Ode to Oddity
by The Chronicler
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Chapter Four
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Oddity growled.
Almost absent mindedly, Buckaroo Banzai's hand dropped down to the animal's head and gently scratched.
Reassured that his humans were also aware of the going ons, Oddity quieted.
Ahead of them, nearly two hundred yards, searching train cars that were sitting on a track waiting to be shipped out, were three Lectroids and six human street punks.
Buckaroo smiled slightly.
Billy had been right. John Dork was out to get his hands on a dangerous, radioactive shipment of spent fuel rods. Billy's search program had come through just in the nick of time. They were able to call ahead and have the shipment moved on out of the city before the aliens could get to the train yard. Moments, minutes later... if they had chosen to watch the fight over the boot rather than look at Billy's findings... they would be standing here trying to figure out how to avoid a deadly nuclear confrontation.
A rock rolled across the ground and a hissed string of curses sounded from behind Buckaroo.
The Doctor glanced back at Rawhide and frowned.
The cowboy shrugged as he crouched down to rub his toe. "Got a hole in my boot." he complained quietly.
Buckaroo smiled as he turned forward again. "Shouldn't let the dog chew on it."
A chuckle from Perfect Tommy drew a glare from Rawhide.
"I'd still like to know just how he got his teeth on it." Rawhide growled.
Perfect Tommy quickly turned his attention away, feigning innocence. "What's the hap, boss?" he asked Buckaroo.
"The `hap' is that as long as the bad guys are looking for them, those fuel rods are in danger of falling into some very bad hands." Buckaroo answered.
"So?" P.T. shrugged. "We've already shipped them buggers on out of here. Call the cops and lets go home. Hey, maybe drop by the Club for a round of beers? Eh?" He started to turn and head back to their vehicles, but Rawhide grabbed his arm and dragged him back.
Buckaroo had orders to give. "Spread out, but stay behind cover. Move in quiet as close as you can get then wait for my signal. And, let's not kill anyone unless we have to."
"Well, damn." Pecos mumbled. "And I thought this was gonna be fun."
"Hey." Reno Nevada attempted to consul her. "He didn't say we couldn't maim a couple of them."
Pecos perked up. "Really?"
"Come on, folks." Rawhide reprimanded. "Snap to! These are still bad guys. They still have guns. And, last I look, bullets kill Blue Blazes as easily as they kill anyone else."
"Not me!" Perfect Tommy protested. "I'm so damn perfect I'm immortal."
Buckaroo patted his young friend on the shoulder. "Good to hear it, Perfect Tommy. You have point."
The youngest Cavalier snapped about to stare at him. His mouth worked as if to protest, but, seeing his employer's expression, knew he didn't have a chance. With a few grumbled curses and something about "big mouth," Perfect Tommy moved forward.
Oddity instantly came up and started after, but, not trusting the animal's since of caution, Buckaroo held him back.
"Stay." he ordered softly. Then motioned for Pinky Carruthers, and Pecos to spread out to his left. Reno Nevada, Billy Travers, and Rawhide went to his right. Big Norse and Peggy were with the bus as back up. "Alrighty, boy. Stay with me." Buckaroo started after Perfect Tommy.
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John Dork slapped a hand against the steel car. He turned accusing eyes on his cohort. "You said, John Twit, that they would be here!"
"They are here, John Dork!" his comrade snapped back. A little weaker, he added "They are supposed to be here."
John Pinhead shrugged and offered up the obvious. "Well, they aren't here."
One of the six street punks leaned into one of his fellows. "Are these guys for real? I mean, come on, do you hear what they call each other?"
"As long as they're cash is real, I don't give a damn what they call each other." his buddy answered.
A ways down the track a train whistle blew.
"Yoe... umm... Johns? Dudes?" the first punk waved at the three aliens. "You know, they might have already been shipped out."
John Dork glared at him. Without hesitation, he aimed his revolver, fired, and, without waiting to see the punk fall, turned back to his companions. "So, if they've been shipped out, where would they go?"
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Perfect Tommy winced as the punk was slammed back against the steel wheel well which he had taken cover behind. When the body dropped to the ground, head rolling so that the dead eyes locked with the Cavalier, his own heart nearly stopped.
