"Nice of you to rejoin us, Mr. Gordon. You are making this most difficult for me," Loveless said, "It would make things go much smoother for me if you would just stay with me."
"Sorry to dis…disappoint you," Artemus slurred, "Untie me and let me have a crack at Voltaire for a while that'll help me stay conscious," Artie glared at him.
"You amaze me, Mr. Gordon. You have endured beating after beating and yet you still fight, you are still stubborn and you still find strength to be bothersome."
"Uncle Sam trains only the best and brightest, shorty," Artie did his best to grin.
"Shorty? How dare you!" Miguelito fumed, "Mr. Gordon, I would have expected that of Mr. West, not you."
"I guess James is rubbing off on me. Now, can we dispense with all the pleasantries and just get down to brass tacks?"
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Why don't you stop making mince meat out of me long enough to tell me the real reason why you're doing this."
"The real reason, Mr. Gordon? Revenge isn't enough for you?" Loveless spat.
"Dr. Miguelito Loveless never does anything strictly out of revenge. If that were the case you would have had Jim and I killed off a long time ago."
"That does have some truth to it. I am sure there are many foes you have vanquished at one time or another that would pay handsomely for your demise."
"Wait, are you trying to tell me that you're being paid to do this?" Artie's head snapped up and he stared at Loveless.
"I am not TRYING to tell you, Mr. Gordon, I AM telling you," he giggled.
"Oh so the puppet has a master. I don't suppose it would do any good to ask who?" Artie queried.
"No, it wouldn't do you any good at all."
"No? Well, it was worth a shot. How about if I ask if James made his appearance yet?"
"Mr. Gordon, you would know if your partner were here. He would be right beside you enjoying himself as much as you are."
"Oh yeah I'm just having a barrel of fun here."
"I have been a bit remiss in my duties as a host during our conversation, Mr. Gordon. I bet you are dying to find out what fun and games I have planned for you this time." Loveless tried to read Artemus' face.
"No not really. I don't really care what you do to me at this point," he sighed.
"Oh pooh, I had hoped your spirit wouldn't have been crushed quite so soon. This is not good, not good at all," Loveless pouted.
"Oh my spirit isn't broken, Loveless, just my body. Actually I'm just bored with your silly little games. Don't you have anything in your bag of tricks that's not so cliché or played out?" Loveless contemplated him for a moment.
"You know my dear Artemus, I believe that I just might be able to accommodate you. But since my hands are not well suited for the task I'm afraid I'll have to have Voltaire complete this part but rest assured I'll be right here to supervise."
"Oh that's a comforting thought. Okay, Loveless, bring it on so we can get this over with."
Artemus' eyes bulged when he saw Voltaire step up to the table with a filet knife in his hand. Voltaire had an evil grin on his face. Artemus tried to move away but he was securely tied town. Under Loveless' direction, Voltaire cut away the buttons from Artie's shirt. Loveless cringed at the sight of the cuts and bruises. He waved Voltaire away as he examined Artemus' chest, looking for just the right spot. He finally found the spot he was looking for and pointed it out to Voltaire.
"I think this spot here should be a sufficient spot, Voltaire. Now, remember what I told you, don't dig, you just slide the knife across and no big chunks."
"Okay, Loveless, I'm not a fish. Isn't this a bit harsh even for you?" Artie asked.
"Nonsense, Mr. Gordon, in my opinion it's not harsh enough for you but that will come in due time."
Voltaire crudely held the filet knife in his tightly clenched fist. He looks like a child about to attack a bowl of ice cream, Artie thought, If he weren't about to slice and dice me I might find his pose funny. James where in heaven's name ARE you? Artemus shouted inwardly as Voltaire plunged the knife into his chest, causing Artemus to scream.
Loveless threw a bucket of water on Artemus' face to keep him awake. Artie spit water at Voltaire who retaliated by sliding the filet knife under the layers of skin he had just cut exposing the tissue underneath. He peeled the skin back and used the tip of the knife to move the tissue about. He laughed when Loveless jumped up and down excitedly. When he moved to another area and the filet knife came into contact with a broken rib it sent Artemus through the roof. His blood-curdling scream could be heard all the way above ground.
Just as James pulled his horse to a halt and was tying him to a tree he heard the screams of his partner. His head snapped in the direction of the screams. Well, at least Artie is still alive, I'd recognize those screams anywhere, Jim thought as he ran for the opening the clerk told him about. Jim pulled out his gun and slipped through the opening. He found some roughly hewn stairs just inside the opening and slowly descended.
When he reached the bottom he looked both ways and quickly jumped back up the stairs to avoid a patrol. When the man passed he came back down the stairs and crept along the hallway, hoping he was headed in the right direction. He rounded a corner and ran into another patrol. He quickly recovered and took a swing at the guard.
