Part eleven
"I can't," the banker repeated, shaking his head as he backed away from the window. "I just can't. Sorry Mr. Lancer," Without warning the banker found his retreat stopped as a powerful hand gripped his arm and pulled him back toward the window.
"You 'wanted' my help, Mr. Beaudine and I just happen to 'need' yours." Murdoch said coldly. Then, he took a deep breath, willingly himself to stay calm before he lost control of the situation. "Mr. Beaudine, you called yourself a coward before. Said that you let them take your wife. Tell me, how will you live knowing that you had a chance to save her, but you didn't?"
Sam's lip twitched as he bowed his head to look at the weapon he still held in his shaking hands. "I'm not a very good shot," he nervously smiled as he looked up to face the rancher again. "I'm only a banker after all."
"Banker or not, Mr. Beaudine," Murdoch replied, letting out the breath he'd been unconsciously holding since he saw the banker's courage wavering. "You and I seem to be all our families have. Now, get in position and on the count of three just squeeze the trigger. Don't jerk it. Remember, just aim and squeeze."
"And if I miss?"
"We still have the element of surprise," Murdoch said optimistically, "Let's just pray that's enough."
LRLRLRLRLRLR
"Well, I'm waiting Madrid, what's your answer? Are you going to trade bullets with the bounty hunter, or are you going to watch Solana die?" Cale called out, pleasure at seeing his plan succeed apparent with the self-satisfied smirk plastered on his face.
If he could just stop the world from spinning, Johnny thought, maybe he could think of a way to get them all out of the mess he'd got them in to in the first place. Swaying slightly, Johnny turned away from Solana to face his brother. Scott seemed just as powerless as he was to find a way out of this situation.
Scott knew he had to act quickly, but even he was surprised when he heard himself call out, "Madrid! I want my five hundred dollars and if I have to kill you to get it, I will."
If this is a plan, Boston, it stinks Johnny hoped his eyes said the frustrated words to his brother across the distance of the dusty street.
Scott was relieved to see that his brother's dazed expression had faded to a mild confused look of puzzlement. What he wasn't so happy to see was that Johnny didn't seem too impressed with his plan. Not that Scott knew what that plan was anyway.
Ignoring his brother, Johnny turned his glare on the true focus of his anger. "I'm not going to fight him, Cale."
Cale shook his head as he gestured to the gun that still lay at Johnny's feet. "Pick up the blasted gun!" The gunman ordered as he pulled out his own weapon and aimed it at Scott.
With no choice, Johnny took a deep breath, stooping to pick up the pistol from the street. Checking it for bullets, Johnny wondered if he could take Chavez and Cale down before they could fire on the their respective targets.
"Don't even think it, Madrid." Cale warned the gunfighter. "Not even 'you' are that fast."
Suddenly, a shot shattered the air and Chavez was knocked off his feet. Followed in quick succession by another, but Cale warned by Chavez's untimely demise flinched in time and the bullet only grazed his arm.
As Cale and his men began firing across the street at the unknown shooters, Johnny, Scott and Solana took their chance and made a run for it.
Cale stopped shooting as two more of his men went down and turned to see Johnny and the others fleeing. Taking aim as he evaded another bullet, his shot went wild, but he still managed to bring down the 'so-called' bounty hunter.
Pushing Solana ahead of him, Johnny heard Scott's painful grunt and turned in time to see his brother fall. Unsure whether he could focus enough to kill anyone, Johnny gave fire cover as he grabbed his brother's arm and began to drag him toward an unhitched wagon.
"Leave me," Scott groaned as he used his free hand to try and stem the flow of blood from his thigh.
"And miss getting to tell how stupid your plan was? Never, Boston," Johnny huffed as he struggled to shoot and pull his brother along at the same time.
"Better than the one, you never had, brother," Scott joked, grimacing in pain as he tried to help his Johnny haul his weight.
"Not this time, Madrid," Cale hissed as he a bullet whistled passed his ear, and renewed his aim at his two targets.
Just as Johnny was nearing the safety of the wagon, his gun clicked empty. As time seemed to stand still, he watched Cale take aim and at the same split second a bullet spun him to the ground, Johnny could have sworn he saw Cale fall.