"Call the cops. Go for beer." he mumbled to himself after he recovered. "Call cops, go for beer, call cops, go for beer, call cops, go for beer..."
A soft whistle came from the go-phone on Perfect Tommy's wrist. Buckaroo's signal.
Well, now or....
"I really wanna call the cops and go for beers." P.T. complained one more time before rising up and revealing himself to the bad guys. "Who wants a beer?" he asked.
Eight guns were instantly pointed at him.
Perfect Tommy's eyebrows rose. "Okay, you're not beer guys. Brandy? Whiskey? Bloody Mary?"
"Like that bloody idea." one of the punks said with a grin, cocking his weapon.
The cold steel of Reno's .45 automatic pressed against the back of the street punk's neck. "That would be a very bad idea." he said in a low, deep growl.
"It's Banzai's marauders!" John Twit screamed, dropping his weapon, turning, and running.
"Cavaliers, you.... you... twit!" John Dork roared, bringing his revolver up once again. "Not marauders! Cavaliers!"
"They die all the same, don't they, John Dork?" John Pinhead wondered, sounding bored, He didn't waste time to aim. He just began to pull the trigger.
Perfect Tommy ducked back under cover.
Reno slammed the barrel of his gun against the punk's head, knocking him out, then dove for the cover of a train car.
Buckaroo stepped out, fired twice, taking two punks down, then disappeared behind a barrel. "Pecos, get me that runner." he ordered through his go-phone.
"Read ya, boss man. Oddity!" she called the dog after her, knowing his four legs were better than her two when it came to a chase.
Rawhide's voice shouted out "Watch out for the Lectroids!"
"Like we need reminding." Pinky mumbled, moving in from behind the enemy. Not that taking a man down from behind was his preferred tactic, but, hey, these weren't men... these were killer bug spitting bad guy aliens. Thus, he aimed and fired.
John Pinhead fired at anything that moved, and most everything that didn't move, pinning not only the Cavaliers down, but also the street punks. But then Pinky's bullet nailed him in the back. With a grunt, he stumbled forward, but one bullet wasn't enough to take him down.
Pinky fired again, but then John Dork turned toward him and he was forced back under cover. But he had given his comrades the momentary relief needed to leap into action.
Perfect Tommy leaped over the wheel well, kicking out at the nearest of the punks in the jaw. Landing with all the grace of a cat, he spun about, dropped down beside his victim and finished him off with an elbow to his temple.
Reno rushed another of the punks, taking him down with a full tackle. They slammed into the ground with such force both were stunned for a moment.
But Billy was close behind Reno, and he hurried in to finish the punk off before he could recover with a nasty strike at his nose.
Buckaroo and Rawhide went after the two Lectroids.
As John Dork was distracted by the retreating Pinky Carruthers, Buckaroo moved in from his right. "Alright, lay down your weapon!" he ordered, holding his own at the ready.
That got John Pinhead's attention. But, as he turned to take a shot at the leader of the Hong kong Cavaliers, he didn't even see Rawhide's hug fist that collided with his head, slamming him to the ground.
Stunned, but still operational, Pinhead rolled onto his back and aimed his weapon up.
Rawhide kicked, the toe of his boot catching him in the wrist and sending the weapon spinning through the air to land somewhere out of reach.
Calling on his last line of defense, John Pinhead sucked up air to spit.
But, Rawhide had seen one to many killer bug spit in his days. He wasn't interested in seeing another. So, he slammed his foot straight down, smashing the bug before it even had the opportunity to leave Pinhead's mouth.
Assured that John pinhead was no longer a threat, Rawhide turned to John Dork, but Buckaroo was finishing him off with a round house kick that snapped his head around and dropping him unconscious to the ground.
"Everyone in one piece?" Rawhide called out to the others, spinning about to count heads.
Reno sat on the ground, Billy crouched beside him. Perfect Tommy, breathing heavily, leaned against the wheel well. Pinky Carruthers stepped out from behind him and waved his assurances that he was sill alive and well.
