THE NIGHT OF THE DEADLY LOVE POTION

By Andamogirl

WWW

ACT THREE

Later

It was raining when Jim regained consciousness. His vision was blurred and his right side was burning. He rose to his knees, slowly and cried out.

The pain was atrocious.

He felt something touch his head and looked up at his horse nuzzling his hair. "Good… boy," he let out, before gritting his teeth.

He crawled on the grass damp and slippery with water and blood and managed to grab the stirrup. He used it to stand up.

His knees buckled and he dropped to the ground like a stone.

He winced when he slowly stood up again, grabbing the stirrup once more. This time he managed to stay upright, but he was staggering.

He mounted his horse and grabbed the reins in one hand, keeping the other pressed on his wound, a futile attempt to control the bleeding. It was a reflex.

He kicked his horse's sides setting Blackjack in motion. "Take me to Fairfield, big boy," he said, before closing his eyes.

WWW

Brickley watched James West riding away on his horse, the other man leaning heavily against the black stallion's mane. He had watched the duel from behind a group of trees and knew that the agent was gravely injured – and probably heading to the nearest town, Fairfield to find a doctor.

He had thought, for a few seconds, about capturing him – but the agent, even while losing blood profusely, in a bad state, was still dangerous.

He didn't want to take any risk knowing how fast he was with a gun.

But the other agent, wasn't a threat anymore, he mused, moving toward Artemus Gordon, lying in the grass, hoping to find him still alive.

Dr. Loveless had ordered him, "Bring me West and Gordon!" and he would. But first, he had to bring Gordon back to his boss, he reflected.

He stopped at Artie's feet and looked down at the agent. He had been hit square in his midriff and was unconscious. There was blood everywhere.

Lockpick huffed, shook his head and moved threateningly toward Loveless's very big henchman, wanting to protect his owner.

Brickley looked up at the gelding and said, "I'm not going to hurt him, but help him, so calm down…" and Lockpick did.

Brickley knelt next to Gordon and checked for a pulse and found one.

He lifted the other man's limp body in his arms, effortlessly, and then headed toward the agent's horse… which was standing close.

Lockpick nuzzled his owner's hair.

Brickley said, "He's not dead," then he put an unconscious Artemus Gordon across his saddle and secured him there with the rope. "Let's go!"

WWW

Much later

Dr. Monroe's house

Fairfield

Slowly, agonizingly slowly, James West woke up groggily and with a pounding headache. He blinked, trying to clear his blurred vision.

Once it was clear again, he recognized the dark-haired man standing beside him. "Jer… emy," he rasped, realizing three things at the same time: 1. He was injured but didn't remember being shot; 2. His right side hurt like hell – everywhere else had gone numb and 3. He was lying on something soft – a bed - a woman's bed with a flowered bedspread, he noticed and a pillow was cushioning his head. He glanced around him, surprised to find himself in a blue bedroom. "Wha… h'ppen'd?" he asked, tired by blood loss and laudanum, his voice slightly slurred.

Sitting on a chair, Jeremy sighed, "I was going to ask you the same question, Jim. To respond to you, you were shot, in your right side. You collapsed from your horse in the middle of the main street this morning, bloodied and passed out. The local doctor, Dr. Monroe sedated you and removed the bullet. You're going to be alright, but not for a couple of weeks or more. You were very lucky, again, Jim. You're in Dr. Monroe's daughter's bedroom, Bridget."

Sensing that Artemus was in grave danger, suddenly very concerned, Jim asked, his green eyes glazed with pain. "Where's Artie?"

Pike sighed. "I don't know. He wasn't with you," he said. "I searched everywhere in town and in the surrounding area, and I didn't find him. Do you remember something that could help me to find him?"

His eyebrows scrunched together in thought, Jim said, "I'm trying to remember… I… I…" And everything came back to his mind.

His heart nearly stopped.

He swallowed the lump in his throat with a shocked look on his face.

But his mind focused on the sound of the gunshot, on Artie's strangled cry of pain, on Artie's inert form, lying on the ground, surrounded by a pool of blood widening around his body.

Jim opened his eyes wide in horror, his stomach twisting. "Blood… Oh God, I killed him," he breathed, looking gray in the face, feeling nausea well up in his throat. His teeth clenched. "I'm gonna… be sick," he grunted, bringing his hand to his mouth.

For a couple of seconds, Jeremy didn't react, staring at Jim with a bewildered look, then noticing that Jim's face was now tinged with green, he leaped from the chair, grabbed the closest receptacle he could find: the wash basin on the dresser, and placed it against his friend's chest – just in time.

