The Night of the Gunfighter

by BarkingatJim

This is a vignette based on a scene from "The Night of the Surreal McCoy", from James West's POV. This is the second part of a challenge between Andamogirl and me. To the second guest who reviewed, extra helping of thanks for your support. I removed a review not because it was bad but because of the language used. You can say my work is rubbish but no expletives please.

The Night of the Gunfighter

(From the Episode – TNOT Surreal McCoy)

Previously, Andamogirl challenged me to write a story that tied in with the episode TNOT FLYING PIE PLATE. From the reviews we received, she won that round. This story is my challenge to Andamogirl and the episode this time is TNOT SURREAL MCCOY. May the best girl win!

Everything whirled together in James West's brain as he slowly picked his head up from the dirt road. He thought about Loveless and the machine that responded to pitch, the Chinese Tong, and Morgan pointing a gun at him. He tried to clear his vision but it remained blurred. However, what he could see through the haze, confirmed that he was somehow in Axel Morgan's Wellington painting, the one in the Ambassador's bedroom. He stood up but that only made his head spin more and he fell to the ground again and blacked out for a moment. He came to, barely holding onto consciousness. Suddenly his hair was grasped by a strong hand, yanking his gaze upward, and he was made aware of the little Doctor standing above him, flanked by his men. He took a moment to wonder why Loveless had brought him there and then somewhere from the back of his mind he recalled the words "Lightnin' McCoy" and "the fastest gun the west has ever known." He remembered telling Loveless that he had never had the pleasure of meeting the gunfighter. "The pleasure!" He would take no pleasure in meeting McCoy under the circumstances dictated by Loveless. He had spotted the gunfighter back at Morgan's ranch, a tall, dark, menacing figure, with a cold stare and a scarred face. He appeared to be Hispanic and West idly wondered from where he had received the name McCoy.

He heard Loveless saying something about having transported him too fast and then passed out.

The next time he came to, Loveless was laughing down at him in a way that always meant trouble for him. This time he was welcoming him to some newly-discovered dimension or other. He had assembled the seven fastest guns in the west, and he introduced West to numbers two to seven. West knew who number one was and wondered when he would meet him. He rose to his feet and stumbled into the saloon, which he recognised as having filled the majority of the Wellington painting.

He exaggerated his disorientation, in order to gain himself time, falling against the furniture, lurching to a pillar and then a table, supporting himself. Though, in truth, he was still pretty shaky on his legs. Then he found himself sitting at a table, facing a grinning Loveless who was perched on a pool table and, looking up, he saw Lightnin' McCoy exit one of the second floor rooms and walk fluidly toward the stairs, descending, at Loveless's invitation, almost gliding down them, as if unreal, all the movement coming from below his hips.

He was as menacing as a venomous snake as he gave West a hooded look.

West wished with all his being that Artie would arrive at that moment and rescue the situation somehow, but the time for that was past. Wherever Artie had gone, once he left Morgan's place, he had not returned and now West held no hope that his partner would find him inside the painting. At least he had the consolation of knowing that Artie was safely out of Loveless's clutches.

He became aware that the little Doctor was inviting McCoy to join the other gunslingers out in the street and he knew that his time was nearly up. If he'd had Artie by his side he might have felt more confident of his chances in a quick-fire draw but as it was...

Then, as McCoy went to move past him he hit the table where West was sitting, with his hip. It was more like he had intentionally jerked his hip against the table to gain West's attention. West looked closely into the penetrating gaze that met his for a brief moment and he felt his heart lurch within his chest. It was Artie! How in God's name he came to be there and how he had changed places with the real Lightnin' McCoy he couldn't fathom. Inwardly elated, he schooled his features so that Loveless would have no inkling of the second of recognition. At that moment he remembered something that the Doctor had said about Artie and loyalty, how he would never be far from his partner's side. As always, Artie hadn't let him down. As he walked from the saloon, to face his friend, West couldn't help wondering fleetingly where the real Lightnin' McCoy was. Ah well, there would be plenty of time to ask Artie later...

ooooooooooo0ooooooooooo

THE END