The Prince of Thieves

The character of William Beasley is modelled after the great character actor from both Hercules and Burn Notice, Bruce Campbell.

The trip into Lewisburg had been more difficult than expected. As they waded through streams and rode through valleys, the blue eyed one's mood continued to deteriorate. He had spent seven days in the saddle; seven days of surviving on canned tomatoes and the occasional rabbit; seven days of sleeping under cloudy skies on cold, wet grass, hoping against the odds that it would hold off till morning to rain again, only to be sorely disappointed. Even as the clouds parted on their final day, he remained grumpy; irritated with the gloomy weather and an empty stomach that wouldn't settle; annoyed at the horse that just wouldn't move as quick as he wanted. Most of all he was upset at his partner, whom he felt was responsible for their discomfort. He hadn't wanted to take this job, but Heyes had insisted. Heyes was confident that by delivering some important documents to a Colonel Baker, their names, or to be more accurate, their aliases would make it all the way to the Lieutenant Governor's office. After confirming with Lom, he stated matter-of-factly, that this job would help improve their chances for an amnesty at the end of the year. Kid wasn't convinced. All he saw was a long ride in not enough time. They had to ride most of the day and part of the night, just to make it in the eight days they had. Despite his constant longing, they couldn't take any detours for a comfortable bed, a bath, or even a decent meal.

Travelling through another valley, Kid's horse groaned in protest as he not-so-gently urged the mare up a slight embankment, "C'mon girl, just a little further."

"You keep beating that horse and she won't move a lick."

Kid shot Heyes a look of ire, "I'll worry about my horse Heyes, you worry about yours."

It was almost noon by the time they finally rode into Lewisburg. Above, the sun was high; for the first time in days there wasn't a rain cloud in sight. Finally, we catch a break, Heyes optimistically thought as his horse splashed in the puddles that spotted the street. Pulling their horses to a stop in front of Jackson's Livery, they dismounted.

Taking his reins, Kid roughly handed them to his partner and stated simply, "I'm getting a room."

Heyes watched as his weary partner walked away towards the hotel. He had known Kid long enough to know better than to challenge him when he was in one of these moods. Kid never handled hunger or sleep deprivation well, and when he was suffering from both he knew that was the time to just back out Kid's line of sight… and quickly.

Upon paying the man at the livery, he also made his way towards the hotel. For a small town, Lewisburg took pride in its appearance. The storefronts were brightly colored, each sported large picture windows, through which you could tell that the insides were well kept, conveying a sign of class that one just didn't expect in a western town. On one end of town stood a church, its stained glass windows matched the exuberance of the buildings nearby. Outside its main doors stood a trio of crosses, one a bit larger than the others. Just a little ways to its right was an equally large building, the Lewisburg Bank and Trust and next to it, the Mayor's office. Taking a sideways glance to the building across from the hotel, Heyes took quick note of the name on the sign: Sheriff Andre Rollins. Heyes smiled; there was nothing he loved more than seeing an unfamiliar name on the sheriff's door.

With one last glance down the street for any familiar faces, Heyes entered the hotel. The inside of the hotel was elegant and contained an air of opulence. Around the walls were various tapestries and artwork, and the furniture was reminiscent of the larger hotels in Denver and San Francisco. The floors were a cherry wood, with ornate rugs protecting it from the scuffs of heels and sliding of luggage. With a quick survey, it was obvious why a decorated veteran and a politician might choose a place like this to meet. As Heyes approached the front desk, a squat man appeared from over the counter. He was short and balding; his dark suit worn tight. As he looked up at the reformed outlaw his nose wrinkled in obvious distaste. "May I help you?"

"Yes, I'm here to meet a Colonel Baker, has he arrived yet?"

The man paused, unsure whether to give this man any information, "And who, may I ask, is inquiring?"

"Joshua Smith, he's expecting me."

The clerk rifled through some of his papers until he found the one he was looking for. "Ah, yes, Colonel Baker. Yes, it does say that he is to be meeting a Mr. Smith." He again eyed Heyes suspiciously. "According to this note, he is running a few days late. He should arrive Friday, by train."

Heyes took in a deep breath, he could only imagine Kid's response when he finds out they busted their necks to get to Lewisburg in eight days, just to find out they hadn't needed to. He tried to smile, "Very well. My partner, Thaddeus Jones came in about 30 minutes ago to get a room."

"Oh, the two of you are together." The man's gaze travelled down and then back up, barely meeting Heyes' eyes. "I should have known. Yes, room 14A, up the stairs and to your left." He handed him a key to the room. "Would you like to have a bath brought up?"

"Yes, please."

"Well, at least you have a bit of manners; I thought your friend was going to draw on me when I asked him."

It was an easy four hours before Heyes walked back into the hotel room. After cleaning up he decided to let his partner rest as he checked out the remainder of the town. He was pleased that, once appearing respectable, the town was indeed friendly and welcoming. As he walked down the street he received more than one "how do you do" and he was most pleased that this greeting came from several pretty ladies. A few, he noted, he would have to make a point to begin a conversation with at some point in their stay. After feeling confident that the town held no one that could do him or his partner harm, he attended to his own rumbling stomach and had a meal; part of which he now carried in his hands.

Back at the room, he slowly opened the door, unsure if his partner had woken and even less sure about what mood he would encounter if he was in fact awake. With one look he could tell his friend's mood had improved with a nap, but only just slightly.

Kid had been leaning over the wash basin finishing his shave when he heard the knob turn. Before the door could be completely opened, he had gun in hand, ready to respond to any unfriendly faces. But at the sight of his partner, he re-deposited the weapon in the holster on the end of the bed and returned to the basin, removing the last bit of soap. As he towel dried the remainder of the water, he asked, "Get rid of them papers yet?"

Heyes quietly walked over and carefully set what he had been carrying on the dresser. "Brought you back something to eat. The restaurant makes an amazing sandwich. It has ham and turkey, cheese, bacon…"

Kid unwrapped the food and took a huge bite, while still glaring intently at his partner. Between bites he asked again. "Get rid of them papers yet?"

