Tim, slipped his arm around Yelena's waist and smiled. "Sarha, this har fella with riflr on his hip is Stubby and the city fella thar is Devon." Tim said "An fellas this har is Miss Sarah Montgomery, she's a friend a mine from a spell back an' gonna be workin' the place with me. Ya know yur right Sarah, some sweet tea shur would taste good 'bout now. An I don't think right clear in the hot sun."

After Yelena's familiar form emerged the from the barn and she was properly introduced, Stubby tipped his greasy ball cap to her, "Right pleased to meet ya, Miss Montgomery." and Devon followed suit with a polite nod and simple, "Hello."

Devon definitely remembered the Russian but respected her disguise. If their kind had any codes this was one of them, and he knew that in turn she would address him by his current alias while they were in front of those who simply did not need to know who they really were, for theirs and their own safety.

As, Sarah began to make her way toward the cabin, Stubby raised his voice, "Oh, none for me, please. I gotta get back. Promised, Ginger I'd be back by lunchtime and she can get right mean. I tell ya, that girl's got tongue enough for ten rows a' teeth, and she won't let up on me all afternoon if'n I walks in one minute past twelve."

Stubby leaned close to Tim, took his hand one more time and pulled him in close, "Rather watch 'er walk than eat fried chicken, hey?" He said in a low voice, then as he started chuckling playfully poked him in the ribs with his elbow. He then walked over to Devon and gave him a hard slap on the shoulder, "Well, 'Bull', you take care now and clean yer self up. Damn yer a sight!"



The old Texan's laugh could be heard trailing off in the distance as he vanished over the ridge, and when he was out of sight, Devon relaxed and stretched smile toward at Yelena. "It's good to see you again. Wish I could say that I was stopping by for a friendly visit, but trouble's brewing in Chicago."

Devon looked down at his muddy clothes and rubbed a hand across his dirty face. "Don't suppose you guys have a shower and a washing machine out here in the sticks?" The crime-fighter had a lot to tell them, about Chicago and why he was Texas, but first things first, he had to clean up.

"Yep, 'minds me a two wild cats in a gunny sack. You watch yur ass thar Stubby an tell Roy ta be right careful what he says. I hered tell thars a F.B.I agent pokin' round." Tim said to Stubby as he left.


Tim then turned to Wraith "We ain't got no wash machine but we do got a shower and indoor plumbin'. ....... Almost citified out har on the range." he said as the three friends walked towards the line shack. "So, ifin' Sasha has taken Morgan's appearance, that ain't good. I reckon we best be keepin' an eye on her fer a spell till we figure out what's goin on. ...... How'd ya end up down har, I hered sum crazy shit is goin down in Chicaga. Think R.A.I.D is behind it?"

Devon followed Yelena into the line-shack and while she headed toward the kitchen area, he and Tim hung out in the living room. The modest cabin was quite comfortable inside less rustic than he was expecting but the urban man was thankful for the small luxuries, like a nice soft sofa to sit down on.

Seeing that Yelena was still in ear shot Devon began to explain to both of them what was happening in Chicago. He described the plague, and that it was actually a signal being generated by UMBRA; triangulated towers that he and other members of the resistance had yet to locate. "We thought we were close at one point, but then we were attacked by this psycho hitman called, Grey Pyre. Took me, Sigma and Seizure to take him down, but he's locked away at the Green Street base now."

Devon then went to explain the serum. "My boss at Genomorph Labs was able to acquire a sample of the serum. I have all the data on it. We learned that it was created by a Doctor Ephraim Jacobson who works out of the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources in Lubbock." He then went on to describe how complex the serum was and that only it's maker could tell them what specifically it what do to a person, but one way or another Devon was betting on control or something like that.

"It's bad in Chicago, Tim." Devon finally admitted, "The signal generated plague causes deformities in Humans and over time they could lead to permanent conditions. The serum is working, but I am really worried that the drug itself is going to have an effect on the population as well. Its highly addictive, more so than heroine. I came here looking for you, because I might need some back up on this one. I'm not worried about Doctor Jacobson, but I do believe that he's working for R.A.I.D. I think that they are the one's behind this, working along with UMBRA if only to perpetuate people's hate for our kind."

