Mixed Blessings

I believe that this was the last IA that was worked on for the Emergency Shelter site. As a grand finale, we really put the BEW and DHW through the wringer.

This was posted on the site, but not edited for content. While going through this, I tried to keep each authors part as much to the original as possible, at the same time admitting to some changes for the sake of making the parts mesh a little better. I also make apologies for any errors or incongruities. I don’t claim to be expert in any way to all the punctuation rules of the English language.

To all those who participated in writing this story originally: Good job and hope you enjoy the end product. (SRK51)

Mixed Blessings

An E! Shelter IA

He lay on his back, staring at the ceiling in the darkened dorm. Sleep had eluded him for the past two hours, or so he supposed. Maybe he had dosed off. He knew he wasn’t supposed to feel this way; this is what caused burn out... On one hand, he tried not to second-guess himself when they lost a victim. But on the other hand, it was important to try to learn from it. Everyone said they had done everything right. It had all gone by the books. So...Why did he feel so alone in a room full of his friends? Why couldn’t he get the kid’s face out of his head? Why couldn’t he let this one go? How could he move into the next day and not hesitate? He stared at the ceiling, his eyes burning, until his body finally gave in, and the dreams began...

The face of a child floated in front of him, a happy, beautiful little girl. He followed the face, but it slowly started to change. Now it was no longer floating, but staring at him. Tears began to fall from her eyes, "Help me! Somebody help me!"

He tried to reach her but something was holding him back. He struggled desperately to get to her, but was unable to break free. He tried to call to her, his mouth was open, but nothing was coming out. In desperation, he screamed, but it was a silent scream.

The child's eyes closed, her face became pale; it was the face of death. Other faces began appearing, sad faces, grieving faces. Suddenly the dead child's eyes snapped open, her face still shrouded in death. "Why didn't you help me! You were supposed to save me!"

One by one, the grieving faces turned to him, each speaking louder than the last. The child's mother asked, "Why?"

Vince Howard asked, "Why?"

Cap asked, “Why?” Mike Morton asked, "Why?"

Joe Early asked, "Why?"

Kelly Brackett asked, "Why?"

His voice finally returned to him, "I'm sorry!"

Dixie asked, "Why?"

"I did my best!"

Roy asked, "Why?"

"No!" the paramedic shouted sitting straight up in bed.

"Johnny! Johnny!" Roy was sitting on the bed shaking his partner's shoulders. The young paramedic grabbed his partner's arms. Roy could see the terror of the nightmare still haunting his friend's eyes. "I'm sorry! I tried!" He shook Roy trying to make him understand before finally breaking down sobbing, "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."

Roy kept his hold on his partner, his own soul aching at the torment Johnny was experiencing. He understood the feelings -- the doubts, self-incrimination-- the anger, turned mostly against oneself. On one level of understanding, that which came from the mind, they all knew they were only human. They did their jobs the best they could and there were going to be times -- plenty of them -- when their best efforts would meet with failure. That no matter how much expertise they employed, in the end, the outcome was most often out of their control. Still, where the heart was concerned, it always seemed there should have been just one more thing -- be it another medication or another type of treatment -- that should have made the difference -- should have saved a life. It was even more difficult when it came to the children..

"It's gonna be okay, Partner." Roy said softly, his left hand rubbing Johnny's back gently.

"I can't get her face out of my mind." Johnny moaned. Gulping in a deep breath, "Her voice. Roy, I can still hear her voice, her cries.”

"I know...I know." Roy responded. "It's like that sometimes."

"She...she was begging me to help her...why couldn't I have reached her in time? WHY!" Johnny cried.

Taking hold of Johnny's arm, he encouraged his friend to leave the sweat soaked bed. "Come on." In the darkness, he directed Johnny toward the door leading to the Engine Bay. Roy could sense that the other men were wide-awake, but they remained still and silent, allowing Johnny the privacy to grieve

.As they passed the last bunk, he heard a soft, "Roy?" from Captain Stanley.

"I'll take care of him, Cap," Roy responded.

Roy led Johnny out to the kitchen, pulled out a chair and sat him down. He went to the refrigerator, got out the milk, then grabbing a glass, poured some out for Johnny.

"Here, drink this." Roy put the glass in front of Johnny.

Johnny picked up the glass and took a long swallow. He put it back down and heaved a sigh. "I don't know why this is hitting me so hard, Roy. Every time I close my eyes, I see everyone asking me why I didn't save her. I know I couldn't have done anything more than what I did, but then I see all these faces and all the doubts come back to me. What if I could have done that little extra? Would she have survived"?

"Johnny, you did your best. You...we're only human and can only do so much. You know that. Doubting yourself only creates more doubts and those doubts can hamper your mind and then you lose focus on the job in front of you. You're a great paramedic, Johnny, we all know that and I think you know that too, but sometimes situations like this can't be helped." Roy tried consoling Johnny by making him try to think of the positives instead of concentrating on the negatives.

"I know, Roy, but she was just a child! Just like all the children we lose. She'll never see the sunshine, never have the love and warmth from her parents, or play with her friends, or lose her front teeth." Johnny broke down and sobbed. Roy rubbed his back while Johnny bared his soul. Finally exhausted, Johnny made his way into the locker room, splashed water on his face and took the towel Roy offered him. He gave him a slight smile.

"Thanks, Roy, for just listening to me. I guess we better get back to bed. I'm sorry I kept you up," Johnny sighed as they made their way back to their bunks.

"Hey, that's what partners are for." Roy smiled slightly as they climbed back to their beds.

E!==========E!==========E!==========E!==========E!

Roy finished the last swallow of coffee from the cup poured while enjoying a hearty breakfast cooked up by Stoker, then refilled the cup with more java. Reaching over to the unused place setting beside him, he took hold of another cup and filled it to the brim.Sliding back his chair, he collected both cups of coffee and then ventured into the Engine Bay, where he found Johnny beside the Squad, supposedly making a check of the supplies. Instead, he noted the distracted gaze of his partner, who was clearly lost in deep thought."Coffee, Junior?"

The offer went unnoticed by Johnny, who continued to peer out of the opened Bay doors to some place beyond...or perhaps to some place within himself.

Setting one of the cups onto the hood of the Squad, Roy tapped Johnny on the shoulder.

"Hey, partner."

Johnny drew in a startled breath, tensing. "What?"

With a smile, Roy offered the coffee once again. "Oh...um..." Johnny took the proffered cup. "Thanks."

"There's still some breakfast on the table." Roy mentioned

.Johnny turned an uncomfortable glance toward the kitchen, where the voices of the other men rose and fell in conversation. "Nah. I'm not hungry."

Roy knew his pal had been avoiding contact with the other men since the morning role-call. He supposed Johnny was embarrassed about last night's events, nervously escaping any prying questions or well-meaning comments that would only serve to deepen the pain.

"So what do ya have planned for the weekend?" he questioned as he helped Johnny store the equipment away once again.

Johnny shrugged. "Nothing much...."

