DEAD/ALIVE - Chapter Twenty Seven
Dan Dority had taken the only source of light when he left, leaving the room in total blackness, except for a small sliver of light from under the door from the oil lamp in the hallway.
"Joanie?" Kid whispered, his voice quaking in rage and grief.
There was no answer for a long moment.
"Joanie?!"
"I'm..I'm okay." There was no hiding the pain in her voice. Kid and Heyes knew she was lying.
She tried to pull her bound legs closer to her chest for added warmth. She was freezing and getting colder.
"Honey…I promise we'll get you out of here. It will be…"
What was he going to say…okay? How could he change what had happened to her? In frustration he began fighting against the ropes.
Heyes knew Kid was lost in his grief and anger. He had to remain calm, Heyes allowed himself to go to that place in his mind where he was focused on a single task, the outside distractions faded away. It was cold in the room that appeared to be part of a warehouse, and getting colder by the minute. He could feel a strong wind well above his head blow in from at least more than one broken window. Heyes could rock himself to a sitting position from his side but that was as far as the tether allowed. his hands were tied so tightly, fighting had been futile. it could feel numbness start in his fingers, so he wiggled them trying to keep the numbness from spreading. Heyes pushed the pain from his raw and bloodied wrists away. His pants were tucked into his boots as he commonly wore them. Maybe he could pull his feet free of the boots and the rope that bound his feet. He began working the boots against each other. He had worked his right heel up in his boot and felt the rope loosen as the pressure lessened. Heyes kicked his legs back and forth and finally slipped one foot free of the bindings and his boot then the other foot. With his feet free, he explored the debris that lay scattered around. There had to be glass somewhere. It was a slow process. He finally found a suitable piece buried under some wood that he managed to kick away. Heyes' slowly worked it towards him. Once he got it close, he threw himself on his side and with his bound hands inched his fingers towards it. It took a number of attempts before he got a good grip
Heyes began blindly working the glass against his ropes. He had to be careful and focused, every slip resulted in a cut. If his hands became too bloody, it would be too slick to hold the glass. This was their only hope. Heyes grunted and sucked in a quick breath as the glass slipped and cut him again. It seemed like eternity, when he felt one of the outer strands of rope break free and the painful pressure on his bound hands loosen. He intentionally cut himself, allowing the blood to act as a lubricant so he could slip his hands free.
"I'm free." Heyes said breathlessly.
"Hurry Heyes." Kid pleaded.
Once free, Heyes blindly felt for his boots and slipped them on before cautiously moving towards Joanie through the darkness.
"Talk to me Joanie."
"I…I'm…he..here, Joshua." Joanie's voice sounded weak, and her teeth chattered as she let Heyes know where she was. His foot bumped into her as he quickly knelt, slipped his jacket off and covered Joanie with his jacket. His heart was pounding so hard, his injured head exploded with every beat.
Heyes stumbled away from Joanie and moved towards Kid. He wiped his hands repeatedly on his pants, trying to dry the blood so he could untie his partner. It was a slow process, too slow. He expected Dan to come through the door at any minute. Kid struggles against the rope had only resulted in tightening the restraints and making untying him more difficult. Heyes dug his fingers carefully through some debris and grabbed a long nail from the floor. He worked the nail between the strands of rope and pulled trying to loosen them. He finally managed to loosen enough to work Kid' hands free. Once free, Kid immediately untied his feet and scrambled towards Joanie. Heyes was already untying her feet as Kid seated beside her, worked on her bound hands.
Free from her restraints with a whimper and a sob Joanie climbed into Kid's lap and clung to him. Kid pulled Heyes' jacket tightly around her and hugged her.
"Windows too high. The door is the only way out." Heyes said as he pressed an ear to it, straining to hear any sound from the other side.
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"Wang says there have been some gweilo hanging around an abandoned warehouse by the pier the last couple days. He has seen five or six men…Hasn't seen any woman, but ain't been watching all day and night."
Soapy lowered the binoculars. His instinct told him something wasn't right. There appeared to be a faint glow of light coming through a window at the far end of the warehouse.
Soapy felt a growing urgency and desperation, after finding Joanie's bloody muff, Kid's gun in the alley and a bloodied towel in the Parker House's washroom. All Soapy's sources had come up empty; even with the large amount of money offered for any information. This had been their only lead and there was no time to waste.
"Let's go." Soapy said as he started towards the building.
