Chapter 7

Valley Community Hospital, Hope Springs

Wednesday, October 8, 1924

Both men laid happily down on the soft gurney's, their sighs of comfort as their heads hit the pillows elicited smiles from MaKayla and Carson. Carson pulled the curtain over to separate the space between the two gurneys. Carson checked out Andrew while MaKayla tended to her husband.

"Lucas, I can see the gash on your forehead. Are you hurt anywhere else that you know of?" MaKayla asked.

"My bad leg is on fire. I got a pretty big gash trying to get myself out from under the instrument panel of the plane. I wrapped it the best I could by using one of my shirt sleeves. But I have to tell you doc, it hurts." She gave him a knowing look. If he was telling her it hurt, it must be pretty bad.

She slowly took off his shoes and socks, then cut a slit in his trouser pant leg. She did not like what she saw. "Do you remember that time in the hospital after you were shot that first time and I had to irrigate your leg wound?" She asked him.

"How could I forget that fun." Lucas said sarcastically.

"From the looks of things, you have another raging infection going on." She said as she stuck a thermometer in his mouth. She helped him to get his jacket off and then she slowly unbuttoned what was left of his shirt and took it off. She was checking his torso for any possible internal injuries. She breathed a sigh of relief when she found nothing alarming other than some more superficial cuts and bruises.

She took the thermometer out of his mouth. "101.5," she told him shaking her head. "I'm going to go get the supplies that I need to irrigate the wound. I will call Nathan and ask him to bring Jenny and Henry over here. I will tell him nothing else." She told him. She gazed at the man before her. He looked awful but he was alive and had come back to her. She reached over and moved some stray hair off his forehead. "Lucas, have I told you how much I love you?" She asked quietly.

He smiled at her as he reached for her hand. "I will never get tired of hearing those words from you. What kept me going was my need to get back to you and our children. Speaking of children." He said as he pulled her closer and caressed her abdomen "How is this little one?"

"Still safely tucked away waiting for his or her turn to meet us." She said with a giggle.

"Doc, I was so concerned about you. I was afraid all the worry would cause…" He trailed off as emotion overtook him again.

"No worries my love. We are all fine." She said as she leaned in to kiss him one more time. "I'll be right back."

She went on the other side of the curtain to check on Andrew. "How is my brother, Carson?"

"He has a broken wrist, but Lucas apparently set it for him and wrapped it up nicely. We'll take an x-ray to see if it is properly aligned and recast it. Hopefully we won't have to re-break it. His head injury happened several hours ago when he fell down a ravine. It will need a few stitches but Lucas wrapped it to try to stem the bleeding. He probably has a concussion as Andrew said he was out for about an hour after he fell. I would say they are both probably dehydrated…" Carson trailed off as Andrew spoke up.

"Don't forget starving. We haven't eaten in like five days." Andrew said with a snarky smile.

"Always thinking about your stomach, big brother." She said with a laugh. "I'm going to call Nathan right now and he will bring Jenny over with him. I'm so glad you're OK." She said as she gave him one more hug.

"Tell him to hurry. I need to see my wife." Andrew told her with a genuine smile.

MaKayla put a call into Nathan. "Hello Faith. It's MaKayla. Could I please speak to Nathan?"

"MaKayla, how are you? Nathan told me you did a surgery today with Carson. Did everything go Ok?" She asked.

"Yes, it was complicated but it ended up well." She told her

"Glad to hear that. Let me get Nathan." She said as MaKayla could hear her calling for her husband.

"MaKayla, is everything alright" He asked concerned.

"Yes. I was hoping you could come back over to the hospital tonight. And pick up Jenny and Henry and bring them with you." She told him calmly.

"Is there something wrong?" He asked worried.

"No, no. It's just that I had an idea about something and it can't wait until tomorrow. I want Jenny and Henry to hear about it along with you and see what you all think about it." MaKayla told him.

"Sure, we will be over shortly." Nathan told her. MaKayla hung up the telephone with a smile on her face.

MaKayla re-entered the exam room. Andrew and Carson had gone down to the x-ray room which left her and Lucas alone. She gazed at her husband again, as he laid there with his eyes closed but with a soft smile on his face.

She walked over to him. "A penny for your thoughts, governor." She said sweetly.

"Hmm, I was just hoping that none of this is a dream and I'm really here with you." He said with his eyes still closed.

"Open your eyes and you will see that I am very real." She said as she kissed him once again.

"MaKayla, I am so sorry about all of this. You must think that I'm a lightning rod for trouble." He said with halfhearted chuckle.

"Governor, I do believe you know how to keep life interesting. Being married to you will always be an adventure. On our 50th anniversary when we're looking back over our life together; I know we will have lots to talk about." She said with seductive smile. "Now let's get to cleaning up that wound. You ready?" She asked. Lucas sighed and nodded.

Nathan, Jenny and Henry arrived at the hospital an hour after MaKayla had called. She heard their voices in the hallway and went out into the hall to greet them.

"Nathan, Henry, please take a seat. Jenny come with me. I will be back for the two of you shortly. I want to talk to Jenny alone first." She said as the two women left and walked down the hall.

