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Deadly
Chakram 
TX
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Posts: 977
(4/10/01
10:36:48 pm)
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Spying On The
Bounty [ST from SUSA]
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Okay,
thanks to DC for giving Jack and Em another kid in "Jack and Em in
2000" and for other things inferred there and even in my JOAT/Brisco
xover, this is a train as to how the Stiles family reaches that
point... does this make any sense? Okay, I'll start
*******************************************
Times, they were
changing. The heroes of the American Revolution, the founding
parents of the first democratic nation in a thousand years or so,
were fading from the public's eye. A new generation of Americans
were coming up and making way.
She could see them through the
window from her perch on the oak tree just outside the farmhouse.
The men were gathered round a table, looking over a stack of papers.
"Alex!" a voice hissed. "Come on Alex! What do you
see?"
Alexandra Stiles looked down and in the darkness could make
out the silhouette of her twin brother, Jack, named after their
father and famed American spy. "Quiet! Do you want them to hear
you?"
"How are they going to hear me?" Jack asked.
"The same
way Dad does when you bring home those tavern girls," Alex returned.
"My point was, shut your yap! Uh-oh!" She glanced back inside and
saw that the men were no longer perusing the papers but were staring
outside through the window and had their guns drawn. "Get ready to
run bro!" Alex quickly scurried down the tree.
"What about the
papers?" Jack asked worriedly. "You know we were supposed to get
them."
"Mare's still around," Alex grabbed Jack's arm and the
twins headed for the woods, making it to the trees just as the men
came out and started to randomly fire their guns.
One of the men
held up his hand after a moment and motioned for the rest to spread
out and search for the intruders.
From their hiding place, the
twins watched the men circle the house and then they started coming
towards the forest.
Jack slowly started to crawl away, trying to
head deeper in to the woods. Alex stopped him. "Jack, we can't leave
Mare here alone!" she said. Marion, or Mare as she was known, was
their younger sister. She had just turned fifteen this year; the
twins were nineteen.
"I don't know why mom and dad insisted on us
bringing her!" Jack grumbled.
"You know why! These guys are just
the lackeys. Mom and Dad are going after the boss! And from what Mom
was saying before they left, they're already under
suspicion--"
"And they figured we'd be able to get ourselves out
of any mess we got ourselves in to?" Jack said. "Fine, but what
if--?"
"I'm not here?" a voice said suddenly from behind them.
Jack and Alex whirled to find that Mare had returned. "Did you
get the papers?" Alex asked.
"Duh!" Mare grinned and pulled them
out. They were rolled up and tied with twine.
"Good work, sis!"
Jack praised.
"Thanks. Now, let's get out of here!"
IP:
Logged
Melody
Member posted February 13, 2001 06:22 PM
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bump
IP: Logged
emilia01
Member posted February 13, 2001
10:11 PM
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Alex
and Jack ran toward their small cottage. They thought the home was
quite unfitting for retired spys of ther parents stature but oh
well.
They ran through the door with Mare a bit behind.
Jack
walked up to his childern "so how did you do?"
Suddenly, Emilia
rushed up. "Is everyone ok? We heard gunshots!"
Emilia went from
child to child checking for wounds.
"I suppose this is how my
parents always felt" emilia mused.
"We're fine, Momma" Mare said
as Em checked he over. "we got the papers too."
"Let me see!"
Jack cried as he took them from his youngest daughter and unrolled
them.
"They're
genuine!"
*************************************************
Like
this Mel?
IP: Logged
Melody
Member
posted February 13, 2001 10:15 PM
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Might
not have been where I would have headed, but it works! Nice job!
I'll see if I can't get my mind working and add something in a bit.
IP: Logged
Deadly Chakram
Member posted February 13,
2001 11:06 PM
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My
Muse is on vacation. Will add when it comes back! Interesting story
though!
------------------
Battle On,
Deadly
Chakram
Jack's Packer # 1350
Croque's Crony # 1350
Daughter
of the Dragoon #2
Emilia's Exporter/Inventor # 3
JC's Bird of
A Feather # 6
Brogard's Belle # 2
Keeper of Jack's Wit and
Sense of Humor
IP: Logged
Melody
Member posted
February 14, 2001 12:11 AM
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"Well,
now that we have them, we better get out of here!" Emilia said.
"Not again!" the twins groaned yet headed to their
rooms.
Marion frowned. "What? Why?"
"We'll explain later," her
father handed her a gunnysack. "Pack what you can in there. Don't
worry, your brother and sister have the same."
Marion frowned,
but went to pack. She found Alex in their room already stuffing her
sack with clothes and a few of her books.
"Better hurry,
Sprout," Alex said without looking at her.
"What's going on?"
Marion asked stubbornly. "Why are we packing?"
"What is it that
our family does?" Alex paused for a moment.
"Spy?"
"And what
did we just do?"
"Take papers that didn't belong to us, but they
didn't really belong to those that we took 'em from either!" Marion
huffed.
"Not the point. Apparently Mom and Dad's meeting with the
boss went sour, and now we have to leave here in case he decides to
send his men after us. Look, I know you don't get it Mare. The last
coupla times we had to do this, you were either still waiting to be
born or four at the time. Our family's been lucky for the past
eleven years, but now...we've gone and met our match," Alex added
after a moment.
"All right." Marion quickly went over to the
dresser and pulled out her clothing and stuffed it in to her bag.
Then she grabbed a couple of books as well and her rag doll.
Alex
wrinkled her nose. "You're not taking that old thing, are you?" she
asked, brushing a strand of her dark hair away from her
face.
"Why shouldn't I? Are we going to be coming back here
soon?"
Alex started to reply but stopped. The last times they
had had to flee their home, the people burned the house down. "Don't
think so, Mare," Alex fianlly replied. "You go ahead and bring
Jacqueline."
"Are you two just about finished?" their father
appeared in the doorway.
"Yeah, we're ready."
"Good. We've got
to move now! Company's coming!"
IP:
Logged
Melody
Member posted February 14, 2001 04:28 PM
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Once
everyone had what they needed, they hurried from their home and in
to the woods nearby. The twins, Marion, and their parents watched as
a group of ten men on horseback with torches surrounded their house.
A couple of them dismounted and headed inside.
"They're gone!"
they heard one of the men shout as the two people who went in came
out.
"Looks like they just grabbed some things and left!"
"How
long ago?" the leader asked.
"Can't really tell."
The leader's
horse pranced beneath him and pounded the ground with its hoof.
"Burn the place down and search the woods! I want them and the
papers found!"
"That's enough for today kids! Let's go!" Jack
tapped the twins and Marion on the shoulder and ushered them away,
deeper in to the woods.
The family ran along through the darkness
ignoring the branches that whipped at their faces and grabbed at
their clothing. The sounds of pursuit grew distant as they came out
on to a country road.
"Now what?" Alex panted as she and her
brother broke through the tree line.
"We keep going," her father
answered. "Mare, what happened?" Jack suddenly noticed that Emilia
and Marion were slowly making their way out.
"She tripped and
twisted her foot," Emilia explained quickly. "She's having
difficulty walking on it."
Jack rubbed his face tiredly. Jack
Stiles, you have really screwed up this time!
IP:
Logged
Melody
Member posted February 14, 2001 11:07 PM
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"Dad,
they're coming!" Jack Jr. hissed as he and his mother and sisters
heard the sound of distant hooves that became louder with every
second.
"Are you sure it's them?" Alex asked. "What? You know it
could be those guys who love to race."
"More than two horses,"
Marion gasped as she tested her weight on her foot.
"Jack, you
and the twins go on. Mare and I will follow later," Emilia decided
after a moment.
"Are you nuts Em? If Marsden finds you
two--"
"I know, Jack," Emilia sighed. "But if we try to keep
together this time...." her voice trailed.
"I'll be slowing you
down," Marion finished what her mother could not say. "All right,
considering I'm the one that just got hurt, I'll stay put. You four
get the heck out of here!"
"Mare no!"
"Are you nuts?"
"I
can't allow you to do that!"
The protests flew from every
direction. "I'm serious! Besides, you need to get those papers
wherever they're supposed to go..it's best for the mission that I
remain!" Even though it was dark with a small bit of pearly light
coming from the moon, they could see the determination and
resolution in Marion's dark eyes.
"All right Mare," her father
started after a moment. "But if you get killed--"
"I won't. Now
hurry! They're almost here!"
IP:
Logged
emilia01
Member posted February 15, 2001 12:34 AM
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As
her reluctant family ran, Mare was left all alone.
"What have I
gotten myself into?" she thought as she tried desperatly to walk on
her ankle.
The sounds of the men on horseback became louder as
Mare hobbled quietly under a large elm tree.
Suddenly, Mare got
an idea. As quietly as she could, she began to climb the young elm
tree. Although the pain in her foot was excruciating, she managed to
climb onto a low branch.
5 men on horseback appeared just as
she got settled onto the branch. They began surching the
area.
Mare held her breath as the tourch one of the men was
holding came dangerously close to catching the hem of her skirt on
fire.
"What are we going to do? We can't go back and face him
without those blueprints?"
"Just keep
looking!"
*********************************************
Thats
all i can think of for right now. And remember Mel! You got hugs
duty!
IP: Logged
Deadly Chakram
Member posted
February 15, 2001 09:12 AM
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"Keep
searching!" the leader of the group called out. "Fan out and leave
no stone unturned!"
"You heard him, get going!" the second in
command called after.
The men continued on after a moment.
Once they were gone, Marion let out a sigh. She waited a good
fifteen minutes before venturing off the tree limb and back onto the
ground. She picked up a walking stick to lean on.
"Now to
find my family," she thought to
herself.
------------------
Battle On,
Deadly
Chakram
Jack's Packer # 1350
Croque's Crony # 1350
Daughter
of the Dragoon #2
Emilia's Exporter/Inventor # 3
JC's Bird of
A Feather # 6
Brogard's Belle # 2
Keeper of Jack's Wit and
Sense of Humor
IP: Logged
Melody
Member posted
February 15, 2001 01:11 PM
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Of
course, that was easier said then done. She continued to hobble in
the direction her family headed and ducked behind trees or fell to
the ground when she heard horses coming. Several times Marsden's men
came by, yet thankfully they never saw her.
As the hours passed,
her foot throbbed even more and it became almost impossible for her
to continue walking, even with the aid of her walking stick. She
only stopped when it was too much for her to even place her foot on
the ground.
Luckily she had made it to a point along the road
where there was a nearby stream; the sound of water flowing over
pebbles and stones reached her ears as she came off the road. With a
weary sigh, Marion removed her shoes, her injured foot pulsating
madly at the sudden freedom.
Marion bit her tongue and squeezed
her eyes shut, trying to block out the pain. Slowly she placed her
foot in the water, startled by the stream's chill. The water going
over and around her foot was almost as painful as walking on it had
been.
After a moment, Marion leaned back on her elbows and gazed
at the sky. I hope they're all right.
"At first light, I'm going
back for her!" Jack Stiles swore. He, Emilia, and the twins had made
it to a friend's home minutes after some of Marsden's party had
stopped by, searching for them.
"And I'll go with you," Emilia
said.
Jack shook his head. "No, you and the twins get the papers
to the right people."
"The twins can deliver them, Jack," Emilia
argued.
"We want to go too!" Jack Jr. came in followed by Alex.
"Weren't you two supposed to be in bed?" their father asked
after a moment.
"Who do you think you're kidding, Dad?" Alex gave
her father the exact look he was giving them. "You know we don't
sleep if one of us isn't around."
"You used to," Jack
grumbled.
"We were kids then," Jack Jr. quipped.
"Look, none
of you are going with me," Jack said. "I'll get Mare and we'll meet
where we agreed we would if we got separated."
"But Dad!" the
twins started to protest.
Jack held up his hand. "That's final.
Now, you two go to bed." Alex and Jack Jr. turned and slowly left
the room, matching each other with curses and mutterings under their
breath. Jack chuckled as he watched them head to bed. "Now do you
see why?" he asked, looking at Emilia.
Emilia nodded. "You know I
should have figured that any offspring of yours would be
pigheaded."
"Hey!" Jack growled playfully. "Remember I didn't do
it alone."
Emilia rolled her eyes. "I think it's time we also
tried to get a little sleep," she said after a moment.
"Lead the
way, sister!"
She was eight years old. The twins were twelve,
and they were teasing her. They kept throwing her rag doll back and
forth to one another, tossing it so high in the air that she would
never have a chance to catch it. Suddenly Jack Jr. threw it so high
and far that it fell in to the well. She ran over and tried to scoop
the doll in to the bucket and then pull it up. "Help me!" she cried.
