Ezra entered the saloon and for a brief moment, he wonder if he should just forget to join Chris and just play a hand of poker or two. Shaking his head, there would be time later, he moved to the table that Chris and Josiah were sharing. Sitting down he nodded to both gentlemen. "And how did Mr. Wilmington take to his confinement for the evening?"
Josiah took a sip of his beer and grinned slightly. "Not very well, but JD went in there with some food, and Vin hasn't heard any fighting yet, so good so far."
Nodding the Southern sighed, "Do we have an idea on how to capture Rails? I have a feeling that Buck will not take to confinement for long, and sooner or later JD will not be enough to keep him there."
Taking a sip of his whiskey the Leader of the Seven started to speak. "Hopefully not for long. We now know what Stevens is looking for, and besides that, we know he wants a chance at Buck to tie up a loose end. Nathan and Josiah, I want you to go out to Eagle Bend and talk to this Clive Wreath, We need to see if we can convince him to stop this snipe hunt. Then, once we do that, we lay a trap for Rails and finish this thing."
Frowning, the Southern shuffled the cards that seemed to appear in his hands. "Mr. Larabee, while it is a good plan, I have a feeling it isn't going to be that easy. I have a feeling that even without the backing of this Mr. Wreath, that Rails is not going to lessen his vengeance any for Buck."
"You may be right, it also may make Rails speed up what he wants to do, and we need to take control of this whole mess. And having to split our attention between the two men isn't going to help. As long as we keep Buck safe, and stay in pairs at least, Rails won't have an opening to do anything."
Taking a last sip of his beer, Josiah nodded. "Then it would be best that Nate and I get going to see this Mr. Wreath. I highly doubt, Buck will be willing to be confined and guarded for long."
With that, Josiah and Nathan both got up from the table and headed to gather the supplies they would need for the trip, so, they would be able to leave at dawn.
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JD slipped out of Buck's room, shutting the door quietly, leaning against the wall he closed his eyes for a second and let out a breath. Opening his eyes, he jump slightly at seeing Vin all of two inches from his face, he hiss out, "Vin."
The Tracker grinned slightly and moved away a few feet. "Bucklin feeling all right?"
"He ate the food, I don't know if it was the threat of Nate's tea, or he was really hungry. But he ate it all, and at least pretended to go to sleep. Do you think we can keep him safe?"
Leaning on the wall across from the young man. "If he lets us keep him safe, and doesn't go off on his own, then yea, we can do it."
Rubbing a hand across his face, to try and wake himself up, JD dropped his hand and frowned. "You think it will be that easy? Just us guarding him, will keep him safe?"
"Course us guarding him will keep him safe, just won't be easy that's all. Buck isn't going to like us protecting him. It's against his nature to let us. We just have to keep an eye on him and make sure we don't make him feel that we have put him into a cage."
"He wouldn't feel that way, we aren't confining him in his room, he just can't go anywhere without one of us."
Smiling at JD's defense, Vin shook his head, "He can't go anywhere, he can't leave town, go visit any ladies', and do anything else he wants without one of us hanging off him. Having your actions watch twenty-four/seven isn't relaxing. We just have to make sure he doesn't give us the slip to get a breath of air."
Straightening up, JD seemed to perk up as something settled in his mind. "He won't give us the slip. He might not like it, but he doesn't have a choice, I won't let him."
"I agree, we won't let him. We'll get Rails, but we'll do it on our own terms not his. Now, go get some sleep, I'll watch him for now. Chris will relive me later. The next few days are going to be tough, and we'll need out sleep."
Nodding, JD headed off to bed, to get what sleep he could get. Watching the younger man go, Vin settle himself outside of Buck's door for the night watch. It was going to be a long couple of days, but they're get Rails, it was just a matter of time.
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The noon day sun, found Josiah and Nathan staring at Clive Wreath's house, the two men had left at dawn to make it to Eagle bend as soon as possible. Even though they wanted to get this done as quickly as possible, there was something about the dead quiet house that worry them.
Shifting on his horse, Nathan looked at the older man, "I don't like this. There should be some movement."
The ex-preacher nodded in agreement. "I have to agree, there should be something or someone. It is too quiet. We need to go in, sitting here and watching the place isn't going to solve anything."
"Then we should go get this done."
With that, the two men rode into the ranch, stopping at the house, they dismounted and walked up onto the porch and they knock on the door. For a several minutes they stood there waiting for someone to come to the door.
