Part Six:

The Exchange

Mary's mouth hurt.

She opened her eyes to the rumble of wagon wheels beneath her cheek and her jaw throbbing. For a few seconds, memory eluded her as she struggled to remember how she had come to be here. Opening her eyes did nothing to dispel the darkness around her. She could see nothing of her surroundings.

The air was dank and musty and when she lifted her chin, felt the top of her head brushing against the layer of calico confirming she was in a wagon. Instinctively, she tried to use her hands but found her wrists were bound as the rope pinched her skin painfully. Her ankles were similarly restrained and after a few seconds of futile effort, she gave up trying to free herself, surrendering instead to the pain warming the side of her face.

Tasting blood in her mouth, Mary knew by the tenderness of her skin scraping the wooden boards beneath her, she was probably sporting a fair bruise that ran all the way up to her eye. She wanted to cry out but knew it was pointless. She was probably far from town or anyone who could help. Inwardly, she groaned at her own foolish trusting nature.

Chris Larabee was right. She had no place being in the West when she was so ready to believe in the goodness of all people. Thinking like that in the Territory of all places, was the most sure-fire way of getting oneself killed although if this wagon reached its destination, she would only make the mistake once.

What a fool she was, inviting a stranger into her house with no idea who or where the girl originated. The little schemer had insinuated herself into Mary's life, into the lives of her friends, with Mary suspecting nothing, until it was too late.

Until she woke up in the dark and found...


...someone in her room.

Mary opened her eyes just in time to see a shape looming over her. Before she could cry out, a fist connected with her face, ending the effort before it even began. Knuckles impacted against her jaw, sending her head flopping to its side. The pain was followed by a wave of disorientation and for a second, she was aware of nothing but room spinning around her.

As she struggled to regain equilibrium, she became aware of her hands being bound and the sharp bite of hessian against her flesh, returned some measure of clarity to her.

"VIN!"

The scream earned her another blow, this one harder than the last. As she saw stars in front of her eyes, she wondered if the tracker had heard her.

"Shut up!" A voice hissed and Mary's eyes flew open in recognition.

Astonishment filled her as she saw Jenny Miller glaring at her smug satisfaction. Eyes previously soft and unassuming were now hard and cold. The hard glare made her flinch. Mary opened her mouth to speak, wanting a reasonable explanation for an unreasonable situation.

She never had the chance. Jenny stuffed a rag into her mouth, muffling the words in her throat. All she could do was glare at Jenny with accusing eyes as she attempted to speak words without sound. Jenny's smile seemed to grow at this, as if she was enjoying Mary's reaction a great deal. God help her, Jenny was relishing it.

"I'm sorry," Jenny finally addressed Mary after a few seconds of gloating. "I can't have you screaming and bringing your tall, dark and handsome gunslinger here, not when we have places to go and people to see."

Mary tried to respond but gave up because her words were unintelligible. She tried moving her hands released another groan of frustration when she realized the ropes were secure around her.

"Don't bother," Jenny retorted unimpressed by her attempt. "I tie good knots."

Where was Vin? Mary thought frantically as she glanced anxiously for the door. Did Jenny incapacitate him? Instinctively, her mind screamed impossible but then Mary remembered how Jenny treated him and a surge of anger rose in Mary at how artfully the girl had manipulated the tracker. Just as artfully as she used her innocence to beguile Mary for the same ends. Mary felt colossally stupid for being taken in so easily by such an obvious method of deception.

Almost as if she knew what was thinking, Jenny spoke again. "If you're expecting Vin to come rescue you, I'm afraid I've taken care of him. Such a sweet boy but sadly, I've never cared much for sweet."

Suddenly, Mary heard footsteps coming from downstairs. Her heart swelled with the hope it was one of the seven who'd come to check on Vin. She wriggled again, hoping to break free but it resulted in Jenny striking her again. This time the blow was not meant to incapacitate her but to warn into her silence. Her heart pounded as those steps neared and Jenny took up a flanking position by the door.

When the door swung open and Mary stared at the new arrival, her heart sank.

It was Ray Waldon.

