Learning to Improvise…
Chapter 7

by Katherine


Josiah kept scanning the horizon. From the steeple of the church he had a great view of the surrounding countryside. He knew the three he was looking for would not appear for some time yet, but he couldn’t stop looking for them.

Normally the view was soothing, helping him relax, but today he didn’t find the solace he usually did. When Chris wanted one of them to keep an eye out for Vin, Ezra, and Buck, Josiah had quickly volunteered. The former preacher liked to think of himself as a brave man, but he knew in his heart that he was not willing to face Maude. He couldn’t. Not until he knew he could trust himself around her.

It would be so easy to let himself be taken in by her beautiful face, graceful movements, and charming manner. It had happened before. But that was before he knew what he did now. What he knew was more than enough to make the difference.

All he had to do was close his eyes and see Ezra, pale and shaking, pointing a gun at him, because he so strongly reminded the younger man of abusive men in his past. Men Maude had deliberately chosen to leave her son with. The glamorous blonde had done nothing to protect an innocent child from suffering at their hands, had even turned a blind eye to it all if Ezra was to be believed. Josiah had no doubts that the gambler was telling the truth.

The big man grimaced. Ezra’s reaction to being touched and referred to as ‘son’ was ample proof of his honesty. He still felt guilty about his failure to appreciate the full extent of his trespass until Ezra had so violently brought it to his attention.

Josiah sighed and shook his head. That was in the past. They’d gotten over that. They’d even managed to recover from what Josiah thought of as his second monumental act of stupidity. Things had been good of late and the big man found himself wishing they could have continued that way.

Ah well. It was not to be. We all have our crosses to bear. Josiah smiled slightly. The lucky ones have someone to share the burden.

From his elevated perch Josiah could see Nathan sitting quietly on the jail porch. The healer had neatly sidestepped Maude when she’d attempted to speak to him earlier and had been keeping a wary eye out for her ever since. Josiah wondered how much of his avoidance was due to outright embarrassment and shame.

Maude had conned him into working at her saloon as a ‘doctor’ during her first visit. The title was one that up until that time Nathan had steadfastly refused to lay claim to. It was also something he dropped immediately after she left, realizing the error in adopting a title he had no legitimate right to.

She had conned them all with stories of Ezra’s childhood. Josiah knew his long time friend felt particularly guilty about having believed her lies. The healer had confessed to him how he’d believed her stories in large part because they validated what he assumed to be true all along. He honestly thought Ezra had been raised as some rich man’s son, living a life of luxury, never doing an honest day’s work. Finding out he’d been wrong had left Nathan feeling ashamed of himself for being as narrow-minded and prejudiced as he assumed Ezra to be.

JD was also on the porch, leaning against on of the pillars. The young sheriff had obviously been taken aback by the anger and hostility Chris had expressed when he gathered them together to inform them of Maude’s arrival. To the young man’s credit he hadn’t question it.

JD had remained silent, accepting that Maude was to be watched and avoided, that Buck was to ride out and warn Vin and Ezra and if possible convince them to stay out of town for awhile. JD’s dark eyes had shifted from one man to another clearly aware there was something he was missing, something that would justify their reaction to the sudden appearance of Ezra’s mother. Josiah got the feeling he’d be asking question later.

The big man smiled to himself. That boy has come a long way. Really, he is as much a man as any of us. Have to remember to tell him that when I get a chance.

None of them honestly expected Ezra to lay low. That was just wishful thinking and they all knew it. Which was why Josiah found himself scanning the horizon yet again. He sighed quietly. In some ways he was relieved to see the road still empty. It meant Ezra was still safely out of his mother’s reach. But it also meant he was without the full protection being among them could provide. And for as much confidence as he had in Chris, Josiah wasn’t entirely convinced the man would be able to handle Maude. He suspected that they would need all of them to deal with her, especially Ezra.

Hell, most people would not think one woman could be so frightening. But then most people are idiots. It’s been my experience that woman are far from the ‘weaker’ sex. They can be as ruthless and vindictive as any man. Ella Gaines and Ma Nichols came to mind.

Josiah’s gaze shifted to look over the town again. He couldn’t see Chris, but he knew the gunslinger was around somewhere, probably keeping an eye on Maude. That wouldn’t be hard to do since she’d made one circuit of the town talking to a number of people before returning to the saloon. Chris could easily stay in the saloon, in some dark corner nursing a drink for days and it would not seem out of the ordinary.

