En route-2002
Maguire watched the sleeping man seated beside him. The blond head leaned heavily to the right side, pale lips parted slightly and no sign of pain showed on the handsome face. ‘Sleep well, Christopher, because very soon our past will catch up to both of us, but this time the ending will be different.’ He reached for The Book he kept in his pocket and held it tightly. “I’ll make you proud,” he whispered to his long dead benefactor.
Albuquerque-2002
The medivac chopper landed and a swarm of medical personnel descended on it before the rotary blades had a chance to slow down. Rick began giving a low down on the vitals as they raced the unconscious man into the hospital.
The trauma team led by Frank Barnes knew they needed to work quickly. The patient showed all the signs of severe dehydration and major blood loss. The gurney was pushed into a trauma room and the unconscious man was transferred onto a proper examination table, where nurses immediately cut the remainder of his clothing from his body. Something dropped on the floor and a nurse bent to pick it up, frowning as she saw the faded ace of spades. She placed it on the tray with the patient’s other possessions and returned to the more immediate concerns.
The team worked like a well-oiled machine attaching new equipment to monitor blood pressure, temperature, oxygen levels, and heart rate.
Blood samples were taken and a bag of O negative blood was placed on the pole over the bed. It was soon running into Tanner’s arm in an effort to bring up his blood volume. A foley catheter was soon in place and urine intake would be carefully monitored.
Barnes listened to the patient’s lungs and breathed a sigh of relief that they were clear. He turned his attention to the injury to Tanner’s shoulder and frowned at the still seeping wound. He knew the bullet was buried deep inside the young man’s flesh and would need to be removed as quickly as possible. He looked towards the door as his colleague, Jason Peterson hurried in.
“What have we got, Frank?”
“Bullet wound in the right shoulder. Looks like he was also creased by another one,” he explained as he pointed to the bandage covering the head wound. "Blood pressure is still low, but we've got him started on O neg until the blood bank determines his blood type.”
“Has he been awake at all?”
“Rick said he was awake for a short period when they were examining him at the site. He hasn’t shown any sign of waking up since he was brought in.”
Peterson checked Tanner’s pupils before turning his attention to the head wound. “I’m gonna want a CT scan done as soon as possible.”
“Alright. Jenny, put in a call to CT and tell them we’re sending a patient down for a full head scan.”
“Right away, Doctor,” the petite blond said as she hurried to place the call.
“Jason, pull over the tray and we’ll intubate him before sending him for the scan.” The tray was pulled into position and the two men went to work on the injured man.
Gerlach, Nevada-2002
Mark Winston smiled as he landed the small plane at the private airstrip outside Gerlach, Nevada. The strip was seldom used anymore, but arrangements had already been made for someone to fly the plane back to its owner in New Mexico. The plane came to a stop a few feet from the end of the runway and he saw the black Jeep Cherokee parked near the old hangar building. The car would’ve been left as per Maguire’s instructions and he knew they’d find a cooler in the back, along with the other supplies they needed. There’d be backpacks full of food, first aid supplies and canteens of water. He knew the old woman’s home would be the final leg of the journey and he was looking forward to reaching it. The equipment was for the first leg, the one that would begin as soon as they reached the area north of Sulphur where they’d begin the little game of cat and mouse with the blond. He smiled as he remembered other hunts, other victims who now lay buried in that area of the Black Rock Desert. ‘You’ll be joining them, Larabee,’ he thought as he walked to the back of the plane.
“I see he’s still out,” he observed as he knelt beside the still sleeping man.
“Yes, but he won’t be much longer. I need to give him another shot before we leave. Hold his arm for me.”
Winston pulled the right arm straight out and watched as Maguire set up for another injection. He smiled as a small moan escaped Larabee’s throat.
Maguire grinned as he swiped the alcohol swab across the forearm once more. “Sleep a little longer, Christopher,” he said as he slid the needle into the arm. He pressed on the injection site for a few seconds and smiled. “That should keep him until we reach our destination and make sure everything is prepared. Get him into the Jeep and let’s get moving before someone sees us,” he ordered.
Winston undid the seatbelt and held the man in the seat as he slid forward. He pulled the un-protesting body upwards and slung him over his shoulder. With a quick move he settled the lean form and walked towards the door.
“Hold on and I’ll make sure no one’s around.”
