CUT THEM OFF AT THE PASS
Drena Hills
May 2006
‘There is no good arguing with
the inevitable.’
-
James Russell Lowell
“Just think of us as the inevitable.”
-
Historical Note: In 1872 the Grand Duke Alexis Romanov of the
Great Empire of
Why is
it always so still after things most terrible the stranger thought as he stood
in the farm courtyard and surveyed the carnage.
Nothing, no birds, no wind, even the flames rising up amidst the black
smoke from the barn did so silently.
The
bodies at his feet lay discarded and broken as if posed for some abstract still
life painted in blood.
He had
happened upon the massacre by accident. Just
a lonely farmhouse at the end of a
He
should have turned and left immediately before the scene could take hold in his
memory. The last thing he needed was
another snap shot of suffering to replay in the darkness while most of the
living slept.
But he
had sensed the life lingering in her and if he was honest he was grateful he
still did not have the ability to walk away from the hopeless.
She had
crawled to the open door despite the savage destruction inflicted on her body
and cradling her gently against him he helped her sip water from the broken
china cup he had retrieved.
Fair
haired, her amazing blue eyes were filled with unshed tears and he clenched his
fist at how man could so casually brutalize something so fragile. That she was still alive amazed him until she
spoke and then he understood why she had held on.
“My
son, my little boy,” she gasped. “Please
sir he’s down at the river. I pray to
God you will keep him safe.”
He
looked up. The river was not far and by
now the child would have seen the smoke and be running back to find his life
changed forever.
Suddenly
he heard a gunshot from the cornfield and realized the raiders were returning
to ensure they had missed no one. Their thoroughness bothered him, but with a
reassuring smile he looked down at her.
“You
leave it to me ma’am,” he promised.
“God
bless you sir,” she whispered and slipped into unconsciousness.
Her
words touched him, he had been cursed too often not to be moved by a blessing
as sincere as this and gently laying her back down he stood up and moved out
into the yard.
From
his position he could make out two small figures running across the shallow
hills desperate to reach home and be assured all was well. They were about to run right into a volley of
guns unless he did something.
Without
pause he moved away from the house and cupping his hands to his mouth let out a
sharp clear yell, “Union Blue Forever!”
The
taunt had the expected result and a handful of men in mismatched gray uniforms
spilled out of the cornfield looking for a fight. Their leader was an older man with spittle on
his beard and a mad light in his eyes that explained why the South, despite his
loyalties, refused to call him theirs.
Bloody
Bill Anderson, he had been right, it was
Unexpectedly
“Come on you bottom feeder I’m
the bigger prize!” he growled.
For a
moment he thought
Spurred
by the euphoria the knowledge the children would be sparred brought him he ran
tirelessly grateful for a victory against human suffering no matter how small.
He was
only to learn later that perhaps it hadn’t been that small after all.
*******************************
November
1883
The
Hotel Astor House had become a haven for traveling dignitaries due in part to
the stylish skill wielded by its staff to instinctively know a patron’s needs
or at least make it seem that way. Truth
be known canny insight into human nature only played a part; rewarding their
elite guest’s servants for inside information was also a factor; which was why
the hotel’s manager now discreetly led Mr. William Cody and General Phillip
Sheridan up the back stairs to the penthouse suite of Grand Duke Alexis
incognito.
The lack of fanfare at this
ten year reunion was in striking contrast to their first meeting that blazed
headlines and caused a stream of reporters to follow their every move. None of the three important men were
strangers to public life and far from shying from publicity thrived on it. But this night they met alone with an urgency
all the more emphasized by the casual way they approached it.
Even
the celebrated Civil War General, Phillip H. Sheridan had made a point to come
in street clothes and forego the trappings of his uniform. At 52 years old and only 5 feet 5, he was the
son of Irish immigrants and had worked his way up to attending West Point only
to be suspended a year for fighting with future Brigadier General William
Terrill. Cursed in the south for his
destruction of the
Beside
him dressed in buckskin more out of habit than necessity strode the ex pony
express rider and hero of many a penny dreadful Buffalo Bill Cody. Now the star
of his own ‘Wild West’ show Cody was the darling of the eastern seaboard and at
33 years of age wasn’t sure himself anymore
what part of the stories were fantasy and which were fact.
Joining the Pony Express at 13
years old he had lived hard and wild working his way across the west becoming a
legend. But the deaths in recent years
of his beloved son Kit from scarlet fever and his daughter Orra had taken some
of the sparkle from his eyes.
Reaching
the suite the manager moved to knock only to have the door flung open by the
Grand Duke himself. At 33 Alexei
Alexandrovich of the Royal Romanov family of the Great Empire of Russia was in
love with all things American, but the west in particular. The 4th son of Alexander the II he
was now through tragedy second in line for the throne and prayed daily for his
older brother Alexander’s good health and longevity.
“Bill!
Philip!” the Duke cried embracing each man in a bear hug and ignoring any
attempts to limit the greeting to a handshake.
“Hello
your Dukeship!” Buffalo Bill Cody said
sincerely delighted to see the nobleman.
“Your show was magnificent!” Grand Duke Alexis gushed. “You must bring it
to
The 12 year old boy stepped forward and bowed formally.
Buffalo Bill laughed delighted and offered the boy his
hand, “Pleasure to meet you Alexei your dad and I are good friends.”
“He looks like you Alexei,”
“Thank you Phillip,” the Duke said pleased. “Alexei this is General Phillip Sheridan, he
won the American Civil War for President Lincoln.
“He told me how you killed the buffalo and fought the
Indians on the great plains of the American west!” the boy said to Cody clearly
star struck.
Cody laughed, “He tells it well and I gotta admit he’s a
hell of hunter boy.”
“My father is going to take me on a hunt just like it!” the
boy said excited.
Cody gave
“Well first you must get your sleep, Fraulein Kohl,” the
Duke said now speaking in the native tongue of the small mousy dark haired
woman no more than 18 years of age waiting in the door. “See that my valet sees
to my son.”
“Yes, your Lordship,” the woman said back in her native
tongue clearly uneasy around such larger than life men.
“I don’t see why I need a nursemaid,” the boy said
embarrassed.
“We will talk of this later,” his father said
affectionately and reluctantly the boys shuffled off and the door was shut.
“His mother and some of our servants took ill on our way
here,” the Duke sighed. “I was forced to
hire local help as we passed through
“You could have sent him back,”
“I feel safer that he is with me,” the Duke replied.
Cody nodded; he had just lost a son and understood how
precious they could be.
Seated the three men leaned back in their chairs cigars now
lit and waited for the servant to finish laying out the refreshments and make
his leave.
Finally
the three men were alone and it was Cody who first dared to bring up the reason
for their reunion.
“Son of
Spotted Tail has trailed the problem to Camas Prairie,” Wild Bill said
quietly.
“Prairie,
this is good, we shoot buffalo there, I know prairie.” the Grand Duke said
relieved for something familiar.
“
“Wasn’t hard, bloody remains
like a marker sign, which worries me, almost like its leading us. Anyway the local law in
The
royal prince shrugged with exaggerated bravo, “My father is dead there is no
place it can hide.”
“You
really think it’s a good idea bringing your boy along?”
“He can
stay on the train guarded while we complete this.”
“Good
then all is ready!” Alexis said raising
his glass.
“Aren’t
you boys forgetting something?” Cody asked.
The two
men looked at each other and back at him.
“We
still don’t know how to kill it. We
didn’t then and we don’t now.”
The
Grand Duke set his drink down. “No, no
we don’t, but there is one difference from last time. This time we know we have to.”
“We will need help, we do not have George or Spotted Tail
this time,”
Cody
cleared his throat and replied reluctantly, “Yea, but I don’t mind telling you
I’m still not sure about dragging them into help us.”
“Did
you not say they were no strangers to danger?” the Duke shrugged. “Besides they will be well paid.”
“Not
much use if a man gets killed earning it,” Cody growled.
“Well
you said they were legends…like you,”
“Are they that amazing?” Alexis asked hopeful.
“Alexis they don’t come any more amazing!” Cody said with a
confidence that made the other two look hopeful.
“Still might not be enough,”
“We don’t need an army with these boys,” Cody said simply
taking a long draw on his cigar for effect as always the master story
teller. “Not when you’re riding with
Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry!”
*********************************
Hannibal
Heyes stepped out of the hotel still smiling at the reaction his arrival had
caused. Cody had wired him that all the
arrangements had been made, but he hadn’t expected all the bowing and scraping
that being a guest of visiting royalty could cause.
He had
asked about Cody and was told he was over at the Duke’s private train now
parked at the station. Heyes had managed
to nod without raising an eyebrow despite his surprise; Bill Cody was
definitely moving up in the world.
Leaving
his gear in his room, which he had to assure the manager twice would be just
fine for his cousin and him to share, he found himself grinning as he imagined
what his partner’s reaction would be when he saw the private bath with indoor
plumbing…in its own room no less! Both
had stayed at places with the newest modern conveniences including electricity,
which was all the rage in
To his
amusement the staff had expressed great concern at him going out and had made a
determined effort to have him rest in his room with dinner brought up to him or
allow them to wine and dine him in a private dining room at no charge. It was almost as if they had been warned not
to let anything happen to him and he wondered if the reaction would have been
the same if he had signed the hotel register under his real name.
But
having been confined to a stagecoach to finish the last leg of his journey he
was eager to stretch his legs and have a look around town, something that would
not let him sleep comfortable until he had done. Leaving the fugitive trail a
year back had not changed the routine he always followed when entering a new
town. And while perhaps the need to
check out the sheriff office to find out the local law and the saloons to see
who was also in town was not as desperate as it had been when he had been on
the run it was still a ritual that had the potential to save his life which was
why an hour later he settled down in a café across from the hotel with a week
old paper and a pot of coffee to scan what the region considered newsworthy.
Two
cups of coffee later he knew Rancher Michael String’s wedding had been deferred
to a later date as had the local harvest dance.
In fact a great many public gatherings seemed to have been postponed if
not out right cancelled.
And yet
there was no explanation in fact the lead story was on the nation changing over
to synchronized ‘railroad’ time on Sunday and how Lewiston would lose 4
minutes, a fact local preachers were huffing would come in the middle of their
sermons and congregations were warned God would not approve of this and to expect
Sunday supper to be delayed as they preached their full hour.
Getting
up he decided it was time for a stronger drink and headed for one of the town’s
more upscale of its six saloons. The
Snake River Saloon was surprisingly empty for a Friday night and as Heyes
entered he noted men were making an effort to finish up their drinks and be on
there way. He frowned walking up to the
bar; at 4 in the afternoon?
“Beer,”
Heyes told the barkeep and turned around to lean back against the bar and
survey the nearly empty room. “Seems
fairly quiet for a Friday night.”
“Folks
like to be in before dark, you staying in town?” the man asked sincerely
concerned.
“Yea
over at the Register,” Heyes said turning back puzzled. “Never known a cowboy to want to hurry home
on a payday!”
“We’ve…we’ve
had a little trouble in these parts, just safer to keep close to home.”
“What
kind of trouble?” Heyes said suddenly serious now.
The man
swallowed, “Look they don’t like us talking about it with strangers, gonna
scare folks off, but well there have been some killings, real nasty ones.”
“Indians?”
“Hell
mister the local Indians have been hit as hard as we have in fact they are
helping the sheriff…” he stopped having said too much. “Look just take my advice travel when it’s
light and be in before dark.”
“Or
what?” Heyes said. The bartender was a
large muscular man. Anyone who handled
things from behind a bar didn’t scare easy or try and scare customers off.
“Or you
might find yourself butchered like all them others.”
“Heyes!”
Heyes
turned surprised to find William Cody striding up to him looking relieved.
“Heard you had arrived been looking all over for you.” He shot the barkeep a look. “What’s Joe here been telling you? What you drinking? Beer?
Hell we can do better than that.
Joe send a couple of bottles of your best whiskey over to the hotel, me
and my friend got some catching up to do.”
Heyes
kept the smile on his face, but it didn’t reach his eyes, “What’s wrong with
drinking it right here Bill?”
“Here? Why Heyes this ain’t no place to catch up,
got us a private dining room and supper all ready!”
Heyes
had to laugh; everything Cody did was larger than life and anyone around him
couldn’t help but get caught up in his whirlwind.
“All
right thank you,” Heyes nodded letting it go for the moment.
“Supper
gonna be my treat and then maybe we can roust some of them greenhorn guests
into a poker game!”
Heyes
grinned and turned to pay the bartender only to find Cody had flipped him a
coin and was carrying the whiskey he had asked to be sent over.
Stepping
out onto the walkway just as twilight was ending they were the last two on the
street, something Heyes didn’t fail to notice.
******************************
Jedediah
Curry wearily pulled his saddle bags off his horse and tried to slap some of
the trail dust off his clothes. He had
ridden hard to make it to
“That’s
50 cents in advance,” the grubby stableman said eying Curry up as if he was
daring him to prove he had it.
At 27
his slender muscular frame combined with his tousled fair hair and light blue
eyes gave him a boyish look that had earned him the nickname Kid; which now
attached to his prowess with a six gun had secured him a reputation as being
the fastest man alive.
It was a reputation he could
live up to.
Digging into the pocket of his
Levis Curry handed the stable owner payment adding, “Make sure he gets some
oats, he’s earned it.”
“What
name you want me to hold him under?” the man asked suddenly cautious noticing
the peacemaker slung low and tied down at his hip
It should have been a simple
question, but for the last two years he and his partner Hannibal Heyes had
lived under aliases assigned to them by their friend and fellow former outlaw,
Sheriff Lom Trevors. The alias’s had
allowed them to survive undetected long enough to clean their slates and work
their way to an amnesty from the Territorial Governor of
And while the amnesty was now
theirs and using Heyes and Curry was no longer liable to get them thrown in
jail it still caused a stir; which was not always the best thing when they were
working on a job and trying to keep a low profile. Therefore both men still returned to the
false names when they wanted to avoid attention. And sometimes it even worked.
Curry
looked back at the man, “Jones, Thaddeus Jones.”
The man
straightened his demeanor instantly respectful.
“Yes
Sir Mr. Jones! We’ve been expecting
you! We’ll take fine care of him!”
