Mexican Standoff

By: Rhicy



New Plans


The chase was on, and as Turner and his men outdistanced the Mexicans, he turned to shout at Swanson, "Josh is going to need a horse!"

Nodding, Swanson dropped back, slowing down enough for the Mexicans to catch sight of him again. Keeping low over his saddle, Swanson sped up as the Mexicans fired on him. Alvin Turner knew these hills like the back of his hand, having long used their twisting inroads to escape posses and rival gangs. They had used this trick before.

Swanson turned sharply around a small hill and as the Mexicans charged after him, they rode straight into Turner and Dempsey's fire. Those still able to ride after the initial volley, instantly turned and retreated, leaving behind three dead, and three new horses.

"Choose one and let's go", Turner snapped at Carpenter, as the young man dismounted.

Josh Carpenter looked very unhappy, his lip was split, and a black eye was beginning to form. "Damnitall Vin, this ain't how it was supposed to go down."

Alvin Turner, known as Vin to his friends, kicked the sulky kid as he passed, "Quit whining - you ain't the only one who got to miss out on some fun."

"Yeah right ", Carpenter replied, as he mounted one of the horses, "you lot didn't stop Gunther from slapping me around."

Dempsey snorted at the pout Josh had on his face, and laughed, "Hell Carpenter, you're just mad that we was going to start without ya!"

Joe Swanson grabbed the last two horses' reins and muttered, "Ya'll gonna stand here all day and jist let them yahoos catch us?"

"Hell no - let's go, we got us an appointment in Four Corners."



Tuesday, Midday in Four Corners:

A New Profession?


"Yes sir, I'll get that right now."

"No sir, I already gave you a quarter back."

"Here you go sir, one shot of whiskey."

"Thank you sir."

Seated at a table in the back, Nathan and Buck watched as JD played bartender for the day. "Boy sure can work a bar," Nathan said.

"Yip - learnt it all from the Grand Master Bartender himself!"

"Ezra?"

Scowling Buck snorted, "No me, Nate!"

"You! You tended bars before?"

Buck had to shake his head and say, "Nooooo - but I've been in plenty of saloons and I know a good barkeep when I see one."

Nate laughed at Buck's unending supply of advice that the kid had to deal with, it was no wonder that JD tried his hardest to pay Buck back for all the nonsense he put up with and these days, he was holding his own. Josiah emerged from the kitchen, hot and sweaty and a deep scowl on his face. He slammed a plate of something that looked like chilli onto the bar in front of a cowhand and said, "Here's your enchilada - enjoy!" The look on Josiah's face said that the cowhand was going to eat his 'enchilada' and not comment that it tasted just like chilli.

Nodding mutely, the cowhand started shovelling the food in his mouth, watching Josiah as he returned to the kitchen.

Buck laughed, "That's the second 'enchilada' Josiah has dished out that looks a lot like a plate of chilli."

"Not to mention all the other orders that looked like 'chilli' " Nathan smiled.

"Yip, seems that Josiah is not having much success in the kitchen - even breakfast was -"

"Chilli!" Nathan and Buck said in unison.



My Hero


If Turner knew those hills as well as the back of his hand, then Vin knew every dirt-encrusted inch of Turner's hand. Having hunted bounties in these hills, Vin knew which trails the outlaws favoured, and which ones led to nasty surprises. So he rode along the harder, less-know trails, as fast as he dared push Unalii.

He couldn't hear the sounds of pursuit above the thunder of Unalii's hooves on the rocky trail, but he knew that somewhere behind them, was the Don. And more men than Vin cared to tangle with alone. Helena's arms were wrapped around his middle, as she clung on for dear life. It wasn't so much due to the fast-paced ride that she clung so tightly, but rather the fact that she was safe, because she knew this man wouldn't hurt her.