“Okay,” Winston said as he watched Maguire leave the airplane. The body slung over his shoulder wasn’t very heavy, but it was still a struggle to keep him there.
Maguire did a quick check of the area and was pleased to see the place was indeed deserted. He hurried back to the plane and stepped inside. “Okay, let’s get out of here.”
The two men hurried towards the jeep and Winston waited for Maguire to reach into the wheel well and grasp the hide-a-key. As soon as the older man opened the door he slid Larabee inside. He reached into the back of the jeep and grabbed the set of handcuffs he knew would be there. Maguire paid well for privacy and money always bought loyalty from anyone greedy enough to want it. The man supplying the jeep and the pilot for the plane had been bought and paid for years ago. He snapped the cuffs on Larabee’s wrists, yanking on them to make sure they were as tight as possible. He knew whatever Maguire gave Larabee would keep him sleeping for some time to come, but over the years he’d learned not to leave anything to chance. Too much rested on getting Larabee to their destination. He smiled as he patted the bare arm. ‘Are you in for a rude awakening,’ he thought. He sat Larabee up and placed the seatbelt around him. He leaned the blond head against the side window and covered him with a blanket. To anyone passing them it would simply look like he was sleeping. He got out of the car and took the keys from his friend before climbing in behind the steering wheel.
Maguire entered the car and pulled the door shut. He smiled at his sleeping passenger and pulled out The Book. He opened it and began reading about the first sighting his great, great grandfather had of his Chris Larabee. He looked at the sign as they drove away from Gerlach and smiled as he read the words, Where The Pavement Ends and the West Begins, ‘and Christopher Larabee’s worst nightmare comes true,’ he thought, his lips curling in an evil smile.
Albuquerque 2002
Josiah, Nathan and Ezra hurried into the University Hospital Trauma Center. Buck and JD were on their way, but wouldn’t be arriving for several hours yet. The ex-preacher hurried up to the information desk and waited for the silver haired woman to end her call.
It wasn’t long before she turned her gray eyes on the three worried men.
“Can I help you gentlemen?”
“Yes, Ma’am a friend of ours was brought in here sometime last night.”
“Name.”
“Vin Tanner,” Jackson answered. He watched as her fingers swiftly connected with the keys.
“Yes, we have a Mr. Tanner,” she said as she found the listing in the computer.
“Might I enquire as to his location?” Standish asked worriedly.
“He’s just being transferred to surgical ICU.”
“Where’s that?” Jackson asked.
“Third floor. Follow the blue line to elevator C. Take it to the third floor and it’ll let you off at the nursing station. Check with the desk and they’ll let you know when you can visit Mr. Tanner.”
“Thank you, Ma’am,” Sanchez said and the three men hurriedly followed the blue line. They remained silent as they waited for the elevator doors to open and stepped inside. When the door opened on the third floor they rushed out and stepped up to the desk. Again they waited for the person behind the desk to hang up the phone.
Nathan read the nametag and asked. “Katy, can you tell us where Vin Tanner is?”
“Who are you gentlemen?” Katy Miller asked.
“My name is Nathan Jackson. This is Josiah Sanchez and that gentleman is Ezra Standish. We’re friends of Mr. Tanner.”
“I’m sorry, but only family members are allowed to see him right now.”
“Ma’am, we’re about the closest family he’s got,” Sanchez told her.
“His next of kin is listed as Chris Larabee.”
“That’s correct, Katy, but Mr. Larabee is unavailable at the moment,” Standish explained. “If there’s any way you could check with Saint Vincents hospital in Billings Montana you would find that we are...”
“Frequent visitors,” Jackson finished.
“As Mr. Jackson so kindly informed you we are frequent visitors to Saint Vincents. Mr. Tanner is more than an acquaintance or friend, Katy, he is family and as such we need to see him.”
Katy Miller looked at the three men and saw the concern on their faces. She understood how they felt and smiled at them. “Let me check with the nurses and see if he’s ready for visitors.”
“Thank you, Katy,” Jackson said as she walked away from the desk. It wasn’t long before a man dressed in a white lab coat came out to them.
“Are you gentlemen here for Mr. Tanner?”
“Yes,” the three men answered as one.
“My name is Frank Barnes and I’m a member of the trauma team who looked after Mister Tanner...”
“How is he, Doc?” Jackson asked.