Curry
blinked at this sudden change of demeanor and shaking his head turned to find
his partner grinning at his reaction as he leaned against the open barn door.
At 29
years of age Hannibal Heyes was a striking figure with his straight dark brown
hair and eyes and wiry frame. Two years
older than his cousin they seemed to bear little resemblance to one another
until they smiled and then the family resemblance was striking.
“Hello
partner, you made good time!” Heyes said slapping him on the back like a
brother and producing a cloud of dust from the gesture and then noting the
fatigued slope of his body he casually relieved him of his saddle bags.
“You
seem in good spirits,” Curry said not realizing how much better he suddenly
felt at being reunited with his only living family. “Do I have time to clean up and get some
breakfast?”
“You
got time to clean up and I’ll buy you breakfast after,” Heyes smiled. “You’re gonna like
“That
must come in real handy,” Kid found himself smiling.
“Yup
was once the capital in these parts even has a seaport,
“That’s
real nice Heyes,” Curry said used to his partner’s one sided dialogues in fact
if he was honest he generally found them entertaining. “Where is this job offer taking place anyhow?”
“Train
Station.”
Kid
raised an eyebrow, “A train?”
“Private
train no less. Bill is traveling in style these days partner,” Heyes
grinned. “Got himself a ride on a fancy
deluxe private rail car traveling with a Prince and a General.”
Kid
turned back sharply from where he had visually been checking out the sheriff‘s
office out of habit.
“Prince
and a general?”
“Some
Russian fella and General Sheridan.”
“Thee
General Sheridan?” Kid whistled. “Wait a
minute didn’t Cody mention those fellas when he was bragging about some hunting
trip he was guide on?”
“That
would be the one, happened about 10 years ago.
General Custer was with them too along with that Indian chief that just
got himself murdered in the capital.”
“This
is starting to look like more than the simple job Cody wired us about,” Kid
said frowning.
Heyes
flashed him his best smile, “Did you know Lewis and Clark stopped here, that’s
why they named the town after him, Lewis I mean.”
“You
talk to Cody?”
Heyes
looked away evasively, “A little, I just got in myself late last night.”
“How
did the O’Brian job turn out?” Kid asked curiosity distracting him. They had been forced to split up when two job
offers had come in.
Heyes
smiled, “You were right it was the cook helping those rustlers.”
Curry
swallowed a small smile feeling a wave of pride at his deduction being
right. He hadn’t been too sure about
Heyes’s idea for them to become “investigators” after their amnesty came
through, but he was starting to be convinced they had made the right choice;
especially when the town he had just left had offered him the job there as
sheriff.
Despite
the fancy title all investigating seemed to be was getting folks out of trouble
or danger and that was something they had been successfully managing to do all
their lives.
“So
what did Cody say?” Curry asked as they entered the town’s finest hotel and Kid
noted the desk clerk greeted Heyes with a respectful flourish and “Good morning
Mr. Smith, how may I assist you?”
“What
did you do to impress him?” Kid asked his partner unlocked the door to their
large well furnished room.
“Got my
room paid for by a Duke.”
“Noticed
you used Smith, this Duke know who we really are?” Kid said throwing his bags
on his bed and pouring water into the basin on the dresser. He was just going to have time to shave, wash
and change. Fortunately he had a lot of
experience at having to get ready quickly.
“Yea he
knows, in fact being Heyes and Curry is the reason we got the job.”
“Well
that doesn’t sound good,” Kid sighed.
For the
next few minutes he concentrated on cleaning up and in record time was
presentable thanks to the rooms running water and following his partner out the
door.
“So
Cody wants us to help with another hunting trip?” Curry asked feeling better
now that he was no longer trail worn and dusty and starting to get his second
wind.
“Something
like that,” Heyes said casually. “Ever see so many fruit trees? Place is surrounded by orchards. Not to mention cottonwoods,” he added
indicating the white seed that blew about covering everything like snow.
Kid
stopped dead in his tracks. He had known
his cousin from birth and there was little Heyes could pull over on him for
long, but that never stopped him from trying.
Experience had taught him when Heyes was at his most cheerful something
was up.
Meanwhile
Heyes had suddenly realized he was talking to himself and exasperated he turned
and walked back to his partner.
“Come
on we are going to be late.”
“We got
time,” Kid said firmly. “What is it?”
“What
is what?” Heyes asked innocently, a skill he had perfected before the age of 5
and worked on everyone except his partner.
Kid exhaled with long
suffering patience. “Heyes I’m impressed
you memorized everything that hotel brochure told you about this town, I know
how bored you get when I’m not around.
And it is a real pretty place, no argument there, but you haven’t said
one word about what the job is that Cody wired us to come here for. Now you said you spoke with him how about
giving me a little information on that?”
Heyes swallowed and crossed
and uncrossed his arms looking for the right words something that was usually
not a problem for the silver tongued ex-outlaw.
Finally he surrendered, “Jed I
really think you need to hear this one for yourself.”
“Aw Heyes he is not still
trying to get us to join that Wild West show is he?” Curry said with a
groan. “What did we turn him down, six
times?”
“Eight,” Heyes admitted
relieved his partner had started walking again.
“But it’s not that.”
“Then what?” Curry studied his
partner’s face. He trusted Heyes more
than any man alive and respected his ability to think out an answer to almost
any problem. If Heyes wasn’t leveling
with him it was because he hadn’t worked it all out. “All right I’ll wait and hear it for myself
if you think it’s worth listening too.”
Heyes swallowed a small smile
pleased by his partner’s loyalty. Curry
was the only one who could call him on not having an answer and not make it
seem like an insult.
“Kid I really need you to tell
me. You are better at looking at things
from a practical, down to earth perspective than I am. This one has thrown me something fierce and I
don’t want my confusion to cloud your judgment.
I admit I talked to Bill last night, but he had been drinking and the
whole thing came out like one of Grandpa Curry’s stories by the fire.”
Curry nodded, “All right, Bill
is a friend so let’s hear him out. But I
swear Heyes if he’s twisted something to catch your curiosity just to offer us
a job shooting holes in cards and saving actresses from fake Indians…”
“The Indians aren’t fake,”
Heyes pointed out as they reached the train.
“All the more reason not to
let them shoot at me,” Curry grumbled and followed his partner through the
private rail car door.
**********************************
The creaking wheezing grinding
sound came from the apple orchard just behind the local bordello, which seeing
as how it was just gone morning its residents promptly slept through.
Two figures stepped out of the
grove of fruit trees onto the high street and surveyed all of
Truth be told it was not all
that imposing a scene; a great many wooden building still in need of electric
lights and more than a few requiring a new lick of paint. The rain from the night before had left the
streets muddy and all that existed for walkways were uneven wooden slats
hammered together that often did not carry through over the mud from building
to building.
Finally the young woman turned
on the slender tall man next to her unimpressed.
“Here now I thought you were
suppose to be showing me the Wild West?” Rose Tyler asked hands on her hips,
but any show of fierceness she had been trying to project was lost when the
oversized cowboy hat she was wearing fell down over her eyes and she was forced
to push it back up.
“Look around Rose this is the
wild west,” the man with her replied with a broad sweep of his hand indicating
the muddy main street of
Unlike Rose who had opted for
jeans, a man’s red flannel shirt and a worn sheepskin jacket, the Doctor had
once more elected to wear his usual uniform of a black leather jacket, pullover
and trousers. Rose hadn’t even thought
to question him about not changing his attire to fit in better with the fashion
of the time. She was learning the Doctor
never fit in no matter what he was wearing.
“This? This is positively peaceful!” she said
unconvinced as they passed by town folk doing their morning shopping and
errands. “You promised me outlaws and gunslingers, the real wild west!”
“Rose you are confusing the
American west with the movies. You are
not going to see your Clint Eastwood wandering down Main Street calling out Lee
Van Cleef, didn’t happen that way.”
“But surely you know Billy the
Kid?”
“Dead, died two years ago,
besides the last time I saw him he wanted to shoot me for some reason.”
“Jesse James?”
“Never met him, nasty bloke
from what I hear.”
“You never met Jesse James?”
Rose said with mock disillusionment in him.
“I don’t know everyone!” the
Doctor shot back annoyed he felt guilty for not.
She looked disappointed and he
tried again.
“Did I mention Lewis and Clark
stopped here?”
“Who?”
The Doctor sighed, “How am I
suppose to show you history if you don’t know any of it.”
“That’s American history, I
had quite enough to deal with passing English history, and we have more of it!”
He nodded having to give her
that, “
“Like in Gone with the Wind?”
“Is all your history learned
in the cinema?”
“No, I saw that one on
television, I’m not that old.”
The Doctor bit back a smile,
this was one of the reasons he liked traveling with Rose she could give as good
as she got.
“Actually it was built due to
a gold rush in these parts.”
Rose looked up with renewed
interest, “Any gold left?”
“Hardly think so, 1883 now,”
the Doctor said and seeing her disappointment added, “But 1883 is an excellent
year for the Wild West.”
“It looks boring to me. I thought we were going to
“I wanted you to see the
American west without having to dive behind water troughs,” the Doctor said
sternly.
“Is that why you chose here?”
she said glancing around at the tall mountains and impressive forests
surrounding them. It was beautiful.
“Actually I didn’t, the Tardis
did. I just put in ‘Wild West’ and it picked here.”
“Doesn’t the Tardis usually find trouble?”
The Doctor frowned, “Not
always Rose, I don’t always land in the middle of the end of the world.”
“Name one time,” she said
grinning.
He thought hard and not liking
the answer looked up with a bright smile, “Is that breakfast I smell?”
Rose let a grin escape and it
crept across her face like light across a garden sundial.
The Doctor paused a moment
always appreciating the effect her smile had on him and then grabbing her hand
pulled her off towards the aroma of frying sausages.
“Do you think we’ll meet some
real outlaws and the like having breakfast?” Rose questioned hopeful.
“I told you Rose just a quiet
little sight seeing trip, not an outlaw for 50 miles.”
***************************
“You boys want a drink?”
William Cody queried as he led the two ex-outlaws down the elegantly furnished
railcar’s corridor into its sitting salon and stopped at the well stocked bar.
“Bit early for us,” Kid smiled
knowing it was for Cody as well and watched surprised as the frontier guide
poured himself a liberal glass of whiskey.
Stealing a glance at his cousin Heyes gave him a slight shrug. Clearly whatever the problem was it even had
the usual unflappable buffalo hunter on edge.
Turning as the forward door
opened they watched as
“Drinks gentlemen?” the Duke
asked graciously waving a hand at a waiting servant.
“Coffee will be just fine,”
Heyes replied.
“Never met an outlaw who would
turn down free whiskey,”
Heyes produced his best polite
smile, “Known a few have you General?”
“A few, mostly dead when I was
done with them; Bill here tells us you talked your way into an amnesty with
some full territorial governor, said you been doing odd jobs ever since then.”
Heyes thanked the servant who
handed him his cup and saucer and kept his smile in place. “You might put it that way sir,” and added
with an emphasis no one missed. “Some
definitely more odd than others.”
Kid coughed to hide a
smile. Cody wasn’t as discreet.
“Hannibal Heyes and Kid
Curry,” the Grand Duke said frowning. “I
expected something more terrible. You
are not as fierce and dangerous as the men Mr. Cody here showed me on those ten
cent story books.”
“Well folks tend to exaggerate
things,” Kid said with a modest smile.
“I most certainly hope not!”
the Duke sputtered. “We need fierce and dangerous men!”
“Which brings us to the why
you asked us here,” Heyes said putting down his coffee.
“We need you to lead us into
the mountains, we have read you robbed trains there and know trails even the
Indians do not,” the Duke explained.
“Lead might not be the right
word, guide,” the General said. “I
wouldn’t expect men like you to know how to lead.”
Heyes didn’t blink, “I
understand sir, what with the leading you’ve done at say
The room sucked in its breath,
the disputed account involving that battle and the General were well known.
Surprisingly the general
didn’t flinch, “I see you’ve studied my career Mr. Heyes.”
“Yes sir I like to learn from
other people’s mistakes.”
Everyone but Kid froze and
then to the room’s surprise the General burst into laughter.
“You’ll do son,” he said
finally.
“So this is a hunting trip?”
Kid said holding to the subject. “I
think you gentlemen need to know that the Rockies here are real rough terrain
there are a lot easier places to find what your looking for.”
“Unless what you are looking
for isn’t an animal,” Heyes shrewdly guessed.
“Very good Mr. Heyes,”
“We don’t bounty hunt,” Kid
said moving to rise.
Heyes held up a hand for him
to wait, “All this for one man?”
“It is not so much the man…”
the Duke said his voice trailing off.
“Excuse me?” Kid said
irritated completely now. He had just
ridden at break neck speed and so far he had been insulted and handed
riddles. It did not sit well on an empty
stomach.
“This…man, he’s capable of
some real evil things, done plenty as well,” Cody finally spoke up.
“What’s his name?”
“James Vansant,” Cody said
checking a piece of paper in his pocket, a move not lost by either of the two
cousins. It was a bit strange someone
going to all this trouble and expense to hunt a man who’s name they couldn’t
remember.
“Never heard of him,” Kid
said.
“You wouldn’t have,”
“He use an alias?” Heyes said
confused.
“No, look boys you just need
to know he’s worth going after and we’ll make it worth your while to help us,
$500 a day…a piece.”
To their audience’s dismay
neither man reacted and poker face glanced at one another. Only Cody knew how much the seemingly
innocent look could convey between the two men.
“Think of it gentlemen you
will be like your Lewis and Clark blazing this trail,” the Duke went on
poetically. “It will make a wonderful
new adventure for these stories they write about you. This one filled with dark and terrible
danger!”
“We leave at
“Bit late in the day isn’t
it?” Kid said not liking this at all.
“We’ve wasted enough time,”
Cody said simply. “Besides this fella prefers to hunt at night, we’ve learned
that.”
“We have all the equipment you need and we’ll
supply your horses…” the Duke added.
“Excuse me sir my partner and
I will have to discuss this before we agree to do anything,” Heyes said
quietly.
Everyone stared at him.
“But Cody assured us…”
“Boys I’m counting on you as a
friend…” Cody smiled pleadingly.
