Winds of Change

"We can get ammo when we go through the barn," John mumbled to himself.

Sitting back down at the table, John pulls the slide back on the pistol. Turning the butt of the gun toward him, he checks that there was no magazine. Nodding, he hands the gun to Michelle.

"The first thing you will notice is this one is a lot lighter than my Colt."

"It is," Michelle said, hefting the Sig in her hand.

"You will also notice the sights are different. See the white dots?"

"Yes."

"You line those up and put the target right above the sight picture."

Michelle snaps the gun out and lines up the sights.

"I see, much easier than your Colt. Does the same thing apply about the front sights?"

"No. The dots glow in the dark so just line them up and put the middle dot just below where you want to shoot the target."

"Ah, high tech?"

"Yes."

"Why don't you use this one?"

"A couple of reasons... it's only a nine millimeter, no stopping power and I don't like the way it feels in my hand."

"Okay."

"Well then, let's go put some holes in the paper," John said getting up and walking to the backdoor.

Michelle was right behind him, Sig at port arms.

"You can just hold it down at your side if you want," John said softly.

Nodding, Michelle lowers the handgun to hang at her side. They walk through the barn to the safe at the far end. John opened the safe and pulled two boxes of ammunition from inside. He then grabbed a stack of targets from the chest drawer and headed outside where Michelle was waiting for him. Placing the boxes of ammo and empty clips on the bench top, John goes down range and puts up three targets. When he returns, Michelle was loading the magazines.

"That's it. Load all three and I'll take you through some combat reloading."

"Huh?"

"I'll show you how to change magazines quickly," John smiled at her.

"Ah, okay, sounds like fun."

For the next couple of hours, John showed Michelle how to handle the Sig. By the time they were ready to call it quits, Michelle had become a proficient shooter. John takes the Sig from Michelle when they are down to the last two magazines. He had Michelle stand behind the bench while he started firing at the last target on the range. Sixteen rounds cut out the ten ring, then after a quick reload, sixteen more put a smiley face on the target.

"Wow," Michelle exclaims. "How did you get so good?"

"Practice, practice and more practice... so far, thirty-five years of practice. But you are a natural Michelle. You have almost perfect hand-eye coordination."

"Why thank you. Should we clean up the brass?"

"No, I have someone who will clean this up for me. He comes every Monday morning, collects the brass and reloads it all for me."

"Really? You have a housekeeper who reloads your ammunition?"

"I have a friend, who comes over on Mondays, practices shooting, then cleans up the brass."

"Ah, I see. Okay, what now?"

"How 'bout we go into town for some dinner?"

"Sounds good to me," Michelle said.

They both go back to the house to clean up, John carrying the Sig and the empty magazines.

As they finish dinner, John kissed Michelle good-bye in the parking lot and watched her pull away from the restaurant. Smiling, John climbed in his car and headed back to the ranch. As he drives down the streets in town, he noticed a car following him. Taking several random turns, he was now positive someone was following him. Slowing down, John pulled over to the curb in the middle of the street on which he was traveling. As the car following him goes past, John pulled out behind the car turning his lights on. The car pulled over and stopped.

John slowly climbed from his car, all the while keeping his eyes on the driver. Walking up to the side of the car, John stopped just behind the driver's window after looking in the back seat and finding no one. Tapping his flashlight on the driver's window, John shined the light on the driver's face, blinding him. The driver lowered his window.

"Driver's license and insurance card," John told the driver.

"What seems to be the problem Officer?" the driver asked handing his license and insurance card out the window.

John took the documents from the driver and quickly read the name on the license.

"Are you lost, Mister Vaughan?" John asked in a loud clear voice.

"No, why do you ask?"

"I'm just making sure. Are you following me, Mister Vaughan?"

"No."

"Do you know where you are going, Mister Vaughan?"

"Of course."

"Where would you be going, Mister Vaughan?"

"I don't think that is any of your business, Sheriff."

John pulled his Colt from its holster. Slowly, he pushed it into Mister Vaughan's ear.

"I really hate when someone follows me. I also hate being lied to, by someone who is clearly following me."

"You... "

"Shut up. Now, I want to see both hands out the window."

"You... "

"I said, put your hands out the window or I will shoot you. Do you understand, Mister Vaughan?"

