Destiny's Cycle: Twelve, Page | 5

"Up on the Roof"

It was an exhausted, dirt-covered pair of outlaws that signaled when they approached the Devil's Hole Pass. However, when they neared Lookout Rock, a lanky man in a stained, fringed, deerskin shirt appeared leveling a Sharps rifle. "Outsiders ain't wanted here, go on and turn them horses around!"

The pair of leaders raised their heads in unison, their brows furrowing over narrowed eyes, with several sharp replies coming to Hannibal Heyes' mind, but before he selected one, Kid Curry said, "Ledford, what are you doing here?"

The man must have been Ledford, because he stepped closer to the edge, squinting with an unsure look.

"You join up with the Devil's Hole?"

A strange, befuddled look came to the man's angular face, "Well, now—"

Curry shook his head, "Why are you on watch when you can't make out anything more than a few rods from you?"

A frown creased Ledford's face, accenting how underfed he was, "Who the hell are you?"

"Exactly my point," Curry replied, pushing his hat, so it fell down his back, to dangle on its stampede strings. "Kid Curry."

"Oh!" came the sharp, surprised exclamation, the frown disappearing, and Ledford lowering the Sharps. "Well, hello, Kid, long time no see. Suppose that 'd be Heyes with you?"

"It is on both accounts." Curry looked to his partner and under his breath, said, "Sam Ledford, met him when we were each riding on our own."

Heyes nodded, his eyes still on the man, "You really as blind as Kid says?"

"See right fine, up close and face to face."

"So, who put you on Lookout?"

"Wheat says, we are all to have our turn out here on the Rock."

Heyes' mouth turned down, his dimples grooving his face when he looked to his partner, "and, you said, he'd be fine to leave in charge." Kicking his horse, he tugged angrily at the three extra ponies after him.

"Well, Ledford, its good to see you, and I expect you will be replaced out here, right soon," Curry called, waving to the man, and gigging his horse after his partner.

Coming into Devils Hole, Heyes smiled, despite his anger, 'feels good to be home.'

The first member of his gang he came across was Kyle, "Howdee Heyes! Mighty good to see you. Is…" the scruffy, small built man, leaned out looking beyond his leader, "yup, there's, Kid."

"Good to see you, too, Kyle," Heyes replied, undallying the horses from his saddle horn. "Would you see to this line?"

"Woo wee, that sure is a pretty lil' speckled gray."

"You can have her; she and I are not on the best of terms."

"Why's that?"

"Another time." Heyes grunted, taking off his hat, and shaking his bangs back, he returned the silver-studded black hat to his head, and when he looked to Kyle, his eyes held fierceness, "Where's Wheat?"

Shifting, Kyle peevishly eyed Heyes, "Wheat in trouble?"

Through gritted teeth, Heyes growled, "Where is he?"

Kyle gulped and then quickly spit a stream of tobacco juice, "Ya only just got back."

"I comprehend that Kyle, now where is Wheat!?"

Turning toward the hideout, Kyle pointed toward the bunkhouse, "He, Hank, and Lobo is repairin' shingles."

Heyes flicked the reins so sharp across his sorrel's rump, the horse took off with a snort, and when they reached the end of the bunkhouse; Heyes kicked the ladder leaning there to the ground.

Hearing the clatter, Wheat's head snapped up, "Hank, go see what's happed."

"I'd rather speak to you, Wheat Carlson." Heyes hollered, pulling his Schofield, releasing a shot in the air, that cracked and echoed off the surrounding valley. "Really, I'd like to see all your shining faces."

Pulling up, a little back from his partner, Curry sighed, removing his right glove, and situating his self ready in the saddle.

Preacher, Merkle, Kane, and Harper came up from the garden patch. Red and Olly emerged from the stable, Kyle meandered closer, Carl and Hardcase walked in from the creek, while a paunchy, dark-haired, older man appeared in the bunkhouse door holding a broom with Hoyle just behind him. And, of course, Wheat, Lobo, and Hank peered down from the roof.

Curry's eyes moved across the men, keeping count, "Where's is Shields and Monahan?"

Pushing past the new, unknown gang member, Hoyle said, "They went to town."

