El Paso, Texas.

Present day.

It was another flop, just like others she?d been in over the years. She was entertaining herself by shooting flies out of the air with a home-made blowgun. The air was hot, due to the air conditioning unit being broken, the windows were open, and there were holes in most of the screens. She was sitting in a target rich environment. The old clock radio played Hold On, by Kansas and that was the next thing shot.

?Hold on, my ass.? She glared at it as sparks flew upward, and splashed on the wall. Her eyes fell to the ring she still wore on her hand, from the day he?d put it there. First her eyes threatened tears, and then her temper flared. ?I should have kicked his ass.?

She looked over toward the case, and then was suddenly finding herself wishing for the call so she could get the hell out of this town and back to her own house. At least there was air conditioning there and a shower that did more than dribble.

?Christ, where are they,? She asked, then checked her back-up piece again, and the sudden knock on the door snapped her into being ready. ?Yes?? She asked.

?We heard you know Scott Jones,? The voice from the other side of the bolted door said. It was part of the code, so she held tight.

?Maybe,? She replied. ?You know anything about surfing?? Rocky was drawing the pistol at her side, waiting and wishing like hell that someone was there with her.

?Only that he?s the best.?

Rocky put the Springfield into her left hand, and used the right hand to work the bolts on the door, move the chair, then finally looked out the crack in the curtains to see two men.

?Damn it,? She cursed. ?Okay, one of you steps back, all the way.? She watched as the taller of the two nodded to the other, and shook her head again. ?Great, the giant stayed.? She thought as she pulled open the door, allowing the man to see she was armed. ?Turn around.? The man did as instructed and she gave him a quick pat down, removing a knife that was tucked into his boot. Rocky hip-bumped the door closed and kept her pistol drawn. ?You have the cash??

?You have our items?? He asked in a thick Mexican accent.

She holstered the pistol but was still watching him as she used the toe of her boot opened the case of four Stinger B SAMs, and immediately his eyes lit up with a wicked light, and he plucked one from the case.

?United States Military Issued Stinger B,? He said in what was best described as guttural English as he pulled it to rest on his shoulder and peer through the scope, as if taking aim.

?Top of the line,? Rocky said. ?They even can detect flares fired from evading aircraft.? She ran a hand through her dark, sweat soaked hair. ?You have my cash?? The man sat the weapon back into the crate and looked at her, before looking around the room and turning back to face her.

?Mujer muerta should not have come alone," He was smiling then, wider, giving him an almost eerie appearance. "Twenty,? He said with that same smile, trying to renegotiate their deal, causing her to lock eyes with him and rest her hand on that pistol at her hip.

?Price stands at forty, just like last week.? Then her dark eyes narrowed. ?I don?t renegotiate. You will pay my price or walk.?

?Or you will what?? He was trying to use his size for intimidation and it didn't work with her, she stood her ground, and never showed any sign of anxiety.

?Take my merchandise elsewhere, someone that will stick to an arranged price.?

He watched her a long while, his eyes finally resting on the pistol at her hip, he knew she had no problem using the pistol, and he could tell from her slightly sideways stance, she was good with it.

?Fine,? He said coolly. ?Forty.? He started to reach inside his jacket and she drew that pistol again.

?Easy Amigo or your revolution goes on without you there.? She warned, watching him stop with his hand. She reached into the jacket and found a thick envelope. ?Okay, I?ll be counting this, when you and your buddy outside leave. If it?s not what we agreed on, your wife Rosa becomes a widow, his daughter Teresa buries her father. Am I clear?? The man just stared at her, she knew she?d gotten to him as he shrugged the other shoulder and glanced down. Carefully, she stuck her hand in that side inner pocket and found another thick envelope. ?See, you aren?t as dumb as you look, Trejo.? She patted his cheek. ?Take your case and go.?

Trejo bent and hefted the case as she opened the door for his exit. She thanked them for their business and bolted the door. She then practically fell to the bed, thankful the men had gone and that no one was shot, and that she had not killed anyone. The air in the room seemed hotter and thicker than she remembered, and her body was coated in the slick sheen of sweat, cursing the non-working air conditioner, she started counting the money, crisp, clean hundreds.

Everything was as planned.

The merchandise moved, the money made, she was ready to move on with her life, but with that thought, her phone rang.

?Madison?? She shook her head, recognizing the voice.

?David.? She said with a chill in her voice, and cringed when he laughed.

?It is damn good to catch you, how?s little league??

?Tommy?s pitched two no hitters.? Rocky replied.

