As a year had passed since Joey Burnett, Jerry Fortunov, Jane Foster, Lancelot Hunter, Darcia Lewis, Barbara Morse, Erik Selvig, Pat Smith, and Soo-jin Smith remained on Arda and had been trying to desperately to find their way back home to Earth, they remembered that Gandalf would return to them, but did he? However, they found life in the Shire to be more beautiful, relaxing, and of course enjoyable for any hobbit or outsider that come wandering the realm. Many hobbits wondered where these travelers came from and questioned again about their clothing. Despite not getting the answer, they found them as good friends and neighbors. In every corner of the realm, a majority of hobbits started to help out with the outlanders and offer their hospitality if they were planning to stay.
Agents Soo-jin Smith and Jerry Fortunov were busy exploring every corner of the Shire, volunteered to work with the Shire Watch, for which they and the Shirrifs were assigned to protect the Shire from various threats, such as wolves that have been coming about. Pat Smith had been busy helping a pregnant Hobbit woman give birth. Jane, however, had been sitting alone on a bench near the front door of Bag End and wrote something in her journal. She also carried four more journals as extras incase she runs out of space. While remaining in the Shire, Barbara Morse was filled with hope and never gave up to think that they would stay on Arda forever, but Hunter was the opposite. He didn't believe there was any chance to go home and that it was time to adapt to this new world they had to live on. He got tired blaming Jane's team for coming here, and so he decided to get pass it, but what he was deeply annoyed about is that Gandalf didn't come back. He was gone for months he recalled from his ex-wife that he would return with important answers. He spent his days shaving, cutting off his hair in order to look like the same as he was, and have been chopping wood.
As for Barbara Morse, she had been washing herself in one of Bag End's bathrooms. She was quite impressed how nice the bathtub was and described it as a sauna. She also used her wits to make her own clothes, ones that would fit her since she is considered the tallest of the team. She began to remember her time when she was agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. and how she left the agency with ex-husband after their mission from Russia. After getting dressed, Barbara Morse walks outside to smell the fresh breeze as the sun began to set from the west. She turns to see Hunter chopping a lot of wood blocks for a hobbit couple that were having dinner inside the house. She walks over to him and waits until he finished chopping his thirtieth wood block.
"Hunter, can we talk or is this a bad time?" Mockingbird asked.
Lance Hunter didn't turn around to acknowledge her while he raised his axe and chopped another wood block in half. He let out a sigh. "By all means, let it out."
"I know you're upset," Mockingbird nodded her head. "We end up on another planet, believing there is no way back. But I want you to understand that there is still hope."
"Hope?" Rifleman scoffed, thinking it was a joke. "You still haven't lost your touch."
"I'm trying to show you that there is hope we can figure out to get back home to Earth," Mockingbird stated hopefully.
Lance Hunter was getting annoyed by this. He spins around to look at her with a very dissatisfied look on his face. "Bobbie, open your eyes for once. There is no way back! We tried that and you know, its been months, oh wait, not months… a year! A whole bloody year since our wizard friend had been gone. He said, 'Wait here my friends, I shall return from my errand'. That was his promise. So where the hell is he?"
"Hunter, take a breath," Mockingbird encouraged him to relax. "You've had hard day today and you need to rest. Calm your mind."
"Calm your mind, that sounds like HYDRA talking," Rifleman recalled those words before.
"I was undercover, Hunter," Mockingbird explained to him about her past job as a spy in HYDRA. "It wasn't fun. It wasn't cool. It sucked. It was terrible, but look on the bright side, I'm not HYDRA. Its not like I'm brainwashing you to comply, but what I'm asking is that you should comply to calm down. It won't work."
"So what do you want me to do then, huh?" Rifleman asked with a scoff. "Tell me what it is?"
"I just want you to get your head in the game," Mockingbird pleaded. "Are we cool?"
Lancelot sighed deeply as he out his response to her. "Fine, we're cool."
"Do you wanna go to the Green Dragon?" Mockingbird asked with a pretend smile. "Perhaps that'll help make you feel better."
"Why not?" Rifleman sighed. "Drinking always lightens me up, especially the rum and ale."
"Goo, I'll see you tonight at the Green Dragon," Mockingbird nodded and turns to walk away.
As the evening struck all over the Shire, many hobbits were wondering out during the night, enjoying the fresh breeze, and all enjoyed to talk and laugh from their hard day's work. However, they were unaware that new outsiders were entering the land uninvited. Meanwhile, in Bamfurlong, located in the Marish region of Eastfarthing, Farmer Goodman Maggot, son of Rhaga and Bogman Maggot and elder brother of Gretle and Rhaga Maggot II, had been busy working all day. Married to Limnantha, Mr. Maggot had six children named Hammy, Pomella, Ivy, Rollo, Goodman II, and Limnantha II.
While his wife and children were down visiting friends in Bywater, Mr. Maggot was at the front of his house and had been busy chopping firewood in the in his garden while his three dogs Fang, Grip, and Wolf were sitting and watching for any sign of activity. That was when the three dogs starting barking when they noticed something was approaching the house.
"Grip, Fang, Wolf, what in the Shire are you barking at?!" Goodman exclaimed in confusion.
Goodman had no idea what his guard dogs were barking at, but when he looks up and lowers his axe, his confused face turned into a terrified face and began to cower right near the doorway. It was one of the Black Riders that Fang, Grip, and Wolf were barking at. It was Khamûl, who had remained separate from the other riders and had been scouting ahead and interrogate any hobbit for the search of the One Ring. The black rider looms over the house, causing the dogs to stop barking and whimper in fear as they run back inside the hobbit hole.
"Good-evening to you," Goodman said. "This lane don't lead anywhere, and wherever you may be going, your quickest way will be back to the road."
Khamûl sat quite still and responded to him in a queer voice. "I come from yonder. Have you seen Baggins?"
Goodman was nervous and by the sight of shock and he saw that Khamûl had no face, for his hood fell down so low, and he felt a sort of shiver down his back, but he did not see why he should be come riding over his land so bold.
"Be off!" Goodman exclaimed. "There are no Bagginses here. You're in the wrong part of the Shire. You had better go back west to Hobbiton, but you can go by road this time."
"Baggins has left," Khamûl answered in a whisper. "He is coming. He is not far away. I wish to find him. If he passes will you tell me? I will come back with gold."
"No you won't," Goodman declined the offer from him. "You'll go back where you belong, double quick. I give you one minute before I call all my dogs."
Khamûl gave a sort of shriek. He might have been laughing. Then he spurred his great horse right at me, and I jumped out of the way only just in time. After a minute passed, he called the dogs, but the rider swung off, and rode away like a bolt of thunder just as Goodman shuts the door and keeps his locked since he was afraid that the rider would come back for him.
Back in Hobbiton, many hobbits were gathering inside the Green Dragon, one of the Shire's best inns. Joey Burnett, Jerry Fortunov, Jane Foster, Lancelot Hunter, Darcia Lewis, Barbara Morse, Erik Selvig, Pat Smith, and Soo-jin Smith join with Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee to hang out in the inn and couldn't deny that the ale, wine, and rum were all but delicious. Sometimes in the inn, Barbara Morse, Jane Foster, and Doctor Erik Selvig shared stories with the hobbits and talk about where they truly come from. Ian was still the same, cut his hair and shaving off his beard. As for Erik, he kinda liked his long hair as if he was back in medieval times, even though he had been shaving his beard off for months.
