Chapter 38

Marshall Burch hid behind the corner in a small street. The smell that came from the surrounding area threatened to choke him, but the muscle under his left eye just twitched a bit and he squeezed his eyes, watching carefully as the light gray jacket of the stranger disappeared behind the lapsed, ruined doors of the shack that definitely saw better days...

'Like 90 years ago' , Marshall Burch thought and quickly glanced around himself. There was nobody in sight. He took few more steps closer to the shack and carefully peeked through one of the many holes in the window glass.

There. There he was, a stranger placing something on the floor and slamming his gloves angrily at the wooden table in front of him . Marshall Burch couldn't hear what was he saying, so he glanced around to see was anybody else there.

Nobody.

The man turned around and started to walk toward the doors causing Marshall Burch to quickly hid behind the wall. He stayed there for a minute or two and than followed a stranger as he walked away.

The crowd on the streets prevented a stranger from noticing that somebody is following him. If they stayed at that dodgy part of town, Marshall Burch would have problems to remain unnoticed. This way, it was easier for him to follow the man. He watched as the stranger turned on the left and came in front of the huge house; the garden was enormous, filled with fountains, statues and flowers. Each statue stood for itself, there was absolutely no connection between them. It was like somebody wanted to show the world how rich he or she was, but had absolutely no understanding in keeping it simple, elegant, classy... No, this was tacky. There was simply way too much of everything.

The man went through the gates and closed them behind him. Marshall Burch realized that this was the end of his trip today, he had nothing more to do now than go back to hotel and follow Matthew and Atlantis tomorrow in the bank to protect them if this man comes back...

And if he even thinks about hurting those two young people, now Marshall Burch knew where will he find him.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Atlantis took a sip of her water and she glanced at Matthew, concerned. He returned her look and as the dinner went on, the young couple felt more and more worried about their friend. Marshall Burch was silent ever since he came back to the hotel. They bumped into him at the hallway and he excused himself, saying that he wanted to get some rest and after promising to have dinner with two of them, he retreated into his room and stayed there, until now. And now he was silently staring at his plate, barely eating.

"Marshall Burch?", Matthew's silent voice snapped an older man out from his deep thoughts and he looked up at his friend "Are you all right?", Matthew asked, both him and Atlantis watching Marshall Burch with concern that warmed older man's heart. He swore to himself that he will protect them whatever it takes.

"I gotta talk to you. Both of you", Marshall Burch seriously stated.

"Did something happen?", Matthew asked, his eyebrows slightly creasing.

Marshall Burch shook his head "No... not yet", clearing his throat with a small cough, he wiped his lips with a napkin and took a deep breath in before saying "There was a man in the bank today and he will come back tomorrow from the looks of it."

"What man?", asked Atlantis.

"I noticed him today in the bank because every time Matthew would turn to look at his right side where he was standing, he would cough to hide himself and when you two started to walk out from the bank, he knelt down to untie and tie his laces. He heard everything you talked to that bank worker and followed you outside and was quite frustrated when he lost the sight of you. I suggest that you don't pick any money, Atlantis, you should just make a transaction to Matthew's bank account in Denver. It is way too dangerous to have a cash around here."

"Perhaps we should wait a day or two and don't go to the bank tomorrow?", Atlantis asked, feeling shivers climbing up her spine.

Marshall Burch raised one eyebrow, pondering the thought "That's not a bad idea..."

Matthew glanced at Atlantis and seeing how pale her face got, he quickly placed a comforting hand on her shoulder and said "Don't you worry, we won't let anything happen to you."

Marshall Burch nodded, confirming Matthew's words.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Two days later, the three of them were on their way to the bank. A possibility of the stranger lurking around and waiting for them still hung in the air as they left the hotel and started to walk. As they crossed the streets, Marshall Burch said "I am gonna go first, see is he there."

"Please, be careful", Atlantis pleaded, not having a good feeling about whole this thing at all.