While Tim and Yelena digested all that Wraith had told them, the big man uncomfortably stretched out in his mud covered clothes. Some pebbles of dried mud fell to the floor and immediately he offered to clean it up. As Devon rose to look for a broom and dust pan, which he figured he'd just carry around with him he then recalled another bit of information that Tim would be interested in. "Oh," he said, turning back "If you're wondering how I found ya, you're not going to believe this, but your FBI agent is staying at my hotel in Lubbock. The restaurant was packed this morning and the hostess stuck me at his table. How's that for coincidence, eh? He had all sorts of aerial maps of your property. He's been surveilling your land and the Timbles for a while now, but it looks like he's alone. His name is Kaleb Mitchell."

"Mitchell ya say, an his watchin' Kathy and Henery? Damn didn't want ta get them mixed up in this, they'r good people." Tim thought for a moment "Well Mr. FBI goes messin' with Henery and he'll think his got a hold of a pair of tornadas. He's onerier than I am and about twice as tough. ........ Ya all know I got yur back. ..... Why don't ya get them dirty duds off an take a shower. Thar oughta be sum duds 'round her that'll fit ya. Ain't got no Armini suits but thar ought be some jeans and shirts around. I thim ole "Slim left some stuff har might even be a pair as boots thatlr fit them gunboats you call feet."

Toril shook Tim's hand. "Thanks bud. I knew I could count on you." He then looked off toward the kitchen where Yelena was still quietly working away at making some iced tea and gave her a friendly nod.

It felt good to be among friends, not that Sigma wasn't good company, but Tim and Yelena knew him before he assumed the identity of Devon Gale and they simply felt like... home. Most of his life he had been surrounded by Meta-humans, but it had been a while since he had let himself trust any of them as much as he did these two.

Toril navigated his way to the bathroom by the way of Tim's pointing finger. Down the hall and to the left but before that he turned right into the last unoccupied guest room that appeared to serve as a outfitter's haven. Checking the closet and dresser drawers, he found lots of clothes that had been left behind or stored until the next hunt. Sure enough, this guy Slim that Tim had mentioned was a big man and Toril had found a suitable pair of his jeans and triple 'x' tall sized shirt which gave him more than enough room. The boots were a little wide in the toe, but beggars couldn't be choosers, and they fit well considering.

Carrying his new wardrobe he picked a towel out of the linen closet and entered into a rather ornate bathroom. Everything was made of wood, and whoever crafted it had done an exceptional job, a pleasing sight unlike the reflection in the mirror that stared back at him. Riding in that dune buggy had completely soiled his clothes. So much, for making his one change of clothes last. He should have known better.

The hot shower was rejuvenating. Toril felt like and looked like a new man as he fixed his hair in the steamy mirror and checked his look. Beaten jeans, worn work boots and red shirt. All he needed now was a tuque and his lumber jack look would be complete.

As he wandered out of the bathroom, carrying his soiled clothes, Toril called out to Tim, "I think I might be able to save these clothes. You gotta washboard? I think after a rinse off these shoes will be good as new."

Morgan didn't know how much time had passed as she sat upon the hill just looking at the cabin. The butterflies in her stomach didn't help any either. How would Tim react when he saw her? Would she be able to tell him what she'd done to Sasha/Frank? Would he even welcome her back? All of these things and more kept running through Morgan's mind. Finally, she took a deep breath and let it out slowly. The only way she was going to find out was to get her butt down there. She climbed onto the ATV and started it up, going slow down the hill so she didn't lose control and wind up flipping it. Once she was at the bottom, she picked up a little speed but not too much. After all, she was nervous about the encounter with Tim and was in no hurry to be rejected if that's what ended up happening.

