Chapter 25

I


Kimber awoke to the sounds of angry meows from her sister's cat.

She cracked an eye open to see Lady Marmalade standing on her chest, looking none too pleased that Kimber was still in bed, and not up putting food in her bowl.

"Yes?" Kimber said sleepily.

"Who are you talking to, Kimber?" asked James.

Lady Marmalade just meowed sweetly to Kimber's now live in boyfriend, James Duncan.

"How come she's always been nice to you, Jamey?" Kimber asked as she got out of bed to tend to the cat's demands.

"I really have no idea, Kimber."

Kimber padded down the hall to the kitchen to make sure Julia's demanding and perpetually pissed off cat had something to eat. Kimber always thought, if my people just got up one day and disappeared, I probably wouldn't be too happy, either. But it couldn't be helped.

Now that the cat was satisfied, she rejoined Jamey back under the covers for some quiet time. It was Sunday, and Kimber had been back from Austin for all of forty-eight hours. During the time she'd been away, Jamey had moved his belongings into her house, then went to the southern part of the state to have Thanksgiving with his own family.

"You're still on vacation technically, right?" Jamey asked.

"Yes, until Wednesday," Kimber said; "But I have classes in the morning. They only give you two days off for Thanksgiving."

"And you missed a couple of days before due to you flying to Austin to see your family," Jamey said.

"True, but that couldn't be helped," said Kimber, snuggling up against Jamey's strong frame; "I didn't want to get stuck in all the day before the holiday traffic at O'Hare."

"That is a bitch, I know," Jamey said. "And it's always busy there, that's why I suggested you leave early in the morning. By afternoon, the place is a zoo!"

"We'll have to book our flight to Austin for Christmas soon," Kimber said; "I can't wait for you to meet everyone! And forget everything you've heard about my father from the history books, the documentaries, the newspapers...he's nothing like that in so-called 'real life'."

"I've kinda gathered that from the way you talk to your sister," Jamey said. "I can't wait to meet your whole family, Kimber; I hope they think I'm worthy of you."

Kimber kissed Jamey's chest, saying, "Why would they think you're not worthy of me. I'm sure that Niki's probably talked you up some to the parents by now."

"Advance press, huh?" Jamey said, laughing as he turned Kimber onto her back; "I think once your family sees how much I love you, they can't help but approve. You really are the best thing that's ever happened to me, Kimberlin."

"Am I, now?" Kimber teased him as he straddled her body.

"Yes, my precious girl," Jamey said as he entered her; "I knew the moment I saw you that you'd be important in my life. I do love you, you know."

"Yes, baby," Kimber said as he loved on her, "I know..."

===

Drake and Niki were in their own world. They had no clue that an entire roomful of people, including strangers, hung on the response that Niki was about to give Drake.

"Niki?"

"Are you sure, Drake? Even with me being sick and all?" she asked.

"What kind of man would I be if I didn't take care of you?" Drake asked her; "Your father would kill me if he thought I wasn't doing right by you."

Out in the foyer, David was about to say something, but Jordan put her hand over his mouth and gave him a look that said David Michael, don't you dare!

In the living room, Drake said, "Part of the marriage vows say 'in sickness and in health', and I know that if the roles were reversed, you'd do the same for me."

"Then there's only one answer I can give you, Drake Edward Campbell," Niki said, "and that is yes. Yes I will marry you!"

Drake got the ring out of his pocket and handed the box to Niki. "It's beautiful, Drake," she said as he slipped it on her finger, where Niki discovered that it was too large for her due to the weight she'd lost during her chemo treatments.

"We can have it sized, Niki," Drake said; "I was told that it wouldn't be a problem."

"No, Drake," Niki said; "I'm sure you bought this before I got sick. I have ring guards in my jewelry box at home. I'll put one of those on it until I gain some of this weight back."

"I love you, Niki," Drake said; "You're my everything."