"We'll talk about that later." Heyes dropped his hat in the chair and walked over to the second bed and sat down.

Without another word, Kid walked to his gun holster and pulled out his pistol. Checking the bullets in the gun, he spoke again, "I asked, did you get rid of them papers yet?"

Heyes frowned, "Ya know, Kid. You're attitude has been really unpleasant lately."

Kid snapped the pistol back into place and glared at his partner. "Are you going to answer the question, or do we need to go outside?"

Heyes tilted his head in exasperation. He had known Kid all his life and they had been partners for the better part of seven years, so he had no doubt that Kid wasn't serious in his threat. But he also realized that his attempt to forego the inevitable was fruitless. "Fine, Colonel Baker won't be here till Friday."

"Friday!"

"Yes."

"You mean we rode in the rain…"

"Yes."

"Slept in the rain…"

"Yes."

"Were cold down to the bone, cause we couldn't stop and find a hotel…"

"Yes!"

"Starved ourselves for the eight days…"

"Yes!"

"For nothing!"

Heyes rose and walked to stand in front of his angry partner, "Not for nothing, for our amnesty; so that we can prove to the Governor that we can work an honest job. Not to mention the $75 we're getting paid."

Kid forcefully holstered his pistol, "I would've paid $75 for one night in a hotel and decent meal, instead of having rocks for pillows and that rawhide you tried to pass off as rabbit."

Heyes sighed and tried desperately not to lose his temper at his exasperating friend. "Finish the sandwich, perhaps after a full meal you might find yourself in a better mood."

"Heyes, it's going to take more than one meal for that."

To Heyes' relief, Kid was wrong. After finishing a sizeable steak, he could see his friend begin to relax. His shoulders loosened, his blue eyes softened and the occasional smile began to present itself. By the time Kid had taken the last bite, he asked Heyes to tell him a bit more about the town, most specifically the friendly ladies.

With the rough week put firmly behind them and no plans for the few days in front, they decided to check out the local saloon. They had been given an advance of $20 to make the trip, so with that they felt confident to see what the local gambling room had to offer.

Kid was the first to enter the saloon and just as the restaurant had been, it had been decorated nicely. It was large and brightly lit and, to the boy's delight, contained several tables meant for poker as well as a few gaming machines. Along the side wall ran the bar, the top of which shined as brightly as the mirrors that hung behind it and above which hung a shelf, upon which stood a vast array of liquor bottles. As they walked towards the bar they did a general sweep of the room. It was fairly empty. The gaming tables were not currently in use, but in the middle of the room a lone table was being utilized by a trio of men. The men were dressed nice, decent suits; their gun belts sat lazily on their hips and the leather of the belts looked new, not even broken in. The men laughed as they played, and Heyes smiled at the sense of familiarity among them. Devil's Hole had never struck around these parts, so the chance of a local recognizing them was slim.

In the back of the room, a couple of saloon girls relaxed casually against a set of stairs. At the sight of new faces, the taller of the two signaled to the other and they seductively brushed their hair away from their buxom figures and walked to greet the two strangers.

As they approached they smiled and, unable to control themselves, the boys smiled back. Kid had just been handed his beer when the girls reached their sides. The taller of the two stood just to the left of Kid, her focus intently on his blue eyes, while her friend stood squarely to the right of Heyes. "You two are new in town. Name's Delilah, this is Francine. Any thing we can help you with?" She asked as she took her fore finger and ran it down the buttons on Kid's blue shirt.

He laughed, and instinctively placed one hand on her waist, "Not just now, perhaps later."

With a disappointed smile, she shrugged and with a tug on her friend's sleeve, they turned and went back to their post on the steps.

As they watched the girls retreat, Kid smiled, "Ya know what Heyes, I'm thinking I might be able to get used to a town like this."

"I couldn't agree more." Heyes said, with an impish grin.

"Well now, if this isn't a sight for sore eyes."

The voice was low and came from behind. Kid and Heyes slowly turned and saw a gentleman standing at the end of the bar with his elbow resting lazily across the corner. He wore a grey business suit with a dark shirt underneath that protruded around a belly that had seen its share of well cooked meals. His dark hair was cut short and his eyes conveyed a sense of mischievousness that was apparent to anyone that took the time to look. His hip remained bare, vacant of the six-gun that was standard attire in any saloon, even in a town such as this.

Heyes smiled and, with Kid just behind him, greeted the man with an outstretched hand.

The gentleman firmly accepted the hand offered and in turn greeted Kid with one as well. "It's been what, ten years now?"

Heyes laughed, "At least. Kid, I want to introduce you to my old friend, William Beasley."

"So this is the famous Kid Curry, eh?"

With a quick glance to see if anyone noticed their identities being revealed, Heyes leaned close and whispered, "For now, I'm Joshua Smith, he's Thaddeus Jones."

The man looked incredulous, "You're kidding right? Smith and Jones? Wouldn't 'ImAWantedOutlawArrestMeNow' be a little less obvious?"

Heyes chuckled again, "An old friend of ours, Lom Trevors, gave us the names."

"Lom Trevors, haven't heard that name in years. How is old Lom anyway, still cavorting on the wrong side of the law?"

"You wouldn't believe it Will, but he's a sheriff now."

"Like I said, still cavorting on the wrong side of the law," he deadpanned.

Heyes lightly put his hand on his shoulder, "Will, why don't we get a quiet table and you can tell us what brings you into Lewisburg."

With a single glance Heyes saw the perfect spot. In the back of the room sat a lone table amid the gaming machines. Furthest away from anyone else, it also gave the perfect view of the coming and goings of the room. Each, with beer in hand, made their way towards it. Kid and Heyes immediately chose the seats against the wall that provided the best view of the room.

Once everyone was settled Heyes took another scan of the room to ensure they held no one's undivided attention, "Alright Will, why are you in town?"