Mary knew who he was because she had seen him on the street and paid attention because Chris Larabee suspected him of having something to do with this whole revenge scheme. Unfortunately, as the days went on, the seven had become frustrated by the lack of any suspicious behaviour and had started to think they were wrong. Now she wished she could have told them they were correct. Not that she would be seeing the seven anytime soon.

he full scope of Jenny's deception unfolded before Mary when she saw the young woman leaning towards Waldon to give the man a bruising kiss. Silently, Mary ached for poor Vin who had fallen for the girl hard. As she watched them, Mary began to understand how cleverly they had all been played.

In retrospect, it made perfect sense. Jenny and Waldon had arrived in town together. To detract suspicion from herself, she played the helpless young woman in need, feigning attentions on a tracker who was taken in by her gentle disguise. It was Vin who brought her into the house, believing she needed help, aware Mary's compassion would welcome the girl into the house. Meanwhile, Waldon would lead the seven in circle, distracting them from Jenny.

"Is he tied up?" Jenny asked when they had parted.

"Yeah," Waldon nodded. "He ain't going anywhere. I've got the wagon outside so we'd better make a move on."

"Good," Jenny glanced in her direction. "Our package is ready for travelling."

Waldon walked over to Mary and eyed her appreciatively with a leer that made the newspaperwoman shudder in revulsion. She struggled again to free herself but it was a futile effort. Jenny was not lying about tying good knots. She was true to her word and in being so, ensured Mary remained trapped in her unfortunate circumstances.

"Pretty little thing," Waldon remarked, reaching for Mary's hair. Mary flinched at his touch but did nothing to deter him. A second later and he was rubbing strands of her hair through his fingers, savouring the feel of them as Mary showed her disgust in her expression.

"Am I having some competition?" Jenny inquired as she came along side of Waldon.

"Never honey," Waldon grinned and left Mary's hair alone in favour of kissing Jenny passionately again.

Once more, Mary's heart went out to Vin even though she was in more trouble than he right now. The tracker genuinely cared about Jenny and it infuriated Mary she'd taken advantage of that affection. Thankfully, Jenny and Waldon's cavorting didn't continue for much longer and they soon returned their attention back to her.

Waldon wrapped his arm around Mary and lifted her off her warm bed. In retaliation, Mary squirmed and wriggled, not about to make Waldon's job any easier.

"Quit it!" Waldon growled.

"I'll handle this," Jenny said sharply and Mary looked up just in time to see Jenny coming at her with one of Steven's leather-bound books.

The woman wasted no time and smashed the books in the side of Mary's face for enough force to send her ears ringing and an explosion of pain coursing through her mind brought with it the black of unconsciousness.


Now she was here. Travelling to parts unknown without any idea if Chris or any of the seven for that matter, knew that she was gone. Her face throbbed as the wagon continued to travel and Mary struggled to maintain her composure even if she had every reason to be terrified. Straining to listen for any conversation above the sound of the wagon's rattle and the hoofbeats of horse, she was greeted with silence which served to unnerve her even more.

Was Vin still alive? Jenny had been so confident he could pose no threat to her and that made Mary fear for the younger man's safety. With Jenny's cruelty exposed and her ability to manipulate Vin into a vulnerable position, had it been enough to kill him? Mary hoped not. While Jenny had not claimed to work for Stuart James, Mary could not imagine any other reason for this abduction.

At least now she knew how the intruder had entered her house without Chris Larabee being aware of it. There had been no intruder, just Jenny cleverly disguised so Mary would not recognize her. The man Chris had killed was no doubt one of Jenny's agents, playing a part to convince everyone she was an innocent caught up in affairs beyond her control.

Now all Mary could think about was Jenny's threat of a hanging.

Hers.


On the floor of the Travis parlour, someone else was being awakened just as rudely as Mary Travis.

Vin Tanner heard his name exploding in his ears and was torn abruptly from the comforting darkness he had lapsed into when Jenny drugged him. The usually quiet voice of his best friend became as loud as a thunderclap and Vin's eyes flew open at its sharp impact upon its consciousness. When he heard Chris calling his name again, awareness flooded his mind, crowding him like flashes of lightning.

"VIN!"

Chris shouted as he helped Vin off the floor of Mary's parlour where he'd fallen unconscious.

