"NOOOOOOO!!!"

Chris Larabee screamed that single word over and over at the top of his lungs. His face had gone crimson, his eyes wide with anger and fear. The trembling blond watched the scene before him with a mixture of terror, rage and impotence. He could do nothing to change the events he saw before him and it was eating at his already tattered soul.

"Chris," came a voice beside him. "You’re not doing him any good. Please, Chris, for Vin’s sake, you’ve got to stop."

Larabee looked briefly at the young man beside him, but barely registered his presence, let alone his words. His focus was on the activity in the little open area beyond the two of them. His focus was on Vin Tanner.

Vin hung limply from his wrists, suspended naked some small height above the ground. He stared mutely toward the sound of a familiar voice. He knew Chris was there, although the pain had nearly blinded him. He wanted to tell his friend that it was alright. He winced as he felt the heat of the little fire set below him grow momentarily stronger as the wind coaxed it upward to lick at his already singed bare feet. Tanner no longer had the strength to lift them away from the fire and could only moan softly as the pain managed to crawl through his numbed mind.

Chris and JD Dunne could only watch from where they had been bound, stripped naked as well, to two upright posts. Larabee had strained again and again against the leather strips that held him to the post, causing his wrists to bleed. Slightly behind their leader, Dunne could do nothing but watch the blood well up and drip freely onto the hard ground beneath them. The gunslinger was oblivious to the pain though, just as he had blocked out everything else. The world had shrunk to contain only himself and his best friend.

Watching as the flames leapt up against the bottoms of Vin’s feet, Chris could only struggle against his bonds harder. Tanner could only moan, his tortured body twitching against the pain. His eyes, the pain causing the black of his pupils to nearly obliterate the pale blue around them, stared toward Larabee, although Chris was pretty certain Vin couldn’t really see him anymore. Then he watched in ever rising horror as the man’s head slipped from the arm it had been leaning against and slumped toward the bare and bloodied chest. The gunman knew that hanging as he was, Tanner could soon asphyxiate. He had to get through to the young man.

"Vin! Vin, get up! Get your head up Vin. Please!" His voice was pleading with the tracker. When he realized that the other man had yet to respond he tried a different tact, although it tore at his heart. "Tanner! Get your damn head up, you stupid fool! Are you planning to hang there like some mangy dog? You don’t deserve to be called a Tanner…now get your damned head up!"

"Chris!" JD gulped hard at the fury in the other man’s voice. How could he scream at Vin like that?

"Shut up," Larabee cut him off, his jaw clamped tight against the self-loathing that welled up inside him. "Tanner!"

Vin heard Chris now…registered the anger in his voice. Why was Chris angry with him? He wasn’t certain what he had done to call down the man’s wrath. Truth be told, he couldn’t remember much of anything at the moment…wasn’t even completely certain that he knew just who Chris was. The only thing he knew was that he didn’t like that tone of voice when it was aimed at him. Finding a reserve of strength, he slowly lifted his head.

Larabee sighed as he watched the shaggy head lull slowly back upward, coming to rest once more against a tautly stretched arm. Slumping back against the post again, he dropped his head as a few hot tears rolled down his face. How long could Vin keep this up? He stole a look upward, gauging the time from the sun’s position. Sundown, that was the deadline that their captors had given. If Vin were able to withstand the torture they had imposed until the sun touched the horizon, they would release them.

"That’s good Vin, real good. Now you hold that hard head of yours up pard, you hold it up high. You’re a Tanner, don’t forget that. They can’t take that away from you, now just hold your head up. The sun’s gonna be down in an hour or so, maybe less. You can hold on that long, Vin. I know you can. Just keep your head up…please Vin…hold on." He continued his rambling litany, barely realizing what words he used. It didn’t matter. He only needed to keep his friend alive, and this was the only option open to him at the moment.

From where he hung, Vin listened to the soft voice as it continued. He wasn’t certain what the words meant, but it gave him comfort to hear the voice. It gave him some hope that he would survive this torture, that things would be all right. He stared glassily forward, not registering anything but shapes and shadows. Pain kept his mind from allowing him to make sense of anything more than that. Except for the voice. He held onto the voice, allowing it to wash over him, comforting him, providing a lifeline for him.

JD watched from where he sat, slowly realizing what Chris had been doing. He saw now what toll it was taking on the gunslinger. Allowing his own tears to fall freely, Dunne leaned back against the post that held him hostage. Was it truly only yesterday when it seemed that all was right with the world? It seemed like a lifetime…

<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>

"You sure y’ got everything y’ need, Kid?"

"Buck, I’m sure. I’ve been sure and I am sure. Now leave me alone, okay? Just leave me the hell alone!" His frustration was peaking, having risen for the past hour or so since Chris had asked him to accompany both he and Vin to Parson Gulch to verify the identity of a trio of gunslingers killed during a hold-up. Wilmington was frustrating on a good day but now he was being an annoying mother hen. The big gunman had suffered some cracked ribs during a recent bar brawl and couldn’t ride with them.

"Ain’t no call t’ talk t’ me like that boy, I’m only lookin’ after your welfare."

With a sigh, he turned to the bigger man, "look Buck, I appreciate it, okay? But you’re making me crazy. I know how to pack a saddlebag, all right?"

Chuckling, the former sheriff slapped him on the back and said, "sorry Kid, reckon I’m just a little fidgety. If Nathan’d let me outta this truss," he grumbled, rubbing at his tightly bound abdomen, "an’ let me get back t’ havin’ fun…"

"Yeah, well if you don’t behave yourself, he’s going to tie you to your bed…alone," JD chided. "I heard he already threatened you after he found you trying to sneak off with Audrey Coulter yesterday."

"Yeah, well, if he’d been two minutes later, he wouldn’a caught me," Buck laughed.

