Freshly shaven, Heyes and Curry returned to the camp. Jack was stirring a pot of stew simmering on the fire. Heyes sat down on a log nearby, stretching his long legs, while the Kid checked his holster.

Heyes took a look around. "Where's Delilah?"

"At the doctor's with Billy. Boy's gettin' better treatment there."

"Ah." Heyes nodded.

They sat quiet; Jack stirring the stew. Every now and then he threw a quick glance towards the boys.

Heyes observed him for a while and then asked, "What's changed?"

"Nothin'."

"I know that look. You know, don't you?"

"Know what?"

"Who we are," Heyes pointed out, his dark-brown eyes fixed on the younger man.

"Who are you?"

Kid Curry blinked at Jack leisurely. "Don't try playin' games with us. Joshua's better at it, anyway."

"You mean Hannibal Heyes?" Jack thrust the ladle into the pot, stood and started pacing about the camp, restlessly.

The ex-outlaws exchanged a meaningful glance.

"So, Racine's here. And you met him." Heyes reclined and crossed his ankles. Only silence answered him, so he continued, "C'mon, I'm not stupid. You can be frank with us. You expected him. He knows me – and you didn't."

As Jack merely tilted his head and kept silent, Heyes added, "If Racine knows I'm here, he might get ideas I can't agree with, and I know you expect trouble from him, too. I suggest we work together as it seems we're pretty much in the same spot."

"No! No, we're not in the same spot!" Jack shot back. "I paid my dues! And I mended my ways!"

"And so did we!" Heyes countered, sitting up straight and lifting his chin. "We made a deal we're not able to talk about. Got out of the business almost two years ago."

"You did? But you're still wanted?" Jack stopped his pacing and stared at Heyes in disbelief.

Heyes grimaced in mock pain. "That's the not so good part of the deal. And you know how hard it is to change one's way and lead an honest life, anyway. Must be even harder for a man like you, having a family. Though you're lucky to have someone like Delilah."

"Yes, I am. She's a blessin'." A quick smile flashed over Jack's face, and his look lost its focus. "She's been a good girl. Decent." Jack lowered his eyes, then looked up again, and straightened his shoulders. "I did bad things in the past, things I'm not proud of. People got hurt. I didn't mind. But then Billy happened, and everythin' changed. It's not that I've changed somehow, I decided to make a change, leave my old ways. It's a decision to be made day by day by day! Despite the temptation!"

Jack paused, aggravated, and Heyes nodded slowly before the young man continued.

"And now there's you two and Racine to worry about!"

"Us? Why'd you worry about us? I just told you we went straight!" Heyes stood up to face Jack, now irritated himself. Curry also stood and shifted behind his partner.

"And you expect me to just believe the word of one of the most notorious outlaws in the West?! The one known for his silver tongue and cons?!" Jack snarled with bared teeth and flashing eyes.

Heyes bristled. "We believe you! And you were once on the same side we used to be on!"

Jack met the eyes of the ex-outlaw leader and returned his gaze. Eventually, he looked away, turned and forced himself to sit back down again. He picked up a stick and started poking the embers, stirring up the flames in front as he tamed those inside of him. He was completely calm again, when he admitted, "I guess you've got a point…"

Both Heyes and Curry sat back in their previous spots as well.

Heyes tried to bring the tension down. "So, about Racine. I met him a few times in the past. Can't say I've missed him. Who is he to you?"

"Old friend. Old partner. Ran together for a while as teens. Didn't work out when things got rough. I shot a man. Went to trial. Went to jail. When I got out things were not the same anymore between us. One of his jobs blew up and they locked him away. That's about it. Now he's after me. He's been after all of the boys, lookin' for money, tryin' to get even."

Heyes pulled up his legs and leaned slightly forward, his face expectant. "And the money is...?"

"There is no money." Jack's voice was adamant. "Gave me time, 'till noon tomorrow, waitin' for me to pay him. Which I can't. Though, if you know him..."

"Yeah, things will get ugly soon either way," Heyes confirmed. "Can't let it go without someone getting hurt."

"I can't endanger my son," Jack declared calmly. "I'm goin' to face down Racine. It's the only way to keep them safe."

"You can't do that," Heyes told him. "He's a murderer and don't mind more blood on his hands. There won't be such a thing as a fair fight."

