The bickering wasn’t as bad as it was earlier but now Sam just happened to tune it out. He had a knack for tuning out things he didn’t want to hear, like girls saying no, or ex-boyfriends yelling at him for dating their girlfriends. Then it occurred to Sam, ‘maybe that’s why every one thinks I have trouble with staying with girls… the ex boyfriends…’

“Sam. Can you raise a mist in here?”

Snapping from his happy place Sam looked to Sara and said “you got it…” mist started to form around Sam as it began to rise and then quickly dispersed thought the room Sara and him were in not to mention the other rooms on the floor.

Joking with Sara again he said, “What is it girl? Find something?” he looked back through the door and peered around for Luke, “you find anything?” Sam asked curiously.

"You find anything?" Sam's voice called out as Luke remained crouched, examining the fireplace.

"Yeah... who blocks off the windows and doors but leaves the fireplace open?" Luke called back as the wheels continued to turn in his mind. Something still didn't feel right and suddenly everything around him was becoming suspect. Were there more guns in the walls that were about to reveal themselves? Flamethrowers? What about explosives? Paranoia was running rampant in Luke's mind and all around him he began to see threats. Whether they were real or just imagined was anyone's guess but suddenly he knew that they needed to get out of the house. They were all tempting fate by staying inside.

Standing slowly Luke walked over to the couch and sat down wearily. Something just wasn't adding up.

Click...

"What the hell?" Luke murmured at the sound before scanning the couch underneath him. What he saw was electrical components, a brick or block of something, and a pressure switch designed to trigger something when weight was removed from it.

"Sara! Sam! There are explosives in the couch!" Luke shouted almost without thinking.

"And once again... I'm the one that needs rescuing." He thought to himself, "Just wonderful."

“What is it girl? Find something?”

Sara rolled her eyes at the Dog reference. Though the comment made her let out a single laugh. “Oh wolf wolf.” She was surprised he didn’t bring up a Timmy in the well comment.

As Sam’s mist rose, there was a web of lazar thin beams filled the room, shooting out from the animal’s mouths so that they criss-crossed. In one big tangle. “Oh I might of found something.” Sara crossed her arms. Just a little confused at the sight before her and Sam. “At least I know I’m not loosing my touch, and I shouldn’t have to tell you not to cross one of those beams.”

Sara slowly backed her way out of the room. Testing her own agility, and grace around those beams sounded fun but she knew it would be a foolish thing to do. She wouldn’t just be playing with her own life, but with Sam’s, and even Luke’s. Even if her and him weren’t on the best of terms. Then Luke’s voice rang out from the other room.

"Sara! Sam! There are explosives in the couch!"

Sara immediately turned and started moving back. “Well then don’t touch… it.” Shed crossed the hall and saw Luke right there. On the couch… “Oh.”

"Yeah... who blocks off the windows and doors but leaves the fireplace open?"

Sam shrugged, “Probably someone who wants you two dead…” said Sam as he continued to look around the room lasers now visible in the room, “someone has gone out of their way to make sure you two don’t get out of here…” Sam said to Sara.

"Sara! Sam! There are explosives in the couch!"

Sam watched as Sara started to cross the lasers lit path with superior agility, then he registered what Luke just yelled, “Oh now your not…” said Sam as he ran into the room Luke was in, “Really?” said Sam as he walked closer to the couch, “Sara you good with bombs or you want me to freeze it?” Sam asked, “Luke I wouldn’t recommend you move either…” added Sam.

Embarrassed just wasn't a strong enough word... as Luke sat there, watching the other two discuss the bomb that was firmly lodged beneath his derriere he could think of only one word that truly described the situation.

Humilitation... humiliation to the enth degree.

"It's a shaped charge from what I can see with my sonar," Luke offered as he did his best to keep his voice completely even and perhaps even emotionless, "It's designed to blow straight up, taking out the couch and whatever's on top of it. I doubt the extended radius of the bomb blast could be more than a few feet."

How in the world had Luke gotten into this situation? Oh yeah... he had decided to offer Sara a job. This was the second person that he had offered a job to over the course of a few weeks but somehow bad things just seemed to happen when he was around Sara. "Maybe hiring her wasn't such a good idea." Luke thought to himself as he waited for the two to come to some sort of consensus about the situation, "Victoria never caused me this much trouble and she was grateful for my help. Sara acts like it's her helping me and not the other way around."