“If you’ll come with me to the waiting room I’ll explain everything we’ve done for him.”
“Mr. Tanner will recover won’t he?” Standish asked.
“Please, come with me,” the doctor told them and they followed him to a door opposite the nursing station. He held it open and allowed the three dejected looking men to enter. “Sit down.”
“Doc, how is he?” Jackson repeated after they introduced themselves and were seated on the cold waiting room chairs..
“Mr. Tanner came in with two bullet wounds. One to his shoulder, which we took out in surgery. It lodged in the collarbone and we’ve immobilized the arm. The second was to the head and that’s the one that has us worried. The CT scan was negative...”
“That’s good news isn’t it?” Sanchez asked.
“Yes it is, but until he wakes up we won’t know anything for sure. He also came in suffering from dehydration and blood loss. We’ve given him a blood transfusion and running IV fluids into him. He’s also got a bad sunburn to his face and arms. Bottom line, gentlemen, is we wait.”
“Damn!” Jackson hissed as he ran the list of injuries and treatments through his mind.
“The one good piece of news in all of this was that Mr. Tanner was awake for a few minutes when the Paramedics arrived on the scene.”
“Can we see him, Doc?”
“I’ll let the nurses know you’ll be coming to see him. He’s on a ventilator for tonight, but we should be able to remove it tomorrow morning.”
“How long before Mr. Tanner wakes up?” Standish asked.
“I can’t say for sure. With a head injury like this it could be tomorrow or next week. We really can’t give a time limit with this. We simply have to wait until he does. One of the nurses will let you know when you can see him.”
“Thank you, Doctor,” Sanchez said as they shook the man’s hand.
“You’re welcome. I just wish I had better news for you. I expect the police will want to speak with you as well.”
“We’ve already been in touch with Captain Parker,” Jackson answered.
Frank Barnes opened the door and left the three men to their thoughts. It wasn’t long before Katy Miller came into the room and told them they could see the patient. Nathan followed her out the door at the direction of the other two men. They knew Jackson’s paramedic training would enable him to tell them how Tanner was and they trusted his opinion. Once Jackson came out Standish and Sanchez would go in. They would keep vigil by their friend until the others arrived.
Nathan followed the tall dark haired nurse to a glass enclosed room close to the nurse’s station.
“Carol, Mr. Jackson is a friend of Mr. Tanner and would like to visit with him for a few minutes.”
Carol Salmond looked up from her patient and smiled at the handsome man standing in the doorway. “Hello, Mr. Jackson.”
“Ma’am,” Jackson said as he entered the tiny room.
“Please call me Carol. Talk to him and let him know you’re here, Mr. Jackson,” she said as she continued to check the readings on the overhead monitors.
Jackson stepped up to the bed and listened to the reassuring hiss of air being fed into Vin Tanner’s lungs. He knew what all the tubes were for, knew why they were giving him antibiotics as well as IV fluids. He grimaced at the sunburned face, knowing Tanner would normally have a perfect tan, but the time in the hot sun had caused his skin to burn. He could tell they’d put something on the burns, evidenced by the traces of white cream around his eyebrows and ears.
He reached for the unconscious man’s left hand, carefully avoiding the IV lines. “Hey, Vin, you’re gonna be just fine. The nurses here are gonna take good care of you and you’ll be up and around in no time,” he swallowed against the dryness in his throat as he realized how false his words sounded to his own ears. He knew how unpredictable head wounds could be and this was a bad one. “I can’t stay long because Josiah and Ezra are waitin’ to see you. Buck and JD will be here later today. We’re all worried about you, Vin, so keep fi...fighting.” He released the slack hand and looked at the nurse. “Thank you,” he mumbled as he left the room, his thoughts turning to the missing member of the team. ‘Where the hell are you, Chris?’ he thought as Josiah and Ezra passed him and stepped into the room.
