Becky started up the concrete drive that led to the house and once she was about twenty feet away, she heard two voices coming from the backyard. It must be the two boys…

She couldn't think of their names, but that wasn't important. She knew just how gullible children could be and she intended to use that to get Megan back. Becky walked around the side of the house and opened the gate that led into the fenced-in backyard.

Austin immediately looked up. “Hi,” he said. “We're playing trucks, wanna play?”

Becky kneeled over. “Looks like fun, I wish I could.”

Cole elbowed Austin in the ribs and whispered, “we're not supposed to talk to strangers, butthead. She could be a kidnapper or something.”

“That's really smart,” Becky commented. “But I'm not a stranger. I'm a friend of Karen's and I'm planning a surprise for her, but I need your help.”

Austin's face lit up. “A surprise? Cool! What kind?”

“A very big surprise. I just need you to run into the house and bring out your little sister Megan. She needs to be here to help us plan the surprise.”

Austin laughed. “We don't need her to help with the surprise! She's too little, she's dumb. She can't do anything.”

Cole rolled his eyes. “Austin, that's not a nice thing to say about our sister.”

Becky shook her head. “No it's not, but I have a brother so I know how it is. So Austin, can you do that? She can help out with the little stuff. You know…the dirty work. We'll save the important stuff for you.”

“Should I keep it a secret from Mom?” Austin asked. “Since it's a surprise and all.”

Becky smiled. This was entirely too easy. “You got it. Just tell her you wanted Megan to come outside and play. If you could just sneak out with her, that would be even better. The less Karen knows, the better it will be when she finds out about the surprise.”

“Cool!” Austin got up and ran back into the house. A nervous feeling crept into Becky's stomach and she just hoped she'd be able to get away with this. The very thought of seeing her daughter and not being able to hold her was almost enough to kill her. About two minutes later, two minutes that seemed like an eternity, Austin came outside leading Megan by the hand.

“Good job Austin!” Becky said ecstatically. She reached down and picked up Megan. “Oh my God you've grown up,” she said. Tears started flowing freely down her cheeks and she cradled Megan's head against her shoulder.

“Why are you crying for?” Austin asked.

“Because I finally have what I want.” Becky started walking away with Megan and Austin followed after her.

“Okay, now what do we do?” he asked.

Becky kept walking. “Wait five minutes, then go back into the house and tell Christopher and your mother that Aunt Becky said thank you. You did a very nice thing for me.”

Austin gave Becky a thumbs up and ran back to Cole, who was growing more uneasy about the whole scene. “She's taking Megan away…” he said. “Austin, you're so stupid! That woman tricked you.”

“No she didn't, it's for the surprise.”

Cole stood up and ran back into the house. Back out on the street, Becky had all but broken out into a run in an attempt to get back to the car, just in case the plan went wrong. She heard Christopher's voice behind her, but she didn't turn around to see how close he was. Becky opened the car door and put Megan into the back seat and then she jumped into the front, just as Christopher reached the car. “Dammit Pamela Rebecca, come back!”

Becky hit the gas and her tires squealed and she was off, leaving Christopher standing in the middle of the rapidly darkening street.

But, despite the fact his day would end (like all of his days had ended the last couple of years) without sex, he had a reason to be happy: The Davis Gas expedition was going exactly how he wanted to, and when he and Sue Ellen got back to Dallas, he would reclaim his kingdom. The Oil industry would be his again.

Suddenly, his thoughts were interrupted by the shrill sound of the Bonanza theme music. “Damn woman's been messing with my phone..” he said, half-aloud, as he searched the room for his cell phone.

After a few seconds of frantic tearing the place apart, he found it...in his suit jacket pocket. Looking at the display, he could see that someone from Southfork was calling. He pressed receive. "J.R. Ewing here."

"Dad," came the brief reply.

"Why John Ross, it seems like I haven't talked to you in ages! What are you up to?"

”I'm just calling about your trip, Grandma said you and Mom went to Waco?" "You sound surprised...I could swore I told you about this weeks ago?" He asked. "Oh," John Ross said simply. "I guess I forgot...I've had a lot on my mind, lately." "I've noticed. Say, when your mom and I get back, what do you say we go out for dinner...we may have something to celebrate, who knows?" He said slyly. "Maybe even more than one..." "That's great...anyway, I don't wanna run up your cell phone bill...I was just calling to find out what you were doing, and let you know I'm still alive..." He said. "And, if you're still interested, maybe I'd be interested in learning a little more about the oil business one of these days." J.R. found that interesting and he wondered what was on his son's mind. “Say John Ross, is everything okay?”