But the twins are gone, and the water from the well suddenly climbed
up and reached for her, droplets splashing in to her
face.....
Marion stirred but did not open her eyes. She heard
the sound of someone stepping on a twig. Before her mind could
register what was happening, she had water dumped on her and strong
hands yanked her to her feet. She yelped as her weight fell on her
ankle.
"Well, well, well," Marion looked up and saw a rugged
looking man with an eye patch. She immediately recalled her father
saying that he was one of the five held in high esteem by Marsden.
"Looks like I was right about things looking better in the morning.
It seems we've found the runt of the litter, and she's injured!" The
two men holding her started to laugh. After a moment, One-Eye
dragged his finger across his throat, silencing the other
two.
"Where's the rest of the clan?" he asked.
"Gone," Marion
answered.
"I see.." One-Eye stroked his chin. "No, I don't think
they would have left the papers with you seeing as how you would be
caught easily." Marion seethed silently at his words.
"Hey R.J.,
what are we going to do with her since she don't got what we're
looking for?" one of her captors asked.
RJ shook his head.
"Idiots!" she heard him mutter. "The brat's going to be bait. We
take her to Marsden, he lets her family know and soon he's got what
he wants."
"That's what you think!" a voice called.
Before
R.J. or his men could react, somebody was firing on them. R.J. was
hit in his thigh and fell to the ground. Seeing their boss fall, the
two men holding Marion let her go and took off.
Marion did not
know what was happening. She watched the gunman rush by on horseback
pursuing R.J.'s accomplices. She heard someone else come over to
where R.J. was and tell him that he was not going to get away this
time.
Her knees buckled and she started to fall. Strong arms
held her up a moment before easing her down to the ground. "Miss,
are you all right?" she heard him ask.
Marion looked up and found
herself staring in to a set of dark eyes, darker than her own if
that were possible. "Yeah..I guess so, thanks to you and whoever
that was on horseback," she said after a moment.
"That was my
father," the young man said with a hint of pride. "Name's Jamieson
County. Jamie for short."
Marion grinned. "I'm Marion Stiles, but
everyone calls me Mare."
IP: Logged
Melody
Member
posted February 15, 2001 04:08 PM
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"Mare,
huh? Not bad," Jamie nodded after a moment. "So, what's a pretty
filly like you doing all alone and why were those thugs after you?"
"Awww I don't need to be hearing this!" R.J. groaned.
Jamie
whirled on him. "Hey, you are in no position to be dictating
anything!" He glared at the bound man until R.J. turned
away.
Marion kept her eyes on Jamie. She was impressed.
"Well...the thugs were after my family 'cause we had--something they
wanted and I got hurt--"
"And you decided to remain behind so
they wouldn't be slowed down," Jamie finished, seeing where she was
going with her story.
Marion nodded. "Yeah. They weren't happy
about it."
"Don't blame them. You said you were hurt?" Jamie
asked after a moment.
"My left foot. I tripped and I think it's
twisted--hey what are you doing?" Jamie had placed his hands on her
leg.
"Just checking how bad it is," he replied.
"Okay.."
Marion said uncertainly as he started to feel her ankle. She took a
deep breath as his hands neared the area where it hurt the most,
expecting to cry out.
To her surprise, it did not hurt when he
squeezed the muscle around her ankle. His hands were very gentle.
"Well?" she asked after a moment.
"Well, I think it's better then
probably what it was because you reached the stream here. I take it
you soaked your foot to bring down the swelling?"
Marion nodded.
"But it still hurts," she said, a little whine in her
voice.
"Probably does. But you didn't mess up anything so bad
that you'd have to stay off it for a week or so. I'd say you'll be
back on your feet either by sunset or tomorrow, 'course that's only
if you stay off it for the rest of the day."
"Thanks."
Just
then Jamieson's father returned. "Glad to see that we got one of
them at least."
"Couldn't get the others?" Jamie asked.
"No.
They're around though, probably hiding somewhere in these woods." He
looked at Marion. "Are you all right?"
"Yes, thanks to you two
showing up when you did. If you hadn't, I'd be a hostage right
now."
"Dad, this is Marion Stiles," Jamie introduced
her.
"Just Mare," Marion corrected.
"Mare, this is my
Dad."
"Franklin County, at your service," Jamie's father tipped
his hat. "Stiles? Your father wouldn't be Jack Stiles, would
it?"
"Yes. Do you know him?" Marion asked.
"Only through
friends who've worked with him or were helped by him. Why are you
not with your family?"
Marion glanced at Jamie. "It's a long
story," she said after a moment.
"It will take us a while to get
to town--"
"I can't go there!" Marion cried.
"Why not?"
Franklin was confused.
"Because if she does, she'll be in more
trouble than she was here," R.J. supplied, an evil grin on his
face.
"Thought so," Franklin mused. "I take it J.C. Marsden is up
to his old tricks again. No, I don't know him personally," he said
when he saw the questioning look in Marion's eyes, "But he's caused
a lot of grief for a lot of people."
"So taking him in to town
won't do any good," Jamie said after a moment.
"It will if I tell
the Marshal there to hold him until he can be put on trial."
"You
don't have anything to charge me with," R.J. sneered. "I haven't
killed nobody and I sure as hell didn't harm her!"
"We'll see,"
Franklin growled. "Jamie?"
Jamie nodded and attached a length of
rope to R.J.'s bindings and gave the other end to his father. "Come
along now." Franklin nudged his horse with his heel and started
towards the road, heading in to town.
"Come on," Jamie helped
Marion to his horse and, once she was mounted, climbed on. Then he
clucked to the animal and they followed the Marshal and his
prisoner.
IP: Logged
Melody
Member posted February
15, 2001 11:45 PM
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"Mare!
Mare, where are you?" Jack had gotten up just before dawn and,
borrowing a horse from his friends, rode out, searching for his
daughter. He returned to the road where they had separated and
picked up Marion's trail. Her footprints were still fairly fresh and
he followed them and the marks made by her stick to the
stream.
"Oh no!" His eyes widened when he saw multiple footprints
on the ground. He discerned that there had been four men, possibly
five considering the galloping hoofprints he saw leading away from
the area.
Looking around some more, he found two sets of
hoofprints heading towards town.
IP:
Logged
Melody
Member posted February 16, 2001 11:51 AM
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Bumping
IP: Logged
Melody
Member posted February 16, 2001
09:52 PM
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Marion
was feeling better but she was still on edge. After she and the
Countys brought R.J. in to town, Jamieson took her to the inn where
she could get cleaned up.
"I'm going to be at the jail with my
Dad," he told her before he left her in the care of the proprietess.
"Okay..will you be back here, or should I come over there?"
Marion asked.
"I think I'll be back. Dad and I will be in the
restaurant. If we're not there when you're finished--"
"I'll find
you."
"Really? And what about your foot?"
Marion glanced down.
"I think it's a bit better now. Still sore, but not as bad as it
was."
"Huh," Jamie rubbed his chin.
"What?"
"Nothin'. Guess
you just heal faster than most folks."
Marion felt the heat rise
in to her cheeks. "Maybe," she said. "See you later."
Their
conversation had been an hour earlier. Marion had gone upstairs and
had a nice warm bath. She remained submerged until her skin became
wrinkly and then eased out and grabbed her towel. As she dried off,
she went through her things and pulled out a set of boy's clothing.
The skirt she had been wearing was torn and she did not feel like
wearing another. Besides, it was safer for her to wear the boy stuff
because she would be less recognizable--in theory at
least.
IP: Logged
Deadly Chakram
Member posted
February 16, 2001 11:50 PM
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Jack
had decided to follow the smaller set of footprints. Finially
arriving in town, he quickly scanned the area. He saw no sign of
Marion.
"This is just great," he mumbled under his
breath.
------------------
Battle On,
Deadly
Chakram
Jack's Packer # 1350
Croque's Crony # 1350
Daughter
of the Dragoon #2
Emilia's Exporter/Inventor # 3
JC's Bird of
A Feather # 6
Brogard's Belle # 2
Keeper of Jack's Wit and
Sense of Humor
IP: Logged
Melody
Member posted
February 17, 2001 01:14 AM
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"Well,
well, well. Look at who finally decided to come out in to the open!"
a sneering voice called out.
Jack turned his head. Coming out
from the tavern was a man he knew all too well. "J.C. Marsden.
Thought you'd be around here somewhere."
Marsden smiled cruelly.
"Of course Jack, I pretty much run this town."
"You only think
you do!" another voice called out. Marsden and Jack turned their
heads towards the jail. The Sheriff stood in the doorway, behind him
were two other men.
"What are you yapping about now, Joseph?"
Marsden calmly asked.
"That wasn't the Sheriff, Marsden. It was
me," one of the men standing behind the lawman came out.
"Ah,
Marshal Franklin County. It's been a long time! I take it your son
Jamieson is with you?"
"He is," Franklin acknowledged.
"I see.
Well, what brings you to this fair town?" Marsden said
cordially.
"I just brought in one of your men, J.C., for
attacking a young woman on the road," Franklin returned.
"Is she
all right?" Jack asked.
"Yes, please tell."
Franklin nodded.
"She's fine. She's at the inn right now."
Jack breathed a sigh of
relief. "Thank God!"
"Yes, it is fortunate isn't it that no harm
befell her," Marsden said.
Jack snapped his head towards Marsden.
"Not that you didn't try!"
"Really, Jack, I'm hurt! To think
that I would want to harm someone, much less than a lady?"
"To
get what you want, you'd stoop to any level, Marsden," that was
Franklin. "Especially going after a lady."
Marsden glared at the
Marshal for a long time. "Maybe so. But I'd never steal," he said
slyly after a moment.
"Yeah, right!" Jack scoffed as Franklin
chortled.
"I wouldn't," Marsden said again. "You, on the other
hand, Mr. Stiles would and did! From me. And I would like to have
what was taken back!"
"I just bet you would," Jack growled.
"Well, too bad!"
Marsden tsked. "I was afraid it would come to
this. Joseph, arrest this man!"
After she had pulled on the
boy's garments, Marion headed downstairs and searched the restaurant
for Jamie and his father. When she did not see them, she went
outside, heading for the jail.
She stopped dead when she saw her
father standing in the middle of the street, looking around. Before
she could let him know she was there, she saw Marsden come out of
the tavern across the street. She heard every word that passed
between him and her father, and then what was said when Franklin and
Jamie came out. Her eyes widened when she heard Marsden make the
order to arrest her father.
"Noooo!" Marion came out, still
limping a little.
"Mare!" Jack rushed over to her and swept her
off her feet, engulfing her in a giant bear hug. "You don't know how
glad I am to see you, Mare!" he said. "Are you okay?"
Marion
pulled back a little, meeting her father's gaze. "Yeah, but I
wouldn't have been had the Countys not shown up. You're not really
going to have to be arrested, are you?" she asked after a
moment.
Jack glanced back at the other men, particularly Joseph.
The man was wilting beneath Marsden's harsh glare. "Afraid so, Kid,
but only for a while."
"Dad, no!" Marion buried her face in his
shoulder. Jack held her tightly for a few more minutes, talking
softly to her, saying that she had to be strong and that she had to
let Emilia and the twins know what happened, and to go through with
the mission and deliver the papers.
"How touching," Marsden's
voice penetrated the brief reunion. Jack lowered Marion to the
ground as he approached them. "Unfortunately that sweet little scene
did not move me from my resolution."
"'Course it wouldn't," Jack
muttered. "You've got the compassion of a rock. I even bet you have
a stone heart."
"Or no heart," Marion grumbled. Jack shot her a
warning look.
Marsden stared at the two of them a moment before
turning back towards the jail. "You have your orders,
Joseph."
Joseph started to come forward, but Jack held up his
hand. "I'm coming. Just give me one more minute with my
daughter?"
Joseph glanced at Marsden. "Very well."
"Okay Mare,
remember what I said," Jack brushed away the tears on her
cheeks.
"I know. The mission," she whispered.
"Right." Jack
gave Marion one last hug and kiss before heading towards Joseph. As
he climbed the steps, he glanced at the Countys. "Would
you--?"
Franklin nodded. "Yes. We'll make sure she gets back all
right."
"Thank you."
[This message has been edited by Melody
(edited February 17, 2001).]
[This message has been edited by
Melody (edited February 17, 2001).]
IP:
Logged
Melody
Member posted February 17, 2001 04:13 PM
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*
* * * * * *
"I don't get it! Why did Dad let himself be arrested
like that?" Jack Jr. asked. He paced back and forth while his mother
and sisters sat. Franklin and Jamieson County stood in the
doorway.
