Chapter One

Morning Air

The sky opened and the morning was bitter cold as the car moved from Kimberly's Town Site and the team of Dan, Juan, Lukoski, Martinski and Stone were driving down the street. The snow arrived earlier than usual that year and the cold that accompanied it already had a bite to it. You could hear the crunch of the tires on the frozen snow as the car forced its way through the silence of the morning. The car was a stark contrast of a near swedish sauna compared to the frigid sub zero temperatures of the arctic mountain air that gripped Kimberly in its winter trance.

Cranbrook was also held fast in this trance but Cranbrook could wait. It was this group of men who were used to cold but that did not stop others in the area from dressing warmer than usual. Looking up the hill they could see the mine site and Stone lit a cigar. Martinski was sitting next to Stone and got a bit more comfortable and said "It's so cold out here it could break Stone, it is a death cold out there, the bone chilling type, but that has never stopped me from a winter run. They would soon be in Cranbrook but for now Cranbrook could wait. So could a lot of other things.Cranbrook and the Kootenays seemed to be caught in winter’s trance as the people prayed for spring that was a far off thought in the gloomy winter nights as the frigid temperatures sent the mercury plummeting to new lows.

Already hunters were saying it was below minus 40 up in the rockies and the winter was still only a few weeks old. Everyone in Fernie had to plug their cars in at night and many even kept them running in the higher altitudes as the temperatures continued to plummet. It was this group of men who were used to cold but that did not stop others in the area from dressing warmer than usual. Looking up the hill they could see the mine site and Stone lit a cigar. Stone laughed heartily and exclaimed “Martinski if the cold ever gets to me I’m going to buy you the biggest bottle of Vodka there is.? Juan who was driving laughed even louder took a drag on his cigar looked at his black boots and said “Martinski you may need me to inspect that bottle to make sure the top ten percent of it is not poisonous.?Juan’s eyes were bright with a glow of his love for alcohol. No one in this team abstained. Lukoski smiled Dan piped up “Juan that last batch we made could have blinded a guy." Lukoski grinned and looked at Dan. Martinkski refrained from comment thinking how his relationship with alcohol, running and winter would mix best. He was so eager to make a comment that he appeared falsely relaxed in view of the mood.

The car moved up the hill and Fisher peak was entirely visible from a western view of the Rockies. Fisher stood majestic and even resembled the Matterhorn from this angle. The Rockies were entirely white at this time of year. Juan slowed down on the hill by the hospital and said ‘Deer crossing, wish they would be more abundant when we’re looking for them out in the country.?Martinski piped up? They know that no one is shooting in the city of Kimberly but one day I am going to get a big buck? Dan called in on his phone to Peter Nazeroff their commanding officer. “Peter we are now in the townsite and heading towards the downtown of Kimberley that with it’s distinct Bavarian theme and the wooded houses and Germanic designs. I like this city ? Peter said back in Russian “Good you will probably only see the city and the country on this trip and I will get back to you when your are at home this afternoon. The call you get should be a good one ?

Martinski pushed against the window and said “I want to run this whole hill all the way to Cranbrook in the spring. I figured it out and if I run down the main street of Kimberley and over by the old fertilizer plant then through Marysville and onto Stirton Road through Wycliffe and up to the Old Kimberley highway then to Cranbrook it is the equivalent of a Marathon.?Martinski had been a runner all his life and this type of run would just be another challenge not too hard but not too boring either. He smoked he drank and he ran for his own enjoyment. He lived hard like the rest of them.

Juan puffed on his cigar and said “Martinski we will have a cigar waiting for you when you arrive at the finish line.?Lukoski then pulled out a huge knife and just ran his finger down the side of the blade. They all laughed and the car drove through Kimberly as they looked at the beautiful city of Kimberly and most notably the Platzl.

