Disclaimer: All the characters from the "Magnificent Seven" TV series are property of Trilogy Entertainment, The Mirisch Group, MGM Worldwide.
Authors Note: This story is set between One Day out West and Working Girls.
It dawned upon Mary sometime during the day that it was probably best if she did not keep looking out the window.
The window to what was a small office in the disused stage way station faced the rear of the building and gave her a rather grim view of what festivities Stuart James had planned. At first she could do nothing but stare at it and then realizing that it was only descending her into deeper depths of panic, tried the different tactic of avoiding looking at it altogether. This was not as easy to do as she initially envisioned because at an hour of his choosing, what was outside her window would be the instrument of her death at Stuart James' hands. She kept telling herself that Chris and the others would be here soon enough, that they would come to her rescue because that's what they were supposed to do. At least she hoped so. Realistically, it was entirely possible that they did not even know where she was.
Fortunately they had at least untied her while they kept her in this confinement with a guard watching her every move within her small cage. In the next room, she felt herself filled with some measure of satisfaction at witnessing the rift that clearly formed between Jenny and her love Waldon at the remarks she had made in regards to Jenny's behavior towards Vin. It was merely a splintered compared to the anguish that Vin must have surely felt when he discovered that Jenny had been using. James did not say much, choosing to spend his time at the table within the next room. Jenny had returned a short time ago and judging by her report to James, it appear that whatever they had set into motion would soon reach culmination.
Stuart James remained silent. He was not speaking even though it was obvious that his plans were reaching an endgame. Beyond the walls of his temporary hideout, the rancher's men were preparing themselves for whatever it was that James had been waiting for most of the morning. Despite the activity taking place by his men, James himself seemed unmoved. The rancher himself seemed oblivious to everything transpiring around him. Wherever he was, Mary was certain there was some semblance of the powerful man who knew how dangerous the course of action he was about to embark.
"James," Mary took a deep breath and hope this was not a mistake. The man may have been ruthless but he was not foolish. Even if he did manage to kill her, his actions would not go unpunished. Orin would know that he was responsible, especially when he learnt the manner in which she had been killed. Perhaps if she could reach the part of him that recognized self-preservation, perhaps she could avert disaster for everyone concerned. "This isn't going to bring Lucas back."
James turned his attention in Mary's direction, almost dazed as if he had not even taken stock of her presence beyond the fact that she was a tool he needed for his revenge. However, Mary's statement did not draw response from him but rather from Jenny.
"I told you we should have kept her gag on." Jenny stared at her reproachfully. The woman's lips were curled in an ugly sneer that took whatever beauty she had and made her look hard and vicious.
"I wasn't talking to you Jenny," Mary hardly wasted her time by looking at her. "I was talking to Stuart."
"We're not on a first name basis Mrs. Travis." James allowed himself to be heard for the first time but his voice was cold and detached. His gaze may have been resting on Mary but she was certain that he did not see her, only the instrument of his revenge.
"You're about to murder me," Mary returned smoothly, undaunted by his manner or by her fear. "I think that allows me a few liberties."
"Maybe we should just cut out your tongue." Jenny warned with a sinister glint in her eyes.
Mary let out a groan of annoyance, wishing the woman would shut up. Hadn't she done enough damage already? "That won't change the fact that your lover thinks you're whore," Mary retorted sweetly, hoping that might give her and Waldon something to quarrel about while he was in here. Mary saw Waldon twitching uncomfortably, particularly when a few of James' men present in the room sniggered under their breaths.
"I'm going to really enjoy watching you hang bitch." Jenny smoldered with fury, straining against her overwhelming desire to hurt Mary because James had his own punishment in mind for her. It further incensed the assassin that her lover was making no move to defend her against Mary's taunts because of the seed of suspicion planted in his head. If anything, he seemed more and more infuriated by the concept that she might have betrayed him.
"I'd advise you keep your mouth shut Mrs. Travis." James warned Mary, seeing the discourse she was creating between his help. He did not care if Jenny or Waldon killed each other, he just did not need the complication before Travis made his arrival here. He was only an hour behind Jenny and the reason she had reached the hideout ahead of him was because she knew the shortcut here. Once she was certain he was not followed, there was no reason to keep trailing him since the Judge knew exactly where he had to be.
"Don't make your death any more inevitable then it has to be." James added.
"If you think that I'm just going to sit by quietly while you decide to kill me, you've got another thing coming." Mary returned sharply, emboldened by her anger that had manifested itself in a surge of courage. She could deal with dying but she would not walk out of this life simpering or begging for her life. "Don't mistake yourself into thinking that this is justice or retribution James," she continued speaking, daring them to silence her. "This is murder pure and simple. Just like Lucas murdered someone!"
"Lucas didn't deserve to die!" James shouted, the first trace of emotion she had seen suddenly surfacing in his heated response. "He was all the kin I had left. That damn Judge law railroaded him!"
"Railroaded?" Mary stared back at James incredulously, wondering was he really that delusional that he actually believed that Lucas was an innocent in all this. "James, the entire town saw Lucas shoot Mr. Potter in cold blood! He wasn't even armed!"
"That's what the Judge made them say!" James shouted back indignantly, refusing to entertain the slightest notion that could be true.
"You can't possibly believe that?" Mary stared at him in astonishment, unable to believe how much James' had blinded himself. "Lucas murdered a man. There was no conspiracy, only justice."