Shifting his weight ever so slightly, Luke tried to remain comfortable, calm, cool, and collected even though he could feel the pressure switch pressing up into his backside. "Of course... in a situation like this she is the one helping me."

Humiliation was definitely the best word for this situation. The only thing that could make it worse would be if Mickey were on the floor staring up at him again.

"Come to think of it... where is Mickey?"

“Sara you good with bombs or you want me to freeze it? Luke I wouldn’t recommend you move either…”

“My experience is with Locks and generally things that don’t blow up. Ayesac’s the explosive expert.” Sara admitted. “Give me second. I don’t know if freezing it would cause any of the wrong parts to separate.”

"It's a shaped charge from what I can see with my sonar,"

“I didn’t know you could see that much, or knew that much about explosives.” Sara leaned forward and squatted down beside the couch. Trying to see under the edge, but with no luck.

“I don’t suppose you’re familiar with the Indiana Jones Movies, Slick. The one where he is getting an Idol at the beginning and has that little bag of sand.” Sara was moving back and forth along the edge of the couch. Trying to see it better but without lifting the couch, she wasn’t having any luck.

“Sam, start making a thick wall at waist height, just in case.” Sara had so few times that she chose to take charge, or bark out orders. Being the loner that she was, the opportunity just didn’t come up. “Luke, I’m going to lift you up, on the count of three, and we’ll dive behind the wall. Sam, When I lift Luke up, See if you can form a block of ice where he is laying now, without having either one of us stuck in the ice.”

Sara sighed. “If one of you have a better idea, I’d love to hear it.”

Frowning Sam had to think how Sara’s plan was going to work, “Ummm….” Said Sam as he looked first to Sara and then to Luke and then sighed, “Luke don’t move I am going to layer some ice under your butt so it doesn't blow off just in case…” focusing and pointing his hand at Luke, Sam began to form ice on the top of the cushion under Luke’s butt, “sorry if it’s cold…” said Sam, “rather have you have frost bite than your rear blown off…”

Looking to Sara Sam nodded and said, “ready when you are…” Sam began to form an ice block right next to Luke ready to move it the second they moved it. Even if the bomb would go off the ice would put out some of the heat before Sam would force it to melt.

Next aiming at the floor Sam began to form a thin sheet of ice near the couch, once Luke was move he would set that up as well. ‘this is way to dangerous’ thought Sam as his breathing became faster than normal.

(permission to GMod for this stunt)

"I can recognize explosives but don't ask me to disarm them." Luke replied evenly as he watched Sara inspect the couch, "I have a little trouble snipping the right colored wire."

“I don’t suppose you’re familiar with the Indiana Jones Movies, Slick. The one where he is getting an Idol at the beginning and has that little bag of sand.”

"I'm afraid I missed that one." Luke replied, trying to keep the sarcasm out of his voice that was trying to fight back to the surface, "I've always been more of a reader. That whole... watching thing was never my thing."

The whole idea seems like something that would come out of a Laurel & Hardy or Three Stooges story. While he had never seen it himself he had heard enough about it to know that this felt like something they would do.

“Ummm…. Luke don’t move I am layer some ice under your butt so it doesn't blow off just in case… sorry if it’s cold… rather have you have frost bite than your rear blown off…”

There had to be a word stronger than humiliating. Humiliating didn't begin to describe what Luke was going through. After telling Sara and CS to but out and leave him be, he had to now be rescued by those same individuals. And, to top it all off, his but was beginning to freeze. As the cushions got colder, Luke did his best not to wince. He knew CS had a good bit of control with his backside being so close to the cushions, some of his clothing and maybe even a little skin was freezing as well.

Slowly extending a hand, Luke held it out for Sara to grab whenever she was ready. "On your mark Sara." He gritted out as he tried to ignore the cold, frustration, and humiliation.

This was definitely a lousy day.

"I can recognize explosives but don't ask me to disarm them. I have a little trouble snipping the right colored wire."

“Actually with your mutation, Luke, you should take up examining explosives as a hobby.” Sara was trying to be serious. She was actually trying hard to keep the sarcasm out of her voice, because this statement was sincere. Even if her voice still sounded a little stressed. Be nice girl, Just be nice. “With your sonar, you could learn about bombs. I would think that being able to see past the case of a bomb’s package, and understanding the electronics, would make you the perfect bomb expert.”

