DISCLAIMER: The Magnificent Seven characters are the property of MGM, Trilogy, and the Mirisch Company. I have just borrowed them, and then will give them back.
RATING: PG13 — (language — violence)
NOTE: This is my first story, and it's unbeta'd.
The streets were empty this early in the morning. The sun not yet over the horizon and the wind was just a touch on the cold side. A lone figure sat out front of the jail, while inside were incarcerated two of the remaining 5 trail hands that had blown into town last night for a drink, a game and women. Unfortunately, for them, the drinking had gotten out of hand and that resulted in a night in jail for disturbing the peace.
As the wind picked up and blew little dust devils down the middle of town, Vin wrapped his coat around him a little tighter to ward off the chill. He figured everyone else would be still in bed but maybe Ezra. The thought of him brought a smile to Vin's lips, the wily bastard was probably still playing cards with the other three that had escaped a night in jail by moving out of the way of the brawl as soon as three of the towns peacekeepers came through the door.
After the chairs were righted and everything put back in to order as much as could be done, Vin and Buck had escorted the two that started the fight over to jail to cool their heels. Vin volunteered to sit with them and let them out in the morning with a warning about their behavior in town. He did not sleep well in town and most nights found him prowling the rooftops of Four Corners. Chris had often told him that he thought that Vin was part cat anyway and when he thought about it, he did seem to take catnaps instead of any real sleep. The Bounty never far from his thoughts.
He was getting restless and recognized it not just that he was tired of sitting at the jail but that he needed some time away. He was a private man and did not easily share his feelings with others and reconized that he wouldn't mind some female company. That thought brought a small smile to his lips as he wondered what Buck would say about that as he was often teased about his shy nature when it came to dealing with the women in this town.
They did not know him well enough to understand why he was the way he was around Mary, Inez and Miss Nettie and the other womenfolk here abouts, and it was not in his nature to talk about such things. He never gave it much thought until Buck would make one of his comments about Vin's response in close proximity to any of those good women. He was just a man that spent most of his time alone even when in the company of others. It was safer that way, and he learned long ago through many painful lessons not to get to close to others.
"Vin"
"Vin" a little louder this time and Vin's head came up and his hand went automatically to his side where the comfortable weight of his Mares Leg rested. He relaxed when he saw if was JD. The town Sheriff and the youngest member of the Seven Peacekeepers hired by Judge Travis 6 months ago to watch the town.
"Hey, JD" was the trackers reply. "Whater ya in such a hurry bout?"
JD came up and took the other chair by Vins' side and started to lean back. He really wanted to adopt a cool pose for the conversation that he wanted to have with Vin. He was feeling a little uncertain and he knew that he could not talk to Buck, well because Buck was... Buck! And Vin had always answered his questions and so now he thought that although he knew that in terms of age Vin was not that much older, he instinctively knew that he was much wiser. So with his own concerns utmost in his mind, he never put a thought to that fact that while Vin would share his knowledge of the West and the Wilds that he never shared on a more personal level. So JD did what he always did and just forged ahead without thought.
After a nervous clearing of his throat, JD forged ahead before he lost his nerve. "I just wanted to talk to someone bout ladies."
The chair the tracker had been sitting back in came down with a sudden jolt as he whipped his head up and to the right to look at JD and see if he maybe misunderstood what was just said. "huh!" it was uncanny how this line of questioning came in short after his own thoughts. He lowered his head again and reached up to pull his hat back down to cover is eyes and did not say anything.
JD was feeling uncomfortable enough with wanting to talk to someone about this kind of stuff and did not think about the fact that the tracker had yet to respond to his original question and forged ahead with another one. "Do you — well — ah — you know — see any of the saloon girls?"
"What the Hell ar ya askin me 'bout this? Talk ta Buck!" Vin stated with a bit of rising to his naturally quiet voice.
"I would, but Vin Ð well ya know how Buck can get bout women stuff and well I wanted to talk to somebody that won't make fun of me askin." He cleared his throat again. " You always answer me on anything I ask and I just though that well I had some questions bout women and stuff and thought that maybe I could talk to you." JD looked over at Vin but was not able to see his face as Vin's hat was pulled low to cover his eyes.
