Disclaimer: All the characters from the "Magnificent Seven" T.V. series are property of Trilogy Entertainment, The Mirisch Group, MGM Worldwide.
"I hope this ain't no wild goose chase." Buck grumbled as he rode alongside Vin and Chris.
It was close to midnight when the three men rode away from Four Corners after Nathan Jackson had failed to return. Although the reservation was some distance out of town, the ride back to Four Corners did not justify the healer's continued absence. It was seriously out of character for Nathan to go wandering off without telling anyone first. Since becoming the unofficial guardians of Four Corners, Chris was conscious of the fact that the seven men were targets for outlaws and bandits who might think the town was easy pickings. In the last year alone there had been many encounters with such men who did not forget easily. If Nathan had come across one of these men alone...
Chris did not like to think of the possibilities.
"It's only an hour or so ride to the reservation." Chris replied. "He should have been back by now."
As a result of the warm day, the night was quite pleasant. The day's heat could still be felt, but the temperature was mild with a faint breeze sweeping across the plains.
"He may be off with a girl for all we know." Buck continued complaining. When Chris told them they were going in search of Nathan, Buck had been making good headway with a new saloon girl named Doreen.
"No that's you, Buck." Chris said shortly, knowing why Buck was so anxious to get back. "I'm sure the girl will wait." There was enough of an edge to his voice to tell Buck that enough was enough. Chris was genuinely concerned about Nathan, and until he saw the healer for himself, they would continue looking.
"You think he might be in trouble?" Buck inquired, realizing that Chris' concerns about Nathan were nothing to laugh at. Chris had a keener sense of trouble than any man alive, and Buck had learnt throughout the years not to underestimate his instincts.
"Better safe than sorry." Chris replied, not prepared to voice the worst at the moment. He had a feeling that there was something wrong. Nathan rarely chose to stay away from town over night. The black man had a strong sense of responsibility when it came to his healing abilities. He would not have simply taken off without telling anyone.
"Stop a minute." Vin remarked and pulled the reins to dismount his horse.
Normally Vin preferred to do his tracking during the day, where it was easier to read the signs in the light. However, he was a capable night tracker when it was required. The plains had offered little evidence of Nathan's presence but now that they were approaching a belt of trees, he wanted a closer examination. Chris and Buck held back as Vin stepped onto the ground and examined the terrain up to the tree belt some yards away.
"Four maybe five men on horseback." Vin suddenly announced. The markings on the grass and dirt were a language onto themselves for an experienced tracker. He studied the state of the marks before him and made some other conclusions. "The tracks are pretty fresh," he looked at his companions. "Last few hours I'd say."
"I didn't see anyone new coming into town." Chris stated. "Someone coming this way should be heading to town. There's nothing in this direction other than Four Corners. Long way to come for not going into town."
"We don't know that for sure." Buck declared. Ever the optimist, he hated to think the worse in any situation until they had proof of it before their eyes. "I mean, there could be travelers passing through or something."
The possibility existed, but somehow Chris could not abandon the instinct that something bad had befallen Nathan. He lived his life playing hunches like this, and that he was still alive was a testament to its accuracy. "Or something is what I'm afraid of" he said before nudging his horse forward, leaving Buck and Vin to follow.
They found him a short time later.
Chris saw him first. His body was a dark silhouette on the ground but Chris knew the moment they came into the clearing that it was Nathan's form before them. He jumped off his horse and reached Nathan in two long strides. Buck and Vin were not far behind him.
"Nathan!" He called out.
There was no answer and that hollow feeling in Chris' gut constricted further. Chris dropped to his knees when he reached Nathan and immediately felt moisture underfoot. When it seeped through the fabric of his pants Chris realized that it was blood. There was almost a puddle underneath Nathan, and Chris found himself staring at a hand almost drenched in blood when he had touched the ground.
"Jesus." He managed to say and then turned to Nathan who was lying face down. Chris only had to pull him over to see the severity of his wounds. "Buck! Vin! Get over here now!"
Both men were at his side in moments and the healer remained unconscious. Even in the dark light of the moon, they could see the entry point of several bullets across the man's chest.
"Is he still alive?" Buck demanded as he stared into Nathan's grey pallor.
"Barely," Chris replied, feeling his neck for a pulse. When he did so, he noticed another wound across the man's throat and Nathan's breathing was ragged.
"We got to get him back to town." Chris said getting Vin's help to drag Nathan to his feet. The injured man showed no signs of movement and his body was a dead weight that only added to their fears.
"You've got the fastest horse, Chris." Vin retorted.
"Right." Chris agreed. "I'll meet you boys back in town."
"You mean Eagle Bend." Buck reminded. "That's the nearest doctor."
"Eagle Bend's too far." Chris said savagely. "He won't make it."
They carried Nathan to Chris' horse and draped him over the steed's rear. It would not be an easy ride, but Chris could think of no other way to get Nathan to Four Corners any faster. He cursed himself for not having the foresight to come looking for the man sooner. As things stood, it was a minor miracle that Nathan was not already dead. Chris had been unable to gauge the man's injuries closely, but he could tell that multiple bullet wounds were the cause of so much blood lose. The man was bleeding like a stuck pig.
"But you don't know if that gal's good enough to put Nathan together!" Buck insisted. He knew nothing of Alex Styles, and liked it even less now that he had to entrust a friend to her ministrations.
"Get over it Buck." Vin snapped. "We don't have a lot of choice."
"I'll see you in town." Chris said shortly before he mounted his horse and booted the animal, sending it bolting forward. Without further delay, he galloped into the dark towards town, racing against the clock that was ticking against Nathan's life.
Alex almost fell out of bed when she heard the pounding at her door.
For a moment she sat in the darkness without any clue as to where she was. Realization flooded back into her mind, as the noise seemed to grow in urgency and pitch. Swearing under her breath in a most unladylike manner, Alex stumbled out of bed and blindly reached for the silk robe hanging off the edge of the bed. She swung the door open, and as she pulled the robe around herself Alex found herself staring at one of the men she remembered seeing in front of the saloon earlier today. The expression on his face matched the black of his clothes and immediately put Alex on guard.
"What is it?" She demanded.
"A man's been shot." He said abruptly. "He needs a doctor."
Upon hearing that, Alex was wide awake. "Wait a minute" she said, withdrawing into her room. "I'll get my bag."