Dunne had ridden out of town with the other two peacekeepers, the sound of the other man’s laughter following them. The ride had been quiet. As usual, when he was riding with Chris and Vin, too quiet. He wouldn’t have admitted it to Wilmington, but he missed his blustering within two miles. At least with the big man along, he would have had someone to carry on a real conversation with. Parson’s Gulch was two days ride from Four Corners, so they would be gone for at least five days. JD hoped that there would be someone to talk to at their destination. If he had to ride with Larabee and Tanner for nearly a week, he’d probably have to learn to talk all over again when they got back home.

They had reached Parson’s Gulch and identified the bodies. Securing a room, they had spent the evening in town. JD had found some people to talk to, and left the other two men to their own devices. Returning to the room around midnight, he found Vin already asleep and Chris just coming in from the saloon. They had fallen asleep quickly, it seeming to be only a few minutes before the tracker was rousting them out of bed to get back on the road. The morning had passed uneventfully, JD attempting to strike up a conversation with either of the other two. He had given up before they stopped for the noon meal.

It was then that is had all gone to hell.

<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>

"Chris?"

Hazel eyes, blurred with tears and anger, turned to look at the youngest member of their compliment. "What?"

"Chris, you’ve got to calm down. I know it’s hard, but you’ve got to do it. As long as you let them know you’re this upset, it’s just goading them to hurt him more." The blond glared at him, and Dunne was certain he was going to be on the receiving end of a dose of Larabee anger. However, when the older man spoke, he said only,

"You’re right JD…God help me, I know you’re right. But…damn it!"

"It’s not your fault," the younger man said softly, feeling the hot tears sting his own hazel eyes. "It’s not."

"Like hell it’s not," Larabee growled, his voice filled with self-loathing. "Like hell it’s not."

<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>

"Riders comin’ this way," Tanner drawled. They were just re-mounting to ride through the afternoon.

"Where," Chris said softly, scanning the horizon. "How many?’

"Southwest, three of ‘m."

"Trouble?"

"Ain’t certain."

JD cringed, wishing for once they’d speak in full sentences. Just once.

"JD," Larabee barked, "be ready for anything."

"Right." Oh hell, now he was doing it.

They stood fast, watching the approach of the three riders. As the horses drew abreast, they saw trail-worn men sitting on equally trail-worn horses. All were covered with dust, making the details of their faces, clothing and dispositions difficult to discern. The three peacekeepers appeared at ease, although their hands never strayed far from their guns.

"Howdy," the biggest of the newcomers said in a softly southern tone. "You fellas been on the trail long?"

"Long enough," Chris said evenly.

"Any good places t’ stop over in that d’rection?"

"A couple I reckon," Vin answered.

"Anyplace y’ recommend?"

"Parson’s Gulch’s ‘bout half a days ride. Ain’t too bad a place t’ hole up," Vin continued the conversation.

"How’s th’ women?"

"Few ‘n far b’tween."

"That’s a shame," the big man said with a shake of his head. "Reckon we’ll have t’ make do with other en’ertainment, then." His voice took on a hard edge.

The three peacekeepers, already on alert, reached for their weapons. A dry, cold voice stopped them. All three men turned to see a dozen or more men behind them, who seemed to have appeared from nowhere. Not even Vin’s keen senses had registered them.

"If I was you fellas, I’d just sit tight an’ keep m’ hands away from m’ weapons." An older man in the clothes of a commanchero, glared at Chris with a cold smile. "Been a long time Larabee."

"What the hell do you want Talon?"

"Me? Why reckon I just wanna have a good time," the man Chris referred to as Talon said evenly. "Last time me an’ you met, it was you havin’ all th’ fun. My turn this time."

"Fine. You’ve got a score to settle, it’s with me. Let them go," he nodded first at Vin and then JD.

A short, hard bark of a laugh escaped the man. "Sure, no problem. I’ll let ‘m go…straight t’ hell if you don’t do ‘s your told. Reckon y’ catch m’ drift."

They had been quickly overpowered, stripped of their weapons and bound to their horses. Larabee’s protests were silenced with a rifle butt to the gut. They were blindfolded, each man’s horse led by one of the outlaws who had captured them.

<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>

They had ridden for the remainder of the day, far into the wilderness. As night fell, the group entered an encampment of tipis and lean-tos surrounded by stone, scrub trees and bushes. A few women, lean and hard as the men, watched them enter with only a modicum of interest. A handful of children clung to their mothers, their eyes already flint hard. No one seemed to consider the arrival of three men tied to their saddles anything out of the ordinary.

They were taken to the farthest end of the encampment and untied from their mounts, their blindfolds removed. Each man, numbed from hours unmoving in the saddle, was yanked from the saddle and tossed to the ground. Vin gained his feet first, grunting as one of their captors prodded him forward with his gunbutt. Chris and JD stood then, stumbling after the tracker as they were all three escorted toward an aged wooden box. As they drew closer JD realized that it was what remained of a prison wagon.

"Right there’s fine," Talon growled. He stood before them, glowering directly at Chris Larabee. "Welcome to my territory Larabee. We play by my rules here, nobody else’s. Now first off, you boys strip."

While JD stared in shock at the leader of the outlaws, Vin stood passively and Chris replied, "go to hell," in an iron-edged tone. The blond was answered by a shotgun swung across his shoulders, sending him to the ground. He coughed hard, trying to catch his breath. Finally managing to shake off the stars he saw before his eyes, Chris pushed himself back to his feet.

"I spent five years in hell thanks to you, Larabee, " Talon said evenly. "Now it’s your turn. Strip, or I shoot one of your boys here."

Chris Larabee was a strong man, with a strong sense of loyalty. His six friends had become his family, and Larabee was not a man to allow someone in his family to be hurt on his account. Not taking his eyes away from Talon’s cold gray gaze, he began pulling off his clothing.

"You boys, off with your clothes, too."

They had stripped, not even allowed to keep their longjohns on. Night was falling quickly, and it was not going to be comfortable. JD felt the eyes of several of the women on him, and dropped his gaze to the ground. Next to him, Vin Tanner stood as easily as if he were fully clothed, seeming to be unaware that he was being looked over.

