Seven shadowy figures stood just inside the entrance to the mine. Each man knew what was to happen the next day. A figure dressed totally in black understood the pain the injured man felt. He turned away from the madman and looked into the dull interior where his great, great grandson had finally lost consciousness. He struggled against the emotions of seeing a man in so much pain and felt a strong hand on his shoulder.
‘He’ll make it, Chris,’ Sanchez told the blond.
‘I know, Josiah, but he’ll have to live with what that madman is doing to him.’ Larabee snarled.
‘You made it past that, Chris and he seems to have your strength,” Jackson said.
‘If I were to endeavor to make a bet on his survival, Mr. Larabee, I would bet on your namesake,’ Standish smiled as his hand touched the black duster.
‘He’ll win, Chris,’ Dunne spoke softly as he watched his mentor.
‘Come on, ya ol’ war dog, we both know how pig headed you Larabee’s can be,’ Wilmington smiled at his long time friend.
‘The others will get here in time, Chris,’ the sharpshooter vowed.
Chris felt the strength of friendship and brotherhood and knew the injured man was blessed with the same thing.
The shadows of seven figures faded as they waited for the arrival of the men who would save this Chris Larabee.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Enroute to Reno/Tahoe International airport-2002
The Firm’s private jet had been in the air for an hour when Nathan first noticed the grimace of pain on the man in the seat beside him. Without saying a word to Vin Tanner he signaled to the flight attendant and waited for her to come to him.
“What can I get you, Nathan.”
“Just a glass of water, please, Jackie.”
“Right away,” she answered as she looked at the man in the next seat. “How is he?”
“Hurting, but he won’t admit it,” Jackson explained softly.
“I’m fine, Nate,” the sharpshooter said tiredly. He turned away from the two people and tried to get comfortable. Doctor Barnes’ words echoed through his mind as he struggled to control the headache and nausea.
“Sure you are, Vin,” Jackson said as he took out the bottle of painkillers and dropped two into his hand. He waited for Jackie to bring the glass of water before turning back to the injured man. “Here,” he said.
Vin opened his eyes to half-mast and frowned at the medic. “What?”
“Take these.”
“Don’t need ‘em,” the Texan whispered, afraid any loud noise would set off the explosion building in his skull.
“Vin, I know you’re hurting and I know you want to be able to think, but right now we’re thousands of miles in the air and it’ll be a while before we reach Reno,” he knew it was technically the Reno/Tahoe International airport they were headed for. “At least these will help you get some sleep,” he saw the look in Tanner’s eyes and knew he was about to refuse again. “Look, Vin, you’ll be no help to us if you pass out and end up back in the hospital. At least this way you’ll feel a little more human.”
The sharpshooter knew the medic was right. He really did feel lousy. He took the pills and placed them in his mouth before taking the glass of water from the flight attendant. He swallowed the them with a full glass of water and passed it back to the pretty flight attendant. “Thanks,” he said and let his eyes close once more. He felt his mind drifting and knew somehow he was seeking out the presence that only he could feel. He smiled as he felt the quicksilver resonance that told him Chris Larabee was still alive and waiting for them.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Black Rock Desert-2002
Miles away in a darkening cave a smile graced the pale features of another man. Chris felt the familiar tingling and knew Vin Tanner really was still alive. He realized he’d known it all along, but had been too weak to feel the touch. Now, as he stood in the cave, his back, hip, head, shoulders and ankles throbbing for relief, he knew he wasn’t alone. The unconscious man didn’t see the smile mirrored on the seven faces from the past, but he felt as if he was being protected. A soft sigh left the battered form as he sank deeper into unconsciousness.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Reno/Tahoe International airport-2002
The airport was a veritable hubbub of activity as the six men disembarked from the jet and moved into the building. They didn’t need to stop by the luggage carousel as each man carried in their hands everything they needed. Five sets of hands were ready in case the injured man should falter, but Vin Tanner seemed to stand taller than he had since they’d left the hospital. The pain was still evident on his face and in the set of his shoulders, but they knew it wouldn’t stop the sharpshooter from doing what needed to be done.