Judging by the fact that this stranger had beaten down her door at this time of night, Alex knew how badly the man was injured. Knowing she would regret the haste later, she put on her slippers, grabbed her worn leather medical bag at the foot of the bed and emerged once more. What she was wearing was probably highly inappropriate for the occasion, but it was warm and covered all of her. It was a notch above being stark naked, but she had a sense that time was against her.
"Where is he?" She asked the man.
He said nothing in response but turned away from her and strode down the hallway, expecting her to follow. A few people had peered out of their rooms to investigate the commotion and Alex felt some embarrassment as she hurried after the stranger.
"How bad has he been shot?" Alex asked as they stepped out onto the night air. As the cold air nipped at her skin, she suddenly wished she had put on more clothes.
"Can't say," Chris answered tautly. "There's a lot of blood loss. I saw a wound on his throat and at least one at his chest."
Alex considered the information and then inquired. "How's he breathing?" She asked as they made a beeline for the saloon.
Chris was suddenly aware that her questions were for a reason and he took more careful note of his answers. "He's having trouble breathing." Chris answered after a moment. "It's pretty ragged."
"Okay." Alex nodded decisively. "After you take me to him, I need you to go to my room again and get a black trunk. All my surgical instruments are there. I can't say for certain but it sounds like your friend might have a respiratory trouble, which could mean a damaged lung."
"What else do you need?" He asked as they burst into the saloon that was empty except for the men and Inez. Nathan was laid out on top of a table as Josiah held a bloodied cloth over the man's throat. He looked up at them with more fear in his eyes than Chris had ever seen in Josiah before. He and Nathan had been friends much longer than the seven had been together and the helplessness in his eyes was apparent.
Alex did not answer. Instead, she went directly to the injured man. The others in the room stepped aside as the young woman put her bag down and removed the bloodied cloth that Josiah had used to curb Nathan's bleeding. Alex examined the injuries and knew instantly that this man's life was hanging by a thread.
"Are there rooms here?" She asked no one in particular.
"Yes," Ezra replied quickly. "You can use my lodgings," he answered, concern etched all over his face. Even though Ezra and Nathan had begun their relationship on the wrong foot, there was no doubt that he considered the healer one of his best friends and that no sacrifice was to great.
"Get him up there." Alex ordered a course of action already set before her. "I need lots of hot water." She looked to Inez. "Keep boiling it until I say otherwise. "
Inez nodded and hurried away to the kitchen while Josiah and Ezra lifted Nathan gently off the table and started up the stairs. Alex turned her attention to JD and Chris. "What are you waiting for?" She barked. "I need that trunk!"
"Yes ma'am." Chris replied and walked out the door with JD following close by.
When they were gone, Alex hurried up the stairs where the men had disappeared with her patient. She found herself at the head of a narrow hallway. She assumed the man who had offered his lodgings was situated at the end of the corridor. The other doors were locked shut and Alex assumed that saloon girls conducting 'business' mostly likely occupied those rooms.
When she entered the room, the two men had already placed the injured man in the bed. The amount of blood on their clothes and on the crisp white sheets heightened her concern. He was losing too much blood and the facilities for transfusion did not exist. The technique was relatively new in Europe and she was uncertain if it had reached American hospitals, even if she could get him to a hospital alive. The bleeding had to be stopped immediately or it would not matter how well she put him together, he was still going to die.
Josiah and Ezra stepped aside and let the woman take charge of the situation. Both of them felt similarly helpless as Nathan continued to bleed before them. "Can you help him?" Josiah asked, trying to understand how God could allow this to happen to Nathan of all people. Seeing his friend so close to death made him question his belief in the Maker.
"We need to get these clothes off him." Alex ignored the question but looked at them as she made the statement. She removed a pair of scissors from her bag and began snipping the clothes off Nathan's bloodied torso. As she cut away strips of soiled material, her breath caught seeing the extent of damage. Three bullets had penetrated his body. The most serious of these wounds was to the man's chest. Judging by the location of the entry point, he was exceedingly lucky that the bullet had not penetrated his heart. Unfortunately, the near miss had not fared him much better. Instead of hitting the heart, it had entered the patient's lungs.
"He's drowning in his own blood." She replied. "Where's that damn trunk!" She swore. She had to get into his chest and she had to do it now.
No sooner than she had uttered those words than Chris and JD arrived carrying the trunk.
"It's here." Chris replied, having heard her outburst.
They set it down at the foot of the bed and Alex hurried to it and unlocked the chest. Swinging it open, the men saw why she had needed the box so urgently. Inside was a wide array of surgical instruments, scalpels, tweezers and such, all gleaming under the light.
"Can you help him?" Josiah asked again, needing some kind of an answer.
"I don't know." She finally answered, knowing that their concern was deep and they needed to hear something positive. Except Alex did not want to lie to them. "His injuries are severe. I can't make you any promises."
"Who did this to him?" Josiah swore angrily.
"Someone ambushed him." Chris shook his head, wishing more than anything that he could answer Josiah's question. The normally serene preacher was understandably angry. It was Nathan that had brought the preacher to the family of the seven. Chris himself was similarly enraged, but he was capable of controlling his emotions better. The images of Nathan's body in that puddle of blood had stayed with him all through the hard ride back to Four Corners.
"Why?" Ezra asked. "Of any of us, why Mr. Jackson? He is just a healer..." His voice trailed off as the gambler tried to understand the reasoning. At least if they understood, perhaps they could do something to avenge Nathan, instead of sitting on their hands having to rely on this stranger to save one of their own.
"Look, you can debate this later." She interrupted. "Right now, I need to get this man's chest open and I'm going to need one of you to assist me." She looked at the four men in the room.
The boy positively turned ashen at the prospect of assisting in surgery and Alex decided then and there he would faint at the first sight of an open chest cavity. The older man was reluctant but not as shaken by the idea. She had a feeling he would have forced himself to help her, even if the possibility terrified him. They exchanged glances with uncertainty. Alex did not blame them for viewing her request with trepidation. She had seen the bravest men shirk from the possibility of surgery. Assisting in the process seemed doubly terrifying. Nevertheless no sooner than she had spoken than Chris stepped forward. He was unprepared to let the others do anything he was not willing to do himself. Nathan was his friend and Chris was not about to let him die because he was feeling squeamish. "I'll do it." He said firmly.
