Having finished yet another oversized breakfast plate, Kid got Heyes a sandwich, and tucking it in his saddlebag, headed to meet up with his cousin. He leisurely made his way to the livery stable. Upon reaching it, he noticed it being unusually quiet. The soft nicker of his black gelding was the only thing that broke the silence. Kid felt a nervous knot forming in his gut. "Hey...Joshua?" he called walking inside. Heyes was nowhere to be seen. Heyes' bridle was the only thing of theirs that had been touched, and it was on the ground. Looking down, he saw small signs of a struggle. He bent down and upon closer inspection, saw blood. The final piece of evidence was Heyes gun thrown off to the side of one of the stalls. "Aw Heyes. What've you got yourself into this time?" Going out the back door, Kid saw proof of someone being dragged and hoofprints leading away from the stable. He quickly went back inside and saddled his horse. He left Heyes' mare in the stable since he could travel faster not leading another animal. Setting off at a gallop, he followed the path of fresh hoofprints.
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Heyes awoke to find himself in a rundown cabin, surrounded by three men. After he managed to get his eyes to focus, he could make out one of the men was Clint Weaver. He groaned as a sharp pain shot through his wounded leg. Heyes knew there wasn't any use in trying to convince these men they had the wrong person. The Weaver gang knew who he was and were out for revenge.
"Welcome back Hannibal Heyes," Clint sneered down at him with a wicked look. "About time you woke up. I was getting tired of waiting on you."
"Sorry, but I was dreaming about a saloon girl and just wanted to finish it," Heyes said sarcastically. "Have you thought about how you're gonna turn me in if you're wanted yourselves? You won't find someone honest enough to do it for you and bring you the reward money."
"That's where you're wrong Heyes. You see, Patch here ain't never been seen without his eye patch and bandanna around his head. Heck, I ain't even seen him without it. So all we have to do, is get him to take off the patch, put on a nice, clean hat and maybe some glasses, and he can turn you and Kid Curry in for us. No problem."
"You don't have Kid Curry, and he's long gone by now. We'd taken jobs in two different towns. He's on his way to California," Heyes replied, if nothing else to see if they DID have Kid.
"Don't you worry about that. We know you and Curry ate dinner together last night and rented a hotel room. So we know he'll be coming for you. And when he does, we'll be ready." Clint stepped back, obviously growing bored of the conversation. He looked at his men. "Tie him up so tight he can barely breath. You know the reputation he has as an escape artist," Weaver ordered. "Don't want him getting loose now do we?" Patch got the rope while Phil held a rifle on Heyes. When he returned, Weaver grabbed Heyes by his collar and jerked him up. Patch pulled his hands roughly behind his back and tied them until the circulation was almost cut off. He then continued to wrap the rope around his torso, securing his arms to his side. Weaver knocked Heyes back to the ground and Patch lashed his legs together, not caring about the bleeding gunshot wound. A gag was the final touch. Weaver pulled him up once again. "Now, we're gonna wait on your partner. You better behave 'cause I'm just waiting for a reason to put a bullet through that brain of yours." Patch then jerked Heyes down to sit in a chair and proceeded to secure him to it. "Phil, you go stand lookout. Shouldn't be long before Mr. Curry shows up."
Heyes couldn't yet see a way he could escape, but was thankful they didn't have Kid. With Kid free, he had a better chance of getting through this alive.
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The trail had been fairly easy to follow. It almost seemed like whoever it was that took Heyes WANTED to be followed. Kid figured they only had about a thirty to forty minute start on him. That was how long it had been between the time he left Heyes and arrived at the livery stable. He followed in a hurry, but was still cautious about catching up too fast. He didn't want to startle the kidnappers. That could end up getting Heyes hurt. The trail of hoofprints turned and went up a mountain. The terrain wasn't terribly steep. Kid slowed his horse. The last thing he needed was his horse tripping on one of the numerous loose rocks. Besides, the less noise he made, the better. This path wasn't traveled all that much by the look of the foliage growing in the middle of it, so it must just go to a homestead or claim.
After a few minutes, Kid could hear faint voices. He dismounted and started leading his horse toward the sound. Finally, he saw the outline of some kind of building through the bushes. He tied his gelding to a tree and crept towards the abode.
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From his lookout point on the rise behind the rundown house the gang had holed up in, Phil watched Curry ride up. He quickly returned to tell Clint his report. Clint then gave Phil directions to hide in the loft in case Curry started getting the upper hand. Phil was to be his 'ace-in-the-hole'.
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Kid didn't see Phil run in the house. He emerged from the foliage after Phil was inside. Kid made it to the back of the house. Finding the back door, he opened it slowly and quietly. Pulling his gun, he slinked into the kitchen. He crossed the room silently to the interior door. Cracking it ever so slightly, he gazed into the sitting room. There! He saw Heyes securely bound to a chair. And sitting across from Heyes was...Clint Weaver! Kid's eyes filled with rage and he charged through the door.