Stone then said very seriously “This is probably the only area left where we can go and no one knows what we really do?Dan added “Let’s keep it that way and if I go into regular uniform let’s keep an even lower profile. ”They all wanted out of undercover. The car then turned left past the Canadian Hotel and the grocery store the Sullivan pub and pulled into the gas station. Lukoski ran in and got coffee and Juan gave his partially lit cigar a rest in the ashtray. Stone stood up and stretched and Dan did the same. Martinski was very relaxed almost too relaxed. Martinski was not ready to be bothered by the winter and looked over the horizon then took out a set of binoculars and looked at the mountains. "And here we stand just in the shadow of the Rockies".

Dan threw a snow ball over Stone’s head and the two laughed. The brothers were both tall and blonde with long curly hair and a penchant for a love of laughter at the dark side. Their humour was sardonic to say the least which was warming to a unit of officers who had been chilled by the heartlessness of many they dealt with.Juan filled up the car with gas went in and paid for the it. Juan was a bit trepidatious but smiled as he paid in cash. The lady working at the counter in the store was very striking and buxom smiled, and ran her fingers through her long brown hair and said I am off work at four today with a gleam in her blue eyes. Juan replied “I am not off work then, but I will go see my wife when I do ?

She undauntingly replied “Lucky spouse you have, do you see her everyday after work?Juan replied “I am with my soul mate so all time away from work is with her.? Juan smiled politely and walked out the door.

The men got back to the car and did the usual spot check of everything before getting in. Lukoski sat up front this time and the car moved down the road out to Meadowbrook. The site of wild animals in the fields was spectacular and Dan passed a camera from the back to Lukoski. All of them were wearing black leather and had the air of a bike gang. This was part of the dress code they had adapted having just come off a major biker infiltration. Lukoski opened the window and the music of Creatures of the night continued in the car on the CD player. Dan said?They sure got it right with that song, all the members of Kiss are Creatures of the Night, Stone laughed and said “Hey Tunda says I am a Creature every night.?The men laughed and drove to Ta Ta Creek and the past Wasa lake. Lukoski got several good pictures and then another.

There were more deer in the fields as they drove and Dan said “This was a drag strip, now this whole prairie growing in I wonder if there are any old things left from the hey day of the city of Wasa.?The men nodded and Lukoski loaded another roll of film into his camera.

Some Elk stood at the side of the road grazing and the men smiled. It was unusual for there to be such relaxation for these men but many years of working together had given them a sense of unity that they knew intrinsically would last despite the many trials they faced daily in their work. This had been forged from having come from a common youth and having made a decision in their teens to serve in the RCMP. When other youths started getting into minor troubles with the law they had stayed clean and wanted a badge so desperately that they never lost sight of their goals. Cranbrook had experienced an unusual amount of its youth incarcerated and ironically at the same time a higher percentage of its youth ends up in law enforcement.

To many outsiders this high percentage was seen as a way of making up for such a high loss of youth to the prisons. Cranbrook had been seen as the town where many homes grown marriages did not last and many fathers would leave town and their spouses at critical parts of their marriage.

This team was not suffering any divorces and everyone had stayed married, one thing for the men was a personnel policy of no dalliances with other women. This divorce phenomenon had been an occurrence in the area for such a long period of time that women outnumbered men and many other single parent mothers moved in to town. Others inside the community saw it as atonement for a town full of sins and was considered a right wing view in Cranbrook and the others on the far left saw it as a means of unjust payback by the youth.

It was viewed by some as a way to one day put the handcuffs on someone who had been your childhood bully. The far left did not approve of this view and protested it with their opinions in the town as they spoke them just as freely as others of opposite views. Cranbrook was an opinionated town and if you were an outsider you could be ensured of people sharing their views' opinions if you were not in a rush.

The team saw this as just straight law enforcement and they had lived a life of anonymity in the community being perceived as local yokels of multi-generation families and not as the elite police force they belonged to. The team had withstood many problems and come out intact no matter what happened. Peter Nazeroff had always held the team together, and when he had to deal with others in the force, Peter presented a quiet but strong image of being in control. Peter was totally fluent in Russian or Ruska as they called it, and had been born in Castlegar, he had grown up there and late in his teens decided on a career in the RCMP he had passed the bilingual test being fluent in Russian and had done several stints in Russia and some other Slavic countries wrapping Up work for the force on International cooperation. Peter had worked mainly as an administrator in this capacity in Russia while doing undercover work in Russia being as his Russian language skills were impeccable.

