Disclaimer: All the characters from the "Magnificent Seven" T.V. series are property of Trilogy Entertainment, The Mirisch Group, MGM Worldwide.
He was insane.
When he returned to Four Corners and told them what he had learned, if anything at all, he would not be surprised if Buck Wilmington did not shoot him dead for his foolishness. At this point, JD Dunne was so scared, he did not even want to contemplate what Chris would do when he what JD was doing now. The young sheriff took a deep breath and cast his gaze at the illumination of camp fires in the not too far distance and knew that if he was going to do this thing, it was best to get on with it instead of procrastinating any further. In either case, he had nothing to loose. If he screwed this up and they found him out, they would kill him and if he did survive by some miracle, Chris and Buck would harangue him when he got back to Four Corners.
With the thick poncho that Chris sometimes wore in favour over his black duster, the garment was oversized on JD and seemed to hang off him. He had exchanged his hat (the one that looked just like the one worn by Bat Masterson) for a sombrero that covered most of his face. He carried guns because he was meant to be a mercenary and no decent one would be seen without his weapons, JD guessed. Slowly, he moved through the darkness of the canyon Buck had told him were the temporary headquarters of the group of villains that was holding Four Corners to siege.
Possessing more stealth in this one hour than he had ever displayed in his life, JD saw the men scattered about the place, enjoying the period of calm during the night. Some were seated around the campfire, others were asleep on their bed rolls, while others shared a bottle around a circle and shared stories. JD observed that the stories were told were spoken in either Spanish or English and no one seemed to complain at the shifting languages. The messenger Chris had sent back was most likely back in the camp now and JD made a note to stay away from him if he sighed the man. Although he appeared nothing like what he did when they had encountered each other in Four Corners, JD was taking no risks.
JD breached the perimeter of the encampment and pretended to adjust his belt as if he had return from taking a private moment to himself. His arrival garnered nothing more than a raised brow from the men stationed at the periphery, seeing nothing unusual in his actions since others had been doing the same thing during the course of the night. Tipping his hat in their direction, they nodded in similar acknowledgment as he passed by and entered the camp. JD felt his heart pounding furiously and was surprised they did not hear it beating through his skin. He walked into the encampment, completely aware that if he made one mistake, it would have fatal repercussions.
Fortunately, he had a plan. Okay, something of a plan. He was going to find himself a nice shadowy corner to sit where he would be able to go unnoticed while he observed everything that transpired. It was a few hours before dawn and he intended to be well away from here before the sun came up. The darkness allowed him some measure of anonymity but if the cold light of day set upon him while he was still here, he might as well put a bullet to his head now because there would be no shortage of volunteers if they learnt who he was.
The mood in the camp was filthy dark and from the snippets of conversation to which he was privy, JD was led to believe this state of affairs had followed because Four Corners had managed to fend off the midnight raid in the town. With the exception of the mercenary that Chris had allowed to leave with his message for the Quint woman, they had lost the entire group sent out to spread terror on this particular night. His companion who had been so willing to answer Chris' question had been permitted to remain in town, since his fellow mercenaries would no doubt kill him once they learnt he had turned snitch.
JD found himself the cover of a small tree, its trunk twisted by the inhospitable conditions of the canyon not to mention the lack of water and sat down quietly, listening to the words being bandied about. He remained unnoticed mostly the effect of the alcohol had made most of them sluggish and because they assumed he was one of the new faces hired to boost their numbers for this particular venture. He remained hidden, letting his eyes search the grounds for anything that might help his friends in Four Corners and wondered if Quint was sleeping in one of those tents.
JD wondered about how a woman could so coldly ruthless because one thing had become very evident to him throughout his secret surveillance. Whatever strategy was being planned at the moment, it was Selena Quint who was directing all of it. Everything that had taken place since the siege had begun was carried out as per her direct orders. Judging by the way the men spoke of her with the hint of fear tightening their voices, it appeared she did not take failure well. It was common place for men to have such streaks of calculation but JD could not wrap his mind around the concept that a woman might be the same way.
When he had seen Julia threaten Violet Serfonteine a few months ago in order to learn of Ezra and Alex's location when they had been captured by the Klan, JD thought nothing about the fairer sex could surprise him. He knew Casey could ride and shoot as well as he could and the female bounty hunter who had almost killed him proved how dangerous women could be, even though it as obvious that Madeleine was not exactly in her right mind. However, Quint was different. She looked even when she was taking a swipe at Ezra, like a lady but there was something about her that was hard and frightening. It was no wonder Julia Pemberton had shot her.
Suddenly, the lady herself made her appearance from inside the main tent. She was still dressed in men's clothes although she had divested herself of her jacket and wore a plain white shirt and pants. Next to him was a rather weighty looking Mexican whose clothing indicated that he might have been this Diaz person that had made the messenger so infuriated when his identity was disclosed.
"Bastard!" Selena swore loudly. Around her, people flinched at the sound of her voice as she strode towards the fire.
JD shrunk deeper into the dark, glad he was a suitable distance away from her but close enough to hear clearly what she was saying.
"He is merely trying to bait you." Diaz retorted with a slight smile and gestured to one of the men in the circle around the fire to hand him the bottle from which they were drinking. "And it appears to be working."
"That bullet should have killed him!" She continued in her tirade, pacing the space in front of the fire. The glow of amber reflecting the rage in her icy coloured eyes. "Handle myself like a little girl! How dare he?" She flared in outrage.
"You were right in deciding that he had to be eliminated first." Diaz commented taking a swig of the bottle and letting out a refresh sigh after swallowing a mouthful of its contents. "This Larabee is quite the tactician."
"Yes," Selena nodded begrudgingly. "He is that."
"He recovers from a near fatal wound and still manages to mount a formidable defense for my men." He declared, unhappy that he had lost a number of his more seasoned guns to this small town. These were men who had rode with him for as long as he could remember and there was something undignified about being gunned down by a bunch of American peasants. "Not to mention, he delivers a most scathing message for you, in order to provoke you into doing something foolish."
"I do not do anything foolish," she returned sharply. "He wants to push the point, he wants us to attack because he has a reception waiting for us."
"How much of a defense can they possibly mount against all of us?" Diaz inquired, his gaze sweeping across the canyon at the men who were present before returning his gaze back to us.
"Enough for us to suffer serious losses even when we take the town." She answered and paced. "Unless of course, he is trying to stall for time." She mused as an idea formed in her mind and would not let go once it was there.