After about fifteen or twenty minutes she was stopping in front of the cabin. She sat there, her lavender eyes looking around her before settling on the cabin again. Again she sighed, getting off of the ATV. She knew Tim well enough to know that he knew she was coming before she even got to the cabin. She knew she looked a little different, her hand raising up to the scar on the left side of her face, curving around her eye. Her eyes were darker now, sadder, harder and yet they softened whenever she thought or spoke about Tim and Yelena, but especially Tim. She was no longer the innocent girl from before......her father and Sasha had seen to that. Her hair was still long, thick, shiny and soft and her body had more curves now then before and more muscle. She fought back the tears that threatened to fall with the thought of Tim sending her away, knowing that tears would do nothing except give her a headache. She would have to accept whatever Tim decided. Little did she know, but they were suspicious that Sasha had killed her and was now able to look like her. But, this she didn't know. Had she'd known, she would be ready to prove that she was Morgan and not that schizoid freak.

Toril's call had fallen on deaf ears. Tim was in the living room preparing himself for some unwanted guests and it was only when he entered the fore-room that Toril heard the familiar sound of an ATV or perhaps a dirt-bike approaching. It definitely wasn't, Stubby's dune buggy, even the city boy could tell the difference.

"I take it your not expecting company?" Toril asked Tim.

Yelena busied herself in the kitchen making the tea for all of them. She heard Tim and Wraith talking and heard most of the conversation. What Wraith was telling Tim was really not much more than what she already knew, except for the incident that happened with Henery. But the news about Chicago hit her pretty hard. Seemed as though she and Tim got the hell out of that place just in time.

When she came into the room, she gave the Norwegian a small smile and offered him a glass of that tea she spoke of. He took the offered drink then headed off to the shower. As he washed the dirt off his body, Yelena spoke quietly to Tim discussing the incidences in Chicago.

”Perhaps is good thing we left city to come out here. I know things are bad there, but I not want to go back. I not want to get mixed up in anything other than tending livestock. I have had enough of dealing with bigoted, narrow minded people for my life. I sympathize with people there but….”

She didn’t need to finish the sentence. She and Tim had been friends long enough to know where the other stood on any subject they spoke about and respected each other enough to honor their opinion. She knew Tim would do his own thing, as he always had. Just like her own self. But she also knew Tim would let her stay right where she was if that was her desire. Which it was.

The sound of an ATV approaching caught every ones attention and as they shared glances, Tim and Yelena were already in motion. Each one holding the hand gun they had previously held, they were taking up defensive positions in the cabin and peering out the windows. Even as Toril asked about expecting company, they both shook their heads.

Close to each, Tim and Yelena, was another gun. Tim had a shotgun while Yelena had a rifle. There was no doubt to the answer of Toril’s question. As the ATV came to a stop and the young woman got off of it, Yelena furrowed her brows. Glancing over at Tim, she gave him a puzzled look. There was no doubt they knew who it was but Yelena was wondering what she was doing there. And who may have followed her. And what the hell they were going to do now.

Worst of all, Yelena knew that with each person from the outside that showed up, the more risk they took of being discovered by someone they didn’t want to find them. Like Morgan, for instance. With a few hand signals to Tim, Yelena let him know she was going to take the back of the place and make sure there wasn’t someone lurking about then stay hidden.

As she gathered up the rifle, she looked up at Toril and whispered softly.

”You staying here or coming with me?”

Without waiting for his answer, she walked silently to the back of the cabin to do her recon then seek out the hiding spot she knew Toril could occupy as well if he so chose to join her. The choice, of course, was up to him.

"Looks like we hit paydirt boys." Said the biker, grinning fiendishly. Following the girl had paid off.

Shaved bald and covered head to toe in a tapestry of prison tattoos, the hard looking biker passed the binoculars back to his colleagues and narrowed his eyes as he looked out toward the line shack. A scruffy looking man with a wad of gauze taped over one of his eyes snatched the binoculars away from another and squinted through the eye piece with his good eye.

"Gimme that ya idjet!" Growled the man beside him as he grabbed the binoculars away while threatening to back-hand his friend. Then looking through them, spied the dark haired girl on the ATV and the cabin she had pulled up in front. "Yeah, that's her alright." he verified, "She's the one. I tell ya, I'd never seen scorpions or vultures act like that before. It was f***ing unnatural. She's one a them I'm tellin' ya, Barr."

"Yeah, those f***ing birds clawed out my f***ing eye!" Added the other as pulled out his switch blade and flicked it open, "Now, I'm a gonna take hers."