"No," Alex shook her head. "You're not sterile." She saw his face hardened as he prepared to protest. "Look I'm sorry," she said quickly. "You've been riding most of the night, you've got dust and dirt all through your clothes. I've got to open up his chest right now and you'd be more of a risk to him than you would be helping."
The man in black glared at her with penetrating eyes not used to being refused on many things. However, she also saw that her patient meant a great deal to him and that meant his wounded ego would have to come second to what was necessary.
"I'll do it." Ezra said stepping forward. "I have been inside all day. I am not exactly fresh as a petunia but I think I will suit your hygiene needs."
"Good." She nodded. "We don't have much time. Everybody else out, now." Taking a deep breath, she whispered under her breath. "I need to get to work."
It was the wait that Chris Larabee hated more than anything else.
His mind took him back to an earlier time when he was a different man. It was a hot night like this one and he had promised her he would be home before the baby came. Of course, he was late. She was never angry, but he knew she was disappointed when he broke his promises. He broke his last promise to her the night he came home from Mexico and found her screaming his name, as the baby prepared to make its arrival. He remembered never being so scared in his entire life as during those hours after he had summoned the doctor and was forced to wait outside while his son was being coaxed into the world.
Those had been the longest hours of life, until now.
Now, as he waited with Josiah and JD while Alex Styles and Ezra fought to save Nathan's life, Chris was reminded of that terrible memory. A bottle of whisky sat unopened in the middle of the table, while Inez hurried up and down the stairs with pitchers of hot water to sterilize the instruments the doctor needed for surgery. An hour after they had been ushered out of the room upstairs, Buck and Vin made their arrival back in town.
"What's happening?" Buck demanded as soon as he cleared the doors and saw them waiting.
"The doctor's with him." JD answered. "She's says he's hurt really bad."
Buck could well believe it. He had seen the same thing Chris had and knew they could not have reached Nathan any later or he would have died. It was a minor miracle that he had clung to live for so long. Perhaps healing so many had given Nathan the will to survive.
"We found Nathan's horse." Vin informed Chris as they joined their friends at the table. "Those tracks we found earlier were all over the place where we found him."
"I don't understand why." Buck said genuinely bewildered. "I mean Nathan's a healer for God sakes. Until he hooked with us, he'd never crossed anyone."
"I found the empty shells." Vin said grimly. "Whoever shot him tried to empty every bullet in the chamber into him. They wanted to him dead Chris."
Chris nodded, digesting the information. He could understand one or two bullets being wasted to dispatch a potential threat, if that was how the men who had shot Nathan perceived him. However, firing all bullets at a man indicated a more personal reason. It felt like vengeance but Chris could not guess why. "We need to talk to Mary." He stated.
"Mary?" Josiah looked at him in puzzlement.
"She's known Nathan longer than you have Josiah," Chris pointed out to the preacher. "If he has enemies, she might know who they are."
"Where's Ezra?" Buck inquired, noticing that the gambler was not present at the table. His gaze shifted as he saw Inez coming down the stairs, looking exhausted. The sultry bartender had spent the last hour running up and down the stairs, providing the doctor with hot water to sterilize her instruments for surgery.
"He's up there with her." JD gestured to the top of the stairs. "She said she had to perform surgery on Nathan and she needed Ezra to help."
"What's happening Inez?" Chris looked at the woman as she came towards them.
"I did not get much of a look." Inez confessed running her hands through her dark hair while Buck rose to his feet and pulled a chair out for her. "Miss Styles would not let me get to close to Nathan. She said something about keeping the field sterile."
"She's got a real thing about that." JD replied. "Just like Nathan." He added remembering the healer's predilections. Suddenly, JD fell silent because Nathan was fighting for his life and the boy did not like facing the possibility that Nathan could die. He tried to imagine life in Four Corners without the sympathetic black man who always had time to help everyone, no matter how dangerous the situation. It just did not sit well with JD that someone could act so cowardly and ambush a man who had saved so many of their lives.
"He ain't going to die." Buck said confidently. "If that pretty gal says that she can put him back together again, I'm sure she will." However, he did not seem as sure and could hardly make a snappy remark when Inez wrapped her arm around his and squeezed it tight. He looked into her eyes and saw that she understood he was putting up a brave face because he simply had to hope for the best. Buck Wilmington was incapable of facing the worst.
"I'm going to talk to Mary." Chris rose to his feet, unable to bear sitting around any more. He needed to act and he needed to do it now.
"Chris, it's way after midnight." Vin called out as the leader of the seven strode towards the doors of the saloon.
"I know." He replied, having already taken the late hour into consideration. However, he knew Mary well enough to know that she would have resented not being told immediately. Nathan was her friend. She had once faced a group of homicidal drunks with a shotgun to save Nathan's life. No one who would put themselves in the line of fire like that would do so unless they had a very good reason. Late hour or not, Mary would want to know about Nathan, and Chris might be able to get the answers as to whom might have done this to him.
Ezra watched her work and could not help being impressed by her skills. There was no doubt or hesitation in her face, just the marked determination to get the job done and save a life. All other thoughts of propriety were brushed aside as she began to cut into the ruined flesh of Nathan Jackson. Until she had cleaned the blood off his body, with Ezra mutely holding a tray for the disposal of the bloodied scraps of clothing, he had not realized the extent of the damage. There were three bullet wounds to Nathan's body. There was a bullet wound in the throat, one a fraction off center from his heart and another in his side.
Her concern was mostly centered on the bullet lodged in Nathan's lung. Ezra could well understand why. Even from his secondary position, he recognized the shallow breathing coming from Nathan; the breathing that was growing more labored as time drifted past with uneasy pace.
"The wound in the throat is mostly superficial." She explained as she started cutting into the skin to remove the bullets in his torso. "If he lives, the worst it will cause is a temporary halt of his singing voice."
"He does not possess one worth the loss." Ezra joked; attempting to sound clever but the remark emerged as a quiet whisper.
Nevertheless Alex threw him a bemused smile before turning back to her patient as she held back the torn tissue that had soaked the bullet in its folds. "Get that long nose clamp." She gestured towards the instrument lying on a tray a top of the trunk. Ezra reached for the instrument and offered it to her, however Alex did not take it from him.