“I’m not deciding anything
like this before breakfast,” Kid said rising and picking up his hat.
“My chef can make you the
finest…” the Duke said clearly frightened they were not returning.
“I prefer a little space why
we think this out, but thank you sir,” Kid said firmly and walked out.
“You got one hour,”
Heyes considered this, “That
should be all it takes us, gentlemen.”
The three men stood there
watching the closed door.
“What if they say no?” the
Duke said under hushed breath.
“Then it looks like there is a
good chance not all of us will be coming back,”
*****************************
The two former outlaws walked
back into town, Curry clearly in the lead, his partner still musing over the
job offer and his own misgivings.
“Well he was right we would be
like Lewis and Clark,” Heyes attempted with a small attempt to lighten his
partner’s mood.
Kid
Curry turned and gave his partner a dark look.
“Heyes I don’t care if Lewis and Clark are coming along,” Kid
growled. “We are not taking that job.”
And to
add emphasis to this proclamation he swung the door to the café open and
stomped in leaving his partner alone on the wooden walkway.
Heyes
paused, to be honest anything recommend by their old ‘friend’ Bill Cody was
suspect. Cody tended to grandiose things
and more than once they had found themselves diving for cover after getting
pulled along in one of his schemes.
But the
presence of General Sheridan had intrigued Heyes. He had read all about the first hunting trip
the men had taken along with General Custer and Chief Spotted Tail and the fact
the surviving members of the group were holding a reunion seemed harmless, not
to mention lucrative. Only a year into
their amnesty the two ex-outlaws were still struggling with making an honest
living and building up their reputation as law abiding men.
“Kid
your not thinking straight we need this money,” Heyes said storming in after
his cousin and pulling up a chair at the table he had taken in the corner.
“No
Heyes I am the only one thinking straight; a pleasure hunting trip this late in
the year would be bad enough, but a vendetta?
And that’s what this is or that General would have called in his army or
that Duke would have hired him one. And you know what those mountains are like
after you get out of this valley AND its royalty. Do I need to remind you our luck with those
kinds of folks?”
“Ah but
Kid $500 a day…each! We could ride out the winter somewhere warm and take only
the jobs that really interest us.”
“Which
is another thing who in their right minds pays guides that kind of money? What are they hunting the devil himself?”
A gasp
came over the room and only then did both men realize their conversation has
taken the attention of every diner present.
Turning
slowly they met the gazes of the café’s patrons and were surprised to find not
curiosity, but genuine fear.
“Keep
your voice down your scaring the locals,” Heyes hissed noticing a couple in the
corner and the man paying particular
“I’m
scaring the locals? You’re scaring me!”
Kid grumbled. He was used to people
giving him and his partner a wide berth due to their past and the reputation
they had forged becoming the most successful outlaws in the history of the
west. But he had hoped a few of their
success stories at helping the law and doing some trouble solving work might
had lessened the reaction they had on the honest hard working populace. “And another thing why are they so all fired
convinced they need us?”
“You
heard the General those train jobs we did up here…”
“All
right, then what about Cody? They got
themselves a genuine hero, a legend of the American west to help them
track. When have you ever heard Bill
admit someone else, especially us, were better at tracking?”
Heyes
found himself nodding, “You may have something there; the money just sounded so
good.”
“Yea a
good way to get ourselves killed,” Kid said ordering his breakfast.
Heyes
finally nodded and let out a small smile.
As usual his partner’s clear practical mind had helped him cut past all
the distractions.
“Your
right, we’ll draw Cody a map to give him some ideas and show him where the cave
is and then get ourselves as far away from this mess as we can. Good enough?”
“If I
say yes will you let me finish my breakfast in peace?” Kid said darkly not
liking the idea of going back to help in any way.
Hannibal
Heyes broke into an easy open grin, the one only his partner ever saw. “Deal.”
“But I
warn you Heyes this feels wrong and I’m not gonna let them change our minds
about us not…”
“…taking
the job? Excellent knew you two would
see reason!”
Heyes
and Curry looked up as the tall lean stranger swung a leg over a chair and
joined them at their table.
“Try
the sausage, best this century,” he smiled easily.
“Ah
thank you Mister?” Kid tried.
“Just
Doctor.”
“Doctor,”
Heyes said his amusement at the man’s gall out weighing his annoyance. “Town this size you must get a lot of work.”
“No
actually just visiting saw that royal lot were looking for a guide and knew you
two couldn’t be here for any other reason.”
“And
you don’t want us to take the job?” Kid said leaning back trying to dislike the
man, but finding it impossible.
“Exactly,
terrible danger, certain death, over all nastiness, stay here and play poker,”
he said rising. “I know for a fact that at the Golden Nugget they are drawing
to inside straights at this very moment.”
“Well
thank you Doctor we’ll look into it,” Heyes grinned convinced now the man was a
lunatic, but it not changing his opinion or the fact he had decided he
genuinely liked the man.
“Ah
just one thing do we know you?” Kid asked.
“No,”
the Doctor smiled turning to leave.
“Ah
then why the advice?”
“Promised
your mum,” he said and with a twinkle in his eye was through the crowd and
gone.
“What
do you make of that?” Heyes said laughing.
“I make
it as good advice and I’m going to take it,” Kid said picking up fork and
attacking the food that had just been delivered.
Heyes
nodded absently the stranger intriguing him more than he liked to admit.
“Strange
that last comment about your mother he can’t be much older than us,” Heyes
said.
“Doesn’t
matter he was right about two things,” Kid said mouth full.
“Two?”
“Yea
the sausage is good.”
********************************
“What
did you forget?” Rose asked outside the café as the Doctor reappeared.
“A
promise,” he explained far away in thought as he watched General Phillip
Sheridan stride broadly into the hotel.
“Where
to now?” she asked curious.
“Newspaper
office I want to check on my history.”
**************************************
“Phew he sure didn’t take that
well,” Kid said shaking his head as he and his partner walked briskly away from
the train that was getting up a head of steam to move to a more private siding
now that the hunting party was moving over to the hotel to collect before they
rode out.
“Guess them dukes aren’t used
to folks telling them no,” Heyes said amused then the smile faded, “You see
Cody’s face? Almost like he was relieved
for us.”
“Heyes I’m relieved for us,” Kid
said with a yawn. “I’m going back to the
hotel for a long nap in a real bed; what about you?”
“I’m going to check out that
tip the Doctor told us about the Golden Nugget,” Heyes grinned.
“Don’t win too much,” Kid
cautioned only slightly joking. “I want
to stick around here and rest up a bit…what is it?”
“I was just thinking about
that Doctor fella and how he warned us off.
You notice anything strange about him?”
“You mean besides him telling
us what jobs we should take? You think
there is something more to this?” Kid questioned knowing is partner was
worrying about what Cody might be walking into.
“I’m not sure, but I think I’m
going to find him and find out,” Heyes said making a decision.
His partner was long familiar
with his partner’s curiosity and didn’t even try to fight him, “You want me to
come with you?” Kid asked tired, but not enough to even consider not watching
his partner’s back.
“No I’ll be fine, probably
nothing at all.”
***************************
“Well
that was interesting,” Rose lied badly as they exited the
Oblivious to her sarcasm the
Doctor began to cross the street and suddenly stopped and turned on her
excited, “Rose stay here I’ll be right back.”
“In the middle of the street?”
Rose said knowing this should not surprise here. Everyone got transported back in time to 1883
and got left in the middle of the street, well they did with the Doctor as
their guide.
The Doctor stopped and turned
evidently deciding leaving her with nothing to do was not the best of ideas and
fishing in his pocket found a bag of coins and handed them to her and
pointed. “Mercantile, find something you
like,” and once more he was off, only pausing slightly to look back and add,
“Get me some of those candy sticks - cinnamon!”
Shaking her head Rose stepped
up on to the wooden walk way and had to grin as a group of cowhands rode by;
now this was the wild west she had been hoping for. Giving them a smile she heard a few woops and
hollers as she entered the store.
Maybe this wasn’t going to be
so bad after all!
****************************
“Who
are you to come in here like this!” the Duke said indignant as the Doctor
entered the hotel lobby and with a few short words had the three important men
sequestered with him in the private dining room.
“A
friend and one if you have any sense you’ll listen to,” the Doctor said firmly
all humor gone from his eyes. “Now I
know what your hunting and I’m here to tell you that you can’t beat it and you
certainly can’t kill it. That evil is as
old as time and its not going to perish until its Creator wills it.”
“Creator?”
The
Doctor rolled his eyes frustrated and looked around. Spotting a Bible among the books lining the
wall he pulled it free and waved it at them. “You might want to take some time
reading about what you are fighting, try Revelations 9:11 for a start; and it
has a name gentlemen, Abaddon; which you will find rather appropriately means,
the Destroyer.”
“You
don’t understand anything,” Cody scowled, but his voice came out low and
worried.
“Oh I
understand a lot more than you men do. I
know for one thing General you brought that particular nasty piece of evil with
you from
“My
aide…”
“Exactly
and then he came on the hunt with you all and you got a crash course in the
savage butchery this thing could inflict with the right host.”
“We
managed to kill him…it’s…”
‘Host,”
the Doctor filled in. “For lack of a better word, but you didn’t know it could
make the jump to an animal and slowly it caught up to you. Let me see General Armstrong Custer, how many
people know he made all those mistakes trying to kill it? Chief Spotted Tail assassinated by a fellow
Indian and friend;” he looked directly at the Duke. “Your father, blown to bits, you were
supposed to have been with him that day weren’t you?”
“How do
you know these things?” the Duke gasped.
“Because
I know this evil; I’ve seen it before and all you are going to do it get
yourselves and everyone with you killed.”
The Doctor exhaled, “Where is it now?”
“Spotted
Tail’s son, he and his band have it cornered east of here,” Cody said
quietly. “He’s kept it at bay trapped in
a ravine. He knows it can…” he hesitated
and then decided the Doctor’s term worked best.
“Make the jump and his men are staying back just firing shots if he
tries to leave.”
“The
plan is to trap it there and send the hill side down on it, give it no way to
escape,”
The
Doctor considered this and nodded, “It’s not a bad plan, but it’s not going to
be easy. That demon is very clever.”
“We
have no choice!” Cody shouted. “Have you heard the talk around here? It took control of a merchant who knows the
entire valley; it nearly decimated the town until a trapper named Glatz and Son
of Spotted Tail trapped him. It seems
capable of taking anyone it wants over!”
“No,” the Doctor sighed. “Not anyone, just anyone it senses is
vulnerable. Unfortunately there isn’t
much in the human make up that can overcome fear and self preservation,” the
men stared at him confused and he sighed and continued slowly emphasizing every
word. “When you are afraid and just
thinking of yourself, that’s when you are at risk.” He paced thinking this out and finally turned
back. “You’re going to need my help if
you are going to do this. We won’t be
able to kill it but we should be able to keep it trapped for a decent period of
time.”
“You
would come with us?” the Duke said hopeful.
He didn’t know who this strange man was, but he knew everything and
still didn’t seem afraid.
“Yes,
but I have to make sure a friend of mine is safe first, when are you leaving?”
“On the
hour,”
The
Doctor nodded and hurried out of the room and across the lobby talking to
himself in what seemed to be a 3 way conversation. Reaching the door he looked up to find it was
blocked with a figure leaning across arm resting casually against the frame.
“Going
somewhere Doctor?” Hannibal Heyes said quietly.
*********************************
Son
of Spotted Tail turned uneasy attempting to find sleep on the frozen
ground. The buffalo blanket of his
father was warm protection so it was not the chilling cold that gnawed at his
senses, but the knowledge that sleep meant taking his eyes off his enemy.
The
hunt to avenge his father’s death had been a long one and he had learned at
each step the danger of letting your guard down.
It was
not that he didn’t trust the men who hunted with him. The eight that had followed him from his
tribe were fearless and as dedicated to vengeance in his father’s name as he
was. Even the two white eyes with them
who had reasons of their own to seek revenge had proven worthy of his trust and
respect.
And yet
no one but he truly understood what they faced. His father’s warning not to let
the evil ones shadow fall across him had not gone unheeded. He had made certain his men keeping watch
over their prey trapped in the narrow pass were at the furthest distance a
rifle could reach.
But it
worried him that the danger of taking on the evil one alone or allowing it to
lure you close was not understood. Even
now he heard the grumbles from his men angry they must wait on the friends of
his father to arrive to ensure the final kill.
And to
make matters worse the evil one had been known to them before. James Vansant was a merchant who had traded
with his people fairly and while not a friend he certainly had not been an
enemy.
“Son of
Spotted Tail sleep,” a voice boomed across the fire and he looked to see Glatz
the mountain man and Vansant’s former business partner watching him. Glatz had been a friend of his father, a huge
bear of a man who had trapped these mountains before Son of Spotted Tail had
been born.
He knew
the Great Spirit had blessed him allowing the trapper to join their party. But his involvement had come at great
personal cost to the rugged frontiersman who had only made slight mention of
what Vansant had done to his family before burning them alive in their cabin.
“I will
keep watch, he won’t get by us,” Glatz assured him.
“It is
good to have such a friend watch my back,” Son of Spotted Tail replied using
the white man term.
“Your
father was a good man and it took a friend gone mad to bring him down. The
others will be here tomorrow if I know Cody.
Get some sleep you are no good to us dead on your feet.”
Son of
Spotted Tail nodded grateful and at last let sleep take him.
Glatz
moved away from the fire not missing as Sheriff Pointe got up to relieve
himself. They were all exhausted, but
the hunt had taken the hardest toll on the young lawman who had vowed to his
town and more importantly his dying wife that he would not return until the
killer had seen justice. The burden and
the grief was eating away at him…Glatz frowned, Pointe should have been back by
now.
Benjamin
Pointe strolled casually up to the brave watching at the mouth of the pass. The
had piled large rocks high to close it off from easy escape, but it was still
the only point lower enough for a man to attempt to scramble up and make a run
for it.
The Indians and him had become
awkward friends and the man did not hesitate to turn his spot over to the white
eyes when he told him he had come to take over for him.
Pointe
waited until the weary man had disappeared from sight and then glanced down
into the dead end gorge where their captive had been trapped.