"You think I don't know that?!" Jack busted out, his eyes blazing. "What else can I do? Wait 'till he comes? Gets me? Gets them? You think I'll let this happen?"

"No, you wouldn't," Heyes replied.

"Only over your dead body," Kid Curry added, his voice calm and his words emphasized.

"And it's likely you'll end up with your face in the dirt. He's a decent shot and he's ruthless," Heyes continued. "I don't know about your skills, but even if you best him, you'll have to stand trial."

Jack raised his chin slightly, his eyes hard, radiating steely determination.

"Don't waste your stubbornness on us, Jack," Heyes replied, unaffected. "I'm used to dealing with worse. Thaddeus is a master in that department and can out-stubborn you any given day."

Kid Curry shot him the look but remained silent.

Jack's eyes grew darker and his jaws tightened even more. "I've been in jail before. I can do it again, as long as I know they are safe."

"You think they can make it without you?" The Kid lifted his brows, then cocked his head slightly. "Billy, sick and at a young age, Delilah pretty and with no means and protection? They need you. They need you to live! They need you to be with them and care for them. You can't just walk out on those you love no matter what." He exchanged a quick glance and a brief smile with his partner.

Insecurity crept into Jack's bright eyes, his determination visibly cracking, then shattering to pieces. He dropped his eyes, and his shoulders sagged. His voice was gravelly when he spoke again. "No matter how fast or far you're runnin', you can't outrun your past. It follows you like a shadow, ready to catch up with you at any time. Catch up with you when you least expect it and bring you down."

"That's about it," Heyes replied softly. "Unless you stop running, turn around and face your demons. Then it's you in control; you deciding about the time and place. Manipulation of the variables can change the result."

"That easy, huh? Control a mad dog like Racine?"

"Control the situation!" Heyes told him. "You know what he wants and where he's going to be."

"Yeah, and I wanted to call him out and take him out once and for all. Somethin' that you don't approve of. And I am not goin' to gamble on their safety!" Jack's eyes darted towards town.

"Oh, you're going to take him out," Heyes cracked a bright smile, "and keep your family safe – but with finesse."

"Finesse? One for big words, huh? A lot to ask from one man runnin' out of time."

"Ah, there's where you went wrong." Heyes' smile deepened. "We've got all the time we need. And you're not going to be alone."

Kid Curry smiled too, shifting his weight to his other leg. "Nobody's gonna harm your wife and son."

Jack frowned. "How can you be so sure?"

"'Cause I'm a genius, and he's pretty good with that gun of his." Heyes beamed at him. "Racine needs to be stopped or a lot more of innocent people will die." Heyes stood and started pacing. "Say… how would you like to get your friend captured by the local sheriff, and get the bounty on Racine? Earn yourself the town's favor and trust, so you can finally use your own name and settle down?"

"The full package?"

"The full package!"

"I've heard you're smart, but I didn't know you can do miracles." Jack's suspicion was more than obvious.

Heyes laughed. "Oh, you don't need a miracle, just an ingenious plan. You know, I've got some sort of reputation." Heyes' dark-brown eyes twinkled. "There's a reason why I'm famous."

"Notorious," Kid Curry offered.

"...just like my partner here."

"Famous it is." The blond ex-outlaw agreed and leaned back a bit.

"But what about you?" Jack steered the conversation back to the topic at hand. "What'll you get out of this game?"

"Avoiding trouble and keeping that deal of ours safe. We'll vanish into thin air. Nobody needs to know about our involvement. I've got it all figured out."

Jack watched Heyes thoughtfully. After a while he nodded. "Alright. Alright, I'll trust you. How do we do it?"

"That's easy! You'll go to the Sheriff and tell him you recognized someone. Stay with the truth as close as you can. Honesty is a strong weapon, because it's impossible to disprove! Go to Racine. Talk to him. Get him to talk. You need him to confess about prison and murder, while the sheriff overhears it."

"I got that, but why would he do a fool thing like that?"

"Jack, Racine's hoping for the money! It's you in control. If you make him believe you're the only one hearing him, why would he deny he's been there?"

"What makes you think Racine wouldn't just gun me down first thing he learns I'm empty-handed… and gun down anyone else in sight while he's at it?"