"Chris," Josiah interrupted his efforts to rousing as the preacher inspected the contents of the mug lying next to the tracker. Josiah had taken the whiff of the substance on his fingertips and winced, detecting something that did not all, smell like chocolate and milk. "Something is in this."

Chris's jaw tightened as he understood. "Josiah, get Nathan."

Josiah did not have to be told twice and started out of the room. Vin was alive but that did not mean whatever he was drugged with hadn't harmed him.

"Vin, wake up," Chris barked out again, this time pulling Vin's arm over his shoulder and heaving the tracker to his feet.

Vin's feet struggled beneath him as he groaned out loud, much to Chris' relief. It was the first sign of life the tracker had shown. Dragging him to the nearby divan, Chris lowered Vin into it. For a few seconds, his verbal displays were little more than sharp grunts. Chris did not want to press but he needed to know what had happened. With both Mary and Jenny missing, time was of the essence.

"Vin," Chris tried again. "What happened here?"

Vin's vague expression suddenly sharpened and the tracker stiffened, his hands clenching into fists.

"Is she gone?" His voice was like ice.

"Yeah, Mary's gone." The gunslinger replied, trying to keep the anger out of his voice. He was fighting to keep the worries about the lovely newspaper editor from clouding his judgement but there was no denying, her absence was affecting him more than it should.

"I mean Jenny." Vin repeated himself. Once again, his voice was cold with an edge to it Chris assumed was worry for the girl.

"They took her too," Chris answered, having no wish to lie to Vin about this. He deserved the truth.

"Jenny wasn't taken."

"Yeah, she was," Chris replied, misunderstanding Vin's words of denial. "Vin, we'll find her."

"Chris," Vin started to speak but the words failed him. He felt so ashamed and used, he could barely think. Never in his whole life had he been played so easily and for someone as naturally cautious as he, the situation was wholly unacceptable. What hurt most was that he truly cared for her and now it appeared the object of his affections was an illusion. Clever trickery disguised by a sweet smile and lying words. He had been such a fool. If it was possible to hide away in mortification, he would have done it but the truth was, he had not that luxury.

"Vin, what is it?" Chris asked, his gut tightening as his suspicions regarding that strange smelling cup of hot chocolate began to take shape.

"It was Jenny." Vin finally responded, the words leaving a bad taste in his mouth as he said them. He tried to hide the shame in his eyes as he told Chris the truth but it was impossible. There was guilt all over his face. "She drugged me. Put in a cup of hot chocolate. I didn't know what hit me."

Damn. Damn. Damn.

Ezra was right. Chris cursed inwardly, feeling his anger swell at how preventable all this could have been. Ezra had pegged it and Chris should have acted before it came to this. In attempting to protect Vin, he ended up hurting the tracker even more.

"It's okay Vin," Chris patted him on the shoulder, knowing his friend enough to know that it would not help. "She fooled us all."

"How could I have been so stupid?" Vin asked himself as he stood up shakily. He did not care how awful he felt now, he was going to make amends for the foolishness that had allowed Mary Travis to be spirited away from Four Corners right under his nose.

"Vin, it wasn't your fault." Chris countered his argument, expecting the man's recriminations. "She played us all for fools."

"She played me Chris," Vin hissed angrily. "She played me because she knew the rest of you would trust her because I did."

Chris flinched and Vin was alert enough to catch the flicker in his eyes.

"You knew?"

Unable to lie, Chris answered honestly. "I suspected."

"You suspected?" Vin's expression turned from accusation to a hurt even deeper than what Jenny had inflicted upon him. "You suspected and you didn't say anything?"

Chris swallowed thickly, finding no way to explain this without revealing he'd stood by and watched Vin being tricked into caring for Jenny when he'd suspected the truth. Despite Ezra's warnings, Chris had chosen to remain silent.

"We didn't know for sure." The gunslinger stammered. "We suspected something..."

"We?" Vin barked. "Who's we?"

Chris winced. "Me and Ezra."

Chris made a mental note to apologize to Ezra for how badly he'd screwed this up.

"You both knew?" Vin's eyes filled with shock as well as hurt. "Neither of you could tell me?"

