A/N: I know I skipped Erin, but I have a good reason, never fear. That episode is getting a new place in the timeline since I plan to wreck it. (Somewhat) I think you'll like what I have in mind when we get there. (Especially you, Fluffy33, if you're still reading this.)

Tonight is Company of Forgotten Men. I adjusted it a little bit, but it didn't need much, being another great episode. Enjoy and leave me a review!

"Mr. Cartwright." Candy pushed open the front door and hesitated just after the old sideboard, hat in hand. A man she'd never seen before followed him. Her pa looked up from his desk with a frown.

"Who's this?"

"Sergeant Russell. He –"

"Actually, as I already told Candy, it's Mr. Russell now. The Army retired me."

"Can I speak, Sergeant?"

"Oh, go right ahead, boy." Candy looked nonplussed and Annie snickered under her breath. If she had to guess, she'd wager another of his erstwhile "fathers" had shown up.

"Will someone please tell me what is going on?" Ben threw down his pen and pushed back his chair. Candy opened his mouth and a horse neighed out in the yard.

"Gibson," he muttered and clenched his hat tighter. "Mr. Cartwright, Sergeant Russell is an old friend of mine. He and some of his friends would like to camp on the Ponderosa for a while. They were retired and have no where else to go," he finished in a rush, just as someone pounded on the front door. Ben glanced at the door.

"Am I to presume that whoever is wanting to be let in does not want them to camp on my land?"

"Yes, sir."

"Gibson, you said?"

"Yes, sir. I reminded him when he came out to their camp that it was your land, not his, but he believes you'll side with him." Her pa's gaze slid past their foreman.

"Annie, let the gentleman in, please."

"Yes, Pa." She hopped off the settee, happy for an excuse to lay aside the ripped shirt she was attempting to repair. With Hop Sing away visiting his cousins, she just had to make do. She opened the door and Gibson pushed his way inside, freezing when he saw Candy and the Sergeant. "Afternoon, Mr. Gibson," she said through her teeth. "Would you like to come in?" Since you're already there, she didn't add. The man ignored her.

"Ben, you can't let these soldiers squat on your land. They're nothing but trouble."

"They're not –" Russell held up a hand and Candy snapped his mouth shut. The sergeant tucked his hands behind his back and focused on Gibson.

"Mr. Gibson's got a lot of reasons for not liking old soldiers. Some of us have caused a lot of trouble."

"Right. Gunplay, hold ups, stealing livestock, chickens, everything that isn't nailed down."

"I won't deny it. I won't even try." Russell turned away and Gibson railed at her pa.

"Criminals, no other name for them. If you let them squat on your land, you'll never be rid of them!" If the man had any sense, he'd shut up right now. The look on her pa's face should be deterrent enough to anyone with eyes. He was getting riled.

"George … it is my land. So why don't you let me take care of that?" Gibson whipped around, glaring at Russell.

"There's no sense to you hanging around. We're sick of being asked for your handouts."

"We're not asking for charity, we aim to pay our own way."

"How?" Russell shrugged.

"We brought our own jobs with us." He straightened and ambled back over to Gibson. "Anybody ever hear of ginseng root?" All he got was a bunch of blank looks. Until her pa frowned.

"Ginseng? Yeah, from my sailing days. It's an oriental herb, they use it for medicinal purposes."

"That's right. More to the point, the Chinese here in this country will but all they can get of it, and they'll pay a good price, too." Gibson seemed to swallow his fury, face red.

"Let me tell you something, Ben. If these has-been soldiers make one wrong move, we'll find a way to get rid of them, whether you like it or not." He shoved his hat down farther on his head and whirled around. Annie swept the door open and shut it behind him with raised eyebrows.

"It looks like I'm putting you in bad with your neighbors. I sure didn't want to do that."

"Don't worry about it, Mr. Gibson, he'll come around."

