THE ENCOUNTER SERIES
PART 11

EXACTING REVENGE

By Jo
EnyaJo@aol.com

Thanks Eliza for catching the mistakes.

~~~~~

HELM'S OFFICE

Helm didn't have a chance to calm Tessa down after calling her a 'girl' before he heard the soldier yell from inside his office, "No!"

Both Helm and Tessa rushed inside. Helm only saw a flash of sunlight reflect on the gun that the imposter held as she moved her aim from the soldier to them. Helm fell to the floor, on top of Tessa, just as the bullet implanted in the door. The soldier slapped the imposter across the face and the gun dropped to the ground. Helm knew it was useless without reloading, but Tessa picked it up.

By instinct of all the military training Helm had received to conquer the enemy at all costs, Helm went to the woman who was fighting off the guard and took firm hold of her throat. He pushed her down on the table and used his body weight to squeeze the life out of her. No one tries to kill him twice and get away with it.

Tessa got to her feet with the gun in her hands and saw Helm standing over the patient wearing the Queen's uniform. It was odd to see another woman in her alter ego's clothing; her mind had been so focused on Esteban and Sofia's dismissal as soon as talk of his escorting Tessa to Montoya's fiesta, that she had almost completely forgotten about the Queen's imposters. The soldier was trying to pry Helm's hand from the woman's throat, and Tessa went to his assistance. "Doctor!" She saw his face. The expression horrified her. His skin was red and his eyes held a crazed look as he seemed as if there was only one other person in the world, and he was trying to kill it.

Tessa hooked her hands around his elbow and pulled. "Doctor Helm! Stop!"

Tessa finally got Helm to unleash the patient. Helm's loss of leverage on the woman made the soldier's shove push him back against his work table under the window. Helm's breath was heaving and his mouth was agape, just realizing what he had done. The soldier held the woman down on the exam table, as if she could possibly get up in the first place. Helm's choke mark was clearly visible on her neck. Tessa had the awful feeling that the imposter patient was dead, but then saw her turn her head and growl in anger, fighting against the soldier. She lifted her leg for leverage but the soldier held her down.

Helm was still panting heavy, staring at his hands, then turned away from them all and seemed to be staring out the window. Tessa could understand his hatred for the woman-she had stolen dressed as the Queen and had stabbed Helm in the back-but his actions had taken her completely by surprise.

Helm turned back to the patient with a large knife in his hand. "I have to save her. Her leg must come off if she is to live."

The soldier grabbed Helm's knife hand to stop him from getting closer Dos. "Or you want her to bleed to death."

"Nonsense!" Tessa pushed the soldier back from the table and Dos didn't taken advantage of her freedom. "Look at her wound!" She then took off her shawl and tossed it on the floor. "Doctor Helm, what do you need for assistance?"

"Plenty of towels... a saw... fresh water."

Helm leaned over the now still imposter to lift an eyelid and check her pulse. His hand shook as his finger touched her neck once again. Tessa nudged the soldier and said, "You heard him. Go get the water!"

Tessa grabbed some towels from the shelf and saw Helm nod toward his surgical implement cabinet. She turned to get the saw from inside the glass implement case. "You may not want to witness this, Señorita," he said calmly. "I understand. When the soldier gets back, he can assist me."

"Will you be needing..." she wanted to help, but the thought of seeing a leg sawed off wasn't on the top of her wish list. "A needle and thread to sew her up again?"

"Yes," Helm said. "In the other room, in the drawer is some needles, and I'm sure some thread."

Tessa saw a spool of thread on the work table behind him, but was grateful for the excuse to leave, but still will be able to assist in some capacity. Now she knew what had to be done if she had injured someone in the course of the Queen's duties. There was always a consequence to everything. Helm sliced the woman's leg with the knife as Tessa quickly turned away. The soldier returned with a bucket of water, she supposed from the fountain, and immediately stood at the table, blocking her view. Helm barked instructions to the soldier as Tessa held her stomach and walked into the other room. "Grab a towel!" Helm ordered as Tessa opened the drawer. She also found a kit of needles and picked them one up.

The sound of a human's bone being sawed through was something she didn't think she'd ever have to hear. There wasn't any way she could thread that needle when she felt like throwing up. But, she had to persevere. If that woman wasn't dead already, Helm needed all the help he could get to save her. Her hand was shaking as she wet the end of the cut off length of thread in her mouth and only thought that Helm could be convicted of murder if she was to die, having tried to choke the life out of her in front of one of Montoya's soldiers.

"Tessa!" she heard Helm call out.

She brought the thread and needle to him in the other room, carefully averting her eyes from the sight on the table. "I am sorry, doctor. I can not thread it."

Helm's bloody hands took the needle and thread from her and completed the task in seconds and started to sew up the patient. He told the soldier, "What is her pulse?"

Tessa noted the bloody towels both on the table near her stump and on the floor. She bent over to pick one up, but suddenly, all she saw was blackness and felt her head feel as heavy as a rock.

~~~~~

LATER

Marta calmly brushed the hair back from her charge's forehead, careful of the fresh bruise, and smiled when Tessa finally opened her eyes. Vera had arrived at the hacienda in her carriage to say that Tessa was ill and rode Marta into town. Vera had filled her in on everything that had happened since Marta had ridden away from Helm and Tessa earlier, so stubbornly, and couldn't imagine that Vera had left out any detail. As much as she wanted to charge into Montoya's office to see what punishment Helm would receive for one of the Queen's imposter's death, she had to go to Tessa instead. It was what was expected of her. When they had arrived back in Santa Helena, Marta averted her eyes from Montoya's Headquarters and the jail knowing that the pull to rush to Robert would be too strong if she had.

