Chapter 9: Jeremy and Rafe

Jeremy woke up, he thought it was daytime. The room was dark and there was no light. He heard noises coming towards the door. Someone was thrust into he room and fell on the floor. He had been beaten up pretty bad.

"We will soon have a double hangin' or shootin' said a voice outside the door as it was locked and then there was laughter and silence. Jeremy lay still on the only place to lay in the dark room. He waited to find out who was in there.

The man stirred and made noises as he tried to sit up. Once he sat up he looked around. There was a bit of light streaming from a small window up at the top of the wall. The man looked around and saw Jeremy lying there on the cot, with his eyes open watching him.

"Seems like we meet in unlikely circumstances?" said Jeremy who sat up on the edge of the cot. He had chased the other inhabitants away and they had scurried to the various hiding spots on the floor and under the floor.

"Well, I want you to know, there are no hard feelings, I am truly sorry this happened!" Rafe said.

"So, do you know where Candy is?" Jeremy asked.

"I wish I did. The lady who I thought was Candy was taken out of the warehouse and I think they drowned her. But there was another lady who looks just like her she was kept; they took her upstairs! I don't know what Bruno's plans are, but I am sure they are not good." Rafe said as he too sat on the edge of the cot. Jeremy moved over to give him a spot to sit.

"Any ideas on how to get out of here?" Rafe Asked. Jeremy shook his head, he had not eaten for two days and had nothing to drink. Just then someone opened the door and brought them each a tray with water and bread.

"Well, now, ain't we got a pleasant surprise for youse, me bucko's we will be havin' a meal now! It is gonna be yer last one!" They saw a pipe in the man's mouth and Jeremy looked up and saw him wink. He recognized the voice and smiled. It was Clancy, he knew there was a plan!

"Hey, my breads all moldy!" He said as Captain Clancy was about to go out of the door.

"If'n youse don't like the bread, ye'll go to Davy Jones locker hungry!" then he walked out. Jeremy said no more.

"What was that all about?" Rafe said. Jeremy looked at Rafe, he did not quite trust him, so he said nothing and ate the bread and drank the water. Rafe was hungry as well. Taking a beating left him hungrier than usual so he ate his bread and drank his water as well.

Upstairs in the suite, Bruno had the lady tied to the bed. He would look at her every now and then and would think about what he wanted to do to her, but first he needed to get the banks robbed. Then he could have his way with her and then kill her. He thought about the man she had hired. She was a fool not to hire him. He would have gotten her and the other lady out to Arizona or New Mexico, maybe even Montana, sold them and had a lot more money. Now he had to be happy with one bank robbery, maybe two. He stood up and went to her laying on the bed and said:

"You know, you ain't so bad to look at, I would take you, but we have work to do. You will sing those clerks to sleep and once we have the money, we can get out of here. I am sorry that I hit you so hard you were knocked out but little lady, escape is futile, you either die or if you want to live, you do as you are told! I have two prisoners downstairs that are going to be executed tonight after the sun goes down." She looked at him tears in her eyes. "Oh, you will get to watch from the balcony, the execution will be glorious. You know, I think I will have you do like the ancient Romans did, thumbs up or down. They can shoot at each other and when one is almost gone, you can give the thumbs up and then I will give the thumbs down, and we will watch them roast together!" He laughed a slobbery laugh. In fact, he slobbered over face and reached down to kiss her. His thoughts were of having her all to himself once he got rid of the two rivals.

Clancy had served them the bread and water, then it was a waiting game. The sun would be going down and soon he would have Jeremy and Rafe out of the basement and on the ship. Chin had stayed close to the building and had snuck upstairs to check on Candy. When he got back he told Clancy who said to let the other Chinese man go to Lin and the brothers. It seemed as if they would have to start sooner rather than later.

Back in the basement Rafe and Jeremy were talking.

"I don't know why they bothered you and Candy but once I saw who it was, I knew I had to help her!" Rafe said wishing he had a cigarette.

