He takes a long, deep breath then turns to face me, giving me a long stare that starts very hard then softens just a bit. "Miss Stanton, do you believe that there are some things worth dying for?" he asks as he cocks his head at me.

Oh, I really don’t like the sound of that question, and I most definitely don’t like the look in his eyes. "My personal beliefs have nothing to do with this situation – my commitment is to report …"

"Well, perhaps this might help you get in touch with those personal beliefs a bit more." This last comment is delivered as he reaches around to his back and draws a very large hand gun, pointing it directly in my face. "Because your death will save the lives of those hundred and forty people. Too bad your government was willing to let you die."

I have those visions everyone talks about. My life, such as it is, flashes before my eyes. I hear a roar and my world starts spinning. There’s something in my eyes, burning and causing them to tear up, I can’t see. I feel myself stagger as my hands go to my face. Then I feel someone grab me around the waist, pulling me hard to the ground. I can’t breath, I can’t see and I know I need to get away, so I fight. Lashing out, my hands are pinned right away as I feel a body cover mine.

"Stop, Kels! Stop! Just lay still! I have you!"

I realize it’s Harper on top of me, covering my body with hers. I try to hold still as she has commanded, but the burning in my eyes makes me want to fight. I hear distant gunfire, people screaming, metal crashing, vehicles roaring into the compound, sirens, men running and yelling.

"Harper!" I’m shaking my head trying to force my eyes to see, but the burning is so intense. "I can’t see!"

"I know, baby, I know. Hang on. It’ll all be over in a few minutes! Trust me, we’re safe. Lay still. Stop fighting me." She whispers in my ear, "Please stop fighting me."

I try to relax as much as possible but it is so hard. As I do, her body tightens around mine holding me closer and she continues to murmur in my ear. "I have you. I have you."

Then I feel her pulled away from me. I’m left blind and alone, and the panic starts to settle in again. Someone grabs me and rolls me onto my stomach. Oh God! I’m gonna be shot in the head. But instead of a bullet, I feel handcuffs being snapped into place on my wrists pulled behind my back. "Harper!"

"It’s the cops, Kels, the good guys. Don’t fight them. Lay still. They’re doing this for their own safety. They’ll let us go when they get it sorted out. Just relax."

I can hear all kinds of things but none of it makes any sense to me. There is only one thing that does makes sense to me. "Harper, talk to me. Please talk to me."

"It’s okay, Little Roo…"

"My eyes…" I sob, overcome by the endearment and the pain.

"They’ll be okay, Kels. I’m sorry about that, it was my fault. It’s just Capstun. I used it on the big guy with the gun. The wind swept some of it back, catching you in the face. I’m sorry. We’ll wash it out. In the meantime just try to open your eyes."

"It burns."

"I know, but if your eyes tear up it’ll help wash it away."

Again, hands I don’t recognize are pulling me up. The only good point here is I’m leaned against a back I do recognize and I feel her take my hands. Getting used to the burning in my eyes, I take a deep breath. "What in the fuck just happened?" I ask as I grasp her hands.

"The police were setting up snipers to take our host down when he put the gun in your face. If my camera survived, you can look at the tape later."

"What do you mean if your camera survived?"

"I threw it at him after I used the Capstun."

"You threw your baby?" I am amazed.

"Adrenaline is a wonderful thing, Kels." I hear her laugh a little as she gives my hand a gentle squeeze. "And you’re worth more than the damn thing anyway."


* * *

A while later, sitting in the comfort of the truck I feel her hand cup my chin. "Okay, Little Roo. This may sting a little, but it will neutralize the Capstun. Ready?"

I nod as I feel her pry one eye open and spray something in it. Then she repeats the process in the other. I can’t help but pull away and shake my head. My eyes finally start cooling and stop stinging. As I lift my head and open my eyes, she smiles at me, wiping away the tears with a cloth. Funny, the last thing I saw when I thought I was going to die, is the first thing I see now when I know I’m not.

"Better?" She smiles as she continues to wipe the tears from my face. I just nod. "Good. You know when we get out of here, we’re all going out for a really expensive dinner on the company tab." She reaches around and draws a blanket over my shoulders. "After we get really drunk tonight."

"Are you okay?" I ask as I notice a row of scratches on her neck. I must have done that with my fingernails when I was fighting her. I reach out and run my finger over them. "I’m sorry."