Stone and Dan were also fluent in Russian having grown up in a house where many Slavic languages were spoken. Also French to Stone and Dan was just one of many languages to learn being Canadian and they had all learned it at an early age. They had even been to Germany and Scandinavia on assignments and had picked up the tongues there. Years, earlier Peter’s sister Natasha met Dan through Peter and they quickly became married. Natasha and Dan were the best of friends as well as lovers and spouses and Peter was only too glad to be the best man along with Stone at their wedding. The wedding of Natasha and Dan had been in total a combination of Ukrainian /Russian /Canadian traditions with of course Dan wearing cowboy boots in formal wear. It had been held in the Ukrainian Catholic Church in Cranbrook with a small party at the local German Hall and a larger party out at the hall in Wycliffe at the Rodeo grounds.

There had also been a small ceremony for the families in Castlegar in Russian tradition with Stone and Peter as Dan’s best men and Juan’s sister and Natasha’s sister Raisa as the bridesmaid. Natasha was so happy with the wedding that she always kept in shape saying she wanted to be able to wear her wedding dress when she was eighty. Dan had also kept in shape too but he sought out many fitness activities that took him and the whole unit to physical extremes. All of them had a high tolerance for pain and trained both as a team and individuals in all manner of activity they could engage in. The undercover elite work of the RCMP is the most vigourous in the world. They had always got their man and with the help of Eurasia, and Melinda and some other key trained women had always got their women too. Intelligence work demands the most and they delivered.

Natasha and Dan’s honeymoon had been spent making the Kootenays hotsprings loop starting at Sheep Creek then Whiteswan, Fairmont, Radium even a hike to Dewar hot springs up the St. Mary’s and across the Grey Creek pass to Nakusp and the Slocan Valley, and finally ending in intelligence could say this.

Peter Nazeroff was quick to make decisions for his team. Others may not have always agreed but immediate decisions were his to make and he did so daily even when he stepped over the lines of command always able to reassure others of the crisis his team was in at the time and that they had not gone too far regardless of what the situation called for in immediate enforcement protocol. Peter constantly had to keep his lines of communications open with Miles from downtown in many high risk operations, Miles was not one to even consider letting anything get out of hand and between Peter and Miles work was done in a manner that upper brass in the RCMP would go along with because no senior member had been caught in a bad position. Peter and Miles knew just what to tell the upper brass. The information was consistent and the jobs were done. Many times the omission of details lead to the upper brass having confidence in their work.

Peter’s job demanded few apologies, because so much of it required good instincts. Peter’s leadership was unquestioned in the team and Peter’s bright will had guided the team through its darkest hours. He knew what things the team would brood over and what things would bring them back during the most trying times. Many a time, the entire team had gone undercover and had almost disappeared from society. This time they were talking about coming up and if Dan could, they all could eventually. The time under had been so long and so much information gathered that the paperwork alone for the last case would be enough to keep people cutting British Columbia timber for years. To Peter his team would not suffer from bureaucracy, and the infiltration work had always paid off in mass arrests with no consequences he could not deal with. His team were not mere grunts or assassins their specialty was intelligence gathering coupled with a keen knowledge of explosives' guns and everything to do with violent gang and terrorist activity.

They had broken up rings of gangs by forming their own and having members set themselves up for their own arrests. This could take as long as three years in a specific assignment as it did with one major bike gang. Many an undercover officer had served time to convince crime organizations of their ties and a few of the bravest had been arrested as officers gone bad to get more information. The time in jail was for information gathering and paid extremely well. It was dangerous but it worked. The terrorists were a bit different and for the most part if in doubt it came to shoot it out, a good terrorist is a dead one. Peter Nazeroff was keen for his work, fit and never sold out any of his people, he was able to keep the cover up with operations and the loyalty of all those around him. No assignment was ever a suicide mission to him. They were missions of excellence and the arrest and conviction record of his work spoke volumes. Today was a day of happiness and nothing seemed to be less than good.

