Home to the mountain to surprise Pappy a week ahead of schedule.

Since she’d returned sooner than expected, she had to make her own reservations, which she did even before she brushed her teeth. A one o’clock flight gave her five hours to shower, dress, eat, and go through her mail.

She was a whirling dervish as she raced around, chomping on the cold take-out food she’d bought the day before.

She chose a lemon-colored sundress with matching sandals, and her diamond earrings. They sparkled against her still-tanned skin. At the last minute she splashed on some sinful perfume made from lotus flowers. She sighed nervously. What would Pappy say when he saw her? Or would he just reach for her and kiss her till her teeth rattled? She hoped it was the latter.

With hours to go, Sam started to go through her mail. She tossed everything aside except the assortment of cards and letters from her old team. Everyone had annual leave coming up in ten days, and all five members of Team Three wanted to know if a vacation on the mountain was a possibility.

She was delirious with the thought of seeing all her old friends. Pappy could take care of the arrangements.

Sam gathered up all the cards and letters and put them in her purse to read and reread later on. All she could think of was how surprised Pappy was going to be when she contacted him on her Blackberry from the foot of the mountain. She already had her message all planned out. “I’m waiting. Send the cable car.”

Sam was so giddy with anticipation, she gathered up her purse and her overnight bag. She would feel closer to Pappy if she waited at the airport, plus she could get some hot food there. It would be a while before Kyros could prepare one of his gourmet meals for her.

She’d never been happier in her life.

Never.

At ten minutes to six, in her bare feet, her shoes in hand, her carry-on strapped to her shoulder, Sam took a break and sat down on a stump off the beaten path. She rummaged around in her backpack, her heart thundering in her chest as she yanked out her Blackberry. She struggled to take a deep breath as she punched in her message, then turned it off. If she ran like the demons of hell were after her, she could get to the cable pad just as it made contact. She ran then, her hair flying in all directions, her heart singing.