The bald headed looked over his shoulder at the man who had addressed him. He, like his friend was covered with red swelling blotches all over his skin; the remnants of the scorpion stings they had endured.

"You see the guy that busted up, Checkers?" Asked Barr.

"No. Ain't seen that sum-bitch yet, but ya can't miss 'em. Big fella, looks like a f***ing Vikin' or sumthin', wuz dressed like a banker though."

Barr turned around and shook his head. They were getting soft. "You f***ers get plenty ta chew on, but it hardly ever bites back. These freaks are tough, so ya'll best be ready for a fight! Harley wants his shit back! Let's go git it!"

Behind the two mangled bikers, was a small troop of about twenty men and women mounted upon their steel steeds. The bikers had approached slowly and sporadically so as not to raise any dust or make noise and give away their position. All of them were seasoned fighters, armed to teeth and ready for blood. One of their own had been severely beaten and it was time for payback, but more importantly their leader was sure that dark haired girl had something to do with their missing shipment. Seemed to them, that some of these super-freaks had decided to muscle in on their territory and had intercepted the blue pick-up truck that was hauling their drugs. They aimed to get it back and make those that took it pay with their lives. Only the scorpion stung bandits were concerned about the girl, the rest of them could give a shit about her, but Barr sure wanted a piece of the the big guy that busted up Checkers.

Barr stepped onto his bike and raised his shotgun high and all behind him gripped their handles. He then kicked his chopper, started the engine and revving it loudly screamed, "Cutthroats!" The name of their particular gang before driving forward, expertly maneuvering his bike through the rough terrain. The entire gang starting the engines in unison sounded like thunder in the distance, but there wasn't a cloud in a sight, just the dust kicked up by the approaching armada that descended upon the like shack.



Toril was hesitant to follow. His borrowed clothes had not been purged of their minute metal pieces and the magnetic fields that they possessed no matter how minute would prevent his dematerialization. There was still a lot he could do, but being able to vanish at will was a major part of his arsenal. It was only one lone rider though, and if it was Sasha, he was pretty sure Tim alone could handle her.

"Wait up." he called, as he ran after Yelena. He found it difficult at first to be stealthy in the heavy work boots but he quickly adapted.

Creeping up behind, Chameleon he looked over her shoulder toward the front of the cabin and that's when the sound of thunder boomed in the distance.

Toril looked up into the blue sky, then at Yelena. "I don't think that's a storm on the horizon." he whispered to her, and indeed it wasn't. The bikers approach was slow across the rough country, but they were closing in from all directions.

Morgan was waiting outside, trying to decide whether or not she should go up and knock on the door or just sit tight when she too, heard the 'thunder'. She turned around, squinting her eyes, trying to see what was causing it. She closed her eyes, scanning the area and located a road runner, a small bird known to run beside cars on the desert roads. She opened her eyes, glowing their lavender color now and saw the bikers advancing on the small cabin. They appeared to be in no hurry, but she knew that they weren't coming for a social call either. "God, no.....this can't be happening...not now", she whispered to herself. All she wanted to do was see Tim....find out if there was anything between them...anything at all. A part of her thought that maybe this was a sign, and not a good one. If she led them here, albeit unintentionally, then she had to do something to either stop them or slow them down, but what. She'd already exposed herself back at the little cafe, so using her abilities may not be the wisest course of action just now. Especially when she had minute control over her new abilities, courtesy of Sasha/Frank. She looked back at the cabin, her lavender eyes worried. By following her heart instead of her head, she'd endangered Tim.....again. "You are a creature of emotion, Morgan.....a creature of the heart, it's why you were born with the gift Mother Earth gave you...to help others, her animals as well. It is a gift as well as a curse and you must learn to control your emotions like you learned to control your gift." She could still see Aunt Jackie's face as she laid her hand on the scar at the side of her face, smiling gently to her after she'd inadvertantly called the yellow jackets to the reservation in a fit of rage. And now, instead of being patient, she'd untintentionally led these men to Tim. But, when she realized that the sound of motorcycles could be heard all around the shack, she began to wonder if there was more going on than just them following her.

