ATF Alternate Universe
THREE
The next morning JD woke to find Vin sitting Indian style on his sleeping bag. He was about to say good morning when Vin put his finger to his lips, telling him to be quiet. He slowly pointed to the lake. JD looked where he was pointing and slowly sat up. The deer were down by the lake grazing. JD noticed two fawns still with their spots. He smiled at Vin as they sat and watched. Something caught the attention of the buck and he raised his head and sniffed. The does came alert and suddenly they all darted for the trees. JD looked at Vin, who shrugged. They watched to see what would happen. After a short wait a black bear ambled to the lake to get a drink. JD watched in fascination as the bear took a drink then wandered back into the trees.
"Well now we know what scared the deer away," Vin said as he got up and started rolling up his sleeping bag.
"Why was he alarmed about us being here?" JD asked.
"He didn't know we were here."
"Why didn't it know?"
"He was down wind," Vin answered. "So he didn't smell us."
"Who didn't smell us?" Buck asked as he sat up. "And what the hell are you two doing up this early?"
"They're up this early just to annoy you, Buck," Chris answered.
"You guys missed it!" JD said excitedly. "There was a herd of deer down by the lake when I woke up. Then a bear scared them off and walked to the lake to get a drink."
"Whoa, what do you mean a bear?" Buck asked. "Vin you let a bear get that close?"
"He didn't even know we were here," Vin said. "Come on, JD, let's go down and see if he left a clear print in the sand. If he did, we'll make a cast of it."
"How are we going to do that?"
"I'll show you," Vin said as he lowered the packs from the tree.
He opened an outer compartment and pulled out a bag then head for the lake. JD followed close behind.
"JD seems to be enjoying himself," Chris observed.
"I can't believe a bear was that close," Buck grumbled.
Chris stirred up the coals and threw some kindling on them. After they caught he threw on a small amount of wood. He put on a pot of coffee then rolled up his sleeping bag. Buck rolled up his and JD's then hooked them to the packs. Chris stood up to see what JD and Vin were up too. He could see them over by the lake but they were too far away.
Vin was showing JD how to make a cast of the footprint they found. The bear had left two perfect prints in the damp sand by the lake. He pulled out a bag of plaster and a tin. He mixed up some of the plaster and set it aside. Vin put a circle of cardboard around each print and pushed them into the sand. He slowly poured the plaster over each of the prints. Chris whistled and they looked up. He waved them over.
"How long will it take to dry?" JD asked.
"Not long," he answered.
"Coffee's done," Chris said as they got closer.
Vin moved to the fire and opened the fish from last night. They ate breakfast and cleaned everything up. Vin put out the fire then scattered the rocks. He buried the fire and they were ready to leave. Vin and JD walked back over to the plaster cast. Vin ripped off the cardboard and picked up the cast. He brushed off the sand and handed it to JD. It was a perfect cast of the print.
"This is great!" JD said.
Vin pulled up the other cast and they rejoined Chris and Buck. Vin stowed his cast in his pack and lifted it to his shoulders. Chris and Buck already had theirs on. Buck helped JD get his on and when they were ready Vin led them down the trail. Chris walked with Vin and they could hear JD talking about the bear with Buck.
"Where'd you learn the trick with the plaster?" Chris asked.
"Remember Carl said I was a regular," Vin answered. "Well there was this female ranger that did that with a bunch of kids. I had brought Hector and his sister Alicia out to the park and we made casts. They thought it was great. So when we got back we tried it around the neighborhood."
Chris laughed imagining some of the things the kids would take cast of around the apartment. They walked on the main trail for about two hours when Vin stopped.
"This is where we head off the main trail," he said. "We head Northeast for another two hours and we'll hit the lake."
They followed Vin down a smaller trail that they had to walk down single file. JD was pretty surprised at the size of some of the trees they went past. He had switched places with Chris so he was behind Vin. He started asking Vin all sorts of questions.
"It's nice to get a break," Buck sighed. "That boy will talk to a wall."
Vin led them to a clearing and called a break. They had a seat and they pulled out their canteens. Vin leaned back on his pack and closed his eyes. They stayed for a half an hour when JD started to get restless.
"How much further?" he asked.
"Not far," Vin informed him.
"When are we going?"
"Soon, kid," Buck answered.
Vin cracked his eyes open to see JD sitting playing with the grass between his feet. He knew JD was just as anxious to get to the lake as he was. He waited a little while long then asked if everyone was ready. Buck grumbled saying he had just gotten comfortable. They pulled back on their packs and headed out. Vin was good to his word and an hour latter they stepped out of the trees and the lake was in front of them.
"Holy..." JD said as he saw the lake.