Nevada-2002
They’d been following the dirt road for nearly an hour now and Robert Maguire’s excitement was building. He looked to the man seated beside him and smiled at the thought of what was to come. The next stop would be Sulphur and from there they’d continue on to the area he used for his game of cat and mouse. He sighed as he realized Christopher Larabee’s death would also mean death to the old woman as they would not need her services anymore. Something about this final game felt right. This man would fulfill a need in him that he didn’t understand, but reading The Book was bringing it clearer. He still didn’t believe in needing to hear Larabee scream, but he now knew it really was destiny. There was no doubt of that anymore, maybe not today or tomorrow, but within the week the blond would be lying in a grave in the blinding white sands of the Black Rock Desert. He turned his attention back to the road as Winston drove at the speed limit, not wanting to be pulled over for any reason. He turned back to the unconscious man and whispered. “The time will come when you beg me to kill you, Christopher, but it won’t happen until I feel the time is right. My great, great grandfather thought it was when his victim screamed, but that’s not what will do it for me. I need to hear you beg me to take your life and then our Destiny will end with you dead and me succeeding where my ancestor failed.”
Albuquerque-2002
Buck and JD edged into the room and up to the bed. The ventilator was gone now and the pale man was breathing on his own, but he had yet to wake up. Buck reached out and placed his hand gently on Tanner’s sunburned forehead, flicking at the unruly hair as he did so. He knew they were going to be moving the patient to a private room in an hour or so if things continued as they were. He silently prayed that they would. The talk with the police had uncovered very few clues as to who shot Vin Tanner and who took Chris Larabee. He knew Jackson and Sanchez were already on their way to Four Corners to see if they could find anything the police might have missed.
They were alone with their friend and Buck looked at the younger man standing beside him. He wasn’t surprised when he saw his own worries and fears mirrored on the kid’s face. He placed a hand on JD’s shoulder and bit back his own pain as he tried to reassure Dunne. He turned his gaze back to the injured man and spoke softly. “Hey, Vin, you’re looking better than I thought you would. Hell, that bruise on your face and that sling on your arm are just gonna get all the pretty nurses fawning all over you.”
“Yeah, Vin, ya gotta wake up before Buck tries to leave his mark on all of ‘em. I mean he can’t handle one any more let alone five or...”
“Now, Kid, Vin knows I got what it takes and the ladies love it. Now I’d be willing to let you have your share, Vin, if you’ll wake up and show me them perfect Tanner sky blues,” Wilmington vowed. The only sound in the room were the clicks and beeps of the medical equipment feeding the injured man fluids and monitoring his vital signs.
JD knew how worried the ladies man was, truth was he was terrified they were losing not one, but two vital members of the team. The doctors assured them that Vin should be fine once he woke up, but until then all they could do was wait. So far nothing had been found that would lead them to the other missing member and things did not look good. He pushed his own worries to the back of his mind and placed a hand on the scoundrel’s shoulder. “They’ll find him, Buck!”
Wilmington forced a thin smile to his face as he struggled to keep the tears at bay. “I hope so, JD, ‘cause I got a feeling it’s gonna take a hell of a lot to find Chris this time.”
“You can’t give up on him, Buck. All those times you told us ‘Ol Chris is a fighter and he won’t let something like this stop him!’. Don’t you believe that anymore?”
“I don’t know, JD, I just ...I got a bad feeling that it’s gonna take a lot more than just us to find him.”
“The police are helping.”
“That’s not what I mean,” Wilmington said, thinking of the strange dreams he’d been having since hearing Chris and Vin would be visiting ghost towns in New Mexico.
“Then what do you mean?”
Buck thought about the seven shadowy figures he saw following Chris and Vin in his dreams. There was nothing malevolent about them, but no matter how hard he tried to see their faces they stayed just beyond the shadows. He had a feeling they were there to help, but how or why he didn’t know.
“What do you mean?”
“I don’t know, Kid, I just keep thinking we’re gonna be asking for a lot of Josiah’s Divine Intervention.”
“I think we already have that,” Dunne said softly.
“What are you talking about, JD?” Wilmington asked.
“Just something I dreamed about, Buck.”
The ladies’ man frowned as he heard the tremor in the younger man’s voice. “What was it, Kid?”
“You’ll say it’s stupid.”
“Don’t be so sure, JD.”
“It was a dream. I saw Chris and Vin in some town and they were being followed...”
“By seven men.”
“How’d you know!” Dunne exclaimed. “I mean...”
“Had the same type of dream, Kid. Something tells me those seven men are somehow connected to Four Corners.”
“Buck, can I see you for a minute.”
Wilmington looked towards the door and saw an exhausted looking Ezra Standish there. “JD, stay with Vin.”
“I will, Buck,” Dunne moved closer to the bed and pulled up a chair.