She pressed her face into the back of Vin's jacket and continued to cry, overwhelmed by first being threatened with the very real prospect of rape and then with death, all in a matter of minutes. When she had left home, against her father's wishes to follow her lover to the United States, it had seemed like such an easy plan. Ride north to Denver and maybe visit her cousin Inez in Four Corners.

But the journey had been more expensive than she anticipated and when the stagecoach driver found out she didn't have enough money to reach Santa Fe, he had tossed her off the stage at the next town. And it was in that small, one horse town that both Alvin Turner and Don Diego met Helena Demarco.

When the hills gave way to strangled woodland, growing amidst the hills, Vin slowed down and threaded his way through the tangled trees. No matter how good a tracker Don Diego had, they would find it virtually impossible to follow Tanner and Helena through this scrub brush. It was a tactic that a bounty had used on Tanner himself, leaving the tracker mired in the thick, thorny mesquite trees, trying to follow a virtually invisible trail. But the bounty on that occasion had not counted on Vin giving up that route as a fool's errand and simply riding out of the wood and laying in wait for the bounty at the outlaw's hideout, many miles away.

The shadowed woodland was quiet. The small forest-life fell silent as the intruders rode past. Tanner's jacket was warm against her face, his back a wall of strength after a frightening ordeal. Helena breathed in the aromas of wet soil mingled with the dry earthy smell of the trees. "I'm sorry - I didn't mean to drag you into this."

Vin heard the words from behind him but didn't stop nor turn around. Rather he kept his senses trained to listen for the sounds of pursuit, fully aware that at any minute the Don would come to the edge of the wood. Helena continued speaking, regardless of his silence, "I was in trouble and Turner offered me a way out. All I had to do was steal that stupid land deed and take the money. That was all."

Sniffing slightly, she sighed, "I was an idiot to think that Turner would keep his word but there didn't seem to be any other way. And when Diego tracked me down to Giant Falls, I just had to ask Inez for help - I couldn't lose him!"

"And then you and Senor Standish and Larabee showed up as well, it seemed like I might actually escape the Don. All I had to do was give Turner the deed, I'd get my money and then I'd be able to get to Denver."

Vin felt Helena shiver as she remembered how close she had come to loosing everything. "Thank you Senor Tanner, thank you, if you hadn't been there…"

"Ma'am, reckon I'd like to know what's in Denver that's so all fire important," Vin said as he guided Unalii through a narrow section of trees and bushes. Finally, behind them, Vin could here the frustrated approach of the Mexicans. All twenty of them could invade the small woodland, and its tangled trees and bushes would still hide the fugitives. Curses and shouts echoed behind them and Helena paused to listen before she answered Vin. "My fiancé, Jonathan West is in Denver. My father refused to let me marry a gringo, so I ran away."

"Why didn't you two leave together?"

Sighing at the memory, Helena whispered, "Because senor, my father made sure that Jonathan understood that unless he left immediately, he wouldn't live to see another sunrise. Jonathan was working at my father's hacienda and when we fell in love, father had him 'escorted' to the border."

When Vin didn't say anything, Helena continued, "Jon managed to send me a letter and told me that he was in Denver. I wanted to …" and she choked back a sob, "wanted to surprise him and arrive in Denver, a free woman, and we could get married. El stupido huh?"

Five gunshots ripped through the air as the Don vented his frustration. A muffled shout rose through the trees, and while neither Vin nor Helena could make out the words, both could hear the fury behind them. "Seems like the Don isn't going to just let this go ma'am, I think it'd be best if you come to Four Corners like Inez wanted."

"Isn't she angry with me?"

Unseen by Helena, but she could hear it in his voice, Vin smiled, "Oh yeah, she's a tad miffed at ya, but I reckon you're her kin and she'll help you out, shoot - all of us will."

"Even after all I have done? I am a thief."

This time Vin's voice sounded tired, and all too experienced for one as young as he was, "We've all done things we ain't proud of when the chips were down, and I don't think any of the boys are going to hold it against ya ma'am. But you probably should contact your folks and let 'em know where you are - they'll be worried."

