Farther inside, Jo was slowly regaining consciousness. She shook her head and tried to raise her hand to rub the lump that had formed, but she felt the restraint of the rope around tied tightly. "Ugh... What happened?" She mumbled as she blinked to focus her blurry vision. "You didn't keep your voice down." Bacchus pouted having been caught with her. "What the hell!" She screamed wriggling her body to get free. "Ya. Kinda like that." Bacchus snarled. He had a plan. He knew what Jellal had been doing. As Jess took care of Jo and distracted her, he had been watching the area. Watching Jellal go in and out of the mine carrying some very large bags. "I had a plan you know." He grumbled. "Well how was I supposed to know that?" Jo argued pouting. "Because I told you, 'I have a plan.' That's how you should have known." If he didn't already dislike this girl, he was learning to hate her.

"You two done with your lovers quarrel?" Jellal asked tapping his gun to his head. "Lovers!" They both screamed making the third member of the captives jerk awake. "Huh..." He squinted as meredy laughed shining the light in his eyes. "Good morning Rufus." The pink haired witch smiled. "Rufus..." Jo smiled with a sigh. She was thrilled he was ok. "So... What's the plan Jellal. You just gonna run off with all the gold and leave us down here to rot?" Bacchus tried to glare at him but he was just out of eyesight. *Jess isn't here.* He noticed looking around.

"I'm glad you asked Bacchus." Jellal's grin turned more menacing, "I can't risk you three running outta here telling everyone about this now can I?" He jumped off the box he sat on and kneeled down to be face to face with his 'fiancé'. "See, I've already mined most of the gold out. And I'm sure you and your men have noticed the lack of crime goin' on round here lately." He pinched Jo's chin and lifted her face to look at his. "I've hired a few men to mine for me. After we finish our last run I'll be blow in' this little mine to smithereens." He grinned. Rufus seeing Meredy miming a large explosion with wide sparkling eyes.

"But we are under the lake. If the explosion doesn't kill us..." Jo gulped. The thought of drowning made her skin crawl. What a horrible way to die. "I'm sorry my love. But I know you're too much of a good guy to keep alive. It's a shame you followed me here. I was looking forward to our honeymoon." He whispered in her ear. "You can't do this!" Rufus struggled under the harsh roughness of the ropes, "You think Orga won't come looking?!" He scowled trying desperately to get free, to save the woman of his dreams. "That big idiot? You're putting your faith in him? What a cruel joke fate has handed you." He laughed walking away.

The click of a gun loading a bullet into the barrel made his ears perk, and just before it pierced his gut, he jumped out of the way. Meredy grabbed at her gun, and Jellal looked around frantically for his own that had fallen in his need to move. "Uh uh... I don't think so little lady." Jess stepped behind Meredy, holding her gun straight to her head, "You just go right ahead and keep those hands where I can see them." She forced the pink haired girl forward.

Jellal looked on shocked that he hadn't heard them sooner. He was almost certain that they would make some kind of sound. He felt a pressure on the back of his head and immediately recognized the boots he was staring at, "I guess that idiot really can save you." He chuckled to himself standing and putting his hands in the air.

Jess huffed, "He would have come bustin' in here like a herd of cattle if it wasn't fer me." She shot Jellal a mean look and tossed Bacchus his pocket knife to get himself out. The loud clank of Bacchus missing his catch threw everyone off guard. Jellal took this distraction to knock the gun from Orgas hand and grab it for himself, aiming at the large man's head. "Drop it." He commanded looking at the small outlaw.

Against her nature, Jess sighed dropping her gun and allowing Meredy to grab her, tying her up with the rest. "You're a disgusting human being Jellal." Jess snarled as Meredy tightened the ropes around her. "We gotta get this movin'. Just knock him out and let's get outta here." Meredy pointed to the only hostage untied.

With a big sigh and a shrug Jellal cracked the pistol over Orgas head, knocking him out. "Let's go!" She flipped him a zippo and the two left laughing. "Damn it!" Jess growled.

Jo's eyes followed the fuse she spotted as they disappeared into the darkness, "Shit!" She muttered following it to her feet. Around her she examined the boxes closely. She saw there were words on them but the caked on dirt and dust hindered what they said. "Jess kick that box there." She nodded to Jess's right.

With the box barely out of reach she stretched as far as she could to at least tap it. Jess managed to slither a few inches down so she could reach the box. Unfortunately, this only tightened the ropes around them. She kicked it with all she could. Kicking it again and again. Until a large chunk of dirt fell off. "Nam?" Jo asked, "What the hell is nam?"

Jess gasped, she forgot that she forgot. "Dynamite!" She screamed scolding herself for not mentioning it before. "He's gonna blow up the mine! We gotta get out." She wriggled to get free. "Come on Orga! You gotta wake up!" Jo yelled trying to nudge him back to consciousness. "Please..." She begged tapping him with her foot the best she could.

They heard the zippo and stopped. A collective gulp was heard and the sizzling of the fuse making its way to spark their certain doom. A small flash of color came jumping over the rocks in front of Jo. It danced along the mines floor like a ballerina. Effortlessly gliding over the small rocks and over the tiny hills in its way to the five of them.

Just in the nick of time, Orga grunted. Each of them sighed hoping he would get it together in time to put the fuse out. The sparkle of light was getting closer and time was of the essence. "Orga!" Jo yelled trying to get him to speed it up. "Orga please... I need you." Jess hated admitting she needed help. After hearing her plead for him, Orga shook himself and looked to the tightly bound people.

Jellal and Meredy jumped on the horses and quickly galloped away. His plan was going flawlessly. He would rid himself of that pesky thief, and wouldn't have to marry Jo to keep her from becoming sheriff. He sighed as they made it to the top of the hill he would watch his home made light show from, "I'll admit, I didn't want to marry that girl, but I am a little disappointed that I didn't get to have one sweet passionate night with her. She looked like fun." He chuckled looking over his shoulder at Meredy.

Her eyes were glowing bright, waiting for the sound of the mine crushing them. Hoping she could hear their screams from that far away. "Should be any second now." He smirked looking at his pocket watch. At the last tick of the second hand, the mine blew. Rocks and dirt were tossed to the air, the lake itself along with it. The plains flooded with the remaining water. "The sun will dry up that vile water. And when it does, that will be where I start building my mansion." He laughed turning and riding into town.