"I need to think about this," she said, still pacing. "Do I go back east? At least I would be on familiar ground. Of course, there's no one I could contact, so I guess it really doesn't matter where I go. I just know I can't stay here in the middle of a desert. I need to find a city, where I can get work. That's it… I should go to LA. Wait a minute, what's Los Angeles like now? Is it a big city, like back east?"
"No."
"Okay… San Francisco, then. I could find work there, and then—" Her words and thoughts ceased as a strong wave of dizziness washed over her. Staggering, she grabbed the railing.
"Are you all right?" Jack held her shoulders and steadied her. "Come, sit back down. You aren't strong enough to go anywhere yet."
Breathing heavily, she sat in the chair and cursed under her breath the unfamiliar weakness. Turning her face up to him, she whispered what frightened her the most. "Jack, are you leaving tomorrow?"
He stared down at her, and Mairie swore she saw a momentary look of resignation pass over his features. "I'll stay until you're well enough to travel."
Her breath left her body in a huge sigh of relief. "Thank you. I know how all this must sound to you. But you're my link, Jack," she whispered as sincerely as she was able, her voice trailing off.
He nodded sympathetically and walked toward the front door. "Mrs. Gass, would you help Miss Callahan? She's had another dizzy spell."
Virginia Gass rushed onto the front porch. "You've overdone yourself, dear. The place for you is bed now and a good night's rest. Jack, help me get her to the door." Virginia put Mairie's arm around her shoulder and helped her to stand.
Jack awkwardly grasped Mairie's hand and elbow.
"You're not promenading her around a ballroom, Jack; put your arm around her waist."
Mairie lifted her right arm around his shoulder and neck. He held her hand gently and placed his arm around her waist.
Virginia shouted for her husband. "O.D., we need your help."
O.D. held the door and Mairie hesitated at the opening, gazing into Jack's eyes. In an instant she realized they were very much alike. Both of them lost, with uncertain futures.
When O.D. assumed Jack's place, she experienced a moment of loss as his embrace left her. In those few seconds she sensed a deep tenderness, strength, and caring from Jack she had not felt before.
"Rest well, Mairie. I'll see you in the morning," he said quietly.
Lying in the dark, her body exhausted, she could not stop her mind from reviewing the entire day's events. Before sleep claimed her, she had come to a conclusion. She had to accept three things… that she was unusually weak, that she was living one hundred and twenty-two years in the past, and that she might be falling in love with a disillusioned cowboy.
Talk about dizzy.
Defeated, she surrendered to slumber.
The morning sun made Mairie squint. She was glad Mrs. Gass had given her a large straw hat to wear. "How much farther, Fenton? I may need to rest again."
"It's just over here, Mairie." Fenton pointed toward a flat ridge with mesquite trees.
Mairie looked down at the ever-present Digger, who was now tugging at her long white cotton dress. "You silly puppy… let go… I've enough trouble keeping myself moving, much less dragging you with me."
"Digs! Come here, boy!" Fenton scrambled up a hill and Digger happily loped behind him.
Another hill… just what I need. What am I doing? I should be preparing to leave this godforsaken desert for the nearest big city… and I'm off gallivanting about the countryside with a six-year-old boy and his dog, Mairie thought to herself.
Struggling for breath, she rose to the top of the ridge and straightened to ease her back and legs. The view was breathtaking. Early morning sun was painting hues of earthy pastel colors on the distant mountains. "How lovely," she said aloud. She thought about the city lights she had expected the day before. The glitter. The audaciousness of the Las Vegas she knew. This was unspoiled splendor.
"Wait till you see the inside!" Fenton exclaimed with a giggle, interrupting her thoughts.
She looked down at his grinning face from a small opening within thorny branches. "You don't expect me to crawl in that, do you, Fenton?"
"Come on, you can do it, Mar."