"Drake, I know that you do," Niki said; "And I love you, too. I'm a lucky girl."

"No, Nicole," Drake said; "I'm the lucky one..."

It was then they heard the applause behind them. They looked back to see four police officers, and Niki's parents and brothers standing in the foyer. Both Jordan and David were wiping tears from their eyes.

"You two," Niki said to her parents playfully, "are a couple of saps!"

"It's not everyday your daughter gets engaged," David said defensively.

Jordan looked at David, remembering the day over seventeen years before when she had said similar words about Julia and Ryan's engagement.

And she had to wonder where her oldest daughter and her family were and if they were doing okay.

===

"I can not wait til I can take this damn brace off for good!" Julia said as she struggled to get dressed; "This thing is driving me crazy!"

"Your appointment is in another month, Julia," Jack said as he assisted Julia in getting her shirt on, then replacing the brace and sling combination that kept her mending collarbone in place; "You'll just have to be a little more patient, my dear."

"My patience with this thing ran out about seventy-two hours after I returned from Denver," Julia said as the brace was back in the proper position; "I'm not used to being this inactive. This is worse than being on bedrest!"

"Julia, I know you're frustrated," Jack said; "I would be too if I were in your shoes."

Julia sighed. She wanted to be more of a help to Jack in the running of the household, but her injury prevented her from doing all but the tasks that she could accomplish with one arm.

"I just wish I could be more of a help around here," she said.

"Julia," Jack said, pausing to have a coughing fit, then continued; "things here are fine. The kids have been a great help, they don't complain, and do good work. You've done a fine job with them. I'm proud to have gotten the opportunity to be part of their lives."

They walked into the dining room, where all four Summers kids were waiting for their daily lessons. Julia got right into it.

"Miri, I'll be giving that Statistics test to you today. You have an hour to do some last minute studying; Jaime, your paper on 'The Grapes of Wrath' is due at noon. If it's not done, you better get it done. No excuses; Zach, your Trig test is in fifteen minutes; and Rachel, you'll start reading 'Great Expectations' after you give me your oral report about how the barley out in the field reproduces. You all have your assignments, now get busy!"

Jack had always been impressed with the way that Julia gave her children their lessons, then tested them on those subjects. Her kids would be able to handle anything that any school could throw at them, including college. It was the way that Julia and her brothers had been taught.

"Julia, I'll be in Jackson this afternoon if you need me for anything," Jack said.

"You'll be back at your usual time?" she asked.

"Yes, before supper," Jack replied.

Before she realized it, Jack was gone; out to the garage to get his old truck for the drive to Jackson for his treatments. Julia didn't know it yet, but Jack had been given a dire diagnosis just a few weeks before: his cancer was terminal and the experimental treatment Jack was receiving had failed. He knew that the trips up there now would be for heavy duty painkillers that made Jack comfortable. Other than Julia and Miri, the others in the household had no idea of Jack's illness. He wouldn't be able to hide it much longer.

"Mom?" asked Rachel.

"Yes, baby girl?"

"Why does Jack go to this Jackson place all the time?"

"Jackson is a town northwest of here," Julia said; "It's mainly famous for its ski resort called Jackson Hole. Jack takes care of personal business up there instead of going into Riverton to do it. Mail, doctor's appoinments; his lawyer is up there."

"Can we go skiing there, Mom?" Rachel asked. "I've always wanted to learn how. It looks like fun on TV."

"We'll have to ask Jack if we could and still be in hiding," Julia said; "I wouldn't mind getting out of here for a day or two."

"Who would take care of the animals if we did that, Mom?"

Julia looked at her youngest girl and thought that Rachel had a point. Who would take care of the animals, especially if the family left to return to Chicago and Jack was unable to do it himself.

"I'm sure a neighbor could come over and feed the animals for a couple of days," Julia said; "We'd have to ask Jack about that. Now, young lady, tell me about the life cycle of the barley plant."

