Outlaws
Buck Wilmington sighed and shifted in his saddle, thankful for the large brim of his hat, which kept the cold, unrelenting trickle of raindrops from finding their way under the collar of his coat.
Vin sat astride his mount far more patiently. Not moving and, as always, alert. Something about the hunter and hunted in Vin. It kept him ever watchful. And had saved all their lives at least once.
Buck sighed again as he thought of the kid, warm and dry back in town. J.D. was probably at the saloon right now, drinking a beer and playing cards with Ezra. Losing at cards to Ezra, Buck thought, and immediately brightened, then sighed again as he remembered it was money J.D. could be losing to him, Buck.
"Rider coming," Vin said quietly, and Buck sat up straighter, watchful.
He could hear the faint clip-clop of hooves now, and squinted into the misting rain, where a lone rider appeared out of the darkness.
Buck relaxed slightly, seeing it was only one man - and a youth at that, judging from the size of him. Since they'd heard reports of an outlaw gang robbing banks north of Four Corners, Chris had someone patrolling at night. Two men on the north road into town, and Chris himself was staking out the road leading south. As usual, expecting trouble. And anticipating the worse.
But this rider was obviously no gang, and Buck thought longingly again of the saloon, whiskey, cards and companionship - especially female companionship.
The rider - only a youth for sure - drew abreast of them on a tall roan, and they exchanged looks as the boy passed.
Yes, Buck decided, he'd definitely been without feminine company too long. Vin would think he was crazy, but he'd be damned if the boy didn't have the biggest brown eyes and longest lashes he'd ever seen.
Uncomfortable with the thought, Buck decided it was merely a trick of his imagination in the dark.
+ + + + + + +
It was past 10, but the lanterns at The Clarion still burned as Mary Travis worked on the next day's edition.
In her continuing quest to scare the "bad element" - she smiled wryly in memory - from Four Corners, she had chronicled the seven's latest service to the town. Escorting that pack of low-life ruffians and bullies to the town's edge with orders to never come back hadn't been much of a challenge for the seven, but their reputation was growing, and Mary for one was glad to have a short time of relative peace.
A knock at the door made her look up, and she reached up reflexively to smooth her blond hair, stopping herself just in time, as there was still ink on her fingers. Chris - Mr. Larabee - sometimes stopped by to check on her when she was working late, and Mary expected no one else as she went to open the door.
Mary opened the door and pulled up short in surprise. It wasn't Chris -- Mr. Larabee she reminded herself firmly - who stood there. In the bright lamplight spilling through the doorway, Mary saw a young woman of about 20, with dark brown hair and eyes. She was dressed simply in pants, boots and shirt, an oversized suede jacket protecting her from the night's chill, but as a horse stamped impatiently in the muddy street, Mary couldn't fault her attire for a ride on a night like this.
"May I help you?" Mary inquired, and the girl nodded.
"Yes, ma'am. Does this town have a doctor?"
"Nathan is our healer. He's not a physician, per se. But he's very good treating the sick," Mary said, then proceeded to give directions to his room and sometimes office.
"Are you ill?" Mary asked with concern.
"No. It's my brother. He tangled with a cougar, and we need a doctor pretty badly," the girl said.
"Perhaps I should show you." Mary started to reach for her shawl.
"I'll find it," the girl said, then was gone abruptly, leaving Mary looking out into the night.
+ + + + + + +
Nathan Jackson finished cleaning one of his instruments, then meticulously put it away. It had shown signs of needing repair, so Nathan put off everything else until the job was finished.
He stretched and looked at the clock. It wasn't that late. Ezra and J.D. were no doubt still at the saloon, and perhaps Josiah too. And Nathan felt like a little company. He put on his hat and jacket and opened the door, surprised to find someone standing there.
"Are you the doctor?" the girl asked, and Nathan nodded.
"How can I help?" he asked.
"My brother was mauled by a cougar," the girl explained, her eyes traveling past Nathan to survey the inside of the room.
"I'll get my things," Nathan said, a job quickly accomplished as he scooped up the pack with his medical supplies. He blew out the lamp, and they made their way to the stable to saddle his horse.
"Let me just tell my friends where I'm going, then we're off," Nathan said, leading his horse from the barn.
He pulled up short at the unmistakable sound of a pistol being cocked.
"Time is of the essence," the girl said softly, and Nathan looked into a pair of very determined yet regretful brown eyes.