Jim choked out some ragged breaths and threw-up everything that was in his stomach. He pulled back then and rested his head against the headboard and let out a strangled sob.

Jeremy put the wash basin back on the dresser and sat down again.

In shock, James West started shaking and felt tears roll down his cheeks. His voice cracked. "Oh God! I killed Artie… Oh God! No, noooo!" Then he cried openly, devastated.

Placing a soothing hand on Jim's shoulder, Jeremy said, "You didn't kill him, Jim. That's impossible. You couldn't harm a hair of his head. He's like your own brother – well he is actually, as you two are blood-brothers." He took the pitcher sat on the bedside table and poured water into a glass. "Tell me what happened," and he held out the glass filled with water. "Small sips, Jim."

But Jim refused, his stomach churning. He gritted his teeth and said, "No, I wouldn't be able to hold it…" He closed his eyes and new tears wet his pale cheeks. "Long story short, Dr. Carlotta Rodriguez drugged Artie and me with an airborne love potion and I… and we dueled to decide which of us would have her love. I was the fastest, of course, but Artemus fired and he hit me… I killed him. His shirt was red with blood… I collapsed to the ground and…" He buried his face in his trembling hands. "I killed Artie…"

Placing the glass of water on the bedside table, Jeremy said, "I think not. Artemus will only be declared dead when we find his body, for now, for me, he's still alive." He placed a calming hand on Jim's shoulder. "You always told me if Artie died you would know it immediately, deep in your heart… well? Anything?"

Lowering his hands, Jim sniffed and said, "I… I don't know…I shot him, and there was so much blood, Jeremy. He can't be alive."

Smiling reassuringly Jeremy sat on the edge of the bed. "We're not talking about an ordinary man, but about Artemus Gordon, whose middle names are lots of cat's lives and invincible."

Feeling a bit better Jim nodded. 'Pull yourself together, Jim,' he thought. "You're right… I can't feel anything… anything, so he's not dead." He frowned. "But what happened to him?"

Pike shook his head. "I don't know, but I'm going back to New York to collect information. You stay here and wait for me. You need to get some rest. It should take me a couple of days."

Closing his eyes, exhausted, hurting, Jim nodded and just said, 'Okay." And then he sank into a deep sleep.

WWW

Port of New York at the same time

Loveless hideout

Dr. Loveless looked down at the unconscious man lying on the operating table. He was grinning. "He's going to be alright. I saved his life," he said proudly. He chuckled. "It's a first. I usually want to kill him – and that hasn't changed, I will kill him, but my way, not with a bullet. It's is all too common, unworthy of me." He touched his patient's throat and took his pulse. " It was a very good idea of mine to get you to follow Dr. Rodriguez, Brickley, so that you could capture Mr. West and Mr. Gordon, and bring them here… so that I could have my revenge." He glanced at his massive henchman standing at his side.

Brickley nodded. "But I only managed to bring you Mr Gordon, Doctor. I'm sorry. Mr West was already heading to Fairfield."

But he didn't tell Loveless he had let Jim go.

Loveless nodded. "I have sent Simmons to Fairfield, to deliver a 'message' to Mr. West who is probably in the local doctor's hands. Mr. West will be here by tomorrow."

The hooded doctor rolled his wheelchair toward the operating table and glanced at Artemus Gordon with pure hate. "You… should… have… let… him… die!"

Loveless shook his head. "Oh no! I have plans for Mr. Gordon and for his partner, because Mr. West will be here soon. I sent him an invitation."

Pointing at Artie, the other man said, "They… ruined… our… plan… to… create… a… brain."

The diminutive man nodded, "The project is just postponed, Doctor. It's not abandoned. We'll make that brain, a perfect brain which will allow us to continue to live after our poor bodies are attacked by the inevitable old age, a brain that we'll transplant into the head of a human- like-machine… I have yet to create, but I have the design in my mind. As for the mind-transfer machine, I have already built it…"

The black-cladded man added, "Correction, we… built… it, …with… my… indispensable… help."

Loveless nodded. "Of course. I was going to say that, Doctor." He smiled and looked down again at the prone form of Artemus Gordon. "And soon I will have two subjects to test it…" He rubbed his hands in glee. "I'm looking forward to the experience…"

The man in the wheelchair nodded. "I… have… to… go… back… to… Washington, …I… need… to… see… my… physician… for… a… complete… medical… examination… and… so… he… can… change… my… bandages.. and… to… give…me… new… painkillers."

Loveless smiled. "I'll tell you everything when you get back."

