Chapter 16

Cody and Teaspoon rode across the prairie in search of Buck and Ike. Teaspoon stopped and swung down to study the tracks. He kneeled down to look at the dirt.

"Buck was chasing them. I can only guess that they have Ike. Shit, they more than likely have both of them now." Teaspoon said staring at the ground.

"Maybe not. Look." Said Cody.

Teaspoon stood to see a horse galloping in their direction. He looked worriedly at Cody as he realized that Buck was trying to hold Ike up in front of him. He mounted his horse and they rode out to meet them halfway. Cody rode up beside Buck and helped him hold a bloody Ike in place.

"What the hell happened?" Asked Teaspoon.

"They took him. I rode up on him and found him like this. Please, help me."

"Buck, switch places with me. I'll take him on to town." Said Cody.

"I need to stay with him." Buck said as he cried.

"Buck, you know that Cody will get him there. Let him carry him the rest of the way. We'll follow as quick as we can."

Buck reluctantly agreed and let Cody switch places with him. Buck let his arms relax as he watched Cody ride away with Ike. Teaspoon grabbed his reins when Buck went to ride out behind them.

"Now before we go off behind them, tell me more about what happened."

"They rode in and took him. They pulled him away behind their horses. I didn't think. I just chased behind. I lost their tracks outside of town. I just wasn't thinking straight or paying close enough attention. I cost him time. I found him dumped on the trail. He is a mess, Teaspoon. All this is because of me. Of who I am. I'm going to put an end to this madness. I'm going to let them have me."

"Like hell you are. If you do that, then once you are dealt with then they will move on to another and another. Other innocent men like you. I need your help Buck. I need you to help me figure all this out. Ike needs you to help me put a stop to this madness."

"I got to go to him."

"Listen to me for a minute. We will get there, I swear. I know how you feel. I feel it too but I need you to take me to where you found Ike. I need you to try to help me track them since they didn't are to cover their tracks. I need to know how many and where they are held up."

"I can't leave him alone. I won't."

"And I ain't asking you to do that. I'm asking you to help me stop this. Help me bring these men to justice. For Ike. For Lou, Jimmy, and everyone else that is suffering because of this. There has got to be a connection or clue somewhere."

Buck stared at Teaspoon and wiped his face. He didn't utter another word as he turned his horse back from the direction that he came. Teaspoon urged his horse behind him. Buck took Teaspoon back to the spot where he had found Ike. Teaspoon got off his horse and studied the area. He looked at all the tracks and blood in the dirt.

"Only two?"

"Yeah, that's all that came to the station and took him." Answered Buck.

"Bet they found out that he wasn't gonna talk. So they just got rid of him. Damn."

"They met some more men then headed west."

"Then so are we."

Buck took his time and followed the tracks closely. They crossed a small stream and rode until almost dusk. Buck pulled his horse to a stop and looked back over at Teaspoon.

"They went through there."

"So they are hiding next to that canyon."

Buck nodded as Teaspoon was already dismounting. He followed suit as he crept behind him toward the smell of smoke from a campfire. They slowly made their way through the underbrush until they could see into a clearing. Teaspoon counted about twenty men as they milled about. He watched as they laughed and spoke. He looked over at Buck and pointed back the way they had came. They made their way back to their horses and rode on back toward town. Teaspoon stopped a little ways off. They could see the town in the distance.

"Buck, I need you to listen to me. That back there is more than a gang. That's an army. I need you to stay out of sight. We know where they are hidin, now we just got put the pieces together. I need every able body that I have left to fight this."

"I will lay low but I have to see about Ike first, please."

"Hang close but don't go back to the station. Head out to old Jack's cabin. I'll send word. Promise me, Buck, that you will do that."

"I promise but I have to know how he is."

"You know that I will send word. Look for Cody since Jesse is missing."

"Jesse is missing?"

"Yeah, no one knows but a few of us. Cody found this." Teaspoon said reaching into his jacket pocket and pulling out a feather.

"This was not Indian."

"I know that too. And I'm thinking that army out there may be involved with the missing boys to justify a personal agenda but I got to tie it all together. Now go. Watch for Cody."

Buck nodded and took one last look at the town at the town before riding away.