This morning's "curse" had produced... cow patties. That was all in all, innocent in and of itself, except there weren't any cows in the shallow valley holding the standing stones. All of the cows from the neighboring farms were safely fenced and hadn't strayed into the valley. Rollie knew that, just like he knew exactly how much manure had been there and exactly where it had all been located. Their star, Angelica Palmer, had stepped into some that morning and screamed as if she were being murdered. It was amazing the whole bloody town hadn't heard her, Rollie thought darkly. She had caused a huge row heard by the entire film crew, even the ones not up yet heard her! Angelica refused, flat out and totally refused, to set one toe into the valley until it was checked and cleared. Rollie, exasperated by the delays, dug out a couple of large plastic buckets he normally used for mixing chemicals and collected the manure personally. He could still hear the joking remarks of the rest of the crew, but none of them helped him. Angie, bless her, showed up when he was half done and helped collect the rest. He'd had Tony Jones, the crew gopher, take it to that old place in town with the huge garden. At least, some good would come out of it there.

Rollie mentally recited the list of "curses". Some still unidentified gunk on the camera lenses, sugar in the fuel tank of the generator, twigs and small branches jammed into the gears of the camera cranes, and now... manure! Cow patties! A short list he thought, but considering they'd only been here three days, it was impressive. Now, who would do this and why? Those were the questions that had to be answered, if they were going to get any work done. Jack hadn't arranged any security guards, they shouldn't have been needed out here, with just the town of Millom and the village of Broughton In Furness close by.

Swinside was an impressive circle with fifty five stones, a full twenty eight point six meters (or as the Americans on the crew preferred - ninety three feet, eight inches) in diameter. The tallest stone was two point three meters tall (seven feet six inches). They were lucky to get permission to film here. One of the stories told about the site had the Devil pulling down at night the stones of a church being built during the day. Somehow, Rollie couldn't believe the Devil was involved in their troubles, though.

"Jack," the lanky man spoke quietly, his Australian accent hardly noticeable. The single name was enough to get through to the director and Briana. Jack and Briana were a couple, even if the pair wouldn't admit it. The fiery redhead was more than a match for the passionate blond man.

"Yes, Rollie?" Jack turned to look at his senior special effects expert, curiously. He didn't sound like he'd been shouting at the top of his voice a second before.

"Angie and I can set up cameras and motion detectors. If anyone comes tonight, I'll know it," the Aussie offered.

Jack regarded the FX team thoughtfully. "All right, but be careful. If something happens to you, we'll have real problems getting 'Druidess' finished."

"No worries. Angie won't let me do anything too dangerous." He grinned at his partner, teasing her.

Angie popped him in the shoulder, glaring. "You better believe it, boss!"

Rollie and Angie swiftly covered Swinside with tiny cameras and small motion detectors. If anyone moved in the stone circle tonight, Rollie's robot dog, Blue, would awaken his master immediately.

Briana finally convinced Angelica that it was safe to enter the circle and they resumed filming. A soft fog filled the circle, directed by the large hand fans Rollie and Angie used. Palmer might be something of a prima donna, but she was a good actor. The voluptuous brunette played the part of leader of the Druids and sorceress regally. With the sunlight filtered by the fog, the scene had an ethereal beauty. Much to the cast and crew's profound relief, they actually managed to get four scenes filmed and in the can. It was their best day of filming since arriving at this locale which really wasn't saying very much.

Rollie Tyler was curled up in his tiny bed, sleeping deeply when Blue started yapping urgently. He leapt to his feet, hitting his head on the low ceiling of the camper. "Ow. Damn." The Aussie muttered as he pulled on his hiking boots. As uncomfortable as it was, he'd slept fully dressed, waiting for this moment. He fumbled in the dark, finally managing to turn on the monitor hooked to the cameras. It showed two figures in robes, their heads covered by hoods, moving inside the circle. He couldn't make out what they were doing, but he didn't think it was a fertility ritual. "Quiet, Blue." Rollie grabbed a flashlight and slipped silently outside, determined to catch their uninvited "guests".

The tall Australian moved silently down into the valley. Mist hung heavily on the ground and a full moon beamed down on the eerie scenery. Perfect atmosphere for their movie, but Rollie didn't take time to appreciate the irony. He stalked carefully toward the heart of the valley, finally stopping between the two stones guarding the entrance on the southeast, just outside the stone circle. Rollie strained to see the hooded figures in the misty, moonlit night. Suddenly, a third figure called out to the two within the circle. Whirling, they saw Rollie and turned to run. Rollie turned on his flashlight and darted after them, determined to catch the culprits. His pursuit came to an abrupt end as something unseen tripped the Aussie. As Rollie fell, pain exploded in his left knee, then his head.