"Good." Roy responded. "Because I was figuring...Joanne and the kids are visiting her mom...so this is a great time for the two of us to get in a little fishing."

"Fishing?" Johnny echoed. "Where?"

"Why don't we drive up to Big Bear?" Roy suggested. "Willie from 137's was up there last weekend, said the fish are jumpin' right onto the line."

"Sounds good," the dark haired Paramedic began, his voice hesitant. "but...""But what?"The response was soft. "I might not be the best of company."

Reaching out, Roy gave his friend's shoulder a firm squeeze. "Talkin' and fishin' don't mix anyway."

For the first time since the warehouse fire, Roy saw a glimmer of the old Johnny come alive. "Okay. Lets do it."

******************

As soon as they went back to the kitchen, the tones cut short their breakfast together.

"Station 51, woman down at the recording studio, 7611 Davis. 7-6-1-1 Davis. Cross street, Carver. Ambulance is responding. Time out, 09:13." Sam announced through the station's speakers."

Come on, Junior, we've got a rescue call to take care of."

"Station 51, KMG 365," said Hank before putting the mic away in its usual spot.

Five minutes into the journey the radio crackled to life. "Squad 51, cancel call. Time 09.18."

Johnny picked up the mic. "10-4, Squad 51 returning to station."

Shutting off the lights and siren, Johnny settled back against the cushioned seat, letting out a weary sigh. He was relieved they didn't have to respond to yet another person needing help. Somehow he just didn't feel up to it.

"By the time we get back to the station house, C-shift will be there," Roy offered.

"Fine by me," Johnny mumbled.

"So, how soon can ya have your gear packed?".

For a second, Johnny turned a blank look at him.

"You wanna head up there today?"

"Sure, why not? We can get a good nights sleep and hit the lake bright and early Saturday," Roy smiled.

A soft growling sound emerged from the depth of Johnny's stomach.

"Looks like we better get you fed first...then head up to the lake!" Roy laughed.

Johnny found his smile. "Guess I am kind of hungry...""Okay then, we'll swing by your place, grab your stuff, and head over to my house. I'll call Jo and let her know, so she can have breakfast waiting for us." Roy announced.

"I thought you already ate." Johnny reminded him.

"Hey, there’s always room for my wife's pancakes and sausage!" Roy responded.

"Think she'll make us some eggs, too?" Johnny asked, hopefully.

"Heck, Joanne will cook anything you want, Junior."

Johnny smiled again, rubbing his stomach and licking his lips.

*************

Moments later, Roy backed the squad into the bay. He snuck an appraising look at his partner and was relieved to see that the upturn in Johnny's mood had remained. He gave a small smile as his partner urged him to step lively to the locker room so that they could change out of their uniforms before heading over to Roy's house.

"I'm coming," Roy replied, "but first I'm going to make that phone call to Joanne. You go ahead and get changed." Roy watched for a moment as Johnny eagerly strode away. He sighed in relief and turned toward the dayroom. Johnny cared about people so much. One doesn't become a paramedic in the first place without some compassion for those in need. Still, sometimes he felt his partner might care too much for his own good. He hoped the fishing trip would be just the ticket to soothe his friend's wounded soul.

Roy picked up the phone and dialed the number that came so automatically to him after years of calling home from the station. After the second ring, Roy heard the sound of the dearest person in his life.

"Hello," a soft, pleasant voice filled Roy's ear.

"Hi, honey, it's me. Just wanted to check with you to see if I could bring Johnny home with me for some of your great pancakes and sausage."

"Of course, I'll get started mixing up the batter. When will you be home?" Joanne asked.

"Should be leaving soon. We have to change and then we'll be on our way. We’re going fishing while you and the kids are gone, so we need to stop by Willies and get the key to the cabin.”

"That’ll be good for Johnny. He’s been really down lately. I’ll see you soon then. Love you!"

"Love you, too." Roy looked around to see if anyone else was in the break room. Seeing that the coast was clear he blew his wife a kiss over the phone and hung up.

Roy made his way back to the locker room and pushed open the door. His heart sank when he saw Johnny staring at himself in the mirror. "Hey, watcha doing?" he asked softly.

"Oh, I was just thinking. I was wondering how people who keep losing loved one after loved one make themselves face another day. It hurts a lot to lose people we work so hard to save, but it hurts the people who love them even more. How do they deal with that much hurt?"

Roy sat down on the bench in front of his locker. He wondered how he could answer his friend's question and not sound patronizing. "Well, I suppose they have other family members who support them. Some even rely on their faith. I've found that my really good friends, especially my best friend, help me deal with hard times." He stood up and moved to Johnny's side. "Ya know, a good breakfast does wonders for the soul, too."

Johnny looked at Roy in surprise at that last statement. Roy grinned back. Johnny nodded slowly and picked up his jacket. "You don't say. Well, I guess I will just have to check that theory out. Hurry up and get changed. I'll meet you out in the parking lot." Roy watched Johnny leave the room and pulled open his locker door. Okay, so far so good. Now if he could just keep Johnny from crashing again during this trip, he would feel much better come the next shift.

E!==========E!==========E!==========E!==========E!

As they were driving, Johnny tried to think of other things, but those images just kept creeping back. *Maybe I do need a vacation. I mean, what could happen while fishing? Of course, we thought that last time, too.*

They swung by Johnny's place to pick up his things, and were soon on their way to Roy's. By now, Johnny was almost his old self again. Roy noticed that Johnny didn't even realize it.*Good. He's distracted. I hope the lake continues to do so,* Roy thought as he pulled into his driveway.

Joanne was just setting the table as Roy and Johnny entered the house.

"Morning, beautiful!" Roy gave Joanne a growl on her neck that made her and Johnny blush.

"Geez, Roy, are ya tryin' to spoil my appetite"? Johnny grumbled as he stood there waiting for the heat from his blushing to die down.

"Oh, be quiet and sit down." Roy good-naturedly smiled as he looked at the table to make sure everything was there before sitting down himself.

"I just have to get the coffee, guys, dig in." Joanne laughed as she went back into the kitchen for the pot.

Johnny stacked his plate with pancakes and took a few pieces of sausage. He generously spread the butter and lathered them in syrup.

"Do you want to taste the pancakes at all?” Roy joked as he watched Johnny take a heaping mouthful.

"Mm, these are really good, Joanne." Johnny ignored Roy's comment as Joanne came back in with the coffee and poured one for Johnny, Roy and herself and then sat down.

"I'm glad you like them." Joanne watched as Johnny took another forkful.

Roy ate his with a little less gusto, and marveled at the way Johnny almost had his plate clean before he had one pancake done. They finished eating while they discussed their plans for camping.

E!==========E!==========E!==========E!==========E!

A few hours later, Roy and Johnny were on the road on their way up to the lake. Roy was still keeping a quiet eye on his friend's mood and was glad to see that Johnny appeared to relax more the further they drove out of the city. For that reason, he kept his mouth shut as Johnny fiddled with the radio knob, searching for a clear station. Roy was not partial to the kind of music Johnny listened to, but for now he would tolerate it.

