Hearing the reports of both Greg and Buddy's pistols, the drivers of the wagons brought out their pistols, making sure to keep a clear eye out for the law dogs. Unfortunatly for Buddy, there was a second man in the drivers seat in his wagon, and he climbing his way to where Buddy sat...knife in hand. What is our hero to do??
I would suggest you post Slick, or I will, and we might not like what happens if I post, mwhahahahhahah!!!!!! MWHAHAHAHAHAHHAH!! MWHAHAH.....*cough* *cough* *choke*......whew, Im ok now. 😛
"Never bring a knife to a money train robbery!" Buddy snarled, pulling his pistol from under his belt where he had shoved it when he boarded the wagon. The wagon thundered over the rugged road, jarring the gun from Buddy's grasp as the knife-wielding bandito fell forward with the blade, Buddy's pistol sliding across the roof, becoming lodged against the edging rail. The bandit's blade slammed into the steel carriage roof, inches from Buddy's head. Buddy shoved himself up from the wagon roof hard, his head crashing into the chin of the bandit who sprawled over him, and a struggle over the blade ensued.
The two men battled for the blade long and hard, rolling from back to front of the wagon roof, first the bandit had control and was on top, then Buddy bucked him off and rolled over, all the while keeping a tight fist over the knife handle. A few forceful slams of the bandit's hand against the rail sent the knife whirling away, sticking into the wooden driver's seat.
As the carriage driver looked back and took action, reaching for his pistol, Buddy lashed out from his position, firing two quick punches to the driver's face before being flipped off the bandit. Buddy flipped over the rail, tumbling from the roof, his weight and momentum slamming into the stunned driver, who was also thrown from the seat and flopped from the wagon, while Buddy dangled over the edge, clinging to the roof rail between the carriage and the driver's seat.
The bandit on the roof recovered and righted himself, spotting Buddy's pistol lodged in place under the roof rail. As he rose and reached for it, towering over Buddy at the edge of the roof, taking dead aim at Buddy's head, Buddy lashed out one last time, with the knife he had pulled from the driver's seat! The blade sliced through the bandit's boot, and the man hopped hooted and hollered in pain, before being bucked off-balance and over the back of the wagon, tumbling to the dirt!
Buddy would have smiled if the buckling clatter of the rough-ride hadn't cause him to slip his grip and fall from the roof rail, ending up dangling dangerously close to the dirt himself, lodged between the carriage and the horses up front...
Greg, watching the whole ordeal, saw his friend in trouble and jumped into actions. He skinned his pistol and shot the driver in the head, then jumped into the drivers spot. He slapped the reins on the horses, moving to the rear of Buddy's wagon. HE jumped to the other wagon, and reined his wagon to the other, so it wasn't left behind for the bandits. He made his way to the front and looked down at Buddy, offering him a hand. "Looks like you need some help friend."
Buddy made certain that Greg wasn't holding a pistol, and wasn't aiming at his other ass-cheek before extending and arm and taking Greg's hand.
"Help Hell.." Buddy smiled as he climbed up into the driver's seat with Greg. " I could use a vacation!! We got the cash, so where we headed? I say Mexico sounds good! Yee-haw!!"
He was kidding of course, and there was still Black Bart's wagon to be wrangled, with one-third of the money train loot onboard...
(umm, yeah Trickster's Matt would be handy here too... everyone's having computer troubles lately, huh?)
"Think we'll need him to lead us to the mastermind..." Buddy decided. "We've got two-thirds of their haul, and if I know bandits, like I know these bandits, they won't be none too happy until they got it all and we law-dogs be dead! I say lets skin out for town and hole up and wait for them to make their move... we got Cavendish and the rest of the real Army on our side, back in town..."
Buddy looked to Greg for his approval... it could just as well go either way.
((Luis' and Nat's return, take two))
Luis rolled over onto his back, rubbing his side and complaining in Spanish. His eyes were sore, and he could see very well, but then there was not very much to see. Just the dry, cracked ground, and the crystal clear blue sky, stretching on for miles around. He blinked a few times, and his eyesight began to improve.
Some time passed like this, just staring up at the sky, dumbfounded. After a while, he heard a familiar voice calling his name. Sitting up, he saw Nat's scrawny figure stumbling through the desert towards him.
Luis stood up and started walking in Nat's direction. Their paths soon met, and the two sweating, panting men nearly collapsed into each other, laughing and mumbling incomprehensibly in disbelief. "What... What happened?", Nat asked. "I remember... the diamond mine. And that's about it."