"Now, I need you to lean forward." She said looking at him intently. "Can you see it?" She nodded at the opening in Nathan's flesh that she was currently holding apart with what she called a rib spreader. Ezra strained forward and saw a glint of dark grey almost obscured by blood. It could hardly be recognized as a bullet but there was no doubt as to what it was.
"I see it." He said swallowing hard. Although Ezra did not want to appear squeamish, the sight of all that blood was disturbing him. Nevertheless, the gambler retained his composure in front of the lady.
"I have to keep the ribs apart so that we can get to the bullet." She explained hoping that he had the nerve to do what she was about to ask of him. Alex could see beads of sweat on his forehead that had nothing to do with the summer heat. Like most gunmen, he was only used to causing the wounds. She doubted if he had ever seen the consequences of a gunfight once the actual shooting was done. "I need you to reach in with those clamps and remove it."
His eyes flew to hers immediately. For a man accustomed to having most situations well in control, her request had almost reduced him to panic. His eyes darted from Nathan to Alex, as he struggled with the impulse to refuse. "Madam, perhaps that would be a task better suited for you...."
She cut him off before he could finish that sentence. "I'm holding him open so the bullet can come out. This is not up for negotiation. The bullet has to be taken out now." Alex said firmly, emphasizing in her tone the urgency of the situation. Ezra wanted to run out of the room and forget that he had volunteered to help her, however, to do so would be to doom Nathan to death. Unlikely as their friendship had been, Nathan was an important part of his life and Ezra did not intend to disappoint him. He would deal with his apprehension later. Right now Nathan needed him.
"Just reach in?" He looked at her uncertainly.
"Yes." Alex nodded. She had seen the stark terror in his eyes when she made the request, and admired him for being able to put aside those fears for the sake of his friend. Until now, she had not really paid him much concern because her attention had been focused on the patient; however, she was now glad that she had him. Alex lingered on her observations for a second before returning to the matter at hand.
Ezra met her eyes once more and saw the young woman give him the go ahead to begin. Taking a deep breath, he reached into the narrow opening and tightened the clamp around the hard projectile. The bullet was slippery with blood and fluid. Somehow, Ezra managed to retain his grip and withdrew the clamp gently. The bullet remained trapped in place, gleaming with moisture. Ezra was transfixed by it for a moment, trying to associate this small projectile with the significant injuries it had inflicted on Nathan.
"Nicely done." Alex smiled. "You've got great hands."
"Well," Ezra shrugged as he dropped the bullet into a small steel receptacle. "I have been told that on occasion, although I prefer to utilize my skills in more monetary pursuits."
"I look forward to seeing exactly what you mean by that," she chuckled before returning her attention to Nathan. There was still much to do and not much time .
While they entered the next phase of the procedure, Ezra could only remain in silent contemplation as to what she meant by that remark.
There was a time when it was unthinkable for him to appear at her doorstep at this time of night, but one of the first things Mary had done with the change of status quo between them was give him a set of keys to her house. Since they shared the same bed more than three or four times a week, it was necessary for Chris to make discreet exits in the early hours of the morning, since he was adamant about guarding her reputation. So far, his clandestine departures had gone largely unnoticed by Four Corners, and until there was some formal declaration about their relationship, he wished it to remain that way. Mary's position in Four Corners relied upon her reputation as an upstanding, member of the community and Chris did not wish to be the reason for any alteration to that reputation.
On this occasion, he slipped in through the back door as he always did, careful that no one observed his presence. It was dark in the Travis house, which was hardly a surprise considering what time it was. When he was not with her, Mary was an earlier riser, and that meant she went to bed at a reasonable hour. Considering what she took on each day, he supposed it was necessary for her to get her rest. Under normal circumstances, Chris would not dream of waking her, but he did not relish facing her wrath if the news of Nathan's injuries were kept from her until morning.
It was never wise to provoke her temper.
Chris moved silently through the house and made his way upstairs, trying not to make a sound as he climbed the stairs. The wood creaked underneath him but not enough to cause any concern. The hallway was dimly lit by the lamp on the wall, which Mary had taken to lighting in the event of his nocturnal visits. Her bedroom door was slightly ajar and Chris entered the room to see her lying serenely among the crisp white sheets. He could hear her soft breathing and saw the iridescent glow of her skin under the moonlight.
Chris admired her sleeping shape for a moment, watching the luminescent skin rising and falling. Her gold hair was splayed around the pillow, and although she was wearing a nightgown, the urge to slip into the covers with her was overwhelming. He leaned over and brushed his fingers against her cheek, savoring the silky texture against his palm.
Mary stirred slightly at his touch and her lashes fluttered as her hand reached for his. A slow smile stole across her face when she looked up at him. "Hi." She said dreamily.
"Hello." He returned her gaze and leaned down to meet her rising lips. It was hardly a passionate kiss but it was more than enough to completely lose himself in the power of her.
"Come to bed," she whispered invitingly and Chris almost did before he remembered why he was here.
"Mary, I have some news" he said with enough edge in his voice to put Mary on guard. Immediately, the tender moment between them faded and she returned his stare, aware that something terrible had transpired.
"What is it?" She asked, starting to sit up.
"Nathan's been hurt" he said simply, ignoring the curvaceous outline of her body beneath the thin cotton of hergown. With everything that had taken place tonight, he was ashamed to admit that Mary had been almost an afterthought in his mind. When there had been time to catch a breath, Chris realized that Mary would want to know that Nathan had been hurt. Of all of them, she had known the healer longest. Chris knew she considered Nathan a good friend.
"Hurt?" Her blue grey eyes widened. "How?" She gasped.
"All we know is some men ambushed him on the way back from the reservation." Chris replied automatically, fast becoming weary of having to give that same answer repeatedly.
He saw her face cloud over with the same confusion that had gripped all of them when this information had been made known. She sat quietly for a moment, digesting the terrible news. "I'll get dressed." Mary pulled the covers aside and rose from the bed. Chris watched in silent appreciation as she padded to her wardrobe and let the nightdress fall from her shoulders. "How badly is Nathan injured?"
The image of her alabaster skin was immediately driven away as the darker memory of how he had found Nathan Jackson flashed in his mind. Chris opted to give Mary a slightly more sanitized version of what he had seen. "He took a couple of bullets." He answered. "The doctor is with him now."
Mary looked over her shoulder, blond hair swaying across her bare back like a shimmer of gold. "Doctor?" She asked. "What doctor?"
