Deputised
A/N: This story is in the process of being re-written to make it flow better. I'd love to get your feedback, good, bad or otherwise. Enjoy.
Adios.
...
It was nearing midnight when we all met up again on the edge of the dance floor. Charlie spotted John and started walking towards him, the rest of us following behind. John was walking past a poker table when one of Murphy's boys walked into him directly.
Charlie started forwards as John apologised and stood between the two men. "Excuse me, it's you and I! Right John?" John nodded and Charlie sunk his fist into the mans' stomach. He was pugilist and it clearly showed. The man's friends were starting to gather but backed off when we discreetly showed them our weapons. Charlie sent the man flying into the poker table causing it to shatter.
After the man and his friends disappeared someone fired a shot into the air. "Happy New Year!" he yelled. It took us a few minutes to realise that it wasn't an attack and we soon joined in.
On the way home the boys all broke out into song and I resisted the urge to join in by talking to John.
"I want to thank you for everything you've done for me," I told him as I rode next to the buggy.
He looked at me with a smile on his face. "You have been a pleasure to have around," he said. "You helped me keep the boys acting like gentlemen."
I blushed and looked away.
"I consider the boys my sons, so naturally I also consider you to be my daughter," he continued. "I love you all from the bottom of my heart."
I was lost for words. John really thinks of us as his family?! My vision blurred for a second before movement in the corner of my eye snapped me to attention. A couple of sage hen had been startled on the track in front of us and we stopped as though we were about to be attacked. When no attack followed the boys took off down the hill laughing and yelling. I joined them after a minute but couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong.
I chased Billy around for a minute or two when the bad feeling grew too much. I stopped and looked back at John. My stomach dropped into my boots as nigh on twenty Murphy men rode up from behind. I looked anxiously at Billy before locking eyes with John who, in return, seemed to be saying goodbye. The men then opened fire and in less than a minute John and his horse were dead on the ground and group was starting down the hill. Billy tried to spur his horse forwards but Doc stopped him.
"No! there's too many," he said with his hand on Billy's chest. "Let's get out of here!" he took off around the clump of bushes to our right, with the other boys following close behind.
"Come on Billy! We can't help him now." I tugged on his sleeve but he wouldn't budge. "Billy please! I don't want to loose you the same way," I wiped my eyes on my sleeve and tried to grab the reigns of his horse.
"What did you say?"
I looked at him and through my tears I could see the mix of grief and astonishment on his face. "Does it matter right now? We need to get away!" I started off around the bushes and was glad to hear Billy's horse was following.
…
At John's funeral I stood between Chavez and Billy while Richard read from the Bible. Doc was staring bleary eyed at the coffin, Charlie was sniffling and Steve had left his chewy tobacco in its pouch for a change. I glanced at McCloskey and was unable to read his reaction which worried me.
"Ashes to ashes and dust to dust," Richard concluded his reading and I pulled Billy and Chavez closer as the tears began falling. They both put an arm around my shoulders and we just stood there for a while.
…
"Deputise them."
We all turned our gaze to Alex and J.B Wilson.
"McSween, those are just boys...and a girl! ain't one of them over twenty one." Wilson had been arguing with Alex for quite some time. "Murphy's men will shred them in half within a day!"
"Are you going to deputise them or not?" Alex asked towering over the man in front of him.
"Hell no! No I'm not Alex, not me."
Alex looked at us. "Alright then, you go and tell them."
Wilson looked unhappy about that and muttering a curse he walked over to us. "Come with me," he said walking towards the barn. We all placed our hands on the Bible Wilson held out and then, after saying an oath, we loaded our guns and were fired up for our first official assignment.
…
"Alright, Henry Hill is supposed to have been in there with a lady since noon."
We all looked down the hill at the run-down hut.
"We show him the warrant and take him home," Richard told us as he dug the aforementioned warrant out of his pocket.
"Yeah, yeah we gotta take him," Charlie agreed.
Richard glanced in Billy's direction. "Hey Billy, why don't you go inside and have a look-see?"
Billy looked around at all of us and then focused hard on Richard.
"Go on Billy, if he is give him this and bring him to us."
The warrant was handed to Chavez, then Doc and finally Billy. He glanced at it with a smile on his face, then took his coat off and made his way into the building. I was holding his horse's reigns and stopped his coat from falling in the dirt and rolled it up to shove under his bed roll. I could feel McCloskey's eyes watching me and I felt quite uncomfortable.
We waited apprehensively in the trees nearby to the hut and I was growing concerned with what was taking Billy so long. The door opened suddenly and Billy came out and headed for the out-house; a mischievous look on his face.
"Now what's he doing?" Richard muttered as Henry Hill headed in the same direction.
All of a sudden a shot rang out and we went for our guns. Half a dozen men came running out of the hut and we burst through the trees firing our weapons. Charlie took Billy's horse off me and brought it around to him so I could have control of my horse and fire my pistol. I saw one go down to me and the rest to the boys before Billy joined us again.
"Bonney! You weren't supposed to smoke anybody!" Richard yelled. "We got warrants! We're the law!" he glared at Billy as he turned his horse up the trail.
Billy laughed and fired off a few more rounds before falling in line as we raced away from the carnage.
…
We were sitting behind a wall in Lincoln a little while later while Doc read us the latest newspaper. It named Billy as the captain of the Regulators much to Richard's annoyance and counted the number of slain men as six.
"Shit Dick, you sent a lamb into slaughter and he walks out a king sheep."
I couldn't tell if Charlie was shocked or amazed. Richard was still fuming and the others seemed just as shocked.
"El Chivato, Billy the Kid eh!" Chavez said.
I looked at the ground trying to hide my smile.
"Yeah, Murphy's gonna want blood, brain and balls for this one." McCloskey said as though unhappy about being left out of the conversation.
All of a sudden Doc began walking to the edge of the wall muttering about being right back.
Richard caught up with him. "Hey Doc, don't do anything stupid, you know they're gonna be looking for us."
"Yeah I know," he replied. "I'll be back in a minute," he handed Richard the newspaper and disappeared into the street.
"What's he doing?" Steve asked while he reloaded his shotgun.
I had seen the reason and all I did was smile in answer as I busied myself reloading my own guns.
Richard leant against the wall next to Billy and huffed.
"So Dick, who's next?" Billy asked after reloading and stowing his guns.
Richard's warm brown eyes took on a hard glint. "You!"
I could tell he was furious with Billy so I kept my distance and started pacing. Doc was taking his time and I was starting to get worried. I had just readied myself to peek onto the street when I was bowled over by the man in question running into me at speed.
"What the hell is the matter?" I asked slightly winded.
"Sorry, Brady turned up and I had to get out of sight quickly." He stood up and reached out his hand. "Are you alright?"
I nodded and once on my feet I turned to our leader. "Where to now Richard?" I asked brushing the dirt from my clothes.
"We need to get out of town," he replied getting to his feet.
Half an hour later we were making our way deep into wilderness and I was really unsure of the path Billy was on.