Pulling
his gun from its holster he carefully began his decent down and walked
purposely towards the sleeping figure at the end of the rocky path. The walls on either side were too high for a
man to climb out and with Glatz’s cunning they had been able to trap the killer
there, but then Son of Spotted Tail had demanded they wait.
The
delay had angered him, but outnumbered he had bid his time. This piece of scum did not deserve to live
one more hour and he was going to be judge, jury and executioner to see the job
finished.
Vansant
was curled up asleep against a large boulder.
The hunt and entrapment had taken their toll. He was cut, bruised and one arm hung broken
at his side useless.
He was
about to call out to wake him wanting the man to see him before he died when to
his surprise Vansant’s eyes opened slowly reminding him of a snake who has let
you sneak up on it.
“Come
for your revenge sheriff?” the man said through chapped dry lips.
“You’re
gonna die for what you done.”
“Then
kill me!” the man snarled. “Just I like
did your pretty little girl, such sweet meat I feasted on I can still see…”
“Shut
up!” Pointe screamed and raising his gun fired four bullets. Vansant’s body
jerked sharply as each made impact.
Pointe
waited for some sense of release from his suffering. He should have felt some relief, some closure
when unexpectedly the body jerked up unnaturally and leered at him.
Startled
he fell back a step, but it was not far enough; something slammed against him
driving him to the ground like a rush of water.
Terrified he tried to cry out only to find no sound came from his lips.
Slowly,
methodically he felt as if he was being suffocated as pressure began to bear
down on his body, smothering as slowly it violated him. His senses blurred and the pain became
excruciating as the terror of what held him morphed into his body and exploded.
“Ben!” Glatz said running up knife ready as what was
left of Sheriff Pointe got to his feet and turned.
“I had
to kill him, for Mary,” he said holstering his gun.
The
trapper exhaled he would be lying if he didn’t admit he was relieved; all the
hints of something from the spirit world had made him begin to wonder what he
was up against, but Vansant’s dead body was proof he had been just a man.
“It is
over then,” the trapper sighed sheathing his knife and turning his back on the
lawman.
It would be the last human
mistake he would ever make.
****************************************
Rose
stepped out of the mercantile and pulled a bite off of her licorice and
considered what to do next. The store
had reminded her too much of a museum to keep her attention for long especially
since experience had taught her the real excitement was always where the Doctor
was.
“Please
someone you have to help me! I have to
find him!”
She
turned to see a dark haired girl near her age in the middle of the streets
trying to get someone’s attention.
Dressed
as a servant in a plain gray dress and white apron she was crying
uncontrollably as people passing by skirted around her embarrassed by the emotional
scene.
“What’s
wrong? Rose asked catching the arm of a woman who was rushing past.
“I have
no idea, girl doesn’t speak a word of English,” the woman said hurrying her
children along.
Rose
turned back, the accent was eastern European, but she had understood her
clearly indicating the Tardis’ language translator was working perfectly.
Angry
at people’s lack of concern Rose threw down her licorice and hurried over to
the distraught stranger only to find one cowboy had beaten her there and was
attempting with a hand gently extended and a reassuring smile to calm her.
“What
kind of help do you need,” Rose asked the woman and clearly it had come out in
her native tongue because she looked up hopeful.
Kid
Curry, the cowboy trying to help, looked up relieved, “You speak her language!”
Rose
nodded as the woman grabbed her hand like a lifeline and quickly began to
babble between sobs as she wrung the bottom of her apron into a tight twist.
“The
Duke’s son! He’s run off! Everyone has gone! There is no one left to help me find him!”
the girl managed to blurt out before the crying overcame her again.
“She’s
lost some Duke’s child…said everyone is gone,” Rose translated confused as she
put a reassuring hand on the girl’s shoulder.
“Grand
Duke Alexis’s son?” Kid asked and the woman looked up understanding the name
and nodding.
“You
know him?” Rose asked.
“Met
his father, which gives me an idea where the boy might be. Ask her what her name is.”
Rose
did and turned back, “Klara.”
“Klara
I’m Jedediah,” he said with that smile again as he introduced himself and Rose
had to grin at the woman’s blush; clearly she wasn’t immune to handsome cowboys
either! “Tell her not to worry I think I
know where we can find him.”
Rose
passed this on and the woman nodded and smoothed down her apron and made an
attempt to wipe the tears off her face with her hand only to look up surprised
when Curry offered her his handkerchief. The small act of kindness seemed about
to startle her into crying all over again and Kid quickly turned to Rose with a
hopeful look.
“Ma’am
I don’t want to impose, but could you possibly spare a few minutes to come with
us to check this out? I have a fair idea
where he might be, but having someone along who speaks the language sure would
make it easier on both of us!”
Rose
smiled at his politeness and concern; it was refreshingly different from the
men in her time period.
“I’d be
glad to, mister?”
“Curry,”
Kid smiled. “Jedediah Curry.”
“Rose
Tyler,” she added and explained to Klara they were going to go with him to
check out a place the boy might be. As
they walked Rose found herself liking the way he managed to shepherd the two of
them down the street protectively, but not patronizingly; something only a
woman would have been able to differentiate.
Reaching the edge of town he
stopped beside a coral belonging to a large stable.
“How come you think you know
where he is?” Rose asked curious as Kid surveyed the yard with an experienced
eye. All around the Duke’s men were
readying horses and wagons for the hunting party’s departure. It was quite clear the Duke did not consider
going anywhere without all the comforts of home.
Kid looked back and smiled at
her, “Cause I did the same thing when I was about 5 years old. My Pa wouldn’t take me on a trip, but that
wasn’t going to stop me.”
“Did he find you?”
“Would have, but my older
cousin found me first.”
“And he made you see you
couldn’t go?”
“No, he found me a better place
to hide.”
“That wasn’t very responsible
of him,” she laughed.
Kid bit back a smile at the
memory, “Oh I assure you ma’am it was since he came along with me and being the
grand old age of 7 he was more than up to the task. We got all the way to
Rose smiled at the way the
memory made his eyes twinkle and then spotting something he waved for them to
follow and walked over to a buckboard that had just finished being packed and
was waiting off to the side to leave.
Confidently Curry pulled the
tarp back to reveal a small dark haired figure crouching in among the sacks and
supply boxes.
“Your highness!” Klara gasped.
“Return the cover
immediately!” the boy told Kid haughtily, but Curry merely lifted him out
kicking and set him down without effort. “You will pay for this! Do you not know who I am?”
“Yes,
you’re the little boy who scared this lady nearly to death,” Kid told him arms
folded.
“I am
not a little boy! I am a man!” the child
said puffing out his chest.
“Then
act like one,” Kid said not impressed.
“A man doesn’t worry folks who care about him unnecessarily.”
“She is
only a servant!” the boy said rolling his eyes.
Kid
gave the child an icy look, “All the more reason to treat her fairly.”
The boy’s
mouth dropped open. He had never been
spoken to so and it took a minute for him to find words to reply.
“My
father promised he would take me hunting!” the boy said stomping his foot.
“Yea,
maybe he did, but not this time out,” Kid said not impressed with the tantrum.
The
child looked at him slyly, “I have money! I can as you Americans say, make it
worth your while!”
“Son
the only thing I want right now is a few hours solid sleep something your
antics have kept me from, no deal.”
“If I
had a gun I would teach you a lesson for your insolence,” the boy spat angrily.
Kid
managed to almost hide a smile, which Rose caught and realized something
interesting was about to happen.
“Oh
really? You pretty good with a gun?”
Curry asked innocently.
“I have
shot a rifle many times hunting with my father,” the boy said arrogantly.
“Yea
well here in the west things tend to shoot back, but tell you what I’ll make
you deal if you can outshoot me I’ll load you right back up into that wagon and
not say a word.”
The boy
straightened, “You would do this?
Truthfully?”
“Word
of honor.”
Satisfied
the boy nodded and taking the hand Curry offered the two shook solemnly; then
securing a rifle from the wagon they began walking to the back of the stable. Klara looked at Rose confused and she gave
her a reassuring smile and indicated they should follow and watch.
“Where
is your rifle?” the boy asked as Kid set a mix matched collection of discarded
bottles and cans on a log and walked back.
“Just
gonna use this,” Kid said pointing to the gun in his holster, but making no
move to remove it.
The boy
smile smugly and pulled his weapon up to aim.
“Remember
now whoever shoots the most out of those six first wins,” Kid clarified.
“I
understand,” the boy said with an arrogant smile
“You
got a name?” Kid asked the child. “I
mean just so I know who’s gonna out shoot me.”
“I am
Alexei Alexeevich, Count Velevski-Shuovski.”
“Ah
huh,” Kid said. “All right Al lets see how good you are.”
“You
sure you can do this?” Rose whispered as Kid got into position still making no
move to remove his gun.
“Just
say go,” Kid told her softly.
Rose
nodded skeptically but stepped back.
The
child glanced over and noted the American still had his gun in its
holster. He would never reach it in
time. At home he had shot many targets
and clay pigeons, once he had had even downed a goose, though true his father
had shot along side him, but he knew it had been his bullet that had…
Rose
yelled go and the boy moved to squeeze the trigger only to hear six rapidly
fired shots come from beside him and send the targets he was aiming at flying.
Lowering
the rifle unfired Alexei turned in awe to stare at Curry who was calmly
reloading and with more flourish than was necessary twirl his gun back into its
holster.
“I
didn’t even see you draw!” Rose gasped laughing impressed. “Just who are you
Mr. Curry?”
As Kid
considered how to answer that Alexei turned astonished; “Curry? You are the famous Kid Curry the fastest gun
in the west?”
“Well
some people have said that,” Kid said clearly embarrassed now.
The
child let out a very undignified un-royal whoop and reaching into his pocket
pulled out a small paperback book blazing the title, ‘Kid Curry and the Showdown
with Death’. “I have read Mr. Cody’s
books he brought my father about you! No
one is faster!”
Rose
gave Kid an amused grin at his discomfort.
“Fastest
gun in the west huh?”
“Why
don’t we get him back to the train and then maybe you’ll let me buy you dinner
and explain?”
***********************************
“I
wish to ride by the train before we leave,” the Duke said as his party met in
the hotel lobby. “Alexei was most upset
he was not coming and…”
Sheridan
and Cody nodded, they knew the man was thinking this might be the last time he
saw his son alive.
“Don’t
you worry Phil,” Cody told him. “I asked
Heyes and Curry to keep an eye on him for you.
They’ll keep him out of trouble.”
*********************************
“So
who’s this Hannibal Heyes,” Rose asked looking up from the dime novel she had
confiscated from Alexei and was skimming through it happily as they took the
back streets to the rail siding in the hopes the boy’s disappearance could be
kept quiet.
A promise from Curry to give
Alexei a few tips at target practice if his father approved had changed the
young man’s mood considerably and he was practically skipping back to the
railcar. All attempts to pull Klara into a conversation had failed and the girl
walked beside them withdrawn. Rose had
guessed she was worried about what her punishment in Alexei’s escape would be
when they reached the train.
“He’s
my partner,” Kid said and hoping to keep the pretty girl all to himself added,
“You wouldn’t like him, bookish, skinny fella, can’t shoot at all.”
Rose
grinned not missing the twinkle in his eyes, “It says here he’s the Leader of
the Devil’s Hole Gang.”
“Was,”
Kid corrected seriously and it was clear he was in no way proud of his
past. “My cousin and I don’t do that
anymore.”
“Cousin?”
Rose said latching on to the word. “Is
this the one who helped you hide?”
Kid
laughed impressed at how quick she was. “Yes and fortunately for us he stayed
good at it!”
They
had just come down the slopping trail to the railway siding where the train was
now parked. It was a pleasant spot,
though isolated, with dense forest on the far side and a steep incline on the
other that rose higher as it followed the track out to the main line.
The
train had been backed in for a swift exit and even now the engine was emitting
a healthy head of steam as someone kept the boiler stoked and ready.
Klara
muttered a thank you to her shoes and then slumped along to the steps up to the
rail car.
“You
will come in for…tea?” Alexei asked Rose hopefully. “The English like tea! And we shall have Red Eye!” the boy told Kid
proudly.
“Maybe
we better go in and make sure she’s not in too much trouble,” Rose said
concerned for the maid.
Kid
nodded and Alexei smiled happily and hurried in to make sure all was ready for
their arrival.
“What’s
wrong?” Rose said noticing the way Kid was hesitating and scanning the area
with a critical eye.
“Maybe
nothing; but when my partner and I were here a little while ago his Lordship
had guards posted everywhere, now there is no one.”
“Well
that would explain how Alexei got out unnoticed,” Rose shrugged. “Maybe they are all helping this Duke guy
leave on his hunt.”
“Maybe
or they might be out looking for Alexei,” Kid suggested though it didn’t sound
like he believed it. They would have
been certain to have heard the alarm when they were back at the stable.
“That
means Klara is in even more trouble,” Rose sighed.
“You go
in I just want to have a look around first,” Kid said with a reassuring smile.
Rose
frowned at him, “You’re really worried about this aren’t you?”
“Just
have a cautious nature is all. My friend mentioned at breakfast the town has
been having some problems lately.”
“What
kind of problems?” Rose asked.
“Strange
and bad ones,” Kid said. “But it’s
probably just me being wary, comes from living on the run too long.”
A
shiver ran up Rose’s spine as it occurred to her that the Doctor never arrived
anywhere long before he stumbled on to trouble, usually the strange and bad
kind.
Kid
noticed and smiled, ““Now don’t concern yourself ma’am, those men are probably
just back down by the fuel shed warming themselves, rough standing guard on a
cold day like this.”
She
nodded and climbed the steps up to the rail car platform and Kid gave her a
cheerful smile before he turned and walked away, but Rose didn’t miss he also
unhooked his gun.
***********************************
“There you are! Fantastic!
I was just coming to look for you!” the Doctor smiled. “A friend of
mine, a lady, I need you and your partner to entertain her while I take care of
a little problem.”
Heyes had to smile at the
man’s audacity. He had spent most of his life around crooks and con men and
could usually spot the species a mile off.
But the Doctor just refused to fit into any of Heyes’s experience and
there was nothing Hannibal Heyes liked better than a puzzle.
“Hear you’re taking the job
you told us was too dangerous,” Heyes said pleasantly.