"There was nothing to tell Vin," Ezra Standish entered the conversation, having arrived just in time to hear the discussion with the rest of the seven.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Vin demanded staring at both Chris and Ezra in anguish. "Even if there was nothing to it, you should have told me! I had a right to know!"

"We thought you cared about her, " Chris started to say. "We didn't want to be wrong."

"No!" Vin snarled. "You just didn't think I would trust you enough to think you might have been right, I would have put a woman I just met over you!"

"Mr. Tanner, that is my fault." Ezra found himself speaking out and hating himself for being so noble by trying to spare Chris. "I was the one who advised Chris we should be cautious. I had a feeling about her but I did not wish to jeopardize your happiness on so flimsy a suspicion. If there is anyone to be blamed in this matter, it is I."

Chris stared at Ezra with some measure of surprise, taken back at the gambler's willingness to fall on his sword for Chris. Suddenly, he was reminded of Vin's words to him about Ezra, that Ezra was trying hard to be counted as one of the seven, overriding his baser instincts to be a friend they could rely upon. Sometimes the gambler stumbled because his love of money was not a thing easily overcome but he was trying and never was that more apparent, than at this moment.

"I didn't think it was a good idea either," Chris added his voice to Ezra's, not about to let the gambler take the fall for him. He was just as responsible for Ezra not telling Vin.

"You should have told me," Vin whispered, not caring which of them was more responsible, just the fact they'd hidden it was bad enough. "You should have told me before I started to care."

With that, the tracker walked out of the room without saying another word.

Chris felt his heart sink as he watched Vin leaving, suddenly aware the tracker might simply get on his horse and leave Four Corners for good. He cursed himself for remaining silent when he should have told Vin instantly, before the tracker became too involved with Jenny Miller. A surge of rage frothed up inside of him when he thought about the young woman who had been the cause of so much pain to his friend and knew he would not rest until he caught up with her.

"Someone should go after him," Nathan spoke first after Vin had gone.

"No," Buck shook his head. "Let him be."

"Let him be?" Nathan stared. "His heart's in pieces and you want to let him face that on his own."

"Some things you have to face on your own," Buck stated firmly. Of anyone in the room, it was Buck Wilmington who had a better understanding of the heart than anyone present and Chris knew from experience he was seldom wrong about such things.

"He's smarting some," Buck explained over Chris' thoughts. "He just needs a little time to deal with what's been said and what's happened. When he's ready, he'll come."

"Buck's right, he'll join us when's he's ready." Chris said softly and for a few seconds, both men stared at each other. Wordlessly, Chris conveyed as best he could, he would always need Buck's friendship even if it was not what it once was.

Buck broke contact first, hiding how much Chris' support meant to him. For the first time since coming to Four Corners, Buck had a sense perhaps their friendship might survive the fire. It was evolving into something, something better, but it would survive.

"So, do we have any idea what happened?" Ezra Standish inquired, pushing past the moment.

"Vin didn't tell me much but I'm guessing Jenny drugged him and went after Mary," Chris said grimly, trying not to think about what could be happening to the woman now.

"There was no sign of a struggle," Josiah offered. "But that doesn't mean anything. Jenny could have had help. The man who broke into the house was obviously let in by her, that's why he was able to get past us."

"It was a ruse," Ezra added. "A little bit of deception to make us let down our guard about her. I think she may have suspected I had doubts and moved quickly to ensure she was seen as a victim, not a possible threat."

"Well it worked," Josiah snorted derisively, disliking how Jenny had taken advantage of Vin's affections.

"Well at least now we know for sure that Waldon's involved," Buck added bitterly.

Chris nodded. There had been no time to tell Vin what brought him to the Travis place to begin with. An hour before Chris found Vin unconscious on the floor of the parlour, Waldon disappeared. The seven had scoured town searching for the man to no avail. Now it appeared Waldon and Jenny were working together all along.

"Someone has to tell the Judge," Josiah met Chris' gaze.

The gunslinger flinched at the thought. Orin Travis had asked them to protect Mary and they had failed spectacularly. There was no doubt in his mind Stuart James was behind all this. If so, Chris did not want to imagine what awaited Mary once she was delivered to the rancher. James wanted to make Orin suffer as he had suffered when he was forced to watch Lucas die and Chris had a feeling that whatever James' plan, Orin would be taking an active part in it.

