The Cagon Mines
Chapter 6
by The Chronicler
----------
Big Norse tugged on the vest under her blouse. It was a gift from Knuckles, a bullet proof, leather light, flexible wonder that, accordingly to Knuckles, would save her life again and again and again.
Norse hated it.
The damn thing was a reminder that she was going to take a bullet. Stand there, smile pretty, say "Cheese", and take a damn bullet to the chest. And if that wasn't enough to put her nerves on edge, New Jersey had to go and ask "What if they aim for the head?"
"Customer." the bartender mumbled, walking passed her and to the far corner of the bar.
Big Norse glanced across the room to the swinging front doors. She recognized the new comer at once. Not that she needed to look to know who it was. She had been expecting him.
Pinky Carruthers glanced around. He grunted a greeting at Pecos who sat in what had become her customary seat in the corner.
She tossed another card down on her solitaire game.
Pinky moved across the room to stand before Norse. "Hey, there. A fellow back in Tuson said you all have got this awesome homebrew... stuff knocked me right on my butt."
Norse smiled, picturing the man on his butt on the floor, toasting a shot of moonshine. She was pretty sure she'd seen that before, but she had been too drunk herself to properly file away the memory.
But before she could say a word, the bartender hurried over once again with a big grin. "Yea, we've got some of that. How old, how much, an I'll give you a price."
They haggard over the price, both giving the other an act he was sure he'd fall for. Finally, settling on a price, the bartender waved to his employee. "Hey, girl, you go out and get them kegs pulled out. I'll bring this fine gentleman out in a moment."
Norse sighed. This was it. Prepare, take the bullet, then nail these bastards for shooting her... someday she was going to get to make the plan, and, man, oh, man, was she really gonna get even.... Reno was really gonna owe her big!
She glanced once at Pinky who smiled back. 'Course he was smiling, he wasn't the one the was gonna get shot. She turned and headed out the side door.
No sooner had the door closed behind her, than her arm was grabbed and she was yanked forward to slam head first in to the brick wall of the building next door.
**********
The State trooper beside him stiffened, but Buckaroo held up his hand. "We were expecting a few bumped heads." he reminded the officer. "We need the scene to play through."
The rescue team, a few BB and a handful of State troopers (to make the arrests official) stronger, were gathered around their favorite, not to mention best equip, Hummer known as the Beast. Buckaroo and Rawhide sat in the front seats, watching the scene transmitted to the hummer from tiny cameras that had been secretly placed around the alley. They had all gathered, silently, thanks to the ultra stealth motors of the hummers, just behind the motel.
"Don't worry. She's wearing the vest." Knuckles informed the police who seemed as anxious about the civilian's safety as her friends were, though the BB were better at hiding it.
"What if...." New Jersey started.
"Shut up, Jersey." Knuckles growled, grabbing his arm and dragging him to one of the other hummers.
"Saddle up, boys and girls." Rawhide ordered. "An' no one move until I give the word!"
The group quickly dispersed to their assigned vehicles.
**********
Big Norse rested a weak hand against the cold stone. Damn, she should of expected that. Hell, she HAD expected that! She just hadn't been prepared for it.
A hand grabbed her from the back of the neck and turned her about. Through bleary eyes she saw the side door.
It was opening.
Something cold was being pressed into her hand. Despite her foggy mind, she recognized the feel at once. Why were they giving her the gun? Why would they want her to shoot? Why...
Pinky Carruthers stepped out. His eyes narrowed as he saw her, then wide with start when he saw the gun being held in her hand.
"Pinky!" Norse cried, suddenly understanding. She struggled against the hands holding her, but they were strong and she was still weak from the blow to her head. "Wrong person." she tried to tell them, as if the fact that she was the one wearing the bullet proof vest would make a difference.
Pinky turned, grabbing for his own weapon under his coat.
But it was too late.
The gun bucked in Norse's hand as it went off. "Pinky!" she screamed as she watched the bullet take her friend in the chest.
He slammed back into the canteena at Pecos feet. The other Cavalier had her own weapon out. She hesitated only a breath, before leaping over Pinky and out into the alley, yelling "Buckaroo, we need you!"
Norse was shoved aside as her captors turned to face this unexpected threat.
Two more shots were fired.
**********
Mayor Cagon's head snapped up. "Three?" he mumbled to himself. He frowned. It had never taken the sheriff more than one shot before. These last two... they had a slightly different sound to them. A different gun? What could that mean?
He stepped over to his office window just in time to see three heavy hummers and three state trooper cars skid to a halt in front of the alley.