"Shut up!" James shouted. "I know the truth and when the Judge gets here, so will he."
Mary's eyes widened understanding finally what the plan was for her. She stepped back into her cell, unable to say anything else because she now knew what he had planned for her. He was going to put Orin through the same thing that he had been forced to endure, watching her hang. Mary glanced anxiously at the gallows that had been built at the rear of the building, the one she had been trying not to look as since she had began her incarceration in this plan. Mary had guessed that he had planned to kill her that way but not even she suspected the true horror of his plans, especially for her beloved father in law until James had made mention of his arrival.
She was still staring at the wooden frame when she heard Jenny's voice saying smugly behind her. "I guess you're not a smart as you think huh?"
Mary did not dignify the remark by meeting the woman's gaze. She could only stare at the gallows before her and pray that Chris and seven arrived before time ran out for her and for Orin.
"There's at least six of them," Vin Tanner responded as he lowered the spyglass from his eyes and scrambled beyond the edge of the rocky hill he and the rest of the seven were using to observe the proceedings in the way station. They had followed Jenny here all the way from Eagle Bend, keeping enough distance behind her so that the young woman would never suspect that she was their link to finding Mary. Chris had been right when he assumed James wanted to inflict upon Judge Travis the same torture he was forced to endure when watching his nephew hang for the crimes of murder. With Mary captured, there was nothing to stop him from carrying out that vengeance. All he needed was the Judge.
The seven had followed the Judge initially, certain that he would be contacted about the fate of his daughter in law and coerced into exchanging his life for hers. Chris knew the Judge well enough to know that the proud old man would never allow Mary to be endangered especially for him and would promptly give himself up if it meant saving her life. Chris had also guessed that James would be expecting the Judge to contact the seven in order to gain help in rescuing Mary and would take precautions to ensure that he was not aided by the gunmen by sending someone to make certain that he had come alone. While they had not expected that person to be Jenny Miller, it unfortunately confirmed without doubt the allegiance of the young woman in this situation.
"That's not including Jenny, Waldon or James." The sharpshooter said as he slid down the small slope from which he had been watching the way station. There was more than a hint of bitterness in his voice as he spoke and Chris felt sorry for him all over again. Once again, Chris was filled with the need to strangle the woman for the pain she had caused his friends with her deception. Not merely in breaking Vin's heart but in also tricking Mary into trusting her.
"How far would the Judge be away?" Buck inquired, brushing over the bitterness in Vin's voice because he knew that the young tracker had no wish to revisit his feelings regarding Jenny again. They had a job to do here and it was best they got it over and done with quickly.
"Not far," Chris responded. "I think the shortcut she took saved her an hour or more getting here first but no more than that. He should be arriving soon."
"How do you think James will play this?" Josiah asked.
"I'm not sure," Chris answered truthfully, hoping that they could do this without putting Mary in any more danger then necessary.
"Well there's not that much daylight left," Vin remarked studying the sky. "It took a good part of the day getting here. He may want to do this at night."
"Makes sense," Josiah drawled. "We certainly don't want to murder in broad daylight."
"Its not gonna get that far," Chris declared with more resolve then was common for him. "We'll get them both out safely."
He turned away that instant, aware that the others were staring at him for his vehemence. He knew he was showing more emotion then he cared to reveal for Mary's welfare but he could not help it. In the last few days, he had come to know the woman as more than just the respectable community leader and somewhat proper newspaper editor. True, she could be infuriating, extremely as a matter of fact but she was brave and determined and her manner reminded him of someone else whom had once meant a great deal to him and he did not wish to see Mary hurt. They had just begun to know each other, in a way that had moved beyond their adversarial relationship and he did not wish that to end, not now when there was so much ahead of them.
"We will not have much time once the Judge appears," Ezra pointed out. "James is not a foolish man. This venture has its risks. I dare say he would attempt to expedite things as quickly as possible in order to prevent any further possibility of anyone discovering what he is doing here."
Chris had to agree with that. The only way that James could expect to come out of this situation with his reputation and his liberty intact was to kill the Judge and Mary without anyone learning the wiser. Even though he could not see past the slope ahead of him, he knew that Ezra was right. However, until the Judge arrived, they could do nothing. It was still light above them and if the seven attempted to retrieve Mary this instant, it would only serve to get her killed. There was no way they could sneak up on the way station without being seen. James was not stupid. Jenny Miller may have reported that there was no one following the Judge but Chris did not underestimate the rancher enough to assume he would not be expecting trouble even if none appeared forthcoming.
"We won't reach her if we move now," Buck stated. "They'll kill her before we even get within ten feet of that place. Just so that she won't talk."
"Or implicate James." Nathan agreed.
Chris let out a heavy breath, fighting the overwhelming urge to simply rush out there and retrieve the widow himself but the only thing that would accomplish is his death and that of Mary and the Judge. As much as he loathed waiting, they had no choice. They had to wait.
"We'll wait until dark or at least until Travis gets here," Chris said finally. "We can't do anything until then anyway."
Chris hated himself for saying it but it was the only intelligent thing to do. Vin scrambled back up the slope in order to begin his surveillance of the way station again. The tracker had been silent and somber throughout their journey here, speaking only when he had some information to impart upon them regarding the task of following Jenny. No one made the foolish attempt of drawing him into conversation for that would only earn Chris' annoyance and Vin's retreat into deeper silence .The tracker did not like speaking about his feelings and probably loathed it more that everyone was aware of his hurt because of Jenny's betrayal.