Marshall Burch softly smiled and glanced at Matthew; his young friend's face was clouded with concern "She is right, Marshall. If he's there, you have to get out. We'll find some other way to get the money."

Marshall Burch shook his head "No, son. This man might be the one who's jeopardizing San Francisco's citizens and I am not letting him win. Fact is...", swallowing, Marshall Burch hesitated for a moment and than decided to reveal "I followed him yesterday and he tried to rob the stage coach, but the drivers managed to stop him. For a moment, I was hoping that they will capture him, but the man escaped them, shooting his gun and wounding one passenger", as those words left his mouth, Atlantis gasped and Marshall Burch continued "I tried to catch him, but he ran away before I could even get out from my hiding place. The passenger will be all right, but this man has to be caught and this has to stop. Today."

"Just be careful, please", Atlantis murmured, repeating her plead again and Marshall Burch shortly nodded before walking toward the bank himself.

Atlantis and Matthew watched him go and how he slowed down in front of the bank, looking around for a while before he entered the building and that was when the young couple followed him.

Not even noticing a man moving in the shadow of the buildings across the street seconds after they entered the bank.

Marshall Burch was already signing the papers for his bank account when Atlantis and Matthew came inside. Three of them discussed the whole plan last night; it would be better if they go separately so if the man comes, he won't pay attention to Marshall Burch if he wasn't standing with them and that will give Marshall a chance to react if the stranger was really after Atlantis' money.

Atlantis stood in the line, Matthew was right beside her. There was an older lady in front of them, signing some papers and after few moments, she finished and turned to leave. The sound of the doors of bank opening as she left echoed in Atlantis' ears as she approached the desk and addressed the bank worker, saying that she would like to make a transaction from her account in San Francisco to Matthew's account in the bank in Denver. Just as they started to discuss the documentation that will be needed for such transaction, the steps behind them were heard.

A muscle under Marshall Burch's left eye twitched ever so slightly as he caught a sight of the man he followed for the last three days. His face was hidden behind the bandana, but, Marshall recognized him. He tapped his pencil twice to get Matthew's attention; that was the agreed sign and young man quickly glanced at Marshall.

But before Matthew could react, Atlantis could feel the coldness of the gun barrel at the back of her neck as a voice behind her said "Don't move."

Atlantis froze, not even daring to gasp in order not to provoke the man to fire a shoot.

"You also stay right where you are, Mister", cold voice growled again as the second barrel was slightly pushed into Matthew's back.

Stranger grinned "Good kids. Now, you will transfer the whole amount of money on the bank account I tell you or these two will die the next second, understood?", man addressed a pale bank worker who put his hands up in the air, his palms shivering. He nodded, however and started to write down the numbers that man spoke.

As the sound of voice telling the numbers to petrified bank worker echoed in the dead silence, Matthew felt a strange sense of recognition creeping up in him... 'That voice...'

He blinked twice as the bank worker wrote down the numbers and waited, barely breathing, for the man's next words.

"Ah, now I can stop with robbing those stage coaches as this amount of money will ensure me a pleasant life", the stranger chuckled, his laughter causing Atlantis to shiver as she felt the gun barrel moved bit more into the skin of her neck and she slightly winced at the feeling of it. The man withdrew his gun from Matthew's back and stepped closer to Atlantis, his breath icily cold as it passed her hair while he said "Now, doll, you will sign that transaction."

Matthew's eyes widened in horror and shock as he finally realized...

"You...", his voice was merely a whisper. At the sound of it, a pencil fell from Atlantis shivering fingers as she gasped and dared to turn her head and glance at her fiancé. Marshall Burch slowly put his right hand down, reaching for his gun. The stranger felt lost for a second at the sound of someone else's voice. Matthew felt sick. Than nausea turned into anger. And anger turned into fury as he whirled around and launched himself at the stranger yelling "YOU BASTARD!"