Will stared over the rim of his glass and asked, "Oh, and what makes you think I don't live here?"

Heyes smiled, "Because I know you."

"Yeah, and I know you too. Which makes me ask the same question, what brings you into town?"

"A job."

"Yeah, that's what I figured." He chuckled as he took another drink.

"An honest job; we were hired to deliver some important papers to a man here. We're meeting him on Friday."

Will put the beer down and leaned back in the chair, aghast, "Don't tell me the rumors are true."

"What rumors?"

He pointed back and forth between the two outlaws, "The two of you, going straight?"

Heyes glanced up at Kid, then back at his old friend, "Been almost six months now."

Will sat up and leaned in towards Heyes, "Heyes, why didn't you come to me? I could have helped."

"How could you have helped?"

"I could've gotten you back on track. Look, I know technology is growing by leaps and bounds, but I could have helped you stay on top of it. Tell me, what was it, the P&H '78?"

"What?"

"Granted, it's harder to get into than the older models, but with just the right amount of nitro and timing..."

Heyes' eyes widened, "I know how to get into a P&H!"

Will put an understanding hand on his shoulder, "I understand, it happens to the best of us. We get used to the same routine and then they put something new out. Makes us feel a bit… inadequate."

"That's not why we quit!"

"I'm just saying you should have come to me." Casually, he leaned back in his chair.

"Will, believe it or not, we wanted to go straight." With a glance sideways, he noticed that Kid was trying to stifle his own laughter. "What's so funny?"

Kid put his beer back on the table, "You've got to admit, on our last job you couldn't open the Brooker 202."

Will laughed, "Ah the Brooker series, those are tough to get into as well. It took me a solid three hours to get into one."

"I could have gotten into it; we just ran out of time." Heyes took a large drag off his beer. "Besides, you still haven't answered my question, why are you here?"

Will shifted uncomfortable in his chair, "Oh, nothing really. Just doing a bit of prospecting is all."

Kid looked at the man, suspiciously, "You're a prospector?"

"What he means Kid, is that he's prospecting for a hit. What's it going to be Will, the bank, a con on a rich citizen?"

"C'mon Heyes, you know I haven't pulled a robbery in years."

"No, I know the law doesn't know you've pulled a robbery in years. There's a difference." Heyes smiled, wide.

"Besides, banks and petty jobs are for the younger generation; they're for kids like the two of you. Granted, I like to stay on top of the new technology, but I consider myself more of a mentor than a doer. You know, teaching the up and coming thieves, just like I did with you."

"That is, until you see a job that's worth the risk. Like the Heisman Heist in Phoenix last year?"

"How did you know about that?"

"Will, there are only two people in this region that can break into a Brooker 109 without dynamite. One opened it; the other got blamed for it." Heyes' smile faded and his eyes grew dark.

He swallowed hard, "Oh, right, I did hear something about that." He looked nervously from Heyes to Kid, "But what's one more job tacked to your record, not like you don't have a dozen or so similar jobs you're wanted for anyway."

"Except quite a few of those aren't ours either." Kid replied darkly.

Will gave a half-laugh then nervously finished his beer. "Right."

"So why don't you finish tellin' Heyes and me exactly what you are prospectin' for?"

"Oh, nothing you'd be interested in. I'm meeting a fella here, name's Hudson, Jeremy Hudson. He's planning a con up at Colorado Springs, involves a couple of the older safes and he wants me to be a part of it. So, I thought I'd look into it, see if it's worth the hassle."

"How much older are the safes?" Heyes asked.

"Old, real old. In fact, I can name at least four guys that can get them open in less than an hour."

"And that's it?"

"That's it."

"Do you believe him?" Kid asked as he dropped his hat in the chair near the door of the hotel room.

Heyes lit the lantern as he contemplated the question he had just been asked. It was a question he had asked himself several times as the day had worn on.

Their conversation had ended well with Will, with each man retelling stories of jobs past. They told Kid the story of how they met. It had been about six months before he joined the Plumber gang. It had been Will that taught him the intricacies of opening a safe, both with and without explosives. He had been his mentor and, in a way, like a father figure to him, gently guiding him into a life of crime.

He owed much of his success to Will, and it was out of that respect that he was never too upset when he was blamed for a crime committed by his old friend. To a certain extent he had been flattered that the law thought he could pull off some of his more ingenious heists. But with each one he was credited with, it would then force him to go and perform a similar job. He wasn't sure if it was pride or a sense of showing Will that he could do it, but something in him always had to know that he was just as good as the man that taught him.

"I just don't know." Methodically, he removed his gun belt, placed it around the top of the head board, and laid down on the bed with his hands resting easily on his stomach and his black hat covering his eyes.

Kid leaned against the post of his own bed, staring down at his friend. "You know that we can't afford to take credit for another one of his heists?"

"I know Kid."

"So, if he ain't tellin' us the truth, we're going to have to do something about it."

Heyes let out a long sigh, admitting the one fact that he hadn't wanted to think about. "Yeah, Kid… I know."

Kid knew Heyes was conflicted about his friend. Letting him sleep, he left the room and made his way back to the saloon. After his nap earlier in the day, he was wide awake and ready to partake in all the things the town had to offer. As he walked through the swinging doors, he again spotted Will Beasley. His name had been familiar to him from the earliest moments in Devil's Hole. He had been irate the first time they were blamed for a job they didn't commit, but then he saw the fire in Heyes' eyes. It wasn't one of anger at the unjust accusation; instead it was the fire of a challenge. For each heist it had been like a gauntlet had been thrown down saying "see if you can do better." And without fail, Heyes did. It was always a bigger job and a bigger haul. For that reason alone, he accepted the additional items on their warrants, but things had changed. Now they had their amnesty at stake. And unfortunately for Mr. Beasley, Kid didn't have the same warm feelings towards him that Heyes held.