"I hope so." Russell sighed and worked his hat in his hands. "I guess I better be getting back." He settled the black felt on his head. "The boys will be anxious to know how I made out." Ben followed him to the door and clapped a hand on his back.

"Sergeant, how are you fixed for rations?"

"We're fine –"

"They're fresh out of everything," Candy interrupted. Her pa nodded slowly.

"Well, you come by tomorrow morning early and pick up anything you need, Sergeant. That's … that's not charity," he said before the man could refuse. "It's a loan."

"All right, sir. If you put it that way, I'll accept, and with thanks. Candy."

"Sergeant," he replied with a grin.

"I'll see you tomorrow, then. Ms. Annie." She let him out the door, then turned to Candy.

"Fort Despair?"

"Yeah. Another in the long line of non-coms who raised me. If you can call it that." he sighed and looked down at his boots, then up to her pa. "It's not fair, Mr. Cartwright. They worked just as hard for the government as the officers did, but they didn't get a pension."

"I know." Her pa rubbed the back of his neck. "They can stay as long as they like. I just hope Gibson and his friends don't make any trouble for them." Candy chuckled.

"They'd have to make a lot. Sergeant Russell spent thirty years staring trouble in the face."

"How much of it did you make?" Annie asked with a straight face. Candy laughed.

"More than I should have, I'm sure. Thanks, Mr. Cartwright. I'll head back and finish checking on the stock."

"See you at supper." Her pa waved him on and the door closed behind him. "Loyal as they come, that one. I'm beginning to think hiring him was one of the best decisions I ever made," he said with a smile that faded when his gaze landed on something behind her.

"What is it?" She turned, but there was nothing but her shirt. He walked over and picked it up, focusing on the row of crooked stitches on the sleeve. "Pa?" He shook his head.

"And one of the worst was not finding someone to teach you to sew." Annie shrugged and spread her hands.

"You raised me to run a ranch, not a dress shop."

"I hear we've got company." Joe rubbed his hands together and ambled over to the dinner table. He pulled out his chair and took his place beside her. She nodded, carefully not looking at him and keeping her focus on her plate. Her brother huffed and leaned in close. "Do you have to keep that up? It's been two weeks."

"Keep what up?"

"You know what I'm talking about."

"And I told you to leave well enough alone," she snarled under her breath. "It's none of your business, anyway."

"Hey, don't make me drag you two apart before I've had a chance to eat my supper." Hoss pulled out his chair and eyed them with interest. "What's going on, anyhow? You been snapping at each other for weeks now."

"Oh, ask her." Joe slumped in his chair and fiddled with his napkin. Hoss raised an eyebrow.

"He's being nosy."

"What am I supposed to do when she doesn't tell me anything?"

"How about you stay out of it?"

"Hey, hey, hey. You know Pa don't allow fighting at the table. Now, the both of you stop it. Joe, leave her alone, Annie … just … don't pick on him." Hoss shook out his napkin and tucked it into his collar.

"Where's Candy?" Ben came down the stairs, adjusting his shirt cuffs.

"Oh, he's coming." Joe sat up straight. "He's putting old Scout up." Their pa nodded slowly.

"Did I hear an argument down here?"

"Oh, no. No." Joe grinned nervously. "Not at all."

"I see." He took his place at the head of the table and folded his hands. "I am not unaware that there is a problem between you two for whatever reason. I am not going to insist we sit down and work it out between the four of us unless you force me to. Is that clear?"

"Yes, Pa," they said almost in unison. Annie unfolded her napkin and placed it in her lap. As far as she was concerned, there was no problem; Joe was creating one with his constant need to know everything. The front door opened and Candy rushed in, tossing his hat and gun belt on the sideboard.

"Sorry I'm late, Mr. Cartwright."

"No worries, Candy, we just sat down." Ben waited until their foreman had taken his seat before he bowed his head and said grace. "Amen." They passed the plates around and Hoss cleared his throat.

