It was about noon on the third day when the threesome encountered a rider-less horse. It was trotting along as if something had spooked it. It was skittish, not really traveling in a straight line, and its eyes were wild. Buck rode up and grabbed the reins and calmed the horse. Jimmy jumped from his horse to check its legs for injuries. From the looks of the tack, the riders could tell that the horse was owned by someone female and someone with money. The horse was a fine example of horseflesh too. Its black coat glistened in the sunshine with parts of its mane braided in fancy twists. The riders started to fan out to look for the rider of the fine horse.

"Don't go too far we need to stay together," Buck cautioned. "This could be a trick."

"Buck, you worry too much." Cody said smiling as he caught the sight of a damsel in distress.

"I'm with Cody, Buck. You do worry too much," Jimmy said also smiling at the same damsel.

The riders rode over to the woman. She was wearing a simple green velvet riding habit with a black top hat with a sheer green scarf tied around it so the tails would fly in a breeze and black leather gloves. Obviously, she was the horse's rider because of her attire and carried a riding crop. She looked to be slightly older than them. Her hair was dark brown, long and she had it styled in a braid that hung just past her waist.

She was had a slight limp, but that wasn't what was concerning Buck. His concern was mostly the timing of her appearance and that she seemed to be so out of place here. Her skin tone was slightly darker than most women, she looked like she could be at least part Indian to him, but he didn't say anything about his suspicions. The other two were mostly caught up by the sparkle in her dark eyes and the ruby tint of her lips.

"I see you've found my horse," she said sounding somewhat relieved.

Cody quickly dismounted from his horse to help the lady as Jimmy took the reins from Buck and led the horse over to her.

"William F. Cody at your service. These are my friends Jimmy Hickok and Buck Cross," he said suavely.

"My name is Miss Charlotte Masterson," she said graciously.

There was something about this whole situation that bothered Buck, but he couldn't put his finger on it. He resigned himself to being the only watchful one, because now Cody and Jimmy were completely distracted by their new companion.

"What are you doing all the way out here?" Jimmy queried.

"My father has some business at Fort Laramie. I was just taking in the local scenery," she said sweetly. "Can you give me a leg up, Mr. Hickok was it?"

"Yes, ma'am, please call me Jimmy," he answered and helped her back on her horse. "We're on our way to Fort Laramie now. Would you like to ride with us?"

"That sounds delightful, Jimmy," she said smiling coyly. "What brings you boys all the way out here?"

"We're Pony Express riders, ma'am, on our way to Fort Laramie to deliver official army documents," Cody bragged.

"Cody!" Buck admonished.

"Oh, he does talk," she said giggling slightly.

"He's just the overly suspicious type," Jimmy teased. "See, it's kinda a secret."

"Ooo, that sounds dangerous. Is it dangerous?"

"It can be ma'am, but with three of us here, you're nice and safe. I assure you," Cody boasted.

"Where are you boys going after this?" she asked nicely.

"Our home station is in Sweetwater," Jimmy answered just as nicely.

Buck was sure he was going to be sick.

Charlotte smiled and rode along with the boys. Cody and Jimmy rode beside her while Buck rode behind them all. After about an hour of riding, they stopped to rest and have a quick bite to eat. Buck noticed that the lady wasn't limping anymore and again he became suspicious of their companion and her reasons for being out on the prairie all alone. He would watch her. Closely.

They should make Fort Laramie by sundown, but they were still a ways away. Cody and Jimmy flirted with Charlotte all through lunch. Buck didn't like how easily distracted they were. It was starting to distract him. He walked out to the perimeter of their camp and tried to ground himself. He had lost the gut feeling about being followed. Perhaps the follower was hiding in plain sight? That didn't seem quite right either. Why would someone be following them to Fort Laramie in a riding habit and on a side saddle? None of this made any sense to Buck. Perhaps he was trying to see trouble where there wasn't any.


"Riders comin'!" called the Fort lookout, "Open the gates."

They had made it safely to Fort Laramie and waiting for them just outside the Colonel's office was Teaspoon and Kid.

"We had a prisoner to transfer for hanging," Teaspoon said answering the surprised look on the three riders' faces.

"Teaspoon, Kid, this is Miss Charlotte Masterson," Cody said introducing their companion. "We found her on the way here. Her horse threw her.

"Howdy, Ma'am," Teaspoon said kissing her hand.

Kid just tipped his hat and looked away.

"Yes, my horse unceremoniously tossed me to the ground," she confessed smiling.

"Teaspoon is our boss as well as the marshal of Sweetwater," Cody said puffing out his chest a little. "He deputizes us all the time."