Josiah pursed his lips thinking over the people Maude had spoken to. The banker had been quick to greet her warmly, something the preacher regarded with suspicion although he couldn’t say why. Something about the fat man just set his teeth on edge. He tried, really tried not to cast stones, but when it came to Mr. Lovitt, Josiah just wanted to slap the greedy son of a bitch.

Mrs. Travis had also been eager to talk to Maude, likely wanting to know what was going on in the world beyond Four Corners. Josiah rolled his eyes thinking all she had to do was ask Ezra. The gambler seemed to know more about what was going on than anyone else. Josiah hadn’t been able to figure out just how he knew but Ezra had yet to be wrong about much.

Mrs. Potter had spoken to Maude, but the conversation hadn’t lasted long. Josiah had a feeling that the shopkeeper’s sharp eyes saw through the façade the conwoman tried to project. As a good mother, Josiah was fairly confident Mrs. Potter easily recognized a woman who should never have born a child.

Maude had stopped to speak to a few others. Josiah noted she seemed to focus her attention on the citizens of Four Corners that could be described as ‘better off’. When he first met her he might have chalked that up to her being a refined lady and seeking conversation with others of similar stature. Now he couldn’t help but see it as more mercenary. Maude spoke to money, not because she had any, but because she wanted it. Because she valued the status a person possessed more so than the individual.


Given her obvious outlook and nature, he had trouble understanding why she came to Four Corners at all. Josiah shook his head. He knew his choice in woman was appalling, that he was decidedly shortsighted where they were concerned. He had already given up on ever truly understanding them.

May have to just take a vow of celibacy and be done with it. Or maybe I should find me a good man like Vin and Ezra have done. A small smile blossomed on his face as he realized how far he’d come in accepting their relationship.

His smile vanished when he spotted three horses on the horizon. Josiah moved to open the trap door and head downstairs. Ringing the bell would have been a faster and easier way to announce the immanent return of their missing brothers but it would have served to alert the entire town. Bringing the animosity between the seven and Maude Standish to everyone’s attention was not something any of them really wanted. At least not just yet.

Josiah smiled grimly as he made his way to the door. Family squabbles should be kept among the family. Not that this really qualifies as anything so mundane as a ‘squabble’. Just don’t know what else to call it.

The big man headed for the jail. He walked past the saloon and lightly bumped the bat-wing doors, setting them swinging slightly. It was not an action likely to garner much attention or even be commented on, but it worked beautifully as a signal to Chris. The gunslinger was too astute not to be aware of Josiah’s passing and what it meant.

They would meet up in the jail as planned. While the saloon was their usual gathering place it was not uncommon for the seven to hang out elsewhere. And the jail was close to the edge of town. Vin, Ezra and Buck would naturally ride by so stopping there would not seem unusual.

Josiah sent a quick prayer heavenward. He no longer had the absolute faith he once did, but he still had enough to believe that God was paying attention. He just hoped whatever the almighty envisioned in his divine plan co-insided with what the seven wanted. Otherwise, God may well be disappointed this time.

+ + + + + + +

Ezra sighed silently, reining Chaucer in at the jail, grateful to be back in town. He had been studiously ignoring the almost palpable waves of concern and anxiety emanating from Buck as they’d ridden back to Four Corners. The ladies man kept glancing toward him as though he expected Ezra to display some outward sign of apprehension, fear or outright anger at the impending confrontation with his mother.

Ezra mentally snorted. He hadn’t learned to control himself at such a young age to be so easily readable now. And it really wasn’t hard to appear calm and collected because Ezra wasn’t worried about meeting his mother. Nor was he afraid. The gambler knew their relationship was far from what one would consider normal, but he had grown accustomed to it. It was like a complicated dance and he’d been learning the steps for so long it was difficult to imagine things between he and Maude as ever being any different.

He was more worried about the others displaying their animosity. It could hardly escape her notice that their hostility was new since her last visit. Ezra knew Maude well enough to know that she would work to divine the reason for it. She was shrewd enough to look for ways of turning that against them.

Ezra sighed silently again. No matter what happened Maude would find a way to appear innocent of any wrong doing, usually by affixing the blame to someone else and ensure she got whatever she’d come here for. He didn’t doubt that what little he’d revealed of his past to his lover and comrades had been believed. The others would have long since gotten over any lingering anger if they thought he had been conning them or out-and-out lying.