Peter was the tall, dark and handsome type dressed in his black vest and classy shirt a bit of the executive, biker, and even rock star look to him. He loved winter and all the cold. The cold air had such a crystalline blue to it that there just seemed to be an exotic mood to the frigid mountain air that kept the skies clear. Cranbrook did not have any factories in the surrounding area and the mines weren’t emitting poisons as they used to so the air is clear except during forest fire season. In winter while most of Canada freezes in wind and cloud Cranbrook freezes in sunshine. The view from the Rockies was one of a winter town in a vortex of isolated energy. If you're were up by seven in the morning it was almost always sunny in Cranbrook and that usually lasted at least till noon. Cranbrook did get some precipitation and it had been a lake thousand of years ago. Today, all that was left was Elizabeth lake. It was a beautiful dangerous place where many bodies would always surface after any local murder.

It was as as many locals said “where any killer in this town wanted to be found out.? Cranbrook was the sunniest town in the province. More daylight than anywhere else and along with the vortex of the valley it was in also made it the hottest place in the province at least two days of the year. It’s laconic presentation made it the most misunderstood city in British Columbia both in appearance and character depth. This was just the way it was.

Chapter Two
Changing Luck

Today was also to be Dan’s last undercover day. Undercover work no matter how specialized,as Stone said to Peter recently “This takes its toll on a person and you can only go to so many biker parties, and the like and eventually all the crime you infiltrate either becomes you or kills you.”Peter agreed and said ?From this only a few had emerged stronger. This team was stronger.? Peter said to the team at a recent meeting that ?They had wound on down the road always knowing their own depth. I have no doubts about any of you? The car was now moving with greater ease having finally warmed up in the deep freeze that covered the area as they approached Wasa, Martinski said ?I think we are in for a long cold winter? Stone cut in with “You think?Dan said ?I think this weather is telling us something.

Lukoski was still looking in to himself then said “The taste of life on the dark side can get to be too corrupt too cold and far too evil to be in the frame of mind to separate it from you. The booze and drugs are plentiful in undercover and so how do you build up the trust of criminals without becoming a criminal?? Lukoski ran his finger down the knife againg.There was a silence and it was as if guilt was starting to trying to challenge them. Juan reflected for a second looked at his boots and said ?I am really ready for a change this last bust was a difficult thing to do especially with so much money coming in for drugs and the like.?Stone sneered and said ?It is a payroll like no other.? Dan felt good and as they road up to Bummer’s Flats and he remarked “That ferry wheeler they used to have out there at the river, it was a good idea what happened to it. ”Stone commentedin a husky voice “I think it got vandalized and no one ever fixed it after.?Lukoski spoke up “I hope they rebuild stuff like that, it was so good for the tourists they got an idea of who we are and what we are about."

They were making good time with Juan having a firm grip on the wheel and the road coming up to meet him as if he owned it. Stone looked at the field and said ?We are still making good time as long we can get the work done we need. ?Martinski said ?You know I am a bit more relaxed with this case but those court dates are coming up? Lukoski said ?You speak for all of us on this one Martinski I just want to get the job done and make the change, I could handle some time in uniform?They were all relaxed in one way but uneasy not knowing what the word from above would be. Martinski was built like the ideal runner not too tall and not too short, broader shoulders for his height but no stomach and bigger arms because he needed bulk to pose as a biker. He often wore sunglasses as he did not like to attract attention in public places so he never wore bright clothes. He kept his hair long like the rest of him and they were constantly growing beards and goutees and making sure parts of their appearance changed to accentuate a more sinister side.

Juan laughed “It could be Lukoski, but they didn’t serve alcohol and no tourist venue in the East Kootenays is complete without booze." All the guys laughed loud and Lukoski rubbed his eyes and said “Yes and we probably even arrested the guys who did it for another charge, well what goes around comes around.?. Stone inhaled on his cigar, got a gleam in his eyes and said “Justice quite often comes when we seek revenge." All of the boys were experts in that department. Lukoski finally had it the way he wanted to say it “No one gets a shot at a cop without payback.?Smiles covered their faces and they all wistfully loved the strength in their numbers.