"Stall for time by offering an insult that would only provoke us?" Diaz looked at her in confusion, wondering what she had discovered about Larabee's methods.
"He's not stupid our Mr Larabee," Selena replied as she thought deeply as to what Chris Larabee's intentions might really be. "It looks like he is trying to tip my hand with a very obvious insult but what if he thinks I'm too smart to fall for something like that and assumes that I'll see straight through the attempt? Would that not make me hold back and continue as planned?"
"I assume so." He said sceptically, disbelieving her train of thought because she was taking this all too personally and that was not a good idea. Ever since this job had begun, Diaz had noticed that there was something very personal in Selena's actions. Although he had protested about shooting Larabee in the back, particularly with a hollow point bullet, he was force to concede the point under the notion that it was tactically sound. Larabee was the leader and Diaz had fought enough battles to know how demoralising it could be to lose the man in charge.
However as this campaign progressed, it became increasingly obvious to Diaz that she had an agenda that had nothing to do with just the exorbitant fee she was being made and that concerned Diaz a great deal. He was not in this for personal vengeance and he expected to be well paid when it was all said and done. Despite his lengthy association with Selena, Diaz would not hesitant to take control of things if he believed for one moment that she was not acting in the best interest of his men.
"We should attack at dawn." She declared.
"No." He said firmly, anticipating this the moment she had latched on this crazy line of reasoning. "They have repelled an attack on a group of my best men that tells me they are capable of waging a much larger defense than you have anticipated. We go as planned Selena. We will wait and we will wear them down. Do not let words provoke you into doing anything stupid." He warned.
"With Tanner still at large, we may not have a lot of time." Selena countered, understanding what he was trying to say and admittedly felt some personal hatred that tended to cloud her judgement on occasion. "Your men have yet to catch up with him."
"Agreed," Diaz had to admit that as well. "However, we will maintain the blockade and do nothing tomorrow. The day after that, then we will attack. If Tanner has slipped past the net then it will still take him time to get back inside it with reinforcements. In either case, he will come back to nothing but ashes and we will be long gone."
It was a good plan to begin with and it was still a good plan now. Selena was glad that Diaz had reminded her of it instead of letting her hatred get the better of it. "Alright, then it is decided then." She nodded. "The day after tomorrow, we raze Four Corner to the ground."
JD slipped away almost as anonymously as he had entered the camp, all the while praying that he made good his escape so that he could bring the news back to the town. It would be tomorrow by the time he got back to Four Corners and whatever defense that Chris had planned would have to be completed in a day. Selena would never know how right she was when she had guessed Chris' intent which was to keep her from attacking. Chris had known they were not yet ready for a final assault and had been so vocal about tipping Selena's hand in front of the mercenary, completely aware the man would bring this intelligence back to Selena when they released him.
When she had stated her intention to attack at dawn, JD had almost felt his heart leap into his throat out of the sheer horror of it. Fortunately, Diaz's untimely intervention had put Chris' plan back on track and allowed JD access to valuable information as to when the final attack was going to be. He made his way back to his horse, taking as much care as he had when he had first penetrated the encampment. Looking over his shoulder, he saw no signs of excitement in the camp and no stirrings that they might have any idea that a spy had been amongst them.
He still could not believe he had managed to infiltrate the camp and still keep himself in one piece. As he mounted his horse and started riding away quietly, JD decided there was no reason to hasten his pace and give himself away. Disappearing into the darkness, he rode towards home and made a silent wish that Chris and Buck would not kill him when he got there.
At least until after he told them what he had learnt.
"Were you out your fucking mind?" Buck Wilmington swore so loudly that even Chris Larabee jumped slightly ion the examination table where Alexandra Styles had him in her power. The gunslinger could not help but fee a little sorry for JD in the face of Buck's wrath following the revelation of where the boy had been when he had finally returned from his midnight rendezvous. JD had ridden into town a short time ago and confronted himself, Buck and Ezra in the clinic where Alex had insisted on examining Chris' wounds and changing his bandages.
"Mr Wilmington." Ezra broke in gently, flinching at the use of his strong language and feeling the need to make a subtle reminder as to where they were at present. "Would you kindly remember there are ladies present." He offer Alex a chivalrous glance knowing that she would hate it and sniggered slightly when he saw her rolling her eyes in sarcasm before she returned her attention to unwrapping Chris' soiled bandages.
"It seemed like a good idea at the time." JD exclaimed with a slight whine to his voice that made him sound every like a child caught doing something he should not have been. At the time, his actions had been tempered with the high minded ideal that he was doing it for the greater good. However, as he attempted to explain himself to his friends, he succeeded only in highlighted to himself most of all, how much trouble he could have landed himself had anything gone wrong at that encampment.
"I just figured that if one of us went in quiet like, we might get some idea as to when they were going to come after us." JD had expected that his excursion to the encampment would not be viewed favourably but he felt the need nonetheless, to explain why he had done it.
"A good idea?" Buck almost bellowed in return. Buck was beyond mortified that JD had gone there by himself and most of all, right under his nose. What kind of protector was he that he could not even keep an eye on a boy JD's age, let a lone be a father to a child? "You could have gotten yourself killed! What happened if they had discovered who you were? They would have sent you back to us in little pieces!"
"Let's just take it easy," Chris spoke, feeling the need to take control before this got into a shouting match because Buck was suitably riled over JD's behaviour. He grimaced slightly as he tried to calm things down, grimacing when Alex replaced the bandages around his chest with a fresh and crisp roll. He was in total agreement with Buck and if he were not in so much pain (although he would only make that admission under the threat of death while Alex was anywhere in the vicinity), he would have throttled the kid himself. What JD had done was almost akin to suicide which was probably why his infiltration had worked. Particularly since neither side believed anyone would be stupid enough to try something like this. However, JD had a tendency to go where angels feared to thread in his attempts to prove himself as an able member of the group, not just as the young greenhorn they had all taken under their wing.
"JD, we will talk about this later." He gave the young man a stern look that indicated that by no means was this subject concluded, it had merely been put on hold for the time being because they had bigger problems to deal with. Turning back to Buck, he tried to appease his old friend in much the same way
"Buck, its done now and we might as well take advantage of what JD found out."
