Disclaimer: Alias Smith and Jones does not belong to me. This is fan fiction, not for profit.

Any references to people, places, businesses, etc. are entirely fictitious.

A/N – story presumes the details on the wanted posters are not entirely accurate. Story exists in the same No Amnesty - Smith and Jones story verse as previous stories but should also stand alone.

Jailbreak

Devil's Hole

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

"Finally," breathed Heyes.

Signal shots echoed through Devil's Hole, announcing approaching riders. The gang, twelve active members strong this year, split up outside of Lowell after last week's bank job. Some of the new men complained about Heyes's group carrying all the money, but the argument didn't last long. Heyes wasn't sure whether it had been the sight of the oncoming posse or his partner's grim face that more effectively stopped the grousing. Two days later Heyes' group separated again. Heyes, old Clarence Jones, and the dandy Horace Beeblemeister, who stylized himself as the Boston Bandit, made it back to Devil's Hole Wednesday. The newest members of Kid's group, Jasper, Hawkins and Ludlow, were already relaxing in the bunkhouse. The two probationary members left behind in the hideout looked relieved to see Heyes and the others. Jasper's explanation that Kid had ordered their group to split up as well was understandable, but it didn't sooth Heyes one bit. Wheat, Kyle and Lewiston arrived before noon on Thursday.

"What kept you Kid?" muttered Heyes.

The slender dark haired outlaw leader stopped pacing and moved away from the blazing fire. Heyes opened the heavy wooden door of the leader's cabin and peered out, shivering as the chill October air pierced through his white Henley on this late Saturday afternoon.

"Lobo," nodded Heyes as the bushy haired man rode over the hillcrest first.

Heyes sucked in a breath as he realized the bushy haired man held the reins to a second horse. Preacher, slumped in the saddle of Kid's horse, appeared second. A third rider appeared silhouetted in the darkening sky. Wheat was not the man Heyes was expecting.

"What happened to you Preacher? And where is Kid?" hissed a worried Heyes.

The three men slowly walked the horses down the incline into the stable yard. Heyes hurried to join the other men and boys running from the bunkhouse, the barn and the washhouse.

"Terrence," called Wheat, "you and Mark go relieve Kyle."

"What?" asked Mark in surprise.

Seventeen year old Mark, the older of the two probationary members, had sense enough to look to Heyes for confirmation. Fifteen year old Terrence's blue eyes lit up with prospect of doing something more than peeling potatoes or mucking out stalls. The youngest probationary member of the Devil's Hole gang had turned up in Wildwood six weeks earlier, hungry, dressed in a threadbare jacket and too short pants, looking for his older brother. The arrival of Terrence had confirmed Heyes' suspicion that Mark was not a twenty year old experienced thief, but merely a hungry boy trying to make some quick money. Neither of the sandy haired boys had been allowed to participate in any robberies yet.

"You boys got watch duty," ordered Wheat in a somewhat pompous tone. "Us men gots plans to make."

"Go on," agreed Heyes as Wheat and Lobo dismounted. "Two signal shots if someone's coming. If it's a posse, head for the west ridge and out the canyon trail. If it's Kid…"

"Won't be Kid," interrupted Lobo.

Heyes turned slowly from Mark to gaze at the wild haired man. Lobo was now at Preacher's side, holding the injured man as he slid off the horse. Preacher caught the look in Heyes' eyes and elbowed Lobo with a frown.

"Don't you got any sense?" demanded Preacher. "That ain't no way to tell Heyes."

"Tell me what?" demanded Heyes. "Where is Kid?"

"Posse got him," responded Lobo.

"How could you leave him?" hissed the quiet, most dangerous voice of Heyes. "We don't…"

"Didn't have a choice," interrupted Lobo. "Posse was right behind us."

Preacher slumped to the left, clutching his rib cage. Lobo took a step towards the bunkhouse supporting Preacher's weight. The gathered outlaws parted clearing a path to the warmth and shelter of the only home most of them knew.

"That blessed boy saved my life," gasped Preacher.

"What happened?" asked Heyes in frustration.

"Preacher's horse took a bullet, went down a few hours later and threw him," growled Lobo. "Kid put the horse out of its misery and told me to get Preacher out of there or he'd shoot me too!"

"And you believed that?" muttered Heyes under his breath.