"So this is why, I always say, you gotta keep on reading astrology of the stars, and you see a lot more, you'll feel as if you have the power to go through light speed to reach from one planet to the other," Doctor Selvig explained drunkly since he had been drinking too much wine.
"That's so badass," Darcia laughed drunkly as well. "Oh my god, you and your Star Wars type theme."
"Okay, both of you are cut off," Doctor Foster grinned as she was writing a lot of important stuff on her journal and finding any solution to get back home to Earth.
"You're still reading this mumbo jumbo stuff?" Darcia asked, drunkly.
"I'm not giving up Darcy," Doctor Foster told her with exact confidence of not losing hope.
Darcia sighed and a leagued a bit and locked her face at her. "Give it up, Jane. There's no way back. We tried, we tried, how long?" She snapped her fingers three times and went on. "Oh yeah… a year. A fricking year. So, my fiancee and I are wondering when we can plan our wedding day and of course, our honeymoon." She looks at Jane, who looks down and continues writing, and then sighed in ignorance. "Seriously, are you really listening or do I have to spell it out for you. Can't you just… give… up."
Jane slammed her journal shut and turned to look at her with a dissatisfied look on her face. "First off Darcy, nobody should should ever give up when you're really stuck on something, even if it takes year or more to solve the puzzle! An ancient scientifically known rock sends us through space and we come to a planet. When Thor brought me to Asgard and we traveled to another distant world, I didn't give up. I just used my brain to get us back. There's always a loophole."
"That we tried Jane," Doctor Selvig made a hiccup sound when he placed his hand on the plan of Jane's hand. "Best we get use to the culture in the Shire."
"It feels more like home," Darcia described. "No cars, no helicopters, no sirens. This is what I call peace and quiet."
Jane swiped her hand away. "And I think it is time for me to go for a walk." She stands up to leave the table. "You guys can enjoy your evening doing your drinking while I continue my expedition by myself."
"Jane, don't go, we're having a good night, and those two little weasels are gonna perform," Burnett encouraged her to stay and pointing at the two hobbits Merry and Pippin.
"No thanks," Doctor Foster declined as she continues to walk away.
"What is it something I said?" Burnett asked, confused.
Just as Jane leaves to go out walking, Merry and Pippin hop up on their table and began to sing their favorite song to entertain everyone. Holding their mugs up in happiness and joy, they began to sing out one of their favorite songs to entertain the guests.
Hey ho, to the bottle I go!
To heal my heart and drown my woe.
Rain may fall and wind may blow.
But there still be
many miles to go!
Sweet is the sound of the pouring rain,
and the stream that falls from hill to plain.
Better than rain or rippling brook.
"There's a mug of beer inside this Took!" Pippin sang about to finish the song.
Everyone inside the inn burst out laughing and clapping for the amusement. Merry and Pippin bow and leap off their table to drink once more. Jerry Fortunov, Lancelot Hunter, Barbara Morse, Pat Smith, and Soo-jin Smith were sitting together in another table.
"Bravo!" Pat loudly cheered.
"What is that song by the way?" Agent Fortunov asked.
"You know, those ankle biters aren't too bad," Rifleman expressed their approval of their entertainment and took a sip of ale. "I know a lot of good songs that I haven't forgotten."
"See, now this what should think of," Pat said. "Jane continues to solve a way to get us back, so we shouldn't lose faith in that, right?"
"Right?" Mockingbird agreed. "And let's keep our eyes open if we ever see Gandalf's face again?"
"I got good eyes," Bangs smirked. "I'll be the first one to see him and give a taste of my own medicine."
"Hmm, I hate Mondays, but what I hate the most is my beers," Rifleman sighed.
After taking another sip, Lance Hunter turns to see Frodo Baggins pouring four mugs of ale to be given to Samwise Gamgee, Hamfast Gamgee, Abbo Twofoot, Posco Noakes, Jaspera Noakes, and Ted Sandyman. Hamfast Gamgee, often liked to be called Gaffer, held forth at The Ivy Bush, a small inn on the Bywater road; and he spoke with some authority, for he had tended the garden at Bag End for forty years, and had helped old Holman in the same job before that. Now that he was himself growing old and stiff in the joints, the job was mainly carried on by his youngest son, Sam Gamgee. Both father and son were on very friendly terms with Bilbo and Frodo. They lived on the Hill itself, in Number 3 Bagshot Row just below Bag End.
Abbo Twofoot, who was sitting next to Gaffer, was like the same age as Gaffer and had gray hair also. He lived in number two Bagshot Row which was right next to Gaffer's home. Abbo and Gaffer were good friends since their childhood and enjoyed to spend their days hanging out. Posco Noakes was another friend of Gaffer and had a daughter named Jaspera, who was to be engaged to someone in the Bracegirdle clan.
"I always ask why Frodo still lives in Bag End?" Posco asked. "Baggins is his name, but he's more than half a Brandybuck, they say. It beats me why any Baggins of Hobbiton should go looking for a wife away there in Buckland, where folks are so queer."
"And no wonder they're queer," Abbo put in. "If they live on the wrong side of the Brandywine River, and right near the Old Forest. That's a dark bad place, if half the tales be true."
"Sorry to ask you mates, but what is the Old Forest you talk about?" Rifleman wondered about the Old Forest.
"No one told you that?" Posco sounded surprised. "Its cursed. No short or tall folk like us in the Shire has ever ventured there."
"And no one should," Gaffer said. "I wonder… if that curse had something to do with Drogo and Primula. Not that the Brandybucks of Buckland live in the Old Forest; but they're a queer breed, seemingly. They fool about with boats on that big river and that isn't natural. Small wonder that trouble came of it, I say. But be that as it may, Mr. Frodo is as nice a young hobbit as you could wish to meet. Very much like Mr. Bilbo, and in more than looks. After all his father was a Baggins. Drogo Baggins was a decent respectable fella; there was never much to tell of him, till he and his wife drowned."
Pat was the first overhear that and slightly gasped. "What?"
"Drowned?" Mockingbird sounded a bit shocked to hear something about how Frodo lost his parents. "You're telling me that his parents drowned from a boating accident?"
"Oh yes, it was a tragedy," Gaffer began to explain the tragedy of Frodo's parents. "You see: Mr. Drogo, he married Miss Primula Brandybuck. She was our Mr. Bilbo's first cousin on the mother's side and Mr. Drogo was his second cousin. So Mr. Frodo is his first and second cousin, once removed either way, as the saying is, if you follow me. And Mr. Drogo was staying at Brandy Hall with his father-in-law, old Master Gorbadoc, as he often did after his marriage and he went out boating on the Brandywine River. And then, they both drowned, and poor Mr. Frodo was only a child and all when he was."
"My god, that's awful," Pat sounded very horrified and felt deeply sorry for what she heard.
"I've heard they went on the water after dinner in the moonlight," Posco stated. "And it was Drogo's weight that sunk the boat."
"And I heard she pushed him in, and he pulled her in after him," Ted stated as well.
"Oh Mr. Sandyman, you shouldn't listen to all you hear," Gaffer declined to hear this sort of nonsense and gave a sharp look at the miller. "There isn't no call to go talking of pushing and pulling. Boats are quite tricky enough for those that sit still without looking further for the cause of trouble. Anyway, there was this Mr. Frodo left an orphan and stranded, as you might say, among those queer Bucklanders, being brought up anyhow in Brandy Hall. A regular warren, by all accounts. Old Master Gorbadoc never had fewer than a couple of hundred relations in the place. Mr. Bilbo never did a kinder deed than when he brought the lad back to live among decent folk."