Nathan turned to Henry, "What do you thinks she is up to?" He asked perplexed.

Henry looked at Nathan. "If I have learned anything about MaKayla Bouchard these past few years is that she is every bit as mysterious and tenacious as her husband. Lucas and her are two peas in a pod." He said with a soft laugh.

As the women entered the exam room, Jenny went weak in the knees. It was a good thing that MaKayla was holding on to her. Jenny then found her legs and ran to her husband's side. "Andrew." She said as she smothered him in kisses. MaKayla smiled and walked over to the other side of the curtain to give them privacy.

"The newlyweds have been reunited I hear." Lucas said happily.

"That they have." MaKayla said equally as happy. "Nathan and Henry are out in the waiting room. Do you want me to bring them in?" MaKayla asked.

"First, I want to tell you a few things. The plane crash was not an accident." He told her.

"I know." She replied. Lucas looked at her in surprise. MaKayla smiled and continued. "When Alex returned to town, he found that the gas line had been cut on the other plane. We all assumed that is what happened to your plane as well." She told him.

"And we both know who would put someone up to do that. There is only one person who gains from getting me out of the way now." He told her.

"Balfour" They both said in unison and laughed.

"Attempted murder under these circumstances would be a hard thing to pin on Balfour. He could argue I have lots of enemies who would want to see me dead. So, what we would need from him is a confession that is irrefutable. And I know how to get one. After all, I was a CSIS agent who knows how to play a mark. Time to put some of my training to good use. You my love are an important player in this farce. Are you in?" He asked with raised eye brows.

"If it puts Balfour behind bars for a long time, I'm all in." She told him with a smile.

"Good. Now you can go get Nathan and Henry." Lucas said with a mischievous look in his eye.

MaKayla walked out into the hallway. "Gentlemen, can you come with me." MaKayla asked them.

"What are you up to, Mrs. Bouchard. Where is Jenny?" Nathan asked suspiciously. Her mood from earlier had brighten greatly. Something was definitely up, Nathan thought.

Nathan and Henry walked through the door that MaKayla had just opened. They stopped dead in their tracks as they saw Lucas and Andrew both laying on gurneys before them with smiles on their faces. Henry and Nathan both looked at each other than back on Lucas and Andrew, not believing what was right in front of them.

"Good to see you, Constable, Henry." Lucas said with a laugh.

"How did you get here?" Nathan asked incredulously.

"We walked. How else would we get here?" Lucas asked as Andrew started laughing. "I understand from my beautiful wife that you are both aware that our plane crash was no accident." He told them.

"Yes, Alex Cottington told us about the gas line being cut intentional." Nathan said.

"I knew I had filled up the gas tank before we took off. After we crashed, I checked the fuel line, it was definitely cut." Andrew told both men.

"Now I have an idea how to catch the man behind my most recent brush with death. Are you two ready to hear my idea?" Lucas asked the group.

Lucas went on to explain his plan to all those in the room.

"So, we get to play secret agent with you. I love this." Andrew said with a chuckle. "I'm all in. I can play my part no problem." Jenny gave her husband a side eyed glance, not sure about any of this.

MaKayla turned to Jenny. "Trust me, you get used to it." She told the young woman.

"Lucas, I don't know about this. This sounds crazy." Nathan said shaking his head at Lucas's idea. Nathan stared at his one-time rival. As Lucas laid there, Nathan looked good and hard at the roadmap of hits that were etched in scars on Lucas's torso that he had already suffered due to Balfour and his other nefarious cohorts since becoming governor. "Ok, you win. I'm in." Nathan said with a cockeyed smile.

"Henry, what about you?" Lucas asked his friend.

Shaking his Henry, "I am no longer surprised by your antics. Whatever you need Lucas you have my support." Henry said with a smirk.

Lucas smiled. "This is going to be fun." He told them all.

Hope Valley, Alberta Canada

Thursday, October 9, 1924

It was 2 o'clock in the morning when everyone finally headed home to their respective houses. Nathan drove Jenny and Andrew home while MaKayla dropped Henry off at his house then took Lucas back to their house. Carson stayed at the hospital instead of Makayla as she now did have a reason to go home. As they entered the house, Lucas sat on the couch while MaKayla made him some soup.

MaKayla brought the soup into the living area on a tray for Lucas. "You know Lucas, I think we need to add a bedroom on the first floor of this house. I know the thought of climbing those stairs is not something you're looking forward to." She told him as Lucas looked at the stairs with a pained expression.

"You are right about that doc. I think a first-floor bedroom is a wonderful idea." He told her. "Any chance I can get something a little more substantial to eat than soup?" He asked.

"Sorry, you need to start back eating slowly. Now eat up so we can get some sleep. I have a performance to give tomorrow and I need to get my rest." She said with a grin.

"I need to call Daniel first then we can go to bed." Lucas told her as he made his way slowly to the library to place the call after finishing his soup.

The phone rang at Daniel's home in Vancouver. "Hello Daniel. It's Lucas Bouchard."