"Now..." Perfect Tommy huffed, "Now, can we go get a beer?"
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Pecos pointed out ahead of her. "Cross the tracks." she called to the dog running at her side. "Get 'im, boy!"
With a growl, Oddity leaped ahead of her. head down and stretched out, he ran like only a dog could do, racing over the ground, and closing in on the escaping John Twit.
A train whistle sounded, warning those around the tracks that a train was getting closer.
Pecos hesitated, looking about to catch sight of the approaching vehicle. It was still a few hundred yards off; plenty of time to get across the tracks. She quickened her step again. She jumped the first rail, but, as her left foot came down it caught between two planks of the track, tripping her.
The Cavalier cried out as her ankle twisted and she fell toward the ground. Her head slammed into the steel rail with a loud thwack and Pecos blacked out.
Hearing her cry, both Oddity and John Twit skidded to a halt and turned to see what was happening.
With a worried yipe, the dog raced back toward the Cavalier.
John Twit grinned
Oddity leaped across the rails and immediately laid down beside his fallen human. Wining softly, he nuzzled his damp nose into the crock of her neck.
Pecos' head rolled and she moaned, but did not wake up.
Again the train whistled. It was getting closer.
Frantically, Oddity leaped to his feet and, switching between barking and licking her face, he tried to wake her. But, still, nothing.
"Out of the way, flea bag, and I'll end it quickly for her." John Twit offered, patting himself down for his gun. But, as Oddity turned on him with a snarl, he remembered he dropped his weapon back when the main fight first broke out.
Oddity leaped at him, digging his teeth deep into the lectroid's arm and wiping his head about so as to drag the alien away from the Cavalier.
With a scream, John Twit raised his fist and punched Oddity.
Yelping, the dog fell back, and the alien stumbled away. But, with a shake of his head, Oddity attacked again.
John Twit snatched up a steel rod from the ground and raised it up to strike the animal.
A shot rang out and a bullet struck the lectroid in the chest.
"ah!" John Twit cried, putting a hand over the wound. Shocked, he looked down Pecos. "You shot me!" he accused.
"Gee, you are as smart as you look." Pecos growled.
John Twit raised the rod again.
Pecos emptied her weapon into the alien's chest.
Stumbling back, John Twit fell to the ground, dead.
Oddity sniffed at him a moment, assuring himself that that danger was done with. Another train whistle brought his attention back to the fallen Cavalier.
"Oh, god." pecos whispered when she saw how close the train was. "Oddity! Help!" she cried, trying to turn over to reach her foot and pull it free. But her ankle was already swelling and her boot was securely trapped.
Oddity was at her side at once. Seeing the problem, he gently grabbed the boot between his teeth and pulled, but to no avail.
"Pull, Oddity! Pull!" Pecos continued to cry.
The train whistle continued to scream at them, warning them to get out of the way.
Snarling his frustration, Oddity chewed on the boot, ripping through the leather.
Pecos glanced around for help only to see her fellow Cavaliers far off... too far off to get to her before the train would. She pulled on her foot, but there was no hope. It was stuck good.
Squeezing her eyes closed, she excepted her fate. She had time for only one last thing. She lifted her wrist and whispered into her go-phone "Reno..."
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Reno Nevada's head snapped about. "Pecos?" Now, where did she run off.... "Oh my god." Reno gasped. "Pecos!:"
Buckaroo and Rawhide glanced at him, then followed his gaze down to where the tracks ran through the train yard. There, laying across the center track, was Pecos and Oddity. And a speeding train was nearly on top of them.
Only a white fluff at that distance, Oddity stumbled away with a jerk. Then raced to Pecos shoulders.
But then the train was there, brakes squealing, engine roaring, blocking any sign of what had happened to the pair.
"No!" Reno cried, running toward the tracks, Buckaroo and Rawhide close on his heals.
"It's too late." Perfect Tommy spoke the cold truth, but he too ran after.
Within minutes they reached the train tracks.
"Where is she?" Reno cried desperately, crouching down to try and see under the train. If not for Rawhide's restraining hold, the Cavalier would of thrown himself under in search for the woman he loved.