"But I reckon it was a nasty shock for those Sacksville-Bagginses," Posco said. "They thought they were going to get Bag End, that time when he went off and was thought to be dead. And then he comes back and orders them off; and he goes on living and living, and never looking a day older, bless him! And suddenly he produces an heir, and has all the papers made out proper. The Sackville-Bagginses won't never see the inside of Bag End now, or it is to be hoped not."
"There's a tidy bit of money tucked away up there, I hear tell," Abbo said. "All the top of your hill is full of tunnels packed with chests of gold and silver, and jewels, by what I've heard."
"Then you've heard more than I can speak to," Gaffer answered. "I know nothing about jewels. Mr. Bilbo was free with his money, and there seems no lack of it, but I know of no tunnel-making. I saw Mr. Bilbo when he came back, a matter of sixty-one years ago, when I was a lad. I'd not long come prentice to old Holman, but he had me up at Bag End helping him to keep folks from trampling and trespassing all over the garden while the sale was on. And in the middle of it all Mr. Bilbo comes up the Hill with a pony and some mighty big bags and a couple of chests. I don't doubt they were mostly full of treasure he had picked up in foreign parts, where there be mountains of gold, they say; but there wasn't enough to fill tunnels. But my lad Sam will know more about that. He's in and out of Bag End. Crazy about stories of the old days he is, and he listens to all Mr. Bilbo's tales. Mr. Bilbo has learned him his letters… meaning no harm, mark you, and I hope no harm will come of it."
"Aye, there seems to harm already, speaking of harm, have you've been hearing news lately of strange folk crossing the Shire?" Posco asked, changed the subject about something that had been happening. "Elves wander the trees, Dragons fly through the skies, dwarves coming at night, and that old wandering conjuror, Gandalf, and others of a less than savory nature."
"War is brewing," Gaffer said, shaking his head with a frown. "The mountains are fair teeming with goblins."
While Gaffer had been talking, Samwise Gamgee gazes over to the bar, where the barmaid Rosie Cotton had been working and passing drinks to the customers. She then turns to smile directly at Sam from across when she caught her eyes directly at him. This caused Samwise to turn his eyes away, as if he didn't see her.
"Far-off tales and children's stories, that's all that is," Mr. Sandyman responded by declining these news, thinking its a load of rubbish. "You're beginning to sound like that old Bilbo Baggins. Cracked he was."
"Young Mr. Frodo here, he's cracking," Gaffer chuckled when he saw Frodo arrive with the mugs.
"And proud of it," Frodo replied as he joined them and sat down, passing each mug. With a proud grin, he slid two across the table to Gaffer and Samwise Gamgee. "Cheers Gaffer."
"Aye, cheers," Gaffer grinned and then took a couple of gulps of ale.
"Well it's none of our concern what goes on beyond our borders," Mr. Sandyman continued his conversation and gave Frodo a heads-up. "Keep your nose out of trouble and no trouble will come to you. Try not to go getting mixed up in the business of your betters, or you'll land in trouble too big for you." He then finishes his drink and stands up to leave. "Well, I'm off. I'll see you tomorrow at the first sight of dawn. Good night."
"Mr. Sandyman can say whatever he likes," Gaffer retorted, disliking the miller even more than usual as he watches him leave. "If that being queer, then we could do with a bit more queerness in these parts. There's some not far away that wouldn't offer a pint of beer to a friend, if they lived in a hole with golden walls. But they do things proper at Bag End."
"Yeah, I don't like him either," Rifleman agreed to Gaffer's words about Sandyman.
For the past hour, Doctor Jane Foster had been walking through the path, thinking to herself on what she could be missing. She refused to give up and as she remembered a time she ventured to worlds far from Earth. She then collapsed to her knees.
"What if they're right," Doctor Foster spoke to herself. "We end up here, I go up here, so what's leading us." She looks up at the sky and yells. "Thor! Thor! Please! If you can hear my voice, please come back!" There was no response at all, all she could see was the beautiful stars in the distance of space. "She's right. What if there isn't an answer." She slaps her face as three hobbit women passed by and laughed as they were going home after work. "Drat, what am I thinking. I gotta keep my head in the game. Yep, that's right. Keep it together. Maybe there's a sign. Thor could be busy. Besides we broke up. Maybe that's why he can't hear me." She sighed and turns back to walk back to the Green Dragon to join the rest of the group, who were now leaving.
Frodo Baggins, Samwise Gamgee, Joey Burnett, Jerry Fortunov, Jane Foster, Lancelot Hunter, Darcia Lewis, Barbara Morse, Erik Selvig, Pat Smith, and Soo-jin Smith were parched from all the drinking and were making their way back to Bag End to get some rest for the next day.
"Oh my god, little Jane missed the whole show," Darcia giggled as she noticed Jane coming back while Ian held her.
"As if?" Doctor Foster responded sarcastically.
"What were you doing?" Agent Fortunov asked.
"Nothing at the most," Doctor Foster sighed.
"Well don't get your knickers in a twist, cause we are going to go on an adventure to the mountains," Darcy gulped and grinned at her. "They told us there are mountains. Hmm, I think there could be answers that would help us get back."
"How much as she been drinking?" Doctor Foster wondered about how much ale she drank.
"Hard to tell luv," Rifleman flirted. "Even for one so muscular."
"I'm not your luv," Doctor Foster glared at him.
"I was just jesting with you, no hard feelings, but I heard, you had a crush on Thor," Rifleman told her with his eyes wide open in surprise.
"He's not my… wait, who told you that I had a crush on Thor?" Doctor Foster demanded and finally answered herself. "Oh let me guess, Darcy told you."
"Hey, she hates keeping secrets, but not to worry, I'm good at keeping secrets," Rifleman promised.
"He's right, I bet twelve that you take her hand and marry her," Pat suggested.
"No," Doctor Foster scoffed in decline.
"She was just joking," Lancelot sighed and gave Pat a face. "Seems she doesn't like these kind of jokes. Pity."
"You and me both," Pat deeply sighed. "What a night we're having?"
Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee were the last two to come out of the inn just as Rosie Cotton was standing in the doorway to say goodnight to every customer that came. Sam couldn't stop glancing at Rosie since he first danced with her during the party last year.
Rosie grins at Sam. "Good night lads."
"Good night," Samwise shyly responded back and turned to leave with Frodo.
That was when a hobbit from behind the two knelt before Rosie and began to flirt with her.
"Good night, sweet maiden of the golden ale," The hobbit flirted and rose up to leave.
Samwise Gamgee overheard what he said and mutter unhappily. "Oi mind who you're sweet-talking."
"Don't worry Sam," Frodo smiled and told him about Rosie. "Rosie knows an idiot when she sees one."
Lancelot walked in between the two hobbits and spoke only to Sam. "You know, for one special youngster like you, let me give you a tip. If you really want to get to know that gorgeous damsel, you have to look good and then offer to marry her."
"Sounds officiant," Sam rose a hopeful look on his face and smiled uncertainly. "Why not?"
Lancelot whispers to Frodo. "I can explain why he likes her."
"Hmm," Frodo giggled slightly.