Rachel gave her report, and Julia was impressed that the eight year old had done such intense research into the subject. But the main thing on Julia Summers' mind was not the life cycle of the barley plant, but wondering who would take care of Jack's animals if he became too ill to do so.

She would speak to Jack about it. I know I told him that I would abide by his wishes, she thought, but I'm going to stay here until Jack gets well, dies, or makes arrangements for his animals, be that by selling them, or moving them elsewhere to be taken care of.

My face will be the last one you see before you leave this earth, John Christopher Coltrane the Fourth, Julia thought defiantly; and I dare you to try and stop me from caring.

===
II


"Have you two given any thought at all about what you want to do for your birthday?" asked Natasha to her nieces.

"Not really, Aunt Tash," Danica said; "I can't speak for Sandy, but I really don't want a big to-do about it."

"Maybe a family dinner," Sandrina said; "but not a big blowout. I'm sure I'll get that when I get home to Chicago for Christmas. I know my mom, and she thinks my turning 18 will be a big deal."

Natasha thought about that for a moment, then said,

"Maybe just the five of us could do a low key family dinner. We could go out, or we could just do something here at the house."

"I'd rather stay in," Sandrina said, and Danica nodded in agreement. "Besides, it's supposed to snow again on the fifth. Slipping and sliding on the streets of the Nation's Capitol in a three-thousand pound out of control missile doesn't really interest me."

"You do have a point, Sandy," Natasha said; "And if it's as bad as I'm hearing, it will probably be a snow day. In that case, we should get everything in the next couple of days."

"It seems that all the birthdays, except yours, Aunt Tash, are all bunched up together," observed Danica; "The twins' birthday was just a couple of weeks ago, and mine and Sandy's is in less than a week."

"We didn't plan on being born on the same day, honest!" Sandrina said, laughing; "I was a little early."

"Not as early as Rachel, though," Danica said; "I remember hearing about that from my parents about how early Rachel was. Aunt Julia and Uncle Ryan must have been worried sick."

"I remember that so well," Sandrina said; "Rachel was in the hospital for months! I had dolls bigger than her! But to look at her now, you'd never know she had all that trouble."

"She's like her mother that way, I suspect," Natasha said; "It wouldn't surprise me at all if she does something similar to what Aaliyah did not too long ago."

"That was a shock!" Danica said. "I didn't have the presence of mind to keep a weapon in my room when I was her age!"

"The youngest ones are going to be a force to be dealt with, including my two," Natasha said; "I don't think they even know how good they are."

Vixen scares me, thought Sandrina, remembering the day that some people followed her home, intent on doing her harm. I saw in Vixen things I've only seen in Aunt Julia. And if Nikky is the same way...look out bad guys!

===

The fight started before she had even awakened fully.

-You bitch, why do you insist on being Goody Two Shoes?

Because it's MY life! I want what you stole from me!

-Never! I like my life. I like not having you in the way all the fucking time.

I don't like you. I don't like the things you've done. I don't like the people you associate with.

-Too bad, isn't it, Kathryn Marie? You'll never win against me. Never!

It was the laugh that drove Kathryn crazy. Chastity even had a nasty laugh to go with her nasty disposition.

I will win against you, Chastity! Your days of being the dominant alter are over! You've robbed me of my life, and I'm going to take it back whether you like it or not.

-I'd like to see you try.

Admit it, Chastity, you're scared I'll win, aren't you?

-Scared of you? Bitch, please... you don't scare me one bit!

You should be scared, because I will end you!

-You can't end me, Kathryn Marie! To end me means ending yourself, and you like being up front too much to let that happen. As long as we're both here, we're going to fight. That Cameron bitch isn't going to integrate me with you. I'll fight her, too. With force if necessary.

She's much smarter than you are, Chastity! She knows what she's doing. I will win with her help!

-I'm not scared of her, or you, or that bitch Krysta who used to be my lover.

Krysta saw what you were doing and wanted no part of it anymore.