"So, Candy. Pa said a friend of yours showed up."

"Sergeant Russell," he said between bites. "Good man. He taught me a lot when I was growing up."

"When did you see him last?"

"About six years, I think. Give or take a few months."

"They'll be coming by in the morning to pick up some supplies." Ben set down his coffee. "Let them take whatever they need out of the storehouse."

"You got it, Pa." Hoss shoveled another bite into his mouth. "Think they'll stay long?"

"That will probably depend on how they're treated. Gibson was out here today, and he was very vocal about not wanting them around. Hoss, I need you to take the wagon into Virginia City tomorrow and pick up our feed order." Her brother nodded. "The rest of you, make sure they take plenty. I know Russell isn't keen on charity, so do your best."

"We will, Pa." Annie wiped her mouth. How, she had no idea. If Sergeant Russell was anything like the man he'd raised, they were in for an uphill battle.

"That's fine, that's more than enough," Russell protested when Candy laid a sack of flour near the wagon's tailgate.

"Nah," Joe insisted. "You need salt and bacon." He passed another sack of flour up into the wagon. Russell's friend Jeb handed his sack up and hesitated a second.

"I'd surely appreciate a little corn meal, if you've got it to spare." Russell looked perturbed, but it didn't stop the man loading the wagon from adding his two cents.

"I would, too, cause I been hungering for hoe cake and fried corn meal mush for a year of Sundays."

"You don't have to eat it, Sergeant," Annie said sweetly. "But I'm sure your friends would enjoy it, don't you?" The man's lips thinned, but he nodded.

"There's plenty in the storehouse, help yourself." Joe said with a smile. Jeb nodded.

"Thank you." He followed Candy back inside and Russell shook his head.

"Plague of locusts. We're picking that store house clean, aren't we?"

"You haven't even made a dent," Joe insisted. "Don't worry about it. Any friend of Candy's is a friend of ours."

"Well, thank you for that." Candy brought a sack back to the wagon and Jeb followed a moment later. The man laid his sack of corn meal in the wagon and thanked them again. Then all three of them climbed on the wagon and drove out of the yard. "Later, Candy!"

"Sergeant." He grinned and went to lock the store house. "Let me give this key back to your pa and we can head out, ride that fence line." He hurried inside the house and Joe cleared his throat.

"All I'm going to say is you heard Pa. If you don't want to talk about it, fine, but can you at least stop giving me the cold shoulder?"

"Keep your nose out of my business and maybe I will."

"That's all I ask."

"Fine."

"Fine." Joe threw up his hands and stalked over to Cochise. Annie swung onto Reno and they both waited for Candy.

"He wants us to ride the north line," Candy said as he returned and swung into the saddle. "The boys said we've been losing steers but they can't find a break."

"Maybe they've had help."

"That's what he wants us to figure out, hopefully before we lose any more steers."

"Good morning, Cartwrights. Candy." She turned, the feathers on her hat blowing in the morning breeze. She swatted them out of her face and Candy chuckled under his breath. Joe wasn't half as polite. He let out a cackle that had Sergeant Russell smiling. "I'm surprised to see you all in this neck of the woods. I figured you'd be attending church in Virginia City."

"We usually do, Sergeant Russell." She swatted at the feathers again. "But they've got a visiting preacher this week, he's an old friend of Pa's." The man nodded.

"I suppose it'll be beneficial for all of us to hear the good word. Give us something to think about while we're out digging the ginseng root."

"Why don't you sit with us?" Ben glanced down the street at the church. "The service should be starting." He held out his arm and she tucked her hand into the crook of his arm. They made their way down the street, Annie keeping an ear out for the conversation going on behind her.

"I don't remember you being much of a churchgoer."

"Candy, the older you get, the more you start thinking about the hereafter, the great day of judgment. I gotta be prepared for just about anything at my time of life." They walked a few more feet, then Candy replied.