Tessa tried hard to focus and said, "Marta? What happened?"

"I take it that you hit your head when you fainted."

Tessa sat up straight, and then sunk down onto Helm's bed in his private quarters. She blinked away what Marta assumed were stars and groggily said, "The imposter..."

Marta shook her head, she hadn't made it. "Did Robert...," Marta started to ask about what Vera had said was the rumor. She needed to know, so Marta was strong to ask the one witness to the chain of events, "Did he do it on purpose?"

"Do what?"

"Allow her to die?"

"Marta!" Tessa sat up again in a way that Marta had seen her do too many times to conceal the truth of the matter. Tessa took Marta's hand and honestly told her, "He performed surgery on her. He tried to save her, I am sure. Did that soldier say anything different?"

"I do not know what he said." Marta stood and sighed, pulling Tessa off the bed. "I hope you are better, but you need to get yourself into Montoya's office to tell him what is going on."

"Montoya called Robert in?"

"Yes. To explain how the imposter died. Please. Go."

"I will."

~~~~~

MONTOYA'S OFFICE

Montoya set the paper down on his desk and folded his hands in front of him, his arms lounging comfortably on the arms. "That was the report from the soldier who witnessed your attempted murder of the patient."

Helm was silent. There wasn't any way he would reveal anything to that man.

Montoya continued. "Your behavior since arriving at my pueblo has been surprising, to say the least, doctor. What am I to do with you?"

They stared at each other, as if playing chicken. Helm could see a smile start to crease the Colonel's face and waited for the other shoe to drop. It was true. He had tried to kill that woman, momentarily. When the patient didn't make it through surgery, Helm had to admit, he wasn't unhappy. He had done the best he could for her during the operation. Whatever the Colonel's decision was, he would accept it. But if it was overboard, he would escape. Helm was mentally making getaway plans as well as trying to figure a way to get Marta to leave with him as he made sure that his outward expression revealed nothing.

Montoya broke the stare and said, "I have reassigned the soldier. Since you did try to save the woman, and she so sadly died of her stab wound. You are sitting pretty once again."

Helm wondered why the Colonel, who had wanted nothing more than to put Helm in his place, would clean up this mess. Then Montoya said, "So. Now the question is, what will I get in return?"

"Not one thing."

Montoya sighed. "Wrong answer, Doctor Helm. Not only do I own you, you owe me."

There was a hasty knock on the door just before it opened wide. Tessa walked in and immediately focused on Montoya. "Colonel. I was in Doctor Helm's office and witnessed everything. I will give my statement now."

Tessa slightly nodded at Helm, which made him smile as her testimony wasn't going to make any difference whatsoever. Montoya had taken care of it, but why? Montoya was the one who was paying Helm's wages, and Helm know that the Colonel knew some of his background. Did he think that he would suddenly have an ally?

Montoya stood and took Tessa's hand. "Everything is settled, Señorita. Doctor Helm did the best he could to save the thief. To think... she dressed up as the dead Queen of Swords and stole the reales of people who trusted her. The nerve." Montoya looked at Tessa's bump on her forehead and said, "I do so hope you feel better soon." Then he turned to Helm. "I believe you have another patient, Doctor."

"Yes. I do feel a little woozy, Colonel," Tessa said.

Montoya graciously looked to Helm. "Then please, Doctor. Take exceptional care of one of our most esteemed citizens."

Helm wondered why Montoya let him off the hook so easily, but wasn't going to stick around to interrogate him of the reason. He would have to pay close attention to everything from now on. Helm took Tessa's hand and bide Montoya good day.

As she was being escorted out, Tessa told Montoya, "Thank you, Colonel. Once again you have proven that you are a reasonable man. We are so lucky to have one of your ilk protecting us."

"Gracias, Señorita Alvarado," Montoya said with a slight bow.

~~~~~

On their way back to his office, Helm could see that soldiers would whisper among themselves as they caught sight of him. "Someone is waiting for you, Doctor," Tessa said as she opened his office door.

Marta was on her hands and knees cleaning the blood from the exam room floor. Helm hurried in and pulled Marta up into his arms. All the stress that had pent up inside of him was alleviated as soon as Marta gathered him in. "It is all right, Robert," she softly told him. "I am with you."

