Voices in the air
The bounty hunter in black stood up and laid a hand on Pony, who side stepped and pulled at his reins snorting.
The man dressed in black raised his gun. "Say goodbye, Tanner."
The sound of hoof beats travelled across the open space and an excited whoop rang out "Chris? That you?" Buck was riding hard to the cluster of bushes, scrub and boulders where he could see Chris standing near his horse and Vin approaching steadily on his.
In the fraction of the second that the eyes flicked towards Buck, a shot rang out hitting the man in black through the heart.
Buck pulled up, his gun at the ready looking around and saw the black coat and hatted figure on the ground and stared at Vin. Seeing no one else, he galloped towards Chris. Vin pulled up on his horse, leaping off his horse Buck ran over to Chris' body on the ground.
"Sweet Lord, what's happened now?" he cried as he saw the blood seeping into the earth. Buck looked around; there was no one else except them and the three guns. With a roar Buck stepped up to Vin, pulled him off Peso and slugged him hard.
"You bastard you shot Chris!"
Vin fell back against his horse, spat out blood and a tooth and grinned- it was the rotten one that was bothering him.
"What the fuck are you laughing at? Chris is dead! I can't believe things could get so bad between you! I don't understand..? What..?" Buck was struggling to grasp what he saw.
"No, it ain't Chris."
"What!"
Still spitting blood Vin followed Buck and kicked the gun away –Chris's he noted-automatically even though he knew the man was dead. He looked around trying to spot where Chris might be and if they were in time.
Buck lifted the familiar hat off the face; it wasn't Chris – just like Vin said.
"What the hell is going on around here?" he cursed, but glad all the same that it wasn't his old friend.
The dead man was wearing Chris' duster and gun belt along with the hat and had Pony.
"Don't know Buck, but we need to find Chris fast."
Buck agreed. No way would he willingly give up his possessions. Dammit but this was too soon after the Jericho hellhole.
Vin searched the mans pockets for papers and found his own wanted poster.
Damn, not again. All this because of him, Buck would hate this. Angrily he crumbled it up and put it in his pocket to use for fire fuel another time.
"What was that?"
"Wanted poster"
"Of Chris?"
"No"
"Oh…You? Another bounty hunter…. is that what this is? "said Buck angrily, still fighting the despair he felt a moment ago when he thought Vin had killed Chris.
"Looks that way. Chris can't be far, he called out to me." Vin said looking at the campsite. He untied Pony, who immediately began nosing round some bushes to one side. Buck and Vin hurried over, spotting the dark clad legs at the same time. As they turned Chris over he began to come to, bucking slightly.
"Quick, he's choking!" Buck ripped off the gag and tugged the smelly cloth in his mouth free. Chris desperately sucked in vital air, coughing before groaning and lying back. "Vin! " he croaked. Buck went for a canteen of water so he could wash his mouth out and then have a drink. Vin cut the ropes round his hands and feet.
Vin and Buck looked at him, one eyed, battered and bloody - a hostage of fate once again. Buck lifted Chris's head up and let him drink. He was so thirsty and he choked a little, struggling for air and trying to sit up all at once.
"It's okay Chris. He didn't get Vin. We're here."
"Oh, God." He groaned, curling up as Vin washed away the blood and dirt from his face.
"What's the matter?"
"Side feels like he cut me or somethin'. Bastard kicked me."
Hurriedly they unbuttoned his waistcoat and shirt.
"Nothin' here 'cept some new bruises and where you got hurt before. That what hurts Chris?" Vin asked.
Chris nodded. Vin put a hand on the healing scar and pressed down lightly.
Chris yelled, cursing and ground out "Don't fuckin' do that again!"
"Don't worry I ain't," promised a shocked Vin. Buck washed his sweaty face again and gave him some more water. They let him be for a second and stood off to one side.
"Don't like this. His belly was hard. Don't know what it is, but we need to get 'im back to Nathan, "said Vin looking worried.
"It's the wrong side to be that operation where they need to cut something outta you. Came across that when I was a Sheriff year or so back. But it don't look good."
"Okay. So lets go now." urged Vin.
"No argument from me. Chris is tough, must be bad for him to yell like that. It ain't just his ribs or the black eye, though they've gotta hurt too."
They turned back to Chris, who was lying on his side, eyes tight shut against the pain in his belly. "You know…who this …scum is?" Chris asked slowly, hearing them come closer.
"Nope."
"Me neither," said Buck, deciding it was high time he retrieved Chris's things off the body and did so.
"Mrs Quince..." gasped Chris suddenly gathering his scrambled thoughts together.
Vin turned around from untying Pony "She meeting this guy? We need to worry?"
"No!…dead….s'okay….sorry for everythin' …"
The angry hurtful words and the smouldering ashes of a cracked friendship disappeared. Vin's only concern now was getting Chris back to town in time and hoping that Nathan could fix him.
Buck tidied up the camp area while Vin looked for the bounty hunter's horse. After some minutes he came back with it and he and Buck loaded the hunter into it. Could be he was wanted for something and they'd all share the reward. Hopefully this was the end of it, with Mrs Quince dead too, if Chris was right. Which he most likely was, Vin reckoned.
"Chris?" Vin said crouching down and touching Chris's arm. One working eye sluggishly opened.
