The Stolen 14

I don't own these characters; I just like to spend time with them. No other profit to be had.

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Friday Mid-day

Matt leaned against the back of the barn, lazily sucking on a straw and seemingly paying no attention to anything going on around him. However, he was intensely aware of everything taking place in the camp.

It was almost time to meet the woman, but he wanted to make sure his meeting was undisturbed by unexpected guests. Scanning the area around him again, he saw no one who would notice him as he slipped behind the barn. Slowly he pulled away from the decrepit structure and carefully picked his way behind it and to the small dense copse of trees.

Stepping into the cover of the foliage, he at first saw no one until the woman stepped forward. "We ain't got much time," she said. "I got some things to do afore the auction starts."

Matt looked down at her, not sure what he expected, but knowing this middle aged timid looking woman wasn't it.

"Ma'am, I need to know some things and I was told you could help me." Matt said. "I need to find a way to stop this."

"That's what I'm here fer." She answered. "I want this mess ta stop as much as you do."

Matt nodded, "good then tell me how to do that before tonight."

Annie looked sadly up at him and shook her head. "Ain't no way," she said, "too many of Bob's men here and buyers is coming in now. Unless…" she looked up hopefully, "unless you got more men than Bob has."

Matt shook his head regretfully. "We have people set to come in, but not till after the auction. I don't want to wait that long, Ma'am. I…I can't wait that long."

Annie saw the look of desperation in his eyes and rightfully knew the reason. "I know you're worried about your woman, Mr. Dillon," she said, "but if'n you got yourself kilt it wouldn't help her none."

Matt was a little surprised he knew about Kitty, until he remembered that Manley knew. "Ma'am," he took another, closer step towards her, "I need help to stop this thing. Please."

Annie could see the emotions as they played across his face. "Mister," she said sadly, "like I said, I want to hep ya. I'll tell ya what I kin but it'll be but up to you to stop it."

"I plan to, Ma'am," he responded.

Sighing she looked around her to make sure of their privacy than back up at the big man in front of her. "I kin tell ya where the guards'll be posted and I kin tell ya what's gonna happen and when, but I ain't sure that'll hep ya any."

"It'll help, Ma'am," he breathed, "it'll help."

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An hour after his meeting with Annie, Matt stood with Tom explaining what Annie had told him.

"You mean she was one of the stolen women?"

"Yeah" Matt answered "and Zeke's her son by Manley."

"I can see why she wants to stop this," Tom said, "but I don't understand why she's not tried anything before now."

"Well, she said she couldn't with out help, couldn't get away from Manley. She wasn't sure what to do, until Zeke agreed to help her."

"Well that explains things about he,r but not what you're planning. I don't like that at all, Matt," Tom said. "Risk is too high."

"I know, Tom" Matt said trying to keep the irritation out of his voice. "And I also know it's about the only thing we can do. Now I know Proctor planned for us to just monitor things in here and 'gather' information until the troops come in, but that's not enough. While we're standing around, Manley will be subjecting those women to…to…well I'm not going to stand by and watch it happen."

Tom understood. Even if the red head weren't there, the Matt Dillon that Tom knew, could never be easy with standing by and watching bad things happen, if he could stop them. Taking a deep breath, Tom looked back up at his tall friend. "I ain't saying I won't help you, Matt. I will, but it ain't gonna be easy."

"Yeah, well, that's why they pay us so well, huh?" Matt asked with an attempt at humor.

Tom shook his head and followed Matt as he walked away.

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Matt crept up silently behind the guard, pausing only when the man turned his head slightly. Taking a quick glance around him, he raised his gun butt and brought it down on the back of the man's head. He had now taken out 3 of Manley's men. Though there were many more to go, he was happy at the prospect of doing something, anything besides sitting and watching.

Looking back down towards the camp, he saw Tom out by the barn, keeping an eye on Kitty and generally making sure he was noticed, so as to detract from Matt's absence. Taking a quick glance inside the yard, he spotted Kitty standing by the barn, hands on hips and looking for all the world like a lost little girl.

So entranced by the sight of her was he, that he didn't hear the man come up behind him. And he didn't feel anything, until a sharp pain exploded in the back of his skull.

"Ain't sure what his story is, but we best take him back to Manley and let him sort it out." Vern said.

"Yeah, reckon so." Cliff said as he reached down and assisted his partner in lifting the man and carrying him back to camp.

TBC