?Wow that is great. So, I was thinking, maybe you and Tommy could come by for burgers, Lisa would be glad to see you both.? The man on the other end said, causing her to scowl.

?And how is your lovely wife??

?Right now, on her way to El Paso,? He said. ?I really hope to catch you and Tommy Saturday! Talk to you then!?

?Bye.? She tossed the phone on the bed, thinking over everything that was said between them. It was all code, same thing they?d always used over the years. Commander Stone had tracked her to El Paso, and wanted a meeting at 6, tonight. This was truly the last thing she?d wanted in El Paso, Texas. Rocky looked down at the ring on her finger, and closed her fist.

?Damn it.?

Cheyenne, Wyoming.
August, 2005.


Rocky checked her watch for the third time in seven minutes.

?They are late, I have to go,? She said, as she started toward the door. ?I have to be in Boston, tonight.?

The men with her looked upset and started getting fidgety. When people got fidgety, things went bad in a hurry. She sighed and checked her watch again, she figured time to get to the airport, traffic, luggage check, security checks, and no carry-on bags she could make it on time, late in the night, or at least before ten the following morning.

?Okay, I'll wait a little longer, but if they aren't here soon I have got to go.? She sighed and sat back down, impatiently tapping her foot to no particular rhythm.

?They said Ten o'clock, it is only nine thirty.? The man stared at her, smiling as he tried to ease her tension by informing her of what she already knew.

?I'm glad you can tell time,? She said with a scowl.
Suddenly the space around the cabin exploded with light and a grenade burst the glass of the window near her setting into a spin and spilling tear gas into the room.

?This is F.B.I. We've got the area surrounded.? She heard the voice boom over the speaker from the chopper overhead.

?Crap,? She said as she ripped part of her shirt and used it for a make-shift mask. She let out a breath and through watering eyes the two men with her saw her drawing her pistol. ?I am really sorry guys.? She shot herself in the leg, cleanly through her calf, knowing there would not be that much blood loss, the scarring wouldn't be noticeable, and she could still run if she needed to. She let out a scream like a B movie horror actress when she met the movie's monster, and then could hear the men outside.

?There's a woman with them! Hold your fire!?

?You crazy bitch! What the hell have you done?? He started toward her then, wiping his eyes and was almost there when the door was kicked open. He spun around and through blinking eyes could make out the form of three armed and tactical geared men pointing weapons at him.

?On the ground now!? They kicked his gun away, and the other man sat still, staring her way, then throwing his weapon down and raising his hands to the back of his head.

?Oh thank God!? Rocky said as she limped toward the door. ?You got here just in time, they were going to rape me, or worse. The crazy one shot me!? She started sobbing uncontrollably, as one of the men rushed from a black Humvee toward her with a blanket and wrapped her up, helping her to the helicopter where it had landed.

?Injured woman, clean shot, get her to the hospital. We will clean up here.? He instructed as the Co-pilot helped her aboard and to the seat in the back. ?You are going to be okay, Miss. You are with Pilots Johnson, and Day, they are part of our team.? He pulled the piece of her shirt from around her neck, and had a look in his eye she'd seen before, she smiled weakly at him, then grabbed him in a tight hug, thanking him for his rescue.

?You are letting the wrong person go! She planned all of this, I swear to God Almighty!? He was screaming as the blades of the chopper started spinning faster, drowning him out and blowing the leaves from the ground across them all.

She watched as he ducked away from the chopper, and carried that piece of cloth toward where the man laid restrained on the ground with one agent's knee in his neck and two more on his legs, she winced when she saw the man's boot catch him in the chin.

?Sorry Ike.? She said quietly.

Rocky had all of her fake identifications in order, license, credit cards, gym memberships, everything proclaiming her as Danielle Roberts, even the airplane tickets in her hotel room which was thoroughly searched said the same thing. There was nothing tying her to the foul up tonight, no trails, no leads, and no possible way that she'd assisted two known felons in the theft of thirty AR 15s, and twenty grenade launchers from a military cargo truck two afternoons prior to their arrest.

?Miss Roberts, I'm Agent Robison, just need to ask you a few routine questions before you leave.? Rocky checked her watch again, flight, traffic, security checks, shower, change, and there would still be time to make it.

?Okay, but I really need to make Boston, I think he's asking me to marry him and meet the family.?She looked at him with her best little-girl-lost look, and smiled. ?I just want to be with him right now.?

?I understand, and I'll get you to the airport myself, just a few questions.?

He smiled, a genuine smile, and she took notice of his eyes. Kind eyes, meant a kind heart, and now she hoped she didn't have to kill him. But by hook or by crook, she was getting to Boston.