Butch Hobbes and the Quicksilver Kid
by mardel
Darien and Bobby in a semi-Western. First season when they were still getting
used to one another.
"I cant believe this." Darien said as he was standing in the middle of a dirt
road watching dozens of people milling around.
"You can't believe what?" Hobbes asked, he was kind of happy about their
current assignment.
"That he expects us to go undercover as extras on a movie set, and it's a
western!" Darien growled. "Do I look like a cowboy to you?"
Hobbes stepped in front of his partner and looked him over. "I don't know in the
right clothes and with the hair hidden under a cowboy hat, you could pass for a
lanky cow poke." Bobby teased him.
Darien gave him a dirty look.
"Come on Partner, the Fat man assigned us here to catch some guys using the
property department as a cover for a gun running operation. What better way
to get close to the action than as extras?" Bobby lead Darien towards the
wardrobe area.
Bobby was leaning on a porch post on the set, waiting for a reluctant Darien
to join him. He was pleased with the outfit they had given him to wear.
Dark shirt and pants, a flat toped western style hat and a tan vest. Once
he was assigned a gun from the prop guys he'd look the part of a real
desperado.
Darien appeared, rolling his shoulders and carrying his hat.
"I really hate this Hobbes. Let's catch these guys fast so I can change back
into my own clothes."
"I don't know considering what you usually wear, this is an improvement."
Bobby chuckled. "Put the hat on and let me get the whole effect."
Darien grumbled and settled the off white hat on his head. They had him in
tan jeans, westerns boots. A worn white shirt and a dark brown vest. He felt
foolish.
"Looks good to me Partner. Didn't you ever play cowboys and Indians as a kid?
You never wanted to dress up like John Wayne?"
"You don't think I look stupid?" Darien straightened his vest.
"You look believable and that's all that matters. Come on we have to report to
props to pick up our six shooters." Bobby walked tall in his boots, Darien
grinned as he followed him down the dusty street.
Bobby nodded to two female extras as they walked along the street he tipped
his hat to them like he would have a hundred fifty years ago.
"Ladies, nice to see you."
"You're really getting into this aren't you?" Darien smiled, he didn't like
their assignment. But it was a kick to see Bobby enjoying himself for a change.
"Yeah, well I'm a big movie buff. Getting to be on a movie set is going to be
fun. When's the last time we had fun during working hours?"
"You have a point. I guess I just need to go with it. Pretend for a few hours."
Darien slapped Bobby on the shoulder, he'd decided to relax.
"Can I help you man?" A man with a pony tail and a black tee shirt looked at
the two as they approached a props trailer.
"We need guns for the crowd scene." Bobby answered him.
"Here ya, go they aren't loaded today. The shot 'em up scene isn't being filmed
until tomorrow. Try and keep them clean will ya? Don't drop them in the dirt
trying out your quick draw."
"Don't worry I've handled a gun before." Bobby took his gun and holster from
the prop man.
Darien accepted his and just carried it back towards the set.
Bobby already had his strapped to his hips, and was tying the leather thong
around leg to hold the holster in place when he drew the gun.
"Isn't that supposed to go on your right hip?" Darien asked noticing that Bobby
was putting it on his left side.
"I thought I'd go with a cross draw. I'm use to my weapon being on this side."
Bobby explained.
Darien nodded. He stopped to try and put his holster on, but the buckle end kept
falling to the side every time he went to buckle it on.
Bobby had to swallow a laugh. Darien finally got it on the third try. He settled
the gun on his right hip and tried a draw. The gun slid out smoothly, it was
nicely balanced. "This is nice, maybe I should get a gun to carry."
"Not a good idea my friend. I'm here to give you cover. Your job is to sneak
in and sneak out." Bobby reminded him.
" This might not be such a bad assignment after all." Darien tried a few more
practice draws.
:::::::::::::::::::::
As Darien was familiarizing himself with his gun. There was a call from one of
the assistant directors for all the extras to report to the set.
"Come on Partner, it's time to earn our keep." Bobby swaggered down the
boardwalk to where all the extras where gathering. Darien followed, still toying
with his gun.
"We are going to block the scene now, I'll be giving you all places then we'll
do a quick run through." He began choosing people and assigning them spots in
the town for them to be background during the action. He put Hobbes in front of
the general store leaning back in a chair. Darien ended up being a walker, he
was suppose to walk across the street behind the action of the scene. He didn't
know he would end up performing this little bit over a dozen times.
It took over an hour to place everyone and check the camera angles. Then they
did a run through with the actors saying their lines. Hobbes was watching,
soaking in the atmosphere of the movie making experience. Darien was in the hot
sun during most of the scene, and he was getting over heated. He motioned to
Hobbes, that he was really bored now. Bobby scowled at him, and motioned to him
to stay put.
Darien stepped back into the shade for a few minutes as they were changing the
camera set up. He'd thought about quicksilvering for a minute to cool off, but
he was to close to other people.
"OK people this is a take. Places everyone and action." The AD, called. Darien
almost missed his place, he'd been day dreaming in the shade. But he did his
little walk by, and then stayed off camera while the scene continued. The actors
continued up the walk past Hobbes at the store and then entered the saloon.
"Cut, we need another one. Everyone return to their places."
Darien rolled his eyes and waved to Hobbes. He was getting hungry and he was
already bored. It wasn't until forty minutes later after several more takes they
were given an hour for lunch.