They got to Ft. Steele and then saw some horses in the field, Dan did not hesitate and smiled and said, “Cowboy boots were meant for riding, not to be left at home." Juan looked down at his boots and kept on driving. Juan looked as he was from Old Spain, he wore his jet black hair long wavy and a beard. He was not one to try to look pretty, he never dressed pretentiously and never was without a gun on him. Juan looked over the dash and was cautious about the ice. Usually they drove much faster but today it was to be a cautious but fast speed lots of black ice.

It still did not stop women from being attracted to his incredible charisma. To Juan, even a trip to the lake meant a gun in his beach bag. Juan had always come out of every scrape alive and well and was not going to change this policy. He also carried numerous knives in his jacket and had used them quite adeptly on several jobs, to Juan in a fight only one should emerge the victor. The men got a little more alert and Dan said “Ok it is just up the hill here where I parked it a few hours ago I should be home soon and then catch up to all of you there ”Juan pulled the car to a stop and got out. Dan nodded and emerged from the back, Dan stood up and the full six foot plus man stood up and pulled his leather jacket down. Juan got back in the car looked at his boots and they sped off. Stone flashed a smile at his brother and said ?We will take of business and see you there Danielovitch? Self assuredly Dan walked over to his car unlocked it stuck the keys in the ignition as if he were conquering it and started the engine. Dan went to light a cigar and the car stalled on him.

That was weird the gauge on the gas said full. Dan had filled it earlier in Cranbrook and had just gotten some information from a source then parked it out at Eager Hill to go up to discuss some of it with the guys. Dan then got out to make a call on his cellular to Stone. Dan closed the door and accidentally locked it then in a frustrated and almost angry bass tone said to himself and the winter. “Great, last day on the job and I lock my car up and my cell in, last day, last call, last time I do this, this can only happen because I am leaving, well it is not too far back to Cranbrook. Dan walked up to the old road part onto the highway by the rest area. The morning fog had lifted on Eager Hill lake and the sky was deep blue, which is only seen in winter with no haze. It was a crystalline blue the way it comes across you know it is going to be clear for the rest of the day. The day was clear but unnervingly cold. Dan could see his breath by now. It was not going be getting warmer today.

The ice had covered all the lakes and people were already driving across some of them, this cold this early in the year pointed to a long winter and the beginning of cabin fever. This winter was to be the longest and have the coldest temperatures on record according to the farmer’s almanac. It would be the one that would test the limits of everyone. Dan ran up to the road by Eager Hill lake and then the noise of the traffic drowned out the sound of his car starting, Dan held out his thumb and his hair blew in the wind. He was an imposing figure on the highway. Dan was quickly picked up by some people in a truck. Dan was very big and his leather jacket only added to the broadness of his shoulders. He got in the front passenger seat smiled and the back passenger said “Dan, where to, home?”” Dan said “Yes?Dan was cautious knowing that these people knew who he was but was not totally sure of what he did. Dan breathed just a little deeper.

Dan saw the guns in the back of the vehicle and they got to talking the man in the back left hand side passenger behind him said “We were hunting the other day but found nothing where we usually go up Lumberton how about you Dan??Dan quickly quipped “I got a deer up in the Slaterville hills last week ? The middle seat passenger lady in the back asked “Dan have you done any bow hunting this year??Dan said “Just turkey?The driver added in “Turkey are really making the come back here, it is too bad the anti-gun lobby is having such a negative effect on hunting.? The lady beside him Dan said “We are loosing a great deal of money in this area because of the problems these people create?The passenger beside Dan leaned over and said “Gun restrictions are ridiculous because the main weapon of violence and murder in Canada is a knife not a gun. Hey Sam Steele would not have put up with this and look at how he kept things peaceful.?