"Yes," Vaughan answered pushing both hands out the window.

"With your left hand, open the door and step out, keeping your hands where I can see them at all time. I can't see your hands I will shoot you. You make a funny move I will shoot you. Do you understand?"

"Yes."

"Get out of the car," John said stepping back from the car at an oblique angle, keeping his flashlight in Vaughan's eyes. "Step to the back of the car. Place your hands on the trunk deck. Now."

Vaughan moved to the back of the car and leaned on the trunk deck. John placed his pistol barrel against Vaughan's neck as he slipped his flashlight in his pants pocket.

"You move, I will kill you," John told Vaughan as he begins to frisk him.

John finds no weapons on Mister Vaughan's person. Taking his cuffs from his belt, John cuffs Vaughan, hands behind his back, forehead leaning against the trunk deck, while he searched the car, where he finds an H&K pistol on the front seat.

"Well, Mister Vaughan, it would appear you have a handgun on the front seat."

"I have a permit to carry," Vaughan said.

"You do," John said as he unloaded the Pistol and taking it apart, tossing the barrel and slide assembly across the street in an empty lot. The rest he tossed in the backseat.

Going back to Vaughan, John took the cuffs off and backed away from him.

"You're free to go Mister Vaughan," John said smiling.

"I don't know why you are harassing me... "

"You are free to go. I suggest you go and don't ever follow me again."

"Or what?"

John quickly stepped forward, driving his fist into Vaughan's stomach. Vaughan dropped to his knees gasping for breath.

"That's only part of the what. Follow me again and you'll find out the rest."

John slowly backs to his car. Once inside he put the car in reverse and backed away. At the end of the block, he turned down a side street and was on his way home.

Chapter 22

John was listening intently to Michelle as she told him what she had found. Michelle had called him at the office late that evening. She was so excited John had rushed over to the university to calm her. What she was now telling him seemed unbelievable. It was so unbelievable and John was concentrating so intensely, he didn't hear the stranger enter the lab in which Michelle and he were. At least not until the shot echoed in their ears.

Luckily, John moved to look at what Michelle was holding in her hand, when the stranger took his shot, missing. John yanked Michelle off her stool as he drove for the floor. Pulling his 1911, from its holster on his hip, John sat up to take a peek around the corner of the table. Another shot rang out, sparks spraying from the metal cabinet door as the bullet ricocheted, almost blinding him.

Turning, John pushed Michelle to the right, over to the next table. John kept pushing Michelle toward the side door as they ran hunched over to stay below the tops of the massive lab tables. No more shots rang out until they slipped through the door and into the hallway beyond. John's first thought had been to get Michelle as far away as possible. What he should have done was waited, waited until the stranger came out of the lab and then shot him dead.

Michelle and John were both running when the next shot rang out. It hit John in the upper left shoulder, spinning him around and down a side hall, where he fell to his hands and knees. Michelle was beside him in an instant, checking his wound. John was pushing her away, while he handed her his pistol.

"Here, safety is off, just line up the front sight like a taught you at the ranch," John grunts out.

"No, I have to check you... "

"No, go, he's after you. Defend yourself, Michelle," shouted John as he pushed Michelle down the hall.

Stopping, Michelle watched as John slid down to the floor on his side. Her eyes brimming with tears, she held the gun, wringing the barrel in her left hand. John's eyes closed and his body relaxed.

"Shit," she cried out, spinning and running down the hall.

Michelle looked over her shoulder to see if the stranger was behind her as she ran. The man who shot John was now boldly walking down the hall toward her. Stopping Michelle raised the pistol, lined up the front sight as best she could in the dimly lit hall. Squeezing the trigger, the noise of the gun as it fired, shocked her. She had never shot the gun indoors, just outside at John's ranch. The stranger ducked into a doorway. Michelle knew she hadn't hit him. She spun around and started running down the hallway again. Running, she can hear the stranger begin walking down the hallway after her. She can hear his footsteps on the tile floor. Even walking he was gaining on her.

At the next lab, she pushed the door open and continued to the back of the room. The stranger entered just after her. Turning, she lined the front sight of her pistol up on the crotch of the man walking toward her. When she pulled the trigger, everything seemed to slow down in front of her. The flash of the gunpowder slowly came out of the barrel on its way to the stomach of the man. Slowly, the bullet followed the flames to the man's midsection pushing his clothing into the large depression created by the impact. Then things sped up and the man was lying at her feet, blood gushing from the wound, splashing on the concrete floor.