The guard fell over and James jumped on him, hitting him hard and fast. The guard finally got his hands free and he pushed Jim off. He rose and started after Jim. He tackled him and was going to try to restrain him when Jim kicked him in the stomach. When the guard doubled over he hit him open-handed across the back of his neck and the guard promptly fell to the floor. Jim dragged him down the gall and into a nearby room. He took the guard's poncho and sombrero. He tied the guard up and put a gag in his mouth. Jim reentered the hallway and continued his quest for his friend.
He was rewarded a short time later with the sound of Loveless' insane cackle. He headed in that direction pulling his sombrero down over his face when another guard passed him. He looked through the opening on each door he passed until he came upon the room with the cage. This room he entered. He looked at the cage and saw bloodstains. His face took on a determined and vengeful look. He took in the room and saw the as yet unpicked up remnants of a struggle. Well, I sure hope Artie gave as good as he got, Jim said as he tucked several sticks of dynamite into his belt. He dove behind the crates when he heard someone approaching.
"Mr. Gordon has lasted far longer than I ever could have dreamed. I was sure that last round would have finished him. His bond to that partner of his must be what's keeping him going," Loveless complained.
"I wish you'd just let me finish him off, Dr. Loveless," Voltaire grunted.
"Oh no, Voltaire, we need him alive when Mr. West arrives which should be in about an hour or two if he's on schedule."
"We just gonna leave Mr. Gordon alone till then?"
"He's not going anywhere, Voltaire. Even if he could untie himself I doubt that he has the strength to lift his little finger let alone his whole body. Now, stop dawdling, I want to meet Antoinette for some supper before Mr. West arrives," they continued down the hallway unaware they were being watched.
Jim waited until he couldn't hear their footsteps then he went back out into the hall and headed back the way Loveless and Voltaire had come. He looked in the doors and was rewarded at the third door. He looked through the opening in the door and stopped dead in his tracks. He tried the door, finding it unlocked he slipped in. He went over to the table and took in his partner's appearance.
Artie looked like he had been tossed into a vat of broken glass. He had several cuts and bruises and Jim started when he saw the exposed tissue of his partner's chest. He rushed over to the table and began untying him. He found some water and used it to gently wipe his face. Artie started to regain consciousness.
"Hey, pal, I ride all over the state looking for you and I find you here just lying down on the job," Jim tried to chide his friend.
"Yeah, well, you know me any excuse to goof off," Artie tried to smile.
"Yeah, pal, I know you. Let's see if we can't get you out of here," Jim said as he tried to lift Artie off the table.
"No, Jim. I won't get far like this. You need to go and find Loveless and stop him then you can come back for me. I think I can walk but I'd just slow you down."
"No, Artie, I'm going to get you out first. Loveless isn't going anywhere. He thinks I'm still off on his wild goose chase."
"Jim, this whole set up…it wasn't his idea."
"What do you mean, of course it's his idea. That demented dwarf thought all this up."
"No, he didn't. All I've been able to get out of him is that someone is paying him to do this."
"You've got to be kidding me, pal. Who would be sick enough to pay Loveless to do this…"Jim looked at his friend.
"I don't know I've been lying here trying to figure that out."
"That's all you've been thinking about, Artie?" Jim grinned.
"No, that and the fact that I missed that steak dinner you owe me," Artie grinned.
"It looks like I owe you two, partner."
"I'll take you up on that, James." Neither of them noticed the movement behind them.
"Well, well, Mr. West, you put in an appearance much sooner than I had anticipated. I will have to speak to my minions about this oversight," Loveless sneered as Voltaire grabbed Jim from behind.
"Lucky break I guess," Jim said as he struggled to get away from Voltaire's vice-like grip.
"Lucky for me perhaps. Now, I know for certain that you will be here to watch Mr. Gordon die, we were just coming back for the next fun and games session."
"No, leave him alone!" Jim shouted as he pulled away from Voltaire.
Jim shoved something into his partner's hand as he vaulted over the table. Voltaire ran around the table as Loveless growled and stomped his feet in anger. Jim touched his belt buckle and caught the small white ball that dropped out. He tossed the ball toward Voltaire. Jim used the cover the cloud of white smoke gave him to dash out the door and into the hallway. As he ran down the hall he could hear Loveless' angry cries.
He ran down the hall and around the corner. He paused as several men ran past him but they didn't seem to notice him so he continued down the hall checking doors as he went. He finally found an unlocked door and he entered the room. It was lavishly furnished if a bit crowded. Jim looked around and then went over to the large ornately carved dinning table and ducked under it. He pulled two sticks of dynamite from his waistband and jammed them in the framework. He placed the timer on them and set it. He prayed he would be able to get Artie out before it went off.
His next stop was the room with the cage. He climbed up into the cage and planted some dynamite in the cage just because he was outraged at what Loveless had done to his friend. He jumped down and went over to the gunpowder. He broke one keg open and poured the powder over to the dynamite then he placed the last bomb in between some of the cases. Jim opened the door and turned to go down the hall and back to his friend.