"Thank you Rafe. I never expected to see you again or I don't even think Candy thought about it either. I think Clancy has a plan and we need to help get Candy out of that man's hands as well!" Aside Jeremy. Rafe nodded. Then he asked:

"Jeremy, is that other lady, Candy's sister?" Jeremy nodded yes.

"She wasn't with Candy when she came out, how did she get out here?" Jeremy wasn't sure what to say so he said:

"She is Candy's twin who was abducted when she was a baby. Candy did not even know of a twin for a long time and by the time her mother told her she was already signed to come out as a bride." Jeremy said.

"Well, Aurora, sure does look like Candy. Maybe when this is all over we might get together and you or Candy can introduce me?" Rafe said pleadingly. Jeremy looked at him and was about to say something then he thought better of and said:

"I will ask her and Candy if things turn out all right. Wait a minute, you already know Aurora, she hired you!" Jeremy said.

"You are right, she did hire me, but I first thought she was Candy when I found out differently then I became interested in her, not professionally but personally, but she kept her distance, she was after you!" Rafe said.

Jeremy smiled and thought about if he only knew the problems she had caused for him and Candy. He looked up at the window and saw it was getting dark. "Rafe, it is almost time. Be ready!" he whispered as they waited for Clancy to come through the door. The door opened, Clancy did not come in, it was Jack and another man who came in with guns and marched Jeremy and Rafe out the door and to the open area in front of the saloon. On the balcony, Candy stood not wanting to watch, she was not sure what she was going to do but she had to try something. The men gave Jeremy and Rafe each a gun. They told them they had to shoot each other but not to kill, just to do harm. Their life or death would be determined by a thumbs up or down.

The crowd was big, there was drinking and shouting. Rafe stood next to Jeremy and said:

"I don't suppose we have much of a chance of getting out with all these people here?" Jeremy was looking in to the crowd. Clancy, the boy, and a Chinese man or two stood close to the opening, Clancy was making signs for them to get close to the crowd. He saw Jason and Joshua as well as Lin and some more Chinese men.

"Rafe, can you pretend to shoot me, I will pretend to be hurt, and pretend to shoot you as well, head over to where Clancy is, I am going to go towards my brothers."

"Jeremy, Candy is on the balcony, if I start shooting at you I will try to head up the stairs, you get close to your brothers, I will try to get to Candy and get her safe!" Jeremy did not like that but understood that that was what probably would help, getting Candy safe was the most important thing to him.

"Okay!" was the last thing he was to say, because the announcement was being made. And then a gun was fired, and he and Rafe had to shoot at each other. Both shot but did not hit right away. The crowd booed, this was entertainment, they wanted more. They again shot and no one was hit. then Rafe started to shoot rapid fire and almost hit Jeremy who was shooting rapid fire as well. Up on the balcony, Candy was watching for the right time to knock Bruno off his feet and escape. She saw the opportunity the moment, he picked up his cigar and was lighting it. She grabbed the pitcher and hit him over the head, then started to run toward the staircase. She almost made it, but he stopped her and held her tightly, and said:

"Just for that, my dear, I am going to have my way with you right now!" He pulled her close to him and started to rip her dress off of her. Jeremy saw that and motioned to Rafe. Rafe stood and in the dim light he watched and waited Jeremy had stopped as well. He was close to Joshua who grabbed him. Rafe shot with his pistol, Joshua grabbed Jeremy's pistol and shot as well. The crowd looked up to the balcony and saw the rail give way and someone falling to the ground and landing with a big thud. There was pandemonium. Everyone went everywhere, bullets were going every which way, and no one was safe from getting hit. Jason grabbed Jeremy who screamed Candy's name. Joshu and Lin and the Chinese group made their way to the saloon dodging bullets, punches and other various items being thrown. Someone started a fire and it quickly spread to all the shacks and shanty's and soon the saloon was ablaze as well. Chin and Clancy had gotten to the saloon first and made their way up to the balcony. Soon the sound of the fire, the roar of the flames was all anyone could hear.