Ch 18

Mick and Garth's trip to Willow Springs should have taken about four days but damn if it wasn't taking longer. Every time they started making good time, Hickok would pass out and fall off his horse. They would wake him and put him back on several times a day. Jimmy looked at Garth's back. Mick was riding behind. He had been pretending to pass out and fall in order to slow them down until he could come up with a plan. If he could get away, he would go and turn himself in. These idiots wouldn't get any money and he would end up on a short end of a noose. Put an end to this entire thing. He looked around. Time to go again. He pretended to slump forward out of Mick's reach and fall onto the ground. Damn his shoulder was getting sore.

Kid made it to Omaha and didn't have any trouble finding Sam. He told Sam all about what had happened. Sam asked which judge had Teaspoon sent the statements to. He told him the name and Sam set out to have a little talk. After a day of papers and stating his point, he went to the Territorial Governor. He was a friend of Sam's. He heard Sam out and read the statements. He pardoned Jimmy from all his charges and sent word out to all the town's in the territory. Kid shook Sam's hand. Sam wanted to ride back with him and just in case he had a signed letter from the Governor. They set out at a run back toward Sweetwater.

Emma, Lou, and Cody followed the trail south. They knew they would take him to Willow Springs if indeed they had caught him. Cody confirmed their worst fears just a few miles outside of town. They rode on hoping to catch them. Cody noticed that they kept stopping.

"Here it is again. Someone fell off their horse. Either he is hurt bad or he is trying to slow them down."

"I'd like to think the latter." Said Emma

"Let's go. We are gaining ground."

Mick and Garth made camp as the sun dipped behind the hills. They tied Jimmy to a nearby tree while they made camp. Jimmy looked around. He was sore from head to toe. His face was throbbing. He worked at the ropes while they were busy. They thought he was weak so they hadn't tied him that tight. He felt a hand get free but he left it behind him for now. He would make a run for it later.

Kid and Sam ended up taking a day off their trip. They went straight for Teaspoon. Sam filled him on the favor he cashed in and showed Teaspoon the paper. Teaspoon literally jumped for joy. Now they had to find him and bring him home in one piece.

"Barnett!"

"Yeah Teaspoon."

"Watch the town. I got to head over to Willow Springs. Be back in a few days."

The trio left riding for the town and the local sheriff.

Jimmy sat slumped over next to the tree as Mick and Garth ate. He kept stealing glances as they laid down to go to sleep. He waited for a few before slipping his hand out from behind him. He eased out of the ropes. He kept his eyes on Mick as he carefully backed away. When he felt he was far enough away, he turned and ran. He ran for an hour before he fell to his knees. He clutched his stomach. He was aching now. He heard water. He went to the sound and found a small creek. He knelt beside it in the moonlight. He splashed water on his face to wash away some of the blood. He sat back on his knees for a few. He had to keep moving. He walked slowly for another hour or so, the moon up high above. He was so tired. He felt like he couldn't go any farther so he sat back against a rock in the dark and closed his eyes.

Mick woke the next morning screaming at Garth.

"He's gone!"

"Who?"

"Hickok, ya dumb fuck. He must have been playing us all along. He couldn't have gotten far. His steps take him this way."

"Get the horses. They'll be faster."

Garth and Mick rode out following Jimmy's footprints.

Jimmy woke to the sun shining in his face. He looked up at it. Another day he thought. He slowly got to his feet. He had a spasm of pain run through his stomach. He fell over clutching it. He breathed in and out. He carefully stood back up. Enough of this, time to go. He began walking across the prairie. He walked and stopped, walked and stopped. He had started feeling sick over an hour ago. He had to find somewhere to hide til he could get past this. He saw a small grove of trees and started toward them. He was halfway there when he felt it again. He stopped and put his hands on his knees. His back was hurting. He looked at the trees. They began to sway in front of him. Oh no he thought. Suddenly the world began to spin and he felt himself giving out. He fell down to the ground as he passed out.

Mick and Garth found where Jimmy had slept propped next to a rock. They kept following his trail. They walked across the open prairie. His tracks leading them toward the trees.

"Careful if he is in there."

"I don't think he is. Look ahead yonder." Said Mick

Jimmy was face down in the grass.

"I'll be. He didn't get too far." Laughed Garth

They walked over to Jimmy with their guns drawn but he was passed out. They tied him again and put him on Mick's horse in front of him. They headed back to camp.

Jimmy woke to the sounds of shuffling. He opened his eyes. Fuck it. He was back at camp. He saw Mick walk over. Garth followed.

"Hello again. Thought you could run huh? Almost made it to." Said Garth

Jimmy looked up at them.

"He ain't got nothing to say." Said Garth

"Well I got something to say." Said Mick as he kneeled down face to face with Jimmy.

"I'm going to get this reward money. One way or another, I'm going to make damn sure that you can't run away."

Jimmy frowned at the man but remained silent.

"We will just have to tie him better." Said Garth

"We won't have to." Said Mick as he pulled his gun.

"What the hell you doin?! He has to be alive!"

"Just making sure he can't run away again."

Mick stood and pointed his gun at Jimmy's calf. He pulled the trigger as Jimmy let out a scream. Jimmy fell back writhing in pain. He went and stepped on Jimmy's wrist. He shot him through his hand. Jimmy screamed again. He lay panting and sweating from pain. Mick looked to Garth who just stood there.

"Now he can't untie his ropes. And now he can't run. We ain't got nothing to worry about." Said Mick as he went to prepare to travel once again.

Garth looked down at Jimmy. Jimmy was still rolling around from intense pain.

"There ya go. Why didn't I think of that." Said Garth as he walked off.

Jimmy felt dizzy from the pain. He felt sick. There was no reprieve from the burning pain. He felt himself slipping again as he looked up at the sky. It was the last thing he remembered seeing.

Cody, Emma and Lou were already up moving. Cody heard the shots in the distance.

"Y'all hear those shots?"

"We did."

"They were close. Right up ahead. I'm going to check it out. Y'all wait here."

"Be careful Cody."

Cody eased up and looked. There they were. He saw Mick and another man he recognized from the gang. He thought they were all dead. They were packing up camp getting ready to move on. There was someone laying nearby. He couldn't tell who from such a far distance. After camp was packed, they brought horses over. One of them was Jimmy's. He saw them lift Jimmy and throw him over the horse. His head and arms hanging down. He eased back and went to grab the ladies. Time was wastin. Willow Springs was only a days ride away but he knew that they would be moving slow.