Luis came and undid the bonds on Samuel's knees and ankles, and undoing the one that kept him to the tree, but left his gag on. Samuel, as much as he did, didn't try to run. That was because Theo was also pointing a gun at his face.
The sun was barely beginning to come up, and the makeshift camp was busy packing up supplies to get ready to move out. The air was filled with the sound of voices, clattering of wood and metal, and the calls of horses.
Luis roughly undid Samuel's wrist bonds, just to tie them back around at the front. He rearranged the knot so there was loop where it would slip over the saddle horn. Samuel winced and bit down on the gag as the ropes crunched his wrists slightly.
"Agustin!" Luis called. "Obtener un caballo para este hombre!"
A man who appeared to be watching over the stolen horses looked up. Luis shook Samuel lightly by the shoulder and pointed to him. The overseer of the horses nodded and was looking steadily at the line, evaluating which one seemed the right size for him.
"Asegúrese de que puede soportar su peso. Y no le dará su otro gris, ya sea!"
Agustin again nodded his understanding. Samuel wished what they were saying, but he didn't know a shred of Checacan. Hailey knew a lot of it, thanks to Tony. How he wished she was here so she can translate!
Agustin untied a large bay horse from the near end of the line and led it over to the center of the campsite. There he gave it a brief brushing before saddling it.
"Esto debería hacer." Agustin said as he finished tightening the cinch strap. He made a motion to show Luis the horse was ready.
Luis hauled Samuel over by grabbing his shoulder over to the horse. He made a motion to tell Samuel to mount. Reluctantly, he placed one foot in the stirrup. Luis supported him and Agustin grabbed hold of his wrist bonds as he swung his leg over. Agustin slipped the loop on Samuel's wrist ropes over the saddle horn and tightened it a bit too much for his comfort. Again he grunted. He also heard a worried snort. He looked over to the line of stolen horses, also ready to be moved. He saw Gunsmoke in a rawhide halter, attached to the other horses by the long rope they all shared. He was balking at him.
That had to come from Gunsmoke. He thought. Don't worry, boy. I'm right here. We'll both get out of this place together.
"Watch him, Theo."
Theo cocked his revolver to show he already was.
Luis picked up one of the pieces of rope used to bind Samuel previously and tied it tightly around his ankle. Again, it was very tight and Samuel bit at the gag. Luis knotted the ropes a couple more times before passing the rope underneath the horse and handing it to Agustin, who pulled it taught and tied the remaining length the same way Luis had done on Samuel's other ankle.
Picazo came over on Fuerza, his roan horse, to inspect what they were doing.
"Is he ready?" He asked. Luis and Agustin both nodded.
Picazo glanced at them, then passed his hard gaze over Samuel, who was now secured to the bay horse in a manner that is was very hard to escape.
Picazo took a rawhide halter with a rope of the same material attached to it and slipped it over the horse's head. He made sure it was secure. He held the rawhide lead rope and Fuerza's reins in the same hand. He swept a glance across the camp. Everybody was packed and ready to go.
"Mudarse!" He shouted. And the horse thieves started their long journey from the depths of the bayou forest to the foothills of the mesas, with Samuel as their hostage.
. . .
The lush, forested landscape had gradually given way to high grassy plains with thin trees to the high desert steppe. It was a landscape of reddish sandy soil covered by gentle rolling hills. Brushy, woody shrubs and tough grasses dominated the land, save for the few exceptions of scattered, stunted juniper trees. It was significantly hotter here than in Elkhorn, as the noon sun made sweat bead on Zane's brow and made a band of red on the far horizon shimmer in the distance. The trees and the shadows of clouds passing through the blue sky provided the only shade to escape the heat.
They were following the same path that had taken them out of Elkhorn and into this new landscape, but it had turned from dirt to compact rocky sand. It was the only sign of human life so far in this lone wilderness, save for the ruins of what used to be a small cabin five miles back.
Only later in their journey did they begin to see the first sign of life other than the road: a stretch of barb wire fence, with a few cattle grazing on the other side. It was while after this where the road began to branch off, faded wooden signs pointed down each of the roads.
They continued straight, on the road marked by the sign that read "FLINT RIVER RANCH" in carved letters. The horses loped up the rise, giving view of the long road still ahead.
Zane scanned the ground. "I am recieving readings of Ranger's hoof prints!" He shouted over the rumbling of hooves.
"My hunch was right then!" Christopher said over his shoulder. His palomino picked up speed and the three of them galloped to the ranch.