WWW

The next morning

Bridget Monroe frowned when she discovered James West standing beside the window, watching goings-on out in the street. "You should not be on your feet, Mr. West, go back to bed, now."

Looking at the young blond woman moving toward him, Jim shook his head, "I'm fine," he lied. His whole body was throbbing, and every time he shifted, he could feel the sharp ache of his right side. "It's not the first time a bullet hit me… besides, it wasn't that serious." Now that, was the truth, he mused.

She sighed. "Said the man who almost bled to death." She handed him the package she held. "A man brought you this."

Intrigued, Jim placed the package on the table, rapidly removed the brown paper and discovered a cardboard box.

He lifted the lid and… gasped in surprise. "Artie!"

He took the gun, monogrammed AG in golden letters on the butt and then the note attached to it with a cord. He opened it and read, "Port of New York, warehouse 6, come alone. No tricks or Artemus Gordon will die." He grinned. "Will die… then he's still alive!"

He exhaled a long sigh of relief – but it didn't suppress the gut-wrenching guilt that oppressed him. He had had wanted to kill in cold blood, the man he considered his own brother!

He placed a hand on Bridget's arm. "I need to go back to New York as soon as possible, to help my partner, but I can't ride in my state…"

The young woman sighed. "You should be in bed… alright. The stagecoach is out of the question, you'll be cramped inside and your sutures could come undone. I know! I'm going to take you there myself in the buggy…" She saw the agent shake his head. She pouted. "Why?"

Smiling soothingly Jim kissed Bridget's cheek, "Because it's going to be dangerous and I want you to be safe here. Another solution?"

She nodded, blushing. "Yes, Sam the black-smith and his buckboard. I'm going to ask him to come here as soon as possible."

WWW

Mid-afternoon

Pressing one hand to his bandaged – aching, burning – right side, Jim entered warehouse 6, his other hand resting on the butt of his gun.

He felt someone moving at his back and turned around, discovering a man built like Voltaire, but red-haired, a familiar face. Brickley.

Brickley was pointing a gun at him. "Give me your gun, West."

He complied and watched the brute slide his Colt into his belt. "Lead me to Dr. Loveless," was all he said.

Brickley shook his head. "Not yet, give me your other gun, the one you hide in your right sleeve. Dr. Loveless told me about it." He cocked the hammer of his revolver. "No tricks!"

Pointing his arm toward the floor, Jim activated the mechanism and a Derringer suddenly appeared as if by magic in his hand. He held the small gun out to the henchman." Satisfied?"

Brickley smiled like a shark. "Very." He gestured toward a back door. "Move, Dr. Loveless is expecting you and he's not a patient man."

WWW

Later, in the operating room

Loveless was listening Artemus's heart with a stethoscope when Jim West entered the room, escorted by Brickley and Simmons and three other armed men.

He placed the medical instrument in the pocket of his white lab coat and smiled. "Ah! Mr. West, it is always a pleasure to see you again."

Moving forward, Jim replied, "The pleasure is all yours, Doctor." He made a bee line toward his partner, lying in his underwear, unconscious on a rolling operating table. White bandages were wrapped around Artemus's midriff. "How is he?" he asked, anxious.

Artemus looked terrible, he noticed, disheveled and unshaven, pale and drawn and his eyes were sunken amid dark circles.

Loveless frowned, upset. "How ungrateful! You could thank me first! I'm the one who saved his life! He was dying when Brickley brought him to me."

Looking down at the diminutive man Jim said, reluctantly, "I'm sorry. Thank you."

Loveless nodded. "It was close but as he is-was in good shape, he made it through the surgery. Fortunately for him, I'm a very talented surgeon and managed to fix everything. I retrieved the bullet - and he was very lucky it didn't do too much damage - and I gave him a transfusion from man to man with a new device of my invention. Mr. Gordon is safe. For now."

Feeling guilt squeeze his throat and pierce his heart, Jim hesitated before taking Artie's limp hand in his, brushing his thumb slowly back and forth in his close-to-a-brother's palm. He had an inner smile. They were actually blood-brother since their adventures in the bayous. "I'm so sorry," he let out, a hand stroking Artie's curly hair, while paling with guilt and shame. "I tried to kill you Artie…" He dragged a tired hand down his face and ran his hand over Artiemus's head again, unconsciously needing to touch him to be sure he was still there, still breathing, still alive, "I thought I'd lost you…"

Miguelito Loveless joined Jim. He smiled and said, "Yes you tried to kill him and you would have lost him if I hadn't saved his life. That love potion makes men capable of anything…The proof is that you wanted to kill Artemus Gordon to be the only one to be with Carlotta Rodriguez. Brickley who watched the duel told me everything."

