I DO NOT OWN HATFIELDS AND MCCOYS.

Tug River Valley, Around the same time.

While Johnse and Roseanna were having their honeymoon in Oregon, Jed and the McCoys were readying themselves to go after Billie Jo Preston. As he prepared to leave his home, Alifair set lil Randall down and held onto her husband.

"What if ya die Jed?" she asked fearfully. Alifair loved Jed dearly and he her. She could not survive being a widow.

"I ain't doing this to die, my Alifair." Jed reminded her. "I'm doin this ta stay alive. Billie Jo ain't never gonna stop till he's stopped. Alifair cried as she kissed her husband deeply.

"Kill that snake." She ordered.

"For you." He promised as he went and kissed his son goodbye.

McCoy Main House

They had all met at the crack of dawn at the McCoy main house as planned. As Jed arrived, he saw the all the boys were packed and ready for a fight. Tolbert, Pharmer, Bud, Calvin, and Jim were all on horseback and brandishing rifles and pistols. Randall was leading the charge and Perry Cline was there to make it all look legal.

"Well Jed, we was starting ta think that ya wouldn't show." Tolbert teased as Jed shook his head.

"Shut it Tolbert, ya know Jed wouldn't miss this." Calvin chided as Randall rode in front of the boys.

"My sons," the McCoy patriarch announced. "Should you meet resistance n' more likely n' not, ya will...use no more force then is necessary ta prevail. We are not infidels like the Prestons or the Hatfields, we embody the law!"

"HELL YES!" Tolbert roared.

"We gonna strike down that demon Billie Jo!" Calvin yelled.

"The McCoys will have their day at last!" Pharmer agreed.

"Let us pray," Randall commanded as everyone removed their hats and bowed their heads and closed their eyes. "Dear Lord, may ya be wit us taday and bless our endeavours, amen."

"God see us safely and Preston dead." Jim added. Once the prayer had ended, Jed, Perry, and the McCoys put their hats back on and waited for Randall's command.

"LET'S RIDE!" McCoy shouted as the family posses galloped off into the woods in search of their enemy.

Edge of McCoy lands

Jed and the McCoys rode out to the edge of the property to find that Misty had been right. Within view of Floyd Hatfield's farm, Billie Jo and his posse of 5 had camped. Luckily, they were still sleeping. Jed advised that stealth was the best option. The McCoys gently dismounted and snuck over to the encampment. Billie Jo and his gang woke up to the sight of guns in their faces.

"William Joseph Preston, by the authority of governor Simon Buckner of the state of Kentucky," Perry explained. "You and your posse are under arrest for the ghastly murders of Elizabeth "Betty" Blankenship, Parris McCoy and his brother Samuel "Squirrel-hunting Sam" McCoy. We are to take you to Pikeville and hand you over to Sheriff Maynard's custody until ya'll go to trial."

"Well, ain't you a sweet smelling dandy!" Billie Jo spat as he sat up. "Ya think i's scared o' you. Ya'll ain't worth spit."

"Shut yer trap, ya filthy Preston!" Tolbert exclaimed.

"May I at least be allowed to stand up lawyer Cline?" the murderer asked.

"Ya may." Perry nodded as Billie Jo rose up like an old man with sore joints. This was only a ruse however as one of his posse men whipped out a Colt and got a shot off.

"AH!" Bud shouted as he took a bullet to the arm.

"BUD!" Pharmer shouted as Randall stood in front of his wounded son.

"I'm gonna kill ya fer shooting my brother!" Tolbert roared as he pulled out his own pistol and shot the man point blank in the face. Before anyone knew what was happening, the arrest turned into a massive shootout. Every ran for cover as they emptied their guns. After 15 minutes, the smoke finally cleared. On the McCoy side, Bud had taken a bullet to the arm, Calvin had been grazed by a shot and a round had passed straight through Pharmer. As for the Preston posse, 3 men had been killed and the other 2 had been shot more than once.

"A miracle if they live ta trial." Calvin remarked as Jed looked around the campsite. Fear suddenly gripped his heart.

"He ain't here!" he cried out as the McCoys and Cline turned to him.

"Who ain't here Jed?" Randall inquired.

"Billie Jo!" Jed clarified. "He ain't here, he's gone n' so's his horse."

"Chicken shit!" Tolber growled. "Must've lit out when the shooting started like the yellow belly that he is!"

"Tolbert, Jim, you go out there and you find that heathen." Ol' Randall ordered. "Don't even worry 'bout bringing him in alive, he's a mad dog, just put him down."

"We'll kill him poppy." Jim vowed as he and Tolbert saddled their steads and rode off in search of Billie Jo.

WITH BILLIE JO PRESTON STILL ON THE LOOSE, NO ONE IS SAFE. REVIEWS NEEDED AND APPRECIATED.