Disclaimer: I own none of the characters of this story. The WWE or themselves own them. No profit is being made from this story. It's purely for fun!
A/N: Thanks to all of you who have reviewed and enjoyed my little western. Things are starting to get dramatic from this point on. I feel that I should warn you that the next couple of chapters do include some disturbing images. Please remember that it is a story and that everything that happens is for a reason.
The next morning Chris rode out to the ranch to begin work. As he was putting up his horse, he couldn't help but hear the Basham brothers talking to each other in the far corner of the stable. He didn't like the two men but they had provided him with a lot of information about Hunter inadvertently. "Maybe they could do it again," he thought to himself. He crept as close as he could to them without being seen or heard.
"Can you believe that he's going to kidnap her?" Doug asked shaking his head. He had had a meeting with Hunter late last night. He still couldn't believe that he would kidnap Stephanie just to get his hands on the saloon.
"I know, I think he has finally lost his marbles this time," Danny said. "I can't believe that we have to help him keep an eye on her when he brings her back here." He was getting sick and tired of Hunter telling them what to do. At first, it was fun. They loved terrorizing people but it was getting old and the pay hadn't gotten any better.
"I know, what has he done for us lately?" Doug asked with anger showing on his face. Hunter kept dangling this huge pay off in front of their noses for a long time now. He was sick and tired of hearing about it. It was time to pay up or shut up.
"What if we kidnap her and then make him pay us to get her back?" Danny asked with an evil grin on his face. "That would be one way to get his attention." He was just like his brother. He was tired of putting up with Hunter's shit.
"Nah, let him do his own dirty work," Doug said shaking his head. "Besides, we need to let him be the one to get his hands dirty. Then we'll figure out what to do."
Quietly Chris walked out of the stable wondering what to do now. It sounded as if the Bashams were going to take Stephanie and hide her away from Hunter. He hated the thoughts of those boys getting their hands on 'his' Stephanie. The anger flashed in his eyes brightly. He wasn't going to let that happen, not today, not ever.
He walked up to the front door and knocked. He wasn't sure what Dave wanted him to do today and he wanted to talk to him if he could. He had to talk to Dave to let him know what he had just heard. The plans were going to have to be adjusted and fast. Finally the door opened and Hunter walked out.
"Is Dave busy?" Chris asked trying to fight the anger that threatened to come out of him at the sight of the son of a bitch in front of him. He put his 'bored' look on his face to keep from losing it.
"No, he'll be out in a minute," Hunter said with a nonchalant attitude. He turned around and hollered, "Hey Dave, the new man is here." He turned back around to Chris and nodded his head before walking off the porch. He didn't have time to deal with the regular day to day at the ranch. He had a wife to go pick up.
Chris's eyes narrowed as he watched him walk away. He knew that Hunter had originally planned on kidnapping Stephanie tonight but he didn't know what time. He had to find out more details and soon or everything that he had set up, could crumble and fall at any time.
Shane pulled back the curtain on his buggy to look out for a split second. He knew he was not expected but he didn't care. Chris had sent word a few days ago that everything was going down soon. He had to leave everything rather quickly but it had been worth it. Finally after all this time, he would have revenge on his father.
He put the curtain back in place and leaned back into the seat. He had waited a long time for this moment. He was finally going to see Vince get what was coming to him. After the years of agony and pain that his father had caused him, it was finally going to come to an end. In one way, he felt a sense of relief that it was final over. In another sense, he was surprisingly sad to see the game between him and his father come to an end.
He knew he should have sent Chris a telegraph letting him know that he was coming but at the last minute, had decided to just show up. He didn't really want Chris to know that he was there. He just wanted to be there to see it up close and personal when it was all said and done. Maybe then his family could heal and be a family once again.
Stephanie couldn't stop the feeling of dread in her stomach. Ever since she had awoken, she had felt it in the very pit of her stomach and she couldn't shake it. She knew something horrible was getting ready to happen but she had no idea what it could be. She quickly got dressed and went downstairs to find Show.
She spotted him quickly and walked over to him, "Is there something going on that I need to know about?"
