The interstate
Connor knelt on his haunches with Murphy knelt next to him and Diego's feet was sticking out from under the white truck. A red toolbox was next to Diego's right side and he lightly tapped his feet together. They were on their way home when the white truck had started making odd sounds and they had pulled over to the side of the road.
"See anythin'?" Connor asked.
"Just the usual shit," Diego said as he looked at the bottom of the white truck.
"Any idea what was makin' that noise?" Murphy asked.
"Yeah. It looks like the tailpipe might be coming loose."
They watched Diego crawl further under the white truck as they headed for the back of the white truck after Murphy picked up the red toolbox and knelt down. Diego's feet stuck out from under the white truck and Connor and Murphy bent slightly sideways to look at him.
"Need any help?" Connor asked.
"Yeah," Diego said and Connor crawled under the white truck. They rested on their backs as they looked at the tailpipe and Connor saw the parts which connected the tailpipe to the bottom of the white truck had come loose. He heard the sound of traffic going by as Connor frowned then he looked at his feet.
"Hey, Murphy. Hand me one of the small screwdrivers," Connor said then he felt a startled feeling coming from his twin. "Are you ok?"
"What's wrong?" Diego asked as he looked at Connor.
"Dunno," Connor said while trying to see his brother's feet, but Murphy had walked away from the white truck. "Murphy!?"
They cautiously slid out from under the white truck then stood up and they saw Eunice, the man with white hair peppered with gray and brown hair and hard blue eyes and two FBI agents. They were standing in front of Murphy as he flexed his fingers and Connor and Diego walked to him.
"Hey, Blonde," Diego said as he looked at Eunice then he looked at the man with white hair peppered with gray and brown hair and hard blue eyes. "Sir."
"You know him?" Connor asked.
"Yeah. He was my mentor back when I was in the FBI," he said then he looked at the man with white hair peppered with gray and brown hair and hard blue eyes. "Why are you here?"
"We actually came to warn you," the man with white hair peppered with gray and brown hair and hard blue eyes said.
"About what?" Connor asked as he walked to his brother and placed a reassuring hand on Murphy's left shoulder.
"It appears Agent Paul Smecker has escaped custody."
"He got out!?"
"Yes."
"How did that happen!?" Diego asked while walking to stand next to Connor and Murphy.
"That's a long story," Eunice said.
"Give us the short version," Connor said with a growl.
"It appears several of our agents and Agent Smecker's lawyer formulated a plan to break him out of the area where he had been incarcerated," the man with white hair peppered with gray and brown hair and hard blue eyes said.
"And no one stopped them?" Diego asked.
"No."
"Are they still together?"
"No. Agent Smecker killed the agents and his lawyer before escaping in a black van."
"And how did he get hold of a weapon?"
"He took the weapon from one of the agents."
"You'd think they'd be trained to stop shit like that from happening," Connor whispered.
"Yeah," Diego whispered.
"Do you have any idea where he went?" Connor asked as he looked at the man with white hair peppered with gray and brown hair and hard blue eyes.
"We believe he is heading for your location," the man with white hair peppered with gray and brown hair and hard blue eyes and Diego, Connor and Murphy felt their hearts jump in their chests.
"Christ," Connor whispered.
"Lord's name," Murphy whispered.
"We need to get going, Sir," Eunice said and the man with white hair peppered with gray and brown hair and hard blue eyes looked at her.
"Do you need a lift?" the man with white hair peppered with gray and brown hair and hard blue eyes asked as he looked from Connor, Diego and Murphy to the white truck.
"Yes, Sir," Diego said with a nod. They headed for the black sedan as the driver opened the door and Eunice and the man with white hair peppered with gray and brown hair and hard blue eyes got in the back of the black sedan. Murphy and Connor glanced at each other while Diego got in the black sedan then they followed him. The driver got in the black sedan as he steered the black sedan down the road and the man with white hair peppered with gray and brown hair and hard blue eyes looked at Connor, Murphy and Diego.
"I assure you we will do whatever's necessary in capturing Agent Smecker," the man with white hair peppered with gray and brown hair and hard blue eyes said. None of them said a word as Murphy looked out the window and Connor glared at the man with white hair peppered with gray and brown hair and hard blue eyes.
