A/N I've been meaning to do this!
StoryWriter2003 - Ty for the review! Here ya go! lemme know if you like. =D
Esperata - I'm so glad! I think the summary is the hardest 3 ty also for the compliment, Ive never really written before and take great pride that you think that! - I'll pm you back asap!
keacdragon - TY! Please update your own soon, im addicted! 33
I do NOT own NATM, its chars or anything related.
Absent Cowboy Ch 2
Octavius was poised on the edge of the Western diorama in the Hall of Miniatures, ready to begin his descent down to the floor where he intended to begin his search for Jed. His hand was gripping one of the many ropes that the Western townsfolk dropped over the edge, their method of getting down each night. As he moved to begin, he heard Clay said thank you one more time in a quiet voice and Oct nodded before they lost sight of each other.
The climb down the dropped robe was taxing, Octavius needed to remind himself to give the westerns their dues. He was not by any means out of shape, but the action of lowering oneself down a rope for such a period left his arms and thighs burning. As he neared the two-thirds mark, a knot which was placed at every third of the rope, one of the other ropes swinging next to him caught his eye. He paused and gripped his rope tight before reaching over to snag the other.
He stared at the rope and didn't understand why it just ended right below the two-thirds mark and was frayed.
Octavius glanced down, something he definitely made an attempt to avoid usually, and saw a brown lump on the ground with a coil of rope on top of it.
"Jedediah!" Oct gasped 'The rope mustve snapped!' he though and let his hands loosen their grip on his rope. Oct grimaced as he felt the heat of the rope burn through his gloves while he slid the rest of the way down in a few seconds.
His scandals slapped the polished stone of the floor and he sprinted over to the pile.
Jed was nowhere in sight, the pile was simply the rope, and a few of Jedediah's outerware pieces crumpled up.
He crouched down and picked up the brown wool article, holding it in his hands while his mind tried to process what his eyes were reporting.
Under the chaps there was blood, not a lot of it, but it was there. The rope was not laying on top of the cloths, but rather tangled in them leaving a long coil on top. His eyes came back to the hat he held in his hands, it was filthy and worn, yet held its shape and strength. The brim was damaged and abused while the band was almost tan from the combination of the cowboy's sweat and the sun leaching its color.
Jedediah loved this hat; he'd seen the cowboy risk his life many times just to retrieve it, he'd even told the Roman "I'd die before I gave up that hat, Ma gave it to me before I left home." He'd admitted shyly. Octavius could not believe the cowboy would ever willingly leave the hat somewhere, let alone so… carelessly. Octavius was more concerned with that evidence than the blood. They were both tough and the amount present wasn't life threatening.
'Jed…what happened? Are you so injured it would have caused you leave your things?' Octavius thought to himself as he subconsciously put the hat to his chest. He didn't like this, his feeling of unease blossomed into dread and the Roman General knew he needed to find the blonde cowboy now.
Octavius spend what felt like hours looking for Jedediah, he asked everyone who's attention he could get if they'd see the blonde that evening, and everytime the answer was no. As his anxiety mounted so did his dread. At the time the blood hadn't concerned him, but given the length of time he'd been missing, atleast three hours, Octavius was about to call his entire legion to begin combing the museum's every nook and cranny for the Cowboy.
He had just turned the SUV around to head back to the Hall and gather his men, the absence of the unruly blonde's presence weighing on him while driving, when suddenly Larry stepped into his view. Octavius could have slapped himself at that moment. No many how long the Larry had been the new Night Guard, Octavius and many others could never remember to think of the man in a crisis. Their distrust of any Guards ran too deep and it had taken them the bonding experience of their first week together to allow most of the exhibits to even heard Larry out, let alone begin to believe him.
To Larry's credit he'd done everything he could, and still did to make everyone feel respected and cared for. Even with the miniatures he never spoke too loudly, treaded lightly to avoid earthlike tremors and made sure everyone always looked before they stepped.
Right now as Octavius drove to meet Larry before climbing out, he saw that the man's face was a mask of deep concern, and that his footsteps were light but rushed.