-And she told YOU this? You're both weak!

We'll see who's weak when this is over, Chastity! I'm willing to bet it's you.

-Me? Weak? You make me laugh! It will be me who ends you, my dearest Kathryn Marie. Just you watch.

Prepare to die, Chastity!

-Oh I'm quaking in my boots, tough girl.

You'll see just how bad I want you gone when we get done with you. You'll just be a bad dream.

-I'll always find a way to shut you up.

And I'll find a way to stuff you in that prison you keep me in and throw away the key!

-I'm not scared of you, Kathryn Marie. You're not strong enough to defeat me!

Soon you'll find out how strong I really am, Chastity. Then it will be too late. Sleep Chastity!

"Cameron?"

"Yes, Kathryn?"

"What if I told Chastity to die instead of sleep? Would she die?" Kathryn asked.

"We'll just have her sleep for now," Cameron said; "and we'll work on her being part of you again instead of being an alter."

"Okay."


===


Pollard looked at Krysta with a suspicious eye when she walked into the office.

"And just where the hell have you been?" he asked nastily.

Krysta returned his stare, saying, "Where I've been, Mr. Pollard, is none of your damn business."

"I'm in charge here, Ms. Banks, and you'll tell me where you disappeared to for four fucking days!" Pollard said in an attempt to pull rank he wasn't entitled to.

"First, Pollard, you're NOT in charge," Krysta said; "You just decided to take over because Chastity isn't here. The position is still hers until she decides she doesn't want it anymore. Second, where I 'disappeared' to is still none of your business. I am entitled to go and come as I please without your permission to do so. Not even Chastity demanded my whereabouts at all times, and you don't have the authority to require that of me or any other member of this movement."

Pollard got up from Chastity's chair and walked over to Krysta in an attempt to intimidate her.

"Tell me, Krysta, or I'll kill you," Pollard demanded gruffly. To accentuate his point, he grabbed Krysta's arm so roughly that it actually hurt her. She knew better than to cry out.

"Let go of me, you cretin!" she demanded in reply. "I may just be Chastity's press liaison, but I can and will kill you if you insist on having power to which you're not entitled."

Pollard released her and pushed her to the floor. "You don't scare me, bitch," Pollard sneered at her.

Getting up from the floor, Krysta said, "You don't scare me, either, Pollard. All you want is power, and you'll do anything to get it. That attitude is going to get you killed."

"And just who is going to kill me, Ms. Banks? You?" Pollard laughed.

"If I must, I will," Krysta said; "But I don't think it'll be me. You don't plan anything. You believe that your objectives are easy to achieve because you want it that way. What if you come up against someone just as determined to kill you as you are to kill them? You will lose. I'm going to predict that right now."

"And who is going to kill me, Krysta?"

"Someone you think is an easy target because of gender or handicap," Krysta said, thinking about Pollard's obsession with Sandrina San Marco. God, I'd love to see that girl kill this bastard, she thought.

Krysta had no idea, and Pollard certainly didn't, that the San Marco girl could weaken his power, but someone else, someone close to her, would finish Pollard off.

When that happened, Krysta Banks would laugh her ass off.

===
III


After his exam with his oncologist, Jack awaited the verdict in the doctor's office.

Dr. Grey didn't look pleased.

"John," he began, "you must know I don't have good news for you."

"I know you don't," Jack said; "but I want it anyway."

"The treatment we had you taking for the last six weeks failed, and failed miserably," Dr. Grey said. "Based on your health over the last twenty years of your life, you've been reasonably healthy. Quitting smoking was probably the best thing you could have done for yourself, but as of now, it's too little too late. John, you're still terminal. I'm estimating that you have nine to twelve months left. You may not make it to the birthday after this next one."

Jack had been expecting this verdict since Dr. Grey told him two months before he was terminally ill, but wanted to try one last treatment.

"So I should be getting my affairs in order and telling my family of my final wishes?" asked Jack.