Roy looked down at the gas gauge on his truck and decided that it would be better to stop and fill it up with gas before getting any further away from civilization. He spotted a gas station coming up and turned on his blinker. A moment later he stopped the truck next to the pump closest to the front doors of the station. He turned the ignition off and waited for the attendant to come out.

A couple of moments later the attendant had yet to appear. Roy and Johnny exchanged puzzled looks. "I'll go see where he is," Johnny volunteered. He opened his door, jumped out of the truck, and disappeared into the station.

Minutes later Johnny was still gone. Really concerned now, Roy pulled the keys from the truck and stepped out, slamming the door behind him. He pocketed his keys and headed for the same door that Johnny had entered. A little bell tinkled over the door as Roy pushed it open. A shock ran through him when he saw what was going on inside the store.

"Just put your hands up real nice and easy," a man with greasy brown hair declared as Roy stepped through the door.

Roy took a swallow breathe and glanced around the front of the store nervously for his partner. He found the object of his search being held roughly against the front of the coolers by a very large man. "Johnny, you okay?" Roy questioned.

"Yeah I'm..." Johnny’s voice trailed off with a painful gasp as a fist was slammed into his ribs.

"Stop!" Roy yelled, moving towards Johnny.

"Don’t!” The other man ordered. “Get on the floor right over there!” He indicating a spot against the wall with the tied up cashier.

Roy sighed inwardly, knowing that rushing forward and trying to be a hero would get himself, his partner and the cashier of the store killed. Dropping down on the floor beside the cashier, who turned out to be a young man about eighteen, he let his eyes travel over the youth. Aside from a split lower lip, which seemed to be bleeding heavily, the youth seemed to be fine. "Are you hurt anywhere else?" Roy whispered.

"QUIET!" the first man screamed, still rifling the cash register.

When a snicker came from the man holding him, Johnny became angry. They were in the profession of saving lives and Roy could tell that this uncaring bastard made his partners blood boil. "He just wanted to make sure the kid was all right," Johnny managed to get out between clenched teeth.

"Shut your yap." The hulk of a man snarled as he used his advantage of position and weight to drive his fist into Johnny's rib cage again. "Your mouth is what got you into trouble to start with," he informed Johnny, taking great delight in slamming his head against the surface of the cooler.

Roy had to bite down on his tongue to keep from pleading the man to stop as Johnny's head was roughly slammed into the cooler. Giving his friend the once over, Roy realized this wasn't the first bout of slamming that Johnny had been subjected to. He could see the blood running down Johnny's face from a cut on his forehead right at his temple. He assumed by the way Johnny was trying to breathe in little pants, that he was probably looking at some cracked ribs as well. *Great, just great,* Roy thought to himself. He had suggested this trip to Johnny to take him away from all of the pain he had been having over the loss of the child, only to be subjected to pain by a hold-up man.

"Hey, Kyle, what we going to do now?" the large man holding Johnny asked the other nervously. Tightening his grip on the back of Johnny's neck, he started to chew on his lower lip. "Now there's three of ‘em."

"Just relax, Bobby Joe, I'll take care of everything," the obvious leader, Kyle, declared with a snicker.

As usual, Johnny just couldn't seem to help himself as his anger flared again. "You could try letting us go," Johnny said with just a touch of sarcasm, knowing that they would probably never walk out of there.

Shut up!" Bobby Joe screamed as he continued to hit Johnny in the ribs.

Roy could see the way Johnny kept opening and closing his eyes and knew he was real close to losing consciousness. He was worried about the extent of his friends head injury and wanted to check Johnny over, but feared having the brute that was holding him getting rough again if he suggested it.

E!==========E!==========E!==========E!==========E!

Kyle glanced over towards Bobby Joe and wondered what ever possessed him to bring the man with him. He knew that the only reason was because he was Missy's brother.

That, and the fact that he could break a person's back with his bare hands. Glancing at the man Bobby Joe still held pinned against the coolers, he noted the closed eyes and limp body.

"Bobby Joe, dump him over there with the rest, tie them up and help me here," Kyle ordered.

"All right, Kyle," Bobby Joe said happily. He was getting tired of holding this guy up. He had been fun when he was arguing with him, but now that he just hung there, he was boring.

Roy closed his eyes as Bobby Joe tossed Johnny’s limp form to the floor and began tying their wrists and ankles. He waited less than a minute after Johnny's body made impact with the floor with a sharp gasp, before moving towards him.

"Take it easy, Johnny," Roy whispered softly. He moved his hands the best he could down Johnny's rib cage, noting several definite cracks. The whole right side of Johnny's face was covered in bruises. A four-inch scrape started at his temple and worked its way down.

Johnny mumbled incoherently in his semi-conscious state.

"Easy, partner." Roy whispered as he watched the two men talking with their heads together at the back of the store.

E!==========E!==========E!==========E!==========E!

"Here." Kyle shoved a bag of groceries at Bobby Joe, who set it next to the door.

"Where're we going to go, Kyle? We can't go back to town, the cops are all over, looking for us."

"I don't know, yet." He looked at the men tied up by the far wall of the store. Dropping the bag he'd begun filling, he went over and nudged Roy. "So, tell me. Where were you two heading?"

Roy looked at Johnny, then looked back, trying to keep his face neutral. "Nowhere. We were just going for a drive."

Kyle stepped over and looked out the window at the pickup still parked next to one of the pumps. He returned to crouch down in front of Roy. "Just going for a drive, huh?" He leaned forward, hooking a finger into the neckline of Roy's shirt and pulled Roy forward until they were face to face. "You wouldn't happen to be lying to me, now, would you? ‘Cause I don't like people lying to me. See, you've got way too much stuff packed in there to just be going on ‘a drive’. So, where were you going?"

Roy didn't say anything. He just turned his head away from the foul breath coming from the face in front of him.

Kyle stood up as if to leave, but as he turned away, he quickly swung back and belted Roy in the face, sending his head slamming against the wall. Kyle pulled his gun out and pointed it at John, effectively stopping John's attempt to defend his friend. The gun was then turned to Roy. "Don't ever lie to me!" He spun away and disappeared around the isle.

"Roy? Are you okay?" Johnny saw Roy's dazed look. He became more concerned when Roy didn't seem to hear him. "Roy?"

Roy rolled his head slowly and blinked hard to get rid of the stars dancing around. He could feel his cheek swelling already. "Yeah. I think I'm okay."

"Yeah, right." John knew what a blow to the head like that felt like. He wished he were able to check him out better. His attention was drawn away by Kyle and Bobby Joe's voices from the front of the store.

"Kyle, someone's coming!"

A lady carrying a small toddler and baby bag got out of a car that had pulled up to the pumps and was making her way to the door. Her husband sat in the car, obviously waiting for an attendant to come out and fill the tank.

The woman hoisted the toddler up higher as she distractedly came through the door. She absently walked up to Bobby Joe who was behind the counter. "Excuse me, do I need a key for the bathrooms? My little girl..."

