Chapter 2

It seemed as if they were never going to stop, the blonde man wasn’t concerned. This was nothing compared to the days in the saddle he’d done before.

He kept a sharp lookout where they were going, a hell of a lot deeper into the badlands that was for sure. The whole way, the blonde man started to go through what and how he was going to kill Greely.

He knew that if he didn’t plan this right there would be no going home. He thought of his wife, her fierce determination. Hell, knowing her, if he was killed, she’d probably have a shaman revive him so SHE could shoot him.

A shudder went through him that he had to hide, she was as fierce as any that he’d gone after. It was what had drawn him to her in the first place. Well, that and the fact that she could shot damn near as good as he could.

He scratched his head, he was sure he got away after he left the note, though now? He wasn’t so sure, he could swear he could feel someone on his trail though he’d seen no sign.

A slight shake of his head, he was sure she wouldn’t come after him. Then again, he could swear he could feel someone following, a feeling almost as eerie as the warriors he’d met, the week before.

The more he thought about it the, more he was certain. Then a realization hit him. Damn it! His wife was part Kiowa herself. Though, they didn’t teach the females, warrior skills.

It was rapidly approaching sundown when they rode into a poorly constructed corral. Looking around, the blonde man saw some hastily constructed cabins.

All of them got down, tying their mounts up. “Them’s the bunk houses, such as they are. Get some shut eye, we start early.” The leader said, then moved off to another cabin.

The blonde man along with the two from the saloon, fell in line with the other three that had been with the leader. Heading straight to the cabin, the blonde man had to hold his bile at the smell of unwashed bodies that met him.

Obviously, he thought, bathing isn’t too high on the list of necessary things here. Walking in the room the stench grew even greater, moving to a bunk by the window the blonde man pulled a pistol.

“Move this is mine,” he said making it more urgent as he cocked the hammer on his pistol.

“Get your own, this here is m...” the young man started to say the swallowed hard when he saw the pistol an inch from his face. “Hey, I thought,” the young man tried again.

“Either ya get or I’ll plug ya. Then I’ll have to explain another body, now get!” The blonde man said poking the man with the barrel.

“I’m a going, no sense in a shooting when we need sleep.” The young man grumbled as he moved his meager possessions.

The blonde man laid in the cot like bed, fully clothed.

It was an hour later that a movement cause the blonde man’s eyes to pop open. The blonde man laid as still as he could, watching the young man from before along with another young man move toward his cot.

The first young man made a slashing motion across his neck as he pulled a large skinning knife. The young man made a motion for the second young man to smother the blonde man. As soon as the second man agreed, two shots rang out, the first blowing a hole in the young man’s head. The second, caught the second man in the chest, blowing him back across the room.

The blonde man cocked both pistols again, then he sat up, “I aim to be left alone. Seems there are a few that don’t wanna do that. So, anyone else wanna try, come on so I can sleep. Happy ta kill anyone else, good.”

He watched as they hauled the bodies out of the cabin, staying as far from the blonde man as they could.

A moment later the, same large man that had led them there appeared. Looking around the room, his eyes settled on the blonde man.

“I suggest,” he stated to the room, “that all of you leave this one alone. He’s fair piece faster, than any of you that I have seen draw a gun. Done lost enough help,” Here the man leaned close to the blonde man. “Try to not kill all o them.”

The blonde man nodded as those that had taken the bodies out returned. Immediately, all in the room moved their cots as far from the blonde man as possible.

A smirk briefly crossed the blonde man’s lips, now I might get a nap he thought.

It seemed that he’d just closed his eyes when, there was a commotion, then they were all being roused. Getting up the blonde man looked warily around the room sizing up all there.

With a nod of his head, he could see that almost all there weren’t really a match for his guns nor his speed with them. Though he thought, there were a few young bucks, that appeared to be far more confident than he thought they should.

