Four Corners 2002
Robert Maguire strode down the middle of what was once Four Corner’s main street. Most of the buildings were leveled to the ground by age and the elements. He knew the building at the end of the street was the town livery, but wasn’t sure what the stairs were for as the upper floor seemed to be missing. A building that was at one point a saloon was in rather good repair considering its age. The town jail was missing a full wall and part of another and he smiled as he walked through it, comparing it to the modern prisons he’d visited. He watched as Winston walked towards him. They were careful not to disturb things as he wanted Chris Larabee and Vin Tanner to think the town had not been visited in many years. For now they were camping at an abandoned shack that had also fallen on bad times.
“Are you ready to go, Robert,” Winston asked.
“I believe so, Mark.”
“I parked about a mile north of here. Are you okay to walk that distance in this heat?”
“I could do that in my sleep, My Friend,” he assured the other man as he looked up and down the main street once more. He could picture the town, as it must’ve been in the years gone by. He looked at the old saloon and tried to imagine what his great, great grandfather had felt when he first laid eyes on Chris Larabee.
“Are you sure you’re okay, Robert?”
Maguire smiled at the concerned tone. “I’m fine, Mark. Can you feel this town?”
“What do you mean?”
“I can feel some things here. This is where I fulfill my great, great grandfather’s destiny. We’ll take Christopher Larabee from here and we’ll bring him to the old woman’s place where I will teach him what destiny is all about.”
“You’re sure they’re coming here?”
Maguire smiled and walked towards the end of the town. “I know he is. I can feel this place getting ready for it,” he said. “We just have to watch for them and be ready to kill Tanner and take Larabee. You did bring everything we need?”
“Yes, Sir. It’s all out at that shack we’re staying at.”
“Perfect. He’ll be here within the next few days.” Maguire stood at the edge of town and again felt the thrill of anticipation. “Soon, Christopher, very soon,” he muttered as a tumbleweed blew silently down the street.
~~~~~~~~~~
On the trail 2002
Chris and Vin rode north, away from Santa Fe and the friendly people of the city. Dust billowed up from the horse’s hooves as they continued towards the town of Eagle Bend.
Chris smiled as he pushed Lightning to an easy canter and Vin stayed beside him. The feel of the strong animal he rode gave him added satisfaction, but didn’t compare to the look on the sharpshooter’s face. Tanner’s face was completely at ease as if nothing could put a damper on this trip. Chris reached for his canteen and took a drink. The liquid was warm, but it eased his thirst. He smiled as Tanner mimicked his action and drank from his own canteen. There were plenty of places to get water and the map they held showed them where they could find it. He slowed Lightning again, not wanting the animal to be overheated as the day wore on.
His mind drifted to the two towns they planned to visit. He remembered his grandfather talking about Eagle Bend in relationship to the peacekeepers from Four Corners and wondered if his great, great, grandfather was blessed with friends of the calibre he was. He sighed as he thought of how hard life must’ve been back then, yet he knew there had to be good times there as well.
“What are you thinking about, Larabee?”
Chris turned to his companion and smiled at the frown on the other man’s face. “Nothing.”
“Don’t give me that shit! Hell, I can smell the smoke from your brain working so hard to put two words together.”
“Least I have a brain,” Larabee grinned.
“What the hell’s that supposed ta mean? Ya sayin’ I don’t have one?”
“If the shoe fits...”
“Nothing wrong with the way my shoes fit, except that they’re boots.”
Larabee laughed, he just couldn’t hold it in anymore. The look on Tanner’s face told him everything he needed to know. The half smile on his face, the twinkling light in his eyes told him the sharpshooter knew exactly what he was saying. Tanner was a lot smarter than most people realized, but he kept it hidden. At first Chris didn’t understand why, but as they’d grown to know each other he realized it all stemmed from his early childhood. He knew about Vin’s abusive father and how it was better not to be seen or heard. Vin had found it easier to just be a ‘yes, sir-no, sir’ child in order to save himself some of the beatings by his old man. Chris wished he’d been around back then, he always felt as if the tracker needed someone to watch his back.
“Larabee, ya keep thinkin’ that hard and yer head’s gonna explode!”
