Winds of Change

"I will be there for the introductions and to ensure they follow your instructions."

"Thank you, Carol, from the bottom of my heart," John told her.

"You only have to ask," Carol said softly. "And in some cases, you don't even need to do that."

Her statement stunned John. So much so, he put his head in his hands again and groaned. Carol sighed and went back to her desk.

Chapter 40

It was six in the morning when the dark van pulled into the drive of John's ranch. He was standing on the porch, a cup of coffee in his hand, waiting for Carol and her friends. Michelle joined him when she heard the van pull in and park in front of the house. The first one out was Carol. Doors on both sides of the van opened and nine more figures dressed in dark clothing emerged.

"Good morning John, Michelle," Carol said climbing the stairs to the porch.

"Good morning Carol," Michelle said pulling Carol into a quick embrace. Carol hugged her back a smile on her face.

"Good morning Carol," John said.

"John, this is," Carol said turning to a petite female climbing the stairs behind her, "Janice Windwalker."

Janice smiled holding out her hand. John took her hand and gently shook.

"It is good to meet you Janice Windwalker," John said formally.

"It is good to meet you too, Sheriff Abernathy."

"I am John to my friends, Miss Windwalker."

"But I am not your friend, Sheriff Abernathy."

"Well, I sure don't want you as an enemy, Janice," John said chuckling.

"A wise choice, John," Janice said a smile finally spreading across her lips.

"I think so too, Janice."

"Janice is the leader of these men," Carol told John. "She will introduce you to them."

Janice then took John and Michelle down the line of ten men and introduced Michelle and John to each. After introductions, the men pulled their gear from the van and dispersed into the landscape. Within minutes, they had disappeared.

"They're good," John commented.

"All members of the fifth rangers," Janice told him. "Now what are our instructions, John?"

"Come inside, if you will?" John asked hesitating briefly then turning and holding the door open.

"Sure, do you have any more of that coffee?"

"We do," laughed John indicating for the ladies to precede him into the house.

Once coffee was poured and everyone was seated comfortably around the kitchen table, John pulled an envelope from the counter behind him. Opening it, he pulled a stack of pictures from inside.

"Janice, the people in these pictures are to be allowed access to Michelle and myself here at the ranch." Michelle and John had gone through a bunch of pictures the night before and found one of every person they thought might come out to the ranch. "Carol, you will have to get me pictures of the reserve deputies Bill brings with him this morning or they are not to come out here."

"I will see to it," Carol replied, nodding.

"Also, Michelle and I will be taking rides out across my ranch. You and two others are welcome to join us."

"We will. You have enough horses?"

"I do. I have five saddle broke, ten altogether."

"Would you like the others broken, no extra charge," Janice smiled. "I know the men would enjoy such activity on those days it can be done. Not all of them will participate, only those who are not on duty."

"If they want too, I sure won't mind," John told her.

"Good, then we will have something to do during the lulls in activity." John wasn't sure if she was joking or not. "Well then, I had better get these pictures to my men."

"Also," John started, "anyone else who tries to come onto my land will be stopped and held for a deputy to pick them up."

"Very well. Do you expect many people to come out here?"

"Over the next couple of days, I expect a lot of strangers to try to gain access to Michelle or me. They are to be detained. Except this one," John said pulling a picture from his shirt pocket, it was a picture of Harvey, "he... well if he resists, beat him to a pulp, don't kill him, I wouldn't want any of your men or you to have to live with that, just hurt him as much as possible without killing him."

"Who is he?" Janice asked looking at the picture. It wasn't a very good likeness of Harvey, but it was the best John could find on such short notice.

"The chief of police of the Valley City, a thorn in mine and everyone else's side," John told her.

"Why don't they fire him?"

"A long story, that I don't have all the answers to yet," John told her.

"I see," Janice replied.

Everyone rose at once. John followed the ladies out onto the porch.

"John will you be in today?" asked Carol.

"Not until later, Michelle and I have something to do."

"Okay, I'll see you when you get in. Janice."

"There seems to be someone still in the van," Michelle said.

"Yes, there is," Janice said, turned and motioned for the person to get out of the van. "It's my father. He insisted on coming along."