Michelle pointed the gun at his back and pulled the trigger again. To some, this might have seemed coldhearted, but he had tried to kill her. The man laid still, the bullet having pierced his body and ricocheted off the floor entering his body again. Michelle hurried out of the room. Once in the hall she slowed, cautiously looking up and down the hall. Not seeing anyone, she hurried to where John was lying. Pressing her fingers to his neck, she felt for his pulse. Panic started to fill her mind as she felt around, not finding a pulse anywhere. A sigh of relief escaped her lungs when she finally found his pulse. His heartbeat was strong.

Sighing once again, Michelle slid down the wall to sit next to John's head. She placed her hand on the back of his head. She put the pistol in her lap pulled her cell phone out of her pocket and called Susan.

"You'll be okay dear," she whispered after she closed her phone.

"I know," John croaked, then coughed slightly.

"Don't talk, just rest. Susan should be here soon," she told him.

"I'm sorry," John croaked again.

"It's not your fault, dear."

"I know."

"Then shut up and rest," Michelle said softly cradling his head.

Five minutes later Susan and the paramedics from the Hospital show up.

"Are you hurt Michelle?" asked Susan.

"No, see to John," Michelle told her.

Two minutes later John's deputies arrived. Michelle looked at Susan with a raised eyebrow, then smiled at up at Jimmy.

"When you called me, I called Jimmy. You think I trust that asshole who's in charge of the city police?"

"Good call Susan," Jimmy said as he looked down the hall toward the main entrance. "Looks like trouble just arrived though," he said nodding toward the entrance.

The paramedics wanted to put John on the gurney and get him to the hospital. Susan wanted to check him out further and be here to help Jimmy and Michelle.

"Michelle, tell me what happened, quickly," Jimmy said kneeling beside the petite redhead.

Michelle started to talk, while Susan continued to check John over. Two more of John's deputies enter just behind the Valley City police chief. When they see the group of people down the hall, they break into a run, passing the Police Chief.

"Hey, you two get back here," he shouted. They ignored him.

Jimmy was writing furiously as Michelle finished her story. The other two deputies huddle with him. Jimmy pointed down the hall to the lab where the stranger is. They both hurry to the lab. The Police Chief arrived and stands looking down at John.

"You, Deputy, you and your men can leave," the Chief told Jimmy.

"No," Jimmy boldly told the Chief standing to face him.

"This is my crime scene and you will clear it or I will have you arrested for obstruction," the Chief yells.

"Try it Harvey and I will beat the fucking snot out of you," John said from the floor.

"Ah, Sheriff, you're alive... "

"You bet Harv and if you think I'm letting you bully my deputies, you have another thing coming. This is my crime scene and if you don't leave, I'll have Jimmy shoot you."

"Now John, my boys will be here any minute... "

Just then, two more Sheriff's Deputies halt behind the Police Chief.

"Problem boss?" one of them asked.

John just looked up at Harvey. Harvey looked down at John.

"Fine, you handle the damn thing," Harvey yelled turning and hurrying down the hall toward the entrance.

"You, old man, are going to the hospital now," Susan said nodding to the paramedics.

"Who you calling old," John said as he was lifted onto the gurney.

"Calvin, go with the Sheriff and get his statement," Jimmy told one of the deputies who just arrived.

"Sure thing Jimmy," Calvin said turning to follow the gurney.

"Michelle, you go home," Jimmy told her.

"No, I'll go with John, if you'll let me?"

"Sure, Calvin, keep an eye on Doctor Wilfinger," Jimmy yelled down the hall.

Calvin stopped waiting for Michelle to catch up. For the next two hours, Jimmy and the other deputies walk through what happened. Taking pictures, making sketches and collecting evidence. The sun was coming up as two officers from the city police department confront Jimmy and the three deputies as they were leaving.

"The Chief wants copies of everything you have," one of them told him.

"Sure, boys, always glad to cooperate with you city cops." Jimmy went to push past the pair, but the two grab him as he does. Jimmy just smiles, as the other deputies stood behind the city cops. Releasing Jimmy as quickly they grabbed him, the city cops try to back away.