"She got in today." Chris answered, realizing that Alexandra Styles would have seen little reason to report to the newspaperwoman when she had arrived.
"She?" Mary looked at him hard.
"Alex Styles." He reminded her so that Mary would realize that 'Alex' was not necessarily a male name.
The realization that the doctor was female was not as much of a concern to Mary as how Chris knew her. Nevertheless, she would query the acquaintance some other time. "What does she say about Nathan?" Mary inquired as she covered her bare skin with layers of petticoats and undergarments.
"It's touch and go." He said grimly. "He lost a lot of blood, Mary." His eyes involuntarily indicated to her that while they should hope for the best, the possibility of the worst had to be kept in mind as well.
"Who would do this?" she asked as she disappeared into the washroom attached to the bedroom. "Could it be some of the men you have encountered in the past year?" he heard her ask.
Chris shook his head in response. "Could be, but I don't think so" he replied considering the question with deeper scrutiny. "They waited for him out of town, so someone knew he was going to the reservation today. They wanted to get him alone. I don't remember Nathan crossing anyone in the last year that would come after him specifically. If anyone was a target, it should have been me" he said somberly.
"Now Chris," Mary appeared from the wash room, drying her skin with a small towel. Still clad in a camisole and petticoat, she placed herself on his lap and slipped her arm around his neck. She knew where he was going even before he voiced it. "This is not your fault" she declared firmly, refusing to tolerate any guilt on his part. He already blamed himself for too many things in his life that went wrong and she was not prepared to let him assume responsibility for another. "Nathan would have gone to the reservation even if the whole Confederate Army was coming after him. You had no reason to talk him out of going. Besides, I doubt if you could have anyway. Trust me, I've known him longer than you."
"You're pretty when you're mad" he said with the barest hint of a smile.
Mary returned his smile and kissed him lightly on the nose before she got up to get dressed again. He was starting to take heed of her little snippets of advice, sometimes involuntarily. However, Mary's ability to make him feel light in the darkest moments of despair was part of the reason he was so in love with her.
"Anyway," she said slipping on a familiar apricot colored dress with a modest neckline he had seen her wear when she was not required at the Clarion. "If what you say is true, then whoever shot him was after him personally."
Her conclusion was one he had reached himself. "Yeah," he nodded. "So would you know if he had enemies before the rest of us came to town?"
She considered the question thoughtfully as she braided her hair. "Before you arrived in town, Nathan was only healing. He did not do anything else. Most people were pretty nervous about having a black man being the only doctor around, so he stayed pretty much out of sight."
"That's what I thought" he said unhappily. It was clear something was bothering him beyond the obvious.
"What is it?" she asked, concerned.
"Can't say" he replied honestly. "But I hope it ain't just the beginning of something worse."
Two bullets were removed from Nathan Jackson's body and he was still breathing. As far as Alex was concerned, this was a good sign. She had been working solidly for almost two hours now, trying to repair the torn flesh the bullets had created so that her patient would have half a chance of surviving the next few hours. Muscle and sinew were sewn together with catgut, allowing Nathan's damaged lung a decent chance of recovery. Statistically it was possible to survive with one lung. However, Alex did not want to discount it before every effort had been made to repair the damage. The bullet she had removed from his side had penetrated the liver, but fortunately that particular organ was regenerative so his own natural processes would soon take up whatever repairs she had made.
Her hands were red with blood when she finally dropped the last instrument into a bowl of hot water, cleaning the stains off the strong surgical steel. She wiped the sweat from her brow with her forearm and turned to Ezra. "I can do the rest on my own" she said breathlessly, obviously exhausted. "You can go if you like."
He was tired and he did want to go, but something would not let Ezra leave just like that. He had watched this woman do work that would make most men shudder, without reservation because it was her calling to do so. "I prefer to remain." He said sincerely. "What else is there to be done?"
"Now?" She glanced over her shoulder at Nathan. "Nothing really," she answered. "I'll need to bandage the wounds, but that's pretty much it. I administered an anaesthetic so he will be out for quite a while. He has lost a lot of blood, so he will sleep to regain his strength. I don't think you can count him entirely out of the woods just yet," Alex said taking a deep breath. "however, he survived the surgery and that means he is strong and a fighter. A good combination."
"I can personally attest to both those qualities in Nathan" Ezra replied. "My friends and I had reason to doubt your skills when you had first arrived. I for one do not have further any doubts as to your qualifications."
Alex was in the process of bandaging Nathan's wounds when she heard him say that. The woman paused for a moment and looked over her shoulder. "Thanks," she said knowing that it was as close to an apology as she was going to receive. "I know it was hard coming to me for help."
"His life was all that mattered." Ezra glanced at Nathan who was oblivious to everything around him.
"You are all very close aren't you?" She had observed the camaraderie between the men ever since she arrived in town and later on, when the man in black had come to her help. She guessed it was not easy for any of them to trust strangers, but a deep fear for one of their own had forced them to put their faith in her.
"Without becoming unnecessarily sentimental," Ezra tried to sound non-committal, "we are comrades in arms and perhaps brothers in our self-imposed exile."
"Its good to have friends." she agreed as she fastened a metal clip to hold the bandage in place around Nathan's throat. With that, she had done all that was possible for the healer. Now it would require something beyond what she had learnt in medical school. Nathan's face had taken on an expression of peaceful slumber and Alex hoped his dreams were pleasant. She replaced the linen around him with fresh sheets and bundled up the soiled ones to dispose of. Finally, she pulled a blanket over him and stepped away.
"Its up to him now" she sighed. She looked down at herself and saw that her clothes were stained with blood and would require laundering, if they were at all salvageable.
Ezra could see the shadows in her eyes and knew the minor miracle she performed tonight had taken its toll on her as well. At that moment, she looked a universe away from the beautiful woman who had stepped off the stage this afternoon. With a sudden flash of insight, he looked at her and had to ask. "Have you done this before?" It never occurred to him to ask until now. Earlier on, she had acted with such confidence that they had all believed she must have been a seasoned physician. However, now he was not so sure.
Alex met his gaze uncomfortably. "I have assisted, and I have seen the surgery done before, but no," she shook her head putting to rest that particular question. "I've never operated on my own before."