"I got a notion it's not salvation you got in mind." There was a pause, the Russell sighed.

"To tell you the truth, you're right. I'm trying to make a favorable impression on the good citizens of Carson City." She glanced back to find Candy and Russell stopped a ways back.

"Don't you think you'd be better off if you stayed out of sight?" The church bells rang, and she had to strain to make out his reply. Her pa cleared his throat and she glanced up.

"Eavesdropping isn't polite," he said without even looking down. "Don't say you weren't, I know that look on your face."

"Sorry, Pa." They climbed the steps and took their seats, all of Russell's friends seated in the pew behind them. All of Carson City, she noticed, gave them a wide berth, leaving an empty pew between them and the ex-soldiers.

Candy hurried inside and slid into the pew, ending up next to her. He chuckled as Russell took his place. "What's so funny?" She whispered.

"I'll tell you later," he whispered back as the preacher appeared down front and laid his Bible on the pulpit. Annie snapped her mouth shut and focused on the preacher. The feathers on her hat dipped into her face again and she closed her eyes, resisting the urge to rip them clean off. Unless Mrs. Bowen changed the design, she was never wearing this hat again.

It was going to be a long two hours.

"So what was it?" She took her time brushing Reno and glanced over his back at Candy in the next stall with Scout. There hadn't been time all afternoon to talk. It might be Sunday, but they still had a ranch to run. He shifted his weight.

"I told Sergeant Russell that an old sinner like him going to church seemed a little strange."

"And that's funny?"

"He laughed it off and I told him to be careful." He turned the curry over in his hands. "That it might get to be a habit."

"And what did he say?"

"Let's find out." She laughed lightly and continued brushing, her brow furrowed. He didn't seem the same as he'd been this morning, like there was something he wasn't saying.

"He had an ulterior motive, didn't he? Something about wanting Carson City to see them as decent people just like any others?" Candy leaned on the stall wall and pointed at her with the curry.

"You were eavesdropping, sweetheart. But you're right. Personally, I wouldn't push my luck, but it's his choice."

"You'd have run when Gibson first rode out there, wouldn't you?" Candy stared at the brush a moment.

"Before, I probably would have. No reason to fight for anything." He looked up. "But after your pa and that crazy deal …" He shook his head. "I finally found a place worth calling home."

"And it only took you how long to admit it?"

"Too long." He set the curry in the bucket and picked up a brush, running it over Scout's coat until the chestnut gleamed in the lantern light. Outside the barn doors, it was dark, lit only by the moon.

"Candy … what is it?" His shoulders drooped and he sighed.

"Was there a box of detonators in the store house yesterday morning?"

"You know there was." A shudder ran down her spine. She hated those things so close to the house.

"They're not there now," he said quietly. "I brought a new sack of flour out before supper and the box was gone."

"What? No one's been in there since …" She trailed off and he nodded slowly. "But why would they want them? You don't use dynamite to get ginseng."

"I don't know. I tore that store house apart in case the box had just been misplaced, but it's gone. I guess I'll ride out and ask Sergeant Russell about it." He sounded tired. "I keep trying to tell myself they took it by mistake, but how do you accidentally take a box of detonators?"

"You don't."

"Yeah." He reached over the stall wall and grabbed the saddle blanket. "I won't be able to sleep until I find out."

"You want company?"

"Thanks, but no." He saddled Scout and pulled the bridle over the gelding's ears. "I think I'd rather have some time alone to figure out if I've been used." He led the chestnut out of the barn and mounted up, hoof beats fading away into the night.

Annie leaned against Reno's flank, arms resting on the grulla's back. Why would a bunch of ex-soldiers want a box of detonator caps? Of course, if one of them was an old ordinance man like Ordy, that might explain it.

Was it merely habit that prompted the theft, or were they up to something? What could they even be after out here? There wasn't a fort closer than Churchill, was there? If they were mad at the Army over the lack of a pension, it wasn't like they could do anything around Carson City that would hurt the ….