The building was well lit and they walked to the Hertz rental car booth and quickly filled out the necessary papers that would see them in the control of a 1997 Ford Aerostar van. Josiah would drive the first leg of the journey. JD had brought his laptop along and they now had maps of the area they’d be going to. They knew they’d be searching in sparsely settled areas as Maguire would not want any witnesses to what he was doing. Twenty minutes later, with Vin Tanner sitting in the back seat, the belt tucked gently across his lap, Josiah pulled out into the street and headed away from the airport. They would drive towards Gerlach and begin their search in that general direction.
Vin settled back against the seat, his head throbbing with each heartbeat, his shoulder adding it’s own loud protests as he tried to get comfortable. He closed his eyes, not wanting to see the worry and concern on the faces of his friends. His stomach was queasy, in spite of the Dramamine pills Nathan had given him, but he knew he needed to concentrate. He forced his own problems aside in order to think straight. There was something they were missing, and he knew if he could pinpoint what it was they’d draw a straight line to where Chris Larabee was being held. He struggled to control his body’s pain as he forced himself to think about the strange things occurring around them.
Are you all right, Mr. Tanner?”
Vin forced his heavy lids open and realized the steady swaying of the van had caused him to slip towards sleep and let his guard down. He knew the gambler heard his low moan of pain and smiled at the concern in the green eyes. He forced a slight smile to his pale face as he answered.
“Yeah, Ez, I’m fine, just thinking is all.”
“Well if thinking causes you that much pain I would endeavor not to think anymore.” Standish returned the smile as Jackson turned in the seat and looked at the two men. Only the passing lights of other cars lighted the interior of the van, yet Nathan knew the sharpshooter was in pain once more. He looked at the bottle nestled in the small compartment between his and Sanchez’ seat and reached for the pills.
“I don’t need them yet, Nate,” Tanner said as he let his eyes slide closed.
“Vin...”
“Nate, I need to think and those things make me feel groggy. I’ll tell you when I need them. Okay?”
Jackson knew the young man was telling the truth for a change. He nodded his head and returned his attention to the highway ahead of them.
Buck and JD continued to go over the information stored in the laptop. The route they were taking had been agreed upon by the six of them, yet nothing was set in stone. They knew this journey would not end until they found Chris Larabee, but they were playing things by ear. The strange happenings of the last few weeks would eventually lead them to their missing friend, all they needed to do was set aside their scepticism and listen to what their hearts told them.
Buck watched the kid as his fingers tapped out a staccato rhythm on the keys. Page after page of text, photos and maps were displayed for brief seconds as the young man searched for anything that would help them. He discovered that a man named Mark Winston had befriended Robert Maguire shortly after Maguire acquired The Golden Parrot Casino/hotel in Reno, Nevada. The two men were seldom seen without the other one in attendance. There was talk that they had more than a friendly relationship, but if they did they were very discreet about it.
JD continued to look for information about Maguire in the Reno area, more often than not coming up empty. He’d turned from the search into Maguire’s background and was concentrating on Mark Winston. There was something about the name that nagged him, but he couldn’t quite place it. He tapped at the keys, the light from the monitor illuminating the small area around him.
Josiah watched the road ahead, searching for the turnoff that would lead them to Gerlach. Once there they’d either get a room for the night or continue on, depending on how they felt or if something new came up. His thoughts once more moved towards the strange things happening around them. Somehow he knew the past and the present were always tied together, but never had he felt so sure of it as he did now. The things he’d felt in Four Corners were more than a hint of what was happening and he’d seen stranger things happen to others. He wondered why people often ignored this gift from God, but he knew in this instance a man’s life hinged on all of them believing in the unbelievable. His eyes shifted to the rear view mirror and quickly met the blue eyes of the ladies’ man. He saw the same surety in Wilmington’s eyes before he shifted his attention back to the road ahead. A road leading to Gerlach, and eventually Chris Larabee.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`
Black Rock Desert-2002
Chris didn’t know if his eyes were open or closed. The darkness was absolute and the silence almost deafening in its non-existence. The air was growing colder and he knew it must be night again. How many nights had passed since he’d been placed in the mine, he didn’t know, but each time he woke up he felt weaker. He struggled upwards, forgetting about the injury to his numb hip and cried out as it shifted in its socket. He trembled as his body tried to extract heat from the air around it, but nothing worked. Chris was cold and it felt as if he’d never be warm again. He bit his lip, tasting the metallic tang of blood as the cracked skin broke and bled under the simple assault.