Upon reaching Bag End, Samwise Gamgee walked back to his house, leaving his friend Frodo to lead Ian Boothby, Jerry Fortunov, Jane Foster, Lancelot Hunter, Darcia Lewis, Barbara Morse, Erik Selvig, Pat Smith, and Soo-jin Smith back inside the comfortable home of Bag End. It was time for them to get as much rest as possible from their day and hope to figure what they should for tomorrow.
"Good night, Sam," Mockingbird said.
"You too," Samwise replied back.
"Well, I'm parched," Darcia said, stretching her body. "Time for a shut eye." She pats Jane's shoulder twice. "And then your going to help me with my wedding day."
"Darcy," Doctor Foster sighed.
"Doctor Foster, I wouldn't refuse that idea," Bangs warned.
"Besides, we should go exploring outside the borders of the Shire and find out more," Agent Fortunov suggested.
"You know, Gandalf told us that there are a couple of roads that could lead us towards the Misty Mountains," Bangs recalled. "We could look at one of Bilbo's maps."
"Find idea," Agent Fortunov agreed with the plan.
When they came up to the round green door, they noticed that something was wrong. Upon their approach to the house, they began to notice something odd. It was the front door, for which it was left slightly open.
"That's odd," Bangs said, concerned.
"Did someone forget to close the door?" Doctor Foster wondered who left it open.
"Honestly I went out first before you guys," Pat scoffed.
"Yeah, I don't remember leaving that door open," Darcia said.
"I've been outside the rest of the day," Doctor Selvig admitted.
"Same here," Agent Fortunov said. "Bangs and I had been patrolling the roads throughout the day."
"Yep," Bangs nodded.
"Well, someone forgot to close it," Mockingbird turned to look at Hunter.
"The bloody hell are you talking about, I'm not stupid in leaving doors open, not unless if…" Rifleman paused and began to realize something. "If someone broke in."
"Frodo, stay outside," Mockingbird ordered and at a split moment she takes out her gun that she didn't use for months.
"Are you bloody kidding me, you still carry that?" Rifleman asked, complaining of seeing that.
"Hey, what's a damsel in distress meant to do if she's carrying a loaded weapon?" Mockingbird replied, ignored his complaint.
"Bangs, you and Jerry look outside around the house," Pat ordered. "Bobbi and I will check inside."
"Ah, what can I do?" Rifleman asked, raising his right hand.
"You can stay and watch the others," Pat suggested.
"Great idea," Doctor Selvig nodded in agreement. "We don't weapons."
"Fine," Rifleman sighed.
"C'mon Pat, let's check inside," Mockingbird beckoned.
While Jane Foster, Darcia Lewis, Joey Burnett, Erik Selvig, and Frodo Bagins stayed outside under Hunter's watch, Pat Smith and Barbara Morse cautiously walk inside to find the house completely dark. Soo-jin Smith and Jerry Fortunov circled outside around the house and found nothing. Still, Soo-jin tightly held her twin swords, ready to strike against any brigand she sees. Inside Bag End, Barbara Morse and Pat Smith saw that there were no lamps lit on at all, and the two slowly look around inside to see if any burglar was hiding around the house. Inside, they found pieces of papers that had been flying around.
"See anything?" Pat asked, holding out her knife that she took out from her jacket in defense and ready to strike.
"Only thing I see is a window left open," Mockingbird replied.
"Okay, someone climbed into the window, but why would he do that and leave the front door open for us?" Pat wondered.
"Well, whoever was inside, must've wanted something," Mockingbird responded sharply across the hall.
"Yes, but of what?" Pat pondered in confusion.
"I remember plenty of value that is here, no person stole any of this," Mockingbird said.
Agents Pat Smith and Barbara Morse knew that something was not right here. A thief enters the house and tries to find something that was probably of value. They continue to look around and walks cautiously around. Suddenly, a large withered hand emerged from the darkness and as it slowly grabbed Bobbie's shoulder. Feeling it, Bobbie didn't jump in horror or react, for instead, she spun around very rapidly, uses her fighting skills to pin the thief to the wall, and aim her gun directly at the thief's face. In shock and confusion, the thief was none other than Gandalf. His hair was all messed up as if he had been fighting something or someone.
"Gandalf, what the hell are you doing here?" Mockingbird scoffed, demanding what he was doing here and breaking into Frodo's house.
"Is it secret?" Gandalf panicked. "Is it safe?"
"What are you talking about?" Mockingbird demanded a specific answer. "Answer the question now."
"Please, I fear that you and your friends are in serious danger," Gandalf pleaded.
Bobbi could see how much fear the wizard had. "What do you mean we're in danger? What's going on?"
"If you release me, I will tell you everything," Gandalf promised.
A fancy relief spurred in to Jane Foster, Darcia Lewis, Joey Burnett, Erik Selvig, Frodo Baggins, Soo-jin Smith, and Jerry Fortunov. They went inside to turn all the lights on, causing the darkness faded. Bobbie told Frodo that Gandalf was wanting to know if the ring remained hidden and out of sight from no one. Frodo followed Gandalf's instructions ever since the wizard left on an important mission. He kept the ring locked away, never touched it, nor looked at it to ever since the wizard left a year ago and finally came back to see if it remained at the exact same spot. The young hobbit ran to a corner and opened a chest filled with papers and envelopes and spent seconds trying to search for the envelope that sealed the ring. Gandalf, however, was looking through the window to see if anyone was there, and then jumped when he heard a slight noise from outside.
"Calm down, its just an animal," Bangs calmed him, knowing what he was doing.
Frodo managed to find the envelope that held the ring and called to Gandalf. "Here!"
Gandalf rushes over to Frodo and snatched the envelope out of the hobbit's hands and opens the envelope for a couple of seconds.
"I am so confused on what is going on here," Darcia whispered to her fiancee, wondering what this was about.
Lance Hunter was confused and started to speak to Gandalf. "Look, you agreed that you would help us get back and you wanna know how long it was since you've left and now you're… He paused and stared at shock when he noticed that the wizard threw the envelope into the fireplace. "Wait, what the bloody hell are you doing?!"
Gandalf stopped him as he tried to run to the fireplace since he was the first to see the ring. "Wait, do you desire it already?"
"Huh?" Pat responded in utter confusion.
Like Pat and everyone else in the room, Lance Hunter was very confused and didn't know what this was about him desiring to keep something that he never even saw before. "No!" He let out a scoff. "Whatever your throwing in its…" He began to notice a the golden ring Bilbo had kept. "…its a shiny ring. You burning a ring that is valuable?"
"Okay, why would you even ruin something that is so valuable to sell?" Agent Fortunov asked.
"Make that two," Pat said, showing two fingers.
"They're right, I think you've lost your mind," Doctor Foster scoffed. "You come back and you break into someone's house without permission! Do you have any idea what would happen if someone saw you break into a person's house?"
"Yeah, police would be the answer," Darcia grinned widely and turned her face to Ian when she recalled something that happened in the past. "Even though, we nearly got arrested."
"Try not to mind that," Burnett rejected to hear that.
The envelope had already burnt away in charcoal color in the fireplace, leaving only Bilbo's shiny ring. Gandalf released Hunter and grabbed the tongs to take the ring out of the fire. Just when Selvig returned from the kitchen to warm up some tea, the wizard approached him.
"Doctor Selvig, I would like for you to hold out your hand," Gandalf told him as he held the ring in his tongs.
"Uh-uh, you're crazy," Darcia shook her head in disapproval, knowing that the ring would burn Doctor Selvig's hand.
