Chapter 3

"You men don't have to die today," Ben said calmly as he studied the three men he could see. The small jumpy one with a scraggly beard on the right was the first that would draw and shoot. Ben could tell it in the bruised yellow of his aura. The man was excited about the prospect of killing again.

Han walked her horse nearly level with him on his left side.

The man on the left was a sullen black haired hulk of a man. Ben could tell from his aura that he didn't like shooting people. He wasn't fast with a gun and wasn't a good shot even when he took his time. He liked to kill people with his hands. He was looking hungrily at Han. The images Ben saw in the man's aura that the man wanted to do with Han sickened him. Ben could see Han's aura from the corner of his eye and knew that he didn't need to worry about the surly man. Han would take care of him.

The big man in the center with a grey beard spat a stream of tobacco juice before saying, "Weren't planning on us dying young feller. You don't have to either. Give us your money and the girl and you can be on your way."

"Joseph, is there any other way?" Ben asked in his mind.

"No Ben," Joseph said after a sigh. It wasn't a sigh like when a man sighs. Ben could feel it all around him. The grass waved and bushes rustled in the sudden breeze. "I'm afraid there is no other choice. I'll prepare my garden to minimize the damage."

"OK," Ben thought with his own sigh. Ben knew that none of the men had any intention of him walking away. He could see it in all their auras. He studied their auras carefully to see if he could find a way out of this situation without killing these men. Joseph had shown him what indiscriminant killing did in his garden of souls. Ben avoided killing whenever he could; even if he got wounded because of it. His only focus was protecting innocents. Now, he was in a hurry though. Joseph had told him how important speed was on this mission. He couldn't afford the time to get wounded and recover. He couldn't afford the time to stop and talk these men out of fighting. Joseph had warned Ben that these men were waiting for him in the pass. Ben could have gone a different way but it would have cost them another day's travel that they couldn't afford. Joseph said the men would probably need to die but to avoid it if possible.

"One last chance," Ben said as he sat his saddle easily. He wouldn't even need Han's help for these four but, he knew Han would be in the mix too. She wasn't blood thirsty but she did have a very matter of fact way of dealing with issues like these men. Ben was fast enough that he could draw and shoot all three of the men in front of him before the first one's pistol cleared leather. The one in the rocks would need to stand to get a decent shot off so Ben had all the time in the world for him. "I'm in a hurry and don't have time to stop for you," Ben explained. "That man in the rocks won't help you either. He's a dead man as soon as he raises his head." His voice was quiet but could clearly be heard in the rocks over the nervous jangle of the men's horses. Ben's horse stood quietly. That was one of the things Ben had noticed after becoming a Protector. Animals did what he needed them to do whether it was a horse standing firm or a dog not barking a warning.

The little scruffy man was the first to start drawing his pistol. Ben drew a pistol in both hands and shot. All three men went down like mown wheat. Two of them were hit in the middle of the forehead by Ben's pistols. The one on the far left was hit twice in the chest by Han. Ben turned slightly as the man in the rocks stood to shot at him. The man had stood faster than Ben thought he would so the head shot Ben intended caught him in the throat and blew out through his spine. The only shot fired by the four men was one that a finger had convulsively caused when it squeezed the trigger in death. The pistol was still in the man's holster and his pants leg was smoldering from the powder blast down his leg.

Han didn't say a word as sounds of the barrage of gunfire echoed away over the hills. She dismounted hurriedly and checked the men for more pistols and ammunition. Ben had taught her that a person on a mission from God could never have too many guns or enough ammunition. They took all the pistols, three more knives, and some jerky from the saddle bags before they were back in the saddles and on their way again. They were leading the two best horses of the outlaws as they rode away. Good horses shouldn't be wasted either.

Han was on Ben's mind as they rode down the trail at a fast walk after the battle. He wished he could do more for the girl. Ben had grown to love Han over the last five years. Not as a lover but as a father might love a daughter. They urged the horses up to a faster walk as they left the site of the gun battle farther behind. The trail was wide enough for them to ride side by side so they could talk.

"Han, I still think you should go another direction or at least wait for me someplace," Ben told Han as they rode down the trail. "Joseph said he thinks I'm facing one of the Red Agents this time. It's too dangerous for you. I don't want you hurt."

Han was silent for several moments and the only sound was the horse's hooves on the hard ground. Finally she said, "I o ea u."

Ben understood it as, "I go with you." No argument. No agreement that it was dangerous. Only the simple statement that where he goes, she goes. Ben shook his head and tried to explain again. "Han, Joseph doesn't even know if I can win. This isn't like going up against those guys back there. I could have taken all of them. You know that. You didn't even need to draw your gun. I have the extra skills to easily go against normal people even when outnumbered four to one. A Red Agent has most of the same skills I do plus he'll have more men with him. It's too dangerous for you."

Han shook her head and asked, "ei e ell uman?"

He understood her question as, "Is he still human?" Ben had to smile to himself. Han's speech challenges didn't allow for long or involved conversations. Han would examine what needed to be said and go straight to the core of the matter.

"Yes he's still human," Ben said with a chuckle. His chuckle felt like gallows humor but any reason to smile was an occasion to grab with both hands and hang on. "He's as human as I am anyway," Ben qualified.

"O A," Han said. "O U eed u an wi ou u o."