"Finally." Darien said as he approached Hobbes. "Where do we go for food?"
"I think they have box lunches for us back over by the wardrobe trailer." Bobby
informed his partner. "I was talking with one of the other extras, he told me
they need a dozen guys that can ride for some scenes later. I volunteered us."
"You did what?" Darien turned to look at Bobby.
"I volunteered us. Look I'll teach you it's not that hard to ride a horse."
"No, way Hobbes. I'm not getting on a horse." Darien shook his head.
"Come on Fawkes lets get some food, and we'll talk about it." Bobby turned
Darien back around, and guided him towards the food table.
They each took a box and helped them selves to drinks. There was water, soda and
juice to choose from.
"This isn't bad, we've got a nice sandwich, a thing of fruit, some chips and a
big cookie."
Darien was checking out his lunch in a box. He'd taken a seat on a hay bale in
the shade.
Bobby was right behind him. He'd stopped to talk to a woman wearing a leather
apron.
"It's all set, I spoke with the wrangler. After we eat, I'm giving you a riding
lesson."
Darien had just taken a huge bit out of his sandwich. He continued to chew and
told Bobby with his mouth full there was "No way he was getting on a horse."
"What are you afraid of? Did you have a bad experience with a horse as a kid?"
Hobbes asked, as he took a seat next to Darien and began to eat.
"No, I just don't think it's a good idea. Where did you learn to ride anyway? Is
that something you have to learn in spy craft 101?" Darien complained.
"No, mister smarty pants. I learned to ride at summer camp when I was eleven."
Bobby didn't talk about his childhood ever, he looked kind of sad now as he
mentioned summer camp.
"That was a long time ago. What makes you think you can still ride?" Darien
tried to refocus the topic, away from childhood.
"It's like riding a bike, my friend once you learn you never forget."
"I still don't want to." Darien finished his sandwich already and moved on to
the fruit in a little container.
"Come on Fawkes, give it a try if you still hate it after the first lesson then
I'll lay off." Hobbes promised.
:::::::::::::::::::
"Hi, is it alright if I give my friend here a riding lesson now?" Bobby asked
the woman he'd spoken with before.
She looked him over in his cowboy outfit. He looked like he might know what he
was doing but she should really be sure first.
"I'll tell you what, if you prove to me you know your way around a horse. Then
I'll let you give your friend a lesson."
"Fair enough, which horse do you want me to saddle up?"
"This one here is fine. This is Yuma, he's a good mount." she stepped back and
handed Bobby the reins.
"Hey, there Yuma how ya doin'." Bobby patted his neck and let the horse get use
to him for a minute. Then he led him to the fence and picked up the saddle
blanket.
Darien was just standing back watching. He'd never seen his partner at a
distance, working on a project before it was very interesting.
Hobbes placed the blanket on the horse and slide it in place. Then he put the
saddle on top and flipped the chinch down so he could pull it around the
horse's body. Yuma stamped a foot when the chinch moved under him.
"Easy there fella," Bobby reassured the horse and leaned down to grab the
leather strap. He pulled it into place and looped it through, tying it off and
lowering the stirrup.
The woman was nodding in approval. " Go ahead and ride him around for a minute."
Bobby swung up into the saddle and walked the horse into the coral. He walked,
trotted and then did a short canter around the ring. He was smiling when he
pulled Yuma up beside the wrangler.
"Ok, you know what your doing. You can teach your friend." She nodded and moved
off towards the line of horses in the shade.
"Thank you." Bobby reined the horse over to Darien and dismounted.
"Your turn Partner."
"Alright but don't expect much." Darien put a foot in the stirrup and climbed
into the saddle.
"Just sit on him for a minute and get the feel of things. Heals down, toes in.
You aren't hugging the horse with your legs. You balance in the saddle."
Bobby guided Darien's leg into the proper position.
"You're just a closet cowboy at heart aren't you?" Darien followed Hobbes's
instructions, but it just bugged him that his partner seemed to be good at
everything.
Bobby ignored the comment, " Do you feel settled? Give him a little squeeze and
he'll move forward at a walk. Don't kick him. That's Hollywood crap."
Darien urged the horse forward and he was walking around the coral.
"This isn't bad. How do I get him to do that faster thing you were doing?"
"Just take it easy Fawkes. One step at a time. Get the feel of the horse first,
then you can try a trot." Bobby was sitting up on the side of the fence so he
could get a better view of Darien's progress.
After a couple times around, "Ok, now urge him to move out faster. Don't kick
him or you'll end up on your butt in the dirt." Bobby warned.
Darien squeezed a little and Yuma began to trot slowly. Darien was bouncing, and
his legs were moving out of position.
"What do I do?"
"Sit down, heels down, you have long legs use them for balance."
"I'm try, try trying to." Darien said as he bounced around the ring. He
finally managed to get into the same rhythm as his mount and there was less
bouncing.
"Ok, now take him back to a walk, pull gently back on the reins."
Bobby climbed down from the fence.
Darien eased back on the reins and the horse changed into a walk.
"Hey, it worked."
"That's good. Now when you get over here have him stop. Pull back a little more
than the last time and say whoa. I don't know if he is command trained but it
won't hurt to say it."
Darien followed instructions and Yuma stopped. Darien swayed forward but kept
his place.
"Good, that's enough for now, dismount." Bobby moved forward and patted Yuma's
neck as Darien got off. "Take your foot out of the stirrup, then slide off."
