Bumps in the Road
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In the private car bound for Cascade.
Worried eyes avoided meeting as the train ride seemed never ending.
"You figure they're laying in wait for us at the station?" Buck finally spoke.
"They're leaving it awful late if they're intending to jump us on the train," Nathaniel muttered.
JW bit his lip nervously. "They could have spotted Chris, Isaiah and Vin leaving the train."
"Highly improbable, Mr. Dunne. Even if an observer had seen them depart, Isaiah guarded the telegraph station thus preventing an untimely announcement concerning their change of transportation," Ezra Standish drawled, never looking up from his cards.
"Don't need the station," JW said. "All you need is a telegraph key. You can shimmy up any pole and hook in to send a message."
Everyone turned to stare at the youngster.
"What?" Buck growled.
"That's what Emmet told me when he taught me to send code," JW explained.
"You didn't think to say something about this earlier?" Nathaniel muttered.
"I figured Chris and the others would at least have a head start. It's more than they'd get on this train," JW reminded.
"Kid's right about that," Buck sighed worriedly.
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On the Trail
"That boy has the weight of the world on those shoulders," Isaiah sighed as he watched Vin scout ahead.
"He's so damn tense he's making his back worse," Chris scowled.
"I'd suggest resting the horses, and get something to eat. That'll give Vin's back a bit of a rest as well," Isaiah stated. "It will give you two a chance to bond. Both of you can use it," Isaiah continued uncomfortably. "I can make myself scarce."
"Bonding always makes Vin feel a lot more secure," Chris answered thoughtfully.
"Horses need a break, Pard," Chris raised his voice getting Tanner's attention.
Vin nodded and waved, indicating that he had heard before riding on ahead in search of a place to rest.
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"Coffee?" Isaiah asked as he dismounted.
"We better not make a fire. Could attract the wrong kind of attention," Chris answered.
"Missus Rafe packed some tea," Vin held up a canteen. "Wrapped it in a towel, it's still warm."
"Sounds wonderful." Isaiah beamed.
Chris and Isaiah settled the horses while Vin squatted down and began to lay out the food. Sanchez and Larabee failed to notice when Vin's motions ceased. The tracker tilted his head as if trying to hear a distant sound. The exhausted man's controls slipped and he faded into a zone.
"You want a back rub, son?" Isaiah laid a hand on Tanner's shoulder.
Vin jerked, and made a pained sound before trying to scramble out of reach.
"Vin?" Isaiah questioned the youngster's actions.
Wide, frightened eyes peeked up then dropped, refusing to meet Sanchez's gaze. The tracker pulled the cloak tightly around himself and seemed to shrink in size. Cautiously the sentinel backed away.
"What the hell?" Chris growled and stepped forwards only to have Vin scoot back nervously.
"Chris, stay back we don't want to spook him. I think this might be one of those flashback things that Nathaniel was concerned about," Isaiah crooned.
"He's having a waking nightmare like Sandburg wrote about?" Chris ducked down trying to catch Vin's eyes.
Tanner exploded into action crabbing sideways a few steps he lunged trying to slip past Isaiah.
"Grab him," Chris yelled. "He doesn't need to get lost out here."
"Easier said than done," Isaiah hissed as he lifted Vin off his feet, holding on to the wildly struggling sentinel while trying to avoid any further injuries to the younger man. Vin wasn't hampered by any such ideas and was fighting with everything at his disposal. Larabee joined the fray as Vin discovered the knife at his belt. Pinning the tracker's wrists until Isaiah could get a good hold Chris disarmed Vin.
"Did he cut you?" Chris demanded once Vin was bound hand and foot.
"No, thank you for your assistance," Isaiah panted as he gently lowered the tracker to the ground.
A low heartbreaking keen filled the air as Tanner finally stopped struggling.
"Any idea how long this will last?" Chris asked shakily.
"None, I'm afraid the bonds are only making the situation worse," Isaiah sighed.
