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Building a Mystery 53



December 31,
Yosemite National Park
Hetchy Hetch
Early Morning…

"Ms. Delgado. Ms. Delgado. Mr. Mike says we gotta go…"
Téa stirred. She heard Raymond's voice and felt his gentle shoves. She rubbed her eyes and looked up into Raymond's face. He had the start of a beard. He looked just as exhausted as she felt. She sat up.
"God - I hope we're found soon…" muttered Téa.
"Part of me is scared, Ms. Delgado. I'm scared to go back to prison while you and Mr. Mike do your lawyer thing for me. But part of me wants to be found 'cos…I want…you to see your husband again…and your kid…" admitted Raymond kneeling next to her.
Mike walked up. He was pretty grungy looking.
"Thank you Raymond," said Téa. She got on her knees so she could better dig into her pockets.
"What are you looking for Téa?" asked Mike.
"My picture. Of Faith and me…" said Téa with a touch of panic. Raymond and Mike looked on intensely as Téa began rummaging through her pockets again and again, her face becoming horrified.
"Where's your picture Ms. Delgado?" asked Raymond with concern.
Téa's voice was frantic, "Madre Dios! My picture - it's gone! I can't lose it! I can't lose Faith! I can't lose my daughter!"
Mike knelt down next to her and took a trembling and crying Téa in his arms, "Oh, Téa, oh…I know much that picture met to you…"
"I can't lose Faith…or Todd…I just can't…" sobbed Téa, upset over the loss of her picture.
Raymond wrinkled his brow and hesitantly put his hand on her shoulder. Téa turned around, tears on her face.
"You want me look for it Ms. Delgado?" asked Raymond.
There was silence between them.
"I know where the picture might be. I know where I was looking at it last," said Téa, "We'd have to back track a bit…"
Mike wrinkled his brow, "Go back? I don't know if that's a good idea."
Raymond stood up towering over Mike and Téa and crossing his arms, "We're going back for Ms. Delgado's picture," he said firmly and with authority.
Mike just nodded his head.

Yosemite National Park,
The command Post near the plane wreckage…

Todd Manning sat next to a US Marshal as he drove a 4x4 pickup to the command post. His eyes intently fixed on the plane wreckage and the investigative agents rummaging through the wreckage. Images of horror filling his mind of the crash - and Téa hurt - or worse yet - Téa raped and beaten with some criminal carrying her over his shoulder…
The pickup stopped and Todd got out rushing to the tent with the radio. He recognized Agent Ryan and ran up to him.
"Where's my wife?" he demanded.
"What are you doing here Mr. Manning? We haven't found ADA Delgado yet," said Agent Ryan.
"I know. And I don't trust you clowns to find her either - so I'm going to…" said Todd turning around. Agent Ryan grabbed him.
"I can't allow you to go half-cocked looking for your wife," he said.
"Let go of me," demanded Todd.
"No," said Agent Ryan.

Llanfair…

Viki sat on the couch in her den feeding little Faith her bottle. Faith was fussy though and Viki had a hard time seeing to it that Faith took her bottle.
Viki looked down at Faith, into the eyes remincient of her mother's…
"I know you miss them. I know you miss your Mom. A bottle is a pour substitute for her, huh? And my singing…well, my singing isn't that great. And I know you miss your Dad too. Your presence in his life has all ready effected him you know. Sometimes it's really hard for him to calm down but you do it. You and Starr both…seem to soothe a savage beast…" whispered Viki to Faith.
The doorbell rang.
After a brief pause, Jessie walked in with Blair and Starr. Starr's face lit up to see Viki and Faith.
"Auntie Viki! Little Faith!" exclaimed Starr. She ran right over to Viki and snuggled next to her watching Viki feed Faith and smiling at Faith.
Viki looked up at Blair who was looking at them strangely, "What brings you here Blair?"
"I don't know Viki. Starr wanted to come and I…I did too…" said Blair awkwardly.
"Why?" asked Viki.
"I don't know…" answered Blair.

Yosemite National Park…

Bo and a team of agents wandered through the park. The foliage wasn't particularly overwhelming. They were following a trail that they thought someone might have taken. Bo stopped and held up his hand. Everyone paused. It was silent. Bo thought he heard a noise or two.
An agent taped him on the shoulder and pointed. Bo saw what they thought was a Polaroid picture. He bent down and looked it smiling. Téa in a Santa elf costume!
Suddenly they all heard sounds of rustling branches. Bo signaled for the agents to take cover. He grabbed the picture and hid.
Téa, Mike, and Raymond, who by now was limping, walked into the small clearing. Téa made her way to a tree. She searched the tree and looked at Mike and Raymond.
"Faith's gone…" she whispered getting upset.
Bo walked out into the clearing with the agents, their guns drawn.
"Freeze!" yelled an agent. Him and his partner approached Raymond. Raymond's eyes sought out Téa's seeking her reassurance in what he was about do to. Her eyes gave it to him.
"Don't hurt him!" said Téa firmly as the agents surrounded Raymond.
Raymond put his hands on his head and the agents roughly handcuffed him.
"Looking for this Téa?" asked Bo handing Téa her picture.
"Yes…" she whispered taking it from him and smiling, "Thank you Bo." She felt relieved through her exhaustion.
Mike walked up to Bo, "Raymond Jones saved me and Téa from the plane crash. We don't want him hurt in anyway. We'll be filing for a pardon…" said Mike firmly.
Bo made a face, "He'll be treated accordingly."
"Ms. Delgado! Mr. Mike!" came Raymond's panicked voice as the agents held his arms on each side. Mike and Téa turned to look at Raymond in handcuffs. Téa walked over to Raymond, drained and exhausted, aching in places she didn't know she had. Téa cupped his cheek in her hand and looked at him compassionately, "Raymond, it will be all right." She whispered to him.
Bo's radio crackled, "Team one, this is Cee Pee. We have an irate Todd Manning here. Have you found out anything?"
Téa's head wiped around, "Todd's here?!"
Bo spoke into his radio, "Good news Cee Pee - we found all three of them…"
Téa was beside Bo, "Can I talk to Todd?"
Bo nodded his head and spoke into the radio, "The ADA is requesting to speak to her husband…"
"Roger."
Bo gave the radio to Téa and showed her how to use it.
"Todd! Todd! It's Téa!" she anxiously said over the radio.
"Téa! Oh God! Thank God it's you! It's you right? It's really you?" came Todd's shaky and nervous voice.
Téa brought her hand to her head, "It's really me Todd."
"Are you o.k. Téa?" came Todd's relieved voice.
"I'm fine Todd…" Téa struggled to say.
Bo wrinkled his brow, "Téa…you look pale…"
"Todd…" said Téa weakly. She dropped the radio and collapsed into Bo's arms.
"Téa!!!" screamed Todd over the radio.
"Ms. Delgado!" screamed Raymond. He struggled to join her side only to be held firmly by the agents. Bo got on the radio while Mike took Téa's pulse.
"Cee Pee - this is team one - we need a medivac asap," yelled Bo.
"Roger, team one," came Ryan's voice.
"Mr. Mike!" yelled Raymond.
Mike turned to Raymond.
"Mr. Mike - tell me Ms. Delgado will be all right," said Raymond emotionally.
Mike just blankly looked at Raymond, in shock himself, "I don't know…" he whispered.
Bo looked skyward praying the medivac would arrive quickly.

To Be Continued...