Darien patted his mount also. He liked animals, he just didn't want to look
foolish in front of Hobbes. But he'd done alright. And Bobby had been a good
teacher.
"That was kind of fun. You were right."
"I told you. Now look, you put the stirrup forward and loosen the chinch a
little so your horse is more comfortable while he's standing around."
Bobby looped the reins over the fence and went to say thank you to the wrangler.
"Thank you ma'am. Would it be alright for us to come back again tomorrow for
another lesson?"
"Yeah, I kept an eye on you. Your good with horses, it'll be fine for you and
your friend to come back again. Call me Meg, ma'am sounds to much like my
grandmother." She offered to shake hands with Hobbes.
"I'm Bobby. Thank you, we'll be back tomorrow." He smiled and shook her hand,
firm but not overly so.
Bobby and Darien spent the next five hours on the set, mostly waiting for things
to be set up for crowd shots. They were dismissed, just before six.
Darien was changed and ready before Bobby. He was waiting outside the coral
when Bobby met up with him. "I heard a couple of guys talking while I was
waiting for you. I think we should go check out the area down there." Darien
nodded towards the area behind the trailers.
"You were see through when you heard them?"
"Ya, the one guy was on the lot all day. He's the stunt guy for one of the
leads. I didn't recognize the second one. Neither of them is the guy from the
briefing." Darien explained to his partner.
"You want to look now? Did you see them hiding something down there?"
"No. It might take awhile, maybe we should wait until we are in costume again
tomorrow. We could take the horse down there as an excuse."
"Good thinking Fawkes. I'll make a spy out of you yet."
:::::::::::::::::::::::
The next day Darien was more into his role as a cowboy. He was getting better at
his draw and he didn't feel as foolish as the first day.
"I was looking around down at the prop trailer this morning." Darien told his
partner.
"Did you find anything?"
"There's hidden box, under the floor. It was empty, but it could be used for
storing guns. Probably a dozen at a time."
"Good work, now all we have to do it catch them with illegal weapons. We'll take
the horse down to that field today." Hobbes nodded.
"People it's time to film the big crowd scene. Everyone gather around the saloon
entrance here and listen up." The assistant Director called out to the extras.
Darien and Bobby hung back towards the fringe of the crowd. "I need some tough
looking guys up here. You move up here, and you and you."
He motioned for Bobby.
"Me, you want me?" he was surprised. Then he was like pleased about being
picked.
"Make-up get these three looking rougher, add some stubble or something."
Bobby was led off with the other two guys, so they could be made to look even
worse.
They were given instructions to respond to the actors when the scene started.
They were supposed to be loud, and angry. Bobby and the other two returned,
and Darien was even convinced he didn't want to be around them. Bobby looked
like he hadn't shaven in over a week. They had messed up his clothes, and even
given him a scar on the cheek.
The scene was shoot only three times. The director was happy with the third run
through. Then he asked for the riders, to step forward.
"I want you guys to go down to the wrangler and draw your mounts. Practice for
a little while and then after lunch break we are going to shoot the big posse
chasing scene. We have two guys who do stunts, so all we need it for you to stay
on your horse and keep it under control."
Bobby was glad they were being given more time with the horses. But he wished
they had one more day. Darien and him needed time to check out the field without
anyone else being around.
"Excuse me Meg, they said for us to come to you for our mounts." Bobby touched
her arm, as her back was turned to him.
Meg turned around, and blanched. "Man they really did a job on you. If you had
asked me to borrow a horse looking like this, I would have turned you down
flat."
"Yeah, I do look kind of scary, but that was the idea."
"You take Yuma for your friend and lets see how about Bart, he's the dark
gelding on the far end. He's spirited but, I think you can handle him."
"Thanks, see you later." Bobby tipped his hat and grinned.
"Did see give me the same horse?" Darien had stayed back, near the corral.
"Yeah, you have Yuma again. Are you starting to like him?" Bobby teased.
"Well I did Ok, with him yesterday. I should stick with a good horse."
Darien thought he knew which horse was his but he checked with Bobby
top make sure.
"He's this one right?"
"Yeah, remember to check his girth before you mount up." Bobby reminded him.
Darien patted Yuma's neck, "Hey fella, it's me again, remember me from the other
day? I was nice to you right?"
Darien talked with the horse for few minutes, checked the girth and tighten it a
little. Then he undid the reins from the hitching post and tried to mount.
Bobby was waiting for him, his horse was sidestepping in it's eagerness to move
out. But Bobby was sitting his mount with ease. "Don't make the reins tight as
you mount up, leave some slack in them. Then make it all one fluid movement."
Darien loosen the reins a little and tried again. Yuma stood still now and let
him swing into the saddle. "Ok, follow me, we're going down to the field."
Bobby walked off, but his horse was still eager to run.
Darien relaxed after the first few minutes. He was trying to remember to keep
his heels down, his lower legs loose. Bobby trotted his horse up beside Yuma and
they trotted around the field a few times.
"Do you want to try a canter?" Bobby wasn't sure if Darien wanted to or not he
looked tense.
"Tell me what to do first." Darien thought he was getting the hang of it more.
The trot wasn't as bad as the first day.
"Sit down, tuck you butt under, and go with the rhythm of the horse. It's not a
run we aren't going to go that today. It's easier to sit through this than it is
a trot. It's just a little bit faster. If you have to, grab hold of the saddle
horn until you get use to it."