The silence surrounding him was something he could live with, especially since it meant his tormentor was not around. He sucked the dry air into his lungs and coughed as the dust coated them. He knew he was in danger of exposure and what that would mean to him. The cold, the lack of water, and the pain were devastating to him, but once more shadowy movement caught his attention. As impossible as it seemed there was a light in the chamber, yet it didn’t illuminate anything. He smiled as the figure walked towards him and he knew he wasn’t alone.
‘Soon, Chris, very soon,’ Tanner assured the injured man.
Larabee met the blue eyes and saw the confidence in them. A confidence he knew he could trust as much as he trusted his own Vin Tanner. He shifted slightly, groaning as pain lanced through his hip, flowing upwards to encompass his chest and head. The minor injuries, including the needle wounds behind his knees, elbows and waist continued to aggravate him, but they were minor compared to the overlying pain in the rest of his body. He forced a smile to his face in spite of the chattering teeth.
“C...ccoldd...” he stammered.
‘Yeah, I know ya are. It won’t be fer much longer, Cowboy. Trust me.’
“I do tru...st you, Vin, just tired...”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Robert Maguire sat at the table in Mary Winston’s home. He knew the following day would see the death of his nemesis, yet he wanted him to suffer more than he already had. He looked once more at the bottle of water before him, It looked like any other bottle of water lining the shelves in supermarkets around the world, yet there was nothing normal about this one. This one held a little something to send Larabee on another round trip to hell and back. He smiled, knowing just what was about to happen. He picked up the bottle and walked out of the house. The smile plastered on his face was not a merry one, but one that promised much suffering for his captive. Steady feet walked across the clearing as a half moon shone down on the white sands. He felt stronger than he’d ever felt in his life. He would soon prove that to himself and that was all that mattered.
The night air chilled his skin, but his mind didn’t register that fact as he stepped through the entrance. He could smell death in the area, something he’d always been able to detect and he knew tomorrow would see the life drained from Christopher Adam Larabee. He took a deep breath and stepped into the dark chamber.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
‘Just hold on for yer friends, Chris. Have faith no matter what happens.’
“Faith? I’m t...trying.” Chris heard a sound coming from outside and watched as the image of Vin Tanner faded to black. He knew his tormentor was coming back and he fought back the urge to surrender to the waiting blackness and the comfort of unconsciousness. He hung in the chamber, his eyes focused on the entrance, waiting for the inevitable pain that accompanied Maguire’s visits. He heard the man moving around in the darkness and waited expectantly.
Robert Maguire knew his way around the chamber and really didn’t need light to show him what he knew was there. He moved to the shelf that housed the lanterns and the candles and set about lighting them. He craved the image of pain he would see on Larabee’s face once he fed him the water. He set the lanterns and candles around the chamber, not bothering to speak with his captive. The madman knew the blond was awake, yet he wasn’t ready to acknowledge that fact until everything was set. He placed a candle on the table next to the bound man and smiled as he turned towards his victim. It still shocked him when the green eyes managed to meet his. He shook his head and realized he actually admired Larabee’s ability to hide his fears. He knew the man must feel fear after everything that was done to him, yet that fear was not evident in the glaring green eyes. Instead he saw a stubborn determination and strength he couldn’t fathom, and could not afford to admire.
Chris remained still as the man placed the items around the room, forcing back the shadows and lighting up the reality of his captivity. His eyes followed the hated figure as it moved around, waiting for whatever this man had planned for him next. He watched as Maguire stopped before him and kept his eyes steady as the cold, dead gaze turned towards him.
“How are you feeling, Christopher?” Maguire asked, a hint of fear in his voice as he watched the man who should be cowering from him. There was no answer from the blond and he grew impatient. He shoved against the broken hip and smiled as a sharp hiss of pain tore from his victim. “Not talking today?” his eyebrows rose as his confidence returned with his ability to cause pain. “Well that’s okay. I don’t need you to talk, just to drink. I’ve got some water here for you. Do I need to go through the same routine as the last time or will you drink it willingly?”
“Fu...ck you!” Chris couldn’t stop the defiant words from leaving his mouth in spite of his body’s craving for water.
“I’m glad to hear you say that, Christopher,” Maguire laughed as he walked to the table and picked up the bottle of water. “It’s much more pleasurable when I have to force you to drink it. At least for me it is. You see this one contains a little more of the LSD,” he saw a hint of fear in Larabee’s eyes and smiled at the power he held over him. “I figured I’d send you on one more trip before I take your life tomorrow. I’m still confident I can get you to beg me to kill you, to stop the pain, but it’s not imperative that you do so anymore. All that is required is your death at my hands.”