"That's something I suppose." Buck threw JD a dark look. Buck felt personally responsible for JD and felt a certain paternal affection for the young man. Ever since JD had inflicted his company upon them during the sevens' initial meeting, JD had become an important member of their family. In some ways, JD youthful enthusiasm reminded them all of what it was like to see the world with eyes that were new and untainted by life and experience. Over the next two years, Buck had tried to protect JD while at the same time instructing him on ways to survive in the West. JD had come straight from the East and knew almost nothing about life in the Territory beyond what he had read in books. To know that JD had walked into danger, without so much as the benefit of the others covering his back infuriated Buck and made the man feel as if he had been remiss in his obligations to the boy.
"So it appears we have a day to get ready for their final assault upon us." Ezra declared, agreeing with Chris to move past this issue until later. In truth, Ezra was in possession of feelings not too dissimilar from Buck's regarding JD's conduct, however he knew how to be restrained and was less vehement in his expression of it. Besides, they had bigger problems to do it and no doubt, Chris would provide the adequate rap on the knuckles that JD was earnestly deserved when this was all over.
"It doesn't particularly surprise me." Chris drawled, feeling no apprehension at what JD had revealed, merely resignation of what he was certain would take place eventually. "I knew they would be coming sooner or later. Even if they are trying to play it safe, they still can't afford to wait too long. They know that eventually someone other than the passing traveller is going to start asking questions on why they can't reach Four Corners and with Vin out there, trying to break through, they have to move. At least now the waiting game is over. One way or another this will end the day after tomorrow."
"Your optimism is really instilling me with confidence." Alex retorted, silent all this while as the men discussed their situation. She was more focussed on deal with Chris' wound and still disliked the idea that he was up and about when he should be in bed resting. However, despite her concern for his medical health, Alex took comfort in the fact that Chris was taking charge of things. The man did inspire confidence even though he could be a grim bastard when he wanted to be.
Although she had added nothing to their conversation, she wished they had some word on whether Vin had made it to Sweet Water or not. She was trying hard not to worry about him but Alex could not help it. He had been gone for more than a day now and Sweet Water was no more than a day's ride from Four Corners. If he had penetrated the blockade he should be well and truly on his way back to town if not having arrived already. Alex knew her lover well enough to say that he would not stop until he had brought the help they needed so desperately. Still, he was not in the hands of the enemy which was something to take comfort in she supposed, since according to JD, the mercenaries were still searching. However, it merely begged the question of where then he actually was. Instead of allowing herself to descend into growing fear for his absence, Alex had thrown herself in her work, trying not to let her concerns get the better of her.
"Have you cleared out the school house yet?" Chris asked her, aware that her comment earlier was a thinly veiled attempt to hide her worries about Vin. Considering how he felt about the tracker, Chris could not blame her. He too, wanted to know where Vin was.
"More or less." Alex answered quietly as she finished securing the bandages around him and drew away to the far corner of the room. "There's a few more patients that need to be moved but it should be taken care of by noon. Rain and Julia have taken charge of that. The Emporium has a decent storage space beneath the main floor that can hold them."
"Good," Chris nodded, taking stock of everything that needed to be done since their time table had suddenly been curtailed thanks to JD's new information. "Have we planted the dynamite yet?" He asked Buck how in charge of the town's munitions after he and JD had collected a small stockpile from all the hardware stores in town.
"Most of it." Buck answered automatically, having spent most of yesterday prior to the evening attack, burying dynamite in they defensive perimeter they had established around town. At the moment, Four Corners was almost surrounded in a circle of high explosives that would be their first line of defence when the invaders finally made their move. "I haven't set the charges yet but once JD gets some rest, we'll get on it." He threw a faint smile at the young man, showing JD that his anger had dissipated somewhat even though Buck still think he needed the crap beaten out of him for his foolhardy behaviour.
"Okay," Chris took a deep breath and felt some measure of satisfaction, knowing things were running somewhat according to schedule. He rose to his feet shakily and immediately noticed Alex frowning at him for exerting his strength even though they both knew that there was nothing that could be done about it. He was needed to coordinate things, no matter how wounded he was. Since his return, the town's spirit had brightened up considerably and Chris felt somewhat embarrassed that his recovery could inpsire so many people this way. He had always considered himself the bad element in town, not the hope of everyone that he could deliver them from any calamity.
"Chris, are you sure you shouldn't be resting?" Buck asked concerned, seeing the amount of effort that Chris needed just to stand up. While he was glad to have Chris up and around, it could not be denied that he was far from healthy.
"Don't get me started," Alex muttered as she dried her hands with a towel.
"I'll be fine." Chris gave him a smouldering look of annoyance, wishing Buck had not brought the subject up in front of the doctor. Alex was just waiting for an excuse to put him in bed and he knew that she had enough sedatives at her disposal to do that if she got in her mind that he was harming himself more than necessary. "When this is all over, I'm going to stay in bed for a week. You hens satisfied with that?" He grumbled, allowing his intense blue eyes to glare at them in accusation.
"I take umbrage at that." Ezra spoke up immediately, his voice dripping with usual charm even when he was supposedly offended. "I have not made any inquiry about your state of health nor do I consider myself anything like some feathered piece of poultry." A smug smile stole across the gambler's face as he made the remark.
"You're all heart." Chris retorted. "Now let's get started, we don't have a lot of time." Chris started moving out of the room slowly, with Buck keeping a close eye on him in case he needed the support.
Suddenly they heard the front door to the clinic swing open and although they could not see who had entered, they recognised Josiah's voice filled with urgency. "Need some help here!"
Chris could not move too quickly but Buck, JD and Ezra were already hurrying out of the small examination room before the words had fully escaped the preacher's lip. Alex left Chris alone in the room and followed the lawmen out, guessing that any reason that would bring Josiah here with such alarm would ultimately require her presence. After the last three days, she was convinced that there was no other situation they could throw at her that would shake her sensibilities. Emerging into the narrow hall way, Alex saw Buck easing Chano, whom she had met when she occasionally visited the Indian village, out of the way as he took up the young man's position helping Josiah with Kojay whom Alex knew to be his father. Like the Chief, Chano was also injured and was holding his arm in pain.
"Bring him in here!" Alex directed them to the examination room and almost backed into Chris who had appeared behind her to investigate the commotion taking place. The gunslinger stepped out of her way as she returned to the room once more while Buck and Josiah brought the old chief inside its confines. Chris withdrew to a discreet distance at the corner of the room as they nestling him down on the table. Upon doing that, Josiah and Buck joined him, not wanting to be in Alex's way any more than Chris did.
"What happened?" Chris asked Chano who had found himself a chair at Ezra's behest and sat down heavily on it, not to far from the lawmen.