"Yes ma'am, I reckon there is," Show said with an amused look on his face. "I bet you've got one of them gut feelings again, don't you?"
"Yes and you had better tell me what's going on," Stephanie said putting her hands on her hips.
"Look, all you need to know is that you've got plenty of people watching you here. Ain't nothing going to happen to you," Show said with a smile.
"If something is going on, then I need to know about it," Stephanie said with frustration. "You've always been honest with me; don't start lying to me now."
Show grabbed her by the arm gently and led her into her office. He wrapped his arms around her for a minute before sitting her down in a chair. He bent down on his knees and said, "Okay, you win. I'm only going to say this once so listen up."
J.B. unlocked the door to the bank with a smile on his face. It was a beautiful day and everything was working out nicely. Things seemed to be taking care of themselves and he couldn't have been any happier about that. The whole 'Hunter' situation seemed to be in control and was getting ready to be a lot more profitable.
He walked in his office and sat down while whistling to himself. He then quickly opened up the safe and counted the money again. A sense of relief and security came over his body. It was all there. He had had the weirdest feeling last night that something wasn't quite right at the bank but shook it off. Nothing had ever gone wrong at his bank. He grinned as he reached in to grab his envelope when he heard somebody clearing his throat.
He slowly looked up and across his desk. The shocked look on his face was quickly replaced by one of fear. He suddenly realized who the man was and why he was there. He had changed a lot since the last time he had seen him but the eyes were still the same wicked green eyes that they had always been. He had spent a lot of time and money to escape the US Marshall known as Taker. He quickly masked his emotions asking, "What in the hell you do you want?"
Taker looked at him and smiled a cold hard smile. "Why Bradshaw, I want you. I've been looking for you for a long time. You do remember me, don't you boy?" He pulled his hat off and rolled his eyes in the back of his head. He then smiled at J.B. with an evil smile while putting his hat back on his head.
Taker took great pleasure in watching J.B.'s face lose all color at the mention of a name that J.B. thought was dead and gone, never to be heard again. J.B. closed his eyes and wiped them quickly. He was smarter than this and smarter than Taker. He just had to think of the right way to handle the situation. He then quickly turned on his southern charm.
"Now you look here Taker, you and I are grown men. I'm sure that we can come up with a solution to all of this mess," J.B. said with his banker smile on wide open. "After all, I'm a very wealthy man and I can make you a wealthy man too."
"You know Bradshaw, I liked you better as the outlaw than as the banker," Taker said with a sad smile on his face. He was really disappointed in the outlaw in front of him. "At least then, I knew what to expect from you. You got cocky boy. You should have known better than to get cocky when you're a wanted man."
J.B. took his hat off letting it drop on the desk. He didn't come this far to have it all took away from him. He had lost the man more times than he cared to count. He wasn't going to lose to him now. He couldn't; J.B. was a winner, not a loser. He quickly reached for his gun under the desk only to find nothing.
"Looking for this?" Taker asked holding J.B.'s gun up for him to see. The anger on J.B.'s face let him know that the gun was indeed what he was looking for. "I figured you would be and well, I just didn't want to have to kill you for trying something stupid."
Taker got up and took pride in the look of desperation on J.B.'s face. "I've waited a long time for this boy, a real long time. I'm not going to take the privilege of watching you hang away from all the good folks who want to watch it."
"You're not taking me alive," J.B. said with determination on his face. He turned to look away from Taker as if he wasn't even there. "I'll kill myself first."
"Well, that's your choice I reckon but I'm not inclined to let you make that choice," Taker said walking up behind his desk. "I would say that this is lights out for you."
Taker quickly lifted his hand up and landed with a crushing blow on the back of J.B.'s head with the butt of the gun. J.B.'s face showed shock before his eyes closed from the knockout. Taker looked down at him and grinned. He reached behind him and got his shackles out. He quickly locked the man's hands behind him. He then reached down and lifted him up on his shoulder and carried him out of the bank for the very last time.
Vince pulled into town with the curtains pulled and a nervous twitch. Everything that he had done up to this point was for his family. His family would never believe him but it was true; everything that he had done, right or wrong, had always been done for his family.