“Yes,”
the Doctor smiled trying to get him walking, “Now about my friend…”
“If
it’s so dangerous then why are you going?” Heyes said not budging arms folded.
The
Doctor sighed, “Because I have a little more experience at this sort of thing.”
“Which
is?”
“Saving
the world; now do you think we can find my friend? I haven’t got much time not to mention this
isn’t the safest place for her alone.”
“Do you
know who I am?”
“I do
indeed, Hannibal Heyes, the most famous outlaw leader in all of time.”
Heyes
bit back a smile at the man’s enthusiasm.
“And my partner?”
“Kid
Curry, fastest gun in the west, though in my way of thinking I’d make it at
least four galaxies, maybe more.”
“And
you want to leave your friend with us?”
“Course
I do! You’ve gone straight haven’t
you? Besides she would have been safe
with you even if you hadn’t, good boys the pair of you. Now if we can just fine Rose I’m really
starting to worry about her.”
Heyes
found himself speechless, something he neither enjoyed nor spent much time
doing. Maybe he should just find this
lunatic’s friend; she might be more forthcoming on things.
“All
right where did you see her last?”
“Left
her in the mercantile.”
“Mercantile
it is.”
***********************************
Kid looked
around uneasy. He had been lying when he
suggested the guards were probably getting warm. He had seen the security the Duke had
protecting the train when he had visited and every last man looked prepared to
die rather than move from his post.
Worried
he pulled his gun out and carefully began circling the train looking for
answers. Reaching the engine he was
surprise to find the driver and the fireman were also gone despite the engine
being up to a full head of steam.
Crossing
in front of the locomotive he looked up the main road to town. A figure had stopped just at the water tower
that was partially out of his view.
Frowning he watched as the figure seemed to freeze and then drop to his
knees as if shot.
Running
he was quickly close enough to see it was the hotel clerk, an envelope on the
ground beside him where he was vomiting in agony. Reaching him he suddenly
understood the messenger’s reaction.
There dangling from the water tower were the missing guards…or parts of
them, along with what appeared to be the fireman, engineer and the train’s
remaining servants. The bodies had been
awkwardly hung like broken marionettes with several arms hacked off and
positioned to point to the train.
Kid
swallowed and felt like he wanted to be sick himself. Anyone coming from the main street of the
town would easily see them and therefore whoever had killed them wanted to make
a point.
“Its
horrible,” the clerk gasped as Kid pulled him to his feet.
“Listen
to me, you run, you hear me, run back to the hotel and find my partner, Joshua
Smith and you bring him with Mr. Cody and the others in his party.”
“Alone?”
the young man said terrified as the train whistle blew and the train began to
move.
Kid
turned shocked that the train was heading out and at a fair clip at that.
“What
are you going to do?” the terrified young man asked.
“Catch
that train,” Curry answered and started to run.
****************************
The Doctor stepped out of the
Milliner shop looking worried and perplexed. Rose had not been where he left
her at the Mercantile and seemed to have vanished. Normally he would simply chalk this up to
standard companion behavior, but what he had learned in the last hour had made
him more protective than usual.
Heyes
seeing his concern had put off his questions suggesting they split up and the
Doctor found himself being more and more impressed with the ex-outlaw
leader.
With a
little luck Rose would turn up soon and have no objections to remaining in the
care of the two men the Doctor knew he could trust to look out for her until he
returned. He didn’t even think to add an
if to it.
“Found
her!” Heyes said hurrying up. “Fella down at the stables saw her heading
down to where that private train is parked; she had a little boy with her, Bill told us the Duke has his son with him so
I’m thinking might be him and she is just seeing him back..”
The
Doctor exhaled, “Thank you she should be safe there. I mean what kind of trouble could she get
into in a parked royal train?”
****************************
Rose
looked around the stylish salon she had been led into and shook her head. Not as big as the Tardis, but definitely a
lot cozier.
“Il
will have the steward bring tea,” Klara said nervously as if waiting for the
axe to fall as Alexei rummaged through his father’s liquor cabinet looking for
a suitable drink to serve an outlaw.
Rose
nodded her thanks and sat back impressed with how comfortable the room was,
this was definitely a way to travel.
“Mr.
Curry is coming in is he not?” Alexei said looking up suddenly concerned.
“He
seems a man of his word,” Rose assured him and then added when the child still
looked worried. “He just wanted a look around the train to make sure you
weren’t missed.”
“Do you
think he likes vodka? From what I have
seen of my uncles it gives you red eyes too.”
“I’m
sure he’ll be happy with anything you give him,” Rose laughed.
Suddenly
the train lurched forward and surprised they both went over to the window to
see not only were they moving, but quickly picking up speed.
“Here
now I didn’t buy a ticket for this!” Rose said heading for the door only to run
into Klara who burst back into the room frightened.
“Fraulein
there is no one in the kitchen, the train is empty!” the woman stopped suddenly
noticing the movement of the train.
“We are
moving! We are not to move!”
“Well
we are getting out of here then,” Rose said going over to the outside door and
pulling it open all three of them stepped out onto the back porch end of the
car and stopped.
The
train had picked up speed remarkably fast and the ground was rushing by very
quickly.
“Look
it is Mr. Curry!” Alexei cried pointing to a figure running alongside the train
on the slope that ran up against it.
“What
is he doing?” the maid cried in terror.
“I
hope,” Rose said fingers crossed. “Catching this train.”
**************************
“So
Doctor how exactly do you want us to entertain your friend while you’re away?”
Heyes asked with the casual air of two friends taking a stroll. He had been attempting to make conversation
all the way to the rail siding and so far the Doctor was proving annoyingly
resilient to his attempt to gain any information about him.
The
Doctor smiled enjoying Heyes’s creative questions and was genuinely sorry he
couldn’t sit down with the man and talk with him freely. There were few people he categorized as
equals, not because of conceit, but simply due to age and experience, but
Heyes’s mind worked with such an amazing perspective he made good and
challenging company. But he was better
left behind with his cousin to look after Rose, after all a promise was a
promise.
“Well
she did want to learn to play poker,” the Doctor suggested cheerfully.
Heyes
nodded, it wasn’t the answer he was expecting, but when was it ever with this
stranger?
The two
had began the downward slope to the rail line when to their surprise Cody came
riding up hell bent for leather.
“Heyes
we got trouble!” Cody said jumping off
his horse and pointing down towards the water tower.
“What
is it?” Heyes said never having seen the man so upset and with the Doctor
looked past him to realize the entire hunting party had gathered there.
“Too
many dead to count AND we’ve lost a train,” Cody said his voice raw.
“Rose!”
the Doctor yelled and took off at a dead run.
Heyes
and him both arrived at the water tower at the same moment and skidded to a
stop in repulsion at the scene before them.
Some of the bodies had been cut down and the living were just standing
there pale and shaken.
“What
happened?” Heyes said shocked.
“Damn
slaughter is what happened,”
“My
son, he was on that train,” the Duke said ignoring it all to stare at the empty
tracks.
“With
my Rose,” the Doctor whispered, but Heyes caught it and the pain in his voice.
Heyes
ran a hand through his hair and tried to think.
He had no idea why this was all going on, but he was now determined to
do whatever he could to stop it.
“I can
get you to a spot ahead of that train before it arrives and we’ll stop it
there,” Heyes said quietly and everyone looked at him with such hope he wished
he’d kept his mouth shut.
“Yes! You can do this!” the Duke said grabbing his arm. “You are a train robber! You stop trains!”
“Yea I
can stop that train, but I’m going to need my partner, send someone over to the
hotel and wake him….” he stopped as the Duke’s party looked at him
surprised. “What?”
“Heyes
didn’t that hotel clerk find you?” Cody said and seeing his puzzled face knew
he hadn’t. “Heyes, Kid is on that
train!”
*******************************
Jedediah
Curry landed easily on the roof of the second car with a balance born of both
practice and natural ability. For a
moment he felt the rush of the wind against him and a flash of adrenalin made
him remember why he used to do this for a living, well one of the reasons, the
money had tended to help too.
Running
to the end of the train he climbed down and gun in hand kicked the door
open. The caboose was empty and quickly
he began working his way through the next two cars until at last he found
himself face to face with Rose who was brandishing a six gun at his entrance
with Klara and Alexei behind her.
“You
all right?” Kid asked walking past them to check the rest of the car.
“Yes,”
Rose said overjoyed to see him. “I found
this in the drawer, I thought…”
“You
thought good,” Kid said moving the three over to a corner of the sitting room
where they could see every entrance to the car.
“Anyone comes in here but me you shoot them. Don’t talk, don’t think
just shoot, aim for the middle and you’re bound to hit something, understand?”
“What
is it? What is going on?” Rose asked not
liking the way his eyes were a darker unreadable blue now.
“I’ll
tell you after I take care of whoever is driving this train.”
“Can
you stop it?” Rose said skeptical.
Alexei
suddenly came to life, “Oh yes no one stops a train like Heyes and Curry!”
“See!”
Kid said checking her gun and handing it back to her. “I’m the best, its all in
those dime novels.”
“You
said they were rubbish,” Rose smiled knowing he was trying to make them feel
better.
“Not
the part about me being the best. Now wait here while I take care of this.”
“And
then what?” Rose asked.
“Then
people will be coming after us, my partner in particular.”
“That
would be the skinny, book worm?” Rose forced a smile.
Kid
grinned approvingly, “Yea, but he hates missing out on things.”
And he
was gone.
Rose
moved over to the corner with Klara and Alexei and swallowed as she set the gun
in her lap ready whispering to herself, “I know I’ve got a friend just like
that.”
*******************************************
“He saw
it leaving and jumped on,” the clerk added taking a step back at the expression
on Heyes’s face.
Heyes nodded a thank you and
then calmly walked over to one of the Duke’s men and pulling him off his horse
mounted up.
“Anyone going with me leaves
now.”
“Fine by me,” the Doctor said and
smiled at one of the other servants and his horse, “Do you mind?”
“Give him the horse,”
“Whatever we can carry on
horseback, but bring dynamite,” Heyes ordered clearly impatient.
“But the wagons…” the Duke
said confused.
“Where we are going they won’t
be able to follow,” Heyes said.
“But surely they can follow
behind slower on the path?”
“Your Lordship? I am the
path.”
**********************************
The route from the passenger
car over the tinder box was at best tricky and with a train going at full speed
on a curved track it was flat out dangerous.
“Now I remember why we gave
this up,” Kid grimaced and leaning over pulled free the long pole attached to
the side of the tinder car that was used by the fireman to pull down the funnel
from the water towers along the line.
It was a little trick of his
own he had come up with to gain entry into the engine cab unharmed by
distracting those driving. And as he had
no doubt whoever was there now had seen him make the jump onto train and would
be waiting most certainly armed a distraction was in his best interest.
Jamming an end of the long rod
into the stacked wood where he felt it would do the most good he used the pole
to vault across onto the roof of the engine cab sending a stream of firewood
tumbling down into the driver’s area as he did.
He knew from experience human
nature being what it was the occupants would turn in response to the logs
tumbled in at them giving him a chance to slip unannounced through the driver’s
window.
And it worked perfectly. In one smooth motion he was through the
window on his feet, gun drawn…to find he was alone.
Frowning he kept his gun out
and carefully began to search for the driver.
There were not too many places for a man to hide on a locomotive, though
Heyes had come up with some interesting ideas once or twice. Finally he holstered his gun. He was alone.
Whoever had stolen the train must have seen him coming and jumped.
Glancing down at the rocky
narrow sides they were speeding along he couldn’t imagine anyone being
desperate enough to make that leap or live after doing it. The entire line had been cut through the
mountains and little room remained on either side of the train with sheer
cliffs and deadly drops being the only choices most of the time.
But grateful it was going to
be easier than he thought he pulled the throttle back and slowly began pulling
down on the brake lever.
A noise behind him made him
turn gun instantly back in his hand and he exhaled when Rose let out a little
yelp and jumped back.
“It’s only me!”
“I can see that now,” Kid
growled replacing his gun. “I thought I told you to stay put? How did you get up here? Don’t you realize how fast this train is
going?”
“It wasn’t hard, hey maybe I’d
make a good train robber too!”
She gave him the smile that
always worked on the Doctor, but he frowned not impressed at the chance she had
taken.
“Look I’m sorry. Al and I got worried and we thought you might
need help.”
“I’m surprised he didn’t come
along,” Kid grumbled.
“He wanted too, but I left him
trying to get Klara out of the wardrobe,” and added on his surprised look. “She’s locked herself in, she says we are all
going to die,” she stopped. “Where is everyone?”
“Gone, whoever was running
this engine must have seen me and jumped off.”
“What down there at this
speed?” Rose said staring out. “They’d
be killed instantly.”
“Yea, but compared to what
that Duke fellow would have done to them probably a lot quicker end,” he said
and returned to the brake and look puzzled.
“What’s the matter? Things are
better now aren’t they?”
“Its not slowing, it should be
slowing.”
Kid pulled back again on the
throttle and then tried the brake again.
The engine was hot, but with no new wood being added and the throttle
pulled back they should have felt the train slowing.
“Maybe you’re doing it wrong,”
Rose tried.
Kid shook his head, “No ma’am
I’ve stopped a lot of trains in my day this is how it works, we should be
slowing.”
“Well can’t we just wait for
the wood to burn down then it has to stop.”
He nodded, “Yea I was hoping
to do this the easy way, but my life doesn’t tend to run that way.”
“How long will it take?”
“We should see some slowing in
the next ten minutes,” Kid said glancing at the fire amazed at how hot it was
still glowing.
“Well that’s not bad, then
what?”
“Then we can either wait here
to be rescued or try and reverse back slowly until I can find a siding to turn
it around.”
“Sounds like a lot of work, is
that why you don’t rob trains any more?”
“Yea and why I preferred
banks!”
“Had more money did they?”
Rose questioned.
“No they didn’t move!”
*******************************
General
Phillip Sheridan’s opinion of outlaws was improving and it gnawed at him
greatly. Despite all effort to fault
him, Hannibal Heyes was proving to be a skilled, experienced leader of men and
a hell of a competent scout.
