Learning the truth (closed)

[elvenjodi]

She heard her name called.

Stacy

But the voice she heard was one from her past. A past she had thought she'd forgotten. A past that had left her more than 2 years ago. Sure it may have seemed like nothing to some but to her, it was like a life time.

With gasp, Stacy woke up, her body covered in sweat and her heart racing. She had that dream again. Or in this case, that nightmare.

Johnny.

She had seen them shoot him. She saw him fall. Then they started to chase her but she ran. She ran for her life. And to this day, she was still running. Some days were better than the previous. She found solace for a little while. That was until they found her again.

This was one of those times she found herself safe. This was when she could breathe, if only for a little while. It was best not to dwell on it what could come next, but only to enjoy what she had now.

Right now, Stacy had found work as a cook on a small ranch just outside Cheyenne, Wyoming. It was a working farm, where no one had time to talk. They only had time to work. She cooked for the ranch hands and they thanked her. It was a great job so far, but she didn't too comfortable in it because at any time, anything could change.

 

[BeachBum25]

John Parker had been very good at what he did. He had worked undercover for the CIA infiltrating high level drug and arms trafficking organizations that the government felt were plotting against the U.S. and providing information that would result in those organizations falling.

John had been taking some time off, which the CIA wasn't happy about. They had another mission for him. They also told him that they received information that his cover had been blown from his last mission in the Ukraine. They told hi. He needed to get back to work where he could be protected. John wasn't in a hurry to return to work, though. He had met someone, and he wanted to get to know her better.

Somebody else had other plans though. When he was shot, his attackers assumed he was dead and took off after his girlfriend. He survived, however, and was able to get to a doctor he knew that would help him and would not contact the police. John recuperated at a friend's house, and then took to the road. He wasn't sure who was responsible for the attack on him. He had some suspicion that his own organization was involved.

Once he was healthy enough, he started to move around. He worried about Stacey, but it was risky to go back and look for her. He did some research and found out she no longer lived in town. She was either on the run, or......

John took a job working on a ranch. It would give him some money and help him build his strength back up. One day, after long hours working fixing fencing, as he prepared for chow, he saw something......her.....

 

[elvenjodi]

Cooking wasn't hard. That was unless you were cooking for over 20 men who were hungry and needed to be fed now. Having woke up after only 4 hours of sleep, her norm as of late, Stacey decided to go for a walk around the ranch and clear her mind before taking a shower and getting ready to head to the kitchen. When Stacey first started running from 'them', she had changed her appearance. Of course, her height of 5'7" wasn't something she could change but her hair, which used to be blonde, had been dyed to black and she was able to change her eye color thanks to contact lens.

She knew she was safe here for the time being and that she had felt a relaxation she hadn't felt in a while, except for this morning. It didn't really matter, she was getting used to the early hours seeing as how she had to get lunch ready and depending on what she had planned, it would take most of the morning to get everything ready. And not only did she have to get lunch ready for the workers, but she was also asked to get breakfast ready for the ranch owners too. Which wasn't bad, seeing as how it was a small family.

Although it was suggested she follow a weekly menu, Stacey usually deviated from the norm and made more complicated food, which the men seemed to enjoy. Like today, she had fixed up some lasagna, garlic bread and lemonade. As far as she knew, it had never been served before seenig as how the last cook stuck with the simple things like burgers and chicken most of the time.

Hearing the first of the men arrive, Stacey had just finished setting up the tables and putting the food out. Most of the work was done and all she had to do was make sure there was more should they want more but usually, she always made more than enough.

As the men walked in, some greeted her and she greeted them back. Most were nice enough and had even tried to flirt with her but she never gave in. It was in her work contract that she wouldn't 'fool' around with any of the ranch hands and vice versa. It was good. She hadn't wanted something dealing with romance anymore anyway. Look what happened last time. Besides, she still missed Johnny. He was really good to her and she enoyed it.

One of the men said something to her and she laughed before giving him a pat on the back and that's when she looked up and saw him.

Johnny.