Angie woke in the early twilight hour, just before sunrise. She stretched, then dressed quickly. anxious to see what Rollie had found during the night. When she checked Rollie's camper and didn't find him, the blonde frowned. "Rollie, you better be okay," she muttered as she headed for the standing stones. Seeing the still body of her partner laying in the thick grass, Angie's heart filled her throat. "Rollie!"

Rollie's head came up. "What? Damn." He rubbed his aching head and shifted uneasily, trying to sit up. He grasped his knee and whimpered. "Damn, that hurts."

"Rollie! Are you okay?" Angie slipped to her knees beside her boss, worriedly checking him over.

"Yeah, except for my knee." He twisted around, trying to see what had tripped him in the pre dawn light.

"For a moment, I was afraid you'd bashed your brains out." Angie's gentle fingers brushed the bruise on Rollie's forehead. "Good thing you didn't, you don't have many."

Rollie growled at her, then sighed. "Yeah, well, I thought so too for a minute. I just sort of... glanced off one of the stones."

"Good thing you've got a hard head. What's wrong with your knee?"

He probed his knee with long sensitive fingers, then winced. "I banged the bloody hell out of it, that's what's wrong." He took a deep breath. "I don't think it's broken or anything, just badly bruised. I... tripped over something..."

Angie stood to look for the "something". It took a couple of minutes for her to find the thin trip wire hidden in the grass. "Looks like they, whoever 'they' are, were ready for company last night."

"Or maybe this was to be part of today's 'problems'." Rollie thoughtfully considered the wire as Angie handed it to him. Even knowing it was there and shining the flashlight on it, the wire was hard to see. He thoughtfully rubbed the wire with two fingers. "One of today's scenes has some of the extras running from the circle as the stuntmen chase them off on horseback." Sober brown eyes looked into worried blue ones. "If it is, they're getting serious. Someone could have been badly hurt."

"Or killed," Angie pointed out, "bashing their brains out on a stone." The "like you almost did" hung in the air between them.

"Yeah," Rollie answered softly, his brain whirling with thoughts. Suddenly, the Aussie got a mischievous look. "Angie, you're a genius!"

Angie arched one brow in surprise, "I know that, but what specifically this time?"

"Bashed my brains out..." Rollie looked excited. "If we make them think I really bashed my brains out..."

"Our prowlers might get scared and make a mistake or even confess?" Angie finished the sentence. "It might work." She considered it carefully. "Most of the other pranks have been pretty harmless. This one... This one though could kill someone. They might not have realized that yet."

Rollie nodded. "Yeah, it'll work. I don't know who they are, but I don't think they intended to hurt anybody. Just... run us off. We'll need..."

"I know what we need, Rol. I'll go get it." Angie paused. How long had Rollie been lying out here - unconscious? "Are you alright? Truth now!"

"Struth, Ange. I've got a headache, but my knee hurts more. I didn't really pass out. I was just... dazed. I... I couldn't seem to push myself to my feet though," Rollie admitted sheepishly, "I think I finally just fell asleep." He'd stayed up most of the night, waiting for these prats, finally falling asleep around three.

"Can you get up now?" If he can't, he's going to a hospital, Angie thought to herself. The thought of Rollie laying out here, hurt for half the night... "How long were you out here?"

"What time is it?" The tall man asked as he pushed himself up and stood. He grinned triumphantly as he took a couple of limping steps.

Angie glanced at her watch. "Almost six."

Rollie shrugged. "Just about a hour then. Not long at all."

Startled, Angie looked up into Rollie's face. "An hour? You mean they didn't show up until five?!? I would have thought earlier, a lot earlier."

Rollie shook his head, shaggy brown hair hiding his eyes for a second. "Nope. Guess our saboteurs aren't really night owls, but early birds."

Angie considered her partner. "I'll get the supplies and Jack. You sit down and stay put."

"You got it," Rollie smiled as he sat carefully on the stone he hit his knee on. It was relief to be off his leg. His knee throbbed with his heartbeat. He was sure it was just bruised, but it bloody hurt! He would be favoring that leg for a while. He knew it and he was afraid Angie knew it too.

"You're getting that knee x-rayed when we're done."

Rollie sighed, then nodded obediently. "Yes, ma'am."

Angie shot him a dirty look at the 'ma'am', then headed for the film camp. It didn't take long to roust the director and for them to gather the necessary supplies. Angie added some ice packs for Rollie's knee. They'd have to hide them later, but it would help now.