It
spoke volumes as to why his gang had never been caught and he begrudgingly had
to admit he would not have minded having a dozen just like him in the last
war. Men could be taught the basics of
how to lead, but men possessing the imagination, courage and instinct that
Heyes had were rare. Add that to his
experience and suddenly
“Though
if word of this ever gets out,”
“Say
something General?” Heyes smiled over at him as they two found themselves side
by side fording a stream.
“I said
it could have been worse on all those lawmen you bamboozled, you could have
gone to
Heyes
grinned at the grudgingly given compliment, “No sir, man like me would have
lost too much time for getting into fist fights.”
The
miles passed quickly until they were deep up the side of a mountain as the
light was starting to fail.
The
Doctor who had been bringing up the back a silent participant suddenly kicked
his horse forward to reach Heyes as Cody had done the same. Clearly they had all seen the same thing.
“Why
are we stopping?” the Duke asked as Heyes pulled up sharply.
“Look
up,” the Doctor told him and pointed to darkening sky where scavenger birds
were circling en masse.
“I
think maybe the group they were suppose to meet up with is nearby,” the Doctor
said quietly to Heyes.
“You
get that feeling too?” Heyes sighed opening his eyes and meeting the Doctor’s
looking for some kind of answer.
“I was
afraid of something like this when the train left,” the Doctor said his voice
dark.
Heyes
turned his horse to face the others, “Those folks you all were planning on
meeting up with, near here wasn’t it?’
“Way I
figure with the route your taking us,” Cody finally answered for everyone. “They are right between us and the railroad.”
No one
said anything as the inference sunk in.
“Move
out,” Heyes said and added unhooking his gun and pulling his rifle free. “Guns
ready.”
**********************************
“Shouldn’t
we be slowing by now?” Rose said puzzled and realized Kid had been watching the
fire worried now for a few minutes.
“It’s
not burning down,” Kid said baffled.
“But it
has to, you said the fireman is applying wood constantly, we haven’t put a
stick on it since we got here.”
“If
anything were going faster,” Kid said looking around.
“What
are we going to do?”
“Well
the locomotive may not want to stop, but the cars will if we unhook them. We’ll just do that and let this locomotive go
on its merry way.”
“You
can do that when the train is moving?” Rose asked hopeful.
“Yea,
not easily and it’s a good way to lose a hand, but I’ve done it.”
Together
the two climbed back across the tinder box and after helping Rose down onto the
passenger car’s balcony Curry leaned down and began unhooking the connection to
the engine.
“What
are you waiting for?” Rose yelled as he paused.
“That,”
Kid said and she looked down to see they were flying across a high trestle
bridge. “Don’t want to stop on the
middle of that,” he yelled over the wind.
“Once were past that we got a nice flat patch for a while, good place to
stop.” And make it harder for someone to sneak up on us he didn’t add.
As soon
as the train had safely crossed the bridge Kid leaned back down and yanked
hard. The locomotive and tinder box
immediately pulled away and Kid dashed over and began turning the brake for the
car they were on. A moment later they
had stopped.
Kid let
out a long weary breath and leaned back against the car door; never had a train
not moving felt so good. Then glancing
over at Rose’s worried expression he gave her a reassuring grin.
She
managed a shaky one back, “Why didn’t the wood burn out?”
“I have
no idea,” he admitted honestly as he opened the door for her.
“But
don’t you want to know why?” Rose asked not moving.
“Nope,”
Kid said firmly and ushered her inside.
“Right now all I want is to keep us safe while we sit tight until my
partner, the genius, gets here – then he can figure it out.”
“Ah so
you are just the down to earth practical one,” Rose said not buying any of it.
“Yes
ma’am,” Kid agreed. “A man tends to stay alive longer out here if he is,” Kid
said with a shrug and turned as Alexei rushed up and hugged him.
“I thought you were never
coming back!”
Kid
smiled at the affectionate welcome. “Had to sort out a few problems with this
train of yours, so tell me you got anything to eat on board?”
“Yes,
but we only have one servant, Klara, and she is hiding in the closet,” Alexei
said indicating without servants a man would surely starve to death.
“I
think between the three of us we might actually be able to manage something,”
Kid told him confidently.
To Rose’s and Curry’s
amusement Alexei had never before ventured into the kitchen and he quickly
began to see the plus side to being common folk and making whatever you wanted
to eat.
Lunch
was a simple affair of cold beef, cheese, bread and fruit and it did a great
deal to bolster everyone’s spirits.
“Wait I
have dessert!” Rose said reaching in her pocket and pulling out the cinnamon
sticks. “Klara are you sure we can’t
tempt you?”
“We are
all going to die!” Klara sobbed back from the closet they had not even been
able to tempt her from with an offer of food.
Rose
sighed frustrated, “Well then I guess we have enough for two each she said
passing them out.
“Aren’t
you going to eat both of yours?” Alexei asked curious as Kid tucked one away in
his pocket before opening the other.
“No I
reckon I’ll save that one for my partner, he’s rather partial to them and it
will go a good ways towards sweetening his mood when he finally gets here,” Kid
smiled leaning back and sucking his.
“Does
he share his candy with you?” Alexei pressed confused by their friendship and
Kid suddenly felt sorry for the boy despite his position and wealth.
“Sure
does, were partners, have been since we were little,” Kid answered.
“What
does it mean, this being a partner?” the boy said eager to understand this
magical concept of someone caring about you without being forced or paid to.
Kid
frowned trying to figure out how to put it, “Well once when we were in school,
and I gotta confess here I didn’t take to book learning like he did, I got into
trouble for whacking Joe Brown Snyder in the head with my slate.”
Rose
broke into laughter, “Why did you hit Joe Brown Snyder in the head with your
slate?”
Kid
gave her a world weary look, “Joe was 4 years and 40 pounds bigger than
me. He sat behind me in class and would
kick my chair or hit me in the back of the head, but the teacher never saw it,
thought he was an angel. Well one day I
just got fed up and turned around and hit him so hard I bloodied his nose.”
“Did
you get into trouble?” Alexei asked wide eyed.
“More
than was fair,” Kid grumbled. “Worse
part was I had to stay in at lunch for a week and do chores. It wasn’t so much the playing time I missed,
but not getting to eat about would have about done me in. Well my partner he saw the whole thing and
was racking his brains how to help me when the teacher told the whole class
that anyone else caught hitting would also share my fate.”
“So he
hit him?” Rose said amazed.
“Several
times, Joe was punch drunk by the time the teacher caught him cause she kept
missing Heyes doing it.”
“That was
so sweet,” Rose gasped.
Kid
looked offended, “Sweet? No ma’am that was being a partner.”
“But
then he went hungry as well!” Alexei said trying to comprehend such sacrifice.
“Should
have, but Heyes got this brilliant idea to sneak in early each morning and hide
food in the pot belly stove, window box, places like that. To this day I think those were the best
“I wish
I had a partner,” Alexei said softly.
“Well
you got your Pa,” Kid told him. “Fine
thing when a man has his Pa as his partner; why I bet at this very moment both
our partners are on their way riding here to make sure were all right.”
“Then I
will save this candy for my Fa..Partner!” Alexei said happily putting the candy
in his pocket.
“How
about you Rose this Doctor fella worth saving half for?” Kid smiled at her
curious.
She
nodded, “Yes, yes he is. I guess were
all pretty lucky to have someone worth saving half for.” She stopped Kid’s face
had gone serious and leaping to his feet he ran to the window and looked out.
“What
is it?” Rose asked following suit and gasped.
There barreling down towards them backwards with no intention of
stopping was the locomotive they had left behind.
“Everybody
get down and hold on to something!” Kid yelled and then there was a crashing of
wood as the two train parts collided.
****************************
Heyes
had seen many horrendous sights in his life. From that hot summer day in August
when he had lost his family to the scenes of greed and revenge that had played
out across life since. But nothing,
nothing had prepared him for rage that stripped and deformed the bodies staked
out across the camp they had road into.
“Who
sneaks up on Indians?” one of the Duke’s guards whispered and crossed himself.
“Another
tribe?” Heyes asked
“None I
know of, but who knows with Indians,”
“Indians
didn’t do this,” Cody said his disgust showing in his face as he walked
up. “Two more bodies down in the ravine
,” Cody added. “One of them looks like
“Who
you looking for?” the Doctor asked coming back into the clearing. He had methodically worked out what had
happened and it didn’t make him feel any better.
“Friend
of mine, trapper, doesn’t look like he got caught up in this, but then he was
suppose to come meet us and show us in.”
“What
do we do now?” the Duke asked pale and shaken.
“We
keep moving or were going to miss that train when it crosses,” Heyes said
mounting up.
“But
the bodies…” one of the guards said softly.
“Will
be here when we get back and right now we need to prevent any more,” the Doctor
said firmly.
His
cold hard logic worked like a splash of water on their faces and everyone was
instantly on their horses once more pointed in the right direction.
“Bill?”
Heyes said looking his friend in the eye as he rode up. “As soon as I find my
partner were going to have a little talk and this time you are telling me
exactly what is was you all were hunting.”
***************************************
The out
of control engine hit the stationary rail cars with such force despite all
efforts to stay upright the passengers were tossed on the floor like rag dolls.
“Were
still moving it didn’t stop!” Rose cried.
“We
have to get off this train now,” Kid said firmly pulling her and Alexei to
their feet.
“Are
you crazy?” Rose argued do you know how fast this is going?”
“And it
is going to get even faster now just jump and roll you’ll be fine,” he said
dragging them both out the door.
“But…”
“No
buts, we are about to hit that trestle and this train is not going to stay
upright going backwards uncoupled so unless you want to end up at the bottom of
that gorge…”
“Okay,
okay,” Rose said terrified but moving over to the edge of the steps. “Wait what
about Klara?”
“I’ll
get Klara, JUMP!”
Kid
watched as they both obeyed and tumbled clear and then racing back in ripped
open the cupboard door and pulled the terrified servant girl free.
Screaming
hysterical at him he was forced to swing her over his shoulder and racing onto
the steps pulled her around in front of
him and leapt.
But in
his caution to throw her safely clear it cost him a chance to land well himself
and he hit the ground hard and didn’t move.
In the
distance there was a terrible roar as the train reached the trestle bridge and
began to topple off uncontrolled in a torrent of twisting metal and splintering
wood.
Klara
sat gasping for breath staring over at Curry’s motionless body. She knew she should try and help him, if
nothing else see if he was even still alive, but she just couldn’t bring
herself to move.
And
then suddenly a branch snapped in the trees to the side of her and she sprang
to her feet like a frightened rabbit.
Terrified she began to run as if speed alone could distance her from the
approaching shadows.
The
tall mountain man stepped out of the trees drawing his large hunting knife from
its sheath. The blood caked on it had
hardened and he smiled at the aroma of death it gave off.
His
anticipation was almost physical as he came closer and leered at the body like
a satyr inspecting its next meal.
“Still
alive,” he chuckled hoarsely pleased at this revelation. “Good I will take my time with you. I will show you the proper response is fear!”
Viciously
he gave Curry a kick to turn him over and attempt to stir him only to fall back
with a jump and shake like a dog startled by a spray of water.
That
smell! Choking he fell back further and
gagged in heaving shudders. On his knees
he shivered as an old fear forced him to remember his place and what had been
foreshadowed since the beginning of time.
He
looked up roused by the sound of voices calling his prey’s name in the
distance. Disorientated he backed off
towards the woods. There were easier
quarry and time enough to catch this one when he was not so…guarded.
Appeased
he melted back in to the forest and welcomed the coming night and the strength
it brought.
*******************************
“What
do you mean the train is not coming?” the Duke sputtered as the group stood on
the track peering down the line.
Heyes
had been true to his promise leading the down trodden group through the
mountains to arrive through the forest along a stretch of line that could be
seen for miles in the distance.
“We
should be able to see it coming around that curve by now,” Heyes said checking
his pocket watch. “That’s why we chose
this spot so we would having warning when it was going to arrive.”
“Perhaps
it has passed by all ready?”
“No not
with this incline,” the Doctor said leaning down to study the tracks. “Even at top speed it could not have beaten
us here its too rough a climb.”
“Perhaps
it slowed down or isn’t moving as fast?” the Duke said desperate for answers.
“Or its
stopped and is waiting for us,”
“Either
way something is wrong,” Cody growled.
“Look
its very possible my partner got the drop on them and is waiting down the line
for us to find them,” Heyes said wishing he felt more confident about this
theory.
“Your
partner, he is this good?” the Duke said afraid to get his hopes up.
“Well
he does have Rose helping him,” the Doctor said with a cheerful smile. “You’d be amazed what adding her to a mix can
do.”
Heyes
didn’t comment merely saddled up and began moving his horse down the track.
“It is
getting dark Heyes,” Cody said. “You
really think we should…”
“All
the more reason to keep going,” the Doctor said firmly.
Everyone looked at Heyes.
“We’ll make some torches and follow the track,” Heyes said. ”We keep going.”
***************************
“Mr.
Curry please wake up!”
Kid
blinked and opened his eyes and for a moment wasn’t quite sure who he was or
where, but then as Rose an Alexei came into view he groaned and tried to sit
up, managing it on the second try.
“We
thought you were dead!” Alexei said his faces stained with tears.
“Don’t
discount it yet, you have no idea how bad I feel,” Kid said rubbing the back of
his head then studied the two as well as he could in the fading light. “Anyone hurt?” And when they shook their
heads no he looked around. “Where is Klara?”
“She
ran off,” Alexei said disgusted. “Even
when we told her you were hurt.”
“How
did that train come after us?” Rose asked.
“Don’t
know, but its going to have a real hard problem trying anything now,” Kid said
getting up with a groan.
“Doesn’t
anything frighten you?” Rose said amazed.
“No
ma’am, just never seem to ever get the time for that.”
“Well
we have time now!” Rose said frustrated to the point of tears and angry at
herself for letting all of it get to her, hadn’t her trips with the Doctor
taught her anything about courage? But
then he wasn’t here. Being brave was
always easier when the Doctor was within arms reach.
Kid
paused, “Thing about fear, my grandpa once told me, is you just have to manage
it. All right for a man to be afraid,
just pick the time and place to do it. Now right now isn’t gonna work good for us so
I suggest we set some time aside when were all back in town around a nice warm
fire with our partners and do it then, fair enough?”