"Poor Vin," JD muttered under his breath once the tracker was far enough away not to hear.
"Chris," Buck suddenly spoke up. "What are we going to do about Jenny when we catch up to her?"
"The law deals with her," the gunslinger said firmly even though he had entered some rather violent thoughts in that regard already. "We'll keep Vin as far away from her as we can. I'm sure that if she gets in a bind she'll try to use Vin to get away. I'm saying this right now," Chris declared with a controlled rage reserved for people just like Jenny. "She does not get away."
Chris was determined to see Miss Miller get all that was coming to her, not merely for playing them all for fools but for taking advantage of Mary's kindness and for breaking his best friend's heart. For that alone, Chris was willing to pursue her to hell and back to ensure she paid for that insult. As the rest of the seven stared at their leader's eyes, they felt the same anger and sympathy he did and decided the same. Jenny was going to answer for her actions.
Ezra had been wishing to speak to Vin since the truth about Jenny had been disclosed but the tracker had hardly been in the mood for conversation. As the sun lowered into the horizon, bleeding the light out of the sky, Chris had taken over the watch and relinquished Vin of the duty despite the tracker's protest. Upon returning to his comrades, Vin had opted to find himself a quite corner in order to be alone with his thoughts. His demeanor indicated quite clearly that he did not wish company and most of the seven were willing to abide by that desire. Ezra, however, was not one of them. The gambler felt responsible for this situation and for Vin's heart being broken as it was. No matter how much Nathan and Chris told him that it was not his fault, Ezra found he could not absolve himself as easily as the others.
He should have said something. He should have warned Vin before he started to care deeply for the girl. Vin was right, Ezra had not trusted him enough to think that he might take his word above Jenny's and that shamed the gambler a great deal. Since joining the seven, Vin had been the one person who trusted him unconditionally, despite what he had done at the Seminole village and his unsavory past. Ezra was mortified by the fact that when it came time for him to show Vin the same level of trust, he had failed the tracker and allowed him to be hurt by a schemer like Jenny Miller. For the first time in his life, Ezra had good reason to be ashamed of himself.
Vin made no reaction to Ezra's approach other than a slight shift in his gaze as the gambler neared him. The gesture though small, had enough edge in it to tell Ezra that Vin did not wish company but he was not about to be deterred. The others seemed to think that leaving Vin alone was in his best interests but Ezra did not believe so. Vin was angry at himself when he should have been angry at Ezra and Jenny. They had both contributed in some way to his present emotional distress. Besides, Ezra knew that Chris Larabee would have his hide if he knew what he was doing. The gunslinger was extremely protective of the tracker and would do so not matter what Ezra's intentions so he had better do what he have to before Chris returned.
"Go away Ezra," Vin stated when Ezra sat next to him.
"Not until you hear me out," Ezra returned without hesitation.
Vin bristled and said nothing. However he did not move.
Ezra took that as a hopeful sign and continued, "Vin I am sorry. I should have spoken sooner but you were right, I was afraid that I might lose your friendship by speaking out. You were the only person here who defended me and believed I was worth trusting. I feared losing that and in doing so, allowed you to care for Jenny when I suspected she might be false."
"You should have told me." Vin returned tautly.
"I know," Ezra was not about to argue on that point. "I saw how happy you were with her and I thought perhaps I was wrong and if I was, I did not wish to jeopardize anything you may have together."
Vin did not speak for a few seconds, his eyes lowered into the ground as if he were trying to find the right words to say. "I ain't mad at you Ezra, not really. I ain't happy that you didn't tell me about her but I ain't mad either. I should have been able to see that she was lying to me. What good am I if I can't see through a woman?"
"If you think you are the first man in the universe to be duped by the charms of a woman, I think you are about to sorely disappointed," Ezra gave him a look. "If you ask any man here, I am certain they would have some tale of horror recounting their experience when the fairer sex has made a complete and utter fool out of them."
"This is more than that," Vin grumbled. "I should have known."
"Vin," Ezra sighed. "You made a mistake because you are human. I made a mistake for not telling you and you forgave me readily, a gesture I thank you for. However, you should reserve some of that compassion for yourself. In your position, if I had felt strongly for her, I would have most likely made the mistake that you did."
"I just wish..." he started to say when suddenly, Chris skidded down the slope.
"Travis is here."
The first thing that caught Judge Travis' eye as he entered enemy territory was the newly constructed gallows that were situated at the far side of the way station building. The sun had taken most of the day with it behind the horizon and the tall shadows that stretched forth from the wooden scaffolding made it appear as ominous as it was meant to be. Travis did not show fear. He did not believe in it. However, he did worry for Mary and the sight of the construct, gave him a clear idea of what it was James had intended to do. He did not care if he lived or died but Mary's fate was another matter entirely. It had been his choice to try Lucas James and his sentence that had seen the man meet his end. Mary had no hand in it and she should not be made to pay for his choices. Unfortunately, it did not seem that he was going to be allowed any say in the matter so all he could do really was to ensure that her life be saved, even at the cost of his own.
His arrival prompted the appearance of Stuart James who stepped out of the building once his men had alerted him to the Judge's arrival. As soon as he was near enough, James' men swarmed around him like insects, their guns drawn as they glared at him menacingly, daring him to make the move that would justify them killing him on the spot. Travis was prepared to die today, he was not ready to do it before he knew Mary was safe. Raising his arms to show them he was unarmed, Travis guessed that Mary was most likely in the abandoned outpost and that his arrival would no doubt mark the commencement of the activities James had planned for his vengeance.