"Are you sure Rollie's okay?" Jack asked anxiously as he followed Angie to the circle.

"Yes, I'm sure. If he wasn't I would have called for an ambulance and gotten the first aid kit, not you and FX supplies."

Reaching Rollie's side, Jack gratefully dropped the make-up case beside him. "I don't know how you manage to carry that stuff, Angie. It's heavy!"

Angie smirked as she dug into the make-up kit. She snapped an ice pack and pressed it against Rollie's knee. "Hold that," Angie instructed as she removed what they needed to make Rollie look like he was dying. "Okay, boss. Let's get you made up and this over with." Expert fingers applied the make-up, blood and torn skin. She added some artful touches of visible bone and brains.

Rollie examined the make-up job in a lighted mirror and nodded, pleased by his new "look". "Good job, Ange." He grinned slyly as Jack looked green. "Jack believes it and he knows it's not real." They smeared some blood and brains on the stone Rollie had hit with his head. He passed the ice pack to Jack and the lanky man stretched his body back into position. Angie added a last touch by spilling fake brains and blood on the ground next to the Aussie's head injury.

Angie stood back and thoughtfully considered the composition of the scene they'd created. Satisfied with what she saw, Angie nodded. "Looks like we're set. I'll stash the supplies and Jack, you go back to your trailer. I'll start screaming my head off in ten minutes."

The director nodded nervously. "I just hope I don't blow it. I never did much acting."

"You're doing fine," the body at his feet reassured the blond Englishman. "Just go with it."

"Easy for you to say," Jack muttered, "you just have to pretend you're dying."

Rollie chuckled softly. "Don't make me laugh."

Jack Stoney smiled at that and headed for his trailer. Even if Rollie hadn't said anything, the director knew his knee hurt. The sooner they caught whoever was doing this, the better. Jack shivered, the special effects expert could easily have been dead or dying. He was glad he wasn't. They'd have to let the authorities know what was going on when they called them in, of course. He was glad he'd notified them about the earlier incidents, they wouldn't have to explain much because of that. And since they'd have to call a doctor anyway, Rollie's knee would be checked.

Jack paced his trailer nervously, waiting for Angie's screams. Realizing that he shouldn't come out fully dressed for this to be believable, the director unbuttoned his shirt and removed his belt. He was untying one shoe when a scream ripped the silent morning. Stoney jumped and froze, until another scream sounded, this one calling for help. He ran out the door, one shoe slipping on his foot. He tumbled outside, others in various stages of dress joined him as he ran into the valley.

Reaching Angie's side seemed to take forever, but seeing Rollie laying there so still, scared him. Even knowing what he would find, Jack was scared by it. He threw himself down beside the FX man and the blonde. One look and he called for Briana to get the police and an ambulance - now! It looked so real in the early morning light. Any fear he might blow it, evaporated as he gently touched Rollie's neck with a trembling hand. "He's still alive," Jack told the others. Distantly, he realized he actually seemed surprised by the fact.

One of the stuntmen ran back to their camp and returned with the first aid kit and blankets. Afraid to touch the obviously deadly injury, the man silently covered Rollie and wrapped another blanket around Angie's shaking shoulders.

Not a surprise really, Jack thought to himself. The stunt people and special effects duo worked closely together. Rollie used to be a stunt man. They understood each other. Besides, somehow injuries, especially serious ones, were the reality of stunt work and FX work. The others stood uneasily around, waiting for the authorities and ambulance. A few mumbled something about the curse and some seemed to be praying as they shed silent tears. A couple stared with ghoulish fascination at the brains and blood splattered near Rollie's head.

An eternity later, they heard sirens. Angie shuddered and stared with tear filled eyes toward the road. Jack wondered how she managed them, then shook himself. He felt like crying himself, even though he knew it wasn't real. Maybe because it could have easily been real. Maybe that was it. The police and ambulance arrived together. They followed the tall figure of Briana into the circle. One look and the doctor shook his head. There was no way this man would survive. If he did, he would be a vegetable.

Angie watched the scene carefully, looking for signs of the prowlers. She was surprised when Professor Jane Kelley appeared, walking toward the valley with three of her students. The professor was an expert on the numerous stone circles around Europe and had provided advice to Jack on Swinside. She'd provided the FX team with detailed diagrams and numerous pictures of the site. Why were they here now?