Nathan didn't move.
"You don't want to shoot me," he said, and the girl shook her head slightly.
"No. I don't," she answered, but the gun didn't waver.
"Well put that away then," Nathan said as he swung into the saddle. "You don't need that to make me come with you."
The girl nodded and spurred her mount, leading Nathan on a circuitous back route out of town that avoided being seen by any of the townspeople - especially the two riders she'd passed on her way into Four Corners. Nichole knew they were trouble.
+ + + + + + +
"I'm getting too old for this," Buck moaned, settling his large frame into a chair at the town's one restaurant and grabbing a biscuit.
Ezra eyed the food with distaste owing to the quantity of whiskey he had imprudently consumed the night before but sipped at a steaming cup of coffee.
"Ah, our fearless leaders approaches," he drawled as Chris came through the doorway, his easy strides encompassing a catlike grace, and took a seat opposite. Despite his all-night vigil, the man didn't even look tired, Ezra mused. But Chris rarely let what he was thinking - or feeling - show.
"Did you meet with success in keeping the brigands from our quiet town on your travels last night?" Ezra inquired, and a flicker of humor instead of irritation sparked in Chris' eyes. That was unusual, and welcome.
"Quiet as a tomb," Chris responded, pouring himself some coffee. "How'd you two make out?" he asked, directing a questioning glance toward Vin and Buck.
"Two dogs, an owl and a jackrabbit," Vin said with a grin before digging into a plate of eggs and meat.
"How long do we have to keep this up anyway?" asked Buck, shooting a sideways glance at J.D. The kid had actually taken a hand from Ezra, and his self-satisfied smile was calculated to irritate Buck.
"As long as it takes," answered Chris. "I want the rest of you to stay real visible today - especially around the bank. Where's Nathan?"
"Overslept?" Josiah guessed. He'd finished his breakfast and sat back in his chair, watching the interchange.
"Are you talking about Nathan? He's not in his room. I just came from there." Mary walked up to the table where the six sat.
"You were looking for him?" Chris asked.
"Um, yes. A young woman was looking for a doctor last night. I was wondering if everything was all right," Mary said, nodding distractedly at Ezra, who had automatically risen from his chair at her approach.
"Nathan wouldn't have left town without telling one of us first," Chris said, the sudden tension in his voice mirrored suddenly by them all.
"Not willingly," Josiah said.
"Mary, was this woman riding a roan horse?" Vin asked as they all stood up.
"I think so. A big one," Mary replied, looking from the former bounty hunter to Chris.
"You think...?" Buck looked at Vin.
"Damned pretty eyes for a boy," Vin said, and Buck nodded.
+ + + + + + +
The skies had opened up shortly after they'd left Four Corners, making it one of the coldest, most miserable rides Nathan could remember, since the war.
Nathan was grateful when they reached the small cabin isolated in the high country - that is until they entered and he found a pair of guns trained on his chest. It was a habit he was starting to dislike intensely.
"Relax, it's me," Nichole said, pushing past the two gunmen to approach a third man who lay prone on the bed.
"How are you feeling, Ben?" she asked a man in his early 20s. He was fevered, and blood oozed from rough bandages on his thigh and shoulder.
He grimaced with pain, and Nichole smoothed a hand over his brow.
"Been better," he grunted with effort.
"You'll be all right. I brought a doctor," Nichole said.
"He don't look like any doctor I ever saw," said the oldest, John, suspiciously.
"I'm the best you've got right now," said Nathan, noting that blood also stained a bandage on the man's arm. But the man on the bed was the most immediate concern. "Now can I get to work?" Nathan asked, gesturing at the weapons still pointed at him.
"Yeah," John said as the man on the bed moaned again. "Quint, check his bag first," John ordered, and Nathan handed the pack to the third man, a blond also in his 20s.
"No gun, but I wouldn't cross him," Quint said, looking at the assortment of lethal-looking knives.
"Trust him, John," Nichole said. "He didn't have to come with me."
John reluctantly holstered his weapon.
+ + + + + + +
A quick but thorough search of the town revealed no Nathan. His medical pack and horse were also missing, and the others were saddling their mounts. Vin cantered up the street, pulling up short in front of the stable.
"We just got word that gang hit the bank in Hot Springs yesterday. Got surprised by the sheriff and shot up the town on their way out," Vin said.