"What's this all about, Heyes?" Wheat demanded, moving to hook his thumbs on his holster belt, and when he missed, his eyes flicked to the broken tree limb his, Hank, and Lobo's holsters were hanging, by the corner of the roof.

"I left you in charge, 'cause you're always bragging on how smart you are."

Wheat's chest started to expand like a Banty rooster, but with a twitch of his mustache, it deflated, "I'm takin' you ain't complimenting me."

"No, I ain't! What kind of addle brain leaves a blind man on guard?"

Wheat looked to Lobo, who shrugged and then to Hank, who stammered, "Ledford's blind?"

Coming closer, Kyle put in, "By golly, I ain't seen 'em run into nuthin', he sure does well for a blind man."

"Kyle, don't help!" Heyes snapped. "He can't see distance."

Wheat replied, "He saw well enough to let you and Kid in."

Scrunching his shoulders, Heyes went to jerk off his hat, and feeling the weight of his revolver, still in his hand, he raised it toward Wheat.

The three men's faces, up on the roof, blanched with Hank and Lobo edging from their pal, and Wheat yelping, "Here now, Heyes, we ain't ARMED!"

"I realize that, and I wouldn't shoot you, Wheat… well, maybe... no, I wouldn't shoot you. But, if you were down here, I sure as hell would use this to flatten you."

Wheat's Adams' apple visibly jumped, "Why you so upset?"

"You want to explain it to him, Kid?" Heyes replied, shoving the Schofield in his holster and swinging to the ground.

"Think you're doing fine, partner."

"Thanks, Kid."

In a clipped, cheerful tone, Curry responded, "you're welcome." Both his tone and wide smile were not lost on his partner, each of them doing their job of rankling Heyes a bit more.

"Wheat the prime responsibility of a leader…" Heyes gestured to the men around them, "is to watch over his men, to guard them against harm and you… you assigned a man who can't see distance to Lookout. How in the hell is he to warn of danger, when he can't tell a posse from Pronghorns passing through… if he can even see that much?"

Running a hand down his sweaty, shirt front, Wheat mumbled, "I see the problem now."

Heyes snapped, "You do?!" Spreading his legs, he planted his hands on his hips, "Do you really?!"

"Yes."

"What I see, is I made a poor choice, leaving you in charge during my absence," Heyes shouted, snagging his horse's reins and turning toward the stable yard. "Olly, go relieve Ledford."

"Uhm, Heyes, the ladder."

Flinging a look back, Heyes snarled, "Use your so-called smarts to get down." His dark eyes slid across his gang members, "and that doesn't include any of you assisting." A sinister smile lit up his face when his eyes snapped back to Wheat, "A leader ought to be able to get himself out of a difficulty. So, let us all see you lead Hank and Lobo down."

Turning his horse after Heyes, Curry hopped down beside him, laughingly asking, "how you going to be sure, he doesn't get…" Curry nodded toward Kyle, staring up at Wheat, "….or any of the others to help him."

At his laughter, the muscles around Heyes' eyes tightened, "that would be why you are going to watch them."

"Me?"

Heyes nodded, walking on to the stables.

Pacing him, Curry asked, "Why me?"

"Because your Head of Security."

Curry's scratched the side of his nose, "you aren't still holding that river crossing against me?"

"I did say, we could cross further up and avoid the water."

"I was right, it wasn't that deep."

Heyes' eyes slid snakelike to his partner, "this time, you best keep that laughter I see on your face… inside."

"Water didn't hurt you none."

"Says the man who crossed without a getting wet," Heyes answered, throwing a hateful glare to the speckled gray horse standing, relaxed, with one leg hitched up. "Damn mare twisted around faster than one of them Wichita Can-Can dancers, and for I could jerk her up, she was down, and rolling in the water like a fat pig."

A snorting laugh burst past Curry's lips, but at the look, his partner turned on him, he swallowed it, "think you might be, in a worse mood than before I suggested we take some time off."

"Can't imagine why." Heyes started walking again, "Had myself a swell time in Kansas." Flipping his reins around a paddock fence, he set to unsaddling his horse. "And, you can also speak with Ledford and that other new one…. figure out if they are worth keeping or not." Throwing his saddle on the fence, he removed his saddlebags, turning toward the leader's cabin.

"While I am doing all this, what are you going to do?"

"Finding myself some peace and quiet.