"Lucas, my boy. I heard that you were involved in a plane crash. Obviously, the Mounties finally found you." Daniel told him.

Lucas laughed. "The Mounties didn't find us; we kind of rescued ourselves." Lucas told him.

"Of course you did. I would expect nothing less." Daniel said with a hearty laugh. "There's a reason you're calling me though. How can I be of service?" Daniel asked.

Lucas went on to explain what they knew and what his plan was to bring Balfour to justice. "In order to do this successfully I need your help" Lucas told Daniel.

"No problem my boy. It would be my honor to assist you with your endeavor. Someone will be in place by early morning. It feels good to be working with you again Lucas." Daniel told him with a smile.

"Former agent, Daniel, and this is a one-time thing. Don't get any ideas." Lucas told him good-naturally.

"Whatever you say, my boy." Daniel said as he hung up.

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Nathan arrived at Andrew's house around 5 o'clock in the morning. Andrew came out and got on the extra horse that Nathan brought along. "Do you honestly think this plan of Lucas's is going to work?" Nathan asked Andrew as they rode.

"I wouldn't bet against him. He has too much on the line. It will work." Andrew told him confidently.

"Tell me Andrew, you knew Lucas back when you were at university together. What kind of man was he then?" Nathan inquired, wanting to get a better sense of who Lucas really was.

"You probably won't believe this but he was very shy and extremely humble. He has a wick sense of humor, loves adventure and is a man of great honor. Pretty much the same man he is today. Perhaps more jaded after everything that has happened to him. He always wanted to take from the rich to give to the poor; thus, his great love of Robin Hood." Andrew told him.

"But he's rich." Nathan countered.

"He came from wealth that is true, but he never took his parents money. Everything he has he earned on his own merit. He is generous to a fault. And boy could he attract the ladies. It gave Matthew and I a step up with the ladies whenever we were with him. But he was oblivious to them for the most part." Andrew said with a laugh.

"Now see there, that is what I mean. I find that part hard to believe. I mean…" Nathan trailed off as Andrew set him straight.

"Lucas would never toy with any woman's emotions. He was not after sex, he wanted love. Unusual to be sure in one so young but it was true. Not to say he didn't get around and he may have fallen a time or two or at least thought he had. But it wasn't until Elizabeth Thornton that he truly fell deeply in love for the first time. That ended so badly…but thankfully he and MaKayla found each other. MaKayla truly is the other half of him." Andrew told him.

"I will always be sorry for the role I played in Elizabeth and Lucas's breakup. Thankfully Lucas has forgiven me. But still." Nathan said with melancholy

"Well, you can make it up to him now by helping him nail Balfour's ass to the wall." Andrew said succinctly.

"Ok this is far enough. Not sure when we will get back to you but sometime today. Good Luck." Nathan told him.

"Thanks Constable. It's been a pleasure." Andrew said as he dismounted from his horse.

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MaKayla made her way over to Elizabeth's rowhouse first thing in the morning. She walked up the steps and knocked on the door. Elizabeth opened the door surprised to see MaKayla standing there.

"MaKayla, has something happened? Did they find Lucas and Andrew?" Elizabeth said with fear in her heart.

"May I come in Elizabeth?" MaKayla said somberly.

"Yes, of course." Elizabeth said as she opened the door wider. "Would you like some coffee or tea?" She asked.

"No thank you. This will be quick; I need to get back home. Last night Lucas and Andrew came walking into the hospital while I was there." She told her with a smile.

"Oh my, that is wonderful. Are they alright?" She asked worried.

"They are both pretty banged up, a lot of cuts and bruises. But overall, they will both be fine with some rest." She told her lowering her head for a moment as she willed herself to continue.

"Elizabeth, Balfour sent someone to cut the fuel line on the airplane that Lucas and Andrew were flying in. That's why it crashed. Lucas, of course, cannot outright ask Balfour to confess to this, nor can he legally prove it was Balfour. But Lucas feels one hundred percent certain it was him. Actually, it was a good plan on Balfour's part giving him plausible deniability. This means the only way to catch him is to play his game." She told her.

"Which means what?" Elizabeth asked with trepidation.

"Balfour wants to be governor again and the only way that would happen is if Lucas is no longer in the race. So, Lucas has come up with a plan to give Balfour shall we say a false sense of security." MaKayla said as she explained the rest of the plan. Elizabeth brought her hand up to her mouth in shocked surprise.

"I in no way want Jack traumatized by all this. But I also don't think we can tell him the truth either. We don't know where Balfour has eyes and ears. So, I'm hoping that you will keep Jack home for the next few days." MaKayla said with a grimace.

"I appreciate that you were thinking of Jack. We definitely don't want him to know about this in any way. I will come up with some excuse to keep him home." Elizabeth told her.

"Thank you. I feel better. Hopefully in a few days this will all be over and we can all get our lives back." MaKayla told her as the two women hugged.

"You are such a brave woman. Lucas is extremely lucky to have you." Elizabeth said with admiration and sincerity.

As MaKayla left, Elizabeth wondered just how was Lucas going to pull this charade off. But if there was one thing she had learned, never bet against Lucas Bouchard.