"Ladies and Gentlemen. I have brought you something special. Something so spectacular, you will be amazed and baffled. Yes, folks, this little item," the barker announced, slapping his hand on a rectangular box with two pieces of metal attached it, "is the hottest item on the east coast. And today, I have brought it all the way from St. Louis to show you." 

Growing tired of the delaying tactics, a gruff voice from the back of the crowd yelled out, "Looks like a box with a couple of funnels on it. What is it?"  

Holding up his hands in to placate the restless group, the peddler laughed. "Sir, I am glad you asked. This is called a telephone." Seeing the puzzled looks being exchanged, the salesman continued., "It works like this. You speak into this piece here and a person on the other end of this wire," he said, catching the wire leading out and over the wagon, "will hear you just like you were standing beside you." A murmur of disbelief ran through those gathered. "Folks, I completely understand your skepticism. However, I am prepared to back up my claim." 

Stepping to the side of the wagon, the barker pointed to the building a short ways away. "Inside of that building, attached to this wire, is one of these little jewels. Now I need two volunteers." Seeing hesitation, the salesman continued. "Come on now. Who among you will be the first in your town to step into the next century?" 

Taking his cue from the people glancing at the large man on the edge of the crowd, the salesman pointed at the gentle giant who up to now had been quietly watching the proceedings. "You, sir, how about it? Are you the adventurous kind?" 

Pondering the questions, Josiah decided that he had better check out if this gadget was legitimate or simply a scam. Thinking about it, the former preacher decided that he couldn't loose. If it was real, he'd be the first. If it wasn't, well, then, he'd make sure this huckster left town quickly. 

"I suppose I'm as ready as the next man to meet my maker," Josiah drawled dryly, stepping forward to take a closer look at the box. 

Laughing good naturedly at the strange comment, the salesman enticed another from the crowd. "You there. Yes, you in the brown coat. How about it?" he asked, gesturing back to the box and Josiah. 

Stepping forward, Dakota looked at the box suspiciously. "What do I got to do?" the livery owner asked. 

"It's simple my friend. I want you to go with my assistant here," the barker said, placing his hand on a young man who suddenly appeared beside him, "and go to the building. He'll explain everything when you get there." 

Waiting until the two men had moved away, the peddler turned back to Josiah. "You sir, what is your name?" 

"Sanchez, Josiah Sanchez." 

"Well, Mr. Sanchez, I want you step closer here and put your head next to this," the stranger said, placing his hand on the top piece of metal.  

Leaning down, Josiah did as he was told. Standing there a few minutes, he was about to tell this peddler to pack up when a strange noise echoed in his ear. Jumping back, Josiah looked astonished and slowly leaned closer to the box. A huge grin erupted on his face as a familiar voice continued to talk to him.

Shaking his head, Josiah stood upright and gawked at the stranger. Before he could say anything however, the peddler held up his hand. "No, no, don't say anything. Wait a minute until the other gentleman gets back here." 

In less than a minute, Dakota came to a halt beside the former preacher. Seeing the dumbfounded look on his face, the old horse wrangler broke out in a grin. "Heard me, didn't ya?" 

Nodding, Josiah finally found his voice. "You said you were going to kick him," the big man said, pointed to the barker who had selected him, "up side the head like an old mule if he was funnin' you." 

Slapping his knee, Dakota guffawed. "You DID hear me!" 

Rumbles of excitement tore through the crowd. Grinning, the barker held open his arms. "For a mere two bits, you too can experience it. Who's next?"  

Chris Larabee was walking down the boardwalk next to Mary Travis. That in itself, was not that usual, for the newspaper woman was the town's liaison to the seven peacekeepers. But what was astonishing was the way the widow possessively clung to the gunslinger's left arm as they stopped to chat with several prominent citizens. From where they stood, the six men's mouths dropped in shock as one of Chris's comments caused the three men and two women to laugh delightedly. 