“Very funny, Tanner.” He looked towards the disappearing sun and turned to his companion. “It’s getting late.”
“Still got another hour of daylight.”
“By the time we make camp it’ll be dark. Let’s get some rest and get an early start in the morning.”
“Alright, that looks like as good a spot as any,” Tanner said pointing to a formation of rocks near a small creek.
The two men headed towards it and ground tied the horses. They took the bedrolls and saddlebags off and unsaddled the two animals. Neither man spoke as they set about looking after the animals and setting up camp. While Chris gave Thunder and Lightning some water and feed, Tanner made a small circle of stones and got a fire going.
By the time Chris was finished Vin had coffee brewing and their meager meal laid out. It would consist of Jerky, beans and biscuits supplied by the Martins. Their saddlebags also held dried fruit and vegetables, a few caned meats and crackers. They would never be that far from civilization and it would be a simple matter of riding to one of the tour stops to pick up more food.
While Chris cleaned the dishes, Vin started a fresh pot of coffee. By the time the blond returned Tanner was sitting on a rock with two cups. He smiled as Larabee joined him. “Sorry, Cowboy, ain’t got nothin’ stronger.”
Larabee smiled, reached into his saddlebag and pulled out a silver flask. Tanner recognized it as one JD Dunne had given him on his last birthday.
“I do,” Chris grinned and poured a liberal amount into each cup.
“Thanks, Chris,” Tanner sipped at the coffee/whiskey combination and sighed.
“It’s beautiful out here.”
“Yeah, it is. Nothing like a night under the stars,” Tanner agreed. ‘Especially with someone who appreciates it as much as I do,’ he thought. He looked towards the small stream as he felt the dust and grit under his clothes. He placed the cup on the ground and stood up. Without a word to his friend he walked towards the stream.
“Where are you going?” Larabee asked curiously.
“I need to wash some of this grit off,” Tanner answered, shucking out of his t-shirt as he walked.
“You’re going swimming?”
“Sure am. Wouldn’t hurt you to wash some of that trail dust off as well.”
Larabee watched as the usually shy man stripped down to his underwear, but stopped there. He laughed as the tracker raced to the creek. The pale moon shone reflectively off the creek and Chris suddenly had the urge to join his friend. He heard the splash as the sharpshooter entered the water and swam into the center.
“You comin’ in? The water’s great.”
Larabee brushed at the grit in his blond hair, feeling the dry stiff strands slide through his fingers. He smiled and stood up. “Yeah, be right there.” He pulled the t-shirt over his head and dropped it beside the rock. He slipped off the Nike runner’s and the black jeans, leaving him standing in black silk CK underwear. Larabee ran to the water’s edge, feeling like a kid going to his favorite swimming hole again. He ran into the water and swam towards the center, relaxing as the water washed the day’s dirt from his body.
He ducked under the water and swam until his body craved air. He pushed beyond the point where the craving turned to need and finally surfaced next to his friend. He sucked in the clean air and smiled at Tanner.
“Well?”
“You were right, the water’s great,” he laughed and shoved the sharpshooter under the water before swimming away from him. He dove under again, feeling a sense of freedom he hadn’t felt since he was a young boy and his father took him camping in Algonquin Park in Canada. He felt Tanner grasp his ankle and pull him down further. He pulled free and the two men surfaced at the same time. Without a word they swam side-by-side, matching swim strokes in the stream as they headed back to shore. They stepped from the water and into the night air. It felt cool on their wet skin and they made their way towards camp.
Vin added wood to the fire and rummaged through his saddlebag for the change of clothes he carried. He smiled as Larabee did the same.
Chris pulled on the black Levis and T-shirt. He reached for a pair of socks and was pulling them on as his friend picked up the discarded clothing. “Where are you going, Vin?”
“I figure I’ll rinse these so we got somethin’ clean to wear tomorrow night.”
Chris smiled as the other man walked towards the stream. People saw Vin Tanner as a scruffy Texan when in fact the man liked things clean and in its place. He wasn’t a neat freak by any measure, but he wasn’t a slob. Chris picked up the two empty cups and refilled them. He added a dollop of whiskey to both and placed them on the rock, before spreading out their bedrolls.
