Chris made his way to the nearest tent and smiled at the three men inside, “Can’t leave you boys alone for a minute,” he said softly, a hint of his cocky grin on his too pale face.
“Chris get out of here,” Tanner told the pale man.
“We’ll get out of here together,” Chris told him. “Ezra,” he said as he turned to the other cage. “You wouldn’t have one of your picks with you would you?”
“Sorry, but may I congratulate you on your impeccable timing,” Standish said.
“I wouldn’t say that yet, Ezra,” Chris muttered and slowly moved to the cage that held the two women. “Either of you have a pin of some kind.
“Will this do?” the youngest woman asked as she pulled a couple of pins from her long hair.
“Perfect,” Chris smiled and stepped back behind the barrels as the guard stopped in front of the door and looked inside. The blond held his breath as the man checked each cage and then walked back out the door.
Once again Chris felt the metal in his back shift against his spine and the numbness in his feet grew worse. ‘Not now,’ he thought as he struggled to make his legs carry his weight. “Ez, use this to open the door,” he ordered as he made his way to the second cage.
Standish used the pin and deftly opened the cage. He didn’t wait for the others, but hurried to open the third cage.
“Let me do it, Chris,” Wilmington said as he stepped up behind the blond.
“T...thanks, Buck,” Larabee gasped and sank to the floor by the cage, closing his eyes against the onslaught of new pain.
“Chris,” Tanner whispered as he stuck his arm through the bars and gently touched his friend’s uninjured shoulder.
“I...I’m ok, Vin,” the tired voice mumbled as the door to the cage opened. “JD, go w...watch for that g...guard.”
“Sure, Chris,” Dunne’s worried voice said.
“Chris,” Jackson whispered as he hurried out the newly opened door.
“Later, Nate, w...we h...have to g...get out of h...here,” the blond hissed through clenched teeth.
Sanchez hurried to join the younger man at the door of the tent. They waited patiently for the guard to return. Josiah signalled for Dunne to be quiet as they heard the returning footsteps. As soon as the guard stuck his head in the door Josiah struck out clipping him under the chin. The man crumpled and fell against Dunne, who barely stood his ground under the awkward weight.
Josiah grabbed the guard from JD and pulled him into the tent. He relieved him of his weapons and passed one of the guns to Wilmington, keeping the semi automatic for himself. He found a large knife hidden in the mans belt. “Looks like we cut our way out,” he said with a grin.
“Let’s move,” Larabee ordered.
“Stay put till Josiah cuts through the canvas,” Jackson ordered.
“I left some grenades and a g...gun on the other side of the b...barrels.”
“Grenades?” Tanner asked as he knelt beside his friend.
“And a detonator. Set a bunch of t...those babies in s...strategic places. G...gonna blow this place u...up before t...they can s...sell any of those w...weapons. Can you get them, Vin?” the blond asked without opening his eyes.
“Be right back, Chris,” Tanner answered, holding his side as he moved away.
“JD, keep watching for more guards. The rest of you move out. Ladies, make sure you head for the trees and stay down,” Sanchez ordered. “You go first, Buck.”
“I’ll stay to help Chris.” Wilmington said.
“There’s no time to argue right now, Buck, just go,” Sanchez ordered.
“Alright,” the moustached man said. “Let’s go ladies.” Buck crouched down and hurried towards the trees, the two women following closely behind.
“Ezra, you and Vin go next,” Sanchez ordered and turned to Tanner, “I’ll help Nathan with Chris now go!”
Standish and Tanner crouched low and made for the same trees Wilmington and the ladies disappeared into minutes before.
“JD, go!” Sanchez told the youngest member of the team.
“Who’ll keep watch?” Dunne asked.
“Just go, JD!” the ex preacher snapped and watched as the young man made it to safety. He turned away from the hole in the tent and hurried to Nathan’s side. “We have to go, now!”
“I...I’m ready,” the blond gasped. “J...just get me o...on my feet.”
“Lean on us, Chris,” Jackson ordered as he helped Josiah get the man to a standing position. They were both aware of the blood on the back of their friend’s shirt and carefully tried to avoid it.