Jim nodded. "How did you know where to find me?"

Loveless pointed at Brickley, and responded, "Brickley found Mr. Gordon lying in a pool of his own blood, in the field where you shot him. He didn't find you there, because you were already heading to Fairfield, to see the local doctor. I sent Simmons there to deliver the 'message' addressed to you."

Jim nodded. "I understand."

The little man glanced at his patient, eyes gleaming with mischief. "Ah! I would have liked to attend that duel but I was busy calibrating my brand new machine." He paused, and chuckled. "But I will be in Washington, when Dr. Rodriguez puts her plan into action. I wouldn't miss that for anything in the world. She left for the Capital a couple of hours ago…"

Frowning in worry, Jim said, "I can guess what her plan is… She's going to use her airborne love potion in a public place to create a big brawl, causing a lot of people to be injured, or even die …"

Loveless beamed. "Oh yes! And this country will sink into utter chaos – after she uses her love potion among the Senators and the Representatives…"

Feeling very, very worried now, Jim said, "She has plans to go to Congress… and use her love potion there? Oh God!"

Loveless chuckled. "It's brilliant, isn't it? Then, she will go to the White House. When she asks to see the President, they shall hurry to obey her and show her into his presence. Then, once with Grant, she'll ask the President to kill himself in order to please her, and he'll comply without any hesitation. I will seize the opportunity to take over Washington with a small army which awaits my orders somewhere in the woods 20 miles away from the Capital…" He grinned. "And in a few days, people will be calling me King Miguelito the First, or Emperor Miguelito the First, I'm still hesitating between the two – what do you think?"

Jim smiled. "I prefer inmate Loveless."

Loveless scowled. "Very funny." Seeing that the agent was looking around him, trying to find a way to escape, he added, "It's useless, Mr. West. My men here are gunslingers and they are ready to shoot you at the slightest suspicious gesture on your part. You won't be going anywhere." He headed toward the opposite part of the vast underground room and pulling on a rope, opened a big curtain, revealing a big machine covering the entire wall. "This is my latest invention! Isn't it beautiful?"

His face neutral, Jim commented, "Swell."

Loveless scowled. "I need test subjects to see if it works properly – and Mr. Gordon and you are volunteers to help me calibrate it." He smiled like a crocodile. "And I will get rid of you both, at the same time. I didn't know how, until I had that great idea… What a delightful revenge." He snapped his fingers. "Brickley, bring Mr. Gordon here, he goes first."

Brickley complied, rolling the operating table on which Artemus, still unconscious was lying, and halted it next to the machine.

Jim followed closely.

Loveless slapped Artie's face, twice, and the older agent opened his eyes with great effort. "Wake up, Mr. Gordon, you're going to have the privilege of being the first to test my new machine."

Blinking dazedly Artie saw Loveless standing over him, "No, not you…"

Loveless chuckled. "Yes, me."

Artie tried to move but a sharp pain from his stomach region informed him that it was a very bad idea. "Aaaaah!"

Immediately Jim leaned toward his best friend, taking his hand in his. It was damp and burning with fever. With the back of his hand he touched his sweat-drenched hair plastered to his forehead. "I'm here Artie, you're safe. Everything is going to be okay."

Artie smiled and breathed, "J'm…" Then he noticed the machine, cringed and whispered. "Oh… no. Not the machine…"

Loveless wagged a finger. "Tsk! Tsk! Tsk! Your mother should have taught you not to lie, Mr. West. Move away from him, now."

But Jim refused.

Brickley pushed Jim backward, hard.

Simmons pointed his gun close to the agent's head. "Don't move!"

Loveless placed two electrodes on Artie's forehead, connecting him to the machine, and started to press different colored buttons. "Almost ready…" he said, very excited at testing his machine.

Knowing from experience that Loveless plus machine equaled suffering and then very bad things, Artemus tried to remove the electrodes but his hand stop mid-course and dropped limply.

He tried to move, in an attempt to pull himself into a sitting position, but his strength had abandoned him. "No," he breathed.

He groaned feeling an intense burning pain in his midriff. His vision started to gray at the corners before his eyes rolled back, and the world went black.

Loveless lowered a lever and the machine started humming. The diminutive man pressed a big red button and three smaller buttons started flashing. "It's working," he said. Turning toward Jim he explained, "My latest invention is a Mind-transference machine. The three flashing lights here, indicate that Mr. Gordon's brilliant mind is being transferred into a special component where it will be stored." He moved beside Artemus and rubbed his hands in glee as he observed the special agent's vacant eyes. "Good!" He moved back toward the machine and then added, "Then, I will re-transfer his mind into him. Isn't it prodigious?"