It was an impressive sight. The lake was huge. You could see to the far side. A small range of mountains could be seen in the distance. Their image was reflected on the surface of the lake. Vin hiked them down to the lake and over to a downed tree along the shore.
"How's this?" he asked.
""It's incredible!" JD said.
"For once I agree with the, Kid," Buck said.
"Hold on a minute," Chris said in surprise. "Did I just hear Buck say he agreed with JD?"
"I think you did," Vin smiled.
"Now I've heard everything," Chris said. "Let's get camp set up and get at those fish."
They each took a different task. JD gathered the rocks for the fire ring. Buck got some wood for the fire while Chris and Vin put up the tents. They had brought two so JD would share with Buck, while Vin and Chris would take the other. They set up the tents so the openings were across from each other with the fire in the middle. Once the camp was set they ate some lunch and relaxed. The summer afternoon was warm and they all changed into shorts. They finished lunch then gathered their gear and headed for the lake. They fished for a few hours and caught enough for dinner. The sun was warm and JD started splashing Buck. Buck calmly put his fishing gear down then picked JD up and threw him in the lake. Buck stood laughing when Vin tackled him from behind. Chris watched as they both landed in the water. Vin and JD decided to gang up on Buck and started circling him.
"So the two of you are ganging up an me huh?" Buck said. "OK, let's see what you got."
Vin gave JD a nod and they were about to pounce when Chris took Vin down. Buck had taken down JD and the two older agents gave each other a high five. They smiled at the two younger agents sprawled in the water.
"You do realize this means war," Vin announced.
He nodded to JD and they attacked. Buck was taken by surprise when Vin went after him. He had expected JD to come for him. He tried to grab the wiry agent but missed and Vin kicked his legs out from under him and he landed in the water. Chris had also been surprised. He expected Vin to come after him and wasn't expecting to be tackled by JD. They both landed in the water with a large splash. JD and Vin laughed as they stood up and gave each other a double high five. Vin waded over and gave Chris a hand up.
"I'm going to head back to camp and get the fire going," Vin said.
"Need a hand?" Chris asked.
"Nah, you better stay here and make sure they don't kill each other."
Vin gestured to where Buck and JD were wrestling in the water. Chris laughed and told him they'd be there in a little while. Vin walked back to camp and changed his clothes. He put on a pair of faded jeans and a T-shirt. He couldn't see the others from camp but he sure could hear Buck cursing. He smiled as he got the fire going and began to clean the fish. Vin was adding a log to the fire when he heard someone come up behind him. He didn't turn to look figuring it was the guys. Suddenly he felt a sharp pain on the side of his head and the world went black.
Chris was sitting on a log watching JD and Buck rough house. Chris knew Buck could easily take JD down since he was bigger, but he let the boy beat him. JD finally ran out of steam and they both waded out of the water. Chris could smell Vin cooking the fish.
"Let's go, you two, Vin's got the fish started," Chris called as he started back for camp.
Buck and JD followed and they walked back together. Chris was in front and wasn't prepared for what he found as he walked around the fallen tree. Vin was sprawled face down by the fire. Standing by him were four men dressed in orange coveralls. Chris knew immediately where they were from the Huntley Prison.
Everybody just take it easy," said the one holding the gun. "All of you just walk slowly over here."
"What do you want?" Chris said as he walked over followed by Buck and JD.
"You're going to led us out of here mister!" said the one with a scar down his cheek.
"Well if you expect us to do that you better let me check my friend," Chris reasoned.
"Why the fuck would we do that?" cried scar face.
"Because he's the one that led us in here, smart mouth," Buck said.
Scar face didn't like being talked to that way and rammed the stick he was holding into Buck's abdomen. He fell to his knees as the air was knocked out of him. JD dropped to Buck's side as he went down.
"Easy Carl," warned the leader.
"I'm not taking that form him, Marcus," Carl warned.
"Don't worry you won't have to," he said. "Ron, tie those two up and gag them."
"Right," Ron answered.
"If we're going to lead you out of here you better let us get on some dry clothes," Chris suggested. "You wouldn't want your hostages falling behind because they get sick."
"Look Mister we call the shots here," yelled the fourth man.
"Hold on Butch, he's right," Marcus said. "We need them. Help Carl with those two. Me and Ron will watch them."
"Right," Butch said as he walked over towards Buck and JD.
"You going to let me help him?" Chris asked as he saw Vin start to stir.
"Don't try anything stupid," he warned. "I will kill him if I have to."
Chris walked to Vin and helped him sit up. Chris could see they had hit him on the side of his head by his left ear. Vin was a little disoriented and went to touch the wound.
"Leave it alone, Vin," Chris said as he grabbed his hand.