"Chano came riding into town a moment ago," Josiah answered for the young man, allowing him to catch his breath after his ordeal in coming here from the village with his wounded father and himself in no better condition. As it was, Chano's face was covered in a litany of ugly bruises as well as an arm that hung somewhat out of joint and indicated to Chris and Alex as well, the presence of a dislocated joint. It appeared as if someone had taken their fists to him in a big way and it required no clairvoyance for Chris to assume that it was the same mercenaries who were terrorising Four Corners.
"They burned the village." Chano was able to speak for himself after a moment. Wiping a smear of blood from his split lip, he flinched lightly at how much it stung before continuing. "They came looking for Tanner and when we said we did not know where he went, they set fire to our tents and shot my father."
Not unexpectedly, it was Alex and Chris who reacted most to that information. Both gunslinger and doctor looked up at the same time although it was Chris who verbalised their demand for knowledge. "Vin was at the village, when?" Chris demanded not merely for himself but also for Alex who was burning to know. Although she had recovered from her momentary lapse of attention and turned back to her patient, Chris was certain she was listening closely and was relying upon him to ask the questions they needed to ascertain Vin's present whereabouts.
"He sought refuge during the dust storm." Chano answered before thanking Buck briefly for bringing him some water. "The men who had brought trouble to your town had seen him leaving to find help and they followed Tanner until he came to the village. Tanner had hoped that he might lose them in the storm and rested for a short time." Chano kept a close eye on what Alex was doing to his father while he maintained his narrative. Although the others in the village had not wished him to put his faith in white man's medicine to heal his father, Chano trusted Nathan and Alex to know that if it there were a way to help Kojay, they would find it. Besides, he had learnt a long time ago injuries caused by white man's weapons were usually best treated the same way.
Chano swallowed another mouthful of water and continued talking, understanding that Vin Tanner's friends were eager for any news about him since it was obvious he had not come back here after fleeing from the village. "The men came to our village looking for Tanner. He did not wish to endanger us and tried to leave before they could search the village and find out we were lying when we said we did not know where he was but they saw him."
Well that explained what happened to Chano and Kojay, Chris fumed silently. No doubt, the mercenaries felt it justifiable to satisfy their disappointment on letting Vin slip away yet again by taking vengeance on the innocents who had sought to protect him. Chris regarded the news of Vin's escape with little surprise since JD's surveillance of the enemy camp had disclosed that much already. Quint had stated that they had yet to catch up with Vin and were operating under the assumption that he might have actually penetrated the blockade. Chris prayed that was the truth and that Vin had made it to Sweet Water. With an attack now eminent, outside help would be a godsend that could spare a great deal of blood shed.
"Then he got away." Buck exclaimed with a smile. "JD said that they still hadn't found him so he might have made it to Sweet Water." Hope exuded from every word he uttered.
"There is something more," Chano hated brining this news to their attention because he had seen how hopeful they were at the possibility that Vin might have reached Sweet Water. However, they had right to know the full truth, no matter how displeasing he it was to hear. Chris saw Chano's gaze shifting reluctantly to Alex and knew that whatever he was about to reveal was not new they were going to want to hear. Immediately, the gunslinger felt his guard bracing his innards for some unpleasant news. "When one of those who were chasing Tanner came back to join the men at the village, I heard them talking. He said that Tanner was shot."
Alex did not react but her insides knotted upon hearing the news. With will she did not know she possessed, she continued to work on Kojay's injuries, forcing herself to keep her composure and not succumb to the hysterics of her gender.
"He said Mr Tanner was shot but not killed, am I correct in assuming?." Ezra said quickly, knowing that this had to be clarified for Alex's benefit. Next to Chris, only Ezra knew how to read Alex's moods and right now, he could tell she was fighting to stay focussed.
The others had instinctively glanced at the doctor, trying to gauge how she was handling this disturbing news. She did not show any reaction following Chano's statement although even JD could see that she was upset by the news. Her hands were trembling slightly as she tended to Kojay's ruined flesh, as if the help Kojay needed from her was all that was keeping her from maintaining her calm.
"No not killed," Chano replied just as quickly, realising Ezra's intent immediately. Vin Tanner's woman needed to have hope that he was alive and in truth, Chano had no knowledge of what state Tanner was in. He had merely heard that the tracker had been shot, nothing further. "I am sure that Tanner is alive and well. If he has not returned yet then he is getting help."
Unfortunately, he did not sound entirely convincing.
"Gentlemen," Alex spoke after a moment, appreciating their efforts to lessen the blow that Vin might have come to harm but she could not bear their attempts at comfort. When she looked up at them, she revealed to them the face that would allow them to rest at ease, presenting the façade of the perfectly composed doctor who had her emotions well in hand. Whether or not they believed it was another thing entirely, Alex wanted to be left alone to deal with her patients because that was the only way she could get through this. "I need to be able to work on my patients alone." She said quietly. "Could you please move outside to the waiting room?"
"My father?" Chano asked standing up, unable to bear not knowing what state his father was in. He had been watching carefully as she treated Kojay and was at a loss to know whether or not his injuries were serious or not. "Is he going to live?"
"Yes," Alex nodded glad that someone was going to get some good news at least. "He took a bullet to the side but I think it may have passed straight through without damaging any vital organs. There is blood loss of course but I'm sure he will recover. At his age, it's not uncommon for him to react badly to shock. Can someone find Nathan?" She asked, glancing at everyone except Chris and Kojay. Her voice was neutral but lacked the spark Chris had come to know. "It will take me some time to work on Kojay and Chano really needs looking at now."
"I am certain I can locate Mr Jackson." Ezra offered, eager to take some of the burden from her mind following the unfortunate news she had just received. The gambler promptly walked out of the room with JD and Buck in pursuit because despite the news about Vin, the mercenaries were still coming after them tomorrow and they had to be ready for them.
"Alex," Chris said gently when she turned back to Kojay. "I'm sure Vin's okay." The gunslinger offered her a small smile because he did believe that Vin Tanner was alive and well. Even if he was shot, Vin had proved one thing, time and time again, he was a survivor and Chris refused to believe anything else..
"I really can't deal with that right now." She said evasively although seeing Chris' determined belief that Vin was okay gave Alex some measure of comfort. "If I start thinking about what's happened to him and how he much he could be hurt, I'm not going to be of any use to anyone." Alex swallowed hard, trying to force away this lump in her throat that was threatening to collapse the wall of professional detachment she was maintaining with almost frantic desperation. She could feel her heart weakening with each second of this uncomfortable question of not knowing for sure if he was alive or dead bearing down on her. The only thing Alex could do at moments like this was to throw herself into the work or else she risked breaking down completely.