"Let him go Weaver," Kid sneered, giving the two outlaws a look that could kill.
"I don't think so Curry. You best be putting your gun down or we're gonna see just how many brains your partner here has when I splatter them all over the wall." Weaver leered back at Kid. Heyes tried to give him a signal not to do it, but Kid wasn't looking at him. His gaze was firmly fixed on Weaver.
"You'd be dead before you could pull the trigger," Kid challenged. "Now, just untie him and let us go. Nobody has to get hurt."
"Oh, I think they do." At that signal, Phil, who had been hiding in the loft, shot Heyes, grazing his right shoulder. Heyes squeezed his eyes shut, letting out an agonized moan.
"Alright! Alright...," Kid said lowering his gun. "Don't hurt him anymore." Patch immediately rushed up to Curry, grabbed his gun, and tied his hands behind his back. Weaver was really enjoying himself now. He could see just how much it hurt Kid to see his cousin in pain.
"Awww, are you worried!" Weaver sneered. "You don't need to be...yet." He twirled his six-shooter as he walked towards Heyes. Raising it, he promptly shot Heyes in his other shoulder. Heyes turned an unnatural shade of white as blood soaked his shirt. "NOW," Weaver laughed, "now you can worry."
"NOOO! You..." the rest of Kid's protest was silenced by a bandana being tied around his mouth. He strained at the leather straps that now held him to a chair also. He looked over at Heyes who was on the verge of unconsciousness. Heyes was doing his best to keep his eyes open, but was fighting a losing battle. Weaver kept up his laughing.
"You know how bad I've been wanting to do that?" Weaver leaned down to Kid. "If you two had just given yourselves up back at that old coot's place, we wouldn't be having this situation. So, seems to me, you're the reason for your partner's current health problems. Kinda ironic. The great Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry, brought down by an 'outlaw gang'." Followed by his two minions, Weaver let out an evil laugh and left the room, locking the doors.
Kid looked once again at Heyes. He had passed out. Kid struggled against the leather straps holding him down. He had to get them out of here and Heyes to a doctor. He had no idea that Heyes had also been grazed in the leg and that the bullet was stuck just under the skin beneath his knee. Finally, after about ten minutes, the straps loosened enough to let his hands slip through. Thankfully, Patch had been in such a hurry to secure Kid, he hadn't tied a very effective knot. He untied his ankles and rushed to Heyes' side. He listened to Heyes' chest and breathed a sigh of relief when he heard a heartbeat. Checking Heyes' shoulders, he found the left one had only been lightly grazed leaving only a nasty scratch. The right one, on the other hand, was bleeding profusely. He quickly untied Heyes' hands and arms. Kid took the bandanna from Heyes' mouth, then combining it with his own, pressed them down on the bullet wound. He grabbed one of the discarded straps and wrapped it up and around Heyes' shoulder and arm securing the bandanna bandage firmly in place.
Then, he set to work untying Heyes' legs. When the rope fell, he got an unpleasant surprise. He could actually see the bullet lodged in the skin. It was so shallow, he located the knife in Heyes' boot and dug it out in seconds. 'Thank God they weren't shooting to kill,' Kid thought. The wound quit bleeding after a few minutes, but was starting to show signs of a possible infection. Having finished his emergency surgery, Kid lightly slapped Heyes on his face. "Heyes...," Curry whispered loudly. "Heyes, c'mon wake up." He had no idea when Weaver or one of his cronies would come back, so he was starting to feel a little frantic. Kid slapped a little harder. "HEYES..."
Slowly, Heyes started coming around. "What is it Kid?" he mumbled.
"Shhh. C'mon wake up. We gotta get out of here." Kid lifted Heyes to his feet.
"Don't feel too good Kid."
"I know Heyes, but you gotta help me. If Weaver comes back now, he'll kill us both." At that, Heyes perked up ever so slightly. Helping Heyes walk, they made their way way to the door. Kid gently put pressure on the doorknob. "Of course, its locked." Curry turned, surveying the room, looking for any possible means of escape.
"Look over there Kid," Heyes whispered pointing to the far wall. "Don't know for sure, but that board back there looks loose." Kid looked and helped Heyes across the room.
"Can you hold yourself up for a minute?" Kid asked. Heyes was looking really pale. Curry lifted the makeshift bandage on his shoulder and saw that the bleeding had slowed to a trickle. Heyes put his left hand on the wall to stay upright and Kid went to work trying to quietly remove the board that had indeed been loose. "Good thing they decided to hole up in this abandoned house."
A few minutes later, Kid had the board all but moved. he hurriedly helped Heyes squeeze through. Once outside, Heyes almost collapsed. Kid emerged from the old shack and helped Heyes up. They ran, as best they could, and hid behind the outhouse. "You couldn't find something better to hide behind," Heyes said scrunching up his nose.