"Where is Mary?" He asked, doubting an answer.
None of the men answered him and Travis wondered if she was still alive. Was it possible they killed her already? His heart started to pound with anxiety at the prospect. Suddenly, he saw James and a strange woman emerge from the station. They stared at him with cold eyes and James in particular was wearing an expression of absolute hatred on his face. Travis remembered how the rancher had glared at him when Lucas had been hung and did not doubt for one moment that the man intended to kill him and perhaps Mary at first. However, the gallows that he had built for the purpose indicated that he was going to make Travis suffer the same torment he had been force to endure at Lucas' hanging.
"I warned you this day would come Judge," James declared as he stood on the steps of the building.
"You did," Travis nodded. "I'm here just like you asked and I'm sure you saw to it that I wasn't followed."
"He sure did," Jenny smiled cockily. "You were a good little boy Judge, didn't misbehave one bit."
"Where is Mary?" Travis ignored her, more interested in the welfare of his daughter in law rather than the ravings of one of James' lackeys.
"She's alive," James assured him. "But not for long. Get him off his horse." The rancher ordered one of his men, his voice full of venom.
Travis did not protest when one of the men pulled him off his horse. This was no church meeting he had ridden into and he was expecting some measure of rough handling as he dismounted his horse and was immediately shoved towards the steps. Travis raised his head with dignity, despite the forces rallied against him. He did not know how to show any other face and stared at James as if he were the one with the upper hand.
"I'm here now. Let Mary go." Travis demanded.
"You're not in any position to make demands Judge," James hissed. "I told you a long time ago to let this go. You didn't. What happens to Mary is on your head."
Travis stiffened in anger even though he was not surprised that James had reneged on his promise to release Mary if Travis came to him freely. "I don't need you tell me that," he replied coldly. "I just figured I'd see your double dealing for myself."
"You got a smart mouth, old man," Jenny retorted. "I guess you Travis' are all alike. I wonder if you swing the rope the same way."
"Shut up," James turned to her. He wanted this grisly work over and done with. He wanted vengeance and he would have it but he had no stomach for relishing it like she did. Lucas' death demanded retribution.
"This isn't the time to go soft, Mr. James." Jenny stared at him.
"I said shut up," he repeated himself, no small measure of warning in his voice as the words escaped him.
Jenny silenced herself but she was fuming at being dressed down in front of the Judge.
The group moved into the way station with Stuart leading the way. Travis was surrounded by his men with their guns aimed in his back if he made the slightest attempt to escape, not that anyone thought he would. As long as Mary was their hostage, Travis was not going anyway. Before entering the building, James looked over his shoulder and issued a few silent orders to the leader of his men, a tall, heavy set man named Hawkins who disappeared not long after they stepped inside the building. Travis search the room the moment he entered it and caught sight of Mary who was languishing within one of the empty rooms.
"Orin!" She cried out as she saw him, her face filled with gladness at his safety.
"Mary," Travis returned. "Are you all right?"
"I'm fine," she answered, unaware that he was staring at the dark bruise on the side of her face with concern. "Orin you shouldn't have come here. It's a trap!"
"Keep your mouth shut!" Mary's jailers silenced her with a cruel backhand and she tumbled to the floor without saying another word.
"You animal!" Travis broke free and tried to go to her aid, forcing one of the men to slam the butt of his rifle into the Judge's stomach. Travis crumpled to his knee, coughing loudly as the wind was knocked out of him. In the background, he heard Jenny Miller sniggering at the turn of events. He knew it was foolishness, allowing his temper to be provoked, giving them an excuse to brutalize him but Travis did not care. He would not see Mary treated that way, for all the good he was able to do her. He felt hands grab his arms, dragging him to his feet. Despite his pain, Travis managed to stand up on his own, requiring no aid from those whom had inflicted this hurt upon him. He was more interested in seeing Mary.
He more or less got his wish when he was shoved into the same room than Mary was occupying. His daughter in law had already risen to her feet, wiping away the trickle of blood that had seeped from the corner of her lip. She hurried next to him, ignoring her own injury as she helped him from the floor where he had been thrown, ignoring the cruel taunts and sniggers of their captor as she did so. She looked over her shoulder and saw Jenny watching them even though James was giving his men instructions she could not hear. Mary did not have to be clairvoyant to know what they were discussing.
"Orin, are you alright?" She asked concerned as she helped him to his feet to the chair that was in the room.
"I'm fine," he muttered as he sat down. "I'm sorry about this Mary, I didn't mean for you to pay for my choices."
"Don't be silly Orin," Mary brushed aside his apology for what it was, redundant. She admired him for his convictions because there were not many men who were willing to stand up for them these days and she did not blame him for the situation they now found themselves in, just regretful that Jenny's deception had led to both of them being trapped. Mary picked up his hat and dusted if off as she spoke, "it was not your fault. You did what was necessary, what I expected you to do. No, I'm afraid if anyone is to blame its me. I allowed that woman into my home. I thought she needed help but it was all a trick. She was working for James all along."
Travis glanced at the woman who was walking out of the room, evidently having had her fill of gloating for the moment. "I wondered who she was."
"Just someone who is an extremely good actress," Mary frowned, trying not to look out at the window because now that Travis was here, the gallows seemed even more ominous than ever.
