The kid rode watching the ground, like one of his bullets he zeroed in on the tracks and followed relentlessly. The heat was forgotten as Kid thought up what he would do to the men who took his cousin.
Heyes came around and found himself tied to a chair in a library, looking around he found he was alone. He looked around the obvious expensive room, and saw that the room was beginning to darken, as he could see the shades of a colorful sunset outside the open window.
Fire burned inside his body, his side was on fire, and each breath he took made it worse. Now he remembered, he had been shot. Kid! What had happened to him? Where was he? Heyes looked around the room, but saw no body lying on the floor. Did they kill him? If they did, he would kill the ones who did, even if it took his last moment on earth to do it.
The ropes pulled at his arms and he felt his stomach roll, turning his head towards the right side of the chair, he threw up. The door opened at the sound, and a tall muscular cowboy came into the room, his gun drawn. He looked at Heyes as the dark haired outlaw turned away from the mess, and laid his head back against the wall behind him.
"Mister Marlow isn't going to like that, you messin up his floor."
Heyes did not even open his eyes. "Too bad, his carpet is ruined too, and this chair. Cut me lose and I will leave before I mess up anything else."
"Do you take me for stupid?"
Heyes just smiled a slow smile, as the world again faded out. The cowboy turned and walked out of the room, shutting the door behind him. He had to report this.
88888888888
Heyes woke again hours later, opening his dark expressive eyes he saw the room was lit up and heard the sounds of movements in a leather chair. He looked around and his eyes met the man who sat at the desk. The older man, with the steel grey hair, and ice blue eyes glared at him.
"It's about time you woke up."
"Do you always make your guest sleep in chairs?" The old man looked at Heyes, and took out a cigar from a wooden box from his desk, cut the end off, and put the cigar in his mouth and lit it. Heyes watched him.
"You are not my guest, and you have a smart mouth on you boy."
"I try. Where is my friend?"
"Don't know, and don't care. Dead probably, my men left him out in the desert." Heyes eyes turned black with anger, and his eyes bore into the old man, with a promise of retribution. He had to get out of here, and find the Kid.
"Guess you want to know why you are here?"
"Well it would help pass the time, so why am I here?" The old man smiled a cold smile, and puffed on his cigar, blowing the smoke towards Heyes.
"You are here for two reasons….one you robbed my private train about two years ago."
"And the second reason?"
"It's the reason I didn't just kill you straight off. You are starting a new life, and you will work for me, live here and…"
"I rob you and now you want to hire me?"
"Shut up, and listen. You have someone else to thank for you being alive. If you want to stay that way, you will do what is expected of you."
"And that is?"
At that moment, the door opened and a beautiful young woman of around nineteen walked in. She was well dressed, and she turned and looked at him. She reached out and touched his cheek, and he pulled away.
"It's all right, Hannibal, father isn't going to hurt you."
"Not going to hurt me? He already has." The girl looked at him seeing the blood, and turned to her father and pointed at Heyes.
"Father, you promised he wouldn't be hurt, and he is bleeding to death. Get a doctor for him. He's no good to me dead."
"I have sent for a doctor, and he is on his way here now. I was just telling the boy why he is here."
"I am sorry about you being hurt, I never wanted that. You will like it here."
"I am sorry Miss, but I am not staying here."
"My name is Jennifer, and soon to be your wife."
Heyes stared at her, and wondered if when he fell off his horse he had hit his head, and was dreaming. Had she said they were getting married?
"I don't even know you, I'm sure I would have remembered. Why would you want to marry me?" She ran a hand through his hair.
"You do know me, a year ago we met. Two drunken cowboys in a town were accosting me and you rescued me. So gallant you were, like a knight in shining armor.
"Ah lady, a simple thank you would have worked nicely. Then I could be on my way."
"You don't understand Hannibal, I fell in love with you that day. Father wasn't very happy about that, and you either marry me and settle down or Father hangs you."