The group watched as a very old man exited the van. He had a long walking stick in his left hand and held a blanket around his shoulders with his right. Michelle hurried down the steps to his side to help him up on the porch.

"Thank you, young lady," he said in a strong clear voice. "Is she the one we must protect?" he asked Janice.

"Yes father, she is as is he," Janice told him pointing to John. "Michelle, John, I would like you to meet my father, Lazarus Runningbear."

"Chief Runningbear, it is a great honor and my pleasure to meet you," John said extending his hand.

Chapter 41

"How... " Janice started, staring at John.

"Well, Princess Windwalker, I keep up with the goings-on not only in the white man's community but those of our Indian brothers."

"Humpf," Janice choked.

"Jan, I told him," Carol said flatly, "after he asked, very politely."

"No matter," Janice was quick to recover.

"I am also honored to meet the man who defends the honor of our Littledove." Chief Runningbear bowed toward John.

"Chief Runningbear, I insist that you stay here in my house as my guest."

"I would like that... no daughter, I have spoken. You go, go instruct your men on their duties to protect my new friends."

"Yes father," Janice said, turned and trotted off into the landscape.

"Do you have cable?" Runningbear asked a sly grin on his face.

Laughing John nodded and led the way into the house. Carol helped Michelle with Chief Runningbear as they settled him on the sofa.

"An unusual way to air condition, your house, John," Runningbear commented on the hole in the wall.

"Not quite what I had planned," John replied a sour look on his face. "Michelle, turn on the TV for the Chief, then give him the remote and get him anything he wants, no you can't have any liquor Chief, then come outside on the porch. Carol," John said indicating she should precede him out the front door.

When John and Carol were on the porch out of earshot of both the Chief and Michelle, John turned to Carol.

"You better get to the office, be careful though."

"Don't you worry, Jimmy promised to meet me at the city limits and escort me to work."

"Good."

"What are you and Michelle doing this morning?"

"Taking a short trip," John muttered.

"I see. Well, see you this afternoon."

"See you," John told her as she stepped off the porch and walked to her van.

John stood on the porch watching her back up then turn and head up the driveway to the road. John kept an eye on her as she drove out of sight. Then a shrill whistle drew his attention to the rise to the north of the road. There standing in plain sight was one of Janice's men waving at John. When John waved back, he disappeared into the landscape.

"Oh, she's gone. I didn't get to say good-bye to Carol," Michelle said.

"You'll see her again. Now I need you to go get ready, we're going for a ride."

"Uh, really?"

"Yes."

"How long will we be gone?"

"We'll be back by noon, no longer. But subjectively, we might be gone hours longer."

"Oh, oh, I see it's that kind of a trip."

"Yes, canteens and power bars for us and don't forget your Sig."

"Never again," she answered turning and going back inside to get things ready.

John walked around the house off the back porch and headed for the barn. By the time he arrived at the barn, Janice was there waiting for him.

"Going somewhere?"

"Yes, call in your men," John told her as he led the paint Michelle would ride out of the stall, hitching it to the post just outside the stall.

Janice stepped out into the sunlight and whistled. It sounded like a songbird to John's ear. Minutes later two men appeared just inside the barn door. John indicated the three mounts they would be riding and the saddles to use. After saddling the paint, John saddled his chestnut. By the time he was finished, the three horses Janice and her men would use were saddled and ready.

"I have to go back to the house to help Michelle with some things, be right back," he told Janice.

At the house, Michelle had John's saddlebags packed and ready for him. She was just finishing putting a box of power bars and a canteen in hers when he returned. He smiled at her as he stepped over to his safe and inserted the key unlocking it. Opening the safe, he not only took the device out and shoved it in his saddlebag, but he took a second Colt from the shelf within, along with three magazines. Michelle raised her eyebrows but didn't say a word. As an afterthought, he took the .38 revolver from the safe and walked to where Chief Runningbear sat happily watching TV.

"Chief, do you know how to use one of these?" John said showing him the pistol.

"I do, although it has been a long time since I fired one in anger."

"Then take this, there may be some unwelcome visitors here today," John told him handing the weapon to him butt first. "And don't forget you have friends that might come to the house, so don't go shooting anyone who doesn't... "

"I know, I know, my daughter explained things to me and I seriously doubt anyone will get to the house with her men on patrol."