"I'm afraid I missed that one. I've always been more of a reader. That whole... watching thing was never my thing."

Ok forget the completely nice, nice thing. “You Watched Movies with Raina. OK fine you’re not a watcher, but have you ever Heard of audio commentary?” Speaking of commentary, Sam started some interesting commentary about what he was doing to Luke’s backside.

“Luke don’t move I am layer some ice under your butt so it doesn't blow off just in case… sorry if it’s cold…”

“I’m not.” Sara said as she checked behind her where CS was working on the first section of the wall. “If someone’s really trying to make a killing tonight, to try to send us away was stupid.” Sara was still stubbornly telling herself this could be Luke trying to make her trust him again, but in her heart, her mind was loosing that argument. They were going to have to have a private talk when this was over. Weather Luke wanted to talk, or not. “It serves you right, to get, ironically, cooled off.” Not that Sara didn’t know she needed to cooling off too. But she wasn’t the one with her ass on ice.

Slowly Sara stood back up from trying to see under the couch. This was definitely going to be a hard move. Took Luke’s out reached hand, and held it. Trying to make her grip sure, and reassuring. Though at this point her right ear was twitching as much as the tip of her tail was flicking. She didn’t like this. Not one bit, and while she wasn’t leaving, she wasn’t exactly thrilled about the idea of explosions going off. Were there more in the house, that they hadn’t discovered yet? Would those go off too? Luke didn’t say anything about the wires in his couch bomb going anywhere else. The butterflies threatened to go up Sara’s throat and she forced them back down by concentrating on the distance Sara needed to move to get over Sam’s wall, and still be next to it. She knew she could lift Luke, from the past experiences of threatening him. So this was just going to have to work.

“ready when you are…”

"On your mark Sara."

Wow. They were actually doing this. They were listening to Sara and she had herself in the range of fire, right next to the man she had just accused of trying to kill her. Go figure. Trust is a weird thing when it comes to situations like this.

Sara looked at both of the men while she crouched next to the couch. One hand still holding Luke’s while the other edged it’s way under his shoulder blade. Didn’t need him dislocating a shoulder when she pulled his arm.

“One…” Sara’s fingers tightened on Luke’s hand, trying to give a physical sort of reassurance. Then she let go of his hand and slid her fingers around his wrist. Where he could hopefully lock his hand, more securely around hers.

“Two…” Wow the hand that was under Luke’s shoulders was getting a little cold. She could feel the frost forming and clinging to the fur of her entire arm. Mean while her entire body tensed. She made the last minute calculations and her right food slid, forward, to a better stance.

“Three.” Sara not only lifted Luke up, but twisted her body around, so that she jumped into a low sort of sideways spin over Sam’s ice. Speedy, efficient, and used her body as a shield incase she wasn’t fast enough. The two of them landed with a not so graceful thump, beside Sam. Rolling just a little to cushion the blow of the floor.

beat

beat

beat.. .. .. ..

KA-BOOOOOOOM


(If I need to edit anything, tell me. )

Sam watched and waited for Sara to make the move. He was well aware that his ice had been going up Luke’s shirt and some of it formed on Sara’s fur just incase. Knowing full well that she could heal Sam also knew that she would be in pain before she would be healed completely. With him there, there was no reason she should have to be injured.

“Three.”

Sam remained quiet up until Sara said three he had to concentrate otherwise the plane would have gone down to well. Once he heard the magic word and saw Sara and Luke already moving the ice was already where Luke previously was. By the time they rolled to their feet the sheet of ice that was formed along with the block went up as the bomb went off.

KA-BOOOOOOOM

The explosion seemed to go in slow motion for Sam; the flash of light was brighter than he thought it would be. The ice that he had created shattered under the pressure of the explosion and sent sharp shards of ice flying in their direction…”Small explosion my ass…” yelled Sam as he stepped in front of Sara who was covering Luke. The ice shards turned snow like once they passed Sam as they fell to the ground, which in turned covered Sara and Luke in the process.

After the chaos from the explosion died down Sam looked to both Sara and Luke and said, “You guys okay? Didn’t think the explosion would have been that big…”

(Out In The Garage)
The explosion in the living room was not attached to anything else by wires, however it had been sending out a high frequency radio signal up until the time it exploded. With that signal no longer being broadcast the truck bomb began its countdown. Whoever had set this house up wanted to make sure that after their targets were dead, there would be no evidence left.

