"RON STOP!" Felix shouted as he hobbled back into the room, holding the leather bag that he had found in the girl's room.

Ron turned his head lazily towards Felix as he held Tara as Eric stopped with his pants halfway to the floor.

Felix limped into the room with surprising speed and threw the leather bag on the table where it landed with an audible clink. Ron let go of Tara and sticking his hand inside the bag, pulled out a piece of gold, and another, and another.

Looking up in surprise, he announced, "it's...it's Jim's gold."

Felix nodded in annoyance, "Yes, Ron it is," he shook his head and briefly made eye contact with Tara. Winking at her he continued, "It's clear that Josh stayed here the night, took a horse just before we got here and paid for it all with Jim's gold."

A silence descended upon the room, broken only by Tara's sniffling.

"Yes," a tiny voice behind Felix agreed, "The nice man came here last night and took our horse this morning."

Felix turned and looked down at Zita who stood, shaking from fear at what was happening in her house.

"Is that what happened?" Ron asked Monique.

"Yes," the eldest sister agreed, "he took our horse, paid for it and left."

"Fine," Ron rose to his feet and signaling Eric and Felix, left the cabin, stopping at the door to look back and nod, "Thank you for your help Ms. Matthews."

Tara looked back and snarled, "You think you're doing the right thing going after Josh, but all you're doing is hurting yourself. You're doing no better than whatever he did."

Ron shrugged off handedly and smiled, "Well, at least he'll pay for what he did."

With that, Ron turned and left the tiny cabin and disappeared from sight. Felix turned to Eric whose pants were still down and rolled his eyes, "Get your pants on and go outside to Ron."

"But Ron-" Eric protested.

"Now," Felix said with every amount of authority he could muster.

Eric looked into Felix's eyes and nodded slowly before heading out, "Well, hurry up."

Felix pulled out a tiny leather pouch from his pocket and gave placed it in Tara's hands.

"This should cover the next few months and will hopefully keep you from alerting the sheriff. Also I'll talk to Ron and make sure he leaves you a horse," he added with nervousness in his voice. Even though they were on the frontier, a Sheriff and his posse could still bring Ron in.

Tara looked at Felix and asked, "Why?"

Felix broke eye contact, embarrassed at her question and answered, "We need to make Josh pay."

"But he is paying," Tara emphasized, "He's paying for it every hour of every day."

Felix shook his head, "it's not good enough, and he needs to be killed."

Tara continued to gaze at Felix and slowly nodded, "then I'll never see you again."

Felix nodded back, "I always knew it was a one way trip. We've already lost two of our crew to Josh. I expect we'll all be dead in a few days."

"You don't have to do it Felix," Tara pleaded, "you always have a choice."

"Sorry," Felix said as he rose to his feet, "I'm in this until the bitter end."

Tara nodded slowly at Felix's decision as he turned on his wooden leg and left the house. As soon as he was gone, Tara sank out of her chair and grabbing her two girls, pulled them in for a hug as the sounds of Ron and his group disappeared into the distance.

"Mommy?" Monique sobbed.

"Shh, baby, Everything's Going to Be All Right," Tara assured as she too cried.

Josh adjusted his positioning on the saddle and groaned slightly as the pain in his arm flared again, only this time there was less pain and he had greater movement in his arm. Josh extended his arm again and grimaced as the pain tore its way through his body.

So maybe it's not entirely healed, he thought to himself as he remembered a doctor's words to him.

"Don't over work a wound, even if it's feeling better," the doctor had said to Josh as he pulled a piece of gravel that had been embedded in his cheek after a cannon blast had thrown debris at his group, "You run the risk of opening the wound again and making it even worse."

Josh grimaced again as he put his arm back in the makeshift sling Tara had made for him and taking a swig from his canteen, resumed his journey on the endless plains.

The cool muddy pool glimmered amidst the rocks and shrugs and Josh found himself walking his horse towards the pool.

The canteen had run out about an hour ago and with the sun shining overhead, Josh reckoned that he had little more than an hour before heat stroke would claim him.