Pale, Jim shook his head. "No, it's not. What happens if it doesn't work?"

Miguelito Loveless nodded. "That's simple. Everything will be lost, the personality, the knowledge, the experience, … The body will be like an empty shell. It will continue to operate as long as we take care of it, and if not, it will die." Suddenly the three buttons stopped flashing. He beamed. "Transfer's complete!" He touched another button, flashing blue. "Mr. Gordon's mind is in the machine…and before you ask, I don't know if he is aware of it." He lowered another lever and the three buttons started flashing again. "I'm transferring his mind back now…"

Seeing the three lights stop flashing, he moved back toward Artemus who was blinking, looking dazed. "Mr. Gordon, tell me, what did you feel?"

Closing his watery eyes, exhausted, very pale, Artie murmured, "Terrible. Everything was black… I felt lost, I was trapped, I was oppressed… it was a horrible sensation. I felt so lonely…" He gulped. "That was horrifying. Don't do that again!"

He let out a strangled sob, tears threatening to spill out of his eyes.

Loveless smiled broadly. "You felt like this because your mind was stored into what I call a 'mind-hold-device', but imagine being transferred into another brain, a powerful, virgin, brain…"

Jim nodded. "That's why you were making that brain, to transfer your mind into it…"

Loveless applauded. "Very good, Mr. West. Yes, it is my intention to do that before my body becomes old and decrepit. I can't stand the idea of getting old and losing all my faculties. And, as I want to be immortal, I will first, place a brain into a human-like machine – I haven't built it, yet, but I will soon. It will be taller, stronger than average human beings, and it won't age! – I won't age."

Jim nodded. "Good for you. And I suppose that your associate, the man in the wheelchair will have one human-like machine too?"

Loveless nodded. "Of course, that's why he helped me build that machine. Poor man, trapped in that wheelchair, suffering like hell… Then, I will need a man like him to be at my side, very intelligent, unscrupulous, ready for anything to get his own way… He has already accepted the role of my First minister."

Concerned, Jim looked at Artemus who was drifting in and out of consciousness. "What about your other associate, Dr. Rodriguez? What is she gaining from your plan?"

Loveless followed Jim's gaze. "She'll be at my side too, of course. She's interested in being immortal, too, meaning she'll be beautiful, forever. She has not decided yet, what role she'd like to have…" Looking at Brickley, he added, "It's time for me to take revenge for all you have done to harm me… Brickley, bring me the kitten." Then he turned toward Jim and continued, "I had planned to kill you slowly, with another of my inventions, but I 'm going to use that machine to get rid of both of you once and for all… I find it more amusing." He paused to shake Artie's arm, roughly. "Stay awake, Mr. Gordon, I'm not finished with you."

Brickley came back shortly after, cradling a kitten which was just a few weeks old against his chest.

Artie smiled at the fluffiest, tiniest baby-cat he'd ever seen. It was completely black. Its face was round and it had clear bright blue eyes.

Jim frowned, puzzled. A kitten?

Artemus blinked with weariness as his sight kept fading in and out of focus. "Hey k'ty… y're ado-ado-rable," he slurred. The kitten let out the tiniest of mews. "Aww…"

The kitten looked at Artemus at the sound of his voice.

"Mew!"

Loveless took the tiny cat and placed it on top of a stool, saying. "Don't move, kitty."

The kitten yawned and curled into a ball.

The little man glanced at Artemus and had a wicked smile. "I heard that you have a cat, Mr. Gordon. How about becoming one?"

Blinking dazedly, his brain shutting down in exhaustion and fever, Artie let out, "Wha? Me… cat?"

Although Artemus didn't react, Jim did. His blood ran cold. "That's your plan! Putting Artie's mind in a kitten's brain!"

Loveless nodded. "Exactly! Brilliant isn't it?"

Appalled Jim took a step forward. "I won't let you do that," he said.

Simmons placed the mouth of his gun against the agent's back and growled. "Don't move, I said! Or I shoot. The Doctor needs your head, he doesn't care if I put a bullet in your back… as long as you stray alive long enough for what he has planned for you… "

Miguelito Loveless chuckled. "No more human Artemus Gordon, the formidable special agent of the Secret Service, but Artemus the tiny, vulnerable kitten. As for you, Mr. West, I chose a puppy dog. I'm sure you're a dog-lover."