"If you haven't already done so, John, I highly suggest it."

As Jack left the hospital and went to his truck, he found that he was not afraid of dying. Dying would be the easy part. It was the idea that he'd be putting Julia through losing him, just like she lost Ryan nearly four years before.

He wondered how she was going to find out about that conversation he and Ryan had several years before, because it was obvious to Jack that Ryan didn't live up to his end of the bargain to tell Julia about it.

How do I tell her that her husband came to me and asked me to take care of her? he asked himself on the way to the post office. After that, he'd see his lawyer about a couple of issues. One was about his will.

The other involved Julia.

===


After the police left with the intruder in tow, David turned to Jordan and said,

"Well, that was an interesting afternoon!"

"I'll say," Jordan said in agreement; "First we have our lives threatened, then Drake fights with the guy while Niki picked up the creep's gun and threatened to use it on him; then, Drake picks that moment to ask Niki to marry him and she said yes."

Drake and Niki weren't listening to her parents exchange. They were still talking about the new path their relationship was about to take. "I have to tell Kimber, baby," Niki said; "This will blow her mind!"

"It's not like she didn't know it was coming," Drake said playfully. "After what your dad said at Thanksgiving dinner the other night."

Niki gazed at the too big ring, which fit perfectly on her middle finger. "It's beautiful, Drake," she said in wonder. "I'll cherish it forever."

"It will fit you again on the proper finger, Niki," Drake said assuringly. "We need to beat this bloody disease first!"

Meanwhile, Sam dragged his brother into the kitchen. "Dude, when you going to tell Mom and Dad about Kelsey?"

"What about Kelsey?"

"That you're dating her," Sam said; "That you had a pregnancy scare. Shit like that."

"They know I'm dating her, Sam," John said; "They have met her. But the pregnancy scare thing they don't know about. I'd like to keep it that way, if you don't mind too terribly much, brother."

Before Sam could respond, they heard their father's voice behind them,

"I'd like to know about that 'pregnancy scare', John, if you don't mind too terribly much."

Busted! Sam thought.

===

Jaime had seen the herd of wild horses several weeks before early in the mornings when she was out doing her farm chores.

She was captivated by the beauty of the way they moved as one unit, as opposed to being individual creatures. However, she noticed that one of the mares was noticibly pregnant, and in her reading up on the subject of equine reproduction, knew that she would be giving birth around Christmas.

"You're totally engrossed in that herd of wild horses, aren't you, sis?" asked Miri one morning when she noticed her sister staring off into the distance when she should have been mucking out Sarge's pen.

"Jack doesn't have horses here, Miri," Jaime said as she watched the horses graze. "What if one or two of them come this way? I wonder if we could take them in until spring?"

"You read too many romanticized books about animals, Jaime," Miri said; "You think you're going to find the next Misty of Chincoteague out here in the plains of Wyoming in the middle of winter?"

"I liked that book, thank you very much, sister," Jaime said, still watching the herd in the distance.

"Look, Jaime, I'm not making fun of you," Miri said; "I know you love animals. That's why I think you should go to vet school. You'd be good at it. But taking in a wild horse is not the way to go. Besides, I think Jack said they're government property, or at the very least under control of BIA."

"I know, but I can dream about having a horse one day, right?" asked Jaime.

"Of course you can, sis," Miri said. "And maybe you will have one sooner than you think. But just like the other animals, taking care of a horse is a lot of hard work. You'd be cleaning out a horse's stall just like you're supposed to be cleaning out Sarge's pen. You think he's going to stand out there in the cold indefinitely?"

"I forgot all about poor Sarge!" Jaime said; "I better get busy with this so he doesn't have to stand out there much longer."

Miri just shook her head and went to check on Zach, who was milking the cows; and Rachel, who was gathering the eggs from the henhouse.

Soon, Jaime was done with Sarge's stall and she went out into the field to lead the bull back inside the heated barn.

