Ch 1

Cody and Jimmy made their way into Saddle Falls. They checked with the express office and the return pouch would not be ready until the next morning.

"What ya say Jimmy? Let's have some fun."

"Cody, fun with you always gets us in trouble. No thanks."

"Come on, what you gonna do? Sleep?"

"Now that sounds like a plan if I ever heard one."

"Really? Jimmy come on." Whined Cody

Jimmy looked up at the sky and groaned.

"Come on. Pleeeeaaaaaassssseeee."

"Fine. But we get a room first."

"Deal. I knew ya really wanted to go all along."

"Whatever you say."

They made their way over to the hotel and got some rooms for the night. Cody reluctantly agreed to let Jimmy rest for a few before heading out.

Two hours later, Jimmy woke to a hard knocking on his door. Groaning he rolled over.

"Jimmy? You awake? Come on."

Jimmy thought if he stayed quiet that the problem would go away but it didn't. It only got more annoying.

"Jimmy? Come on. Please. You gave me your word. It's time. Jimmy?"

Jimmy stood and opened the door.

"My God Cody. Can you be any more of a pain in my ass?"

"I thought you had died in there. Let's go, times wastin."

"My sleep is getting wasted." Mumbled Jimmy as he put on his hat to follow Cody downstairs.

Cody and Jimmy made their way over to the saloon. They went up to the bar. They ordered some food and drinks. After eating, Cody looked at Jimmy smiling.

"So what you want to do now?"

"Reckon since I'm here, I'm going to play a few."

"I'm going to see who I can see."

"Whatever." Jimmy mumbled as he made his way over to a table.

Jimmy kept his eye on Cody as he played a few hands. Cody usually had a knack for letting things get out of hand or taking it too far. As the night wore on, the saloon got crowded. Jimmy lost sight of Cody. He was tired and ready to go to sleep. He excused himself and pushed through the crowd looking for him. He found him talking to some saloon girl in the corner.

"Cody."

Cody kept talking while she was laughing.

"Damnit Cody!"

He finally looked at Jimmy.

"What?"

"I'm going to sleep. You coming?"

"Already? It's just getting started. Stay a while."

"No. It's time. We got a ride in the morning. You come on."

"Well I ain't ready yet as you can see." Cody turned back to his new friend.

"You been drinking Cody?!"

"Maybe."

"Cody! I ain't wanting to deal with your shit tonight."

"Alright, maybe a little. Look Miss... what's your name?"

"Alana." The girl giggled.

"Miss Alana paid for em."

"Well you damn well know we can't do that. Tell Miss Alana bye." Jimmy said as he walked closer to Cody.

Jimmy stood right in front of him now staring at him. Alana looked over her shoulder and motioned to another girl. The girl pushed some man away and walked over to them. She put her hands on Jimmy's chest.

"This is Scarlett. Why don't you join Cody and I?" Purred Alana.

Jimmy grabbed the girl's hands and pushed them off of him.

"No thank you. We best be going, right Cody?"

"Aw, come on Jimmy. Scarlett looks like she likes you."

Scarlett pushed herself up against Jimmy smiling. Jimmy looked down at her trying to step around. Cody was already back talking to his lady friend. Jimmy sighed as Scarlett grabbed onto his arm. He poked Cody in his shoulder to get his attention.

"We are going! Now!"

"Alright, alright. Geeze. Just let me finish this one."

Cody went to tip back his last shot when Jimmy knocked it out of his hand. It hit the bar and whiskey splattered on Alana and the man beside her. The man stood and turned to Cody.

"What the fuck? You dumb son of a bitch." The man said as he towered over Cody.

Another man walked over, staring at Scarlett.

"You think I ain't good enough for ya. Ya can just throw me aside for that young feller." He grabbed her arm and pulled her back against him.

She tried to push away. He slapped her then jerked her back to him. Jimmy stepped up to the man. Scarlett stepped behind him.

"Ya know that it just ain't right to hit a woman."

The other man was now pushing against Cody. Cody was just laughing. The two women stood up and huddled back behind the bar. Jimmy thought better of starting a fight. He decided against it. He took a breath.

"Look we ain't got to do this. We were just leaving, right Cody?"

"Speak for yourself." Laughed Cody.

"Apologize to me boy and buy my next round." The man said to Cody.

"Like hell." Snorted Cody.

Jimmy groaned. He knew he should have just stayed asleep.

Just then, the man pushed Cody. Cody fell to the floor still laughing. Jimmy looked at Cody in disbelief. The man picked Cody up and pulled him to his face.

The other man pushed Jimmy back. Jimmy stood his ground. He put his hands up. He could see Cody would be no help. He had to get them out of here.

"Mister, we were just leaving. Let me get him and we'll go."

"What are ya boy, a scared pussy? Ya ain't got no right being in here in the first place."

Jimmy's face turned a deep red but he tried again to not make a move. He gritted his teeth.

"Cody, come on. Let's go."

"Ya ain't leaving. Ya think ya can come in here and do what ya want. I don't think so boy."

Jimmy went to grab Cody. The man holding Cody swung at him. Cody ducked and he hit Jimmy square in the nose.

"Fuck! Cody!" Jimmy yelled holding his nose.

Cody started laughing again. The man pushed Cody against the bar. The other man saw Jimmy already bleeding. He threw another punch. Jimmy blocked it and hit him in the face. He pushed against the man until he fell to the ground. Jimmy got on top of him and hit him several times. He turned back to Cody and the other man. The man hit Cody and was trying to choke him. The fight had started spreading through the saloon by now. Jimmy pushed through the chaos trying to get to Cody. He was almost there, when someone grabbed him around his neck and pulled him to the ground. Some man he didn't know punched him in the gut twice before he was pulled off of him by another man. Jimmy got to his feet and started pushing his way through again. Another man backed into him, knocking him into another fellow. That man punched Jimmy a few times before he hit him and knocked the man out. Stepping over the man, Jimmy scanned the bar for Cody. He looked and didn't see him anywhere. A big woman blocked his view. He stepped to the side. The man that had him was now fighting with someone else. Jimmy looked around. Suddenly shots were fired at the door. He heard the Marshal yelling above the noise. Men starting leaving through doors and windows. Jimmy still didn't see Cody. The Marshal was getting closer. Jimmy had no choice, he jumped out the window following some of the crowd. He looked around. He was in the alley beside the saloon. He turned to walk to the street when everything went black.