The next morning Kid sat at the table devouring every morsel of the breakfast that had been placed in front of him. After a week of what he considered near starvation, he took every opportunity to make it up to his neglected stomach. As he used the last bit of toast to soak up the remainder of his eggs he looked up to see his partner heading towards him with newspaper in tow. "You missed breakfast."

Heyes paused behind the chair before pulling it out and sitting down, "I ate already."

"Any word from Colonel Baker?" Heyes shook his head no. "This town is not so bad. Food's good, plus I won $15 last night after you turned in. The local players aren't that smart; never saw a two pair they didn't like." He chuckled, "Your friend wasn't doing too bad either, when I left he looked like he was up a bit." Heyes tried to smile but with one glance, Kid frowned. "What is it?"

Heyes slowly folded the paper in half, turned it over and handed it across the table.

Kid read aloud, "T.F. Ayres and Company to display rare 15 ct diamond in the mayor's office before it is delivered to San Francisco to be auctioned off at Applebees. Any interested bidders may make their appointment with the receptionist." Kid looked up at his solemn friend. "This is why Will is in town."

"Looks like it." Heyes took back the paper and scanned over it again. "The gem is coming in tomorrow morning by train; it will be accompanied by no less than three U.S. Marshalls. The stone is of the purest quality with an estimated value of a quarter of a million dollars."

"Does it say what kind of safe they're bringing it in?"

"A Brooker 409, the brand new one."

Kid winced at the name, "One you can't get into?"

"One I haven't tried to get into." He corrected.

"And Will?"

Heyes shrugged, "Kid, he's the best."

"Problem is, only you and I know he's the best. The problem is the rest of the world thinks you're the best. If he opens that safe and takes that stone, you're the one they are going to blame. And there goes our amnesty."

"You're right."

"Yeah, well I say we get out of here right now. We can go to Porterville and see Lom. That way, if he does steal the stone, we'll have an alibi."

Heyes shook his head no. "Can't. You heard how important these papers are, we can't go anywhere until Colonel Baker arrives."

"But he ain't gonna get here till Friday."

"Right and the diamond will only be on display till Friday. If it is what Will is after, he'll grab it by then. Too many people have seen us, if the names Heyes and Curry are even whispered they'll know it was us."

"So we can't stay."

"Right."

"And we can't leave?"

"Right."

"So what can we do?"

"Don't know yet."

"Heyes, remind me again why you were always the smart one?"

"The least you could have done was invite me in on the job." Will stood, frozen as he heard his friend's voice behind him. Slowly, he replaced the half-full glass of whisky back on the bar and turned to meet the dark eyes that peered mercilessly from under the dark hat.

He tried to smile. "Mr. Smith, I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about."

Heyes smiled, but it did not reach his eyes. "Flawless fifteen carat diamond? That should make for a pretty nice payday."

"Oh, I would agree. And I'm sure T.F. Ayres will be extremely happy with the winning bid."

Heyes roughly grabbed the man by the elbow and led him to a secluded area at the end of the bar. "Are you really going to deny that's why you're here?"

"C'mon Heyes, think of the logistics of this. If I were to steal that rock, there would be no way I could sell it outright. First, I would have to find someone to cut it down; then someone to distribute it; and hope that I don't get double crossed on either occasion and all while having half of the Bannermen detectives on my heels."

"Except they won't be on your heels, they'll be on mine."

"Don't be crazy. No one in town knows who you and the Kid are."

"They don't have to know us; you opening up that safe will be enough."

"I thought you couldn't get into a Brooker? The law knows that, don't they?"

Heyes sighed, "I can get into a Brooker; and the law knows that in both Fort Worth and St. Louis."

"Look, this is all moot, I still haven't admitted to planning that job anyway."

"Don't try to lie to me again Will, every time we've been blamed for one of your heists we haven't fought back, but this time is different, this time it won't work."

"Why is it different? It's still armed robbery, isn't it? You're facing 20 years, regardless of whether or not someone takes that diamond."

"Because it is different." Heyes took in a deep breath "The Governor of Wyoming has promised us an amnesty if we can stay out of trouble for a year or so. If you, or anyone else, steal that diamond they will think it was us, and I can't let that happen."

Will walked back to the bar, deep in thought. After downing the remainder of the whiskey he turned back to face Heyes. "Fine, I've been studying the 400 series for the past year. They're strong, but not impenetrable. You can come with me, just like the good ole days. I was supposed to meet up with Jeremy this afternoon, but I'll send him away and you can take his place. Honestly, I'd rather have you and the Kid at my back anyway. We'll get the gem, take it to my guy in Cheyenne to be cut down, and then we split the take, 60/40."

"You're not listening; I don't want part of the take."

"Come off it Heyes, you're a born thief, just like me. And you know what they say about men like us, the more we have, the more we want."

"I don't have anything."

"Well, then you would definitely want more."

Heyes released an audible sigh at his friend's logic. "All I want is my amnesty."

"I'm sorry old friend, but that's your problem. This job is going to net me enough to go far away. I was thinking South America, or one of those pretty Pacific Islands you always hear about."

Heyes' eyes softened, "I'm asking as a friend. Call off this job. Don't make me have to stop you."

Will put a gentle hand on Heyes' shoulder, "And exactly how would you to do that, hmm? Are you going to warn T.F. Ayres when they are convinced their security is air tight? Perhaps go to the sheriff and hope he doesn't take a second look at you? I'm not a wanted man; it'll just be your word against mine. Your only other option is have the Kid shoot me down, then the two of you would be wanted for murder, not to mention I know for a fact that neither of you have become killers. So tell me Heyes, exactly how are you going to stop me?"

The door slammed behind him as he walked into the room. With tightly controlled anger, Heyes paced as he filled Kid in on his conversation with Will. Kid stayed quiet during Heyes' rant, silently cleaning his gun as he watched his friend try to work his way out of a problem that he knew was too big for him.

Kid had almost finished cleaning his gun when Heyes finally calmed down enough to ask, "Any ideas?"

Kid shrugged, "Send word to Lom, have him warn the law about Will."

"That's a terrible idea." He resumed his pacing.