For her to make herself so open to him, in the presence of others, even though it was only Tessa, Helm loved her more than he thought possible. "That is right, my dear," he softly told Marta as he kissed her.

~~~~~

MONTOYA'S OFFICE

Montoya had returned to the chair behind his desk and waited. She finally came out of the adjacent room. "You heard it all?"

"I do not know why you did not just string him up near the fountain."

Montoya laughed. "A dead man is hard to use as a pawn, Countess Birchwick."

Alice hissed. "Do not ever call me that! I am Countess Levonchy."

"So sorry." Montoya's smile betrayed his fascination of observing human nature. People could be so predictable. Her reaction was exactly what he had expected, but with a bit more vehemence. He would toy with her further. "I just assumed that being the wife of the Earl of Birchwick would be a much more important title than a fabricated one."

"Enough of this pussy footing around," Alice said as she paced. "When are you going to make your move? That is what you promised me when you wrote to tell me that Robert was here. You had the perfect opportunity to destroy him and you just let him waltz out of here! Are you a coward? Is your bark that much worse than your bite?"

"Señora, you do not want to push me to bite, I assure you," Montoya warned as he stood.

Alice lifted her veil and pointed at her burned flesh covering the side of her face. "He did this! He left me to die!"

"He thought you had perished, I am sure. Helm is misguided, but he is also a sentimentalist. He would not have left a wife behind if he believed her to be alive."

"You are not going to help me at all," Alice said with newfound realization.

"I will help you when you help me. Right now, I need all the assistance I can get to capture the Queen of Swords!" Montoya calmed himself after his sudden outburst of what was the one thing he wanted more than life itself.

"She is dead already."

"That is what she wants me to think. And Helm is protecting her, so that is where you come in, Countess."

Alice laughed. "Helm. It is so Robert to choose that name. Helm was the maid, Colonel."

Montoya smiled as he sat once again. "I know a bit about the 'doctor', it is time you fill me in on the rest of the information."

Alice smiled back at him. "You are curious? In that case, after you kill him, I will tell you anything you want to know."

"I need the information now."

"I need him dead. Take a gun and shoot him, or have one of your underlings do it."

Montoya shook his head and told her with a sigh as he turned to walk back to his desk, "I see that we are at an impasse."

"Not exactly," Alice said. She grabbed a candlestick from the table and slammed it across the back of Montoya's head. He dropped like a sack of flour. She dropped the candlestick and said, "You are just in the way." She sighed and looked around, then back at the unconscious Colonel. "If you want anything done, you just have to do it yourself."

~~~~~

JAIL

Grisham unlocked Uno's jail cell door and told her, "You know the plan, and you do not want to do anything that would indicate that you're not following that plan to the letter. You know what will happen if you don't, right?"

The red headed dressed in the Queen's black clothing stepped out of her cell and told him, "I heard you, and want my sister and I to get as far away from here as fast as possible. I will do exactly as I am told."

"Good, because your sister's life is in your hands," Grisham, impressing himself with the quality of the lie.

Uno walked to the door, but Grisham stopped her. "No, no, no. Here." He tossed her a bag that contained her long black wig and a lace mask.

She put the wig on, and asked, "And the sword?"

"Not a chance."

"A Queen of Swords without a sword? How will I possibly accomplish the plan?"

"You will be quick and silent," Grisham said, coming threateningly close to her. "If you fail, your sister will hang before you ever know what happened."

~~~~~

SANTA HELENA

Tessa and Marta left Helm's office, as he was adamant that he should tend to what he had missed during his convalescence, and only after making plans to have dinner with the ladies at the Alvarado hacienda in a few hours. As Marta was deep in thought, Tessa spotted Esteban Nogales disappear into Vlad's blacksmith shop.

Marta mused, "I have never been more relieved that Robert is all right, but I wonder what Montoya has in mind for him. I will never trust that Colonel farther than I can throw him."

"Me neither," Tessa said as her attention was mostly focused on the blacksmith shop. "Marta? What do you say we stick around town for a few more minutes?"

"I have to return home, Tessa," Marta said, already climbing into the wagon. "I have much to do before dinner, and was hoping you would help."

Tessa smiled brightly at her. "You would like me to cook?"

"I do not think so, but, you could help pick up the house, select the proper wine, maybe make some lemonade."

Tessa again looked at the blacksmith shop, and at the Nogales wagon parked outside of it. "How about...," Tessa cautiously asked as she looked up at Marta, who was ready to whip the reins to get the horses moving.

"How about you get up here so we can leave?"

"I will catch a ride, you go on ahead. I will see you later," Tessa promised as she backed away from the wagon.

"Catch a ride from whom?"

Tessa tilted her head back with a smile, indicating the Nogales wagon. Marta smiled and said, "Dinner is at seven, and you, of course, may invite the Don to join us."

"Oh, I may, may I?" Tessa laughed; it was a joy to see Marta so happy.

Marta laughed along with her, and tapped the reins to get the horses moving. Marta shouted back over her shoulder, "Do not be late, because you and the Don will have to make yourselves scarce around eight."

Tessa felt her cheeks grow warm as she walked to the blacksmith shop, and loitered outside, petting the magnificent black horse hitched to the Nogales wagon. She jumped when she heard a voice behind her, "Senorita, what a pleasant surprise to see you today."

As soon as she heard him, her stomach flipped, but when she turned to look at him, she almost fell to her knees. Esteban usually was quite handsome, but in his work clothes, sleeves rolled up, the tinge of sweat on his brow, he had that animal magnetism of a man confident in himself, and how he appeared to women. He loaded some horseshoes in the back of his wagon, then casually laid his elbow on the wagon and gave her his winning smile.

~~~~~

ALVARADO HACIENDA

Marta walked into the house with a relieved sigh. Everything that had happened since Vera arrived to bring her to town, and Tessa, was a furious blur. To know that everything was all right, and that she and Helm would be together that evening, made Marta immediately heat water for a sponge bath.

Clad only in her robe, and still a bit damp from the wash down, Marta ran to her closet to see what dress she would wear, and sadly, there weren't a lot to choose from that Helm hadn't already seen. She wanted to make a good impression for him that evening, as they had gone through so much in recent days.

If only Tessa were here, she thought to herself. I would ask if I may borrow one of her dresses.

Tessa had decided to just leave Marta to get a ride from an available Don. Marta shook her head. Young love... but then again, older love was just as silly at times. She couldn't wait until she felt Helm's arms around her once more. Marta walked to Tessa's closet as she decided that since she had sewn them all, she may as well borrow one. Marta pulled one that Tessa had already worn from the hanger and held it in front of her as she looked at herself in the full length mirror. She would not mind if I borrow it. What could possibly happen to it anyway?

