Chapter # 13 "We have to help that guy!"Marshall shouts as he draws the .45 caliber carbine from the sheath on the side of the bike. "Do you know how to use one of these?" he asks as he hands it back to Tosha and presses the start button on the bike's handlebars. Tosha takes the weapon and after looking at it for a second manages to put a shell in the chamber. "Yes, I think I can," Her words are snatched from her mouth as Marshall stomps the bike into gear and twists the throttle hard. The back tire of the big bike digs deep before getting a firm hold on the desert floor throwing a plume of dust into the air. As the bike speeds across the hard packed sand towards the group of riders, Marshall is looking ahead. He knows he cannot intercept them at the large rock like he wanted so he and Tosha could cut in front of them and hit them dead on. Instead, he will come in from behind and try to take them out before they realize what's happening to them. They reach the large rock about a minute after the group of pursuing riders crossed the imaginary line Marshall had drawn. Turning in the direction of and riding in the dust cloud of the larger group, Marshall instructs Tosha. "Put this over your nose and mouth." Handing her a spare handkerchief. "Now, as soon as you see a rider open up on him until he falls from his horse, then continue to the next and so on. Got it?" A muffled voice is heard to say "Ok" as they close in. Just ahead, out of the cloud of dust and the thunder of hoof beats, appears a rider with a rifle in his hand. He notices Marshall and Tosha and turns in his saddle to fire. Tosha raises her rifle and pulls repeatedly on the trigger. Fire belches out of its muzzle as the weapon barks out with its deadly voice just inches from Marshall's ear. The first three shots go wide and two other men fall. Marshall flinches and causes the bike to careen out of the dust cloud a little ways. Again three more shots are quickly fired but this time two of them hit the intended. He slumps over the horse's neck but remains seated. Three more shots ring out; again they strike the first target but he does not fall. Yet another shot fired, it also hits the first target but again he does not fall. "What the hell you keep shooting that guy for?? He's dead. Shoot someone else." Marshall yells over the sounds of bike and horse in a mad frenzy of death and carnage. Tosha yells back "You said not to stop shooting them until they fall from their horse, he did not fall. Besides I can not shoot him anymore, it's broken. It will not shoot." Marshal reaches under the tank to the sheath and grabs another loaded clip. "Here, push that little button on the side of the grip and let the old one of these fall out. Then put this in with the bullets facing forwards. Then pull that lever again and you're good to go for ten more shots, ok?" Handing her the clip, Marshall quickly draws the pistol from his vest and fires two shots then zigzags a little to avoid running over a rider who falls in front of them. Tosha briefly examines the rifle and clip; she presses the little button on the side of the grip and drops the spent clip out then inserts the loaded one into the receiver area of the old .45. Like this I suppose she says with an amused tone. " This seems like so much trouble when all you would really need is a self-charging photon pistol." Marshall swerves again and backs out of the group a little giving them room and hoping they have not noticed that they are being pursued. "Yea it's a real fucking shame there, Tosha. But we ain't so you have to use my primitive toys. Now get ready cause we are about to close in again. We are running out of time here. I think they may have shot that guy up ahead already and we need to save his life." Tosha taps Marshall on the shoulder and reaches around him holding the rifle in one hand in front of him. "Take this I do not want to use it any more. And you should NOT talk to me like you have been. I am here to help you not for you to help me. What's that word you say? Oh yes… asshole." She then reaches into her right boot and removes a slim shiny electric blue photon pistol. She fires one shot and four of the remaining six riders and horses fall. The remaining two suddenly realize they are under attack and turn to meet their attackers. Marshall is following too closely and now passes the riders. "Shit I did not want to do that! Can you stop them before they start shooting at us from back there?" Tosha breathes a heavy sigh and turns backwards in her seat and fires one shot. The two riders are vaporized instantly. She turns to face forward again putting the photon pistol away. Marshall looks in his rearview mirror and shouts back "Where did they go?" Tosha lays her head against his shoulder, holding him about the waist "I took care of them like you asked." Marshall eases off a little on the throttle and falls back from the lone rider. The lone rider also slows then stops as Marshall and Tosha ease up along side of him. The horse the lone rider is on amazingly is very calm for not having ever seen or heard the thunder of such a machine before. Marshall shuts the motor off and looks up to the young boy on the horse. Surprised at how young he looks Marshall asks "How old are you boy?" The young rider answers, eyeing the motorcycle trying to take in every aspect of it. "I am 12 sir." "12! What in the hell is a twelve year old kid doing out here by himself?" Marshall growls "Who are you? Where are you from boy?" "I-I am a run away sir." He stammers "I ran away to join the pony express." He begins to beam brightly"I am from Milwaukee Wisconsin and I just wish my family could see me now." Marshall's eyes narrow and again he asks in a deep, ominously quiet tone "What is your name boy?" The boy on the horse looks down and removes his hat. "My name is William Davidson sir. But you can call me Bill if ya like." William pauses for a second. "What is that thing you are riding on?" Marshal thinks he knows this name then ponders a few minutes not answering or even looking at the youngster. Then his eyes open wide he shakes his head a little then he looks up at the boy, his voice is full of urgency. "Go home boy. Go the fuck home NOW boy!" The boy is surprised by the tone and language "What's wrong why are you shouting at me like that?" Tosha pokes Marshal and whispers in his ear "If you know something about some act this child does later in life you cannot tell him. Otherwise you change the fates and the time line of everything involved. In other words you may no longer exist. You would just vanish from the face of the earth." Marshall's mouth drops open. Then he just sits there for a few moments trying to tell the boy why he must just go home. "Ok boy, it's like this …um… Oh shit just gimme that fuckin' bag and go home before ya get your ass shot off!!!" The boy tosses down both mailbags and heads off in the direction that he came from. Tosha leans over Marshall's shoulder "Who was that boy that you had to interrupt time for?" Marshall smirks then pats Tosha on the leg "That, my dear, was the original Willie Davidson. One of the founders of Harley-Davidson as in the makes of this motorcycle." Quietly they watch as the youngster rides out of sight. ©