Ezra signaled for the ladies man to follow him into the waiting room. He sat on one of the chairs and waited for Buck to do the same.
“What’s wrong, Ez?” He watched as Standish toyed with something in his pocket and wondered what had the usually unflappable gambler so unnerved.
“I... The nurse in the ER. The one that looked after Vin...”
“What about her?”
“She said Vin was holding something when he was brought in. It dropped on the fl...floor.”
“What was it, Ez?”
“I...I’m not sure if it’s anything to do with Vin being shot or Chris’ disappearance, but...”
“But what?”
Standish swallowed the lump in his throat as he pulled out the dog-eared card and handed it to his friend.
Wilmington frowned as he studied the old style playing card. He could make out a black ace in one corner and in the center of the card could only be a spade. “What is this?”
“The ace of spades.”
“I know that, Ezra. That’s not what I meant. This is usually your calling card, but this thing seems ancient.”
“It is. Mother had a deck from the late 1800s and there is no doubt in my mind this card is from that period.”
“Where would Vin get it and why was he holding it when they brought him in?”
“I don’t know, Buck. But it feels right to me. It feels like this is a sign that we’re going to find Chris.”
“I hope you’re right, Ez,” Wilmington said as he passed back the card. “Because we’re gonna need all the help we can get.”
Black Rock Dessert-2002
She stood on the porch of her home. The place she’d lived in for forty of her fifty-nine years. A tear formed in her eyes as she realized what she’d stooped to in order to keep the home her long dead husband built for her. She knew she wasn’t an angel and she’d done things that went against everything she believed in. The call from her husband’s nephew had brought it all crashing back home once more. Five years had passed since the last call. The one that resulted in the death of a man who’d been an enemy of Robert Maguire, now they were bringing another victim to her home. She regretted the day she’d called Mark Winston and asked him to help save her home. He’d done that, but at the cost of her soul,. For she no longer liked who she was. She looked into the window of her home and trembled at her own reflection. A dead woman stared back at her, for that’s what she saw in the once vibrant green eyes. She’d lost her love of life and self once she’d given in to the monsters who now owned her. She felt the tears edging down her face, slowly taking some of the pain from her heart, but leaving a sense of hopelessness in its wake. She turned her eyes towards the old mine at the edge of her property, knowing this would be the holding pen for the new victim. The man would be there soon, and everything was ready for him. She felt her body tremble as she fought her own fears. Her shoulders slumped and her tears ran freely down her face as she walked back into her home.
Mark Winston drove slowly through the town of Sulphur. Smiling as he thought of the old joke. ‘Don’t blink or you’ll miss it.’ He smiled as he looked towards the gas tank. They’d filled up at the last station and had plenty of gas. The next stop they made would be at the beginning of the trek that would see Chris Larabee become the mouse while he and Robert Maguire became the cats. They’d drive the blond towards Mary Winston’s home. His aunt would not need that home much longer. She’d be dead and buried along with the sleeping man seated in the back.
He passed through the town and continued along the dirt road. Miles and miles of white sand would soon be all they could see. The searing heat of the day would be tempered by the rapid drop in temperature at night. The range between night and day could be anywhere from 30 to 100 degrees. He knew the chase could last anywhere from four hours to twenty four hours, but the end result would find Chris Larabee at Mary Winston’s home. ‘Right where we want you,’ he thought.
Robert Maguire took a deep breath and looked at the sleeping man. The drug in his system would keep him asleep for another two hours. That was more than enough time to get into position. Larabee would wake up alone, with nothing but a canteen of water laced with a tasteless drug that would cause mild hallucinations. This way he knew his victim would be unable to think clearly. He knew his captive would have to drink the water, without it he’d die of dehydration. He turned his attention back to the road ahead. The white sands spread as far as the eye could see. Nothing but sand, hills of sand, unbroken by anything, a barren place yet beautiful in its harshness.
Four Corners-2002
The helicopter landed on the flat ground half a mile from the abandoned town. The pilot would wait for them there, while they walked through Four Corners. Josiah and Nathan reached for the canteens and nodded to the pilot as they hurried towards the buildings. It didn’t take long for the two men to reach the town and they saw the yellow police tape surrounding the area. A lone officer was there and he walked out to meet them.
“Josiah Sanchez,” the ex-preacher introduced himself and nodded towards his companion. “Nathan Jackson. Captain Parker said we could have a look around.”