No one offered any comforting words as they waited for the train to slow to a stop. There were no comforting words that could be offered.
"Peggy." Buckaroo called into his go-phone. "We have.... casualties."
The last of the long steel cars finally passed.
The Cavaliers stood in shock, jaws hanging open.
Oddity's tail kicked up dust as it patted the ground. He barked happily in greeting at the men, while pawing at the air as if waving hello. Pecos sat beside him, her arms wrapped tightly around the dog. Her boot was gone, her sock torn, her ankle swollen and scratched from teeth, the shoulder of her shirt torn, a large red goose egg on her head... but she was alive. They were both alive!
"Pecos!" Reno cried again, rushing forward to scoop his woman up in his arms and hug her with all his might.
"Ouch." Pecos complained, but didn't push him away.
Buckaroo, on the other hand, had to push the Cavalier aside so as to get a good look at the girl's wounds. He took her by the chin and tilted her head up so he could see her eyes and check for a concussion.
She smiled up at him. "I agree with Perfect Tommy." she mumbled. "Lets call the cops and go for beers."
"Ha! Finally!" Perfect Tommy hooted. "Finally someone with some sense!"
Oddity barked his agreement.
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Perfect Tommy winced.
Pecos and New Jersey glanced at him.
He shrugged. "Looked like it hurt."
"Well, it did." Pecos mumbled, turning a glare on her attending physician.
New Jersey glared back. "I keep telling you guys: duck!" He held the back of her head while holding an ice pack to the ugly, red goose egg on her forehead.
"I hit my head on a train track." Pecos pointed out. "Exactly how was I supposed to duck THAT?"
Jersey shrugged. "You're the geniuses. Use your h..."
"Umm, doc?" Perfect Tommy pointed at their friend's head. "That, I do believe, was the problem."
Pecos started to turn to glare at Tommy, but, with sigh, shrugged. "My head hurts too much to glare. Throw something at him, will you, Jersey?"
"Yea? And have another head to patch up?" Jersey shook his head. He took her hand and put it up to hold the ice pack. Then turned to pack up his first aid bag.
"Fine. Oddity?" She looked down at the dog who had yet to leave her side since he had pulled her free of the charging locomotive. "Come to my rescue again?"
The dog's head came up, his bright blue eyes looking up, first, at Pecos, then turned on Perfect Tommy. He barked once, then lowered his head to his paws again and wined, his tail swooshing in the dirt.
Pecos laughed, wincing as her head echoed with with her own sound. "So there!"
Perfect Tommy glared down at Oddity and accused "Traitor!"
Buckaroo grinned as he and Rawhide came walking back to the bus from where they had been finishing up the details with the local law enforcement.
"Where's Reno?" Pecos wanted to know.
"Buying a cow." Rawhide answered.
When the only response was confused glances, Buckaroo explained further "Apparently he didn't think just one steak would be enough for our furry companion this time."
As if he understood every word, Oddity came to his feet and began to bark excitedly.
"Oddity!" Pecos groaned, her hands covering her ears.
Rawhide shook his head, grabbing the dog by the collar. "Lets pack up and go home, people. Oddity isn't the only one that deserves a good thick steak."
"Pizza." Perfect Tommy corrected, practically leaping into the bus.
"I'll take a steak." Pecos said, following her friend.
"You'll have eggs and some other tummy easy food for 24." Jersey corrected, following her. "I want to make sure you're head doesn't explode on us." He smiled. "'Course, I'm in the mood for some chicken."
Sighing, Rawhide turned to Buckaroo.
Buckaroo shrugged. "I was rather hoping for a tuna salad." he admitted.
"Why do I even try?" Rawhide groaned.
Banzai grinned. "Because you are a self sacrificing man and we love you for it." He glanced down at the dog who sat patiently under Rawhide's hand, his tail swooshing in the dirt. "Besides, Oddity will always be around to share a steak with." And, with that, and a little encouragement being laid on the horn of the bus by a hungry hoard, Buckaroo skipped on up.
Again Rawhide sighed, shaking his head. But he sent Oddity up the steps and followed himself, yelling "The next person to touch that air horn is going to lose fingers!"
by The Chronicler
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Chapter Four
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Oddity growled.