“Well, Pamela Rebecca showed up in town today, but aside from that, everything is great.” John Ross filled him in on the conversation they'd had earlier and ten minutes later, they were through with their conversation.

J.R. snapped his cell phone shut just as a knock came at the door adjoining his room to Sue Ellen's. The door had, at Sue Ellen's request, been kept locked the entire time. He walked up to it and quietly said, "if we can't have the door open, I'm not interested in talking. I'll see you in the morning."

He switched the light off and pulled the covers down on the bed. Bonanza chimed again. He flicked the light back on, relocated the phone, and looked at the display; it read SUE ELLEN EWING. He let out an audible sigh and pressed the receive button. "Yes?"

"I just thought you might want to know," Sue Ellen started, "that Cliff Barnes is about to announce that he's signing on for Project Guinea...it's on MSNBC, I thought you might like to watch.”

J.R. reached for the television remote and flicked it on. “We'll be making a big mistake if we don't get on board, Sue Ellen.”

“Maybe...but I'm going to watch, now. Pleasant dreams...”

“I might ask you the same thing.”

Becky held Megan tightly as she watched Eric carry a suitcase past her and drop it on the dining room table. “Are you moving out?”

“Already did that a few weeks ago. I'm just back for some more stuff while dear old Dad is out of the house. He's got some big press conference tonight.”

“I'm about to leave town myself.”

“You just got back. Why are you leaving so soon?”

Becky pointed at Megan. “I'm leaving to protect my daughter.”

Eric put two and two together and realized what his sister had done, without her actually spelling it out for him. “Go with me to Hawaii. I can get you set up out there.”

“Hawaii? Why Hawaii?”

“I'm going to that research center to look for something that might help pull the Clifford Group out of this quicksand that Cliff seems to have gotten it stuck in. You can go with me…I don't want to go by myself anyway.”

Before Becky could give him an answer, the door behind her slammed open and Karen stormed into the entry hall. “I'm here to take Megan back.”

Becky turned around and faced Karen. “Didn't bring your knight in shining armor with you?”

Karen shook her head. “He's busy taking care of some important business right now…something you'll find out about soon enough. But how dare you manipulate my children the way you did to get Megan out of the house…”

Megan reached her arms out for Karen. “Mommy…”

Becky pulled her back. “No Megan, that's not Mommy. I'm Mommy.”

Karen looked at Eric, desperate for his help. “Eric, don't tell me you're going to take her side. Talk some sense into your sister.”

At that moment, Eric wished he hadn't come back to this house. This was not the position he wanted to be put in—having to choose sides between his sister and the woman he still wanted to spend the rest of his life with. “We can work this out.”

“Eric, she lied to my son to get him to bring Megan out of the house so she could kidnap her! There's no working this out! I'm taking Megan back home to Christopher, where she belongs…”

Becky grabbed her brother's arm. “Don't let her take my baby away.”

Eric took Becky by her shoulder and turned her around until she was facing him. “Look…you need to send Megan back with Karen. If you ever want to have any sort of custody of her, then this is not what you need to do. This isn't going to look good in court.”

“I can't believe you're asking me to do that! I won't give her back to Karen.”

Karen glanced down at her watch. Had she bought enough time? She hoped so. She didn't like Megan being exposed to this fighting. She knew the poor child was already confused enough already. This couldn't be helping. Becky stepped around her and started for the door.

“Becky, don't,” Eric shouted.

Becky reached for the door and pulled it open, but her heart sank when she found herself standing face-to-face with two members of the Dallas police department. They stepped into the house and Christopher and Sgt. Harry McSween followed. McSween nodded and Christopher took Megan away from Becky before one of the officers put her in handcuffs. “Pamela Rebecca Cooper, you have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney…”

But Becky didn't hear the rest. It all ran into one mumbled sentence and she wasn't sure anymore what she heard or what she saw. One clear image did ring out in her mind and it was of Christopher and Karen holding each other…and Megan, turning her away from the scene. Then she saw Harry McSween, standing behind them. She knew he was behind this. Melissa might have been dead, but she was now getting back at her from the grave. Her words had been true. If I ever catch you back in Dallas…if I ever find out that you're trying to cause trouble for Chris and Karen, I'll make sure you pay for it…

“What are the charges,” Eric asked.