"I don't know why you would throw it in the fireplace, but perhaps we should wait until it cools down," Doctor Selvig insisted.
"Its already cool," Gandalf replied with an honest look on his face.
Doctor Erik Selvig shrugged his shoulders as a sign of 'why not'. He slowly raised his left arm and opened the palm of his hand, ready for the ring to burn him. Gandalf dropped the ring onto his hand and Selvig flinched a bit. Everyone in the room expected to the ring to be blazing hot since it was, but were shocked to have seen that the ring wasn't burning him at all. They saw that Gandalf was speaking the truth.
"What the...?" Pat breathed in shock.
"Okay, that is weird," Darcia said, nodding her finger.
"The ring is suppose to burn him, why is it not burning him," Rifleman responded weirdly upon seeing why this ring was not even burning Selvig's hand.
"Aye, there must be an answer to this," Doctor Selvig examined closely on the ring. "Its strange that something made out of solid gold doesn't burn."
"Tell me, Doctor Selvig… what can you see?" Gandalf wondered if Selvig could something. "Can you see anything?"
"I see my reflection," Doctor Selvig scoffed and passed it over to Bobbi. "And it seems I missed a spot right here."
"He's right, there doesn't seem to be anything," Mockingbird answered as she looked at the ring. "I see nothing."
"What if Gandalf could be on to something?" Doctor Foster stated. "Think of it, the ring doesn't burn."
"You're not really serious in wanting to believe in this cr**," Darcia sighed in ignorance. "I mean c'mon, this is freaking ridiculous! Why should any of us believe that a ring like this is made out of magic?!"
"That is precisely correct," Gandalf nodded grimly at her. "A ring that Bilbo used to disappear."
"Rewind that please, are you saying right now that this magic ring is what made him invisible during the party last year?" Agent Fortunov asked.
"Then how did he get in possession of that?" Pat asked.
"Okay, this is totally messed up," Bangs sighed.
"So this is what made him disappear?" Doctor Foster asked, thinking that was the answer on how Bilbo used it.
"If what Gandalf says is true, then I think he makes a solid point," Mockingbird began to agree.
Just as Bobbi passes the ring over to Jane to look at, Doctor Foster takes a good look in examining the ring and turns it over with her fingers to see if there was anything else, but so far, there was nothing. Suddenly, her eyes widen shock when started to notice something that was happening to the ring.
"Wow," Doctor Foster breathed in surprise.
"What is it?" Frodo asked, concerned by the look on Jane's face.
"This is… there are markings," Doctor Foster said in awe as she turns the Ring round.
The gold band of the ring revealed letters that were all in fire. It was a tiny inscription that glowed reddish yellow as if it was burning from inside. Everyone, but Gandalf, in the room gathered closely to see what Jane was looking at it. They were completely shocked, surprised, and confused of what this ring was showing them.
"Okay… wow," Darcia sounded surprised.
"Bloody hell," Rifleman breathed in shock.
"Whatever these markings are, this isn't common," Bangs said.
"This is remarkable," Doctor Selvig sounded intrigued of seen something like this. "No one has ever seen rings that could magically glow themselves."
Jane Foster was completely in awe when she stared at the glowing inscriptions of Bilbo's golden ring. After she finishes, she then walks to Gandalf and began to ask him. "Gandalf, these markings, what are they?"
"These markings come from a language," Gandalf answered ominously. "The language is that of Mordor, which I will not utter here."
"Mordor?" Frodo gasped very quietly upon hearing that word.
"Mordor?" Pat asked, confused as to what that was. "We've never heard of that."
"Mind if you tell us what that place is?" Rifleman asked. "Since we've been here for a bloody year, no one has ever mentioned that to us."
"It is not a good place to be," Gandalf answered his question. "Not even one traveler or an outsider would not be a fool to enter a realm so dark where there is no light."
"Sounds bad," Burnett clicked his tongue.
"So this language that the markings on the band show, what do these words mean?" Mockingbird asked.
Gandalf answered her question. "In the common tongue it says…"
One Ring to Rule Them All
One Ring to find them
One Ring to bring them all
and in the darkness bind them.
"Okay, that sounds more like end of the world kind of material," Pat sighed, looking a bit nervous.
"Whatever it is, it can't be good," Agent Fortunov assumed.
Throughout the night, no one in the group was even tired at all. A few were nervous of what was happening now. Frodo Baggins, Joey Burnett, Jerry Fortunov, Jane Foster, Lancelot Hunter, Darcia Lewis, Barbara Morse, Erik Selvig, Pat Smith, and Soo-jin Smith all gather in the kitchen and sit around the table to hear Gandalf's story about the golden ring Bilbo had kept for decades since the Battle of the Treasure.
"So how did you find out about this?" Mockingbird asked.
"I knew for sure it was the One Ring," Gandalf said, smoking his pipe whilst Frodo makes a pot of tea for everyone. "I spent months trying to figure out answers. When mentioned the word 'precious', I knew for sure it was driving Bilbo mad. So it occurred to me that this ring is in fact the One Ring. I didn't want to believe it at first, but it was. Not even a dragon's fire could burn or melt this ring. It is unbreakable… and pure evil."
"A ring made out of pure evil?" Rifleman scoffed. "That's just a load of rubbish."
"Well its not rubbish when its the truth," Doctor Selvig brushed Hunter's words.
"Okay, whatever," Rifleman sighed in sarcasm.
"So how was it forged?" Doctor Foster asked eagerly, wanting to know more about it.
"The world of Arda is something that is not mentioned within the walls of Midgard," Gandalf explained his story about the history of how the ring was made. "But what I do know is that history can pass into legend, into myth, into dreams. But it was not always so. In Eregion, long ago, a noble elf lord named Celebrimbor was given secret knowledge to forge great Rings of Power. They were precious beyond all else, for within each was bound the strength, and will to rule and bring order. But they were deceived, for the giver of this knowledge was evil's great servant - Sauron. In the fires of Mordor, he ordered Celebrimbor to forge in secret a master ring… One Ring to Rule Them All. Knowing he was deceived, Celebrimbor tried to end him, but this sort of act led to his death. And with the One Ring in his grasp, Sauron began to enslave all of Arda, but not just this world that you think. He sought to conquer many other worlds in the universe, bringing order and cover them in shadow - Asgard, Midgard, Vanaheim, Xandar. But not all light diminished, for some stood fast. A grand alliance of races, such as those from Asgard, Vanaheim, and Midgard, marched into Mordor and fought to end Sauron's reign of tyranny. Isildur, ruler of all Free Folk, performed this deed. But he became weak, and his line failed. The Ring escaped him as history became legend… legend became myth. And things that should not have been forgotten were lost. Thus the Third Age of Arda began, but the realms remain divided, and their cities are weakened. And in this age, evil powers again arise - yet some hoped for unity in the face of the coming darkness."
"So this Sauron guy, not seemed to be a very nice person," Rifleman assumed.
"Guess what Gandalf means is true," Pat sighed.
"For my take, he was hungry for power and wanted everything for himself," Rifleman pretended as if he knew the answer was right. "Sorry, am I missing anything or is that it?"
"Oh its right," Gandalf nodded his head.
"I think I've drinking too much," Doctor Foster muttered nervously.
"How did… how did Bilbo find the ring in the first place?" Mockingbird asked. "There's got to be an answer."