"You should have said something" he declared, remembering how terrified he had been to simply remove a bullet with a pair of clamps. He could not even begin to imagine how frightened she must have been, conducting the surgery all on her own for the first time.
"You didn't ask" she half smiled. "Besides, if I had said something, none of you would have let me do my job and he would have died. Isn't that true?"
Remembering how Buck had behaved earlier that afternoon and Chris' startled discovery that their new doctor was a female, Ezra could not defend his friends by saying otherwise. "You are correct" he nodded. "We would have been blinded by our concerns for his well being. I thought you were a doctor."
"I am a doctor. Being a lady doctor in this day and age is akin to practicing witchcraft to some people," Alex tried to explain as she began packing up. "It has been made clear that we are not wanted. I applied for a dozen positions across Europe, in the worst places, and they still would not accept me because of my gender. I read somewhere that they were desperate in the American west for good physicians, so I took a gamble and came out here."
Ezra understood what it was like to be on the other end of a male dominated society. He had seen his mother battle it all her life. While she used schemes to succeed in her ambitions, Ezra knew if she had been a legitimate businesswoman she would have been a tycoon by now. These days, things had improved considerably. However, progress still rarely allowed for the influx of women into professional fields to be treated equally. "You have my respect Miss Styles."
It suddenly occurred to Alex that she had no idea what this man's name was. "What do they call you anyway?"
Ezra smiled his most charming dimpled grin and replied gallantly. "I am Ezra Standish at your service."
"And him?" She glanced at Nathan.
"He is Nathan Jackson. Until you arrived, he was the local healer."
"Local healer?" She asked not understanding.
"During the War Between the States, Nathan had been assigned to a northern hospital. He gained a considerable knowledge regarding the healing arts. In the locality, he is able to offer his services to mend broken bones, treat gun shot wounds and a small variety of ailments. It was his idea that Mrs. Travis began a search for a qualified doctor. Apparently Nathan did not feel he was qualified to do any more than that. Before your arrival, he was sending people to Eagle Bend if anything was beyond his ability."
"What happened to him?" Alex asked, wondering why a man liked this deserved to be shot so savagely. It sounded as if Nathan Jackson was a caring and responsible man who appeared to value the sanctity of life above all else, too much to end up in such a tragic state.
"All we know is that he was ambushed on his way back from his monthly examination of the people at the nearby Indian reservation." Ezra answered, feeling his jaw tighten with anger at the person or persons who had taken part in such a cowardly attack. Now that the immediate danger had passed, Ezra had time to feel the rage that had been buried until now. Like the others, he wanted retribution.
"There was a lot of anger behind this" Alex observed. "Any one of those bullets could have been perceived as fatal. Whoever shot him wanted to leave nothing to chance" she pointed out.
Ezra nodded in agreement. His instincts warned him of something on the horizon. Nathan's attack seemed to be the opening act of a drama that might have grave implications for the seven lawmen of Four Corners.
When Ezra and Alex finally made their appearance downstairs, everyone who mattered was present in the saloon, waiting for news regarding Nathan's condition. The moment they appeared, Josiah rose to his feet and quickly asked. "How is he?" The preacher looked at Alex intently. Indeed, all eyes were turned to the young woman wearing nothing more than a robe stained with blood.
"If he survives the night, he'll have a good chance." Alex replied honestly.
She saw a wave of genuine relief move through the room like a ripple of water and realized that Mr. Jackson had great many people who cared for him
Inez had taken to serving cups of coffee to those present. It gave her something to do while they waited. The room had been almost deathly silent in the hours before Ezra and the new doctor's reappearance. No one wanted to think the worst, but then again, what they had seen of Nathan's condition did not inspire hope otherwise. Josiah seemed to be the worse for it because Nathan and he were closest. In essence they were all comrades, but Josiah's relationship with Nathan had preceded the formation of the fellowship. Mary Travis was similarly concerned, Inez noticed. The pretty young widow spent most of her time next to Chris. No one made note of their intertwining fingers on the table.
"Would you like some coffee?" Inez inquired of the new arrival to Four Corners. Doctor Styles looked almost pale, which was saying quite a bit considering the dusky color of her skin.
"No." She shook her head politely but her eyes noticed the bottle of whisky in the middle of the table. Without saying anything else, she poured herself a glass and downed it with one sharp tilt of her head. The men looked at her with some surprise although Ezra, Mary and Inez noticed that she was shaking slightly. Once the amber liquid had disappeared down her throat, Alex looked up at the others. "I needed that."
Once she had composed herself, she spoke again. "Someone should be stay with him. I don't think that there will be any complications but I need to get cleaned up." She gestured to her soiled clothes. "I'll try not to be too long but he really should not be alone."
"I'll do it." Mary spoke up, rising from her chair. "Thank you Doctor Styles."
"Call me Alex" Alex answered, unaccustomed to that title just yet. She had earned her diploma long ago but had seldom been called doctor by anyone, it felt somewhat unsettling hearing it now.
"Can we see him ma'am?" Josiah inquired. His initial fears had dissolved somewhat because Josiah had faith in Nathan's ability to endure. He sensed the sincerity in the new doctor's diagnosis and took comfort that God was at least giving Nathan a fighting chance at survival.
"Of course." Alex nodded, admiring the concern they all shared. "However, he needs his rest so one or two at a time." In truth, Nathan Jackson would be oblivious to any visitation by his friends but the gesture was more for their benefit than his own.
"Thank you kindly ma'am." He said politely and then proceeded up the stairs without any further hesitation.
The grim atmosphere in the room had abated slightly now that they had some hopeful intelligence regarding Nathan's condition. However, the underlying anger still remained concealed under the acknowledgment that their immediate crisis had passed. Chris surveyed the faces around him and saw the weariness in all expressions. It was, after all, a few hours away from dawn and most of them had been awake all night. "Ezra," Chris turned to the gambler who was slipping on his coat. "Why don't you walk Doctor Styles back to the hotel?" They had things to discuss, and as much as the woman had proven her ability, she was still a stranger and Chris was unwilling to make her privy to his plans to deal with this situation.
"That's not necessary," Alex started to say but he froze the protest with a cool stare. Somehow, Alex had the impression she would be escorted no matter what she thought.
"Yes it is." Chris said hardly registering the protest, even if he did, he ignored it. "Ezra?" He met the gambler's eyes that immediately discerned there was a motive behind the sudden gesture of chivalry to the lady.