"We were in town," Marion said from where she sat next
to her mother. Since she had been reunited with her family, Emilia
had not let her out of her sight. "If Dad had tried to get away, he
woulda been caught anyhow by Marsden's other men. Even though I
didn't really see 'em, I knew they were around."
"Don't doubt
that," Alex grumbled, tugging on her slacks a moment. "So, what are
we going to do?"
"I guess we wait for Marsden to deliver his
demands," Emilia said quietly after a moment. "No doubt he'll want
to trade your father for the papers we took."
"Mom, you and Dad
never explained why the papers were so important," Marion looked at
Emilia.
"She's right, Mom," Jack Jr. said. Alex nodded in
agreement. "Why are the papers so important?"
[This message
has been edited by Melody (edited February 20, 2001).]
IP:
Logged
Melody
Member posted February 19, 2001 01:23 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bumping
IP: Logged
Melody
Member posted February 20, 2001
08:41 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"I
think the less you three know, the safer you'll be," Emilia said
after a bit of deliberation.
"You may want to rethink that,
ma'am," Franklin commented. "I think in this case, the more they
know, the better they'll be able to keep alive, especially if you
all insist on going after Marsden."
Emilia glanced at the
Marshal. "Mr. County, I appreciate your concern and I thank you for
looking after Marion, but this is our mission. I shall conduct it
the way I see fit." The twins and Marion stared at their mother,
surprised at the haughty tone in her voice.
"Mom!" Marion
hissed.
"It's all right, Marion," Franklin nodded after a moment.
"Just thought I'd give you some advice. Come on, Jamie. Our work's
done here." Franklin placed his hat on his head and turned to leave.
Jamie glanced back at Marion before following his father out of the
house.
"I think somebody has a crush on you, sis!" Alex grinned
at Marion. Marion stuck her tongue out. "Oh, that's
attractive."
"Alex, stop teasing her," Emilia scolded. "We've got
to figure out what we're going to do."
"What do you mean, Mom?"
Jack Jr. frowned.
"Marsden will contact us to trade your father
for the papers, but we need the papers to deliver."
"Couldn't you
just copy the information?" Alex asked.
Emilia shook her head.
"Our orders were to get the papers but not to read them."
"Why
didn't you tell us this before?" Marion asked. "And don't say the
less we know the safer we'll be. Since when has that been true for
this family?"
"Hate to say it Mom, but she does have a point,"
Jack Jr. said after a moment. "We know you and Dad want to keep us
safe, but it's getting harder for us to participate in the missions
if you don't trust us with all the information."
Emilia looked
at him and then Alex and Marion. "Do you two feel the same?"
"I
do," Marion declared while Alex nodded.
"Keeping things from us
may have been all right in the past," Alex picked up where Jack Jr.
left off. "Probably did keep us safe when we were younger, but
now..." she shook her head. "Marsden's been the toughest we've come
up against in a long time. I agree that we should know
more."
[This message has been edited by Melody (edited
February 24, 2001).]
IP: Logged
Deadly
Chakram
Member posted February 20, 2001 10:07 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Meawhile,
Jack was thrown roughly into the jail cell and the door was slammed
shut behind him. He heard the CLUNK of the key in the lock. Jack
whirled on his feet and grabbed ahold of Joseph's shirt collar
through the bars.
"I swear, when I get out of
here..."
"You'll do nothing at all. J.C. has made
arrangements."
"Look, I can get you what you want if you let
me out."
"Oh, we don't need you to get us what we want. And
even when your precious family hands over the documents, you still
aren't going to breathe fresh air. The only way you get out of here
is in a coffin. Now, if you excuse me..." Joseph twisted Jack's arm
to loosen the grip on his shirt, "I have some business to attend
to."
Joseph snapped his fingers at a few guards who were
standing nearby.
"Keno, Randolph, Bruno, watch over the
prisoner and make sure he doesn't try anything."
The guards
grunted and nodded, then took their places to stand
guard.
------------------
Battle On,
Deadly
Chakram
Jack's Packer # 1350
Croque's Crony # 1350
Daughter
of the Dragoon #2
Emilia's Exporter/Inventor # 3
JC's Bird of
A Feather # 6
Brogard's Belle # 2
Keeper of Jack's Wit and
Sense of Humor
IP: Logged
Melody
Member posted
February 21, 2001 06:55 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"So
how does it feel to be a caged bird like me?" R.J. sneered through
the bars of the cell next to Jack's.
"Just be glad I wasn't put
with you!" Jack growled. "If my daughter had been more hurt then she
was--"
"Empty threat, Stiles," R.J. chuckled. "She would have
been safe enough if I had been able to get her to Marsden."
"Yeah
right!" the spy scoffed. "Marsden's real nice to the
hostages!"
"Hey, you two! It's Silent Hours!" the goon called to
as Bruno snarled. R.J. and Jack exchanged loathsome glances before
sitting down on their respective cots.
Emilia looked at the three
pair of eyes before her; two blue, one brown. It never ceased to
amuse her how much the twins looked like Jack, yet had her eyes, and
how much Marion looked like her, yet had Jack's eyes.
"Mom?"
Marion laid her hand on her mother's shoulder.
Emilia sighed. "I
really don't know that much more than you do," she admitted after a
moment. "All I know is that we were supposed to get the papers from
Marsden who is a shrewd businessman and owns a lot of land in
several of the states and a few of the territories."
"Is that
all?" Jack Jr. asked. "Doesn't sound much like a criminal.."
"No,
he doesn't," Emilia agreed. "But we know what he's like towards
those who've double crossed him."
"That's true enough," Alex
nodded. "I wish we could take a look at those papers!" she sighed
after a moment.
"We can't," Emilia shrugged. For a while no one
said anything. The twins started to pace and Marion remained seated
with her chin in her hand and elbow on her knee.
"Something about
this whole mission is fishy," Alex stopped pacing, causing her
brother to slam in to her.
"Sorry, sis."
"No problem. Mom,
Mare? Did you hear me?" she asked when they did not
respond.
"What mission hasn't been fishy?" Marion quipped
glumly.
"I know, but this one really reeks..but why..." Alex
shook her head and crossed her arms.
"I think we need help on
this one," Marion said after a moment, getting to her feet. She
headed for the coatrack and took down her jacket.
"Where do you
think you're going?" Emilia demanded as Marion pulled her jacket
over her shoulders.
"I know where," Alex grinned slyly. "She's
going after the Countys--or at least one of them!"
Marion rolled
her eyes. "Very funny, Alex."
"Mare, you aren't going," Emilia
rose and stepped in front of her daughter. "It's getting
late--"
"And I could get hurt," Marion nodded, having gone
through situations like it before. "It's not so late that I can pick
up their trail and see where they went. Mom, Mr. County knows about
Marsden. Maybe he can fill in what we're missing."
Emilia sighed.
"All right. But you be careful. Perhaps Alex or Jack--" she
started.
"No, I'm going by myself," Marion held up her hand
before her mother could finish. "You need them here to guard the
place as well as wait for word on Dad."
"All right," Emilia
relented after a moment. Marion grinned and gave her mother a quick
hug before rushing out.
"I'll be back before you know
it!"
[This message has been edited by Melody (edited February
24, 2001).]
IP: Logged
Deadly Chakram
Member
posted February 22, 2001 09:20 AM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Meanwhile,
at one of the ports in NY, a shadowy figure stepped off of one of
the ships. One of Marsden's men met the fugure after it had gotten
onshore.
"Did you get him?"
"Yes sir. We have him in the
jail right now. Marsden is waiting for you. This time we will not
fail you."
"You had better not," the figure threatened.
"Now, take me to the jail. I want to see for myself."
"Yes
sir, right away."
As short carriage ride later, the two men
stood in front of the jail. The guard, Thomas, nodded to another
guard. The other guard let them pass. As Thomas led the way to
Jack's cell, they were stopped by Marsden.
"I take it your
trip was well sir?" Marsden said humbly.
"Fool! I didn't come
her to exchange nicities. I can hear to get the mission accompished,
since you idiots have screwed up so many times. This time, I'll make
sure that you do not fail me."
"Of course sir. He's right
this way."
Marsden dismissed Thomas with a wave of his hand.
Then he led the figure around a corner, down a flight of stairs,
around another corner, and down a long hallway. At the end of the
hallway, he pointed the a cell of his right hand side.
"Here
he is," Marsden said, a hint of pride in his voice.
He
knocked Keno's nightstick against the bars to wake Jack
up.
"What the...?" Jack asked, looking around. "You again?!?!
What do you want with me Marsden?"
"You have a
visitor."
"Oh?"
The figure remained in the shadows.
"Well, well. If it isn't Jack Stiles, world class spy, trapped like
a helpess bug. Where are the papers?"
I know that voice!,
Jack thought, trying to place it. Of course!!!
"It's been a
while Broggie. So you're the...um...brai...head of this
operation!"
Broguard stepped out of the shadows.
"Oui,
monsiour. Now, about those
papers..."
*********************************************
Melody......I
TOLD you I had ssomething up my sleeve!
------------------
Battle On,
Deadly Chakram
Jack's
Packer # 1350
Croque's Crony # 1350
Daughter of the Dragoon #2
Emilia's Exporter/Inventor # 3
JC's Bird of A Feather #
6
Brogard's Belle # 2
Keeper of Jack's Wit and Sense of Humor
IP: Logged
Melody
Member posted February 22, 2001
11:09 AM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jack
shook his head, still trying to make sense of what was going on. He
could not believe that it was the former Captain Brogard, his
longtime nemisis when Jack was the masked crusader known as the
Daring Dragoon on Pulau Pulau, an island that used to be a territory
of France.
Brogard watched Jack, a small, cruel smile tugging at
his lips. "Yes, I know it has been a long time since we've had the
displeasure of being in each other's company," he said after a
moment.
"No kidding," Jack grumbled. "What's it been? Seventeen,
eighteen years?"
"That would be correct," Brogard nodded. "If I
recall, your brats were a couple years old. And now you've a third
child...how pleasant."
"See you haven't lost your old 'I hate
children' attitude," Jack sighed. "All right, Brogey, let's talk
about the papers, since I know you did not drag your carcass from
wherever just to ask after the family."
"Funny how you used that
term, Messieur Stiles," Brogard sneered. "Very well," he went on
before Jack could comment.
[This message has been edited by
Melody (edited February 22, 2001).]
IP:
Logged
Melody
Member posted February 22, 2001 12:20 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"The
papers are, shall we say, necessary to my plans for a new home
here," Brogard explained after a moment.
Jack frowned. "What?
That can't be it!" he said under his breath.
"And why not?"
Brogard asked.
"You wouldn't have your goons arrest me just
because I kept you from getting your dream home."
"Wouldn't
I?"
Jack glared at Brogard. "When Em and I were leaving Pulau
Pulau, I might have said yes, because I never thought you to be that
bright--"
"Still don't, I bet!"
"Maybe a little. But now...you
may finally get what you always wanted."
"And that would
be?"
"The Daring Dragoon."
Brogard grinned. "Oui, Messieur
Stiles, that is what I want the most, but I did not think it would
hurt to help my brother get ahead in life."
"Your brother?"
Brogard turned and looked at Marsden who waved, an evil smile on his
face. "Wonderful!"
IP: Logged
Deadly
Chakram
Member posted February 22, 2001 04:15 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*faint*
------------------
Battle
On,
Deadly Chakram
Jack's Packer # 1350
Croque's Crony #
1350
Daughter of the Dragoon #2
Emilia's Exporter/Inventor #
3
JC's Bird of A Feather # 6
Brogard's Belle # 2
Keeper of
Jack's Wit and Sense of Humor
IP:
Logged
Melody
Member posted February 22, 2001 04:19 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What?
IP: Logged
Deadly Chakram
Member posted February 22,
2001 04:21 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Never
mind Melody!
------------------
Battle On,
Deadly
Chakram
Jack's Packer # 1350
Croque's Crony # 1350
Daughter
of the Dragoon #2
Emilia's Exporter/Inventor # 3
JC's Bird of
A Feather # 6
Brogard's Belle # 2
Keeper of Jack's Wit and
Sense of Humor
IP: Logged
Melody
Member posted
February 22, 2001 04:25 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hey!
You don't get out of it that easy DC! I want to know *pouts*
IP:
Logged
Deadly Chakram
Member posted February 22, 2001
04:28 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Marsden
and Brogey are bros! *faint*
------------------
Battle
On,
Deadly Chakram
Jack's Packer # 1350
Croque's Crony #
1350
Daughter of the Dragoon #2
Emilia's Exporter/Inventor #
3
JC's Bird of A Feather # 6
Brogard's Belle # 2
Keeper of
Jack's Wit and Sense of Humor
IP:
Logged
Melody
Member posted February 22, 2001 04:31 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thought
that might be it! My relationship turns surely give you heart
palpitations, DC Let's just see how it plays out from here....