Darien followed Bobby's instructions and was surprised to find himself riding
Yuma across the field at a canter. It was easier to sit than a trot, the gait
was smoother. The trouble started when Yuma stumbled and Darien lost his
balance, falling to the ground and going quicksilver, invisible at the same
time.
"Darien! Are you alright." Bobby rode up near where he'd last seen his partner
and did a quick dismount. The quicksilver fell off Darien a second later and
he groaned.
"What the hell happened?" He shook his head and looked up at Bobby.
"Your horse stumbled, and you came off. Are you hurt?"
"No, I'm Ok. Did anyone see?" Darien looked ashamed of himself for
quicksilvering like that during a crises.
"I don't think so, most of the other guys are still back at the corral being
evaluated for there horse." Bobby made a negative head shake.
Darien climbed to his feet and Bobby helped him brush off his clothes.
Yuma was standing only a few feet away, he wasn't the kind of horse that ran for
the barn when he lost his rider. Bobby dropped Bart's rein and went to check
Yuma for injury.
"I think he just miss stepped. Nothing looks off." Bobby led the horse forward
and watched him move his feet but he wasn't favoring a leg.
"Ok, fella let's try that again." Darien patted his neck and remounted while
Bobby was there to steady the horse.
They continued their practice, while Bobby looked around for any sign of an
under ground hiding place. Darien was more confident when they returned the
horses to Meg. Bobby made sure they were cooled down and checked with her as to
where to leave them tied.
Bobby did a little snooping around during their lunch break. But he only learned
that no one liked the lead actor much. He was a egotistical pretty boy that
though he was better than everyone else.
Darien was eating his lunch with a pair of ladies from the saloon scene. They
seemed very happy to be sharing a meal with him. When Bobby showed up, they
suddenly had to leave.
"Man Bobby, you're cramping my style." Darien complained.
"Sorry about that, I keep forgetting I look like a desperado." He took his lunch
from Darien and began to eat quickly. " I'm not learning anything about the bad
guys. I think we might have to do a night recon if we really want to find out
anything."
"That's fine with me. I don't think I was cut out for this kind of work." Darien
arched his back, he was already getting stiff from his fall.
::::::::::::::::::::
Everyone was mounted and waiting for the clue to ride their horses out of town.
They were portraying the posse, so there were about a dozen men on horses
milling around.
Darien was careful to keep Yuma on the outside of the group. He wasn't confident
enough in his ability to ride, to get in the middle. Bobby was walking Bart
around keeping him moving, he wasn't a horse that liked to stand still.
"Alright this is a take everyone ready. Rolling, action." the AD yelled.
They all urged their mounts forward and raced out of town. Yuma cantered to keep
up with the other horses, and Darien only grabbed the saddle horn for a second
when it felt like he was sliding sideways.
They were waved back, and told this time to ride through town from one end to
the other. They preformed several more run bys before they were dismissed.
After returning their horses, they were to return to the set for one last crowd
shot. There were two buggies on the set with the female lead and the second
female lead sitting in one. As Bobby and Darien were walking back towards
the shooting area, one of the horses spooked, and plunged away from the
set, both actresses were in the buggy behind the frightened animal.
"Crap," Darien look up just in time to see Bobby running out in front of the
runaway horses waving his hat and grabbing the reins when the reared and
then calming him down.
"Easy there, easy there." Bobby held on, if the horse really was scared enough
he had no hope of holding it back.
Two men ran up from the other side of the set and helped Bobby calm the horses.
The two actresses were looking pale, but un harmed in the buggy seat.
"Oh, my god thank you." the dark haired one called out to Bobby. She was
holding tightly to her co-star. An assistant helped them to climb down, and
she hugged him quickly. Then she turned to the other woman and helped
her to climb down.
They both walked over to Bobby and hugged him.
"Thank you so much, I was so scared."
"You're welcome, I'm glad I was there to help out." Bobby almost blushed.
Darien was smiling like a fool, seeing Bobby look uncomfortable with the
attention he was gaining from the two actresses.
"What's your name? So I can thank you properly? I'm Melissa Grant, this is Jenny
Thomason."
"Bobby, you can call me Bobby." He removed his hat and nodded to them.
"Thank you so much Bobby. You saved us really, didn't he Jen?"
"Yes, thank you. I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't
stopped the horse." She smiled at him.
The director finally arrived, it was a long run from where the cameras had been
set up.
"Jennifer, Melissa are you alright?" He yelled.
"Yes, Bill we're fine, thanks to this gentlemen here. He stopped the frightened
horse." Melissa greeted the director.
"Thank you. The director reached to shake Bobby's hand. I'm very grateful for
your help." He patted Bobby's shoulder.
"Your welcome, I'm glad I was there."
"Ok people take a break. That's all for the extras for today." The AD called
out.
Melissa and Jennifer were talking with the director and several other people
now.
Darien smacked Bobby on the back.
"That was quick thinking Partner. You're the man of the hour."
"Yeah, I guess. Wow, that was something. Melissa Grant just hugged me."
Bobby sounded star struck.
"Come on Romeo, lets go get changed." Darien was guiding his partner towards
wardrobe.
"Wait a second. Bobby?" Melissa had broken away from the other people and
was following them.
"Yes, Miss Grant?" He was pulling his hat off again, smiling.
"Would you have lunch with me tomorrow?" she asked.
