Chapter 5

They walked single file through the woods toward the field where the plane was to pick them up. Craig kept sending stealthy glances back at his sister. She was holding her own just fine. Casino and Actor had her between them. Somewhere along the line the two men seemed to have appointed themselves as her protectors. After a couple miles, they reached the edge of the field. It would be another twenty minutes before the plane was scheduled to arrive.

Terry stood alongside of a tree with her brother. Her arm was throbbing dully, just an annoying reminder of the injury. Craig watched her out of the corner of his eyes while she studied Actor from a distance. Garrison lit a cigarette and took a puff. Terry leaned her shoulder against his and held two fingers of her left hand up in a V. Craig held the cigarette out to her. She accepted it and took a long drag before handing it back to him. Their conversation was quiet after Terry slowly blew the smoke out away from her brother.

"Dang, that man has a pair of legs," said Terry admiring the view. "Like a freakin' gazelle."

Garrison shot an exasperated look at her.

"You know," she said, "I've brought down you and Monty and Kelly before when we used to play football. When I hit him I thought I was going to bounce off."

The corners of Garrison's mouth tipped into an amused smile. "Six foot four and solid muscle. I'm surprised you did knock him down."

Terry shook her head. Garrison held the cigarette in front of her and she took another drag.

"You two getting along any better when I'm not there?" asked Craig.

"Yeah, the last one went better," said Terry.

"What's the big problem?"

Terry shrugged. "It's probably me. Sometimes he looks at me with that look and it makes me feel like I can't do anything right."

Craig chuckled. "I've been on the receiving end of that a couple times. He does have a whole lot more experience than we do." He took a good look at his sister. Her face was still pasty and the eyes were dark circled. "You look like crap," he said. "Is that you or Actor?"

"Well seeing as I can't see myself, I'd hazard a guess to say it's Actor. I know who to go to on Halloween," she joked. She wasn't about to let her brother know she felt like crap right now. The adrenalin was wearing off. "I'm going to go find me a nice tree until that plane gets here."

Garrison watched her stroll across the clearing to another tree and sink down to the base of it. He stood and smoked and watched the interaction between her and his men. Goniff walked over and squatted down beside her. They talked for a bit, Terry smiling. He got up and went back to watching the perimeter. A couple minutes later, Casino took his place beside the woman. He took off his neckerchief and tied the ends together, slipping it over her head and helping her place her wrist in it. Terry's hand reached out and squeezed the safecracker's arm and she spoke to him with a smile. Next was Actor. He examined the dressing on her arm. They spoke a bit more seriously. Terry reached out with her good hand, caught the con man's and squeezed it too. He nodded at her.

Actor made his way over to the Lieutenant. Craig eyed the medical person in their group with question. "She says she's okay. Is that makeup or her?"

"Mostly makeup, a small bit of her," acknowledged the Italian. The wound is not terribly bad."

"How did she do with the con?" Garrison asked.

"Very well," replied Actor. "She is becoming quite skilled. She still has a problem going in and out of it in the beginning, but when we have time to prepare her, she is fine. She is even taking unscheduled changes in plans without difficulty." The last was said with a bit of a barb at the man who had changed the plans.

Actor cast a glance at the woman who was leaning back against the tree with her eyes closed. She was progressing well with the confidence game. He was even beginning to enjoy working with her. Actor mentally frowned. He had worked with partners before and for the most part had not enjoyed it. He wondered if the difference had to do with gender. He hoped not. It would mean he was considering her as a woman and not as the generic 'Warden's Sister.' Most of the time that was easy to do as she tended to wear trousers, a new habit he did not find attractive in women. Actor studied the girl. She was wearing a skirt and sweater, sitting with her legs tucked to the side beneath her. She had a trim figure and nice legs that were enticing when one could see them. Though now, the skirt was torn, the nylons shredded and the knees abraded from his jerking her to the ground. Put heels on her and she came to perfect height against his tall frame. Merde! What was the matter with him? He pushed that train of thought aside and lit a cigarette.

The plane landed on schedule and they quickly boarded it. It was smaller plane, but they still had to sit on side benches, knees almost touching. Goniff found a blanket to cover Terry with. She took it with appreciation.

They were halfway to England when Terry suddenly fixed the Lieutenant with a hard look. "By the way, Dearest Brother of Mine," she started.

Craig looked up at her, startled out of his concentration on how to word his report. He didn't like the look in Terry's eye.

"Just what was that back there? I don't remember trying to burn us up being in your plan. You might warn a person first."

Actor chewed on a thumbnail to hide a grin. Chief concentrated on fiddling with his blade. Goniff watched between the siblings to see if there was going to be trouble. It was Casino who answered.

"Oh you haven't been on a mission with him when he has to throw a monkey wrench into the works. He can't just leave well enough alone, can you, Warden?"

"Casino, can it," said Craig. "There was too much information there. We had to destroy it. It'll take the good doctor a while to get his project back to where it was."

"It'll take a little longer than that," said Terry sarcastically, "considering the man is dead."

Craig looked at Terry and shot a sharp look at his second. Actor shrugged elegantly.

"He did not appreciate his office and work being set on fire. He seemed to somehow think Teresa and I were involved."

Terry swallowed a laugh, appreciating the con man's reply as much as Casino's.

"You must admit, Warden," continued Actor. "You seem to derive a great deal of pleasure from finding something you can add on to a mission."

Terry could not suppress a snort of laughter. Neither could the cons. Garrison eyed them all narrowly.

"Knock it off, all of you," he said.

After a moment, his frown twitched into a small grin.