"I should have you arrested, but what's going to happen is so much better," Jimmy told the pair. "Don't break any bones men."

Jimmy turned walking to his car listening as the other deputies took care of the city cops their way.

Chapter 23

Michelle sat beside John's hospital bed. Susan was on the other side checking him over. John had just returned from surgery and he was still asleep.

"How's he doing?"

"He'll be fine, the old coot," Susan chuckled, answering Michelle.

"Good. I didn't mean for any of this to happen... "

"It's not your fault Chelle," Susan said.

"Yes, it is. I called John to come to look at something I found at the university and that guy showed up and started shooting. He shot John and would've shot me if I didn't shoot him first."

"What? There was another wounded man there and you didn't tell me?"

"He wasn't wounded, he was dead. Jimmy told me not to say anything. He said he would take care of getting the body to your autopsy suite."

"God damn it, he knows better... "

"I think he didn't want the police chief knowing about what happened down the hall. I think John wants the chief to think the guy that shot him got away."

"Oh. Do you really think so?"

"She's right," answered Jimmy from the doorway.

"Jesus," Susan cried out.

"Sorry, Doc didn't mean to scare you. The body is down in autopsy. I filled in the cause of death and we took his fingerprints already. You shouldn't have much to do, we know the time of death and we know who shot him. Could you just hold the body for a couple of days? The sheriff or I will let you know when to release him."

"Sure, no problem Jimmy," Sue replied.

"How's he doing?" Jimmy asked.

"He's fine. No vitals hit, through and through in the soft fleshy parts of his shoulder. He was a lucky man."

"Good to hear. Well, I have work to do. I'm posting a deputy here. It would seem Doctor Wilfinger is a person of interest to someone. When you get ready to leave Calvin will go with you, understand?"

"Yes," Michelle squeaked, just realizing she was the one the man was after and not John.

"Good, see you ladies, later," Jimmy said turning and walking away.

"I better go down to autopsy and put that guy on ice until Jimmy wants the body moved to the morgue. See you later," Sue told Michelle giving her a hug.

"I'll just sit here with John until he wakes up. Then I'll go home and get some sleep.

In the silent room, Michelle watched John sleep as she thought about what she had found on the server of the University. The equations on the disk flashed into her mind as she also recalled the equations that appeared on the screen of her terminal. It isn't that the equations were revolutionary. It was what they represented that caused the excitement Michelle felt and what they represented was fantastic. Time travel and then to find that the university had a working apparatus, just boggled the mind.

Emotions filled Michelle's mind and soul. Excitement first, followed by wonder, then anger, an anger that grew until she was seething. The thought her boss, couldn't trust her with the knowledge of this discovery irked her. When things settled down, Professor Kane would be getting a piece of her mind that was for damn sure.

Time travel! The words echo in her mind.

Chapter 24

Susan quietly entered John's room so she wouldn't wake him. Calvin sat in the far corner, ever watchful. He smiled at Susan when she looked his way. Susan saw Michelle slumped down in the chair beside the bed, asleep. Quietly walking to the bedside, Susan checked John's pulse and respiration. She almost screamed when his big hand gently takes hold of hers.

"You should be asleep," she whispered.

"When can I get out of here?"

"In the morning, if you insist."

"I do."

"I will have the paperwork ready."

"Good."

"Shush, Michelle is sleeping," whispered Susan.

"Sorry," John said looking to where Susan does. He sees Michelle, her features relaxed, asleep.

"Now go back to sleep or I will give you something to put you to sleep."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Don't you ma'am me," Susan said softly a smile on her face.

True to her word, Susan released John the next morning. Calvin insisted on driving him home. Waiting for him on the porch at the house, are Michelle, Bobby, and Rudy. When John climbed out of the car, Rudy rushed to say hello to his best friend. John knelt, ruffling Rudy's head with his right hand, John's left arm is in a sling.

"Good boy," John muttered as he let Rudy lick his face.

Standing, John found himself engulfed in Michelle's arms.

"What's this about, you just saw me not three hours ago," laughed John as he hugged her with his right arm.

"I know, it just seemed like the thing to do," whispered Michelle. "I think Bobbie wants to hug you too but is worried about what you would think."