CHAPTER SIX

Knowing that the Jesters of time would be expecting the agency to send ones after them, Candy took every precaution to shield her communication equipment, as well as all the equipment her team was using was buffered as much as possible. The team was fully set up and ready to proceed in any direction Candy felt was necessary. Her team was also busy monitoring any equipment that the Jesters of Time might be using,

Candy was aware that a tobacco blight was a matter of historical record from this time, and she was sure that the Jesters of time would use this to their advantage. She was puzzled on what kind of sick pleasure the Jesters in general, and the Crown Prince in particular, would gain by this manipulation of events in history,

As she reviewed the scans that she took at the farm and was astounded at what she saw.

"I have never seen this kind of destruction caused by a simple tunafog before."

She was just about to have her team contact the agency for further research when it dawned on her that was exactly what they wanted her to do.

"Oh no you don't! I may not be the most experienced Agent on the case, but I am no fool!" Candy said to herself.

She and her team studied the scans a second and third time before they discovered what they need to move forward.

"Leave it to a bunch of jokers to leave the evidence in plain sight." Candy mumbled.

"Okay, I get the how they are doing it, and how it would fool the technology of this time, but why are they doing it?" One of the agents asked.

Candy took a few moments and asked herself what the Professors next move would be.

'Think outside the box Agents, our adversary knows our procedures and what is our standard

method of operation.'

She reviewed that quote from the Professor in her head several times.

"That's it! They want us to scramble around and make sure history plays out exactly as it is supposed to. They are just as aware of history as we are, and the more they can have us running around putting out fires the more pleasure they will have, and then move on to their next 'joke.'" She mumbled to herself.

"Okay agents, we want to move as fast as possible on this one. I am going to pay a visit to the Farm Bureau. While I am gone, closely monitor any signs of time transport. If my investigation gets too close, they may simply move on to their next project. If they do, we will get a better lock on their signatures. Also check in with the other two teams to see what they have turned up, but use a radio signal then run it through a time buffer."

Candy gathered all her press credentials together and walked down the street to the Farm Bureau. She approached a large desk where an equally large size man was standing behind it.

"Well good afternoon ma'am, what can I do for you?" He asked with a pleasant smile.

"Good afternoon, I would like to speak with the Farm Bureau Director please," Candy said, and returned the smile.

The man chuckled to himself.

"You and half the county. Mr. Fields is a terribly busy man. Who might you be that you think you can walk in here without an appointment?" He asked in a more business-like tone.

"I might be the one that could either save Mr. Fields job, or put him in jail."

Candy pulled out her press papers and placed them on the desk.

"I am, Connie Jones, New York Daily News. I came to confirm the reports of the tobacco wars in this area, and what he is doing about it."

Again, the man chuckled.

"Miss Jones, I do not have any idea what you are talking about,"

"I am sure you don't, that is why I need to interview the Director of the Farm Bureau. I am willing to print his side of the story dealing with the accusation that he is a puppet of a special interest group."

She paused for a moment to pick back up her papers. When she did, she leaned over the desk a little and said in a quieter tone,

"And I am not talking about the Tobacco Association Union."

She straightened back up and waited for a reaction. It did not take long. The man got a worried look on his face as he started looking through the Directors appointment book.

"Miss Jones, he truly is a busy man. He is out of town but is due back tomorrow morning. I can rearrange his morning appointments and fit you in first thing if you like."

Candy smiled a pleasant smile.

"Why thank you very much, now that is more like the southern hospitality that I had heard so much about."

She returned to her room to check in on her team's progress, then went down to the lobby of the hotel to inquire purchasing a horse and buggy. She was directed to the blacksmiths shop.

"I want to purchase a horse and carriage, not have one repaired," Candy said, thinking the desk clerk might have misunderstood her.

"Well miss, maybe where you are from, they have stables and such that sell these things new. In these parts, the best you are going to get is what old Smitty can put together."

"I see," Candy mumbled a bit puzzled.

She made her way down the street to the blacksmith shop, it was located off the main street, a few shops down. The two big double barn type doors were wide open. It was already a hot day, and the heat pouring out of the building from the huge furnace inside made it even warmer. She stopped at the front doors.

Off to one side was a large man simply wearing a pair of overalls. He was wielding a large, short, handled mallet. He was pounding some piece of metal, occasionally reheating it in the furnace.

"Excuse me," Candy said politely the first, second, and third time.

She was about to raise her voice in a more un-lady like fashion, when a shy young lady came out of the shadows on the opposite side of the shop. She walked over to the Blacksmith and got his attention.

"Go see what she wants!" He said gruffly.

"Sorry miss, Pa is quite hard of hearing. Pounding on iron all day, has done it to him." The young lady told her.