"Is that?" 
"He's not wearing what I think he's wearing, is he?" 
"That is not Mr. Larabee!" 
"It sure looks like him." 
"It ain't him!" 

The peacekeepers stared in abject horror as the man they knew to be Chris Larabee came strolling -not prowling, like he usually did – nooooo.

He was strolling down the street! And in a suit no less! And not any old suit.

Nooooooo.

The crisp white shirt was a stark contrast to the form-fitting black jacket and the black string tie. His suit jacket fell to mid-thigh and was opened to reveal the equally dark tailored pants. Every piece of clothing had been meticulously cleaned, even his flat-brimmed hat. The only semblance to the old Chris Larabee was the gunbelt strapped to his lean hips. 

Next to him, Mary was picture perfect. Her long blonde hair was twisted into a high style, designed to show off the delicacy of her neck. Her gown was of the palest blue-the perfect foil to Chris' dark attire. 

The gunslingers watched as Chris tipped his hat in farewell and the blonde couple resumed their way towards the hotel. Mary's small hand was in the crook of Chris' arm, his other hand was placed over hers, a gentlemanly gesture of possession. They watched in shock as Chris leaned down and whispered into Mary's ear, making her laugh. 

Mary chuckled at Chris' whisper, stealing a quick glance at their friends. "You're a cruel man, Mr. Larabee." 

"Why, Mrs. Travis, wherever did you get that impression?" The innocence of his tone was bellied by the mischievous glint in his eyes. 

Mary rolled her eyes. "God spare me from rakes and rogues." 

Chris grinned, completely unrepentant. "Is the next part of the plan ready?" 

Mary nodded with a smile, her ears perking up at the sound of the army bugle sounding. Tugging at his arm, Mary said, "C'mon, Chris, the opening ceremonies are starting." 

Chris smiled and indulgently let Mary lead him to the Founder's Day celebration. 

Vin tuned out the Judge's words, concentrating instead on the crowd gathering before him. As Chris had ordered them the day before, all seven men were still vigilant in their guardianship of the town. To one corner of the field, Tanner's eyes stopped, sighting several strangers on the fringes of the crowd. 

"Think they'll be trouble?" Nathan's words confirmed that the healer also had spotted the five or so men. 

Vin frowned. "Got some mighty powerful rifles with them." 

"Maybe they're here for the shooting contest," JD piped up from Vin's other side. 

"Maybe," Vin quietly observed. "Let's just do what Chris said-keep an eye out. If they cause trouble. . . ." His words trailed off, but the two men knew what the sharpshooter was thinking. 

". . .and now ladies and gentlemen, I would like to introduce your mayoral candidates: Mr. David Weston, Mr. Leonard Bale, and Mr. Christopher Larabee!" 

Buck nearly fell flat on his face. 

Josiah was in such a state of shock that he merely nodded. 

The two men stood staring in complete bewilderment as Chris took his place next to the two other candidates. While Mr. Weston and Mr. Bale were good men, it was obvious from the cheers that Chris was the crowd's favorite. Somehow that didn't surprise the gambler or the preacher. While Chris was as scary as they came, he was also fiercely protective and that was one quality that found favor with the townspeople. 

Beside Chris, Mary was absolutely radiant. Behind him, Judge Travis and his wife benignly but discreetly lent their support to the gunslinger. 

Across the field, Ezra's shocked eyes collided with Vin's. The tracker was slowly shaking his head, as if he couldn't fully comprehend what the hell his best friend was doing. 

Buck was thinking the same thing and he could only shrug helplessly when both Ezra's and Vin's questioning gazes touched him. 

"Mary, I can't believe you're encouraging him!" Travis waggled his finger at his daughter-in-law. 

The blonde couple exchanged intimate, conspiratorial smiles before grinning at the older couple before them. 

Larabee turned to see all six of his friends rushing towards him. He grinned. 

Seeing that grin, they stopped dead in their tracks. That grin scared them. 

Chris' eyes danced with merriment. "Trouble?" 

