Chapter 13

Jimmy was left on that damn table. The day had passed as he watched out the window. His arms burned from being tied and unable to move. He tried to shift again but gasped out at the pain of the movement. He laid there realizing that he couldn't get out of this. He wondered where Cody was. He thought of Teaspoon and the others. He laid there thinking when the door finally opened. The fat man that had bought them walked in along with the skinny man. Jimmy stared at them.

"I don't know, Phineas. He could fetch more money once he's up and about."

"Quinton, I do so much for you. I lost the last three. Weak ones. They were old, weak. If you accept my offer, this could really work in your favor."

"Like it has worked in the past, Phin. I always seem to give in to you then I lose a few hundred."

"But just think, if I can find just the right solution to push into them, then they would never remember who they were. You could sell them for more money. They would never try to leave. No more chains, no more worry about escape. They would do anything you asked of them."

"I've heard this before. Many times."

"What could another try hurt? This one could take a month or more to heal. He already has an infection. That could take longer. He may never walk again. I'm sure you didn't pay much."

"A hundred."

"A hundred dollars in exchange for thousands."

"Tell you what. Drain that infection you were talking about then put him back for now. Give me a day to think about it."

"That will work."

"Good."

"Think hard, Quinton."

"I will. Now I'm leaving before you start. Can't take that."

Quinton. Phineas. Jimmy heard their names. He saw two more men come stand against the wall. He looked around the room. Phin went to a cabinet and pulled out a wooden tray of knives. He pushed his glasses up on his nose.

"What are you doing?"

"Fixing this. If that's what you want to call it." He said as he held up a small blade.

Jimmy took a deep breath knowing that nothing he could say was going to stop this. Phin took the blade and pushed into the swollen knot on Jimmy's leg. He couldn't help but yell out. He pulled against his restraints as the blade bit down. The man squeezed the wound and pressed down on his leg. Jimmy felt sweat running down his face. He screamed out again before he took a deep breath and let his head relax.

Phin finished his task. He moved the leg around. He sat back in thought. Quinton always gave him the older ones to test. Ones that would be hard to sell. He knew he saw money in this boy. Maybe he could make it where this one couldn't be sold. Help persuade him. He untied the leather bindings around the splint. He looked the leg over. He looked at the backs of the two men that stood watching the door. He took the leg in his hands. Could feel the young man tremble. It could be easy. Simple. Phin smiled as he took his blade again. He felt for the healing break. He slid the blade deeper into the leg and pushed down. Jimmy screamed out as loud as he could. Phin watched as the young man finally passed out. He smiled as he applied pressure to try to stop the bleeding.

"Get me help!" He yelled at the backs of the men.

One ran out the door while the other put his gun down to help hold pressure. Quinton ran in the room. He looked at all the blood.

"What the hell happened?!"

"The infected area was worse than I thought. I had to cut in deeper. It appears his leg was injured again during travel. Once we get this to stop, I'll have to set it again. We will have to start all over."

"Fuck. Fuck. I guess you win, Phin. Get him right. He's yours then."

Quinton stormed out and slammed the door. Phin tried not to smile as the bleeding tried to subside. He had the men help hold pressure as he got his tools. He packed the cut before wrapping. He then had the men help pull to reset the leg. He tied the bindings around the splint. He stood back and nodded. He went to the basin to wash his hands.

"Once I mark him, take him back to the others for now. Chain him up. I have to mark the others before I prepare my workshop for him."

The men waited for Phin to finish. They untied Jimmy and carried him out. Levi and the others looked up as the door to their holding room was opened. Two men carried an unconscious Jimmy in. They dropped him on the floor then cuffed his hands before leaving. The two waited until the men left and the metal door was locked before going over. They stared down at him. The Indian pulled his chains over. He knelt down to look.

"Is he dead?" Asked Levi.

"No." The Indian said proceeding to see what they had done.

"Well?"

"Cut infection. Hurt leg again."

"Why would they do that? He's gonna die ain't he?"

"Weak. Very weak. Blood. Men will come for you. Mark you."

"Mark?"

The Indian held out his arm. He had a letter and a number cut into his arm. The boys looked on in fear as the door flew open. The two men came and grabbed the other boy. Levi looked on scared as they pulled him out.

"Be ok. Don't fight. Make worse."

"How can I not fight? We got to get out of here."

"No one does."

Teaspoon waited as he packed up their small camp. Most of the men had told him the same story. They stop for a bite in Heavenly then once they leave, they all see a stagecoach or someone being robbed. As they tried to help, they were either hit or had some sort of accident. Jeremy would find them and take them to his house where he would help them recover only to be held prisoner until they could be sold. The men and women sold were never seen again. Teaspoon packed up another horse when he stopped to sigh. Buck noticed and left Cody to walk over.

"You ok?"

"Not really. I can't believe this. I can't. What these people had to go through and what they are still going through. It keeps running through my head. Where did they go? How many have passed through this place? What happens to them? I can't stop thinking."

"I try to find peace in hoping that we can put an end to it. Hopefully find this last group."

"I try, Buck, I do. But how are we gonna find them? Jimmy. Is he dead or alive? What are we gonna find? Is he in pain? Things like that."

Buck listened as Teaspoon got most of it out.

"Enough of this. We got to head out. Cody able to ride?" Asked Teaspoon.

"He says he is but they beat him pretty good. It don't look like anything is broken. He's just sore as hell."

"Watch him close."

They both turned to see Katy riding in. They eased out to wait for him.

"Well?"

"I've never seen a town happier over a family's death." He said as he swung down.

"Get anything?"

"Did I. Said Quinton is a common buyer. He comes in often but they said if he bought this last time, it would probably be a month fore he comes back. They said he owns a small compound somewhere near Cheyenne where he can use the train. They are still scared of him. Offered to pay us to kill him so he wouldn't come back. Seems he has taken several young men from town as well."

"Any ever return?"

"Said one did but he never was the same."

"How so?"

"He came back sick. He kept seeing things and couldn't sleep. Store clerk said the boy had cuts all over him and seemed to have just lost his mind. He did say he had a number of sorts scratched into his arm."

"He still in town? Family? Anything? He could let us know what we are looking at."

"Sorry, they moved him away. Thought it would help but he hung himself six months later."

"Damn. What the hell kind of monsters have we found?" Said Teaspoon.

"Bad ones." Said Buck.

"And they have one of our own." Said Kid.

"Let's get ready to ride. Cheyenne is a good day's ride from here."

"I'll get Cody." Said Buck.

The other two went about preparing their horses along with Lloyd.