Freakin' 'Puter

(At the time I began writing this story we {as in the list} believed that the show was not going to be renewed. We were hoping to get it but we weren't sure. Anyways this is just a little flight of fancy for us ladies on the RPG list. hope you have as much fun reading it as I had writing it......oops! Forgot the legal stuff. I do not own the Magnficient Seven despite repeated requests to Santa, Cupid, the Easter bunny, the Pumpkin guy, and the tooth fairy. I'm only borrowing them for a short period of time. And promise to return them in relatively the same condition as I found them. A little shell shocked maybe. But when you unleash the RPG list on a group of unsuspecting gunslingers from the eighteen hundreds you really have to expect that. Side's I doubt after all the work our Mailing list has done towards getting the show renewed that they would sue me over a little ole' fanfic that was not meant to harm anyone. That I know of. Never what I do when I sleep. That subconcious of mine is pretty unpredictable. anyways happy reading. Marianne)

Medical warning: For all M7 fans. Do not attempt to electrocute yourself messing with your modem. If it surges it will not transport you back to Four Corners. Your local hospital maybe. But not Four Corners.

Marianne turned on her computer with a sigh. What's-his-name Moronic (or Moonves or something) had decided against airing the Magnificent Seven.

She frowned thoughtfully. Because one suffers a miniscule setback does not necessarily mean one is defeated by any stretch of the imagination. (And imagination was one thing she didn't lack)

She grinned at the Ezraish thought. Clicking on her email program Marianne wondered if her RPG post had been sent out and if so had anyone added to it?

She was jolted out of her thoughts by her computer. The modem was going funny again. She muttered something about scrapheap as she reached around to the back of her computer to fiddle with the modem.

As she did so...it surged...then the world vanished.

She awoke to a nudging against her side.

Thinking it to be her cat she mumbeled something unintelligable and rolled over...only to bump her nose on a tree trunk.

"OWWWW!!!!!" She yelled sitting up. "What the hell was that! I certainly don't remember my wall being that rough or that hard! Come to think of it...I don't remember going to bed!" Rubbing her nose she looked around. "Ya know," She drawled. "This definetly ain't Newfoundland."

"Nope." Another voice spoke." More like Four Corners." A young woman stepped out from a grove of trees. She was leading a horse.

Marianne glanced over and saw a black stallion nipping at the grass. The horse was of the arabic breed. "Black?" She murmured softly in disbelief.

"Are you Ok....?" The young woman trailed off obviously not knowing her name.

"I'm fine, and my name is Marianne."

The young woman smiled in surprise. "Marianne? I'm Nutmeg!"

"No way!"The two young woman smiled in surprise.

"How'd we get here?" Marianne questioned gathering up Black's reins.

"No idea." Nutmeg shrugged. "But if you and I ended up here, maybe someone else from the list ended up here to."

Marianne nodded. "Good point. Any idea which WAY the town is?"

Nutmeg surveyed the countryside. "Nope. I was hoping you did."

Marianne frowned. "Well...let's mount up and ride to the top of that hill. Maybe we'll see something."

"Good idea." Nutmeg agreed. "Stay still Cody!" She ordered turning to her horse.

Marianne did the same and as if acting in tandem the duo mounted up. They then headed off in the direction of the hill.

When they reached the flat top they were suprised to see a group of women on horseback in the valley on the otherside.

"Whaddya think?" Marianne drawled.

"Let's go." Nutmeg responded and they rode down the hillside.

"Riders approaching!" Cheyenne called, spotting the two horses trotting down towards them.

Each woman drew her gun and pointed it at the two riders.

"Relax," One called. "We're friends."

"Who are you?" Misty called back.

"I'm Nutmeg and this here's Marianne."

"Nutmeg? Marianne?" Cheyenne looked surprised. "I'm Cheyenne and that's BeckyM, Adrian, Janet, Lixie, Cassie, DL, Agl, Suzi and Misty."

Marianne and Nutmeg shared a surprised look then returned their attention to the group before them.

Marianne leaned forward on her saddlehorn in a Larabee-like pose. "So we're all from the mailing list."

"More to the point we're all from the RPG list." A new voice cut in." I'm Rashel."

The group all introduced themselves again and then Suzi spoke up. "So anyone have any idea how the hell we got here?"

"Last thing I remember is reaching to fix my modem, rolling over and hitting my head and when I looked around I was here and Black was waiting next to me. Nutmeg showed up a minute later." Marianne reported.

"Well, we're obviously in Four Corners country, I suggest we take advantage of that fact." Adrian said suddenly. "I voe we get our collective behind in gear and find our way into town."

Marianne grinned. "Ya know, Adrian, we think alike."

"We all do. That's why we're on the mailing list." DL spoke up.

"Umm..." Becky suddenly spoke. "Anyone have any idea which way Four Corners is?"

Misty looked around. "Remember the opening scenes in Safecracker? Buck and Nathan were on a hill just like that one." She pointed to the hill Marianne and Nutmeg had just descended from.