"Mr. Larabee has spoken." Ezra said understanding to what Chris was alluding. "I would not bother arguing with him." He turned to Alex with a charming smile. "I have found it to be a pointless exercise."
"Trust me," Mary remarked, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. Mary, more than any person in the room, could understand what it was to be in Alex Style's position. The exasperation and frustration that Chris Larabee was capable of engendering was something she was completely familiar with. "I know."
Chris gave Mary a look before he returned his high powered gaze back to Alex. "Thank you for what you did Miss Styles. We'll expect you back when you're ready."
"Well," Alex let out a sigh of weariness, ignoring the almost obligatory response. "I had help." She glanced at Ezra. Despite herself, Alex could not shake the belief that the imperceptible Mr. Larabee was summarily dismissing her. Although the idea raised her ire to no end, Alex was too tired to deal with it. The day had been exhausting as it was, since she spent half of it on a stagecoach, followed by the trials of settling in and the marathon of events that had taken place since Larabee first turned up at her door. Suddenly, she had a need for a bath and a good night's sleep. Since she was needed in attendance at her patient's side, Alex would be content with just the first.
"Shall we?" Ezra gestured towards the door.
Alex let out a deep sigh and studied the man anew. Now that they were away from the pressures of the surgery, where she was not required to rely on him without question, Alex realized she knew nothing about this man who was playing escort. It was not her habit to simply go off with strange man and she wished once again that Larabee had allowed her to return to the hotel without company.
Nevertheless, it appeared she had little choice at the moment and followed him out without reply.
Once they were gone, Chris was able to talk freely. While he meant no disrespect to the new doctor, Chris was wary of anyone he did not know well. The people in the room had shared more than friendship, they had seen danger and other trials together, and he knew without doubt that everyone present shared the same commitment to each other he did. By that same token, Chris knew with certainty that each of them was similarly outraged by this cowardly attack on Nathan. Their concern for him united them with iron clad solidarity to bring those guilty to justice or worse, if necessary.
However, the reality of the situation required they find him first, wherever he might be, and that complicated the matter considerably. There was a lot of land beyond Four Corners, and Nathan would be no help to them until he regained consciousness. His would be killers could put a lot of distance between themselves and the crime before that time. Despite the difficulties ahead, Chris did not intend to give them any more of an advantage than they already had. He meant to find these men and he meant to make them pay.
"We can fill Ezra in when he gets back," Chris said opening the conversation they were all waiting tohear. Each of the remaining seven was poised to act, and they required only Chris' word to do so.
"Vin," Chris began after considering what course of action they ought to take. "You and me will ride out to the reservation at first light. I want to know if Chano or any his people saw anything that might help us. Whoever shot Nathan knew when he was leaving the reservation to ambush him further up the trail. They would have had to be keeping lookout to know when he started riding back to town."
Vin seemed to agree with Chris' assessment, recalling what he had observed from the tracks he had examined earlier on. The four men on horseback had ridden towards Four Corners, but had never arrived here, at least not that they were aware of. "We ought to check out Purgatory too" Vin suggested. The tracks he had seen headed away towards Four Corners, but since they were working on the assumption that the men had not come here, there was little else in this direction other than Purgatory. Beyond that was too much of a gap to the next town for them to attempt the ride without a stopover for supplies. Not only was the collection of shantytowns the most uncivilized place in the territory, it was also the home to many murderers and cutthroats. In essence, there was no better hiding place for a group of murderers.
"Good idea." Chris nodded and saw Mary frowning slightly. He was aware that she had no fond memories of Purgatory, and it concerned her whenever he went there. These days however, Mary had a more personal reason than ever to worry over his life. Chris said nothing to allay her fears while in the presence of the others, but he made a mental note to do so once they were alone. After all these years, it was easy to forget how his life style might affect the woman in his life. He remembered similar concerns raised by Sarah when he was riding from one place to another, danger dogging his every step on some occasion. Mary had not sought to change him because, Chris believed, what he was excited her a little, but she was, in the nature of things, a woman who felt things deeply and who had already lost one man to violence. It was understandable if she did not want the same thing to happen to him.
"Buck, JD." He looked to the two friends. There was a great deal of ground to cover and Chris had a feeling that time was not on their side. "I want you to talk to everyone in town. Go do the rounds of the other saloons to see if anyone knows anything about strangers asking after Nathan." Buck was always the best man to send out for such investigation. He had a naturally disarming manner that made people unafraid to talk to him.
"I'll get on it." Buck said nodding firmly, knowing the procedure well enough to have a few ideas of his own. "JD and I might also talk to the folks at the hotel and maybe look around the lodging houses to see if anyone new has come into town and is laying low."
"Good idea." Chris agreed. Personally, he did not think Nathan's attackers would be foolish enough to remain in Four Corners but then very little about this whole affair made any sense. It was wise to be thorough when so much about this situation was puzzling.
"I can wire the judge." Mary suggested, wanting to help in her own way. Nathan was one of her closest friends in Four Corners, she liked and respected the man who gave so much of himself. "I know its unlikely to be a random attack but there might be someone out there we don't know about whom Nathan might have run into. Perhaps someone who did not want to be found" she hinted, although she did not seem very hopeful. The attack on Nathan seemed far too brutal to be a random act of violence. It was like what Chris had said, someone had come after him specifically. However, knowing who was currently at large might narrow down their search considerably.
"She's right" the bounty hunter stated. "We're assuming that it was someone who had something against Nathan. Could be just he got in their way." It was not unheard of for such a thing to happen. There were so many outlaws running loose across the Territory that it was quite possible for an innocent bystander to become caught in their crossfire.
"Mary and I will take turns looking after Nathan." Inez offered. "I'm here more than you are, Mary. It will be easier for me to look in on Nathan while I'm working. Besides, it's usually quiet during the day."
In retrospect, Mary could not deny her friend's words. She had a paper to run and Inez was correct about being in closer proximity to Nathan, since it was unlikely that he could be moved from his room for some time. "You're right." Mary nodded. "I'll take over in the evenings."
"Uh Chris," JD suddenly spoke up as a thought occurred to him. The young man rarely offered an opinion, preferring to defer to the wisdom of his older companions. However, he was forced to speak because as of yet no one else had considered the notion. "What if they come back?"
