~CHAPTER 15~

The sun's progression seemed so slow that it appeared to have stopped in the sky as Hoss and Joe waited anxiously for their brother's return. Hoss had confidence in his brother, believing he would come back. He said as much to Joe whenever he asked useless questions as to Adam's whereabouts, or what could be taking him so long, questions Hoss had no hope of answering. But as the hours slowly crawled by, the sun disappeared from the sky, and the hour of ten o'clock drew nearer with no sign of Adam, Hoss could feel his heart start to pound for his brother's safety. He had been gone too long. The air was becoming frigid, making them shiver in its chill, and still there was no sign of Adam. They knew the awaited time had to be getting close if not come and gone already.

Joe slowly felt his suspicions becoming reality, and the endless waiting was working his nerves to a frazzle. After taking one last longing gaze up the trail, he looked at his brother with imploring eyes that Hoss could've instinctively felt if he hadn't already seen them in the light of the full moon overhead. "Hoss..."

"Alright, Lil' Joe," he said, not needing another word. "Let's go on up," he finished, seemingly forgetting about going to get Roy and only wanting to make sure his brother was safe at that point. Starting for where their horses were tied among the trees not too far away, Joe breathed a quiet sigh of relief as he took off for his own paint. Their hands had just reached the pommels when the far-off hollow clipping of a single horse's hooves reached their ears, making them stop and gaze hopefully up the moonlit trail. Hoss motioned for Joe to duck down on the side of the path while he took the other just in case the late night rider wasn't their brother. The rider soon came into view, moving his horse in slow and cautious movements. He brought his mount to a stop just opposite them and Joe saw the warmingly familiar outline of the rider's black hat and heard Cooch nicker to the new horse in friendly greeting. Sport immediately returned his welcome.

"Adam!" he called as he and Hoss came out from cover to approach their brother, smiles showing across their faces.

"We was wonderin' when you was gonna get back," Hoss said, his casual tone belaying the anxiety they had endured during his long absence.

"Yeah, we were just about to go and get the sheriff. Why were you gone so long, Adam? What happened?" Joe asked hurriedly.

"I found their camp," Adam replied in that annoying manner he assumed sometimes when you couldn't tell if he was suppressing emotion or really had nothing important enough to reveal. Joe very much doubted it being the latter. This was the break they'd been waiting for, hoping for! Adam had located their camp and was able to come back without getting caught. Joe could feel their days of depression and constant worry soon coming to an end.

"Hot diggety!" Hoss said slapping his thigh. "Now just as soon as we can get into town we'll get Roy and take 'im up there, and finish off the whole lot of 'em. How many of 'em were there, Adam? Who were they, did yuh recognize 'em?"

Adam looked as if he wasn't sure whether to dismount or not. However, he finally decided to be on the ground closer to his brothers, needing the reassurance that he was actually there with them, and not pinned down in the nerve-wracking situation of the past few hours. "No, I didn't recognize them," he replied, answering Hoss's last question.

They grew troubled and apprehensive as they noticed that Adam seemed even more withdrawn and edgy than before he left. If anything, he should've been just as happy as they were over his news. Instead, his eyes seemed to dart away and look at everything and anything but them.

"What's the matter, Adam? You found 'em!" Hoss congratulated, clapping Adam on the back. "And without our help!" he added as a small joke, but the unsure look stayed in Adam's eyes as they merely flicked at Hoss in acknowledgment. "What's the matter?" Hoss asked again, now becoming worried. "Nothin' happened up there did it? You don't think they saw yuh, do yuh?"

"No... no they didn't see me. Everything went fine. They're using one of the old abandoned caves up on a northwest trail parallel to the ridge. I couldn't tell how many of them there were, but I know at least four. I overheard them saying they were gonna set fire to our stables tomorrow night. From what I could make out, they... there's a hostage. They didn't say who it was." The inflection in Adam's voice made it appear as if he was going to say more, but his sentence ended there. Both brothers sensed something was terribly wrong. They'd never seen Adam act in this enigmatic and inscrutable way before.

"Who do you reckon it could be?" Hoss's unassuming question made Adam meet his gaze for the first real time since he'd gotten back, and for once in his life, Hoss couldn't read what he saw there.

"They didn't say. I... I'm not sure." Adam had to turn away suddenly and prod his temple with his hand. He couldn't think. His eyes felt as heavy as lead weights, the banging in his head slowly increased to an almost unmanageable level. The fatigue from no sleep in the last two days finally started to spread a numbing sensation through his entire body.

"Adam, dadburnit, what's the matter? What happened up there?" Hoss came up behind him and grasped his arm, not liking the unsteadiness he saw in his brother's stance.

"Nothing, I said."

"No, yuh didn't say," Hoss countered. "Adam... somethin' happened up there that you're not tellin' us, and I wanna know what."