"JD, I ain't no expert on women and such, but I recon you can ask me and I'll try ta answer best I can." Vin was not at all comfortable with this conversation but he also understood why the Kid would not talk to Buck. The lady's man would never let him hear the end of it. Vin could also remember his first time with a woman and that brought some color to his cheeks, it was a good memory for him. He turned a bit to let the Kid know that he was ready to listen.
JD cleared his throat again, " Well, you know when we went to Wickstown a while back?" He looked at the ground and purposely avoided looking at Vin, color rising in his cheeks. But dammed if he didn't have some questions that needed answerin', just to set his mind straight.
Since JD didn't seem any kind of hurry to spit out what he was wantin to ask, Vin kicked back pulled his hat low and thought back on when he was younger and had the same kind of questions. He closed his eyes as the memories flowed.
Vin was jerked out of his musings by JD tapping him on the shoulder. "What!" he turned confused eyes to JD as he was now standing and not sitting as he was earlier and facing Vin leaning on the post that supported the jail roof. He could feel the color climb in his cheeks as he realized he was so lost in thought that he must have missed the whole conversation.
"Where did ya go there Vin? I was asking if you somthin?" He had not missed the color in the trackers cheeks nor the distracted stare and was pretty sure that he knew that Vin was thinking on other things. "I never seen ya with any of the saloon girls here and I was wounderin..."
"Vin!" "JD" interrupted the question being asked and both looked up to see Buck headed their way. JD "Oh God" mumbled and a quick look at Vin to beg with his eyes not to answer the question now that Buck was almost on them.
"Hey Kid, What's up?" Buck said as he slapped JD on the back of his head knocking his hat off at the same time. Big smile and a tip of his head to the tracker in greeting. Same back to him from Vin.
"Buck!" JD yelled "Stop it" as he bent and picked up his hat, jamming in onto his head in his haste to get it back on before Buck could kick dirt on it or stomp it in the ground as he was like to do most time.
Vin stood and went back into the jail to let out the two miscreants and send them on their way. "Ya wanna go lookin fer trouble again, jus come on back." Said smooth and low, with a tip of his head toward the door, the two men picked up their guns and scurried out.
Vin came out just as Chris was heading over. "Get some something to eat?" "yeah!" from the other three town peacekeepers. So they headed on over to the saloon to see if Miss Inez was up for something quick to satisfy their morning hunger.
The conversation started by JD with Vin was promptly forgotten, but with the thoughts that came with it, a lingering need rose up in Vin that was prompting him to plan his next couple of days around getting that certain "itch" taken care of before it became a distraction. With that last thought, he headed in to join the rest of the guys, with the exception of Ezra, who would never be caught up this early.
Chris sat at a back table facing out in order to be ready for anything that might need his attention. Right now he was nursing the last half of a bottle of rotgut but still feeling pretty restless.
"Hey, Chris" Buck greeted him as he came up, pulled out a chair and grabbed the bottle from in front of Chris all in one long smooth motion. All the while keeping his eye on a pretty little slip of a woman that had just started work in the saloon this week. "goes by the name a Suger, what a fine lookin woman, if I don't say so myself." He spoke to Chris without looking at him.
"Seen Vin around?" Chris asked of Buck. The ladies man was always all over town and often keep better tabs on where the other's where at any given time due to his mobility from place to place. Bed to Bed is more like it, Chris thought to himself with a smile.
"Weelll! Now that ya mention it, no." and a look to Chris with eyebrows raised that clearly questioned if the tracker was in need of a keeper.
Chris just looked back at Buck and did not say anything.
"Now, Chris — He may be young in years by the looks of him or maybe he ages well." This followed by a big grin and light laughter. "But he is a man grown and I for one do not want to try keepin tabs on him." With a question in his expression to Chris and on his lips "why, what's wrong?"
"notin" mumbled under Chris breath as he stood with enough force to move the chair back away from him as he grabbed the bottle out of Bucks hands as he was taking a drink and moved out the batwing door's of the saloon. By his body language clearly showing signs of tension.
Chris sat down with his bottle out front as was his habit and lit a cheroot, taking a long deep painful pull and holding it for a moment and then expelling it out with force. Anyone that knew Chris would realize that the last few days had him winding tighter than a drum. He was feeling restless and was thinking of taking a trip to Eagle Bend or one of the other towns and just wanted a change of scenery. His question about Vin was due in part to the fact that he had sensed the same restless energy in him as well.