He missed them but he knew that if anything ever happened to him, they would be taken care of. He had no doubt about that at all. He discussed everything with his attorney, Gene Okerlund, before leaving town. He knew Gene would do things just the way he wanted him to. He also knew that Gene was expensive but worth every penny.
He knew he was early, he wasn't supposed to be in town until tomorrow but he couldn't wait. He had to get the gold out of town before the government caught up to him. If he could get his hands on it and hide it again, he would be home free. He sat back and looked out the window at the saloon as he rode by it. Soon, it would be his and it would all be over.
Stephanie sat there with a bewildered look on her face. It wasn't every day that a girl got told that somebody was planning on kidnapping her. She then felt the anger start to take control. Just who in the hell did Hunter think he was? She shook her head and turned towards Show. "Okay and you were planning on telling me this when?" Stephanie said with fire in her eyes.
"Never," Show said unafraid of her temper. He knew she wasn't going to take it well and it bothered him to wait until now to tell her. He wanted to tell her last night but Chris didn't want him to. He said there was no need to make her worry about what might or might not happen. Now, he was wondering the intelligence of his decision to actually listen to Chris.
"Ok, I'm the one that's going to be kidnapped but nobody thought to warn me," Stephanie said walking around and sitting behind her desk. "Why is that?"
"Don't start Stephanie," Show said with an angry look on his face. "You know why, it was for your own safety. Besides, we've got a lot of people looking out after you. You have nothing to worry about."
Hunter walked up the hallway hearing voices coming from Stephanie's office. He had already checked the place out and there was nobody there other than Show and Stephanie. An evil grin appeared on his face. It was now or never. "Oh yes she does," Hunter said walking in quietly with a gun in his hand pointed at Show. "I'm sorry to interrupt this little moment but Stephanie, your presence is required by me right now."
Chris saw Dave walk out to the porch and smiled with a sense of relief on his face. He had to say that last night as he lay in bed; he worried about Dave changing his mind. He knew it was foolish after hearing the man talk about his family; but never having a family of his own, Chris was in the dark as to exactly how far somebody would go for their family. "Do you know when he is going to do it?"
Dave looked at Chris with regret written all over his face. He had wanted to help Chris and he felt like he was failing. Hunter was notorious for changing his mind and this time was no different. "This morning, he said it would be too hard to do at night," Dave said.
"Great, she's going to be so pissed," Chris said letting out a few ungentlemanly comments. "I knew I should have told her last night." He closed his eyes and hoped that Show was able to protect her. He also knew that he would kill Hunter if he hurt Stephanie.
"Why? So she could have worried herself sick about it all night last night. I don't think so. You done right by not telling her," Dave said with an assured look on his face. A part of him was relieved at Chris's reaction. He was half expecting of being accused of playing both sides. He wanted everybody to know that he was nothing like his family.
"Maybe, maybe not," Chris said looking out. "Where is he going to take her to?"
"There's an abandoned shack out by where we fixed the fence. He's taking her there. Dad and the minister will be waiting there. Dad just left a little while ago to get the minister," Dave said.
"Ok, I'm going to head on out there. You go to town and see if Show was able to keep Hunter from kidnapping Stephanie. You know what to do if he has," Chris said turning towards the stable to get his horse. He had to get to the shack before anybody else did. It could be the only way to save Stephanie.
Dave watched as Chris walked towards the stable. He wanted to make sure that he knew exactly whom he was dealing with. He couldn't go soft on Hunter. If he did, it would not be good for Chris, not at all. "Hey Chris," Dave hollered watching as Chris turned around and looked at him.
"Yeah?" Chris said with a look of determination on his face.
"Be careful," Dave said with a serious look on his face. "Don't hesitate to shot him, he won't hesitate to shot you."
Chris nodded his head and continued his walk. He had killed before, he didn't like it but he had done it. He knew damn well that he would kill over Stephanie without hesitation and without thought. She was the most important person in the world to him and he would be damned before he let her down.
