Charlie was nervous when she first left the safety of her bedroom. Dr. Greene managed to coach her out and walked her around the house. She gave her a tour of the house and took her outside and showed her the grounds, the vegetable garden, the fish pond, the pool, and hot tub.
She was told that she had free roam of the house and grounds. She also met April the housekeeper and ranch manager.

She was afraid of Larka, because of his looks. However, she came to accept him. Charlie liked Jessie, because how friendly she was and was willing to play with her. She especially liked it when Jessie shrunk and played dress up with her. She liked Jessie’s butterfly wings when she was small.

Dr. Greene would spend time with her when she didn’t have to be at the hospital. Charlie had been nervous the first time she left the ranch and went with Dr. Greene to the free clinic she worked at. She noticed that some people stared at her, because of her looks. However, they were nice to her.

Dr. Greene took her shopping and bought her all new clothes, shoes, toys, computer games, and whatever game system she wanted. As for schooling, Dr. Greene thought Charlie would feel more comfortable at home being schooled. April volunteered to teach Charlie. They were going to use the library as the classroom.

Jessie liked Charlie and tried to spend as much time with her. She wanted the poor girl to know that she had friends here at the ranch. When she wasn’t spending time with Charlie, she had chores around the ranch to do. She might be the youngest on Striker’s team, but that didn’t excuse her from helping around the ranch. The ranch was still a working ranch and there were things that needed to be done. Plus, she didn’t have any money coming in if she wanted something.

While she is doing her chores, she spots Jerry out on the property kneeling and looking at something. She wonders what he found. She finishes what she was doing and fly out to him.

“What did you find?” She saw him pick something up off the ground.

“An Indian spearhead.” Jerry picked it up and examine it.

He notices how they chipped away to form it. Jerry loved collecting old Native American items.

“I wonder why Striker never spotted it?” Jessie kneels next to Jerry.

“It’s not like he was always home or looking for it. When I am walking I glance down at the ground to make sure I don’t step on a snake or
hole.” Jerry turns the spearhead around in his hand.

“How old do you think it is?” Jessie was curious.

“Well, from the design of the spearhead. I would say at least two hundred years old.” Jerry studied Native American history.

He had a pretty good idea about how old items he found were and what culture might have made it. He stands up and pockets the item in his pocket.

“What do you think of Charlie?” As Jessie stands up and walks with Jerry.

“She’s a cute kid and Dr. Greene will make a good mother to her.” Jerry felt bad that he had to make the change to Charlie permanent. But what the doctor did to her originally, would have made her more of a freak.

“How is Peyton doing?” Jerry knew Peyton had nightmares from her trauma.

“She’s doing better. I know how she feels about what was done.” Jessie knew that her own nightmares will never stop.

Jerry wraps his arm around Jessie’s shoulder “you’ll be okay, Jessie.”

“If you say so.” Jessie just walks with Jerry’s arm around her shoulders.

Obstacle Course:
Larka stood at the starting line with Striker. Peyton was going to keep time as the two of them got ready to tackle the new obstacle course. Their obstacle course was a combination of things gathered from several different game shows and military training.

“On your mark, get set, GO!” as Peyton fires the starting gun.

Larka took off fast and headed towards the first obstacle which was tires that they had to go through. Larka glances towards his side and spotted Striker keeping up with him. He pours on a little more speed and gets ready for the next obstacle, which was a huge mud pit with ropes hanging in the middle. You had to jump the distance and grab the rope and swing towards the other side, without falling into the mud.

Larka jumps and manages to grab the rope he was aiming for. He swings to the other side and lands. He had managed to pull ahead of Striker.

“Come on old man. You’re going to lose against me.” Larka runs towards the next obstacle.

Striker just grins as he maintains his pace. He was pacing himself until they got near the end of the course. As they ran the course, it became harder and harder. They had weapons set-up with motion detectors to fire rubber bullets at them.

Striker beats Larka because he made a mistake on one of the obstacles and slowed him down. Peyton looked at both men with a smile on
her face.

“Well Larka, you were three minutes and twenty-two seconds behind Striker. If you hadn’t failed on obstacle number twelve, you might have stood a chance on beating Striker.” Peyton hands a towel to each man.

“Who won?” Jessie and Jerry come walking over to them.

“Striker did.” Peyton knew her, and Jerry was due to run the course.

“How bad did Larka get beat?” Jessie was curious.

“By three minutes and twenty-two seconds.” Peyton double checks his time.

“That’s not bad.” Jessie knew Larka was fast.

Jerry walks over to the obstacle controls and turns the gun range portion off. He had suggested it in the new design they came up with.

“Which obstacle did you have a problem with Larka?” Jerry helped in designing it.

“Number twelve, I slipped on the beam.” Larka foot slipped on the beam.

“Do you think we need to correct it or add anything to it?” Jerry looks at Striker and Larka for an answer.

“Nope, leave them like they are.” Striker figures it worked like it was supposed to.

“Hey, you won. Shouldn’t Larka decide?” Jessie looks at Striker.

A smile appears on Strikers face “I’m also the team leader young lady. Which means I have final say over it.”

Jessie rolls her eyes. She knew he was right, but still, Larka should have some say in it.

“He’s right Jess. It should stay like it is. It gives me a reason to improve my performance. Which brings me to your training. Striker and I have
talked about it and we want you to try the course without using your gifts.” Larka knew it would do her some good.

“Hey, that’s not fair. My gift allows me to fly.” Jessie hated not being able to use her powers.

“So, what are going to do, if one of your wings gets cut off or it’s raining outside, and you can’t fly?” Larka looks at Jessie like a teacher looks at a pupil of theirs.

“I can still shrink. I can use that to escape.”

“Until you are captured and placed inside a jar.” Peyton had to remind Jessie the one time she had been captured.

“Fine, when do you want me to go through the course.” Jessie wasn’t happy about

“This weekend. We’ll get you familiar with the course first and let you get used to it before we start getting serious.” Larka didn’t like rushing people through the course.

He and Striker have worked out a plan for Jessie. She was the only one, besides Jerry who didn’t have any formal training at all. They wanted to train her to be more effective in combat.

Stacy:
Stacy was taking her time heading towards Muldoon, Texas. It was a twenty-four-hour drive. She leaves around midnight from Westminster, Maryland and drives till she gets tired. She pulls into a rest stop in Cookeville, Tennessee and sleeps till midnight. When she wakes up, she freshens up and fixes herself something to eat.

Stacy pulls the file out and goes through it again, seeing if there were any clues as for where in Muldoon, Texas they were living. She doesn’t find anything, which means she’ll have to track them down. Once she was ready to start driving. She locates an RV park where she can park her RV.

Stacy takes a day setting up and doing some research. She’s hoping that someone in town or around might have seen the people she is looking for.