Almost absent mindedly, Buckaroo Banzai's hand dropped down to the animal's head and gently scratched.
Reassured that his humans were also aware of the going ons, Oddity quieted.
Ahead of them, nearly two hundred yards, searching train cars that were sitting on a track waiting to be shipped out, were three Lectroids and six human street punks.
Buckaroo smiled slightly.
Billy had been right. John Dork was out to get his hands on a dangerous, radioactive shipment of spent fuel rods. Billy's search program had come through just in the nick of time. They were able to call ahead and have the shipment moved on out of the city before the aliens could get to the train yard. Moments, minutes later... if they had chosen to watch the fight over the boot rather than look at Billy's findings... they would be standing here trying to figure out how to avoid a deadly nuclear confrontation.
A rock rolled across the ground and a hissed string of curses sounded from behind Buckaroo.
The Doctor glanced back at Rawhide and frowned.
The cowboy shrugged as he crouched down to rub his toe. "Got a hole in my boot." he complained quietly.
Buckaroo smiled as he turned forward again. "Shouldn't let the dog chew on it."
A chuckle from Perfect Tommy drew a glare from Rawhide.
"I'd still like to know just how he got his teeth on it." Rawhide growled.
Perfect Tommy quickly turned his attention away, feigning innocence. "What's the hap, boss?" he asked Buckaroo.
"The `hap' is that as long as the bad guys are looking for them, those fuel rods are in danger of falling into some very bad hands." Buckaroo answered.
"So?" P.T. shrugged. "We've already shipped them buggers on out of here. Call the cops and lets go home. Hey, maybe drop by the Club for a round of beers? Eh?" He started to turn and head back to their vehicles, but Rawhide grabbed his arm and dragged him back.
Buckaroo had orders to give. "Spread out, but stay behind cover. Move in quiet as close as you can get then wait for my signal. And, let's not kill anyone unless we have to."
"Well, damn." Pecos mumbled. "And I thought this was gonna be fun."
"Hey." Reno Nevada attempted to consul her. "He didn't say we couldn't maim a couple of them."
Pecos perked up. "Really?"
"Come on, folks." Rawhide reprimanded. "Snap to! These are still bad guys. They still have guns. And, last I look, bullets kill Blue Blazes as easily as they kill anyone else."
"Not me!" Perfect Tommy protested. "I'm so damn perfect I'm immortal."
Buckaroo patted his young friend on the shoulder. "Good to hear it, Perfect Tommy. You have point."
The youngest Cavalier snapped about to stare at him. His mouth worked as if to protest, but, seeing his employer's expression, knew he didn't have a chance. With a few grumbled curses and something about "big mouth," Perfect Tommy moved forward.
Oddity instantly came up and started after, but, not trusting the animal's since of caution, Buckaroo held him back.
"Stay." he ordered softly. Then motioned for Pinky Carruthers, and Pecos to spread out to his left. Reno Nevada, Billy Travers, and Rawhide went to his right. Big Norse and Peggy were with the bus as back up. "Alrighty, boy. Stay with me." Buckaroo started after Perfect Tommy.
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John Dork slapped a hand against the steel car. He turned accusing eyes on his cohort. "You said, John Twit, that they would be here!"
"They are here, John Dork!" his comrade snapped back. A little weaker, he added "They are supposed to be here."
John Pinhead shrugged and offered up the obvious. "Well, they aren't here."
One of the six street punks leaned into one of his fellows. "Are these guys for real? I mean, come on, do you hear what they call each other?"
"As long as they're cash is real, I don't give a damn what they call each other." his buddy answered.
A ways down the track a train whistle blew.
"Yoe... umm... Johns? Dudes?" the first punk waved at the three aliens. "You know, they might have already been shipped out."
John Dork glared at him. Without hesitation, he aimed his revolver, fired, and, without waiting to see the punk fall, turned back to his companions. "So, if they've been shipped out, where would they go?"
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Perfect Tommy winced as the punk was slammed back against the steel wheel well which he had taken cover behind. When the body dropped to the ground, head rolling so that the dead eyes locked with the Cavalier, his own heart nearly stopped.