"Well at least we know what Mr. James plan was;" Ezra sighed as he lowered himself into one of the wing chairs in the room. "Miss Miller and Waldon came to Four Corners together."

"It makes sense they're working together," Josiah agreed. "He blows into town, drawing our suspicion, making us focus all intention on him and in the meantime, Miss Miller plays the part of the helpless young woman, stranded in town with no one to help. Latching onto Vin and making him care for her so we would overlook her as a threat."

Nathan shook his head in disgust, hating how he'd been taken in too when she was supposedly attacked by the intruder that Chris ended up killing. The tenderness with which he treated her as she looked at him with eyes fluid and afraid, drawing emotion from his heart with each word she spoke. How much worse was it for Vin?

"We don't have much time," the gunslinger said after a moment, tearing their empathy from Vin back to the situation at hand. "They're probably taking Mary to James now."

"So, we're going to the ranch?" JD asked.

"No," Ezra responded before Chris could. "Mr. James is no fool. He would be aware his ranch would be the first place we would seek out Mrs. Travis once we've ascertained her disappearance."

Chris did not respond. A course of action had presented itself before him. It was risky and something of a gamble with the consequences being extreme if he was wrong but there was no other alternative. Orin Travis was the key to this whole scheme. He was the one who pressed for Lucas to stand trial. It was also his sentence that saw Lucas swing.

Whatever revenge James was about to take, it would be aimed squarely at Orin. James would want the Judge to have his heart cut out the way his own had been cleaved when he was forced to watch Lucas die. It was why Mary was not killed outright. Simply murdering her wasn't enough, James wanted to Orin to suffer and Chris had a terrible feeling he knew how it was to be accomplished.

"Saddle up," he said suddenly. "We're going."

"Going?" Buck stared at him. "Where?"

"Eagle Bend."

Chris' answer drew now measure of small surprise from his companions with Buck asking the inevitable question. "You sure that's where she's been taken?"

"No," Chris retorted as he stared at them all with slight sweep of a gaze that touched all their faces in an instant. "She's not being taken there but that's where the message to the Judge will go."

"I don't get it," Buck replied and was about to delve deeper into the question when Ezra, understanding what Chris was inferring replied first.

"He'll want the Judge to be there when they kill her." Ezra whispered, his face twisting with horror.

"Yeah," Chris nodded, impressed at the gambler's acumen. "James will want him to watch her die just like he had to watch Lucas die. If we get to the Judge before that message comes, we might be able to stop James from killing them both."


Vin Tanner did not go far.

He made it as far as the hitching post outside the Clarion News office before he was forced to catch breath. Despite his anger at Chris and Ezra for harbouring their secret, it was his foolishness that allowed Mary to be kidnapped. Foolishness and wishful thinking that someone could look at him and see more than he was; a wanted ex-bounty hunter who could not even read or write his own name. What arrogance had made him believe any woman, any decent woman would want him? He was mortified by his own naivete.

Now Mary was out there somewhere, captured and held captive by someone he believed to be true. He was the one who suggested Jenny stay with Mary while she was finding her feet, giving her access to her prey with no obstacles. He could not be more responsible for what mischief was now taking place if he had chosen to take a gun and place it to Mary's brow himself.

He had no business helping anyone when he was so easily deceived. Vin's eyes swept across Four Corners and wondered how he could be trusted to enforce law in this town when his behaviour was no better than a love-sick kid. If this had happened to JD, at least there was an excuse. He was a grown man. He should have been able to see through her guise.

Vin was so engrossed in his thoughts he didn't hear Chris Larabee coming up behind him.

"Go away." Vin said listlessly.

"Sorry I can't. I need you."

"For what?" Vin barked at him. "For someone to get Jenny in his sights before going to complete pieces if he has to shoot her?"

He could hear Chris draw a laboured breath behind him. "No, I need the best tracker in the Territory, who just so happens to be my friend."

"If I was your friend, you would have told me," Vin spat back.

"I should have told you," Chris conceded, not about to deny that. "I was wrong not too. You were right, I didn't want you to choose her over us if we brought you what we thought about Jenny. To be fair, after what happened to her with the intruder, I thought she was alright. I never thought it was a way to make me think she was innocent."