Angie tore her eyes away from the professor and her assistants to look at the doctor as he knelt beside his patient. She leaned forward and whispered urgently in his ear. The young doctor started slightly and stared down at the victim. He almost smiled when the dying man winked at him.  Fortunately, with Angie blocking their view, no one saw his relieved look. He bent down, pretending to carefully examine Rollie's head injury, as the police herded the crowd of movie folk away for questioning.

Jack latched on to the head constable and pulled him back, speaking quietly, explaining what had happened and what they were trying to do. The man nodded his understanding, his face grim. He recognized the possibly serious consequences and was grateful that it was all pretend. They needed to find whoever was involved and put a stop to it. This had gotten much too dangerous.

Professor Kelley looked confused as she approached the circle. Her glances passed between the movie crew, police and the small group huddled on the far side of the standing stones. Her students milled uneasily behind her as she walked over to join Senior Constable Simms and Mister Stoney. "Gentlemen." Her voice was pleasing, but strong, well suited for the lecture halls of university. "What's happened here now?"

Before either man could answer, the doctor shifted back, motioning the men with gurney forward. The academic gasped and paled upon seeing Rollie's still form.

Sylvia Dawson, barely nineteen, cried out, horrified at the sight. "No! This wasn't suppose to happen!" She crumpled to the ground, sobbing desperately.

Angie immediately sprang forward to the young black haired teenager's side, positive here was one of the prowlers. "What?!? What wasn't suppose to happen? What do you know?" Her voice was fierce and angry. Rollie could have been killed. One of their friends could have been killed.

Constable Simms moved toward the pale students. One, Johnny O'Neill, a young man who'd caused him small problems before, was backing cautiously away. One glance from the sturdy constable stopped him in his tracks. He returned Simms' stare with a belligerent defiance.

Patrick Killaney looked toward Rollie's body with despairing eyes. "We just wanted to scare you off. We didn't mean to hurt anybody." He turned to the professor, pleading for understanding. "We were trying to protect the stones. That's all! We didn't mean to hurt anybody!" Tears filled his eyes. "We didn't mean to hurt anyone," he whispered.

Professor Kelley stared at her students in disbelief. "Protect the stones? From what Patty? No one was going to harm the stones. Oh Patty, Syl, John... What have you done?"

Rollie popped up and limped to where the group was gathered. "Almost bashed my brains out, chasing them last night." The students stared wide-eyed at the apparition glaring at them. "I'd like to know why?" Sylvia fainted.

The movie people stared, fascinated as the special effects expert waited impatiently for an answer. They started to relax as they realized it'd been a trick, an illusion by the FX crew. Rollie was all right. It'd been a trick to get to the bottom of the pranks plaguing the film.

"Well?" The Australian glared at the remaining students. "I'm waiting. Why?" He gestured to the doctor to tend to the young woman, even as his brown eyes pinned the two men in place.

"We..." Patrick licked dry lips. "You're all right?" He breathed out, relieved. "Really all right, sir?"

"I'm fine, except for bashing my bloody knee. You were lucky! I could have been killed or someone else could have been killed. You were bloody well lucky."

"Yes sir!" Patrick nodded his head, vigorously.

"Pat, be quiet! They don't know..." Johnny hissed urgently.

Patrick glanced at his "partner in crime", licked his lips again. "I'm sorry! We are sorry. But... we'd... we'd heard that you were going to knock the circle down! We couldn't let you do that! We couldn't!" He lifted his head, proud and defiant. He was sorry the movie man had been hurt. They hadn't intended that to happen, but they would protect the circle.

"Knock the circle down? Now where did you get that daft idea?" Professor Kelley wondered. "Their contract specifically states no harm to any of the circle. They're not going to knock it down, for heaven's sake!"

Johnny squirmed and answered triumphantly. "Yes they are, Professor. We read the script! It's all there."

"The script?" Professor Kelly turned confused eyes on to Jack Stoney and the others. "What does he mean?"

Jack rubbed his face, "Why am I not surprised? I'd really like to know who leaked that script out. It's suppose to be protected."

Rollie dropped his head to look into Angie's surprised eyes. His shoulders started to shake. The others looked at the man, wondering what had gotten into him. Was he crying? Ashamed of what they intended to do? Laughter bubbled up. "Read the script... They read the script, Ange!" He looked with amused eyes at Sylvia, now awake and wondering. Rollie reached up and started to pull the make-up off. "Don't know much about making a movie, do you?" He asked her, conversationally.

Stunned, Sylvia shook her head. Rollie looked at the young men. They shook their heads as well. No, they didn't know about making movies. They were archaeological students. What?

Rollie gestured to the group. "Come with me." He started to walk toward the camp. Realizing no one was following, he look back. "Well, come on!"