Sanchez and Jackson supported the sagging weight of their leader as they made their way through the opening in the back of the tent. Once outside they didn’t have the luxury of crouching as it would put to much strain on the injured man. They barely covered half the distance when a shout from the base reached their ears.
“Hurry!” Wilmington’s voice warned as shots rang out to their left.
Bullets whipped by the three retreating figures as they finally reached the relative safety of the trees.
“Blow the grenades!” Chris told Vin as the sound of Josiah’s semi automatic joined Wilmington’s gun.
Tanner opened the small detonation device in his hand and depressed the tiny button. A slight delay, almost unnoticeable except to a trained eye and suddenly the night was lit up as explosions rocked the compound. Flames shot into the air carrying pieces of equipment, tent poles, crates, and other unrecognizable objects. Vin closed his eyes as he saw what he thought was the body of a man fly through the air and land several feet away from their hiding place.
Chris sat next to the sharpshooter, his breathing came in painful gasps as he watched the utter pandemonium in the pirate’s base. Flames tore through the canvas tents, smaller explosions continued to tear through the night as flames found crates that were not caught in the initial blast.
“Larabee, you son of a bitch! I’ll kill you for this you coward!”
Vin recognized the voice as Rollins and he wished he could get his hands on the man. He’d show him who the real coward was. Men like McHenry and Rollins were the real cowards of the world. They were the ones who hid behind the money they made from selling illegal contraband to other countries. He shivered as he realized what would have happened to the two woman they rescued.
“I think it would be prudent if we were to make a hasty retreat,” Standish suggested.
“Alright, let’s get moving. We can always come back and check on this place tomorrow,” Wilmington said.
“No!” the blond stated emphatically. “We finish it now!”
“Chris we can’t. We have to get you out of here!” Tanner snapped.
“You don’t understand. Rollins is a s...sadistic animal. If he’s alive he’ll come after us. We w...won’t be safe u...until he’s taken care of. Go after him and McHenry.”
“What about you and the women?” Tanner asked.
“We’ll stay here. I’d rather come with you, but I d...don’t think I can d...do that right now,” Larabee stated as he clenched his fist at his side, angry and frustrated at his own helplessness.
“What about weapons?” Dunne asked.
“Find some. There’s bound to be plenty of them. Use the grenades Vin has. You have to make sure McHenry is out of business for good.”
“If we do this you have to promise to stay put!” Jackson ordered.
“I will,” the blond sighed, not sure he’d be able to move if he wanted to.
“Alright,” Tanner reluctantly agreed. “We go in pairs. Buck, you and JD stick together and take the north side. Ezra, you’re with me, we’ll go in from the south. Josiah, you and Nathan take the east. There’s six of these grenades so each team takes two.”
“Good luck,” Chris said as the others moved back towards the compound. “You l...ladies ok?”
“We’re fine. Thank you so much for getting us out of there,” the oldest of the two said as she sat beside him.
“You’re welcome. G...glad to help. What’s your name?”
“I’m Thelma and this is Josie. I heard the others call you Chris.”
“That’s right,” Chris said as he watched his men enter the burning compound. He fought the urge to get up and follow them, knowing he’d probably just be in the way.
“What happened to your arm?” Thelma asked as she tried to keep the man’s mind off what was happening.
“Got into a fight with a board,” he said with a cocky grin.
Thelma couldn’t help smiling back at the pale man. “I guess you lost,” she said.
“Big time,” he laughed.
“Larabee!”
Chris tried to stand as Rollins grabbed Josie and placed a gun to her head. He grasped Thelma’s arm before the woman could rush to her sister’s aid. “Don’t,” he warned as he finally made it to his feet. He stepped out of the trees and into the clearing. Rollins stood outlined by the fire that still raged through the compound. Blood seeped from wounds in the man’s head and arm.
Chris knew the pirate would kill the woman he held if he tried anything. “Let her go,” he hissed.
“I don’t think so, Larabee. You’re still a coward I see. Sending your men in to do your job and staying out here with the women,” Rollins sneered.