…
The sun was high in the sky beating down on the land when the three approached the entrance of a ranch, marked by two wooden posts sticking out on either side of the gate and another post laying horizontally across the top. A pair of faded, sun bleached elk antlers were nailed at the top with a rusted metal sign that read "FLINT RIVER RANCH".
Zane did another scan of the ground as they stopped. "She's been here." He confirmed.
Christopher dismounted his horse and opened the gate, letting the other two past him before entering himself and closing it behind them.
Upon entering the ranch, at the top of a low hill at the end of the main gravel road bordered by barb wire fence and cattle pastures was a house. Off to one side, several buildings, corrals, pens, and stables sat at one end of the hill. On the opposite site were two big wooden barns and a roofed structure protecting stacks of hay bales from the afternoon heat, and a few large grain silos. Next to the barns were five machines parked side by side, and behind stacks of pipe and odd contraptions. They appeared to be trucks with large exhaust pipes, similar to he construction equipment he seen back north. Some appeared old and rusty while one was gleaming and brand new. One was blue, one red, and three green.
"Tractors." Christopher said, seeing Zane's confusion. "We use them to farm."
Zane nodded. Beyond the barns and tractors were more pastures, as well as a few fields of crops growing.
As they loped through the gravel yard they approached the owner's house. It was fenced off from the main yard, the house itself being a one story cabin with a cobblestone foundation and a wraparound porch, shaded by a massive oak tree. Chickens meandered in the scrubby grass, and on the side was a small stable. There was also a small shed some distance that housed the family's water well, next to a large tank. A couple other wells with larger tanks also were scattered around the property.
The three men rode up to the house and tied their horses to a set of tying rings on a post right outside. The gate to the house was left wide open.
Tony stopped the two.
"That's not right." He said. "Clemens always locks his gate."
Christopher drew in a sharp breath, and Zane could tell the man was thinking the same thing he was.
Then they realized something else wasn't right. Except for the clucking of the chickens, low hum of the well, the calls of the cattle, and the occasional swish of a horse's tail, the ranch was dead silent. They hadn't seen another human soul since they had found Picazo.
The three looked at each other, thinking the worst had happened, when suddenly they heard hoofbeats from behind.
Tony and Christopher's hands flew to their belts, but stopped when a man with a dusty face in a leather vest on a horse skidded to a halt. Fear was wild in his eyes, he gestured to them.
"They're all at the grange!" He said, and took off without another word. Zane, Tony, and Christopher all untied their horses and mounted before following the man. As they exited the ranch and back to the road, turning eastward, they brought their horses to a gallop. As the dust was kicked up from the road, Tony and Christopher both pulled their bandanas over their mouths and noses, and Tony gestured Zane to do the same. He did, and hunched low over Gale's neck to keep the dust out of his eyes.
…
The grange was a small church like building sitting at the top of a rise, a few miles outside of the nearest ranch. Everyone was here. Trucks covered in dust and dirt, horses tied to posts, and and a couple ATVs surrounded the outside.
Tony, Zane, and Christopher searched for a place to tie their horses before they went inside.
The inside was mostly bare, except for a few rows of pews, pictures on the wall, and a Mt. Horn flag hanging on the front wall. It packed with farmers and ranchers, nearly all of them armed. Some had handguns in their belts while others held rifles or shotguns.
The three scanned for Hailey.
"There!" Tony pointed. Up on the platform at the front wall, sitting on a stool and polishing his rifle, was an elderly man, presumably Clemens. His hair was white under his tan cowboy hat, wearing a blue button down, jeans, belt, and boots. And standing right by his side was Hailey. Her look of sorrow earlier was now replaced by one of anger.
"What are they doing?" Zane asked both of them.
Tony was about to answer but was suddenly cut off when the elderly man abruptly stood up.
"I think I know why we're all here." He said gruffly, his baritone voice rumbling across the room. He paced the riser with his gun. "We all remember a decade ago, when those cowards calling themselves thieves came and raided our ranches."
"They torched my stable!" Someone from the back said angrily. "I lost five foals and my best mare!"
"Cut my fences, stole twenty head, and I had to spend three weeks rounding up the last seventy!"
"I had to sell out, they slaughtered my entire herd and left all the bodies to rot!"
Suddenly the entire grange rose in an uproar as the ranchers voiced their losses to the horse thieves, from stealing horses and cattle, destroying fields and livestock, and even burning barns and houses.
Clemens held up a hand and they eventually quieted down. He spoke again.
"We all lost something to them." He growled. "Livestock, buildings, crops, and even entire operations. But they're back, and they took something from me that's even more valuable than any of that."
