Into the West

"Perfect Storm"


Previously…The Simmonite Bruderhof near Berea Kentucky

Robert Scorpio had tracked Kurt to a Simmonite home at a Bruderhof near Berea, Kentucky. But Robert had also found out that he wasn't the only one looking for his nephew.

A bounty hunter contracted by the Confederate Army, a cold blooded killer named Corbin (Michael Shannon) Peele, was looking for Kurt too so; as to kill him for deserting the Civil War.

But, during the previous night, before either Robert or Corbin Steel could find Kurt; Ian and Kaleb had returned home from the nightly Simmonite sermon only to find that someone had broken into their home and had abducted Kurt and Caitlyn.

It had been the Klydell brothers, having been sent to abduct the two (Kurt and Caitlyn) by their abusive father Paul, so that he could get revenge for the death of his older son Zayden (who Kurt had killed in self-defense three weeks earlier)

It was late in the morning as Robert brought his horse to a stop outside the home of Ian Combs...and already...he sensed danger!

Our story continues…


Robert Scorpio approached the front door of the Combs' (Ian, Caitlyn and Kaleb) home. He knocked on the door, but after a minute of no-one answering, he decided to check around the back side of the house.

It was late morning, and figuring they might be doing chores in the barn behind the house, and had not heard his knocking on their door, he decided to check and see.

But what he found around the back worried him; the back porch window had obviously been broken from the outside. Now suddenly worried, Robert reached for the doorknob to the door that was next to the window, and after reaching into his sheath, he pulled out his large Bowie knife, and entered.

He found two people; a man (Ian) and a boy (Kaleb) tied up with cloth rags stuffed into their mouths so as to muffle their calls for help.

Robert quickly rushed over to them and removed the cloth rags as he went about cutting the ropes around their wrists with his knife.

"You must be the one known as Robert Scorpio," Ian said.

Robert nodded his head.

"What happened here?" Robert asked.

Ian didn't say anything, and as Kaleb was about to speak, Ian looked at his son with a stern look.

"You will not say," Ian said to Kaleb.

Kaleb looked at his father in anger, and ran off.

Robert watched as Kaleb ran into the main part of the house, and then he looked back at Ian, and having knowledge of the Simmonite and their ways, he spoke directly to Ian.

"I believe something happened here concerning my nephew Kurt," Robert said to Ian. "Now listen to me; I know of your people (Simmonite followers)," Robert said with respect, "and your belief of non-interference where it concerns you and others who believe as you do. But Kurt doesn't follow your beliefs," Robert added, "and so it is not right to decide his fate as if…"

Suddenly Ian gasped as he looked past Robert.

Robert turned to see what Ian was looking at; it was Kaleb…and the young boy was holding a pistol that Robert instantly recognized. It was the pistol he had given to Kurt back in Virginia when he, Robert, had returned home (Chapter #5 "A Sons Return")…the pistol had so angered Felicia at the time.

Kaleb was aiming it directly at Robert!


Haskell Oklahoma…

It was early afternoon as Felicia was inside the home that was supposed to be only a temporary stop while on their way to either California or Oregon with Robert.

But all that had been put on hold, especially now that Robert had gone to Kentucky to bring Kurt home. So, in the meantime, Felicia had enrolled Wendy at a local schoolhouse dedicated to children, like Wendy, who were in between a life in the east but not yet in the west.

Due to the need to keep the ranch maintained, she hadn't enrolled Thomas; and she felt bad about that. But, it was what it was…and Thomas was 16 years old now…Wendy was only 12 and Felicia wanted her to have some sort of a normal life as a child. Thomas was needed to tend to the upkeep of the home and ranch.

Felicia listened as Wendy was reading to her from a book she had brought home from school. Becky was in the kitchen preparing supper, while Thomas was, as usual, tending to the ranch.

Suddenly, as Felicia looked up at a picture near the fire place of her and Malcolm in happier times, Thomas rushed in.

His shirt and trousers were dusty due to the work he had been doing outside; his boots covered in mud.

"Thomas," Becky said from the kitchen with the voice of a nagging sister, "mama has told you not to bring that dirt into this house."

Thomas ignored her and looked directly at Felicia.

"A covered wagon is approaching," Thomas told her. "I think it aims to stop here at our ranch."

Felicia, ever diligent, got up and headed toward the door and snatched up the rifle right next to it; Robert had given it to her for protection before had left.

Becky followed Felicia, who had followed Thomas out the door. Wendy just went on reading as if nothing had happened.

Felicia, with Thomas and Becky behind her, aimed the gun at the covered wagon. A man, with tattered and grimy clothes, held the reins that reached out to the two cows that pulled the covered wagon; which was in a sorry state...with worn out woodened wheels and a tattered covering.

Felicia looked over at seventeen year old Becky and could tell that she was enamored with the man; who did have a rugged charm to him. Becky was at that age when girls were becoming women and…and…well the man did have a charm in his weary eyes.

"That's close enough mister," Felicia said to the man as he stared down at them as she aimed the rifle at him.

The man glanced at Becky and smiled at her, but then he looked back at Felicia.

"I mean no bother, madam," the man said with a strong yet tired voice.

And then, a woman came out from the wagon's inner area…she was very dingy and dirty as well…and looked ill.

"Don't bother stayin' here," the woman said to the man. "I'm sure these folks would just rather see us push on like the others have…"

Felicia had no idea what the woman meant.

"My wife and I," the man began to explain, "Have been refused water or food for the past twenty-five miles. No one will even let us water our cows."

Felicia felt sorry for the two of them... and lowered the rifle.

"I'm sorry," Felicia told them both. "You most certainly can come into our home for food and water. Thomas," Felicia said to her son, "tend to their cows while they rest."

"Yes ma'am," Thomas said as he headed to the barn to prepare a water trough.

"Ma'am," the man suddenly replied. "My name is Jeremiah Crawford; and this is my wife Lillian." he told Felicia, with a tone of caution in his words. "And it would only be honest for me to inform you that we," he looked at his wife next to him, "meaning my wife and I…are Mormons…"


Continued…next time…Sonny confronts Jason with a simple question; "Is Lily still alive?"


This chapter featured

Mark Harmon as Ian Combs

Elias Harger as Kaleb Combs

Kristina Wagner as Felicia Scorpio

Zack Mills as Thomas Scorpio

Ramona Martinez as Wendy Scorpio

Scott Caan as Jeremiah Crawford

Elizabeth Shue as Lillian Crawford

and Tristan Rogers as Robert Scorpio