Chapter 1

This is a continuation of my Revenge of the Strong story

John Strongburg grunted in frustration as he went through the empty town. The shiny star pinned to his chest, gleaming in the light.

It had taken almost a year to return to this place, a place eviler than most he’d been in. An evil that clawed at him and justice as he tried to destroy it.

He had the name of the main money man, though so far, that hadn’t panned out. John could see the hole in the wall that had been left when a fool thought to test him, unsuccessfully. There were of course more than a few more, proof that the man Tom Greely had done a few more transactions.

Growling a bit, John knew that this man’s brand of business was going to more than prosper in the badlands. Turning the tall, hard, blonde man pushed through the doors. With a quick survey of what was left of the town, John mounted up. He turned toward deeper into the badlands, John had no news of a man with Greely’s description leaving the badlands, so deeper he’d go.

There were tracks everywhere, though none that even appeared to be recent. He could still hear the conversation he’d had with Captain Harry Ransom when he’d barged into the Ranger office.

“Who in the hell are you?” John asked staring at the man behind the desk. “Where in the hell is “coffee” Hays?”

The man behind the desk raised a hand to stay the guns of the men in the office.

“E’fore I answer that, mind telling me just who in the hell you are son?” Ransom asked.

“John Strongburg, former Texas Ranger, retired.” John stated, his hands never leaving the butts of his pistols as he eyed the other rangers in the office.

There were several gasps as ALL the men in the room slowly removed their hands from their revolvers.

“So, what can the Ranger service do for you?” Ransom said though he sensed he already knew the answer.

“I’ve a human varmint to go after, I’d like to with the law on my side, though as a private citizen, I could also. If I go as a citizen, it could get, VERY messy.” John hissed.

Ransom breathed a sigh of relief, good thing all the men here were so well trained. John could have decimated the room quite easily.

“I see,” Ransom responded, “got a name?”

“Tom Greely, real piece of work, enslaving free citizens, selling good wives to prostitution. In general, breaking a hell of a lot of laws, some of humanity.” John replied.

Ransom’s eyes were wide at the list of charges John stated. “OH? What proof?”

Never taking a hand off his colt revolvers, John slowly lowered the kerchief around his neck. This of course had a few of the men gagging the others gasping.

“This was the first, attempted murder when they failed to hang me.” Though it had been almost year, there was still a highly distinctive thick line around John’s neck. “As for the others,” here John produced more than a dozen affidavits sworn and signed by several judges. “As you can see one of them is my wife. THOSE bastards have already met justice.”

Damn Ransom thought, this man is more than prepared. Reaching behind him, Ransom opened a safe, removing a small case. Opening the case, Ransom removed a five-pointed star surrounded by a circle. Ransom turned it over seeing the initials JS on the back.

“I was advised, when I assumed this position, by “coffee” Hays, that you might return. I was also advised that you wouldn’t need to take an oath again. Takes a hell o’ a lot to earn respect like that. I have read the case, seemed pretty clear to me.” Ransom said as he handed John his old Ranger star.

John nodded with a grimace knowing what was next. “I know, I am to uphold the law, unless that means blasting the shit out of them.” John peered close at Ransom, “I got no problem with it.”

That had been more than a few months ago. John didn’t have the resources that the Rangers did. If the main money man was out there they could narrow down a hell of a lot more than he could.

So here he was heading even deeper into the badlands. It was the only logical thing John could see. Smirking John thought yeah right, he’d done the only logical thing he could see to do with his wife. She of course had quickly corrected him of his mistake. Then again hers was wasn’t the worst way.

It was a few hours later that John, came upon the box canyon where everything had reached a head. Slowing John looked for all the signs he could, though he saw nothing, it still didn’t feel right. Changing direction, John went around to the place he’d climbed the walls before.

Reaching the top he quickly surveyed the area, again he saw nothing, still it felt wrong, all too quiet. Keeping low John decided to wait for dark, perhaps by then he’d have better of an idea.

John crept slowly down the face of the slanting cliff. All this time he’d still not seen nor heard anyone or thing. They were there John could feel them, it almost felt like the games he and several children of the Kiowa, Apache, hell even a few Comanchee had played with him.