She finally looked away from her struggles and took in the man she was speaking to. Then she looked around the room spotting the men sitting on the floor along the wall. "Oh, dear."

She began to back toward the door. "Look, uhm, we really don't need...I mean...why don't I just..."

She turned to face Kyle when she backed into him. He was now blocking the doorway. To her credit, she didn't panic. She just pulled her child closer.

Kyle took the child’s hand in his. "What a cute kid. Don't you think she’s cute, Bobby Joe?"

"Oh, yeah. Really cute."Kyle walked forward, moving the lady back from the door. "She's probably the cutest little thing I've ever seen. What's her name?" He looked down at the woman, expecting an answer.

Her voice shook as she answered. "Al...Alisen."

"Alisen. What a pretty name. Well, ma’am, why don't you take Alisen and go over there and sit down." He indicated the far wall where the other hostages sat.

Before the lady could move, Bobby Joe came from around the counter, pointing at the pumps. "Kyle..."Kyle turned and looked out the door where the husband was now walking from the car. The man squinted as he looked into the store on his way over. He stopped in mid-step, seeing his wife back away from Kyle, and then he made eye contact with Kyle himself. The man froze in a moment of indecision and suspicion as Kyle pulled out his gun. Seeing that, the man backed up toward the car, then turned around to run as Kyle pushed open the door and fired at him.

Kyle watched in fascination as the man was thrown against the side of the car by the impact of the bullet, fall, then lay unmoving on the ground.

Bobby Joe was no by his side. "Man, you shot him! I can't believe you shot him!"

Kyle closed the door. "Shut up! I had no choice, he was going to get away!"

"Do you think he'd dead?"

"No!" The woman stood screaming in the middle of the store clutching her child tighter. "Jared! No!"

Kyle pointed the gun at her. "I told you to go sit down! Now do it!"

Trembling and sobbing, the lady went and lowered herself down onto the floor next to the clerk.

Bobby Joe began pacing. "Now what are we going to do, Kyle? You just shot someone. We have to get out of here."

Kyle ran a shaky hand over face. "I know! I know! Just shut up and let me think!" He pointed over to the woman. "Tie her up, too. I don't have time to be worrying about her.

"Bobby Joe tied the woman's hands and feet, then set the child next to her. Alisen didn't move. She was content to stay with her mom and away from the bad men.

***************

The two men were pacing the floor quietly frantically, when the sound of an engine starting startled them. They both ran to the windows to see the man who'd been shot drive his car away from the pumps and out of the station.

Kyle ran from the building, intent on shooting at the car, but it was too far away by then. "Great! Just great!" He shoved the door open and burst inside. "That's it! I've had enough! Bobby Joe, get the bags into that truck out there."

"But, where...""Just do it, before that guy reaches someone and calls the cops!" Kyle stormed over to the hostages. "I'm through playing games!"

"No!" The woman screeched as Kyle grabbed Alisen and tucked her under his arm. The child immediately began to squirm and cry. He shoved the woman away before crouching by Roy and John again.

Kyle then held the child firmly in front of him. "Now! You're going to answer me this time. You got a place, don't you, that you were going to?"

There wasn't much to think about. "Yes. A cabin." Johnny blurted out. He didn't know if he could take it if he had to watch another child get hurt.

"Good. Perfect." Kyle stood up and grabbed the baby bag the mother had beside her. The bells on the door jingled. "Bobby Joe!"

Bobby Joe ran up to Kyle. Kyle shoved the crying child and bag into his accomplice's arms. "Take the kid out to the truck, I'll be right there."

"No!" The lady tried to get up, only to be roughly pushed to the floor again. Then Kyle pointed the gun at Johnny and Roy. "Come on. We're all going for a ride."

"No!" The lady screamed again and tried to wiggle out of her bonds.

Johnny turned to face Kyle. "Come on, man. You don't need the kid."Kyle poked John's tender ribs with the pistol, making him suck his breath in as he cut their ankles free. "Right, like you two are going to cooperate without her."

"Look man, we'll cooperate! I promise! No problems from us if you just give the kid back!" Johnny tried to bargain.

"Shut up! Now!" Kyle screamed, backhanding Johnny. Johnny saw stars. Alisen started to cry and Roy moved to come to Johnny's assistance. "No, none of that, none of that." Kyle ordered Roy moving his gun to Johnny's chest to show he meant business.

Johnny looked at Roy for the answer of what they should do. When Roy nodded his head yes, Johnny slowly started to climb to his feet. He stopped sucking in a breath when his broken ribs screamed at him and the room swayed around him.

"Johnny!" Roy called out, quickly climbing to his feet and grabbing Johnny's arm. He could see the way Johnny was swaying and wasn't sure how long his partner would be able to stay on his feet. "Why don't you take just me? He's probably got a concussion and needs to get to the hospital," Roy informed Kyle as he held onto Johnny's arm to help steady him.

Kyle studied the dark haired young man. He could see the pain etched in his face and the way he swayed when he climbed to his feet. He was seriously thinking about just leaving this one behind until the older of the two men asked for him to be left. Kyle smiled from ear to ear. This one appeared to be as good of a hostage as the child. It was obvious that blondie would do as he was told with the younger guy with them.

"Nope, he goes with us and if you don't do as I say, he dies," Kyle informed. He then cut apart Johnny’s wrist bonds, took Alisen from Bobby Joe, and shoved her into Johnny’s arms. "Walk, and no funny business," he said, pushing the gun into Johnny's back and prodding them towards the door.

Johnny tightened his grip on Alisen and started moving slowly. The room swayed around him and his stomach fought for the right to come up.

"Shh, it's okay," Johnny crooned to Alisen as she started to cry for her mommy. "Quiet! I said walk, not talk!" Kyle snarled, pushing the gun painfully into Johnny's back. He snickered in delight when Johnny sucked his breath in from the pain.

Johnny fought back a cry of pain, not wanting to scare Alisen any more then she already was. He was finding it difficult to draw in a full breath without having his ribs scream at him, and the gun pushing into his back wasn't helping things any. To add to it, his head felt like it would come off at any second. If he could just get the room to stay in one place, he would be doing good.

Roy pushed the door open and started across the parking lot slowly. Opening the door to the truck, he grasped Johnny's elbow as he lifted his leg to climb into the cab.

"Easy, Johnny," Roy whispered when Johnny swayed, turning slightly green as a fine sheen of sweat broke out across his face.

"Not feeling so well," Johnny mumbled as everything in front of him started to darken. He could feel his stomach starting to revolt. Turning panicked eyes on Roy, he pushed Alisen into the front seat and then started to vomit.

Kyle wrinkled his nose in disgust when the dark haired man started to throw up. "That’s gross." he grumbled as Johnny coated the ground at his feet with his breakfast.

Roy glared at Kyle and Bobby Joe, who stood behind them snickering at Johnny getting sick. "You’re okay," Roy soothed, gently rubbing Johnny's back with his tied hands.