"Alright," Chris nodded, understanding her sentiments all too well. Squeezing her arm gently, Chris offered a further word of support. "If you need us, we'll be at the saloon."
"Thanks Chris," she grasped the hand on her arm and flashed him a warm smile. "Do me a favour, please take it easy yourself? I understand that you have to be up and about but you can't over do it. I fixed you up the best I could but those are still very serious wounds under that bandage. Don't mistake the mistake of thinking you're alive because of me, you're standing up on stubbornness alone and not even you can keep up that up."
"Mary would disagree." Chris joked but understood completely what she was trying to say. He placed a hand on her cheek and replied gently. "I promise I won't over do it."
"I'll see to it Alex." Josiah lend his voice in support of Chris' statement, impressed that even at a time like this she had could still forget her own worries about Vin long enough to be concerned over Chris' welfare.
The two lawmen left the clinic shortly after, leaving Alex to deal with Kojay and possibly Chano as well if Nathan did not arrive soon. "She's mighty scared." Josiah remarked as they drew away from the clinic. Chris did not wish any help making it to the Standish Saloon, which had become the unofficial war room of Four Corners, since the siege had began.
"She loves him." Chris shrugged. "And she has reason to be."
"You think Vin is still alive?" Josiah asked, hating to think that the tracker was no longer among them. When Silas Poplar had come to town, Vin had been the only one who believed in Josiah's innocence firmly enough to try and help him. Josiah had never forgotten the tracker's attempts to save him for himself and had been inordinately pleased when Vin had finally found love in the arms of Alex Styles. For it to end like this for the young man was ore than Josiah could stand. He was certain that Chris, whom was his constant companion and best friend, felt the same way.
"I think he'll surprise us." Chris replied unwilling to say any more than that because his thoughts on whether Vin was alive was no one's business but his own.
They were persistent.
Vin Tanner had to give his pursuers that much as he and Peso made the final leg of the journey in their quest to bring help to Four Corners and end the blockade that had kept the town under siege. After keeping ahead of them following his abrupt departure from the Indian village, Vin had headed in a completely different direction away from Sweet Water. He wondered how determined they were to apprehend him and decided that if they were so hell bent and keeping him from Sweet Water, he was making them pay for every inch of space it took to catch up with him.
Taking the most inhospitable track the knew through the mountains, Vin knew that Peso was accustomed to traversing the rough terrain unlike his pursuers whose mounts, preferred the flat plains of Mexico where the ground was even and sandy. The mountainous track through which Vin led them through in their relentless pursuit of him was composed mostly of rock and shale, requiring passage through dense growth on steep inclined slopes. In truth, this was hardly even a roundabout way to Sweet Water but Vin had led them on this path in order to force them into abandoning their chase. Unfortunately, Vin had troubles of his own that negated a face to face confrontation until he found a suitable vantage point from which to launch a formidable attack. Not forgetting that with his shoulder injured, Vin could hardly afford to make an extended detour still he could not allow these men to stop him from reaching Sweet Water.
He had no idea what was going on at Four Corners, whether or not Chris had survived the night, as Alex had feared he might not or whether the town was even still there. He had been away for almost two days and the tracker was painfully aware of how much time that really was in the Territory. He had not slept for any more than hourly intervals because the mercenaries had dogged him relentlessly. It was out of sheer exhaustion and rising fury at their ravenous determination to stop him from reaching help that Vin finally decided to deal with them once and for all.
When he had paused long enough to rest, Vin had to fight the dreams that kept him from a fitful sleep, perfectly aware that if he let the full weight of his slumber overtake him, he would only have nightmares of returning to Four Corners and finding nothing but ashes.
Early this morning he had started travelling through the river that would take him straight into Sweet Water. If they were as persistent as he believed in stopping him, they would follow, believing that this was what he intended all along. Fortunately, Vin knew a few short cuts that required him crisscrossing the water and the land in order to get ahead of them so that he would be prepared when they reached the place he needed them to be. Although he disliked putting Peso through the torture of forcing the animal to move through the water, he knew that it was his only choice. His pursuers would follow the course of the river, believing he was doing the same, unaware that he was leading them into a trap.
Despite the arduous journey that cut his travelling time through the river in half, Vin knew it was worth it when he finally put enough distance between himself and the mercenaries to reach the place he knew to be a perfect location for an ambush. Finding a rather opportune ridge for which to wait them out, Vin readied his rifle and kept a vigil for their inevitable appearance. These men that had tracked him across the land were no amateurs. He had to give them credit for their skills in keeping up with him because Vin was usually able to disappear without anyone finding him if he so chose. If it were not for the constraints of having to reach Sweet Water and summoning help for Four Corners; Vin could have remained out of sight without them ever finding him. Unfortunately, his predestined path had made that anonymity impossible.
Vin looked at the wound under his buckskin coat and knew that it would require attention soon even though it was not a serious injury. He had suffered worse in his lifetime and knew how much time it took for a minor wound to become a serious one. Despite himself, he did not want to see a doctor in Sweet Water and told himself that Alex would not be impressed that he refused medical treatment simply because it was not her that was doing the healing. Thoughts of her kept him going even when he was so tired that sleep beckoned like a second mistress. When exhaustion threatened to overtake him, Vin occupied himself with thoughts of her scent in his lungs and how soft her hair felt in his hand fingers. Fragments of memories such at those reminded him what he was pushing himself so hard to achieve and renewed his strength somewhat. He could not allow himself to relent until he knew that she would be safe. Not until, he could say for certain that everyone he cared about in Four Corners, not just Alex, but also Chris, Mary, Nettie and all the men he rode with were out of danger.
Normally, he would have taken care of these men and then continued to Sweet Water unimpeded but he counted at least six of them on his trail and knew those were odds he could not risk facing when so much depended on him. Vin might have been able to handle those numbers even without the aide of Chris and the others but he was not prepared to take the gamble when it was absolutely necessary for him to reach Sweet Water and summon help. He remained in his hidden position, awaiting to hear the sounds of voices that would inevitably tell him that the prey was moving into sight.