Two deputies stepped out of the alley to face these new comers, but the men and women who pored out of the vehicles were well trained.
The two small town officers had no chance. One was wounded and the other quickly surrendered.
That Dr. Banzai stepped through the crowd. "Jade, go gather up the Mayor. And no need to be gentle!" he ordered, sending an oriental man and three others running across the street toward the mayor's office.
Cagon backed away from the window. His mind racing, he glanced around. Quickly, he snatched a set of keys off his desk and ran out the back door.
**********
"Crap, crap, crap, crap...."
"We get the point, Knuckles!" Jersey snapped. He pressed his hand down even harder on Pinky's lower shoulder, trying to stouch the flow of blood. It wasn't as bad as they had feared at first sight, but it was still bad. The bullet hit above the heart... just barely. His free hand was digging in the medical kit for another bandage.
Buckaroo dropped down to his side and began to pull out the required medical supplies. "How's he doing, Sidney?"
"He could be a hell of a lot better." He paused to yell at his go-phone "Get me a chopper, Billy! And clear air to the nearest trauma unit!"
Big Norse, hand resting against a rather large lump on her temple, stumbled up to Buckaroo. "Sorry, sir. I never thought they'd twist it around on us."
Buckaroo rose up. "My fault, Norse." He smiled at her. "You girls want to round up that bartender?"
Norse grinned. She and Pecos quickly disappeared back inside.
"Buckaroo!" Jade ran into view. "He got away, boss. had a jeep waiting in the back of his office." He held up a dart gun. "But we managed to tag it before he got out of reach."
Rawhide played with his go-phone. "The Beast has the signal." He paused, letting the information register. "He's headed for the mine."
"Tom and Reno." Knuckles reminded them.
Buckaroo dragged a hand over his face. What ever the mayor intended to achieve at the mine, he was sure it was not good for the prisoners. He had to get his people out of there!
"Go get them, Buckaroo." New Jersey encouraged softly. "I'll take care of Pinky and the girls."
Dr Banzai nodded once then rose up and headed back to the hummers. "Jade, take of the town. Rawhide...." He left it hanging, knowing his second-in- command, falling into step behind him, would take care of the rest.
"Mount up, gang." rawhide ordered. "Let's go get our boys back!"
----------
Big Norse tugged on the vest under her blouse. It was a gift from Knuckles, a bullet proof, leather light, flexible wonder that, accordingly to Knuckles, would save her life again and again and again.
Norse hated it.
The damn thing was a reminder that she was going to take a bullet. Stand there, smile pretty, say "Cheese", and take a damn bullet to the chest. And if that wasn't enough to put her nerves on edge, New Jersey had to go and ask "What if they aim for the head?"
"Customer." the bartender mumbled, walking passed her and to the far corner of the bar.
Big Norse glanced across the room to the swinging front doors. She recognized the new comer at once. Not that she needed to look to know who it was. She had been expecting him.
Pinky Carruthers glanced around. He grunted a greeting at Pecos who sat in what had become her customary seat in the corner.
She tossed another card down on her solitaire game.
Pinky moved across the room to stand before Norse. "Hey, there. A fellow back in Tuson said you all have got this awesome homebrew... stuff knocked me right on my butt."
Norse smiled, picturing the man on his butt on the floor, toasting a shot of moonshine. She was pretty sure she'd seen that before, but she had been too drunk herself to properly file away the memory.
But before she could say a word, the bartender hurried over once again with a big grin. "Yea, we've got some of that. How old, how much, an I'll give you a price."
They haggard over the price, both giving the other an act he was sure he'd fall for. Finally, settling on a price, the bartender waved to his employee. "Hey, girl, you go out and get them kegs pulled out. I'll bring this fine gentleman out in a moment."
Norse sighed. This was it. Prepare, take the bullet, then nail these bastards for shooting her... someday she was going to get to make the plan, and, man, oh, man, was she really gonna get even.... Reno was really gonna owe her big!
She glanced once at Pinky who smiled back. 'Course he was smiling, he wasn't the one the was gonna get shot. She turned and headed out the side door.
No sooner had the door closed behind her, than her arm was grabbed and she was yanked forward to slam head first in to the brick wall of the building next door.
**********
The State trooper beside him stiffened, but Buckaroo held up his hand. "We were expecting a few bumped heads." he reminded the officer. "We need the scene to play through."