"She was smarter than I was," Vin returned softly, his face turned away from Chris so the gunslinger could not tell how hurt he was even though Chris could feel it in every word he spoke.

"She tricked all of us Vin," Chris replied. "Not just you. You have no reason to feel guilty over what happened. It could have been anyone of us. She just picked you for some twisted reason."

"Because I was easy to fool," he answered. "I want you had Chris. I want a wife and family someday even though I got a price on my head. I want those things but it's hard for me. I ain't got Buck's charm or Ezra's fancy way with words. I ain't got much in the way of schooling so what else is there left for any woman to want. When she looked at me, I thought she cared. I really thought that finally someone could see me for what I was. She made me believe that."

Chris felt a resurgence of hatred at the woman for making Vin feel like this. If she were in front of him, he would have strangled her.

"Vin, when the right girl comes along, she'll know you straight away. It won't matter who you are or what you say, she'll just know you."

He was never good at these things but he remembered how it was for Sarah and him. He had only to meet her eyes that one time and suddenly, nothing else in the world mattered. It was that perfect. He wanted Vin to know that feeling and he wished the tracker could have been spared this but he couldn't afford to spend too much time nursing Vin's bruised heart.

They had to get moving to Eagle Bend this instant.

"Vin," Chris continued speaking. "I wish I could leave you alone. I wish I could let you get out your hurt the way you need to but I can't. They've got Mary and if we don't find them soon, they'll hang her the same way Lucas James was hung. I need you to come with us and I need you do it now."

Vin took a deep breath, trying to will the hurt away but it would not go easily. He'd deal with this in his own way but right now, he had to pull himself together. He owed it to Mary Travis.

Vin exhaled loudly and turned around to face Chris once more. "You can count on me."

"Thanks Vin," Chris said genuinely pleased that Vin was coming him. Chris just hoped he could hold himself together when he faced Jenny Miller again.


After what seemed like a whole day of travelling though it could have been easily just a few hours, Mary finally felt the wagon coming to a halt. The side of her body lying against the floor of the wagon was numb and she shifted again, hoping to ease the burden on her shoulder. The wagon jerked forward as it came to a stop, rolling her onto her back abruptly, forcing her to stare at the calico overhead. Her throat was dry from the gag in her mouth and the throbbing at the side of her face had diminished to a dull ache eclipsed the pain in her shoulder and neck.

Knowing what awaited her now the journey had ended, Mary felt a resurgence of panic.

Throughout the journey she heard the intermittent voices of Jenny and Waldon in conversation. They were careful not to say where they were headed, certain she would probably eavesdrop when she awoke, as if she had any choice in the matter when she was trussed up like a fatted calf in the back of the wagon. They spoke of incidental things like where they would go after this, apparently New Orleans and how they would luxuriate with their hefty reward for delivering her. She did discern however, Jenny and Waldon were in fact agents of Stuart James, confirming the rancher's involvement once and for all.

Now the wagon stopped, she heard other voices and wondered what was going to happen next. She did not have long to wait with the wagon now stopped and she heard approaching footsteps against the gravel. The calico was suddenly torn from over her head and a burst of light from the morning sky blinded her temporarily by its glare. Mary flinched as she tried to focus and saw Waldon and Jenny standing at the edge of the wagon, presenting her like a prize to Stuart James who was staring at her dispassionately.

"As promised Mr. James," Jenny smiled triumphantly.

Stuart James looked down at Mary. His expression stony as he stared at the woman who was to be his instrument of revenge. "She doesn't appear as formidable as she usually does." He pointed out.

"Take away the pen and paper, she's just another loud mouth woman with too much time on her hands and no man," Jenny sneered.

Mary glared at her, wishing to speak for herself in this matter but prevented by the gag. She chose instead to look away, not wishing to let the assassin know how her taunt had affected her. Instead, she took a moment to study her surroundings. Judging from the sparse vegetation around them, Mary guessed they were deep in the barrens of the Territory. There were tracts of desert, inhabited by Indians who knew how to survive and generally shunned by homesteaders because of the lack of water. The area in which she found herself was no different. There was nothing for miles around except a small cabin that appeared to have been a way station for the stagecoach when the route still travelled through this vicinity.

