The Stolen 15

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 Afternoon

Kitty kept silent vigil for most of the day. But besides her one glimpse of Matt that morning, she hadn't seen him since. She knew Matt was strong, and that he knew what he was doing, but it didn't stop the ache that not seeing him created.

"They ain't coming ere they?" Maggie had appeared at her side startling her.

"What? Who?" Kitty asked.

"Those you said was coming to rescue us. They ain't comin' ere they?" She asked again.

Kitty looked down into her bright green eyes and saw the fear so clearly reflected there. Kitty wanted to tell her that they were already there, but she couldn't. Matt's life as well, as her own and the other women, depended on silence.

Kitty patted the girl on the arm. "I don't know that they're not, Maggie. All I know is that you can't lose hope. We'll do what we're told to for now, but don't lose hope that someone will come."

Maggie nodded and looked down at the ground. "Yes, ma'am," she said. Kitty pulled the girl to her in a comforting embrace. "Maggie, please believe me. I don't know how but it will work out. You'll see."

Maggie hugged her tighter for a moment then turned and went back into the barn. Kitty watched her retreating back as she left then took another look around the camp. Still seeing no sign of Matt she followed Maggie.

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Tom was beginning to get concerned about his partner. He had been gone for three hours and Tom had seen no sign of him since.

Walking over to the cook fire, he reached down to get a cup of coffee, when one of Manley's men came up behind him. "Mr. Manley wants to see you." He said in a low voice.

Tom rose quickly, going for his gun, but another man was already beside him, gun at his temple. "I wouldn't do that." The man told him.

Tom pulled his hand back and his gun was removed from his holster. "Move," the man grunted.

Tom knew better than to argue. Taking one last look around for Matt, he followed the men to the shack.

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Annie stood outside the enclosure and watched the men take Dillon's friend into the shack. She had seen them drag Dillon in there earlier. She didn't fear the men giving her away, but she did fear what could happen to them.

She had been with Manley for 20 years, and she knew what he was capable of and had seen the things he did to those that crossed him.

Looking around at the gathering dark, she prayed Bob would hold off until after the auction to deal with the lawmen. Maybe by then, she could figure out a way to help them, and in doing so help herself.

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Manley stood and watched as Vern dealt yet another blow to the man sitting in one of the rickety chairs. "You gonna talk now?" Vern asked.

Tom shook his head. "Ain't…nothing….to tell you." Tom slurred. "We're….buyers from down….south…like we told you."

"Then why was your partner taking out my guards?" Manley demanded as crossed to stand in front of Tom.

"He wanted….the red head….but we didn't have enough…..money…..for her and others besides." Tom said grimacing at the pain. "He figured if he got….rid of….some of the guards….he might be able to take… a couple." Tom was fading fast and he knew it but he wanted desperately to convince these men of his story.

Vern raised his fist to strike him yet again, but Manley stopped him. "Don't waste no more energy on him Vern." Manley told him. "He's about gone, besides could be he's telling the truth."

"Could be he's lying too." Vern stated.

Manley nodded in agreement "Yeah, but at any rate we ain't gonna know till his partner over there wakes up. Once he does, we'll see what he says. In the meantime, we got an auction fixin' to start soon. Best tie him up and leave him with his partner. We'll deal with them later."

Vern didn't like it, but he knew better than to argue. Grabbing the semi conscious man by the arms, he threw him to the floor beside Matt and roughly tied his hands and feet.

"Let's get things going." Manley stated, as he headed for the door leaving the two men trussed up on the floor.

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Annie stood over her pot stirring the concoction within, until she was sure it was thoroughly mixed up. She had performed this task numerous times and she knew the exact amount of drug to mix into the pot of water. So familiar was this routine, she didn't have to concentrate on her actions, which left her mind free to think of the two men in the shack.

She had seen Bob and Vern come out of there a little while ago, and knew they wouldn't return until after the auction was over. Hopefully that would give her time to get to them.

Finished with her stirring, she carried the pot into the enclosure and along with the two guards at the gate began ladling up the brew to give to the women. Making sure the first ones to get it were the first ones to be sold. Kitty was the very first one to be handed a cup.

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Kitty stood mutely on the back of the wagon as the bidding began. She knew Matt most likely had done the best he could, but he wasn't there now, and she had resigned her self to what ever was to come.

Her future from this night on she didn't know, but she was pretty sure it wasn't going to be a pleasant one. What ever had been in the cup they had forced her to drink, was beginning to take effect and it was getting increasingly more difficult to focus on what was happening around her.

The bidding began and Kitty swayed a little, not really feeling the hand of the man behind her as he pushed her forward, so the men could get a better look. She could offer no more than a token resistance, when he reached for her blouse and tore it open, exposing her assets. But she didn't really care, Matt had left and hadn't returned, and with him was her world.

The bidding continued and through the haze that was clouding her mind, she noted that the amount was steadily increasing. "$800," she heard then "$900". The fog grew thicker and darkness was slowly encroaching. Finally she heard "$1000," as the drug finally claimed her and she heard no more. Falling backwards, she was unaware of being caught by the man behind her, or who had placed the winning bid.

TBC