Marta was already counting the hours until she would again see Helm. He had to make some powders to make sure his medicine cabinet was properly stocked and wanted to catch up on things that happened in his absence during this convalescence at the Alvarado casa. She once again said a prayer of thanks that Helm was saved from that stab wound, and that while in her care, he didn't die.

Just as she donned the rose colored dress, she smoothed its skirt and looked at herself in the mirror once again. It was a bit loose in the bust, as Tessa was more endowed than she was, but with handkerchiefs expertly placed on Marta's chest, the dress would be a perfect fit.

~~~~~

CAVE

Grisham grinned when he sauntered into the new found discovery. In the two weeks since he had discovered what had to be the Queen of Swords' hideout, complete with makeshift bed and supplies that could sustain life for at least a month, he and Montoya had been anxious to use it in some capacity. There has always been a guard posted covertly in case the Queen was not dead and she would use it, but it had been deserted since the farmer raged into Santa Helena with a dead Queen of Swords in the back of his wagon. Now that more Queens had been discovered, Montoya had assumed that the real Queen was just laying low. Now was the time to use it, and also use the only remaining imposter Queen before she found out her sister was dead already.

Grisham heard horses ride outside, and moved back to the opening to see his soldiers ride on each side of, and a little behind, Uno, with an unconscious Senorita laying across her trotting horse. "Good job," Grisham commented as Uno came to a stop near him at the opening. He asked one of his men, "Did she have any trouble?"

"None, Capitan. It went like clockwork."

"Did anyone see you?"

Uno got off the horse and scoffed. "I am good. I told you no one would see me." She indicated the unconscious, long haired woman in a rose colored dress lying on her stomach over the horse. "Not even her. So really, I have no idea why I had to look the part." She took the long black wig off and asked, "Can I get my sister and leave now?"

"Your part in this caper has just begun, Uno," Grisham said, then paused. "Unless you want to reveal your real name."

"In your dreams."

Grisham jeered. "I have better things to dream about."

The unconscious woman stirred on the horse, and Grisham made his men back up. "Do not let Senorita Alvarado see you," he said as he did the same.

~~~~~

Uno pulled the woman's leg, and she fell on the ground. Marta lifted her head to see a scurry of motion near some rocks, but had a terrible headache. She looked up to see a woman with a shock of red hair, and wearing the Queen's black uniform. Marta, unable to control herself, rose up and grabbed her by hair, and hit and kicked her as best she could in Tessa's nice dress. "YOU! You are the one!" Marta raged as she fell on top of Uno, who didn't have Marta's fire when trying to defend herself. "You almost killed him!"

"Kill who? Get off me!" Uno yelled as she fought back, and her hand connected perfectly with Marta's cheek.

Marta fell off of her when Uno lifted up. She was holding her cheek and still dizzy from the other bump on the head when she was kidnapped when she kicked out at her again, but asked in a worrisome voice, "Where is Tessa?"

"You are Tessa," Uno said. Marta got up on her feet as Uno asked, confused, "Are you not?"

"Of course not!" Marta railed at her again and they landed against the rock face near the cave opening. "You will pay for what you have done! You could have killed him! I am glad the other one is dead," Marta said, then smiled as she started to choke her, "Oh, excuse me, my mistake. I am glad the other two are dead."

Suddenly, Marta was lifted up by an invisible-to her-force."Marta?" Grisham's voice called out behind her, as if far away, but in fact he was holding her. "Are you all right?"

"My sister is dead?" Uno asked Grisham lividly. "You killed her?"

"She died of her injury, no one killed her," Marta told her, defending Helm, trying to wrangle out of Grisham's hold, then looking back at him to wonder why he is there.

Grisham called to his men. "Get her! She kidnapped... Marta," as a cover to the blown plan. Damn women, they'll always find a way to muck things up. It was a perfectly good plan, shot to hell now.

Uno flipped one soldier over her shoulder, as she grabbed the dagger from the other soldier's waist. She stabbed him in the leg as she ran behind Grisham's white steed. Grisham held up his gun before he would accidently shoot the horse. Marta, needing to know if Tessa and Helm were both all right, that the woman hadn't harmed either before kidnaping herself, grabbed Grisham's horse's reins and mounted it. Grisham yelled for Marta to stop, as Uno mounted her own horse and rode off behind some boulders. The soldier was tending to his injured comrade as Grisham watched his horse carry Marta away. "Marta! I was here to save you!" he yelled, to no avail. Marta just kept on riding his horse at full gallop.

The soldier called out, "Capitan! Juan must get to Doctor Helm, quickly. He is losing a lot of blood."

Grisham figured that he can explain to the soon-to-be-livid Senorita Alvarado that he was trying to save Marta, didn't actually have a hand in kidnaping her, as well as starting to think of a reason why Uno got away, which Montoya would soon be most interested in knowing. It would be a full day, he just knew it. He held a hand out to Juan and said, "Hang tough, soldier. We'll get you to the doc."

~~~~~

MONTOYA'S HEADQUARTERS

Montoya slowly returned to consciousness, but couldn't see a thing. His head was pounding, and his hand automatically went to rub the back of it. He suddenly remembered what had happened, and berated himself for turning his back on a woman scorned. No matter who scorned her, all men would pay for it. "That damn Earl... Captain... Doctor... selfish British twit," Montoya muttered as he sat up, trying to figure out where he was. "Whatever he is calls himself, damn him!" Montoya struggled to get to his feet, blaming Helm for his being there, wherever he was. He felt his eyes adjust, but still couldn't make out his environment clearly.

When he was finally able to see the dull gleam of gold, Montoya stiffened even more. He was damned if he did and damned if he didn't. "She would not have done... how did she know?" Montoya stood up and fingered the gold, it was cold against his skin. Yes, he was exactly where he thought he was. He went to the door, which he knew would be locked tightly. As he leaned his body against it and drifted down to the floor, he hated being right all the time.

