Guano City

We rode through the night and well into the morning after we left White Oaks, and we soon found we were running low on water. We came across some mine workings and rode up to an old man sitting on a low stool.

"Hey!" Billy called "you got any water?"

The old man reached under his stool and pulled out a water skin.

"Old timer, when did this place boom up?" Billy asked passing the water around.

"Last week" the man replied.

"Copper?" Billy asked handing the water skin back.

"Nah! Guano. Bat droppin's".

"Bat droppin's?" Dave laughed "I've been to Gold Towns, Silver Towns, I've even been to Turquoise Towns, but I've never been to a Bat Shit Town. Can't wait to see the women!"

Suddenly gunfire sprayed down the hill. We looked up and my stomach dropped as Pat and his posse rode into view.

"Go! Go!" Billy yelled kicking his horse into motion.

"Come on Pequeno!" I called making sure Tom was in front of me as I followed hard on Billy's tail.

We tore through the mine workings and back into the canyon we'd just left. I could hear the neighing of the posse's horses and urged my horse to go faster.

Billy suddenly pulled up at the edge of a steep slope.

"What are we gonna do?!" I gasped.

"I don't know mi amor!" Billy's horse turned in circles.

At that moment Chavez came charging towards us yelling "ASSAY!" over and over. Whatever he was saying had no effect on his horse, who carried Chavez clean over the edge and down the slope.

As if they had been spoken to, our horse all followed and with my heart in my mouth I went over the edge.

After a few minutes of rolling and avoiding flailing hooves, we reached the bottom and tried to mount up as soon as possible. Bullets hit the sand around us and I felt a sharp sting on my shoulder. I'd been hit.

"Son of a bitch!" I cursed finally getting in the saddle. I looked around at the others and felt a hint of relief when I saw everyone on their horses.

As we were skinning out of the valley I heard Dave cry out. I turned around to find his horse had been shot and he was running towards us on foot.

Chavez also turned around and gritting his teeth he headed back for Dave and hauled him onto the back of his horse.

We made it out of sight of Pat and stood still for a moment to catch our breath.

"Sweet Mary's ass!" Dave gasped "how the hell did you get them to do that huh? What's that mean anyway? Assay, assay?"

"It's an ancient Navajo word" Chavez replied looking quite pale "it means stop".

A few hours later I noticed we were in more familiar territory.

"When we get to the top of this bluff, we'll have a clear view of the Nachita river" Billy said "we'll sell the horses off, and then we'll take a skiff downriver into Mexico".

"If Pat doesn't find us first" Doc muttered.

"Hey, Tommy, last one up the hill's a three legged dog!" Billy whooped and took off with Tom close behind.

They went out of sight and I turned to Doc "have a little faith Doc, we survived hard times before". I went to pat his knee when my shoulder reminded me I'd been shot. "Son of a bitch!" I cursed gingerly touching a hand to the wound.

"Are you alright?" Hendry asked riding up to me.

"No, I'm not. Pat damn well shot me!" I could tell the bullet was still in the wound and I went to mention this to Chavez, knowing he could help remove it, when a gunshot sounded.

I wheeled my horse around and saw Billy racing back towards us with Tom's satchel over his shoulder. I searched Billy's face and felt my heart break at the look in his eyes. "No! please tell me it's not true!" I ignored my shoulder and grabbed Billy's arm.

"I'm sorry Jackie, Pat surprised us" Billy looked at me and a tear rolled down his cheek.

"No! Pequeno!" I sobbed into my hands and felt an arm wrap around me. I looked up to find it was Hendry.

"Let's go, Pat won't be far behind" Billy said handing Tom's satchel to me.

"S-sure" I swallowed hard and wiped my eyes furiously before following Billy.

-x-

Heartless-x-Love: again I'm sorry this chapter was so short. I made myself cry typing this chapter out, Tom T^T. Jackie and Dave will be having their showdown in the next chapter, so keep a weather eye out for that.

Until next time (and more feels)

Adios.