As the silence got to the two men, they finally look at each other "I don't think anyone is going to answer, you think we should invite ourselves in?"
Josiah reach out and with a strong push, the door went flying. Looking over at the Healer, Josiah grin, and "It seems to be open. I suggest we head in to check and make sure nothing is amiss."
Nodding in agreement, Nathan pull his gun out, and headed into the silent house. As they slowly search each room of the house, the feeling that they had somehow come across a tomb slowly creep up on them.
Shaking off those thoughts, they had clear the downstairs and climb the stairs to the second floor, the two men paused as they looked down the hallway at three closed doors.
Sharing a long look of worry, the two men slowly started to open the doors of the rooms. In the first room, they found nothing but a few dust bunnies and several wooden chests. Seeing no one, they move on to the next.
Opening that door, they found a replica of the first room, more chests and an old forgotten furniture and a layer of dust covering the room. Looking at the room, Nathan frown, "Is it me or does it seem weird that with all the stuff downstairs, up here so far the rooms are almost empty?"
Josiah shut the door on the empty room and look at the close third door. "Yes, it is odd, I would say that this, Clive, really didn't care about the money or house, something was more important. And whatever it was I have a feeling we'll find it in the third room."
Looking at Josiah, the Healer sighed, "I guess we should find out what is waiting for us behind door number three."
The older man nodded, and walk down to the third door, glancing at Nathan for a second, Josiah reach out and turn the knob of the door. Taking a finally look at Nathan, "you ready?"
"Yes, let's get this done with, I want to get out of this house."
Opening up the door, the two men walk into the room, and froze at the sight that greeted them.
Josiah was the first to break the silence by putting his gun away and shaking his head, "I don't think that we need to worry about convincing Clive to call off Rails."
"Yea, well, it was a long chance, at least he doesn't have the backer anymore." Moving closer to the bodies, Nathan frown. "Josiah, could I get your help for a second?"
Frowning, Josiah walk over at look at the body that was laying on the bed. "What?"
"The lady, she had been sick for a while. He must have moved out here hoping that it would help her health."
Peering at the thin figure on the bed, Josiah frown, "You know what she had?"
Shrugging his shoulders, Nathan sigh, "Not really, if I had seen her when she was alive, I could maybe figure it out, but there aren't any obvious signs, I would guess it had something to do with her lungs, but couldn't tell you more than that."
Turning away from the women, Josiah frown at the body of the man. "This one I can figure out. Looks like a shot to the head."
Nathan eyed the body, "You think he couldn't take it that his wife died?"
Looking at the two bodies, Josiah sigh. "Some people can't think of living without those they loved. It looks like she was his whole life, and without her, it wasn't worth living. Explains why he hired Rails. He wanted a miracle and didn't care how he would get it."
Nodding his head in agreement, Nathan look around the room. "Where there isn't anything we can do here, we should let the sheriff know what happened."
Looking at the scene, Josiah nodded in agreement. "Yes, then we need to get back to Chris and let him know."
'With a nod the two men left the room, not paying attention as the door to the room silently shut behind them, closing off the two dead bodies from the world.
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Leaving the house and shutting the front door, the silence and sadness that seem to have been draped on Josiah and Nathan since they had entered the house, seem to lift, and was replaced by feelings of failure. They had hoped to stop Clive from using Rails, or at least convincing the man that there is a better way to get whatever he wanted.
Josiah turned to glare at the house, they had wasted a day with this whole trip and came away with nothing but two dead bodies. A sudden rush of angry seemed to overcome him.
Slamming his hand against the wall, Josiah looked over at Nathan. "This plan has blown up in our faces. We were too late."
Looking over at the angry ex-preacher, Nathan sigh. "Who knew that the man would kill himself?
Snorting, Josiah shook his head, "I have a feeling Rails won't care, he might actually like that more. He stills has Buck hanging as a loose end, and now he can focus on him solely. I think he's more dangerous now. He is like a dog let off the leash."
"I hope you're wrong. Because if you're right, then it is going to get harder for us to stop Rails and keep Buck safe."
"Rails might be more focus on Buck, but we don't have to worry about who the mysterious party is. We can focus in on Rails now, and get him."
Moving over to his horse, Nathan shook his head. "We need to stop and let the sheriff know what we found. You want to stop in the town longer than that, or head straight out?"