~~~~~

HELM'S OFFICE

Helm hurried through his chores, anxious for the day to end so he could begin his evening at the Alvarado hacienda. He had treated two children with headaches, set a man's broken arm, and mixed together some remedies to restock his medical cabinet.

He was just walking to his private quarters to change clothes and hastily sponge himself clean for this date that evening when the outer door opened. Not another patient. Don't they know I have a life? I have plans, he thought, then immediately felt bad. He saw only the silhouette of his petite visitor enter against the strong reflection of the setting sun through the doorway.

"What may I help you with?" he asked her, waiting for her to close the door so he would determine who she was, or even her age. When she just stood in the doorway, and she seemed to have been wearing a black veil over her face, he walked to her. "What is the matter, Senora?"

She held up her hand and gruffly said, "Do not come near me," she said in English.

"Excuse me?" he asked, also in English. He walked to the door and closed it, against her wishes. He needed to look up her without that veil, so he lifted it. Before he could see her face, she turned away and trudged to his work table. The lilt of her voice reminded him of his late wife; he couldn't quiet the nagging feeling that his first instinct was correct, but how. Her voice had a mean bite to it, which Alice never had. His wife had been killed in action. It was impossible that the woman before him was Lady Alice, wasn't it? His mind flashed back to that horrible night when the explosion erupted throughout the kitchen, and Matthew made him leave her behind, knowing that she was dead. "Who are you?" he demanded of her in English.

"You're comeuppance, my darling," she seethed as she spun around.

Helm didn't know if he was most surprised by the fact that Alice was standing before him, there was a terrible scar on her face, or by the dagger in her hand; for an instant it was hard for him to remain on his feet. "Alice?" he asked with great amazement.

She shook her head violently to get the veil completely off her face, having it rest behind her shoulders and told him, "Look at what you did! You left me for dead!"

Before he could respond, the door opened again and Grisham came in with the injured soldier. "Hey, doc," Grisham said, walking with the soldier's arm over his shoulder. "You have to--"

Alice was startled by the sudden intrusion, and a bit outraged. "Get out of here!" she demanded of Grisham, who only stopped to gawk at her. She backed up as if she was trapped suddenly, and Helm walked toward her to calm her down. She flung the dagger out to defend herself and it embedded into the soldier's chest. The soldier fell to the floor.

Grisham said, "Well, that's that." He pulled out his gun and was ready to shoot her, gleefully cocking back the hammer.

Helm stopped him, grabbing the barrel of the gun and pointing it at the floor. "Stop! No!"

In the sudden quiet, he knelt to the soldier, felt his neck, and announced, "He is dead."

Alice shrugged, "Who cares? He's insignificant."

"No life is insignificant, Alice. What happened to you?"

"YOU! You bastard."

Grisham stared at his dead soldier. The chick was going to pay, that was for sure. "Okay, I'm not going to kill you outright because of the doctor here, so you're going to rot in jail before you're killed." He good-naturedly shrugged. "Fine by me."

Grisham glared at Helm as he stood from the soldier's side, and didn't notice the lightening quick movements of the former spy as she took his gun right from his hand.

"Hey!" Grisham said, about to grab her, but backed off when she pointed the gun at his nose. "Never trust women," he grumbled.

Alice yelled at them both, "Hands up. Now!"

Helm and Grisham both did, glaring at each other out the corner of their eyes. "Who is this?" Grisham asked.

"My wife," Helm sadly admitted.

Grisham raised an eyebrow, then asked, "You didn't scorn her, did you?"

"I didn't know you were alive, Alice," he told her in English. "I wanted to stay, but Matthew..."

"Don't blame him, you have your own mind," Alice spit out. "You left me behind!"

"Oh, God," Grisham said. "You never leave a man behind," he said in Helm and Alice's native tongue.

Helm looked at him in surprise. "You never said you could speak English."

"You never asked."

"Robert, tear that into strips," Alice said, tossing a sheet from the exam table at him. "Then tie him up."

"Alice, slow down," Helm said soothingly. "Tell me what's happened to you."

"TIE HIM UP!" she yelled, not wanting any small talk.

Grisham, who still had his hands up, sighed. Alice took the dagger out of the soldier's chest and handed it to Helm, handle first, and said, "Use that to tear the pieces and hurry up."

Helm spent a minute debating on using the dagger on her, but the last thing he wanted to do was hurt her, more. To see her again made him at once relieved and happy, but also filled with guilt. That scar on her face was a testimony to his failure. She was right, he shouldn't have allowed Matthew to get him out of here before he could have looked for her. His eyes trailed to the dead soldier on the floor, and Helm knew that Alice had been through too much to think clearly. The woman he knew would never have been so nonchalant about the death of an innocent bystander, even though he was in uniform. He hadn't been the least bit a threat.

Alice, having no comforting walk down memory lane being in his presence, pointed the gun at Helm's face and demanded once again that he should tie Grisham, so he did just that, leaving a little bit of give in the ties. The men that hated each other more than they wanted air to breath stared at each other in mutual agreement that they would work together on this.

Just as Helm was finished tying Grisham's hands behind his back in Helm's private quarters, he noticed Grisham's eyes react to something behind them. He turned around in time to get the gun butt against his face. Grisham scooted away from Helm when he fell and tried to get his hands freed.