"They've taken his grandson and my uncle hostage. Samuel Burnwright." Hailey said, anger etched on every inch of her face. "Me and my friend were abducted in the middle of the night while waiting out poachers. He tracked us down and tried to rescue us, but he got caught and exchanged himself for our release. I don't know where he is now, but it's my fault he was captured, and now it's my job to get him back."
"We're looking for any volunteers for a search party. We all know Samuel and he may be dead for all I damn well know. But we will NOT let these DAMNED DOGS get away with it!" Clemens spat.
"We find him, we find those responsible, and we make them pay!" Hailey added. "Every last one! For EVERYTHING!"
The room filled with cheers as Hailey's and Clemens' words energized them. They were so loud they didn't hear another set of hoofbeats approaching the grange.
CRASH!
Glass shattered. There was gasps, shouts, and yelling as they drew their weapons while a large brick flew through the window
Hailey flipped off the safety and rushed with her gun to the now broken pane to see who had thrown the brick, and the rest ran outside, drawing and loading their weapons. Through a cloud of dust she caught the glimpse of a black tail and shining hooves disappear down the slope.
"ITS ONE OF THEM!" Hailey roared. "GET HIM!"
A few ranchers including herself raced outside, one jumping onto their four wheeler, another on their horse, and third and Hailey on their truck. They all sped off in pursuit of the suspect.
Clemens got off the rise and stormed through the crowd.
"I'll take that son of a bitch myself!" He spat as he made his way to the door.
Christopher and Tony blocked him before he could reach the door. Zane followed and did the same.
"Clemens, you can't go out there." Christopher said. "It's too dangerous. Your body can't handle it."
"They took my grandson, dammit!" He yelled. "An' I don't care what you think my body can't handle!" He tried pushing past them.
"Clemens, I beg of you to listen to him." Zane said. "You would be an easy target for these men. We don't want you to be harmed."
"THEY HAVE SAMUEL!" Clemens roared. "THEY COULD HAVE DONE ANYTHING TO HIM BY NOW! HE COULD BE-"
Suddenly Clemens stopped, dropping his gun to clutch his chest as he stumbled back. Tony, Zane, and a couple other ranchers caught him before he fell. They helped the old man sit down on one of the pews as he gasped for breath.
Zane bent down in front of the man.
"Are you okay?"
Clemens nodded. "I'm fine…" he mumbled. "Just chest pain…forgot my steroids this morning…"
"I do not think you are in any physical condition to pursue The Untamed. It's too demanding and if anyone were to go first, it would be you."
Clemens shook his head. "But they have him…I can't just sit here while they could be beating his brains out or whatever the hell they do…"
"Clemens, I understand where you are coming from. Samuel has done many things for me and it would be dishonorable if I were to just let him go. But being his grandfather and me knowing him well, I know Samuel would not want you in harms way for the sake of him."
Clemens looked up at Zane.
"How do you know Samuel?" He asked.
"He offered me a place to stay while I was trying to find work." He said, going off what Hailey told Richard at the feed store that one day. "There was nothing in Silverton so he lodged and fed me while I learned basic skills for ranch work. He said he could find me a job on one of the ranches here. Said there was a labor shortage." Zane nodded to Christopher and Tony. "And through that process I also became acquainted with them."
Clemens nodded. "I see. That's him. Has a big ol' heart."
"Yes. We've gotten to know each other very well. He is always willing to put himself on the line for those he loves. He would greatly appreciate your efforts, but you going out there would only cause him even more distress than what he's already in."
Clemens sat back for a second and thought.
"Dammit, you're right." He finally said. He sighed. "I'm just not what I used to be anymore." He looked up at Zane.
"But I've got to do something, I just can't sit here while he's out god-who-knows-where."
Zane began to think, but his thoughts were disrupted when the truck, ATV, and horse all returned back. Hailey and the other ranchers came back through the door.
"Did you find him?" One of the farmers asked.
"No." Answered the truck driver. "Sumbitch got away." He threw down his hat in anger.
Hailey walked back to the broken window to inspect it. Her eyes wandered over the broken glass on the floor when it came to rest on the brick. There seemed to be some strange markings on it.
She narrowed her eyes and picked it up. It was heavy and orange, a clay brick. The markings were actually words, scratched into the clay. She read it and gasped, eyes going wide.
The ranchers all saw her reaction.
"Hailey, what does it say?" Tony asked.
Hailey shook her head and held it out. Zane took it.
"$15,000. Two weeks from dusk." He read aloud. "If not paid by when the sun sets over the range, his body will hang from the roof of the grange."