The Golden Cactus Ranch
Annie noticed they were heading for Angus' paddock and she saw the bull grazing on the grass.
"Opened the gate," the voice said as she felt something poking at the back of her head.
"Let me guess. You'll kill me if I don't," Annie said.
"No. I'll just give you one hell of a headache,"
She felt a small sharp pain on the back of her head after something hit her and she sighed. She unlocked the gate as they walked in the paddock and she saw Angus lift its head. The bull snorted a breath of air as Annie walked in the paddock and she heard the gate closing. They walked to the center of the paddock when she felt someone pulling her to a stop and she frowned.
"Turn around."
Annie slowly turned around while the gray wolf stood next to her and Smecker pointed the gun at her. He held his right wrist in his left hand and Annie saw the cold look in his eyes. She scanned him with her eyes and she noticed the clothes he was wearing was a little too big and he was barefoot. His hair was brushed back on his head and she could smell a sour smell coming from him.
"Did you step in shit?" she asked and Smecker growled.
"I haven't showered in a while," Paul said.
"Mind telling me what this is all about? You said something about me having brothers."
"Don't bullshit me, Sweetheart. I know full well you are Connor and Murphy MacManus' sister."
"Ok. I admit my last name is MacManus, but it doesn't mean I'm their sister."
"You look a little like Murphy MacManus."
"So?!"
"I said knock off the bullshit," he said and Smecker tightened his grip on the handle of the gun.
"Fine. I'm their sister. Who are you? One of the Yakavetta goons?"
"You know about the Yakavettas?"
"My brothers might have told me about them."
"Did they tell you about me?"
"Nope," she lied then she looked at Angus. "But what I do know is you're pissing off Angus."
"You really think I'm that stupid? I am not going to turn around to see if there's some big guy called "Angus" standing behind me."
"Angus isn't a guy. He's a bull."
"A…."
A loud snorting and bellowing caused Smecker to slowly turn around as Angus glared at him and the bull pawed at the ground with its right front hoof.
"Oh shit," Paul whispered.
The farmhouse
The black sedan stopped in front of the stairs leading up to the farmhouse and Murphy and Connor saw the black sedans, vans and trucks. Kenny, Eric, Jeffrey and the other ranch hands were standing near the farmhouse and Diego got out of the black sedan.
"What's going on?" Kenny asked while he, Eric and Jeffrey walked to Diego.
"I'll tell you later," Diego said as he scanned the area with his eyes. "Where's Annie?"
'Dunno. We called her on the walkie about some asshole snooping around. She told us to call Lou," Eric said.
"Did you also call Lisa an' Darcy?" Connor asked while he and Murphy walked to Diego.
"Yeah."
"You know. Weird shit like this never happened until you two showed up," Jeffrey said.
"Not now!" Diego said with a growl.
"Is everything alright?" the man with white hair peppered with gray and brown hair and hard blue eyes asked as he and Eunice walked to them.
"No. My fiancé has gone missing."
"Where are the other two?" Eunice asked.
"They're food shoppin'," Connor said.
"What about the kids?"
"They went with 'em," Murphy said when a loud bellowing sound filled the air and Connor's eyes widened.
"That's Angus!" Connor said and he ran off with Murphy following close behind him.
"Who or what is Angus?" the man with white hair peppered with gray and brown hair and hard blue eyes asked as he looked at Diego.
"He's a bull," Diego said as he ran off after Connor and Murphy.
"Orders, Sir?" one of the FBI agents asked.
"Follow them," the man with white hair peppered with gray and brown hair and hard blue eyes said and he and Eunice ran after Diego.
Angus' paddock
Smecker pointed the gun at Angus while the bull snorted and pawed at the ground with its right hoof.
"Call it off or I'll shoot!" Paul shouted.
"Angus! Stand down!" Annie shouted and the bull titled its head as it looked at her. "I don't think he understands what I'm saying."
"Call it off!"
The gray wolf growled while a feed truck pulled up to the paddock fence and the driver's side door opened. Diego got out of the feed truck when he made a sharp whistle and the gray wolf ran at Smecker. Before Smecker could move, the gray wolf jumped and its jaws clamped around his right wrist.