“Joe Moye. Captain Parker told me you’d be coming. Follow me,” the officer said and led them towards the old newspaper building. “There were some old clippings in there. I think your friends were probably looking at them. The captain said to tell you they’ll be at the station if you want to take a look at them.”
“Thanks, Joe,” Sanchez said as they entered the old building.
“If you boys are okay I’m gonna finish my lunch.”
“We’re fine. Thanks for the help,” Jackson told him. He watched Moye walk across the street and step into the shaded area. He looked back at his friend and frowned at the faraway look on his face. He followed the older man’s gaze and frowned as his eyes lit on two buildings at the edge of town. “Josiah?”
“Nathan, There’s something strange going on here.”
Jackson shivered as he looked up and down the street. “I know what you mean. It’s like deja vu.”
“I don’t think deja vu is the right term. It’s almost like coming home, but not my home.”
“I think you’re right, Josiah. I keep getting the feeling that it was destiny that brought us here.”
“Yes. Destiny, but whose and why. If we can find that out we might just find the lead we need to find Chris.”
“Well, I guess we’d better get started.”
“Yeah,” Sanchez agreed tearing his eyes from the broken down building at the edge of town. He knew in his heart this place was once a church and he wondered why it seemed to be calling out to him. Shaking off the cobwebs surrounding his mind he followed Jackson into the newspaper building.
Black Rock Desert-2002
He licked his lips and frowned as he had to force his tongue past them. He couldn’t understand why he felt so hot, heat radiated all around him, above, beside and over him. He felt as if an open furnace surrounded him. He was lying on his back on something hard, but couldn’t understand what it was. He opened his eyes, but the bright sunshine forced them shut once more. He waited a few minutes and finally turned onto his stomach. His head pounded and he reached up to touch the area, finding a painful lump at the base of his skull. He lifted his head and forced his eyes open once more. He groaned as his stomach churned and fought back the sickness. Five long agonizing minutes later he was sitting up, his back resting against a hard surface, but he couldn’t tell what it was. He sucked in breath after breath, the heated air burning its way into his lungs until the dizziness left him. He turned towards the two items sitting beside him. He reached for the canteen and pulled open the lid, surprised to find it full. He lifted the canteen to his mouth and let the soothing moisture flow into his mouth. He swished the tepid liquid around before finally swallowing it. Again he turned his mind to remembering where he was and why he was there. The second item was a small handheld tape recorder and he finally picked it up. He pressed the play button and listened as the tape started forward.
“Hello, Christopher, if you’re listening to this then the game has begun. What game you might ask? Well it’s a game of cat and mouse, or should I say cats and mouse. You Christopher are the mouse and Mark and I are the cats. The object of this game is for you to get to help before we kill you. If you look around you will notice you’re in a desert, but not just any desert. This is the Black Rock Desert and it is not a pleasant place to visit if you don’t have the right equipment. You have been supplied with a canteen of water and the clothes you have on. I’m afraid we have the advantage in weapons, actually we have the only weapons. I know you probably don’t feel like running right now, but we do have a little inspiration for you. I know we told you Vin Tanner is dead and he is, but if you make it you’ll be able to have revenge on the man who killed him. If you die he goes free. It’s that simple.”
Larabee’s eyes went glacial in spite of the pounding headache. “Vin, dead,” he croaked into the still air. He listened as the voice droned on, anger seeping into every nerve ending, driving back the pain and opening his mind for what needed to be done.
“So, you have five more minutes to start running, Christopher. I’m not sure which way would be the best way for you to go as we’ve set you down in the middle of nowhere. There are some homes out here but they are few and far between. So, drink up, stand up and get moving.”
The tape ended and Chris Larabee stood up, surveying the area around him. He swayed unsteadily for a few seconds before grabbing the canteen and throwing it over his shoulder. His stomach churned and he bent at the waist as he lost the small amount of water he’d managed to drink. He stood for a few more seconds, debating which way he should go. No matter where he looked it was hills of white sands stretching out as far as the eye could see. He rubbed his eyes, grimacing as sand found its way under his lids. Forcing them open again he was about to move south when a bullet kicked up the sand in front of his feet. He tried to gauge which direction it came from, but another one struck even closer. He turned to the west and started running, but again a bullet struck the ground in front of him and he had to change directions again.
