Break in

Jade nods and swallows hard, wiping her eyes. "Okay." She tries to smile. "If I don't see you before, I'll see you behind the barn."

Watching Dan leave the barn, she bites her lip and just stays by herself for a few minutes before wandering across the ranchyard and down the lane. Maybe Cindy could use some help around the house for a couple hours.


Sparky sits on a stool to let Angel clean him up, wishing he were somewhere else. Wincing a little, he tries to sit still until she's finished. For now, he'd have to eat carefully, then determine if he'd need a dentist.

Remaining seated, Sparky looks down, not answering Rosetta right away. He didn't want to tell her, but he knew he had to.

"Mick caught Dan and Jade kissing." He looks up, lifting his eyebrows momentarily. "Er...making out. I guess at the same time, Mick heard Dan confess his past to Jade. He flipped."

Sparky shrugs. "Told Dan to pack up, and I stepped in. I informed Mick that all Dan's information was in his file and I guess Mick must've thought he read it but never did. I... reminded Mick that Dan wasn't the only one with, um, shortcomings and he socked me. Told Dan again to leave, then walked out to take a phone call."

He stops, his eyes begging for Rosetta's forgiveness. "I told Dan not to leave. It just didn't feel right. Mick won't be happy, I know but..." His eyes drop down. "I just didn;t want to see Dan suffer anymore, or Jade for that matter. I know I probably overstepped my bounds though, so I'm sorry."


Jason snickers at Katie's idea. "I think I like it."

Wyatt quirks an eyebrow. "We could get in trouble for that method, you realize this."

"From who? Mick? Your dad? They'd agree."

Wyatt smirks. "Alright. But let's not take it too far, huh? Just go in, get him out and hightail it to the ranch."

Jason nods. "Agreed. Lets call Mick. We shouldn't need cameras or anything, so we'll just tell him that we'll call him back when we've got Dylan."

It doesn't take long to notify Mick, pack up and leave the hotel. Wyatt drives while Jason and Katie decide on full gear so they'd hardly be recognizable. Holstered guns and the whole bit, they were ready for a kidnapping.

A forty-five minute drive and a map from Scott brings the small team to the apartment complex Reese had directed them to. It wasn't the greatest looking place, but not the worst either. Finding the right apartment is easy.

"Well..." Jason looks up to the second floor. "Ready?"

...to go play mommy and daddy.

Wyatt yawns. "Just go get him. Keep your mics on. I won't stop anybody coming out unless it's Dylan or unless you tell me to stop someone."

Jason grins and pats his arm. "Don't fall asleep."

"Yeah, yeah. Go on, git before I kick you out."

Exiting the Elite vehicle, Jason waits for Katie, pulling his cap down low and cocking his gun.

Once we barge in, latch onto their fear and drive 'em nuts. I'll grab Dylan. If we're lucky, they'll all be so confused that we'll get in and get right back out again.

Slinking up one flight of stairs and to the apartment door, Jason draws his gun, both for show, and in case anyone inside did happen to have a firearm.

Giving a nod to Katie, he turns quickly and gives the door a swift kick. Knowing right where to aim, the door flies open with a bang. "Everybody freeze!"

The first line of sight shows two men, a woman and Dyaln, in the living room. Dylan and the woman were on the couch, the two guys talking near the window. All freeze, though they seem strangely lethargic.

We startled them. Play with it so I can get to Dylan.


Gunner just stands in Hope's doorway, listening. He doesn't come and sit, but it's obvious that he really is listening and not just pretending. His finger still flicks the pop can tab, indicating he wasn't very comfortable with the subject, but he'd been brave enough to come anyway.

Her suggestion makes his eyebrows rise. Funny. A wry grin surfaces. "I do have an offer. You know Bree... her uncle... the one I..." He shrugs, his face one of regret. "Yeah, well, he invited me to stay. Fed me a line about not wanting the house empty when he works nightshift, but the offer was nice. Maybe he saw the same thing you do."

Looking down, he runs the toe of his shoe on the floor. He was glad that she didn't think he needed to go back to Northside. That was a bit of a comfort in itself. "I guess... maybe I never lived a normal life," he admits. He hadn't really thought of that before, but maybe it was true. Being wrapped up in one mission only all of his life... maybe it wasn't so strange now that he was having difficulty adjusting.

Thinking for a couple quiet moments, he finally nods, glancing back up to Hope. "Thanks. I'll... figure it out."

Nodding again, he turns to head back to his cubicle, opening his pop on the way.


Axel lies on his side, the meds starting to wear off. His eyes gradually open, everything around him seeming a little blurry. It takes him a few minutes to move, blinking and looking around the infirmary to get his bearings.

Licking his dry lips, he rolls over just a little, finally spotting Misty. Mumbling something incoherent, a little grin surfaces. Gibberish wasn't what he was planning to say, but his tongue didn't seem to want to work.

Moving his hand slightly, he sees the bandage. There was a numbing pain, but he'd known that surgery on the nerves could be painful. Finally he's able to get his mouth to work enough to say something, though it's a bit slurred. "Hey, Doc... howsthe... thing... surgery... go?"