Calming, Jim looked down at the diminutive man, and specified, "Actually, Artie's a cat-lover. I have no preference. I love both cats and dogs the same."… And he suddenly hit Simmons face, hard, with a fist like iron.

The henchman cried out as blood spilled from his broken nose and he took a step forward, crying, trying to repress nausea.

Jim hit Brickley's face, too, with all he had, pushed him to one side and ran toward the machine, ready to break it.

But the brute was faster.

Brickley growled like an angry bear, grabbed Jim by his neck and threw him to the ground, before lowering a massive fist to his opponent's head.

Loveless ordered, "No! Don't hurt him. I want him to see his best friend becoming a kitten…" and he watched his henchman pull Jim to his feet. He cackled, "You could be together again, but you won't be a menace to me anymore." He glanced at Simmons who was moaning in pain. "Go to the galley and put some ice on your broken nose."

Simmons glared at Jim and headed toward the door.

Loveless initiated the transfer, again. Once Artemus's mind was stored in the mind-hold-device, he placed two electrodes on the kitten's head and the mini cat let out a disgruntled meow. He lowered a lever, pressed on the big red button and said, "Mr. Gordon's mind will be a little bit cramped in that tiny head… as for the cat's mind, well, there are three possibilities, one, they'll get along together, peacefully, or two, the human's mind will push the cat's mind to one side. And the third possibility, they will combine to make one." Then he chuckled. The three buttons stopped flashing a few seconds later. "The transfer is complete." He took the kitten in his hands and asked, "Are you in there, Mr. Gordon?"

Ears flattened against its head the kitten hissed and snarled in response, thrashing its tail, puffing up to twice its size.

Miguelito Loveless smirked. "Oooh, I'm sooo terrified…what are you going to do? Claw me to death? You tiny harmless, creature!"

Kitten-Artie let out an almost feral growl and flicking out its tiny needle-like claws, it swatted at Loveless and scratched the little man's nose.

Loveless yelped, his nose bleeding, and dropped the mini-cat to the floor.

Using its claws again, the kitten climbed Jim's pants and moved on top of the agent's right shoulder and snuggled there, against Jim's neck, feeling safe.

Smiling Jim said, "I think you have your answer, Loveless." He stroked the kitten under its pointy shin and the ball of fluff purred. "Good job, buddy!"

Miguelito Loveless groaned wiping the blood off his scratched nose with his handkerchief. "Brickley, put that furry thing in a bag and then throw it in the River!"

Jim took a step back. "Never!"

The kitten climbed on Jim's head and growled again menacingly, baring its teeth, back arched. It spat at Brickley, fur rising again, clawing the air.

Jim smiled. "Brave kitty-Artie!"

Suddenly a series of gunshots resounded and the door was broken down by several armed policemen. Immediately the gunslingers opened fire.

Loveless immediately ran toward the back door, Brickley in tow.

Jim delicately took the kitten off his head – it was small enough to be held in his palm - unbuttoned the top of his golden waistcoat and slid the tiny feline against his chest.

He ran after the two men.

But Brickley suddenly pivoted and charged on Jim like a raging bull. He easily pushed the agent into the vast machine-room, giving time for Loveless to escape.

The brute pinned Jim against a wall like a mere fly for a few seconds; and, stepping over dead bodies (policemen and gunslingers) he hurled himself into a group of federal agents who had just entered the vast room, Jeremy Pike amongst them.

Pike barely avoided being crushed against the wall beside the door and ran toward Jim, sitting on the floor beside a huge wall-sized machine.

Brickley was finally forced to the floor by six men and manacled - twice. Then one of the agents used the butt of his gun to knock him out.

Jeremy spotted a small black kitten all fluffed up, with blue eyes in his friend's arms. "Hey there, kitty. Are you okay Jim?"

Looking at Jeremy, Jim nodded. "Yes, I am, but not Artie…" He settled the mini-cat on top of his knee and kissed the kitten's head. "He's a kitten now… Loveless used that machine behind me to transfer Artie's mind into the kitten's brain." Curious he asked, "But a male or a female?" He quickly checked the kitten's gender – making kitty-Artie meow indignantly, and added, "He's a male. Say hello to Jeremy, Artie."

The kitten lifted a paw.

"Mew!"

Jeremy Pike opened his eyes wide in total surprise, blinked twice, mouth wide open, then he raised his eyebrows in complete disbelief. "Wha-what?"

Stroking the mini-feline's black fluffy fur Jim said, "Artemus body, over there, lying on the operating table is now an empty shell."

The agent was still stunned. "Dear God…" He petted the kitten's black head, amazed and smiled when the kitten pushed back against his hand. He scratched it behind its ears and added, "And Loveless is gone. He has escaped, again."