"Okay, if we're all done playing, let’s get going," Kyle ordered, giving Johnny a painful nudge with the gun. He waited as Johnny got into the with Alisen, then slammed the door. “Give me the keys, Blondie."

Roy slowly pulled the keys out of his pocket and handed them to Kyle, who passed them to Bobby Joe. “You drive. Just make sure he behaves himself, Bobby Joe," Kyle ordered, pointing with his gun to Johnny.

Alisen snuggled in as close to Johnny as she could – creating as much space between her and the huge man getting in the driver’s seat of Roy’s truck. Bobby Joe shifted his gaze from Johnny to the commotion in the bed of the truck, as Kyle had Roy climb in the back. Once in, Kyle tied Roy’s hands behind his back, and with a cold stare, informed Roy, “Try jumping out of this truck. Feel free.”

Roy swallowed hard, understanding the man’s meaning, and he stole a glance toward the cab. Johnny leaned heavily against the passenger door, so he was unable to see his face. He could only see the top of Alisen’s head, pressed against Johnny’s arm. *How are we going to get out of this one?*

He thought of his own children. It seemed like only a blink in time had passed since Jennifer had been that small. His heart ached for little Alisen’s parents, for Joanne, for his own children. They had to get out of this. What were these guys hoping to accomplish? What were they going to do once they got to Big Bear? None of it made any sense.

E!==========E!==========E!==========E!==========E!

The drive to Big Bear felt like an eternity. Johnny’s body had finally given in to a light dose, but he was jarred awake painfully with each bump in the road. He was thankful that Alisen had fallen asleep, but he worried for her safety with each mile these madmen put between her and her mother.

He turned toward Bobby Joe, who stared intently at the road as he drove. Johnny let out a hiss in pain and swore under his breath as Bobby Joe hit another deep pothole. Bobby Joe looked at him and snorted. “Let me ask you this,” Johnny began. “What are you going to do when you get to Big Bear? Have you thought that far ahead?”

“Kyle has a plan,” Bobby Joe answered flatly.

“Oh, I see. Did that plan include taking three hostages to a cabin at Big Bear...” Johnny stopped and winced as the trunk hit another rough spot in the road, “at Big Bear, leaving two hostages that know what you’re driving and where you’re going? Was that the plan?”

“Shut up.” Bobby Joe clenched his teeth and tightened his grip on the steering wheel. Johnny knew he was pushing his luck, but he knew the guy wouldn’t hit him while he was driving, and he knew the man didn’t have his ultimate health in mind anyway, so he continued. “I have a better plan. Better for everybody.” He moved slightly, trying to get a little more comfortable.

“So, humor me. What’s this great plan?” Bobby Joe asked out of curiosity. “No, no, let me guess. Let you all go, and turn ourselves in?” He laughed at his own joke.

“No, man,” Johnny shook his head. “Let Roy and the little girl go at the cabin. You don’t need all three of us, man. Then if you ever do get caught, the cops’ll show leniency, because you released ‘em. Get it?”

Bobby Joe shook his head. “And I’m supposed to think you’ll just come along and behave yourself without your buddy and this kid? Right.”

Johnny felt desperate, as Alisen began to stir. “Come on, man. You don’t think you two guys with guns can take a skinny guy with busted ribs? It’ll buy you time. You know it will. Come on, she’s just an innocent kid.”

Bobby Joe steered to the right, deliberately running hard through another large pothole in the road, satisfied when Johnny's pleas were cut off and replaced by a pain-filled moan. "You know, it might be better if you just don't talk so much. The only thing I want to hear from you is directions. Got it?

"John held an arm tight around his chest. "Look, man, all I'm trying to say is..." He was once again jostled by a crater in the road. Recovering, he saw Bobby Joe head for another one. "Okay! Okay, I got it." He tried not to sigh out loud when the tire just clipped the edge of the road.

******************

Roy watched his partner through the back window. He couldn't hear what the conversation was, but from the way Bobby Joe kept aiming for the potholes, Roy could tell that Johnny was irritating the man. He knew that feeling well

.Roy had to speak pretty loud to be heard over the wind blowing over him. "Look, Kyle. Right? You're name's Kyle?"The man guy stared at Roy for a moment, then shrugged.

"Kyle...you have the truck. You can take all the money we have. Why don't you just drop us off? By the time someone comes by, you two could be long gone."

Kyle just glared at Roy, not moving, or saying a word.

"The two you left at the store will tell the cops where you're at. How long do you think it'll be before they show up?"Kyle leaned forward so he didn't have to raise his voice. "Wrong."

Roy looked at Kyle, questioningly. "What?"

"I said, you're wrong. Those people back there, they don't know where we're headed. All they know is that it's a cabin. They don't know where it is, and I'm willing to bet that they don't know you from any other guy that's stopped in to buy gas. They may describe this truck of yours, but that's it. No license number. So, don't you worry yourself about me and Bobby Joe." Kyle leaned back, a smug look on his face.

Roy sat silently, watching the trees go by. They'd soon be at the cabin. Then what? This wasn't the way things were supposed to go. This was supposed to be a pleasant vacation. A chance to get away from everything, and help John through the tough time he was having. He looked through the window at his partner, who'd started talking to Bobby Joe, again. The truck pulled to the right, slamming another pothole. Kyle laughed when Roy winced at seeing John lean forward a bit and tighten his grip on his ribs.

Roy leaned back against the side of the truck bed, wondering if he should hope that one of these potholes Bobby Joe insisted on hitting would give them a flat tire. *How are we going to get out of this?*

E!==========E!==========E!==========E!==========E!

"How much longer?" Bobby Joe complained. "You'd better not be leading us around."

John grunted, shifting Alisen slightly. Every time Bobby Joe spoke, she'd try to lean away from the scary man and press against John's side, eyes brimming with tears at the unaccustomed harshness. "Not far. At the fork in the road, up ahead, take the left. It's about five miles from there."

"It better be."

John didn't answer; he just stared out the window, trying to think of a way to better their situation. The road twisted in loops and horseshoe turns, taking them higher into the mountain land. Sometimes he felt Roy's eyes on him from the back of the truck, but the one time he tried to turn around, his ribs convinced him not to try again.

The last mile before the cabin brought the truck to a near crawl. The damaged gravel road abruptly turned into a rocky, dirt path. Tire ruts on the ground were the only evidence that anyone had ever even been there.

Bobby Joe seemed to take pleasure in watching John squirm as they bounced over the bumpy terrain. At a pounding on the window from the back of the truck, he came to a jerky stop and got out.

Kyle stood up, yelling over the top of the roof at Bobby Joe who stood inside the open door. "What do you think you're doing? You're practically bouncing me out the back here, and there's so much dust, I can't even spit!"

"Uh, sorry, Kyle. Guess I wasn't thinking. I'll slow down." Bobby Joe jumped back into the drivers seat.

"Idiot." Kyle plopped down as the truck slowly started moving again.