As Josh stumbled towards the water hole, memories long forgotten played through his mind.

Josh rubbed at his arm where Jim had pinched a nerve and shot his first lieutant a look.

"You do that again and you'll be scrubbing potatoes until this war ends," he threatened.

"Which would be?" Jim asked unafraid.

"If this mission goes as planned," Josh surmised as he rode along the path, "Christmas."

"All right," Jim smiled, "Where we going? If I can get back home to see Olivia before Christmas, I'll do anything."

Josh didn't smile but sighed deeply, "It involves Kim and Ron…"

Jim's mood instantly changed, "What about them?"

"They're suspected of being reb supporters and on top of that," Josh took a swig from his canteen, "On top of that, Intel believes that Ron led a surprise attack against one of our outposts."

"So what are our orders?" Jim asked hesitantly.

"All we have to do is bring in the Stoppables," Josh explained, "The Stoppables are priority. Everything else needs to burn."

"But it took Ron three years to get that farm up and running," Jim pleaded.

"I'm sorry Jim," Josh apologized, "I know that they're your family, but we have our orders. Now you can either come with us and help us complete the mission, or you can turn back."

Jim was silent for a few moments before kicking his horse in the sides and turning back the way they came.

Soldiers turned their heads to look at the retreating form of Jim as he passed. A fact not lost on Josh, "HEY," the soldiers snapped to attention, "Get back in line and stay sharp! We're here."

The tiny column of soldiers marched into the courtyard of the Stoppable Ranch and were greeted by Ron Stoppable.

"What do you want Josh?" the farmer asked.

Josh tipped his hat to Ron and shrugged sheepishly, "Ron, I've been given orders to take you in."

Ron smiled lazily as the door to the cabin opened and a man carrying a rifle stepped out. All the soldiers instantly trained their rifles on the man but Josh held up a hand, "Hold your fire."

"Ron?" the man asked as he strode confidently towards the company that had put away their weapons, "What's going on?"

Ron smiled to the man and patted the man on the shoulder, "Easy Felix. They're just here to take me away."

"Well," Josh rubbed his neck sheepishly, "You and Kim."

"You honestly think you can take me in Josh?" a female voice echoed from the house.

"Why don't you come on out to talk Kim?" Josh asked, "You cooperate and I won't be forced to burn down the little homestead you and Ron built."

Silence reigned over everyone present and everyone could feel the tension building as Kim contemplated her options.

As Josh raised a hand to signal troops to enter the house, the door opened and a beautiful red haired woman exited the house.

"HEY MISTER!" a voice cut through Josh's wanderings and he looked up surprised. He was standing in front of the pool with Baxter and across the pond sat a boy no older than fifteen.

The boy wore an old faded pair of brown trousers with a mottled green shirt. His olive skin and brown eyes led Josh to believe the boy was from Mexico and his near black hair confirmed it.

"Do you own this pool?" Josh asked as he eyed the pool and its contents greedily.

"That's right Mister I do," the boy nodded, "And if you want any, you'll have to trade me something for it."

"Like what?" Josh asked as he sized the boy up.

"I like your horse," the boy replied nonchalantly, "Give me the horse and I'll let you take all the water you want."

Josh thought for a moment and knew what he had to do, "You drive a hard bargain Mr…?" he asked.

"Gil," the boy answered, "My name is Gil."

Josh shook his head, "Find Gil. I'll trade you Baxter for your water." Josh took his saddlebag off the side of Baxter and slung them over his shoulder before pushing the horse towards the boy.

Kneeling, Josh placed the canteen in the water and filled the jar to the brim. After drinking his fill, Josh stood to his feet and without saying a word to Gil, strode off into the wasteland.

Across the deserted plains, a trio of horses galloped at full speed in escape. Behind them lay a town in ruins, the buildings still burning with a green fire. As the trio approached a hill, they slowed to a trot and disappeared from view

"Shego," the blue man called out over the trotting horses, "This is our greatest score ever."