"That's not necessary," He tried to act like he wouldn't jump at the chance to
spend time with her, what ever the reason.
"Yes, I insist, are you two friends?" She shifted her gaze to Darien.
"Yes, Miss Grant, Bobby and I work together, we're kind of a team."
Darien found himself removing his hat, when she spoke to him.
"You'll both come then, lunch tomorrow at one." She returned her
eyes to Bobby, then back to Darien for a nod.
"That would be very nice we accept." Darien spoke up for his tongue tied
partner.
"Good, I'll see you then." she turned to return to her friends.
:::::::::::::::::::::::
Bobby was still acting dazed from talking with Melissa Grant as Darien
led him off.
"Why did you do that?" Bobby accused his partner.
"What?"
"Why did you accept her offer to join her for lunch?"
"Like you don't want to spend more time with her? She seems like a nice lady,
not stuck up like most actresses." Darien defended himself.
"Nice, of course she's nice."
"Then what's the problem buddy? You saved her, she likes you. Go with it."
Darien teased Bobby.
"No, she doesn't like. .... I was just there when the horse ran off....." Bobby
stopped walking and looked worried. "No, you're goofing with me, I can tell.
She invited us, us my friend, to lunch, as a thank you. That's all."
Bobby resigned himself to that conclusion. He wouldn't believe she might
think he was attractive.
"I had you thinking about if for a second. You almost went for it." Darien
was smiling, walking in front of Bobby. He was so easy to tease.
::::::::::::::::::
Darien and Bobby waited until most of the workers had gone for the day and it
was dark before they snuck past studio security and searched the area near the
prop trailer for any signs of hidden weapons. They only found a secret hiding
place dug into the side of a hill near the western set. But it was empty.
"I think we may have been brought in on this case to late. Unless they have an
new buyer soon." Bobby shook his head as they closed up the small dirt storage
space they had located. It was covered over like a old well, with a wooden cover
and padlocked.
"I'm going to have to listen in on our suspect again. That's the only way we'll
ever know if there is a new buyer lined up." Darien added.
The extras weren't due on the set until afternoon. So when Darien and Bobby
showed up mid morning they were surprised to be ordered to report to wardrobe.
"The writers added a scene after that rescue yesterday. They want you to re-
enact the part after you stopped the horses. So you need to get in costume and
make up." The script lady informed Bobby.
"What? They want me on camera, with Miss Grant?" Bobby went pale at the idea.
"Hey, great Partner you get to do some real acting." Darien was laughing at
Bobby's reaction to the news he was wanted on the set.
They went to wardrobe and then makeup and Bobby looked like the tough, rough
looking cowboy from the day before.
They reported to the set, the script lady handed Bobby one page of script.
"They just want you to repeat what you said yesterday, only do it with a county
accent. You can do that right?"
"Yeah, I guess." Bobby took the piece of paper from her and looked the very
short scene over.
"I thought the cameras were rolling when everything happened yesterday.
I guess the footage was good enough to use. They just need to get some
close ups of you and Melissa." Darien was reading the copy over Bobby's
shoulder.
"Thank you, thank you so much."
"You're welcome ma'am," Removes hat
"I'm glad I was hear to help you."
Climbs out of the buggy with tall cowboy's assistance. Goes to rough cowboy
and kisses his cheek.
"I don't know how I'll ever repay your kindness sir."
"It wasn't nothin', anyone else would do the same."
" I'm Katherine Mclean what is your name?"
"Charlie Boone ma'am, most folks call me Boone."
"Thank you for your help Charlie."
"Yes, ma'am glad to, glad to."
"That doesn't look to hard you have what five lines?" Darien quickly read
through the page of lines.
"Yeah, I guess I can do this. I did a little acting in school." Bobby was
beginning to sound like he wasn't scared of being on camera.
Melissa walked up to them as they were reading the scene.
"Good morning gentlemen. I see that you know we have a scene today?"
Bobby removed his hat and smiled at her. "Hi, yeah they just gave me the
script."
Darien smiled at her also and nodded, " Good morning, it doesn't look like a
difficult scene."
"No, they just looked over the footage of the buggy running off with us.
And decided it was good enough to use for the film. Why aren't you in costume?"
"Me? I'm not on call until after lunch break." Darien replied.
"But you're in the scene too . See here," she moved to stand beside Bobby
and pointed to the line, tall cowboy helps her out of buggy.
"That's me?" Darien was the one to look scared now.
"You better hustle over to wardrobe and get changes Partner." Bobby was the
one smiling now, he was happy to see the shoe was on the other foot now.
"I think you have a few minutes. The director isn't on the set yet." Melissa
added.
::::::::::::::::::
When it was time to film the scene they did a run through first.
"If you could sound a little more like a country hick, I think you'll have it."
The director asked Bobby.
"Ok, I can do that." Bobby nodded, and was trying to be professional.
They filmed the scene, and the only difficult part was when Darien helped
Melissa out of the buggy she caught her skirt on the buggy and he had to
catch her.
"Easy there ma'am." Darien tried to play if off and stay in character.
"Cut! Melissa are you alright?" the director rushed forward.
"I'm fine I just didn't gather my skirt up enough when I moved to climb out of
the buggy. Lets go again."
The second time everything went perfectly and the director yelled cut, print.
"That wasn't so bad now was it?" Melissa asked Bobby when they were done.
"No, it was kind of fun." He walked with her back to her chair.