“I’m not the one hiding behind a woman,” the blond snarled. “Why don’t you let her go and we can settle the question of who’s the bigger coward.”
“You think you can take me, Larabee?”
“I’ll damn sure give it a good try,” the blond vowed and winced at the pain in his back and arm.
“Let’s see just how good you are,” Rollins smiled as he shoved the woman to the ground.
Chris watched as she moved out of the way and then turned his full attention to the man standing in front of him. He knew this was one fight he was probably going to lose, but he’d do his best to make the man suffer.
“I’ve waited a long time for this, Larabee.”
“Glad to know I was on your mind. Strange how I never gave you a second thought,” Chris baited.
Rollins’ face turned red with anger as he listened to the hated man before him. He moved in and swung his hand at the blond’s face.
Chris ducked out of the way, ignoring the pain it caused in his back, and brought his right arm down on the swinging hand.
Rollins gasped in pain as the bone in his wrist snapped with the impact. “You son of a bitch,” he snarled and lashed out with his right leg.
Once again Chris was able to move out of the way, but his movements were slowing as the blade in his back grated against bone. He cried out and almost fell to the ground, staggering as he fought to stay on his feet.
Rollins, who’d fallen after missing the kick, got back to his feet and grinned. “What’s the matter, Larabee? You in a little pain?”
“Nothing I can’t handle,” the blond lied as he tried to keep away from Rollins’ swinging fists. As the other man moved in again Chris used the cast on his arm to deliver a lethal blow to the mans head. It didn’t connect fully but Rollins stumbled and fell to the ground next to his gun.
“I’ll kill you,” Rollins swore as his hand fell on the weapon.
Chris reached for the gun at the same time and found it wedged between him and Rollins. He knew he didn’t have the strength to continue much longer, but he fought with every ounce of his remaining strength. With a last desperate effort he place his finger inside the trigger and shoved downwards. One shot escaped from the gun and Chris heard the two woman scream as one.
Thelma Strickland looked at the two unmoving figures on the ground. Pushing her fears for her sister aside she hurried to the fallen men just as Vin Tanner and Ezra Standish made an appearance by the burning tent.
She gently pulled the blond man away from Rollins. She gasped as she saw the blood on the front of her rescuers shirt. “Oh my God,” she said as the two men reached them.
“No! Chris!,” Vin cried as he took in the amount of blood that covered his friend.
“V...Vin, it’s ok, i...it’s not mine,” the pale blond stammered.
“What?” Standish asked as he looked into the dull green eyes of their leader.
“N...not mine.”
“Not yours!” Tanner said with relief, unshed tears in his eyes.
“No. Rollins,” the tired blond moaned as he closed his eyes.
“Chris, stay with me, Cowboy,” Tanner pleaded. “Ez, go get Nathan. Tell him Chris needs him.”
“I’ll be right back,” Standish promised and he hurried off in search of the medic.
“Vin, McHenry?” Larabee asked through clenched teeth as pain once more radiated out from the wound in his back.
“Don’t know, Pard. Someone took off in a boat shortly after we started searching the compound. There’s no one left, Chris.”
“What about the w...weapons? Oh, God, Vin, it hurts!”
“I know it does, Cowboy,” Tanner said as he held his friend through the pain.
“Is he alright?” Thelma asked.
“No, he’s not,” the younger
man answered as the two women joined him. “He’s hurt bad.”
“I wish we could help,” the woman told him.
“Nathan! Thank God. Chris, Nathan’s coming,” Tanner smiled at his friend.
“What happened?” Jackson asked as he noted the blood on the man’s chest.
“He fought with that man,” Thelma answered. “I think he’s dead.”
“The blood didn’t come from Chris, Nathan.” Tanner said worriedly.
“Chris, can you hear me?” the medic asked as he lifted one of the man’s eyelids.
“Y...yeah, hurts, Nathan,” the injured man told him.
“What hurts worse, Chris?” Jackson asked as he checked the other eye.