"Uh, no, no trouble," Buck stammered, finding his voice.

"So when's this game you signed me up for?" Chris leisurely surveyed the fairgrounds. Booths had been set up haphazardly in the field with one section partitioned off for the picnic area. Later that night, there would be a dance to end the celebrations and to present the winners with their prizes. So far, so good, there had been no trouble. And Chris hoped it stayed that way. Every once in awhile, peace and quiet were welcomed things. 

"Uh, later in the afternoon." JD couldn't take his eyes off Chris' face. He had never seen that look on his leader's face before, and frankly, it scared him. 

"Um, be sure to remind me, I might forget. . . especially with the campaign and all." 

"Campaign?" Vin pounced on the word. 

Chris fought to keep his lips straight. "Yeah, the one for the mayoral race?" 

"We thought you said you weren't runnin'?" Nathan asked in confusion. 

"Yeah, well, Mary talked me into it." Chris smiled at his friends, then winked. "Let me tell you, boys, that lady can be awfully convincing." 

The six men mutely nodded, eyes wide. 

With every second that passed, Chris found it harder and harder to keep a straight face. Luckily, a movement in the corner of his eye caught his attention. "Excuse me, boys, looks like Mary and the Judge want to see me." 

With that Chris tipped his hat at his friends and fled before he broke into laughter. 

"He's serious," Josiah stated the obvious. 

"Well, this ain't a bad thing, is it?" JD looked at all of his friends. "I mean with Chris as the mayor and all, our jobs would be easier." 

"Not to mention more secure. . .unlike the last time." Ezra's comment had everyone nodding, remembering when Marshall Bryce had taken over their jobs. 

"Y'all're right," Vin grinned with relief. "Chris being mayor is a good thing." 

The others nodded but for some reason a deep sense of unease nagged at them. But they dismissed it as the horn sounded for the first event of the day. 

Pausing between Josiah and JD, Buck looked up to both mounted men. "No offense, Josiah, but I got five bucks on the boy here." Turning to look at the youngster who was busy trying to find some way to hold the egg as to not crush it, the mustached man snatched at the fragile shell. "Ya can't hold it in your hand. Ya gotta put it in your mouth like Josiah's doin'." Waiting until JD had done as he was told, he patted the younger man on the leg and scrambled towards the boardwalk. Reaching it, he gave Ezra five dollar bills. "On JD now," he said confidently. 

"That would be imprudent," Ezra began, but was cut off before he could finish.  

"What are ya talkin' about?! That boy's a better rider than any of those other fellas," Buck exclaimed, turning to defend JD from the perceived attack.  

Holding up his hands, Ezra took a step backwards. "I am not in any way impugning the ability of our young friend. All I am saying is that it would be imprudent of you to...." 

"Nobody did anything to his horse, did they?" Buck gushed anxiously, darting his eyes between Ezra and JD. 

"Not to my knowledge," Standish tried again. "However, it would be better...." 

Again Buck cut him off. "Then it's a sure thing," he exclaimed, again confident in Dunne's ability to win. "On second thought, here," Buck said, pulling several additional coins from his vest pocket. "Put these on him too." 

Sighing, Ezra gave up. Taking the double eagles, he meekly said, "Very well." Watching the retreating form jostling to get a better view of the racecourse, the southerner sighed. "But do not come to me when you lose it." The sound of the gun starting the race and the corresponding cheer from the crowd prevented his words from being heard. 

Straining his neck for the last glimpse of the riders before they turned the corner at the end of town, Ezra settled on a nearby crate and began to calculate the various payoffs on his tally sheet depending on the outcome. Smiling, he folded the sheet up and tucked it in his vest pocket. "Everything will be fine, if everyone acts according to their nature," he thought to himself. 

"How's the bettin' goin Ez?" Vin asked, coming up behind the southerner. "Everyone pickin' JD to win?" 

"Alas, they are," Ezra threw back at Vin, the jovial tone of voice belying his words. 