"Oh, come on, Hoss," he said impatiently dismissive. "But you're right, we should head into town now while we know where the gang is and tell Roy what's happened." Maybe it'll give me a little extra time to think he thought to himself. He made a move to return to his horse, but Hoss's firm hand on his arm didn't budge, even when he made a responsive jerk to free it.

"Adam, I ain't puttin' up with you ignorin' my question. Somethin' was gnawin' at you before yuh left, but now somethin's got yuh downright unsettled, and I'm not lettin' yuh go nowhere till you tell me what it is." Joe came and stood alongside Hoss, lending silent but evident agreement to the statement. "It's about that hostage they got up there, ain't it?" Hoss continued. "Well, what about it?"

"Hoss," Adam started. "I can't tell you. I'm not sure," he said a little half-heartedly not really able to get angry with his brother. He knew how he must seem to them, and he scolded himself for not being able to hide his feelings better. At this point, however, he wondered if it was worth trying to continue. He could read all too well the concern and worry written on their faces.

"Adam, who do you think it is? Why do you think you have to hide it?"

Still seeing Adam's indecision, Joe suddenly spoke up in a tight voice. "Adam, would you quit trying to make all the decisions, and trust us for once!" His outburst shocked Adam and Hoss into silence. "All this time you've asked us to trust you, and we have. Now why is it so hard for you to do the same?"

Adam pushed Hoss's hand off of him and turned to look at Joe. "It's not a matter of trust, Joe..."

"Then what is it? You're trying not to tell us something that you don't think we should know. Well, why don't you stop trying to make all the decisions on your own for once and let us help?" Joe added softly, now only a foot away from Adam's face. Smirking slightly and ducking his head to look at Hoss out of the corner of his eye he added, "I don't think you really have much choice in the matter, older brother."

"He's right, Adam. Looks like you're the one without a choice right now," Hoss added. Although the words could've been harsh, they were said with all the tenderness for which Hoss was known.

Adam looked from Joe to Hoss, still aware of the looming consequence of a wrong decision. But they were right; it seemed that they were taking this particular problem out of his hands. Although it was somewhat uncharted territory, to have such a thing happen to him, he knew his brothers would stick to what they said. That fact almost gave him an inkling of comfort. Was it really fair to keep it from them now? He heaved a shaky breath, and, whether good or bad, let one of the heaviest loads he'd ever been burdened with slip off his tired shoulders. "What if it's Pa?" he asked softly, not finding it in himself to look at either of them.

The silence that hung over Adam's statement was deafening. Nothing but the low rustle of pines swaying in the wind was heard. The three stood still, Adam being the only one to move as he ran the back of his hand across his brow.

After several moments, Joe finally found his voice. "Adam... what are you talkin' about? Pa's dead." He pushed out the last words as if to dare anyone to take the matter of his father's death lightly.

"Adam, what would make you say a thing like that?" Hoss asked, disbelief riddling his voice. He knew Adam had to have a reason for such a statement, and he was insistent on knowing it.

"Because I think it's true. Believe me I wouldn't say such a thing unless I believed it was true. I believe they have Pa up in that camp..."

The front of his coat was suddenly grabbed by Little Joe and held with his shaking hands. Moisture gleamed in Joe's eyes as he wondered.. What was Adam doing to them? Had his brother finally buckled under the pressure and responsibility? How could he tell them Pa was still alive? How could he? "Adam..."

"Joe, lemme talk first. I know it sounds crazy, but lemme explain." Joe held his brother's gaze for almost a full minute, seeing into the very depths of his darkened eyes, trying to decide whether or not he was looking at a delusional, albeit sincere man. He finally released Adam's tan coat and slowly stepped back a few paces, waiting for the explanation.

Hoss hadn't rejected Adam's statement right away in his mind; instead, he tried to understand it. He was right after all; he wouldn't have said such a thing unless he had thought it over carefully and thoroughly, considering every aspect of the problem. Hoss knew his brother well enough to realize he wouldn't have risked it any other way; Adam knew them that well. He was probably the only one that realized, however, that they couldn't settle it there. It was closing in on the middle of the night, and no more vigorous rubbing of the arms would ward off the chill. He observed Adam shiver slightly and turn away briefly to run his hand over his face yet again. Hoss suddenly decided it wasn't best that he try and explain out there; it wasn't the place.

Coming up behind him, he rested a hand on Adam's shoulder. "Back home," he stated. Adam shifted his head to the side, half looking back at him. "Tell us back home." He felt the need for no more words and started for Chubby, not waiting to see if they agreed or not. Adam and Joe didn't argue or even inquire as to Hoss's decisive action. Somehow by silent mutual consent, they all felt the need to be back at the ranch, their father's ranch. They would all feel safer and have an open and clearer mind back home.