Actually, John cocked his head to the side, it WAS EXACTLY like it had been all those years ago. Thinking a moment, John whispered, “hite! dekee! pabi!”

He waited a moment before there was slight movement towards him. Repeating the three words, all three were returned, then several warriors appeared before John. Standing John greeted them all, which astonished them.

Three broke to sit with John asking his story which John quickly gave. Then he asked why they were there. They told him that a large oily, large white man had gave them much of the white man’s money to wait and kill another white man who would come hunting. They all laughed when they saw that John was as good as they were.

After they told John where the man had headed, John sent them home thanking them for what they had done.

John then resumed his journey even deeper into the badlands. The last few miles he guessed were too close to the border for the criminals to feel safe.

A small, cruel smile came to John’s lips, they would never be safe, not as long as he had a say in it. Though he pretty much knew where he was going, John still kept his eyes on the trail. There wasn’t much spoor, though the non-human kind wasn’t of interest at the moment.

He’d put out feelers, trying to get any inkling as to where the man Greely had moved his operation. What he’d done to the man’s organization obviously had a great many scared. Then again, they couldn’t have known that he was an ex-Ranger, a small smile again crossed John’s lips. He had made sure they suffered before they died, after all he hadn’t killed them, just helped.

It was going to be a while before he got close, slowing his pace he settled in for the next few hours.

It was another 3 days later when John, came across a man staked out in the middle of a field. Riding closer John could see that the man had been dead for quite some time. Getting as close as he could John could see that the vultures and insects had already stripped away most of the flesh.

John was about to try and cut what was left loose when he saw the telltale signs from the execution. Yeah, he thought, they had tried pretty hard to make this look like it had been one of the tribes. John shook his head; they were good though to a trained eye? They were rank amateurs.

John stood then slowly withdrew, this wasn’t that fresh though, he had a feeling that, it was still being watched.

As calmly as he could, John mounted up riding in the opposite direction, as to what he’d been riding in. They would probably follow him. actually, he hoped so, this getting nothing done was starting to grate on his nerves. Looking around John was glad as soon as he hit the forest, though not thick it would do.

It was starting to grow dark when John finally stopped to make camp. A small smile came to his lips, he could feel no less than three out there, though John suspected more.

A few hours later the fire was low when three men crept into the camp. A wicked smile on each man’s mouth as they drew closer to the apparent sleeping figure by the fire. The lead man grinned evilly when, he put his pistol to what appeared to be the sleeping figure’s head. Without hesitation he pulled the trigger.

All three men whooped and hollered, then they all stopped to search the figures clothes and saddle bags.

They were ‘til, they heard the double click of two revolver hammers being drawn back.

“Ain’t nice to ambush a man when, he’s not given you a problem that you had to. Now, afore I plug all three of ya, I suggest you lower them holsters real easy like.” The lead man his back to the voice, dropped while spinning and drawing. His eyes were wide in surprise when the pistol was shot from his hand. The tall, blonde, hard looking man’s hand tightened on his colt. “Again, an’ you’re dead.”

This had both of the men on the other side of the camp, immediately dropping their gun belts. “Ah! I see that all of us here ain’t completely stupid.” The blonde man said as he fired another shot at the leader. Reaching behind him the man threw a rope to the other two men. “Tie ‘em up afore he’s dead, though he keeps this up? I just might assist him.”

As soon as the leader was tied, the man knocked both of the other men out. Stripping all three naked the man sat waiting.

All three jerked awake a few hours later, thing was something wasn’t right. All three started to yell finding that they had gags over their mouths.

“Ah good! Now I’m going to ask you questions, answer, things will go good for you. Refuse? Well, I’ve never been known for my patience.” Removing all their gags he asked, “who sent you? Was I your target or were you just after all that came there?”

The leader opened his mouth, “go to hell ya bastard! Ya ain’t gonna get shit from...” A loud howl of pain erupted from his mouth as a shot sounded. The other two could only stare, the blonde man had shot a toe off the leader.