"Before Bilbo found it, the ring fell into the Anduin River and remained lost for two and a half thousand years," Gandalf went on with his story. "Then as chance, it fell into the hands of a creature named Gollum. The ring poisoned Gollum's mind, feeling so much love for the ring, making it precious to him. As five hundred years passed, the ring abandoned Gollum and remained quiet once it came to the next bearer and we all know who."
"Bilbo," Frodo answered in realization with his eyes widening. "He found it in Gollum's cave."
"Yes, for sixty years the Ring lay quiet in Bilbo's keeping," Gandalf explained more about of how Bilbo kept it. "It prolonged his life, delaying old age. But no longer. Evil is already stirring in Mordor. The Ring has awoken. Its heard its master's call."
"But that's impossible, you told us that Sauron was destroyed," Frodo claimed and looks at Gandalf for confirmation of this. "Sauron was destroyed at the very end of the Second Age. Its not possible."
"Maybe someone else decided to gain the power and finish what Lord Voldemort started," Darcia joked and everyone looks at her, giving her odd and disapproving faces. "What? It was just a joke."
"Well I don't find that amusing at all," Doctor Foster shook her head in dissatisfaction.
Darcia sighed by raising her hands in front and apologized sarcastically. "Sorry."
"Look, maybe Frodo might be making a good point in all this. I mean we shouldn't worry at all," Doctor Foster believed that Frodo's claim was true. "That evil pr*** was killed. So what's so bad about that?"
Suddenly, a dark, chanting whisper was heard across the room. Everyone was silent when they heard all it. They looked around to see where that had come from.
"Okay, creepy," Pat breathed in horror.
"Is is me, or did we just hear a voice?" Rifleman asked, confused what he heard.
"Yeah, I heard it too," Burnett said, looking around.
"Don't ask me," Bangs admitted truthfully in her words.
Jane soon came to the conclusion that the voice had come from the ring. She stared down at the ring and a sudden stitch of fear bled in her heart. She covered her mouth with her hand, and wished she would never believe in this sort of this mystical power. This kind of act really frightened her. Gandalf began to remember what happened when he and Lady Sif of Asgard entered the old fortress of Dol Guldur sixty-one years ago. They tried to uncover as much evidence about the Necromancer. Upon finding Thrain, they stumbled into a trap that the Necromancer set up. It was then that he revealed himself to be Sauron.
"I wish it was true, but I'm afraid it is not," Gandalf replied, giving her a stern look of honestly within his eyes. "The spirit of Sauron endured. His life force is bound to the Ring and the Ring survived. Sauron has returned. His armies have been expanding. His fortress, known as Barad-Dûr, has been rebuilt in the land of Mordor. Sauron needs only this Ring to cover all the lands of a second darkness upon every world. Your world included. He is seeking it, seeking it. All his thought is bent on it. The Ring yearns above all else to return to the hand of its master. They are one, the Ring and the Dark Lord. My friends, he must never find it."
A sign of horror was brought upon everyone in the kitchen. Nobody wanted to believe that Sauron was alive, but they saw that the wizard was really telling the truth. No lies were made, it was true.
"This can't be happening," Pat breathed, refusing to believe that. "He can't be alive."
"What are we gonna do?" Burnett asked.
"How could such a small thing hurt the lives of others?" Doctor Selvig asked.
"Oh for goodness sake, I'm totally petrified," Rifleman spoke out to the group, not even sounding too afraid or freaked out of this. "This kind of story is in fact a load of rubbish. I don't want to believe it, but right now…" He sighed, feeling deeply unsatisfied. "…I have to. If Coulson were here, he would definitely believe the old man's story."
"So you're not suggesting of a plan Hunter?" Mockingbird wondered if he was going to get to that.
"Of course not, Bob," Rifleman scoffed. "But I would've preferred to say that before you even asked."
"Always stubborn," Mockingbird smirked, shaking her head.
"Okay, let's get back to the part of what Gandalf said of not letting the… whatever ring from being found," Doctor Foster said, bringing the subject back into her hands. "I just want to figure out a good plan to keep it from falling into the Dark Lord's hands."
"Why don't we put it away somewhere?" Frodo suggested.
"Good idea, why did we not think of that in the first place?" Rifleman pretended to sound amazed.
"Hunter," Mockingbird sighed annoyingly.
"What? Its a good plan," Rifleman said, admitting that he liked the idea of hiding the ring.
"So how can we put it away?" Agent Fortunov asked if there was a plan.
"We would have to hide it somewhere deep," Doctor Selvig suggested of a plan. "Somewhere far away at least. Far north, west, east, or even south."
"Maybe we can bury it deep somewhere in a garden," Darcia added an idea of her own
"Nah, it should be somewhere where no one can really find it," Burnett didn't think that was a good plan.
"Okay, how bout we toss the evil ring into the ocean," Darcy decided if that plan would work. "Let's find out how far we are and we can travel miles into the deep depths where no one can really find it."
"Look all we need to do is put it away somewhere," Mockingbird said confidently as she takes hold of the ring, but doesn't bother to look at it since she was afraid that she could succumb to the ring's power and end up insane like Bilbo had about a year ago. "But Darcy is making a point. We should throw it somewhere that would take forever, even for an enemy to find something that was lost long ago."
"Alright, we'll do that first thing in the morning," Rifleman said as he clapped his hands, thinking it was done. "Mission success."
"It is, I mean no one knows that its here," Pat stated with a grin on her face. "Which is good."
Gandalf was silent and did not even respond to anyone inside the kitchen while they were talking about what they were planning to do with the One Ring. It even sounded impossible, but a deep worried look on his face was showing that there was a problem.
"I'm afraid that's out of the question," Gandalf answered worriedly.
"What do you mean?" Pat began to wonder what was up with him.
Jane grew concerned and worried too. "Gandalf, tell me no one else knows that its here?"
"There was one other who knew Bilbo had the Ring," Gandalf answered her immediately with. "I looked everywhere for the creature Gollum, but the enemy found him first. I don't know how long they tortured him. Admist the endless screams and babble they discerned two words."
"And what were the two words that this Gollum chap ever said?" Rifleman asked.
Gandalf sighed with his eyes shut and answered the two words Gollum had said. "Shire. Baggins."
"What?" Doctor Foster breathed in a horrified gasp.
"Oh god," Darcia sounded deeply trembled and horrified.
"Oh this is not good," Doctor Selvig breathed in terrible shock from hearing this.
"Oh we're screwed," Burnett whispered.
"Yep, this is bad," Rifleman breathed in horror. "Really bad."
"But if they know where it is, its going to lead them here!" Pat exclaimed in horror and lowered his voice a bit. "I think we've been staying here for far too long, we need to get out of here."
"I think she's right, what if the enemy will try send his armies to invade and we'll be in the crossfire," Agent Fortunov stated.
Bobbi stands up immediately and held the ring in front the wizard, convincing him to take it in a very sharp, panicking tone. "Gandalf, you need to go and take the ring! Take it somewhere where no find can find it!"
Gandalf chose to back away rather than taking it, and refused. "No, I will not."
"You have to take it!" Mockingbird pleaded. "Its better off with you than us!"
"You cannot offer me this Ring," Gandalf continued to reject in taking the ring from her since he was afraid of it.
"Oh for goodness sake, just take the bloody ring before it dooms us all!" Burnett argued, taking Bobbi's side.
"NO!" Gandalf snapped very loud. "Do not tempt me!" He then takes a moment to calm himself down and speak in a very calm tone. "Please, I dare not take it. Not even to keep it safe. Understand this, I would use this Ring from a desire to do good. But through me, it would wield a power too great and terrible to imagine. Imagine what would happen if I did take it from you. Meaning to be kind, I would become as terrible as the Dark Lord himself."