"I think the next scene we're shooting is Tom and I. I'll see you this afternoon
then?"
"Yeah, see you later." Bobby grinned.
::::::::::::::::::::
"I saw the guy we're watching for, Ketchum go back towards the prop trailer."
Darien rushed over to his partner.
"Yeah? You'd better go saran wrap, and follow him. I'll hang back and cover
you. Make sure no one else is around." Bobby was all business.
Darien moved behind one of the fake buildings on the set and went quicksilver.
He moved down the hill towards the prop trailer. The guy they were watching,
was meeting up with two men. One dressed like a extra for the movie and
one dressed in a bad suit.
"You have the goods then?" Suit said.
"Yeah, everything you wanted for the price we agreed on."
"Good, I'll expect delivery soon."
"Yeah, I'll call you with the final location. We have to make sure security is
busy on the other side of the lot when we move the stuff." The other man added.
"I don't need to know the details. Just make sure I have my goods soon."
"No problem. I'll be in touch." Ketchum promised.
Darien waited until they were done, then followed Ketchum back to the set.
He checked a clip board and began passing out rifles to the extras for another
crowd scene.
"They are planning something soon. But they didn't say exactly when." Darien
informed his partner.
"Crap, we're going to have to keep a close eye on him." Bobby pounded one hand
into the palm of the other.
When it came time for them to join Melissa for lunch. Bobby was complaining that
he was still looking like five miles of bad road.
"I don't see why I couldn't go change."
"Because we have to keep our eyes on Ketchum and he's moving a bunch of stuff
out to the location for the shoot after lunch break." Darien reminded him.
"Gentlemen, I'm sorry to inform you but Ms. Grant has been delayed. She says
to start lunch with out her and she'll join you as soon as she can."
An assistant informed them and showed them to a table already set with food and
drinks.
"See it isn't going to matter anyway. She's probably not even going to show up."
Darien said. Just as Melissa turned the corner of the trailer and heard him.
Bobby went pale, he'd seen her over hear Darien's rude remark.
"Miss Grant, don't pay any attention to my friend." Bobby gave Darien a dirty
look.
He stepped forward and pulled chair out for her.
"No, he's right. I've been known to arrange to meet people and then just not
show up.
It's not how I was raised but I'm afraid there are a lot of false promises in
this business."
She nodded to Bobby and took the chair.
"Please sit down. The food looks good today."
Bobby and Darien both took their seats. Darien looked like a little kid that had
gotten caught with his hand in the cookie jar.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said......"
"Don't worry about it. I'm afraid I never did catch your name?"
She shrugged it off, and reached for her water glass.
"Darien Franklin, master of the faux Pau."
Bobby was also drinking his water, he was suddenly tongue tied again and
his mouth was dry as cotton.
"Have you been in many films?" Melissa addressed Bobby and Darien both.
Darien knew Bobby wanted to speak up, but after a few seconds passed and he
didn't say anything. He jumped in with.
"This is only our third film, it's kind of a sideline for us really."
"Oh, I see. Yes every other person you meet in California is a writer, or actor
or want to be director. It's like cabbies in New York, they aren't just cabbies
they are really writers or actors or inventors or something." she began to eat
her salad.
"Yeah, Bobby tell her about our regular work." Darien tried to give his partner
on opening.
"We run a security business." He managed to get out. Then he tried to clear his
throat, and started to drink his water again but it was almost all gone already.
Darien pushed his water glass over, and tried to fill the awkward moment.
"We analyze businesses and homes for weak points and design security systems
specifically for each client."
"I'm sure that's interesting work. The life on a set can be so dull most of the
time." Melissa nodded.
Bobby finally got his voice back, " This is your ninth film since you came to
Hollywood isn't it Miss Grant?"
"Yes, please call me Melissa. I did some stage work in New York and six months
on a soap. Then the first film I was in was a big hit. I was very lucky."
"You're very talented." Bobby gushed.
Darien rolled his eyes and began to eat. He didn't think he'd be adding much
more to the conversation.
:::::::::::::::::::::
"Bobby, come on Ketchum is loading up a bunch of stuff. We have to follow him."
Darien waved to his partner.
"I'm right behind you."
Ketchum was loading a box into the back of a truck. Darien was going to have
to quicksilver and sneak into the back of the truck if they were going to find
out where the guns were stashed.
"I don't like that idea Partner. I don't have anyway of tracking you."
Bobby protested.
"It'll be fine. I'll hind, then ride back with him. He's getting ready for a
location shoot this afternoon. If I have to I'll wait there for the camera crew
to arrive."
"I still don't like it." Bobby shook his head no.
But as they were arguing Ketchum closed up the back of his truck and then walked
off.
"Let's take a peak inside, while he's gone." Bobby moved towards the truck.
Darien followed keeping a watch for anyone.
Bobby hoped up into the truck and began searching through the boxes.
"He doesn't have any guns here except for a few Winchester for the film."
"Then it must be his partner that is transporting them." Darien was
disappointed.
Bobby climbed back out of the truck and they returned to the set, so that when
Ketchum did return they wouldn't be around.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::
"How are you Darien? It's been a few days since I've seen you?" Claire
asked as he entered the Keep.
"I'm a little sore, and I need a shot." Darien rubbed the small of his back.
Bobby followed him into the lab and greeted Claire. "Hey there Keepie did
you miss me?"
"Hello Bobby. How do you like working on the film set?" She smiled at him
then turned to get the counteragent from the cooler.