IP: Logged
Deadly Chakram
Member posted February 22,
2001 04:37 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LOL
Mel!!! You and the familt ties!
------------------
Battle
On,
Deadly Chakram
Jack's Packer # 1350
Croque's Crony #
1350
Daughter of the Dragoon #2
Emilia's Exporter/Inventor #
3
JC's Bird of A Feather # 6
Brogard's Belle # 2
Keeper of
Jack's Wit and Sense of Humor
IP:
Logged
Melody
Member posted February 22, 2001 04:47 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*************************
After
leaving the house, Marion quickly picked up the Countys' trail. She
was surprised to find it heading back towards town.
Why would
they go back to town? she mused. She thought the Countys would head
anywhere but town, especially considering the fact Franklin seemed
to like Marsden a lot less than she did.
A branch snapped
nearby. Marion gasped and pulled back on the reins. She sat there a
moment, listening, and scanned the surrounding woods with her eyes.
Oh boy, she gulped,this is not good!
IP:
Logged
Melody
Member posted February 22, 2001 06:13 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Her
horse stirred and softly whinnied, breaking the silence. "Shh, easy
boy," Marion soothed, although she herself was petrified. She knew
she was being watched; she could feel the eyes boring in to her
back, felt the hairs on her neck rise. Her horse started to prance
nervously.
A sudden rustling in the leaves above her made her
look up. Something or someone dropped out of the tree and landed
behind her. Before she could cry out, a hand quickly covered her
mouth.
"Easy Mare, it's me," a familiar voice whispered.
"Jamie?" Her voice was muffled.
"Listen, I'm going to take my
hand away from your mouth, and when I tell you to, I want you to
keep your head low. Got it?" Marion nodded. "Good." He released her
after a moment.
As soon as his hand fell from her lips, Marion
had to bite her tongue to keep from asking all the questions that
were circling in her mind. Glancing behind her, she saw Jamie
scanning the area. "All right Mare. Get ready...Now!!"
Marion
ducked down as Jamie took hold of the reins and nudged the horse
hard with his heels. The animal reared a moment and then took off in
a gallop.
No sooner had they started, a group of men on
horseback poured out of the forest and on to the road. Marion took a
chance and looked up.
"I said keep your head down!" Jamie growled
and leaned forward, forcing Marion back down.
Marion did not
argue. She heard the horses behind them and the angry shouts of the
men. They fired their guns after a moment and the two young people
could feel the bullets whiz by.
"They're gaining on us!" Marion
whimpered as a bullet just missed her.
"Not for long," Jamie
growled.
IP: Logged
Deadly Chakram
Member posted
February 22, 2001 11:08 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"How
well do you know this horse?" Jamie asked.
"Not
very."
"Great."
Jamie pulled on the reins and the
horse speed to the right. The men were right behind them. Mare
watched ahead. She saw the ground drop away in a sheer cliff up
ahead.
"Uh Jamie?"
She recieved no answer. Jamie
nudged the horse, making it run faster. Marion closed her eyes. She
felt the horse jump. They were falling freely
now.
THUD!
The horse hit ground suddenly. Marion had
her eyes tightly shut.
"Are we dead?"
"No, not yet,"
Jamie replied.
Marion opened her eyes. They were across for
the cliff now, and lower.
"Talk about your leap of faith!"
she grimaced.
------------------
Battle On,
Deadly
Chakram
Jack's Packer # 1350
Croque's Crony # 1350
Daughter
of the Dragoon #2
Emilia's Exporter/Inventor # 3
JC's Bird of
A Feather # 6
Brogard's Belle # 2
Keeper of Jack's Wit and
Sense of Humor
IP: Logged
Melody
Member posted
February 23, 2001 12:15 AM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jamie
tugged the reins and turned their horse around for a moment and
stared back across the ravine they had just jumped. Marion's eyes
widened at the gap between them and the cliff. "Whoa!" she
whispered.
"No kidding," Jamie muttered. "Now, let's get back to
my Dad, and then you can explain why you were following us."
"I
think you know why," Marion retorted.
"Okay, I do," Jamie
admitted after a moment. "But Dad's going to have to explain
it."
"What else is new?" Marion rolled her eyes.
"My parents
always have to explain what's going on..at least when they're
willing to," she added, a trace of bitterness in her voice.
Jamie
did not say anything as he turned the horse around again and rode
away from the ravine.
A few minutes later the men that had been
pursuing them rode up to the edge of the cliff. They stopped their
horses and looked around searching for any sign of the two young
people.
"Where did they go?" one man asked after a
moment.
"Maybe they're hiding back the way we came," another
suggested when no one supplied an answer.
"No," a third said
sharply. "They are not back there, and they aren't down there," he
nodded towards the raging river below. "They jumped
across."
"You're saying they actually made it to the other side?"
"Got any better theories?"
"No. So, what do we do? Do we go
after them?"
"We won't have to go after them. They'll come after
us."
IP: Logged
Melody
Member posted February
23, 2001 08:10 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Emilia
worriedly paced back and forth. Marion was not back yet and two
hours had passed since she left to find the Countys.
"Something
has happened to her..I know it!"
The twins, who had not moved
since their younger sister's departure, glanced at one another. "I'm
sure Mare's all right, Mom," Alex said after a moment.
"Of
course she is," Jack Jr. agreed quickly, seeing the warning glare
Alex flashed at him. "Why I bet she's with the Countys right now and
they're on their way here!"
Emilia stopped pacing and glanced at
the twins. She smiled after a moment. "It's not helping, you two."
Jack Jr. and Alex went over to their mother and created a not yet
complete family hug.
"Everything will work out, Mom," Alex
whispered.
"Sure it will," Jack Jr. nodded.
A sudden loud
pounding on the door jolted them from their hugging. Emilia looked
towards the door as Mr. Thomas, their friend and owner of the home
they were in, went to answer it. The twins and Emilia could hear the
voices of a couple of men, yet they could not hear what was being
said. Whatever it was, though, it did not sound good.
After a
few minutes, they heard Mr. Thomas close the door. He came in to the
living room a moment later, his head lowered and a slow shuffle in
his gait. Emilia inhaled sharply and waited.
"That was Joseph the
sherrif and a couple of his men. It seems that there was a break-in
at the jail and Jack was taken," he explained after a
moment.
"What!?" the twins gasped.
"Where?" Emilia
demanded.
Mr. Thomas held out a rolled up piece of paper. "I was
told to give you this. It should explain where they've taken your
husband and what they want in exchange."
"Thank you, Mr. Thomas,"
Emilia barely got out. "The twins and I shall look over this and
leave immediately. We don't want you or your family getting mixed up
further in this."
"What about Mare?" Jack Jr. asked.
"I'll
leave a note here for her," Emilia decided after a moment, looking
at their host.
Mr. Thomas nodded. "If she comes back here, I will
be sure to deliver the message."
IP:
Logged
Melody
Member posted February 24, 2001 12:29 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*
* * * * * *
"Idiots! How could you have allowed this to happen?"
Brogard demanded angrily. He and his brother had just returned from
dinner to find that there had been a break-in and Jack was gone.
"It wasn't our fault!" Keno cried. "We were out before we even
knew what hit us."
"I don't want to hear your excuses!" Brogard
snarled. "I want Messieur Stiles found!" Keno, R.J., and the other
three men nodded and headed out.
"Who do you think took him?"
Marsden asked after a moment.
"I know who took him," Brogard
answered.
Marsden stared wide-eyed. "Who?"
"A former
acquaintance of mine. This is her handiwork."
"Her? You mean a
woman did this?"
"Not just any woman..Nicolette
DuBois."
Marsden's jaw dropped. "Your former flame? The one who
finally exposed the identity of the Daring Dragoon to
you?"
Brogard nodded. "The very same."
IP:
Logged
Melody
Member posted February 25, 2001 12:19 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"And
just what would she want with him?" Marsden asked after a moment.
Brogard looked away from him and gazed at something only he could
see.
"Nicolette is aware that I would do anything to get revenge
on the Dragoon..I said as much throughout the entire time I was
courting her--"
"And then you left her standing at the
altar--"
"I was ashamed! She revealed the Dragoon's identity to
me and my former employer a month before France surrendered Pulau
Pulau to Germany for funds to further Napoleon's quest to take over
the world." Brogard shook his head. "He had been there the entire
time, right under my nose!"
"So are you saying she's did this to
get back at you?" Marsden asked.
"Oui."
* * * * * *
His
head was about to explode. As he regained consciousness, the
pounding inside intensified. Slowly, he became aware that the earth
was moving beneath him, jostling him around although he never moved
more than a couple of inches and he felt the tugging and tightening
of rope on his wrists.
"You may as well open your eyes, Mr.
Stiles," a feminine voice Jack did not recognize chuckled. "I know
you are awake." Jack kept his eyes closed. He heard the rustling of
fabric a moment later and whatever he was sitting on creaked as the
woman's weight settled beside him.
SLAP!! Leather met his cheek
and a second later, dainty fingers played at his eyelids, prying
them open.
Jack jerked his head away, hitting it on a wooden
surface. "Ow! Okay, okay! I'm up." The spy finally opened his eyes
and took in his surroundings. As he suspected, he was in a
stagecoach heading to God-knows-where, accompanied by a woman who
was mostly hidden from his view by a black cloak. There was another
man there with them and he kept a gun trained on Jack. "Mind telling
me what's going on?" he asked after a moment.
IP:
Logged
Melody
Member posted February 25, 2001 02:23 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The
woman turned her head a little so that Jack just barely saw her
lips. She smiled coldly. "Everything will be explained on a need to
know basis. As of right now, all you need to know is that you are my
prisoner, and if you try to escape," she paused and glanced at her
henchman. He nodded and raised his gun higher. "Let's just say it
won't be pretty."
"Can I at least know your name?" Jack asked
after a moment.
"My name is not important at this moment, but for
now, you may call me Madame."
Jack frowned but acquiesed. "Okay,
Madame."
* * * * * * *
Marion did not know how much time
had passed since she and Jamie escaped Marsden's men. She only knew
that after they had escaped, Jamie thankfully slowed down and she
had been able to take a little cat-nap. Once she had a little sleep,
she took the reins from Jamie and continued in the direction they
were going.
Now the sun was coming up, the dark black sky slowly
turned in to blue and then purple. Marion pulled on the reins,
bringing the horse to a stop. Jamie stirred behind her.
"Where
are we?" he asked.
"I was hoping you could tell me," Marion
glanced behind her.
Jamie looked around and groaned after a
moment. "Great! Just great!" he muttered.
"What?"
"Well we're
a few miles from where we want to be."
"Which is?"
"Our
campsite. If I'm not mistaken, we're a bit too far southwest of
where we want to be. I remember these woods..the road's just a
little bit that way.." Jamie pointed.
"Great," Marion muttered.
"My mother's going to kill me!"
"No she won't. You couldn't help
the fact you were chased by men," Jamie said with a grin.
"I hope
you meant that in another way then what it sounded," Marion
grumbled. Jamie just laughed. "So, what do we do now?"
"Turn
around. What else?" Jamie took the reins from Marion and turned the
horse around, heading for the road.
"Shouldn't we keep to the
trees?" Marion asked. "I mean, what if Marsden's men are still out
looking for us?"
"Then they're still looking for us." Marion
rolled her eyes. "What? What do you want me to say? Look, if we hear
horses or anything, we'll duck back in to the woods."
Marion was
not listening. She heard the sound of creaking wood and horses
trotting in time with one another. Keeping her eyes straight ahead,
she saw a large shadow coming through the early morning fog. "Jamie,
look!"
"I see..so it's a stagecoach. Big deal," Jamie nudged
their horse further.
Battle On, Deadly Chakram |
Deadly
Chakram
TX
Moderator
Posts: 978
(4/10/01
10:38:24 pm)
|
Re: Spying On
The Bounty [ST from SUSA]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"There're
a couple of riders ahead!" the driver called in to the coach a while
later.
Madame glanced at Jack. "Can you see who they are?" she
asked after a moment.
"'Pears to be a young couple," the driver
returned.
Madame visibly became more relaxed and settled back on
the seat. "Carry on, then."
Marion and Jamie watched the coach
heading towards them. Pulling their horse to the side, they gave it
a wide berth. Marion gasped suddenly as the coach passed them.