“B...back, arm, r...ribs, ah h...hell, Nate, e...everything does. Except my feet they s...seem to be sleeping,” Larabee answered tiredly as he tried to bring the pain under control.
Jackson’s worried eyes met Tanner’s terrified ones. Jackson shook his head before Vin could voice his question.
“We’ve got to get his wounds cleaned up and I need to check his back. I can’t do much about his arm right now. I just hope the incision hasn’t opened up,” Jackson said in a quiet voice, not wanting to alarm his patient.
“We need something to carry him on,” Tanner said, thinking they should go back to the waterfalls.
“Vin, we can’t move him till I see what his back is like,” Jackson said.
“It’ll be light soon,” Tanner said as he noticed the lightening sky around them. He couldn’t believe how much time passed since Chris rescued them all from the cages.
“Can’t wait that long, Vin, I have to check his back. Go see if you can find something we can use as light.”
“Nathan, everything was destroyed,” Tanner said and tensed as he heard the weakening moans from the man he held.
“Well then make torches!” Jackson snapped, immediately regretting the action. “Sorry, Vin, look just find something, alright?”
“Alright. I’ll be right back, Cowboy.”
“I...I’ll be here,” Chris mumbled as he lost his fight to stay conscious.
“Chris? Nathan is he?”
“No, Vin, he’s just passed out. Go find the others.”
Tanner patted his ‘brother’s’ shoulder as he hurried into the compound. It didn’t take long to find the others and he had them searching the compound for anything useful. They were all frustrated by the fact that they’d blown up anything that might have been used to help their leader.
JD and Buck searched for something they could use to carry the man back to their base camp. Josiah, Vin, and Ezra searched for anything else they could use.
“Buck, will this do?” Dunne called as he uncovered the lid of one of the crates. Except for a burn in one corner the lid seemed to have missed the destruction that surrounded it.
“That’s great, JD, let’s get it back to Nathan,” Wilmington lifted one end and watched as the younger man struggled with the weight on the other side. “You ok?” he asked.
“I can manage,” Dunne answered, but cried out at the strain on his injured ribs. He dropped his end and glanced at the older man.
“Go get Josiah,” Wilmington ordered.
“I can do it, Buck,” JD said as he once more bent to lift his end.
“No! Damnit, JD, we can’t afford for you to take any chances. Nathan’s gonna have his hands full with Chris. Go get Josiah.”
“Alright,” Dunne said reluctantly.
Buck waited by the lid until Josiah limped towards him. ‘I don’t believe there’s one healthy man among us,’ he thought, rubbing his own bruised side. “Think you can handle this, Josiah?”
“As long as we go slow, Brother Buck,” Sanchez said, grinning as he held up a small white box and placed it in the center of the board.
“Not much choice in that. I’ve never seen such a bedraggled bunch.”
“Me neither. Let’s get this back to Nathan,” the ex preacher said as he lifted his end of the board.
~~~~~~~~
The medic watched as the two men stumbled towards him carrying a large flat board. He’d need their help getting the blond on it. He looked back at his patient as his eyes opened and he cried out, trying desperately to reach the source of pain in his back.
“Don’t, Chris,” Jackson said as he grabbed the man’s arm. “I know it hurts but you have to stay still and let us do everything. Okay?”
“Okay,” Larabee said in a pain filled whisper.
“Will this do, Nathan?” Wilmington asked.
Jackson examined the lid and nodded his head. “I’m gonna need both of you to help me get him on the board.”
“Sure, brother Nathan.” Sanchez said as he handed the medic a battered first aid kit. “Thought this might come in handy.”
Jackson swallowed as he realized one of his problems was solved. Now he just needed something to clean the wound with.
“Do you two remember your basic training?”
“Think so,” Wilmington said.
"We're going to have to logroll him onto the board. Buck, I want you to hold his head, make sure you keep it steady. Understand?”
“Yes, Nate,” Wilmington assured him as he noticed his friend’s eyes were open and looking at him. “Hey, Stud, how are you feeling?” he asked.
“B...been better, Buck,” the voice that answered was soft and weak.