Jim nodded. "You have to find him, it's vital. Loveless is the only one who can use that machine and put Artie's mind back in his brain. I want men here to protect the machine… and as the man in the wheelchair wasn't here, he could come back, not knowing what happened. If he does I want him arrested."

Pike nodded petting the kitten's head. "I will find him, Jim. Speaking about finding… I found Lockpick in the stable. He's okay."

Standing, Jim said, "I have to go to Washington to stop Carlotta Rodriguez. She has plans to bring chaos to Congress and then to the White House using her love potion… People will kill each other to be the one to have her." He frowned, intrigued. "By the way, how did you know where Loveless's hideout was?"

Pike fingered the kitten's tiny front paws and the kitten mewled, pleased. "As I didn't find anything in New York, I headed back to Fairfield. I asked people if anyone had seen you, and I met Dr. Monroe's daughter. She told me that you had left town to go to a rendezvous at warehouse 6 in the port of New York, and that Artemus Gordon was alive and in grave danger…"

Jim nodded. "And you came here with policemen and agents. Good job, Jeremy! Now, let's take Artemus to the New York hospital. He needs special care."

Pike nodded. "Okay, then I will send a telegram to Colonel Richmond to tell him what happened – except the part about Artie now being a kitten. I leave you the pleasure of telling him in person…"

Jim sighed.

WWW

Later, in the New York hospital

Dr. Colson pocketed his stethoscope, stood and looked at the man who was lying on his back on the bed, mouth opened, and who was completely still.

Artemus Gordon's eyes were closed and his body completely lax.

He joined the two Secret Service agents waiting next to the door. "He's stable," he said and added," He will need round-the-clock care – it's like he's in a coma. Fortunately, I took care of two comatose patients before. I know the medical procedures to keep him alive."

His face drawn, Jim took his eyes off of Artie – who was ghostly pale and looked dead and he shuddered. He nodded. "How long can he stay like this?"

Richard Colson rubbed his chin. "It depends on the patient's health, Mr. West, and your friend has been seriously injured and he's weak. In his case, I would say a couple of weeks…" He frowned, curious. "What happened to him?"

Jim replied, "I can't tell you, I'm sorry, it's classified." He sighed. "I have every confidence in you taking good care of him, doctor." He glanced at Jeremy standing at his side. "I have to go to Washington, but Mr. Pike will stay here, if you need anything."

Dr. Colson nodded. "Don't worry, he's in good hands. I will do my best, and my nurses too, to take care of your friend the best we can." He smiled reassuringly, and then left the white-painted room.

Poking its head out of Jim's blue waistcoat, the fluffy kitten peered around. He let out a worried mewl and Jim let him go and it landed on Artemus's chest, slowly moving up and down with each breath.

Immediately the mini-black cat padded toward Artemus's face on wobbly feet and sat on its hind legs on the comatose-like human's collarbone.

The kitten pawed Artemus's pale lips. He looked up at Jim then, blue eyes worried.

"Mew?"

Sighing, Jim stroked the feline's fluffy back. "Don't worry, Artie. Doctor Colson will take good care of your body, and Jeremy here will find Loveless. I have placed two local agents in the corridor for your protection, in case Loveless and his accomplices try to kill you – I mean your body. You're going to stay here with Jeremy, while I'll be on my way to Washington to stop Carlota Rodriguez."

The baby cat clawed Jim's sleeve, hanging to it, meowing in protest. It stared up at him with demanding bright blue eyes.

"Mew! Mew!" The kitten let out, pleadingly.

Pulling the tiny furball into his arms, Jim said, "No, you can't come with me. You're a cat now Artie – a kitten! - you can't help me. You have to stay with Jeremy, he's going to take good care of you. As soon as he he finds Loveless, the sooner your mind will return to your brain."

The kitten let out a disgruntled mewl.

Cupping the tiny baby cat in one hand, bringing it up to his face, at eye level, Jim shook his head, waving a finger firmly and said, "I said No." The kitten tried to squirm out of his grasp. "What did I say? No!"

"Mrreeoww."

WWW

Later, in the Wanderer

Rubbing his eyes tiredly, James West stood, yawned, dropped the newspaper he was reading on the couch and spotted Marmalade sitting on her hind legs in front of the door, slowly balancing her tail.

"Meow!"

Suddenly the telegraph clicked to life.

Jim hit the telegraph key to accept reception of the message. A few seconds later, the telegraph key came alive again.