The number of horses congregated near a small pond indicated that James had come with a good number of his men. Mary guessed James was not about to take the chance Jenny wasn't followed and Mary wondered if the seven had any idea of where she was. Jenny had made no mention of what she had done to Vin Tanner and so Mary was left with the fear she might have killed the gentle young tracker to kidnap her.

The possibility of that weighed heavily upon her mind and she thought of what effect his death could have on Chris Larabee.

Chris had already lost so many people in his life and she was not blind to the deep friendship shared with the tracker. It would hurt Chris immeasurably if Vin were dead and Mary was certain what rehabilitation Chris was undergoing in would surely end if that were to happen. He would be driven so far into himself that the rest of the seven would never be able to pull him out of it.

Mary did not want to consider what affect her death would have upon him.

"Get her out of the wagon," her attention was returned to James when he issued that order.

Mary felt arms around her and started struggling when Waldon reached for her and started dragging her out of the wagon. The gag shook loose from her mouth and Mary gulped air greedily as she licked her lips, trying to wet her throat so that she could speak.

"Let me go!" She cried out hoarsely and winced because her throat hurt from being forced to work after such a prolonged silence.

"Settle down!" Waldon growled.

"You snake!" Mary took the opportunity to snipe at Jenny. "I invited you into my house!"

Jenny stared at her as if she were an over indulged child and laughed a little. "And I appreciate it. It was so much easier to do my job."

"What is your job? Whoring?" Mary found herself saying viciously. "You didn't have to do that to Vin to stay in my house!"

Waldon stared at Jenny in bewilderment at her words and Mary realized Waldon was unaware how Jenny acquired the seven's trust. Even though it would avail her nothing, Mary was furious enough with the woman for what she had done to risk a few bruises by telling him the truth.

"Didn't you know?" Mary asked Waldon snidely. "That's how she got the others to trust her. She was all over Vin Tanner, made him think that she wanted him. I wonder how far she went."

"Shut up!" Jenny hissed, slapping her across the face, much to the amusement of James' men who were watching the proceedings close by.

"What's she talking about?" Waldon stared at Jenny.

"Nothing," Jenny said nervously, pointing daggers at Mary's direction.

"It wasn't nothing to Vin," Mary added, wishing Jenny to pay some retribution for exploiting the tracker's vulnerability. "You made it sound like you were so in love with him."

"I said shut up!" Jenny screamed and pointed the gun had in her keeping directly at Mary.

"Don't even think about it!" James retorted, grabbing her hand and shoving the weapon away from Mary. "She's my property do you hear me? I'll decide how she dies."

Jenny was fairly seething with rage, particularly when Waldon was staring at her hard. Mary smiled contently to herself, pleased she managed to vindicate Vin in some small way, even though ultimately it would avail her nothing. Still, after the way Jenny had played her and so many others, Mary was satisfied with sowing the seeds of discord at Waldon, who was obviously very jealous of his lover.

"Just if I get to do it," Jenny said finally, her eyes still fixed on Mary. "I want to be the one to make her swing."

"I think I can accommodate you," James said amicably as Waldon carried Mary to the old cabin, leaving them behind. "In the meantime, you have other tasks to take care of if I'm not mistaken?"

"Yes," Jenny nodded, grateful for the pleasure of snuffing out Mary's life herself. As it was she had a good deal of explaining to do to Waldon, who was no doubt soldering at the what the bitch editor had told him. "It's all a part of the service."

"Good," James said with approval. "Just you make sure that Travis knows if he doesn't get here by tomorrow noon. We'll kill her instead of him."

Jenny nodded. "Don't worry, I'll see to it that he knows exactly what's at stake."


Less than a day later, Orin Travis found himself staring at the note delivered to him at his home in Eagle Bend. Ever since he had arrived in Four Corners and arrested the young man for murdering a shopkeeper in cold blood, he knew that there would be consequences for his determination to see justice was done. However, he could not bring himself to turn a blind eye to the murder, no matter how powerful the forces rallied against him might seem. He knew he was being stubborn and it could cost him his life but Travis cared little for his safety when it was placed in the defence of an ideal.