She didn't know what to do, so she went on instinct and pushed the small ATV away from the cabin, making sure that if it got shot in the gas tank, the explosion wouldn't harm the cabin and those within it.

Tim looked at Yelena and Wraith and said "Go." He then opened the door to the cabin, stepped out onto the porch, lifted the shotgun with one hand by the slide and cocked it. He then said "Kin I hep you fellas?" Tim then lowered the shotgun and aimed it at the bald biker "This har land is posted "NO TRESSPASSIN' an seein' as though I didn't invite ya, I reckon yur tresspassin. So I suggest ya take yur little playmates an' them thar motur scootters and git offin' my land or be burried under it."

Barr, sat upon his rumbling bike and stared down Rutherford while his gang rolled into position around the cabin. Two mean looking men both armed with shotguns, parked their bikes along side their leader and dismounted. Neither of them looked as though they'd have any trouble killing a man, and no doubt had on several occasions. The bike leader, swung a leg over his hog and leaned back against the rest of his raised seat.

"Nice place ya got here. Kinda outta the way. Wouldn't say so boys?"

The two goons and some of the other bikers within earshot laughed.

The biker stood up then and stretched a bit. "They call me Barr." he told Tim, "Seems we have ourselves a situation har. Ya see, I'm looking for my bosses lost shipment and well, that little dark haired filly along with some big blonde haired son-of-a-bitch, up and beat up some of my men. So I says to myself, 'that ain't right'. Who in their right mind would up and mess with Venom? They'd have to be one dumb sack a shit, the same sack a shit who would steal from DeCamp. Now, I'm only gonna ask this once, cowboy. Where's the truck with our load a smack? Trespassin's gonna be the least a yer worries if'n ya don't answer right."

"Well thar Barr, I aint got no idear what the hell yur talkin' bout. Can't see that I recall no truck being 'round char an' ifin' yur boss dun lost a shipment, maybe he shuld of insured it. Ur maybe he ought ta check with them wetbacks that keep tryin' to cum up thisa way." Tim said coldly "An I'd be right careful where I stepped thar Barr. That thar parcel a land yur sittin' on I lent to them military boys not too fur back fur mine field trainin'. An I ain't too shur how them military boys ar 'bout cleanin' up aftar themselves. .......... Now ifin' ya don't be gettin along, thar be a whole lot hurt gonna come yur way." ....... Tim then stooped down and opened a wooden box that he was standing by. He reached in the box and removed a hand granade and stood up. "Now you chillin' just mosey on outta har. An' you tell this har DeCamp, whoever he thinks he is, that I don't take kindly ta drug dealers ur punks sending messanger boys to deliver threats." Tim then lifted the granade to his mouth and bit down on the ring of the arming pin.

Morgan had the small ATV away from the cabin making sure that it wasn't close to the barn either when the bikers began to surround the small cabin. She silently made her way over to the small barn and flattened herself up against the outside wall. She wasn't sure exactly what she could do and before she could decide Tim came out onto the porch and her heart skipped a beat. He was thinner than she remembered, but then again, she knew that she didn't exactly look the same either. She'd matured.....grown harder, except where Tim was concerned. When Barr mentioned a dark-haired filly, she knew he was talking about her and shivered. She could kick herself for not doing what Tim and Yelena had taught her. Instead, she'd allowed emotion to overrule and had exposed herself. She listened to the deep timbre of his voice and knew that the biker Barr had better heed Tim's warning. She knew just how lethal he was with or without a weapon.

She sighed, knowing that she needed to stay where she was for now. Tim had not let on whether or not he'd seen her, but she knew that more than likely he knew that she or someone was there and she was worried that if she showed herself it would distract him and he could get hurt. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, deciding to wait and see what the next move would be and who would make it. She wished she had a weapon, but the main thing she'd learned how to use had been knives. They were her favorite weapons when she wasn't using the animals and even though she was a bit more confident since killing Sasha, she knew that up against this many.....well, she wasn't that confident in her abilities.

She watched as the other bikers began to surround the small cabin. The main creatures to use out here would be of the insect variety unless she got lucky and she was hoping that she would get lucky. She hated using Sasha's ability....it always made her feel dirty inside afterwards.