"Joe, you in here?" An arm reached out and snatched the tall skinny man into the back with a hiss of "shut up, stupid" a jerk of his companions arm and "wan the hole town knowin where 'ere, Carl?"
Carl turned around and looked at his older brother as if he had lost him mind. "Whater we a hidin fer anyways. I jus wanna get me some drink an a card game fer the nite!"
Joe just looked at his simpleton of a brother and wondered sometimes why he bothered. "Cause ya stupid fuck, we ain't here fer that, but ta fin that Larabee feller fer Mr. Whit. We gonna be paid to see ifin he's in town an they said theys more were that came from ifin we tell 'em bout Larabee an them others hes a hanin with 'ere." He pulled again on Carl's arm to bring in further back in the shadows of the livery. "jus stay 'ere an I's be back in a bit."
Carl opened his mouth to argue and then closed it when Joe turned back around and slapped him across the face with a hushed, "don go a doin somtin stupid now." A hard look and he was gone.
Carl stood there for a while and then started thinkin bout having him a drink. With no other thought he started out of the livery, and ran straight into a long haired man wearin a buckskin coat. "skuse me" and he moved on around him, headed toward the saloon, one thing only on this mind.
Vin was going in to check on Peso when he was nearly knocked over by a tall skinny man with a pock marked face moving out of the livery, so Vin stepped outa his way. " Don't wanna keep him from his business." Thought Vin.
Chris watched as the tracker went toward the livery and wondered if he was headed out of town. A mild anger came to him that if Vin was, he dam well should be telling someone where he was going. He knew that the tracker was not one for staying in one location for long periods of time, and often was out and about the outskirts of town. But Chris always had a problem with raining Vin in, especially times like this when things were quiet.
Vin was quiet and did not speak much of himself, most of what Chris knew about the tracker was by observation. Vin was quiet, shy around the womenfolk and always on the side of anyone that he thought was not being treated right. He understood most of it but found himself wondering why Tanner was skittish around females and then just as quick was mildly annoyed at himself for wondering. With that thought he took another long draw off his Cheroot and a swig of the liquor and turned his thoughts to getting out of town for a few days. Just as quick he thought that maybe Tanner would like to join him.
He wasn't sure where or why that thought came, but knew that the only way to watch Tanner's back was to have him at his side. He knew that the bounty weighed on his friend's mind and since they were friends it weighed on his as well.
Still could not believe that the tracker just up and told him all casual like, while sitting outside that Indian Village. The trust that built up between them so quickly threw the gunslinger off, it messed with his ability to keep his distance with people. He thought because he had allowed the tracker in his space that was why he felt a little anxious when any of the other seven of them was in trouble.
He took another long pull from the bottle to settle his thoughts, as he was not at all pleased to be having these feelings. This town and those men had gotten to him and he did not like it one bit.
Vin was checkin on Peso and the other horses for something to do. He had thought about going to the saloon but the feeling he'd been havin did not invite the other regulators for company. He guessed at this point he was gonna have to talk to Chris bout getting out for a few days.
He didn't know why he was staying, well maybe he did. Chris and the boys were the close's things to friends that he'd ever had, and he still wasn't sure that it was a good idea for him to be stayin here.
The bounty was always on his mind, but that was not all. He had a past that involved only pain and loneliness, he wasn't good with people. Hell, he thought, "Not good for people either with this bounty on my head."
He shook himself mentally and went about checking on Peso, the only true friend he had had for the last four years or so.
As Carl was him a drink, his brother was at the side of the saloon watching Lerabee as the long hair fella came up an sat down. Joe adopted a casual air and leaned just out of site against the side of the saloon in the alleyway and listingin to the two start up a conversation.
"Larabee"
"Tanner" was the greeting as Vin came along side Chris and sat down. Automatically the gunslinger handed him over the bottle. Vin took a deep long pull and felt the burn all the way down. He dipped his head and stole a look over at the gunslinger trying to gage his mood before approaching the topic of him taking some time away from town.
But before Vin could put voice to his thoughts, Chirs spoke up. "I've been thinkin about going out of town for a few days, change of scenery an all, maybe find a card game, some good drink." He looked over at the tracker and then "How about it?"