He--how-? Quickly turning from him, she hoped he didn't recognize her. But she sure did notice him. How could she forget him and what the fuck was he doing here?! She saw him get shot. She felt him tug at her when he fell down, she remembered him telling her to run.

And that's what she had been doing ever since.

Disappearing in the kitchen, Stacey leaned against the door and tried to remain calm. In her mind, she kept hearing that gunshot and then shouting. If he was here, did that mean 'they' were here also?

 

[BeachBum25]

John did not mind the hard work or the long hours. Being outdoors and working with his hands was something that john never had really done and he had a new appreciation for. He was enjoying the feeling that he had at the end of each day.

One of the things that John had not been doing was eating well. He knew that he needed to nourish his body to help build his strength, but he did not have much of an appetite. Also, he didn't really want to sit down with all of the other ranch workers. It wasn't that he didn't like them, but he didn't want to develop any attachments, and he also, did not want to spend much time with people that could ultimately identify him to someone else.

Doing the work on the ranch, however, made contact with others inevitable. It was not individual work. It required working together with others to complete tasks. He had heard the guys mention the hot, new female cook. A couple of them joked with another worker about how he had been flirting with her and had been rejected. John had not seen the cook, because he usually just waited until everyone was finished eating and took a couple pieces of bread and a piece of meat and made a sandwich that he ate off by himself.

At first he thought it was his mind playing tricks on him, but then he looked again, and he was certain. He would know her anywhere....even with the change in her hair and eye color. There was no doubt in his mind that it was Stacey, and when she walked away, he knew it was her.

He followed her into the kitchen; ignoring the sign that said the kitchen was off limits to anyone but cook staff. He looked for and found Stacey. He knew she would be upset. He knew she had no idea he had survived. He had to talk to her. "Stacey. It is you. Isn't it. We need to talk, but not here. Meet me behind the barn after it gets dark." He heard someone yelling for him to get out of the kitchen. He looked at Stacey hoping for a response. None came. He left the kitchen; hoping she would show up after dark.

 

[elvenjodi]

Stacey's mind was scattered in a million pieces and places as she helped with the clean up after today's lunch. Most of the men went to their homes afterward for dinner while some of the others stayed on site just case something went wrong wtih the cattle or some such. Stacey wasn't really sure. She just took care of the meals.

By earlier evening, she was fidgeting while waiting for dinner to finish up for the family. They had decided to let their regular evening cook have the night off. Which was fine, cooking was cooking but cooking for the family also meant that they were starting to trust her a lot more. Which she guessed she should have been flattered but right now, all she was thinking about was her meeting with Johnny later this evening.

He had said after dark but having finished up earlier than expected with the kitchen, Stacey was waiting by the barn, where he said and she was nervous. Was this really him?

Of course it was, she had recognized him as soon as he recognized her. Would he be mad at her? And why was he alive? Not that she was mad about that, hell, she was fricking happy he hadn't died but then, she was also mad. She had seen him go down!

No, you saw him get shot. She reminded herself. Then she had to run.

But what if she didn't run?

Then you'd be dead too.

Ugh! There were so many conflicting feelings and actions that she didn't know what to do or which to start with first.

Before she could delve more into it all, she felt herself being watched. Looking up from her pacing, she saw him standing there.

Johnny.

As much as she wanted to yell and hit him for putting her through all this, she couldn't. It never crossed her mind to blame him for all this. It was just one of those things--right?

Without a second thought of reasoning, Stacey threw herself into his arms and greeted him a deep kiss. She hadn't realized she was crying a little as she took in how he held her and how good it felt to be back in his arms again.

 

[BeachBum25]

The rest of John's day was a blur. Yes, he knew he worked on the fence around the ranch for a while, and he knew he skipped dinner again, but his every thought was on Stacey. There were a million thoughts running through his head; including the thought that maybe she was responsible for setting him up to get shot, and maybe she was here to help find him.

That couldn't be the case, could it? There was no way that she had set him up. There was also no way that anyone knew he was alive. The doctor that had treated him was a friend and was fiercely loyal. He would never betray him, would he? The only thing that could lead anyone to believe that he was alive was that his body had never been recovered. Whoever had wanted him dead would want to see proof.