"I'm sorry you had to stand out there in the cold all that time," Jaime said to Sarge; "I just got all caught up in the horses out there."

Sarge only gave a low, friendly moo in response.

"Now, Sarge," Jaime said as she secured the pen behind the bull; "Try not to mess things up before I leave. After I go inside you can shit up a storm for all I care. It's Saturday and tomorrow, your stall will be cleaned by Rachel, and I know you like her a lot!"

"Mooooo..." said Sarge, and Jaime laughed.

"Be a good boy and..." Jaime sniffed the air, then made a face. "You just couldn't wait, could you?"

Sarge snorted and mooed. Jaime got the feeling that Sarge was quite pleased with himself.

===

After the drama of Aaliyah shooting the intruder in her bedroom on Thanksgiving morning had died down, the Donovan family started to prepare for the holidays.

Jasmine had made an appointment with a psychologist colleague who worked with
gang members and adults who had served in the New Army as teens, to have Aaliyah evaluated for any sign of trauma stemming from what happened.

And, as KateLynn predicted, Aaliyah was bored with the whole process.

"Why do you keep asking me these questions about how I feel?" the eight year old asked the psychologist; "My life and my family's lives were in danger. I was the only one who could defend against the intruder. I feel fine. I did the right thing."

"But you're still a child, Aaliyah," the psychologist said; "You shouldn't take on the role of protector."

"What part of 'he was in my bedroom! didn't you get, Doc?" Aaliyah asked, getting angry. "What was I supposed to do, wait for my daddy to save me? I could have been dead by that time!"

"So, as far as you're concerned, it's okay to take another person's life?"

"As far as I'm concerned, if that person is threatening me with deadly force, then I have to answer with deadly force," Aaliyah said; "It's never okay to take another person's life for the sake of doing it. If they're not armed, or are not threatening life and property, I have no right to kill them."

"Couldn't you have cried out for help from one of your parents or an older sibling?" asked the psychologist; "Instead of taking matters into your own hands?"

"And have him kill me right then and there?" asked Aaliyah in response; then she said, "Are we done now, Doc? Because your questions are bugging me. I'm not going to go postal on anyone just because of one incident where I was put in the position of defending myself. I'm not a serial killer! My father and my uncle and aunt have taught us better than that!"

"I have just a couple of more questions, Aaliyah."

Aaliyah rolled her eyes, a gesture not unnoticed by the psychologist.

"I'm done, Doc," the girl said; "If you have any more questions about my feelings, ask my mother. She knows me better than you ever could." And with that, Aaliyah got up off the couch, walked out of the office, and told her mother in the waiting room that she was going to sit in the car.

When she had left to go sit in the car, the psychologist called Jasmine back to speak with her.

"Jasmine, I should have listened to you," said the psychologist; "You warned me that Aaliyah would not be amused by my questions and she wasn't."

"So, Diane, my daughter isn't someone you'd see as a problem in the future?" asked Jasmine.

"I don't know what Jeremiah and his siblings are teaching that girl, but she definitely has her head screwed on straight," Diane said.

"I could have told you that, too," Jasmine said. "My husband, nor his brothers or sister have used deadly force when it wasn't warranted. The man who taught them their skills was very clear on that when they were very young. They teach all of our children the same way."

"If she starts to exhibit undesirable behavior, Jasmine," Diane said, "you'll need to bring her back."

"I don't think that will be necessary, but I will keep an eye on her as I've always done," Jasmine said.

Later, Jasmine took Aaliyah out to lunch, where the girl complained bitterly about people asking her questions about what she did.

"Okay, so I'm only eight years old," Aaliyah said; "So what? I know that I'm not to use force against anyone except where I feel I'm in immediate danger. Aunt Julia taught me and Rachel that when we first got started, before we even shot a weapon."

"I know, Aaliyah," her mother said; "but people who don't know what we're capable of will see it as unusual for someone your age to know how to use a gun to defend yourself, then actually do it."