Chris swallowed and again clamped down on his teeth as Maguire moved to stand beside him. He tried to shift away from his tormentor, landed on his right leg, and cried out as pain traveled a straight line from the damaged area to his brain. He felt Maguire’s hand in his hair, but it didn’t seem to matter anymore. His world had just exploded into a jumble of pain, and he could no longer distinguish one from the other. His breath came in hitching gulps as something was poured into his mouth. He knew he needed to expel the liquid, yet a hand quickly replaced the bottle and clamped down on his mouth. His eyes opened wide as he tried not to swallow, but his body betrayed him and the liquid flowed down his throat. The relief it gave his arid mouth paled when compared to what the drug would do to him. Green eyes were forced open once more as the madman released his mouth. He could feel tears streaming from his eyes as the pain in his hip continued to gnaw at his raw nerves. He knew he was not going to die, yet he wasn’t sure if that was such a good thing anymore. He saw the bottle in Maguire’s hands and realized he’d drank over half of the LSD laced water. He stood tall on his left leg and forced himself to meet the madman’s gaze.
“Coward!” he snarled, amazed at how much strength he managed to put into the heated word.
“Oh, no, Christopher, I am not a coward. I see what I want and I go after it. If someone gets in my way I make them regret the day they laid eyes on me. I’ve killed a few men in my life, but none has ever showed the strength you have. I’m beginning to wonder if perhaps my great, great grandfather was right and that I can somehow harness that spirit and strength of soul you have,” he stood watching as Larabee’s eyes began to glaze over and knew the drug was beginning to affect his mind. He sat back in the chair and waited for the drug-induced trip to begin.
Chris licked his lips as the first of the drug-induced hallucinations began. He watched as Maguire turned into a monster before his eyes and almost laughed at the irony of it. He knew he couldn’t trust what he was seeing anymore, but that didn’t make it any less real. He cried out as tiny spiders appeared on his bare chest. He screamed as mouths opened in the tiny creatures and revealed razor sharp rows of teeth. Snickering laughter seemed to escape each tiny mouth as they clamped down on the skin covering his chest.
Maguire smiled as Larabee’s gaze dropped to his chest. “What are you seeing, Christopher?”
Green eyes opened wide as terror washed over him. His vision blurred as he closed his eyes to block out the image, but it didn’t work. Instead his mind conjured up pain as the pincher like mandibles drove into his flesh, the unlikely spiders boring into his chest. “NO!” he screamed, his eyes widening in fear as more of the tiny arachnids joined the ones already on his chest. He felt consciousness slipping away, even as he felt the creatures devouring his heated flesh, yet there was no relief as his eyes widened once more and a scream left his ravaged throat.
Maguire knew the blond was seeing things he could not, and he smiled as his victim’s screams weakened to the point of whimpering cries. The power he held over his captive felt right, something that was destined to happen. He ran his fingers over the bruised torso, knowing his fingers were adding to the raging hallucinations brought on by the drug. He sank back in the chair to watch the tormented figure before him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Vin shifted in the back seat as they entered the town of Gerlach. He’d finally given in to the need for relief and taken the offered painkillers. They were parked outside a small town and Vin frowned as he looked at a sign outside the window.
Where The Pavement Ends and the West Begins.
A figure dressed in black blended with the shadows underneath the sign and he wondered why he could see him so clearly. “Chris,” he said softly.
‘Hurry, Vin, you boys need to move a little faster.’
“Is Chris...”
‘He’s still alive, but Maguire’s doing a number on him.’
“Can ya tell us where he is?”
‘I wish I could, Vin, but I’ve never been to this place and I can’t tell you the name of it, but you’re close. Just make Josiah go a little faster. JD knows, Vin, he just has to search his subconscious for something he passed over.’
The figure faded and Vin opened his eyes, surprised to actually see the sign announcing the town of Gerlach. He knew they were supposed to spend the night here and head out at first light. Those plans were about to change. “Josiah.”
Sanchez glanced into the rear view mirror at the soft call of his name. “What’s wrong, Vin?”
“We need to keep going.”
“Vin, you need to rest,” Jackson warned.
Vin could feel Wilmington staring at him and knew he felt the same urgency. “We have to keep going, Nathan. If we don’t none of this matters because Chris will be dead.”