"That's my father!" she hissed, keeping her voice low. Before Jamie
knew what she was about, Marion had jumped off the horse and was
heading after the coach.
"Mare! What do you think you're
doing?!"
"I'm going to see where they're headed! You find your
dad and get the rest of my family!" Marion paused briefly and then
caught up with the coach and grabbed on to the back.
For a moment
Jamie debated what he should do. If he followed the coach, it would
jeopardize Marion's position, not that the position she was in at
the moment was less hazardous. And knowing his father, Franklin was
probably already aware of Jack's abduction and would be informing
his family about it or following whatever trail there
was...
"Jamie, is that you?"
Jamie had not heard the rider
approach. "Yeah, it's me."
"Thank God!" his father exclaimed.
"Did you find her? Where is she now?" Franklin demanded, not seeing
the girl anywhere.
"She had a coach to catch," Jamie replied
after a moment.
"Don't tell me she--?"
"Yes."
"Why didn't
you stop her? Don't you know who that was?"
"Whoever it was, they
had Mare's father," Jamie said defensively. "She wanted to
go."
Franklin nodded. "I'm sure she did. Then we're just going to
have to go after her."
"What about the rest of her family?"
"They can take care of themselves as long as they keep the
papers away from Brogard and Marsden."
"And if they
can't?"
"We'll worry about that after we take care of Ms.
DuBois."
"What!? That was who was.." Jamie's eyes
widened.
"Yep. Now you know why I was upset. If she finds her
when she has him--"
"Okay, I know! Let's go."
IP:
Logged
Melody
Member posted February 26, 2001 01:24 AM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*
* * * * * * * *
After Mr. Thomas promised to deliver the note to
Marion if she returned, Emilia, Alex, and Jack Jr. procured three
horses and rode off to find Jack. They travelled along the same road
they had fled on, heading in the direction of their old
home.
"Mom, I don't think anyone's come this way!" Jack said
after a while. "I don't see any hoofprints or wheel
tracks."
Emilia stopped and looked around. Jack Jr. was right.
"Wonderful..then I suppose we should turn around."
"That would be
an excellent idea," a sinister voice said from behind them. It was
accompanied by the sound of several guns being cocked.
Slowly,
Emilia and the twins turned around. Standing twenty feet behind them
were Marsden, his men, and somebody who kept his face hidden. Emilia
frowned a bit, certain that she knew the man.
"Hello Marsden,"
Emilia greeted after a moment, her voice hard.
"I think we can
skip the pleasantries, don't you?" Marsden sneered. "Now, where are
the papers? If you don't tell me, I'll have my men kill your
brats--"
"You'll do no such thing!" the hidden man grabbed
Marsden's arm, gripping it tightly. Marsden started to protest, but
one look at the man and he closed his mouth. "It has been a long
time, Emilia," the man said, turning back to the family.
Emilia
frowned. "Do I know you?" she asked.
"I would certainly hope so."
The man finally revealed his face and Emilia gasped and stared
wide-eyed.
"Who is it?" Alex asked.
"Brogard! You are the one
behind all this?"
"Brogard?" Alex and Jack Jr. echoed.
"You
mean the stupid French Frie Dad was always fighting?" Jack Jr. added
causing Marsden and his men to chuckle at Brogard's
expense.
Emilia shot her son a warning look. "Yes," she said
after a moment.
Brogard forced a smile. "How charming. I can see
the resemblance between father and son."
"Besides the papers,
Brogard, what do you want?" Emilia asked already suspecting the
answer.
"Your husband, of course. I have yet to defeat the Daring
Dragoon--"
"Dad's no longer the Dragoon!" Alex scoffed. "He hung
up his cape when we came here!"
"Perhaps not now," Brogard
conceded and walked over to Alex. "But he was!" Before anyone knew
what he was doing, Brogard reached up and yanked Alex off her horse
and held on to her. "Don't even think about trying to help her," the
French man warned. "Search their things! If the papers are with
them..."
Marsden and his men quickly obeyed. Keeping their
weapons trained on Emilia and Jack Jr. they searched their
saddlebags and bedrolls.
"The papers aren't here. Just one book
apiece, clothes, and then this rag doll here," one of the men held
the doll up.
"A doll?" Brogard sneered at Alex.
"Hey, don't
look at me! It's my sister's!"
"Of course. Very well, it seems as
if I'm going to have to hold one of you hostage, and you my dear,
are it!" Brogard pushed Alex back in to the arms of two of his
men.
"What?!" Emilia and Jack Jr. balked.
"Here is the deal.
You have those papers hidden somewhere and, while I would like to
have them, I also want your husband as well. So, I, along with my
brother and three of our men will join you. Besides, I have another
score to settle with the person that took your husband in the first
place. In the meantime, your other daughter will remain in jail
here--or somewhere under guard while the jail is fixed," Brogard
amended.
Emilia glanced at her son and then looked over to where
Alex was. She saw fear in her eyes, but Alex managed to nod her
head. "Very well, Brogard. But if anything happens to me, my son, or
her, you'll never get your hands on the papers."
"Of course,"
Brogard nodded. "Nothing will happen..yet." The French man let the
threat hang between them for a moment before he, Marsden, and three
others mounted and joined the two Stiles. "Oh, and to be sure that
you two don't try to escape," Brogard nodded and two of the henchman
bound Jack Jr.'s and Emilia's hands. Then a bit of rope was tied to
the bridles of their horses and the other ends went to Brogard and
Marsden.
"I hope Marion is having better luck then we are!" Jack
Jr. muttered as they rode off.
[This message has been
edited by Melody (edited February 26, 2001).]
IP:
Logged
Deadly Chakram
Member posted February 26, 2001
03:45 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The
guards left the family's belongings on the ground. Jack Jr. cast one
last look, memorizing the spot, for inside the rag doll, he had
hidden the papers. No one knew, not even his mother and
sister.
****************
Meanwhile, Marion followed the
couch at a safe distance. Her horse moved almost noislessly under
the cover of night. She could make out the silohette of her father.
There was a woman inside, she could tell by the long hair, and
another man. Marion could see he held a gun. At first, she could she
her father and the woman fighting. What she saw next shocked
her.
***********
"So Messiour Stiles, tell me,
whatever are you doing here?"
"You should know whoever you
are. You obviously want something, or you would not have kidnapped
me from jail. I'm not worth enough for ransom."
"Alright,
we'll skip the formailites then. Tell me, where are the
papers."
"I don't know!" Jack said earnestly.
DuBois
did not answer for a moment. "Don't lie to me!" she said, coming
nearer to him.
"I swear I don't know! Brogard probablt has
then by now," he said, hoping that the last part sounded
convincing.
"Brogard huh? He couldn't find his own sword even
it was sticking out of his own chest!" she said harshly. Then,
chaning her tine she turned to Jack and said in a seductive voice,
"Now tell me where they are."
She forced her self onto him
and kissed him passionatley on the lips. Then she got up, smoothed
her dress, and sat on the opposite side of the carriage. Jack still
said nothing.
So he won't talk. Let's see how long that
lasts. He's ingested the posion I mixed into my lip ointment. Within
ten minutes it should take effect, she thought to herself. And only
I have the antidote as an extra percaution.
------------------
Battle On,
Deadly
Chakram
Jack's Packer # 1350
Croque's Crony # 1350
Daughter
of the Dragoon #2
Emilia's Exporter/Inventor # 3
JC's Bird of
A Feather # 6
Brogard's Belle # 2
Keeper of Jack's Wit and
Sense of Humor
IP: Logged
Deadly Chakram
Member
posted February 27, 2001 10:11 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Within
a few moments, Jack's face became ashen. The posion was taking
effect.
"So, have you decided to change your mind yet, Mister
Stiles?"
Jack said nothing still.
A few hours later,
the carriage stopped. He was blindfolded and lead to another cell
inside a large, abandoned fort. Once he was in his cell, his
blindfold was removed.
"Time for your medicine brave man!"
DuBois taunted.
More posion was forced down his
throat.
"Pierre! I want you and your men to get the
information at whatever cost. Beat it out of him if you need
to."
"Oui Madame!"
DuBios turned and left after a
"Very good then."
Pierre and his thugs turned to Jack. Jack
was shackled to the wall, his legs spread and his arms above his
head. Pierre and his men began to beat up on Jack. This continued as
they tried to force the infromation from him. All the while, Jack
made no sound.
"Whip!" Pierre ordered one of his
men.
Tearing Jack's shirt in the back, Pierre's strongest man
began to lash Jack. Jack cried out in pain, but still said nothing.
------------------
Battle On,
Deadly
Chakram
Jack's Packer # 1350
Croque's Crony # 1350
Daughter
of the Dragoon #2
Emilia's Exporter/Inventor # 3
JC's Bird of
A Feather # 6
Brogard's Belle # 2
Keeper of Jack's Wit and
Sense of Humor
IP: Logged
Melody
Member posted
February 27, 2001 10:54 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Marion
could not believe her eyes when she saw the woman kissing her father
and he did not even try to stop it! Maybe he couldn't, she thought,
attempting to push aside the other nagging idea in her mind that he
actually said something to encourage the action. Don't be silly! He
loves mom!
She followed the coach until it reached an abandoned
fort. Watching from the cover of the forest, she saw the coach roll
through the wooden gates which were immediately shut and locked once
it was inside. Great! Now how am I supposed to get in?
After a
few minutes, Marion decided to leave her horse tied to a tree and
scan the fort's perimeter and look for a possible way in. She moved
slowly across and around the small open field between the forest and
the fort, keeping her eyes on the men standing guard at the gate.
IP: Logged
Melody
Member posted February 27, 2001
11:14 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
They
did not see her, thankfully, as she raced across the field once she
was close enough to the fort and hid on the side opposite the
guards. After taking a moment to catch her breath, Marion moved
around the structure, checking for windows, cracks, or anything that
would enable her to get inside or at least see what was going
on.
Swish-SNAP! Swish-SNAP! Swish-SNAP! Marion grimaced at the
sound of a whip. Oh no.. As she rounded the last wall, she saw a
window with bars on it a few feet above her. After the whipping
stopped, she heard a low groan. Marion had to bite her tongue to
keep from crying out.
IP: Logged
Deadly Chakram
Member
posted February 27, 2001 11:21 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jack
was forced roughly back into his cell. Blood flowed freely from
innumerable wounds. Beaten, posioned, and exhausted, he laid down on
his stomach on the wooden bench. With each movement, pain shot
through his body. Thankfully, the sweet caress of sleep soon
overtook him.
------------------
Battle On,
Deadly
Chakram
Jack's Packer # 1350
Croque's Crony # 1350
Daughter
of the Dragoon #2
Emilia's Exporter/Inventor # 3
JC's Bird of
A Feather # 6
Brogard's Belle # 2
Keeper of Jack's Wit and
Sense of Humor
IP: Logged
Melody
Member posted
February 27, 2001 11:55 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*
* * * * * * *
"That's right. A coach came through about two
days ago," the old man sitting out in front of the General Store in
a rocking chair nodded. "There was also a girl followin' it. The
young lady was disguised as a boy, but I could tell she weren't no
male!"
"Thank you for the information. You've been most helpful,"
Franklin County nodded and walked away, heading back towards the
stable.
Jamieson caught up with his father. "So?"
"They've
been through here and Marion is still following them. No doubt
they're headed towards the old fort."
"Great. So, what's the
plan?"
"We'll think of one on the way."
* * * * * * *
*
It was almost dawn. Jack slowly opened his eyes and saw a
familiar face looking down at him. Before he could speak, she
quickly covered his mouth with her hand.
"You don't know me," she
mouthed as Madame entered the cell.
Jack's mind was whirling.
"What's going on?" he croaked, realizing suddenly that his wounds of
three days were not as painful as they once were.
"I am keeping
you alive," Madame said with a smirk. "You aren't worth anything
dead, especially with the papers still being out there somewhere.
This is Flori, your nurse, so to speak. She will be treating your
wounds, keeping you alive while you are being tortured."
Jack
grimaced. "You are one twisted sister!" he said after a
moment.
Madame smiled cruelly. "You have no idea! I will leave
you two now. Flori, Pierre will let you out when you call."
"Yes
Madame," Flori curtsied. Satisfied, Madame went out and locked the
cell behind her.
Once Flori was sure she was gone and Pierre was
nowhere nearby, she turned her attention back to Jack. Before she
could react, he reached out and grabbed her arm, pulling her towards
him and down on her knees.
"What the hell do you think you are
doing!?" he hissed.
"Trying to keep you alive long enough so I
can get you out of here!" Marion shot back, trying hard not to
cry.
Jack looked at her a moment before releasing her. "You
shouldn't be here!" he said hoarsely as he looked away.