"No. You want to hide INSIDE it!" Kid risked a look around. He glimpsed Phil as he came around the corner of the house and looked around. A moment later, he went back around to the front. "You stay here Heyes. I'm gonna go get my horse and try to 'borrow' you one. At least that'll leave them one horse short." Kid looked again around the outhouse, and, convinced the coast was clear, took off towards the bushes he had left his horse in. Reaching the gelding, he led him as quiet as one could lead a horse to the treeline behind the outhouse. That done, he went in search of a horse for Heyes. He caught a glimpse of a swishing tail from behind the house. Only problem with that was, they were hitched beside the back door. Kid bent down so low he was almost crawling and made his way towards the animals. He was about to turn the corner when noises from inside stopped him. He pressed himself to the wall. He heard the back door open, but there was no sound of anyone walking outside. He was about to peek around the corner, when he heard the sound of water. He didn't have to look to know that one of the cretins was urinating out the back door. 'Not only are they stupid and cruel, but they're nasty too.'
The door shut and Kid risked a look around. No one was to be seen. He duck-walked to one of the horses and untied it. Pulling the reins tight to hold the horse's head down, he made his way back to Heyes. "C'mon Heyes. Time to go." He started helping Heyes to mount up.
Inside the house, in the kitchen, Clint was getting restless. "You know something Patch. As much trouble as those two in that other room have been, I think we'd be doing society a favor by turning 'em in dead." He smiled as he finished.
"I do think I agree with that! And they'd be a lot less trouble to transport."
"Yeah! Let's go tell them the news!" Clint got up and headed towards the locked room.
Outside, Kid had just gotten Heyes upright in the saddle. "Think you can hold on for a gallop?" Kid whispered.
"I'll manage it somehow." Heyes was looking pretty bad to Curry and was getting weaker by the minute. All of a sudden, they heard a yell come from inside the dilapidated shack.
"WHERE'D THEY GO! PHIL, YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO BE WATCHING THEM!"
Hearing that, Curry looked to make sure Heyes had hold of his horse's reins, then gave it a good slap on the buttocks. "KID!"
"Don't worry Heyes! I'm right behind you." Kid ran for his horse and just as he reached it, a bullet ricocheted off a tree to his right.
"STOP RIGHT THERE CURRY!" Another shot rang out but Kid didn't stop. He ran around to the far side of his horse and spurred it into a gallop as he hung to the side, one foot in the stirrup.
Clint let go one more shot then he ran for his horse. When he got there, he saw one had been taken. "Son of a...! Phil, you stay here and wait for us. C,mon Patch!" They mounted and took off after the two ex-outlaws.
Up ahead, Heyes was having trouble staying conscious. His wounds had finally quit bleeding, but he had already lost a good amount of blood. His vision started blurring and every noise sounded like it was in a tunnel. His head was feeling extra heavy. Kid saw him swaying from behind and urged his horse on to catch up. He had just caught up when Heyes lost his battle and pitched forward. Kid reached over and did his best to position him on the horse's neck to keep him on. They couldn't risk stopping just yet, but Kid had no choice but to slow down to keep Heyes from falling. Behind them, he could hear their pursuers catching up. "C'mon Heyes. Wake up!" Kid yelled, but Heyes never moved. Kid was getting worried that the worst had happened and Heyes had passed on. There was no way to tell while riding. He just had to hold on to him and hope for the best.
Behind them, Clint and Patch were catching up fast. "If you get a good shot Patch, don't hesitate to take it!" A few more hundred feet passed and both gang members saw their chance. They both took aim and fired. Up ahead, they saw Curry jerk to the side as he was hit in his upper left arm. He was still holding on to his partner and they were slowing considerably.
"I'm sorry Heyes," Kid said to his unconscious cousin. "There's no way to escape them right now." He slowed their horses to a stop. A minute later, Weaver rode up, gun at the ready.
"Going somewhere Curry?" Weaver sneered.
"Just thought we'd take a nice ride in the country," Kid replied sarcastically. This retort earned him a slap in the face.
"Well, I hope you enjoyed it. It's the last ride you'll be taking as free men. Tie them both on Patch, real tight. Just throw Heyes across his saddle. If he wants to nap, he might as well be laying down." Weaver smiled at Kid.
"You're sadistic Weaver," Kid snarled as Patch attached him firmly to his saddle.
"Thanks. You know Curry, I had planned on just killing you both and turning you in. But since you want to cause me all this trouble, I think I'd rather see you suffer twenty years in the territorial prison."
"He needs to see a doctor. He's lost alot of blood," Kid was basically pleading now.
"He'll be alright. Besides, don't really make no difference to me. He's worth the same either way."
"You piece of..." Once again, Curry's protests were silenced by a bandanna in the mouth.
"Now, now. Don't get all nasty on me. You do have the temper don't you?"
"Alright Clint. They're good and secure," Patch reported remounting his horse.
"Let's go then. Instead of waiting, we'll just go into Hillsdale. I don't recall ever being there. I'll wait at their livery stable while you turn them in. Phil will be alright 'til we get back. It's just a couple hours ride." With that, they each took a rein and started their trek.