Chris stood back and watched as Tanner returned with the wet clothing and spread them over the nearby bushes. He passed the sharpshooter a cup and smiled at the tiredly muttered ‘thanks’. The two men settled onto their bedrolls, using their saddles to prop up on. There was no need for words now as they settled down to enjoy the quiet company, each man lost in his thoughts of what the other one’s friendship meant to them.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Maguire sat outside the broken down shack. He knew they were far enough from the abandoned town of Four Corners and would not be seen by their query. The moon was three quarters through its journey when a cloud blotted it out, leaving total darkness for several seconds. He knew the stars were shining and there was light, but the blackness of his soul wouldn’t let him see them. He remembered his Aunt’s words when he was a boy. Words that damned him as being the devil’s spawn and he smiled.
“If you only knew, Auntie,” he said as the moon appeared once more. He picked up the bottle of Sherry and filled the crystal goblet once more. He knew he should rest and be prepared for his meeting with his victim, but his body was tense with anticipation and hunger. A hunger born of a desperate need to prove he was better than the man he was named after. The Robert Maguire of bygone years had failed, but the Robert Maguire of the here and now would succeed and possess the soul of Christopher Adam Larabee. The man would die at his hands, but unlike what The Book said he wouldn’t need to hear Larabee scream. All he needed was to see death eat away at the man, body and soul. He downed the Sherry and took a deep breath as he walked towards the nylon tent. He climbed inside to wait for sleep and the wonderful dreams he knew would be waiting for him there.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Eagle Bend 2002
The two Firm employees stopped as they topped a small hill and looked down at the town of Eagle Bend. They could make out the outlines of dilapidated buildings against the backdrop of a cloudless blue sky.
A lone eagle flew high overhead, its call casting a warm feeling over Vin Tanner. He remembered stories told by his great grandfather on his mother’s side. The man was a Shaman and Vin remembered standing before him and studying the wrinkled face. He knew this was where he had learned the ways of the Comanche tribes who’d wondered freely across the open ranges. He’d sat for hours listening to tales of bravery and the braves who’d fought for the rights of the Indian tribes. His grandfather looked him in the eyes and told him he would always soar like an eagle, high above the ground. His grandfather had placed a gnarled hand on his forehead and called him Little Eagle. It was a name he’d never told anyone, but one he was proud to own. Looking at the eagle high above he sighed and turned to the man beside him. He knew how much Larabee had been through in his life and a name came to him. ‘Brave Eagle’ he thought as they rode towards the abandoned ghost town.
Chris glanced sideways and smiled at Tanner’s profile. The hat suited him perfectly and gave him an Old West look. He reached up and touched the flat brim of the hat he wore and smiled.
“Yeah, ya really do look the part ‘cept yer missin’ the guns.”
Larabee laughed as the softly spoken words reached his ears. He would always find the amazing connection they shared a thing to cherish, to hold onto, especially at times like this when they rode side by side. They’d done this quite often since Vin bought the ranch bordering his. Either he would ride Pony to Tanner’s ranch and wait for him to mount Peso or the other way around. They’d ride for hours, fewer than ten words being spoken between them, yet plenty was being said with just a glance or a nod of the head.
“If I had a gun I’d have shot you long ago,” Larabee quipped.
“Ya probably couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn anyway, Cowboy,” Tanner laughed at their ongoing joke as they stopped on the edge of town.
An eerie silence washed over the two men as they slowly rode threw the street. Dust and sagebrush and broken boards were in abundance and at times forced them to ride around them.
“I bet that was the jail,” Tanner observed, pointing to what looked like an old mortar and stone building. The door was hanging by a thread, but the bars on the window were intact.
“That’s real good tracking skills you have their, Tanner. I bet it took a lot of thinking and studying to come to that conclusion.” Larabee laughed.
They pulled to a stop in front of the jail, dismounted and tied the horses to the hitching post. The two men stepped through the door of the jail and felt as if they’d stepped back in town. A broken desk stood in one corner, rotted and aged by time and the heat of the sun. A musty smell met their nostrils and they could see animal feces and bones on and around the desk. There were two cells, both doors were open, some of the bars were broken, but a few were intact. The remnants of a cot was in evidence in both cells and brought a sense of nostalgia to both men.