"Sir, you don't need…Sir." Charles' protests fell on deaf ears. He motioned the other men towards various areas around the warehouse, then quickly hurried to catch up with Soapy.
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The man Charles sent to check out the warehouse quietly and carefully looked through the grimy window. He flashed five fingers, then one and patted his hip.
Six men.
Armed.
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The man who had a crude bandage wrapped awkwardly around his head, trying to protect his injured ear asked Dan:
"What time we loading them on the train with those cows?"
Dan stretched his legs out and pulled his watch to look at it.
"Needs to be before sun comes up. I'd say 'bout an hour."
The man shifted his feet, "Wouldn't mind having another taste of that whore, before we leave with them. Seems only fair, since I'll be babysitting them in that cattle car. Going get mighty cold. Need to warm myself up." The man said, laughing at his joke.
"Suppose it wouldn't hurt nothing, if you be quick about it. You're right, it is going to be a long trip. Might take me a quick poke too."
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"Someone's coming." Heyes urgently whispered as he moved to the side of the door, knowing he would be concealed once the door opened. Kid who had been standing by the other side, backed away and pushed Joanie to safety behind him.
The footsteps became louder and louder, then finally stopped. The door creaked open as the man entered. He immediately turned towards the wall, located the hook and hung the oil lantern. "I'll be needing another poke, whore", he said almost gleefully before he turned and found himself face to face with Kid. The man's eyes widened in surprise and terror. He didn't have time to cry out before Kid grabbed him roughly by his jacket and slapped a hand across his mouth before slamming him into the wall. Heyes had grabbed the man's gun from his holster and placed the barrel against his head.
"Not a word." Heyes warned.
Kid slowly dropped his hand away from the man's mouth and held it out for the gun. Heyes' eyes met Kid's; he hesitated before he passed the gun to him.
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Dan flew out of the chair in a rage when he heard the gunshot.
"That dumb son of a bitch. I'm going to kill him! Alive! I told that dumb fuck alive!"
The other men jumped up to follow, but decided against it, not wanting to be witness to Dan's rage.
Dan stormed down the partially lit hallway to the room, yanking the door open before the cold barrel of a gun was shoved in his face.
"I told you I was going to kill you." Kid hissed.
The look on Dan's face when Kid shoved the gun in his face was initially one of surprise, that quickly evaporated into the stark realization that he was going to die. He had failed Al again. This death was going to be a lot quicker than the one Al would have had planned had he returned empty handed and disappointed him a second time. He looked Kid straight in the eyes and smiled. He mouthed the word "Joanie" and puckered his lips in a kiss.
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Soapy's face contorted in pain when he heard the two gunshots; one and then another several minutes later. He cursed his old legs as he hurried towards the warehouse with gun in hand. Charles grabbed his employer by the arm and held him back.
"Sir…Wait. It's not safe."
He motioned for the other men to enter.
"Please Sir…Wait."
Soapy met Charles' eyes and reluctantly nodded. Charles moved quickly and cautiously towards the warehouse.
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They heard the men talking and laughing in the warehouse.
"Sounds like Dan just killed that dumb son of a bitch."
"Wonder if he got his poke in before…"
"Died with a smile on his face…although that was the quickest–."
The man stopped and scrambled to his feet with the other men as the door flew open and seven armed men rushed in.
"Put your weapons down now. Now!"
The men slowly lowered their weapons and reluctantly raised their hands.
"Anyone else here?" Charles asked.
The men, one by one, shook their heads.
Charles walked to the closest man and pressed the gun to his head.
"You might want to rethink your answer."
Nervous eyes looked at the other men.
"Man that hired us…"
"Where is he?"
The man carefully lowered his arm enough to point out the far door. Charles nodded his head to several men, who immediately broke away and moved towards the door.
"Anyone else here?"
The man looked nervous, and started to shake his head when Charles struck the man with the gun. The man yelped in pain, "Two men and a woman." He gasped out. "But we didn't do nothing to them. Especially to that woman. We didn't take her like them other two."
Soapy was standing in the doorway and heard the man's comment. He let out a cry of pain and rage.
"Get them out of my sight! Take care of it!"
The men nodded and forced the men through the door.
Charles and Soapy moved to where the two men watched the door, each posted on each side with their guns drawn and ready.
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Soapy was growing increasingly anxious as they waited. It felt like an hour when it was mere minutes.
