Old rivals, new friends
By RocketFAN
Chapter 3: Shake, rattle and roll!
"You've been in here since yesterday?" James asked Butch and Cassidy in surprise.
"We hope it's only been since yesterday," Cassidy said quietly.
"Why don't you just go back the way you came?" Jessie asked them.
"Because we don't know what way we came!" Butch yelled back.
"Chill out, froggy. Luckily, James and I remember the way out," Jessie said with a rather evil grin.
"And why would you help us?" Cassidy asked coldly.
"Well, normally we wouldn't. But since the fate of an innocent little baby is involved, we will this time," Jessie replied sweetly while placing her hand gently on Cassidy's stomach.
"Jessie, are you feeling all right?" Cassidy asked her, shocked at her compassion.
"Fine. I may be evil, but I'm not heartless. Let's go, it was this way!" She replied while shining the flashlight ahead. Cassidy looked at Butch who looked at James. James just shrugged his shoulders and followed Jessie.
"We came down this way," Jessie said while following the dark passage. The four of them gasped as the ground beneath them began to shake violently. The walls of the cave started crumbling while the floor beneath where James and Butch were standing suddenly gave way, causing both of them to fall a couple dozen feet below.
"James!" Jessie shouted as she tried to grab James' arm before he fell, but was too late.
"Butch, are you okay?" Cassidy shouted down the hole the earthquake had caused the guy's to fall down.
"Uh... I think so! Luckily something broke my fall!" Butch shouted back up.
"What?" Cassidy asked him curiously.
"Me!" James said weakly.
"Are you all right, James?" Jessie asked her partner sympathetically.
"He's fine, aren't you?" Butch replied while helping James to his feet and whacking him on the back.
"How do we get back up?" James asked the girls who were about 30 feet above them.
"I don't know. Maybe we can come down there," Cassidy suggested.
"No, it's too dangerous for you, Cass," Butch replied firmly.
"Aw, your already a good daddy," Jessie told him in a teasing tone..
"What makes you think it's mine," Butch replied as he felt himself blushing. It was too dark for Jessie to notice, but not James.
"Oh, by the way your face is turning red is a good giveaway," James taunted him playfully.
"Look, can we focus on how we're going to get out of here?" Cassidy chimed in, trying to change the subject.
"Okay," Jessie agreed while still smiling from the previous conversation. "Cassidy and I will look around up here to see if there is a safer way down. You guy's try to find a way up," Jessie suggested to James and Butch.
"Sounds like a plan," Butch admitted softly. "Be careful, Cassidy!" He shouted up to his partner.
"I'll take good care of her," Jessie said sort of faux sweetly while taking Cassidy's arm and heading down the passage.
"Good luck!" James said as he and Butch headed down the lower passage.