“I bet,” Wilmington frowned as he grasped the blond’s head and held it steady. He watched as Jackson opened the first aid kit and tore into a sealed packet of gauze pads. “Thelma, would you hold these and hand them to me when I tell you?”
“I will.” Thelma took the gauze from Nathan’s hands.
“Thanks,” Jackson said as he turned to the other men. “Josiah you’ve got his shoulder and chest. I’ll get his lower back and hips.”
“Vin, you guys get over here,” Jackson ordered as he noticed the three younger men returning.
“What’s going on, Nate?” Tanner asked.
“We’re gonna put Chris on this board. I need you guys to push the board towards him but make sure it doesn’t make contact with his back. Understand?”
“Yes. I thought we’d be able to cover the board with this,” Tanner said as he eyed the semi conscious man being held by Wilmington and Sanchez.
“That’s great, Vin, did you find any water?” Jackson asked as he watched the younger man cover the lid with a blanket.
“Will this do?” Standish asked as he held up a dented canteen.
The medic almost shrunk to the ground in relief. At least now he could clean and bandage the wound. “Give it to Thelma,” he ordered.
The woman reached for the tiny canteen and knelt within easy reach of the medic.
“Alright. Let’s do this on three,” Jackson said and watched the others nod affirmatively. “Chris, can you hear me?”
“Hmm.”
“We’re gonna move you and I need you to be as still as possible. Let us do all the work. I’m not going to lie to you it’s gonna hurt.”
“What d...doesn’t h...hurt right n...now?” the blond quipped, smiling weakly.
Jackson smiled back at the injured man and took his place at his lower back and hips. “Okay, boys, on three. One, Two, Three,” Jackson, Wilmington, and Sanchez turned the injured man unto his left side, ignoring the painfully weak cries that emanated from the blond.
Tanner, Standish, and Dunne, carefully pushed the board into the spot where the man had laid.
“Hold him there while I check his back,” Jackson said, grateful for the light from the still burning tents as well as the rising sun. He pulled up the patient’s shirt and stifled a gasp at the red tinged wound in his mid back, next to the right shoulder. He knew there wouldn’t be much blood as the tiny piece of blade was still imbedded inside. “Thelma, give me the water now,” he ordered as he tried to ignore the gasping sounds issuing from the blonds mouth.
Thelma passed the canteen and waited for the medic to ask for the gauze.
“Hold him still,” Jackson said as he took the water and poured a generous amount over the wound.
Chris felt the water sting as it made contact and he fought to stay calm. His breath came in hiccupping gasps as his friends held him tightly.
Jackson took the gauze pad from the woman and placed it against the wound taping it firmly in place. “Okay, Chris, we’re ready to move you again.”
“O...okay.”
“On three,” Jackson said again as the board was already in place. “One, Two, Three,” he counted and as one they carefully placed the man on the board.
Tanner reached out and clasped his friend’s hand in his own, feeling the grip tighten as Chris Larabee rode out the newly awakened agony in his back. His breathing seemed haggard to the younger man and he glanced at the medic. “Nathan?”
“He’s in a lot of pain right now, Vin. Just give him a few minutes to catch his breath.”
“Is he going to be alright, Nathan?” Wilmington asked.
“Vin, you stay with him while we get things ready, okay?” Jackson asked as he signalled for the other men to follow him. he walked towards the now smouldering compound and waited for the others to catch up.
“Nathan?” the ladies man asked worriedly.
“I’m not going to lie to any of you. Chris is in bad shape. The cast on his arm is soft and I’d hate to think what’s happening with the incision underneath.”
“Can’t we take it off?” Dunne asked.
“With what, JD?” Jackson asked and then continued to list the injuries. “He’s got a couple of broken ribs, bruises upon bruises on his body. He’s already got a low fever and I expect it’s going to get higher.”
“What about his back?” Wilmington asked as he listened to the inventory of injuries the blond suffered from.
“He’s got a piece of a knife embedded close to his spine.”
“Can you take it out?” Buck asked worriedly.