"You just asked for ideas, you didn't say it had to be a good one."

Giving up, he turned and sat on the end of the bed. "Kid, I just can't work it out."

"We could always tie him up until Friday. Let him go after the diamond is on its way to San Francisco."

"He knows we plan to stop him, he'll be watching for that. Plus, we don't know what type of trouble we'll run into with this Jeremy fella."

Kid nodded and agreed, "We could keep watch on the Mayor's office; try to stop them when they go for it. He might know I won't kill him, but he might think twice about a bullet in the leg."

"Kid…"

"Look Heyes, what other choice do we have? We can't leave, we can't really stay and as long as he's free and that stone is in that safe, he's going to go for it."

Heyes' eyes lit up and a wide smile came across his face, "That's it."

"What's it?"

"As long as the stone is in that safe, he's going to make a go for it."

"Right."

"What if the diamond wasn't there… what if we take it first?"

Kid grew concerned, quick, "Heyes…"

"Think about it Kid, we go in, open up the safe and take the diamond, and then we won't have to worry about Will getting it."

"But we'll get blamed anyway, and still lose our amnesty."

"Except, we won't keep it. We'll just hold on to it until Friday when we give it back."

"Heyes, I ain't no lawyer, but I'm pretty sure we'll get arrested for taking the diamond, even if it is just for a day or two."

"Right, that's why we're going to hide it somewhere the law and Will can't find it."

"And where's that?"

"In the brand new Pierce & Hamilton 1880 sitting in the Lewisburg Bank and Trust."

"And you think you can get into a P&H '80 without nitro?"

"No… I know I can."

After a few rounds of poker with some of the locals, Heyes had been able to gather enough information to formulate a plan. The train with the diamond would arrive the following morning. The law's main concern was a robbery at gunpoint while it is on display. So, security would be higher during the day, leaving a skeleton crew of a single man at night. T.F. Ayres felt confident that once inside the safe the diamond would be secure, so they only required one man to keep watch.

After losing just enough to avoid any suspicion, Heyes made a beeline for the bank. As the teller changed his bill into coins, Heyes surveyed his surroundings. The bank was fairly new, brightly lit from the windows that lined the walls. With a glance up he saw the object of his desire. On the second floor, overlooking the commotion below, sat a brand new P & H 1880. Leaving the bank, Heyes made a brisk sweep of the building. He discovered that one set of bars on a rear window was old and rusted. The bolts hung on the wall loosely and with just enough pressure should come off easily. It amused him that the aura of class only extended to the publically viewable sides of the building.

Back at the hotel, he was pacing again. Except this time, he had a fire in his eyes; a fire that Kid always related to a sizeable payday. He enjoyed coming up with plans; the more detailed, the more intricate, the better. It kept his brain nimble and active. While pacing, he explained. They would break into the mayor's office and after tying up the guard they would open the safe and get the diamond. Afterwards, they would go next door to the bank. Once there, they would open that safe and place the diamond safely inside. The only unknown was when Will planned to make his move as well. Because of this uncertainty, they agreed that it would be best to make their move just after midnight on the first night.

"So, what do you think?"

"I think you still haven't told me why you are so sure you can get into a Broker 409, let alone a P&H '80."

Heyes sat down across from Kid, "Oh, yeah. Well, you remember that job you took in Nevada, about a month ago?"

"Yeah, what about it?"

"While I was on my way to meet you I stopped in this little town for a few nights. On the last night, I played poker with a local doctor; horrible gambler. The more he lost, the more he gambled."

"Like Dr. Beauregard."

"Exactly. By the end of the night he was down to nothing, but was sure he could win on three eights. So, into the pot went his watch and his medical bag."

"And…"

"What was I going to do with a medical bag? I gave him his stuff back, everything except those little rubber tubes of his." His smile widened. "Later that night I took a walk outside. Guess what I saw… across the street they were building a brand new bank and right in the middle was a brand new P&H 1880."

"And…"

"Since I couldn't sleep noways, I waited until the town was nice and quiet and everyone had gone home. I walked over to the bank with those rubber tubes and in a little over an hour had it open."

"And you think the same will work on a Brooker?"

"Kid, with enough time I can get into a 202 on my own. With these rubber tubes…."

"Yeah, but this ain't a 202, it's a 409."

"Would you stop you're worryin'."

"Nope, cause me worryin' is what's kept the both of us alive all this time."

The town was a bustle with activity the following morning. Kid slowly rocked on the front porch of the hotel as he watched the commotion going on around him. The train had arrived earlier than expected. Three U.S. Marshals escorted several men as they moved the safe from the baggage car to the Mayor's office. Not wanting to draw any attention to himself, Kid pulled his brown hat low as the men made their way in front of the hotel. Once the safe was secured inside the office, two of them stood like sentries outside the front door. Coming across the square, Heyes tipped his hat to the passing ladies as he approached his watchful partner. Sitting in a chair just to Kid's left; Heyes lit a cigar and smiled.

"I have an appointment at noon to see the diamond. The back window has a loose lock, shouldn't take more than a minute to get in."

"That's assuming the U.S. Marshall doesn't hear and stop us first."

"Kid…"

Kid continued, "I went by the livery earlier to check on the horses. I was able to get everything we need to take care of the Marshal once we're inside. And I'll go over to the general store later to get the supplies for the bank."

"Good."

"And have you come up with a plan for Will if he shows up while we're in there?"

Heyes thought for a moment and then smiled, "Yeah, finish the job before he does."

Kid hated violence; he always had. So it pleased him none to pull the U.S. Marshall down to tie and gag him while Heyes quickly covered his face with a feed sack from the livery. Hand gestures replaced words as Heyes signaled the spot to sit the guard and motioned for Kid to bring him the dimly lit lantern as he readied himself for the job at hand. Once everything was in place, Heyes sat in front of the safe with the stethoscope pressed tightly to the cover, listening for the sweet sound of a tumbler finding its home with the turn of the dial. Kid quietly sat in a chair beside the still-struggling marshal, gently nudging him with the end of his pistol whenever the noises became a bit too audible.