Getting up on his own horse, Josiah was quiet for a second then spoke, "I would love to stop longer, get some lunch or something, but Chris needs to know what we found. We need to get back to Four Corners as soon as we can. "
Nodding in agreement, Nathan swung up on his horse. 'You think Rails knows his backer is dead yet?"
"For our luck, I'm hoping that it is a no. If he doesn't know that his backer is dead yet, we may get a couple of extra days to set up for him."
"You think Rails is going to come back here?"
Shrugging his shoulders, Josiah look at the deserted ranch. "I hope so, I have a feeling that Rails isn't going to be stopped easily. The bigger worry is can we keep Buck from trying to do something without us."
Grinning slightly, Nathan nodded, "You might be right. Once Buck finds out about this, he isn't going to be willing to sit idly by, waiting for Rails to come to him."
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With a new dawn breaking, Ezra yawn as he found himself in the saloon much too early for his liking. But with Rails on the loose, late mornings weren't in the card right now. Looking around the almost deserted saloon, he frowned when his eyes caught something.
Spotting a figure in back of the saloon, Ezra mad his way over to the corner, expecting to find Chris or Vin, not the person he thought. "Mr. Wilmington, a little early to imbibe, isn't it?"
Looking up at the Southern, Buck blinked his sleepy eyes at the man. "No?"
Taking a seat at the table, Ezra frown. "Aren't you supposed to be in your room? Under what did you call it, house arrest?"
"Wanted something to drink."
"And this cause you to sneak out of your room to get one?"
Before Buck could answer, a very angry looking Chris burst through the saloon doors. The Leader of the Seven skidded to a halt, and glare at the Ladies' Man. "What are you doing here?"
Looking from Ezra to Chris, Buck shrug his shoulders. Couldn't sleep, figure I would get something to drink."
Walking over to the table, the Man in Black, pulled out a chair and sat down, glaring at Buck. Without saying a word, Chris reach out and the almost full glass of beer and pull it away from the younger man. "Seems you haven't taken more the sip, want to explain why you sneaked out of you room and past me to get a drink?"
Not meeting Chris's eyes for once, Buck kept his eyes focused on the table top as he answer. "Figure it was too dark for Rails to get a shot off, even if he wanted to, and I was tired of staring at the four walls, couldn't sleep. Take your pick. And nothing happen."
Growling softly, Chris opened his mouth to say something, then allowed it to shut. His glare had changed from one of anger to worry. "What's wrong?"
Looking briefly up at Chris in shock, Buck quickly looked away and shrugged. "Nothing, just couldn't sleep. Tried to sleep, but just ended up staring into the dark. After an hour or so, I gave up and figure I might as well get some air. Wander in here and here you found me."
Sharing a quick looked with Ezra, Chris sigh. "And if Rails walked in here, instead of Ezra or me?"
Finding the table suddenly really interesting, Buck was silent for a long minute, then he just shrug. "So, how much trouble am I in? Not like you can throw me in jail. Besides, maybe by the time Josiah and Nate get back, Rails will be off to find his next backer and out of our hair."
Snorting at the thought that it might be that easy, Chris growl softly, "If I thought it would help, I would have already thrown you in there. If you want to walk around fine, but one of us needs to be around you and the less you are in the open, the harder it will make for Rails to get you."
Looking up at Chris, the Ladies' Man grumble, "I know, it just... what if he goes after one of you rather than me?"
Ezra spoke up for the first time. "I highly doubt that, whenever he has had a chance he has shot at you and only you. We are just annoyances that are keeping him from what he wants."
"What happen when he decides you aren't annoyances?"
Chris grinned slightly. "Don't worry, by the time he figures that we aren't just annoyances, it will be too late. Now, since you are here, let's eat some breakfast, and wait for rest show up."
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Walking into the saloon, Nathan and Josiah both paused for a moment, as they looked around at the interior of the place. Blinking for a moment, the two almost wanted to go out and come back in, as everything was perfectly normal, a poker game was being played, and by what they could see Ezra was winning handily. Most of the regulars were in, having a drink before they headed to bed or home for the night. For once, no out of town cowboys or strangers were there. The only odd thing, was Buck tucked into a back corner, looking like a kid that was grounded.
Nodding to Ezra, the two men made their way back to Buck and JD. Sitting down, Josiah eyed the Ladies' man and frown. "Something happened that we should know about?"