"We goin'?"
"Yup."
"Good." Chris nodded his agreement and began to gather himself to sit upright. Vin and Buck looked at each other, worried by Chris's lack of debate, and carefully helped him up.
They pulled Chris upright although he remained hunched over guarding his side. Pony stayed still as they pushed and pulled Chris onto his horse. Buck and Vin set off immediately, flanking their battered leader once more.
Vin and Buck set as fast a pace as they thought Chris could manage, though he didn't utter one word to them either way. They were still an hour or so from home when Vin called out "Buck!" and he turned to see Vin steadying Chris's limp form over Pony's neck.
"Don't like this Buck. He's too damn hot"
"I'll ride ahead. You'd best give Chris a hand, you're a bit lighter than me…"ordered Buck
Vin nodded and began to do so; the last thing Buck saw was Vin trying to get Chris to drink some water.
Back in Four Corners a man rode into town, tall, well dressed but not too dandified and of sharp demeanour. He looked around him with interest at the people and establishments of the town. People glanced at him wondering at his business when he did not stop at the boarding house or saloon but the sheriff's office instead. But since the town was under the protection more people passed time there than before.
Inside, JD hurriedly took his feet off the desk as the man walked in, slapping trail dust off his hat and clothes.
"Morning. Can I help you?"
"I'm looking for a Larabee, Chris Larabee?"
"He's out of town right now. I can take a message."
"Do you know where he is or when he is due to return to these parts?"
"Uh, not exactly. Who wants to know?" asked JD worried this was some fancy shooter after Chris, but then he saw the man had no gun. Still, Buck had told him time after time not to go blurting out other people's business…
"I understood him to be peace keeper of the town and you don't know where he is? Seems a little lax…"
"Hey, Mister I don't know you and we take our job seriously here so don't be saying things you know nothing about."
"Hold on son. I'm not here to cause a disturbance. I just need to talk to him. I've got time I can wait a while."
"Well I guess that'd be okay." JD said grudgingly.
"If you're with Larabee, are the others in town at all? Maybe… Wilmington or Tanner? Maybe you were there as well?"
"No, sorry. They're busy right now. Where are we supposed to have been…? You didn't give your name…" JD asked warily
"No I didn't did I? It's Lucius Marric. Perhaps I should explain, a relative of mine was incarcerated in some terrible prison. Jericho."
"That hell hole!"
"You know it?"
"Sure, not going to forget that place in a hurry."
"Neither am I. My brother was there, wrongly convicted…"
"Sorry to hear that but we didn't mess with the prisoners, just the warden and guards…."
"By the time word got out after you had turned the place around my brother…was gone... I'm just looking to say thanks. If there's anything I can do in return- I'm a doctor."
"Oh, Nathan'd be interested in talking to you if you've the time. He's our doctor, says he just a healer but he's more than that."
"Alright. Can you recommend a reputable boarding house and what's the saloon like?"
With a grin, JD steered him to the saloon. As far as he could tell the man seemed to be who he said he was, but Nathan Josiah and Ezra would be able to tell if not. Besides he spoke fancy like Ezra and he'd be glad to talk to him.
Early next morning Lucius was sitting with Nathan in his clinic quite unbothered by the color of his skin and the basic nature of the room.
Simmons the prison doctor had told Lucius about the men who had freed the camp of the tyranny under the warden and guards and released the innocent men. Now that he'd met four of them he could only wonder at the diverse nature and disparate experience these men had and how they worked together.
Little of big city social cruelty was present here living on the edge of the frontier. Well, to be sure there were lapses but…he looked forward to meeting the other men especially Larabee. Seemed he was a tough but fair man. A man with a dark cloud but who had made a stand for himself and others in this backwater town. But a clever man too.
Lucius admired their close brotherhood, quick to mock but even quicker to defend an absent friend.
In return for their hospitality, Nathan insisted that Lucius check his gunshot wound. Jackson asked a dozen questions about healing and what it was like to be a real doctor.
"You do yourself a disservice. From what I see and hear you are no sawbones or leech grubber…it's only more schooling and a piece of paper that says you aren't a doctor, this town and its people are fortunate to have you."
"Thank you, that means a lot to me. Been hard sometimes. Not everybody is as clear sighted about ma setting bones and such. That's how we met. Chris and Vin saved me from a lynching party…"
"Good lord."
"Well, someone was looking out fo' me that day. We came together to save a Seminole village and we stayed on under the Judge's jurisdiction. In return I patch them up when life gets little interesting."
"I can see that the Jericho incident hasn't been the only interesting event to befall you!"
They both laughed -the sound of a galloping horse and yelling stopping the moment. Nathan got up and carefully looked out over the balcony into the brief silence.
"Buck! You're back, what's up?"
"Chris. He's bad -don't know what's wrong. Vin's just behind me comin' in with him. Thought I'd ride ahead check you were here and get the water on and stuff." Buck gasped.
"He get shot?"
"No. A little beat up but nothing we can see. Something's wrong inside…"
Nathan ducked back inside thinking hard as he sorted out herbs and water. Lucius watched a familiar routine going on. A few minutes later more horses, panicked words and loud heavy steps up the step signalled the arrival of the injured man. Lucius was going to meet Larabee at last.