"Bad?" Chris asked, leather creaking as he swung into the saddle.
"Sheriff hit, couple of townsfolk, a kid. No one killed though. And another thing. Sheriff said he hit at least one of the three before they got out of town." Vin paused. "They'll be needing a doctor."
Chris nodded grimly.
"Let's ride."
+ + + + + + +
"You do good work, doc," John said, gingerly flexing his arm where Nathan had bandaged the bullet wound.
"Straight in and out," Nathan said as he cleaned his instruments. "Shouldn't give you any trouble."
On the bed Ben rested more easily, and though his wounds had been more severe, Nathan had been able to remove the bullets without too much trouble.
"We're grateful," Nichole said. It was late morning and she handed Nathan a mug of coffee, which he accepted appreciatively. The night's rain had stopped, and the sun now shone in a blue sky, trying valiantly to dry up the mud.
"Can we move him?" John asked, nodding at Ben.
"What he needs now is rest. He shouldn't be traveling," Nathan said.
"Well we can't stay here long," Quint said, running a hand through his short hair.
"How long do you think it will be before someone comes looking for you?" Nichole asked Nathan.
"Hard to say," Nathan said with a shrug.
But somehow Nichole knew better. He'd mentioned telling his friends he was leaving. And the sight of those two horsemen at the edge of town - just waiting, as if they expected trouble and were more than ready to deal with it - had her spooked.
John, too, was not one to wait for trouble to come to him.
"If the law tracks the horses here, we're caught like a calf in a pen in this cabin," John said.
"The rain bought us some time," Quint reasoned.
"Not enough," John said shortly, then made his decision.
"We'll let Ben rest two more hours. Then we'll move on to the other place. He can make it that far," John ordered.
"What about him?" Quint asked, gesturing at Nathan.
"That's a problem..."
+ + + + + + +
"Well?" Chris asked.
"I'm thinking," Vin said tersely from where he knelt in the mud.
Though an expert tracker, the heavy rain had obliterated any hoof prints, and Vin was clearly frustrated.
They were making progress, but it was painfully slow, and they had already had to backtrack twice. Chris' faith in Vin was unshakable, and he knew they would find Nathan eventually. Chris just hoped it would be in time.
Vin finally stood, heedless of the mud that splashed his boots and coat.
"This way," he said decisively, vaulting onto his horse. And the other five trailed after him unquestioningly.
+ + + + + + +
"You're not killing this man." Nichole stood between her brothers and Nathan, whose hands itched for his knives. They were in his pack by the wounded Ben. And Quint stood between him and it.
"If we leave him, he'll just set the law on our trail," John argued. Of the family, no one dared question his orders except Nichole, and he was losing patience fast.
"I brought him. I won't let you hurt him." Nichole was adamant, and John cursed under his breath. She was an expert rider and crack shot, but too softhearted, clearly not suited for the outlaw life. Not that they'd ever taken her on a raid, God forbid. If their pa were still alive he'd horsewhip them if they ever pulled such a stunt.
"It's the only way," John said, pulling his gun and advancing on Nathan, but Nichole had her own gun out now, and it was pointing square at her brother.
"There's no other way," John repeated tightly, noting the progress of the sun by the shadows in the room. They might be running out of time.
"We'll think of one," Nichole was equally determined.
"Let's just tie him up tight and leave him here," Quint broke in, and the two considered.
"It could work. He couldn't sound an alarm then," John said.
"But if no one does come to find him, he'll starve," Nichole said, wondering just how much damage the night's downpour had done to their tracks. And if indeed someone was taking the trouble to follow them. The hairs on the back of her neck prickled, as she sensed someone was, but could they find the cabin? Could she take the chance? The thought of the young black man starving over a period of days decided her.
"You two take Ben on to the other hideout. I'll keep our friend here for a few days then meet you. By that time Ben should be able to travel," Nichole said.
"I don't like it." John frowned.
"I don't like it either," Quint agreed. "Suppose they do come up here looking and catch you."
"They're not looking for me, remember. I haven't robbed any banks," Nichole reasoned, though with less confidence than usual.
"Won't make any difference to the law if they're set on finding us," John said.
"You shot that sheriff. And I'm sure that kid got hit. They'll want to find us," Quint was certain.
"That was an accident," John snapped. The stupid kid had just gotten in the way. He eyed Nichole again. It would be far easier to just kill Nathan and be done with it, but Nichole was fully capable of shooting him, and he sensed she would if pushed.