He hated watching Heyes work, especially now that the risk was more than just money, now it was their freedom. But Kid's job wasn't to focus on the safe, or the fall of the tumblers, instead it was the room. He listened for anyone outside, prepared at any moment to react to any unexpected response to their going-ons. He watched the windows for shadows of a passerby or of another criminal that was after the same goal as they. This was a new worry for him. In their outlaw days, it was rare, if ever to run into another gang while on a job. With heightened anxiety, his eyes continued to dart from the front door to the side window, just waiting…

Heyes relaxed into the sweet sounds of the safe, tuning out any other sound that might occur around him. One tic at a time he turned the dial to the left and then to the right. Even with the tubes, the sounds of the tumblers were almost imperceptible. He strained his ears to hear that faint sound, that slight change that would indicate that the tumbler had found its home. Once, twice he turned the handle, only to find the safe would not yield. Taking a deep breath, he looked up to see his friend staring back at him. A look of concern was obvious in his blue eyes. He nervously smiled. He wanted to tell Kid to not worry, but with a glance at the now-still guard, he remained silent. He was slowly regretting his decision to not bring at least a single stick of dynamite. He breathed deep and once again listened. He was sure he had the first two numbers; it was just the third that he couldn't quite hear, but then…

A smile spread across his face as he slowly pulled the lever. Kid sat up as it continued its downward track, the lock slowly releasing the treasures it held inside. He grabbed the lantern and sat beside Heyes as they stared into the dark abyss. Reaching in, Heyes pulled out a wooden box that was kept closed by a small lock. Reaching for his set of picks, Heyes made quick work of undoing the lock. Inside, tucked within a dark velvet bag, Heyes felt the sharp edges of the stone. Unable to contain himself, he opened the bag and brought the jewel to light. It was perfect, the cuts were precise, the shine was bright and the depth was clear. With a nudge from Kid, he shook off the trance and made haste replacing it in the bag. After closing the empty box, he returned it to its home in the safe. With a motion to the Kid, they softly went back to the window and made their way out.

Kid was pleased. After securing the diamond, they quietly made their way to the bank. Heyes had been right; one of the windows was protected by aging metal. The steel had turned brown with rust around the edges and the bolts were slowly edging their way away from the building. With the tools from the general store they quickly worked on the bolts, inch by inch aiding their escape from the concrete entrapment. Within an hour they had the bars fully removed and Heyes was able to open the window. Once inside they made their way to the second floor. Once again, Heyes sat in front of the safe while Kid paced, his eyes and ears tuned to the sound of any unfamiliar movement.

It took Heyes longer than he liked, but two hours later, he once again heard the falling of the last tumbler. Wiping the sweat from his brow, he opened the heavy door and peered inside.

"Where are you going to put it?" Kid asked.

Heyes looked around. Stooping, he looked under the bottom shelf to find the area full of papers and files. Heyes removed one stack of paper and placed the diamond behind it. Standing, he couldn't help but notice stacks upon stacks of beautiful greenbacks that stared out from the darkness. Instinctively, he reached out. His fingertips graced the edges of the top stack, yearning for a tighter embrace. In all the banks he robbed, he knew none of them contained the amount that he saw before him. He tried to swallow, looking up he saw Kid had the same expression that he himself felt. "Just ain't fair, is it Kid?"

"Nope Heyes, it sure ain't."

Stepping back, he slowly closed the safe, keeping his hand on the outside for just a moment longer than necessary before picking up his things and walking down the steps. Once outside the bank, they did a quick scan of the area before replacing the bars just enough that they would appear intact. Still seeing no one, they covertly made their way around the buildings, until they reached the back entrance to the hotel and made their way back to their room.

The morning light was shining bright through the window. The boys jerked awake at the sound of the knocks upon the hotel door. Nervously looking at one another, Kid grabbed his pistol from his holster that hung on the bed post and they cautiously made their way to the offending noise. Kid leaned against the door, one hand holding the door knob, the other keeping his pistol ready. Heyes, gun also in hand, spoke loudly, "May I help you?"

"Yes sir, this is Sheriff Rollins." Heyes and Kid exchanged nervous looks. "I'd appreciate it if you and your friend would come down to my office; I have a few questions for you."

Heyes took a second to think, "Be glad to. Would you mind if we had a few moments to get dressed, we'll come down there shortly."

"Go right ahead, we'll wait. Just so you know, I have a man stationed outside your hotel window, if'in you were thinking of leavin' that way."

Heyes took a deep breath as he moved to where his clothes had been laying on the end of the bed. As Kid donned his own garments, he came up from behind and whispered, "Now what?"

"Take it easy Kid; I'll get us out of this."

"We're about to go to jail." He hissed.

"No one saw us last night, and they can't prove who they think we are. Have some faith."

"Oh I have faith Heyes, faith that your plan is about to blow up in our face."

Fully dressed, they opened to door and were greeted by the sound of four hammers being pulled back. "Good morning, boys, you're under arrest."

Heyes was pacing, again. Except this time, the space to move was a seven by seven cell. Kid laid patiently on one of the cots, his eyes closed behind his hat. With each turn, Heyes looked back towards the Sheriff. Much to his partner's chagrin, he decided not to engage the man in an attempt to be freed. Instead, made a simple statement of why would Heyes and Curry be stupid enough to stick around a town they had just robbed, instead of riding off with the loot? But the sheriff was unyielding. With a quarter of a million dollars at stake, he was taking no chances and stated that if they were cleared, he would be the first to apologize. After that, Heyes remained silent; instead turning inward to consider his options.

After several hours the door opened.

Wearing a dark suit and hat, Will gave a nod towards Heyes, before walking directly to the sheriff. "Excuse me, Sheriff Rollins, is it?"

The sheriff looked up, then stood and greeted the man warmly. "Yes sir, that's me. And you are?"

