When the hostages woke up they quickly realized that something was amiss with their captors. Nick and Kitty kept their ears open, already knowing that Claybourne was missing.
Brad seemed particularly out of sorts. He called Jim, Billy and Doctor J over. He spoke quietly and the hostages strained to hear, "We haven't found Claybourne and now Carl is nowhere to be seen. My best guess is that somehow a lawman got them. We have to be ready for them to show their hand. Sheriff Dawson wouldn't be handling this alone, so I would bet is Marshal Dillon is involved."
Jim agreed, "Yep, and that's a good thing. Remember what Will Stambridge told me about that Kitty woman being sweet on the Marshal."
Brad nodded, "She's our ace in the hole."
Nick looked around and met Kitty's eyes. He knew that she had heard. She looked back grimly. She didn't know that Nick been able to pick up a sharp rock and for the past hour had been patiently cutting away at the rope that was tied around his wrists.
Ballard
The deadline for delivering the $60,000 was looming, and the money had been collected. A town hall meeting was called to decide on the next step.
Gerald Smythe opened the meeting, "All right, everyone here knows that I think we shouldn't deliver the money. I'm not cold hearted, I think you all know that. I am just being practical."
Claire stood up, "Mr. Smythe, I know that they might be killed if we deliver the money, but I'm sure that they will be killed if we don't."
Others nodded in agreement.
Chris, the assistant blacksmith spoke up, "Maybe we can make a deal with them. Leave half the money with a note saying we'll leave the rest when we get half of the people back."]
Everyone started arguing among themselves until Gerald Smythe said loudly, "We've had enough discussion. We will vote on three options. 1. Do not deliver the money. 2. Deliver half of the money and a note. 3. Deliver all of the money."
A secret ballot was held. Each person wrote a number on a piece of paper, folded the paper and put it in the voting box. The ballots were counted in front of everyone. The decision to deliver all of the money was made, winning by one vote. Claire Hollis would ride out to the school house the next day, with $60,000 and a prayer.
Matt
Matt and the sheriff were discussing their options.
John looked at Matt, "Let's be honest with ourselves. If they know about your relationship with Kitty they will use her as the big bargaining chip."
Matt nodded, "A hostage swap is not in play. Even if they agreed to a swap, either they would release only Kitty or everyone but Kitty in exchange for these two. Neither is acceptable.
"I agree Matt, but what should we do?"
"Well, they are expecting to hear from us. Maybe we shouldn't disappoint them. There are now only 4 men guarding 10 hostages. They still have the upper hand because they have them at gun point, but maybe we'll get lucky."
"When do we make our move?"
"No time like the present. Lets take these two to the top of that hill. You keep a gun on them while we talk to Brad. Just be sure that we have all four gang members in our line of vision the whole time."
Matt and John walked Carl and Claybourne to the top of a small hill overlooking the camp site. Both men were gagged and blindfolded with their hands tied behind their backs. Matt yelled down. " Brad Johnson, I have two of your brothers up here."
Brad looked up, "I'm Brad Johnson. That's right, Dillon you have two of my brothers and I have 10 people down here including your woman. You release my brothers now or they are all dead."
"You start shooting Brad, and your ransom money is gone."
Brad nodded at his brother Billy, "Get the red head."
Billy pulled Kitty to her feet and half dragged her to where Brad was standing.
Brad nodded towards Kitty, "Marshal, I won't just shoot this one. I'll work her over first with you watching."
With that he smacked her hard across the face with the back of his hand, "That was just the beginning."
Matt gritted his teeth to control himself. A wrong move could make it worse for Kitty, "Brad, don't forget, I have two of your brothers. One more move like that and one of them is dead."
Although Matt was looking at Kitty and planning his next move, out of the corner of his eye he noticed that Nick had shifted his position. Matt knew immediately that something was about to happen, and stood ready to take advantage whatever was coming.
Nick's hands were finally free. He said to himself, "Maybe the second time's the charm" and he hurled his body full force at Brad knocking him down. Matt and John started running down the hill firing at the other three men, who started firing back. Matt hit Jim Brown squarely in the chest. Billy was panicking. He grabbed Kitty roughly, threw her over a horse like a sack of potatoes, mounted and rode off with her. Doctor J followed. Kitty's stomach lurched as her body smacked down hard on the saddle.
Matt and John were at the bottom of the hill by now. Matt ran to Nick who had Brad pinned to the ground. Matt took Brad's gun, and handed it to Nick, "Nice work."
Matt headed to his horse, but stopped briefly to check on Jim Brown. He was dead.
John was cutting the hostages free as Matt shouted to him, "John, you and Nick get the hostages and those three Johnson brothers back to town. I'm going after Kitty."
"Matt, Nick or I should go with you."
"No, I need both of you to go to keep an eye on those brothers. Brad is a smart one, and these folks need to get home safe and sound."
Matt rode off after Kitty.
John and Nick tied up Brad Johnson and sat him in a wagon with Claybourne and Carl. The nine hostages crowded into another wagon.
John knew the banker, Fred, could handle a gun pretty well, so he gave him a shotgun and told him to keep an eye on the Johnsons just in case. Nick climbed aboard one wagon and John the other. They took off for Ballard.