It was
so sensibly mad Rose and Alexei found themselves nodding.
“Good,
now that we got that out of the way what say I find us some place safe to spend
the night.”
“You
sound like you know just where that is,” Rose said feeling better.
Kid
grinned back, “Yes ma’am, I know just the place, let me leave my cousin a
message as to where we went so he doesn’t start trying to climb down to that
train and we’ll get out of here.”
After a
quick look round it was apparent either Klara was hiding from them or no longer
near enough to hear.
“Do you
think something will eat her?” Alexei said with youthful morbid fascination.
In the
distance a wolf howled as if to answer him and Kid made his decision. Whoever had nearly killed them with that
train could still be around. He needed
somewhere he could defend thru the night until his partner showed up with the
cavalry.
“Maybe
she’ll just follow behind us,” Kid said getting them moving and tried not to
think about what else also might.
***********************************
The sun
was well up when the hunting party reached the trestle bridge and pulled up
hard in amazement at the scene awaiting them.
In the bright morning light there was no mistaking the still smoldering
remains of the train spewed down the side of the cliff.
“Alexei!”
the Duke gasped in horror and it took both Sheridan and Cody to keep him from
attempting to climb down the treacherous edge.
Heyes
got off his horse forcing himself to remain calm and not jump to any
conclusions.
“Went
down backwards,” the Doctor said coming up to him.
“Think
they were on it?” Heyes said quietly.
“Don’t
think so, Rose would never have sat still for that, lets have a look around.”
Grateful
for the man’s matter of fact optimism Heyes walked the track with him until
they heard a yell from Cody who had been doing the same in the opposite
direction.
“Someone
landed here, looks like several people.”
A cheer
went up and Heyes felt a grin crack his face.
“Fantastic,
I knew that partner of yours would look after her,” the Doctor smiled. “Now where would they have gone?”
Heyes
glanced around and then looked up at the sun and purposely walked over to the
edge of the trees.
“What
does it say?” the Doctor smiled following him over.
Heyes
turned with a half smile, “What does what say?”
“The
message your partner left you in those rocks, very nicely done by the way.”
Heyes
stood up and stared at the man, “We’ve been perfecting that system since we
were children, never had a posse figure it out yet and yet you spot it right
off, just who are you Doctor.”
“A
friend or I hope you’ll think of me that way.”
“I’m
starting to think I wouldn’t want you as an enemy,” Heyes said shaking his head
as the Duke stormed over.
“Why
has your partner, this outlaw, taken my son away? Where are they!” the Duke yelled at Heyes.
“My
partner took them somewhere safe to keep them alive and away from whatever did
that!” Heyes growled pointing towards the train wreck.. Duke or no Duke the man was about to get
himself flattened.
“You
know where they went Heyes?” Cody asked his eyes pleading for his friend not to
lose his temper.
Heyes
took a deep breath and then in a controlled, even voice said, “There is a cave
about an hour from here, we used it for a couple jobs. Its got water and might even have some our
supplies left if in it."
“I want
my men to check the train!” the Duke said firmly. “They could be trapped down there.”
“Alexis
they jumped off…” Cody tried to tell him as he stomped off yelling for his men.
“We
need to leave…” Heyes said through gritted teeth.
“Give
him a few minutes to check,” the Doctor said coming up quietly beside
Heyes. “We all need a break or were not
going to be any use when the time comes.”
Heyes
turned on the Time Lord dangerously. “And why do I have the feeling you will
know when that is going to be Doctor?”
The
Doctor glanced around and motioned for him to follow him into the seclusion of
the trees. “I think its time you knew
the whole story.”
**************************
“So
this was your hide-out!” Alexei said his enthusiasm returning as Kid lit a fire
inside the cave and pulled a few blankets up around it for them to sit on and
wrap around themselves.
The
walk had been long and treacherous in the dark and everyone’s imagination
played games with them causing more than one startled jump at a miss turned
rock. But fortunately Kid’s memory was
solid and in a few moments he had pulled the brush away from the mouth of the
cave and after checking to make sure it was empty he soon had them all inside
and comfortable thanks to supplies left by the Devil’s Hole Gang’s thorough
planning.
“Yup,”
Kid said pulling out a battered coffee pot and reaching into a canvas sack
happily produced a coffee tin. “Little
too far from civilization when we were waiting for a train and this has a water
supply and shelter,” he said pointing back to the small spring that ran down
the wall into the darkness.
“What
else is here?” Alexei asked moving to stand.
He was getting his second wind and Rose was certain having the time of
his life despite the circumstances.
“Not in
the dark,” Kid said catching his arm and pulling him back down. “There is a wicked drop just a few feet back
where the water drains into almost lost Kyle that way one night when he felt
the call of nature and went the wrong
way.”
“Kyle?”
Rose asked as Kid flushed realizing this was not exactly a suitable
conversation with a lady present.
“Yes
ma’am,” Kid said filling the coffee pot and putting it on to boil. “One of the
Devil’s Hole Gang.”
“Your
gang is the most famous in the west!” Alexei said happily settling close to the
fire.
“Nothing
to be proud of,” Kid said firmly digging back into the sack and finding only
one tin cup. “Afraid were going to have
to share.”
“Why
did you do that thing with the branches and rocks outside, is that another sign
for your partner?” Rose asked fascinated by the easy going way this man took
crisis after crisis and yet never seemed to stress. It was a lot like the Doctor, but in an
easier laid back way.
“No
he’ll know I headed here once he sees those rocks. The gravel and twigs are to
make sure it is impossible for anyone to walk up on us without letting me know
first, they crunch reach good no matter how light footed you are!”
Rose
shivered, “You really think someone is going to come after us?”
Kid let
out a long breath, “I don’t know,” he stopped at the two pairs of frightened
eyes looking at him and smiled confidently, “But I can draw this gun in my sleep
and shoot a nightmare between the eyes before I even wake up, reason my partner
always grabs my gun hand when he has to wake me. Don’t you worry anything bothers us in the
night will see a bullet before it sees us.”
Rose
smiled she knew he was talking bravo to make them feel better and she had to
confess it had worked. There were worse
people to find yourself with in a dark cave on a lonely mountain side.
Coffee
brewed Kid passed around the cup. It was
strong and terrible, but hot and some how sharing it made them all relax as if
doing something normal like drinking coffee made things be normal.
“He
asleep?” Kid asked looking over at Alexei who had been silent for a few
minutes.
“Out
cold,” Rose whispered back.
Nodding
Curry pulled off his blanket and laid it over the child.
“That
was yours,” Rose objected. Even with the
fire and the protection of the cave the night was achingly cold.
“I’m
used to sleeping outdoors ma’am, this is relative comfort having a roof over my
head, besides not good for me to get too comfortable, cold keeps me alert.”
“Why?”
she said suddenly brave enough to voice her curiosity.
“Ma’am?”
he asked pretending not to understand.
“Why an
outlaw?”
Kid
smiled and leaned his head back against the cave wall. Never took a woman long to get to that
question.
“Easy
money,” he said with a shrug giving the answer that usually worked and if that
didn’t he usually could distract them with a kiss. Unfortunately a sleeping child stood between
him and that option.
“You
call sleeping in caves and leaping on trains easy?”
“Well
an adventure as well.”
“The
west has lots of adventure, gold rushes, exploring, no you and your partner
don’t strike me as bad men.”
“You
mean crooks? You want the last of this
coffee?”
“No bad
men and stop trying to distract me!”
He
looked up and made a decision, “All right truth is we don’t know. We’ve talked about it once or twice, not
often cause we were never sure we would like the answers. I think the simple fact is we made wrong
choices for the wrong reasons and unfortunately turned out to be very good at
it.”
“So why
did you quit? You didn’t know if that
amnesty would work, why take the chance?
From what I hear you were the best and at the top of your game. I can understand if you had hit hard times…”
“We
had, oh not money and I don’t think Heyes would have ever run out of ideas, but
I guess we finally just decided we needed to grow up and face life a bit more
responsible. Now Rose Tyler you got enough confessions out of me, get some
sleep and I’ll wake you when its your watch.”
“Liar,”
she said knowing he would stay up the whole night to keep them safe.
“Careful
ma’am I’m a dangerous outlaw,” Kid said tucking her next to Alexei.
“Ex-outlaw.”
“True,
but occasionally I forget!”
She
smiled as her eyes got heavy and a moment later fell asleep exhausted.
Kid sat
back relieved. The lady asked too many
questions. Questions he wasn’t quite
ready to share the answers with anyone yet, except maybe his partner.
He knew
why they had quit and why they had started.
They had been running from everything they had once held dear, choosing
a life so far from the one that had been savagely ripped from them that there
was no chance it could be taken again.
Only time had made them see that life might be worth taking a chance on
again. A family, a real home, both had
swore to themselves one summer day never to have it so it could never be taken
away once more. But as time passed they
slowly realized some things were worth the risk.
But not
yet, still a few memories to come to peace with, but there was hope now and it
gave them the encouragement to keep trying.
********************************
“All
right Doctor,” Heyes said arms folded, impatience vibrating from him. “What is going on?”
“Evil,”
the Doctor said and held up a hand when Heyes growled and turned frustrated.
“No other word for it. Your people call
it demons, good word, fits. Real evil,
in its purest form, not that petty cruelty man practices. This evil doesn’t have a form and it can do a
lot of damage without one. But, when it
finds a host, a human it can inhabit…possess and use that human’s skills and
abilities, well then you have something very nasty.”
He
waited for the outlaw to either take a swing at him or march off, but to his
delight Heyes did neither.
“My
grandfather was Irish, my mother and uncle too,” Heyes said slowly as he
digested this. “We heard a lot of
stories like this around the fire at night.
My grandfather even told me once he had talked to a….demon, a man
possessed by the devil and driven out by the power of God.”
“Did
you believe him?”
“Doctor
my grandfather also told me about the little people and mermaids.”
“Ahhh,”
the Doctor said discouraged.
“I
believed those stories too,” Heyes said quietly meeting his eyes.
The
Doctor looked up hopeful.
“So how
do you kill a demon?” Heyes asked in a calm, practical voice.
“You
can’t, best you can do is exorcise them like your grandfather did.”
“Yea,
but don’t you need a Preacher? Least
ways someone a little more heaven bound than us?”
“You’d
be surprised, your God works in mysterious ways, even said so! Now I’ll admit this isn’t going to be easy
but we’ve got a edge because its going to be
“Why?”
“Sun
highest, they hate light and it reminds them of their death.”
“I
don’t understand.”
“You
really didn’t pay much attention in Sunday School did you?” the Doctor
grimaced.
“Did
you?”
The
Doctor had to smile, “As a matter of fact I did, almost felt like I was there,
but that’s another story entirely. No
“High
“High
“Rider
coming,” Heyes said.
*********************************
“Glatz!” Cody hollered relieved as his friend galloped
up aboard a massive horse.
“Klara!” the Duke said as the man turned and plucked
the girl off the back of his horse and set her down unharmed. “Where is Alexei?”
The
girl stared back at him in daze and didn’t answer and frustrated the Duke
looked up at the trapper still on his horse.
“My
son? Have you seen him?”
“It
took over this fella with them,” Glatz said with a heavy sigh. “I could only get her away.”
“Curry!”
“Hell
now were in it, you know how good a shot that boy is?” Cody groaned. “Not to mention Heyes isn’t going to just
exactly let us walk up and kill his cousin!”
“Well
we know Curry is in that cave up ahead,”
“Cave
huh? Been wondering where they go to,”
Glatz said. “I’ll go ride on ahead and
make sure they don’t leave.”
“Thank
you Hal,” Cody said as the trapper pulled his horse round and rode off.
“We can
dynamite him in there just like we planned,”
“My son
is in there with that monster!” the Duke shouted.
“And
you’ve seen what that thing does to anyone around it, Alexis I’m sorry, but I
doubt the boy survived the night,”
“What’s
going on?” the Doctor said running up with Heyes “Who was that?”
“Glatz,
trapper friend, he brought us the girl and some news,” Cody said turning and
pulling out his gun aimed it at Heyes.
****************************
Kid
Curry glanced out the mouth of the cave worried. It was well into late morning and Heyes
should have been there by now. Suddenly
he tensed as the sound of a rider reached him.
“Anyone
home?” Glatz said amiably riding in with his arms held high and sensibly
stopping. “Curry? I’m a friend of Cody
and Heyes, they sent me on ahead to look for you.”
Kid
appeared at the edge of the opening gun drawn.
“My
partner isn’t the type to let another man do his talking,” Kid said keeping the
others back.
“Yea,
believe me I know I’ve been tracking you with him, but he’s hurt. We caught the fella who’s been doing all the
killing down by the train wreck. Your
partner took a bullet bringing him down.
He told me where to find you; damn idiot won’t rest and see a doc until
he makes sure your okay.”
Kid
remained poker faced as his stomach felt like it had been kicked in.
“How
bad is he hurt?”
“Bad
enough, is that coffee I smell? Been a
hell of a long night finding you.”
“Wait
there,” Kid ordered and whispered back to Rose and Alexei. “Go back into the
cave and do like I told you until I check this out.”
“But he
says…” Alexei said confused.
“Yea,
but I’m not convinced, now go on, do what I say.”
The two
hurried back deep into the cave and Kid turned back to find Glatz had
dismounted and was waiting hands still held high. Something in his gut felt wrong, but he
couldn’t take the chance that Heyes might need him and begrudgingly he waved
the man in making sure he kept his gun on him.
Glatz
stepped into the cave and looked around with a smile at the blankets and fire,
“All the comforts of home.” And then
turned.
Curry
never even saw the blow coming. Later he
would presume it had been the trapper’s massive arm that had propelled him
across the room with such ease, but even then he could not remember even seeing
it move.
So hard
was the force he literally was thrown off his feet threw the air just managing
to get off a shot as he disappeared into the blackness of the pit.
Glatz
glanced down at his middle and cursed.
Blood was slowly beginning to appear, even at the end Curry had been a
dead eye shot. This body would not last
long. He took a step to go after the
other two and coughed, he did not have the energy for a hunt in the uncertain blackness. He needed a host now and he might as well
have the best. Turning to the mouth of the cave he listened
for a moment and then let out a yell.