Before Buck could say anything, JD pipped up. "Buck decided to escape from his room last night and spend it here staring at a beer."
Nathan shook his head. "For some reason I'm not surprised, course I would of figured Chris would have tied Buck down somewhere to keep him in the room."
Josiah grinned, "Nah, that wouldn't work, Chris would just throw him in the jail if that was the case."
JD grinned, "Chris said that the jail would make Buck safer he would, but Chris doesn't think it is a good idea to do that."
As Josiah and Nathan laugh at that, Buck glare at his friends. "It isn't funny, and Rails isn't going to come after me that easy. He wants to do this personal like."
All three men look over at Buck. "What do you mean personal like?"
Looking over at JD, Buck shrug his shoulders, leaning back in his chair, "Rails likes to take care of those he doesn't like, he wants to see their faces as he kills them. He wants to be able to feel their final breath. He wants them to see him as their last sight ever. He won't shoot me from a distance, he'll be in front of me smiling."
Josiah open his mouth to say something, when JD beat him to it, "He isn't going to get the chance, we aren't going to let him get that close."
"You can't guard me forever."
JD rolled his eyes, "We won't have to. Chris has a plan. You just have to be patience and not run off and try to fix it on your own."
"I told you I wouldn't."
"Yes, and then you did."
"I just came to the saloon, nothing happened."
JD glare at Buck, "You were lucky, besides you promised that you wouldn't do anything like that."
Before Buck could reply, the chuckles from Josiah and Nathan had JD and Buck staring at the two men. The Ladies' man glare at them, "What?"
Finally, taking control of his laughter the ex-preacher shook his head. "I take it, you've had this conversation, already? Several times it seems?"
Mimicking each other, Buck and JD crossed their arms and glare at Josiah and Nathan. As Buck and JD each open their months, one to say no the other yes, Vin, who had come wandering over, answer the question. "They've been having that argument all day. Chris finally stuck the two in the corner and told them not to move. You find out anything up at Eagle Bend?"
Nathan sigh, "Yes, nothing good, but we rather just tell this once."
Nodding, Vin settled down at the table. "Chris should be here soon, Ezra is almost done with his game. Have any trouble?"
Josiah shook his head. "No, no trouble."
JD looked at the two men. "Clive agreed to stop banking Rails?"
Before either of the men could answer, Chris's voice wash over the group. "I thought, I said to wait until we were all together before you made Josiah and Nathan spill it all."
Grinning sheepishly, the youngest Seven shrugged his shoulders. "I wanted to know what happened."
"Mr. Dunne, I believe Mr. Larabee wanted us to wait for everyone to be here, to make sure no one goes off on their own."
"That you Ezra, now if you will join us, we can all find out what Josiah and Nate has learned."
As everyone's eyes focus on them, the two men shared a look, Nathan finally broke the silence. "Josiah why don't you start."
Looking at the Healer with a gaze that promised he would get revenge on making him talk first, the Ex-preacher sighed. "Clive Wreath was dead when we reach his house, seems he killed himself."
"What do you mean he is dead? Rails kill him?"
Looking over at JD, Nathan glared at Josiah and cleared Jonah's statement. "Clive killed himself, after his wife died. I think he hired Rails in order to try and find a miracle cure and save his wife. He couldn't take living without her it seems."
Ezra looked over at Buck, seeing the quick note of fear that crossed the Ladies' man face, Ezra spoke up. "I take that this means that Rails isn't going to wander away from our small town, so we don't see anymore?"
"No, what Nathan and I figured, once Rails find out he doesn't have Clive to answer to, it'll leave him at a loose end and with nothing to focus or control him. We think he'll turn to tiding up a loose end."
Vin frown, "Which means he will be looking to finish his business with Buck before he moves on."
Looking over at Vin, Buck tried to look at the other side of the coin. "He could just move on without trying to kill me. It isn't like he has sought me out before to finish the job."
Snorting, the Texan shook his head, "Because he had other things to do and didn't know where you were. Now, he doesn't have anyone he needs to response to, and you've cost him his latest paycheck."
Rubbing my rub hand over his face, Buck groan softly. "So, what do you want to do? It isn't like you can keep me shut up in my room for the rest of my life."