Luis straightened up, rubbing his unshaven face with his right hand. "I don't remember either," he answered. "After we got out... We... I can't remember..."
"I'm thirsty. You have any water?"
"No. Listen, we should keep moving, and see if we can find somebody..." And so the pair set off across the desert, questioning each other and trying for all they were worth to figure out what had happened.
((now, for the re-entry of our leading lady, Catori, and the entry of Buddy and Greg's Outlaw/Law Dog andventure. I'm gonna change it a lil from what you had it to start with Dill, if thats ok))
Not far from the Diamond mine that had all but been obliterated, a small figure laid stern on the bank of a small creek. Blessed by all the luck in the world, Catori had some how lived through the blast by falling down the same hole she had Buddy had fallen down earlier in this little story. Much to our surprise, two men ride up on horse back. Seeing the Indian woman unconsience on the ground, they quickly dismount and inspect her. "Now what th' hell do ya think she's doin' here?" said the shorter, fatter one. He is a bit on the slow side.
"I don't rightly know, but it can't be any good," said the taller one, biult well, with a couple weeks worth of a beard on his face. The shorter one knelt beside the Indian girl.
"She's hurt bad Rich, we should get her to Susan." Rich looked down at his younger brother and thought a minute.
"I don't think the other boys will be happy with this Billy."
"Oh come on Rich, shes hurt. And what if she wakes up and remembers where she is, and has seen our stash? Its not that far away ya know."
"I know that! I'm not an idiot!" Rich snapped. This Indian girl brought trouble with her, he could feel it, but Billy was right, she might have seen the stash. He sighed and motioned to the horse. "Ok, put her on. Susan can fix her up." The pair rode with the Indian girl for about 3 miles until they reached a rather large homestead. They tied their horses to the post out front and then Rich carried Catori into the house. They were met at the door by a very unplesent looking man.
"What's she doing here Rich? You know the rule about outsiders." Rich went to move past the man but the man stood in front of him. "I said what is she doing here."
"I heard you Jebb, and if you want to be able to continue talking, you'll let me by." Jebb knew not to mess with Rich, after all, it was Rich's sisters place the gang was staying at. Rich took Catori into the house and laid her on the bed. A petite younger lady walked into the room and looked at Catori.
"Well bless my soul, an Indian, and I messed up Indian at that. Where did you find her?"
"About three miles down the creek a ways," answered Billy. "She's hurt bad."
"Well I see that nincumpoop. You two, get me some hot rags, and lets see if we can help her."
((I would appreciate it if these guys stayed under my control for a while, i have some plans for them all. Catori, you can wake up, and make some little comments, and take note to stuff around you, but nothing huge, u r really hurt you know.))
Originally posted by XornonJay
Greg nodded. "That sounds about right. That should also give us a chance to get a real meal and some whiskey. Its been too long since my last drink."
Buddy and Greg rode the two wagons back into New Hope, first heading to the bank, to deliver the troubling news to Cavendish, the bankers and the townsfolk.
"We recovered two wagons of the money train, but the bandits got the third wagon... there's a Black Hat who we'd recognize when we see him again (Bart, Matt's target/nemesis) and they'll be led by ex-Army Commander Geoffrey Jericho, who we're all a bit familiar with, me more than most...
Make no mistake, they WILL be coming for this money, and this town may never be the same after this... but, also hear me say this:
I will give my life before I see them take a dollar of you good people's money... I may not be much of a law man, but that don't mean I'm any less of a Man.... These Scorpions have gotten by too easy for too long...
all that changes, TODAY!"
The bankers and the townsfolk cheered some, though the money men were still concerned about all the cash, and the security of the bank, what since the cash was stolen first before it ever even reached the bank...
"Well, we're going to test that security now... we're loading all this money into the bank and gonna sit guard for as long as it takes... which shouldn't be long... before the bandits make their move... they sure won't want to linger on the lands too long without their major haul, and Jericho knows it was me who beat him, so he will be coming, and coming HARD! We need to be ready for him..."
After the rousing speech and volunteering to sacrifice his life (he has nothing more to lose, since Catori's gone...) Buddy mananged to rally the town behind him, and they trusted in him to defend and protect them, and even hoped he might some how recover the lost 1/3 of the money train loot...
Sheriff Buddy spent the rest of the day making arrangements and organizing the last stand at the bank. What he did as far as arrangements and intimidation go, was very shocking and made a bold statement to all who witnessed it from the street. He commissioned the undertaker and coffin-maker to deliver 13 fresh-made wooden coffins. which he stacked in front of the bank. On 12 of the coffin lids, Buddy nailed a blue Scorpion bandanna, in addition to the bandanna, he nailed into place a black hat (for Bart's) and a Confederate Army crest torn from an Army uniform (for Jericho).