“Can you imagine what it must’ve been like to be locked up in here?” Tanner asked and slipped into the first cell.
“Yeah, it must’ve been hot sitting in here,” Larabee agreed as he stepped into the second cell. “The place could use a little cleaning up.”
“A little? I’d say it needs a few sticks of TNT and a shit load of repairs.”
“Before or after the TNT?”
“Both.”
The two men laughed as they exited the jail. The sun was high overhead as they walked down the middle of the main street. A two-story building that had seen better days stood on the opposite side of the debris-strewn road. They hurried across the street and through the open doorway.
“This had to be the saloon,” Larabee smiled as he stepped up to the remnants of a long bar. He watched as Tanner moved in behind it and stood before a few pieces of a long broken mirror.
Vin faced his friend and scowled. “What’ll it be, Stranger?”
“Whatcha got?” Larabee glared at the would be bartender.
“We got plenty of nothin’,” Tanner deadpanned.
“Well give me a double and make sure it’s in a clean fuckin’ glass!”
“Does this look like the fuckin’ Ritz! I done tol’ ya we got plenty of nothin’ Now ya either take it or ya go find someplace else ta wet yer whistle. Godamned no account gunslinger...” he looked at Larabee and they both lost it.
Laughter wafted up through the hole in the roof and settled over the town. A sound unheard in the years since the last resident died and was laid to rest in the cemetery.
Chris took his flask from his back pocket and handed it across the bar. He watched as Vin opened it and took a long pull on it before handing it back. He took a drink and replaced the cap and laid it on the bar. He looked around and realized they needed to be more careful about entering the buildings. Halfway across the saloon a large part of the floor was missing and opened onto an old cellar. He walked a little closer and gazed into it.
“Better not get too close, Chris,” Tanner warned.
“I don’t plan on,” Larabee answered and eased back. He looked toward the spiral stairs leading to the second floor. Most of the stairs were missing as well as a good portion of the top floor. The remnants of an old chandelier hung from the upper ceiling, along with an abundance of cobwebs and dirt. Something in the corner of one of the stairs caught his eyes and he walked past the hole in the floor.
“Chris, those stairs won’t hold ya!” Tanner called.
Larabee picked up the object and brushed off the layers of dirt. He turned to the tracker and smiled as he held up the treasure.
“What’s that?” Tanner asked as he closed the distance between them.
“Looks like an old sheriff’s badge.”
“Wow,” Tanner said as Larabee handed him the find. “I ain’t seen one of these since I was a kid in Vernon.”
“You guys had a sheriff?”
“No, my friend had one that belonged to his grandfather. We used to play in the back street when we were kids. He’d be the sheriff and I’d be the bad guy. It’s funny how things work out.”
Larabee heard the sadness in his friend’s voice and waited for him to continue. When he remained silent the blond placed a hand on his shoulder. “What happened?”
“Things turned out the opposite of how we played it. I ended up working on the side of the law and he’s serving ten years for armed robbery.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. He made his own choices and he has to pay for them. I’ve talked to him a couple of times and he’s doing well. He’s got three more years to serve and he’s got plans to work with ex-cons once he’s out. I think he can make a go of it if he really wants to.” Tanner handed the badge back to Larabee who held up his hands.
“No, you keep it, Vin.”
Tanner placed the battered badge in his pocket and smiled. “Thanks, Cowboy.”
“Anytime, Pard,” Larabee smiled as they exited the old saloon.
The door to the building next to the saloon was still intact and Larabee stepped through the broken window frame. He stopped as something poked him in the ribs.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you, Stranger. Folks ‘round here don’t cotton to thieves. Might just have ta throw ya in the jail for the night.”
“You gonna clean it up first?”
“Round here the bad guys clean up.”
“Ain’t no maid,” Larabee told him and again the two men laughed. Chris took a deep breath and stepped into the dull interior. Broken shelves lined one wall, litter and more animal remains stood in another corner. Dust billowed up around them as their feet disturbed the layers of dirt covering the floor.
“Bless you,” Tanner said as Larabee sneezed three consecutive times.
“Thanks. These guys could really use Ezra’s interior decorator.”
“Or a damn good dust buster,” Tanner deadpanned as he walked to the old counter.
