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Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Do not own or claim to own.
Author's Notes: Sorry for the suspense, but maybe this will curbed
the
limbo.
feedback welcome! phantom_menace_unknown@yahoo.com
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As the seven men began to return fire, the bandits suddenly disappeared
in front of their eyes.
"What the hell?" Chris glanced around the outside cautiously, afriad
it
was a trick, but found nothing.
"We need to get to them ladies, quick. They may still be alive." Nathan
stood up and was about to rush outside when someone grabbed his arm.
"Easy, Brother Nate. Its times like these we must proceed with care."
Josiah patted the healer on the shoulder as he saw understanding enter
his eyes.
"Alright. We split up and watch your backs. They could show up again."
Larabee reloaded his weapon and then they eased out of the saloon
heading for a downed ficwriter.
Josiah and Ezra reached the still forms of Mog and Judy B. in Ms.
Potter's store.
"Dear Lord," Standish sighed as he knelt beside Maria.
Her shirt front was covered with blood and her face was the color of
white china. The gambler reached out and carefully placed a shaking
hand on the side of the girl's neck.
He sighed heavily, "She's alive." Ezra raised a joyful gaze to the
preacher and was met with a similar reaction.
"As is she, brother. For now." Sanchez's last words caused both men
to
remember the levity of the situation.
"I suggest we get them to Mr. Jackson's capable care poste haste."
Standish looked to Josiah as if in question of who to move first.
"At this time, I don't believe the choice will make much difference
in
their conditions." The preacher leaned over and carefully picked up
Judy cradling her to his chest.
Ezra followed suit by mimicking the other man and also cradling Mog
to
his chest for safe keeping. "Where too, Mr. Sanchez?" The gambler knew
they wouldn't survive the long journey to the healer's clinic on the
top floor of the boardinghouse.
"Saloon. Its the closest and enough room to cater to all their needs."
As the destination was confirmed, the two men rushed their precious
cargo to the awaiting hands of Nathan.
*******************
Jackson, however, had his hands full with trying to retrieve Kim's
prone body from the well. He had attempted to wake her by yelling,
but
there was no response. Finally, he rigged a nearby rope to a horse
and
was able to lasso the girl due to her upright position in the knee
deep
water.
"You just hang on, little lady. I'll have you outta there and fixed
up
as soon as I can." The healer wasn't sure if the cord would hold
because he'd only got it around one arm, but if he didn't do something
fast, it wouldn't matter one way or another.
Nathan began walking the horse slowly forward as he kept an eye on the
top of the well. If he could only get her up high enough to grab,
Jackson halted the mount as he saw the outline of a head pop up.
He groundtied the animal and rushed over to the figure. He immediately
checked for a pulse and was happy when he was rewarded with an, albeit,
weak but definant beat.
The healer eased Kim over the top of the well and assumed the position
Josiah and Ezra had taken with Mog and Judy. He cradled the woman
carefully, afraid he would further her injuries as he turned, spotting
two of his collegues heading for the saloon, and followed.
********************
Chris and JD instantly headed across the street to the fallen forms
of
Penny and Diana. The teen reached Penn first and had to pause as he
saw
the crimson flow trailing down her left side.
He was afraid to find out if the girl was still breathing but a quick
word from Larabee had him back in action.
JD laid his hand gently on the brunette's throat and swallowed hard
as
he felt the faint pounding against his fingertips.
He slowly raised up her shoulders and slid an arm underneath trying
not
to aggravate her injury. "Hang on Penny. I'll take good care of ya."
The boy eased his other arm under her knees and lifted the woman. He
wanted to wait for Chris but knew time was of the esscence, so headed
toward the saloon to follow the others.
*******************
Chris rolled Diana over and was shocked to see the amount of bloodloss.
He knew no one could survive such a wound, but sighed with relief as
he
felt the heartbeat. Slow, but steady.
"Just hang on. Nathan'll have ya fixed up in no time." Larabee was
rewarded with a slight gasp from Diana as he lifted her up and followed
JD's trail.
********************
Buck had ran full out to the still form of Cassie afraid of the worse.
But luckily he was spared or rather she was spared. As the gunslinger
looked closer, he saw a barrel had wedged itself under the wagon and
was keeping the full brunt of the load off the girl.
"Thank God. You just hang on little darlin', ole Buck'll have you outta
there and in the care of Nathan before you can say 'thats damn near
impossible'." Wilmington looked around the wagon carefully, checking
for any vicarious things that would hinder his rescue effort, but
sighed when he found none.
"Alright. I'll just lift this baby up enough to slid another barrel
underneath then slide you right outta there." Buck had no idea why
he
kept talking for Cassie hadn't made a sound since he had arrived. This
suddenly scared the gunslinger, so he stopped in his task and reached
over to check for a pulse. Fortunately he found the steady, although
slightly rapid, beat.