She acts like it doesn’t hurt to have me do that. "Yeah, I’m fine. Just a scrape or two. Besides, I deserve it since you pretty much softened my fall. I want you to go to the hospital and get checked out."

"Glad I could help." I laugh a little, as Jimmy hands me a cup of coffee. "I’m okay, Harper."

"I’m sorry it’s not tea, Kelsey, but coffee is the best I could do," the kid says as his hand comes to rest on my shoulder.

I smile at him and his orange hair. I’m really glad to see it again. "It’s fine, Jimmy. Thanks." I sip the coffee, hating the bitter taste but enjoying the warmth it offers. "Do we have any idea how this went so wrong so quickly?" I ask Harper between sips.

"Apparently Scamp and his followers had arrived recently. They liked that Sam and the others were a bunch of tree-huggers, figured they’d be easy to take over. Assholes like that are always the same: unwilling to pay the price of leadership, so they steal someone else’s followers. Scamp was wanting his jerk-offs to get the town stirred up against Sam’s leadership. Then he would step in and ‘control’ the kids, and take over the compound. But, the kids went overboard yesterday and beat up one of the shopkeepers, and then we showed up, and his timetable was blown to hell. So, when he realized his plan wasn’t going to work, he apparently decided to kill us and commit suicide by cop. In his mind it was a more honorable death than being taken alive. He also knew that by killing you, it would make national news and basically it would be Waco all over again. Kind of a ‘the government over-reacted again and a lot of innocent people got killed’ thing."

"Including a well known TV personality." I shudder at the thought.

"Including a well know TV personality." She says softly as her palm comes to rest on my cheek. "I’m sorry I got you into this."

"No, don’t you be sorry. We came here to get a story and it went bad. You had no way of knowing and it’s not your fault. It’s a hazard of the job."

"Still…"

"Stop," I say again as I sip my coffee. "We’re all okay and that’s what matters."

"You are amazing, Little Roo."

"Nothing to it when you’re inspired, Tabloid." I glance around and see the camera lying in the back of the truck. "Did it make it?"

Harper looks to the camera and sighs. "I’m not sure, I haven’t even checked it yet. I’ll have it checked out at the station before we fly home."

"I’m sorry."

"Yeah, well, that camera and I have been together a long time, but," she looks down at me and smiles, "it was worth it."

Yeah. I do love that smile. I catch her eyes and decide to tease her a touch. "Hey, Harper, got any more Twinkies?"


* * *

"So." I fold my long frame into the piece of crap Ford rental and close the door, resting my wrists on the steering wheel. We’ve spent the last few hours down at the local police station, once again, signing witness statements and drinking bad coffee, all the while putting the story to bed. I look into the backseat where Olson is stretched out and half-asleep and then to my other passenger whose eyes are only still slightly bloodshot. They’re beautiful, regardless, and I could drown in those jade depths but I shake my head quickly. Back to the topic at hand. "Where to?"

"Hotel," my companions say simultaneously.

I roll my eyes and start the car. "After the hotel, you party animals."

"Uh," Jimmy speaks first. "I’m gonna stay in, call my parents. You know."

I can’t very well rib him for that, it was a frightening experience, and I need to call mine before they organize a sit-in protest on my behalf. So I turn my attention to Kelsey instead. "You gonna call your parents, too?" I ask, without a touch of teasing.

She snorts, looks away as if the scenery we’re passing is the most interesting she’s seen. "Nah. What do you have in mind?"

I raise my eyebrow but she misses it. "I don’t know. What is there to do in Nebraska anyway?"

Kelsey laughs and shrugs her shoulders. I think she’s as reluctant to be alone as I am. It seems like we’ve been together forever and it will be strange to be apart. "Maybe we could find a gay bar," I suggest, pulling into traffic.

She gives me a withering look. "What in the hell would I want with a gay bar, Tabloid?"

"Hmm." I look to Olson through the rearview mirror and he appears suddenly interested in our conversation. "Good point," I say and wink at her.

She shakes her head but she’s smiling. Somewhere along the line we made a truce of sorts and I’m glad. I always liked her; it’s nice to have the feeling returned. Besides, it bodes well for my future plans that involve her naked and screaming.