"Name's Smith, Jerry Smith. I'm the father of one of the men you arrested this morning."

"Oh? I didn't realize Heyes or Curry had any livin' relatives."

"Heyes? You mean Hannibal Heyes? No, no. My son is Smith, Joshua Smith. Now granted they do bear a striking resemblance to those dastardly outlaws. In fact, I was once on a train that was stopped by Heyes and Curry. From a distance I, just like you are now, was sure that Heyes and my son were one and the same."

"Yeah, well only Hannibal Heyes could open up a Brooker safe without so much as lighting a fuse. And your son bears too much of a resemblance for me to let him go."

"Are you sure about that?"

"Yes sir. Just read the wanted poster, dark hair, dark eyes…"

"I meant about the safe part."

"Yes sir. Everybody in the west knows that Hannibal Heyes can open up any kind of safe. Hell, us sheriffs already dubbed him the King of Thieves with the way he can play with them tumblers."

"More like the Prince of Thieves." Will muttered.

"What was that?"

"Oh, nothing. If you won't let him go, could I at least speak to him for a moment?"

"Go ahead, but you'll have to leave your hardware here." The Sheriff tapped heavily on the corner of his desk.

Will opened up his jacket, "Never carry one. Too violent."

"Well, alright. The law from Wyoming will be here in a day or two. If he really is your son, you can take him home then."

Kid and Heyes stood to meet Will as he approached.

At the bars he lowered his voice. "Alright, where is it?"

Heyes tried, unsuccessfully, to look innocent, "Where's what?"

"Don't act innocent with me kid. I taught you how to open your first safe and you go and rob $250,000 from me."

"Kinda ironic isn't it, the robber gets robed?" Heyes smiled.

"This ain't funny Heyes."

Heyes smile disappeared. "No Will, it isn't."

Will raked his hand through his hair. "Fine, split the take evenly, in thirds."

"What happened to your friend Jeremy?" Kid asked.

"As soon as he heard you two took the stone he ran out, little coward." He muttered.

"You'd do best to follow his lead. With them looking into Heyes and me, if they find out who we really are they might not take kindly to you trying to convince them otherwise."

"I'm not going anywhere without that diamond."

"Suit yourself." Both outlaws turned and simultaneously relaxed on the two cots allowed to them.

After Will left, Heyes continued his pacing. Kid stood and turned on Heyes, "Alright, what kept your mouth shut with the sheriff? You could'a had us out of here."

"Kid, I need you to have a little bit of faith."

"Faith? Faith that the sheriff has sent for someone to identify us? Faith that we're about to spend the next twenty years behind bars because the cat got your tarnished tongue?"

"Kid, just trust me."

"Trust? As in, trust that this job will get our good names to the Governor's office? Trust that this will help our amnesty not destroy it?"

Heyes gave his most disarming smile. "Exactly."

Just then the sound of the bell over the front door rang out. In walked a tall man who wore dark brown pants and a navy blue jacket. His hat sat low on his head, but a glare bounced off the gold star that sat pinned to his chest. He slowly walked to the sheriff's desk and addressed the man.

"Sheriff Rollins?"

With a single glance up, the sheriff stood and greeted the man warmly. "Lom, it is good to see you. How did you get here so quick, I just sent word this morning?"

Lom removed his hat and ran his hand quickly through his hair. "I was already traveling down to Arizona when I heard about your catch, I thought I'd come by and see for myself. You really caught Heyes and Curry?"

"Well, they say they ain't them, but then again, what else would they say?"

Lom chuckled, "Very true."

The Sheriff led Lom over to the cell bars as Lom looked them up and down. "Hmm…"

"Well Lom, what'dya think?"

"Sheriff, it's been nearly five years since I've seen Heyes and the Kid. They do bear a striking resemblance. If you'd be kind enough to give me a few minutes, I could rightly attain whether this is them."

"Oh, alright. Take all the time you need. I need meet the train anyhow; a representative from T.F. Ayres is due in town any minute anyways."

"Much obliged."

The three watched as Sheriff Rollins made his way out. Once the door was securely closed they felt confident to speak freely. "Alright Heyes, I got down here like you asked. Now, you want to tell me what the hell is going on?"

Heyes smiled. "Grab a chair Lom, this might take awhile."

Lom sat quietly as Heyes explained running into his old friend, though he avoided actually identifying Will by name or description, and how they found themselves in an impossible situation. They continued to explain how they had taken the diamond from one safe only to put it in the one at the bank. Heyes then explained to Kid that he had sent Lom a telegraph the morning before telling him that it was imperative to come to Lewisburg immediately. Afterwards, Heyes gave Lom a moment to fully digest what had been said.

"So, you did steal the diamond."

"Right."

"But it's safe, in the Pierce and Hamilton sitting at the bank?"

"Right."

"And your friend…?" Lom looked up, waiting for an answer.

"Let's just call him Pops."

Lom pursed his lips, trying not to lose his temper. "Fine, Pappa Smith had planned this job and if you hadn't stolen the diamond first, he would have. And for some reason, you didn't think to alert the law? Let them know what was going on? Have them stop him?"

"Lom…"

"I know, I know!" Lom stood and ran his hand over his chin, slowly working out what to do next. "I'll tell Rollins that you two have been working undercover for Bannermen. I'll point them to the diamond and let them know there is a jewel thief in town."

"Thanks Lom."

He let out a loud sigh. "I'll be back." Placing his hat back on his head, he turned and walked back out the door.

Heyes turned and smiled at his friend, "See, I told you to trust me."

Within an hour the sheriff had returned and released Heyes and Kid, half way apologizing for the misidentification while simultaneously chastising them for not clarifying the situation themselves. As they walked towards the door, the sheriff opened it for them, "So I'm assuming that man claiming to be your father was also a Bannerman man?"

Heyes smiled nervously and avoided looking into Lom's accusatory glare. "Yes sir, that was our lead detective. Like us, he had been sworn to secrecy about this investigation; wasn't allowed to talk about it. I'm sure you understand."

