Chapter 1

"How long are we going to stay here, Steve?" Jim asked.

"Until I'm sure that he isn't here." Hawks looked around from the tree line to the ridge, while Mike stepped into the woods.

"Freeze," shouted a Security Guard coming out from behind the bushes and pointing a gun at Hawks chest.

Mike came out behind him, hitting him hard enough to knock the gun from his hand.

"Who the hell are you and what do you want with us?" Hawks said, grabbing and pulling him to his feet.

Before he could answer another guard jumped out and opened fire. The bullets were pounding into the back of the first individual. Hawks was glad that he had put on his bullet-proof vest.

Before he could say anything, Mike had pulled his gun and shot the shooter.

As they stood there wondering who these guys were, Jim said, "Look at the ridge."

On the ridge stood several uniformed police officers.

"Throw down your guns and surrender," the one in the middle of the line said.

"We're federal agents," Hawks shouted.

"You're under arrest," he said.

"Steve, lets get out of here," Mike said as he and Jim moved for the car.

It was then the officers opened fire. They were hitting ten to fifteen feet short of where we were running. As Hawks and his agents piled into the cars, they could hear the sirens of more police approaching. He saw them coming from the south.

"What's going on Steve?" Mike asked as he turned north.

"I don't know and I don't like it," Hawks said.

"Why would they want us?" Jim asked.

"We haven't time to wait and see. Where's the other car?" Hawks said, looking to the rear of us.

"They're ahead of us," Mike said. I think they turned right there at the fork."

Just as they were about to follow them, Hawks saw them coming back down the road with flashing lights right behind them.

"Turn left," Hawks said briskly as Mike was all ready turning.

They were only minutes ahead of the cops that were first noticed and now they had ones coming from the forked road, too. As Hawks second car came up along side, one of the agents yelled, "What's going on?"

"I don't know," Hawks said. "But as soon as you can split off and meet us at Newton One in three days."

"Is that where we're heading Steve?" Jim asked.

"Until we can figure out what the hell is going on," Hawks said, looking behind us.

"Should we try to call the office?" Mike asked.

"Yes, but right now isn't the time," Hawks said as a bullet came crashing the rear view mirror.

"Get us the hell out of here!"

Mike hit the gas pedal harder and even at ninety miles per hour we were barely pulling away from the cops. Hawks was wishing he had brought a cell phone, but with their luck they would be out of range even for that. As soon as they went over the top of a hill, their second car took the road to the left as they proceeded ahead.

"We have a town coming up in two miles," Jim said, looking at the map.

"Find us a side road before we get caught in a roadblock," Hawks said briskly.

Hawks looked back toward the hill and saw them just now coming down. There were four rows of two. He could only hope that the other guys were not being followed. He was shocked back into reality as Mike made a hard turn to the right.

"We have about four minutes on them," Hawks said. "See if you can find another turn to take."

Mike turned left onto a grassy road and then made a sharp right into a corn field and stopped.

"Let’s hope they fly by so fast they don't notice the farmer's entrance," Mike said breathlessly.

They waited, each of them clutching the cold steel frame of our forty-fives. Hawks still couldn't figure out why they were after them. He could only hope that Sadie and the others back at headquarters were safe.

Minutes later, they heard the cars fly by on the road. Each of them was hoping that none of the cops turned down the grassy road. The last thing they wanted was a show down with their own kind.

"Mike it's been long enough. Get us out of here," Hawks said. "Take the grassy road to the end and see if we can find a way out."

Mike backed the car out of the corn field and headed west through the fields until we came to a road.

"Which way?" Mike asked, looking both ways.

"Pick one, I don't care," Hawks said, laying his gun down on the seat as Mike headed south.

Jim was once again reading the map and said, "Town coming up in five miles." He laid the map down.

"Slow down and act natural," Hawks said. "We don't need to draw attention."

"Should we try to stop and call in?" Mike asked.

"If the streets are cleared, try to find a place where we can get some food and make the call," Hawks said.

As they entered the town everything looked quiet. Mike found a drive-in on a corner and parked the car around the side.

As they climbed out Hawks said, "Get some food, while I try to get some of this blood off before people start asking questions."

When Hawks entered the hallway where the sign read rest rooms, a huge individual stepped in my way.

"Where do you think you're going?" he asked.

"Just to the rest room," Hawks said and tried to go pass him.

"Not here you're not. Get lost," he said and put his hand in Hawks chest.

Hawks started to turn around and then turned back and hit him in the face. He didn't budge and he knew he was in trouble. The huge man picked Hawks up and threw him against the wall. With his head still spinning, he caught Hawks in the jaw with his right fist. Hawks kicked him in the groin and he doubled over. Hawks then hit him with both of his fists together on the back of the neck and he went down, but wasn't out. A swift kick up side of the head and Hawks had finally put him to sleep.