“How do...” Jackson stopped as he realized he was questioning something they’d all accepted as true. “We need to stop for gas and pick up more supplies.”
“JD?”
“Yeah, Vin.”
“There’s something we’ve missed and only you know what it is,” Tanner told him.
“Me?”
“Think, JD, all those names you’ve been reading. There’s got to be one that stands out,” the Texan told him.
“I don’t...” the kids eyes widened suddenly and he looked at the ladies man sitting beside him. The confidence in the blue eyes told JD he trusted him. His eyes searched each member of the team and stopped on the gambler. Again he was shocked at the confidence there. He looked down at the screen and returned to the list of names he’d called up.
“There’s so many,” he whispered.
“Trust your instincts, JD,” the gambler said. “We know there are some strange things going on and we’ve come too far to doubt ourselves now. I know I’m believing in things mother would be appalled at if she knew, but there’s just too much going on to ignore it.”
JD felt the van stop, but didn’t take his eyes off the screen. His eyes continued to return to one name and he tapped the letters on the keyboard. He waited for the information to come up on the screen and gasped at what he saw.
“I got him!” he said, excitement making his voice sound boyish as he looked from one agent to another.
“Who is it?” Wilmington asked.
“Mark Winston. His uncle had a small place in the Black Rock Desert. Josiah, we need to get on that dirt road we passed and head towards Sulphur. I don’t have an exact location, but the property is somewhere between Sulphur and Winnemucca. There’s just nothing that tells me exactly where it is.”
“It’s okay, Son, we’ll know when we get there,” Sanchez said as he got out of the van and proceeded to fill the gas tank. He watched as Jackson went into the small store attached to the station and knew the medic was replenishing the supplies they’d need. Fifteen minutes later they were back on the road, more confident than ever they’d soon find the missing man. They knew once they found Chris it would only be a matter of calling the local authorities and the state police would be there to help them.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A buckskin clad figure, unseen by Robert Maguire, reached out to break the hold the drug had on the injured man.
Maguire watched as his victim suddenly went limp in the manacles and he swore softly. He looked at the bottle and frowned as he realized Larabee should’ve had plenty of the drug in him to continue the magic ride he’d been on, but somehow it had been cut short. He threw the bottle across the chamber and touched the lean chest, relieved that his victim still breathed, but angered that he’d lost his entertainment. He strode from the mine and walked back to the house as the first streaks of dawn heralded the start of a new day.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Josiah drove through the town of Sulphur, his stomach churning as he steered along the dirt road. He knew they were nearing the completion of a trip that transcended the boundaries of time, yet as impossible as it seemed, it was happening.
“We’re getting close,” Jackson said softly as he sat up further in his seat. “You feel it too, don’t you?”
“I think we all do,” Standish said from the back seat. He’d been watching the sleeping sharpshooter beside him and knew the man was beginning to wake up.
“Keep an eye out for a turnoff,” Buck said as the sun climbed above the horizon.
“It’s not far from here,” Dunne agreed as he closed his laptop and sat forward in his seat. Dust billowed up from the tires as Sanchez picked up speed.
“Josiah, turn here,” the tracker ordered, pain and worry etched on his pale face. He wasn’t surprised when Sanchez put on the turn signal even as he said the words. Vin could feel the tension in the van as each man seemed to be leaning forward in his seat, as if it would bring them to the end of the ethereal journey they were on, that much sooner.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
‘Chris.’
The blond heard someone calling his name as if through a heavy thickness of fog. His mind seemed engulfed in mire, so thick he couldn’t think straight.
‘Chris!’
The voice was a little stronger now and held a sense of urgency. Still he couldn’t shake the cobwebs from his fevered mind. “C...can’t...” he stammered as he fought what he knew would be a painful awakening.
‘Yes, you can, Cowboy. They’re almost here.’
‘Too m...much, V...Vin,” the dry throat barely had the strength to force the words out and yet the eyelids began to flutter.
‘Ya ain’t never been a fuckin’ quitter, Lar’bee and I ain’t about ta let ya start now! Get that head up and show this madman what it means ta be a Lar’bee!’
In spite of the pain he knew awaited him he could not deny the Texan. He forced his eyes open halfway and finally managed to focus on the vague figure standing before him. “M...means as much ta be a Lar’bee as it does ta be a Tanner!”