Chris grinned slightly, "We could." Laughing at the glare that Buck shot him, the Man in Black continued. "We need to draw him off his plan and follow our script. We need to be in control of the meeting and when he wants to attack you. "
Looking at Chris, Buck sighed. "I'm not going to like this am I?"
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Reaching the outskirts of the Wreath's ranch, Rails stopped his horse, as he saw the amount of people around the ranch. The feeling that something was wrong was screaming through him. Shifting his approach, he left his horse hiding behind a nearby outcropping.
Making his way to the ranch without being seen, he lurk around the ranch house trying to find out what happen to the owner of the house.
He didn't have long to wait for the information that he sought. Hiding behind the side of the house, he could hear the sheriff talking to his deputy...
"They were right, the man shot himself. Looks like he couldn't go on without his wife."
"The undertaker said he is almost done. He wanted to know if there is anyone that he should alert. Relatives? Family? Friends?"
"No, none that we have found or know. We'll put a notice in the newspaper, in case anyone is looking, otherwise he can take care of them."
Hearing all that he needed, Rails turned away from the house and headed back to his horse. A hand dropping down to his gun, a growl of angry and frustration rose out of him. He had fail at his job. He had never fail before, and his reputation being ruined because of slew of peace keepers who had stifled him in every way. And the worse, of the whole thing, was the man that should have been dead, instead had lived and distracted him from his job.
Reaching his horse, he mounted, and turn it to Four Corners. He would teach that man a lesson then go for the rest of the man's friends, and continue until that town was nothing but ashes and forgotten memories.
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Buck paced back and forth in his room. Every few minutes he pause and reach for the door handle to open the door. Then every time he would drop his hand and turn and pace again. Every few minutes the walls of the room seem to be closing in on him, but he knew the minute he tried to escape, and get some fresh air, he would be yell at to get back in the room.
Stopping for a second, he cursed Steve Rails, and over protective friends, this wasn't the first time someone wanted to kill him and honestly, he rather be out there gunning for the man then hiding in his room and waiting for the man to make his final move.
Coming to the door of his room again, Buck stopped his pacing, pressing a hand against the door, he wonder what would happen if he just decide to walk out. He had done it once and hadn't been caught until they had come looking for him.
He had been good, spent all of yesterday until the wee hours of morning in the room. Letting his hand drop down towards the knob, he could feel the rough texture of it. For a long second he left his hand there. The temptation to just open the door and leave damn the consequences was strong. Then with a half a growl he dropped his hand away and turn and walk over to his bed and collapse on it.
Closing his eyes, he tried to will himself to sleep. Sleep though remain an elusive hope for the rest of the night.
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Shuffling his cards, Ezra let out a soft breath, when Buck's pacing faded away into quiet, the Southern relaxed slightly and took a good look around the area. Not seeing anyone, he settle down in this chair again, then spoke up from where he was sitting. "Mr. Larabee, if you intended to see if I was paying enough attention to the surrounding area, your glare was enough to warn anyone that you were there."
A soft growl, and Chris appear into view walking over to Ezra. "He settle down yet?"
Shuffling through his cards, Ezra shrugged his shoulders, "He has stop his pacing, but I think that is more because he was tired of pacing that he has finally decided to sleep."
Crossing his arms, Chris sigh, "He knows that it is for his protection, we need to turn this from Rails being in control of our reactions to us being in control of Rails reactions."
Nodding slightly, Ezra cock his head and look at the Man in Black. "All of which I understand as do the others, but understanding it is one thing. I just hope that you have a plan and then will let the rest of us in on it, as I fear that Mr. Wilmington will only allow himself to be confined for so long, when his nature of wanting to protect everyone overrides his good sense."
"It won't take that long."
Shuffling his cards again, Ezra nodded, "I hope so. I take it that you have a plan forming."
Grinning slightly, "Yes, I have a plan, and once Vin gets back here, we're start putting it in place."
Raising an eyebrow, Ezra eyed the older man, "And what is Mr. Tanner doing that we need to wait on?"
"He is looking for the right spot for the plan to work. Now, anymore questions?"
Grinning, Ezra shook his head, "No nothing for now, though I would suggest you get some sleep as tomorrow will be an interesting day."
Nodding to Ezra, Chris took one more look at the close door to Buck's room and headed to his own room to get some sleep in before the dawn.
Watching Chris go, he hoped that Mr. Larabee plan was a good one and one that will that wouldn't take long to implement.
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