“Fraud.” McSween said and then he paused, letting the word sink in.

Eric followed Becky out into the front yard, leaving Christopher, Karen, and McSween in the house. “Thank you Harry,” Christopher said. “And thank you Melissa.”

McSween nodded. “If there's ever anything else I can do for you, let me know. I was glad to help.” Christopher smiled and shook McSween's hand. “Like I told you earlier, any friend of Melissa's is a friend of mine.”

“Can we get a sound-check, Mr. Barnes?” One of the cameramen asked.

“Of course,” Cliff said, and delved into his prepared speech.

“We'll see,” Sue Ellen said to herself as she opened the dossier labeled, Project Guinea.

The picture changed to Cliff, surrounded by numerous, unrecognizable politicians. “Come on...be there...” J.R. said to himself as he watched the picture intently.

The first question came from a reporter from The Financial Post. “Mr. Barnes, why have you chosen to make this announcement at such a late hour? And, does this eleventh hour decision reflect anxiety on the financial stability on the project?”

“Absolutely not,” Cliff started. “The Clifford Group was approached in the early stages of the project, actually during the previous administration, and has been involved in the preliminary discussions,” he explained, perhaps only half telling the truth. “But, it was not until today that we could get a board meeting to approve our involvement...”

With the end of his response, a fury of reporters raised their hands and shouted questions. Cliff acknowledged one from USA Today. “Mr. Barnes, what sorts of measures will be taken to ensure a very minimal level of environmental damage? Do you expect a strong opposition to developing in this sensitive ecosystem?”

“That's a very good question...”

“-but is it not true that the American government has participated in such oil exploration projects in Africa before with devastating consequences on the people and animal life in the region?”

“Well, yes...” Cliff stammered, “but we've also had disasters like the Exxon Valdez and the Faraway Hill, and no one for one second would ever suggest to not allow oil tankers to travel in major waterways. I mean, times have changed, and the United States government and the oil companies are now more environmentally conscious...”

Half-listening to the television, Sue Ellen flipped through the proposal.

“Mr. Barnes, how would you address a source who is quoted as saying that The Clifford Group is a financial wreck, and that its involvement in Project Guinea not only jeopardizes its own financial stability, but also the stability of the entire venture?”

Cliff was taken aback, but immediately his mind went to his deal with Rex. Who's the SOB who leaked that? He asked himself. “I'm sorry...there was a bit of noise, can you repeat the question?” He asked, buying himself a precious few seconds.

“Financial wreck?” Cliff repeated, “absolutely not. The Clifford Group is solid, our accountants say so, our vice-presidents say so, our lawyers say so, and...I say so. I think you'd better check your sources,” he added, with a nervous chuckle.

“Our source is one of TCG's vice-presidents in charge of accounting,” the reporter continued. “Do you not feel your vice-presidents to be reliable sources?”

“Apparently not,” Cliff added quickly. “Can I take another question, please?”

J.R. sighed. “You barely survived that one, Barnes.” He made a mental note to find out just what kind of 'financial wreck' TCG was in. He then turned his attention back to the TV, where he was anxiously awaiting something...someone...

“Mr. Barnes, do you have any idea why Ewing Oil, perhaps one of the most stable companies in Texas, and a leader in the oil community, has not yet signed?”

“Well, I don't have enough good things to say about Ewing Oil, but if you want an answer to that one, you'd have to talk to J.R. Ewing...”

”Take that, Sue Ellen,” J.R. laughed.

“Mr. Barnes, what sort of role is the government assuming, and who will be leading the project?”

Cliff quickly formulated his answer, but before he could speak, he was interrupted by one of the politicians next to him. “Do you mind if I take this one?” He asked Cliff, who motioned for him to continue. “The government will be...”

Then, as if he had just witnessed some heart-warming moment, a huge grin came to his face. He switched off the TV. “Farewell, Rex Wentworth, and goodbye Weststar!” He said triumphantly.