Shaking his head to clear the cobwebs, Hawks headed on down the hallway pulling his gun out as he went. He wasn't feeling like another fight so soon. When he turned the corner he saw why the guy didn't want him there. Another huge guy had a girl pinned up against the wall and was trying to get in her pants.

"Hey buddy, I think you're through," Hawks said.

"Go to hell," he said without looking.

"Excuse me. Do you understand English?" Hawks asked as he pulled the hammer back on his forty-five.

"You want some of me, you got it," he said as he turned and look down the barrel.

"Yea, I want some and so does this," Hawks said as he stuck the gun in his face. "Now back off."

"Okay buddy, don't shoot," he said and moved against the opposite wall.

"Are you okay?" Hawks said as the girl pulled her jeans back up.

"I think so," she said.

"Let’s get out of here," Hawks said.

"Who are you, a cop?" she asked, looking around to see who else might be there.

"You might say that. Just go ahead and stay close," Hawks said, still pointing his gun at the attacker.

As they walked out, Hawks kept a close eye on the one who was against the wall, hoping that his partner was still out cold.

When we made the turn, Hawks felt the girl back up against his back. He knew then that someone was blocking their way.

"Who is it?" Hawks asked softly.

"I don't know. Someone holding a gun like yours," she said.

Hawks turned his head to sneak a peek and saw that it was Jim. "Its okay, keep going," Hawks said.

When we were clear of the hallway, Hawks asked, "What's your name.

"Jenny," she said. "I just got off the bus to go to the bath room and these two grabbed me. Now I'll never get to Mobile."

"Do you want to wait for the next bus or would you like to go with us?" Hawks asked.

"Who are you guys?" she asked sobbing quietly.

"We're federal agents," Hawks said, showing her his badge.

"I'll go with you," she said, wiping the tears from her eyes.

When they met up with Mike, he said, "Steve, I couldn't get a hold of the office."

"Steve, over here," Jim said and pointed toward the road.

Two security company cars were driving toward us very slowly.

"We need to go," Hawks said and took her by the arm.

"Why are you afraid of them if your agents?" she asked with a puzzled look on her face.

"It seems that someone has confused us with someone else," Hawks said.

They walked casually toward the car and climbed in. Mike decided to go down the side road and turn right so that the cops would be to our backs. They made their way to the interstate and headed south, not knowing what lay ahead of them.

***

"I hate driving across Alabama," Mike said. "It takes all day to go from the north to south line."

"It does seem that way," Hawks said and laughed. "We need to find someplace to stop and eat."

"There's a place about five miles down the road," Jim said as he was trying to read a sign along side of the road.

"What kind of place?" Hawks asked.

"A truck stop," Jim said.

"That should do. Mike, pull in when we get there," Hawks said.

***

As Mike shut off the car, Hawks had Jim shake the girl awake.

"We're stopping for food. You want to eat?" Jim asked.

"No, I just want to sleep," she said, turning away.

They left her in the car and went inside to find a table by the window so they could watch the car. Their food had just arrived when Jim noticed something outside.

"Steve, the girl just got out of the car and walked away," Jim said, leaning forward to see if he could see through the window.

"Mike, go see what she’s up to," Hawks said.

Five minutes later Mike came back and said, "Steve, she was on the phone telling somebody that she had hooked up with us just by chance and had placed a homing device inside the left rear fender."

"Wonder who she is?" Jim asked, shaking his head.

"I don't know," Hawks said. He was just as puzzled as the others. "She seemed to be okay when I stopped her attacker. I do know that we have to lose that device."

"We need gas anyway," Mike said. "When I fill up the tank, I'll put the homing device on another vehicle."

"Try to pick one that seems to be going north, that way whoever is following us will go the wrong way. Also I want to lose this girl," Hawks said. "After we've driven for twenty miles, take a country road so that we can dump her."

***

A half hour later, Mike turned off onto a gravel road. They drove for about five miles and then pulled off to the side.

"Time to get out and stretch," Hawks said as he climbed out of the car.

"Why are we stopping here?" Jenny asked. "We just got going again."

"Well, we have some business to conduct," Hawks said. "I want to know who you're working for?"

"I don't know what you mean," she said, her eyes opening wide.

"Yes, you do," Hawks said, taking a step closer to her. "Mike heard you tell someone that you planted a homing device on our car. Now either talk or we leave you here."

"He must be mistaken," she said bitterly. "I'm not working for anyone."

"Take off your shoes, socks, and coat," Hawks said as Jim pulled his gun.

"You're crazy!" she said and backed up.

"Do it or we will," Mike said.

As she pulled off the items, Hawks said, "Jim, search her bag."

"There's nothing in the bag except clothes," Jim said.

"Put these in there," Hawks said as he tossed him her shoes, socks, and coat. "You're on your own now lady. By the way, your device is on another vehicle," Hawks said as he climbed back into the car.

"You can't leave me here like this," she said frantically. "I'll freeze."

"It’s not that cold," Hawks said as Mike pulled away.