Shego turned in her saddle to look at her employer while ducking a branch, "Of course it is Drakken, I came up with the plan after all."

Drakken muttered something under his breath about lippy sidekick but turned to the man riding behind him, "Ed, how you doing?"

"Oh just fine 'Cuz," Ed remarked, "Just make sure that the gold isn't melted by Shego up there."

"What's the matter Eddie?" Shego called out sarcastically, "Afraid that you won't get your part of the score?"

"No one will get anything if you melt it all," Ed replied, "I'm almost done with my steam powered cross country carriage and if you burn up all the gold, there won't be anything left."

"Ed, relax," Drakken assured as the group entered a clearing, "The flame jets are designed to go off only if Shego wants them to. No worries."

"All right 'Cuz," Motor Ed nodded before trailing off, "We're not alone."

Shego nodded, "I know, I've been following his movements for the last three minutes," a tiny jet of flame appeared in the palm of her right hand, and her pistol appearing in the left, "One man, and from the looks of it, he's got a bad arm."

Drakken looked around in confusion, "Where?" he asked as Josh Mankey stumbled into the same clearing.

"Felix put the gun down," Josh ordered as Felix leveled his rifle at Josh.

A dozen guns instantly focused on Felix as Kim stepped out of the house and onto the porch. Felix sighted down the gun and pulled back the hammer, "You're not taking Ron or Kim," Felix said simply.

A hand covered the muzzle of the rifle and Felix begrudgingly lowered the gun as Kim said, "It's all right Felix, Ron and I can take care of ourselves."

Josh holstered his pistol and the men around him followed suit. "Thank you," Josh nodded from the top of his horse. Pulling out a document from his pocket, Josh read, "Ron and Kimberly Stoppable, you are under arrest for assisting members of the Confederate Army and harboring known fugitives of the law."

"No we didn't," Felix argued defiantly.

Josh didn't say anything but instead pulled out his pistol and shot Felix in the kneecap without looking. Felix clutched his leg as he screamed in pain as he fell to the ground and Ron dove to catch his friend.

"MANKEY," Ron yelled as blood poured from the wound.

"He should've kept his mouth shut," Josh replied as he holstered his pistol again.

Kim ripped open the cloth surrounding Felix's wound and upon examination shook her head, "Felix you're going to lose everything below the knee if we don't operate." Looking at Josh, she pleaded, "Please, we need to treat him."

"Our doctors will treat him back at the camp," Josh said without emotion as his men began to light torches, "Doctor Bortle."

A short squat man in a wagon ran up to Josh and asked, "Sir?"

"Take Felix and put him in your wagon," turning to the rest of his men, "The rest of you…" Josh thought for a moment, "Burn it all."

WHIZ

Josh ducked instinctively as a bullet whizzed past his head and splattered against a tree behind him.

"Well, that got your attention," Shego remarked as she holstered her pistol.

"I'm sorry, I was kinda out of it," Josh apologized as he walked past the group.

"What'cha doing out here?" Ed asked nervously as he fingered his weapon.

"Just walking, that's all," Josh replied wearily as he wiped some sweat from his brow.

"What's your name stranger?" Drakken asked as the trio surrounded him with their horses.

"It's not really that important," Josh replied, "You really don't want to know."

"Please," Shego smiled as she pulled out her pistol and placed it right between Josh's eyes, "I insist."

Josh sighed, "My name is Captain Joshua Wendell Mankey. Captain of the New York infantry division. And I'm guessing from the looks of it that you three are Shego, Dr. Drakken and his cousin, Motor Ed."

The gun in Shego's hand shook and Drakken looked visibly shaken at Josh's name. Without a word, Shego holstered her pistol and extended her palm towards Josh, the tiny jet of flame transforming into a ball of green fire.

"You responsible for what happened at Middleton Falls?" Shego hissed dangerously.

Josh's eyes narrowed and he nodded, "Yes'm."