"True. We will be back before noon."

"See you then Sheriff."

John just waved at the Chief as he turned toward the back door. Michelle was on the back porch with the saddlebags. She handed John his and strolled to the barn with him. As they mounted up, John noticed that Janice and her men had supplies tied to their horses.

"We'll be back by noon," John said.

"Maybe," Janice said as she settled into place on her steed.

John nodded, she was right you never could tell what the future held.

"John, should Rudy be joining us?" Michelle asked as the dog broke cover to join them.

"I see no harm in his joining us. He knows now that Janice and her men are our friends. I'm sure he was busy saying hello to every one of them just before he joined us here." John laughed at the look on Janice's face. "I see I'm right. How many called to tell you about him finding them?"

"All of them," Janice said flatly. John just laughed again as he kicked his chestnut into motion.

The ride out to the bluff took an hour and a half at a fast trot.

Chapter 42

Once the horses were watered and tethered in the field by the stream, they all trekked up to the bluff. Rudy elected to stay with the horses this time, finding a shady spot near the stream. Maybe he sensed what was going to happen. Maybe he had been with them the last time. After all, they still didn't know how large a field the device generated.

"This is a very nice place you have here Sheriff," Janice remarked as she surveyed the bluff and its surrounding land.

"Thank you. It is one of the reasons I bought this place. And please call me John."

"Of course, John," Janice said with a sly smile curving her pretty lips.

"I would suggest your men take up a position between us and the horses, wouldn't want to lose our access to transportation."

Janice nodded to her two men, who moved back down the slope of the bluff to an outcropping of boulders. Janice was looking around as Michelle was spreading the blanket out on the ground.

"What's that for?" asked Janice.

"To sit on," Michelle quipped.

"I thought we weren't staying long."

"Oh we aren't, really," teased Michelle, smoothing the blanket she had just finished spreading on the ground.

"All right you two," John scolded. "Michelle, over here by me," John said as he rifled through his saddlebags. "Janice, if you would please, sit on that corner there," John said pointing to the corner farthest away from Michelle.

John first pulled a file folder from his bag setting it on his lap. Then he took a canteen out, then the device. Janice froze in place at the sight of the device. She didn't say anything but was now watching both Michelle and John very intently. John sat next to Michelle, who had a canteen to her lips drinking deeply. John took the envelope with the disk in it from his shirt pocket. He spilled the disk into his hand.

"You, you have it?" Janice shouted.

John's Colt was in his hand at her shout.

"No, no, you misunderstand, we thought it lost."

"You better explain yourself," John said softly, his pistol not wavering in the least.

"I suppose the disk goes in that device," Janice had lowered her voice now so as not to alert her men. "Yes, I see where it goes. You have used this before?"

"How do you know about the disk?" Michelle asked sternly.

"We, my people, found it, in a cave on the reservation a long time ago. When we showed it, it doesn't matter where or when someone stole it. The first night it was on display someone broke in... we thought it lost forever." Janice was shivering with rage. "What are you going to do with it?"

"You don't know what these are?" Michelle asked pointing at the device and disk in John's hand.

"No, the disk we assumed was an ancient artifact from some forgotten tribal cache."

"It may be ancient, but I doubt any human back then made this," Michelle said, wonder in her voice.

"No, no, it had to be made by the people," Janice whispered.

"Do you know what is on the disk?" asked Michelle.

"Chicken scratches," Janice giggled.

"Equations and instructions," Michelle said. "Equations proving you can travel in time and instructions, in Latin, on how to build this device."

"Impossible," Janice almost shouted.

"Enough," John said flatly, returning his Colt to its holster. "Janice, move over here next to me." John indicated his left side. He handed her his canteen once she was in place. "Drink, we may be gone a long time." She looked at him bewilderedly.

"You'll love this," Michelle told her between bites of her power bar. Michelle handed one to Janice.

"Gone?" Janice asked breathlessly between drinks of water.

"You'll see," said John munching on his power bar. "We never did determine the size of the field."

"And I never told you I was with you on that first trip," Michelle answered him slyly.