The rest of the town would likely harbor a different opinion should they become privy to information about his past, or his present relationship with Vin. Ezra knew his mother would not hesitate to use any weapon at her disposal, regardless of the damage she might inflict. She practiced a Machiavellian approach to self-preservation and a single-minded focus on achieving her own ends that was awesome to behold.

His own reputation was something Ezra gave little more than a passing thought to. Before taking on ‘legitimate’ work in Four Corners, Ezra had never expected to be well thought of. His chosen profession wasn’t one that regularly garnered much in the way of respect. Cardsharp and gambler were almost dirty words. And he was accustomed to simply passing through, never staying long enough to really care what the residents of some humble burg or hamlet thought of him.

But the others were well liked, or at the very least respected. He did not want them slandered or maligned for just being his friend. He might be used to being run out on a rail, but he really would rather the others not experience it first hand. Four Corners was their home. They had fought, bled and nearly died for it more than once.

Sometimes I think my life was easier when no one actually gave a damn. He amended that thought when he felt Vin lightly rest a hand on the small of his back. Easier perhaps, but this is definitely better.

He was aware that Vin had been watching him just as closely as Buck, but Ezra had not minded it as much coming from Vin. While Buck seemed overly alert and wary, Vin’s gaze had been more reassuring. He was used to feeling the weight of Vin’s eyes on him.

The tracker spent a lot of time just watching him. Ezra knew he kept an eye on him in the saloon as he played poker before his usual shift at the jail, when they ate meals together, when they rode together to enjoy time alone, while he was sleeping in the morning. Ezra was more inclined to notice when weight of Vin’s gaze didn’t rest on him than when it did.

Ezra entered the jail not at all surprised to see the rest of their group already present. Chris sat at the desk, dark clothing making him appear obscured by shadows despite the sunlight streaming through the barred window behind him. Ezra was not surprised to see Chris’ grim expression. He would be willing to bet the man had been scowling since Maude’s arrival.

Josiah was leaning against the far wall, near the potbellied stove. The big man looked…decisive. Ezra resisted the urge to raise an eyebrow, stifling his curiosity as to what decision Josiah had made.

Nathan had taken the seat in front of the desk, dark eyes burdened by some inner turmoil, hands fidgeting in an uncharacteristic display of nervousness. Normally Nathan presented to the world a surety of action and purpose, a quiet confidence that seemed unshakeable. As often as they had disagreed on points of view and moral issues, Ezra felt a flicker of unease at seeing the ex-slave’s obvious distress.

JD had obviously been pacing before Ezra entered. It was not unusual for the youngest of the seven to find sitting still more of a chore than being in motion. The young sheriff had come to a standstill when the gambler opened the door, his whole stance radiating tensed confusion.

Of all of them, JD had the least information about Ezra’s past. Green eyes turned speculative thinking about how much the sheriff had to be taking on faith alone. Even had he asked the others what was going on it was unlikely any of them felt comfortable divulging personal information. It hadn’t been a deliberate oversight but one Ezra realized it was time to correct.

"JD?" He queried softly, getting the younger man’s attention, ignoring Vin and Buck as they entered the jail behind him and closed the door. "You have questions?"

"Hell yes, I have questions, Ez." JD snorted and then waved a hand in a dismissive gesture. "But those can wait. Right now it’s more important I know what we are going to do than why we’re doing it."

Ezra smiled, dimples appearing for just a moment. "You never cease to amaze me."

The younger man rolled his eyes and huffed out an exasperated breath. The light blush that rose to his cheeks was a clear indication he was pleased by Ezra’s compliment and belied his put upon gesture. "So what is the plan?" JD asked a little too quickly to be anything but a deliberate attempt to redirect the conversation.

And that is the whole reason for this gathering so perhaps following where JD had lead us is not a bad idea. Ezra nodded. "The first order of business would be to ascertain precisely why my mother has chosen to deign our dusty little hamlet with her presence."

Ezra raised an eyebrow and looked askance at Chris. "Buck indicated you were the only one to speak to her when she arrived. Did she mention anything to you?"

The gambler didn’t think it was possible for Chris’ expression to turn any darker but he was wrong. The gunslinger’s blue-gray eyes reminded Ezra of gathering storm clouds. Uncertain of the reason for Chris’ dark, severe look, the gambler took an involuntary step back and surreptitiously adjusted the cuff of his right sleeve checking that the derringer rig he habitually wore was ready for action.

He felt Vin move to stand next to him, shoulder to shoulder. The tracker rested his left hand lightly on the small of Ezra’s back, his right hand curled loosely around the butt of his gun. "Easy, Ez." Vin’s voice was just loud enough for him to hear and the tone reminded Ezra of the same one the tracker used to gentle Peso when the gelding got antsy.