"It's very interesting. I had a small scene with dialog and everything."
"No, really I thought you two were just supposed to be extras?"
"Hey, Claire that's nothing, you should have seen his big rescue the other day.
He saved the two lead actresses when the horse pulling their buggy bolted."
Darien was grinning as he told the story of Bobby's adventure.
"You saved them did you? That's wonderful Bobby, tell me all about it?"
Claire stopped what she was doing and turned to look at him.
"It wasn't that a big of a deal." Bobby acted all modest, almost blushing at her
attention. "I just stopped the horse when it got scared."
"You saved them from possible serious injury." Darien spoke up, "He's just being
modest, Melissa Grant and Jennifer Thomason. where very grateful to him."
"They just a, .... you know hugged me." Bobby said softly.
"Melissa Grant and Jennifer Thomason? They are very popular stars, you should
be very proud Bobby." Claire returned to the vial of counteragent.
Darien had taken his usual spot on the exam table. She tied the tourniquet
around his arm and proceeded to administer his shot.
"There you are, do you want me to examine you back? You said you were sore?"
She offered.
"No, it's just from all the riding we've been doing on the set." Darien hoped
Bobby didn't chime in with the news about his fall off the horse.
He hurried to roll his sleeve down and leave the lab.
"Thanks Claire, we'll see you later."
"You should see Darien ride, he's a natural." Bobby just grinned and told
Claire.
"Oh really? I'd love to hear about it sometime." She had an idea that Bobby had
a story to share about his Partner but he was saving if for another time.
"Darien, Bobby the Official would like to see you." Eberts was waiting for
them outside the Keep.
"Sure thing Eberts, we were on our way there now." Bobby was acting nice to
Eberts for a change. He was just in a good mood from his lunch with Melissa.
Darien was keeping quiet, he'd narrowly missed having Bobby tell Claire all
about his fall, and he didn't want Eberts to hear about it either.
"Gentlemen please take a seat. I've a message here from the informant that a
deal is going down very soon. Have you located the guns?"
"No, sir but we have located the exchange location." Bobby started to explain.
"You haven't located the weapons? Then how do you expect to prevent the exchange
from taking place? That was your assignment wasn't it?" The Official sounded mad
as usual.
"We know who and where, we just need to keep an eye on the guy. We have a
locator in place, if he moved towards the drop. We'll be ready for him."
Darien tried to defend their plan.
"Sir, I'll be monitoring the suspect this evening. I think he'll make a move
tonight or tomorrow." Bobby added.
"I want results, not excuses. We can't afford to lose this case to the ATF."
The Official warned them.
"Yes, Sir. Bobby Hobbes is on the job. Fawkes is backing me up, we've got
it handled."
:::::::::::::
"Why did you tell him you were monitoring Ketchum tonight?"
"I am, I'm going back to keep my on eye on him. I've got a feeling about this.
I think it's going to happen real soon." Bobby was headed back towards the
parking lot and his beat up agency van.
"You didn't think I'd want to be in on this?"
"I've pulled plenty of stakeouts alone. But you can come along if you want to."
Bobby shrugged.
::::::::::::::::
Darien shifted position again he just couldn't seem to get comfortable in the
van seat after three hours.
"You can go crash in the back, there's a army blanket back there you can lay
on." Bobby told him.
"No, I'm good. So what is it about western movies that you like so much?
I never could relate, growing up in the city. I liked comedies and space
adventures."
"Like you can relate to a story that takes place in outer space, but not here on
earth?" Bobby commented.
"You know what I mean, I was like ten when Star Wars came out. So that was a
big deal movie for me. Luke Skywalker was a hero of mine as a kid."
"Ok, I get it. For me it was old movies on TV, there was an early morning movie
on Saturday and Sunday morning. It was almost always a western. I think the
local programmer at the station loved westerns. I saw Roy Rogers, Robert
Mitcham, a few Hopalong Cassidy, every John Wayne serial and classics like My
Darling Clementine and High Noon. It was just the whole idea of having a code of
honor you lived by and defending women and children against the bad guys."
Bobby summed up his love for western movies.
"I'd get up early, my folks would be gone or sleeping in after a night out. My
sister was usually sleeping, but sometimes she'd watch the movies with me. She
liked John Wayne."
"Yeah I guess I can see your point. You did the next best thing to becoming a
Texas Ranger when you grew up, you became a Fed." Darien nodded.
Bobby was quite for a while after that. Darien didn't have anything to add, so
he remained quiet and stared out the window at the stars for awhile.
The stakeout ended with nothing happening. Bobby and Darien returned to their
apartments to shower and change, then reported to the set as usual.
Things started to happen almost as soon as they arrived on the set.
Ketchum drove down the hill towards the drop area. Darien followed him,
Bobby tried to stop Darien from sneaking into the back of the truck, be he had
to just stand and watch as Darien disappeared.
Bobby was about to call in some back up and go in after his partner when they
both returned without a problem.
"Don't you ever do that again." Bobby was livid with Darien when he returned.
"I had no way of covering your back."
"It was no big deal. Look the deal is going down at lunch time. The guy with the
money is meeting our guys over near the bridge location."
"Ok, I'm going to have to borrow a vehicle for us to tail them in."
"I don't think that will work I didn't see a single other vehicle out there. I
can hide in the truck again."
"No, no, no if anyone is going to hide in the truck it'll be me." Bobby
insisted.