"Call the cops. Go for beer." he mumbled to himself after he recovered. "Call cops, go for beer, call cops, go for beer, call cops, go for beer..."
A soft whistle came from the go-phone on Perfect Tommy's wrist. Buckaroo's signal.
Well, now or....
"I really wanna call the cops and go for beers." P.T. complained one more time before rising up and revealing himself to the bad guys. "Who wants a beer?" he asked.
Eight guns were instantly pointed at him.
Perfect Tommy's eyebrows rose. "Okay, you're not beer guys. Brandy? Whiskey? Bloody Mary?"
"Like that bloody idea." one of the punks said with a grin, cocking his weapon.
The cold steel of Reno's .45 automatic pressed against the back of the street punk's neck. "That would be a very bad idea." he said in a low, deep growl.
"It's Banzai's marauders!" John Twit screamed, dropping his weapon, turning, and running.
"Cavaliers, you.... you... twit!" John Dork roared, bringing his revolver up once again. "Not marauders! Cavaliers!"
"They die all the same, don't they, John Dork?" John Pinhead wondered, sounding bored, He didn't waste time to aim. He just began to pull the trigger.
Perfect Tommy ducked back under cover.
Reno slammed the barrel of his gun against the punk's head, knocking him out, then dove for the cover of a train car.
Buckaroo stepped out, fired twice, taking two punks down, then disappeared behind a barrel. "Pecos, get me that runner." he ordered through his go-phone.
"Read ya, boss man. Oddity!" she called the dog after her, knowing his four legs were better than her two when it came to a chase.
Rawhide's voice shouted out "Watch out for the Lectroids!"
"Like we need reminding." Pinky mumbled, moving in from behind the enemy. Not that taking a man down from behind was his preferred tactic, but, hey, these weren't men... these were killer bug spitting bad guy aliens. Thus, he aimed and fired.
John Pinhead fired at anything that moved, and most everything that didn't move, pinning not only the Cavaliers down, but also the street punks. But then Pinky's bullet nailed him in the back. With a grunt, he stumbled forward, but one bullet wasn't enough to take him down.
Pinky fired again, but then John Dork turned toward him and he was forced back under cover. But he had given his comrades the momentary relief needed to leap into action.
Perfect Tommy leaped over the wheel well, kicking out at the nearest of the punks in the jaw. Landing with all the grace of a cat, he spun about, dropped down beside his victim and finished him off with an elbow to his temple.
Reno rushed another of the punks, taking him down with a full tackle. They slammed into the ground with such force both were stunned for a moment.
But Billy was close behind Reno, and he hurried in to finish the punk off before he could recover with a nasty strike at his nose.
Buckaroo and Rawhide went after the two Lectroids.
As John Dork was distracted by the retreating Pinky Carruthers, Buckaroo moved in from his right. "Alright, lay down your weapon!" he ordered, holding his own at the ready.
That got John Pinhead's attention. But, as he turned to take a shot at the leader of the Hong kong Cavaliers, he didn't even see Rawhide's hug fist that collided with his head, slamming him to the ground.
Stunned, but still operational, Pinhead rolled onto his back and aimed his weapon up.
Rawhide kicked, the toe of his boot catching him in the wrist and sending the weapon spinning through the air to land somewhere out of reach.
Calling on his last line of defense, John Pinhead sucked up air to spit.
But, Rawhide had seen one to many killer bug spit in his days. He wasn't interested in seeing another. So, he slammed his foot straight down, smashing the bug before it even had the opportunity to leave Pinhead's mouth.
Assured that John pinhead was no longer a threat, Rawhide turned to John Dork, but Buckaroo was finishing him off with a round house kick that snapped his head around and dropping him unconscious to the ground.
"Everyone in one piece?" Rawhide called out to the others, spinning about to count heads.
Reno sat on the ground, Billy crouched beside him. Perfect Tommy, breathing heavily, leaned against the wheel well. Pinky Carruthers stepped out from behind him and waved his assurances that he was sill alive and well.
"Now..." Perfect Tommy huffed, "Now, can we go get a beer?"