The flaming ball grew larger, "Kim was mine and what you did…"

Josh cocked his head and peered at her before smiling knowingly, "So you're the one…" he paused for a second before dropping his saddlebags to the dusty ground and opening his arms, "Please, do it. Kill me. Kill me for what I've done."

The anger in Shego's eyes faltered but Josh continued, "Please, Kill me," Shego's palm shook and the ball of flame sputtered, "NO DON'T BACK OUT NOW! KILL ME! KILL ME!!"

The ball dissipated until it had reverted back to a tiny jet, "DON'T YOU DO IT YOU BITCH!" Josh screamed, "YOU'VE WANTED TO KILL ME EVER SINCE YOU HEARD ABOUT IT!! NOW DAMN YOU, KILL ME!!"

A tear fell from Shego's eye and the flame in her hand extinguished completely, "I…I can't…" she sputtered.

Josh grabbed her hand and slowly massaged it before placing it on her saddle, "Do you know why you can't kill me Shego?"

Shego shook her head as tears fell from her eyes, "Because the Devil isn't done with me yet."

Shego turned away and cried softly as Drakken broke his place in the circle and rode to her side. Placing a comforting arm on her shoulder, he called out to Ed, "Let's go."

"But 'Cuz," Ed started.

"NOW!" Drakken yelled, "Give Mankey his space."

Seeing his cousin's look, Ed slowly nodded and nudged his horse forward. With that, the trio rode off into the brush, leaving Josh all alone with his thoughts as he trudged towards the town they had just robbed.

"I don't like it," Ed murmured to the group as they rode on. Drakken had taken the reigns of Shego's horse and was guiding them back to their hideout.

"Edward," Drakken sighed, "Joshua Mankey is…"

"A monster," Shego finished. She held out her hand and Drakken gave her back the reigns.

"Look, I don't know what he did, but you both saw that apart from that knife, he had no weapon on him," Ed reasoned, "I can ride back there, shoot him and be back to the hideout in no time."

"That knife is all he needs," Shego explained as she wiped at her eyes, "Besides, he's probably hiding a gun somewhere."

"Well, he's seen our faces and knows the general way we went. We can't let him tell anyone about that," Ed argued.

Shego shook her head, "Ed, he won't say anything. If I know Josh as well as I do, the last thing he wants is to draw attention to himself."

Ed looked unconvinced, "And why's that?"

"Because he has the devil waiting before him and a pack of demons chasing him," Shego explained, "The last thing he wants is for someone to know who he is. He just told us so we wouldn't kill him."

Ed thought for a moment before kicking his horse sharply in the side and turning around, "I'll see you two back at the hideout," he called out over his shoulder as he rode from sight.

Drakken waited until he was out of earshot before saying, "That's the last we'll ever see of him."

Shego nodded silently as the dust settled on the trail. Turning to look at the midday sun, she kicked her horse gently in the side and together, Drakken and Shego rode away. Soon they were lost among the brush of the deserted plains.

Josh groaned as he heaved the saddlebags again, alternating the bags between his shoulders. Suddenly he stopped as he became aware that another rider was approaching him from behind.

"Mister," Ed called out and Josh's hand slowly fell to the knife on his chest.

"Please boy, let me be," Josh asked wearily.

"Sorry Josh, but you saw our faces," Ed replied, "Can't take the chance of you seeing where the three of us went off to."

Josh heard Ed pull the gun out of it's holster and cock it, "I've never wanted to shoot a man in the back so it'd be best if you turn around right now."

Josh shook his head and dropped his saddlebags, "Boy, if you've talked to Shego, you know that the last thing I want to do is draw attention."

"No matter," Ed replied as if he hadn't heard a thing, "I'll kill you just the same."

Josh sighed, "Please boy-"

Faster than the eye could follow, Josh spun around and let the knife fly. It entered 'Motor' Ed's throat just below the Adam's apple and was stopped only by the hilt. Ed looked down in surprise and tried to pull the knife out but stopped as death claimed him and slumped in the saddle before sliding off the saddle to the ground.

Josh approached Ed and pulled the knife from his neck, "I told you boy, 'let me be.'"