Tajiri smiled as he saw Taker coming back to camp with J.B. laid across his stomach on his horse. He knew it wouldn't be much longer before Taker would be back. He frowned when he noticed the serious look on Taker's face; something was not right.
He quickly walked up to Taker and took the reins of J.B.'s horse. "What wrong?"
Taker had noticed how quiet the town seemed as he had walked out of the bank. His gut told him that there was something wrong but he didn't know what it was. All he knew was that he had the urge to get to saloon now. "There might be a situation going on in town where they are going to need my help. You stay here and make sure he stays put. I don't care if you have to knock him out again, don't let him loose," Taker said with a determined look.
"Ok," Tajiri said with a smile. "I do that!"
"I knew you could," Taker said with a smile. "I don't know how long I'll be but just stay put. I'll be back as quick as I can."
Tajiri nodded his head and watched as Taker took off back towards town. He didn't know what was going on but that was okay. Taker would take care of it. He always did.
Stephanie fought back the tears in her eyes. She knew that she couldn't show weakness, not at this point. She had to be strong and she had to remember that she had Chris. He would come for her; she knew that he would. She just hoped that it would be soon.
She leaned back and closed her eyes wishing the pictures would leave her mind. Show trying to protect her by getting in front of her. Hunter laughing as he shot Show without a moment's hesitation. She knew Show was still alive, Hunter only shot him in the shoulder but it was the point that he was shot and that she was the reason that was eating her up inside. After all these years of protecting her, Show had never been shot while protecting her until now.
Hunter glanced at Stephanie taking in her beauty. He had never really paid that much attention to her before but he was feeling pretty foolish for not doing so sooner. She was a very attractive woman who would give him the children his father wanted him to have. "You're awfully quiet Stephanie," Hunter said with a smirk. "I hope you stay that way after we're married.
Stephanie turned to look at Hunter with an angry look on her face. She hated him. She knew it was wrong to hate people, at least that was what her mother had taught her, but she truly hated the man sitting next to her. "I highly doubt that."
"Doubt that you'll be quiet?" Hunter questioned.
Stephanie turned and smirked at him. "No, I doubt that we will be married."
"Now sweetheart, that is just something that you are going to have to get used to," Hunter said reaching out and touched her hair. He pulled it gently thru his fingers enjoying the soft silky feel of it running thru his fingers. "I have to say that I didn't think I was the marrying type until now."
"Don't get too used to it," Stephanie said jerking her hair away from him and killing him with his eyes. "You'll regret doing this Hunter. That's my promise to you." She didn't know how or when but he would regret the day that he ever laid eyes on her.
"Oh and I'm so scared that I'm shaking in my boots," Hunter said with a grin. He bent down and grabbed her chin. "You had better get used to me being your husband because that is exactly what is going to happen." He then bent down and kissed her roughly.
He applied pressure on her chin to get her to open her mouth. He heard her moan of pain and felt like a teenage boy in a brothel house. He had not lost manly bodily functions since he was a teenager but just the sounds of this woman could make him lose them in a heartbeat. He hadn't felt that way in years and practically shoved his tongue all the way down her throat in his excitement, practically gagging Stephanie.
Stephanie fought the urge to throw up her breakfast. His tongue was practically choking her. He was nothing like Chris, nothing at all. All his kiss did was make her more determined than ever not to marry him. She was starting to get angry about the kiss when she felt one of hands fondling her breast. Now, she wasn't angry, she was pissed. She quickly bit his tongue and was rewarded with a slap across the face.
"You bitch," Hunter said. He brought his hand up and touched his tongue. When he saw the blood, he hit her across the face again. The anger felt good to him; it was an emotion that he was used to. He grabbed her by the shoulders with an evil look on his face. "Don't you ever do that again you little bitch."
Stephanie looked at him with a cold look that sent a chill down his spine. She never spoke; just looked at him. She reached up and wiped the blood from her lip. She then turned the other way so that he wouldn't see the tears on her eyes. "Help me Chris, help me," she pleaded in her mind hoping Chris could hear her.