"I'm not answering any more stupid questions about how I'm feeling, okay Mom?" said Aaliyah. "If something doesn't feel right, I know enough to ask someone about it."

"Okay, no more questions," Jasmine said; "You're a pretty smart cookie, Aaliyah. I know you'll know when you need to talk. And I'm always available for that."

"I know, Mama," Aaliyah said.

===
IV



Pollard was pissed off that he had to delay his trip to Washington, D.C. because of the impending snowstorm due to hit the area. He sat in his apartment near A.R.M.'s headquarters and sulked like a child. Not even the pretty blonde girl he'd engaged in a night of debauchery could lighten his mood. He was stuck with the bitch because the same snowstorm that would be plaguing the Nation's Capitol was laying a fresh coat of snow on Buffalo.

Instead he took his frustrations out on the girl. Again, he insisted on calling the girl "Sandy", though the girl's real name was Corryne. Whenever she tried to correct him, Pollard slapped her, saying, "You will answer to any name I call you. Period. You understand that, bitch? If I call you Sandy, that's what you'll answer to."

Corryne knew better than to argue with him. He paid her to do what he wanted.

So he used and abused her, practising for the day he really had Sandrina San Marco under his control. Just thinking about the girl's body got him worked up for a fresh round of "practice" with the girl he was calling Sandy.

But, in his frustration, he went after the hooker a little too hard. He had trouble rousing her for another round of his sick games. He was relieved she was still breathing, but she couldn't be there if she was going to die on him.

So, Pollard dressed the girl, carried her out to his car, then drove her to a hospital in another town and left her there. He didn't even pay her because in his twisted mind, dead hookers can't spend money. He was sure she was as good as dead to him.

Corryne rallied, though. After her release from the hospital, she sought out the one person in the A.R.M. who could possibly help her.

===

It wasn't hard to stalk a girl with cancer. It wasn't like she went anywhere.

She went to the doctor for treatment, and after that, usually, she went to visit her parents. After that, she was usually alone in the little house on Bastrop Drive.

And that's where he'd get to her.

He totally forgot about the man who lived there with her. And, on the day the stalker went to take care of some sick nineteen year old girl, he didn't know that her fiance was there with her.


Inside the house, Niki had a bad feeling.

"Drake?" she asked; "There's something not right."

Drake looked back at Niki sitting on the couch, looking at bridal magazines.

"You okay, babe?"

"For the moment, but baby, there's something weird going on outside," said Niki.

"Like what?"

"Like we're being stalked. Like what happened at Mom and Dad's over Thanksgiving after Kimber went home," Niki said.

"You think there's someone outside waiting for us?" asked Drake, on his way to the closet in the entryway to get his gun. "Your sixth sense at work again?"

"I hope I'm wrong..."

"That's just it, Niki," Drake said while he loaded the gun; "You're usually right about these things."

Just then, Drake heard someone picking the lock on the back door. "Niki," he whispered; "hit the floor and crawl to the bedroom and hide in the closet, as deep as you can get. Stay there until I come for you."

Without saying a word, Niki did as she told. She crawled into the closet, closed the door, and got deep inside of it until her back was against the wall. She was hidden by bags of clothing that she was planning to give away. In the corner to Niki's right was a box with a loaded .357 Magnum in it that Drake had shipped from Australia shortly after they met.

Out in the living room, Drake waited for the person trying to gain entry to the house via the back door that led into the kitchen. He cocked his weapon and aimed it at the back door as it began to open.

When the intruder made himself known, the first thing he saw was a six-foot-three-inch, dark haired Aussie with a gun trained on him.

"Move any closer and I'll blow your fucking head off!"

The man moved closer, drew his own weapon and fired at Drake.

He missed Drake. His shot knocked the picture of Niki's parents house off the wall. The glass shattered into thousands of pieces.

Drake was faster on the trigger however.

And he didn't miss.

===