‘Reckon it does at that. Now ya keep thinkin’ ‘bout what it means ta be a Lar’bee and ya stay strong. Ain’t never lied ta ya and I ain’t gonna start now. Yer friends are almost here, but they won’t make it ‘fore that madman returns. He’s got plans fer ya, Chris, plans I can’t stop, but if’n ya can stay as strong as my Chris did ya’ll make it through. Draw on our strength and don’t let him beat ya!’
“I’ll try,” Larabee said as the figure faded once more. He heard sounds outside the entrance and knew ‘hell on earth’ was about to get worse.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Robert Maguire picked up the tools he wanted to use on his victim. He picked up the cane he’d used earlier on his captive, a scalpel, Mark Winston’s knife, and a small branding iron. He tucked them into the bag he held and zipped it closed. He looked at The Book on the table and lovingly picked it up. Today was the day he would prove he was better than his ancestors, today he would kill Christopher Adam Larabee. It was also the day he would hear the confident blond beg for his own life. There was little doubt in the madman’s mind that he could do this. It felt right, it felt good, it felt like he’d been born to be Larabee’s lord and master and today he would be both of those things. He slung the bag over his shoulder, held The Book close to his heart and walked out the door. He took in a deep breath of the early morning air before looking towards the entrance to the mine.
“It’s time, Christopher,” his voice promised a day of misery for the battered blond.
~~~~~~~~~~~
“He’s close by,” Tanner gasped as he held onto his shoulder. The road they’d turned onto was little more than an old horse trail, but Sanchez continued to keep up the pace. The tension was thick in the cabin of the Ford Aerostar as six men held their collective breaths.
Jackson pulled out his cell phone and placed a call to the authorities in Gerlach. The police there had been warned they were coming and promised to help in any way they could. He dialed the number and waited for the call to be answered on the other end. He asked for Barry Lawrence and breathed a sigh of relief when the captain picked up almost instantly.
“Captain, it’s Nathan Jackson.....Yes, Sir, that’s right.....Yeah, we’re pretty certain we know where he is and we’re hoping you would get things rolling from your end.” He knew the others were listening intently to his side of the conversation and he would explain the other end of it after he was finished. “Yes, Sir, we’re driving east of Sulphur about halfway between it and Winnemucca.....Yeah, the old dirt road.....We’re looking for an old homestead owned by Mary Winston.....Yes, Sir, her nephew is involved with the man we think is behind this.....Probably need a medivac chopper out here as well.....At least two patients.....Yeah, we will.....Thanks, Captain.....We do too, Sir.” He turned off the power on the cell and turned to the others. “He’s sending out a couple of cars and he’s put in a call to medivac.”
“Two patients, Nate?” Dunne asked.
Jackson pointed to the sharpshooter whose teeth were clenched tightly as he held onto his shoulder. The blue eyes were closed and furrows of pain lined the pale face.
“Oh,” Dunne said simply as he turned back to the road.
“Josiah, we’re on the right road. Captain Parker says it’s approximately an hours drive from where we turned onto the dirt road.”
‘Hang on, Cowboy,’ Tanner sent across the quicksilver connection as he rubbed his hand against his throbbing shoulder.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chris smiled as he felt the touch and whispered ‘I’m still here, Vin, don’t know for how long. I hear Maguire coming back. Hurry, Cowboy!’ he sent back.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“He’s still alive, but Maguire’s with him,” Tanner informed the others without opening his eyes.
“Son of a bitch!” the ladies’ man swore; anger and worry etched on his face.
“Easy, Buck, we’re almost there...” Jackson began.
“We have to keep believing he’ll be alive and waiting for us when we get there or this was all for nothing. The tings we’ve seen are showing us Chris will not die today if we believe in...believe in destiny. He is not destined to die today or anytime in the near future.”
“Mr. Sanchez is right. Just keep believing in Chris and ourselves and the things happening around us and we’ll all make it threw this,” Standish told them.
‘Not much longer, Stud. Just hang on for us...for me...for all the times I’ll need you to get my ass out of deep shit,’ Wilmington thought as the tires ate up the road, closing the distance between them and their missing leader.
~~~~~~~~~~
Chris lifted his head as the hated man walked into the chamber. The man was dressed entirely in white and Chris was reminded of the Glad commercials. The man was always dressed in white as he spoke of the strength of Glad garbage bags. He laughed as he looked Maguire in the eye. “More like Howdy Fuckin’ Doody,” he mumbled.