Vince arrived at their normal meeting place on his land. He noticed that there was a horse at the old shack but didn't pay any attention to it. Being surrounded by the trees, he couldn't be seen or heard so he was feeling pretty safe.
He knew he had to act fast; he was quickly running out of time. The army knew he was involved thanks to that no good Jack Brisco but could never prove anything unless they found the gold. He smiled as he thought of how easy it was to rob the payroll from the trains. It was almost like taking candy from a baby.
He also knew that Hunter had to marry the woman that owned the saloon. His face showed his puzzlement as he tried to think of her name. He then realized that Hunter had never given him the owner's name. "Oh well," he said out loud to himself. "It doesn't matter what the hell her name is as long as he marries her."
Benoit walked into the saloon noticing the eerie silence. He quickly pulled his gun from its holster and walked around with it out in front of him. He knew that Stephanie was always downstairs by this time of day along with Show. He didn't know what was going on but he was going to find out.
He quickly but quietly walked around and heard a moan coming from the back of the saloon. He slowly walked up the hallway with his gun right in his hand. He used the gun to push the door open and walked inside.
His look of questioning was quickly replaced with one of concern. He saw Show lying there with blood on his shoulder and down his shirt. "Show!" Benoit hollered putting his gun in his holster and running over to his friend. "What in the hell happened?"
"Hunter," Show spat while grabbing his arm. "He took Stephanie." He groaned back a moan of pain. He didn't have time to deal with the pain. That no good son of a bitch Hunter had Stephanie and he had to find her. She had to be kept safe. He had made a promise to her brother years ago and he would be damned if he would break it now.
"Shit, how did it happen?" Benoit asked. He grabbed his bandana off of his neck and held it to Show's shoulder to try and stop the bleeding. Upon inspecting the wound, he realized that the bullet had gone straight through Show's shoulder. He said a silent prayer of thanks as he began to work on the shoulder of one of his closest friends.
"He came by sooner than we expected. Damn it, I had just gotten thru telling her what was going on so she could be ready for it and wham, in walks Hunter with a smirk and a gun," Show said with a look on pain on his face. He could handle the pain. It was the thought of Hunter alone with Stephanie that he couldn't stand.
Benoit quickly got the arm to quit bleeding by tying the bandana on his arm. He jumped up and ran out into the bar grabbing a bottle of whiskey. After pouring it on the wound and grimacing at Show's face, he then wrapped it again with a few pieces of cloth that were lying there on the table beside of him. Once he did that, he turned to look at Show. "Can you move?"
"Yeah," Show said slowly getting up to his feet. He finally got his balance and the anger started to take over dulling the pain in his arm to more of an ache. He gingerly moved his shoulder while thinking of all the ways that he was going to torture Hunter. "I'm going to kill that son of a bitch nice and slow."
"Only if Chris doesn't beat you to it," Benoit said with a wry grin. He seriously doubted that once Chris realized what was going on that Show would have a chance at revenge.
Dave walked into the saloon like a man on a mission. He quickly heard the voices coming from Stephanie's office and jogged towards the sound. "Show, Benoit! Are you here?"
"Back here Dave," Benoit hollered sticking his head out of the office.
Dave quickly ran to the office and stopped at the sight of blood on Show's arm. "Let me guess, Hunter has done been here and gone."
"Yip, that's about the size of it," Benoit said. "What are you doing here?"
"Trying to beat my brother down here and obviously failing," Dave said with regret on his face. "For what it is worth Show, I'm sorry."
"Don't worry about it," Show said wishing he knew what to do next. "Do you know where he has taken her?"
"Yeah and Chris is waiting for them," Dave said. "I think we should get a move on it."
Dave, Show, and Benoit walked out of Stephanie's office. They walked thru the saloon only to stop when the sight of a tall dark man filled the doorway. He pushed open his coat and showed his badge saying, "Name's Taker. I'm a friend of Chris's. I have a feeling that you guys might need some help."
Don't you just hate me right now? LOL! I have to admit, it is fun leaving a cliffhanger. (I think I might actually be getting pretty good at them.)Please take the time to review, good or bad;-)