Dan replied “I agree but these wimps who make the laws and lobby are not patriots, just a bunch of dreamers with no concept of the real problems or need for deterrents to violent crime. Colonel Baker represented our wishes that way in politics ,it is just the lameness of the current legal system, I tell ya, a long period of jail seems to work for a lot of people and so does a nine millimeter hemorrhage in the back of the head.? Cheers filled the truck. Years of policing taught Dan that this was the truth and that he had had more confrontations with knife wielding assailants then guns.

Another passenger said “Being pro death penalty has almost always worked in any crowd in Cranbrook. Quite often it is a quick way to pick out the patriots from the traitors, most of the traitors of course wanting to commit such crimes without consequences and patriots knowing better.?Another passenger said ?Although most don’t want to seem impolite the lack of restraint on many killers parts in Canada has woken the country up.?

The driver said ?Canadians are not so naive anymore about the nature of killers. Knives made hurting someone more personal, they helped make the attack more satisfying to many an angered criminal, no one ever twisted a bullet when it was inside a persons abdomen.?The other passenger said that is true?Dan said ?The feeling of doing this with a knife is too often expressed by angry lunatics. ? Dan had encountered this so many times that he was weary of knives. Dan knew these people and knew they all carried all manner of weapons but had not arrested any of them. Dan relaxed a little and the back passenger spoke again, “Dan you live down here and work for your sister, if you did anything else like were a cop what would you do about guns." Dan mused “I would not confiscate them, look at history when the government takes your gun, how many civilian lives are lost by well armed governments against unarmed peasants.

Dan then said “When we are armed we are free." He then brought out his handgun and shot a sign saying have you registered your gun along the road. Dan put three shots through the sign and they roared.

Chapter Three
Home Cooking

The driver sped up the truck and everyone cheered, then the truck came skidding down the road and stopped right in front of Dan’s house. Dan opened the door and smiled and he said “Thanks comrades?and got out and went to walk into his yard. A face peered out the window and Dan was greeted his two very large dogs, they did the usual jumping around Dan and he petted them and then he started to walk down the driveway to navigate between more cars than a wrecking yard slipped on some ice laughed and went up to the door. He opened the door took off his boots and then smiled as Natasha greeted him in the doorway to the kitchen. She was several years younger than he and was very feminine she had blonde hair brown eyes and almost angel like skin she was exotic to say the least and striking at the best.

Dan was never one to cheat and Natasha loved Dan. She walked up and hugged him at the door. Dan had just stood up and Natasha was not going to wait to kiss him. She exclaimed in a warm and loving voice.“Hi Dan, you’re home early? Natasha warmed and between kisses Dan said “Hi Natasha I kind of left the car out at Eager Hill?Natasha laughed and kissed him some more times and said “Well you better go back later and get it or your luck might change.? They hugged and kissed and Dan was hardly into the kitchen and the guys were waiting for him. Dan loved to kiss Natasha and today was going to be the day he would be kissing undercover goodbye and Natasha just a little bit more often.

To his astonishment the guys were already there. Stone talked first “Hey Dan you better go back and push that gravebox with gloves on.?Juan said “Hey Dan did you get one of those cars with the gloves on the back this time so you could keep your hands warm all winter?

Martinski could not stay out of the joke and said “Dan is this that new car you were issued and won’t let us see because your pushing it all the time? Dan and Natasha made their way to the table where Stone was polishing his handgun. Natasha sat down on Dan’s knee and Dan retorted “Hey Stone you think your a real funny one hey Stone?Stone said “No just funnier and crazy enough to keep myself laughing ”as Juan lit a cigar and looked at his boots. Then Dan said “Hey I left it running by accident so yes I better go get it. Maybe one of you guys will limp your rusty buckets out to Eager Hill. ? Natasha was bit alarmed and said is that “Eager Hill where a special ceremony of Satanists had been caught on film shortly after they arrested arrested a group in Victoria.?Juan looked at his boots then said ?This filming had been done by some local uniforms and the Pentagram was still burned into the ground where it had happened. ?