“Can you imagine what this town was like in its day?”
“Yeah. Gunfights, saloon girls, cowboys, rustlers...”
“Sounds like a place Buck and JD would have loved.”
“You got that right. Imagine Nathan having to patch people up in those days without the training he’s got now.”
“Ouch! I bet Josiah would’ve had to deliver a lot of last rights.”
“Probably. Life was hard in those days.”
“Yeah, but I bet they had good times as well.”
“A lot cheaper back then too, but then again they had to live on a lot less money. I think my grandfather mentioned the lawmen in Four Corners were paid a dollar a day,” Larabee said as he examined the broken counter.
“A dollar a day,” Tanner’s voice was filled with awe as he spoke the words. “Wasn’t a lot of money to lay your life on the line was it?”
“No, but that was more than most lawmen got.”
“Imagine Ezra living off that.”
“Mother would be appalled at even entertaining such an idea,” Larabee said in a perfect imitation of the southerner’s voice.
“Shit, Chris,” Tanner laughed. “Ez would be appalled at you for that.”
“Probably, but what he don’t know won’t hurt him.”
They left the store and wondered back into the sunlight. They walked south along the main street, bypassing the structures that had already crumbled to the ground. They stopped before a building with a sign swaying in the slight breeze.
“Do you think they have a room for the night?” Tanner asked with a grin.
“I don’t know if I’m willing
to stay in a place that doesn’t have any air conditioning.”
“What are you talking about? Look at this place. They’ve got natural air conditioning,” the sharpshooter laughed. “It’s called the open air look.”
“Yeah,” Larabee agreed as he looked around the side. “Lots of open air if you take the room on this side.” He laughed as Tanner joined him and looked at the missing wall.
“Oh, Hell, might as well sleep under the stars again.”
“My thoughts exactly,” The blond agreed as they strode back to the horses.
“Chris?”
Larabee frowned at the serious tone of his friend’s voice as the stopped in front of the jail once more. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothin’. Just wanted to say thanks for asking me to come along.”
“Anytime, Pard,” he said and clasped Tanner’s arm in their familiar forearm handshake.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Four Corners 2002
Maguire made the trip into Four Corners early in the morning. It was a trip he’d made everyday since their arrival three days before. He’d walk through the town and try to get a feel for what was going to happen. He’d sent Winston into town to make sure arrangements were made for the rental of a small plane to fly them back to Nevada with their cargo. The other man was due to return that night and for now he was alone in the dusty street. He sensed his query coming closer and knew it was only a matter of time until he was face to face with the man who would bow down to him. A man whose life and death hinged on his own whims. He looked towards the south and knew Larabee and Tanner would soon arrive in the godforsaken town. He turned and walked away knowing he’d have to wait for Winston’s arrival before attempting to take the two men down. He would wait for Winston at the remnants of the little shack by the stream.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
They left Eagle Bend as dawn brightened the horizon, riding side by side at a leisurely pace. There was no hurry, Four Corners had been there for over a hundred and fifty years and would still be there when they arrived.
Chris thought about the stories his grandfather told him about the lawmen from Four Corners and how they dealt with the Old West criminals of their day. He knew some of the Old West Larabee’s background and the amazing similarities with his own past. He knew the Chris Larabee of old had six men he rode with and again he was struck by how the past mirrored the present. He smiled as he thought of his grandfather’s words. Chris Larabee, gunslinger and peacekeeper in the small Old West town had gone on to marry a newspaperwoman and lived to a ripe old age. ‘Wonder if we’ll be that lucky,’ he thought with a glance at his riding companion.
Vin called a halt mid day and the two men ate a small lunch of jerky, crackers, dried fruit and water. Both men were anxious to be on their way. The town of Four Corners beckoned to them and they wanted to reach it by nightfall. They rode northwest, thoroughly enjoying the scenery around them and the heat of the day. The silence surrounded them, engulfing both men with a sense of belonging. This was the way they usually were, little need for words, a glance here or a smile there was all they needed. The other members of The Firm often commented that working with both men was likened to listening to oneself think. No sound, but you could see the wheels turning.
The sun dipped below the horizon when the town came into view. It had taken a full day’s ride to get there, but with the onslaught of dusk, the town was a wonderful sight to the weary travellers. It seemed to have faired better than Eagle Bend, with more of its buildings standing, but it had suffered over the years.
