The rest of "Larabee's gang" were brought out of their silent
contemplation when a hulking body dropped into a vacant chair at their table.
"So ya'll ran with Larabee fer awhile," the uninvited guest began.

If he expected a response, he was bound to be disappointed as five
hardened eyes fell onto his face. Undeterred, the man continued loudly,
"Larabee ain't known for likin' company. He's a lone wolf. Surprised when
he walked in with ya'll." An evil smile pulled onto his face, "Ain't surprised
none that ya'll didn't walk outta here with 'em." Pointedly looking at Vin he
drawled, "And you are damn lucky to still be breathing after stirin' his
anger."

Vin fought the urge to bow his head in shame but instead he met the
man's eyes defiantly.

Their visitor laughed heartily at the tracker's glare. "Don't give me that
look pup!" But the next second, the man's face hardened. Meeting Vin's
eyes head on he spoke lowly, bitterly. " I seen Larabee's anger first hand.
He's killed men for less than what you done. A whole lot less." A shiver
almost coursed through the man, almost. Breaking eye contact, the man
grabbed the nearest mug and drank down it's contents. For a moment his
eyes lost focus and he mumbled, "I thought maybe …maybe I could take
'em now. Thought he'd lost his edge." Suddenly he snorted, "Then I saw
that look in his eyes when you challenged his thinkin'," again the man looked
to Vin. "Last time he looked at me like that, I spent two months in a bed
healing a bullet wound. I know how close you was to dying today, pup, even
if you don't."

This was too much for JD's youthful nature to stomach. "Chris
Larabee is.." he began angrily, ready to defend Chris to the death.

But Vin's hard voice cut JD's words off, "What he is, is a nasty SOB.
I can't believe I rode with 'em at all."

This brought a smile to the man's face. "I might have good news for
ya'll." He surveyed the faces at the table and to their credit, all adopted a
look of agreement with Vin's words, even JD was catching onto the game.
Sensing favor with his audience, the man continued with a laugh, "Well,
Larabee will be getting what he deserves today boys. And ya'll be thankin'
Larabee's temper, else his fate woulda been yours!"

Vin tensed visibly, "And what fate is that?" his tone deadly.

The man took no notice to the change in the tracker as he replied, "Kid
he took along, one you thought was innocent," shooting a look to Vin, "he's
leadin' Larabee into an ambush. That's why the kid stayed behind
here…waiting."

Nathan barked, "Ambush?! Where at?"

"I'm not sure, just know it's gonna happen."

As a whole, the five members of Larabee's gang surged from the table
and started for the door.

Startled by the action, it took the man a moment before he called out
to their retreating backs, " Where ya'll going?"

Recalling that Chris' reputation could still be in jeopardy, Ezra swung
back to face the man. "Ah…We wish to be spectators to Larabee's
demise." And then Ezra swung out of the doors on the heels of his
compatriots.

The man mumbled to himself in disbelief, "Shoot, but they had me
fooled. I thought they was too soft to run with Larabee! "


The canyon was thundering with gunfire one moment, then fell to a
deafening silence the next. Buck took the reprieve to call over to his partner,
"Chris, you doing OK?"

Leaning heavily against the canyon wall, Chris called back, "I'm still
living. How 'bout you?"

"Oh, I'm having a bushel full of fun." The two men's eyes met across
the chasm and both men grinned. It was like old times again. Wilmington
and Larabee back to back against the world. Buck chuckled, "This here
reminds me of that time we were ambushed during the war. We couldn't
move an inch one way or the other 'till night fell. Remember how we passed
the time?"

It was clear by Larabee's expression that he remembered all too well.
"I ain't singing Goober Peas, Buck! Couldn't get that damn song outta my
head for a month afterward!" Even as they bantered, the two men got into
position to unleash a barrage of bullets. With simultaneous nods, both men
broke cover and fired two shots. They fell back under cover and reloaded
their weapons as the outlaws reigned bullets around them in retaliation.

But Buck wasn't letting go of the idea that had crawled into his brain.
'How 'bout Buffalo Gals? You know I memorized all the verses of that
one."

"Why can't you pick a tune I like! And why do you always choose?!"

"'Cause it's my idea!" Again the two men broke cover and delivered
deadly shots to their attackers before retreating. Buck looked to Chris,
"Alright, alright. You choose," but under his breath he grumbled, "Larabee,
you don't know no songs."

"Jack O' Diamond," Chris smugly replied, having heard his friend's
grumble.

A look of surprise overtook Wilmington's face before a smile beamed.
"Shoulda known you'd pick a drinking song."

"I'm having trouble getting the bastard behind us. How's your side
looking?"

"Five to go. That leaves the odds at 6 to 2. Think Ezra would bet on
us?"

"Depends," Chris smirked, "He using his own money or someone
else's?"

Buck's reply was a laugh. "So we gonna make our last stand now
'fore they overrun us?"

Chris and Buck's eyes held and the warmth of their regards was
almost tangible. Their friendship had weathered through a hell of a lot more
than an ambush. "Let's do it, Buck." Chris said as he and Buck readied
themselves for action. Chris shot a look over to Wilmington, "If I die
singing, my reputation will be ruined forever, you know that."

"They'll have to put on your marker "here lies 'Lullaby Larabee'."

"Yeah, and you'll be 'Wailing Wilmington.'."

"Sure you don't wanna pick a nice ballad to go out on like "the Streets
of Laredo"?"

"You start singin' that and I'll shot ya myself."

A silence fell again between the two men as their eyes held then they
began to sing.

Jack O' Diamond
Jack O' Diamond
I know you of old
You've robbed my poor pockets of silver and gold

Oh whiskey, you villain
You've been my downfall
You've kicked me, you've cuffed me
But I love you for all

And it's whiskey, rye whiskey
Whiskey I cry
If I don't get rye whiskey
Well, I think I will die

As one, the two friends stood to make their final stand and the canyon
echoed with song and gunfire.


It's beefsteak when I'm hungry
Rye Whiskey when I'm dry
Greenback when I'm hard up
And heaven when I die




TBC

My apologies for leaving it yet in another cliffhanger but I couldn't resist the
temptation any more than I could skip adding the song. The next part is
coming real soon!