The air was still cold and Vin found himself fighting the urge to drift off to sleep knowing that it could have fatal repercussions if he did. In order to maintain his anonymous position in the woods, he could not light a fire and the chill of the morning bit into his skin, even through the protection of his coat. He knew much of this had to do with his state of health, being both injured and exhausted. Vin forced himself to stay alert, listening for every sound no matter how inconsequential, waiting for the ones that would herald an end to his days as their prey
It was time to turn some tables and show them just who was the hunter and who was the prey.
Vin took a deep breath of cold air and let it do the work of invigorating him, bringing to bear the senses that were trying to coax him into sleep. He had tethered Peso some distance away to further mask his presence, aware that the sound of his faithful gelding would only take away his advantage and he could not afford that at this point. Staring down from the edge of the slope he was taking refuge behind, Vin observed the meandering path along the river. The strong current had been difficult to cross but somehow Peso had managed it and Vin made a mental note to give the animal a good fews days to rest once this was all over. Peso had performed for him splendidly even though other horses would have just dug their heels in and refused to move after being pushed so hard.
The trees in this area were mostly tall and thin, allowing little shelter from the rain although their canopy of leaves did cast a dull shadow over the area. Suddenly, Vin heard voices. He strained to identify them because he and the mercenaries were not the only people who used this track. It took a few minutes before the sound s of human chatter became something he could distinguish as friend or foe. As they made their steady approach, he heard those voices sharpen with clarity until finally, he knew for certain, that the new arrivals had decidedly Spanish accents.
They were coming at last.
Vin positioned his rifle on a scab or rock, using it as leverage to make a more accurate aim. Leaning forward, he let all other thoughts drained from him as his mind tightened into one singular line of concentration as he waited with almost serene calm for the first of the riders to appear. He had only one shot at this and he did not intend to waste it. While the proper thing to do would be to offer these men a warning as to what was about to come down upon them, Vin had no choice but to discard such chivalry. These men were hired to do a job that required the murder of innocent women and children. As far as he was concerned, they had forfeited that right the moment the first one of them had chosen to rape Elizabeth Bartell.
They were all Mexicans, he noticed. All wearing an assortment of ponchos or worn Spanish suits that favoured by the rich, now dusty and torn from their hard living. Their conversation was incidental, involving how they would spend the money when it was done or observations as to where their quarry might be at this point. Closer than they thought, Vin decided with a slight curl of his lips as they moved into final position.
They were all directly in front of him when Vin pulled the trigger, knocking the man in the middle off his horse as the bullet took out half his throat. He had barely toppled off his horse when Vin cocked his gun again and aimed at another man. The horses under the riders had started to panic, rearing on their hind quarters almost dismounting their masters. Vin did not give them time to launch any kind of defence, pulling trigger no more than a second after he had shot the first man. He too fell as easily as the first and the four with him started to shout at which direction the gunfire was coming from. Vin did not allow himself to be swayed by the pandemonium caused in the wake of their panic, focussing only on the bodies that were still on horse back.
One or two had tried to move out of the line of fire but the barrel of Vin's shot gun followed them with unwavering precision and before they could move into the trees, fired twice. Both tumbled onto the wet ground, their shirts revealing an expanding web of crimson as they landed on the damp soil and leaves unmoving. The remaining two had recovered long enough to pull out their own weapons and began firing in his direction. Vin had picked his hiding place well and although the bullets impacted near him, could not penetrate the steep incline of the hill.
He paused long enough to reload the bullet he had laid carefully next to his gun for the purpose, knowing that he would only have a few seconds to do so. However, the sudden lapse in gun fire emboldened the men below and he suddenly saw them riding hard towards the hill, intending to scale it in order to reach him. Vin noted their eminent arrival and remained calm, knowing that his ability to handle this new development relied upon how fast he could reload his gun. He saw their horses struggle to climb the steep and uneven surface but were aware how resilient animals could be and did not intend to be caught surprised.
By the time Vin had loaded his gun and was ready to fire, the leader of the two was almost to the top of the slope and Vin was near enough in his sights for him to be certain of being able to hit the tracker when he fired. Vin saw a gun being aimed in his direction and reacted swiftly, moving faster than the mercenary could have possibly anticipated. He pulled the trigger before the man had a chance to target him in his sights and the resounding explosion from the barrel of the shot gun slammed into the man with extreme force. The close range of the shot had torn the man off the back of his horse and Vin ducked as the animal sailed over him and continued running from fright. Its rider rolled down the hill unceremoniously, uprooting leaves and dirt in its his descend.
Vin rolled onto his knees as the last man followed not far behind, dispensing with any need for safety as he took another careful aim. The man fired twice before Vin could fire. One bullet impacted in the soft dirt of the hill because he had yet to scale the hill and level out his shot. The other created sparks as it hit the rock behind which Vin had hit and ricochet elsewhere. The tracker fired once but that all that was required.
Vin did not see the bullet kill the final mercenary but he certainly saw the appearance of a red fissure in the man's forehead. Blood so thick it was almost black, ran down the man's face, staining his face in red. His horse, knowing the scent of death shook the dead man off its back and continued on its way, putting as much distance between the corpse and itself. Vin lowered his gun and emerged from behind his vantage point now that he had succeeded in finally ridding himself of the mercenaries who had been constant companions for the past two days.
The tracker examined each body to ensure that they were dead and found that he had delivered his shots with extreme accuracy as he had intended. Vin could not help feel a pang of remorse knowing that he had been responsible for the death around him but they had given him little choice. Someone had to break through the blockade and he was determined that it would be him because there were too many people he cared about waiting for his help in Four Corners. Unfortunately, Vin was forced to leave the bodies where they were, since he could not afford to spend the time burying them. He placed them all together and made an unspoken promise to return later because every man deserved a proper burial no matter who they might have been in life.
Vin wasted no time in reaching Peso once he was done with the mercenaries. The horse waited patiently where Vin had left it, taking a sojourn during the period when his master dealt with their hunters to acquire some well earned rest. By the time Vin was finally ready to make his final run towards Sweet Water, Peso was more or less fresh and Vin knew he could make the town by early afternoon if he rode hard enough. Inwardly, Vin breathed a sigh of relief at finally being able to break through the blockade. The pain in his shoulder hardly registered in the face of that realisation and hoped the delay these past two days had not cost Four Corners too much.
At the moment, only one thing occupied his mind as he and Peso galloped down the path the mercenaries had used to track him. Once he had told the powers that be what was transpiring at Four Corners, Vin had every intention of returning to town immediately. He did not know how long it would take to mobilise the assistance needed to fend off the mercenaries laying siege to Four Corners and frankly Vin gave little thought to it beyond knowing they would come. The only thing he did know for certain was that he intended to be standing along side his friends and the woman he loved by the time the sun set over the horizon on this day.