"Alright, you lousy son-of-a-bitch," Chris said, "you’ve got it your way…for now. If I were you I wouldn’t be planning on a long life. When I get free, I’m going to take you down…nice and slow."

Laughing, the big man said, "I’d be concerned if it weren’t for one thing. I know that you ain’t ever gonna know freedom again. That’s cause I’ve got a proposal to make you."

"I’m not interested."

"Ah, you will be, because I’m going to offer at least two of you freedom." He smiled when he realized that he now had the undivided attention of the three captives. "And you, Larabee, will get to decided who it is. Here’s the deal; your choice. Either you hand yourself over to me for execution…" he stopped until their reactions had ebbed. "Or, you choose one of your friends to join me an’ my men for some fun. Sunup to sundown, we get to do whatever we want to him. I can’t guarantee that he’ll still be alive by nightfall, but if he is, you’ll all be released. If not…well, you can bury him before you leave."

"Let them go," Larabee ordered.

"No, no, now not so hasty Larabee. I want you to think about it…spend a few hours with your friends, just discussin’ your options."

"Why? I gave you my decision. Let them go," Chris restated.

"Huh-uh," Talon shook his head, long stringy hair waggling as he did. "Not nearly as much fun. I want you to spend the night with your friends here. Let them try to talk you out of your decision if they want. I want you to have time to think about the pain your going to leave behind. I know the six bastards you’ve been ridin’ with these past few months well enough to know that they ain’t gonna be happy with the thought of you just givin’ yourself over for execution."

With that, all three men were herded into the dank and cramped prison wagon. JD sat gingerly on one of the rotting bench seats, dropping his head into his hands. He felt the bench shift slightly and looked to see that Vin had settled down next to him.

Chris was far to wound up to sit. He paced the cramped quarters, heedless of the fact that he was completely nude. It was some time before the blond calmed enough to voice his thoughts. When he did, his words went straight through JD’s heart, causing greater pain than any arrow or bullet.

"Alright, Vin I’m assuming that you kept track of the route."

"Yep," Tanner’s voice was as calm as if he were agreeing to a drink at the saloon.

"Good. As soon as you see a chance, you and JD get the hell out of here, get back to town. You get the others to come help you clean out this vipers nest. Probably ought to wire the judge, see if he can get you some help."

"Chris, you’re talking like you’re not gonna be with us," JD said in a voice that sounded more like the squeak of a startled mouse.

Turning a too-calm gaze at their youngest member, Chris said, "you just stick with Vin, JD, get back to town." Turning back to matters at hand, he continued. "Vin, I want you to take care of selling off my stock. Use the money however you see fit, I know you’ll do the right thing."

"Okay," Tanner agreed, heedless of the angry glare the Kid was starring a hole through him with.

"Good. Now, as far as the shack, the horses, the property, you all six figure out what to do with it. As long as Ezra knows there’s nothing of any real value, I figure he’ll be trustworthy enough. I’d like to see some of the money go to Billy Travis. Reckon it’ll help him go to school later on. That would be nice…" his voice softened and drifted off as he thought of the blond newspaper editor and her son. After a few seconds he shook off the thoughts and continued in a quiet voice. "I’d like you to tell the others… that… well, that it’s been a pleasure to ride with them. That goes for you two as well. Despite all the warts, it’s been good riding with you both." Formally, the blond shook the hand of the other two men.

JD was openly crying by then. He felt as if he were watching the end of the world. How could Chris stand there so calmly, as if he were discussing the weather, and make arrangements for after his death? "Chris…" he choked out, "Chris, please."

Putting a hand on each of the younger man’s shoulders, Chris said quietly, "it’s okay, Kid. Don’t worry about it. You and Vin just worry about getting away from here and getting back to town. You hear me son?"

Not being able to speak now, Dunne nodded his head miserably.

Turning back to Tanner, he continued. "I don’t want you two trying anything heroic, you hear? I want you to keep one thing in mind; getting away. I’ll keep them ‘entertained’ for as long as I can, but that might just be a few minutes. You might have to ride out of here naked and bareback, but you get out of here, all right?"

"I heard y’ pard. We’ll high-tail it outta here quick ‘s we can."

Satisfied, Larabee calmed down. They spent the long night hours sitting near one another in an effort to stay warm. The wind whistled through the bars, chilling them. They spoke from time to time, sometimes about things that had happened earlier in their association, at other times Chris spoke to them in a fragmented way, sharing bits and pieces of his life.

Just as Larabee was finishing a story about his first Christmas as a father, Dunne looked out and saw something that chilled him far colder than the night had done. The sun was beginning to rise.

"It’s gonna be dawn in a few minutes," Larabee said with a nod. As if to verify their observation, they heard the sound of boots crunching through the rocks and sand beyond their prison. Turning to Vin, the two men clasped forearms. Blue eyes held hazel ones for several seconds, the two men once more sharing that unspoken communication they used so often.

Breaking his hold with Vin, Chris turned to JD. In a very uncharacteristic manner, Chris Larabee wrapped his arms around the younger man, hugging him tightly. He felt hot tears run down his chest. With a final squeeze, he stepped back…

And fell to the ground in an unconscious heap. Behind him Vin stood, the piece of board he had used to knock out his friend dropping with a thud to the ground. As the door was unlocked, he stepped quickly forward. "Decision’s been made," he said evenly to the half-dozen men outside. "Reckon y’all can do with me what y’ want…for the day." He glared meaningfully at the leader. Talon returned his stare non-commitedly.

"Fine," the lawless leader said. Turning toward two of the others, he ordered, "take him to th’ pit, boys."

"Vin!" JD cried out as his friend strode from their prison. "Vin, you can’t!"

Turning toward the younger man, Tanner winked and said, "sure I can, Kid. Like lickin’ butter off a knife." He smiled mirthlessly as he allowed the other men to lead him away.

"You," Talon jabbed a finger at Dunne. "Bring Larabee out here…now."

