As Artemus started to swim back to consciousness, he became aware that his head was throbbing and felt like it had been stuffed with tapioca. What happened? He wondered. Oh right, knockout bomb. For now on that gets used on bad guys only. Artemus repressed a groan and blinked his eyes as the world around him slowly came into focus. He tried to sit up but found himself securely strapped down to an operating table.

"Ah, . Awake at last. I do hope you are satisfied with your work." Loveless climbed onto a platform next to the table.

Artie had cotton mouth and tried to coax some saliva into his mouth so he could respond. Definitely for bad guys only. What a way to wake up. Turning his head toward Loveless he replied, "you said you wanted to help with my experiment, so why don't you try it on yourself and Voltaire?"

Loveless chuckled, "what a sense of humor you have Mr. Gordon."

Grumpy from being taken by surprise by Loveless and from waking up from his own knock-out gas, Artemus was in no mood to match wits with the twisted little doctor and got straight down to business. "What is it you want this time Loveless, the world?"

"No, no, nothing like that," Loveless dismissed. "I was getting bored and decided to play a little game with you and Mr. West."

"Well, thank you for the invitation, but Jim and I have a tight schedule we need to keep. So, if you don't mind," Artemus raised his wrist as high as he could, indicating his desire to be unrestrained.

"Mr. Gordon, I will NOT let you loose and despite your rudeness, I will NOT let you turn down my invitation," Loveless stamped his feet.

Artemus inwardly sighed. "Please accept my apology. Now, what game did you have in mind?"

"There, that's better," Loveless replied. "In the past I've always kidnapped Mr. West first and you've never failed to find him, even when the trail is spotless."

"Oh. I see," Artie smiled. "So, this time I am hiding and Jim is seeking."

Loveless clapped his hands together, "you're wonderfully perceptive Mr. Gordon. But to hurry things along a bit, I will send him some bait. Lina dear?"

A young blond in a beautifully fitted dress came into Artie's view.

"Oh she'll do nicely," Artemus smiled appreciatively.

"I'm glad you approve Mr. Gordon. Now, while Lina is out seducing Mr. West, we are going to play our own little game." Loveless dismissed Lina and motioned to someone else who was out of view.

Artemus shifted a little in his bonds. "Well, it is a little difficult to play a game when I'm strapped down like this."

Dr. Loveless smiled, "Oh you needn't move at all. We're going to play a guessing game."

Antoinette came into view, dressed in a nurse's outfit, and held up a needle and smiled coyly.

"You are going to guess what are in these two vials." Loveless held the two vials close to Gordon's face.

Artemus silently glanced at the vials in Loveless' hands and the syringe in Antoinette's. Damn it, why did it have to be an injection? "You are going to give me a little hint, aren't you Dr. Loveless?"

Loveless put the vials down and took the syringe from Antoinette and grinned at his prisoner. "Of course! I am going to let you experience it," and with that, Loveless shoved the needle into Gordon's left arm.

WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

James West rode into town and dismounted in front of the local saloon. He tied his horse to the hitching post and went inside. He chose an empty table close to the wall so he could keep an eye on all that was going on. A scantily clad barmaid came over and he ordered a beer. Hopefully he wouldn't have to wait too long for Loveless to make a move.

Jim nursed his beer for almost a half hour when a gorgeously appealed woman entered the saloon. Girls that lavishly dressed typically did not enter rough and tumble saloons, unless she was a contact from Loveless. Before he could decide whether to watch her some more or introduce himself, a couple drunken cowboys started whistling and catcalling.

"Wellll, lookie what jusssst blew in," one cowboy drunkenly slurred and he tumbled out of his chair.

Another drunken cowboy stumbled up to the woman and grabbed her wrist, "My name's Red Roy, and what'd be yours sugar?"

"Please," the woman tried to extract her wrist from the cowboy's grip. "let me go. I just need to pick up something."

Things were about to get ugly. Jim walked over to the lady and placed himself between her and the cowboys. "The lady doesn't want you company," he said as he pulled the man's hand away from the lady's wrist.

"Who invited you over?" The first cowboy took a swing at the newcomer but missed and received a right fist to his jaw. Suddenly pandemonium broke out and all the customers in the bar started taking swings at each other.

Lina took a position behind the bar for protection from the flying furniture and watched the fight unfold.

Finally, Jim West was the last man standing. Bruised, panting, hair out of place, he picked his hat up off the floor and turned to the woman. "Are you okay, miss?"

Lina released what seem to be a relieved sigh, "Yes, I think so. Thank you so much for getting that awful man off of me!"

Jim slapped the dirt off of his clothes with his hat. "Beautiful young lady like yourself shouldn't come into these establishments all by themselves, especially at dusk."

"My father is ill, and on my way home from a friend's I thought I would pick up a bottle of rum so my mother could make him a hot toddy."

"Well, I guess you should be on your way then." West walked around the bar, flipped a couple of bills on the bar and took down a bottle of rum, "here you go, Miss…?"

"Thank you, Lina Felistaviciute. But you may call me Lina. Mister?"

"West. James West."

"Thank you again Mr. West. Why don't you come back to my parents' home with me. You will be able to clean up and I am sure my parents would like to thank you too."

"James, and thank you Lina. It would be my honor to escort you home."

The two of them walked out of the saloon to the coach that was waiting out front. Jim tied his stallion to the back and then joined Lina inside and the coach took off.

James West smiled pleasantly at the lovely lady next to him, "are you taking me to Dr. Loveless' lair?"

"Who? I don't know what you're talking about." Lina fidgeted with her ring.

"Oh, I think you know precisely what I'm talking about." Jim grabbed Lina's hand but withdrew quickly. He looked at a small drop of blood on his finger then passed out.