"Now what can we do for you?"

"Well, I was told that this was the place to come if I wanted to buy a horse and buggy."

"Buy?"

"Yes buy, is that a problem?" Candy asked a bit confused.

"No, no of course not. It is just must of the folks around here do a bunch of horse trading with Pa. He hasn't had a payin' customer in a spell."

"What is your name?" Candy asked.

"Lilly Flowers," She said shyly.

"Well Miss Flowers, I am Connie Jones." She said as held out her hand.

"If you two are finished gossiping, Lilly, you have chores to do." Smitty yelled out.

"I will be right back." Lilly said with a wink.

In a combination of loud speech and partial sign type language, she got the message across to her Pa that this lady was a cash buyer.

It was a well known fact that Smitty Flowers rarely stops work for any reason. When Lilly said cash buyer, Smitty stopped and looked and Candy with a dark stare.

"Where does a woman get cash funds?" He asked in a gruff tone.

"My father was an iron worker in New York. He never made a lot of money, but he did make sure he cared for his family by taking out a large insurance policy. That put me through school, and I promised him on his death bed, that I would do my best to help others. Now, if you would rather barter with a man, than take cash from a woman, I will move on," Candy said.

An hour later, Miss Connie Jones had one of the finest "used" horse driven buggy, that town had seen in a long time. Afterwards, she took a tour of the town. As she got to the edge of town, she turned down an alley that was different looking. It was more run down, as compared to the rest of town. She was just about to take out her scanner when she heard a ruff voice call out.

"Hey! What are you doing?"

She whirled around to see three big men standing behind her.

"This is a construction area; didn't you see the sign?" The same man asked as he pointed to a sign that Candy was sure was not there before.

"I am sorry, old Trigger here, doesn't heed my directions as well as he used to." Candy said as he turned the buggy around.

"Well, I suggest you get Trigger better trained or get another horse. Now stay away from this area, it's not safe."

"Oh yes, I will heed your advice," Candy stated.

When she was far enough away, she was able to get enough scans to know that the area was full signals that would indicate that area was totally under the Jesters control. As she entered the lobby of the hotel, she saw young Lilly sitting there.

"Lilly?"

"Hello Miss Jones, I hope you don't mind me coming to see you here."

"Of course not,"

The two of them found a place that was more out of the way to sit and talk. After a bit of time went by, Candy felt comfortable with asking, Lilly about the far end of town.

Lilly looked around nervously. She leaned up and said in a soft tone.

"My friends, have heard some of the men folk talk. They say that it is all being paid for by the Tobacco Association. They say it has something to do with what is happening to some of the crops around here," she finished in almost a whisper.

"What do you think?" Candy asked.

"You, you want to know what I think?" Lilly asked on almost a shock.

"You do have an opinion, don't you? I mean I do believe you do have the ability to think." Candy said with a smile.

"Well yes, but nobody ever asks..."

"A woman?" Candy interrupted.

"Lilly, being a woman, and a women reporter. I had to learn how not to be afraid of asking questions, but also to not be afraid of giving opinions, and telling the truth, whether men wanted to hear it, or not."

Candy paused for a moment then looked straight into Lilly's eyes.

"Lilly, I am going to need some help to get to the truth, and I think I have found my perfect assistant."

"You want..."

"Look Lilly, I had someone that helped me when I thought I had lost everything. You are a bright young lady. You also, by working with your Pa know everyone in town and what is going on. So, what do you say, can I count on your help?"

Before Lilly could fully answer, the three men that chased Candy away from the "construction area" came walking into the hotel lobby inquiring about Connie Jones whereabouts.

Candy quickly and discreetly ushered Lilly out a side door and into her buggy. She slapped the reins and got Trigger into a healthy gallop.

"What is going on?" Lilly asked nervously.

"Those men chased me away from that part of town earlier. Lilly there is a lot more going on than you can imagine."

Candy was now faced with a serious problem. If Lilly were not with her, she could have transported out of sight. Now as it was the Jesters had a huge advantage. She pulled out a devise that showed that they were about to be caught in a Stasis Beam. She had no choice but to transport the whole horse and buggy to the safest location she could think of...Mr. Lancaster's barn.

The good news was she did this flawlessly in one untraceable transport beam. The bad news was not only would she have a hard time explaining to Lilly what happened, she would have to explain to Mr. Lancaster and Wayne who both happened to be in the barn at the time. As a matter of fact, if it were not for the naturally occurring gust of wind that happened in a transport of this much mass, Trigger and buggy caring Lilly and Candy would have landed on top of Mr. Lancaster and Wayne. Candy would learn after she got back, to the agency, the mountains of paperwork that she must fill out for an unauthorized transport of a period human, animal, and the number of witness to that transport.