Trust and Doubt
TRUST
I don't believe it. He wouldn't do something like this. There has to be some explanation. Something Chris aint telling us. I bet it's a top secret undercover operation of some kind. Something the two of them are involved in that's so secret they've been forbidden to tell even us. Yeah. That has to be it. Because I just can't believe he would run off like that. Leave us like that. No matter how pretty she was. Not Vin. Would he?
When Chris called us into his office this morning, we knew something was wrong. He looked old and tired. Like he hadn't slept in a month of Sundays. He looked something else as well. Disappointed? Defeated? I don't know how to explain it exactly, but for the first time since I'd known him, Chris Larabee looked like maybe something was too much for him to handle. That scared me. Because I always thought there was nothing that man couldn't do. It was like an unwritten law of the universe or something.
I looked around for Vin, since he's the best at calming our leader down. Without getting hurt in the process. But I didn't see him. So, like the damn fool kid that Buck's always tellin' me I am, I asked where Vin was.
"On his way to Brazil." That's what Chris told us. Seems Vin ran off with the star witness in our arson case. The high profile one, with the beautiful young wife, Charlotte is her name, testifying against her husband. We all just sat there for a minute, sure that Chris was gonna tell us that it was all part of some plan. But he didn't.
But that's part of the plan, right? Not telling us. That was all just an act in there. Chris has worked undercover, for God's sake. He knows how to fake it. Well enough to fool even us. Right? Because I trust Vin. I have to trust Vin. If I don't, then this Magnificent Seven thing is only so much B.S. And I refuse to believe that. It's real. I know it is.
There's Ezra. I'll ask him what he thinks. He'll give it to me straight. Old Mr. Cynical Pants, himself. If he believes in Vin, then it's got to be alright. And him and Vin have always had a sort of weird understanding. Different from Vin and Chris. I can't explain it, but I know it's there.
DOUBT
What do I think? I think, Mr. Dunne, that I am not going to be the one to shatter that precious naivete of yours. That trust you have in your fellow man, despite everything that has happened to you. I think I'm not going to tell you that Mr. Tanner has proved himself to be no more than an ordinary mortal, much like the rest of us. Heroes, Kings and countries. All have been brought down by a pretty face in the past. And will be again in the future, no doubt. So at least our Mr. Tanner is in good company.
May he rot in Hell, the bastard. I should have known it would prove too good to be true. Mother always warned me to look out for number one. Because everyone lets you down eventually. Money was the only thing one could rely on. But I thought that perhaps, this time, I had found something which would prove her wrong. Found six someones. You made me believe that the concepts of friendship, loyalty and honor were not just the stuff of legend. Made me believe that perhaps there was something to this Magnificent Seven business. That we were special. Above the lies and betrayals that characterize most relationships. Damn me for a fool.
Why, Mr. Tanner? What made her so special? More important than your oaths? Your career? Your honor? Us? I want to believe that JD is correct. That this is nothing more than an elaborate scheme on the part of you and Mr. Larabee. That the powers that be have some objective they have ordered you to pursue. That in a few weeks, we will all be sitting in Inez's saloon. You will be attempting to talk me into snowboarding with you and JD, once again. Mr. Larabee will be his usual grumpy self. Not this cold, grim looking creature I can see sitting at his desk. I wish I could believe it. But I can't.
I look at JD's face. At those pleading brown eyes.
"I have no doubt that there is a perfectly logical explanation for this turn of events, Mr. Dunne."
I'm not only a fool, I'm a liar, as well.
The End