“It may be safer to leave it inside till we get out of here. Look, Buck, right now the blade seems to be stopping him from bleeding. The safest thing is to leave it alone and keep Chris as quiet and still as possible.”
“We have to find a way to get help out here,” Sanchez said.
“The faster we get rescued the better chance Chris has. I wish we hadn’t destroyed everything in the compound. They must have had a radio here.”
“Nathan! You’d better get back here!” Tanner yelled.
Jackson rushed back to his patient, “What’s wrong, Vin?” he asked.
“Chris say’s his legs feel like they’re falling asleep,” Tanner said softly.
“Chris.”
“N...Nathan.”
“Can you feel my hand on your leg?”
“Y...yes,” the blond answered.
“How about on your foot?”
Larabee’s eyebrows drew together. “I don’t k...know, Nathan, all I f...feel is numbness and some t...tingling. I told you my d...damn feet are asleep,” he said his voice sounding a little stronger.
“Alright, Chris,” Jackson smiled. “Why don’t you join your feet and go to sleep?”
“Think I w...will,” the blond said as he closed his eyes.
“Nathan?” Tanner asked unable to hide the worry and concern he felt.
“I don’t know, Vin. The numbness has me worried. We have no idea how big the piece is. It’s imperative that we keep him quiet and don’t let him see how worried we are. We’re going to need to keep him calm and not let him think about what’s going on with his back.”
“Mr. Larabee is a smart man and it won’t take long for him to figure out something’s amiss,” Standish told them.
“We’ll just have to try to keep him down when that happens. Look, there’s something you all need to realize.”
“What’s that brother Nathan?”
“It’s not only his back we have to worry about.”
“You’re talking about his arm?” Wilmington said.
“His arm, his ribs. Like I said he’s in bad shape right now. I want to get him back to the base we had set up. Then we need to do what Vin suggested and set up a signal fire. The faster we get rescued the better his chances,” Jackson said.
Vin unconsciously rubbed his injured side as he watched his sleeping friend.
“Let me see that side, Vin,” the medic ordered.
“It’s fine, Nathan.”
“Do you know how sick and tired I am of hearing that from all of you. Why can’t you just admit when something hurts you. Now let me see that side and stop wasting time,” Jackson snapped.
“Think you’d better let him take a look, Vin,” Wilmington suggested and grinned as the younger man let the medic tend his wound.
“Damnit, Nathan, that hurt’s,” Tanner gasped as Jackson cleaned the wound and applied antibiotic ointment to it..
“It’s better than letting it get infected,” Jackson stayed as he taped a new piece of gauze in place. “Buck, how bad is the side?”
“It’s ok,” he began but stopped at the look on the medic’s face. “Ah hell Nathan, it’s not too bad.”
Jackson was satisfied with the answer and turned to the youngest member of the team. “JD.”
“It’s not hurtin’ much right now, Nathan,” the young man answered.
“Ezra?”
“Only a minor throbbing is afflicting my shoulder right now, Mr. Jackson. It’s better since I put it back in Mr. Tanner’s makeshift sling.”
“Josiah?”
“Brother Nathan, my ankle is much better but I’m sure it’s going to stiffen up if we don’t get moving soon.”
“Ladies, are you two alright?”
“We haven’t been hurt,” Thelma answered.
‘Not physically anyway,’ Jackson thought as he saw the sadness in the older woman’s red-rimmed eyes. “Alright, I guess you’re a sorry lot,” he grinned. “It seems like I’m the only one who wasn’t injured.”
“Guess maybe you got yours at the start of the trip,” Wilmington observed as he remembered the man’s seasickness.
“Don’t remind me, Buck,” Jackson said. “Buck, Josiah, you think you’ll be able to help carry Chris?”
“I can,” Wilmington answered.
“I think so, Brother Nate,” Sanchez said.
“Good,” Jackson said. “We’re going to have to go slow and try to keep the board level. The less jarring the better. The rest of you pick up anything you think will come in handy back at the base.”
Ten minutes later the tiny group began the trip back to the base they’d set up two days before.
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