3:00...

2:59...

2.58...

**********************************************************
(The Living Room)

"Am I dead?" Luke thought to himself as he lay on the floor with Sara on top of him. As he breathed he could feel a touch of pain in his ribs plus the frozen part of his rear end.

"Nope... I wouldn't be that fortunate." Luke thought as he let his head just drop back and rest against the floor. "Now I gotta live with these two having saved my life... wonderful."

"Oh, I'm just peachy, thanks." Luke replied tiredly and just a little bit sarcastically from his prone position, "I guess I need to take up Sara's suggestion and study bombs a little bit more. Then maybe I'll be able to actually do something useful."

Picking his head up, Luke grimaced at Sara's weight resting on his body. "Sara... mind letting me up? I think we're probably safe for now."

Now this was embarrassing… Sara had landed on top of Luke. Not something she had fully thought out when she planned that horizontal spin. And how had this snow happened. Sara had bowed her head to try to shield her ears from the explosion, when Sam had stepped out in front of them.

"Sara... mind letting me up? I think we're probably safe for now."

Yeah. “Gladly” Sara pushed herself up, shaking the snow loose from her shoulders, head and back. Padding her arms and shoulders free of the snow and frost. Well being coated in Sam’s ice was an interesting experience. Sara wasn’t sure if she liked how it hung on her fur, but interesting. “And you’re not useless.”

Sara took a breath then coughed as she worked to get her feet under her. “Man those explosives stink.”

Looking over to Sara and Luke Sam said, “See you guys can get along just fine… just needed something bad to happen!” said Sam with a smile, sure it wasn’t a good time to talk like that but that’s just how Sam handled most of his dangerous situations, with a joke and a smile. Looking around Sam noted the charred remains of the couch, “Sucks for whoever has to clean that up…”

Commenting on Sara’s comment to Luke he added, “Useless my ass, you found most of the stuff before Sara did, and if you didn’t find them chances are I would have been the one to blow up on the couch.” It was a lame pep talk but Luke sounded like he needed it.

Walking closer to Sara and Luke Sam held out his hand to help Luke up, “Kinda always fell a little behind when it comes to your super senses, and I could have used those growing up!” Sam said laughing and then looking to both, “Why don’t we get out of here?” looking around, “Seems a little to dangerous for now…”

Lame... the upbeat comments from Sara and CS were really pretty lame. They had no clue what it was like to be blind and pretty much useless when it came to a fight. They had no clue what it was like to be pretty much on par with humans when it came to strength and speed.

"Absolutely wonderful... I've got sonar that lets me see in some weird way. That makes up for all of it!" Luke ranted in his mind as he grudgingly accepted CS's offer of a hand up, "I don't normally drink but I think tonight deserves something... scotch or whiskey maybe."

“Why don’t we get out of here? Seems a little to dangerous for now…” CS observed as Luke took the time to brush at his clothes in order to removed any dust, either real or imaginary, that had decided to cling to him during their evasive maneuvers.

"Yeah... it might be safer to just bulldoze the damn house and worry about finding whoever did this another time." Luke muttered. A part of him agreed with CS but at the same time he hated to leave it behind like this. Someone had set up this deadly trap and he wanted to know who it was. They deserved a personally delivered knuckle sandwich or pound cake.

**********************************************************

2: 13...

2:12...

2:11...

“See you guys can get along just fine… just needed something bad to happen!”

“Right…” Sara continued brushing and shaking the snow free from her fur. Just for the record her and Luke shouldn’t be on good terms yet.. .. .. Yet. Sara stepped back from the other two to give her head a sharp flip, to toss the rest of the ice out of her hair. That felt better.

She glanced at the couch… or, better, called the scorch mark formerly known as the couch. Mean while Sam was agreeing with her about Luke not being useless. There was no personal experience Sara could call to say she knew what Luke felt, exactly but she was furry. We all have our problems. Let Luke believe what ever. Maybe Sara could bring this up during that important talk, later. To push the issue now would, one, distract from the house, and two, sound like a bad PBS Saturday morning special.

"Yeah... it might be safer to just bulldoze the damn house and worry about finding whoever did this another time."

“Just another minute.” Sara said quickly she started backtracking to the first set of guns in the wall. “Just a minute. I promise. Trust me.” Mean while she started rummaging through her belt compartments. Powder. Talcum powder would pick up finger prints. Right.