The law was not simply a codex by which society was maintained. It was the written word of justice and Travis believed it sacred. As a young man, the law was words in a courtroom, with cases argued and points made. When he came to the West, he learnt it had to be fought for and sometimes paid for in blood.

Stephen shared his convictions and went into the world, willing to fight for what was right. Even if he did it with truth instead of applying law, it still justice. Travis was proud of his son and equally proud of the daughter in law he married because if Stephen's convictions had been strong, Mary's were damn near invulnerable.

Stephen died because of the absence of law and it became Travis' mission in life to ensure what happened to his son would never happen to anyone else. His arrival in Four Corners was the first step in bringing the law to the town and he knew that he would face stiff opposition. In hundreds of towns across the Territory, there was always someone like Stuart James, who thought wealth gave them the right to make a mockery of justice when it suited them.

As a result, Lucas' birthright did little to frighten him and no matter what the consequences, Orin was determined to see the man pay for the misery he had caused.

Then Fate took a rather curious hand in the situation and offered him assistance in the form of seven men, one of whom reminded him so much of Stephen it broke his heart to see him. Chris Larabee was in many ways so much like Stephen but he was also different. It was his words that convinced Chris to stay with his six companions and together justice became more than just wistful thinking in Four Corners.

Now he was in a position of having to pay a terrible price for enacting that justice. He had no guarantee James would not let Mary go even if he did turn himself over to the rancher but Travis had no choice, he had to try. He could not allow Mary to be harmed because of his choices. His grandson Billy could not be allowed to lose another parent. The boy was traumatized enough by the death of his father, Travis did not want to imagine what it would do to Billy if he were to lose his mother as well.

Looking around his home, Travis immediately began preparations for travel to the rendezvous point named by James' agent. The instructions were clear, he was not to be followed or else Mary would be killed. Travis had no intention of reneging on any of those instructions, at least not yet. No doubt, James had people in Eagle Bend keeping an eye on his movements, ensuring he did nothing to alert anyone to his difficulties, in particular any of the seven.

Fortunately, Evie Travis had selected this weekend to take Billy to visit her sister because Travis had no wish to explain to his wife what he intended to do.

He did not take much with him, just enough to ensure he arrived at his destination. He took a gun with him but he was certain he would never have the chance to use it. Normally, he travelled by stage but on this occasion, his own horse was needed since his destination was nowhere on a stage's route. Travis' preparations were brief and by the time he ventured out of his house, it was late evening.

He had until noon tomorrow to arrive at his destination or else Mary would die.


From a distance, Chris Larabee watched Orin Travis leave his home through Vin's spyglass.

The seven had been in Eagle Bend for some time now and had taken point to watch the Judge's house, certain James would contact the older man to tell him about Mary. For James to have the vengeance he desired, he needed Orin Travis present. No doubt he would have offered Travis some kind of exchange but the truth was, neither Mary nor Travis would be left alive.

"The Judge is moving," Chris announced.

"You were right," Buck pointed out. "They did want him to be there personally."

"Can't have a hanging without an audience," Chris said coldly. "Although he probably told the he'd let Mary go if he turned up."

"I find that extremely unlikely," Ezra drawled from behind the rock they were hiding.

"He can't afford to leave witnesses behind," Josiah replied in agreement. "He'll let Travis watch it first and then kill him too."

Suddenly, Chris stiffened where he was standing and his breath quickened. Vin could tell immediately that the gunslinger's second theory had just been confirmed.

"Someone's following him." Chris stated with almost a hint of satisfaction.

"How many?" Nathan automatically asked.

"Just one," Chris replied and he blinked as the spyglass told him who it was. For a second, he debated whether to tell Vin but then concluded that they had been hiding enough things from the tracker already. "Vin, it's Jenny."

Vin fought the natural impulse to snatch the spyglass away from Chris and see for himself. He reminded himself there were larger stakes here and that was the safe rescue of both Mary and the Judge. He would hold Jenny to account over her actions later. Right now, his friends needed him and he was not about to become any more of a handicap then he had already been.

Conscious of everyone trying to avoid his gaze, Vin added, "she's making sure no one follows him."

"Yeah," Chris nodded. "Too bad, she didn't make sure none of us weren't following her."

It was time to go. They had a hanging to stop.