Nicole dropped a crime scene marker next to the final cluster of spent shells. She jotted some notes down then waved at another one of Nedley's deputies, a lanky, dark haired young man who apparently had been pressed into service as a second photographer. In the distance she saw Wynonna hovering over Waverly. Dolls stood nearby, a phone pressed to one ear. The younger woman's face showed her devastation, and Nicole frowned.

"Ready for me?"

Nicole's gaze jerked to the deputy, holding his camera against his chest.

"Yeah, I've got four spots between here and the dumpster." She scowled. "I count nine shells within a two foot radius right here," she squinted towards the shattered front of the police station "Stood here and just emptied his clip through the window."

"Balls," the other deputy muttered, his camera clicking as he took his shots. His name plate read Fitzsimmons.

"Deputy Fitzsimmons," Nicole began.

He straightened and dropped the camera to hang on his chest, his face pained. "Fitz," he pleaded. "Please."

"Fitz," Nicole amended. "This was the last bit of evidence in this section that I could find. Need me anywhere else?"

"Don't think so, but you should probably check in with Sheriff Haught." Fitz winced. "Guy seems even more of a hard ass than Nedley."

Nicole smirked. "Yeah, but he grows on you after a while," she said.

Fitz quirked an eyebrow at her. "You know him?

She rolled her eyes. "Unfortunately. My uncle."

He paled slightly, then patted her on the shoulder. "Godspeed, Deputy."

"You're too kind."

Tommy looked up as she approached. "This is about as big a clusterfuck as I've seen," he grumbled. "Midday suicide mission on the Sheriff's office?" He shook head. "They've got some serious crazy going on around here."

Nicole nodded absently, watching Waverly again. "You have met the Earp sisters, right?"

Tommy snorted. "I suppose the town being nuts explains them some." He followed her gaze to where Waverly stood stiffly as Wynonna patted her shoulder awkwardly. Her gaze was fixed on the ground and she was hugging herself tightly. "You best get over there, Cole." He gave her a slight push. "I suspect you're needed."

She threw him a startled thanks and hurried over as best she could on her rapidly tiring legs, leaning heavily on her cane.

Waverly looked up as she saw Nicole approach, and her face crumbled as she fell into Nicole's arms, her body wracked by the sobs she had tried hard to repress. Nicole rubbed her back as she looked helplessly over at Wynonna. The bounty hunter's face was drawn, devoid of anything like her usual snark.

"Del Ray is still out there." Nicole stated flatly.

Wynonna rolled her shoulders. "Yeah. He's like a bad penny."

Nicole glared at her. "You know him, right? What is he likely to do next?"

"Fuck if I know," Wynonna replied grimly. "The guy was never exactly sane, and now he's gone into serious batshit territory."

Dolls mutters into his phone before sliding it into his pocket. "Just got word from a couple of guys watching the old trailer park. Bobo just blazed in and is kicking up hell."

"Trailer park?" Nicole asked, her brow furrowed.

"Yeah," said Wynonna. "Place we met was the outskirts of it, remember that?" She waggled her eyebrows with a grimace. "Such fond memories."

Nicole tensed at the memory of her first day in Purgatory. She did not classify it as fond. She had killed a man and would always hold some regret, though he had had little concern for any life, including his own.

"I didn't realize violently suicidal tendencies were so common around here," she growled, suddenly very glad for the comforting weight of her service weapon strapped to her thigh.

Waverly slid around to one side, her hand sliding down to grip Nicole's tightly as she looked at her sister with concern.

Dolls' expression wasn't markedly different from most days, but his stance somehow managed to convey extra alertness. "Given that he or one of his buddies just killed his lawyer, I'm not sure what his plan is, but I doubt it's rational."

Dolls' phone rang again. His dark face remained impassive save for a added set to his jaw as he listened. He grunted acknowledgement as Tommy walked up.

"Bobo just left, and about four cars worth of idiots have gone with him, all armed." He jerked around as Nedley burst through the door.

"Sheriff Haught!" he bellowed. "We've got a problem!" His face was pale as he strode over. "State Troopers report that somebody has cut down some trees and a couple of power lines at Arrow Canyon. The interstate is blocked off until they can some equipment in there, but it's gonna be a while."

Dolls frowned. "If that was Bobo he's just cut off a chance of reinforcements for us. The only other road is through the mountains…"

"And the pass is snowed in," Nedley finished with a snarl.

"And the pass is snowed in," Dolls agreed.

Tommy rubbed at his chin stubble thoughtfully. "Well, it's a good thing you know a girl who knows a girl."

Nicole groaned as he grinned at her. "Come on now, she'll love the fact you owe her a favor."

"The hell you talking about, old man?" Wynonna demanded.