Carson City.

The mint.

"Idiots!" she burst out, and launched herself out of the stall, snatched Reno's saddle, and threw it on his back so fast the gelding snorted in protest. She yanked the bridle over his ears and jumped to the saddle, driving him out the barn door at a dead gallop.

She had to stop Candy before he got to their camp. They had to be insane, or at the very least crazy. People had tried before, but no one came close to breaking in.

Or maybe not.

There was a reason Russell had shown up here, she was sure of it, and it had nothing to do with old friends. He would have known it had been tried before, so he would have planned, probably for a long time.

And somehow in that process, he'd discovered Candy delivered Ponderosa gold and silver to the mint. That was how he planned to get inside!

She drove Reno faster, despite the weak light. Hoss might be better, but she was still a good enough tracker in her own right to figure out which way he'd gone. He didn't have that much of a head start, maybe six or seven minutes, so where was he?

She may not have come up on the camp from this direction before, but she had seen it after church this morning, when they all rode home, and she knew where it was in relation to Carson City. Annie twisted the map in her head to fit the landscape and veered left, driving the grulla hard. It would be close. The tang of wood smoke drifted in the night and she peered into the darkness.

Where was it?

A towering rock formation loomed out of the night, casting shadows over the surrounding land. She flew past it, flames danced in the darkness, and she swore under her breath as she realized her mistake and checked Reno down hard, yanking him to a dancing halt.

"We hear you out there, ride on in," a voice called out of the night. "You've got a rifle on you in case you're not friendly." She swore under her breath again; she should have slowed down sooner, or remembered that rock formation would block a fire from being seen. Idiot.

Annie gathered her thoughts and her breath and rode into their camp at a trot, drawing rein near the fire. "Well, Ms. Cartwright, what brings you out here this time of night?" Russell walked forward and waved his rifle-toting men away. "Not that we're unhappy about the visit."

"I'm looking for Candy." She ducked her head, ostensibly to keep the firelight out of her eyes, and noticed Scout tethered in the middle of the picket line. "He said he was going for a ride, but …" She bit her lip. If she played her cards right, she might be able to get out and get help. "I think … I think he might have … left."

"I don't follow you, Ms. Cartwright."

"It goes back to when Pa hired him. Candy took the job on the condition Pa could fire him whenever he wanted to, or Candy could leave whenever he wanted to, no questions asked."

"Well, what makes you think he left?"

"He's been … restless for several months now." She backed Reno a few steps. "I'm sorry to have bothered you, he's obviously not here, I don't know why I thought he would be. Good night."

"Ms. Cartwright." Russell tilted his head. "Before you leave, there's something you should know."

"What?"

"Perkins. Jackson." Two men hauled a bound and gagged Candy out of the tent behind Russell and the sergeant drew his gun. "You bolt that horse, and the first shot you hear won't find you, it'll find him." The man shook his head. "Whoever tied that horse up, I said get it out of sight."

"He's in the middle of the herd, Sarge. I didn't have time to do any better," someone off to her right protested.

"And she still saw him, knothead. I was watching you, girl. You were good, but not quite good enough." He cocked the pistol and pointed it at Candy. "What's it gonna be?" She swallowed hard and her gaze slid from the sergeant to Candy, who shook his head, his eyes pleading with her.

You've got to stop them, just go. Don't worry about me, I'm not worth it.

She licked her lips and swallowed again, her hand hovering over her pistol. "I wouldn't do that either if I were you." She sighed and raised her left hand in the air, carefully working her gun free with the fingertips of her right hand, and tossed it on the ground.

She couldn't take the chance he meant it. Russell might still see the boy he'd helped raise, but compared to all the gold in that mint, it wasn't enough to count on. She wasn't about to gamble with her best friend's life.