Helena buried her face in Vin's buckskin jacket and he vaguely heard a muffled, tear-choked, "I know."

The pair rode in silence for a space of heartbeats as Vin let Helena have a few moments to gather herself. "Ma'am, we'll help you set this right."

As Helena sat on the back of that powerful black horse, her arms wrapped around a stranger who had rescued her twice in two days, she found that she believed the quiet spoken man. For the first time since the Don had followed her to Giant Falls, she felt that maybe everything would turn out all right.



Far behind Vin and Helena, Don Diego emerged from the woodland, furious that he had lost the trail. Slowly his surviving men, including those who had failed to capture Turner and company, gathered around their Don. All of the survivors were treated to a scathing glare from their patròn.

"I don't want to hear your excuses. You are all pathetic and have let these gringos' make us look like fools. I am tired of these Americanos deceiving me and insulting my honour!"

Diego slowly accounted for every man and snarled at them all, "I recognised that loco gringo who snatched the girl away and I know who he works for. I am tired of chasing after a lying senorita and playing cat and mouse games with her. This time we ride to the source - we find this gringo, we find the girl, those thieving hombres and that loco buckskin."

Juan Gomez, who had managed to miss most of the gunplay, by staying well behind everyone else piped up, "Who is that Don Diego?"

Diego de la Vega caressed his ornate pistols as he spat out the name of the man he now blamed for all of his woes, "Ezra Standish."



Late Tuesday afternoon:

Of solitaire and patience


Ezra raised his eyes to the heavens and sighed. Chris had stopped half an hour ago and while the three of them were only a few hours ride from Four Corners, they were not moving - and it looked like Chris had no intention of doing so any time soon.

All three of them were camped beneath a solitary tree along the trail. None were particularly pleased with the location, as Chris felt it was too exposed and Ezra knew it was not even remotely his hotel room, while Inez kept on wishing it was further north, closer to Helena. Inez had lapsed into an uncharacteristic silence during the ride and not even Ezra's most outlandish story about the time he had had to stop a runaway stage coach single-handedly broke her silence. Inez had offered a cursory glance in his direction when Ezra mentioned how the stage-coach driver had died suddenly, his heart having apparently given out. Her face remained impassive as Ezra described his harrowing efforts to reach the front of the stage, risking life and limb to save the rest of the passengers. Only Chris laughed when Ezra told with a wide grin how he had sailed over the horses heads when they stopped abruptly and had ended up in the patch of cacti. Inez just had continued to look behind them, watching the trail for a sign of Vin returning.

Now they all waited, Chris stretched out beneath the tree, for all appearances unconcerned and merely catching up on some sleep. Ezra did not doubt that Chris was actually sleeping in between his frequent checks on the horizon, the gunslinger was wise enough to snatch sleep whenever he could. Ezra would occasionally catch Chris lifting up the brim of his hat, before returning to his nap.

Inez however was alternating between pacing around the tree, sitting on her saddle and nervously worrying her hair. Ezra had tried once again to ease her nerves but when she had snapped at him for the third time, he gave up. Despite Inez's previous temperament at the idea that perhaps Helena had been using her to escape the Don, Ezra knew that Inez was deeply worried about her cousin. Inez had confided in Ezra just before the poker game in Giant Falls that she didn't have many female relatives and Helena had been her close friend as a child. But time and distance over the years had obviously changed both Inez and Helena. It didn't change the fact though, Helena was family and in trouble, even if it was of her own making.

Ezra had finally settled himself down on a patch of grass and set up a game of solitaire. Unlike Chris, Ezra refused to lower himself to sleeping on the ground, especially when his feather bed was only a few hours away. He was on his third game when Inez, on one of her circuits of pacing decided to sit next to him. Instantly she started to finger her hair, keeping her eyes on the north-bound trail. Ezra ignored her, unwilling to have his head bitten off again, and continued to play.