"Bout what" Vin answered with a sullen expression his vision of doing the same thing flying out the window as he figured Larabee would want him to stay in town an look after things.
"You wanna go with me, we could ride over to Ealge Bend or another town, stay a day or two and I might even be willin to spend a night under the stars comin back." He was all teeth as he sent a grin to his friend.
Tanner sat up straight at that and shot a look over at the gunslinger, this was not what he expected and was a little flushed at the thought of doin something so personal with Chris at his side. He had yet to find his voice as he was thinkin thing's over and then decided that Chris was a close to him as he ever allowed anyone and why not. The gunslinger was offering to take him along to do the very thing that he himself wanted. "Sounds good to me." He answered the question in Chris's eyes before it could be voiced.
"I'd like ta go into the town maybe a nite then I wanna get under the stars so's I can breath proper agin. Sound alright to you?"
"Yep, sounds good to me, I may stay for more than one night so we can always just meet back here in a few days. I was thinkin of heading out tomorrow. You think you and that mule of yours can be ready?" Asked with a smirk.
"Oh! I think we can, see ya in the mornin an don't be late or I'll just ride on out." Said with a slight grin to the gunslinger.
"See ya in the morning"
"Nite"
Vin headed to his wagon to try to get some rest and Chris headed back into the saloon to tell Buck and the other boys what was up.
Joe smiled as he listened to the plans bein made. Mr. Whit sure was gonna be pleased, maybe he could get some more money outta him ifin he could just get Carl to keep his mouth closed. With that thought he headed back to the livery to find Carol and get outta town so's he could get word to Mr. Whit that the gunslinger was headed out, now he was not gonna have enough time to let him know about tomorrow but he would know that they's headed back in a day or two and could do whatever he had planned at that time.
Upon reaching the livery, he found no Carl, and so he got on his horse and road out without lookin back. "That dumb son of a bitch is gonna do somethin stupid one of these days an get us killed." He said to himself. "Sides, he'll catch up somewheres down the road, he always does."
Vin sat with Chris at a table in the back, both had a drink in hand and Chris was smiling at a tall redheaded saloon girl as she headed their way.
Chris was sitting at a table in the saloon when Vin came down the stairs. He was sipping a cup of coffee and did not notice Vin until he was almost at the table. "Hey, Pard" Vin answered with a smile and "Cowboy".
Chris let it slide and went back to his coffee. "You headed out?" Green eyes glanced at the tracker with the question held in them.
Vin looked over at his best friend and just smiled. "Yep, got no more business here." And took the cup of coffee that was put down in front of him and looked up to see who had thought to bring it over, and was meet by the blue eyes of one of the saloon girls that was here last night.
Vin could feel the heat rise high on his checks and knew that the gunslinger was looking at him with raised eyebrows without having to see him to know it. The tracker just keep is head bent and studied his coffee like it was the most interesting thing in the room. He could no more explain why he blushed like a virgin when it came to the public attention of women than he could other people's actions most times. He held a respect for all women and a natural shyness that was present except under the most intimate of circumstances. He just did not know why and never really questioned it until Buck keep making a point of it every time he could. Just to get a laugh and another blush out of him.
"You headed out this mornin?" The gunslinger asked of his sill blushing friend deciding against any teasing and surprised that he even thought to do it. Not like him and was he getting to soft?
"Recon so, gonna stop 'tween here an town. I'll see ya in a couple of days." He looked up at his friend as he drained the last of his coffee. A smile to the saloon girl as he noticed her watching him as he headed out.
"Mr. Whit, Joe's back!" Came the shout from someone outside the firelight.
Beside the fire a man dressed all in black rose to his full 6'4 height and place his black hat on his head before stepping around the fire and toward the Ramuda where the shout had come from. "Well, it's about dame time those idiots showed up."
"Mr. Whit, sir, I done like ya told me an that Larabee an some friend of his'n. They's headed out day or so back." Joe stumbled over some of the words as the man in black drew closer. Shooting him nervous looks but not willing to look directly in his eyes.
The tall man in black just looked back at Joe waiting for him to give him more details, and seeing that the man was not going to say anything more, he lost patience. Stepping forward and grabbing the smaller man by his shirtfront, Clem Whit brought the man's face up close to his and hissed. "Where's that no account brother of yours and where did Larabee head off to?"