Lobo might have thought he was in danger, but Heyes knew his cousin wouldn't have shot the man. Heyes closed his worried brown eyes for a moment. Thinking. Planning. Praying. The leader of the posse, Lowell's Sheriff Anderson was a hard man, but not a killer. No matter what the rest of the posse might want, Anderson's prisoners made it to jail and trial alive. But still, Heyes didn't like Kid letting himself be captured.

"Heyes," called an unpleasant voice.

Heyes snapped open his eyes. The bunkhouse door slammed shut behind Lobo and Preacher as the two men disappeared inside. Wheat shooed Mark and Terrence towards the barn. Jasper stepped closer. Hawkins and Ludlow flanked the tall, rangy man.

"You gonna split up the money now, Heyes?" drawled Jasper.

"Money?" hissed Heyes. "Is that all you can think about?"

Dark brown eyes narrowed and the scowl on his face would have been enough answer for most men, but not Jasper.

"Everybody's back that's expected," prodded the outlaw. "And since your partner's gone and got hisself arrested, I figure…"

"It don't matter what you figure," interrupted Wheat. The burly outlaw tugged on his belt and settled his jeans on his hips as he strode back to stand at Heyes's side. "Heyes does the figuring."

Heyes didn't miss the look of surprise in Jasper's eyes. And quite frankly, Heyes was surprised by the burly man's support. It was a known fact that Wheat and Heyes didn't always see eye to eye. Jasper rocked back on his heels and glanced from Heyes to Wheat and back again to Heyes. Behind the Devil's Hole newcomer, Hawkins and Ludlow shuffled their feet. The two men seemed to ooze away from Jasper. On the outer periphery of the grouped men, old Clarence, Horace and Lewiston exchanged nervous looks.

"I'm figuring it's time for a change," stated Jasper in a soft menacing tone. "And I figure…"

"There you go figuring again," snorted Wheat before the man could finish his threat.

"Wheat, are you backin' Heyes?" asked Jasper with a tone of incredulity. "He's got our money!"

Wheat scratched the stubble beneath his chin. The heavy head tilted to one side and the burly outlaw appeared to be seriously considering Jasper's question.

"Kid ain't back yet, but he will be," replied Wheat. "Are you really gonna be the one to not back his partner?"

Clarence, Horace and Lewiston stepped forward, closer to Heyes and Wheat, while Hawkins and Ludlow distanced themselves a little further from Jasper. Mark and Terrence rode past the group of men as the boys hurried their horses towards Lookout Point. Jasper glared realizing he had lost any chance of truly bucking Heyes' authority, at least for now.

"I want my money," demanded the long legged man.

"The money is locked in my safe," hissed Heyes.

Kid's Christmas gift to Heyes last year was a joke, a puzzle box for Heyes more than anything else. Kid had the instruction manual to the small personal wall safe and changed the combination periodically. Nothing ever kept Heyes out for long, but anything in the safe was not accessible to the rest of the gang.

"Well unlock it then," demanded Jasper.

"Like I told you before," responded Heyes, "we don't split up the take until we're all back at Devil's Hole. All of us."

Jasper rolled his shoulders. Heyes kept a close eye on the outlaw's pistol, but Jasper didn't make a move.

"What's your plan Heyes?" said Jasper in an insolent tone.

"We're gonna pull a jailbreak of course," answered the slender dark haired outlaw leader. Heyes abruptly turned and sauntered back towards the leader's cabin all the while wondering if Jasper would shoot him in the back. Without looking backwards or giving any indication of his worry, Heyes called, "Wheat, did Lobo or Preacher say where the posse caught Kid?"

"At the butte just past the crossroads," answered Wheat.

Heyes entered the leader's cabin, closed the door and leaned back upon it with a sigh. Would the posse haul Kid all the way back to Lowell by horse? Or turn him in at the nearest jail, to be sent back to Lowell by train? The answer to that question might make a jailbreak just a bit harder. Heyes shivered again. The fire was still blazing in the hearth, but now the friendless room seemed cold. Plans began to formulate in his mind. He pushed off the door and moved closer to the fire. Heyes stretched out his long slender fingers towards the warmth.

"Kid I don't know whether to hope they've taken you back to Lowell or the nearest jail," whispered Heyes. "The nearest jail is Porterville."

-x-x-x-x-x-x