Alice told him, "Now about you..."

"What do you want?"Grisham asked guardedly.

"One dead, the other ransomed so I have funds to journey back home."

Grisham pondered that for a moment, then asked, "Which of us is which?"

His only answer was the gun butt across his face.

~~~~~

ALVARADO HACIENDA

As they arrived on her porch, Tessa asked, "How have your children been getting along?"

Esteban walked ahead of her to open her door. "They are happy that Natalia is back with us, Sofia can once again enjoy her childhood."

Tessa smiled, happy for Esteban Nogales and his family. She felt a sort of kinship with Esteban's children, having lost their mother at a young, tender age. Because of the imposter queens stealing their nest egg, the Nogales children had also lost their nanny, Natalia, the only other female presence in their lives. Even though Tessa was grown, if she was to lose Marta, even now, it would be cataclysmic. Esteban was standing taller now than Tessa ever remembered, now that she, in the guise of the Queen, had returned his stolen money. He could now again pay for his workers and Natalia. His children were taken care of and could once again enjoy their youth.

Esteban took her hand and said, "I deeply apologize for Sofia's behavior in the pueblo. I would like to once again ask you to accompany me with Montoya's fiesta."

Tessa teased, "All right, go ahead and ask."

"I would be my honor, Senorita, if I may escort you."

"I would like that," Tessa said, hoping she wasn't blushing. He was such a strong presence, having worked his land himself. For a moment, she visualized the Nogales and Alvarado lands joined together. What a powerful force they would make. Considering that they like each other also, it wouldn't... Tessa stopped herself. This is not an arranged marriage of any kind, after all. Unless of course, I do the arranging. "I look forward to it, Esteban."

As she stepped inside the house, the coolness of the foyer was a respite from the midday heat. After Esteban entered, his hat in his hand, she shut the door and asked if he would like something to drink. "Knowing Marta, she has lemonade already prepared."

"That would be quite refreshing, gracias. Then I must be heading back home. There is still much work to be done before night falls."

"Make yourself comfortable, and I will get us some of that lemonade," she said, indicating the sofa in the drawing room.

As Tessa arrived in the kitchen, she was disappointed to not see Marta. She was under the impression that Marta wanted to high tail it home to get herself and dinner ready for their big dinner with Helm. Tessa wondered if there had been another hiccup in the romance of Marta and Doctor Helm and shook her head. She had been hoping to invite Don Nogales, and Sofia to win her over, to dinner as well. From the looks of the kitchen, dinner hadn't even been started.

The back door opened and Marta swept in, panting hard, and dusty from a harried horse ride. Tessa went to her, noticing Grisham's white steed just outside the door, she'd know that horse anywhere. "Marta? What in the world?"

"I was kidnapped, Tessita," Marta said between gasping breaths. Tessa helped her into a chair and pulled her hair back from her face to see her.

"Were you hurt?"

"No, Capitan Grisham arrived. The imposter queen kidnapped me while I was trying on this dress. She hit me over the back of the head."

"I thought that dress looked familiar. Marta, I have not even worn that dress yet."

"Tessa!"

"Are you all right? Did she hurt you?" Tessa inspected her best friend, now worried as it was obviously not a joke. "Why did you ride Grisham's horse home?"

"Grisham and the Queen were in a tussle and I had to find you to make sure that you are all right. I went by the Nogales place first, and you were not there. I was so worried that she had gotten you also."

Tessa pulled Marta into her arms. "I am fine, Marta. I am sorry you worried, and was put into danger because of me. Why did she take you?"

"Because she found out that you are the Queen of Swords? She would hold me ransom, and draw you out to kill you once and for all? Tessita, there is another thing. Grisham knows the location of your secret cave now. That is where the imposter queen brought me."

"How did she know about it?"

Marta's reaction, after shaking her head in ignorance, was to gasp at the unexpected visitor in the doorway. Tessa turned to see Esteban Nogales standing there, a confused look on his face. "Did I hear you correctly? You, Maria Teresa, are the Queen of Swords?"

Silence reigned as all three stared at each other, stunned. Finally, Marta chuckled. "Don Nogales, such a question. Of course not, why would you ask such an absurd thing?"

"It came from your own lips, Senora," he said. "Someone found out you are the Queen of Swords?" His question was directed at Marta, but he didn't take his eyes off of Tessa.

Tessa stood and smiled, somewhat off balance. "You must have heard Marta wrong, Esteban." She decided to change the subject. "By the way, this is my best friend, Marta. Marta, this is Don Esteban Nogales." She needed to get out to her cave to find out what in the hell happened in the last few hours. When she got her hands on that imposter queen, she'll have to hold herself back from doing exactly what Helm had done to the other one in his office.

"Of course, it is a pleasure to meet you," Marta backed up the change of conversation.

Esteban wouldn't be directed off topic. "What did I hear wrong, Tessa?"

Tessa looked to Marta, who said, "I would imagine that the both of you would love a glass of lemonade. Why don't you go out on the veranda while I prepare a pitcher."

All Tessa could think was that her secret cave had been found, the imposter queen was free, Marta had been in danger, and all she had been doing was make goo-goo eyes and pleasant small talk with a handsome neighbor. "Actually," she said, "I am sorry, Esteban, but I think the heat of the day is catching up with me and would like to lie down for a little while."

He took the hint, and indicated his work clothes. "And I should be getting back home as well. There is much to do before the sun sets."

Esteban made treks to the door, and turned to ask, "Is Montoya's fiesta still on?"

"Of course," Tessa said, not wanting to make him think she was trying to get rid of him so she can go investigate, but was. "I look forward to it, Esteban."