‘They’re herding me,’ he thought, but couldn’t dwell on it as more bullets pinged all around him. He ran, changing directions each time a one hit in front of him. He topped a small hill and slid down the other side, crying out as his head pounded with renewed force. He dragged himself as close to the hill as possible and opened the canteen once more. He swallowed a small amount of the precious substance, knowing he’d need to conserve it if he was to have any chance of making it out of there alive. He recapped the canteen and tried to catch his breath. Chris squinted his eyes and forced his body to obey his commands. He stood up and ran, this time ignoring the shots at his feet. ‘Can’t let them herd me like I’m some Godamned cow,’ he thought. The bullets continued to come closer, but he ran onwards ignoring the spray of sand until one finally found its mark and he tumbled to the ground, panting in pain and exhaustion. He was not and never would be a quitter, but for now he stayed where he was, fighting against the burning agony cause by the bullet and the nausea building in his stomach. He closed his eyes, telling himself it would only be for a couple of minutes and didn’t hear the two men hurrying towards him.
Maguire picked up the canteen and shook it as Winston knelt beside the unconscious man. He knew the small amount of LSD mixed in with the water was doing the job he wanted. He knew exactly what to expect from the hallucinogenic drug, even in its diluted state. His other victims had been the guinea pigs until he now had the formula down pat. He placed the canteen back on the ground and smiled as he watched his friend check over the unconscious man.
Winston checked the wound on Larabee’s left shoulder and smiled. His accuracy with a rifle was excellent and the groove running along the blond’s upper arm wasn’t bad, but would hurt like a son of a bitch. He looked up at his friend as he tied a piece of cloth around the wound. “He’s fine,” he said.
“Good,” Maguire said as the blond showed signs of coming to. “Get back to your position and let’s get him moving again.”
Winston smiled as he stood up and moved away from the awakening man. Twilight was closing in and he knew darkness wouldn’t be far behind it. They’d need to make sure Larabee continued in the direction they wanted him to go in spite of his stubbornness to go the other way. He wondered how many flesh wounds he’d have to inflict to get his point across to the injured man.
Maguire watched as Winston moved away and he hurried in the other direction. He knew he wasn’t as good a shot as his friend, but he could use the rifle to keep Larabee moving along. He backed away just as the downed man turned onto his back and reached for the canteen.
Albuquerque-2002
Ezra sat beside the bed holding Vin Tanner, watching the steady rise and fall of the sharpshooter’s chest as he fingered the card in his hand. Each time he looked at the faded ace he felt something stir inside him, something beyond reasoning and yet he believed this was a message from the past. For what and for whom he didn’t know, but he was sure the man lying silently in the bed would know the answer.
Buck and JD had finally gone for something to eat, but not without a promise that if Vin woke up he’d come get them. He took a deep breath, put the card back in his pocket, and looked out the window as twilight pushed lengthy shadows across the room. He reached for the switch over Tanner’s bed and turned on the light. The gambler sat back in the chair and rubbed his lower back, wondering why all hospitals seemed to have the same uncomfortable chairs. He reached out with his right hand and placed it on the pale man’s shoulder before speaking.
“Well, Mr. Tanner, it seems we’re going to have to find some of that stubborn patience you always seem to have.” He smiled as he realized patience was not normally one of this man’s traits, except when he was losing himself in his job. “You know when you’re hiding in one of those small places to make a seemingly impossible shot you do show remarkable patience? The way you just sit there, unmoving, except to take a breath or reposition yourself for a better angle is an amazing feat. Right now though, we need you to wake up and help us find our missing leader. It’s been nearly two days since they brought you in here, Vin. It’s time to open your eyes and tell us everything is alright with you. Show us that the bullet didn’t scramble anything inside you’re head.” He shook his head as the only answer were the beeps and clicks from the machines monitoring his friend’s vital signs. He sank back in the hard plastic chair and waited for the others to return.
Black Rock Desert-2002
Chris knew he wasn’t unconscious very long and reached for the canteen. Before his fingers closed over the strap he noticed the makeshift bandage on his arm and struggled to remember putting it there. He fingered the knotted cloth and winced as he saw the blood seeping through it.
