Jim pulled his hat down over his face when the gang he was waiting for entered the saloon. The burly one walked up to the businessman at the bar, his men standing nearby. He ordered a whiskey and downed it as soon as the barkeep set it on the bar, then he turned to the small man next to him.

Where ya from, partner?

The businessman looked around, then at the burly man, Excuse me, are you talking to me?

Kesler laughed heartily, I don't see no one else around, partner. Where ya from?



Just passin' through then, are ya?

Actually sir, I'm here on business.

Really? And what business would that be?

The man's lips curled up into a small smile,

Bankin'.....bankin' he says.

The burly man and his boys shared a long laugh.

I've heard you're carryin' some pretty funny money in your pocket.

Funny? I don't know what you mean. Money's money.

Kesler grabbed the banker by the lapel, shoving him into the bar. He reached into the smaller man's pockets and pulled out a wad of cash.

This is what I'm talkin' about. Funny, money.

Sweat began to collect on the banker's brow, It's just money, I don't see wha--

--Shut-up you little weasel, before I make you eat it. The boss don't want nobody movin' in on our market. Now you're coming with us, and you're gonna answer some questions.

The banker swallowed hard, Can't I just answer them here?

No. Now move.

Reluctantly, the banker went with the gang of men. Kesler didn't notice the well-muscled man slip out of the saloon behind them, shadowing their trail back to the mine.

*******

West waited until the last one had entered what appeared to be an abandoned mine shaft, then he quietly followed them in. He pulled a match from his jacket, lighting it against the bedrock wall. Slowly Jim moved forward, following the footprints on the dirt floor. Through tunnel after tunnel, he wound his way downward, until finally the footprints stopped. The only problem was that they stopped at a solid wall.

There had to be a way to move the rock aside. Jim dropped the match he was currently holding into the dirt, and began feeling the wall. Finally his hand hit an iron spike. He tried twisting it, but it wouldn't budge; it moved easily however, when Jim pulled down on it. The wall in front of him slid open, allowing light from the next passageway into the corridor West was still in.

Cautiously Jim peered into the cavern; there was no one around. He quickly moved through the empty space and down the next passage. West stopped short when an unfamiliar sound floated toward him. It sounded like metal against metal. Frowning, he followed it. As he drew closer, he could hear other sounds and movements.

Jim ducked behind an alcove as a man headed toward him. As soon as the man was past him, West jumped, quickly knocking the man unconscious. He moved closer to the entryway to the shaft with the noise. It didn't surprise him to find a money press, sheets of currency paper, and gallons of ink. Men moved about their business, unaware of the intruder observing them.

There were too many of them for him to gain access through this room. Hugging the far wall, West made his way past the room, and through the next corridor. The tunnel took a left turn, and Jim guessed he was moving around the room with the printing press. He stopped when he heard the sound of working men pounding spikes into the ground. Jim leaned carefully around the corner and caught sight of the underground railroad work. There was a ladder hanging off the wall to the right.

Moving swiftly, Jim picked up an unused pickax and walked by the working men, toward the ladder. He dropped the ax and quickly ascended the steps, moving unseen into the upper level of the mine. West found himself in the hallway of what appeared to be a lavishly furnished mansion. He heard the conversation coming from behind a door on his right.

Looking both ways down the corridor and seeing no one, Jim walked to the door and leaned closer to eavesdrop. He recognized the voice from within, and cringed.

Tell me, dear sir, what is your name, and who are you working for? Mind you, I do not take kindly to liars. It's terribly....rude.

Solomon's voice sounded slightly shaken, I told you. My name is Marvin Solomon, and I'm a banker from Boston. I don't understand why you've brought me here.

Well Marvin Solomon, if that is your name, I don't believe that you're a mere banker from Beantown, no. Bankers don't usually carry counterfeit money. And bad counterfeit to boot!

Bad? My dear man, while it may be counterfeit, I take exception to your calling it bad.

Oh but it is, Mr. Solomon. The paper isn't quite heavy enough, and the ink....the ink is too light.

Who died and appointed you king for a day?

Jim had to stifle a laugh at the doorway; Marvin was giving the twisted little doctor quite a turn.

Who are you working for, Mr. Solomon?

I'm a businessman--

Kesler broke in, --Movin' in on our business.

Shut-up Kesler. You can't see past the money, can you?

But another counterfeiter in Denver, Loveless, it'll cut into our business.

Loveless laughed, Yes, if we were simply in it for the spending frenzy, it could be a problem; however--

--That's not what the good doctor has in mind at all, is it?

Very good, Mr. Solomon, you catch on quite quickly. Now, tell me, just why would I put all this counterfeit cash into the economy?

Marvin thought for a moment, It's the quickest way to wreak havoc on our government. If you flood the market with fake money, you'll falsely inflate the economy. Eventually, the bottom will fall out, and it could topple our entire country.

Loveless walked over to Solomon, smiling. He reached out and ripped off the mustache, causing Marvin to wince.