Frankly, Mary Larabee was amazed at how well the town had pulled together.
In the years that she had lived in Four Corners, she had only ever seen such solidarity in the actions of those who lived here on one other occasion. Ironically, it had been the time when Guy Royal and Stuart James had hired men to burn down the town after chasing everyone away. At the time, the seven had been disbanded in favour of the new Marshal that had been assigned to Four Corners, which was all the incentive needed by the cattlemen to launch the attack upon the town. Although they had yet to prove whether or not it was Royal or James who was responsible for what was happening to Four Corners now, Mary and the seven was convinced of nothing else. Unfortunately, this information did very little to assist their present situation and Mary knew that their troubles with the two cattlemen were far from over.
However, it helped having a common enemy and people were so incensed by the calamity that they had been enduring the past few days that it Royal and James name become the impetus upon which they were inspired to band together and survive the coming onslaught. With Chris on his feet and directing much of the preparations, Four Corners launched themselves into the fortification of their town as if they were preparing for a war. In some essence they were and every able bodied man was soon rallying to its defence with a pitchfork in one hand and double barrel in the other.
It was the sense of community that Mary had always wished to see in Four Corners and had been sorely lacking until the coming of the seven. Until then, everyone had struggled to stay alive. There had been little sense of solidarity because life had been so uncertain in those days to justify standing up for another when it was likely that it could cost one their lives for doing so. The coming of the seven had shown them all that it was not a fool's errand to fight for a worthy cause because it did not always end tragically.
By the end of the day, the town was as prepared as it was ever going to be to repel the attack from the mercenaries that would be coming at dawn. Women and children had been allocated places of hiding as well as any person that could not defend themselves. Mary had left Billy with Audrey King, determined that she would not be one of those hiding. She knew how to handle a gun and defied anyone to tell her that she would be a liability by lending her assistance. As the sun set down against the amber sky there was still no word on whether or not Vin had managed to reach help in Sweet Water and she knew that Chris was unwilling to rely on aid that may never reached them.
"Well that's it." Buck sighed as the tall man sat down heavily on the kitchen chair inside the Larabee kitchen. "We're as ready as we're ever going to be." He declared, meeting the faces of his friends, hoping that he was not wrong.
"I still wish I knew whether or not Vin made it," Josiah frowned, unhappy about that one mystery despite the progress they had made in town today. Not knowing whether or not the tracker was alive or dead had weighed heavily on all their minds.
"Well let's not count him out just yet," Chris said firmly, disliking that subject intensely. In his mind, Vin was struggling to break the blockade if he had not already and that was how he was going to keep viewing the subject of Vin Tanner until they had concrete evidence that he was not dead. He was glad that Alex was still hovering over her patients and not present to hear this conversation. The woman was extremely resilient but not even Chris could guarantee how she would take the news if it they did learn the worse. At this point, he needed her where she was, coordinating the sick instead letting worries about Vin's welfare interfere with her work.
"Yeah, Vin will turn up." JD said hopefully. "He always does."
"Well the charges are set." Buck announced. "At the first sign of those mercenaries, they're going to get a surprise they ain't likely to forget." He grinned slightly, infecting those around him with his jovial mood even if the situation seemed completely inappropriate for it. "I have been refining my skills as a powder man."
"If I seem to recall," Ezra retorted as Mary handed him a cup of coffee, one of many she was serving throughout the room. "Your only excursion as an explosive expert was with one stick of dynamite at the Royal place, which I might add failed to detonate."
"That's right," Nathan chuckled. "If Josiah hadn't ridden in there drunk as a coot, we might have never got our distraction."
"Must we speak of that?" The preacher grumbled, recalling the incident with embarrassment.
"Its me," JD stood up from his chair ceremoniously and beckoned some unseen paramour. "Its Josiah!"
Josiah threw the young man a dark looked and seethed in annoyance. "Very funny."
"Leave Josiah alone," Mary said reproachfully and flashed the preacher one of her more comforting smiles. "Although I would like to hear that story."
"I shall take great pleasure in offering a narrative Mrs Larabee." Ezra said magnanimously, his sea coloured eyes twinkling as he looked at Josiah with an expression of little boy mischief.
Chris laughed slightly and allowed them this moment of levity since they had been working hard all day and they needed to relax somewhat or else none of them would be in any shape to face the battle that was coming at them with the ferocity of a runaway locomotive. The kitchen wafted with the smell of hot coffee and Chris reached for the cup that Mary had left for him. "Look, we've done all we can." Chris said finally deciding that after all the effort they had put in today, it was time for a rest. There was nothing more to be done until tomorrow and they all needed to alert to deal with the trials that would come with the new days. "Best thing we can do now is get some sleep. We've got a big day tomorrow."
"Let us hope we are not resting for our own funeral." Ezra dead panned as he drained his cup and rose out of his chair.
"Way to be optimistic, Ez," Buck retorted sarcastically, having plans of his own for the evening. If he was going to die tomorrow, there were things he needed to take care of first. "And I thought Josiah was the one who looked at the gloomy side of things."
"Why thank you Buck." Josiah declared. "Always appreciate your endorsements."
Chris watched them leave through the window of the kitchen until their voices faded into the night as they dispersed, wondering if this was the last moment they would ever share a quiet cup of coffee together. In truth, Chris was less optimistic than Ezra was about their chances. While they were going to hurt the enemy tomorrow, Chris was uncertain of whether or not they could really win. If by some miracle, they did prevail, the gunslinger had a terrible feeling it was going to be at a great cost to the town.
"Mary," Chris said quietly, knowing she would protest but determined that she hear him out. She was making them something to eat in her kitchen, doing all those things that women did even when times were at their very worst. It never ceased to amaze him, how the fairer sex could always keep the more important things in life forever in focus, no matter how much chaos was screaming its wrath around them.
"Yes Chris?" She answered, not looking up as she stirred something that smelled heavenly in a pot on the stove.
"Maybe you should think about you and Billy getting out of here."
Mary stopped what she was doing immediately and turned around to face him. "You mean run?" Her eyes showed her shock at his suggestion, even though she could see the honest fear in his face.
"I mean get out alive." Chris repeated. More than anything, he wanted his new family safe. He could endure losing them in death but he could not live knowing that he had lost another family. It would destroy what soul he had left in him. "I mean take as many women in town and run."