~~~~~

HELM'S OFFICE

Helm woke up to realize that someone was leaning against his shoulder. When he looked to see that it was Grisham, Helm violently nudged him off. The movement made his wrists scream out in pain as they were tightly tied together behind his back. He noticed that Grisham's were also when he turned to glare at him for not leaving slack when he tied them. But, Grisham was out cold. After Helm had shrugged him off, Grisham fell over and still hadn't moved from his side on the floor.

"I knew you would leave give in the ties." Alice's voice came from the other room as Helm struggled with the bindings behind his back. "I checked his after he... fell asleep, shall I say?" Helm saw her smile, and that should have made him feel better, but it only made matters worse. He felt the weight of the world on his shoulders from the guilt of leaving her injured at the house in France, even though he hadn't known how she could have possibly survived. The smile only affected half of her face as the other was covered with the unsightly scarring from facial burns.

She knelt down in front of him and showed him her face. "See this?" she indicated the unscarred side. "This is what you fell in love with."

"You were the most beautiful woman I ever saw."

She turned her face and he turned away. "But this is what you did to me."

"I am sorry, I didn't know."

"Of course not. Of course you're sorry, but that doesn't make it any easier, does it?"

Helm looked to Grisham for a bit of help, but the Captain still hadn't moved, with a bruise on his temple. "What do you want?"

"You dead," Alice said, then gleefully laughing.

"No you don't," Helm disagreed. "If you did, I'd be dead already."

"That isn't the complete truth, my love."

"How long was I out? You could have done anything you wanted, but I'm still alive."

"You are still alive because I do not kill unconscious bastards. You should know that, Robert. You've seen me kill. I only kill when my prey knows they are going to be dead by my hand. So, they can enjoy it, shall I say?"

"Where have you been since Paris, Alice?" Helm asked, for information on what truly did happen to her after he and Matthew left her behind, but also to find out under who's influence was responsible for her present demeanor. Then, Helm saw fluttering out the corner of his eye. He turned to look, but for just an instant, so Alice didn't see it also. Grisham was moving his hands, he was awake.

"Small talk will not fend off the inevitable, Robert." She stood up and walked to the exam table, where she had opened a bottle of wine and poured a glass. That wine was from Don Ricardo, very rare, a very good year. Helm had wanted to share it with Marta. Alice sipped from the glass and then turned with Grisham's gun in her hand. "This still has not been fired, love. It is inevitable that you die."

She blew Helm a kiss as she raised the gun, aiming it at his heart. Helm could have sworn he saw Grisham smile as the captain opened his eyes. All at once, Helm leaned to the floor, Grisham flipped over and kicked out his foot at the gun woman, Alice fired the pistol when Grisham's foot went into her stomach, putting her aim off, and the Queen's whip wrapped around Alice's neck. One quick yank of the whip and Lady Alice was sprawled on the floor. She hit the back of her head on the wooden floor, and immediately passed out. The pistol clattered against the floor, coming to a halt by the door. Helm rolled over to get to his knees, while the Queen fully entered the office. She laid her boot atop Alice's stomach and asked, "Well, well, well. What do we have here?" at the two tied up men.

Grisham got to his knees and smiled up at her. "We have the famous bandita. Turn yourself over to me, Reina."

"In your dreams," she sneered at him, and untied Helm's hands. "Lucky I came by. Who is this woman?"

Helm solemnly announced, "My wife."

"Your what?" Tessa yelled, infuriated with the news that Helm was married, while going after Marta.

Helm said, "I thought she was dead."

"A likely story," Grisham said, then added after Helm's wrists were freed, "Untie me now."

As Helm checked the unconscious Alice, Grisham moved his wrists closer to the Queen for her to cut him free. She said, "I prefer you that way," and walked away.

"Oh, come on," Grisham plead. "I'll let you go free."

"A likely story," the Queen told him, with all the sarcasm she could muster.

~~~~~

NOGALES HACIENDA

Esteban Nogales had worked a while in the fields, but when the sun went down and his workers went to their homes on his land, he walked into his house, fully expecting a meal prepared by the recently rehired Natalia. What he saw as he walked through the kitchen door instead was his young son, Alessandro, tied and gagged, shaking with fright under the set kitchen table. Esteban quickly knelt down and put his finger to his lips for his son to not make a sound. He reached to untie the gag around his son's mouth and whispered, "Quietly tell me what happened."

"The Queen, papa," Alessandro squeaked, leaning relieved against his father. "She is back," he said, nodding toward the living room. "In there."

Esteban took a knife from the table and cut the ties around Alessandro's wrists and told him, "Stay here."

"I will." The boy didn't have to be told twice, and hunkered in the corner on the other side of the massive sideboard.

Esteban crawled to the door of the kitchen, and heard demands being made by a female voice, wanting to know where the reales are hidden as they weren't in the same place as last time she had robbed them. He heard Natalia cry out that she didn't know, and then he heard the crack of a hand across a cheek. He had to push away the memory of the last time he was robbed, so scared that his family would be harmed, and saw his youngest, his baby girl, laying in the hallway, crying. He crawled to the door of the living room to see Sofia and Natalia tied back to back on the settee in the middle of the room. The Queen of Swords pacing back and forth. "I am losing my patience," she said in a caustic tone. "I know that you have more reales, where is it?!"

The living room had been torn apart, due to her search for all hiding places. What gall to come back to the scene of a previous crime, to put his family in danger once again. He was shocked that he hadn't heard a thing from the fields, and didn't see a strange horse outside. He caught Sofia's eye and made a motion for her to be quiet. She sighed with relief, and then cried out, "Please, leave us alone," then smiled at her father as if to ask if that was all right.

Esteban immediately crawled behind a chair as the imposter Queen's attention was taken by his daughter. Natalia had repeated, "We do not know where the Don has kept his reales," then added with the moan of a mother with the power taken away from her, "Do not harm the children. Please."

"I will do exactly what I want." Uno said, taking open drawers completely out and letting them fall to the floor. Suddenly, hands were around her upper body, and a knife was at her throat. "One move and I will kill you," Esteban told her, his voice betraying his anger.