Tommy clapped Nicole on the shoulder. "Her number one rival at the Sheriff's academy is now a helicopter pilot for Search and Rescue. They've got two birds big enough to fly crews to sites and what not."

Dolls' lip curled. "Or big enough to fly in some ERTs?"

"As you say, son, as you say." He slapped his cellphone against Nicole's chest. "Make the call, honey girl."

Nicole's face was beet red and she swallowed hard as she lifted the phone to her ear. She gave an apologetic look to Waverly as she stepped away, phone to her ear.

Nedley's dour face relaxed slightly. "How far away?"

"To here? A couple of hours, maybe more," Tommy said after a moment. "Unless they're out on a call…"

Nedley nodded and whistled the rest of his deputies back. "We have to assume we don't have time to wait. We don't have enough men for a full perimeter, so I want you two men at the back with the all doors sealed up and the big guns out." Nick and another man nodded and ran into the building. "Fitz, sound the weather alarm and the emergency broadcast system. No other way to tell people to hole up where they are. The rest of you," he paused, his teeth gritted in his effort to stay focused. "Get a perimeter up on this block, use tires spikes at each end and park the cruisers right in front here. Full gear for everybody. Make it fast"

A chorus of "Yes sirs!" was followed by a scramble as the deputies hurried to carry out his orders.

"Let's go," Nedley barked at the rest of them, herding them back into the building.

"What's an ERT?" Waverly asked to Dolls as they climbed the stairs.

"Emergency Response Team," he replied, his eyes scanning their surroundings carefully. "Cops trained for urban assault, hostage rescue, shit like that."

Waverly nodded absently, then leaned the other way, towards Tommy. "Why is Nicole so flustered?"

He chuckled, though he too was alert, one hand on the butt of his service weapon as he watched the streets. "Riley and Nicole were the top two in their class, neck and neck through every course. Nobody else came close. Final day of training was the last run of the obstacle course and of course Cole with those legs of hers had the advantage. However, when Riley missed the grab on the wall, Nicole ran back and boosted her over so she wouldn't fall behind any of the other cadets."

"Wow, that's awesome," Waverly beamed proudly, then frowned. "So why doesn't she want to call her friend?"

"Oh, well," Tommy blushed. "After helping Riley over Nicole landed funny and twisted her ankle. She still ran of course, but not as fast. Ended up coming in ten seconds behind Riley where she would have been a shoe in for first if she hadn't helped." He shook his head ruefully. "Riley is just enough of a punk to have teased Cole about 'losing' ever since."

Waverly's jaw dropped. "WHAT? That ungrateful little—"

"Who might be bothering you now, Miss Waverly?"

With a surprised shriek Waverly whirled to see Doc leaning against the wall behind her. A very flustered Wynonna gazed at him in shock, eyes tracking every detail: two Colt revolvers sat holstered low around slim hips now sporting tooled leather gun belts, and his ever-present cheroot sat gripped in the corner of his mouth. "It appears you all might be in need of assistance, and I am always ready to assist our fine officers of the law."

"You've got permits for those, John Henry?" Nedley demanded with a mutter.

Doc smiled winsomely. "Perhaps a conversation for another time." His hands rested on wood grips that Nicole noted in passing looked well worn. "But know that I am well versed in their use in times of need."

Waverly reached over and pushed Wynonna's mouth closed. "Stop drooling!" she hissed. "Now is not the time."

The nearby sound of roaring engines and screeching of tires interrupted anything else Nedley might have said about legalities. Without a word they all fell back behind some form of cover, guns raised. In the distance they heard the emergency siren go off, and a moment later Fitz joined them, puffing slightly.

"Is it too late to put in for a vacation day, Sheriff?" Fitz groused as he pass around his armful of Kevlar vests. "I think my grandmother is about to kick it."

There was a small explosion followed by a loud rattle of gunfire and the deputies outside backed hurriedly backed through the doors and crouched behind the sills of the shattered windows. Rowdy, who had been glued to Nicole's leg for hours, took a step forward with a deep growl in his throat.

"Steady, boy," Nicole murmured, her gun at the ready.

"Car ran over the tire spikes," reported Lonnie breathlessly. "They came out blastin'."

"Heeeey Wyyyynoooona!" bellowed a voice outside. "Come out, come out, wherever you aaaaaaaarrrrre..."

"Suck my ass, Bobo the Clown!" Wynonna bellowed in response, her eyes glinting as she glanced towards the rest of them. "I should have shot him in the balls when I had the chance."

Doc chuckled. "That's my girl."

Nedley rolled his eyes and looked over at Fitz with a sour expression. "Vacation request granted, Deputy, as long as you don't mind shooting your way out of this mess."