Glaring at the big outlaw, JD moved to where he could get Chris under the arms. He half dragged, half carried the bigger man from the old wagon and into the open. They were forced toward a pair of uprights as big around as they were. Larabee was pulled unceremoniously from JD’s arms and tied to one of the posts. The young brunet was forced to the ground and tied to the other. He had little interest in what the men did to him now, his focus was on Vin Tanner.

They men were just finishing with the lanky tracker. They had suspended him from a pair of posts narrower than the ones the other two men were tied to. They bent and swayed like saplings in the wind, but were too heavy to give completely. Vin’s arms were stretched to the point that JD was afraid that his joints were going to dislocate. He hung just high enough from the ground to allow them to build a small fire beneath him.

"Vin?" confusion was clear in Chris’ voice.

Dunne stretched forward to see the other man. "Chris? Are you awake?"

"Yeah…what hit me?"

"Vin did," the younger man said softly.

"Why?" Larabee wasn’t completely aware of what was happening yet, or he wouldn’t have bothered to ask.

"Don’t think he liked your decision," JD whispered.

"What?" Suddenly reality forced the gunslinger headlong into consciousness. "Damn it! Where is he?"

"Up there," he tried to keep his voice even, but the pain and fear was evident.

Quiet fell over the duo for several intolerably long seconds before, "oh God…no. Damn it Vin! Why?"

"He couldn’t stand by and watch you die Chris. You know Vin…he’s gotta be Robin Hood – "

"Damn it! It was my decision, not his!" Larabee’s voice was dangerous in its even tones.

If and when they were released, the young sheriff knew that Chris would tear their captors apart with his bare hands. JD had no doubts of that; nor did he have any qualms about helping him. These men were worse than animals; they deserved to be torn asunder.

"Torn asunder," JD said to himself. The very sound of the words brought him comfort. It became a mantra, a way to keep his mind focused. A way to keep from going mad as he watched the torture Vin endured over the next several hours. Sun-up to sundown. There had never been a longer day.

The women and children saw to Vin’s torment at first. Whip-thin branches filled with nettles and thorns were used to thrash him. He managed to keep his knees drawn up, not only avoiding the fire, but protecting his exposed genitals. He made no sound, simply staring at a spot beyond the encampment. After the children grew bored, the women continued by first dipping the branches into the fire. Sparks flew as the burning greenery struck Tanner’s body. He grimaced from time to time, but made no sound.

Chris, on the other hand, spoke up. Reacting to the pain he knew his friend was feeling, he called out to the man who was responsible for their current predicament. "Talon! You worthless son-of-a-bitch, you said that the decision was mine! Damn it, you said it was my choice!"

After several angry entreaties, the big outlaw strolled over to where Larabee and Dunne sat tied. Looking down into the pain-filled hazel eyes he said, "reckon we decided we’d have more fun this way. Watchin’ you watch your friend twistin’ in th’ wind is a lot more in’erestin’ than blowin’ your brains out."

"Fine, you bastard. You’ve had your fun, now keep your word…or is it as worthless as you are?" Chris’ head snapped back as Talon delivered a sharp kick to the man’s jaw. After he recovered, Larabee continued. "You set them free, and you can kill me fast or slow. Your choice."

"Chris," JD hissed. An angry stare from the gunman silenced him.

"Like you said, it’s my choice," Talon said with a cold smile that didn’t reach beyond his ugly mouth. "And I choose to watch th’ show." With that he walked away, heedless of Larabee’s continued threats and entreaties.

The torture continued.

When the women grew tired of their games, some of the men took over. They took turns hitting the unprotected body with fists and heavier branches, the louder thuds echoing through the encampment. Their meaning burned itself into the minds of the two other bound men. It seemed they were intentionally keeping Vin alive as long as possible. They were drawing out the pain for as long as they could.

"Oh God," JD moaned, "please…make it stop."

<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>

The sun touched the horizon more slowly than it ever had before. As it did, Chris’ eyes burned brighter with rage as he waited for the promised release. Finally, only the barest hint of light still remained and still the commancheros abused Vin Tanner. Finally Larabee’s frayed patience broke. "God damn you Talon! Times up. Cut him down!" he screamed, pulling once more on the bonds that were now blood-slicked and gory.

JD felt numb, both physically and emotionally. He had spent the day watching one friend being physically tortured and another tortured emotionally. The young man had given up begging Chris to calm down. The gunman’s periodic outbursts had continued. At times his attention, and his cries, were aimed at Tanner himself. Time and again Vin’s head would fall, returning to rest on his arm only at Chris’ insistence. Each time he was forced to push his best friend to expend his quickly declining strength, Larabee visibly faltered. JD would speak only then.

"Chris, it’s okay. You’re doing okay. Vin’s listening to you…he’s still fighting back."

He didn’t answer the younger man, and JD wasn’t even certain that Chris even heard him. Larabee was trapped in the hell of guilt and self-recrimination. Dunne had no words to counter those feelings.

Finally, as the last lingering rays disappeared behind the horizon, two men released Vin. As he dropped, they roughly pushed him away from the still smoldering fire, but made no move to help him otherwise. Larabee and Dunne watched impotently as Tanner was forced to walk on burned and blistered feet. The outlaws pushed and prodded him until he shuffled awkwardly toward the other two men. His face was blank, devoid of any hint that he even registered the pain. Dehydration, from long hours in the sun perched over the fire, was evident as the others saw the tip of his tongue protruding past his beaten and bloodied lips.

Another man stepped to the uprights and cut the heavy bonds. Immediately Chris jumped to his feet, stumbling as his body reacted sluggishly to the movement. He went directly to Tanner, reaching out to steady him. He was surprised when Vin held out a hand to stop him, shaking his head weakly.

"No, don’ Cris," he mumbled. " hur’s."

Swallowing his frustration the blond nodded. He and JD flanked the injured man as they were forced back toward the old prison wagon. "You said we’d go free," he growled at the leader.

"So I did," Talon responded with a broad smile. "I lied."