"Well, I
am," she returned. "And while I am, I am going to 'keep you alive'
and find the antidote for the poison she's
using."
"Poison?"
"Read my lips--poison. She's already given
you enough that you should be dead, but she keeps mixing the
antidote in the water and food they are willing to give
you.."
Jack held up his hand. "I get the point. I'm being kept
alive to torture..what else is new? First Brogard, now
her--"
"Brogard? You mean the French Frie you fought as the
Dragoon?" Marion asked.
Jack nodded. "He's the one behind
everything, although now it looks like he has competition from
Madame. Something tells me she doesn't like him much."
"Does
anybody?" Marion grinned.
Jack chuckled and then grimaced. "Look,
you better finish up and then get back to wherever you're supposed
to be until..you know."
"Yeah, I do," Marion sighed. Once she was
finished, she called for Pierre to let her out.
"I'm glad to see
you, Mare," Jack said before Pierre came. "Although when we get out
of here, you are grounded!" Marion stuck her tongue out making Jack
smile. "You be careful."
[This message has been
edited by Melody (edited February 28, 2001).]
IP:
Logged
Melody
Member posted February 28, 2001 09:40 AM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*
* * * * * * * * *
"All right you two! Wake up!" Emilia slowly
opened her eyes. She and her son had once again spent the night
bound to a tree with two of their captors always standing guard.
Jack Jr. stirred beside her. The two captives remained silent as
they were untied and then brought over to the fire where Brogard and
Marsden were preparing a meager meal.
After a few minutes the
food was served. Emilia and Jack Jr. barely picked at theirs while
the men wolfed theirs down. Mother and son were very aware of what
would come next.
"I don't suppose you'd feel like enlightening us
about the whereabouts of the papers?" Marsden asked.
"Not
really," Emilia replied curtly. "And you know the reason for
that!"
"I'm sorry Emilia, but your daughter has to remain where
she is," Brogard said. "Of course, you may want to reconsider
because it is very possible that when we do find your husband, he'll
be dead and the papers would be in worse hands than
mine."
"That's hard to believe!" Jack Jr. muttered.
Emilia
turned towards her son and shook her head. Then, turning back to
Brogard, "You always say that. Perhaps you should let us know who it
is that we're up against. Who he is--"
"It isn't a he," Marsden
interrupted before Brogard could stop him. "What? They were going to
find out later!"
"Yes, but only when I decided," Brogard
hissed.
"You mean a woman took Jack?" Jack Jr. asked.
"Who?"
"Nicolette DuBois," Emilia answered dryly. "Oh, don't look
so surprised Brogard. There are very few women, I would think, who
would actually try to get back at you for whatever wrong you did to
them. Ms. DuBois always struck me as that sort of woman."
"How do
you know about her, Mom?"
Emilia looked at Brogard. "Perhaps he
should explain it."
"Later," Brogard growled after a moment.
"We've got to move along now."
[This message has been edited
by Melody (edited March 05, 2001).]
IP:
Logged
Melody
Member posted February 28, 2001 08:58 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*
* * * * * * *
They reached the fort two days later. Franklin and
Jamieson found Marion's horse and quickly came to the conclusion
that she was inside with her father.
"She'd better be all right,"
Jamie muttered as he tied their animals with Marion's.
"I'm sure
she's fine. Knowing DuBois, if she knew Marion's true identity,
Marion would be hanging somewhere where we could see
her--"
"Dad!" Jamie made a face.
"Well, it's true," Franklin
shrugged.
"Well, what if DuBois knows and she's using Marion to
get Jack to talk?" Jamie countered after a moment.
Franklin
nodded slowly. "Possible, but I don't think so. I've told you how
vicious she can be."
"Yeah. It's amazing Brogard's still alive
after what she did to him," Jamie agreed. "So, do you have a plan
yet as to how we're going to get in there?"
"Yep. We're going to
disguise ourselves as travelling salesmen."
Jamie rolled his
eyes. "Brilliant, Dad. Then what?"
"While I'm showing her our
wares, you're going to find Jack and Marion."
"And if the plan
doesn't work?"
"We improvise."
IP:
Logged
Deadly Chakram
Member posted February 28, 2001
09:56 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In
his cell, Jack felt miserable. The posion was taking its toll on
him. His chest was heavy and he breathed in asthamtic gasps. Every
few minutes a cughing fit would grasp him for several long moments
at a time. And he was weak, terribly weak. Twice more the guards had
beaten him in a similar fashion. Both times Jack had not uttered a
sound. He felt removed from the pain now. It was there, but he
barely recognized it.
"Let me see the prisoner," Marion ordered
the guard outside her father's cell.
Obediantly, the guarded
did as he was told. Marion walked into the cell and went to her
father's side.
"Hey," she whispered. "How are you
feeling?"
"Oh, never been better," he gasped in
reply.
"Here, let me see your newest wounds."
Marion
began to bandage on of the deep cuts on his head and one
particularly nasty wound on his right arm.
"Thanks," Jack
smiled at his daughter.
A coughing fit overtook him before he
could say more. Jack put his hand up to his mouth adn coughed
violently. When the fit ceased a minute later, his chest heaved as
he tried to catch his breath. Feeling something sticky on his hand,
he looked down. Blood. He was coughing up blood.
He cast a
helpless look at his shocked daughter.
------------------
Battle On,
Deadly Chakram
Jack's
Packer # 1350
Croque's Crony # 1350
Daughter of the Dragoon #2
Emilia's Exporter/Inventor # 3
JC's Bird of A Feather #
6
Brogard's Belle # 2
Keeper of Jack's Wit and Sense of Humor
IP: Logged
Melody
Member posted February 28, 2001
10:18 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Dammit!"
Marion swore. "She must be giving you double the poison and little
of the antidote now..No, I've not been able to find it yet," she
added sadly, seeing the look on her father's face. Taking a deep
breath, Marion steeled herself and cleaned the blood from his hand
and mouth.
Jack grabbed her hand as she started to get up.
"Listen Mare, I'm not going to make it--"
"Don't say that!"
Marion protested. "Of course you are!"
Jack shook his head. "I
don't think so, Kid. Not this time, but I want you to get out of
here, all right? Find your mom and the twins and finish what we
started."
"No!" A tear fell down Marion's cheek. "I will get you
out of here!"
"Mare, don't--"
"I thought so!" a familiar voice
cried suddenly. Jack and Marion looked up and saw Madame sneering
through the bars at them. "I thought you looked familiar, 'Flori,'
and now I know why! You are Jack and Emilia's daughter!"
"Leave
her alone, DuBois," Jack gasped.
Madame blinked. "So, you
finally remembered. It took you long enough," she said
coldly.
Marion frowned. "What is she talking about?"
"She's
Brogard's old flame, Nicolette DuBois," Jack answered.
"Your
father is right," DuBois entered the cell and looked at Marion. "My,
you are a clever girl..had me fooled longer than most who try to
deceive me. But it's going to cost you! Pierre!" At her shout, the
man entered the cell. "Show Miss Stiles what happens when people
deceive me!"
Pierre nodded and drew out his pistol and aimed it
at Marion.
IP: Logged
Deadly Chakram
Member posted
February 28, 2001 10:28 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jack
rose unsteadily to his feet.
"No, just leave her alone! It's me
you really want!"
"Sorry, but this is a private game of
Russian Roulette," Pierre answered.
He spun the chamber and
fired. Jack flung himself in front of the bullet. It struck him in
the right shoulder. Pierre fired again, but nothing happened. He
tried several more times, hoping that there was another
bullet.
"Forget it!" DuBois ordered. "She's worth more to us
alive. I doubt Messiour Stiles will be so tight lipped as he watchs
his precious daughter being tortured. Put her in a
cell."
"Oui Madame!" Pierre snapped to
attention.
------------------
Battle On,
Deadly
Chakram
Jack's Packer # 1350
Croque's Crony # 1350
Daughter
of the Dragoon #2
Emilia's Exporter/Inventor # 3
JC's Bird of
A Feather # 6
Brogard's Belle # 2
Keeper of Jack's Wit and
Sense of Humor
IP: Logged
Melody
Member posted
February 28, 2001 10:59 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*
* * * * * * * * *
The street quickly emptied as Brogard and his
entourage rode in to town. "J.C. find out if a coach has come
through," he ordered his brother.
"Eh, don't bother getting off
your horse," an old man called.
Brogard turned his head and saw
him sitting out in front of the General Store. "I take it that
you've seen something, old man?"
The man nodded slowly. "I've
seen plenty. I was around when we were fightin' the French and
Indian War, the Revolution--"
"I am not interested in a history
lesson, sir. I just want to know if a coach with a woman as a
passenger came through recently?"
"One came through about a week
ago. And in case you weren't aware, you're the third fella to be
askin' after it," the old man informed Brogard.
"Really? Who else
came by?"
"A Marshal and his son."
Brogard stiffened in his
saddle. "The Countys!" he hissed. "So, they're still after us.."
Brogard looked back at the old man. "Do you know where they were
headed?"
"The old fort. 'Bout two days ride from here. Can't miss
it!"
"Yes..well, thank you," Brogard nodded. "Let's go."
"Just
a moment!" Emilia said. "Sir, did you see a girl following the
coach?"
The man nodded. "Sure did. She got herself a horse and
kept after it..determined little thing."
"Let's go!" Brogard
snapped.
* * * * * * * * * *
Her body screamed in
agony. She had been whipped until her back was covered in blood and
it soaked the nightshirt she wore. Pierre and a few other men had
worked her over, kicking and punching her everywhere while she was
chained helpless to the wall. Her lip was split open, bruises were
forming on her face and the rest of her body.
Thankfully her
father had not seen them beating her, but he did see the end result.
Marion could see the anguish in her father's eyes.
"Are you
ready to tell me where the papers are now, Mr. Stiles?" DuBois
asked.
Jack had glanced over at her. Marion nodded slightly. "I
can't tell you," Jack said at last.
"Really? Are you prepared to
watch your daughter die? And don't think I won't kill her,
Jack."
"Look, I am telling you the truth! I can't tell you, she
can't tell you because the last time we saw the papers we were with
the rest of our family!"
"He does have a point, Madame."
Jack,
Marion, and DuBois looked towards the doorway. "You!" Jack and
Marion gasped.
"Then what should I do with them, R.J.?" DuBois
asked.
"I would kill them," R.J. replied.
"And that would help
me get the papers how?" DuBois demanded.
"Perhaps the papers are
on their way to you," R.J. said. "I happen to know right now that
Brogard is on his way here with the mother and son--"
"What about
the other girl?"
"She's being held for insurance. She is to be
released when Brogard has the papers in his possession."
"Knowing
Brogard, he'll actually keep his word," DuBois grumbled, making Jack
and Marion gulp. "Very well. Tomorrow at noon, the two prisoners
shall be executed."
IP: Logged
Deadly
Chakram
Member posted February 28, 2001 11:12 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'll
add as soon as I can think of something to
put!
------------------
Battle On,
Deadly Chakram
Jack's
Packer # 1350
Croque's Crony # 1350
Daughter of the Dragoon #2
Emilia's Exporter/Inventor # 3
JC's Bird of A Feather #
6
Brogard's Belle # 2
Keeper of Jack's Wit and Sense of Humor
IP: Logged
Melody
Member posted February 28, 2001
11:26 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Are
you sure this is going to work?" Jamie asked his father. The Countys
were watching the fort, waiting for the signal.
"Not really,"
Franklin said, "But we can't turn back now."
"Do you think R.J.
can be trusted?" Jamie asked after a moment.
Franklin shrugged.
"Guess we're about to find out."
R.J. was a weird character.
When Nicolette DuBois kidnapped Jack, R.J. said he would serve her.
And so far, he had. He had been the one to verify DuBois' suspicion
of "Flori" not being what she seemed, and he had given her the idea
to execute the father and daughter. Yet he also knew that the
Countys would track them, and he had apparently not told DuBois
about them--at least that was what he told them when he came out of
the fort a day before and found them hiding in the woods.
"Looks
like she's going to kill them," Franklin said suddenly, nodding
towards the fort where a lantern was lit.
"So, it looks like plan
C is it?" Jamie asked.
"Plan C," Franklin nodded.
IP:
Logged
Deadly Chakram
Member posted March 01, 2001 11:18
AM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night
settled over the land. Pierre unlocked Jack's cell and stood over
him imposingly. He forced more posion down Jack's throat.
"You
can avoid this all by just telling us where the papers are," Pierre
half-threatened, slamming the door and locking it behind
him.
"Even if I did know, I would never betray my country!"
