| �We�ve made it,� says Ted, now driving a camper, parks it at a clump trees some distance away from the house on dairy farm�s long driveway. Gary comes alone to greet the camper as he slips his revolver into his overall pocket. Fighting the pain, Ben opens the door. �Gary! Get over here and give me us a hand.� Gary helps the other man carry the wounded man towards the farm house. Ben follows them as Ted grabs Justin�s belongs from the camper and continue after them. The door of the farm house opens, and the five enter. Brian watches them from his hiding spot. Other then his belongs, there was no sign of Justin to his relief. He smirks, �Good going, Little Rabbit.� Yawning, he rubs his eyes. Brian puts his binoculars away, pulls out his motorcycle, and quietly takes off back to Custer. *** Still damp from taking a shower, Justin is preparing for another injection for his knee in Ethan�s bathroom. Ethan is in the kitchen fixing them breakfast. He keeps an eye out the kitchen window on the FBI agents which is sitting outstride in their car, but fells to see Zach in overalls and wearing a John Deer ball cap carrying a gas can coming down the road. Justin wearing a leg brace is dressed in Ethan�s clothes. He sits down at the kitchen table as Ethan finishes butter the toast. �I realize it�s pretty late in the day for breakfast, but it�s the only meal I really fix at home here for myself,� Ethan explains. �It smells good.� Justin smiles. Ethan smiles back at him. �Alight then, what�s the game plan.� Justin tosses Michael�s wallet at him. �What�s this?� �I took it from the man who tried to catch me.� �And you didn�t report it!� �and neither can you. I checked it out already. I used Dr. Hampsted�s computer to call someone whose an expert. The driver�s license and social security number are fictitious, but that�s the man�s face.� Ethan opens the wallet carefully. �but what about finger prints. Did you finger through all this.� �No, I was careful. I borrowed a surgical glove.� �You need me to check this for finger prints then and run his photo?� �Yes.� �Without reporting it?� �Yes.� Ethan takes in a deep breath. �Okay, you got it.� He finds a large plastic freezer bag, slips the wallet into it, folds the bag around the wallet, and places it on the kitchen counter between the empty egg carton and the coffee maker. �I don�t want Blair and Blanie in the car outside to know about this.� �Ethan, I know this may seem completely irrational, but I don�t even know if I should trust you.� �I see. Well, tell you what, you tell me when you do trust me. Now eat your eggs, their getting cold.� Justin looks at Ethan and obediently starts to eat his food, and Ethan takes a sit across him. In a small room in a boarding house server doors down from Ethan�s house, Leda, surround with numerous electrical equipment scattered about, watches through her telephoto camera at a farmer, Zach, approaching Blair and Blanie. Zach simply walks up to the car with the two FBI agents in side, pulls out his revolver with a silencer, and shoots both men in the head. Then he pocket his gun and up to the house. Ethan is startled by his own doorbell. �Probably, one the of those guys needing to use the bathroom. I told them they could,� he tells Justin. He walks through the living room to his front door and peeks through the window. Through the window in the door, Ethan can see a farmer holding up a gas can. Zach says in a so-so midwestern accent, �Sure hate to bother you, Mister, but I saw all yours cars and was woder�en if you might have your own gas barrel?� Ethan calls back to Justin, � It�s okay. It�s just a guy needing some gasoline.� The second Ethan removes the latch, Zach burst through the door. Taken by surprise, Ethan is no match for Zach. �Justin run!� he screams. Zach locks his huge arm around Ethan�s neck and drags him through the living room. �Justin Taylor, I�ve got a proposition for you.� Justin steps out of the kitchen holding Ethan�s gun aimed directly ar Zach. �And I�ve got proposition for you . Let him go!� Zach doesn�t let Ethan go, instead he tightens his grip on his neck. �Kill me, and You�ll kill your lover boy here.� �You were the one of the men. You were in the pickup.� �Correct.� Zach looks down at Ethan. �Such a delicate area the neck. You apply the right pressure, and it snaps just like a twig.� �No, don�t hurt him. He�s not involved in any of this, not really.� Justin lowers his gun, but quickly rises it again. �Who hell do you work for?� �For Brian�s father.� �Brian?� �Oh, that�s right, you only knew him as Hugh, a struggling free-lance photographer. Brian is neither french nor a photographer, that much was already revealed to you when you were arrested on conspiracy charges.� �Those charges were dropped.� �Oh, yes. Thanks to Brian.� �Where is ... Brian?� �That�s the question, my son, it is what brings us all here. he disappeared without a trace, and you are going to help us find him.� Ethan�s body slumps into unconsciousness. �Let him go!� �Put down the gun. How long do you think your friend will survive without oxygen getting to his brain?� �You�ll let him live?� �If you come along with me quickly and quietly.� �There are two FBI agents right outside you�ll...� �There were two FBI agents. They are dead now.� Justin lowers his gun revolver and lets it drop to the ground. �Good boy.� Zach drops Ethan�s body, and it falls in a heap to the floor. |