"Good. You just hang in there. I'm almost ready to get you out."
Wilmington stuck a plank against the already wedged barrel and put
enough weight to lever the wagon up about three inches. Then with his
left leg he eased another canister into place and let the cargo back
down. It worked. The freight was high enough till Buck could slide
the
girl to safety.
Cass moaned softly as the gunslinger started to pick her up. "Easy
there darlin'. I know your probably in pain but theres no time to
waste."
Buck held his breath but apparently his reassurances calmed the injured
Cassie, so he hurriedly headed toward the make shift clinic.
*********************
Vin approached the barn hesitant of what he would find. He'd seen
people blown apart in the war and was afraid thats what he was about
to
discover now. The livery was still lapping with flames, but only in
certain areas. The majority of the stables had been leveled by the
blast.
As Tanner got closer he caught the glimpse of something near where the
front doors use to be. It looked like a hat. *Could it be?* The tracker
rushed forward and picked up the discarde derby, but found it was still
attached by its string to its owner.
Maggie was half covered by the barn doors, which from the looks of it,
had taken the brunt of the explosion.
"Take it easy, Miss Maggie. I'll have you out in no time." The bounty
hunter began throwing aside debris not caring what mess he was
creating. His only goal was to free the object of his past misery.
He finally had the full form uncovered and was happy to see no burn
marks or charred clothing. But was a little worried by the blood
trickling from the girl's mouth.
"I know it might not be a good thing to move you right now, but
Nathan's got his hands full and he's the only one who can help you."
Vin leaned down and picked up the unconcsious Maggie and carried her
swiftly to the others.
*******************
"Well, Nate. Hows it look?" Buck had been pacing near the batwing doors
since bringing Cassie inside, but couldn't stand the suspense any
longer.
"Kim has a broken leg from the fall and is suffering from shock.
Penny's stab wound was deep, but luckily no major organs were damaged.
Diana took one high in the chest, but it went straight through. With
time and rest to replenish the blood she lost, I think she'll be
alright. Judy and Mog both took one in the abdomen but nothing too
serious. They'll recover with rest too. Cassie's got some cracked ribs
and a broke leg." The healer stopped suddenly as his eyes rested on
his
last patient. "But I'm afraid Maggie may be the worse. She wasn't
burned in no way in the explosion, but she's got internal bleeding,
probably from a broken rib thats puntured a lung or something else."
The men looked at each other as the meaning of Nathan's words sunk in.
"Is there anything we can do for her, brother?" Josiah had helped
Jackson in his examination of the seven so knew just how grave the
situation was.
"I suggest you start praying Josiah."
Before anymore conversation could continue, the doors to the saloon
swung open to reveal the honorable Judge Orin Travis.
"What the hell happened here?" Orin gave the girls' a quick sweep and
then let his gaze fall on the leader of the men.
"Seems the writer I asked you to hire, turned." Larabee's voice dripped
with a deadly tone.
"Exactly who, may I ask, did you acquire to service us in our time of
need, judge?" Ezra's usually calm drawl held a note of sarcasm.
"He assured me he was one of the best. He even gave me credentials,
but
I'm afraid I just took him at his word." Travis rubbed a weathered
hand
across his weary face as he once again looked over the fallen writers'.
"Do you have them credentials' with you now, judge?" Chris stepped up
to the old man and waited.
"Yes, of course." Orin dug in his pocket and then held out a small
piece of paper to the gunslinger.
Larabee opened the note and read quietly to himself until his fist
closed around the paper in a death grip.
"What is it, Chris?" Vin had been standing next to the black clad man
and gauged when his mood had changed.
"This son of a bitch is a CBS executive writer." Chris knew from the
gasps echoeing around him they all grasped the reasoning behind the
now
peril situation.
"Isn't there something we can do?" Nathan glanced at his patients' and
then back at the leader in a look of desperation.
As Larabee started to open his mouth, another voice spoke up. "Can't
we
get someone else to write against this guy. From the looks of it, we
need a miracle."
JD had keep quiet in the corner of the tavern until now. His naivete'
demanded they be a happy ending no matter what.
"Sure we can, kid. The only thing is, we need somebody who can write
miracles. And seeing as how Maggs and Cassie are both down, I don't
think miraculously bringing people back to life in on their plate right
now." Buck had walked over to the teen but his eyes had fallen on the
injured women he spoke of. They had brought a few miracles to the guys
in the past. He just hoped he could return the favor.
"Well, there has to be someone." The boy refused to give up.
"I think I may know of such a person, brothers'." All eyes quickly
turned to the preacher.
"Who?" They asked simultaneaously.
"The Light Force, she's our only hope."
*******************