"You're right, so which direction should we be headed in do you think?"

"Hey Marianne!" Cheyenne looked over at the young woman a speculative look in her eyes.

"Yeah?"

"Remember on the RPG you had a hawk?"

"Bree, yeah." Marianne glanced down at her gunbelt. "Hey! This wasn't here before was it?" She held up a gauntlet, as overhead, a hawk flew into view announcing it's presence with a loud shriek.

With a confused look on her face Marianne slipped the gauntlet on and held her arm in the air. Within seconds later, the hawk pitched.

"Think she can find Four Corners?" Becky asked.

Marianne shrugged. "Find the town." She instructed the hawk firmly. She tossed the bird into the air and watched it fly off.

"Now what?" Agl questioned.

"Now, we follow." Nutmeg said simply and they all spurred their horses into a canter so as to be able to keep up with Bree.

They rode for nearly two hours before spotting the plumes of smoke. A few minutes later the town of Four Corners came into view.

The women hesitated for a moment. Looked at each other and nodded. Then rode into town...

And promply into a gunfight.

Marianne, DL, Cheyenne and Nutmeg were in the lead chatting casually.

One man fired his gun practically under Black's nose. Startled, the skittish Arabian reared back and Marianne found herself having to fight for control as Black pawed at the air.

"Whoa!" Marianne yelled. "Easy Black!" She was vaguely aware of a red jacketed man in the doorway of the saloon which was next to her.

With grim determination she fought to keep Black from bolting. "Easy Black," She soothed as he danced forward a few steps. "It's ok, "She said softly patting his neck as he slowly calmed down.

"Well, hello there little lady." A gunslinger grabbed ahold of Black's bridle and smiled up at Marianne. "Looks to me like you've got a little problem."

"Yeah," Marianne snapped irritably. "YOU!" She tugged lightly on Black's reins causing him to step away from the slimeball.

The gunslinger followed. "Now darlin' you're to far away. C'mere!"

Before she could react he reached up and yanked her out of the saddle.

He wrapped an arm around her neck and, with her facing the crowd, pulled her against him a gun pointed at a familiar looking man. A man dressed in black.

"Now listen here Larabee! Me and m'boys are leavin' and this little lady'll be joinin' us."

Marianne rolled her eyes and turned away from his face. "Ya know somethin'! Your breath stinks worse than Top Hat Bob's."

Nutmeg looked over at Cheyenne and DL. "That's bad!" She whispered. The two women nodded.

Chris Larabee looked surprised at the young woman's comment.

"You shud'ap!" The gunslinger snapped. "Now we're gonna go real quiet-like. No one has ta get hurt!"

"Oh now THAT'S original." Marianne said, sarcastically. Ordinarily she would have been scared but this guy was a joke. That and she was to pissed to be scared. He'd taken her hostage. In front of the Seven and her friends from the list. Very embarrassing. It was then she spotted Bree perched on a railing near Josiah who was eyeing the bird of prey warily. "Excuse me stinky, I'd hate to interrupt your threatening monologue here but are you aware of the rather extensive group of women behind you?"

"Yeah so what?"

"They are my friends." Marianne clarified. "And I have a strange aversion to large, sweaty, smelly gunslingers."

"So?"

"So..." Marianne explained tiredly. " I plan on staying with them. 'Sides Bree dosen't like you."

"Who the hell is Bree?"

"Her!" Marianne said whistling.

Bree immediately launched herself at the gunslinger as Marianne slammed an elbow into his stomach and a foot into another more delicate area then twisted free.

The gunslinger howled in pain and doubled over.

One of his friends moved to shoot her but Nutmeg stepped up behind him and pressed her gun against his back pulling back the hammer. "I wouldn't." She warned.

Another one moved to shoot at Bree and Cheyenne intervened. "I'm warnin' ya! I can get a lil' old testament on occasion. And this is one of those occasions. Now repent, and PUT YOUR GUN DOWN!"

He put the gun down.

The sounds of several more hammers being pulled back was heard. Followed by the sound of guns dropping to the ground.

Marianne glanced around and saw the RPG girls had taken up position behind several men.

"Bree!" She called, pulling her gauntlet back on.

The hawk flew to her and perched on her hand.

"Sheriff?" She called sweetly to JD. "I believe these ruffians belong to you?" At that she turned and walked to Black. "You okay?" She said softly running her free hand down his face.

"Excuse me miss?"

Marianne stiffened up. She knew that voice. With a casual gesture she lifted her hand up and Bree stepped from the gauntlet onto her saddlehorn. Then she turned. "Yes?"

"I'm Chris...Chris Larabee."

She nodded. "I'm Marianne. That's Nutmeg, Cheyenne, Adrian, Janet, Suzi, Cassie, Lixie, DL, Becky, Agl, and Misty."

"Ladies." Chris touched the brim of his hat and nodded.

Marianne spotted a familiar face moving through the crowd. As soon as he stepped up Marianne grinned, folded her arms and spoke.