About ten minutes later the trees parted, opening up to a small clearing. The cabin sat on the far side of it. Behind it, there was a large bay that extended out to the lake.

Kyle hopped from the back before the truck even came to a complete stop. "Ahh! Home, sweet, home." He looked around, taking deep breaths of the fresh air. "Like I said, perfect." He motioned to Roy. "Come on, get out. Your pal looks like he’s a might tired from our little trip."

Roy awkwardly slid across the bed of the truck and jumped down. When Kyle untied the ropes around his wrists, he quickly strode over to the passenger side of the truck. He took hold of John's arm, helping his friend to slide out of the truck and stand up. That effort caused John to suck in his breath and break into a sweat.

"You okay?"

John nodded once and wrapped his arms around his chest. "You?"

Roy touched his swollen face where Kyle had hit him earlier. It was sore, but nothing serious. "Okay. How about the kid?" He leaned into the cab and picked up Alisen.

"She's scared."

"Well," Roy reached to the floor and grabbed the baby bag. "She's not alone." He stood and the two looked each other in the eye. In that moment of communication, they silently conveyed how afraid they really were.

Then Kyle was standing next to them. "Let's go." He grabbed John's shirt and pushed him toward the porch, smiling when Roy followed close behind. He knew that he'd made the right decision to bring John along. It was obvious that Roy wouldn't try to escape and leave him behind. Once on the porch, Kyle tried the door. "It's locked, give me the keys." He held his hand out impatiently, snapping his fingers.

"They're on the truck key ring." Roy hoisted Alisen up higher.

Kyle glanced back at the truck. Bobby Joe was unloading the truck bed, pulling things out onto the ground and inspecting the contents that John and Roy had brought along. Kyle looked at his bruised hostages, then bound down the steps and to the truck to retrieve the keys from the ignition.

As soon as Kyle's back was turned, John got Roy's attention. He nodded toward Kyle, lowering his voice. "I’m going to knock him down. Take the kid and run."

Roy minutely shook his head, whispering, "No, Johnny. It's too dangerous, and I'm not leaving you."

"Roy...!""No! I'm not..."Before they could finish their whispered conversation, they heard Kyle’s voice again. "Bobby Joe! As soon as you're done there, take the truck around through those trees there a ways and hide it good." He stomped up onto the porch to the door, fishing through the keys.

Behind his back, Johnny nodded to Roy.

Roy shook his head, mouthing 'No!'

Kyle tried a key. Pulling it out of the lock, cursing that it was the wrong one.

Roy saw John tense, ready to throw himself at Kyle. As John was about to spring, Roy quickly put Alisen down, shoving her hand into John's and stepped between John and their captor. "Here, I'll show you which one it is."

Kyle jumped back at the sudden movement, pulling out his gun. "Get back!"

"Okay." Roy put his hands out and backing up, but stayed in front of John. "Just trying to help."

"Well, I don't need any help." He glared at Roy suspiciously, then at John. Kyle noticed John fidgeting with agitation. He looked back at Roy again, and held his gun on them as he tried another key. It fit.

Kyle stood back, waving them inside. "You paid for it, you first."

Roy entered the cabin, followed by Johnny still holding onto Alisen's hand. He glared angrily at Roy, who made eye contact with him, his eyes conveying to Johnny that he wasn’t sorry.

The cabin was spacious with a large living area, fireplace, kitchen, bathroom and two bedrooms.

Kyle looked around appreciatively. "Nice digs. We might just have found ourselves a nice hide-out for a while."He motioned for them to sit down on the couch.

Bobby Joe came back from hiding the truck, his arms full of bags from the grocery store. "Ain't no one gonna find the truck, I hid it real good," he smirked.

"Well, let's just hope it was good enough. The last thing we need is some cops snooping around here disturbing our peace." Kyle laughed at his own joke as he looked at Roy and Johnny.

He missed the eye contact between them as he surveyed the grocery bags. "Okay, there, Blondie, how good are you at cooking?" Kyle straightened up as he motioned for Roy to get up and go into the kitchen. "Take this bag with you and rustle us up something to eat. Make sure it's edible or your friend over there might just have a little accident during the night."

"Bobby Joe," Kyle motioned to Johnny. "You take Injun' boy here and go get some wood so we can start a fire. It looks like it could get mighty chilly up here and we don't want our guests to get cold." He laughed as he noticed the scowl Roy threw him at the mention of what he called Johnny.*Oh, yeah,* Kyle thought as he watched Bobby Joe grin cruelly at Johnny. **These two are gonna be real good hostages. He smiled with satisfaction, *These two ain't goin' nowhere without each other.*

“He can’t carry wood, not with his ribs like that. At least let me wrap them, or have me get the wood and he can cook.” Roy tried to reason with the men. “Look - what good’s it going to do you if he passes out? Huh?”

Bobby Joe snickered at Roy’s attempt to help his friend. “What is it with you two, huh? You have some sort of competition going? I think you have some sort of whatchacallit¼?”“A hero complex,” Kyle interjected. “Yeah, a hero complex¼ Both of you! What do I care if he passes out? If he does, then I don’t need to worry about him coming up with no more dumb ideas.”

Kyle made eye contact with Roy and spoke in a level tone. “Hero complexes can be very dangerous things. You might want to share that with your pal, there.” He twisted toward Johnny with his gun. “Get up.”Johnny rose shakily from the couch, and Alisen began to whimper.

“Mommy. Want Mommy,” the little toddler cried quietly. Roy saw Johnny close his eyes and hold onto the arm of the couch a moment, the color draining from his face. He blinked a few times, then winced as he turned and squatted down to comfort the child.

Kyle saw the wedding ring on Roy’s finger. “You look like more of the daddy kind. Do something about that kid. Make her a sandwich or something, and check her diaper -- something is starting to reek in here.” Kyle then dug through the grocery bag Roy was holding, and pulled out two beers. He tossed one to Bobby Joe and popped the top off one for himself. “Me, I’m gonna relax a minute and enjoy the fruits of my labor!” He took a long guzzle of the beer.

Johnny spoke softly in the little girl’s ear. “That’s my best friend, Roy. He has a little girl named Jenny. He’s very nice. You be a big girl, okay, and go with Roy now, Sweetheart. He’ll take good care of you.” Bobby Joe gestured toward the door with his head, “Come on, we’re goin’ on a little nature hike.”

As Roy watched Johnny and Bobby Joe go, he couldn't help wanting to go after his friend. He picked Alisen up and went into the kitchen, trying to hide his fear. *I hope Johnny doesn't try anything. Bobby Joe will kill him.* Roy shuddered and tried not to think about that as he sat the girl down and prepared to cook.

***************

In the woods, Johnny and Bobby Joe had found very little firewood. Johnny was in even more pain as Bobby poked him harder.*Man, I wish they'd let Roy and the kid go.* Johnny thought.

"C’mon, move!" Bobby Joe said as they walked along the steep slopes and rocky paths where they found some wood near a small pond.