"As I thought, anyway, finish up and then we'll go."

All three sat staring at each other as they ate their power bars and drank from the canteens. As John took his canteen from Janice, he dropped the disk onto the device. They all watched the disk disappear inside the apparatus. Picking up the device, John pressed the button to display the HUD.

"Does everyone see that?" he asked, knowing Michelle did.

"My god," squeaked Janice.

"I'll take that as a yes, then," John chuckled. "Now, the next button I press will place us in the time stream. I don't plan on leaving it until I'm finished, with what I have to do. Am I being clear?"

"Yes," Michelle said.

"I suppose," said Janice softly, her voice trembling.

"Janice you won't notice anything is different until I move us away from the here and now. There will be no flash, no feeling of any kind to let you know things have changed."

"If you say so," she replied.

Nodding, John pressed the button to take them into the time stream.

"Well are we there yet?" asked Janice an edge to her voice.

"Yes," replied John. "Now where did that folder get too?"

"It's on your lap," Michelle said picking it up and opening it. "The date you want is... "

"Just show me," John said quickly.

Michelle nodded turning the open folder so John could see the date and time at which she was pointing. John nodded, placed his thumbs on the left dial and gently pulled his thumb across it. The date and time on the HUD shift slowly. Days and nights slipped quickly by them overhead as John watched the HUD. Janice, fascinated by the light show going on, didn't pay too much attention to the HUD floating in the air before them.

"There, there, stop... now go back just a tad," Michelle said softly.

"I know, I know," John replied as he moved his thumb ever so slightly in the other direction. "There, five minutes from now."

Chapter 43

"Prepare yourself, Janice, we are about to move. It's kind of like flying, but without a plane or helicopter," Michelle giggled.

"All right here we go," John said as he lined up the arrow in the directions he wanted to go.

The three slowly rose into the stormy sky. It was raining yet raindrops never landed on them. Janice grabbed John's arm and hung on tightly as they rose high into the sky. Then all three were sailing across the landscape below them.

"Oh god," Janice cried.

"Whose?" Michelle chuckled, looking across at her.

"It doesn't matter to me at the moment," Janice said a slight laugh behind her serious words.

"There, up on the left. Just a slight adjustment in direction and we'll be there," John said putting his words into action.

Seconds later, they found themselves floating down to earth in the exact spot, where someone had dumped poor Mary Fletcher. John was here to see who dumped her in that ditch.

"How long do you think?" asked Michelle softly.

"I don't know. We know the last person to see her alive was Scott when she left to go meet a friend. That's happening now. How long it will be before someone shows up with her body... it will have to be before the call to the office. Probably another fifteen minutes."

"Well zip us ahead."

"How? There no way to control the increment," John retorted.

"Sure there is, push down on the thumb wheel as you turn it," Michelle told him.

"I didn't read that," he said as he pressed the thumb wheel in and gently nudged the wheel in the direction he wanted.

He watched as the seconds moved ahead, ticking off at double the speed they naturally would have. As he turned the dial, a car came careening down the road toward them.

"I would stop turning the wheel now," Michelle said as the car raced their way.

The car came to a halt on the west side of the road. John moved the motion dial and they shifted over on the other side of the car. They all watched as the driver got out and walked to the back of the car. Opening the trunk the man reached in and pulled on something heavy. Dragging it out of the trunk, the three could see that it was a rolled up carpet. Dropping the end he held, the man then kicked the carpet and it started to unroll. John knew what would unroll and drop down into the ditch. So did the two women with him.

"Asshole," Michelle croaked.

The man froze, looked around, then bent and rolled up the carpet. He dragged it back to his car and threw it in the trunk. Closing the trunk, he turned and walked down into the ditch. Taking Mary's purse, he dumped it on the ground. He rummaged in the things now on the ground. Swearing to himself, he started shoving the things from the purse back into it. He ran back up to the road, climbed in his car and roared away.

"Well, we know who now," Michelle said her voice laden with sadness.

"But still no proof," John replied.

"Was that who I think it was?" Janice said as she watched the car race away from them.

"It is," John said. "I wish I knew how to work this better so I could follow him back through time to where he committed the murder."