"Shit!" Paul shouted as he dropped the gun to the ground and Annie reached to pick up the gun. Smecker fell onto his back as the gray wolf tightened its grip on Smecker's wrist and he tried to reach for a rock. A loud snort caught his attention as Smecker looked up to see Angus standing near the top of his head and its horns were pointed at the face.
"I wouldn't move if I were you," Annie said as she pointed the gun at Smecker's chest and he glanced at her.
"You ok, Brat?!" Murphy called out after he and Connor had gotten off the feed truck and he, Diego and Connor were sitting on the top of the paddock fence.
"I'm fine, Eejit," Annie said as she slid her right index finger over the trigger.
"Knew they were here," Paul grumbled then winced as the gray wolf shook his right wrist.
"Did you say something?"
"No."
Diego, Connor and Murphy hopped off the top of the paddock fence while the man with white hair peppered with gray and brown hair and hard blue eyes, Eunice, Kenny, Eric, Jeffrey, the other ranch hands and the FBI agents arrived and the FBI agent pointed their weapons at Annie, Angus and the gray wolf.
"Hold on! Don't shoot!" Connor said as he held his hands up.
"Aye! Don't shoot!" Murphy said.
"Stand down!" the man with white hair peppered with gray and brown hair and hard blue eyes said and the FBI agents lowered their weapons. He watched Diego, Connor and Murphy walking toward Annie and Diego made a sharp whistle. The gray wolf released Smecker's right wrist as Smecker looked at the blood spreading across the sleeve of his shirt and the gray wolf walked to Diego.
"Poor Devil. I hope Smcker didn't give him rabies," Murphy said with a grin.
"I hope he didn't give him fleas," Connor said then snorted a laugh.
"Guys…," Annie warned and Diego walked to her.
"Put the gun down," Diego said, softly. Annie lowered the gun to the ground as he pulled her into a hug and she placed her face against him. He wrapped his arms around her while Smecker sighed and rolled his eyes.
"May I get up now?" Paul asked and Angus lowered its head. The bull snorted a breath of air as Smecker coughed and Connor and Murphy smiled, looking at each other.
"That would be a no," Connor said and Murphy placed his right elbow on Connor's left shoulder.
"Connor!" made him turn to see Lisa, Darcy, the kids, Lou and the deputies getting out of the feed truck and the sheriff cars and he walked to the paddock fence.
"Dad? What's going on?" Chandler asked and the man with white hair peppered with gray and brown hair and hard blue eyes frowned.
"I didn't know you had children," the man with white hair peppered with gray and brown hair and hard blue eyes said and Connor looked at him.
"Long story," Connor said then looked at Lisa. "Smecker's here."
"I thought she said he couldn't get out," Lisa said as she glared at Eunice.
"His lawyer and some agents released him," the man with white hair peppered with gray and brown hair and hard blue eyes said.
"Didn't anyone try and stop them?"
"No one knew what was going on until it was too late."
Connor climbed up the paddock fence then hopped over the top of the paddock fence and he pulled Lisa in for an embrace. He glared at the man with white hair peppered with gray and brown hair and hard blue eyes then rocked Lisa.
"Will someone please tell me what the hell is going on?!" Lou said as he removed his sheriff's hat and brushed his hand through his hair. Murphy walked to the fence, climbed up the paddock fence, hopped over the top of the paddock fence, walked to Lou and they walked to the sheriff car. He explained to Lou what was going on and Lou's eyes widened a few times. "Damn."
Smecker looked up at Annie and Diego as he sighed and Angus snorted a breath of air when Smecker tried to move.
"Will someone please put a bullet in this thing?!" Paul shouted.
"No! Don't hurt Angus!" Nichole shouted and Murphy ran, picked her up and held her in his arms.
"No one's gonna hurt Angus, Princess," Murphy assured her and turned so she could look at the FBI agents. "Right?!"
"He's right. No one is going to hurt him," the man with white hair peppered with gray and brown hair and hard blue eyes said.
"Promise?!" Nichole asked with a crack to her voice.
"Promise."
"Uh. Do you want me and my guys to go get him or do you wanna do it?" Lou asked as he walked closer and the man with white hair peppered with gray and brown hair and hard blue eyes looked at him.