Martinkski said “You think it is just kids looking for a thrill or something real." Natasha said well it scared me to think that those type are around here. Dan noticed that Stone’s gun appeared loaded and excitedly said, “Hey Stone don’t point that thing it’s loaded. ”Stone nonchalantly replied “Now Junior as they taught us in the Army guns are for fun, it is not a weapon it is a gun, this is my rifle this is my gun this is for fighting, this is for fun.?Everyone laughed. Dan laughed a little louder than everyone and Stone shot him a funny look, Stone always did this and just then, the phone rang and Natasha got up to answer it. Tom was over checking the borsch and Natasha said “Hello, yes Peter, he is here, talk to you later, Dan it’s Peter,.?Dan got up and walked over to the phone. Dan started “Hello Peter, it did, good, finally I can be a donut dunker, I will report for duty Monday and get ready for full uniform. I have my old one from the days of Fort Steele I guess this means a transfer, what? The party will be at your place we had it all planned for here Sergei and his wife and kids are going to be home here, but your place sounds good. Ok well I will see you at the party tonight. ?

Dan looked at the other guys and as they all looked up, Dan stretched out his arms to a very excited group of guys and proclaimed “I am off undercover, finally uniform and desk work Maybe not even uniform but desk work and papers now. Natasha and Dan kissed passionately in the French style. Stone said icily but with humor?That leaves the rest of us to just die." The strains of Kim Mitchell’s Go For a Soda was playing in the background. Dan added “Peter wants the party to be at his place that’s weird, I wonder what is on his mind, oh well it is a party.?They all nodded and everyone shook Dan’s hand for getting off the undercover, it was the start of a celebration and the Vodka made its way around the table. Natasha and Dan embraced, and the Vodka was followed by some tomato juice and, some Jack Daniels Whiskey. They all nodded and then drank some Vodka that was on the table and Tom sat down. Tom and Stone liked to cook and since Natasha was not working that day she was more than willing to let them make up a concoction of Borsch.

The guys were good cooks and Natasha had worked so hard lately that she just needed a break. She was getting ready to slow down at work a bit anyway. Tom brought the Borsch to the table and started to serve everyone. It was heartily greeted. Natasha born in Castlegar from a Russian Doukhobour family and being raised in Castlegar had gone to college there and then moved to Simon Fraser University to get a degree in computers. She was married along the way and moved back completing her Master’s on line and was now looking to do her work at home. She had been handling databases for corporations. Tom Scott then said. “The borsht is just about right.?Some cigars were passed around the table and Natasha politely refused and kissed Dan instead. She also did not drink any alcohol. The guys lit up and relaxed Lukoski said “I guess a good party will set things right for all of us. ”Juan smiled and looked at his boots Dan then talked to his Dad in the hallway and spoke to him in Ukrainian “Hi Dad, all is well and you? Peter is moving the party to his place.?

Stone said “I should call Sergei then?Lukoski said “Coming up?and passed the phone to Stone." Stone then said in Ukrainian “Sergei the party has been moved to Peter’s, ok well we will have a drink for you when you get here." Stone caught up to Dan in the hallway then Stone said “Look Dan Cubans “Dan in a jokingly surprised way said“Where?! And they both laughed and then Stone passed him a Cuban cigar, Dan lit up right away with his lighter and then lit Stone’s cigar. His father said “Good Dan, Sergei and Anna are getting ready to come over we are still in the store and will be back in an hour or so, your mom is getting some milk right now and by the way I got some Smirnoff Vodka for you, and the kids are coming home as well.?Dan replied “Ok thanks, Dad, I am getting ready for some changes ? Mr. Demchuk said “The whole family can now breathe a sigh of relief?Dan agreed “Yes Dad and the time away from home is too much, I want to get on with some changes for Natasha and I?Mr. Demchuk ensured “See you soon Dan.

Dan replied assuringly " I will see you later Dad how about some drinks for all of us later." Mr. Demchuk senior smiled and said “I will test out some myself for when you get back it would be nice to have that drink with all of you. Your mother and I will be up and join you, but don’t stay too late I might have it all down by the time you get here., take your time and have fun for me there?Dan said “I will Dad." It was almost time to party and Lukoski had arrived with Eurasia he had passed out in the car and Eurasia laughed and walked into the house, the dog made sound and she hollered to the dog “Spare me?Then she saw Natasha and told Natasha that Lukoski was passed out in the car. They both laughed Natasha told Eurasia “Dan should be staying fairly sober so he will drive us and Stone is taking his van and should pick up Tunda on the way. The women were in the kitchen laughing and Dan and Stone emerged from the hallway into the kitchen. and then Dan and Stone made their way down the hallway.

