Matt once again looked out the little window to see the troopers approaching. He could feel the stagecoach slowing down to a stop. Matt opened the door and hung out the side just as the three men approached and stopped, "Are you the stage company that the army sent the payroll for Fort Dodge with?" Hodgson asked.

Sage looked back to Matt, "Why do you ask?" Sage asked as he looked back at the troopers.

"Sergeant Williams has sent us to bring the payroll directly to the fort, rather then to Dodge," Hodgson spoke clearly and made sure he sounded like he was in charge of the situation.

Matt stepped down from the coach and walked over to Hodgson who remained on his horse, "Have you got any identification?" he asked firmly.

Elcombe's hand slid slowly down to his holster. He was getting nervous at the direction of the man's questions.

"Who are you to ask?" Hodgson asked looking down at Matt.

"Matt Dillon. The United States Marshal out of Dodge City," Matt said with a hint of irritation growing in his voice.

Hodgson froze for just a brief moment before he made the decision to follow through with his plan, come hell or high water. In a split second, Hodgson had pulled his gun and fired it. The bullet struck Matt in the upper right chest sending him backward into the side of the coach. Kitty screamed at the sight.

Sage reached for his gun, however, before his hand could pull the gun free from his holster, Elcombe had fired a shot, hitting the driver in the stomach. Sage toppled off the top of the coach and landed hard on the ground.

Kitty, Doc and Jonas sat mortified in their seats as they heard the shots.

Doris scrambled up onto the stage and tossed the locked box to the ground where it burst open. Everything happened in an instant. Doris hopped down and grabbed the sack of money and quickly pulled himself up onto his horse.

Hodgson fired several other shots as a warning, which was enough to spook the horses. The stage lurched forward and Doc took a big leap out the door, just missing the rear wheel of the coach, which also narrowly missed Matt who lay on the ground groaning and grasping his upper chest. The horses charged forward taking the driverless coach with them.

Doc had landed next to Matt rather unceremoniously as he tumbled to the ground and finally flat out. He remained on his stomach as he watched over his shoulder as the coach raced down the road as the three riders headed back up into the hills.

Doc quickly righted himself and pulled Matt's gun from the marshal's holster and fired several shots up at the riders. He wasn't sure if he hit anyone, but one had the nerve to fire back just missing him. Doc cursed out loud as the then focussed his attention on Matt.

Doc shook his head as Matt opened his eyes and looked up into the caring crystal blue eyes that looked down at him, "How is the driver? Where are Kitty and Jonas?" he asked as he tried to sit.

"You just stay put for a moment," Doc ordered and placed his hand flat on Matt's shoulder and pushed him gently back to the ground the doctor slowly got to his feet. Doc scratched his cheek as he walked over to Sage who was laying awkwardly on his side and chest.

Doc knelt down and carefully rolled the driver onto his back. Had he survived being shot, you would not have survived the fall. Sage's neck was broken. The dead man's eyes stared up at nothing. Doc shook his head and then closed Sage's eyes then he stood up and looked down the road. There was nothing to see but drifting dust that was stirred up minutes before.

Doc felt at a lost - he wanted to find out about Kitty and Jonas, however, Matt also needed his attention. In frustration, the doctor swiped his left hand sharply across his moustache and then huffed while turning back to Matt.

Kitty and Jonas grabbed a hold of whatever they could as the coach bounced along the road. They were all panic-stricken as the stage wheel caught a rock tipping it slightly sideways before it righted itself again.

The horses raced around the next bend in the road and again the driverless coach was on two wheels. Kitty clutched at the opposite door and Jonas tried to pull himself up from the floor where he was thrown after the first bump. This time there was no stopping the coach from going over. The stagecoach lost its centre of balance tipping further over before it crashed to its side and flipped twice before coming to a halt against some trees. The only things that were moving were the two wheels that continued to spin.

Doc quickly returned to Matt's side, "Let me have a look," he said as he moved the marshal's hand away from his chest. Doc ticked his head and muttered under his breath as he touched the wound and watched Matt squirm.

"The driver?" Matt asked again.

"He's dead," Doc's voice was flat.

"Kitty and Jonas?" Matt looked up at the doctor who was trying everything to avoid answering the marshal's question. Matt took Doc gruffly by the forearm with his left hand, "Doc? Where are Kitty and Jonas?"

Doc pulled back slightly and he blinked, "I don't know where they are, or even how they are," he swallowed hard as he thought of his two friends, "The stagecoach raced out of sight..." his voice trailed off in sadness. Doc fought back the moisture that was filling his eyes for he knew that without a driver, a stagecoach was extremely dangerous to be in. He didn't think Jonas was they type to try and climb out and stop the racing vehicle. Doc's only hope was that the horses ran themselves into the ground and stopped running and that the horses stayed on the road.

Matt drooped back to the ground. He closed his eyes and hated himself for not incising that his friends stay at the last stage stop. Slowly Matt opened his eyes and looked at Doc. There was little Doc could do without his medical bag, "Doc, you have to help get up. We have to find Kitty and Jonas," he stated as he took Doc by the shoulder.

"You can't get far with that wound," Doc stated.

"We have to try," Matt grunted as he rolled so his side and then to his knees, "Kitty and Jonas could be in worse shape than me," he said as Doc steadied him. Doc quickly scooped up Matt's gun and looked up at the tall marshal, "I can't believe any of this is happening. It's a nightmare from hell," the doctor grunted as he took Matt by the elbow.

"With any luck someone will come along the road and help," Matt said as he grit his teeth and began to walk in the direction of the stagecoach.