"Get down off the horse." Slowly, she complied, and he waved two men forward. "Now, since you interrupted our discussion, I didn't have a chance to explain everything to Candy. Gentlemen, if you'll bring them over here, please." They were hustled to a covered wagon on the opposite side of camp. "You wouldn't be here if you hadn't figured it out, too, so I'm not telling you anything that will surprise you. Everything has been planned out, down to the last detail. Rifles, ammunition, nitro, and …" He paused and gathered the back of the canvas cover in his hand.

But all she could hear was one word, pounding in her skull like a war drum: nitro.

She didn't register anything else until Candy stiffened in shock beside her. She looked up and found herself staring down the bore of a cannon nestled in the back of the wagon.

Oh, no.

"This is gonna open the door of the mint for us." She turned, her mouth hanging open in shock. Russell shrugged. "Of course, a lot of the good people inside could get killed. It'd save a lot of bloodshed if Candy here would open the door for us. Why don't you ask him to help us, Ms. Cartwright?"

"You're declaring war on the United States government."

"It can be that way or we can get what we want without one shot being fired. It's all up to you." She turned to Candy and his eyes said everything she needed to know.

"You'll have to do it without us." Russell sighed and shook his head.

"Tie her up, too." He looked up at her, and his eyes were almost sad. "I think he'll change his mind, girl. I'm sure hoping he will. Put them in the wagon, double guard. Don't let them get within arm's reach of each other unless you want the law coming down on us before sunup."

Annie wound up on one side of the cannon and Candy the other. One man sat on the wagon seat, watching them through the half open cover. Another stood at the tailgate, rifle draped over his arm. She slid her eyes towards Candy and he shook his head slowly.

Sometimes, sweetheart, you are too smart for your own good.

Blame the rock formation out there. I pulled up too late.

I figured. He slanted a look at the man at the end of the wagon and the fellow raised his rifle in silent warning.Looks like we're stuck here till morning. Annie swallowed hard.

Where do you think they have that nitro?

I don't think I want to know. She closed her eyes and swallowed hard again.

Me neither.

They passed an uncomfortable night that morning didn't make any better. Russell and his men polished off a quick breakfast and saddled their horses, then harnessed the teams with rapid efficiency.

"You all got your orders. You know what to do." Russell's voice drifted through the canvas. "Just make sure that not more than two of you ride into town at the same time. Good luck. Prepare to mount. Mount. Single file left. Forward. Ho-oh!" Hooves thumped on the grass and saddles squeaked. Footsteps came closer, then stopped outside the wagon.

"Hold it gently, Sergeant." The wagon shifted, the cover opened at the front, and Jeb wiggled inside, cradling a padded box that set Annie's heart racing like a wild stallion. He looked over at them and offered a grim smile.

"It's nitro. Think about that on our rough ride into town." He placed the box behind the cannon, not even two feet from her, and crawled back onto the seat. Annie shuddered and fought the urge to claw her way across the wagon bed away from that menacing box. Candy kicked her legs, and then again when she didn't respond. Slowly, she managed to drag her gaze from that padded crate and meet his concerned eyes.

Look at me, not the box.

Her skin washed hot and cold. Nitro.

"Forward. Ho-oh!" The wagon lurched into motion and she flinched, eyes squeezed shut. Candy kicked her legs again, but she shook her head. Another kick, and she wanted to scream at him to stop it, was he trying to blow them up? He kicked a third time and she whipped her head around, shooting him a wicked glare.

Don't look at the box! His eyebrows went up. Look on the bright side, if it blows, we'll never know it happened.

Not. Helping. Canaday. One of the wheels hit a rut and the wagon bounced. Annie flinched, smothering a yelp. Don't look at the nitro, don't look, don't look. She found Candy's face.

Over here.

Slowly, ever so slowly, she inched her way across the wagon bed, every bump and lurch sending her heart into her throat, until she collapsed against Candy's side, breathing like she'd run a hundred miles.