"Tie him up," he ordered Quint. And they made ready to leave.
"If they catch you..." he warned Nichole.
"I won't tell them where you are," Nichole promised, and he believed her. "But if I'm not there in a week..."
John understood and nodded. They couldn't afford to stay in any one place too long.
+ + + + + + +
It was getting dark, and Nichole spoon-fed Nathan some stew. Quint had gagged him, unnecessarily so, but Nichole hadn't removed the gag until a short while before, wanting to be alone with her troubled thoughts instead of talking.
"You're not like them. Why do you stay with them?" Nathan asked, bringing up the very subject she'd wrestled with all afternoon. She'd been sure John was going to kill Nathan, and it scared her.
"They're my brothers. They take care of me," Nichole said simply.
"Seems to me like you're taking care of them," Nathan reasoned. "Don't you have anyone else?"
"I've got an aunt in Boston. But I haven't seen her since I was small," Nichole answered.
Nathan's next question was cut short as the front and back doors crashed open simultaneously amid a splintering of wood. Seven guns - J.D. had two - were trained on them.
"What kept you?" Nathan asked, and Vin grinned with relief.
"Stopped on the trail for a nap," Vin said as he stepped forward to loosen his friend's bonds.
"Stew smells good," he observed. "Doesn't seem right to have to tie a man up to make him eat your cooking."
Damned pretty eyes, Vin thought again, which went with the rest of her. With her hair loose instead of pulled back under a hat and in the lighted cabin he could see she was exquisite.
Chris obviously had other things on his mind.
"Search the place," he ordered, and J.D., Ezra and Josiah went back outside to make sure the site was as empty as it looked.
Chris noted the used bandages and bloody bed sheets.
"Have an accident?" he quipped dryly.
"Cut myself shaving," Nichole replied unruffled, though he sensed the fear lurking just underneath.
Well, if she thought she was frightened now...
She stood as he approached, and Chris grasped her chin gently, then slowly withdrew his knife and laid the sharp blade of it against her cheek so she could feel the coolness.
"Where are they?" Chris asked softly, his eyes as cold as a frozen sea.
Buck shifted uncomfortably, but Vin watched the scene calmly. By now he knew Chris well enough to know he was bluffing.
The girl didn't, and she swallowed hard.
"You'll have to find them yourself," Nichole said, and Vin shook his head in admiration at the show of courage.
Chris swore softly and put away the knife. It was too dark to start out after them now. They would have to wait until morning.
+ + + + + + +
"Last chance," Chris, already mounted, invited Vin as the younger man leaned against a support post in front of the jail.
"Someone needs to stay here with the kid," Vin answered, though it wasn't the real reason. The posse from Hot Springs had their own tracker. And although Chris and some of the others had volunteered to help search, Vin didn't figure they needed him.
They'd questioned the girl unsuccessfully for two days, but it was obvious her loyalty to her brothers ran deep. Chris wouldn't allow her hurt, but the sheriff from Hot Springs was mean as a bear with his shoulder wound, and Vin didn't trust him. He was planning to move her from the jail at Four Corners to Hot Springs, and Vin didn't like that one bit.
He watched the posse ride out of town, passing the stage as it lumbered in.
The door to the jail opened, and J.D., Nathan and Nichole came outside.
"That was too close," J.D. said worriedly, watching as the stage drew to a stop.
"We have time," Vin assured him.
Nichole smiled. She'd traded her riding clothes for a deep blue dress, and Vin doubted even Ezra would have the words to describe how beautiful she looked.
"Good luck in Boston," Vin told her.
"Thank you. Thank you all." Nichole gave Nathan and J.D. a quick hug, then Vin escorted her to the stagecoach and kissed her long before helping her up.
J.D.'s eyes grew round. Nathan just laughed.
"I'll never forget you," Nichole told Vin as the driver closed the door.
"Better not," Vin answered with his old easy smile.
Then the stage was gone. The three watched as it pulled out of town and out of sight.
"Chris is going to be mad," J.D. predicted nervously.
"Oh yeah," Nathan agreed.
Vin was still watching the direction the stage had gone.
"I'll handle Chris," Vin said.
"I mean real mad," J.D. said.
"Maybe," Vin allowed, starting to walk back up the street. Whatever the cost would be. It was worth it.
The End