Joe had always thought of himself as a tough hombre but in the face of this man's displeasure he felt his knees go week and knew by a brief glance at the cold steel gray eyes that he was in mortal danger from this man. He stuttered out "Carl's bback in town a keepin an eye on things an an that there Larabee feller was a headed toward Eagle Bend." He took a deep breath hoping that his lie about his brother would not show in his face.
"Well, I guess you best get back there and see what else you can find out." Clem shoved the little man away from him. Turning to another man standing just back and to the right of him. "Get everyone ready, I want out of here by first light." With a feral look in his eyes and a small tight smile on his lips " Me and Larabee got some unfinished business."
Movement in the camp picked up speed as everyone readied to head out.
Clem Whit paced back and forth along the small riverbed as the last two days had brought him no closer to Larabee than he had been for the last 2 years. Frustrated that it took him this long to finally pin the gunslingers location down, and just when he thought he would get his chance at him, he left town.
Needing a release for his anger and not having it on hand was bringing his blood to the boiling point. His thoughts darkened as he thought on what he would do to the gunslinger when he got his hands on him. Better yet, when he got his hands on that friend of his and Larabee too.
He paced back and forth as his dark thoughts took him back to the day that he came face to face with the gunslinger and lost a piece of his soul.
As his thoughts grew darker, Clem's pacing became faster. "I bet Larabee don't even know who I am." And that was the bitterest thought of all. That a man like that gunslinger could walk around seemingly without a care while he affected other peoples lives.
Two years ago, small town New Mexico Territory. Clem Whit was coming out of the blacksmith's shop with his only son, Bud. They were stopped just out front by a shout of "gun fight, gun fight!!" Bud being a young and impulsive man, took off for the commotion before his father could caution him.
Clem came up behind his son in time to see the back of a man dressed all in black appearing to be swaying a bit as he found his balance. Throwing back his black duster as his hand went for his gun. Clem did not have time to see who he faced as he had put a hand to Bud's arm in an effort to pull him from so close a range.
The next thing he knew two shots were fired and a moment as a third shot, before he was being pulled down by his fallen son. Not at first understanding what had occurred, all he could do was look at the blood that covered his son's face.
"Help! Get the doc, Help!" he yelled as he gently lowed his son to the ground. He took off his bandana to press against the wound at Bud's temple in the hope of getting the blood to stop. Looking around franticly for that fuckin' Doctor. His sons life's blood soaking the makeshift bandage.
As he looked toward the two gunfighters in that moment, he meet the green bloodshot eyes of the one still standing. Expecting some sort of acknowledgment and getting nothing as the man made his way back into the saloon.
Clem's blood boiled at the obvious disregard from the man in black. Forgetting that for a moment as the Doctor came back and kneeled beside his son.
It took over a year for Bud to die. One Year of him laying in a bed, taking only water and mush, never again to speak or look at his father with a knowing eye of who he was or where he was. No Doctor that was brought to him could say exactly why, only that with head wounds things like this happened. They shrugged their shoulders, and walked away. Just like that gunslinger the day his boy was shot.
Clem shook his head to clear it, and brought his attention back to the present as another rider came into camp with a shout of " Don't shoot, it's me, Carl!"
Vin settled in his temporary camp about half a day's ride outside Four Corners. Fire already going, Peso ground tied and rattle snake roasting over the coals. He smiled at what JD would have to say about that, Hell any of the boys. They would never believe it tasted like chicken and was easier to find out here, just had to know how to cut em and cook em is all.
He laid back on his bedroll and rested his head for a moment on his saddle, lacing his hands behind his head and looking to the stars. "Peace" His mind thought "Rest" his body felt. He had enjoyed his time with Sila but he would have preferred to have brought her out under the stars and enjoy her here. A smile played around his lips as he relaxed and closed his eyes for a moment, knowing he had about 10 minutes before supper would be done.
Chris sat another night in the local Saloon called "The Cocks Roost" he smiled at the play on the words and thought the name fit. Ginger was at the bar leaning around a newly arrived trail hand trying to capture his eye. She had done all but ask outright if he would be available tonight and he found that funny. Wasn't he the one supposed to be doing the approaching.