The closer they got to the town the darker the terrain became. It took nearly an hour to cover the distance and they finished the trip under a blanket of stars. They stopped in front of the first building and dismounted without a word, a sense of wonder seemed to befall both men as they looked down the street. Vin reached into his saddlebag and pulled out a flashlight. He turned it on and the bright light illuminated the structure as they entered. They could tell the structure had once been a church even though most of the walls had crumbled. Two pews were still standing and part of the pulpit was in evidence at the front of the hall.
“I wonder if the preacher who gave the sermons had a voice as strong as Josiah,” Vin said as they looked around.
“Somehow I think he probably did. Well, it’s kind of dark to go exploring this place so why don’t we spend the night here?”
“It’s as good a place as any,” Tanner agreed.
Within an hour the two men were settled down with coffee, a small fire going between them. The horses were cared for and settled for the night. Chris picked up the flask and split the last of the whiskey between them.
Vin lay back against his saddle and looked up through the hole in the ceiling. The sound of crickets chirping was the only sound in the still night. He felt himself drifting towards sleep and shivered just as he gave into the weariness in his mind and body.
Chris lay in the dark listening to the soft snores from the man on the opposite side of the fire. He sighed heavily and tried to sleep, but since waking that morning a heavy sense of foreboding had overshadowed the thrill of this trip. He shook off the feeling and turned onto his side. He studied the sleeping man’s face and was glad to see it relaxed, without the lines that usually showed when they were working on a case. Vin Tanner was a man who took his job seriously and because of that he and the other five were alive and would remain that way as long as he was watching their backs. He gave into sleep, but it wasn’t a peaceful one.
Chris struggled to wake and found himself trapped in a cave. His hands and feet were bound and his clothes had been removed. His head shifted from side to side as his mind relived a nightmare from the past, but not his past. He felt the whip as it cut into his back and flinched away from it. ‘No!’ he cried, but the sharp sting told him there’d be many more. A voice haunted him and he heard the words echoing through his mind. ‘I bought this just for you, Chris. You should feel honored that I spent this money on my gift for you. I did not want to use instruments that were sullied by others. You are special, Chris Larabee, and nothing that touched anyone else will touch the skin on your body. You will soon understand how much you mean to me. You will soon beg me to take your soul and free you from the chains of life.’ The voice drawled as a shadow pulled the whip back and let it fly in a tight arc towards his shivering form.
‘No!’ Chris cried out as the whip continued to ravage the flesh on his back. He fought to breath past the pain and wake from the horrid nightmare.
Vin opened his eyes and frowned into the darkness. It took a few seconds to remember where he was and he wondered what had woke him up. A sound from his right made him turn towards his companion. Chris lying on his back, his arms held over his head, his body arching upwards off the ground as if he was struggling with something. Tanner was on his feet instantly and moved to the blond’s side.
“Chris, wake up,” he said softly as he placed his hands on Larabee’s trembling body. His voice was edged with worry as his friend continued to fight some unseen enemy.
“Son of a Bitch!” Chris cried as something wet was pressed against his back and the agony erupted inside him.
Tanner placed his hand on Larabee’s shaking shoulders and spoke softly, fighting to get through whatever was causing the nightmare. “Come on, Cowboy, it’s just a dream.” He felt the body shudder one last time and lay still. He heard the sharp intake of breath and knew Larabee had just been threw one hell of a nightmare.
Chris tried to control the trembling in his body as he pulled his arms down. He remembered most of the dream including the sting of the whip biting into his back and the helplessness of having his wrists bound tightly over his head. He turned onto his side and focused on the man kneeling beside him. He saw the worry etched on the face and shrugged. “Shit, sorry, Vin, didn’t mean to wake you.”
“Must’ve been some dream,” Tanner said as he added wood to the glowing embers.
“Yeah, you could say that,” Larabee forced the feeling of dread to the back of his mind and sat up. He ran his hand through his hair and smiled at the worried tracker. He reached for the flask and remembered they’d drank the last of it the night before. ‘Damn!’ he thought as he watched his friend closely. “Sorry, I woke you.”