Everyone stopped talking.
"Come back?" Mary exclaimed having none of the restraint possessed by the men in the room. "Why would they come back?" However, judging by the look on the faces of Chris and the others, it appeared that even though they had not considered the possibility before, it now left a feeling of unease in its wake. JD had brought up a very valid point.
"They were damn sure trying to kill Nathan." Buck retorted, remembering the blood he had seen in the dark sand. His stomach hollowed at the sight of the puddle when he realized the blood belonged to Nathan. "If word gets out that they didn't finish the job, they may come back to do it right."
"I'll stay behind with Ezra." Josiah announced his return to the table as he walked down the stairs. "We'll make sure nobody gets near Nathan unless they want a priestly send off toGod." The hard edge to Josiah's normally soothing voice was enough to send a shiver of ice through most of them. Josiah was always the level headed preacher who never had an ill word for anyone no matter how much they might deserve one. Seeing him so determined unsettled everyone, including Chris who was normally unperturbed by anything.
"Alright then," Chris decided that it was definitely time for them to turn in on that note. "Let's rest up," he said rising to his feet. "It will be light in a few hours and we've all got jobs to do."
There was a hunt to begin.
"Is there a Mr. Styles anywhere?" Alex heard Ezra asked as they started walking back to the hotel. She was still somewhat disgruntled about the abrupt way she had been ushered out of the saloon. While she had not expected them to fall over her in gratitude, it stung somewhat that she was so easily discarded once her usefulness to them had ended.
"Married?" Alex regarded his question and was surprised that it did not seem as obvious to him that there could not be. "No." She said, unable to hide her amusement at the question. "I've hardly had the time the past few years." In truth, Alex had no wish for a husband. It had taken her long enough to earn her degree and then had faced the humiliation of being ostracized from the medical community because of her gender. After all that, she had no wish to give a man that much power over her personal life, considering that they already held so much dominance over her professional one. "What about you? Is there a Mrs. Standish?"
"Only my mother." Ezra said quickly. "In my current occupation, it is too much of a complication."
"Exactly." Alex pointed out, glad that much was out in the open. "So what do you do in Four Corners?" Outwardly, Ezra Standish looked no different from any of the European gamblers she had seen abroad, men who moved from one place to another in search of the best stakes.
"As little as possible," he remarked and was pleased when she uttered a soft laugh. "Actually, I own the saloon." Really, he shared ownership with his mother but there was no reason to offer this beautiful woman that much detail into his business affairs. "Its just a little distraction during my stay in this fair municipality."
She loved the way he spoke. "You remind me of an English professor I used to have." Alex replied and decided that Ezra Standish could grow on her. During the surgery, there had been little opportunity to study him personally, beyond the need to decide if he was capable of helping her during the operation.
He was very handsome. That much could not be denied. Without even having to know it for certain, Alex was sure that boyish smile had saved him from numerous untenable situations. There were not many men she had ever encountered who were able to wear that roguish charm while possessing the visage of the perfect gentlemen. While the color of his eyes was almost the same as Chris Larabee's, their substance were worlds apart. The black garbed stranger who pounded on her door hours before had the eyes of predator. Alex could think of no other way to describe it. In her travels, she had known men like him and recognized that his eyes sang siren songs of peril. To love a man like that was to prepare to dash oneself against a rock and hope for the best. In any case, it was simply too much effort.
Ezra Standish however, was another thing entirely. This was the kind of man that could drive the woman who loved him to distraction, even as she savored every illicit moment of her journey there. If one could overlook the flaws hidden by that charming exterior, he could be a wild ride.
"The joys of private school." Ezra shrugged, unable to decide whether he ought to smother her in his usual charming manner towards the ladies, or to try a more genuine approach. Instinct told Ezra to attempt the later. For some reason, he had a feeling that Alex Styles would be able to see through him if he tried something as clumsy as that. Ezra had no wish to present any façades to a woman with such a sharp intellect. Despite himself, he had a weakness for strong women, a residual effect of being raised by an equally strong mother, who had taken a man's game and turned it into an art.
"I remember." Alex said understanding all too well. "My poor father had decided when I turned thirteen that it was time I became a proper young lady. This was after spending the first thirteen years scrambling all across the world with him. I lasted about a year and a half before the headmistress wrote him with a polite but firm request to take me away."
Ezra tried to imagine this elegant woman as a scrappy tomboy and could not picture it. "Well I was not so extreme," Ezra answered after a moment. "I just kept writing these letters to my mother, informing her that I was going to take up the priesthood. She was so horrified by the prospect of a son of hers becoming a man of the cloth that she arrived to withdraw me from school within the month."
"I had to do some fast talking," Alex confessed. "Or else I would have ended up in a nunnery. I don't think I ever saw my father so angry with me."
"I am glad that you were spared that fate," he said gallantly. "I for one would think it a terrible misfortune to men everywhere."
"Why Mr. Standish," she said as they reached the doors to the hotel. "Are you trying to charm me?" There was a hint of teasing in her voice.
"Certainly not," he answered, with a look of mock hurt. "After everything we've been through?"
On that note she sobered, remembering that he had been through something of an ordeal. "I could not have done it without you Mr. Standish." She said honestly. "It was hard enough for me, I could not imagine what it was like for you."
"He's my friend." Ezra replied without hesitation or thought. "I could not let him die when it was in my power to help him."
"Under the circumstances, you acted admirably." Alex commended. "I've seen more experienced men falter at the prospect of surgery."
"How do you cope?" he asked, genuinely curious. It seemed like such a terrible vocation for such a refined woman. "It cannot be any less daunting for you."
"My father gave me a piece of advice once." she said softly, remembering the old man with a pang of grief, not yet discarded completely by time. "He said the flesh is like sculptor's clay and when the pieces are broken, its best to treat it as such."
"Does it work?" He looked at her skeptically.
"Not one bit." she retorted. "But the memory of my father does." With that, she took a step towards the open doors of the hotel. "Goodnight Mr. Standish."
Ezra tipped his hat slightly. "Goodnight Miss Styles."
She looked up at him as the moonlight danced off her skin and offered him a dazzling smile. "Call me Alex."
Ezra found himself smiling. "I would be honored to, Alex."
She disappeared into the building, leaving him standing on the walkway, staring after her. Ezra suddenly had the feeling his life had just become a great deal more complicated.