"You gotta keep him unclear about the situation for as long as possible." Heyes was in his element now, underlining his plan with wide gestures and expressive facial expressions. "When Racine sees you and wants to know where his money is, ask Racine if that was the only reason he broke out of prison. Whether he answers yes or no won't matter because either way, he'll be admitting he was incarcerated. If his answer is yes, then obviously he's admitting it then. If he says no, he's admitting that 'no, it's not the only reason', still saying in a roundabout way that he was in prison and escaped. He can't know we'll have the sheriff hidden in earshot."

Jack's eyes lit up, and he nodded. "Yeah. Yeah, I see... could work as long as he doesn't smell a rat."

"There's always unknown variables and events that could come up. Distract him. Let him wrap his mind around something else. And you better keep an extra revolver hidden behind your back in case he takes your gun from your holster. But keep it calm. Don't shoot Racine unless absolutely necessary in self-defense. Me and Thaddeus will be there in case you need us and have Racine covered."

"Believe me, I've learned my lesson and won't kill easily again. How will you know when you've got to step in?"

"C'mon, we've got experience. I'm not dumb, and Thaddeus can definitely tell when a man is about to draw, even from a distance. He's been facing down more than enough men and can read the body language fairly well."

Jack turned to the curly blond. "So, you are Kid Curry?"

The blond gunslinger adjusted his stance. "What would a name change for you? I'll be there in case you need me."

"How can I trust a man I don't know nothin' about? A man with his gun hand hurt. What if you're not as fast as you claim or as good at your aim?"

Kid Curry squared his shoulders and started to rise.

Heyes laid a hand on his partner's arm. "Keep it calm, partner. Knowing Racine's reputation, he likes to terrify his victims as much as possible before he kills them. That gives us plenty of time to stop him in case something goes downhill. Thaddeus doesn't have to draw and his weapon will be on Racine all the time. It'll be like slicing cake." Heyes eyes started sparkling. "First thing is to get the sheriff on your side and involved in capturing Racine. We'll be visiting the sheriff's office next morning to convince him to help."

"So, you're comin' with me?"

"Yup, just in case. I'll back your story up and talk him into it, if necessary."

Jack nodded. "Alright then, we do it your way. We'll go to the sheriff and get things goin'." He smiled briefly, but his eyes stayed serious. "I'll do whatever necessary to keep Delilah and Billy safe."

-o-o-o-

With Jack taking the first watch again, Heyes and Curry settled in for the night.

"Do you think he's been honest with us?" Kid Curry asked his partner, trying to find a more comfortable position to sleep.

"I don't know. There's something he's not telling us. Some missing piece. Why would Racine tell him who we are?"

"Because of the money?"

"Yeah, I wouldn't put it past him to force Jack into blackmailing us into a robbery or something. But he didn't even hint into this direction."

"Maybe he wasn't into it? Being honest becomes somewhat of a habit over time."

"I don't know, Kid. I think we're missing something here. So, what're we going to do?"

"I think we should keep helpin' them with your plan."

"Figured you were going to say that." Heyes sighed but smiled briefly. "Alright. But we stay alert around Jack, and I'll keep him busy, so he's got no chance to try anything fancy."

"Sounds good to me."

"And you're not going to the Sheriff with us but get into position early. Distributes the risk, so to say, and gives us more room for maneuver." Heyes rubbed his chin. "Are you really well enough to play your part?"

Kid nodded. "I'm doin' much better now, and I'll be on the roof where I have support for my rifle. I don't have to draw or depend on speed in case you need me."

"Yeah, and fortunately you're not too bad with a rifle."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence! I recall bein' good enough in the past. Ask that mountain lion who was gonna eat you alive..."

"I never said you couldn't; just that you're not as good with a rifle as you are with your Colt." Heyes grinned. "But you're not likely to shoot anyway; Jack will handle things with Racine on the street. And I'll be close by, backing him up."

"Still it might get risky. What if you've got to step forward and Racine starts pointing his finger at you?"

"If he starts blurting out the truth, I only have to deny it, tell a nice tale instead of how we met once and he's trying to get back at me. And you'll be there to keep an eye on things, too." Heyes beamed him his most brilliant smile.

"Heyes, I don't like it. I don't like it one bit. If that's the best of your plans, it's about time we get retired."