Looking down at Artemus's white and orange cat, waving its tail nervously now, and meowing, Jim translated the Morse code, "Following your last message. Access to Congress is forbidden. Access to the White House is forbidden. Men were replaced by women of the Secret Service to guard them. Loveless's army captured and secured by the cavalry. Waiting for your arrival to arrest Dr. Rodriguez. Signed, Colonel Richmond." He smiled broadly. "Good! Carlota's love potion will not work on women." He acknowledged the message and closed the box of faux books hiding the key.

"Mrrrreow!"

He sighed. "No, you can't go out, Marmie. The train is on its way. It's dangerous. Besides, it's raining a lot outside and you don't like water."

Marmie meowed and started to scratch the door, insisting.

Sighing, Jim surrendered and opened it. "Okay, maybe you just need to breathe some fresh air on the rear platform… but I warn you, you're going to get all wet!"

Marmalade rushed outside, onto the rear platform and then came back inside a few seconds later, grabbing a black kitten with blue eyes by the scruff of its neck.

It was soaked to the skin and trembling with cold.

She gently deposited the mini cat at Jim's feet, snorted, shaking the raindrops of her coat, and gave the kitten a series of quick maternal licks, smoothing its drenched shaggy hair.

Frowning, upset, Jim reached down and picked the kitten up and cupped it in both hands. He held the mini-feline to eye level. "Artie! you bad kitten!"

The kitten wiggled its tiny paws in the air and blinked at Jim innocently, waving its tiny tail, its ears twitching slightly.

The tiny cat reached out a paw to bat at Jim's thumbs and let out the tiniest of mews.

Still frowning, upset, Jim said, "I know what you're trying to do. Don't try to soften me Artie! It won't work. You disobeyed me! I told you to stay with Jeremy in New York."

The kitten mewled 'Who me?'

The little guy was just Adorable, Jim couldn't help but think.

Succumbing to the black fur-ball cuteness, softening, he stroked the kitten's belly making little cooing noises, then underneath its chin and smiled as the fluff-ball started to purr loudly. "How did you manage to climb onto the platform? You're so small." He touched the mini-cat's nose with his. "Hmm… some people probably heard you mewl, thinking that you were living here and put you there…" He furrowed his brow again, upset once more. "You could have fallen from the platform and died!... It was totally reckless!" He finally noticed that the small cat was trembling and that his fur, sticking out every which way, was drenched. The kitten let out a pitiful sound and a tiny sneeze. "Ooh, you're cold!"

New sneeze.

Immediately, Jim settled the small bundle of fur on the couch, delicately, and gently wrapped the tiny animal in the thick coverlet. "Here, you'll feel warm in a minute, Artie;" he said as he started drying the kitten off. Then, once the mini-feline was all fluffy again, and not shivering anymore and kneading his sleeves with its front paws playfully, he added, "I'm going to bring you a saucer of milk – warm milk, no, tepid milk. Don't move little guy, I'll be right back!" Then he headed toward the galley at top speed.

New sneeze.

Marmalade jumped on the couch and rolled in a ball around the kitten to provide him warmth before starting to lick the black fur clean, grooming it in a comforting way.

Immediately a deep purr rumbled out of the kitten and it rubbed its head against Marmalade's neck affectionately as it kneaded the golden coverlet, flexing its paws almost in time with its purring.

Holding a saucer of milk Jim came back shortly after to the parlor suite and beamed seeing the kitten snuggled against Marmalade's white belly, on its back, paws in the air, purring.

He settled the saucer of milk on the table, sat on the edge of the couch and stroked the white and orange cat between its ears, eliciting loud purrs. "You did a good job Marmie! You heard him on the platform, right? That's why you wanted to go out? You saved his life, you know. He would have been frozen to death without you, by now. Brave Marmalade."

Marmie curled tighter around the kitten and started to lick the kitten's head, between his ears with affection and purred in time with kitty-Artie.

Smiling, Jim petted the kitten's belly again. "I'm wondering if you know that that kitten is actually your owner Marmie, now with four tiny paws, pointy ears and a tail." He smiled watching the mini-cat snuggle closer to Marmie, to her warmth. "I'm going to give you a name, I can't call you kitty-Artie… even if your mind is in the kitten's head, it's way too strange. What about Fluffy?" The kitten hissed in displeasure. Jim nodded. "Okay, you don't like it. What about Fur-ball?" There was a new disapproving hiss. "Okay, you don't like that either. Oh! I know, I've got one, what about AG, for Artemus Gordon? AG then?"

AG flicked his tail happily.

"Mreow," he let out, pleased.

Marmalade meowed her approval too.

Tbc.