Everyone was slowly filing out, the blonde man last, still keeping his eyes on everyone. He was stopped by the large burly man that was the obvious boss.

“I can appreciate that you wanna be left alone. We need the men, kill anymore it’s gonna cost you an’ your cut.” the boss said.

“Sure thing, boss. They stay off me, they don’ die. They continue to keep at me, well it’s not gonna be pretty that’s for shur.” The blonde man replied.

“Just remember, the less of the men you kill, the more you make. Now, get some vitals, hittin’ the trail in an hour.” The boss replied.

The blonde man nodded as he hit the chow line, holding in his bile at the smell of grease and burned meat.

As soon as he entered the building, almost all conversation stopped. Almost all eyes were on him, following his every movement. He could hear a few of the whispered conversations about him.

What little he got of the supposed food, had his stomach clenching. He’d eaten some right poor food, though this put all of those to shame.

Every bite was almost a torture, making him wish he had a bit of whiskey to wash it down. He wasn’t sure what he was eating, he also wasn’t sure if it was completely all cooked. He had half a mind to volunte ... no, he was here for a job, not to make nice with this band of killers.

Finally, through the almost raw meal, the blonde man moved out to check what was going on.

He nodded to the apparent boss of this group, he also noticed that the man was sizing him up. Hmmm, this one wasn’t as big a fool as the blonde man thought he was.

A few hours later the rag tag, swath of fetid dregs of humanity, climbed into their saddles. Again, the blonde man had to hold in his bile at the overwhelming stench of unwashed bodies in front of him.

They rode for more than three hours before they stopped. “Alright, dismount we’re here.” The boss said.

A younger man walked up to the boss, “what the hell we doing here? I thought we was,...” A shot rang out as the younger man fell, a bullet hole through his stomach. Screaming a moment, the younger man cursed, “you shot me you bastard!” He then drew his revolver only to have the boss shoot him through the head.

With a turn and a hard stare, the boss looked at all the men, “do your job, what and when I tell you. Don’t worry, lot to kill, might be a few bitches too. Just don’t get greedy, you might live through this.”

The big man turned eyeing the blonde man, his eyes roaming over the tied down pistols that the blonde man had. The hard look on the blonde man’s face also made him cautious. This was no average killer, no, this man was far beyond that. Judging by what he’d seen so far, the blonde bastard was very fast too.

“Bed down a while, be a few hours ‘til they pass.” The big man told all of them, then watched as the body was dragged away.

They had finally settled down a few hours later when there was a long whistle. Everyone was up immediately, checking that all the weapons were loaded again.

A loud sound started to grow, then a wagon was seen, this was followed by a good number more.

“There they be boys. Enough to keep us going for a few months.” Looking over all the men, he picked five, including ther blonde man. “Ride around to that pass over there, as soon as they are close enough, I want you to take out the first few drivers keep them boxed in.”

All of the five men nodded as the mounted, then lit out. Almost an hour later the boss heard the reports of rifles and revolvers. Whistling, the boss led the rest of the men out. They all immediately started to fire at the wagons. though surprised the people on the wagons tried to fight back.

Ahead, the blond man stood over the bodies of the other four men that, had come with him. He’d grabbed a rifle taking a hiding spot, trying to pick off as many as he could of the attackers.

He’d already managed to hide a few of the people that the other four had tried to murder. What he didn’t know was just how long they’d be safe. He’d managed to take a few of the other attackers, though he knew he wouldn’t get enough to make a difference.

Sure enough, the battle was soon over, a total of ten women were taken, along with eight girls. Cursing silently, the blonde man smeared more blood on his arm and leg. Limping out, the boss was surprised that the man was injuried.

“Where’s the rest of the men?” The boss asked.

“Dead, damn near got me killed with them. Damn fools, started firing ‘afore all of them were in sight. Got three of them in a few minutes.” The blonde man hissed.

The big man eyed the blonde man a minute then nodded accepting the story.