With a flash, his words struck her like lightning. Bryan had said that just before he'd jumped from the plane. Without hesitation, Mairie found herself hitching up the long skirt of her dress and bending down to crawl through the narrow passageway into the thicket.
Inside, she was able to sit, while the child could stand. Sunlight filtered through the mesquite branches and danced on treasures dangling by strings as she looked up around the ceiling of this hollowed secret place. Fenton began to explain the origin of each article, pieces of colored glass, long feathers, Indian beads, and objects travelers had given him when they'd stopped at the ranch.
She found herself entranced and thought of Bryan.
With detail the child wove tales of all his adventures. How ironic… "And a child shall lead them." The quote came to her as she watched Fenton make his way around this magical cavern. How much her brother was like this boy. Embracing all of life's simplicities. Enjoying the experience. Loving his life and everything it offered, no matter how small or grand. Bryan was as this free-spirited boy… fulfilling the instinctual need of all mankind to do more than just survive. To live.
"I have a brother," she whispered, wondering when she'd lost her free spirit. She could remember feeling it as a child, making mud pies, and being fascinated with nature. When had she lost this magic? When had she grown up and thought such things were merely childish? Was this what Bryan was trying to teach her before he dies? To stop being such an adult and remember what it was like to be a child… before she had thought in order to get along in the world, she had to accept society's point of view. Childhood was freedom. What had Bryan said that day in the plane? About leaving the tribe behind and experiencing life?
"Are you listening to me, Mar?" Fenton was crouched over her with a puzzled look. "This place is supposed to make you happy, not sad."
She smiled at him and touched his face. "Thank you, Fenton. This is just wonderful. Magical."
Fenton's eyes lit with pleasure. "See? I told you."
"Yes… yes, you did. I don't feel sad any longer. How could I when I'm here in your secret place. No one knows about this? Not even your sisters?"
He shook his head emphatically. "Nope. Just you now. And Digger, of course."
She looked at the puppy, naturally digging at the base of a tree. "Of course. Digger."
"What's your brother's name? Where is he now? Does he have a boy like me?" He had heard her whisper.
Mairie laughed at the series of questions. "His name is Bryan. He's… he's…" What could she say? "He's waiting for me to return to him, and no … he doesn't have any children."
"When will you see him again?"
"I don't know. I'm lost. That's how I came here to your ranch."
"My daddy tells me about the stars. He says if you always follow the North Star, you'll find your way home. The stars will help you, Mairie."
She could feel a lump of emotion gather at the back of her throat and she wanted to hug the child. Mairie knew young Fenton was developing a crush on her and she almost regretted that she would soon leave him.
"C'mere, Fenton," she whispered, as she cupped his chin in her hand and leaned forward. Planting a light kiss on his forehead, she smiled. "You're a good friend. Thank you. I feel much better."
Fenton blushed and shrugged his shoulders. "It is magical, Mairie." He swung his arms out and twirled around as he looked up through the trees. "All of it…"
Her heart expanded. From the mouths of babes comes truth.
They lazily made their way back to the ranch as the midday sun reminded them it was time for lunch. The busy sounds from the ranch courtyard told them it had not yet been served. Mairie didn't see Jack about. She hadn't seen him since he left breakfas
t early that morning and they hadn't had the chance to speak again. She wondered if he would be there for lunch. Why was she putting such importance on his appearance? She simply had to fight this attraction and latching onto the man emotionally was not going to help.
Fenton opened the back door to the kitchen and Mairie followed. The aroma of baking biscuits and simmering stew filled the room.
Virginia looked up from the bowl of dough she was kneading and smiled. "How was your morning walk? You must be feeling better."
Mairie grinned down at her friend. "It was magical. My charming escort showed me some remarkable things. Unless you need my help here, I'll freshen up before lunch."
Virginia wiped her hands on the long white apron. "No, Lee can finish the rest. There's something I need to speak with you about in private, Mairie. Let me get you a fresh towel for your washbasin."