----------
Pecos pointed out ahead of her. "Cross the tracks." she called to the dog running at her side. "Get 'im, boy!"
With a growl, Oddity leaped ahead of her. head down and stretched out, he ran like only a dog could do, racing over the ground, and closing in on the escaping John Twit.
A train whistle sounded, warning those around the tracks that a train was getting closer.
Pecos hesitated, looking about to catch sight of the approaching vehicle. It was still a few hundred yards off; plenty of time to get across the tracks. She quickened her step again. She jumped the first rail, but, as her left foot came down it caught between two planks of the track, tripping her.
The Cavalier cried out as her ankle twisted and she fell toward the ground. Her head slammed into the steel rail with a loud thwack and Pecos blacked out.
Hearing her cry, both Oddity and John Twit skidded to a halt and turned to see what was happening.
With a worried yipe, the dog raced back toward the Cavalier.
John Twit grinned
Oddity leaped across the rails and immediately laid down beside his fallen human. Wining softly, he nuzzled his damp nose into the crock of her neck.
Pecos' head rolled and she moaned, but did not wake up.
Again the train whistled. It was getting closer.
Frantically, Oddity leaped to his feet and, switching between barking and licking her face, he tried to wake her. But, still, nothing.
"Out of the way, flea bag, and I'll end it quickly for her." John Twit offered, patting himself down for his gun. But, as Oddity turned on him with a snarl, he remembered he dropped his weapon back when the main fight first broke out.
Oddity leaped at him, digging his teeth deep into the lectroid's arm and wiping his head about so as to drag the alien away from the Cavalier.
With a scream, John Twit raised his fist and punched Oddity.
Yelping, the dog fell back, and the alien stumbled away. But, with a shake of his head, Oddity attacked again.
John Twit snatched up a steel rod from the ground and raised it up to strike the animal.
A shot rang out and a bullet struck the lectroid in the chest.
"ah!" John Twit cried, putting a hand over the wound. Shocked, he looked down Pecos. "You shot me!" he accused.
"Gee, you are as smart as you look." Pecos growled.
John Twit raised the rod again.
Pecos emptied her weapon into the alien's chest.
Stumbling back, John Twit fell to the ground, dead.
Oddity sniffed at him a moment, assuring himself that that danger was done with. Another train whistle brought his attention back to the fallen Cavalier.
"Oh, god." pecos whispered when she saw how close the train was. "Oddity! Help!" she cried, trying to turn over to reach her foot and pull it free. But her ankle was already swelling and her boot was securely trapped.
Oddity was at her side at once. Seeing the problem, he gently grabbed the boot between his teeth and pulled, but to no avail.
"Pull, Oddity! Pull!" Pecos continued to cry.
The train whistle continued to scream at them, warning them to get out of the way.
Snarling his frustration, Oddity chewed on the boot, ripping through the leather.
Pecos glanced around for help only to see her fellow Cavaliers far off... too far off to get to her before the train would. She pulled on her foot, but there was no hope. It was stuck good.
Squeezing her eyes closed, she excepted her fate. She had time for only one last thing. She lifted her wrist and whispered into her go-phone "Reno..."
----------
Reno Nevada's head snapped about. "Pecos?" Now, where did she run off.... "Oh my god." Reno gasped. "Pecos!:"
Buckaroo and Rawhide glanced at him, then followed his gaze down to where the tracks ran through the train yard. There, laying across the center track, was Pecos and Oddity. And a speeding train was nearly on top of them.
Only a white fluff at that distance, Oddity stumbled away with a jerk. Then raced to Pecos shoulders.
But then the train was there, brakes squealing, engine roaring, blocking any sign of what had happened to the pair.
"No!" Reno cried, running toward the tracks, Buckaroo and Rawhide close on his heals.
"It's too late." Perfect Tommy spoke the cold truth, but he too ran after.
Within minutes they reached the train tracks.
"Where is she?" Reno cried desperately, crouching down to try and see under the train. If not for Rawhide's restraining hold, the Cavalier would of thrown himself under in search for the woman he loved.