Stone was an imposing blonde haired blue eyed man who had extremely polite manners and listened carefully to everything that everyone said. His active listening skills had helped him both had a cigar underway by this time and was in the mood for a party. Dan said “Let’s Rock and Roll.?Sergei was walking up the driveway when he saw his brothers he was even bigger than Dan and Stone and did not look like a cop in fact he used to laugh because people would ask him if he was a biker, Sergei loved motorbikes and even owned some classic Harley Davidson bikes which he kept in the home but never worn colors and never partied outside his family. He had loved the life of being able to just keep things simple and left the police work to his brothers. To Sergei he was happy and accepted his life, his marriage and children, nothing else to Sergei was worth any complications. Sergei met them in the yard and handed Dan a bottle of hard liquor and said “Dan some holy water, everyone else is coming pretty soon,?Dan laughed and put the bottle in his jacket.

Sergei then teased Dan and Juan “Hey guys if you go 4X4 ing later in that big GM’s then how about some grill steak??Sergei then rubbed his arm. Juan said “I have my crossbow in the car, with me and this cold air just helps make the shots quicker. Sergei opened the whisky took out a small glass and passed Stone some Whiskey he said “This Holy Water will keep us honest. ?Then he assured ?I will catch up to you later at the party. Anna and the kids walked in and Sergei laughed and said “I better catch up to them. The kids just got by me and I have to give them some chocolate I have in this other bag. I think they will like it.?Sergei bolted for the door and then closed it and made his way into the kitchen. Anna pointed to his boots and Sergei then removed them and grabbed and kissed her in the doorway. She could not believe the passion in him and said “How about you skip the party tonight and do some celebrating at home Maybe we could watch some hockey and do some scoring ”Sergei said “How about?and they kissed again.

Chapter Four
Party time Reason to Celebrate

Stone was driving Martinski and said “I will stop by and get Tunda do you want to check the tape selection for any tunes you might like?Martinski said “Coming right up?and began to look for the tapes Martinkski was looking for the tapes when he noticed that an Elk was gaining on them. The Elk began to catch up and Martinski said “Watch out for the Elk." Stone replied “What Elk?then he just about lost it when the Elk had its face by his window and then bolted in front of him. Stone was startled as he swerved and and just missed hitting the Elk. Martinski and Juan laughed. Stone laughed too but was still trying to regain his composure. Juan said hey how about we get some grill steak Stone??Martinski said “Yeah that was a good sized buck we could feed everyone at the party “and they all laughed?.

Juan said we should have some stew." Stone looked at him puzzled and Juan said “Some barley and Hops stew?Lukoski let out a boisterous laugh and Stone said “There is plenty in the back? The music was comfortably loud as April Wine’s Oowatanite started everything. Peter had set everything up and the guests all arrived at once it was eight o clock. Dan said “This party is more of a convention than a send away wow!! Thanks Peter. They all walked in and collectively started to party passing drinks in great abundance and the women started Dancing. A bunch of Tiger lilies were on the table and some other floral arrangements. The men joined in and all the couples gravitated to each other. Juan said “Only in Cranbrook can a party be put together without preparation and appear that it was prepared ”Juan opened the liquor chest and they reached in and mixed their drinks. Juan said “Let’s get hammered, he took a large serving in his glass and pounded it back. Jack Daniel’s had some of the best whiskey for these men. Rush's Tom Sawyer resonated setting an ethereal fantasy type mood.

Juan also had some home brew. The music program by this time had changed to Steve Earle’s Copperhead Road. No one ever told on anyone having any moonshine in Cranbrook to do that was just plain socially unacceptable. Home brew had been a part of Cranbrook since the 1800’s this tradition would not change. Cranbrook was holding on to many traditions.