Sky blue eyes sent a warning look toward Chris something Ezra found both amusing and reassuring. It was hardly Chris’ fault that Ezra had overacted, albeit not so much that anyone other than Vin would have even noticed. The gambler settled himself and waited to see if Chris was going to answer his question.

The dark clad leader grimaced, and sent what could only be perceived as an apologetic look toward Ezra. "She didn’t say why she was here." Chris shifted in his chair, leaning forward. "Just said she was wanted to see you."

"And no one else has spoken to her?" Green eyes moved from around the room honestly surprised to see all of them shake their heads in denial. He expected Maude to seek them out.

"She spoke with several people in town." Josiah commented, deep voice resonating even though his volume was no more than conversational. "But the rest of us have been keeping our distance."

"Had to move quick to avoid her." JD confessed, dark eyes still showing traces of confusion and curiosity. The look on Nathan’s face made it plain that he’d been sidestepping Maude as well. The gambler wondered if having done so is what made the healer appear so uncomfortable.

Ezra resisted the urge to chuckle as he imagined the lengths his friends might have gone to. He didn’t think the others would see the humor in their actions. Battle hardened veterans of many conflicts shying away from just one delicate woman seemed incongruous.

Although, when I think on my mother, it is far wiser to avoid her than to confront her. Assuming one has a choice in the matter. Not that one usually has a choice. Ah well, delicate, refined, harmless…not words I would associate with her despite how well she manages to mimic those qualities. So long as you don’t expect her to actually BE the person she’s pretending to be, the altercation need not be a terminal one.

Thinking on his mother reminded Ezra of the oleander flower. It was beautiful to look at, with an intoxicating fragrance, but simply being pretty and insubstantial didn’t mean it couldn’t also be deadly. Ezra had quickly learned that pretty things could be painful just as easily as ugly ones. Perhaps even more so because one did not expect them to be. He shook his head, and forcibly redirected his attention.

"Where is she now?"

"Saloon." Chris replied shortly.

Ezra idly wondered if the gunslinger’s jaw ached from clenching his teeth so hard. I’m surprised to see him exercise such control over his anger. I was not aware he was capable of this level of restraint. Surely grinding one’s teeth like that can’t be good for a man.

"Well then, it remains then the first order of business to determine why she is here." Ezra bit his lower lip. "And that is not something that can be achieved without bearding the lion in her den."

JD raised both eyebrows. "Lion?"

"It’s a figure of speech, JD." Josiah answered with a small smile. "Like putting a bell on a cat."

"Oh."

Buck shifted restlessly drawing attention to himself since he’d entered the jail. "Who is gonna be the one to ask her?" The tall cowboy’s eyes darted around the room as though seeking a volunteer.

"I would have thought that obvious, Buck." Ezra raised an eyebrow, as he shrugged one shoulder. "Me."

"No." Chris stated firmly, straightening in his chair. "Not just no, hell no."

"Chris—"


"I said no, Ezra." The dark clad gunslinger’s tone was one that he used when he would brook no argument.

The gambler’s jaw tightened. He could feel the hand Vin had left resting on the small of his back curl into a fist and knew his lover agreed with Chris. But Ezra was not the sort to appreciate being dictated to even though he understood the reason for it. Green eyes hardened as they met blue-gray.

"Who did you have in mind?" Ezra asked, his voice taking a biting, sarcastic emphasis. "Do you honestly think she will tell any of you the truth? That she cannot read each of you as easily as a child’s primer? That she would find manipulating you any more difficult than this time than she has in the past?"

He snorted, ignoring Josiah’s wince, JD’s embarrassed flush, and the sudden flash of guilt in Nathan’s dark eyes. Ezra wasn’t trying to be cruel. They needed to understand. He’d been dealing with his mother his entire life. Their being privy to the true nature of his relationship with Maude did not change the fact that he was the best equipped to handle her.

Buck made a conciliatory gesture with both hands. "Ez—"

"No." Ezra cut him off. "I know my mother." He sighed and shook his head. "While avoidance might seem the logical course of action, it merely delays the inevitable." Ezra reminded Buck with a small smile, "We’ve already had that discussion."

