Authors Note: this STILL ISN"T the end, I have a couple more chapters, sorry it took so long, my computer crashed we had a virus had to get a new computer, save all my files, finally got the cast of my finger (that hurt a lot) so everything is good now.

Hope you like.

Chapter 14

The Most Dangerous Game

"So what's your plan, Charley?"

Charles didn't respond at first, "It's dangerous, but….her it is…"

Hawkeye bit back a cry of pain as the boot connected again with his already sore ribs. He moaned and went limp in the chain. He almost instantly regretted that, pain seared through every part of his body, mostly his wrists were the chains had rubbed them raw and his neck where the chains had caught off his breath.

"Give up yet, Benny boy?"

Hawkeye coughed, a trail of blood dripping down his chin from his split lip, "no,"

"This is actually quite funny, doctor, you're so good at saving people, yet….you can't even save yourself."

"Sir, we found something," a guard said rushing in, Jackson saw the panicked look on Hawkeye's face, "bring them in,"

"Get your grimy hands off me!" a familiar voice said. Hawkeye began struggling, it was Charles.

Charles and BJ were pushed into the middle of the room.

"Charles Emerson Winchester, if I presume," Jackson said.

"The III if you please, nice to meet you Mr. Jackson, this my partner BJ Hunnicutt," Charles extended his hand and they shook, Jackson somewhat confused, "now I heard you had new slave stock, I thought you might be interested in doing some business,"

Margaret balked, "are they insane?" she hissed at Potter, "they're going to get themselves killed,"

"Quiet Margaret, I think they know what they are doing….at least….I hope they do,"

"Business?"

"Of course!" BJ said, "Slave trades here and there, buying off each other,"

"Hunnicutt," Charles snapped, "excuse my partner, he is a little over enthusiastic,"

"Oh course, but I'm still a little confused. Aren't you friends with my captive here,"

"Don't be absurd," Charles said, "you know just as well as I that our…business…isn't looked upon as highly as most, it's just an act m'dear," BJ looked over to Hawkeye and their eyes met, "just an act," Hawkeye nodded slightly.

"You traitorous bastards," Hawkeye hissed, they all turned to stair at him. He fought the chains viciously, his eyes wild with fury, "is there anyone else I should know about who is in on this? Or is just you two, filth?"

"Guards….quiet him."

A guard unlatched the chain around his through revealing nasty bruises and raw skin and hit him hard in the head, knocking him out.

BJ flinched lightly but covered it quickly with a smirk, "you're awfully easy one him…he would have had a terrible beating if we was a slave of the people we sell too,"

Jackson smiled, "of course,"

"Colonel, do you think Hawkeye really though they betrayed him?"

"I don't know…but if he didn't believe them that was one hello of an acting job,"

BJ and Charles were soon seated in another room waiting for Jackson's arrival.

The room was almost welcoming, a merry fire place; a fire already burning – three comfortable chairs, the walls were wooden decorated with pictures of children.

"I wonder who they are," BJ said quietly still trying to get the image of the broken unconscious Hawkeye out of his head.

"They're my slaves, all the ones I've sold, bought, you name it…" Jackson said walking into the room, watching BJ study the room with a wary eye.

"Here is your…friend," Jackson handed them a black and white picture, "ten years old, 3 days after his mother died." Hawkeye was young, sweet and innocent, but looked sad at the same time. His hair was longer, about to his ears; strands fell in front of his eyes giving him a haunted look a small smile played on his lips. His arms were wrapped around a short pony; his face half buried in the animals neck.

"Cute kid," BJ said, smirking sadistically, or trying to at least.

"Indeed," Charles said glancing at the picture…he looked sick. Both of them had mentally come to the same conclusion…Hawkeye, a long time ago, but at one point, was a slave.

Margaret and Potter were watching the unconscious Hawkeye impatiently, "where are they?" Margaret whispered, "Where are the guards?"

Colonel smiled gently, "let's go,"

"What?"

"You want to rescue him don't you?"

"Well…yes but"

"Then let's go, no guards, no Jackson, it's an open opportunity"

Margaret stared at him, "you're insane,"

"I'm as crazy as a bucking' bronco, more reason to go, no cowboy would bother with me,"

Hawkeye was slowly coming back to reality, he was in pain…everywhere. And on top of the physical pain was something he was oh so familiar with…the felling of defeat. Charles and BJ were trying to save him, but Jackson would see right through them. Margaret…he didn't even know where she was, probably long gone…or dead.

He didn't eve know if BJ and Charles were trying to save him, for all he know they could really be slave traders and that look with BJ was just another act, like they said, trying to get to him or the orphan kids or something.

"Hawkeye," a soft female voice said, she sounded like his mother. A cool hand pressed to his forehead, "he's burning up, probably from shock, we have to get him out of here," it could be his mother, the accent is gone.

"Come on," another voice said, this one low and gruff. A moment later, the chains around his arms were undone and he fell to the ground in a crumpled heap.

"Good thing we got the key off those guards, we would never have gotten him out," that was the woman, she sounded so familiar but he couldn't figure out from where. He tried to open his eyes to look at the savior but it was blurry, and it hurt too much. He felt arms wrap around his shoulders and he cried out, that hurt.

Margaret instantly regretted touching him, he flinched at the contact.

"Colonel, will he make it?"

"I don't know, we need to get him out of here,"

Charles and BJ smiled, "it's a done deal then, 500 dollars for the slave Benjamin Franklin Pierce,"

"Done," Jackson said, smiling, he was slightly disappointed that he wasn't going to get to watch his slave die, but that's what happens when you're a slave dealer. He knew Hawkeye was going to die either way. The poison that was on the end of the dagger was already seeping into his body, causing hallucinations. They would have a hell of a time trying to heal him. Jackson smiled at the fake slave traders. Yes he knew this was a plan, that wasn't working, they had no chance, even if they got Hawkeye to safety. He was going to die either way.

TBC

End of Chapter 14

Don't worry it isn't over yet.