A table and chairs were set out front of the bank, behind the coffin-barricade, where Buddy and his deputies engaged in a game of cards while they awaited their fate...
"OK, I get the 10 coffins, for 10 of the biggest meanest left over Scorpions out there..." the coffin-maker nodded as the barricade was placed. "And one for the black-hat bandit, and one for your good friend Jericho... but what about the last coffin?"
Buddy stepped up and nailed his tin star to the 13th coffin lid, and scowled, hoping it wouldnt come time to open that particular lid and fill that particular coffin. "It's for me..." he shrugged, then returned to the game. The coffin-maker and townsfolk lookie-loos gasped and gaped at their new sheriff, and even his own deputies and friends at the card table were struck dumb with awe.
"Don't look so glum, boys..." Buddy cracked a half-smile. "It could just as easily fit any of YOU inside there too!" he settled in for the card game, restlessly waiting, as the day wore on...
Greg laughed out loud at Buddy's quite frank motion, and very true. "True, very true. Hahaha! Thats great!" Greg leaned towards Buddy and wispered. "But I will die before you do friend. My promise to God. I owe you one to many life depts to let you die before me."With that he sat back and laid his cards on the table. "That is a straight flush I do believe."
"Well, well... " Cavendish applauded as he toured the bank and killing field arena out front. "Looks like you have everything well in hand here, Sheriff Reno... seems a bit lax to be playing cards at a time like this, with bandits running afoul, if I do say so myself.."
Buddy sat out a hand in the card game, and rose to greet Cavendish.
"The money is secure inside the vault, double-locked, with keys that only I and the banker hold, and a combination that I have had personally set, so not even the banker can open the vault without me... when they come, and they will come, they will want blood, and if they take me down, they lose what's most important to them... no need to get all riled up, Mr. Cavendish.
I know this enemy, I know how he thinks, how he plots, and when he will strike. Jericho will move on the bank tonight, and we are ready for him. Your money is perfectly secure, Sir... and, come morning, we will move the money to the fort, in the very same wagons in which it arrived..." Buddy motioned to the wagons parked around the side of the bank, off the main street but still within easy loading distance of the bank.
"Ahh," Cavendish seemed content. "and if things go very very wrong, the only thing moving out of this town will be you and your law-dogs... most likely feet first, in those ready-made transport crates you have the townsfolk all in awe about..."
Buddy nodded, and struck a match, lighting the first of a dozen lanterns placed around the bank/battle compound, as the sun began to set and shadow crept over the buildings.
"I'm the last person who wants to see any of those coffins opened tonight! But, something has to be done about this Scorpion scourge, and rooting out the mastermind is key! Cut off the head of the snake and the body dies... Trust me, Mr. Cavendish... I know what's coming..."
"You may not have a clue, Sheriff..." Cavendish scowled, but extended his hand just the same. "But, it is on your head, Sheriff! Good night, and good luck!" Buddy shook the money-man's hand and bid him goodnight, finishing lighting all the lanterns out front before returning to the card game.
He, as much as Cavendish, hoped everything would go as planned...
Greg stood and spoke to Buddy. "I need a drink. I'm heading to the saloon for a minute. I'll be right back. Don't kill anyone without me." With that he headed for the bar. He walked into the swinging doors, and walked to the bar. "Can I have two bottles of Whiskey please," he said, setting some coins on the counter.
"Oh, for you sir, its free. Courtesy of the town for Sheriff Buddy and your help." Greg smiled. He could get use to this. As he waited for his drink, he heard two men enter the salloon talking. "...and the fact that he brought the Indian b!tch to the house is even worse. She's hurt bad. He could have left her there to die." Greg spun around. Standing just inside the door was Lenard Brodey and Jeff Higgs, two men part of a gang that Greg had once been a part off. They bought illegal drugs from Mexico and then resold it in small western towns. Jeff spoke. "Hey, if shes not good for anything else, we might be able to use her for our own good." Lenard laughed. "I don't know if Rich will let us. He seems kinda protective of the Indian girl. Do they have a name yet?"
"No, she just mumbles in Comanche in her sleep." Greg's eyes widened. He turned and faced the bar again. He couldn't be seen by them. He and the gang had a very unpleasant breaking up. He grabbed his whiskey and left. He ran back to the bank. "Buddy, I need to talk to you." When they were aside from the others, he told him what he had heard in the bar. "Now, I know its not 100% positve that its Catori. But I'm pretty damn sure that its her."