The rescue team, a few BB and a handful of State troopers (to make the arrests official) stronger, were gathered around their favorite, not to mention best equip, Hummer known as the Beast. Buckaroo and Rawhide sat in the front seats, watching the scene transmitted to the hummer from tiny cameras that had been secretly placed around the alley. They had all gathered, silently, thanks to the ultra stealth motors of the hummers, just behind the motel.
"Don't worry. She's wearing the vest." Knuckles informed the police who seemed as anxious about the civilian's safety as her friends were, though the BB were better at hiding it.
"What if...." New Jersey started.
"Shut up, Jersey." Knuckles growled, grabbing his arm and dragging him to one of the other hummers.
"Saddle up, boys and girls." Rawhide ordered. "An' no one move until I give the word!"
The group quickly dispersed to their assigned vehicles.
**********
Big Norse rested a weak hand against the cold stone. Damn, she should of expected that. Hell, she HAD expected that! She just hadn't been prepared for it.
A hand grabbed her from the back of the neck and turned her about. Through bleary eyes she saw the side door.
It was opening.
Something cold was being pressed into her hand. Despite her foggy mind, she recognized the feel at once. Why were they giving her the gun? Why would they want her to shoot? Why...
Pinky Carruthers stepped out. His eyes narrowed as he saw her, then wide with start when he saw the gun being held in her hand.
"Pinky!" Norse cried, suddenly understanding. She struggled against the hands holding her, but they were strong and she was still weak from the blow to her head. "Wrong person." she tried to tell them, as if the fact that she was the one wearing the bullet proof vest would make a difference.
Pinky turned, grabbing for his own weapon under his coat.
But it was too late.
The gun bucked in Norse's hand as it went off. "Pinky!" she screamed as she watched the bullet take her friend in the chest.
He slammed back into the canteena at Pecos feet. The other Cavalier had her own weapon out. She hesitated only a breath, before leaping over Pinky and out into the alley, yelling "Buckaroo, we need you!"
Norse was shoved aside as her captors turned to face this unexpected threat.
Two more shots were fired.
**********
Mayor Cagon's head snapped up. "Three?" he mumbled to himself. He frowned. It had never taken the sheriff more than one shot before. These last two... they had a slightly different sound to them. A different gun? What could that mean?
He stepped over to his office window just in time to see three heavy hummers and three state trooper cars skid to a halt in front of the alley.
Two deputies stepped out of the alley to face these new comers, but the men and women who pored out of the vehicles were well trained.
The two small town officers had no chance. One was wounded and the other quickly surrendered.
That Dr. Banzai stepped through the crowd. "Jade, go gather up the Mayor. And no need to be gentle!" he ordered, sending an oriental man and three others running across the street toward the mayor's office.
Cagon backed away from the window. His mind racing, he glanced around. Quickly, he snatched a set of keys off his desk and ran out the back door.
**********
"Crap, crap, crap, crap...."
"We get the point, Knuckles!" Jersey snapped. He pressed his hand down even harder on Pinky's lower shoulder, trying to stouch the flow of blood. It wasn't as bad as they had feared at first sight, but it was still bad. The bullet hit above the heart... just barely. His free hand was digging in the medical kit for another bandage.
Buckaroo dropped down to his side and began to pull out the required medical supplies. "How's he doing, Sidney?"
"He could be a hell of a lot better." He paused to yell at his go-phone "Get me a chopper, Billy! And clear air to the nearest trauma unit!"
Big Norse, hand resting against a rather large lump on her temple, stumbled up to Buckaroo. "Sorry, sir. I never thought they'd twist it around on us."
Buckaroo rose up. "My fault, Norse." He smiled at her. "You girls want to round up that bartender?"
Norse grinned. She and Pecos quickly disappeared back inside.
"Buckaroo!" Jade ran into view. "He got away, boss. had a jeep waiting in the back of his office." He held up a dart gun. "But we managed to tag it before he got out of reach."
Rawhide played with his go-phone. "The Beast has the signal." He paused, letting the information register. "He's headed for the mine."
"Tom and Reno." Knuckles reminded them.
Buckaroo dragged a hand over his face. What ever the mayor intended to achieve at the mine, he was sure it was not good for the prisoners. He had to get his people out of there!
"Go get them, Buckaroo." New Jersey encouraged softly. "I'll take care of Pinky and the girls."
Dr Banzai nodded once then rose up and headed back to the hummers. "Jade, take of the town. Rawhide...." He left it hanging, knowing his second-in- command, falling into step behind him, would take care of the rest.
"Mount up, gang." rawhide ordered. "Let's go get our boys back!"