Being the type of man he was and needing to keep an eye out for trouble. he decided that it would be best for him not to have his habits picked up so clearly as spending two nights in a row with the same women. He then cast an eye to the little Senorita, at the far end of the bar, Sila, he believed her name to be but promptly changed his mind as that also bought the tracker to mind. Though it really should not matter that the tracker had been with her last night, it just felt kinda funny to even consider it. He dropped his head to hide his smile and picked up his whiskey. Was a time he woulnta cared.
He decided right abut then to head back to Four Corners and maybe he would come across Vin on his way. He would be back here another time and maybe then give the little Sila a turn and definitely would be seeing Ginger on another visit, she did know how to treat a man right.
Chris stood up and without another look headed out to the livery to get his horse and gear ready for the trip back.
"Alright, now tell me again, you said that Larabee and the tracker were headed to Eagle Bend, right?" Clem asked and then continued on before they could answer. "Left yesterday morning, right?" He looked at the two brothers that he had impulsively hired when he started his search for Larabee, and as he often did the last few months, wondered "Why?"
"Sir, I heard that the tracker was a headed back thisa way 'fore the othern." Joe offered hopefully. "Me 'n Carl could head out thata way ifn' you wan' us ta, an see inf'n we can get one or t'other of'um?"
Carl stepped forward and asked their boss, "If'n you is mad at that there Larabee feller fer some reason ter another, what ya want with'n a no account tracker?"
Clem resisted his urge to smash in the face in front of him and instead answered, " I don't pay you to think or ask questions. What is between us is my business and if you don't like what I ask you to do, then ride on." He leaned in toward Carl offering him a chance to do something stupid.
"no, no sir yer right bout that, it ain't nona my business. You wan us ta go get the tracker fer ya, sir?" Carl stepped back after making the offer.
"If you think that you two can take him, I want him alive. Do you hear me alive, and if for some reason Larabee's with him and you can take them both alive, then do so, otherwise come back and report to me or to Jim." He spoke slowly to make sure that the brothers understood and again questioned his own judgment in sending them, but the other men that rode with him were old friends that use to work for him on his Ranch until about a year ago. Jim was his foreman and had been with him for over 12 years, Cole and Bo were good on the trail when they moved the horses and came along out of respect and a 5-year history. Jessie was the youngest, late 20's, hard drinker and often as not got into a lot of trouble when he went into town. What Clem knew the other men would not do, he knew without a doubt that Jessie would.
Joe stepped up to say "We'll ride out in the mornin'" and grabbed his brother by the arm and pulled him away before he could say anything else stupid.
Vin just finished his supper and was cleaning his gear as something to do. His mind wondered to Four Corners, he first thought of Chris. His friend, best friend he thought with a smile. Don't know for sure how or even why that happened, as even his time spent living among The People had not brought about a closeness like that, often made him uncomfortable and knew for sure it made Chris so as well. The other boys, well they were just part of the package he guessed, all different but many things the same. Well, not JD, now there was green if he ever had seen it. The kid needed someone to look out for him until he got some growin' done, not the kind that would make him taller but the kind that he needed if he was gonna survive out here. Thank god he had Buck to keep him on his toes and watch his back.
He thought about pulling out the little book that Mary had given him to practice reading, but since he wanted to stay unnoticed his fire was not bright enough to read by. As much improved as he was in his reading and writing, it still was not an easy thing and while in town most evenings would find him at Mary's for an hour working with her. She was a blessing, as Miss Nettie would say, showed him patience just like it was Billy sitting there with her. At first he had a hard time giving over himself to her like that. Lacking the skill but knowing that he had to have a teacher in order to get it done, he finally quit blushing after the first week or so. She never laughed at him and often was gentle and soft spoken with him. Bless her and he wondered if and when Chris would come to his sense's and let that good women love him. Well, nobody ever said that Chris had any sense he thought with a smile.
He put his stuff away and put out the fire. Could not afford it to bring the two legged predator and the four legged kind he could deal with better, besides Peso would alert him to company long before it arrived. Vin settled back on his bedroll, checking that his Mares Leg was by his side and closed his eyes.
Somethin brought the tracker awake, a noise maybe or a feeling as the hair stood up on the back of his neck. He took a quick look to Peso and found the big black moving restlessly about, confirming for Vin something was not right. By the position of the moon and stars he figured it was coming onto about 4 am, "Bout time I'm up anyways." He thought.