"We can't let him run off in the state he's in. And I'm sure not going to let him kill one or both of us," Larabee growled
Isaiah crooned softly and reached out to soothe the terrified man only to jerk back when Vin snapped at him.
"He thinks he's back in UNPK hands," Isaiah said in dismay. "Can you reach him?"
Vin had worked his way to his knees and now knelt submissively his head to the ground.
"He's stopped making words," Chris whispered.
Tanner snarled dangerously when Larabee moved closer. Tensing, the tracker fell silent and awaited his captor's abuse.
"He's not hearing me." Chris sighed after a long moment of soft coaxing.
"Do you think bonding would reach him?" Isaiah asked hesitantly.
"Damn," Chris whispered. "Let's give him a few minutes to come out of it on his own first. Bonding could scare him deeper."
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"It's been two hours Chris, he's not coming around," Isaiah said.
"I know," Larabee admitted. "We're going to have to stake him out."
"What?" Isaiah growled looking over at the trussed up Tanner.
"He'll hurt himself or me if we don't. Hands above his head in case I have to go for skin contact." Chris ordered bitterly.
"Vin will forgive you brother," Isaiah assured the troubled Larabee.
But can I forgive myself? Chris wondered silently before meeting Isaiah's eyes, "I know but he shouldn't have to."
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Vin had finally been secured between two stakes belly down. Wrists secured to one and ankles to the other. Once bound in place Tanner had abruptly stopped fighting.
"Easy Cowboy, I'm not going to hurt you," Chris crooned stroking Vin's arm to no avail. Larabee sighed and pulled off his own shirt before pulling the cloak and Vin's shirt over the trapped man's head exposing bare skin and effectively blinding him at the same time. Sitting on Tanner's legs Chris stretched out over the slender man bringing his bare chest into contact with Vin's back. Softly crooning Larabee stroked gentle fingers up the extended arms until his fingers interlaced with Vin's restrained ones.
Using his nose and chin to shift the material to the side Chris blew under the blinding cloak and shirt allowing the warm air to bathe Tanner with his guide's scent. Slowly the panicked breathing calmed and the shuddering of the sentinel's skin eased. Gently Larabee began to stroke and pet the tense back and shoulders.
"Qwith!" Vin whispered, snuffling deeply.
"Are you with me Tanner?" Chris asked shakily.
"Why's I tied?" Vin asked faintly tugging at the bindings fearfully.
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Slipping back from the edge of the overlook, the watcher made his way back down to his men.
"You were right he's with them. Don't kill the other two just leave them afoot. We can do with out having every lawman in the country on our tails," the dark-eyed man ordered his men. "Bind the Sentinel and be gentle. We do not want him injured."
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"Calm down, I'll have you loose in a second." Chris nodded and Isaiah cut the ropes freeing the tracker. "You had a nightmare." Larabee began to tug on the shirt trying to ease it back in place. Giving up he tugged the blinding cloak and shirt off completely to sort out later once Vin was settled.
Vin twisted out from under Chris and came to his knees. Larabee simply rolled to his side and studied Tanner.
"I need ta bond," Vin growled.
"We just did," Chris reminded softly.
"I need . . . equal not captive," Tanner snarled.
"Good enough, I yield me," Larabee rolled to his back and lifted his chin. Submitting to his sentinel's need. Vin . . . pounced for lack of a better term.
The pair were locked in a tight embrace. Hands grasped tightly and nips were delivered to the tender flesh at the throat marking each visibly as belonging to the other. Isaiah backed off and whistled faintly as the two men bonded wildly.
Well Lord it's certainly not sex. It would have been easier if you had just put them in the same skin to start with. A soul shouldn't be split between two bodies this way.
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Private Car on train to Cascade
"Heads up boys, looks like we have company after all," Buck warned as he slipped into the private car.
"Mr. Dunne please cease and desist. Secure your weapon. We have nothing that the UNPK is looking for. We will simply rest, relax and prepare for the end of our journey. Please avoid any confrontation which might add to our current dilemma," Ezra calmed the youngster.
"I'm not going to let them rough any of us up," Buck warned.