"You son-of-a-bitch!" Larabee lunged at the man, only to be shoved roughly away by one of the other outlaws. Not one to back away, the blond fought to reach the object of his hatred. Three of the men grabbed the gunslinger, wrestling him to the ground. However, it was the words spoken by JD Dunne that stopped him.

"Chris! Vin needs you right now."

Looking from beneath the tangle of arms and legs, Larabee saw that Tanner had fallen to his knees. Dunne was kneeling beside him, trying in vain to support the other man without injuring him further. The blond relaxed, signaling that he surrendered. Taking their lead from Talon, the three men released him. As soon as they did, Chris scrambled to his feet and rushed to his injured friend, gently lifting Tanner to his feet with JD’s help. The tracker moaned and tried to speak, but couldn’t form the words. Whispering an apology to the younger man, Chris held him carefully and turned toward Talon once more. When he spoke, his voice was quiet and deadly calm. "You said you’d let us go if he survived the day. He did. Now if you want to do more to someone, you do it to me. Let them go. He needs water, he needs a doctor. Neither of these men have ever done a damn thing to you, you fucking son-of-a-bitch. Let them go."

Motioning to one of the others, the big outlaw retrieved a canteen and tossed it toward them. JD deftly caught it one handed, not releasing his hold on Vin.

"There’s some water. I’ll think about th’ rest of it tonight, give you an answer in th’ mornin’." The ugly face became even uglier as he smiled. "Take ‘m back to th’ cage boys."

Retaining as much control as he could, Chris kept his mouth closed as they were prodded back toward the old prison wagon. His eyes spoke volumes, however, as he glared at the outlaw leader with undisguised hatred.

Back inside the tiny, dark prison, Dunne and Larabee focused on the most important thing at the moment, taking care of Vin. As carefully as possible, they lowered the abused man to the wagon floor. It was filthy, but it was their best choice. The benches were nearly collapsed and no cleaner than the floor. At least there they wouldn’t have to worry about him falling. Tanner cried out as his tortured body came to rest, the hard surface accentuating the injuries by pressure alone. Chris offered his hand to his friend, the best thing he could do at the moment, it was something to help fight the pain at least. The tracker wrapped his fingers around the other man’s hand gratefully.

"Here Vin," JD whispered. He lifted the shaggy head and helped his friend drink. Slowly managing to force a few sips of tepid water past his torn lips and swollen tongue, the injured man nearly choked. Dunne took the canteen away and held Tanner up, looking helplessly across to Larabee.

"It’s okay JD," Chris said softly. He wasn’t certain if he was trying to reassure his young friend, or convince himself. He shifted his position and pulled Vin up to rest against his chest so that Dunne could feed Vin the water again.

Dribbling the water drops at a time now, JD managed to get enough of the liquid into the tracker’s mouth to slake his terrible thirst. By that time it was completely dark, not even a hint of starlight to help them.

"C’ris…p -- ease," Tanner struggled to make himself understood.

"Is it hurting you to sit up?" Larabee wasn’t certain exactly what the younger man wanted.

"Y-yeah," he nodded.

Gently the blond lowered his injured friend to the ground, but he continued to hold his hand. Vin squeezed it gently, signaling his appreciation. His breathing was raspy, labored. He could no longer hold back his reaction to the pain, and several agonized moans managed to escape thorough his swollen mouth.

The men could hear the unmistakable sounds of merriment beyond the walls of their prison. Men and women could be heard laughing, yelling and calling back and forth to one another. It was a safe bet that whiskey was involved. As the evening wore on, the sounds became less jovial although they were louder as the hours passed. Then, under those sounds were others that would have caused the peacekeepers to bristle with anger, had their attention not been focused exclusively on Vin. There were cries, scream, pleas…people begging to be left alone. Pack sounds almost, the larger and stronger preying on the smaller and more helpless.

Chris and JD however, were concerned only with Vin. Again and again he slid into unconsciousness, only to be yanked back to consciousness by pain. His friends did everything they could to make him comfortable, but it was little more than wiping his brow with the precious water they had been provided and holding his hand. Larabee spoke quietly throughout the long hours, doing his best to reassure Tanner that they would find escape; that they would reach Four Corners and Nathan’s healing touch.

As night passed into morning, the noises outside began to quiet. The whiskey was taking its toll, sending their captors into alcohol-induced oblivion. The quiet was interrupted in the final hour before sunrise by a faint scratching noise. Chris and JD’s heads snapped up, staring toward the cell door. The noise came again, finally identified as a key in the door lock. Dunne slipped forward and stole a look out the tiny barred window. Staring for a minute, he managed to remain silent, returning to his two friends before he spoke in a whisper.

"It’s a kid, looks about 10 or so. He’s opening the door."

Just as JD explained, they heard the unmistakable sound of the door being eased open as quietly as possible. A tiny silhouette stood out in the weak light from a distant fire. He motioned for the men to come forward, looking over his shoulder even as he did.

"Chris?" Dunne asked his questions with a single word.

"Let’s go," Larabee answered. Carefully lifting Vin into his arms, he followed the young boy out of their little prison, leaving JD to follow.

The child led them into the rocks, away from the encampment. As he walked, the boy swept up a bulky bundle wrapped in a worn blanket. Hardly noticing his burden, Larabee walked quickly with Vin in his arms, following the silent child. Bringing up the rear, JD couldn’t help but consider how ridiculous they must look – three naked men, walking through the rocks behind one wraith-like child. If it weren’t for the situation that had led them here, he would have laughed.

They walked for several long minutes in silence, finally coming to a hidden little recess in the rock walls surrounding the encampment. There the child stopped, turning and offering the bundle to JD. The young man opened it quickly, finding their clothing inside. He looked at the boy, "thank you. I don’t understand why you’re doing this, though."

The child nodded to Dunne, coaxing him to get the clothing on quickly. Nearby, Chris lowered his friend to the ground and quickly donned his own clothes. The young tracker was far too beaten and abused to bear his heavy clothing, so Larabee shook out the blanket and wrapped it around the thin body. Lifting Tanner once more, he looked to their diminutive savior. "What now, son?"

