Saddling the horses while Peeps breaks camp they're soon back on the trial. Although it's a bright sunny day a few clouds drift in from the north. Their packs are the usual sixty-five pound packs and the horse are loaded with bedrolls and oats.

Pebbles makes sure they stop to rest the horses every hour or so. At noon standing off to the edge of the road they hear an incoming bullet. Stepping into the shade of the trees shock spreads across her face as Peeps hits the ground red spreading across the front of her parka. Instantly she moves to her grabbing the straps of the pack dragging her further into the brush holding her pistol in the other hand.

She checks her pulse to see that she is still alive, she covers her with fallen limbs and leaves moving out into the forest away from her friend and partner. Deep in the darkness of the timber, she scans the east side of the mountain looking for the gunman or anything that would reveal his location. She sees nothing at first, then she catches movement about two hundred yards off to the left. She makes just enough noise to lead him away from Peeps; and in doing so discovers two men both moving toward her. The moment she has a shot she fires sees the one fall backward hitting the ground, instantly changing her location. In the snow there is very little she can do to hide her tracks she must come up behind the second assailant. After playing a worthless game of cat and mouse, she leaves a false trail by back tracking in her exact footprints and slips into a thicket. She waits. There is no panic just a quiet resolve that she will survive. She doesn't have long to wait soon his back to her trying to see where the tracks lead. She moves in combat mode and takes him own. The intense battle tests every skill she has been honing for the past few months. But instead of feeling out matched she becomes even more determined to put this man on the ground dead. She uses every move Peeps taught her as she tires she must end this one way or the other.

The assassin is surprised at the skill of this slip of a woman and becomes angry that he can't take her. Anger is bad for him and good for her, in his anger he become careless. In the blink of an eye her knife goes in and up as she hits him with a left hook flattening his ass as he hits the ground a look of disbelief on his face. With him on the ground blood and guts spilling out, pointing her pistol at him she demands. "Who the hell are you?"

He spits at her and in that instant a bullet hits him right between the eyes. "You won't shoot anyone else you son of a bitch." Leaving him where he fell she moves to the first assailant with extreme caution. She locates him and is pleased that her shot went right between his eyes.

With a sigh, she moves to where she left Peep. Taking the encrypted phone she places a call and when it is picked up. "Pebbles, here. Let me talk to king Pin."
"Hold."

"Pebbles, whatcha you need?"

"King Pin, Bo-Peep is down-shot, need med-vac NOW. Location eight miles south of my cabin. Follow the road from Cimarron. Viper knows where it is."

"Are you okay?"

"Yes, two dead assailants close proximity."

"Pebbles do you have a flare to signal the chopper."

"Affirmative."

"Will call when we are airborne."

"Roger."

Pebbles puts the phone in her pocket, takes the leaves and brush off Peeps to see how sever she is wounded. Bleeding badly Pebbles does what she can to staunch the flow. "Damn you, Peeps! Don't you die on me!"

At the heated declaration Peeps opens her eyes. Pebbles tells her, "Help is on the way!" She tries to make her more comfortable. "I'm going to get the horses and the packs I ditched. The chopper should be here soon." Since her horses are well trained she figures they are not too far away, she finds them back in a grove of trees. When she reaches them she sees the tracks that she recognizes as those of the one she gutted. Leading the horses to where she left Peeps she tethers them. Then returns to the thicket where she dropped her pack before the attack. Picking it up she returns to Peeps just as her phone beeps. "Pebbles here."

"Chopper on its way. How's Bo-Peep?"

"She's lost a lot of blood, she's still conscious." She pauses. "I expect her to go into shock any minute."

"Hang tight."

"Roger."

She loosens one of the bedrolls from Paddy's saddle covering Peeps with it she tucks the solar blanket around her. Now she waits sitting beside her friend and mentor, she realizes that a question she asked herself has been answered. She has killed and feels no remorse what so ever. Only relief that she and her friend are still alive. What a good feeling to know that she will never have to be afraid again.

The time hangs in the balance with the temperature dipping lower as the shadows creep from the west covering the land in a gray pall. Off in the distance she hears the sound of the chopper just as her phone beeps. "Pebbles."

"How about a flare?"

Without a word Pebbles picks up the flare gun sending it sailing into the air to explode.

"I see green smoke."

"Roger."

"Be on the ground in five minutes. Will be setting down in a small clearing to the south east of your location. We'll be coming in on foot."

"Roger." Taking Peeps hand. "They're here Peeps, it will only be a few minutes and you will be on your way."

Unable to speak from exhaustion she mouths the word. "Okay."

