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“I’ll go with you,” Roger said.

“Uh, I want you to stay here,” Andy said. “Monica can go with me. She knows the layout of the house.”

“Do you want me to go out back and watch the house while Rob and Roger stay here to watch the front? That way, if Helen slips out unseen through the back door, one of us will be there,” Craig said.

Normally, that’s how they would conduct a mission, so Andy agreed.

Monica, Andy, and Craig made their way through the woods like Monica and Andy had done before, keeping out of sight of the cabin's windows.

Once they reached the back of the house, Andy said, “What about if I go in as a bear? You have a gun and can join me, Monica. If Helen tries to shoot me, you shoot her.”

“Let’s do it.”

“What do you want me to do?” Craig asked.

“Just wait here. If it sounds like we’re in trouble, come help us in any way you can.”

Which meant shifting into his bear if he had to, since he didn’t have a weapon to protect himself.

The back door had remained open since they left the cabin earlier. All three of them waited at the back door, listening for any sign of anyone in the house moving about. Creaking on the floor in the bedroom revealed that Helen was still up there, probably with the door locked.

They all went inside, and Andy stripped off his clothes. He was so far away from the open front door that no one could see him. Even if Helen came to the balcony at the top of the stairs, she couldn’t see him either. Then he shifted into his bear.He sprinted through the living room, still far enough back that Roger couldn’t see that a bear was in the cabin.

Andy navigated the stairs, and of course, they had to creak, announcing he was on his way to the bedroom. Monica placed herself behind the couch, which gave her the perfect shot should Helen try to leave the bedroom and shoot at Andy.

He finally reached the landing. He didn’t need to unlock the door, though his lockpick was with his clothes. All he had to do was break the door, having a more satisfying effect. Hopefully, he wouldn’t get shot at right after he did it because she could shoot at him from the bedroom, and Monica wouldn’t be able to get a shot off at her.

The stairs creaked behind him, and he turned. Monica was coming up the stairs with her gun readied. He did not want her to get shot. She nodded, indicating that he should go ahead and break down the door.

As soon as he moved toward the door, she followed him, and he realized she would shoot Helen if she had to. He ran to the door, bashed it in, and then backed away. He would have liked to have gone in and knocked her out, but he couldn’t risk getting shot.

Monica rushed forward but was out of view of the inside of the room.

“Helen, come out with your hands up. Drop your weapon.”

Helen didn’t comply.

Andy sat on his rump. He wanted just to go in and scare the hell out of Helen, but he was afraid she would start shooting. Certainly, he wouldn’t blame her if she shot at a polar bear that looked ferocious and wanted to rip her to shreds.

Monica was poised, ready to end this. “Helen, I’m not waiting all day for you to comply. We’ve taken everyone to jail. You might as well give up before you get hurt. We’re not leaving until you’re in custody.”

They still needed to arrest Pierre, though.

“Everyone’s saying you were the mastermind. You should at least have a chance to defend yourself against these allegations,” Monica said.

Silence.

Monica stuck her phone beyond the door frame to see where Helen was, and Helen fired her weapon. Monica yanked her phone back and then checked the recorded video. It worked better and safer when she attached it to a tire iron, Andy was thinking!

Monica began crouching like she would rush into the room and take Helen down. Andy couldn’t allow it. He growled at Craig. Monica looked at the two of them, and as if she suddenly had a better idea, she quickly pulled out her phone and texted Andy.

Craig found his phone in his pants pocket on the floor where he’d ditched his clothes. He pulled out Andy’s phone and texted Monica back.

Andy wondered what they had in mind.

Craig began looking through closets, finally pulled out a ladder, and headed out the back door.

After a few minutes, with his sensitive hearing, Andy heard the ladder lightly clank against the metal railing of the bedroom balcony out back. Anxious, Andy prayed Helen wouldn't shoot his brother. But he figured Craig would cause a distraction so Andy and Monica could take down Helen.