Motioning, the child led them forward through the littered encampment. The men hurried, keeping a constant vigil for signs of a trap or that they were being followed. The encampment remained quiet, though, the members of the outlaw gang, men women and children, slept. It didn’t even appear that they felt it necessary to post a guard. They found no resistance to their departure, much to the amazement of the peacekeepers. The boy had not been able to produce their weapons, they would have had two choices; surrender or die.

Chris Larabee knew which decision he would have made. He would not return to the encampment alive. He had more than himself to think about, though. JD and Vin both deserved a chance. His mind began to formulate a plan; a way to keep their captors busy while his friends managed to escape. If they were found, he would readily sacrifice himself for their freedom. Not from a noble sense of the greater good, but simply because this was his fault. He had already lost far too much in his life when his past came visiting. He would not add his two friends to that list.

Their young benefactor led them to a very welcome sight; Peso, Pony and Milagro patiently awaiting their owners. The horses looked dusty, it was clear that their care had been marginal since their capture. They were rested, though, ready to return their masters to Four Corners.

Larabee lowered Tanner to the ground. Vin sighed at the reduction of contact with his tortured flesh. Absently brushing long brown curls away from the younger man’s face, Chris captured the tracker’s attention. "We’ve got the horses, pard. I need you to listen to me, and answer me honest, okay?" He waited until the other man managed a short nod before continuing. "We need to get you on horseback, Vin. Do you think you can stand having your britches on?"

"R…eckon," the tracker whispered hoarsely.

"Alright, now the next question Vin, and I want you to be honest. Can you sit your horse, at least long enough for us to put some space between us and Talon’s men? We can make better time, but if you’re going to fall off…"

"I’ll…ma…nge," Tanner said quietly.

Taking a precious minute, Chris searched his friend’s face and finally nodded. "All right, then, I’m going to trust you. We’ll get you on your horse in a few minutes and then we’re going to get the hell out of here."

Nodding, Vin slumped against the rocks and did what he could to conserve his energy. His mind was foggy, the world around him sliding in and out of focus. He was not afraid to die, but he would prefer to do it elsewhere. He had no problem dying as long as he knew Chris and JD were safe. If he had to sit in a pool of his own blood and die in the saddle, he would as long as the other two were able to get clear of this bunch of soulless bastards. He only had to hold on that long, and then whatever happened could happen.

Nearby, JD was trying to engage their young benefactor in conversation. "You’d better come with us son, okay? I don’t think it’s going to be safe for you here if you stay. You can come back with my friends and me, we’ll make certain someone takes care of you, okay?" As Dunne reached out to the boy, he was startled when the kid flinched from his touch. The child’s mouth opened, but only a strangled sound came out. The young sheriff pulled his hand back, afraid suddenly that he would scare the child off.

"It’s okay, kid, I’m not going to hurt you. Look, I hate to just keep calling you kid and son. What’s your name?" When he received no answer, he said, "my name’s JD Dunne. What’s yours?"

The child hung his head, seeming to be embarrassed or saddened by the one-sided exchange. He moved away, going to sit on a rock that would allow him to oversee the hodge-podge gathering of dwellings. He turned to glance at the men over his shoulder from time to time, but kept most of his attention on the camp below.

JD watched the boy for a few seconds, but turned to the task at hand. He moved to where Chris was ministering to Vin. Together they managed to ease his doeskin pants up over the burned and cut legs and around the narrow waist. Tanner moaned softly, his head lulling to come to rest against Larabee’s shoulder. Chris murmured words of encouragement to his friend. On his part, Vin seemed to barely register the words, but a small smile crept across his battered face.

Allowing the tracker a few minutes to adjust to the feel of the rough fabric against his abused flesh, the others then lifted him into the saddle. Peso snorted but stood patiently until his master was settled on his back. The big black showed no sign of his typical spirited nature, a response either to the lack of care at the hands of the outlaw, or a sense of Vin’s distress.

Chris moved to Pony, while JD mounted Milagro. Their diminutive savior watched them passively, but Dunne had to do little coaxing to get the child to join him on the back of the sorrel. Larabee took up Peso’s reins, leading the horse through the maze of broken rock and fragile undergrowth. JD brought up the rear, his new-found friend secure behind him. Chris picked his way along, searching for the course that would be least likely to alert their captors of their escape. He wanted desperately to push the animals quickly to a full-out run, but restrained himself. They managed to get to the open range without incident. Pulling up, the gunslinger motioned JD forward. As the young man pulled along side, he coaxed Vin’s big black next to them. Helping Tanner drink a little water, he turned to Dunne.

"We’re going be easy targets once we get out there," Chris nodded toward the broad expanse of open land. "We’re going to have to run the horses full out as long as we can. I need you to stay on Vin’s right, just in case. If he seems to be in trouble, sing out."

"Be…’kay," the young sharpshooter grumbled.

"I know you will, pard," Larabee said quietly. You hold on to the ‘horn tight, okay? We’re getting out of here and going home."

Nodding, Vin didn’t see Chris look across to JD. The two men were more and more concerned that their friend would not survive the coming ride.

Taking a deep breath, feeling as if he would be running the distance himself, Chris gave one final look around. Deciding that things were quiet, he nodded to JD, and the men spurred their horses forward. On Peso’s back, Tanner gasped as he felt the big animal jump forward to a run, but didn’t let go.

The three horses ran as if they knew lives depended upon their speed. Necks strained forward while ears lay back flat against their heads, legs kicked up loose dirt and dry grass, sending them flying in the horses wake. They had covered over a mile of open space before they heard it. Pursuit. Chris cursed under his breath, kicking Pony, silently requesting more speed from the animal. The gelding obliged, sailing through the air as if he had suddenly grown wings. Larabee chanced a look to his left, relieved to see that the others were still along side him.