"We all get fooled Mary," Travis said with a little smile.
"Not like this," Mary swallowed. "You know what he has planned don't you?" She met his eyes.
His nod was imperceptible but it was clear he knew. "Yes," Travis answered after a few seconds. "I know what he plans to do."
"Whatever happens," she reached for his hands. "I want you know that it was not your fault. He never had any intention of honoring any exchange. It was always going to be about both of us, not just you. I don't hold you responsible and neither should you."
Travis smiled faintly, admiring the courage in her eyes and wondered where that inexhaustible fountain of strength came from. Certainly not from the upper class Boston elite from whence she hailed. The only thing that spared Mary from being almost as senseless as most society debutante's was the fact that her father had been a liberal newspaperman who had raised his daughter the way he would have had a son. Travis had been a lawyer back in Boston when Mary was a teenager and when he and his family moved out West, Stephen had left with Mary's heart firmly in his grasp. Travis was hardly surprised that they were married within a few years.
"Mary, I don't feel responsible," he assured. "James has made a mistake. He can't see that the trouble he's in."
"We're in more trouble than he is at the moment," she deadpanned.
"Have faith Mary dear," Travis smiled. "We'll get through this, I promise."
Mary wished she had his faith, but somehow she did not think that it was going to be that easy.
It was not long before Hawkins came for them.
Mary could not understand how Travis could remain so calm as they were ushered out of their room, with guns aimed firmly at their backs, being force to march to their deaths. Mary wish she could be just as composed but her stomach was twisting itself into a fine collection of knots and it was not helped by the fact that she knew what was about to happen. They emerged into the night and the darkness only made her heart pound faster. She could hear voices in the twilight and felt her heart sink when she realized from which direction they were coming. So intent was she at listening to what they were saying that she did not see Jenny Miller come up behind her and grab her by the arm.
"I told you I was going to be the one to put the rope around your neck," Jenny sneered into her ear as she pulled her away from Travis.
"Get your hands off me," Mary hissed wrenching herself free but the liberation was brief before Jenny regained her hold, this time twisting her arm behind her back with enough force that any further struggling Mary made might snap the bone.
"I'll break it if I have to," Jenny warned. "So you mind me and walk where I tell you too."
"You got to hell," Mary spat.
"You'll go first Mary," Jenny sneered with triumph. "I'm going to enjoy this."
Mary looked frantically around to see where Travis was but she lost sight of him as she was forced to take the path that Jenny had forced her to. Her arm strained in pain at the unusual angle that Jenny was holding it so there was no choice for her to obey the woman's demands. As expected, they moved around the house and Mary saw that Jenny was steering her in the direction of the wooden scaffolding that had been the center of her thoughts for the last hours. Her fear was so thick it was almost choking her but Mary was not about to show it to those who were waiting to view her turn as the sacrificial lamb. Already there was Stuart James. His expression was unreadable and Mary thought that his eyes looked somewhat glazed, like a man who had embarked upon a course of action and had discovered along the way that it was not where he wanted to go but had no power to stop the journey.
Just like she was powerless to stop her own when she found herself at the steps of the gallows.
She stopped short at the foot of the steps leading up to the main platform, frozen for a minute as she saw the swinging noose. For a second, the reality of her situation seemed to crowd in on her and she felt as if she could not brief. Until this moment, everything had a sense of unreality about it, as if she had expected the seven to come riding in at any moment to rescue her. She did not want to admit that most of that hope centered on Chris Larabee. Now, the illusion and the fantasy had faded away and there was only stark reality. She was going to die. She thought of Billy, of how this would effect him and wailed inside her soul not for the fear of losing her life but his being left without either parent.
She had started breathing heavily when Jenny shoved her forward. She almost felt flat on her face on the steps but had somehow managed to remain on her feet and in Jenny's ruthless grip. As she climbed up the scaffold, she saw Orin being ushered to James' side. The rancher obviously wanted an unimpeded view of the Judge's face when she was killed. Mary wanted to struggle but she knew it was a futile hope, even if she could break free from Jenny, she would never be able to get past James and his well armed man. Any hope of freedom evaporated when she reached the top of the scaffold and saw the rope dangling only meters away from her.
"Time to die," Jenny replied as she forced Mary underneath the rope.
"You won't get away with this!" Mary shouted angrily, her fear starting to show when she felt the Hessian rope against her skin.
Hawkins who was also on the scaffold, came to Jenny's aid as Mary began to struggle. Mary saw Travis staring at her, a worried expression on his face for the first time since they had left the way station. The Judge's reaction to her treatment had earned a number of guns aimed at his direction. She felt ropes being tied around her hands as Jenny tried to put the rope around her neck.
Her reason left her when she felt it circle her throat. Despite her best efforts to keep herself from humiliating herself before everyone present, Mary descended headlong into panic. She broke free of Hawkins attempts to bind her hands, knowing that if he were allowed to do it then there would be no escape. Suddenly, from nowhere she had a gunshot and the rope over her head snapped free and tumbled around her legs. Mary was not sure what had happened but she knew enough to take advantage of the situation. It was a window of opportunity only seconds long but she had no choice but to try. Her first action was to throw her fist out and striking Jenny Miller on the jaw. Her would be executioner surprised by the attack, stumbled off the edge of the platform, clawing air she felt off the scaffold, screaming in outrage.