"I would never expect you to do so," Ezra answered gently as he moved to a table across the room. "I will not allow any of us to be placed into danger if I can at all prevent it." From his new position he could keep an eye on the entire room. Ezra calmly pulled out a deck of cards began to shuffle and dealt four hands of poker.
"Coffee anyone," Nathaniel held up the pot.
"Coffee?" JW spluttered.
"Looks pretty innocent sitting around drinking coffee and playing cards don't you think?" Nathaniel smiled as he sat down beside Ezra.
"No JW, I'll take the chair with its back to the room," Buck ordered moving the youngster.
Coins were tossed into the center of the table and arranged in front of each man giving the illusion they had been playing cards for quite some time.
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"Ezra, are you stacking the deck?" Buck scowled.
"Mr. Wilmington if I had stacked the deck I would not be holding such a pitiful array of cards, I fold." Standish tossed his cards face down on the table.
"Don't blame Ezra for this mess. You dealt this trash," Nathaniel growled folding his hand and laying it face down on the table. "I fold too."
"Are we playing Old Maid or something? This sure isn't a poker hand," JW demanded folding his hand and tossing it to join the rest of the discards. "I fold. There were at least 2 suits of cards I never saw before."
"Come on guys play the hands out. JW you know good and well there weren't any extra suits," Buck grumbled.
Ezra studied Wilmington thoughtfully. "A royal flush, Mr. Wilmington?"
"How'd you know?" Buck demanded sharply.
"Well, it could be the way you keep peeking at your cards," JW snorted.
"Or the way you're wiggling in your chair like a kid in church," Nathaniel chided.
"The rapid blinking and chewing on the ends of your mustache is a dead give away when you have a powerful hand," Ezra revealed.
"Aw Hell!" Buck tossed down his cards. "I'm that easy to read?"
"Yes" the other men chorused.
"Sounds like they're trying to take us by surprise," Buck grunted, tilting his head up as the sound of several pairs of boots came from overhead.
"They should have taken their boots off. They'd move a lot quieter and there's a lot less chance of slipping and falling off," Nathaniel explained to JW.
"Nate, you and Ezra have the front door, JW and I will take the back," Buck nodded toward the doors just to be sure everyone was clear on the directions.
"Ill mannered Philistines," Ezra huffed as the doors splintered under the boots of the attacking men. "How rude a simple knock would have sufficed."
"Let this be a lesson, JW, check to see if the door's locked before kicking it down," Buck lectured moving behind one of the sofas for protection and dragging JW with him.
Nathaniel dove behind a chair and waited for the attackers to make their way into the room. Ezra simply stood up and moved over to the right wall. Reaching up he pulled on the emergency stop cord before seeking cover.
"Ezra?" Buck questioned.
"If we are being attacked by . . . robbers the train may be under attack as well. If not well . . . assistance in subduing these miscreants would be helpful." Standish's grin revealed his dimples and gold covered tooth.
"Lots of witnesses," JW laughed. "Hard for the UNPK to explain if we went missing after they attacked us this way."
"Damn boy you've been hanging around Ez to much," Buck teased.
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On the trail
Disturbing noises brought Vin up out of the link. Tanner tried to shake off the lethargy caused by the bonding. His head lifted and a warning snarl sounded just as his bonded collapsed unconscious on top of the smaller man. Furious sapphire eyes meet those of the man who had struck the guide. Vin rolled Chris off and sprang to his feet. Once up, he was tackled by more strangers. When they finally moved back Tanner lay tied hand and foot in the dust. To protect themselves from snapping teeth, the men had slipped a stick between Vin's teeth and tied it in place.
"Do not hurt them," the leader warned as the dazed Isaiah was roughly thrown down beside the unconscious Larabee. We don't have time to safely destroy the handler even if we knew which one he is. Once we have our prize home we can bond him properly."
The swift raid ended with Tanner wrapped in the hound cloak and slung belly down over a saddle then tied in place. Ponying the captured mounts the raiders rode off with their prize.