“What was that, Christopher?” Maguire asked as he placed the bag and The Book on the table.
Chris refused to acknowledge the man’s question, instead he tracked him as he walked around the chamber. He knew his friends were near, could feel them closing in on their location. He didn’t question why he could feel them or the certainty that they would get there before he died. That’s all he wanted, to see the faces of his family before he surrendered to his own death. There was no doubt in his mind that whatever this Devil’s Spawn had in mind it didn’t bode well for him. He watched as Maguire lit a tiny fire in the center of the chamber and frowned as he placed something in the center of the flames. He knew what it was and he knew what this madman planned to do, at least he knew part of it.
Maguire could feel the green eyes glaring into his back as he placed the branding iron in the red-hot flames. “You know what this is, Chris? It’s what I’m gonna use to mark you. It’ll be a reminder to anyone who finds you that you sacrificed your life for your Lord and Master.”
“No one...will be...believe that,” Larabee hissed as the man stood away from the fire once more.
“Believe what, Christopher. That I am your Lord and Master.” He stood in front of the sweat soaked blond and smiled at the flush of fever on the handsome face. “It don’t really matter what everyone else believes. What matters is what you believe and more importantly, what I know. You see, Christopher, I’ve had a lot of experience over the years with causing pain,” he said and once more shoved against the blond’s broken hip. He smiled at the sharply drawn breath and the watery film covering the green eyes. “Pain has a remarkable way of influencing the way a man thinks. By the time I’m through with you, you’ll not only beg me to end your life, but you’ll admit who I am.”
“Fuck you!” Larabee snarled as pain lanced through his body.
“Not likely. We shall see if you feel the same way when we’re through. What shall we start with?” Maguire went back to the table and began pulling things from the bag. His hand ran down the length of the cane and he smiled at the remembrance of the cries of pain it elicited from the blond. He turned back to his victim and slapped the cane onto his open palm. He smiled as he thought he saw the blond flinch, but it disappeared before he could be sure. “This will do nicely,” he said as he stood in front of the blond once more. “Can you stand the feel of this on your body once more, Christopher?” he asked as he ran the tip down Larabee’s taut chest. He smiled at the slight tremor in the lean body, knowing it was an involuntary reaction.
“Do you remember how this felt, Christopher? How it felt as it struck your bare skin?” He watched the eyes, searching for any sign he had power over him. Still the eyes seemed to blaze with a life of their own as Larabee’s gaze never wavered. His frustration at being denied the emotions he sought made him lash out and he brought the cane down across captive’s bare chest and shoulders. Over and over he struck, ignoring the feeble cries emanating from the battered form. He stopped only when he ran short of breath. He leaned heavily on his knees and smiled as he noticed his victim’s downcast eyes.
His chest was on fire, his arms and shoulders burning from the numerous lash marks inflicted on him, yet he knew what he had to do. He forced his head up once more until his tear filled eyes met those of his captor. His dry tongue darted past his cracked lips as he forced words past his ravaged throat.
“You c...can do w...what you w...want you, Bastard, but I’ll n...never...”
“SHUT UP!” Maguire shouted as he lashed out with the cane once more. This time it landed across the broken bone in the hip and Chris could not hold back the scream that erupted from his throat.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~`
“Jesus, Josiah! How much further?” the tracker cried out as his hand pressed tightly to his shoulder.
“There’s a house up ahead,” Jackson answered for the ex-preacher.
“That’s gotta be the place!” Dunne cried as the Aerostar raced across the white sands.
A cry of rage and pain erupted from the solemn ladies man as he felt something he hadn’t expected. He doubled over as he saw seven men, seven very familiar men standing before the house. He knew they were the men from his dreams and he also knew they were from his past, a past that was helping bring about the rightful destiny that should have been theirs. Chris Larabee was not meant to die today and somehow the thirteen of them would make sure it didn’t happen. He opened the door and bolted from the van before it came to a complete stop. His stomach heaved and he vomited the contents onto the dry sands where whatever moisture was present was greedily sucked up by the land.
“Fuck!” he swore as he stood up and looked around. The figures were gone but his eyes were drawn to the dark entrance in the hillside five hundred yards from the house in front of him. “There!” he shouted as the others joined him.