Hawkins had been more interested in where the gunfire had come to worry about her and Mary scrambled down the stairs while he unsheathed his gun, preparing to fire. Another gunshot rang out and this time, instead of freeing her from the hangman's noose, this one penetrated the man's chest, sending blood in all directions. Without even guessing how she knew, Mary was certain that the bullet had come from a sawn off rifle worn in an odd holster by a certain tracker and if he was here, then so was Chris. Hawkins had no opportunity to cry out as he landed heavily on the scaffold. Mary was sure he was dead before he had even hit the floor. She descended the stairs quickly, uncertain of what to do, aware only that her best bet was to put as much distance between James and his men and herself. Chris and the rest of the seven needed room to maneuver, they could certainly do it more effectively without having to worry about her being in the line of fire.
Vin Tanner took another aim, this time he turned his steel eye towards the men holding the Judge. Obviously they were counting on him to use as a bargaining tool. The sharpshooter took a deep, breath of air and released it as he trained his sights upon his target and fired. The others were already in position and as always, it was Vin's duty to use his skills as a marksmen to clear their way. His main priority at this moment was to ensure the safety of Mary Travis and the Judge. Mary herself had provided the opening when she had started to panic on the scaffold. Not that he could blame her. Vin could not say that he would have held together that well if he had been in her position. Considering his troubles in Tascosa, a hanging was too close to home.
Vin felt his heart sink at the realization that it was Jenny who appeared so eager to put the noose around Mary's neck. Even though she was some distance away, the full moon had illuminated her features enough for him to see that she bore no resemblance to the woman he thought she was. Until he had seen her face so full of hate and sneering triumph at being the one to send Mary to her doom, he had not understood how truly deceived he was. Anyone who could present such a mask of innocence while at the same time harboring such sinister emotions was someone he could not possibly been able to see through. Ezra was right, it was not his fault. He had no idea what he had been dealing with and now that he had, he knew he would never forget the sadistic glimmer in her eyes.
Vin squeezed the trigger and let another bullet fly, killing the ranch hand closest to the Judge. Travis turned around instinctively as the gunshot took down his captor and immediately snatched the gun of the other man who was holding him captive. James' eyes were moving around the terrain frantically, searching for the seven men he had to know by now, were here. Vin did not seek out his friends in the darkness because he knew where they were. Travis may have been old but the Judge showed his mettle when he threw a punch into the face of the man nearest him after Travis had retrieved his gun. Vin saw another one of James' men preparing to fire at the Judge and immediately took aim and pulled the trigger without having to think twice. He fell just as abruptly as the man Travis had dealt with himself.
Vin immediately moved to reload when suddenly, he saw Jenny who had been keeping her head down, staring after Mary Travis who had hurried down the scaffold and was trying to escape. He saw her face change from shock at all the gunfire around her to the anger of seeing a hated enemy escaping. Her expression twisted into one of malice as she raised herself off her skirts with every intention of following Mary and killing her. Vin changed direction of his aim, having aimed at her before he even knew that he had done it. He was almost ready to pull the trigger when suddenly the emotions he felt for the young woman gripped him and he found himself faltering. For a brief instance, the soft sweet words she had said to him echoed in his ears and the affection in her eyes that had seemed real when he told her that making love to her was wrong. If anything had convinced her that she cared, it had been that moment and yet it was a lie and she had played him.
That alone made him squeeze the trigger.
However, instead of the sound of a discharged bullet, he was met with the audible click of an empty chamber.
"Shit!" Vin swore as he realized that he needed to reload. Moving as swiftly as possible, he snatched the bullets he had lined up on a near by rock and reloaded the rifle. However, even as he did not he knew that he was too late, he would not be able to make the shot. Oblivious to how close she had come to dying at his hand, Jenny continued on her way, in close pursuit of Mary Travis who was running off into the night, wisely trying to get out of the way while the seven took care of business. Vin finished loading his gun and immediately attempted to take aim at Jenny before she escaped his sights but it was too late. She was beyond him and he could not take the shot needed to kill her.
Unfortunately, his failure had dire consequences for Mary Travis and Vin was not about to let that happen. He had failed the newspaperwoman one time too many and he was not about to do it again. Vin paused a moment and considered what he would do. Chris and the others were in position and it appeared the Judge was holding his own as he took refuge in the darkness surrounding the scaffold. James himself was trying to make for the horses but Vin knew for a fact that the seven had taken care of that avenue of escape. He was no longer needed on this ridge as a sniper because his friends could handle themselves alright. Certainly much better than Mary could at this time.
Besides, it was time that Vin Tanner and Jenny Miller had a face to face meeting.
For the last time.
Chris Larabee and the rest of the seven had waited until dark before moving in. Fortunately, in order to keep themselves from being discovered they had to wait almost until the eleventh hour before they were able to act. It was not until James and his cadre of men had their attention focussed on the hanging that the seven was able to move in. He knew that once things came to a head, James' first thought would be to flee and Chris intended to deny him that escape. They had left their horses in the same stables that had been used to house the animals pulling the stage when the way station was still in operation. Entering the open doors, Chris immediately started opening each of the stable gates. The horses weren't particularly eager to move until Chris squeezed off a shot.
The shattering noise sent panic through the animals and they panicked, following their natural instincts to flee. Chris hurried out of the way as he was soon confronted with a minor stampede of horses bolting towards the door. Taking cover in one of the disused stables, he waited for the animals to thunder past, hoping that their fear took them a long way from here. He had no intention of allowing James to escape when suddenly, a blast of gunfire exploded around his ear. Chris had barely enough time to throw himself behind a wall before the bullets tore into the space behind him. He landed heavily on his shoulder, feeling bone crack and cursing when he was certain that he had dislocated his shoulder.