Minutes later, standing over the basin, Mairie reveled in the relief of cool water on her face, while wondering what was so private and important. Virginia stood away, looking out the window.
"We had a visitor today," she announced, and turned. "And he was looking for you."
In the midst of patting her face dry, Mairie stopped and stared at the woman. "Me? Are you sure?"
Virginia nodded. "He described you quite accurately and knew you were lost."
Stunned, Mairie whispered, "Did he say his name?"
She shook her head. "No, he wouldn't say, and that's why I became suspicious. I told him to check later today when the wagon train from Fort Mojave comes by. Who could it be, Mairie? Are you married? Have you run away from a husband? Family?"
Mairie felt frozen with confusion, mixed with hope. Someone was looking for her? Could it be Bryan? "No," she insisted. "I haven't run away from anything. I was… I am lost. What did he look like, Virginia? Did he have dark hair and blue eyes?"
The woman nodded. "Yes. But there was an unnatural air about him. Very mysterious. He wouldn't give me any more information and… I don't know, I felt something was missing in him, in his heart."
It could be Bryan. If he was also lost in the past, he would be hesitant and careful. And scared, just like her. Her heart sang out that it had to be her brother. Who else would even know about her in this time? Only someone else that had experienced the same thing!
"Oh, Virginia… where is he? He didn't leave, did he?" She couldn't stop the desperation in her voice. She must find him!
Shaking her head, Virginia said, "I don't think he's left the area. He's probably camping by the creek. I didn't invite him into the house, since my instincts were on the alert."
Mairie threw the towel onto the table. "I have to find him. He… he may know something about how I can get back home."
Virginia walked up to her and looked into Mairie's eyes. "I have so enjoyed your company, Mairie. I don't get the opportunity to share time with many women. When you leave us, I will miss you … but I know you must get home… I know how important home is. To all of us."
With the woman's emphasis on the word home, Mairie felt the emotion building in her again. If only she could click her heels, like Dorothy, and make it happen. But she wasn't in Oz and there was no wizard to remind her, but she did have a glimmer of hope now. Bryan. He had to be here.
Impulsively, Mairie reached out and hugged Virginia. "Thank you for all your help. You've been so kind to me." Pulling back, she smiled widely. "I've got to find this man… please excuse me from lunch. I'll be back soon."
As she left the room, she heard Virginia's parting words, said so softly that it was only down the hallway they registered in Mairie's mind.
"Be careful…"
Bryan… his name sang out in her mind and heart as she raced from the house and hurried to the creek. He couldn't have left, not yet. Surely he was here. He would have to stay and refresh himself from the desert. All she had to do was find him.
It was easier than she could have hoped. She saw him standing by a grove of cottonwood trees that bordered the creek beyond the house, and she broke into a run. He was doing something with his hands and he seemed to freeze as she called out…
"Bryan!"
He slowly turned away from a horse drinking at the creek, and Mairie stopped short.
It wasn't her brother.
They stared at each other for what seemed an eternity, until the man began walking toward her. She could see as he closed the distance between them the resemblance to her brother stopped at height and coloring. He didn't look like Bryan at all. His features were more defined, as if chiseled from granite. He looked… dangerous.
His walk was determined as he came closer and Mairie felt the racing of her heart that she knew had nothing to do with her run. Suddenly, she remembered Virginia's last words.
Be careful….
"Mairie Callahan?"
Her brain refused to function properly. How could this stranger know her name?
She merely nodded. "Yes. Who are you?"
He stood in front of her and she leaned on a tree trunk to steady herself. He lifted his hands and continued to roll a cigarette. "I've been looking for you."
"Who are you?" she repeated, watching his tongue moisten the edge of the paper while he pulled something out of his jean's pocket.
He held up a lighter and flipped the top quickly, before holding the flame to his hand-rolled cigarette. "Specialist Fourth Class Robert Lee Harmon," he said, staring into her eyes as if waiting for a reaction. "Navy Seals." He tossed the lighter to Mairie and her hand automatically caught it.