The trail evened out and she opened her eyes again. They must have turned onto the main road into Carson City. The wagon turned, then stopped completely. "Miller," Russell called under his breath. "Just stand by." A moment later, he announced, "Twenty-seven minutes left. Make it twenty-three to be on the safe side."

"I told you," Jeb protested, "I only need four." Silence descended and she wondered what they were waiting on.

"Time?" Jeb asked a moment later.

"We move in ninety seconds." The canvas parted behind the wagon seat and Russell carefully crawled in over the cannon. "What are you doing over there? Never mind." He patted the cannon. "Bulls-eye, Candy. This cannon's aimed to make a bulls-eye right on the front doors of that mint. It's all loaded and waiting. All I got to do is set a spark to that fuse." He lit a match and held it next to the fuse. "We're going to bust in there one way or another. Now, if you're going to help us, you nod your head yes. Cause if you shake it no … you're gonna start a small war."

Candy looked away from him. Annie bit her lip. He looked at her and she held his gaze without blinking. Do what you have to do. His throat worked, his shoulders fell, and he nodded slowly. Russell blew out the match. "Good boy." Annie wanted to shoot him. How could he do this? Didn't he care that he was turning Candy into a wanted man as much as them? Not to mention what it was doing to his head. "I'm going to untie you now, and take that gag off, but I warn you, boy. You try anything and it won't be you that pays the price, are we clear?" Candy nodded, defeat and something else darkening his eyes.

As soon as the gag was gone, he spit at Russell. "I don't owe you anything, Sergeant, not now, not ever again." His arm slipped around her shoulders and squeezed. "If it was just me, I might have forgiven you someday, but not after you dragged Annie into this."

"No one made her ride into our camp last night, Candy."

"You made her share a wagon with that." He jerked his chin at the box. "Maybe you didn't pick that piece up when you were doing all your planning, but she's gun-shy when it comes to anything that blows up."

"Oh." Russell looked apologetic. "I truly am sorry about that, Ms. Cartwright. Was it the cave in at Angelus?"

"Partly," Candy snarled.

"Russell, hurry up in there," someone hissed outside the wagon.

"Time to go, Candy." Russell picked up a set of saddlebags from behind the cannon and held them out. "Take it." She could see in his eyes that he didn't want to, but when the alternative was that cannon …. He heaved a sigh and took the saddlebags, then climbed out the back of the wagon without a word. Jeb collected the box of nitro and then she was alone, save the one man they'd left on guard beside the wagon.

Annie wiggled around, searching the bed for a loose nail or splintered corner, but the edges were smooth as glass. Maybe she could fall out the back, even if it would be a nasty drop without any way to slow her descent.

But what would they do to Candy?

Hooves thumped on the street, so close she could see the shadows of mounted men on the canvas cover. "Why would anybody want to leave a wagon parked right in the middle of the street like that?" Hoss' voice drifted through the cover and her heart leaped.

"Don't talk, just keep riding," Joe hissed. The hoof beats faded away and she fought the urge to kick the side of the wagon. All that would do was alert the guard.

A little bit later, she thought she felt a slight rumble, but couldn't be sure. Had they blown the vault? The mint was built to survive just about anything, would people on the street even realize what was going on inside?

"Hands up, you," Joe hissed outside. "Step away from that wagon. Hoss, keep an eye on the mint, I'm gonna see what they've got in here." The wagon lurched as he climbed onto the seat, and then his head poked through the cover. "Annie!" The look on his face was the highlight of her lousy morning. He scrambled inside.

"You found Annie?"

"Yes." He pulled out a knife and cut her loose. She yanked the gag out of her mouth.

"They've got Candy."

"Where?"

"In the mint." She crawled over to the cannon. "You got a match?"

"No, why?"

"I plan to give them a taste of their own medicine. Russell used him, Joe. He planned this, knew Candy delivered gold and silver for Pa. He was their key to get in. If he didn't cooperate, they were going to blow the door open."