He rolled onto his stomach, cursing as he heard footsteps running into the stable with him. They were followed by voices he did not recognize as belonging to any of the seven.
"They let the horses go!" Someone shouted.
"I didn't see anyone come out," another voice returned and Chris knew instantly that it was James. "They're still in here. Fan out!"
The throbbing in his injured shoulder was intense but he had no choice but to endure it He was not certain how many men were in the stable with him but he knew he would have to get past them if he wanted to see tomorrow. Fortunately, he had not hurt his shooting hand which was some consolation as Chris raised himself to his haunches and tried to listen impossibly to the sounds of movement inside the stable when there was so much gunfire being exchanged outside of it. He listened closely for the sound of creaking floorboard or the like but it was difficult for anything to register clearly when the place was covered in hay. Chris peered past the wall he was hiding behind when a hail of gunfire roared through the air. Chris fell back into the space he had been hiding, but not before the wooden wall he had attempted to look past was splintered with bullet holes.
Chris knew he had no choice but to run for it, Bracing himself, he ran out of his hiding place, his guns blazing as he launched himself into another stable. He heard a cry and knew that he had taken one of them down. Rolling onto his knees, he came to a halt to see another one of James' men overhead at the loft, attempting to ambush him from above. Chris had no time to think, aiming his guns above and started firing without even needing to take aim. The man let out a scream as his body was riddled with bullets, moments before he tumbled off the edge he had been traversing, landing on the ground with a sickening squelch as bones broke upon impact.
More gunfire broke out and this time it did not seem directed at him. He nursed his shoulder for a few minutes as the back and forth of bullets continued in his ears. Suddenly, it was all silent and Chris wondered how the stalemate had ended. He moved slowly to the edge of the stable, his weapon drawn, ready to fire if it was any of his friends who had fallen.
"Chris!" He heard Josiah called.
Chris let out a sigh of relief as he emerged to see the tall preacher with an arm securely around James' arm and a gun pointed at his ribs.
"Good to see you preacher," Chris smiled.
"I'm glad I could be of help," the big man beamed and then glanced at the two bodies that had were strewn across the stable as evidence of Chris handiwork. "Although it looks like you might not have needed it."
"Don't you believe that for a second," Chris responded before turning his attention to James.
The rancher seemed inordinately unhappy with the predicament he found himself but there was still enough defiance in his eyes to show that he believed he might escape this crime. Chris did not know whether or not he was wrong. James had a lot of money and if there was one thing Chris had learnt with this whole business of Lucas James and the law, it was that the rancher had a lot of money to spend on lawyers. It was very possible that he may slithered out of this particular spot of bother. Chris did not care if he did, he just wanted James to understand that his days of mastery over Four Corners was over. There was a new law in town now and it came in a pack of seven.
"I told you to let it go," Chris said to the rancher, his eyes boring holes into James on.
"You and your men murdered my nephew!" James hissed, so deluded into thinking that Lucas was wronged that he was actually starting to believe that fiction.
"Nobody murdered your nephew Stuart," Josiah responded. "Lucas killed himself and you're doing the same foolish thing by trying to avenge something that was never wrong to begin with."
"If it wasn't for you and that damned Judge, Lucas would be alive!" James screamed, starting to become more and more unhinged as he spoke. Chris wondered if hatred rather than guilt motivated much of his desire for revenge. As James continued to rant about the injustices done to his dead nephew, Chris actually felt himself feeling sorry for the rancher.
"This isn't over," James said as Chris started to walk out of the stable, leaving him in Josiah's capable hands while he dealt with the fighting still going on. "Do you hear me! Mark my words, I'll make you and Travis pay for what Lucas! Not just you but the whole goddamn town! They betrayed Lucas to that Judge and I'm not going to forget it. YOU HEAR ME LARABEE, THIS ISN'T OVER!"
Chris had no doubt of that.
When Chris emerged into the night once more, he noted that the shooting had diminished considerably. This did not surprise him since James had only brought a handful of men with him since a confrontation with the seven was never on the agenda. Thanks to Chris' strategy of letting Vin cut down enemy numbers as well as taking out the men closest to Mary and Travis, the seven had been able to gain enough breathing space to move in. Not all of James men opted to die fighting and when enough bodies were piled on the ground, it dawned upon the survivors that perhaps surrender was the only way to survive this night. As he walked toward the scaffolding that would have been the place of Mary's execution, he searched the area for the blond widow, hoping that she had sense enough to keep her head down during the melee.
For the moment however, he was pleased to be greeted by the sight of the Judge who was alive and well and allowing Nathan to deal with a gash over his eyes. Beyond that injury, Travis seemed all right although the noted that the expression of worry still lingered on his face. Chris wondered why the Judge should feel apprehensive and looked around the terrain for any lingering signs of danger that might be the cause of it. There appeared to be none that he could tell. Buck, Ezra and JD were dealing with what was left of James' men including Ray Waldon.
"Good to see you're in one piece Judge," Chris responded upon reaching him, genuinely meaning it.
"No doubt, thanks to your help and your telegram," Travis answered with a grateful expression on his face.