A thick, tense silence fell over the room. No one knew what to say. They didn't want to break it. They all stood there, thinking about everything that could happen. Would they kill Samuel regardless if they were paid? Would his death be quick and painless or slow and brutal? What would they do to him in the meantime? Would they be able to find the body? What if the thieves came after the other farm families too if it wasn't paid? What would they do then?
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, someone asked the question no one knew the answer to.
"What do we do?"
Clemens stood up. "The hell with that ransom." He said. "They'll kill him whether they get paid or not!"
"But we can't just let him die like that!" Said another.
"He's not."
Everyone turned to Hailey, who had been silent until now.
"What do you mean?"
Hailey straightened up. "I'm not letting these cowards get away with this. It's my fault Uncle Sam's been taken hostage. It's my duty to get him back."
"Hailey," Clemens said. "You're off your rocker, you can't do this."
"Not by myself." She responded. "But that's why we're all here. We need to plan how we're going to rescue him from the thieves without the ransom."
"If you're the reason he got captured, then why are you going out to save him?" Someone challenged.
She swung a smoldering glare at the person who spoke, towards the back of the room.
"Because it's my job to fix my mistake. Do you have a better idea?" She spat.
Silence.
"That's what I thought."
"But you still can't do it by yourself." Clemens said.
"I am doing this whether people like it or not, and I don't care if anyone doesn't go with me!" Hailey said with anger. "If no one is going to go rescue my uncle, then who will?! Everyone else is too scared to go after them. You would do the exact same thing if you could too!"
Clemens sighed and covered his face with his hand. Everyone else went quiet again in silent agreement.
"It'll kill Samuel if he finds out something happened to you while trying to save him, Hailey." Christopher said. "That's the last thing he wants."
"And they'll kill him if we don't try to find him!" She snapped. "And the last thing we want is to find his dead body hanging from this roof!"
"Hailey," Tony said, stepping towards her. "You are not going after him. It's too dangerous."
Hailey slammed the butt of her rifle on the floor.
"WELL GODDAMMIT WHAT DO WE DO THEN?!" She roared. "Let him die?! We're all just going to sit here and let him die?!"
"The three of us will track these men down and rescue Samuel." Christopher said, gesturing to himself, Tony, and Zane. "It's best that you stay here until we get back."
"What?!" Hailey cried. "Stay here?! What if the ranch gets attacked?! What if you don't make it in time?! What if you never come back?!"
"We will bring Samuel back alive." Tony said. "If it's the last thing we do."
"Everyone who has gone after them has disappeared! DISAPPEARED!" Hailey said.
"If something happened to you, Hailey, Samuel would die inside." Christopher stated.
"And what would happen if all four of you died?!" She fought back. "I'd be alone for the rest of my life! And I'll have to live with this forever!"
"Plus, I know about Picazo! I was there the day he shot Uncle Sam!"
She gripped Christopher's hands, tears starting to form in her pleading eyes.
"Please," She said. "Please just let me go with you…I can't let Uncle Sam die…or anyone else die because of the mistake I made and not try to fix it…"
"I wouldn't be able to live with it for the rest of my life…I would rather die trying to save him rather than die miserable because I didn't…I love him…please, just let me go with you…"
Christopher, Tony, and Zane all looked at each other.
"She has a valid point in regards to her experiences with Picazo. Her insight could prove valuable in our search for Samuel."
The two were silent.
"He will wring our necks if something happened to her…" Tony said.
"And I'll wring yours if you don't take her." Clemens said, standing up.
Christopher looked at him in confusion. "But I thought you were against her going?"
"Not anymore." He said. "She's got a point. Being my great granddaughter, I know her damn well enough she'd sneak out to find him anyways."
Christopher thought for a moment.
"Fine." He said reluctantly. "But you need to stay with at least one of us."
"I can accompany her." Zane offered. "If the need to be that we split up."
Clemens walked over to Zane. "You better take care of her." He said. "I may not know you, but if Samuel trusts you enough with her, then I don't have any reason not to either."
Zane nodded. "I will make it my first priority."
"Thank you, Zane." Clemens said, giving him a genuine look of gratitude. Then he turned back to the ranchers assembled in the grange.
"Everyone! These four are going out to find Samuel." He pointed to Hailey, Zane, Christopher, and Tony. "In the meantime, we all need to make sure our cattle and property are safe, I'm going to need all my cowhands on deck. We're going to show these damned cowards why they should never mess with our farms and our families!" Clemens shouted. His words earned a rallying cry from everyone in the room.
"We best start moving." He continued after the noise died down. "Every second counts!"
With that, the ranchers began to clear the building. While on their way out, a few walked up to Zane and the others.