"You get clear, I'll get a torch." She grabbed his arm.

"Wait. They've got nitro in there, that's how they planned to open the vault. They see me holding a torch to that fuse, they'll back down a whole lot faster than they would for you." Joe studied her face.

"I hope you know what you're doing, sis. We fire a cannon into that building and there's nitro in there …"

"For all we know, Candy's outlived his usefulness and they've already killed him, they might have killed everyone in there." Her brother swallowed hard.

"Your call."

"Get the torch." He nodded and climbed back out onto the seat, returning in less than a minute with a burning torch. She took it from him and forced herself to focus. They'd have one chance at this.

"Ready?" Hoss whispered.

"Yes."

"I'm glad you are. Get out here, Joe, they're moving the gold." Her brother disappeared and seconds later, a gunshot rang out. Silence fell, then Hoss shouted, "All right, you men, drop them guns, or we'll blow you to kingdom come!" The back cover flew off the wagon, revealing her and the torch she held near the cannon's fuse. Russell's men stared, then, one by one, dropped their guns. Except Jeb.

"You do that, Ms. Cartwright, you'll kill your friend, too." Her heart pounded and her hands shook, but she didn't move the torch. His mouth moved, but since he wasn't shouting, she couldn't make out what he said. He turned to go back inside the mint, and one of the others snatched his gun off the ground and fired. Jeb fell on his face just inside the doors, and the man turned to look at her. She bit her lip and blew out the flame, then jumped out the back of the wagon and ran across the street.

"Annie, wait!" She ignored her brothers and darted inside. The air left her lungs in a rush when she found Candy tied up and gagged in a chair in the outer room. She untied him and he stood in a rush, yanking the gag out of his mouth and running back into the vault.

"Candy?" She ran after him, then almost tripped over him where he crouched in the floor next to a dying Sergeant Russell.

"Take it easy, Sarge, you're gonna be all right." The man huffed out what could have been a laugh and blood trickled from the wound.

"You know better than that." His eyes closed. "It was a damn fool idea right from the start." The muscles in his face twitched with pain. "I admire you, Candy," he said slowly. "The way you … stood up against me." Annie sank to her knees beside them, her eyes stinging. She laid her hand on Candy's shoulder. He glanced over at her, then looked back to Russell, his eyes red and misty.

"Cause you raised me right, Sergeant," he said in a choked whisper. The man's eyes closed and he slumped in Candy's arms. Candy bowed his head, his entire body quivering with emotion.

"Everything all right?" Hoss called from the hallway.

"Stay out," she said hoarsely without turning around. He'd broken once before with only her around to see it, she wouldn't let anyone else make a spectacle of his private pain, even if that someone was Hoss.

"Come on, Joe, give them a minute." Her brothers retreated and she slipped her arm around Candy's back. His shoulders heaved once, then he straightened, and she stood with him. A single tear slid down his cheek and he shook his head without saying a word. He scrubbed at his face with his sleeve and started down the hallway.

Hoss and Joe were waiting in the outer room, Joe perched on the edge of a desk and Hoss standing next to him. Her twin jumped up when he saw them. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah," Candy said shortly. "Let's go home." He stalked outside and Joe started to say something, but Hoss elbowed him in the ribs and he snapped his mouth shut.

"Annie?"

"Don't ask." She followed Candy onto the street and looked around for Reno, finding him tied at the hitch rail in front of the saloon, Scout right next to him. They mounted up and rode back to her brothers in silence.

He'd probably never tell them what he was really feeling, but she could guess. His eyes said it all. Hoss turned Chub for home. "Ready?" Candy nodded once and drew in a deep breath.

"Yeah."

"Let's get moving." They rode out four wide, breaking into a lope as soon as they were clear of Carson City. Annie kept one eye on Candy, but he didn't so much as blink. He could bottle it up for now, but one day, it would blow unless he let it out. Whenever he was ready to talk, she'd be waiting.