On Milagro, JD felt the young boy behind him tighten his hold. He covered the filthy, torn and frail hands with his own, delivering what he hoped was a reassuring squeeze. From time to time he could feel his companion tremble, although he had no idea if it was from fear or cold. He turned to see Vin an arms length away, swaying slightly in the saddle. The rangy tracker was gamely hanging on, his hands wound tightly around the saddlehorn. Dunne shook his head in amazement. Vin Tanner was one of the toughest men he’d ever known.

They continued on, even when the gunfire began. Talon’s men wasted little time in trying to bring down their prisoners. The outlaws couldn’t afford to allow witnesses to their atrocities to go free. All the four on horseback could do was lay low in the saddle and push the horses faster. They could feel the big sides beneath them heaving as the horses reached, and surpassed, their limits. The animals would be able to continue for some time, the men had kept them in good shape, still they had their limits. Dunne prayed that they would be able to escape their pursuers before that time came.

Time seemed to at once drag and fly, a strange feeling that almost left the young sheriff disoriented. It seemed that they had been riding for days, and at the same time it was as if they had only just climbed into the saddles. The minutes dragged by, but they had quickly flown through the entire morning and into the early afternoon. They would have to stop soon.

Chancing a look behind him, Chris saw that the outlaws were dropping off quickly. There had been over a dozen men behind them when the early morning light had allowed them to really see their pursuers, now there were only four or five. The southwestern heat must have combined with the liquor from the night before to persuade most of the men to turn back.

An occasional shot still whipped past them from time to time. JD felt the small body jerk behind him and cursed. He couldn’t afford to stop or even turn around to check on the boy. He prayed that it was nothing but, when the frail body suddenly relaxed against him, he could only fear the worst. Dunne grasped the child’s hands when they suddenly released their hold around his chest. "Damn it," he cried helplessly.

By the time the sun began it’s decent, they knew they would have to stop soon. The animals were beginning to falter, the men beginning to fear the horses would die beneath them if they weren’t able to stop soon. There were still three men on their trail, however.

"JD!" The man in black yelled.

Looking up, Dunne met Larabee’s gaze. The older man pointed toward an outcropping only a few yards away. He read their leader’s face and nodded. Keeping Peso and Vin between them, the other two men turned toward the natural structure. JD felt the boy behind him begin to slide from the horse. Tightening his grip, he said quietly, "hang on kid, please. Hang on."

Nothing else was said as the men moved quickly forward, soon reaching the edge of the rocks. Chris moved ahead, Peso close behind. JD came up quickly behind, still struggling to keep the child from falling. They made their way among the rocks and brush, deeper into the maze that would hinder the pursuit. They hoped.

Finding a particularly dense area, Larabee pulled up, stopping Peso as well as Pony. "JD, lets get them off the horses."

Dunne cringed. He wanted nothing more than to continue riding; he did not want to have to look at the boy behind him. He knew what he would find, but as long as they were riding, he didn’t have to face it. Taking a deep, trembling breath, he managed to lower the boy to the ground, dismounting quickly.

Nearby, Chris had moved quickly from his horse to stand next to Tanner. Pain-filled blue eyes starred down at him. "Come on Vin, let’s get you off this horse."

As if he were a marionette whose strings had suddenly been cut, the lean tracker slid from the saddle. He was unconscious even before the gunslinger managed to catch him. Larabee held him carefully, quickly taking him to a spot nearby where he could lay the younger man down. Turning, he searched for Dunne. "JD?"

"Yeah," Dunne’s voice was soft, filled with sorrow.

"JD, you okay?"

"Yeah," he repeated.

Making Tanner as comfortable as possible, Chris stepped quickly toward the other man’s voice. "Kid, you sure you’re okay?"

"Fine," the emotion in his voice belied that.

Coming around the horses, Larabee was brought up short by what he saw. "Oh no. Is he…"

"He’s dead," JD said quietly. He was sitting on the ground, the emaciated little body cradled in his arms. "They shot him."

Kneeling next to the younger man, Chris said, "JD, I’m sorry. I wish I could make things different. He was a brave kid."

Nodding, Dunne said, "they hurt him long before now."

Larabee assumed that JD meant the bruises and scars that marred the tiny body, but the brunet’s next words corrected his thoughts, and chilled his heart.

"I know now why he didn’t talk." He spoke the words bluntly, emotionlessly. Turning the now-peaceful face toward the blond, JD opened the dead child’s mouth. "They cut out his tongue, Chris. Those fucking animals cut out his tongue."

"Damn," Larabee breathed as he looked into the dark cavern that contained only broken and blackened teeth. He ran a callused hand across his handsome face, cursing the monsters that had maimed the child before him. He wondered fleetingly as to what other tortures he had been subjected to. "They’ll pay, JD. Talon and the rest of those bastards will pay…for what they did to this child, and what they did to Vin."

Dunne listened to the oath his friend delivered, but took little comfort in the words. He would ride beside Chris to destroy the evil that had come into their lives. For once he would take great pleasure in the taking of life, and nothing would ever be the same again. JD felt something die inside him, and at the same time, something grew hard and cold.

"JD, I understand, but I need you to help me son." Chris’ words stole into the younger man’s thoughts. "We’re going to have company in a minute, and I’m going to need you to help stop them."

With a final look at the child who was growing cold in his arms, JD nodded. He lowered the lifeless body to the ground and slowly stood. "What do we do?"

<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>

Only three men pursued their former captives. They were Talon’s best men, as twisted as their leader. They enjoyed the pursuit, savoring the thought of what they would do with the men when they caught them. Talon had required nothing but the bodies as evidence that the man he had hated for long years would never draw another breath.

They entered the maze of rock and brush carefully, watching for signs of ambush. They didn’t have long to wait. Two of them were quickly felled by heavy stone nearly as large as their heads. The third drew his gun, shooting blindly into the rocks. He had nothing to go on, having not seen where the rocks came from. The man suddenly found himself flying through the air, something…someone…forcing him forward and down. Landing on the ground with a heavy thud, the outlaw found himself looking upward with a dazed look into the face of a very angry JD Dunne.