Jack shot back as defiantly as he could.
"Very well then. You
die at dawn. Enjoy your last few hours of life," Pierre snarled
cruely."
Jack settled down onto the bench and looked across
at Marion. He could tell that she was sacred, but she was doing her
best to hid it.
"Hey kiddo," he whispered before he entered
into another coughing fit. Once again, he looked at his bloodied
hand. "Even more blood than last time."
"Dad, I'm so sorry
that I couldn't get you out of here,"Marion began.
"Hey, it's
not *cough cough* your fault. Besides, we Stiles are a tough *cough
cough* breed. They can kill us this easily!" Jack mustered a
smile.
In his heart, he hoped that he was right.
"Sleep now," he added.
Soon enough, pain had forced
Marion to succumb to sleep. Jack lay stretched out on his stomach on
his bench. He was wide awake, terrified of what dawn might bring. He
forced his thoughts to turn to Emilia and his family. A montage of
images flooded his mind.
There he was meeting Emilia for the
first time. And then the love potion gone wrong. Mad King George and
the mashed potatoe castle. His first Thanksgiving on Pulau Pulau.
How many times he as the Daring Dragoon defeated the French
soliders. Blackbeard, Napoleon, Nardo, Catherine the Great. So many
people he had fought angainst. His wedding day, so perfect, so
magical. The announcements of his children on their way. He saw
himself at the births of each of his children and relived the
immense joy he had felt when he held them for the first time.
And so the memories continued to flood him. For the first
time in a long time, Jack broke down and wept.
------------------
Battle On,
Deadly Chakram
Jack's
Packer # 1350
Croque's Crony # 1350
Daughter of the Dragoon #2
Emilia's Exporter/Inventor # 3
JC's Bird of A Feather #
6
Brogard's Belle # 2
Keeper of Jack's Wit and Sense of
Humor
[This message has been edited by Deadly Chakram (edited
March 01, 2001).]
IP: Logged
Melody
Member posted
March 01, 2001 12:15 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Pitiful.
Just pitiful," a voice tsked from the shadows.
Jack lifted his
head and wiped his eyes. "You again? What do you want?"
"What do
you think?" R.J. returned, stepping in to the bit of moonlight that
shined through the window.
"I don't know, and I really don't care
at this point," the spy grumbled.
"Even if I was here to save you
and your daughter?"
Jack blinked, not sure that he had heard the
man correctly. "What? Why would you save us after all the trouble of
capturing and then torturing us?"
"When at first I appear, I seem
mysterious. But I am nothing serious," R.J. said
candidly.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Jack barely got the
question out before he started to cough again.
"Nothing really."
R.J. unlocked the door to Jack's cell. "Pierre gave them to me
thinking I was going to give you the rest of the poison and kill
you," he added when he saw Jack looking at the keys.
"I knew it!"
Jack hissed.
"I am not going to kill you. I have the antidote,"
R.J. reached in to his pocket and pulled out a vial that was
different then the one Pierre had had.
Jack eyed the bottle
suspiciously. "How do I know that's not the poison?"
"You're just
going to have to trust me on this, unless of course you would like
to die at noon with your daughter."
Jack took a deep breath and
looked at Marion. He was not sure he should trust the man before
him, but he had to get her out of there, even if he himself did not
make it. "Why would you help us?" Jack asked again.
"Because I
don't like DuBois or Brogard anymore than you do, but they also have
something over me...and if I help you and your daughter, in my eyes
I will have righted that wrong."
"I don't really have a clue what
you're talking about, but I'm willing to trust you. Don't prove me
wrong, otherwise I'll haunt you the rest of your life!" Jack added
with a warning. He took the vial from R.J. and opened it.
"Go
on," R.J. encouraged when he hesitated.
Steeling himself, Jack
closed his eyes and drank the mixture. The syrupy, wretched tasting
liquid flowed down like molasses. Jack made a face as he finished
taking in the antidote. "That stuff is vile!" he gasped when he
could talk again.
"Yes, it is. But it will work. Within a day you
should start to feel normal again, although with the beating you've
received it might take longer," R.J. informed him.
"Thanks," Jack
nodded. "Now, let's get my daughter and get out of here!" R.J.
nodded and helped Jack to his feet and then the two went over to
Marion's cell and unlocked the door. "Wake up, Mare! We're busting
out!"
IP: Logged
Melody
Member posted March 01, 2001
01:37 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Mare?"
Jack leaned over her and shook her gently. She stirred, but did not
wake. Jack glanced at R.J. With a curt nod, R.J. came over and
scooped Marion in to his arms.
"All right, this way," R.J. led
Jack away from the prison area and down a hall that opened in to the
court yard.
"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Jack whispered
as they made their way towards the gate.
"We're making it,
aren't we?" R.J. shot back.
"That's what you think!" Jack and
R.J. halted as they were quickly surrounded by Pierre and other men.
"I am hurt, gentlemen," DuBois came forward, pretending to look
sad. "I open my home to you, share my food, and this is how you
repay me? By leaving and not saying goodbye? How rude!"
"You're
crushed, I'm sure," Jack grumbled.
"And you!" DuBois whirled on
R.J. "I should have known I could not trust you! Execute them now!"
she stepped back and her men raised their weapons.
"Got anymore
bright ideas?" Jack asked.
"NOW!" R.J. bellowed suddenly. Before
Jack, DuBois, or any of the men knew what was happening, there was
an explosion at the gate. Another one happened nearby, and shards of
wood flew towards them, knocking out a few of the men.
Jack felt
himself being pushed. "Go! Head for the gate!" R.J. shouted. The two
men made a run for it.
"They're coming!" Jack huffed, the strain
of trying to escape being a bit too much for him. "Get Marion out of
here!" he ordered. But R.J. was not listening. He was looking past
Jack. Jack turned his head and saw two horses coming up behind the
men pursuing them. A gun went off and the two fell forward.
As
the horses got closer, Jack could see the rider on one of them. "You
again?" he asked as the horses pulled alongside them.
"Is that
the kind of thanks we get for getting you out?" Franklin returned.
"Here. Give me the girl and then R.J., you and Jack get on! Hurry!"
R.J. nodded and passed Marion to Franklin. Then R.J. climbed on
the second horse and held his hand out to Jack.
"I can't make
it!" Jack exclaimed after failing to get a good foothold on the
stirrup.
"Don't even think about it!" R.J. growled, taking a firm
hold on Jack's arm and hauled him up on to the horse in front of him
on his stomach. "Now, just hang on!" R.J. and Franklin nudged their
horses in to a gallop. In the confusion, they slipped through the
gate and headed in to the woods.
"NOOOOO!" they heard DuBois
wail.
IP: Logged
Deadly Chakram
Member posted March
01, 2001 11:36 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Woods
rushed past Jack's head. All the strenous activity had taken its
toll on him. He was exhausted.
"My family, are they safe? Where
are they?" he kept asking Marsden.
"Don't worry so much
Jack," he had merely responded.
------------------
Battle
On,
Deadly Chakram
Jack's Packer # 1350
Croque's Crony #
1350
Daughter of the Dragoon #2
Emilia's Exporter/Inventor #
3
JC's Bird of A Feather # 6
Brogard's Belle # 2
Keeper of
Jack's Wit and Sense of Humor
IP:
Logged
Melody
Member posted March 02, 2001 12:02 AM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
R.J.
and Franklin stopped the horses after what seemed like an eternity
to Jack. R.J. dismounted first and then helped Jack ease down. Then
he went over and took Marion--who had remained asleep throughout the
entire ordeal--and Franklin jumped down.
"Now what?" Jack
asked.
"Now we wait for Jamie and your wife and son," R.J.
answered. He placed Marion down on a bedroll Franklin set on the
ground.
Jack slowly sat down beside his daughter. After a moment
he breathed a sigh of relief and gently pushed a few stray golden
hairs away from Marion's face. His fingers brushed against her
forehead. Jack paused and then placed his palm there. "She's
feverish!" he exclaimed.
R.J. quickly pulled out a cloth and
poured some of the water from his canteen on it. "Here," he handed
the cloth to Jack.
"Thanks." Jack placed the cloth on her
forehead. For a moment no one said anything. Franklin soon had a
small fire going. As the men sat there, Jack noticed the looks
passing between R.J. and Franklin. "All right, you two. I want
answers!" Jack demanded suddenly.
"What are the questions?" R.J.
said slowly.
"You know!" Jack growled. "What are the papers? Why
are both Brogard and DuBois after them? And how do you know about
them?" he directed towards Franklin. "And you. What wrong did you
right by helping us? And just how did you know Brogard had my wife
and son, and was holding my other daughter hostage?"
"How many
choices do we have?" R.J. asked after a moment. Jack only glared at
him. R.J. glanced at Franklin. "Should we tell him?"
Franklin
shrugged. "I don't want to, but if we're going to get Brogard and
DuBois.."
"What about Marsden?" Jack asked.
"What about him?"
Franklin returned.
"Don't you want to put him out of commission
as well?"
"Not really," R.J. said. "You see, he's one of
us."
Jack frowned. "You mean to say Brogey's brother is a
turncoat?"
"No, we mean that Marsden is not Brogard's brother.
Brogard's brother has been dead for the last two years, murdered by
DuBois."
"I think we're going to have to start at the beginning,
R.J.," Franklin chuckled after a moment, seeing the look on Jack's
face.
"That..would be nice," Jack said, feeling a giant headache
coming on.
IP: Logged
Melody
Member posted
March 05, 2001 08:18 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bumping
until I can think of something--'course if anybody else would like
to add, I wouldn't mind!
IP: Logged
Melody
Member
posted March 05, 2001 10:07 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*
* * * * * * *
They were about a day's ride from the fort. Brogard
wanted to keep riding hard and reach the fort before dawn. Marsden
advised him that they should stop.
"Besides, your old flame isn't
going anywhere, not yet," he told Brogard.
Brogard inhaled
sharply and looked around. He could see that his men were tired, as
were the horses and their prisoners. "Very well," he agreed after a
moment. "We shall camp here for the night."
"I'll get some wood
for the fire while you get them secured," Marsden volunteered,
glancing at Emilia and Jack Jr. They turned away as his eyes fell on
them.
"Of course."
Marsden walked away and went deeper in to
the woods. He glanced quickly around him, looking for any movement
or dark, unnatural shapes. "County, are you here?" he shouted in a
whisper.
"Are they all right?" a voice came from behind him.
Marsden whirled,his gun raised. He lowered it when he saw who
was behind him. "Shouldn't sneak up on me like that, Jamie. And yes,
they are all right. Haven't said anything about the papers,
though."
"Don't think they will until they know everything. I
think Dad and R.J.'ll be working on that with Mr. Stiles and
Marion."
"Are they okay?"
Jamie shrugged. "Don't know. I hope
so," he added after a moment.
Marsden recognized the wistful tone
in the young man's voice. He chuckled. "I bet. You especially hope
the girl's all right, don't you?" Even though he could not see him
real well, Marsden knew that Jamie's face was turning
red.
"Yeah..well, I hope both are okay. I came here to get you
and them."
"Good. So, do you have a plan in mind?"
"Yes, I
do." Jamie quickly whispered his plan and then he and Marsden parted
company; Marsden went back to the group and Jamie went to hide and
wait for the signal.
IP: Logged
Deadly
Chakram
Member posted March 05, 2001 11:47 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Marsden
fell to the ground, twisting his leg in a seemingly unnatural
position.
"OWW!" he wailed. "Help me!"
Brogard hear the
sounds of his cries and went to look, leaving the hostages alone
momentrily.
"I think I broke my leg!" Marsdan wailed, upon
seeing Brogard.
He could see that he was fooling the
Frenchman. Worry lines crossed Brogard's face.
Run Jamie,
save them, Marsden thought.
------------------
Battle
On,
Deadly Chakram
Jack's Packer # 1350
Croque's Crony #
1350
Daughter of the Dragoon #2
Emilia's Exporter/Inventor #
3
JC's Bird of A Feather # 6
Brogard's Belle # 2
Keeper of
Jack's Wit and Sense of Humor
IP:
Logged
Melody
Member posted March 06, 2001 04:46 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The
remaining guards never knew what hit them. One moment they were
watching Emilia and Jack Jr. and the next they were on the ground
and out cold.
"Come on! This way!" Jamie motioned for them to
follow him.
"What are you doing here?" Jack Jr. asked as they ran
away from the campsite.
"What do you think?" Jamie retorted.
"Saving you two! Now no more questions until we stop and until I get
D.C.!"
"D.C.? Who's D.C.?" Emilia asked.
"J.C. Marsden," Jamie
replied.