"If you don't mind," the man with white hair peppered with gray and brown hair and hard blue eyes said and Connor opened the gate to the paddock. Lou and the deputies walked by him and Connor and Murphy followed them into the paddock after Murphy lowered Nichole to her feet then he closed the gate. Connor and Murphy stood next to Annie and Diego as Lou walked to Angus then he turned to look at Connor.
"I need you to move Angus," Lou said.
"I don't think he wants to move," Diego said.
"He might think Smecker'll make a run for it," Annie said.
"Just need him to move enough for me to put the cuffs on this asshole," Lou said. Connor headed for Angus as he lightly patted the bull's side and the bull turned its head to look at him. Connor motioned for the bull to back up and Angus moved back a few steps. "Thanks."
Lou had placed on some surgical gloves as he knelt down next to Smecker, read him his rights then he placed the handcuffs on Smecker's wrists. Smecker winced as he sat up and Angus moved until it was standing over his legs.
"Are you gonna be good or do I tell him t'sit?" Connor asked with an angry look in his eyes and Smecker glared at him.
"Connor…," Annie warned and he shrugged his shoulder as he smiled. They watched as the deputies and the FBI agents entered the paddock and the man with white hair peppered with gray and brown hair and hard blue eyes looked at Connor and Murphy.
"Hello," the man with white hair peppered with gray and brown hair and hard blue eyes said as Nichole, Chandler, Peter and Mark ran to them and stood between Connor and Murphy and the man with white hair peppered with gray and brown hair and hard blue eyes. They held sticks and a rock in their hands and Connor and Murphy looked at them.
"What are you doin'?" Connor asked as Peter and Chandler turned to look at him.
"We're making sure they don't take you," Chandler said.
"Or hurt you," Peter said.
"Yeah," Mark said as he looked at Murphy.
"Or hurt Angus, Miss Annie or Devil," Nichole said and Murphy knelt down on his haunches as he removed the rock from her hand.
"You know rocks ain't toys, right," Murphy asked, softly.
"Aye. Sorry, Papa," she said and he lifted her off the ground then held her in his arms. He noticed the humored look on the man with white hair peppered with gray and brown hair and hard blue eyes' face and Connor took the sticks from Chandler, Peter and Mark.
"I promise no one other than Agent Smecker is going anywhere," the man with white hair peppered with gray and brown hair and hard blue eyes said as he tried not to laugh.
"Sorry. They're really protective of us," Connor explained.
"As they should be," he said and held out his right hand. Connor and Murphy shook hands with him then the man with white hair peppered with gray and brown hair and hard blue eyes looked at Smecker. He walked to Smecker, used the handcuffs to pull Smecker to his feet and Smecker winced.
"Watch it," Paul grumbled.
"Did you say something?"
"No."
Connor, Murphy and the kids watched everyone leaving the paddock while Angus sniffed the grass then snorted a breath of air.
"Looks like we might have t'reseed th'paddock," Connor said then patted Angus' side.
"Looks like," Murphy agreed.
"Papa," Nichole said and Murphy looked down at her. "I think Angus should get a reward for being so brave."
"I think you're right."
"How about we put Angus in with his lady friends?" Connor asked as he looked at the cows in the other paddock standing near the paddock fence.
"Yeah. He'd like that," Chandler said and they headed for the gate to the other paddock while Connor led Angus to the gate.
The farmhouse
Diego watched the man with white hair peppered with gray and brown hair and hard blue eyes talking with Lou and Lou nodded. Lou and the deputies got in the police cars and the police cars headed down the drive a few seconds later.
"Wonder what he told him," Annie said.
"Most likely Lou has to issue a media blackout and make sure no one knows what happened." Diego said.
"He wants to cover it up?" Darcy asked.
"Yeah."
"Wouldn't have to if those assholes had done their jobs," Lisa said as she looked at Eunice and the man with white hair peppered with gray and brown hair and hard blue eyes.
"Where are Connor, Murphy and the kids?" Annie asked as she scanned the area with her eyes.
"Dunno," Diego said while the feed truck headed down the drive then came to a stop. Murphy helped the kids out of the back of the feed truck as Connor opened the driver's side door and they headed for Diego. "Where were you?"
"We put Angus in with his lady friends," Connor said.