Back in the shadows behind Peeps with gun drawn she waits until she recognizes King Pin leading the pack then she steps out to greet them.

As they approach the designated location King Pin and Viper don't see Pebbles standing still in the shadows behind Bo-peep. When she steps out the glance between them acknowledges the caution she took.

The medic immediately goes to assess Peeps injuries as Hound Dog and Bam-Bam arrive.

Facing Pebbles King Pin says. "Show me where the corpse are."
She takes him and Viper to the first one, they silently acknowledge the dead man is flat of his back with a bullet hole right between his eyes. As they move to the second one some distance away, they notice the tracks leading to and away from the body noting the trap Pebbles set. Aware he is gutted which would have been fatal they also note the bullet hole between his eyes. Viper looks at Pebbles. "Think that was an over kill."

"Hell no. He shot my partner and tried to kill me!" With that she turns stomping back to where the Medic straps Peeps into a gurney.

"King Pin, we're out of here, whose going back with us."

"We all are; let's move."

Pebbles doesn't hesitate. "Not me."

"What are you saying; you've got to be check out."

The stance she takes is one of pure defiance. "Nope, I've got two horses to get back to the barn and cared for, so I'm heading home."

With a degree of satisfaction King Pin asks. "Who's going with her?" Everyone stands there not saying a word when King Pin continues. "Viper, she's your assignment. Get on with it.
"
From his tone of voice Viper knows not to argue and acknowledges the order. "Okay Pebbles, it's you and me. Damn it, I'm not riding Diablo. He don't like me a'tall."

Laughing in spite of herself. "That's okay! Paddy kinda likes you, she'll let you straddle her. As she and Viper mount up and head south toward town the others move toward the waiting chopper. "Hey Pebbles, we aren't riding in the dark?"

"We have a bright moon and we'll be staying on the road." With a grin he doesn't see. "The only danger we might encounter now is a black bear."

Riding at a leisurely pace until midnight when she calls a halt. "The mustangs need to rest so we'll camp here."

"Hey this is not the way to the cabin? What gives?"

"We started to town for supplies when we ran into a wee bit of trouble as you could might remember. I still need supplies and there's no reason not to continue the trip."

Viper is impressed that it is a statement not a question. Recalling the first time he met her so riddled with fear that she thought even he was sent to kill. He realizes this is a different woman from the one he carried to the cave and nursed. This is one tough lady.

She removes the bedroll offering part of it to Viper and one of the solar blankets. Unsaddling her horses she settles down for what is left of the night. There is very little conversation between the two.

Viper's thoughts turn to his conversation with King Pin about Pebbles wanting to be a part of the unit. After what he saw earlier he has no doubt she could carry her own. The question King Pin had whether she could kill has been answered.

Pebbles lays awake listening to the nightly sounds of the forest, thinking about the condition of Peep wondering how soon she will hear. It will take some time to assess her condition and get back to her.

Soon the quiet sounds of the night becomes the lullaby that soothes her mind in a peaceful slumber. Toward dawn she hears Diablo snort and opens one eye; Viper is moving past him. A low chuckle escapes as she rises from her bedroll.

Viper looks at her with a snarl. "He sure is a one woman horse."

"Yep. How about some coffee and jerky before we hit the trail. We're a good day's ride from the town."

"Sounds good." Finishing their meal they move on down the mountain toward Cimarron and the General Store. They enjoy the cold crisp air with no snow clouds hovering in the North. Late in the afternoon they ride into the outskirts of town where there is not much activity. When they reach the General Store Pebbles dismounts. "Coming in or waiting?"

"I'm on your six." Stepping down he follows her into a relic of the old west; a wood stove over in the corner with several older men gathered around chewing tobacco and chatting. He watches as one of the older men rises coming to meet Pebbles. "Howdy ma am! What brings you off the mountain in this weather?"

Grinning. "Well Mr. Cargill, Why I thought I might see you!"

"That's decent of you little lady. Makes an old codger like me feel real proud." Moving back to his chair in the corner. "Will you sit a spell?"

"Let me order my supplies from Seth then I'll join you for a spell." She moves over to the counter carries on a conversation with the clerk giving her list of needs. Then she goes over to the stove sitting down with the old man. "Mr. Cargill, does your grandson still cut and deliver firewood?"

Before he replies he takes aim at the spittoon letting it fly hitting dead center. With his bulls eye the old men all congratulate him. The he returns his gaze to Connie. "Sure does. You in need of a cord or two?"