“Shit!” he hissed. “What the fuck is going on?” he picked up the canteen, needing to ease the thirst running through his body. He lifted it to his mouth and swallowed a small amount. He knew it wasn’t enough, but he hoped he’d be able to keep it down. A sound to his right made him freeze and he slowly turned his head. He gasped at the sight before him. An impossibly large rattlesnake, poised to strike met his gaze. Part of his mind realized rattlesnakes could not be this big. Chris didn’t have time to debate the issue as the snake grew larger before his eyes. The mouth opened and he gasped as the tongue seemed to slither out and lick it’s lips in anticipation. Larabee looked at the canteen in his hand and suddenly made a connection between the water and the things he was seeing. His attention returned to the snake and he squinted his eyes. It seemed the impossible was happening as the head swayed back and forth hypnotically, entrancing him in its beguiling gaze. His hand reached out to touch it just as a shot sounded and the impossibly large head exploded before his eyes. He cried out as the snake’s remains sprayed across him.
He breathed deeply for a few minutes, hoping the world would stop spinning long enough for him to stand up and get moving. One thought was clear in his mind. There was one name feeding his need to avenge the death of Vin Tanner. Robert Maguire would pay for the tracker’s death. How and where, he didn’t know, but it was a vow he would keep or die trying. He stood up and picked up the canteen. The world around him became a shifting landscape of impossible nightmare images. Again his eyes were drawn to the canteen and he knew this was where those images stemmed from. With a disgusted curse he flung the canteen away from him and screamed.
“I’m not that fucking easy to kill, Maguire!” He hissed as pain lanced through his skull, but smiled as it seemed to clear his head for a few seconds. He turned to the right and vomited the remainder of what was in his stomach.
Maguire smiled as he heard Larabee’s vow, this was going better than he’d ever thought. None of his other victims had realized the water they were given was drugged, but this man had known almost instantly what was happening. He was close enough to see the snake and the blond’s reaction to it and knew the drug was contributing to whatever Larabee was seeing. “I’m hoping you’re not, Christopher,” he whispered as the sky gave way to a vibrant sunset.
Winston knew Maguire did not want Larabee dead and as he watched the man’s hand reach out towards the snake he acted instinctively. The shot was true and the snake’s head exploded. He smiled as Larabee moved away from the dead reptile. He watched as the injured man stood up and threw away the canteen of drugged water. A small part of the cat began to admire the mouse he was chasing.
Chris stumbled along as twilight descended over the landscape. He lost track of how many times he fell, or had to strain his eyes to see past the nightmare images taunting him. A shadow seemed to move towards him, but he cringed and turned the other way. Animals that could not exist snarled at him from behind rocks, their sharpened claws reaching out to shred his flesh and leave it hangin from his body. His hands would move to the area where the claws had sunk in only to find the skin still intact. He forced his legs to carry him, one step at a time he moved, not realizing he was still being herded.
He tripped and rolled down another hill where he waited a few minutes before sitting up and doing an inventory of his own body. Nothing was broken, but every part of him ached. He closed his eyes and felt his mind wandering and frowned as a familiar voice broke through the lethargy invading his body. Twilight had long since given way to darkness, but the bright moon and the expanding blanket of stars was enough to illuminate his surroundings.
‘Chris.’
His name sounded as if it came from a distance and was carried by the wind. He sat up and looked around, surprised to see a lone figure on horseback. Something about the lean form was refreshing and he realized he was seeing his best friend. “V...Vin,” he croaked tiredly.
‘You need to get up and start moving, Cowboy. Your friends need you to stay alive for them.’
“My friends?” Chris wondered why the sharpshooter wouldn’t come any closer to him and seemed to stay just beyond his ability to make out features.
‘Vin, Buck, Josiah, Nathan, Ezra and JD are all waiting for you.’
Larabee shook his head tiredly. “Can’t be. Vin’s dead otherwise I wouldn’t be seeing you now.”
‘Your Vin is still alive. He needs you as much as I needed my Chris. Stay strong, Chris, and know your friends will come for you.’
Chris watched as the figure seemed to meld with the black backdrop and finally disappeared. He knew the same thing that caused him to see the shifting shapes in the harsh landscape around him probably brought on the apparition. Taking a deep breath he realized it didn’t matter, nothing mattered, except killing the men responsible for Vin Tanner’s death. He forced his way to his knees, then pushed up on his feet and staggered forward once more. Every now and then a gunshot would sound and he didn’t even notice he’d made a change in direction once more.
 |
 |
 |
 |