"He deserved it. He's had a rough day," Murphy said while holding Nichole in his arms.
"We all have," Darcy said as she walked to him and slid her right arm around his waist.
"Where'd Lou an' th'other guys go?" Connor asked.
"They left after being told to make sure there's a media blackout and that no one finds out what happened," Lisa explained as she walked to Connor and slid her arms around his waist. She saw the worried look in his eyes and she lightly kissed his lips. "Stop worrying."
"Can't help it," he whispered while looking at Eunice, the man with white hair peppered with gray and brown hair and hard blue eyes and the other FBI agents. Murphy felt the panic and concern coming from his twin as he walked to him and Lisa and Murphy stood next to Connor.
"You think he was tellin' th'truth about nothin' happenin' t'us?" Murphy asked while looking at the man with white hair peppered with gray and brown hair and hard blue eyes.
"Dunno," Connor said.
Eunice looked at them then at the man with white hair peppered with gray and brown hair and hard blue eyes and she sighed. She had seen some FBI agents place Smecker in one of the black vans and she walked over to the black van. The back doors were closed. She knocked on the door and the door opened.
"How's he doing?" she asked as she tried to see inside the black van.
"He's stable," the FBI agent said, but a cold chill moved through her.
"Let me in."
"Sorry. We can't do that."
"I said…," Eunice said as she removed the gun from the holster on her right hip and she point the gun at him. "Let me in."
"What is going on over there?" the man with white hair peppered with gray and brown hair and hard blue eyes asked and Connor and Murphy saw Eunice pointing the gun at the FBI agent. Before anyone could stop them, Connor and Murphy ran to the black van and stopped next to Eunice.
"What's goin' on?" Connor asked.
"This is where they put Smecker. I just want to check on him, but they won't let me in," Eunice explained.
"Why wouldn't…?" Murphy asked when the FBI agent slammed the door shut, the black van's engine started and the black van quickly headed down the drive. "Christ!"
"Lord's name," Connor said and the FBI agents fired their weapons. Lisa and Darcy led the kids into the farmhouse as Connor watched them go inside and Murphy nudged him. He pointed to the feed truck and Connor nodded. Both of them knew the feed truck wasn't fast, but it was fast enough to catch the black van. Connor and Murphy ran for the feed truck as they got into the cab of the feed truck and Connor started the engine. Connor put the feed truck in gear as he steered the feed truck down the drive and they headed down the drive.
"What the hell are they doing?!" Annie demanded as she watched the feed truck heading down the drive.
"What they're supposed to do. Taking down the scumbags," Diego said with a sigh.
Paddock Thirteen
The feed truck came to a stop as Connor and Murphy got out of the cab of the feed truck and Connor headed for the door to the supply building. He removed the keyring from the pocket of his jeans when he found the right key and Murphy removed the walkie-talkie from the cab of the feed truck. He turned the switch on the top of the walkie-talkie then pushed the button and hopped he had set the walkie-talkie on the right frequency.
"Hullo. This is Murphy MacManus. Can anyone hear me?" he said then released the button.
"Hey, Murphy. This is Agent Bloom," Eunice's voice said.
"Hey, Blondie."
"Funny. Where did you and Connor go?"
"We're at Paddock Thirteen."
"Why are you there?" the man with white hair peppered with gray and brown hair and hard blue eyes' voice asked.
"We had to get summat."
"What sort of something?" Eunice's voice asked and Murphy looked toward the door to the storage building.
"Summat t'take down Smecker."
"No! You two are t'come back here right now!" Annie's voice said with a tone which reminded him of their mother.
"Or what? You gonna rat on us t'Ma, Brat?"
"Aye! I damn well will rat on you, Eejit!"
"Look…," he said when he felt like something was wrong and he headed for the doorway to the storage building. He walked inside as Connor removed the tranquilizer rifle off the hook and Murphy leaned against the shelf. "We have t'go."
"Murphy….," she said as he turned off the walkie-talkie before she could say his full name. Murphy and Connor headed for the door when the door slammed shut and they looked at each other. Murphy tried to open the door, but the door was locked and he frowned.
"What th'hell?!" Murphy grumbled.
"What's wrong?" Connor asked.
"It's locked," Murphy said and they looked at the door.