As Larry approached the Roman he kneeled down and leaned forward to better speak with the miniature Roman.
"Oct! What's going on man? I've been looking for you all night! I went to the Hall to check back in on the bull situation and you were gone. I asked Pyhlius where you'd gone and he said to find Jed, I ask Clay and you said you'd gone to find Jed somewhere else because he's 'missing'? Then," He gestured around "I found his coat, gloves and chaps on the ground with a rope. Absolutely everyone I ask if they've seen you, says yes but you're asking if they've seen Jed! What the hell is going on Oct? Was that blood next to your exhibits?!"
Octavius met the Guard's blue eyes and saw they were filled with confusion and apprehension as he waited for an explanation. He suddenly felt the night's sense of helplessness and anxiety flood him tenfold the strength. Hearing the New Yorker sum the night's events up made it sound more desperate and real than it had before. He felt himself start to breathe quicker as his eyes and sinuses prickled.
"Larry please help me, I'm sorry I didn't find you earlier, I..I forgot…. But I can't find him I've looked and looked and I can't find him! And he's injured! I think he fell from the rope, it looks like it snapped, and then he fell to the ground my liege. But his things, why would he leave them?! Why wouldn't he call for help to his people or even the Romans?!"
Larry quickly raised his hands to sooth the tiny Roman somehow but it caused him to flinch violently. The Guard took a deep breath to calm himself. He had to remember their reactions to him were not his fault. It would only take a few days of constant mistreatment to cause the same in anyone else, let alone 54 years of it. After another breath he spoke quietly and unrushed to the small Roman.
"General Octavius," Larry began gently "It's ok, we'll find him we just need to let everyone know we're looking for him and that he may be injured." He paused before adding "And Octavius…I know its hard, but atleast try to remember that I would never hurt any of you guys," Octavius looked away ashamed. "It's ok, just remember that I'm here to protect and help you." He smiled gently before offering his hand to the Roman. Octavius nodded and roughly rubbed his face into the crook of his elbow a few times before pounding a fist against his chestplate to wake himself up, stepping into Larry's hand.
Larry nodded sharply, "Ok here's the plan. You go back to the Hall and explain to your men and the Western folk that Jed's missing, injured and that we need to find him as soon as possible. You're going to break into search parties and clear the museum in a grid like pattern. You guys begin in this room and clean the Hall. We'll find him in no time."
Octavius nodded solemnly as then entered the Hall of Miniatures.
"I'll go gather everyone else up and begin sending teams to sections of the museum."
Larry finished as he set Octavius down onto the back of the bench.
"Do you think he'd be upset we 'threw such a dog-gone fit' if we find him and he's just fine?" Oct asked suddenly, his concern for his friends feelings surging.
The New Yorker shook his head, "I don't think so, shows we care a lot about him! It might also teach him a lesson if that's true to be more responsibly and to communicate more with his men instead of making crazy plans."
Feeling a lot better about the situation, Octavius let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding, ironically mimicking Clay's earlier response to his reassurances. He managed a small smile for Larry and was about to thank the man before he began to climb down when something across the Hall caught his eye.
In the small 'Room' for the Mayan's there was a commotion going on. Oct could see, even at this distance the people's priest were wearing their especially bright temple clothes which were adorned with feathers and beads. People were lined along the base of the step pyramid and along the stairs leading up it. All the priest were at the summit, encircling the stone slab that lay atop it.
And there, as Octavius strained to make out the scene, his eye caught a flash of blond hair amidst the chaos. There were NO blond Mayans.
The high priest, his ritual garb the brightest, held an obsidian blade in his hand which he was raising over the slab.
Octavius was absolutely rooted in his spot. The people shifted, a full view of Jedediah was revealed atlast. He was strapped, limp it looked, across the slab as a sacrifice.
The priest were holding him down and his chest was exposed as if ready to receive the blade while he made no motion to stop them or escape.
Oct let out a horrified scream he would later realize was finally a call for Larry, as he started running towards the Mayan Room.