Praising him for his accuracy. "Yes, Sir. The snow is about a foot deep but the old road isn't too bad. We came on horseback, it looks pretty good with four wheel drive."

A twinkle in his eyes he says. "You rode all the way from the old place to here on horseback? How long were you on the trail?"

With a wicked gleam in her eyes. "My mustangs needed a workout and my friend there need to practice his horsemanship. Diablo didn't take to kindly to him, so he rode Paddy."

The old man hurrahed as did the others. Viper took it good naturedly and laughed with the old gentleman, giving Pebbles a wicked grin.
Pebbles phone clicked, excusing herself she steps out on the porch. "Pebbles."

"King Pin here. Bo-Peep will be okay. She'll be in the hospital a couple of weeks, then six months of rehab."

"Where will she be for rehab?"

"Right now she's at Kirtland, but will be moved to Canyon AFB in a couple of days. You can contact her there."

"Roger."

"I'll be in touch, Pebbles. King Pin out."

As she puts the phone back on its clip Viper comes out the door. "What's that all about?"

"King Pin. Bo-peep will be okay. They're transferring her to Canyon AFB in a couple of days where she will remain for a couple of weeks; then six months of rehab."

"Have you finished your business?"

"Not quite, I have to make arrangements for Mr. Cargill's grandson to bring the supplies ordered up the mountain."

Walking back into the store. "Seth will it be okay if Mr. Cargill's son takes my stuff when he delivers the wood."

"Sure thing. Pops when will that young'un be going up the mountain to Miss Connie's with the wood?"

"Two three days I reckon. That okay with you Missy?"

"That'll be fine." Waving at the crew she moves out the door with Viper right behind her. "Liam, there's a real find motel down further into town if you're interested."

Thinking about the way she phrased the statement he surmises she doesn't cotton to the idea. "What you say we move a couple of miles into the woods and spend the night then move out at dawn."

With no expression she replies. "Works for me."

As the two mount and ride out north toward the old road Mr. Cargill and Seth stand in the door watching them. "Seth, that young woman is gonna make a real mountain man. Her Uncle would be real proud of her." Turning back to the stove he mumbles. "I know."

The temperature dips lower as the darkness engulfs the land and the two riders move steadily up the mountain a cool breeze hitting them in the face. Each hunkering down inside their parka the mustangs prove their durability moving through the cold wet snow. A couple of hours later they move into a clump of scrub oak open enough to accommodate the horses as well as the two riders. They unsaddle the horses and settle for the night their main purpose is to stay warm. While they huddle together to keep warm, warmth is what they seek. It is all business with these two.

Sleep doesn't come easy to Viper, but it has more to do with admiration at the transformation of the woman beside him than anything else. Sleep finally claims him as the wind howls through the trees.

The howling wind lays with the coming of the dawn, but the temperature hovers at the zero mark. Pebbles and Viper rouse at the same time. She moves to make a hole in the sheltered ground to place a few twigs and kindling she had brought in her pack. Takes the small pot filling it full of snow to melt for coffee. Soon the raging fire has water boiling. Dumping coffee into the pot she hands Viper jerky and begins to roll up her bedding. Soon as the coffee boils she and Viper sip coffee chewing on jerky.
To this moment no words have been said when she looks up at Viper. "We'll rest the horses every couple of hours. We should reach the cabin in couple of days by staying on the road."

He starts to compliment her, but she doesn't give him a chance putting out the fire and covering it with snow. "Let's ride." He decides to keep his mouth shut. The trek back to her cabin is a cold blustery ride but uneventful. As they pass the scene of the fracas the only evidence is the blood red snow where she pulled Peeps back into the trees.

Moving steadily through the snow covered road, they spend one more night in the open before reaching Pebbles cabin.

She opens corral gate from the saddle, she enters and dismounting she leads Diablo into his stall followed by Viper and Paddy. Removing the packs and saddles Pebbles gives them extra rations of oats and begins brushing Diablo. Viper watches for a few minutes then picks up the other brush and sets to currying Paddy. Without looking up from her work. "Thanks Viper."

"I reckon your welcome." Not pausing in the task.

As the evening turns to ebony and the wind once again ravages the land from the north they move into the cabin. "Tell you what Pebbles why don't you take a hot shower and get into clean dry clothes and I'll prepare a meal fit for a warrior."

While there is no expression on her face or in her body language he does see a sparkle in her eyes. "You know what, I'll think I'll take you upon that."
Walking toward the back to her room she feels invigorated that she finally can protect herself. She no longer has to be afraid.

Soon Viper hears the shower running and smiles as he opens the huge freezer taking out what else- bear steaks.