No one offered any comforting words as they waited for the train to slow to a stop. There were no comforting words that could be offered.
"Peggy." Buckaroo called into his go-phone. "We have.... casualties."
The last of the long steel cars finally passed.
The Cavaliers stood in shock, jaws hanging open.
Oddity's tail kicked up dust as it patted the ground. He barked happily in greeting at the men, while pawing at the air as if waving hello. Pecos sat beside him, her arms wrapped tightly around the dog. Her boot was gone, her sock torn, her ankle swollen and scratched from teeth, the shoulder of her shirt torn, a large red goose egg on her head... but she was alive. They were both alive!
"Pecos!" Reno cried again, rushing forward to scoop his woman up in his arms and hug her with all his might.
"Ouch." Pecos complained, but didn't push him away.
Buckaroo, on the other hand, had to push the Cavalier aside so as to get a good look at the girl's wounds. He took her by the chin and tilted her head up so he could see her eyes and check for a concussion.
She smiled up at him. "I agree with Perfect Tommy." she mumbled. "Lets call the cops and go for beers."
"Ha! Finally!" Perfect Tommy hooted. "Finally someone with some sense!"
Oddity barked his agreement.
----------
Perfect Tommy winced.
Pecos and New Jersey glanced at him.
He shrugged. "Looked like it hurt."
"Well, it did." Pecos mumbled, turning a glare on her attending physician.
New Jersey glared back. "I keep telling you guys: duck!" He held the back of her head while holding an ice pack to the ugly, red goose egg on her forehead.
"I hit my head on a train track." Pecos pointed out. "Exactly how was I supposed to duck THAT?"
Jersey shrugged. "You're the geniuses. Use your h..."
"Umm, doc?" Perfect Tommy pointed at their friend's head. "That, I do believe, was the problem."
Pecos started to turn to glare at Tommy, but, with sigh, shrugged. "My head hurts too much to glare. Throw something at him, will you, Jersey?"
"Yea? And have another head to patch up?" Jersey shook his head. He took her hand and put it up to hold the ice pack. Then turned to pack up his first aid bag.
"Fine. Oddity?" She looked down at the dog who had yet to leave her side since he had pulled her free of the charging locomotive. "Come to my rescue again?"
The dog's head came up, his bright blue eyes looking up, first, at Pecos, then turned on Perfect Tommy. He barked once, then lowered his head to his paws again and wined, his tail swooshing in the dirt.
Pecos laughed, wincing as her head echoed with with her own sound. "So there!"
Perfect Tommy glared down at Oddity and accused "Traitor!"
Buckaroo grinned as he and Rawhide came walking back to the bus from where they had been finishing up the details with the local law enforcement.
"Where's Reno?" Pecos wanted to know.
"Buying a cow." Rawhide answered.
When the only response was confused glances, Buckaroo explained further "Apparently he didn't think just one steak would be enough for our furry companion this time."
As if he understood every word, Oddity came to his feet and began to bark excitedly.
"Oddity!" Pecos groaned, her hands covering her ears.
Rawhide shook his head, grabbing the dog by the collar. "Lets pack up and go home, people. Oddity isn't the only one that deserves a good thick steak."
"Pizza." Perfect Tommy corrected, practically leaping into the bus.
"I'll take a steak." Pecos said, following her friend.
"You'll have eggs and some other tummy easy food for 24." Jersey corrected, following her. "I want to make sure you're head doesn't explode on us." He smiled. "'Course, I'm in the mood for some chicken."
Sighing, Rawhide turned to Buckaroo.
Buckaroo shrugged. "I was rather hoping for a tuna salad." he admitted.
"Why do I even try?" Rawhide groaned.
Banzai grinned. "Because you are a self sacrificing man and we love you for it." He glanced down at the dog who sat patiently under Rawhide's hand, his tail swooshing in the dirt. "Besides, Oddity will always be around to share a steak with." And, with that, and a little encouragement being laid on the horn of the bus by a hungry hoard, Buckaroo skipped on up.
Again Rawhide sighed, shaking his head. But he sent Oddity up the steps and followed himself, yelling "The next person to touch that air horn is going to lose fingers!"