****Part 21

Larabee knew their time was running out. Mendoza wouldn't wait much longer to rescue his brother. Vin had seen the scouts early that morning and they all knew their wait was over.

Nathan came jogging out of the hotel to meet up with the others in the street.

"Nathan, what the hell are you doing?" Buck asked.

"Nora is with Ez. He'sdoing better. I think you're going to need all the help you can get," Nathan explained.

Chris nodded and turned to the others. "Josiah, Vin, take to the roofs and keep an eye on the church. Ifanyone steps foot out of it shoot off their foot," Chris instructed.

"We'll keep our sinful flock penned up," Josiah assured as he hefted his rifle and headed for the rooftop, following behind Vin.

"Buck, take the saloon, JD the jail, Nathan, the livery." The gunslingers acknowledged their assignments and headed to their appointed positions.

Evidence of an early rain remained in the puddles scattered across the street. The sky was now a vivid blue with several wispy clouds floating by. The air was cool and crisp invigorating the six gunslingers. Chris remained in the middle of the street, his eyes narrowed as he made out the vague forms of riders marching down the street.

'This is for you, Ez,' Chris murmured under his breath as he pulled his customary cheroot and stuck it in the corner of his mouth.

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Rutt pulled up his horse as he entered the town and spotted the darkly dressed gunslinger standing alone in the middle of the street. His men halted several paces behind him as he scanned the area. His scouts had informed him that several men had come to town claiming to be lawmen. He had grown concerned when his brother hadn't returned. He hadn't expected any trouble.

"Hey, Rutt, it's 'bout time," Enrique yelled from the jail cell window.

"They treatin' you alright?" Rutt yelled back.

"Yeah, but I'm tired of hangin' around."

"Well just hang on a little longer. We'llhave you out soon enough."

Rutt glared at the darkly dressed gunslinger who continued to stand in the street. The man didn't look afraid to die and that was a dangerous attitude to go up against. Rutt spotted two men on the roof, and then caught sight of another cowboy just outside the saloon with his hand on his gun. A young man wearing a funny hat got his attention as he stepped out from the jail, then he caught a glimpse of a darkie in the hayloftof the stable. Was this all? - Only six. His confidence started to grow.

"We don't need any law here," Rutt growled.

"Looks to me like you do," Chris countered, watching as Rutt's men slowly moved up and spread out on their horses.

"This town ain't worth it," Rutt said as he nudged his horse closer.

Chris smoothly pulled his duster away from his guns. "I'll have to agree with you there, but your men made the mistake of almost killing one of mine." Chris brought a lucifer up to his cheroot and lit it, taking a deep drag of the sweet tobacco and releasing a blue-gray cloud of smoke. His stormy blue eyes never leaving Rutt's face.

Rutt released a tired breath, they weren't getting anywhere. He really didn't want to get into a gun battle with lawmen. He knew him and his gang would have to move on afterward. He had enjoyed this town, the people had been greedy sheep the best kind. "Maybe we can come to a compromise,one that benefits all of us?"

"Doubt it," Chris simply stated.

'Damn, this man wants to fight,' Rutt thought.

"Look, I have fifteen men to your six," Rutt explained, pulling his mount to a stop several paces away.

Chris' mouth twitched into a crooked smile. "Yeah, hardly seems fair. That's why I'm giving you a chance to surrender."

Rutt's expression would have been comical had not the circumstances been so dire.

The outlaw leader jerked out his pistol as Chris drew, and fired all in one smooth movement. Chris ran for the protection of an alleyway as he shot, one round missing his target, the second round knocking an outlaw from his horse. Rutt whirled his horse around then jumped from his back to take cover.

Vin fired and watched as an outlaw, who was taking aim at Nathan dropped out from behind a barrel to lay motionless in the street.

Another overly-confident bandit burst out from Buck's right. Buck spun around and drilled him through the gut. Buck then managed to take out another outlaw across the street. He whirled around, startled to come face to face with a brigand who stared at him through blank eyes then slowly crumbled to the ground. Buck looked up at the second story of the hotel to see a gun peeking out the window. 'Damn, stubborn cuss,' he thought. Buck hissed as a bullet grazed his arm reminding him to pay attention.