From where his camp was positioned, there was only one way in undetected and one way out the same way. That was why he chose this spot and had often camped here in the past as it was only about a half day's easy ride from Four Corners.
Rolling to his right side toward Peso, he moved along the ground until he came to the base of the bottom of the very rocky incline that was directly up behind him. Another reason to choose this place as he could hear anything or anyone trying to come up on him that way.
He started climbing slowly up the rocky hill as surefooted as a mountain goat and as quiet as a cat. As he reached the rise, he took off his hat and peaked over and stood quickly bringing his mares leg up firing at the same time the man on the other side brought his pistol up. Just as he fired point blank into the chest of the man in front of him he heard "Don't kill 'em, Carl!" and felt fire along the muscle between his neck and shoulder on his left side where the other mans bullet passed.
Taking a precarious step back that could land him in a heap at the bottom if he weren't careful he ignored the slight pain in the top of his shoulder to bring the gun to bare on the other man that had just started the climb up. "I don't wanna hafta shoot ya mister but you keep comin' an you'll go back down the hard way."
Joe stopped beside the body of his brother and looked down into his now lifeless eyes. Without further thought he brought his gun up to shoot at the same time yelling " Ya shot my brother ya son of a bitch!"
Anticipating the shot, Vin moved to his left and hunkered down as he fired, knowing without looking that the man was dead before he came to a complete stop at the bottom of the other side.
He closed his eyes and dropped his head, not liking the feeling of taking other lives, but knowing that there were times that it just could not be helped. Well, he just didn't know if this was one of those times. He figured Bounty Hunters and since he had not taken the time to clear that up, there were bound to be more and more that came after him. A thought entered his head that maybe he should be moving on soon as he was likely to bring this kind of trouble right to the other boys. "Well, somthin' to think on anyway's."
He looked at the bodies of the two men and said out loud "Nothin' fer it but to get it done!" as he started down the side the bodies were on.
By the time he had untacked their horses and turned them loose, buried the bodies under rocks from the same hillside they died on and got back over that hill to Peso and his own camp, his shoulder was on fire.
He knew that he needed to clean the wound as all the sweat from his earlier labors was bound to have not helped. And although it was not bleeding anymore and the bullet passed clean through, he knew by experience that even small things could turn out to be big things if they were not taken are of proper. He had been hurt much worse in the past but was pissed off because it seem like every time he left to spend some time away from the town, something always happened and he was getting dam tired of it. The boys, Chris & Nathan especially, would be on him in a heart beat and as much as he appreciated their concern, he was mighty uncomfortable with it as well.
Vin wiped his face and neck with his extra bandanna and water from his canteen, looked up at the sky and figured it had to be a little after noon. He decided against staying out another night, so as weary and hurting as he was, he started to get ready to head back to Four Corners.
"Clem?" Jim started as he came up to the older man sitting staring into the fire. "I known you a long time an I aim to say my piece to you like I always do." Clem's former foreman sat down on the opposite side of the fire and looked his friend in the eye. He could certainly understand to some degree Clem's hatred for Larabee but it did not sit well with him to be bringing the tracker into this too and he meant to have his say.
"What yer a plannin' to do with that there friend of Larabee's is not right, I can see usin' him fer bait but to torture an then kill him too? That don't sit well with me, Clem."
"Well then Jim I'd say you best be packing up your stuff and headed on back home then, cause I don't have it in me to feel sorry for anyone that would call that Gunslinger friend!" Clem spat out. "So you got a problem, then ride on." After delivering that, Clem stood up and walked off.
Jim took only a moment to ponder on what was said and decided that he would stay awhile longer but not sure that he could see this thing through to the end. He was not a killer and did not even begin to know how to act like one let a lone think like one, but Clem had been a good man and was a good friend until what happened to Bud changed him. He could not speak for the other men but he knew that Cole and Bo were her like him in support of a friend. Now Jessie was another story, he was not to sure what that boy would do for money and he did not know him all that well. What he did know of him was not good so far.
"Notin' but to see it though then." He thought to himself as he too got up after gettign a cup of coffee and moved off toward the Ramuda to check on his horse.
Feedback to Author