From down the street a cry came from atop the hotel. "They're coming back! Dunne's leading with Sanchez right behind him!" 

Frowning, Vin was confused by the smile on the gambler's face. Shaking his head, the tracker shifted his stance before making any further comment. "You're the damnedest con man I've ever seen. Happy over losin' money," he drawled.  

Glancing back at Vin, Ezra turned his attention back to the riders coming into view. "While that is a possibility, the odds are that I shall instead make a substantial amount on this race." Chancing another glance at his friend, Ezra began to explain himself as JD crossed the finished line half a length in front of Josiah. "Just as I thought, Mr. Dunne came in first. However, that is, in of itself, insufficient. He must also produce the egg intact. Ah, right on time," he observed, as Buck flew off the boardwalk to grab the reins to JD's horse. "Now, Mr. Tanner watch closely. Mr. Dunne will dismount only to be congratulated by an overly exuberant Mr. Wilmington, who will pound our young friend on the back, causing him to spit the egg onto the ground, breaking it." 

Vin's eyes widened as the events being foreshadowed by Ezra unfolded before him exactly as the con man had predicted. Over the combined groan of the crowd, Vin heard Ezra continue.  

"This, in turn, will allow Mr. Sanchez to relinquish his egg intact to Mr. Jackson, thus making both of us winners." 

"The winner!" Nathan shouted, raising Josiah's arm with one hand and the undamaged egg in the other. 

Chuckling, Vin shook his head again. "Just how in the hell did ya figure this one out?" 

Tucking his winnings in his pocket, Ezra smiled back. "Human nature my friend. And knowing Mr. Wilmington, of course." 

Chris, Mary, Travis and Evie watched the antics of the racers with grins and ready applause for the winner. The foursome stood in front of the Clarion with a grand view of the finish line. Chris quirked an eyebrow when he saw Travis frown. "Judge?" 

"Those men," Travis said, indicating a group near the bandstand. "I don't like how they look." Travis didn't have to elaborate. As a lawman, Travis had learned how to spot the lawless and as a judge, the insight served him well. This insight was something that he shared with the seven's leader. 

Larabee followed his boss's line of sight and nodded. "We saw 'em." 

"Do you think they'll be trouble, Orrin?" The judge's wife carefully studied the group of strangers. 

"Perhaps." His verdict was no sooner pronounced than shots rang out. 

"Get inside!" Larabee pushed the older couple into the Clarion with one arm; the other was firmly wrapped around Mary. "Stay down!" he ordered before slamming the door shut. He dove for the cover of the water trough, simultaneously drawing his peacemaker. He had no idea where his men were, but hoped that they had found cover. 

Screams and smoke filled the air as the bullets flew through the streets. 

"Chris!" JD's warning came from his left but the gunslinger had no time to turn or raise his gun before a shot rang out, sounding closer than the others. Chris lifted his head to nod his thanks to Nathan.

Nathan's brow furrowed in confusion as Chris lifted his weapon and fired. The dark healer heard the heavy thud and knew that Chris had just save his life. He nodded his thanks to Chris before focusing his attention back to the street 

Vin and Ezra were trapped in an alleyway, shots flying in all directions. The two friends were covering each other's backs behind a stack of crates. 

"Ez!" 

Standish turned. 

"Cover me!" Vin shouted and then pointed upward. 

Ezra nodded his understanding. He watched as Vin gave the signal, then stood with a rebel yell, drawing their attackers' fire. 

Josiah watched in horror as the southerner ran from one crate to another, leaving his body as an open target for too damn long. "CRAZY SON OF A BITCH!" Sanchez stood, firing upon the men who exposed themselves, covering Ezra's backside. 

Ezra heaved a sigh, thanking a merciful God that he had not been hurt. He cast his eyes heavenward and saw Vin safely nestled on the rooftop. 

Vin lined up his shots. 

One. 

Two. 

Three. 

Four. 

Five. 

Six. 

Bodies fell in rapid succession. 

Then silence.