Professor Kelley and the students obediently followed the special effects expert. The police and movie crew drifted along behind them. Angie shook her head and went to get their make-up case and clean up the site. Rollie could handle it from here.

The doctor stood watching Rollie limp with a frown. Whatever Mister Tyler intended to do, when he was done, that man's going to get some x-rays. Decided, he hurried to follow, curious to see just what was going to happen.

The professor moved ahead and fell into step with the Australian. "Mister Tyler?" She took a deep breath. "I'm sorry for the trouble my students caused. Are you all right?" Her concerned eyes took in his limping gait.

"I'll be fine. It's just bruised," Rollie responded with amusement. "I've done worse." He grinned. "Ready for a crash course in special effects?"

"Certainly," Jane Kelley warmed to the wide grin. "I'm always ready to learn something new."

Pausing in front of the huge trailer the FX crew had set up for a workshop, Rollie waited while the others settled in place, watching him. He unlocked the double doors and scrambled awkwardly inside. They heard mutters as Rollie pushed a wheeled table around and placed a large monitor in the opening. Jumping out to make sure they could see it all right, he scrambled back inside and booted up a computer.  "All right. Lesson one." Rollie's voice carried out to the observers. "Movies use special effects and special effects are illusions! Like this morning, we had illusion created by make-up and fake guts." The monitor flickered on and a menu appeared. "Lesson two. Movie producers like to save money. That means if an illusion can be used instead of a physical effect it will. Helps with the budget." A computer graphic of the standing stones appeared on the screen.

Professor Kelley stared hungrily at the three-dimensional rendition. Oh, if only she had this! Wonderful! She held her breath as the scene rotated showing the stones from every angle, including an aerial overview. Absolutely magnificent!

The CGI of Swinside suddenly morphed into a very realistic view of the circle. One by one, the stones tumbled over, then turned to powder. Soon nothing remained, except the shallow valley where it had stood for so many centuries. Rollie stood next to the monitor. "That's how we do it. We would never damage the real circle. It's all just... illusion." He smiled as the stunned look in the professor's eyes and her students. "Just an illusion. Professor, Angie and I would like to give you a copy of that program when we're done. To say thank you for all your help. After all, we couldn't have developed it without your exacting measurements and detailed photographs." He looked sheepishly as his director and shrugged. Okay, it was suppose to be a secret. "Um... We'd appreciate it if you didn't talk about this particular effect. It's... uh... It's..."

Jack smiled as Rollie stumbled to halt. "What Rollie's trying to say is that bit is part of our climatic scene and we'd appreciate it if you didn't leak it to the media or anybody else. We'd like to surprise the first viewers at least." He concluded with a chuckle, surveying the oddly mixed crowd that had watched Angie's masterpiece. "We'd appreciate your cooperation."

Constable Simms nodded, "Our pleasure, Mister Stoney. Least we can do after all the trouble." His hard glance told the others they'd better stay quiet. He didn't want to hear a peep on the gossip chain.

"Good enough." Jack rubbed his hands together. "Now, if you'll excuse us it's time to get to work." Rollie clambered down, ready to start the day. "Not you, Rollie. Let the doctor check your knee out."

Rollie nodded in resignation as the doctor moved to his side. "Professor, Angie's going to add an astronomical program to the Swinside software, so you can view the circle at various times of the year or even different years."

"That would be wonderful, Mister Tyler," Professor Kelley frowned, "but I feel a bit... guilty about accepting it after all the trouble my students caused you."

"Rollie, Professor." The Aussie special effects expert smiled warmly. "It wasn't your fault. I'm just glad we figured it out and stopped it from turning... deadly." He looked soberly at the three chastened students. "You were very lucky no one was badly hurt or killed. Next time, ask first before jumping to conclusions."

"Yes sir," the students answered, subdued. They had been lucky and the movie people could still press charges for the damage and trouble they'd caused.

"We're sorry, Mister Tyler." Sylvia whispered. She shivered, remembering how he looked earlier, so still. It had seemed so real.

"Sylvia," Rollie limped over and placed a large hand under her chin, raising her gray eyes to meet his warm brown ones. "It's all right... now. You thought you were protecting something you believe in. I'm just asking you to think before you act." Angie would get a laugh at me saying that, she claims I never think first. "And don't do anything without finding out the whole story. Okay?"

"Yes sir."

"Name's Rollie." He gave her a friendly shake. "Remember that." Grumbling to himself, he followed the impatient doctor to the ambulance. They'd take him to get his knee checked, then maybe, finally,  he could get to work. He couldn't let Angie have all the fun!