"Bobby how are you going to stay hidden when they unload the truck?"
"That's just it Partner, they probably aren't going to. It would be much to
difficult to get a truck on the location shoot if it's not a studio truck. I
think they loan the truck to the buyer and then bring it back like it broke down
on the way back from a location."
"But then you'll be who knows where with the buyer." Darien reminded him.
"You'll know where because I'll have a cell phone and a tracking unit."
Bobby pulled a small device out of his pocket.
::::::
Bobby was hiding in the truck when it pulled off with Ketchum at the wheel.
Darien was going to keep track of him on the location monitor screen. He was
driving the van and following at a distance. The transfer of money took place,
and Darien continued to follow the truck with it's new driver.
He was beginning to think the plan was going to fail when the truck finally
pulled off on to a side road that went up into the hills.
Bobby finally made his first call in, while the truck was still traveling.
"Fawkes everything is working great. We're headed up into the hills. I'd bet
anything we're almost to the final destination."
"I'm still with you Bobby. Don't take any unnecessary risks. We've got them."
Darien didn't want his partner to get carried away at this point in the mission.
"I didn't want to give us away so I waited to turn down the side road until
after the truck was out of sight."
"I'm going to hop off the truck Partner. We're pulling into a area with
buildings. I'll slip back down the road and meet you in a few." Bobby said then
hung up.
He checked out the back of the truck and then jumped and rolled as it slowed to
cross over a cattle guard. He hurried into the cover of the under brush near the
side of the road. He waited until the truck was out of sight before he worked
his way back down towards Darien and the van.
"Man I hate being the one to follow behind, let 's go back to me hiding and you
following." Darien greeted Bobby a minute later as he reached the spot in the
road.
"Not much fun is it Partner?" Bobby was brushing dirt off his clothes.
Bobby called in for back up agents to help them round up the bad guys and then
traveled back to the studio to bag Ketchum.
"So you planning on just walking up to him and putting him under arrest?"
Darien asked as they were passed through the studio gate.
"Yeah, how are you doing on your tattoo? Can you back me up see through?"
Darien checked his monitor, he was fine, he still had over half of his tattoo
green.
"I'm good, let's get this guy."
Ketchum was talking with two men as Bobby approached. He must have gotten
a tip off, because the minute he saw Bobby he made a run for it. Darien wasn't
even into position yet. But he still tried to stop Ketchum from fleeing.
"Crap." Darien made leap for Ketchum, but his flying tackle missed. He let the
quicksilver fall off and yelled to Bobby. "He's getting away." and pointed.
Bobby made a mad dash for the jeep Ketchum had jumped into, and was hanging on
to the roll guard, from behind. He had no hands to pull his gun on the bad guy.
Darien looked for some means of following them. The only possibility was
horseback. He ran over to Mike one of the extras he'd worked with off and on for
the past few days.
"Mike, loan you horse for a little while I need to help out a friend of mine."
"Ok, but if you hurt the horse you have to explain to Meg." Mike dismounted and
gave Darien the reins.
"Hey, there buddy you ready to go for a ride?" Darien patted the horse, he
thought it might be the same horse Bobby had ridden, but he wasn't sure. He
swung up into the saddle and urged him in the direction of the fleeing jeep.
Bobby was still struggling to keep from being thrown from the jeep. Darien went
invisible as soon as he was out of sight of the set. He didn't expect a rider
less horse to be a problem if Ketchum spotted him.
He found the jeep, and his Partner. Bobby was making his way forward, but
Ketchum was driving wildly, throwing Bobby all over the place. It didn't look
like Bobby was making much progress, he was just trying to keep from being
thrown off.
Darien urged his mount up close behind the jeep. But then he didn't know what he
should do next.
"Ride up ahead and let him see you." Bobby yelled, he expected the sight of a
rider less horse suddenly having a rider appear in front of him might give him
the opening he needed to gain control of the speeding jeep.
"I'll give it a try!" Darien yelled back, then more quietly he spoke to his
horse.
"Here we go fella, help me out here."
Darien urged the horse into a gallop and as soon as he was ahead of the jeep
allowed the quicksilver to fall from him.
Ketchum was first startled by the arrival of a horse, then when Darien appeared
on top of him suddenly, he was so surprised he stopped driving the jeep in a
zig zag pattern. Bobby moved up and pulled his gun, pressing it to Ketchum's
head
"Stop this jeep. Do it now!"
"Hey, it worked." Darien pulled his horse back around and stopped next to the
jeep.
Bobby was busy cuffing the suspect.
"We'll make a cowboy out of you yet Partner." Bobby grinned.
"He wasn't there and then he was there. I know I saw it, he just appeared."
Ketchum was saying, trying to get Bobby to confirm for him what he'd seen.
"Yeah, sure special effects are great now a days aren't they?"
Bobby told him.
:::::::::::::::
"So tell me again about your adventure over at the studio?" Claire was asking
Bobby and Darien once they returned to the lab. For some reason the idea of
Bobby and Darien dressed up as cowboys was very intriguing.
"Fawkes was very helpful when it came time to capture Ketchum. He distracted
him long enough for me to get the drop on him." Bobby praised his partner.
"It was kind of fun, after I got the hang of it." Darien smiled.
"Yes, but I want to hear the part about....." Claire made them retell the story
of the case again. She wished they had returned in their cowboy outfits
just once so she could get an idea of how they looked....
end