Ezra wavered and then felt the soft hands of Nora around his bandaged waist. "Mr. Standish, you should not be out of bed."

A wave of dizziness flowed over him. "I believe I'll agree with that assumption." Ezra allowed himself to be led back to his bed, his gun still in hand.

Chris watched as another of Mendoza's men charged down the street on horseback firing at Buck and driving the lawman to the ground. Chris diverted his aim and fired, the bullet striking the outlaw in the head, twisting it sideways on his neck as he slumped over his horse's withers. When the bay wheeled to get away from the confusion the outlaw toppled to the street.

"Go with God," Josiah murmured, as he took aim at a barrel-chested brigand that was making things uncomfortable for JD. He pulled the trigger on his rifle. The outlaw did a curious spin before firing a harmless shot into the ground. Nathan took out one of the outlaws trying to get to the roof of the saloon.

"Who the hell are these guys? They fight like kilkenny cats," Rutt yelled as he tried to get a bead on one of the lawmen. His companion seemed about to answer when his eyes froze in their socket. His mouth opened and closed without a sound then the outlaw fell on his face.

The silence was sudden and intensified the aura of death. Chris quickly checked for his men, noting that JD was favoring his right leg and Buck had blood on his arm, neither man looked in danger of expiring.

"Mendoza!" Chris yelled out as he quickly reloaded. "If you're still alive I'm giving you one more chance to surrender."

Rutt Mendoza stepped out from his cover, throwing his gun to the ground. Two remaining men quickly joined him, relieved that they would live to see another day.

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Nathan ran over to quickly check JD and Buck's injuries, finding them fit to make their way up to the hotel room for care. He then raced toward the hotel. He had seen Ezra shoot the outlaw that was sneaking up on Buck. He planned on giving the obstinate cardsharp a good tongue-lashing for leaving his bed it was one of the few pleasures he got.

Josiah and Chris escorted Rutt and his two surviving men into the jail. Vin opened the second jail cell and Josiah and Chris shoved the men inside.

"Hey, I'm hurt," one of the outlaws complained.

Chris eyed the man's wounded arm. "You'll live long enough to hang."

Rutt grabbed hold of the cell bars. "This ain't over, mister. I never forget a face." He still couldn't believe it. How could six men take on fifteen and succeed?

"Well, in case you do, the name's Larabee, Chris Larabee."

Vin smiled as Rutt's hands dropped from the bars and his face paled in stunned recognition. He had heard of the deadly gunslinger turned lawman. Some say he was a demon that couldn't be killed. After what he saw, Rutt Mendoza had no doubt that he was.

"Rutt, what's wrong? Who is he?" Enrique asked, growing disturbed by his brother's abrupt change in demeanor. He'd never seen his brother scared before.

"Shut up." Rutt turned and fell heavily onto the cot.

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Ashcroft intercepted Larabee as he exited the jail, watching as the long-haired tracker loped across the street toward the saloon. The townspeoplehad made their way out of the church after the gunfire stopped. Some looked openly relieved that Mendoza and his men were locked up or dead, others wished it had been the six lawmen who met their demise.

"You have condemned this town to dust," Ashcroft exclaimed.

"Oh, I've done more than that," Chris retorted back hotly. "This whole town is under arrest."

"What? You can't be serious."

"Oh, I've never been more serious. You all are under arrest for aiding and abetting known outlaws. A circuit judge will be here day after tomorrow with a contingent of soldiers. Law and orderhas come to Byers, Mr. Ashcroft."

Chris turned on his heel then stopped. "And I don't advise anyone trying to leave." Chris nodded up to the roof of the saloon where Vin raised his rifle.

"You wouldn't dare."

Chris glowered at the older man in reply. "Be glad I don't put Ezra up there instead."

Ashcroft's face paled at the threat.

tbc