"Well, I guess. At least T.F. Ayres got that diamond back. I just spoke to their man and they are going to double the protection of it. Whoever that jewel thief was, he ain't gonna get to that stone. They have you to thank for that."

Heyes tipped his hat and Kid followed suit, "Just doin' our jobs. Good day Sheriff."

As the three men walked towards the hotel, Lom got up close and asked, "Heyes, the man claiming to be your father…?"

"Lom, I'm not going to tell you who he is, I'm sorry."

They stopped in the middle of the street, Lom facing off with the two outlaws, "And when he does this again, and you get blamed again?"

"He's got a point Heyes." Kid interjected.

"Lom, I owe my career to him."

"Your career as an outlaw!"

"Lom, I can't." Heyes looked at the ground, unable to meet the disappointed eyes in front of him. "You're going to wait around for Colonel Baker for us, right?"

"I said I would, didn't I?"

"His papers are in the hotel safe. Though personally, I wouldn't put anything more valuable than papers in that safe." Heyes attempted a smile, but only Kid found the humor in it.

With a look of frustration from Lom, the three then walked the rest of the way to the hotel in silence.

An hour later, Kid was pulling the horses from the livery stable when Lom walked up to greet him. "Kid, can I have a word?"

"What is it Lom?"

"It's about Heyes' friend."

"I can't help you either, you know that."

"Yeah, I know that. I just need your word that you won't stand in my way either."

"What are you planning?"

"Don't worry about that. Do I have your word?" Kid nodded affirmatively, "Good."

Without another word, Lom turned and left.

Heyes couldn't help but note the beauty of the day around them as they rode away from town. The sky was a deep blue with puffs of billowy white clouds randomly spotting the sky. The sun sat peacefully behind a cloud, its rays warming the air, but not overheating the casual riders. The birds in the trees sang peacefully to the two as they travelled through their forested home. This was the most relaxed he had been in a week and had every intention of enjoying every moment of it.

But, like all good things when it came to the reformed outlaws, it came to an end with the sound of a gunshot, an up kick of dirt where the bullet landed, and the rearing of his horse as it reacted to the sound and vibration. It took Heyes a moment to rein in control of his disturbed animal. Kid already had his gun at the ready; Heyes pulled out his as well as both scanned the horizon for a sign of the source of the disturbance.

"Why don't you two just throw your hardware over to that batch of trees to your right?"

Heyes knew that voice, dreaded hearing that voice. But reluctantly tossed his weapon and signaled for Kid to do the same. "We don't have the diamond Will. We never did, not really anyway."

"Oh, I realize that Heyes. That was pretty impressive, breaking into both safes just to keep it away from me. Why don't you go ahead and climb down off those mounts. Walk to the clearing where I can see you."

Slowly, they obeyed. "Then I don't understand what all this is about."

Will slowly came out of the wooded area, he stooped and picked up the outlaw's weapons and tucked one in his heavily worn holster, the other he tucked into the waist of his pants. "You cost me over $250,000, you didn't think I would stand back and let that happen."

"If you're looking for money, we have about $45 between us. It's a little shy of the quarter million, but it should at least get you a nice hotel room for awhile." Heyes smiled.

"Oh he won't need money where he's going." The three men turned to see Lom Trevors sitting atop a horse in the middle of the trail. As Will turned, he aimed at the lawman, but with lightning speed Lom fired his pistol, shooting the man in his hand and sending the pistol flying. Kid and Heyes jumped and quickly reclaimed the pistols that had been wrongly taken from them.

As Kid held his weapon tightly to Will's side, Heyes moved to stand between his old friend and the law. "Lom, what are you doing here?"

"Sorry, Mr. Smith. The law has been on the trail of Mr. Beasley for some time now. We got wind a few years ago that he had returned to old tricks. Plus, he's upset several outlaws. They claim that he instructed them on how to pull some pretty ingenious jobs, and then after they get a reputation about themselves, he goes and improves upon that reputation, except he keeps the loot for himself. After the two of you left town I saw him follow after." From behind Lom, two Federal Marshals rode up.

Lom dismounted and walked to face a stunned Heyes, "You could have warned me Lom."

Lom spoke softly, "Nope, then you'da warned him. I know you too well." Heyes hung his head slightly, "Your days of outlaw loyalty are over Heyes, it's time you decide just which side of the law you're on."

The moment was tense, the brown eyes glaring intently at the friend he trusted so well. As he hung his head, he slowly holstered his own weapon.

Lom signaled to one of the Marshals. The man jumped down from his horse, ran to Will's side and quickly restrained him.

With a hand on Heyes' shoulder, Lom walked passed him and addressed Will, "William Beasley, you are under arrest for the Goldman's heist in San Francisco; the robbery of First National in Cheyenne and the attempted break in at Wells Fargo Clearing House in Denver. The territory has several outlaws lined up prepared to testify on our behalf, so I feel confident that as your trial progresses we will have quite a few more to add to that list as well."

Will glared over Lom's shoulder at Heyes, "Including the Heisman heist in Phoenix?"

Lom looked back towards Heyes as the reformed outlaw solemnly walked up, "No, that one wasn't his."

Will continued to stare at his old apprentice, "Just tell me, how did you get into the P&H '80? Or was this all a setup from the start?"

Heyes half-heartily smiled. He then leaned in and whispered in Will's ear. A smile broke out across the man's face. "The pupil has surpassed the teacher. Well done."

Heyes and Kid watched as they led Will away. Heyes continued to stare, even after the band of men was no longer in sight. Sadly climbing back on his horse, he gave a solemn sigh.

"Heyes, why did you stop them from knowing Phoenix wasn't our job?"

"Kid, with our amnesty that job will be forgiven. Why tack it on his record where it won't be?"

"You alright?"

"Yeah Kid, I'll be fine."

"I guess its official then."

"What is?"

"With Will going to jail, you are officially the King of Thieves."

"No offense Kid, that's one title I think I'd rather not have."