"That 10 can go on the Jack of Hearts Senor Standish."

Ezra placed the 10 of clubs on the Jack of Hearts, wishing that Inez would go away.

A few minutes passed and then Inez said, "The five of diamonds should go on the spades not on the clubs."

Placing the five of diamonds on the six of clubs anyway, Ezra checked the horizon as well. **'Where are you Vin?'**

"You can put that Seven of Spades over there," Inez whispered.

Rolling his eyes as he placed the card, Ezra counted slowly to ten. If there was one thing he hated more than someone playing over his shoulder, it was someone reading over his shoulder. And Inez was doing both and he was rapidly reaching his breaking point.

"You shouldn't have put that there now…."

"INEZ!" Ezra exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air, "Will you desist! Do you know how annoying that it?"

Her eyes narrowing into little slits of anger, Inez snapped, "No senor, I do not! Why don't you tell me?"

Rather than risk her temper any further, Ezra said, "My dear, I realise that you are worried - about both of them ", Ezra added as he saw her begin to form a denial.

Inez liked Vin, considered him a friend especially after he had protected her when Don Raphael had been lurking in Four Corners. She couldn't deny her worry for him, even if she was maintaining anger towards Helena. Inez deflated a bit at Ezra's words and the understanding look on his face. "Si, I am worried."

She started worrying her hair again and Ezra gently took her hand, capturing its nervous energy in his own. "What if Helena is involved in something she cannot handle? What if Vin gets hurt protecting her? Hay, I don't know if I could stand it, if my family's problems caused you Seven trouble again."

"My dear Miss Recillios, I know for a fact that none of us begrudge you - or your family - any aid whatsoever. Buck may pursue you with an unswerving insistence but he is not the only one who holds you close to his heart. All of us do - including the formidable Mr Larabee lounging over there. We may not show the same affection as Buck, but it is there nonetheless. I know that you realize this."

Inez nodded, too embarrassed to look at the kind Southerner. "Whatever the trouble Miss Demarco has found herself embroiled in, we will help her. If Vin does return with good news of Helena's safe arrival in Sweet River or otherwise, you can be assured we will help."

"But what if she has done something illegal, Senor Standish? What then?" Inez stared straight at Ezra this time, her eyes fixing momentarily on the still form of Chris Larabee before returning to Ezra's calm face. Inez did know these men, she knew them very well and if Helena's actions got Vin in trouble or injured, Inez knew how Chris would react. Badly.

Standish sighed a little at the situation, and said, "Inez, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it - so far it does not appear that Helena has done anything wrong."

"But earlier you said - about how similar we look …" Inez stammered.

"Forgive me for that - I was merely thinking out loud. Until proven otherwise, we should give Helena the benefit of the doubt."

Inez gave Ezra a small smile and whispered quietly so that only he could hear, "If I did not know you better, senor, I would think that you were a trusting fool, but since I do know the kind of man you are, I thank you for your kind words."

With that Inez got up and walked away, her steps taking her on another circuit around the tree. Ezra watched her for a while before returning to his game, hoping that when Vin returned, he really would be bringing good news.



Interlude interrupted

"Senor Tanner?"

"Hmh?"

"Please stop, I need to - uhm…"

Sighing a little at the delay, Vin stopped and quickly dismounted. He lifted Helena off the horse, her shy blush making the tops of her cheeks bright red. Lowering her head, Helena mumbled, "I won't be a minute." She grabbed her saddle bag from where it rested next to Vin's. Somehow in the bedlam of her rescue, Vin had found the time to grab her saddlebags from where they had fallen on the trail. Her horse, which had been nowhere in sight, must have lost its burden in its flight to safety. Helena was simply grateful that she had her bags back.