About an hour later, they had collected what they could carry and headed back

.Johnny was deep in thought trying to figure out a way to escape, or at least have Roy and Alisen escape when he missed the rock that jutted out in front of the path he was following back to the cabin. He tripped and went down, dropping the wood as he tried to brace himself from falling on his face, his ribs connecting with another rock that was sticking up. Johnny cried out, then groaned as he lay there trying to get his breath back.

Bobby Joe came up behind him and roughly attempted to pull Johnny up. "Let's go there, Injun. It's a good thing we live in modern times. You'd make a lousy scout. Can't even stand on your own two feet. Now pick up this wood. It's getting dark and I'm hungry!" Bobby Joe hissed at Johnny.

Johnny knew he was in real trouble. His breathing was coming in short gasps. He stood there for a minute, trying to calm down enough so that his breathing would even out. He waited for a few more seconds, then slowly started to re-gather the wood he dropped. *Short of setting the woods on fire,* Johnny thought to himself and grunted as he bent down retrieving the wood, *I can't see any way out of this mess.*

He was right at the edge of exhaustion and couldn’t tell if the nausea that continued to plague him in waves was due to the strain on his cracked ribs, or from the blows to his head earlier. His head swimming, he looked toward the cabin, as the late evening sunlight streamed through the trees, and the assault to his senses was almost as blinding as the light itself. He walked in a half trance, stumbling toward the cabin. His body finally began to fail him. As his peripheral vision darkened and his world became black, he again saw the face, and heard the voice. “Why didn’t you help me? You were supposed to save me!” He never felt the wood dig into his side as he landed; never felt the impact with the ground. He was totally oblivious to the deeper, angry voice shouting at him and nudging him to get up and get moving.

************

Roy heard the loud cursing outside the cabin, followed by a laugh, and he felt his body tense further. The time had seemed to come to a standstill waiting for Johnny and Bobby Joe to return. Kyle was stationed at a window, drinking another beer, and he snorted in what could have either been disgust or amusement at whatever was going on outside. Alisen sat on Roy’s lap, again whimpering for her mommy, but she jumped and became silent when Bobby Joe burst through the cabin door. “Hey Kyle!” the big man shouted. “Remind me to take Daniel Boone here next time,” he gestured toward Roy as he tossed his firewood down in a corner, “cause his faithful sidekick out there is about useless now.”

Roy instinctively began to rise but was stopped with a threatening look and a raised eyebrow from Kyle. “I see that,” Kyle agreed, looking back out the window at the collapsed man. He nodded slowly. “Looks like his batteries finally ran out. You gonna leave him out there long?”

Bobby Joe scoffed. “He ain’t goin’ nowhere! Not with Dan’l and the little girl in here. Let him lay there." His voice became mocking. "He’s had a really rough day.” Bobby Joe’s bitter sarcasm caused Roy’s stomach to lurch, and he felt his heart beating faster. He had no idea what had happened to Johnny. If he could just see him...he had to at least ask.

Roy cleared his throat reflexively. “Can¼can I go check on him, please?” He directed his question to Kyle, who seemed to be a little more emotionally stable than his malicious cohort. “The sun will be going down soon¼” Bobby Joe tore into a bag of chips and began stuffing his mouth, washing them down with another beer.

Kyle considered before he answered. “Go ahead, but you try anything funny and the little girl will be going out in the woods¼and she won't be coming back.”

“I just want to make sure my friend is okay. That’s all. I won’t do anything to endanger Alisen or Johnny, I swear. Alisen, come with me,” Roy said, reaching his hand to her, but Kyle stepped in-between them.

“She stays here with me just in case you try something.”

“I said I wouldn’t try anything.”

“You keep arguing with me and I'll make sure your partner stays outside permanently! Now get going and hurry up!”

Roy turned to Alisen. “I'll be right back, Sweetie, I promise. Don’t cry. It'll be okay. I have to check on Johnny real fast.”

The little girl plugged her thumb in her mouth and settled back on the couch, as if she understood.

Roy stood up and walked out the door, Bobby Joe closely watching him. As he walked to Johnny lying on the ground, he thought about his own daughter, Jennifer. If she was in a situation like this, he'd be as torn leaving her with those animals while he checks on Johnny. Would he leave her in there alone? After a long thought, he knows he would because Jennifer would want him to make sure her uncle Johnny was okay.

He crouched down next to Johnny and started checking his vitals. "Take it easy Johnny," Roy soothed, laying his hand on Johnny's shoulder when the injured man started coming around. He withdrew it quickly when Johnny gasped in pain and sucked his breath in a shallow breath.

"Please...don't," Johnny almost whispered, trying to roll over onto his back. He gasped again as pain assaulted his ribs and his back as well as his shoulder and arm this time.

"Lie still, Johnny, and tell me where it hurts," Roy ordered, his concern building. "No, don’t move." he said, trying to restrain Johnny when his partner ignored him and attempted to get up.

Johnny let Roy's hand hold him still for a moment. He carefully weighed his options, knowing that if he admitted to Roy how much he was hurting, then Roy would try to take care of him and that would take his attention off Alisen. He couldn't have Roy's attention off Alisen.

"I'm fine," Johnny lied, biting down painfully on his bottom lip to keep from crying out again as he shrugged Roy's hand off his back so he could make it to a sitting position. "See? I'm fine, really. Let's get back inside with Alisen," Johnny said as he slowly and painfully climbed to his feet. He swayed dangerously when the dizziness overpowered him.

Roy reached out and grabbed a hold of Johnny's arm to help steady him. He bought his friend’s lie even less after feeling his body stiffen, then hearing the stifled gasp. He knew Johnny was hurting, and knew he was hurting bad. If he had to make a guess by the way Johnny was trying to protect his left arm and shoulder, he would have to say that something was injured, but without looking, he couldn't be sure what and how badly, and he knew Johnny would never let him look.

With Roy helping to keep his partner on his feet, Johnny was just able to control most of the bouts of pain that Roy had caused by grabbing his arm. Stiffening his body to keep from screaming outright, Johnny pulled away from Roy and gave him a forced smile. "Let's go inside," he said through clenched teeth as he started to walk towards the cabin. Roy’s eyes narrowed as he watched his partner walk slowly away. Johnny could be evasive from time to time about not feeling well, but it was not at all like him to ignore serious injuries. He opened his mouth to say something, but then closed it again, letting out a little sigh as he realized that Johnny's only thought right then was the small child inside the cabin with the two men. He knew that Johnny would do whatever it took to make sure that he and Alisen got out of there safely, even if that meant lying about how bad his injuries were. With another sigh, Roy vowed to himself to keep an eye on Johnny and to get them all out safely.

A few feet from the door of the cabin, Johnny stopped and stood still for a moment.

Roy watched as he struggled to retain his balance, his face pale. “Johnny¼what good are you going to be to that little girl if¼”“Yeah. Yeah, I know. Just give me a sec, okay?” Johnny wiped a hand down over his face. “ I’m so thirsty.” He swallowed hard and drew in a long, deep, and painful breath. “Think I have a couple of busted ribs here.”