Not hearing any sound the men carefully opened the door, and paused.
"HEYES!" Soapy yelled. "KID! JOANIE!"
Charles started to open his mouth to caution him, when he heard someone call out.
It was Heyes.
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Heyes opened the door armed with Dan's gun gingerly in his cut hand. Kid's gun was also trained on the door, waiting for the others to burst through it. They waited and waited. Heyes pressed his head to the door. There were no sounds of anyone approaching. He gave Kid a perplexed look. They must have heard the gunshots. Where were they?
Suddenly they heard a familiar voice.
Soapy.
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Heyes shifted the gun to his other hand and opened the door as he stepped over Dan's body. Kid slipped the gun in his waistband, wrapped Joanie tightly in Heyes' and his jacket before picking her up and lifting her over Dan's body, carrying her through the door. She quickly looked down at Dan, then pressed her face into Kid's shoulder.
Soapy couldn't hide his horror when he saw their beaten and battered bodies.. He rushed to Heyes and laid a hand on his arm before moving on to Kid and Joanie.
Joanie lifted her head off of Kid's shoulder and managed a weak smile.
"Doctor. She needs a doctor." Kid urgently said.
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SOAPY'S MANSION
Heyes awkwardly eased his battered body slowly into the water. He hesitated, as the soapy water stung his wounds. Kid had refused a bath, insisting on waiting to hear word on Joanie's condition.
It gave Heyes time to reflect on his partner. He knew the moment he passed him the gun, he was going to change his cousin's life. Heyes hadn't felt he had a choice; any argument would have fallen on deaf ears. He couldn't blame Kid, if two men needed to die for what they had done, it was those two.
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Joanie had wanted to bathe, and scrub herself clean from the assaults. Rosita had helped her bathe as best she could. There were tears in her eyes as she carefully and slowly moved the wet cloth over Joanie's damaged body. She helped her slip into a clean nightgown and pulled back the heavy warm bed covers and helped her under them.
Rosita reached out a gentle hand, and brushed it across Joanie's cheek .
"Oh mi hija."
There was a timid knock at the door. Joanie took Rosita's hand and squeezed it.
"Stay. Please stay."
Rosita nodded and crossed to let the doctor in.
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Everyone gathered outside Joanie's bedroom door and waited for the doctor to come out. It seemed like an eternity before the door opened. There was deep sadness in the doctor's eyes and face when he stepped out.
Anxious eyes waited to hear the doctor's prognosis.
"She is resting. Gave her some painkillers. She needs a lot of rest to let her body…heal." The doctor had stumbled on the word as he quickly pushed the image of her damaged body away. The assault had been very brutal.
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"Your turn son," the doctor said to Kid after he finished putting the final stitches in Heyes' right hand and wrapped it.
Kid shook his head. He wanted to feel the pain. He deserved it. He had brought this evil to Joanie, and for that he could never forgive himself.
Heyes looked at Kid, then sadly shook his head. He knew there was no point in arguing with him.
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Joanie woke the next morning to find Kid in the chair beside her bed. He was awake but looked exhausted, battered and dirty. Seeing her awake, Kid quickly knelt by her bed and reached a hand out to her. She pulled a hand out from under the blankets and took his.
Kid placed a cheek on their clasped hands then lifted his head. There were tears in his eyes.
"I'm sorry…I'm so sorry Joanie. It's my fault this happened."
"How can it be your fault? I don't understand." Joanie said weakly with a perplexed look on her face.
"We should have known better." Kid said talking more to himself than to her.
"Thaddeus you aren't making sense."
"Because...because of what we did to Al."
"Al?...Swearengen?" Joanie's brow knit with confusion.
"We burned him down."
"I don't understand."
Kid released her hand and stood up. He started pacing back and forth in the room.
"We burned him down." Kid's voice got louder and more angry. "Burned the Gem down and all that son of bitch's money."
"When?" Joanie asked in a horrified whisper.
"After we came back from taking Jane to Cincinnati. Heyes and me riding all the way back to Deadwood and neither one of us was smart enough to figure out that Al would come after us for what we were about to do…thinking we were even after he tried to kill us. This might not be the end but only the beginning."
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Author's Note: A big thank you to readers who have continued to follow this tale. It was never my intention for this story to be posted so slowly, but real life has a way of getting in the way of my imaginary life.
A "gweilo" is slang for white men
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