Buck walked into the Colonel's office to check in. He popped out the door of the office several minutes later.

"Did you drop off your documents?" Charlotte asked curiously seeing he still had his saddlebags when he came out.

"I never had any," Buck said grinning, "I was a decoy."

"You get everything sorted out, Buck?" Jimmy asked.

"Yeah, we can put our horses in the stables for the night and I have the keys to the guest quarters," he said dangling the keys in front of them. "We're to have supper with the Colonel and his command staff."

"Miss Charlotte, would you care to join us?" Cody asked politely.

"Oh, I would love to Cody, but I have a prior engagement," she said and excused herself.


As evening fell, the well dressed man waited by the corner of a building. On the other side of the corner Horatio Coldstone leaned against the wall and lit a cigarette striking a match against the weathered wood. He exhaled the smoke at this trusted henchman.

"Why aren't they dead, Charles?" Horatio asked irritated. He took a puff of his cigarette

"The opportunity didn't present itself," Charles answered matter of factly. "They are on the way to Sweetwater tomorrow. They don't know they're carrying the bonds. I was going to see if I could steal them while they are at supper with the Colonel."

"Do they know you're following them?" Horatio exhaled again.

"The Indian suspects. The other two are too distracted."

"Who are the old man and the other they met up with?"

"The Sweetwater marshal and another Express rider."

"Will they be a problem?" he asked flicking the ashes from the end of the slowly shrinking cigarette.

"No sir, I think I can use them to my advantage."

"Carry on then." Horatio said and extinguished his cigarette on the side of the building leaving a scar on the wood and let the butt fall to the ground.


To say that Buck was uncomfortable at dinner was an understatement. The Colonel was pleasant but the rest of his staff was downright disrespectful. After the umpteenth comment regarding his heritage and/or upbringing, Buck politely excused himself and went back to the guest quarters the riders were stationed in.

When he got to the door he could hear noises inside the room. He had left his gun and his knife in their quarters so he wasn't armed. He slowly opened the door and surprised the intruder in the act of rifling through their belongings. The thief fired his gun and leapt out the window and into the shadows as the compound started to become alerted to the presence of trouble. All Buck had been able to see was the flash of the gun.

The remaining riders and Teaspoon rose quickly from the table when the gunfire was heard. Buck had left not long ago and something in the timing of the shot led them to the conclusion that Buck was likely involved. The four men ran toward their quarters and noticed the group of soldiers gathering around the doorway. They started to run a little faster now that it seemed that their suspicions were correct.

"Let us through, please!" Cody yelled as they tried to make their way through the group of soldiers that had congregated in front of their door.

When they got through they saw their friend seated on the floor leaning up against the door jamb with his right hand putting pressure on a wounded other arm.

"Buck, are you alright? What happened?" Cody asked quickly his eyes darting around alertly.

"I'm fine it's just a scratch. Someone broke into our room," Buck explained. "I surprised him."

"Did you see who it was, Son?" Teaspoon asked while Jimmy pulled out one of his colts.

"No, but he's long gone now."

"Cody, take Buck to the doc. Jimmy, Kid, why don't you have a look around and see if anything is missing," Teaspoon said taking charge.

The soldiers cleared out of the way and things as the fort started to get back to normal. Cody brought Buck to the infirmary and the army surgeon patched up his arm and put it in a sling, much to Buck's discontent. It would be harder for him to manage normal tasks having his dominant arm incapacitated.

Jimmy and Kid looked around their room. The smell of gunpowder still clung to the air. It made them uneasy. Whoever it was that came in here was looking for something specific. The window at the back of the room was open and Jimmy walked over to it carefully. He hoped the intruder was long gone, but you never know when someone is lurking just inside the shadows. The window and surrounding area was all clear and Jimmy let out the breath he was holding and relaxed. When Cody and Buck returned to the room the four decided that they wanted to head out for Sweetwater at first light. The just needed to convince Teaspoon.

The Colonel posted guards at the door and the window so the riders could get some much needed sleep. Jimmy was getting grouchy and there was nothing more dangerous than Jimmy's temper when he was grouchy.

Buck stared quietly at the ceiling as he listened to the other riders' breathing become calm and steady. He couldn't sleep. He somehow knew their troubles were not over. The intruder didn't have time to find what they were looking for -whatever that was. Buck was confused. They didn't have anything worth taking. He decided he would look and see if the trespasser had left any tracks or interesting marks outside the window tomorrow. Hopefully the guard outside hadn't messed up any trails.


A/N I'm actually writing this for NaNo right now, so it will be long and hopefully finished by the end of November. I'm also hoping that I will update it pretty often. Hope you all are enjoying it! Any feedback is welcome.