Fireworks

Eric had rushed backstage after the announcement so he could find out the plan. Strangely, he wasn’t surprised to find that everyone had left him behind. He couldn’t believe Alex had done it to him again. How many times did he have to tell her that he was there to help her when she needed it? He knew she was trying to protect him, but he wanted to be with her so he could make sure nothing happened to her. Women!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Well Louise, are you ready to talk yet?" Brooks had just returned from town. He was glad to find her conscious again. He was sure it wouldn’t take much longer to find out where his money was.

"I don’t have anything to tell you. I don’t know what you’re talking about." After Lou had regained consciousness, she had realized why Alex had stayed behind when they left Brooks. She stole the money he was looking for. Why would she have done that? Lou hoped that Kid showed up soon. She didn’t know how much more beatings she could take.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Buck, you ride back to the orphanage. To make this work, we’ll need more help. I really want to protect the kids, but we need Noah. If you can, go and find Eric. He’ll be helpful too." Kid had the beginnings of a plan, but they were very short on people. He’d have to try to make it work with just four of them. He hadn’t told Alex yet, but he was going to make sure she got left behind.

"NO! Leave Eric behind!" Alex didn’t want Eric to be caught up in the middle of this. The last time her past caught up with them, it almost caught Eric his life. She didn’t want anything to happen to him.

"Alex, we need all the help we can get. I’m sure Eric can hold his own." Kid didn’t have time to spend arguing with her on this. He was going to win this battle.

"Kid, I’m headed out. I’ll be back as soon as I can."

"Thanks Buck. Alex, do you remember where Brooks could possibly be hiding Lou?"

" I can think of a couple different places. Let me think about it some more before everyone else gets back." Alex had a very good idea where Brooks was hiding Lou. She could remember the strange sense of humor he had. If he was still the same way, he’d hide her in the same place the two of them had hidden years ago.