Gunshot pierced the air and Atlantis screamed in horror as she saw Matthew falling down. In a flash of an eye Marshall Burch took his gun out and shot the man's hand, causing him to yelp in pain and drop the gun down. As he tried to run away, Marshall Burch fired another shot, this one in man's right leg causing him to scream and fall down in agony. The guards were beside him right away, cuffing him and Marshall Burch ran toward Matthew and Atlantis.

"MATTHEW!", Atlantis slumped down on the floor catching Matthew's body as he fell down, blood spilling somewhere between his ribs and stomach. He was gasping for air and Atlantis caressed his face, sobbing "Matthew, lay still...", she looked up at the bank workers and screamed "GET A DOCTOR!"

Marshall Burch knelt down beside Matthew, his eyes shining with tears as he caught his young friend's palm "Son, we caught him. Stay with us."

The world started to spin in front of Matthew's eyes, the darkness putting its black veil on his consciousness and he yearned to fell into the comforting silence, but Atlantis gently slaps of his cheeks and her agonized cries of his name brought him back and he felt the pain of his wound. Grimacing in agony as Marshall Burch pressed the wound to stop the bleeding, he heard Atlantis' angelic voice as she whispered "Matthew, don't close your eyes. Matthew, look at me. You'll be fine. Stay with me, Matthew. Don't close your eyes."

The stakes were too high. 'What if I die?' Matthew glanced at Atlantis' tearful face and he mumbled "Marshall..."

"I'm here, son", Marshall Burch leant in, grabbing Matthew's left hand.

"That... that man...", Matthew gasped for air as he tried to say something.

"Don't talk, Matthew. The doctor will be here any minute now", Marshall Burch squeezed young man's palm.

"No...", Matthew breathed out "Listen..."

But, before he could continue, the stranger's voice was heard, filled with pain from the wounds Marshall Burch gave him and with hatred "YOU WORTHLESS SON OF A BITCH! YOU WERE ALWAYS IN MY WAY! ALWAYS!"

Atlantis and Marshall Burch's heads shot up at the sound of those words and Atlantis gasped as she glanced at the man whom guards held tightly and than she looked back at Matthew just to see him mouthing one word to Marshall Burch.

"Ethan..."

Marshall Burch creased his eyebrows in confusion. The stranger tried to speak again, but one of the guards gagged him with the napkin and turned his angry words into hateful mumbles. Atlantis' fingers gently wiped the sweat from Matthew's forehead and caressed his ashen blonde hair as her lips kissed the corner of his right eye and he looked at her, begging her with his eyes to explain everything to Marshall Burch.

"Matthew, don't talk, please", Atlantis sobbed and looked up at Marshall Burch who stared at her in confusion, concern and fear. She could read the question on their friend's face.

Who's Ethan?

The doors opened and a bank worker burst inside with the doctor and a nurse. The doctor knelt down beside Matthew and quickly checked his wound, shouting orders to his nurse and she quickly worked with him.

Marshall Burch stood up, giving some space to doctor and nurse and went toward Atlantis, but the young woman refused to leave Matthew's side.

"Atlantis, let the doctor help him. We'll be right here. Come on", Marshall Burch gently helped her to stand up and hugged her with one hand, both their eyes focused on Matthew who laid down on the floor.

Atlantis glared at the stranger whom guards started to take out and before Marshall Burch could stop her, she rushed toward them, kicking the unknown man, yelling at him "WHAT KIND OF MAN ARE YOU?! HOW COULD YOU?!"

"ATLANTIS!", Marshall Burch exclaimed, rushing toward her and pulling her away from the stranger, but not before she scratched his face with her nails causing him to scream in pain "GET HIM OUT OF HERE!", Marshall Burch yelled at the guards, holding Atlantis tightly as she tried to break away.

"LET ME GO!", yelled Atlantis, her eyes still fixed on the man whom guards started to take away "HOW COULD YOU SHOOT HIM!? HE'S YOUR SON!"

Marshall Burch froze at the words he heard and even more at the cold hatred he saw on the face of the man who was held by the guards.

Ethan Cooper.