Frodo Baggins, Joey Burnett, Jerry Fortunov, Jane Foster, Lancelot Hunter, Darcia Lewis, Barbara Morse, Erik Selvig, Pat Smith, and Soo-jin Smith all begin to understand how the wizard felt about not wanting to take the ring or even fall under its terrible power. Unlike Gandalf, Bilbo had developed a strong connection and love for the One Ring, but didn't realize that it was evil when he kept it for the past sixty years since his adventure with the company of Thorin Oakenshield.
Bobbi was the only one to hold it when she turns to stare at Frodo and deeply sighed. "Then I suppose we need to keep the ring and guard it."
"But it cannot stay in the Shire," Frodo told her worriedly. "I don't want anyone else getting hurt because of me keeping it here since Bilbo left."
"I know," Mockingbird nodded, understanding how he felt and gave Frodo the ring to hold.
"Frodo is right, the ring cannot stay in the Shire," Gandalf agreed to what Frodo said.
Frodo rolls the Ring into his hand and looks resigned. "What must we do?"
"We have to leave," Doctor Foster responded by making her plan. "We all do. As a matter-of-fact, we've been wasting our time during the night, we should leave quickly as possible."
"Do all of you know in this very room that you trust yourselves?" Gandalf asked them, judging if they were strong enough to resist the ring's power since it was meant to corrupt those who are weak-minded. "Do you plan to leave the Shire?"
"Oh bloody hell, I was really enjoying a new life, chop, chop, chop, but now I now hear that a great evil is rising again and we have to deal with this," Rifleman sighed deeply, not liking this. "But maybe its for the best."
"We should go somewhere far away from here," Frodo decided. "Once we're gone by then, they won't bother the Shire if the Ring isn't here."
"Sorry kid, but your not included," Agent Fortunov rejected the idea.
"Frodo, this mission could be dangerous," Mockingbird warned. "I don't think you should…"
"Oh he must," Gandalf interrupted. "What do you think will happen to him if he or any other member of the Baggins clan were part of this?"
"He's right, if he stays here, he be in terrible danger," Doctor Foster agreed, knowing what Gandalf meant. "I think he should come with us."
"We don't know much about these lands, but Frodo does," Doctor Selvig took Jane's side in agreeing to this plan. "Besides, we need a guide and he knows much of these lands than we do."
"Alright, then I should warn every Baggins in Hobbiton of this, people I know that I can trust," Frodo said, rising from his seat in a very quick hast.
"Indeed you shall, but you must do it as fast as you can," Gandalf instructed him.
After Frodo spoke with his friend Folco and told him to spread the word to all members of the Baggins clan and make sure they were safe, Frodo hurriedly runs into his room and takes some clothes from a wardrobe. He couldn't stay. Bobbi watched as Frodo was packing and felt deeply sorry for him since he was leaving his peaceful home that he never wanted to leave from since Bilbo brought him in. While Jerry Fortunov, Lancelot Hunter, Barbara Morse, Pat Smith, and Soo-jin Smith were keeping watch, Jane Foster, Darcia Lewis, Joey Burnett, and Erik Selvig were very busy packing their stuff and equipment in their bags, and made sure that they didn't forget anything else for the trip.
"Everything's all charged up?" Doctor Foster asked them.
"All charged up and ready to go," Burnett said.
"Check One and Two… all done," Darcia informed, making her last sweep.
"You guys know its going to be a hell of a journey, right?" Doctor Foster told them anxiously and then stopped to notice that Ian was carrying a sword. "Where did you get that?"
"Oh, Frodo said I can use it just incase if we run into trouble," Burnett told her.
"What, you plan to protect us from trouble?" Doctor Foster scoffed.
"He protected me back in London," Darcia recalled how he saved her life from a group of Dark Elves that almost executed her.
"Okay, so what is the plan?" Pat asked Gandalf, walking with him.
"Once you all get out of the Shire, make sure that Frodo leaves his name of Baggins behind him since it isn't safe, and make for the city of Bree," Gandalf instructed her.
"Frodo knows the way to Bree, right?" Darcia wondered about that.
"Hope he does, as long as we keep our feet off the road," Doctor Foster said.
"So why can't we take the road to Bree?" Burnett asked in confusion. "I didn't hear that part."
That was when Bobbi Morse steps into the living room and gives them an answer. "Cause its dangerous."
"But its easy to go on one if we don't get bloody lost," Rifleman groaned in ignorance as he walked passed her from behind with his stuff behind his back and carrying his axe in his hand.
"Seriously, your axe?" Mockingbird scoffed.
"I named it Billy Bob," Rifleman named it. "Wherever I go, he goes with me."
"Whatever," Mockingbird sighed. "Just do me a favor, try not to get killed."
"You know I always promise you that," Rifleman truly admits that he never plans to get himself killed.
Back in the kitchen, Frodo finished packing some food that would not go spoiled during the journey to Bree. He took a very long sharp kitchen knife and packed it in his bag as a weapon to use if he does get into trouble. After that, he finishes putting his coat and cloak on. Then, he walks into the living room to join the others who were all ready and packed to leave Bag End.
"So when we arrive to Bree, what's next?" Pat asked.
"I will be waiting for you all at the inn of the Prancing Pony," Gandalf answered her question. "Once there, we can request to meet an old friend who knows the wild more and he can take us to the Hidden Valley of the Misty Mountains."
"And the ring will be safe there, won't it?" Frodo asked.
"I don't have any answers," Gandalf replied, unsure if it was possible or not. "I must see the head of my order. He is both wise and powerful. Trust me Frodo, he'll know what to do. So make sure that you and your companions travel by day and stay off the road."
"I can cut across country," Frodo assured him since he knew the country and its borders very well like many hobbits that lived there for centuries. As he spoke, he quickly slips the Ring into his pocket and takes his walking stick. "Easily though."
"My dear Frodo," Gandalf smiled proudly at him for his act of courage. "Hobbits really are amazing creatures. You can learn all there is to know about them in a month and yet after a hundred years they can still surprise you."
"And you are the very best one we had since we've came," Doctor Selvig remarked with a smile.
"You have a keen heart little one," Bangs smirked by shaking her head.
Suddenly, everyone stops to hear a strange rustling sound that was coming from outside the window. In alarm, Barbara Morse, Jerry Fortunov, and Pat Smith drew their guns in front in defense and were ready to open fire. Soo-jin Smith draws out one her swords in defense at the same when Joey Burnett drew his sword out, and Frodo slowly reached for his kitchen knife. Gandalf drew his staff and cautiously walked towards the window to investigate that sound. He moves slowly to the window, and at that moment, he quickly jabs his staff into the flower beds and the sound of a groaning yelp was heard. Hearing it, Gandalf hastily tossed his staff aside and reaches out the window to pull someone from the outside, and pinned the intruder onto the table in a fit of rage. Frodo sighed in relief that the intruder was his best friend Samwise Gamgee.
"Confound it all Samwise Gamgee! Have you been eavesdropping?!" Gandalf angrily growled and yelled at the same time at the frightened and confused hobbit.
Samwise was nervous and scared upon seeing the wizard's infuriated face and tried to lie by shaking his head. "I haven't been dropping no eaves sir, honest."
"Really, then what have you been doing?" Pat asked him that suspiciously.