If Stacey had been sent to find him and set him up again, how did she know he would come here? Hell, he didn't even know he was coming here until a truck driver he had hitched a ride with told him about a ranch that was always looking for workers who were not actually afraid of hard work. The trucker said he would be going past, and John had asked him to drop him there. So, there was no way Stacey could have known in advance.

John made his way over toward the barn. He looked around to make sure nobody was following him. Yes, his instincts were still there. When he turned the corner, he saw Stacey pacing; obviously lost in thought. She was probably going through tha same thing as he was. Then, she came running to him and jumped into his arms. She kissed him deeply and he returned the kiss; holding her close to him. After a couple of minutes, they broke the kiss, he looked into her eyes, "what the hell are you doing here?"

 

[elvenjodi]

"What am I doing here?!" Stacey backed away a little, her hands still on Jonny's shoulders, "That's a fine way to say I missed you. I was worried about you! I thought you were dead!!" She said, pushing him away and turning away from him.

Falling to her knees and trying to hold back her tears, Stacey buried her hands in her face, "I ran Johnny. I ran when you were shot! I ran only because I was scared and they were coming after me next!"

She was quiet a few more moments as she tried to gather her thoughts. With a deep breath, she looked up at Johnny, "I've been running ever since, Johnny. They keep finding me. It doesn't matter where I go, they find me!"

"I'm here because it's just where I happen to end up. I do the small odd jobs while trying to find out why this is happening Johnny. Why? Who are you?! Why aren't you dead like I saw you were?!" Stacey tried to be quiet but her voice was nearing hysterics as it seemed that all she was holding in was finally able to pour out. "Wait--wait....." she said as she got up, "Why are you here?" she asked him, reflecting his original question to her back onto him.

 

[BeachBum25]

John watched Stacey's reaction; searching to see if there was a hint of drama that would tell him that she was acting and trying to cover something up. He didn't see it, but he was going to be ever vigilant. He was trusting nobody right now. He had let his guard down once and it almost cost him his life.

"I have been under a doctor's care until a week ago. He wasn't sure I would survive the wounds. He actually couldn't believe I didn't die on the spot. The doctor said that the great physical condition I was in saved my life. I left his office, took a bus for a while and then, left the bus at a truck stop where I hitched a ride with a trucker. As we were talking he told me about this place. I have been here for a little while, but never sat down to eat. Today I decided to check out the hot cook that all of the workers were talking about."

He watched her reaction. "I am sorry you got caught up in all of this mess. It was never my intention. I never wanted anything to happen to you. I only wanted the best. They probably want to know if I told you anything. I have put you in an awful situation. I want to help, but I don't know if you want it."

 

[elvenjodi]

Stacey gauged Johnny's features and saw something she'd never seen before. He didn't trust her.

"You think I was part of it all, don't you?" she asked quietly as she looked down when he said he'd help her but wasn't sure if she'd want it. "Why should I accept your help Johnny? I've done OK so far." She pushed away from him, "I know we hadn't been going out long before all this but at least I trusted you and look what it got me Johnny."

Turning, Stacey started to walk away, "I have to go before they find out I'm gone. We're not suppposed to be 'socializing' with the ranch hands." She turned, trying to hide the hurt in her eyes, "Good luck out there Johnny and I hope you get better fast."

 

[BeachBum25]

John listened to what Stacey said. "I don't trust anyone Stacey. How can I? I don't know who is responsible for the holes in my body, so, I have to be overly cautious. I did not come here looking for you, but it is an incredible coincidence that you are her, too."

John watched Stacey walk away. He turned and went back toward the bunkhouse. He walked slowly. He was trying to figure out what his next steps should be. When he took this position he figured he would have a good deal of time to figure out what to do next, but now, with Stacey here, he wasn't sure what he should do.

Siting down on the steps to the bunkhouse, he looked around. He did not feel comfortable here. Just running for the sake of running was not going to work. If he was going to leave here, he had to have a plan; where would he go, what would he do, who should he contact?