The Kid woke suddenly, not sure what had disturbed him, but he quickly became aware of a desperate need to pee. He disentangled himself awkwardly from his blanket and stumbled to his feet, as matching throbs in his head and jaw made themselves known. Not quite awake despite being upright, a noise off to his side made him start and reach for his gun.

Firmly telling his bladder to behave,he prepared to investigate, but then as his sleep addled brain cleared slightly, he remembered, relaxed and smiled. Holstering his gun he winced again, before shuffling off to the bushes to relieve himself.

When he returned to the smell of bitter coffee, over done bacon and burnt biscuits, the reassuring normality of the morning brought another smile.

As he walked over to his partner, Heyes grinned at him, though when his gaze rested on Kid's jaw, he had the decency to look a little guilty and rub his own jaw with some feeling before waving him the rest of the way over. "Breakfast's ready."

By his partner's expression, Kid thought the bruise must look as bad as it felt. Which really didn't surprise him, given how much it was continuing to ache, but still far too relieved to be angry, he said nothing, simply flopped down carefully to sit on the ground, as Heyes handed him a plate and mug.

The Kid looked at his friend as he dished up the dubious looking breakfast and thought he was a little pale. There was also a tightness around his eyes, that suggested a headache, whether that was from the whisky, or his wound, Kid wasn't sure and didn't want to ask. But he appeared happy enough and his eyes were bright and unclouded. In fact Kid thought he looked better than he himself felt with the dual pains in his head and jaw. Satisfied he looked down at his now full plate, while Heyes also sat down and started to eat with enthusiasm.

After a slight pause, the Kid took a tentative bite of his own bacon and realised three things in quick succession: This wasn't the worst meal Heyes had ever cooked, that he was very hungry and finally that the pain in his jaw was bearable. He chewed carefully and swallowed before taking another mouthful.

They ate in silence for a couple of moments, before the Kid partly remembered the last real conversation they'd had, before the whisky Heyes had brought, had become their main focus. "So you're sayin' Lowell is wanted? And you got a plan, makin' that important somehow?"

Heyes looked at him with slight impatience as he said through a mouthful of food. "I went through this last night, Kid." But then his expression eased to a smile of affection. "Though guess you weren't taking much in."

The Kid shook his head, what with Heyes' sudden appearance, the pain in his jaw and the half-bottle of whisky he'd consumed, by the time they turned in, he wasn't even sure he would have remembered his alias if a sheriff had asked.

After they'd finished eating and the coffee and food had done their job, Kid's mind fully woke and he said. "I'm listenin'."

Heyes looked at him for a moment before nodding. "Now, seeing as I know how to use my brain and don't just go haring off without a plan, before I left Brindle, I popped into the Sheriff's office, while he was out hassling the poor folk and found this."

The Kid bristled, but bit back on his retort, not having an argument to convince either of them that Heyes was being unfair and instead simply took the folded paper Heyes handed him without a word.

Wanted

Curtis Lowell

Former Member of Devil's Hole Gang.

Current Member of Red Sash Gang.

Reward: $1000

Description

6'1. Brown shoulder length curly hair.

Brown Eyes. Scar over left eye.

Eyes close together. Slightly pointed nose.

Alive preferred as may have useful information.

Approach with caution.

Apply to Western Railroad for payment.

The Kid finished reading and looked up. "What, we just gonna waltz into a sheriff's office and hand him over? Hope that the lawman don't arrest us? That alone would set him up for life. Besides $20,000 is a better pay day by any reckoning." He looked down at the poster again and added. "Than $1000" The Kid trailed off into silence as he ran out of words and his jaw started to throb again.

Heyes looked at him, head on the side with a slightly exasperated expression on his face. "You're just not thinking things all the way through again, Kid. Do I have to spell it out? Just follow me some here, it ain't too hard, not even for you."

The Kid was getting irritated, relief only went so far and Heyes' smugness was becoming annoying. He didn't have to go on so, he'd made his point, more than once in fact. With his hand on his gun, he snapped. "You don't let this go, Heyes. Me and you are gonna have matching bruises!"

Heyes gave a long suffering sigh and held up his hands in surrender and continued his explanation. "All right Kid, there ain't no need to be like that. I'm figuring after we take him down, we just leave him trussed up like a prize turkey outside the jail of some deserving town, with an honest sheriff. We'll let that town take the credit and the cash. Course we'll leave 'em a note, letting them know it's courtesy of Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry. We gotta let 'em see that we're real law abiding types these days." He leaned back, folded his hands over his out-stretched out legs and grinned. "I know it ain't 20,000, but I'm figuring any town will be mighty happy for a free 1000. Might even build themselves a schoolhouse with our name on it!"

The Kid found himself grinning in reply. "Now, Heyes, your silver tongue has done it again! I'm sold."

The thought of doing to Lowell, just what he'd planned to do to them, was something he could get behind, even without being able to claim the reward. Now they just needed to track him down and that he figured was the easy part.

XXX