"What the heck hit me?" he asked as he looked around and saw the escaped prisoners. "Aw hell!"
"I'm going to need some water to clean this up," Chris said.
"Don't push your luck," Marcus warned. "He seems to be all right. If you want some dry clothes this is your last chance."
"Go, Chris, I'm all right," Vin said grabbing his arm before he did something stupid.
Chris reluctantly left Vin and went to his pack. To make sure Chris behaved Marcus put the gun to Vin's temple. Chris looked over at JD and Buck and saw they were already dressed. Carl and Butch were just finishing typing them up. Carl grabbed Buck and gagged him then turned to JD and did the same. Chris pulled on some jeans and a sweatshirt then put on his socks and boots.
"Now get back over here," Marcus ordered.
Chris did as he said and Ron pulled his arms behind him and tied his hands. Marcus took the gun away from Vin's head and gave Chris an evil smile. They brought JD and Buck over by Chris and Vin and sat them down. Ron had brought over Vin's boots and he pulled them on. Once he was done they tied his hands also. Ron kept an eye on them while the others went trough their packs. Carl was going through Vin's when he gave a holler.
"Lookie what I found," he said, holding up Vin's Sig Sauer.
They all found clothes that fit them and changed out of the prison overalls. Marcus had Ron bury them in the woods. They spread out all the equipment and took stock. They now had two guns and a knife for each of them. They had found Vin's maps and compass and Marcus was looking at them while the others argued over what they wanted. Chris knew they hadn't been forgotten. Every once in awhile Marcus would glance in their direction. Chris looked at Buck and saw he was mad. JD looked a little frightened but Chris knew he could count on him. Vin on the other hand didn't look good at all. He was sitting next to Buck and Chris could see it was an effort just to sit up. Marcus also noticed and walked over to them. He stood in front of Vin and grabbed his hair. He turned his head so he could look at the wound.
"Get your hands off him," Chris said in a deadly voice.
"Or you'll what?" Marcus asked with a smile. "Butch, bring me that first aid kit."
Butch brought over the first aid kit and handed it to Marcus. He opened it and pulled out some alcohol swabs and bandages. He ripped open the swabs and cleaned out the wound. Vin sucked in a breath as the alcohol hit the cut. After that was finished Marcus put a bandage over the wound to cover it. He then grabbed an ammonia capsule, broke it and waved it under Vin's nose. Vin tried to jerk his head back but Marcus grabbed a hold of his hair and held him in place.
"Get this straight, son, you're going to lead us out of here so you better wake up. If you don't I'll shoot the kid."
"You hurt him, mister, and I'll kill you," Vin warned in a menacing tone.
"Oh so that's how it is," Carl said as he walked up to them and ran his fingers through JD's hair. "He is awfully cute. I haven't had a young one in awhile."
JD pulled away from Carl and moved closer to Buck. Buck almost lunged for Carl even tied but Vin grabbed him as best he could and told him to calm down, that they were only trying to scare them.
"I ain't trying to scare you, pretty boy," Carl moved next to Vin and caressed his face. "I plan on having some fun with the two of you."
Chris watched as Carl ran his hands down along Vin's neck and along his shoulder. Chris could also sense Vin was afraid though he didn't show it. He watched as Vin's body began to coil. Buck sensed it too and this time it was him holding Vin back.
"Enough Carl!" Marcus yelled and pulled him away. "Go finish cooking that fish. We'll stay here until midnight then move on. You boys might as well get comfortable."
Marcus called Ron over to watch them. Chris switched positions next to Vin and he could feel the sharpshooter shaking. He wasn't sure if it was from the blow to the head or from something else.
"How you doing, cowboy?"
"Like I been kicked in the head by a mule," he said. "I'm fine."
"Right," Chris said.
That was a standard answer whenever Vin and JD were hurt. Whenever they said 'fine' the others knew the opposite was true. Chris heard Buck snort when he gave the answer and he knew what Vin meant also. Vin looked in JD's eyes and saw he was scared.
"Don't worry, Kid, I won't let anything happen to you I promise," Vin reassured him.
"Vin why don't you and JD try to get some rest?" Chris suggested. "Me and Buck will watch."
They had put them next to the fallen tree and Chris and Buck leaned against it and got comfortable. JD followed their example and tried to relax. Vin leaned back against the tree and closed his eyes. After awhile he started to lean towards Chris until his head was resting on his shoulder. Chris knew he would have to wake Vin every once in awhile to see if he was OK but for now he was sleeping peacefully. Chris turned and looked at Buck. He could see that Buck was angry and Chris figured he was angry at himself for letting the Kid get caught. Chris sighed and leaned his head back. How the hell do we get ourselves into these things? he asked himself.
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