Helena disappeared behind a big bush, and Vin pulled Unalii over to the side of the simple trail where he let the big black graze. Vin sat down on a rock, its cool surface a pleasant sensation after several hours in the saddle. He leant back on his elbows, feeling the stone's rough surface through his buckskin coat. He pulled his hat forward to cover his eyes from the sun sinking after its midday zenith. It felt good to be still for a few moments, and Vin fully intended to enjoy the respite while it lasted. Soon the sounds of the forest could be heard over the noise of Unalii grazing and Helena moving behind the bush. Vin reached down and pulled a blade of tall grass from its bottom sheath, leaving most of the plant behind. The bottom end of the grass stalk was still moist and smooth from being covered by the growth sheath, and Vin paused, running the smooth stalk through his fingers, before he put it in his mouth.

Helena, her ablutions complete, stepped out from behind the bush. She had changed out of the men's clothing she and Inez had used to disguise themselves and she was wearing a full black skirt and a peasant-style white blouse. Her hair was brushed and pinned up, and she felt a lot better for her efforts. Lifting her saddle bags onto her shoulder, Helena was about to step towards the waiting horse and regulator, when the sight before her stopped her in her tracks.

Tanner was lying across a large stone, his entire lanky form framed in the sunlight streaming overhead. The tan, dusty colours of his coat and pants blended into the scene, a natural contrast against the grey stone and green grass around him. Long, lean legs stretched out in a grace made more beautiful in its unconscious effort. His coat hung open, exposing the blue chequered shirt beneath, its soft cloth hiding well-toned muscle. Helena had felt that firmness beneath her hands as she clung so desperately to Vin during her rescue. Broad shoulders, strong arms, and hands that were both gentle and deadly captured her eye. She couldn't see his face, just the top of his hat as he leant forward, a piece of grass caught between white teeth, the only thing visible beneath his hat.

The moment was all too brief as Vin felt her eyes on him and he looked up at her. His incredible smile at the unexpected sight of her refreshed and in clean clothes, caught her breath and it must have shown on her face because Vin laughed softly. "You sure do clean up nice, ma'am."

Blushing again, Helena found herself preening under his attention and had to force her hands to stop shaking as she smoothed her skirt. Pushing aside her surprising feelings at receiving this man's approval, Helena said, "Are you ready to go Senor Tanner?"

Vin's answer was another smile, this one more mischievous than before and he stood up slowly, and moved to catch Unalii's trailing reins. Helena couldn't stop herself from watching him, it seemed that now that she had realised just how handsome this tracker was, she couldn't keep her eyes off him.

With Unalii walking behind him, Vin approached Helena who had yet to move, his smile hidden under his hat. Once they were close enough, Vin turned to guide Unalii around so that the pair of them could mount up. As Vin turned to face Helena again, he suddenly found her arms wrapped around him, her body close and her lips pressed against his.

The kiss lasted a long couple of moments, neither one of them keen to end it. But before the kiss could turn into anything else, Helena pulled back, and rather than look embarrassed at her forwardness, she gave Vin a bright smile. A little taken aback by Helena and the kiss, Vin held his breath for several heartbeats, his eyes running over her features, as if he in return had just realised how beautiful she was. Oh, he had noticed her exceptional beauty when he and Chris had first met Helena, but with those same stunning features only inches away from him, she seemed to be one of the most beautiful women in the world.

Helena suddenly laughed at his intense study of her face, breaking the silence between them and she stepped away from the lean tracker, leaving the soft sensation that was uniquely her under his hands.

Her eyebrows peaked impishly as she nodded at Unalii, reminding Vin that they needed to get moving. Snorting softly, Vin quickly helped Helena mount, her skirts neatly arrayed beside her and he couldn't help his hands lingering a little longer than was polite around her waist. Soon he too was mounted up, Helena and her knowing smile safely behind him. Clucking to Unalii to get moving, Vin felt a strange surge of pleasure as Helena's arms snaked around his waist and held him close.

Helena was glad Vin couldn't see her private little smile, as she again pressed against the firm muscles of his abdomen. While the tracker was not part of any of her plans, it always paid to have another ally. And if necessary, a love-struck fool.