Chapter 9

Zim Loves It When a Plan Comes Together

Zim looked at his pocket watch again. Mad Dog DD was definitely safe. "All right, let's settle up the tab and get out of here."

"Sure," Mad Dog DD said. "Where are we going?"

"I don't know where you're going, but I'm going to my hotel room."

"Hey, that's cool. We can hang out there."

"No. No hanging out. I'm going to sleep for at least fifteen hours."

"That's no fun."

Zim's eyes narrowed, and he wished he'd let DD die. Then he remembered that he had, but the space/time continuum had other ideas for this asshole. "Goodbye."

Zim stood and dropped a few gold coins on the table. He then headed for the batwing doors, and DD followed like a puppy. They both stepped outside, and Zim wiped the booze sweat from his brow.

"Where are you staying?" Mad Dog DD asked.

"Shut up," Zim said.

DD laughed as if Zim had just told a joke.

It was then that the sun glinted off a metal object poking out of a pile of manure. The flask-like device that had brought Zim out to the Old West in the first place. In the distance, someone screamed. "INJUNS! THEY'S A INJUN RAID ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF TOWN!"

Ping! A light bulb went on over Zim's head, and a plan started to form. It was actually an amazing plan, but it would only work if he wasn't too late. He stopped only long enough to grab the flask. Then he rushed to the livery stable and shouted for the owner. "How much for a horse? I need it immediately!"

The old guy scratched his balding head. "Uh, buy 'er rent?"

Zim's thrifty nature quickly took over the situation. "Uh . . . rent, of course."

"Five dollars a day."

Zim slapped the cash into the old man's hand. "Give me a horse! Any of them!"

The stableman picked one, saddled it up and brought it out to Zim. "Take good care of her. She's one of my best."

Zim mounted the horse without comment, then worked it up to a mad dash. Dust flew as he rode toward the outskirts of town.

DD remained standing at the stable. "Hey! What about me? Don't I get a horse?"

By then Zim was too far ahead to hear him, and even if he had he would have ignored DD. Fuck him. The mad dog was saved, and Zim didn't need to have anything more to do with him.

The ride was brief, and he could see the dust from the charging natives even as he heard the battle. Soon war cries filled his ears, and the screams of the dying soon overcame every other sound. Then he saw the person he was looking for: Doc Brown. There was an arrow sticking out of his body, and the Comanche around him held their weapons at the ready. It looked like the scientist was about to be scalped.

Zim drew his revolver and howled like Wyatt Earp had taught him in Tennessee. The Comanche looked up, surprised by this sudden intrusion, and Zim rode into their midst, making every shot in his pistol count. One, two, three, they went down with bullets in their heads.

The others quickly scattered, and Zim reached his hand down to the doctor. "Need a lift?"

"Great Scott!" Doc Brown cried out. "Zim! I thought I'd never see you again! I thought I was dead for sure!"

"There's still a chance. We have to get you out of here. Grab my hand."

Doc Brown feebly tried, but the arrow had sapped his energy dry. "I'm done for, my boy! Save yourself!"

"That's what I'm trying to do. I need you alive to build me a time machine so I can go back to, well, you know."

"I can't make it!"

"Goddammit." Zim jumped down, shocked that someone could be lazier than he was. He snapped the shaft of the arrow off to make things easier, and then he picked up the scientist and slung him over the horse's back. Zim mounted up and turned around, eager to get back to town.

But as he turned he found himself confronted with what seemed like half the tribe. They were in a line almost like a wall, and they each had their bowstrings drawn, arrows nocked. They were all aiming at Zim.

Zim slapped at Doc Brown's shoulder. "I think we're about to die."

But it was too late. Doc Brown didn't respond because he had died.

Zim squeezed his eyes shit. "Oh fuck." He then heard the twangs as the Comanche fired their arrows at him.