If I had to guess, Mr. Solomon, I would say that you are with the United States Secret Service. And if you're here....Mr. West can't be far behind.

Marvin glared at the man, and said nothing.

I am confused about one thing though......if you're partnering with James West, where is Mr. Gordon? Loveless waited, but the man was not forthcoming. Cat got your tongue, Mr. Solomon? Hmmm?

Crouched by the door, Jim closed his eyes. The pain of loss was still so fresh. And the distraction kept him from hearing the men behind him. One of them grabbed his gun, and pointed it at him.

Don't do anything stupid.....now, open the door. Let's go inside.

Jim turned the knob and walked in. Loveless looked up and his eyes lit up like candles.

Well, well...Mr. West. I was just becoming acquainted with your.....new partner? Tell me, where is our dear Artemus?

He saw the pain cloud the crystal blue eyes.

Mr. West.....has something happened to him?

West's eyes narrowed, and his lips curled into a sneer, He's dead, Loveless. Does that make you happy?

Loveless studied West for a moment, not willing to take his words at face value. It could merely be a trick to keep him off balance. He half expected Gordon to come busting in on them at any minute. But the good doctor was nothing if not a decent judge of human behavior. West and Gordon had been close friends for several years; Loveless could see the tension in West's face, the slight slump in his shoulders, and especially the sadness in his eyes. Whatever else Loveless knew James West to be, he knew the man couldn't fake the grief he was now seeing. The loss was real.

The little doctor frowned, and his voice was soft, No, Mr. West, it does not make me happy. Despite what you may think, I haven't wished that on either of you.....except of course unless it was by my own hand.

How...nice for you.

Still droll as ever, Mr. West; even in the face of what I can only imagine must be the depths of despair for you. What does it feel like, to lose your best friend?

Before he even knew what he was doing, Jim leapt toward Loveless, but was knocked square in the jaw by Kesler. He landed hard on the floor.

And as impetuous as ever, I see. Really Mr. West....and in front of your new partner, too.

Jim shook his head as he stood up.

What do you want, Loveless?

Want, Mr. West? Why what I've always wanted of course: to topple this overblown, wasteful government run by men who are too big for their britches.

Jim smiled, Same Loveless, different day.

Loveless moved closer to Marvin, Tell me West, how did you get this as a replacement for your dear, departed Mr. Gordon.

Marvin piped up, You really are quite a bore, aren't you?

Solomon was rewarded with a slap on the back of the head from one of the doctor's henchman.

Mind your manners, Mr. Solomon, you're the new player here...and I'll tell you; you don't have Artemus Gordon's charm. At least when he was sarcastic, it was amusing. Loveless looked back at West, What happened to him, if I may ask?

What's it to you?

Now Mr. West, we are old friends, you, Artemus and I....was it a gunfight? A bomb? Some unforeseen accident?

Jim knew Loveless was trying to provoke him; and for all the doctor's twisted purposes, it was working. West gritted his teeth in disgust.

If you must know, there was an inoperable growth on his brain.

Natural causes? How.....disappointing. Loveless smiled at West, But then again, dead is still dead, isn't it Mr. West?

Jim moved toward Loveless once more and was cut down by three men surrounding him. West dropped to the floor, unconscious.

Marvin glared at Loveless, Speaking of rudeness, doctor, that was uncalled for.

Loveless turned to Kesler, Take Mr. West and his new....friend to the pit, and see that they stay put.

Why not just kill them now?

Because, Kesler, I want Mr. West to see his government brought down and destroyed. Now get them out of here!

*******

Lawless could barely keep his eyes open, much less focused on the task at hand. He needed to rest his back on a soft bed, and sleep for two days. Kesler had forced him to go directly back to the railroad work following his latrine stint. He had a miserable headache, growling stomach, and the two cuts he received courtesy of Kesler's whip stung like bees. In short, he was as a cranky as he had ever been in his life.

His eyes snapped to when he spotted Kesler and his gang escorting two men toward the area commonly known as the pit. At least now he knew what it was used for; but it didn't do a thing to lighten the tension he felt building up in his shoulders. He squinted in the low light of the mine shaft. He didn't know the first man, but the second he recognized as Secret Service agent James West. He had to assume that the small runty one was West's new partner. Lawless tried to picture them as a team, and could only see something akin to a vaudeville act gone bad.

The Aussie observed Kesler shove the two men into the pit, and grimaced in sympathy as he heard them thud on the impact of landing. He pulled out his red bandana and wiped his brow, being careful to avoid the large gash above the right one. Kesler and his men headed back the way they came, and Lawless had to resist the urge to investigate the pit immediately.

The element of surprise was on his side. Dr. Loveless would already be slightly off balance by the new team of West and what's-his-name; the last thing the good doctor would expect was interference by one Burton Lawless.....

A small smile tugged at the Aussie's lips as he turned back to his work. The smile quickly dissipated as he remembered that surprise in this situation might be a double-edged sword.

*******

To be continued....