With that, Josh retrieved his saddlebags from the ground and draping them over Ed's horse, climbed aboard and rode off towards the town.

"Eric, what do you see?" Ron asked as he and Eric stood in a clearing.

"Looks like Josh was confronted by three other people in this same clearing about two hours ago," Eric reported.

"Which way did he go?" Felix asked.

Eric pointed, "Down that trail towards that smoke column," Eric paused and read the trail again, "Looks like the horses all went that way," he pointed down a trail in the brush, "but then one came back. No second set of return tracks."

Ron nodded and kicked his horse down the trail to follow Josh. Felix fixed his hat and waited for Eric to get on his horse and follow Ron before kicking his horse in the side and taking up the rear.

After twenty minutes of riding, Ron stopped suddenly as a bad smell suddenly appeared.

"Oh man Gimp," Eric gagged, "What is that?"

Felix shrugged, "Something died. But we won't know what until we move on."

Ron nodded and spurned Rufus forward around the bend in the trail. As he rounded the bend, he stopped and called out, "Felix, check this out."

Felix kicked his horse in the side and rounded the corner to find a large man dead on the ground. The area surrounding him splattered with blood, probably from the large knife wound in his neck.

Eric entered the stretch of the path where Ed's body lay and his eyes widened, "Looks like our boy Josh's handiwork." Peering at the dead body, Eric's eyes suddenly widened and he pulled a sheet of paper from his pocket.

Felix ignored him and rode up next to Ron who wasn't looking at the body. "What is it?" he asked his friend.

Ron gestured towards a town several miles away that was charred and smoking, "I think we need to check that town out next."

"And the body?" Felix asked.

"Oh you two can go on ahead?" Eric called out, causing both men to turn in their saddles.

Eric held out the piece of paper, "Edward Lipsky, my Uncle, Wanted for murder, theft, and reckless carriage driving. Will pay 250 dollars for his return. Dead or alive."

Looking up at Ron, Eric commented, "250 dollars is a lot more than you're paying us. So I'm just going to take him to that town over there and be on my way."

Ron sighed, "Are you sure about this Eric?"

Eric looked around confused, "Yeah, 250 dollars," he held out one hand, "compared to your pay. I think I'll go with 250 dollars."

Ron was silent for a few moments as Eric picked up Ed and hoisted him over his shoulders. Without saying a word, Ron nudged Rufus forward, away from Eric, "Fine Eric, have it your way."

Eric nodded and grunted in exertion, "Thanks Ron." Finally reaching his horse, Eric draped the body over the back of the horse and moved to get on.

BOOM

Eric's eyes widened and he looked for where the bullet struck him, but after several seconds, he realized that he was unharmed. His horse however lay on the ground, a single bullet hole between the eyes.

"R…Ron?" Eric asked in confusion.

Ron shrugged, "They're my horses. I can do to them as I please. Beside," Ron remarked, "I want you to work for that money."

Eric stood in shock as Ron rode away, leaving Felix and Eric alone on the trail. Eric looked at Felix, "Gimp? How 'bout a lift?"

Felix thought for a moment before shaking his head, "My name is Felix, not gimp asshole."

With that, Felix drew his gun and shot Eric through the forehead. Riding over to the now dead body of Eric Lipsky, Felix cocked the gun and shot Eric an additional three times in the chest.

"Burn in hell Lipsky…burn in hell."

Felix then turned his horse around and rode to catch up with Ron, leaving the two bodies to rest on the trail.

Disclaimer: I do not own Kim Possible or any thing else belonging to Disney.

Author's Notes: All right, so I'm looking to have this story done sometime within the next two chapters with a final epilogue to wrap the story up for good. I must admit, while this is my least reviewed and least hit per chapter story, I actually like this one the best. I don't know, just seeing the characters in a new realm excites me. I guess not everyone enjoys it, but for those of you who do, thank you. Special thanks to Kwebs and RSfan for reviewing. It really makes my day to see those in my e-mail inbox. As always, leave a review and get a response.