His gaze moved to touch all of them. Ezra could tell they didn’t agree. Even JD who didn’t know all the details clearly had reservations about Ezra confronting Maude. An unfamiliar warmth in his chest surprised Ezra as he realized they were genuinely concerned about him, wanted to protect him from the danger they knew she represented. Unfortunately that did not alter the fact that of all of them he was the only one his mother would likely impart the real reason for her sudden arrival.

If given a choice, I’d much rather it was me she sharpened her claws on than one of the others. At least I know what to expect. Forewarned is forearmed, or so I have been told. At least this time I am not caught unawares by her arrival.

Ezra turned so he could meet Vin’s eyes squarely, facing his lover directly and ignoring the others. "Tell me you understand."

Vin’s expression rivaled the one Chris wore, blue eyes like glacial ice. Unlike Chris’ reaction, Ezra didn’t feel threatened by his lover. It said a lot about how far their relationship had progressed that he had absolute faith in Vin and knew his lover wouldn’t deliberately hurt him. He knew without a doubt all of Vin’s anger was not directed at him, but rather existed on his behalf.

"I don’t like it." Vin all but growled.

"I don’t either." Ezra reached out to lightly caress Vin’s cheek, trying to ease the worry he could see lurking behind the anger. "How we feel doesn’t fundamentally alter the situation."

"You don’t go alone."

"I had not planned to." Ezra smiled, dimples appearing. "I may occasionally be foolhardy, Cheri, but I’m not a complete idiot. I fully intended to have adequate reinforcements on hand."

It was a small concession really. And Ezra would definitely feel better knowing he wasn’t facing off against his mother alone. Not this time. He had complete faith that there was nothing they couldn’t handle together. That warm feeling was back in spades. If he wasn’t careful, he could easily get used to this.

Vin smiled back at him, eyes losing some of their frost. "Good."

"Well, all right, it’s settled." Buck rubbed his hands together, straightening up from where he’d been leaning against the door. "Let’s just head on over—"

Ezra held up a hand, forestalling anything else the ladies man had to say. "We can not go en masse."

"Why not?" Nathan frowned. The dark healer cleared his throat seeming as surprised as the others to finally hear himself speak. "You said you didn’t plan on going alone."

"Not going alone is one thing. Going with all of you is quite another." Ezra shook his head. "For all of us to show up at one time would be…", Ezra waved a hand not sure what would be an appropriate description.

"A damn fine idea." Chris bit out, on hand clenched in a fist, the other resting on the butt of his gun. The gunslinger turned his head to spit and seemed to think better of it. "But I know you want to handle this quietly, Ez. And I have to agree that quiet would be the best way."

Blue-gray eyes met green. "I don’t like it, any more than Vin does, but you are right about being the one to talk to Maude. And you’re right about it not being a good idea for all of us to show up at once. Doubt she’ll be willing to talk in front of all of us, at least not openly. And we don’t want to draw too much attention to her being here."

"Something that is bound to happen if we show up all together." Josiah observed softly, nodding his head in understanding. Of all of them, the former preacher was usually the first to grasp the dynamics of small town life. Things out of the ordinary got noticed, were gawked at, and talked about. Gossip spread faster than a wildfire in Four Corners.

Chris rose to his feet in one smooth motion. His stance reminded Ezra of a sergeant he’d served under during the war. The gambler could almost feel a change in the attitude of the others. They didn’t come to attention but there was no mistaking the fact they were waiting for orders to be issued.

"JD, I want you to do your usual rounds. And I want Buck to go with you." He held up a hand halting the either man’s protest before they could even open their mouths. "We know Maude’s been talking to some of the townspeople. See if you can find out the gist of those conversations. Might give us a better idea of what she wants than talking to her directly will since I doubt she’ll come clean right away, even to Ez."

"Very astute, Mr. Larabee." Ezra used the surname as a gesture of respect. The situation seemed to call for addressing him more formally.

He glanced toward JD and then Buck. "She will likely have mentioned to them a reason for her visit. It will undoubtedly be some reason to appeal to the person with whom she spoke. Some justification that would make for an easy entry into the sort of small talk where by people divulge far more information about themselves than they realize."

Ezra shook his head, remembering days when he used to do much the same thing. "I’d wager a tidy sum that each person got a slightly different version, and yet one that will appear related in some fashion. Should they talk to one another they will simply believe that either they misunderstood her or that she has taken one of them into greater confidence than the other. Nothing makes people think more of themselves and their standing than the belief that they have been entrusted with another’s secrets."

"How do we know what’s just lies and what’s the truth?" JD asked, brown eyes looking from Ezra to Chris, a worried frown appearing between his brows.