"What?"
"I'll explain later! Come on!"
"J.C. what
happened?" Brogard asked when he found his brother on the
ground.
"I..I don't know. One minute I was collecting wood, and
the next I tripped and fell down a slope and my leg broke!"
"I
see. Well too bad!" Brogard smirked.
J.C./D.C. frowned.
"What?"
Brogard tsked and circled around J.C. a moment before
speaking. "You are going to remain here as you are. What? You think
I would have forgotten that you and my former flame tried to kill
me?"
"But that was a long time ago! And I've worked for you since
then!" J.C. protested.
"True, but you only work for me as long as
I say so..and I am afraid your time is out! Goodbye brother!" Before
J.C. could react, Brogard had his pistol drawn and aimed down at
him.
CRRRRAAACK!! The gun went off. J.C. opened his eyes and was
surprised to find that he had not been hit. But how..?
Looking
around, he saw Brogard clutching his arm and then he saw Jamie
coming out from behind a nearby tree.
"Come on, D.C.!" Jamie
yelled. D.C. nodded and scrambled to his feet.
Brogard watched
them run off. He could not believe that he had been had! That his
brother was not his brother! Emilia and her son! Brogard groaned and
hurried back to the campsite hoping that he would not find what he
thought he would find.
"NOOOOOOOO!"
IP:
Logged
Melody
Member posted March 08, 2001 09:26 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Where
are we going?" Emilia panted as she and Jack Jr. followed Jamie and
the man who had been Marsden.
"To meet up with my father and
hopefully your husband and Marion!" Jamie answered.
"What about
Alex and the papers?" Jack Jr. asked.
"What about the
papers?"
"Don't you want to get those first?"
Jamie glanced at
D.C. and Emilia. "Maybe. Where are they?"
"Back where Brogard
caught us. I hope," Jack Jr. added after a moment.
Emilia
frowned. "Jack, you didn't! I thought I said to leave the papers
with Mr. Thomas."
"You did, Mom. But you weren't sure that we
were going to be heading back there so I hid them."
"Where,
Jack?" Jamie asked. "If we do go back, do you think you can find
them quickly?"
"Only if our stuff is still there where we were
caught."
"What do we have to lose?" D.C. said after a
moment.
Jamie nodded. "All right. Here's what we'll do. D.C., you
and Jack head back and get the papers. Mrs. Stiles and I will meet
up with my father."
"Should we try to get the other girl if
possible?" D.C. asked.
"Only if you are able to," Jamie nodded.
IP: Logged
Deadly Chakram
Member posted March 08, 2001
10:13 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"So
let me get this straight," Jack was saying to the Jamie's father.
"JC is Justin Cameron and DC is Dean Christopher. They are brothers.
Their father is Piere. Piere married Sarah,Brogard's mother. They
had Brogard together. Sarah died and then Piere remarried to
Jessica. They had JC after being married for a 18 months. After the
birth of JC, the Jessica was pregnant with DC, but the marriage fell
apart before he was born."
"Right. DuBois killed JC in a dispute.
By that time, DC knew of Brogard from Jessica, but Brogard didn't
know of DC, because Piere never told him. DC pretended to be JC so
he could complete this mission."
Jack thought this over for a
while.
"And you are sure that Brogy has no idea of what is
going on," Jack pressed after a moment.
"He doesn't have a
clue."
------------------
Battle On,
Deadly
Chakram
Jack's Packer # 1350
Croque's Crony # 1350
Daughter
of the Dragoon #2
Emilia's Exporter/Inventor # 3
JC's Bird of
A Feather # 6
Brogard's Belle # 2
Keeper of Jack's Wit and
Sense of Humor
[This message has been edited by Deadly
Chakram (edited March 18, 2001).]
IP:
Logged
emilia01
Member posted March 08, 2001 10:18 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Neither
do I!
I'm a bit confused.
IP: Logged
Deadly
Chakram
Member posted March 08, 2001 10:30 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hehehe!
Me too Em! I just write what my muse tells
me.
------------------
Battle On,
Deadly Chakram
Jack's
Packer # 1350
Croque's Crony # 1350
Daughter of the Dragoon #2
Emilia's Exporter/Inventor # 3
JC's Bird of A Feather #
6
Brogard's Belle # 2
Keeper of Jack's Wit and Sense of Humor
IP: Logged
emilia01
Member posted March 08, 2001
10:39 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I
see
DC and JC.
I think of a person and a bird.
IP:
Logged
Deadly Chakram
Member posted March 08, 2001 10:51
PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hehehe!
Ditto. I almost made DC stand for Dean
Cain...sheesh!
------------------
Battle On,
Deadly
Chakram
Jack's Packer # 1350
Croque's Crony # 1350
Daughter
of the Dragoon #2
Emilia's Exporter/Inventor # 3
JC's Bird of
A Feather # 6
Brogard's Belle # 2
Keeper of Jack's Wit and
Sense of Humor
IP: Logged
Melody
Member posted
March 08, 2001 10:54 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ROTFLMAO
DC! Dean Cain!?
IP: Logged
Deadly Chakram
Member
posted March 08, 2001 10:56 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yeah
Mel! I was a Superman fan!
------------------
Battle
On,
Deadly Chakram
Jack's Packer # 1350
Croque's Crony #
1350
Daughter of the Dragoon #2
Emilia's Exporter/Inventor #
3
JC's Bird of A Feather # 6
Brogard's Belle # 2
Keeper of
Jack's Wit and Sense of Humor
IP:
Logged
k8lynn
Member posted March 08, 2001 11:43 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
IP:
Logged
Melody
Member posted March 09, 2001 10:31 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Um..DC--I
need clarification about what you wrote about the brothers Now I'm
confused!
IP: Logged
Melody
Member posted March 12,
2001 09:57 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DC--we
might need to redo the Brother part here. What I am getting is
this:
DC and JC = brothers
DC and JC's DAD + one marriage =
Brogard
Brogard's mother dies; DAD remarries = DC??
This
would make all 3 Half-brothers, yet you made DC and JC sound like
full brothers and that they were actually Older than Brogard.
Just something to think about
IP:
Logged
Melody
Member posted March 17, 2001 11:30 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bumping
IP: Logged
Deadly Chakram
Member posted March 18, 2001
10:50 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Try
reading the brother thing now.
------------------
Battle
On,
Deadly Chakram
Jack's Packer # 1350
Croque's Crony #
1350
Daughter of the Dragoon #2
Emilia's Exporter/Inventor #
3
JC's Bird of A Feather # 6
Brogard's Belle # 2
Keeper of
Jack's Wit and Sense of Humor
Come visit me at:
pub47.ezboard.com/btalkingxena
IP: Logged
Melody
Member posted March 18, 2001
10:53 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Less
confuseus now Huh. We seem to like the name Pierre (in all its
various spellings). Ooh! What if Pierre--DC, JC, and Brogard's
dad--is the Pierre helping DuBois...
IP: Logged
Deadly
Chakram
Member posted March 18, 2001 10:55 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Evil
thoughts Mel.....more plot twists on the way????
------------------
Battle On,
Deadly Chakram
Jack's
Packer # 1350
Croque's Crony # 1350
Daughter of the Dragoon #2
Emilia's Exporter/Inventor # 3
JC's Bird of A Feather #
6
Brogard's Belle # 2
Keeper of Jack's Wit and Sense of
Humor
Come visit me at:
pub47.ezboard.com/btalkingxena
Battle On, Deadly Chakram |
Deadly
Chakram
TX
Moderator
Posts: 980
(4/10/01
10:39:21 pm)
|
Re: Spying On
The Bounty [ST from SUSA]
Jack thought about what he had been told. He was completely
baffled. Brogard had two brothers and one of them had been killed by
DuBois and the other was pretending to be the dead one, their father
was Pierre--just how many times has that name been used? Jack
thought derisively. Wait a second!
"You said Brogard's dad was
Pierre and the one at the fort--"
"I believe so, Jack," R.J.
nodded. "DuBois' second is also Brogard's father."
"And DC's and
JC's," Jack said. "So, what is he doing with the woman that
succeeded in killing one of his sons and almost killed another?"
R.J. did not reply but his eyes told Jack all he needed to know. A
similar glare in Franklin's eyes also reflected the same. "You've
got to be kidding!" Jack exclaimed. "That's just too
weird!"
IP: Logged
Deadly Chakram
Member posted
March 19, 2001 11:13 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Melody...I'm
a little confuzed about where all the family members are....let me
know if I need to
edit.
*********************************************
The
sound of horses approaching made the group get silent. As the horses
burst through the bushes, Jack was relieved to see his
family.
Emilia dismounted and rushed to her husband's side.
They stood in a long embrace, thankful that the other was
okay.
------------------
Battle On,
Deadly
Chakram
Jack's Packer # 1350
Croque's Crony # 1350
Daughter
of the Dragoon #2
Emilia's Exporter/Inventor # 3
JC's Bird of
A Feather # 6
Brogard's Belle # 2
Keeper of Jack's Wit and
Sense of Humor
Come visit me at:
pub47.ezboard.com/btalkingxena
IP: Logged
Melody
Member posted March 20, 2001
09:59 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Okay--here's
who's where:
Jack and Marion are with Franklin County and R.J. (I
am sooo tempted to say Stewart! )
Emilia, Jack Jr., Jamieson
County, and D.C. were together but Jamieson and Emilia were heading
back to where Jack and Marion were; D.C. and Jack Jr. were going to
fetch the papers and get Alexandra out of wherever Brogard's men
took her
IP: Logged
Melody
Member posted March 21,
2001 10:41 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Jack!
Thank God you're all right! Where's Marion?" Emilia asked as she and
Jack separated. Jack turned his head. Emilia followed his gaze and
saw Marion lying on the ground with Jamieson kneeling beside her.
"Is she all right?"
Jack grimaced. He explained what had happened
to him since they had last seen each other. Jamieson, Franklin, and
R.J. added their input as well.
Emilia listened and, a moment
after they finished telling their story, went over to her daughter,
sitting beside her. She checked the girl's temperature and then,
ever so gently, she lifted Marion's shoulders and looked at the
wounds on her back. The woman turned her head away, disgusted and
appalled.
"I'm going to need water and a few plants to make an
ointment for her," she said after a minute.
"I'll get them,"
Jamieson volunteered.
Emilia glanced at the young man and smiled.
"Thank you. Jack, I'm going to need your help."
Jack nodded and
joined Emilia on the ground. With a knowing look, Jack took hold of
Marion and gently moved her so that her head was resting on his lap.
Emilia then moved her legs to be aligned with the rest of
her.
Marion stirred as she felt someone moving her around. "Dad?"
she whimpered.
Jack breathed a sigh of relief. "It's okay Mare.
I'm here."
"I'm here, too, darling," Emilia said.
"Mom?"
Marion tried to sit up.
"Don't move, Mare. We're going to take
care of your wounds," Marion felt her mother's hand on her
shoulder.
"Okay."
IP: Logged
Deadly Chakram
Member
posted March 23, 2001 12:35 AM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bump!
------------------
Battle
On,
Deadly Chakram
Jack's Packer # 1350
Croque's Crony #
1350
Daughter of the Dragoon #2
Emilia's Exporter/Inventor #
3
JC's Bird of A Feather # 6
Brogard's Belle # 2
Keeper of
Jack's Wit and Sense of Humor
Come visit me at:
pub47.ezboard.com/btalkingxena
IP: Logged
Melody
Member posted March 28, 2001
05:56 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bumping
IP: Logged
Melody
Member posted March 28, 2001 11:46
PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Emilia
made a quick list of plants she needed to create a poultice for her
daughter's wounds and gave it to Jamieson. He nodded and, grabbing a
torch, went off in to the woods.
"Do you think he'll find what
you need?" Jack asked.
"He should. Everything I need I've seen
around here."
"He'll find what you need," Franklin said from
across the fire. "Is she doing any better?"
Emilia placed her
hand on Marion's forehead. She pulled it away a moment later and
placed Jack's hand down. "What do you think?"
"She's definitely a
bit warmer." Jack handed Emilia the damp cloth and she poured more
water on it. She settled back down next to Jack and placed it back
on Marion's forehead. The girl groaned softly. "Easy Mare. We'll
have you feeling better in no time," Jack soothed, glancing at her
mother.
Emilia smiled and nodded. "What about you, Jack?" she
asked after a moment.
"What about me?"
"Are you feeling all
right?"
"I'm better," he replied after hesitating slightly. "I
probably won't be able to do anything for one more day, but after
that.." he glanced at R.J. for confirmation. The man
nodded.
"You'll be well."
Battle On, Deadly Chakram
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