"How can you ask this of me?" She demanded. "Do you think I can just walk away and leave you behind?"
"Would you do it if I asked you?" Chris asked, not wishing to use that as a ploy to have her concede to his demands but interested in knowing her answer if he had.
She said nothing for a moment, uncertain of how to answer. "I don't know.' She said after a long while, trying to hide the tears that wanted to spill down her cheeks. "I just know I can't abandon you here and hope that things work out. I have earned the right to stand by your side no matter what, through sickness and in health, remember?"
He did remember and he did not want her to go but Chris had started to wonder if it was selfish of him to expect her to stay. Chris did not want her harmed and he was not a gambler who dared risking her life on the possibility that they might defeat their enemies. "I just don't want you hurt."
She understand all too well the sentiment that motivated him and came towards him, placing a hand against his cheek as Mary looked down at him. "I know that Chris but I also know that I won't be any better of running and hiding and I also know a lot of the other wives, mothers and daughters feel the same way. We know the risks but we can't run."
Chris nodded in understanding and would bring the subject up no more. "You're a lot braver than I am Mrs Larabee," he said with a warm smile and pulled her down to kiss her. As their lips met in a soft kiss, Chris hoped that she was right, that it was worth the risk because he honestly did not know if there was any price that he'd willing to gamble when it was her life at stake.
Buck Wilmington knew exactly where he was going when he left the Larabee's and that was straight for the saloon. The uncertainty of tomorrow had reminded him of how many unresolved things he would leave behind if tomorrow were indeed his last day on this earth. He had no fear of dying even though he would not go willingly into the good night. However, Buck did not believe in keeping everything buried inside himself as Chris did. He believed in taking care of things once and for all, to put it behind him so he could continue with the future or tie it up neatly, in case the end of the road came sooner than he believed. Unfortunately, his present predicament did not allow for such a direct solution but then things with Inez Rosillos never progressed as smoothly as they ought.
He found her in the saloon dispensing drinks to paying customers with the same confidence and brassy mannerisms that had captured his heart from the first. To look at her, one could not guess that a gang of marauding mercenaries could soon bring death to them all when the sun rose the next morning. Inez continued with her daily routine, providing those present with the comforting notion that some things would go on no matter what calamity was expected.
They had not spoken much since Christmas, when she had told him about the baby and the more she kept him away; the more determined Buck was to be apart of her life. His own father had been a non-entity in his childhood and Buck did not wish to be the same way for a child of his own. He wanted to miss nothing in this process of life growing inside her and although she might otherwise like to deny it, this baby was their creation not just hers. He wanted to share in it and experience some of the things she did because he did not want to be a figment of his child's dreams of what a father was supposed to be.
"Hey Inez." Buck said sliding into the stool across the counter from her.
"Hello Buck." She responded politely, albeit with some distance in her manner. "What can I get you?"
"A moment of your time?" He raised his eyes to meet her gaze with an expression that was filled with yearning and silent pleading.
She let out sigh, never being able to resist that puppy dog look even though she would prefer to die before admitting this to him. Inez was not blind to what was taking place around her, in particular the attack that was coming their way tomorrow. While she had tried to maintain a brave face, she was nevertheless afraid of what would happen, not only to herself and her baby but to its father. As much as she wanted to keep Buck at arm's length, she still loved him and while things may seem unworkable between them now, should anything happen to him tomorrow, Inez did not want his last memory of her to be unpleasant.
"Why not?" She flashed him a smile and started towards the kitchen where they would be afforded some measure of privacy.
It took a moment for Buck to realise that she had not flat out refused him as she had been doing on so many previous occasions before when he had requested a private audience. Instead, Inez stood at the doorway to the kitchen, waiting in anticipation for him to follow. The lawman wasted no time leaping off his stool and hurrying into the room after her. Inez was sitting on top of the kitchen table when he finally entered.
"So what is so important?" She asked, no sign of hostility in her voice.
"I just wanted to talk to you that's all." He said with a faint smile, removing his hat as he approached her. "Lots of things are happening tomorrow and I thought a few words needed to be said just in case." He swallowed thickly, obviously having a great deal of difficult voicing what those things were even if Inez suspected it somewhat.
"I'm listening." She answered, feeling her heart constrict with realisation.
"You will tell the baby about me won't you?" He asked suddenly and sliced her insides apart with emotion with that one simple question. "I mean if anything does happen."
"Of course I will." She exclaimed, sliding off the table and walking up to him. Taking his hand in hers she looked into his face with nothing less than love she had always felt for him and replied. "The baby will always know its father, even if you are dead or alive. Buck," Inez paused realising that he believed she had no intention of letting him be a part of her baby's life and that was never her intention. "Things are crazy between us right now but this baby is yours as much as it is mine."
"Really?" He said trying not to show how happy he was at that statement. "I thought when you said you wouldn't marry me... "
"Did not mean I would keep our child away from you." She declared, mortified that he could even think such a thing and then felt slightly guilty because she had given him every reason to believe that.
"I really want be a part of its life Inez," Buck replied after a moment, speaking from the heart because she was the only one who believed there was more to him beneath the veneer of his charm and tom catting ways. "I grew up never knowing my pa and my mother had to fight every inch of the way to raise me right, I don't want that for our baby or you. If you don't want to marry me, I can live with that but I can't live knowing that I won't be apart of its life."
"Buck," Inez pulled his hand to her swelling abdomen and held his palm against the taut flesh for a few seconds. He looked at her for a moment, not understanding what it was she was doing until he felt it. Its movement was so slight that he almost thought it was just a reflexive action of muscle until it repeated and suddenly it occurred to him what had just happened.
"Is that... " His eyes filled with wonder.
"Yes," she nodded, smiling radiantly at him. "That's our baby."
The delight in his face was unmistakable and Inez felt a warm feeling at being able to share this wonderful sensation with him. Until now, she had thought she could do it all on her own and to a certain extent, she still could. However, this moment shared between them reminded her just how much she loved him and how much she wanted him to feel some of the things she was until now, enduring alone.
"That's wonderful." He responded, his voice was almost a whisper. "I really felt it." He started to grin.
"It's getting stronger." Inez laughed, unable to deny how much his joy was affecting her own pleasure. "I think it might be a boy."
"Of course its gonna be a boy." Buck laughed, keeping his hand in place, hoping that he might feel that slight movement again. "Ain't ya?" He leaned over and declared loudly.
"It could still be a girl." Inez pointed out.
Buck had only one response to that. "Just as long as you never call her Theodora."