~~~~~

HELM'S OFFICE

The Queen and Grisham scrutinized each other while Helm was tending the still unconscious Alice, whom he had lain on the exam table. Grisham had made it to his feet, leaning back against the wall, his hands still tied tightly. "Is everything all right here now?" the Queen asked.

"Yes, yes." Helm opened one of Alice's eyelids to check her pupils, then tenderly moved her head to inspect the blood from where she had hit her head. "Thank you."

"No problem."

"I would thank you if you untie me," Grisham said.

"You would not want to be in my debt, Capitan."

"That is very true," Grisham said, nodding, but his eyes twinkling. It was odd to be so close to his prey, and he really couldn't do a thing about it. He suddenly remembered the feel of her cold, sharp blade against his crotch when they had first come across each other, and decided not to rile her.

Helm walked to Grisham with a knife and flipped him around. He told the Queen, "You had better make tracks." By the time he turned around, the Queen was gone. He slit the sheet strips binding Grisham's wrists and said, "You too."

Grisham rubbed his wrists and looked around at the room, with no Queen in it. "You know, I could report that you once again allowed her to go free."

"Go ahead. I will tell whoever you do that the Queen saved your life."

Grisham groaned. "Not really. I got a good kick in there."

Helm smiled and said in English, "That's all right. You don't have to admit it."

"I never will," Grisham replied. Then Helm saw his eyes grow wide. "Behind you!"

Helm turned to see Alice rushing at them, now screaming, with a scalpel in her hand. Helm, still holding his own knife, blocked her. She fell to the floor, and Helm moaned when he realized that the knife was in her stomach. "No!"

~~~~~

MONTOYA'S SECRET ROOM

Montoya sat on the floor, his back against a golden Buddha that he had bought at auction in Monterrey, but thought too garish to have out in the open, as it had been purchased with stolen funds. His eyes had now adjusted nicely to the darkness of the room, and he had taken the opportunity to appreciate all that he had acquired over this tenure in Santa Helena. He had also done quite a bit of thinking about how to get back at that ungrateful scarred bitch for showing her the object of her revenge, but then turned on him. She would pay... she would surely pay. After deciding that, and feeling quite well, he had planned where he would next hide his stash, as this was now probably public knowledge, and had come up with an explanation of why he had it. He would probably have to relinquish some of the "nest egg for Santa Helena" to those who the Dons deem deserving, but most of it would still be his.

Then he heard the lock turn. "Took him long enough," Montoya muttered, getting to his feet and straightening his uniform jacket. He realized that he had done quite a bit of sweating cooped up in the closed off room, but he knew it would only be Grisham, and the Capitan was the only one who knew of the room's existence. If Montoya was gone for long, Grisham would eventually look there.

Montoya had been right again as Grisham opened the door, and Montoya strode out, shutting the door closed behind him so Grisham couldn't see the entire inventory. "Wanted to get away from it all?" Grisham asked with good humor.

"Never mind." Montoya walked to his desk, after closing the movable bookcase. "What is happening?"

"It has been... eventful, shall I say?" Grisham said, mimicking the late Lady Alice's favorite saying.

"Where is that damnable woman?"

"Which one? There are so many around here."

Montoya scrutinized his Captain and said, "The Countess. Arrest her."

"That would be too easy. She wouldn't give up a fight."

"What do you mean?"

"She is dead, by Helm's hand."

Montoya stared at Grisham, taking that information in. "How long was I in there?"

"I have no idea, but Uno is missing, she took Marta instead of Tessa, Marta also has my horse. No idea where she is. Juan is dead, killed by the Countess. Helm killed the Countess, oh, I mentioned that already. Let's see... what else?"

"How long was I in there?"

They heard a commotion in the square, a wagon roaring into town and a man calling for the Colonel. They walked to the balcony to see Don Nogales bringing his wagon to a stop. "The Queen!" he called when he saw them.

"This seems awfully familiar," Grisham said, seeing the tied up Queen of Swords in the back of the wagon from his position on the balcony, remembering when a farmer came into town with a dead Queen in his wagon.

"But this one is alive," Montoya said, finally smiling. The Queen of Swords was finally captured! Montoya almost skipped down the steps, but took great pains to show dignity, even though he wanted to dance with glee. She was finally captured, by a Don of all people.

Esteban leapt from the wagon to tell Montoya, "Colonel, this is the imposter Queen. She came to rob me again."

Montoya did a double take. Not another damn imposter! "How do we know she is the imposter?" He looked at the woman's face, and saw strands of red hair poking out from under the wig. His heart sunk.

The Queen's voice rang out from the rooftops. "Because I am over here! She is the imposter, Colonel. I stole from no one."

Montoya, spitting mad, shoved Grisham away. "Get her!" He called to his men, who had congregated around the Nogales wagon. "Get her, you clods! Do something right!"

~~~~~

Continued in the final chapter, Part 12