Before the bigger man could react, JD was pounding him with everything he had. With no resistance the young sheriff quickly delivered a blow that knocked him into unconsciousness. It was only then that Dunne felt hands gripping his arms; heard a voice calling his name. Slowly he stopped and looked behind him. Chris was leaning over him, talking to him.

"Chris."

"JD you can stop now. The man’s out. Do you hear me? You can stop."

Suddenly everything drained from him; the hatred, the rage, the sorrow. Dunne slumped back against the other man. He took comfort in the feel of Chris Larabee holding onto him. "Oh God, Chris…"

"It’s okay, son. It’s okay." Larabee wrapped his arms around the young man. "They aren’t going to hurt him anymore. We need to get out of here though, just as soon as we can. The others may come after us again. I need you to help me wipe down the horses so we can leave. Can you do that Kid?"

Nodding, not wanting to trust his voice, JD pushed himself to his feet and followed the bigger man. The two of them checked the outlaws first, finding two of them had died. The third they tied across his saddle; they would take him back to Four Corners with them. Chris relieved all three of their firearms, draping one gunbelt over his shoulder and tossing the other to Dunne. After checking on the still unconscious Tanner, they used tufts of grass to stoke the foamy perspiration from the animals. All three were beginning to calm down, but they would need a great deal of care when they managed to get home.

Easing Vin back into the saddle, Chris turned to find JD wrapping a blanket around the young boy’s body. He started to say something, but the look in Dunne’s body stopped him. Without a word he helped his friend lash the body behind Milagro’s saddle. Chris led off once more, handgun drawn in the event that they found more outlaws once they returned to the open spaces. All three men had carried a healthy supply of shells and bullets. They would be able to fight off any attack.

JD rode mechanically behind the other horses, his mind preoccupied with thoughts of what he would do to as many of the outlaws as he could get his hands on. At that point in his life, that was the only thing that kept him calmed down.

There was no sign of further pursuit when they reached open ground. Larabee released the breath he had been holding and waved them forward. They were soon riding three abreast, Peso couched between Pony and Milagro. JD led the horse that bore the still unconscious outlaw; they had stripped the other horses and turned them loose. Chances were they would return to the encampment. Chris hoped so; it would give a clear message to Talon’s gang.

<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>

The remainder of the trip seemed anticlimactic. They lost little time in riding toward Four Corners and home, but neither did they need to push the horses so hard. It was just before midnight when they reached the edge of town. Larabee led Vin toward Nathan’s while JD moved toward the jail with their lone prisoner. Chris stole a look at Dunne, saddened to see the look of defeat on the young face. He would ask Josiah to speak to the young Easterner in the morning; for now he had for focus on getting Vin to the clinic.

"Hey Pard," he said softly as he came around the big black to stand next to the injured man. "We’re at Nathan’s. I’ll get him down here to help us get you upstairs."

"No…I can make…it," the younger man gamely slid from the saddle, trusting his friend to catch him. Chris did. Together they slowly made their way up the wooden stairs. Vin pulled himself along by the rail, balancing himself on aching and bleeding feet. By the time they were half way to their destination he was slipping on the gore; Larabee knew he could not make it much farther. He slid an arm around the other man’s waist, lifting him a little at a time until the tracker’s feet barely touched the wooden surface. As they reached the top, they heard a door open and a familiar deep voice spoke quietly.

"What did you two get yourself into this time?"

"Sorry to wake you up Nathan," Larabee said in a breathless voice. "Vin needs a bit of looking after. Think you could lend a hand here?"

Shaking his head, the big healer moved to Tanner’s other side. Together they lifted the tracker and carried him the rest of the way to the clinic. Once inside they lowered him to the bed. A soft sound, part groan and part sigh, escaped the man and his blue eyes drooped closed.

<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>

JD Dunne did not remember ever feeling so tired in his life. He slid out of the saddle, almost falling to the ground. A pair of strong arms caught him and led him to a chair on the nearby boardwalk. He was lowered to the seat, only then looking up to see who had helped him. A pair of familiar dark blue eyes looked back at him with concern.

"You okay Kid?"

"Fine Buck, just tired."

"Where’s Chris an’ Vin?"

"Uh…Chris took Vin to Nathan’s."

"He okay?"

"Vin? No, he’s pretty beat up. Buck, I’m really tired, could we talk about this later?"

"Sure Kid, I’ll –"

"The kid!" He pushed himself from the chair, nearly toppling the bigger man. "I need to take care of the kid."

"What kid, JD?" Wilmington followed the younger man back to Milagro. He noticed the blanket-wrapped body for the first time, as well as the man hanging across the other horse. "What th’ hell went on out there?"

"I’ve gotta take the kid…the kid to the Undertaker’s." He fumbled, trying to get the little corpse from Milagro’s back. Stepping around the smaller man, the former sheriff lifted the bundle from the horse. He was stopped by a strangled cry. Looking down, he saw JD grow even paler than normal.

"No! Let me have him!" Dunne pulled the rigored body from his friend’s arms, settling it into his own. With determination, he moved toward the Undertaker’s office with his grim bundle.

Watching his friend for a few seconds, Buck moved to the strange horse, lifting the prisoner from its back. The man groaned as he was pulled into an upright position. He vomited all over himself, staggered and stumbled, but managed to walk into the jailhouse. Wilmington secured the man in one of the cells and stepped back outside. He saw a light at the Undertaker’s and hurried across the street.

Entering the office Buck found JD standing near the door, staring into the room where the Undertaker had placed the blanket wrapped corpse. He came to a stop next to the younger man, placing a hand on his shoulder. "JD? Y’ wanna talk?"

Dunne shook his head. "Not now Buck, maybe later. I wanna be alone right now."

Standing next to his friend for another minute, Wilmington squeezed his shoulder and said softly, "all right. Don’t stand here too long Kid, you look done in."

<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>