Chapter Twenty

Noah was surprised to see Buck riding towards the orphanage. "Buck! What are you doin’ here? You guys got her back?"
"Not yet. We need your help. Kid says we’ll have to take a risk leaving the kids alone. They’ve got a compound with walls build up. We’re not completely sure how to get in yet, but Kid’ll probably have something figured out before we get back. Let the Sisters know what’s going on and meet me at the theatre. I’ve got to get Eric from there to help us."
"Alright, I’ll meet you in a few minutes."

~~~~~~~*~
When Buck reached the theatre, he was surprised to find it dark. "How the hell am I going to find him?" He started to head back to the orphanage when he saw Noah headed towards him.
"Where’s Eric? Wait, who’s Eric?"
"He’s friends with Alexandria Maxwell. She knows what Brooks is looking for and where he’s probably holding Lou. She and Kid are waiting for us. Kid really wanted Eric to be with us, we’re gonna need all the help we can get, but I guess we’ll just have to take care of things on our own."
"Let’s get out there then."
Buck and Noah headed out of St. Jo to help Kid. They hadn’t gone very far when they saw a rider in front of them. As they got closer, Buck realized it was Eric. "Eric! What’re you doing out here?"
"I got left behind at the theatre. Alex is trying to protect me. She doesn’t want anything to happen to me again. What’re you guys doin’ out here?"
"We’re headed to help Kid get Lou back. Eric, this is our friend Noah Dixon. He’s been keeping an eye on Lou’s brother and sister, but we need all the help we can get to save Lou."
"Nice to meet you. Alex is with Kid right?"
"Sure is. Let’s ride."
Brooks was getting so frustrated with Lou. He wasn’t having any luck finding out what she’d done with his money. "Listen here you little bitch, I know you’ve got my money. Now I want to know what the hell you did with it."
"I don’t have your damn money. I never took a thing from you when I left." Lou was going to have a long talk to Alex about this, if she made it out of this.
"I’m going to leave you alone to think about what’s going to happen to you if you don’t tell me where my money is." Lou knew there were only two possibilities for what would happen and she didn’t want to think about either one. "Kid, where are you??"

Chapter Twenty-one

"Hey Buck, Noah. Glad you made it back so quickly." Kid was relieved to see them finally back. It seemed like it had taken forever for them to get here.
"Eric! What are you doing here?" Alex had hoped that they wouldn’t find Eric and he could be safe this time.
"I came to help. I’d want someone to do the same for me if it was you being held hostage." Alex was surprised at how sweet Eric could be sometimes. Now she just needed to figure out how to keep him from following them.
While the men were huddled around the fire listening to Kid’s plan, Alex quietly slipped away from the camp. She knew she could find Lou more quickly and easily than the men could. They’d be so impressed when she showed up with Lou.
"Getting in is going to be the hardest part. Alex told me a little about how everything used to be laid out. I just wish we knew what was kept in some of the sheds. If we did we could do something like when we rescued Lou from Boggs." Kid was frustrated at how close he was to Lou and not being able to get to her yet.
"What if we go in over the back wall?" Buck was thinking that would be the easiest way to get in without being noticed.
"That would probably work. We’ll have to check with Alex about which building they’d be holding Lou in."
Alex had no problems getting in the compound. She wished she had some pants on though. It was much easier to sneak around with those on than in a skirt. At least it was a dark colored one. Getting into the main house was going to be a bigger problem. She didn’t know her way around it very well. She and Lou hadn’t had the opportunity to be in the house much.
"Hello Brooks. At least I know she’s alone now." Alex was very releived to see Brooks leaving the house with Jack. Jack would be the only one that Brooks would trust to watch Lou. He’s probably the only one that even knew Lou was there. Alex watched the men walk toward the barns and snuck into the house. Everything looked the same as it had when she had left. Lou was close by.
"I’ll go get Alex. She can tell us which building we’ll find Lou in." Eric walked away from the fire towards Alex. She was all wrapped up in her blanket. "She’s probably mad because I showed up out here. She’s got to learn she can’t protect me all the time."
"Alex? We need your help. You’ve got to get up honey." Eric reached down to nudge her shoulder. "What the hell?" She wasn’t there. Eric ripped the blanket off "Alex" and found a pile of twigs and weeds.
"Eric, what’s wrong?" The boys had heard Eric yell and knew that wasn’t a good thing. Kid hoped it wasn’t what he thought it was. Alex really wouldn’t sneak off…would she?
"She took off. Damn it! When I get my hands on her, I’m gonna wring her neck!"
"We better get after her." The boys saddled their horses and headed to the back of the compound to make their way in.

Chapter Twenty-two

"Lou, it’s me. I’m getting you out of here." Alex couldn’t believe how bad Lou looked. She’d gotten there just in time.
"What are you doing here? Where’s Kid?" Lou was a little surprised that Alex was saving her. She knew there was no way Kid would let her go off on her own.
"He’s back at the camp. They don’t know that I left. I had to save you before anyone else could get hurt." Alex finished pulling the ropes off Lou. "Can you walk?"
"I don’t think so. I’ll try though." Alex helped Lou get up and the girls slowly headed for the door.
The boys were surprised at how easily they got into the compound. They split up and each headed to a building to search. Kid and Eric paired up. They figured that they could find Lou and Alex together. As they entered the house, they heard a woman scream.
Lou and Alex were slowly making their way out of the house. Alex was practically carrying Lou and she knew she couldn’t keep doing it much longer. "Only a little farther Lou. Once we get out of the house we’ll be home free." Alex wasn’t quite sure she believed what she was telling Lou, but she knew they had to get out of there.
As they turned a corner in the hallway, they heard voices. "Jack, I’m going to make that little bitch talk. She’s got my money and I’m tired of waiting for the answers. If she doesn’t tell me where it’s at tonight, she dies at dawn."
"Just in time Lou. Now where can we hide?" Alex let Lou slide down the wall to the floor so she could look for a hiding place. She had just turned when a pair of hands grabbed her from behind. "Who the hell?"
"Who do we have here?" Brooks turned Alex around and was surprised at what he saw. "I knew I recognized you. Alex Maxwell. Maybe you know what happened to my money. Jack, grab Louise. Let’s find out what this one knows. I want you to know Alexandria, if you don’t give me the answers I want, you’ll both be dead in the morning."

Chapter Twenty-three

"Our best bet is to get Jack and Lou first."
"You’re just saying that because he’s got your girlfriend."
"I’m saying that because Lou’s hurt and she’s slowing him down. He’s got to pay attention to keeping her moving than to what’s going on around him. It’ll be easier to take care of him first. Then we’ll get Brooks."
Eric knew what Kid was saying was true, but he still wished they could get Alex first.
Eric got close enough to Jack to hit him with the butt of his gun. Kid grabbed Lou as Jack fell backwards. Eric lowered Jack to the floor and tied him up. Kid set Lou on the floor and turned to take care of Brooks.
"Let me save you some time Brooks. She doesn’t have your money." Brooks jerked his head around at the sound of Kid’s voice.
"How the hell did you get in here?" Brooks couldn’t believe that someone had gotten in.
"We walked in. Let her go." Eric was trying to stay calm, but he was terrified something would happen to Alex.
"I can’t do that. You see, Alexandria and I have some business to attend to." Brooks started backing down the hallway with Alex held tightly to him. Eric and Kid started to follow him down the hall. "I’m sorry boys, but this is a private discussion. You’re not invited. Now stay back, or I’ll be forced to hurt little Miss Alex. I’m sure you boys wouldn’t want that to happen."
While Brooks was talking, Buck and Noah came up behind him. "Drop the gun Brooks. You don’t stand a chance." Buck saw Lou lying in a broken heap behind Kid. He knew that Kid had to be itching to get a shot at Brooks. He wouldn’t mind taken a shot himself.
Brooks shoved Alex away from him at the sound of Buck’s voice. She rushed toward Eric as shots began to ring out. Before she could reach Eric, she felt the shot hit her in the shoulder and collapsed.

Chapter Twenty-four

Kid was glad to get away from the doctor’s for awhile. He didn’t want to have to tell the kids what had happened, but he couldn’t wait any longer with the others. He didn’t even know if the doctor had started helping Lou yet. Since Alex had been shot, the doctor had decided that he would help her first. Kid hadn’t liked hearing that, but he understood the reasoning.
"Kid! Did you find Louise?" Theresa rushed up to Kid as soon as he walked through the gates.
"Sure did. She’s at the doctor’s getting checked out right now, but she’ll be fine. I’ll stay with you and Jeremiah for a while before I have to get back. I’ll take you over to visit Lou tomorrow. Hey Jeremiah."
"Where’s Louise?"
"She’s at the doctor’s. She’s going to be fine." Kid knew if he said she’d be fine if they said it enough times.
"Can we go and see her?" Jeremiah was relieved that they had found Louise and he was ready to let her know exactly what he thought about her disappearing and leaving him to explain to Kid.
"I’ll take you over there tomorrow." Kid sat with Jeremiah and Theresa for a while just talking about what had been going on since he’d last seen them. He couldn’t wait for them to live in Rock Creek with Lou and him. They could finally be a family.
"Hey Kid." Noah wasn’t sure he wanted to be the one to tell Kid what was going on, but he had gotten the short straw.
"Noah, what’s going on? Is she awake?"
"You better come. It’s not bad though. You head back over to the doctor’s and I’ll stay here."
"Thanks Noah. I’ll be back soon kids and I’ll let you know what’s going on."

Chapter Twenty-five