"Bless you." The middle aged man said, resting a firm hand on the nindroid's shoulder. "It takes a hell of a man to do this.
"Be safe out there." said another. He gave Zane a handshake.
Zane nodded. "Thank you for your wishes of wellbeing."
The third tipped his hat before they left.
…
"First order of business," the old rancher barked. "We need to bring all the cattle that are in the pastures up to the corral. Hailey, you'll help with that." He gestured to the map he had brought from the house, which showed a topography of the ranch. "We'll also take the horses from the lower stables and put them in the holding pens. Any bulls and other animals we can't fit together we can set up some panels. Then I'll need five people to guard the livestock."
Hailey along with a handful of others stepped forwards.
"Okay, so you all," Clemens gestured. "Go get the cattle first then the horses."
Hailey nodded and left with the rest. Clemens went back to his map.
"Christopher, Tony, I need you and some others to get the machinery and lock all the tractors, implements, and trucks in the barns. They don't really go after machinery, but I'm not taking any chances."
"Mr. Clemens," Zane asked. "Is there anything I can do to assist you in securing the ranch?"
"Yes." He said. "You can go with Hailey. You've had any experience with working cattle?"
Zane shook his head. "I have not."
"Okay, well go with Hailey and you can see what she and the others are doing. It could be useful to you in the near future."
Zane left the building, mounted Gale, and headed back to the ranch. As he approached the gates, he saw a big cloud of dust and the collective moos of cattle. Coming up to the corral, men were assembling makeshift pens with interlocking fence and gate panels, while others were driving the cattle up the hill from the pastures. They were on their horses to steer the herd. Hailey was among them. Zane watched as Hailey used Ranger's body, a lasso, as well as sharp whistles and yells to keep the cows moving.
"Zane!" Hailey called over the animals as she saw him. "Open the gate!"
Zane quickly rode over and opened the gate to the pasture. One of the men at the corral opened the pen gate and the cattle trotted across the road and into the pen, kicking up dust as they filed in.
"I hope the cows don't get too stressed in there." Hailey said, riding up next to him. "A lot of them are pregnant. We just bred a few months ago, right before we found you. Losing calves mean less breeders to keep and less steers and dry heifers to go to market. If they're stressed too much for too long then they'll lose their calves in utero."
"I hope so as well." Zane replied. "I understand these cattle are important to you and your family."
"These are our lifeline, Zane." Hailey agreed. "Without them, our family would have nothing. We can't afford to lose any of them." She sighed as they watched the last cattle amble into the holding pens.
…
The sun was starting to hang low in the sky when the ranch was completely secured. The cattle and horses were being contained in the corral and pens. The ranch machinery and tools were locked in the barns. The water and wells were shut off. The feed was stored in separate locations in cellars so they wouldn't be all in one spot in case there was a raid. All the cowhands were guarding the ranch, armed with anything they had, watching the livestock, buildings, and gates, and more were patrolling the perimeter.
Zane looked around as he followed Hailey, who was helping Clemens, riding on his own horse, inspecting everything. It seemed like the ranch had turned into a war zone.
Christopher and Tony rode up, joining the trio.
"We've locked up everything." Tony said.
"We chained them all together too." Christopher added. "So they can't run off with just one."
Clemens nodded. "Excellent. Thank you. When are you heading out?"
"As soon as possible." Christopher replied. "We can't afford to wait until morning. Every second counts."
"Alright." Clemens said. "But you need supplies before you leave. You won't last a day out there without food or water."
The old man gestured to the four, and they trotted their way back up to the ranch house. There, they were given water canteens, large bags filled with jerky and dried fruit, sleeping bags, and extra ammunition. Zane was given a set of saddlebags for Gale. After they packed everything on their horses, they began to leave.
"So, what is your plan?" Clemens asked as he and a couple ranch hands escorted the four to the main gate.
"We go back to where they were camping." Christopher said. "We'll see if they're still there. We'll set up an area where we can watch them and hopefully maybe even nab Samuel when no one's looking. If not, then we'll find a way to see where they went."
Clemens was silent for a moment. Tears started to form in his eyes.
"Please bring back my grandson…" he said, the elderly cattleman's voice breaking. "He's one of the few I have left…ever since Bonnie died…all I've got is them and this operation…"
Christopher rested a hand on his shoulder. "We'll find him, don't worry."
The old man nodded. "Y'all should go. I don't want to keep you."
"Stay safe." Tony said.
The five of them exchanged looks before the search party turned back south and left the ranch.
Please favorite, follow, and write a review! They are greatly appreciated! RealtreeGal signing off!