JOIE DE VIVRE ~ PART 1 ~ Northern Ireland by Loch Neagh~An early evening mist floated slowly in and out of the tall, dense forest fir trees making it seem surreal, cold one second then a warm touch next. The sweet smell of the changing wind brushed against Catlyn's face like a caress, familiar and invigorating. The colorful Irish forest was a brilliant palette of browns, reds, and green. A shimmering mist resembled a snake twisting through the trees and boulders. Everywhere leaves glistened with tiny drops of moisture from the recent rain shower. The layered pine needles muffled the hammering footfalls of the running deer. The red deer with his head upright, eyes searching raced one direction before swiftly jumping to another unseen trail. Catlyn opened her stride skimming over the ground to cut off their dinner; only the rustle of disturbed leaves could denote where she was compared to the deer. ~Catlyn weaved left calling to her Irish wolfhounds, "Noir, Barra; flank right, hold him." The two wolfhounds twisted in the air mid-stride to skirt the trees, run down the gully, then come up to hold their prey on a line for the kill. The wind intensified, driven by an unknown force then dropped into sudden stillness.~Letting her Instincts guide her, Catlyn pulled her bow up with a fitted arrow. She suddenly stopped in midair, poised on a crest of rock and dirt. Her shoulder and arm muscles relaxed letting her hands carry out the work of drawing the string in the art of Kyudo. She remembered her master's teaching 'Act as the goal is Infinity' then smoothly let the arrow find the heart of the red deer. The two wolfhounds instantly were on the deer. Catlyn called, "Hold! Wait!". She thanked the deer, "Deer, we thank you for our mea," then took a share. Catlyn turned to the waiting wolfhounds and smiled at their eager expressions, "Okay, you have the rest. Eat hardy." Noir and Barra didn't need an invitation to move. BON VIVANT ~ PART 2~Roger watched as a petite foot encased in a fancy cowboy boot appeared then another followed onto the ladder that hung nest to the semi rig's cab. A blue jean covered trim butt with extra-long legs dropped down to the pavement. Long titan hair flashed like fire over grass in the bright sunlight. "Good Lord, it's a woman, and what a woman." He felt his heart do a flip-flop in his chest and then a flash of heat engulfed him.~Roger gaped when she leaned up on her tiptoes to catch a huge brindle and white English bulldog down from the front seat, giving Roger another eyeful of the most perfect butt he'd ever seen. The Bulldog gave a snorting sound then with a proud strut, he followed the woman towards him.CHARGE D'AFFAIRES ~ PART 3~Auntie May looked at Red. She drew her Raging Bull into her right hand ready to shoot if needed. "Red, run if I shoot. It'll mean we've been found by a cell." Red calmly looked at her with large trusting canine eyes before sitting beside her. When footsteps could be heard coming to the back door she stood poised and ready. A quiet, but authoritative voice stated from the far side of the door one word, "Wolverine." ~Auntie May holstered her Raging Bull. "I'm ready," she replied, unlocked the door and stepped back. The door opened with four operatives entering quietly. The tallest, biggest operative looked at her, "The Eagle has been taken. You're to take command." ##~The cell door slammed open with a shudder; small pebbles from the stone wall dropped to the floor. Kemal walked in, "Get Robert Caine first. I want him screaming for his life. I require all the codes to ISOS's by the time we finish with him."~The torture was repeated over and over until Robert really didn't care if he lived. Maybe I should just let death take me; that way I know they won't get anything out of me. When the next electric shock ravaged his body, he let the dark that hovered at the edge of his consciousness come rolling over him just like the water. The light and the pain faded away.