Roy stepped up beside Johnny and gave a quick glance toward the window of the cabin. He saw Bobby Joe’s greasy, unshaven face staring back at him, and shuddered involuntarily. In his heart, he knew he had to come up with something, but he just couldn’t seem to formulate any kind of coherent plan that would enable him to overtake two grown men. He decided it was best if he not let Johnny feel the weight of his anxiety. “Listen, Junior, I have a first-aid kit in the truck, and we’ll just tape those ribs up. What about your arm?” Roy gestured towards Johnny’s left arm, which Johnny was cradling gently against his abdomen with his right arm. “Let me check for a fracture.”

“No. No. It’s okay. I just fell hard on it. It’s just my shoulder¼maybe sprained. Nothing that can’t be fixed..” Johnny’s voice trailed off as he looked towards the cabin. “That beer looks pretty good.”

“What?” Roy leaned closer. “I can’t hear you.”

“Sorry. Sore ribs. I said that beer looks good.”

“Beer.” Roy looked once again at Bobby Joe and watched as the creepy man took another long haul from his bottle of Black Horse Ale. “Johnny.”

“Hmmm?”

“That’s got to be his third beer at least in the past half hour.”

“So?” Johnny turned towards his partner. “They loaded the truck full of beer.”

“That’s my point. They’re getting drunk.”

Johnny’s eyes grew large as the realization set in. “They have a few too many beers and we can overtake them?”

Roy held his breath a moment and then let it out. “There’re two very unstable guys in there with an innocent little girl, and now they are adding alcohol to the mix. I am not sure whether it’s a blessing or a curse.”

Johnny looked at Roy, his eyes narrowing and deepening in hue. “I don’t know about that, but I know there is a little girl in there who has no right to be in this mess, and we have to get her out if it.” There was a determination in Johnny’s voice that Roy knew all too well. It was a primitive, primal side of Johnny that allowed him to keep going even in the most adverse of circumstances. It was a side of Johnny that you didn’t mess with. “Let’s get me taped up and figure out a way to fix this problem.”

Roy was just about to reply when Kyle stepped out of the cabin and headed towards them.

“Hey, how much longer are you going to play nurse maid to him?” he asked Roy. “I'm getting hungry!”

“I'll make something just as soon as I can tape his ribs. He's in a lot of pain.”

“NO! You feed us first. He can wait, WE can't! He's gone this long, he can wait a little while longer.” Kyle pointed the gun towards Johnny.

Alisen suddenly appeared at the door to the cabin, crying and holding her arms out.

“Okay, I'll make something to eat.” Roy reached down and picked Alisen up and patted her back. “It'll be okay, honey I promise. Shhh¼Shhh¼” He took her into the cabin, followed by Johnny and Kyle. “How about you help me make some hot dogs?”

Alisen nodded at Roy, her thumb once again in her mouth. Roy smiled slightly at her. She reminded him so much of Jennifer when she was little. When he looked over her head at Johnny, who had settled on the couch, his friends eyes are closed. Roy took Alisen in to the kitchen to make dinner while Kyle and Bobby Joe continued to polish off the beers.

E!==========E!==========E!==========E!==========E!

Johnny cracked his eyes open slightly when Bobby Joe cursed loudly and began to pace. He couldn’t help but startle slightly when the bulky man threw his empty beer bottle into the corner in anger, shattering it.

"I can't believe the mess we're in, Kyle! Everything was going great until the stupid car broke down. Man, Missy’s probably freakin’ out by now. We were supposed to meet her a couple hours ago. Now these three!” He directed a glare toward the kitchen and cursed again. “I'm startin' to wish we never even brought them along. They're just gettin' in the way. I mean, what good are they out here in the middle of nowhere?"

Kyle snorted at Bobby Joe's outburst. "Bobby, Bobby, Bobby. Your impatience is your worst enemy. We have more choices on what we CAN do, because we brought them along. Haven't you ever heard, ‘When one door closes, another door opens?’”

Bobby Joe shrugged, and Johnny closed his eyes again, listening intently, hopeful that the two thought he was asleep. "What you gettin' at, Kyle? One door closed and opens? I hate riddles!"

Kyle sat up straighter and leaned toward his brother-in-law. "Just calm down! Let me put it to you this way. Here's what I’ve been thinking. Cops go nuts when a kid is missing. I think we're kiddin' ourselves to think we can hide out here very long. Between the Forest Service nosin' around and the cops, I think we better be gone by morning. I say let's eat, rest up a little, and go get Missy. Then we'll make these fellas earn their keep. Would you even suspect a nice, pleasant family of three?"

”What are you gettin’ at? Just tell me!” Bobby Joe spat through clenched teeth.

"I’m talking about a nice family of three making a nice tidy haul tonight. Would most people shoot an All-American-looking guy holding a kid? And...do you think the guy is gonna pull any stunts if we've got Missy standing next to him with a gun, and us with a gun on his pal out in the truck?”

Bobby Joe began to see the twisted logic in Kyle's idea, and he began to nod. “I get it. And him...” He pointed his gun nonchalantly at Johnny. “...him, I think we just plain hardly need to worry about. I don't think he'll do much more than puke again." Bobby Joe laughed at his own sick humor. He whooped, "Highway 18... here we come!"

After hearing Kyle and Bobby Joe’s plan, Johnny knew their situation had just gotten worse. If only there was a way to get Alisen away from Bobby Joe and Kyle before they left to get Missy.

E!==========E!==========E!==========E!==========E!

The sun seemed to go down quickly, and the few lamps and bare light bulbs lighting the small cabin cast darker and more pronounced shadows.

In the kitchen, Roy jumped when he heard Bobby Joe shout, and the glass shatter. He peeked through the door, and saw Johnny still half sitting, half lying down on the couch, and he breathed a sigh of relief. He’d quietly opened each drawer and cupboard, taking note of all the items available, as he heated the hot dogs in a pot of water on the stove top. There had to be something helpful. Something. Anything.

With growing frustration, he opened a small utility closet, flinching slightly when it squeaked. He reflexively looked toward the main room, but he still heard the murmur of conversation. Then he saw the electrical junction box – and next to it, a flashlight and a first aid kit. He quickly removed the first aid kit, but his mind kept coming back to the junction box. Daring to open the closet one more time, he reached in with a silent prayer, and tried the flashlight. It worked. *Thank you,* he breathed. He shut it off and quietly shut the door again.

He looked at Alisen eating her hot dog pieces, and his heart went out to her parents. He and Johnny would get her out of this, together. Patting her head gently, he leaned close, “You are eating like such a big girl!” She smiled her first smile since their ordeal began.Roy rifled through the first aid kit. There wasn’t much, but even an Ace bandage wrapped tightly would help Johnny some. Grabbing the hot dogs, he headed to the other room, mentally processing all the possible plans of escape, not knowing yet how urgent the need had become.

E!==========E!==========E!==========E!==========E!