TBC
"I can't," the banker repeated, shaking his head as he backed away from the window. "I just can't. Sorry Mr. Lancer," Without warning the banker found his retreat stopped as a powerful hand gripped his arm and pulled him back toward the window.
"You 'wanted' my help, Mr. Beaudine and I just happen to 'need' yours." Murdoch said coldly. Then, he took a deep breath, willingly himself to stay calm before he lost control of the situation. "Mr. Beaudine, you called yourself a coward before. Said that you let them take your wife. Tell me, how will you live knowing that you had a chance to save her, but you didn't?"
Sam's lip twitched as he bowed his head to look at the weapon he still held in his shaking hands. "I'm not a very good shot," he nervously smiled as he looked up to face the rancher again. "I'm only a banker after all."
"Banker or not, Mr. Beaudine," Murdoch replied, letting out the breath he'd been unconsciously holding since he saw the banker's courage wavering. "You and I seem to be all our families have. Now, get in position and on the count of three just squeeze the trigger. Don't jerk it. Remember, just aim and squeeze."
"And if I miss?"
"We still have the element of surprise," Murdoch said optimistically, "Let's just pray that's enough."
LRLRLRLRLRLR
"Well, I'm waiting Madrid, what's your answer? Are you going to trade bullets with the bounty hunter, or are you going to watch Solana die?" Cale called out, pleasure at seeing his plan succeed apparent with the self-satisfied smirk plastered on his face.
If he could just stop the world from spinning, Johnny thought, maybe he could think of a way to get them all out of the mess he'd got them in to in the first place. Swaying slightly, Johnny turned away from Solana to face his brother. Scott seemed just as powerless as he was to find a way out of this situation.
Scott knew he had to act quickly, but even he was surprised when he heard himself call out, "Madrid! I want my five hundred dollars and if I have to kill you to get it, I will."
If this is a plan, Boston, it stinks Johnny hoped his eyes said the frustrated words to his brother across the distance of the dusty street.
Scott was relieved to see that his brother's dazed expression had faded to a mild confused look of puzzlement. What he wasn't so happy to see was that Johnny didn't seem too impressed with his plan. Not that Scott knew what that plan was anyway.
Ignoring his brother, Johnny turned his glare on the true focus of his anger. "I'm not going to fight him, Cale."
Cale shook his head as he gestured to the gun that still lay at Johnny's feet. "Pick up the blasted gun!" The gunman ordered as he pulled out his own weapon and aimed it at Scott.
With no choice, Johnny took a deep breath, stooping to pick up the pistol from the street. Checking it for bullets, Johnny wondered if he could take Chavez and Cale down before they could fire on the their respective targets.
"Don't even think it, Madrid." Cale warned the gunfighter. "Not even 'you' are that fast."
Suddenly, a shot shattered the air and Chavez was knocked off his feet. Followed in quick succession by another, but Cale warned by Chavez's untimely demise flinched in time and the bullet only grazed his arm.
As Cale and his men began firing across the street at the unknown shooters, Johnny, Scott and Solana took their chance and made a run for it.
Cale stopped shooting as two more of his men went down and turned to see Johnny and the others fleeing. Taking aim as he evaded another bullet, his shot went wild, but he still managed to bring down the 'so-called' bounty hunter.
Pushing Solana ahead of him, Johnny heard Scott's painful grunt and turned in time to see his brother fall. Unsure whether he could focus enough to kill anyone, Johnny gave fire cover as he grabbed his brother's arm and began to drag him toward an unhitched wagon.
"Leave me," Scott groaned as he used his free hand to try and stem the flow of blood from his thigh.
"And miss getting to tell how stupid your plan was? Never, Boston," Johnny huffed as he struggled to shoot and pull his brother along at the same time.
"Better than the one, you never had, brother," Scott joked, grimacing in pain as he tried to help his Johnny haul his weight.
"Not this time, Madrid," Cale hissed as he a bullet whistled passed his ear, and renewed his aim at his two targets.
Just as Johnny was nearing the safety of the wagon, his gun clicked empty. As time seemed to stand still, he watched Cale take aim and at the same split second a bullet spun him to the ground, Johnny could have sworn he saw Cale fall.
TBC