"Cutting the grass under the window there," Samwise answered her question. "I always do it every night. If you follow me."
"Its a little late for trimming the verge don't you think?" Gandalf wondered if that was the case, but he could tell by the hobbit's timorous expression on his face that he was lying to him.
"I heard raised voices," Samwise admitted nervously.
"What did you hear?! Speak!" Gandalf fiercely demanded the frightened hobbit to come clean.
Samwise jumped in a second and finally came out with with it. "N-Nothing important. That is I heard a good deal about a ring and a dark lord and something about the end of the world, but please Mr. Gandalf, sir, please don't hurt me. Don't turn me into anything... unnatural."
"No?" Gandalf grinned and lowered his voice and whispered to him. "Perhaps not. I've thought of a better use for you."
"Great, I guess that means we're bringing another one along with us," Pat sighed.
"Well, he is Frodo's friend," Mockingbird pointed out. "He be disappointed if he left him without a letter."
Nearly close to dawn as the light of the sun was coming, Gandalf was leading a group called the Conspirators, which he named them, as a sign that they were going to commit conspiracy against the Dark Lord and his spies. It was dangerous for the Conspirators, but each member of the group, acted in confidence and made their preparations to leave the Shire. Bobbi kept her Battle Staves behind her back. She would leave them behind and didn't trust any person in holding or touching her things. Gandalf was ready and leads his horse at a rapid pace through Hobbiton. Frodo Baggins, Ian Boothby, Jerry Fortunov, Jane Foster, Lancelot Hunter, Darcia Lewis, Barbara Morse, Erik Selvig, Pat Smith, and Soo-jin Smith were moving forward in following Gandalf while Samwise had trouble keeping up.
Gandalf glanced back at Samwise and called out to him. "Come along Samwise, keep up!"
Samwise hurries after them and manages to keep himself from falling behind. Pat and Soo-jin Smith knew he was having trouble due to carrying a whole load of heavy bags behind his back, and so they decided to help him.
"Here, let us help," Pat offered.
"Thank you," Samwise breathed in response.
"Don't mention it," Bangs heaved.
Joey Burnett, Jerry Fortunov, Jane Foster, Lancelot Hunter, Darcia Lewis, Barbara Morse, Erik Selvig, Pat Smith, and Soo-jin Smith really loved the Shire, considering how peaceful and quiet it was. They really admired the country so much as if they didn't want to leave, but they had to for the sake of protecting themselves and all of the Shire. Their mission was to keep the ring and take it somewhere far from the realm. For a year, they felt that the Shire was like a new home to them, but they truly missed their old home back on Earth.
"Do you think once this is over, we'll see the hobbit hole again?" Darcia whispered hopefully next to Jane.
"I don't know," Doctor Foster whispered back. "Gandalf said he promised he would help get us back home to Earth, which is what we want."
"And then what?" Darcia quietly asked. "What happens next? When we're home, people are gonna ask lots of questions about our disappearance. Where were we?"
"Look, will think of our best stories to explain to the press," Doctor Foster whispered to her, thinking a good plan.
"But before we go home, can't we at least see the Shire and the little hobbit hole one last time," Darcia pleaded whispery.
"Let's find out if possible," Doctor Foster answered quietly.
"We be disappointed if it didn't happen," Darcia sighed.
Eventually, Gandalf leads the Conspirators through a quiet meadowy forest where birds were chirping and squirrel moving around. This washer Gandalf was going to leave them under the guidance of Frodo Baggins, whose job was to lead the group to Bree and keep his name hidden. No one was to argue or complain where they plan to go and that they would always follow where Frodo goes.
"Make sure you all make haste," Gandalf instructed the group. "I do not know if the enemy is in the Shire, but if they are, get out and make sure you're not seen."
"Copy that," Agent Fortunov complied with a salute.
"We know what to do," Mockingbird assured the wizard.
"Be careful, all of you," Gandalf warned her and the other members in the group. "The enemy has many spies in his service. Birds, Beasts, or Brigands."
"Okay that's hard for us to know that," Rifleman grumbled from behind.
Gandalf stops and turns to look at Frodo, and asked. "Is it safe?"
Frodo nodded his head and clutches his chest as a sign that he has it hidden with him inside his coat pocket. The rest of the Conspirators were not to ask Frodo to look at the ring. Gandalf warned them that if they saw the ring, they would fall under its power and try to have it. However, none of the Conspirators wanted to look at the ring at all. They knew for a fact that they did not want to fall under its temptation.
Gandalf kneels down to Frodo and places his hand on the hobbit's shoulder as he whispers instructionally to him. "Never put it on, for the agents of the Dark Lord will be drawn to its power. Always remember Frodo, the Ring is trying to get back to its Master. It wants to be found." He mounts on his horse and turns to the others one final time. "Do what must be done. This is where I must leave you all. For the Grey Pilgrim, I am to travel to Isengard and meet with my old friend Saruman. Farewell, Conspirators of the Shire."
Gandalf wheels his horse and rides off where he prepares his immediate journey to meet with Saruman, leaving Conspirators on their own and heard the sound of birds calling each other. Frodo looks worried and Sam steps up behind him.
"Alright, you heard him, let's move," Rifleman said, turning his head to Frodo.
"Whenever you're ready, will follow," Mockingbird smiled.
Frodo smiles and then leads the group to set off immediately. Everyone in the group followed Frodo and hiked across the fields of the gentle countryside. They passed across meadows with colorful butterflies, farmhouses where hobbit farmers were working, a waterfall with jagged rocks below, and over a hill until they reach a cornfield with a scarecrow in it. That was when Sam stops short for a moment, taking stock of his surroundings. He looks back from where they came.
"I guess this is it," Samwise announced nervously, feeling as if he was ready to do something that he never done before in his life.
"What's the problem now?" Darcia asked.
"If I take one more step, it'll be the farthest away from home I've ever been," Samwise said, standing very unmoved from his spot.
Barbara Morse was very sympathetic to him and saw how homesick he was, much like she was and the others, including Frodo as well. Despite being a tough woman and a former agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., she truly felt sorry for him. From what Gandalf mentioned to her, not many hobbits in the Shire were fond of leaving its borders, for they don't know what lurks outside.
"Look, you don't have to come," Mockingbird encouraged him to change his mind and planted her knees on the ground where she can meet her face at his. "Its still safe for you to go back. We can do this without you."
"No, I promised Gandalf, 'Don't you dare leave him, Samwise Gamgee', and I don't mean to," Samwise tells her what Gandalf said to him before he left Bag End.
Bobbi sighed with a smile. "What I'm trying to say is that you don't have to listen to what someone tells you? Besides, I promised I wouldn't leave him, so that's why I'm giving you the choice to stay or go back."
"I'll… stay," Samwise answered shyly.
"So are we gonna keep moving or not?" Rifleman called out to them.
Frodo walks back towards his childhood friend and placed his hand on his shoulder. "Come on, Sam."
Just as Barbara Morse stands up, Samwise Gamgee hesitates for just one moment, thinking that he should take the step forward or back. He knew he was going to be far from his home and clan, even though, it wasn't the fattest he had been. Finally, Sam takes a deep breath and decides it was time for him to move and not ruin the rest of the trip for him and the Conspirators.
"Remember what Bilbo used to say," Frodo recalled a time when Bilbo use to tell him something years ago. "Its a dangerous business, Frodo. Going out your door. You step onto the road and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to."