us to handle as much of this as we can ourselves before we call in the feds, it being a high profile case and all." Gage said.
"The fed's will only take full credit for it anyway." Sydney replied.
"But our superiors will know who really did the work and more importantly so will Walker." Gage responded.
Not wanting to step on any toes Jim and Blair graciously accepted the obvious dismissal for what it was and wished the rangers luck. This irritated Gage because he just knew there was every chance that Jim and the others were going to go after the gang to find the kids by themselves.
Jim and Blair walked over to Oz as he closed his cell phone.
"The Cherokee will meet us at Carven Road. They might be there before us because they're closer but they have to get their equipment together."
"Alright we should go now because the Rangers are giving us the old heave-ho."
"Why aren't they coming with us?" Oz asked.
"Departmental bureaucracy." Jim replied, while Oz and Blair just shook their heads.
"Sydney, are you okay to follow those three." Gage asked. "I think they might try going after the General and his gang by themselves."
"Yeah I can do that." Sydney replied trying desperately to keep the eagerness out of her voice. She wanted the chance to go after the gang more than she wanted to follow procedure and if Jim Blair and Oz's tracking skills were as good as they said she would follow them right to the gangs front door.
"Alright, take Paco with you." Indicating the young ranger, Oz walked in with.
Oz led the way to the Plaque brothers SUV. Ranger Trivette's body was already removed which was unfortunate as it could have helped to locate the kids if it had enough clues for a sentinal and a wolf to follow. They knew that they were being observed by the Rangers so they simply looked and smelled for every clue they could extract from the vehicle both inside and out. It wasn't long before Sydney walked over. She watched as the ambulance carrying Ranger Trivette's body drove away. Her eyes began to fill with tears once more. She was really going to miss him. She needed time to morn him but first she had a duty and a debt to her fallen friend and so she pulled herself together.
"Alright you guys, Ranger Paco and I have been told to follow you and make sure you don't screw up our investagtion. I'm telling you this because I'll be damned if I'm going to sit my ass at the station waiting for the feds to give us the go ahead. I not only want, but need to start looking for the low lifes that took people that I consider family. If I'm going to help you, you're tracking skills better be as good as you say."
"We can do this." Blair asured her.
"Are you okay with this Ranger Paco?" Sydney asked not sure where she stood with him.
"Ma'am I was the first ranger on the seen to discover Ranger Trivette's body. He was a ranger to look up to. I want to find this gang just as much as you do." Paco Replied.
"Right, well, the five of us arent much of a search party but we can lay the ground work for the rest when they finaly get their asses in gear."
"We already have something organized just follow us out to Carven Road." Jim replied.
"Sydney could have questioned that and would have but she wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth. They hopped into their vehicles and headed for the rendezvous with the Cherokee."
TBC
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