He blinked as he was led off the train into the sunlight. Two U.S Marshals, shorter and stockier than his lanky frame, frog marched him through the busy train station and down the street. The one on his left knocked on the side door of the sheriffs station, keeping an eye on the outlaw. After a few moments, the door opened and a man in a suit let them in. The outlaw sneered at the suit, who sneered right back, unafraid. After being led down the hall and up a flight of stairs, he was roughly deposited in a chair infront of a large desk, another suit behind it.

"Well, well, the notorious FORMER outlaw Sheldon Cooper. So nice of you to join us." He spoke around the cigar clenched in his teeth. The outlaw glared at him.

"Where is my family?" He spat, wishing he wasn't restrained. If they had come to harm, he would kill them all.

"All in good time, Mr. Cooper. First, you're gonna do us a favour." Sheldon raised his eyebrow at the suit behind the desk. "You're familiar with Mr. Bloom, Mr. Kripke and Mr .Wheaton, right?" Cooper nodded, seeing where this was going. "If you want to see your family again, you will bring them to us, dead or alive. You have three months to do so. If you don't agree, or fail, you'll be the first prisoner in the new Federal prison in Washington State, your wife will be sent to an insane asylum, and your boy will be shipped overseas to join the French Foreign Legion. Do you understand?" The suit stared pointedly at Sheldon.

"I want to see my wife and son!" Sheldon yelled across the table as he stood, shackled hands slamming down on the desk.

"Mr. Cooper, sit down. This is 1911, not the dark ages! Show some restraint, you will see your family soon enough. Agent Johnson, please take this man outside and outfit him with a horse. Good day Mr. Cooper." The suit behind the desk went back to puffing his cigar, dismissing them. Agent Johnson roughly frogmarched him out the door and down the hall. He unshackled the outlaw once out of sight of the office.

"I'm sorry about that Mr. Cooper. I've been monitoring you for over a decade, and after you were released from the hospital, you went straight. I've outfitted you with a horse we appropriated from your stable at home. A black stallion with a blonde mane, and a cavalry saddle, correct?" Sheldon nodded, rubbing his wrists where they were raw. "We'll supply you with 25 rounds of each now, and set you up with expenses later. When you arrive in Armadillo, the town's Sheriff, Leigh Laughlin, will give you your horse. Your guns and a cleaning kit are on the table beside you, along with a train ticket to Armadillo. The train leaves in fifteen minutes, I suggest that you're on it."

"If my family comes to any harm, I will hunt you down, hog-tie you and feed you to the wolves or bears in Tall Trees." Sheldon seethed at the agent, slinging his rifle and shot gun over his shoulders, and jamming his revolvers into their holsters. "I swear it on my very soul."

With that, he tugged his hat down over his eyes, picked up the saddle bags containing his ammunition and strode confidently towards the door, and viciously booted it open. The door banging against the outside of the building shocked people walking by, but he paid them no heed. He made a beeline for the train station and boarded the rear most car, facing backwards. Years of experience, and more than a few heists he'd planned, taught him that bandits will attack from the rear rather than come head on. He doubted that any would attack, but who'd have thought that he'd be blackmailed by the government, with his family, to hunt down his old gang and bring them to justice.

Lost in his reverie, the outlaw barely felt the train leave the station with a jerk. Nonetheless, his hands automatically rested on the butt of his revolvers. Force of habit he grimaced. Dropping back into his memories, the trip flew by, and before he knew it, he was mechanically getting off the train and walking towards the sheriff's office. Well, first time for everything he thought with a small scowl. He'd never admit it, but he'd always had the greatest repect for Leigh.

Simply walking through the door seemed to be the best course of action, so that's exactly what Sheldon did. Leigh looked up when he entered, old memories dredged up for both. The sheriff nodded at the outlaw, who uncomfortably returned it. Taking the proffered seat, the outlaw and sheriff stared at one another for a moment.

"Sheriff Laughlin."

"Cooper." The sheriff returned, keeping a close eye on where Sheldon's hands sat. With a small chuckle, the younger man undid his gun belt, slinging it and the two larger weapons onto the desk, butts facing the older man as a sign of respect.

"I appreciate the sentiment Cooper. Now I hear you're here about Stuart Bloom. He's holed up in Fort Mercer. He took it over with his new gang last year. I can't send anyone with you, but I trust you know the way?" Sheldon nodded in response to Leigh's question. "Good. Your mount is tied up out back, with a feed bag on him. Just so you know, that beast kicked Jonah and Eli both. He's got a mean temper."

Sheldon chuckled again. "Yeah, Boson's an asshole." With that, he stood and recollected his armoury off the table, taking the proffered bandolier that Leigh held out and slinging it over his left shoulder. He shook hands with the sheriff, and promised to bring him Stuart, dead or alive. The two walked out the door together, before parting ways, the sheriff to the saloon, Sheldon to his horse. The outlaw patted his horse fondly on the flank before untying him and mounting up. He spurred his steed east, towards the small town's limits, and Stuart Bloom.

Twenty minutes of hard riding later, Sheldon pulled back on the reins, slowing his horse to a stop. He tied the horse up a ways before walking towards the former army fortress turned outlaw hideout. Carefully, he approached the imposing fortress. Hoping against hell that his old compatriot would come quietly, he called out from in front of the gates.

"STUART!"

"Oh, hey, Sheldon!" Stuart popped his head over ramparts quickly, before ducking back behind the wall.

"Stuart, you're coming with me!" Sheldon yelled back.

"Oh, you're here to save me? That's nice of you, Sheldon!" Stuart yelled sarcastically. "You always did take me for an idiot! Now go away before we kill you!"

Sheldon rolled his eyes at the dramatics his old friend seemed attached to. "Stuart, I implore you! Think about this, the marshals are tracking down outlaws, trying to make this land civilized!"

"Oh, you implore me?! The great Sheldon Cooper, imploring me! Go fuck yourself!" Stuart popped up, revolver in hand and shot Sheldon, the bullet ripping through his shoulder and sending the man reeling to the ground in a heap.

Penny, I've failed you. I love you he thought, his life swirling before his eyes before he passed out. The last thing he heard was Stuart's cackling laugh echoing across the ramparts.

I don't really know what to put here, so welcome. For those that have played Red Dead Redemption, I'm sticking fairly close to the story line. For fans of The Big Bang Theory, buckle up! Thanks for reading.
 Toaster.

Version:1.0 StartHTML:0000000168 EndHTML:0000000722 StartFragment:0000000468 EndFragment:0000000705

Laughlin