"You need not worry about determining the veracity of individual stories, JD." Ezra assured calmly. "All you need to do is gather the information for later review." It went without saying that it would be up to Ezra to determine how much, if anything, Maude told the towns people was of value.

The younger man nodded and squared his shoulders, accepting his task. Buck grimaced, but appeared resigned. The ladies man muttered, "Always hated recon duty. Would rather be where the action is."

"Don’t worry, Bucklin," Vin smirked, the ice blue color of his eyes still relaying the level of anger he was feeling and controlling. "We’ll make sure you don’t miss anythin’ important."

Ezra sent an earnest, heartfelt prayer to whatever deity might be willing to listen that no blood would be spilled today. He didn’t doubt that Vin would do his level best to control his temper, but his mother would likely be pushing buttons as was the norm for her. Unfortunately, Vin’s buttons were likely to be more explosive than Maude was used to.

Mother might provoke deliberately to achieve some desired end. However, she usually shows some degree of caution until she can predict the outcome. I wish her luck calling the odds on this one…hell, I couldn’t even call it.

He briefly considered trying to convince Vin to go with Buck and JD, but dismissed the idea. It was not a battle he would win, particularly when his heart wasn’t in it. Ezra unconsciously reached up to pat the spot where Vin’s love knot rested under his shirt. Together we can handle anything. Even my mother.

"Nathan," Chris’ gaze seemed to weigh the dark healer for a moment, assessing him. "I want you to ride out to the village and check on things there." The healer stared at him uncomprehendingly.

"Chris, I—"

The dark clad gunslinger cut him off. "They get regular contact from the government. More so than the town, and I know full well they are talking to their people on and off the reservations. Something big enough to bring Maude to Four Corners might just be something they’ve already heard about. Something that might not bode well for them."

Ezra ran the pad of his thumb across his lower lip, considering that angle. "It is not improbable, albeit unlikely." He shrugged one shoulder. "The last letter Mother sent to me indicated some deal regarding mineral rights. She was in Denver at the time, which does not mean she may not be privy to information in this area that might affect this remote locale. And I can not imagine Mother making the sojourn to our dusty little hamlet without the expectation of some sort of payoff."

"Goddamn gold mine." Nathan cursed with a vehemence contrasted with his soft tone. "Was what Anderson wanted too. You’d think people would realize that stupid mine is played out. If there was ever any damn gold to begin with."

Ezra arched an eyebrow wondering if Nathan had forgotten what the elders of the village had offered in payment when they hired the seven for protection. He knew precious metals far to well to no recognize pure gold when he saw it. And having seen the mine, Ezra had no real doubt about whether or not gold had been present. The rocks were certainly the same type of ore he knew to be gold bearing gold.

He could not really venture an opinion on whether or not there was more gold to be had. But he knew first hand the mineshaft was inherently unstable. Further digging would be tantamount to playing Russian roulette. He also knew long odds could be made to look very attractive, and with enough capital to invest shoring up the existing tunnels or constructing new ones entirely would not be difficult.



"Josiah," Chris hesitated for a moment, "know you had some romantic interest in Maude." There was no hint of censure in that observation, just a statement of fact. They all knew the big man had been infatuated with Maude. And to be honest, Ezra couldn’t really blame the man. His mother had been drawing men to her for as long as he could remember.

Chris measured Josiah with a look. "You up to going with us?"

The former preacher smiled easily, posture relaxed. "I believe I have seen the true nature of the scorpion. I have no fear of her sting."

Ezra resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Leave it to Josiah to answer a simple question with something from one of his parable. Although, I suppose I should take comfort in the fact that he is behaving normally.

"That a yes?" Vin asked bluntly.

"Yes."

"Good." Chris nodded. "Okay…We got us a plan then."

Ezra couldn’t help the small grin that blossomed at Chris’ statement. A plan, oh yes, they had one. It remained to be seen if they could actually bring anything to fruition.

"We’ll meet up here about dinner time. Touch base then and compare notes."

Ezra was again reminded of the war and his humor vanished. There was no substitute for good intelligence. They really couldn’t make any further strategy until they had more to work with. What we might discover will ultimately drive our reaction.

"You ready, Ez?" The hand Vin had left on the small of his back moved to pat him on the shoulder, shaking him slightly.

Ezra took a deep breath, marshalling his courage. He glanced around the room and found more courage to be drawn on just from the looks that came back to him. Ezra nodded and waved a hand toward the door. "Once more into the breech dear friends."

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