“It’s okay. What time is it?”
Larabee pressed the button of his watch and a soft green glow lit up the numbers. “2:44,” he answered. “Go back to sleep, Vin.”
“What about you?” Tanner asked as he watched the blond closely.
“I’m going back to sleep, preferably without the nightmares,” the blond smiled as he watched the tracker settle back on his bedroll. He closed his eyes and tried to rid his body of the feeling of the leather whip striking him over and over. He moved on his bedroll, surprised when no pain flared in his back. ‘It was so damn real,’ he thought as his mind drifted towards sleep once more.
Vin listened to his friend and knew instinctively when he fell asleep. He lay awake and gazed at the dancing shadows cast by the flickering flames from the small fire. He trembled as icy fingers trailed down his spine. He knew something was going to happen and he would be ready when it did. His Grandfather had taught him not to ignore his natural instincts and he wasn’t going to start now. He knew whatever was destined to happen it involved his friend and the nightmare he’d just had. He frowned as he remembered the cry of pain Larabee issued at one point in his sleep and he didn’t want to hear that again.
“Hey, Vin, are you gonna sleep all day?”
Tanner heard the annoying voice and struck out with his right hand.
“Whoa, Tanner, it’s just me!”
“Huh,” the tracker said as he struggled to lift heavy eyelids.
“I was wondering if you planned on sleeping all day.”
The tracker sat up and blinked the sand from his eyes. “What time is it?” he asked as he stretched the kinks from his back. He rotated his shoulders and neck as he stood up.
“It’s 7:55.”
“Shit, guess I must’ve been more tired than I thought.”
“Especially with me waking you in the middle of the night. Sorry, Cowboy.”
“Hell, Chris, ya didn’t do nothin’ ta be sorry for. Now what did ya make fer breakfast?”
“Beans!”
“Beans? Shit!”
“It was either beans or jerky.”
“Guess I’ll take the beans.”
“Good choice.” Larabee handed him a plate and the two men ate in companionable silence. Chris lifted his eyes and met the blue gaze that was always a welcome sight. “So, you ready to check out this place?”
“Yeah. Where do you want to start?”
“Why don’t we go down this side of the street? We have four days to check this place out before we have to head back.” He placed his empty plate on the floor and watched as Tanner doused the fire with dirt. Once the fire was out the two men left their belongings and walked out into the street. The building next door was completely destroyed and they bypassed it. The next one was a two story structure with three walls still standing. A set of stairs led up to a second floor but they could tell the wood wouldn’t bare their weight. The two friends walked into the bottom floor and knew they were in what was once a livery and blacksmith. An old anvil lay against one of the stalls, half hidden by rotted boards and ruined leather straps. They walked through the old stables, wondering what life must’ve been like for the man who looked after the town’s horses.
~~~~~~~~~~~
“Mark, is everything arranged?”
“Yes, Sir. The plane will be there when we arrive. Michaels was only to glad to let you have it once I told him it would wipe out his debt to you. It will be fueled and ready when we arrive. He will leave it at the old airfield north of Santa Fe.”
“Excellent.” Maguire smiled as he looked towards the broken down shack. My great, great grandfather mentioned something about Christopher Larabee owning a piece of land with a shack on it not far from Four Corners. I believe this is the place.” He grew silent for a moment and walked towards the stream. “He’s here you know?”
“He is?”
“Yes. I can feel him. It’s like the air is charged with an undercurrent of anticipation. I’m ready for this. More ready than I’ve ever been in my life. I can succeed where my ancestor didn’t. I will kill Christopher Larabee, but first I will prove that I truly am his master.”
“When do you wish to take him?”
“We leave now. Make sure you take your rifle. You must kill Tanner before I can use the tranquilizer gun for Larabee. I want him to know that his friend is dead before we leave here. It will demoralize him and make him easier to handle,” Maguire explained.
Winston opened the trunk of the sleek black car and pulled out a sniper’s rifle. He checked to make sure he had cartridges. Next he pulled out the tranquilizer gun and made sure there were extra darts.
“Don’t prick yourself with those things or you’ll be of no use to me.”
“I won’t, Robert,” Winston said as he handed over the gun.
“Let’s go, my destiny awaits.”
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