“Vin, stay put!” Jackson warned as the pale young man climbed out of the back seat.
“H...have to be t...there!” Tanner stammered as he saw a figure dressed in black standing near the opening he knew would lead to his friend. “All of us!” He started forward, ignoring the weakness and pain encroaching on him. “T...thanks, Ez,” he said weakly as the gambler pulled his left arm over his shoulder and wrapped his other arm around the sharpshooters waist.
“Anytime, Mr. Tanner,” Standish assured him as he took most of the sharpshooter’s weight on his shoulders. He watched the others racing towards the dark entrance, smiling as he realized seven dust covered cowboys stood waiting for them. It was something he wouldn’t question in spite of his once sceptic attitude. He knew the Ace of Spades was in his pocket and as long as he held onto it the seven of his time, would remain seven.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Maguire dropped the cane and used his fists and blow after blow landed on Chris Larabee. Bruises that were beginning to fade on his cheek brightened and expanded as new ones formed. Blood ran from cracked lips, ribs broke under the onslaught of the angered man’s attention. Once more Maguire stood back and smiled as the head remained leaning forward on the lash marked chest.
‘Chris, ya have ta look him in the eye. Ya need ta lift yer head.’
“C...can’t, Vin, c...an’t.”
Maguire heard a raspy sound coming from his captive, but couldn’t make out the words. He walked back to the table, carefully stepping over the blood drenched weapon he’d already used.
‘Ya have ta, Chris,’
“Hu...rts..”
‘I know it does, Chris, but the others are here. Hang on a few minutes longer and look Maguire in the eye or yer lost and all of this was fer nothin’. Yer friends will know ya died because they failed and they’ll have ta learn ta live with that guilt.’
“No!”
‘Then lift yer head, Cowboy. Jest one more time and ya’ll be able ta rest.’
“T...try,” Larabee said and put everything he had into the effort. He could feel the buckskin clad form sending him strength.
Maguire turned back to his victim with Mark Winston’s knife in his hand. He gasped as he watched the impossible happening before his eyes. Larabee was forcing his head up once more. Defiance glistened in the set of his jaw and the bright green eyes glaring daggers at him once more. He looked at the knife in his hand and knew the time was at hand. He now knew he would never hear Chris Larabee beg for his life or admit to him being his natural Lord and Master. He’d failed in this, the same way his ancestor had, but that’s where the similarities would end. He took a deep breath and stood in front of the blond.
“I may have failed to make you beg, Christopher, but I will not fail to kill you.” He lifted the knife over his head and brought it slashing towards the heavily bruised and lash marked torso.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A scream reached the ears of the six men hurrying towards the mine entrance. A cry of rage erupted from each throat as they knew beyond a doubt who the scream emanated from. Shaky legs found new strength as the six men made it to the opening just a cracking sound emanated from inside the mine.
“No!” Vin cried out as he lurched away from Standish’s hold and tried to enter the mine.
“Vin, you can’t! It’s collapsing!” Dunne called and he tried to step in front of the advancing sharpshooter.
“It’ll hold!” the tracker cried as Sanchez’s strong arms wrapped around his waist. “Godammit, Josiah, let me fuckin’ go!” Creaking sounds continued to escape the faltering mine, dirt and dust billowing out of the entrance as Tanner struggled in the arms of the ex-preacher. He searched for the blue eyes he knew would understand and finally came to rest on the ladies’ man. “Buck, we have to!”
“Vin, I...”
“We’ve come this far on faith!” Tears were flowing from the injured man’s eyes as he stopped fighting the steel grip holding him immobile. “We...” he groaned, his left hand reaching up to grab at the pain lancing through his skull. He turned away and vomited onto the dry ground. Breathing deeply he lifted his head and saw seven shadows standing out against the darker entrance to the mine.
‘There’s still time!’ the black clad man told him.
“There’s still time!” Tanner repeated Larabee’s words as he stood tall. “We can do it. Look!” He pointed to the entrance and heard his friend’s collective gasps. “They’ve been here all along. Have faith in them!” He felt Sanchez relax his hold and once more supportive arms wrapped around his waist.
Buck drew his gun, glad to see Standish and Dunne do the same as they acknowledge their renewed faith in the strange happening. Six men headed into the dark maw that seemed to be beckoning to them.
Vin fought to put one foot in front of the other as Jackson added his support to Sanchez’ and they followed the others into the mine.
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