A part of her marveled at her reflexes, since her brain was desperately trying to put together the man's words with his intentions. This didn't make sense. None of it made sense. Slowly her eyes lowered to the lighter in her hand. It was chrome, with the Naval seal on it, surrounded by words verifying what he'd just said.
"You… you're with the Navy Seals?" She knew it sounded stupid, yet her mind was struggling with the fact that there were no Navy Seals in 1877. In fact, she was sure there weren't any lighters invented, either. "How did you get here… how did you find me?"
"I was sent in to retrieve you."
"Sent in … retrieve me? What do you mean?"
He backed against the trunk of the tree and Mairie instinctively moved away from it, wanting some distance between them.
"Look, I know you've been through a tough time. So just listen to me before you ask any more questions. The government sent me to find you and bring you back. You were caught up in an experiment that was being conducted over Area 51. A plane, a test craft, from Edwards Air Force Base was to be involved—"
"Wait," she interrupted, disregarding his directive to listen before asking questions. "You're from the future? From 1999? This… this all happened to me because of some experiment the government was conducting? The government did this to me? Where's my brother? What happened to him? Does Bryan know about this government experiment?" Anger was replacing fear.
Harmon took a long drag on the cigarette and watched the stream of gray smoke he exhaled. "No, needless to say, this is all highly confidential. Black Card clearance only, yet there's no way I can get you back without explaining it. You'll be debriefed at Edwards when you return. The simplest way to put it is the test craft was flying at 50,000 feet, an area above and west of your skydiving plane at 13,000 feet. Something went wrong, and the testing area was expanded due to a computer error. Your brother notified the police and there were news reports of your mysterious disappearance, so I was chosen to come in and bring you back. Took me some time to find you."
"Back up," she directed, full strength in her voice. "My brother is all right?"
Harmon nodded, while taking another drag. "Your brother was interviewed, along with everyone involved in that dive, by government agents posing as local police. Your brother is alive and in 1999."
Relief swept through her. Thank God this didn't happen to Bryan. "How do I get back?" She asked the question that had haunted her all night.
He flicked
his cigarette into the stream, and started walking toward her. Looking her directly in the eyes, he sternly said, "Listen to me carefully."
Grateful there was a way back, Mairie focused on Harmon's words as he told her they must be on the desert floor at a certain time and they must travel all the way back to the base of Mount Charleston, where she had landed. She kept nodding. She would do anything, anything to return to her brother. She listened as Harmon told her that they would be leaving in the morning to make the trip back into the desert.
"Now I need to question you," he added. "You must tell me everything that happened since you landed. Everything. I need to make sure you didn't do anything to change the course of history. Nothing, absolutely nothing, must be changed."
She sighed and thought back in her head. It seemed so long ago. "Well, when I landed, I sat in the middle of the desert for what seemed like hours, waiting for someone from the diving school to find me. Then a man came." She thought about Jack and for some reason didn't mention his name. She felt guarded. "He took me to an Indian camp and I stayed there overnight. There was a celebration. I heard something so incredible as I listened to a prophecy. I… I have this herb that might help in finding a cure for cancer. The Indians told me about it."
Harmon turned his head sharply and stared at her.
"I know," she stated, already wanting to pacify him. "It sounds crazy, I'll admit, but you'd have to have been there. I have it with me and I can stick it in my jumpsuit when we return. It wouldn't take up much room, and—"
"You can't bring anything with you." His words were hard and final.
"Wait," she said, not about to back down. "You need to listen. My brother is dying from—"
"No, you wait," he interrupted. "Where is this man who found you? Did he ask questions about your equipment? What you were wearing? What did you tell him? Did you say you were from 1999?"
Something about his hardened expression made her extremely protective of Jack. If nothing must be changed in history, did that mean even someone knowing about her? Would Harmon eliminate Jack?
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