Shortly before leaving Four Corners, Chris had asked Ezra to send the Judge a telegram, warning him of what had happened to Mary as well as telling him to expect contact by one of James' agents. Chris had given Travis an idea of when the seven would arrive in Eagle, ensuring the Judge did not leave town until then as well as the path to take when he made his departure so that they could follow him. Their plan had been a gamble all the way but fortunately, it had paid off and yet Chris sensed that the Judge was still worried.
"Is Mary safe?" Travis asked, assuming that her lack of presence here meant that she was with the gunslinger.
Chris blinked and stared at him. "She isn't here?"
"No," Travis responded. "We lost sight of her after the shooting started. I assumed that you got her to safety?"
"Nathan?" Chris shot the healer a look. "Did you see where she went?" He tried to keep his voice neutral but it belied how concerned he felt.
"Sorry Chris," Nathan shook his head. "I didn't see her."
"Damn!" Chris swung around, hissing in pain as searched the darkness, as if will alone could reveal where she was. Suddenly another thought struck him.
"Hey, anybody see Vin?"
Mary stopped running when she finally ran out of breath. The gunfire had stopped now and had left her in something of a quandary since she was unable to tell what had been the outcome of the gunfight. A part of her wanted to go back and investigate but another part argued the sensibility of remaining out of sight. If the seven were unable to stop James or his men, then it would be up to her to get help. Mary looked around her surroundings and discovered that she could not see very much except that she was surrounded by rocks and the moonlight offered something in the way of illumination, though not enough for her to see any evidence of habitation in the near distance.
She stood in the middle of the parched terrain, thoughts racing at what she ought to do and the silence that followed was equally disturbing. She wanted badly to go back to the others, uncomfortably aware of how vulnerable she was out in the open like this. Anything could happen to a woman out in the Territory alone and usually did. Not that what she had escaped from was any better. Mary was ruminating on this when suddenly she saw heard someone screaming at her. Mary swung around just in time to see Jenny coming at her with what appeared to be a branch from an old tree. She barely dodged being hit and tumbled into the dirt trying to avoid being struck.
"You bitch!" Jenny hissed. "You think you're getting away from me?"
Mary scrambled away wondering if Waldon knew that his lover was completely insane. She saw Jenny swing the branch at her and immediately twisted her body to avoid being hit. Jenny swung too wide and lost her balance, giving Mary something of a chance to escape. Mary scrambled to her feet and started running, having no wish to get into a physical confrontation with the woman. Jenny's frenzied manner told Mary that she would probably lose that kind of contest. She simply did not have Jenny's savagery and she knew the young woman intended to kill her. Better not to give her the chance, Mary decided.
However, Jenny was not about to let her prey escape and flung the branch at Mary with all her strength, aiming accurately enough for it to strike Mary on the back of the head. The pain immediately halted her progress and Mary found herself falling into the dirt before she could prevent it. She landed hard, her head swimming with disorientation as her forehead scrapped the ground. She knew she had to get up but her fall had given Jenny all the time to catch up to her. She was struggling to get up when she felt Jenny's knee against her back, pinning her to the dirt while at the same time, Jenny grabbed a handful of her hair and yanked her head back painfully.
"I'm going to do this myself," Jenny said breathing hard but clearly triumphant. From the folds of her dress, she produced a thin bladed knife and pressed it against Mary's throat. "I should have done this myself. Ray's so angry with me because of you and you're going to pay."
"No she's not."
Both Mary and Jenny found themselves staring at Vin Tanner who was standing before them, his sawn off Winchester primed and ready to fire. Vin had managed to track both Mary and Jenny easily, since neither had made much effort to hide what direction they were headed. For a moment, time seemed to freeze as no one spoke. The betrayed and the betrayer seemed locked in a vacuum as each considered their position and how they would proceed from this point. Vin stared at Jenny almost astonished by how crazed she looked and realized that she must have been a consummate actress to be able to hide this much. Ezra had thought her to be deceptive but Vin knew it was more than that. She was savagery wrapped up in the smile of an angel.
"You going to shoot me Vin?" Jenny broke the silence by asking, her face melted into the visage of the sweet innocent he had cared about the past weeks.
"If I have to," Vin said tautly, not wishing to do it because there was some part of him that longed for the woman he had fallen so deeply for.
"You don't want to hurt me Vin," Jenny said sweetly. "Not for her."
"Let her go Jenny," Vin repeated himself. "I ain't gonna tell you twice."
"But Vin," Jenny pressed the blade against Mary's throat and broke skin. Mary let out a soft groan of pain. "You can't do it. You love me."
"I loved someone else," Vin replied calmly, aware that he had to be very sure about this. There could be no hesitation because she would kill Mary if he were not. "I don't know who you are."
"I'm still your Jenny," she smiled. "When I kill this bitch, I show you that I am."
Christ, Vin realized with a sickening feeling in his stomach. He could not reason with her. She was insane.
"I don't think so," Vin answered coldly and pulled the trigger.
The bullet slammed straight into her heart. He could have tried to wound her but Vin knew with every breath there was in her body, she would try to kill Mary and he could not take the risk. He watched her let out a scream, one of outrage and surprise before she fell backward, blood spreading across he dress as she tumbled to the dirt quite dead. Vin closed his eyes and lowered his gun, feeling as if he was going to die inside for doing what he had to but there had been no choice. He had loved someone who never really existed in the first place and the person he just killed was an insane stranger who had endangered his friend's life.
He hoped in the days to come that explanation would make the pain easier to bear because right now, his heart was breaking.