“Time
Lord! If you ever want to see these
children again I want you now!”
*********************************
“Look
Heyes I’m doing this for your own good,” Cody said leading the outlaw’s
horse. He had taken the man’s gun, but
refused to tie his hands telling the others Heyes was no threat to them
unarmed.
Heyes
said nothing and Cody swallowed, Heyes as a friend was worth its weight in
gold, but a man who counted him as an enemy…
The
Doctor meanwhile was thinking the same thing.
Desperately he was racking his brain for a way to solve this mess
without any more casualties and he was convinced Heyes was the key to this.
“That
must be the cave…”
“That
sounded like Glatz,” Cody said surprised.
“What
is a time lord?” Sheridan said and as they all looked at each other confused
Heyes suddenly pulled his horse free and kicking it hard took off at a dead run
into the forest.
“No!”
the Doctor said pushing down one of the guard’s who raised his gun to fire.
“We’ve had enough killing and whether you realize it or not that man is your
best hope next to me to get out of this alive.”
“Hell
now what we gonna do? I told you we shouldn’t have riled up Heyes like that!”
Cody swore throwing down his hat. “Ain’t
nobody gonna talk Curry out of there and I sure as hell ain’t gonna go up that
gun of his.”
“But it
isn’t Curry that is the problem!” the Doctor said rolling his eyes and turning
on them frustrated and angry. “You
idiots! You told him where they were
didn’t you?”
“It’s
just Glatz, he’s a friend!” Cody tried to tell him.
“Ah,
friend, that would be the only one to escape that massacre back there. Let me guess he hadn’t been able to pick up
their trail had he? Does that sound like
an experienced mountain man to you? Did
it ever occur to you WHY he couldn’t pick up their scent?”
“But we
talked to him…” the Duke gasped.
“Then
why didn’t he try to stop us back at the Bridge,”
“Because
it wasn’t the right time, Rose, Curry, your son are loose ends who have proven
they can stand up to him. No he wanted
us all together to finish off nice and neat.”
“He
told us it was…in Curry,” Cody said softly.
“What
are we going to do?” the Duke asked terrified for his child.
“Give
him what he wants,” the Doctor sighed.
“And
what is that?”
“Me,
now hand me that dynamite.”
****************************
Rose
pulled Alexei through the darkness of the cave stopping only to listen for the
sound of pursuit. They had seen Kid
knocked back into the hole and had taken off running even before the echo of
his gun going off finished.
As soon
as there was light Curry had taken them around the pit far back into cave to
show them why it had been chosen by the gang and ordering them both to head
there if anything went wrong.
“Ventilation
hole,” Kid had said pointing up to a circle of light high above them back in
the cave. “Never was sure who did it,
nature, Indians, maybe even the railroad, but it’s our back door. Things go wrong you make for it and get
clear.”
Rose
stopped under the light which beamed down over the two of them like some
unearthly transporter beam. Glancing
around she shuddered trying to imagine how they were going to manage to climb
the slippery sides of the cavern to the opening especially with Curry now dead
and something very bad free to follow them.
“This
is going to take miracle,” Rose groaned.
And
then the end of rope dropped to their feet in front of them.
********************************
“Knock,
knock anyone home?” the Doctor said cheerfully walking up to the mouth of the
cave.
“So I
was right! You are not human,” Glatz hissed as the Time Lord walked into the
cave and faced him.
“Could
say the same about you, though I think it looks better on me.”
“You
understand far too much,” the demon hissed.
“Yes I
do,” the Doctor said. “Which is why I
have to do this.” And pulling the
lighted dynamite out of his jacket tossed it over his shoulder.
*****************************
“My
son…” the Duke gasped as the explosion rocked the front of the cliff and sent
an avalanche of rocks and soil down completely covering the opening.
“Alexis
he had to,” Cody said swallowing and fell back onto a rock behind him broken.
“Father!”
Startled
the group turned to see Rose and Alexei running up from the right of them.
“Alexei!”
the Duke cried grabbing the child and holding him like he would never let him
go.
“How
did you get out of there?”
“This
cowboy pulled us out,” Rose said with a grin.
“Said his name was Hannibal Heyes and you know what? He wasn’t skinny at all!” She stopped seeing their faces and the grin
began to slide. “What is it? Where is the Doctor?”
She
followed their glance to the obliterated cave entrance and let out a scream.
“Doctor!”
*************************
“Damn
them all!” Glatz roared coughing as he felt life ebbing from his host and
pushed himself off from the wall he had fallen back against.
The cave in had knocked the
Doctor down and he had only managed to get back up to one knee recovering from
the explosion, clearly vulnerable.
“I will not be trapped!” the
demon roared and with a scream of rage leapt at the Doctor.
He
never reached him. Heyes tackled him
hard sending them both down.
“Excellent
son of dust you will make a far more manageable host!” Glatz said with a
chilling laugh.
Heyes
suddenly found himself on his back knocked down hard and shook his head dazed
not sure how it had happened as the trapper bore down on top of him.
But
then unexpectedly Glatz pulled back confused almost as if he had been burned.
“Finding
it hard going Abaddon?” the Doctor asked on his feet and quickly pulled Heyes
over to him where they both stood trying to get their breaths back. “You can’t get inside him, no room. He’s all filled up with concern for his
partner and you know as well as I do that kind of love doesn’t leave you any
room.”
“Where
is my partner,” Heyes growled.
“Dead!”
the creature laughed horribly and then his eyes lit up excited at Heyes’s
reaction to this revelation and greedily he sucked up the young man’s concern
like a drug. “You can’t hold me off for
forever,” the demon spat feeling stronger.
“Not
forever, just till
Heyes
made a show of checking his watch. “Four minutes to go.”
For a
moment Glatz looked worried then smirked, “Four minutes is a lifetime to oppose
me!”
“Oh
wait!” Heyes said shaking the watch. “I
just remember, standardized time begins today, we lose four minutes here making
it…”
“
Startled
the creature looked up horrified.
Neither
said a word, but knew exactly what they had to do. The thing had to die and the only way was
directly behind it and as one they moved to charge him. Pushing it back into the pit would take them
with it, but the cost of the sacrifice didn’t enter their minds.
“No!”
the creature screamed taking a step back before they could move.
It was
just far enough. The hand came up from
the blackness and yanked its ankle.
Glatz
rocked for a moment on the edge and then with a look of complete surprise
toppled backward into the darkness.
No one
moved for a second as the hand re-appeared, followed by a second and slowly the
rest of Kid Curry appeared. Head
bleeding, body bruised, but very much alive.
“Jed!”
Heyes whooped reaching him first and with the Doctor together they pulled him
up laughing as they did.
Then
together the three just sat there exhausted enjoying how wonderful life could
be sometimes.
“Ledge
Kyle fell on?” Heyes grinned finally.
“Yea,”
Curry nodded. “Unfortunately that other
fella missed it. Figure he’s probably in
hell by now.”
“How
fitting,” the Doctor smiled and then looked at Heyes trying not to look too
concerned. “My young friend, Rose?”
“Safe,”
Heyes assured him. “Both her and the
little boy; you didn’t mention she was pretty.”
“Not a
chance, I saw her first, she’s going to dinner with me,” Kid told him firmly
even though he looked like he was going to have trouble just getting up and
Heyes grinned.
“Yea
well I’m teaching her poker,” his partner advised him and then turning to the
Doctor asked, “You didn’t seem surprised to see me Doctor,” Heyes pointed
out. “How did you know I knew a back way
in here?”
“Simple,”
the Doctor smiled. “Your Hannibal Heyes, don’t you read the dime novels?”
Kid and
Heyes both began to laugh.
“Doctor,”
Heyes said helping his partner to his feet.
“Something tells me Doctor if I looked hard enough I might find one or
two dime novella bout you.”
“Hazard
of saving the world,” the Doctor said as they eased around the edge of the pit
opening and the Doctor took a moment to glance down in the abyss.
“Well
if it’s all the same with everyone I’m done with saving the world,” Kid said
firmly. “It was safer outlawing.”
The
Doctor turned and watched them and with a knowing twinkle in his eye grinned
and said softly under his breath. “Don’t worry you get better at it with time!”
*****************************
“Someone
is coming!” Rose cried.
The
hunting party had followed her and Alexei to the ventilation hole and were
attempting to decide what to do when there had been a tug on the rope.
“Stay
back you don’t know who is coming up,”
Holding
their breaths the group waited as Heyes emerged and turned to face them.
“Its
all over,” he said quietly. “Its gone.”
“The
Doctor?” Rose asked and then let out a squeal as his head appeared out of the
hole and laughed as she nearly knocked him back in as she ran and hugged him.
“How do
we know what your saying is true?” Cody said cautious.
“Because
three of us are telling you it is,” the Doctor said understanding their
wariness. “If only one of us made it
back up then you’d have a problem…”
“Three?”
Rose asked hopeful and broke into a smile as Kid pulled himself up and wearily
let her and Alexei hug him.
“I
thought you were dead!” she told him laughing.
“It was
close ma’am, it was close,” Kid admitted.
“But fortunately my partner is stubborn about things like that, and oh
speaking of which this is for you,” Kid said reaching into his pocket and
handing Heyes a battered and broken in three places stick of cinnamon candy.
Heyes
looked at it and looked back at him confused.
“Save
me one?” the Doctor asked Rose who grinned and produced hers in not much better
shape.
“Well
done!” he laughed. “I’m glad you had
that much faith in me that you hung on to it.”
“I knew
you’d do it!” Rose told the Doctor giving him another hug.
“I
thought you might,” the Doctor said happily.
“Thought maybe one of these days you could manage not to put yourself in
a position where I have to live up to you having so much faith in me.”
“How
did you know the cave had a back way in?” the Duke asked snapping his fingers
and immediately one of the guards produced a magnum of champagne from his
supplies and popped it open.
“Simple,”
Rose grinned at Kid. “Hannibal Heyes and
Kid Curry know how to hide!”
Kid
burst out laughing as Heyes gave him a look that said you’re going to explain
this later.
“You
brought champagne?” the Doctor said amazed as the Duke raised the bottle for a
toast.
“Only
fitting, Mr. Heyes, my apologies for ever doubting you and your partner, please
will you do the toast?”
Kid
grinned at his partner’s uncomfortable grimace, but graciously Heyes nodded and
after thinking for a moment took the bottle.
“To us,
we knocked the impossible cold because we never lost heart!”
“To
us!” the group echoed as Heyes took a sip and passed it to his partner.
“That
was pretty good Heyes you mind if I steal it?” Cody grinned coming up and
dropping an affectionate arm around his shoulders.
Heyes
looked down at it as if it were a snake and Cody hastily removed it.
“Heyes
you gonna let me off easy and just have Curry shoot me or you wanna beat the
tar out of each other? If were gonna
fight you mind if we wait till we get back to town and have a bottle of good
whiskey ready for after?”
Heyes
sighed, but couldn’t help a smile from escaping. “I should let Kid shoot you.”
“Aw
hell Heyes I knew you and Kid would come out okay, when don’t you ever? Which is why I know you are missing your true
calling now joining up with me!”
“No
Cody not again!” Kid groaned.
“Now
listen Kid this time it’s different!
Duke over there wants me to come play
“I
can’t imagine it and he has no imagination,” Heyes said firmly and with his
partner walked way ignoring Cody’s persuasions as he followed.
“Doctor
if that trapper had the demon in him why didn’t he just attack us when we were
on the trail, you said he found Klara and why not her?” Rose asked in a whisper
as the bottle was handed to her and everyone began making their way down to the
horses.
“Klara
wasn’t as strong as Glatz, not worth trading down for, but she did give him
credence to gain our trust.”
“Yes
but Kid was unconscious surely the fastest gun in the west…”
“Cinnamon.”
“What?”
“Cinnamon,
ancient spice that reminds demons of worship of Yahweh, tends to make them shy
away.”
“We had
just eaten them..”
“I know
that’s why I told you to buy them!”
“Do you
think of everything?”
“Yes,”
he admitted taking the champagne bottle after she had a sip.
“But
what stopped the demon from taking over Heyes?
He didn’t have any cinnamon and Kid had shot the one it was in. He needed another body.”
“Love,
simple as that. All Heyes was thinking of was helping his partner, never once
thought about his own life. Too much
unselfish love it would be like asking a human to breathe with no air, couldn’t
exist in that.”
Rose
looked over at the blocked entrance to the cave. “Will it ever get out?”
“All
ready has,” the Doctor said simply.
“What!”
Rose jumped back horrified. “But it fell
down that bottomless pit! Glatz would
have been killed and the creature had no one to go into!”
“No
human, but there were single cell creatures in the water; no doubt it’s already
working its way down stream.”
Rose
shivered.
“But
not for a while, be at least another 50 years before we see it at its full
potential; it is going to take some time to build back up to where it was and
find just the right host to wreck its revenge.”
“Fifty
years…what year will that be…”
“Never
mind its 1883 right now and I talked Hannibal Heyes into playing poker with
you,” and added painfully. “This is
going to cost me a small fortune.
Rose
laughed and put her hands on her hips. “You
think I’m that bad?”
“No I
know he’s that good,” the Doctor smiled and watched her walk over to discuss
this with Heyes glad he had distracted her.
Alone he allowed himself a
moment to glance over at the small creek flowing away from the cave. Klara was filling canteens and stopped to
take a drink.
“Fifty years exactly,” he
sighed and taking a sip of champagne toasted the resilience of humanity.
Historical
Notes:
In
1883 four standard time zones were adopted to benefit the railroads. To minimize opposition new time zones
deviated very little from existing norms; mostly changes were kept to half an
hour or less.
General
Phillip H. Sheridan retired in 1883 and in 1887 Congress revived the grade of
full General and he was given his fourth star by President Grover Cleveland. He
was the 4th man in
Alexei
returned to
Klara Polzl married Alois Heidler a strict and
brutal man 28 years her senior. Their first 3 children died, but their fourth
child, a son, survived and was named Adolph.
Klara died at Christmas of an extremely vicious form of breast cancer
when Adolph was 18 years old. A
misspelling of his last name on his birth certificate changed his name forever
to…Adolph Hitler.