"Let me guess...The wind blew...the clouds parted...and OUT came the sun!" She mimicked brightly with a texan drawl.

The RPG girls burst into laughter and Cheyenne and Nutmeg stepped up behind her.

Buck Wilmington smiled. "Now ma'am how did you know what I was going to say?"

"Women's intuition."Adrian said dryly walking up.

"And you are definetly women." Buck commented.

"And you have a one track mind." DL countered.

"Yeah, and it runs horizontal." Agl put in.

"Missy," Nathan stepped up to Marianne. "Are you all right?"

"Oh yeah, I'm fine." Marianne responded with a friendly smile.

"Might I inquire where you shining examples of the fairer sex hail from?" Ezra Standish inquired walking over to join them.

"You'd never believe us." Misty answered, eyeing the familiar red jacket.

"Oh I don't know about that." Josiah rumbeled. "You'd be surprised at what I believe."

Cheyenne smiled cheerily at him. "No I wouldn't."

Josiah blinked.

"Fine lookin' animal y'got there." Vin Tanner said looking Black over.

"Thanks." Marianne smiled at him before reaching up to allow Bree to climb back onto her hand.

"Is he your pet?" JD Dunne questioned.

"SHE is more of a companion than a pet." Marianne answered brushing her fingers lightly through Bree's feathers.

"She's magnificent." Chris commented.

The RPG girls hid a snicker.

"Was there something you wanted to ask me?" Marianne addressed Chris.

"Yes. Have you had a run in with Top Hat Bob?"

Vin shot her a suspicious look.

Marianne smiled innocently.

"Um," Lixie spoke for the first time since they'd arrived in town. "Can one of ya'' direct us to the nearest restaurant. I'm dyin' for a cup of coffee."

"JD will you show them?" Chris asked the younger man.

"Sure." JD responded with a smile at the women.

"We'll need to get some rooms as well." Suzi commented.

"Well, after you finish eating I'll take you over to the hotel." JD offered.

"Thanks." Misty smiled and JD blushed.

"Question," Nutmeg said leaning over to Lixie. "WHY exactly are we going for coffee?"

"So we can plan our strategy." Lixie answered.

"What strategy?" Cheyenne inquired.

"A plan to figure out how we got here, if we can get home and if we can't where we go from there." DL explained. "Right Lixie?"

Lixie nodded.

JD looked back."What are you guys whispering about back there?"

"Oh nothing." Marianne said smiling brightly. "Just girl stuff." She leaned close to him. "Nothing a big strong gunslinger such as yourself should concern yourself with."

Nutmeg rolled her eyes dramatically and sighed. Making Janet and Adrian laugh.

"She's playin' him like a violin." Misty noted. "Are you sure she's a Vixen not a BrigaDear? That's a con worthy of Ezra."

"No." Agl put in. "Ezra's momma."

The women chuckled.

"I didn't think she was that conniving." Janet commented.

"Oh, I think Marianne can be when she needs to." DL said with a smile. "She just dosen't need to often."

Once they reached the restaurant Marianne took up the task of keeping JD distracted while the other women discussed the situation.

"So what's the last thing you guys remember before waking up here?" Adrian questioned nursing a cup of authentic Irish cream coffee.

"Well," Suzi spoke first, leaning forward and cupping her coffee. "I was sending an RPG email to Rashel when my modem went crazy. I think it surged or something."

"You know, my modem surged to." Cheyenne sent in. "It was in the middle of downloading one from Rashel."

Janet nodded. "So was I."

Rashel nodded as well. "And I was sending one out from Marianne when my 'puter when nuts."

The rest of the women either murmured their agreement or nodded. Each one had been either recieving an email from or in the middle of sending an RPG email to Rashel's computer.

"Ok. We know what started this...Rashel's 'puter surged and that surge carried through to all our mail servers thus into our computers." Becky frowned. "So how did a surge manage to send us back through time, across the country, into completely different clothing, complete with loaded guns, spare bullets, horses, the appropriate currency and the knowlege of how to shoot our guns accurately. There's no way a server surge could do *that*."

Cassie shifted slightly. "Obviously something else contributed to our little trip."

"But what?" Nutmeg muttered.

"*That* is the magnificent question." Misty said, finishing off her drink.

"No pun intended right?"Adrian asked with a grin.

The women chuckled.

"Well, if our computers are the reason we're here. I doubt we're going home anytime soon." Suzi said, resolved. "It's not like they sell computers in the Potters General Store."

"So now what?" Cheyenne questioned.

"Now, we get rooms." Janet said finishing her coffee."We're going to need places to stay."

"A wise decision." Misty drawled feeling a little Ezraish. "Considering the events of this morning."

"Funny isn't it? We get mysteriously brought to Four Corners and Marianne promptly gets herself taken hostage." Nutmeg laughed.

"Yeah, I'm one lucky lady," Marianne said, walking past.

They all laughed.

"Well, She is sitting down talking to JD. I call that lucky." Becky commented glancing over at them.

"But she'd rather be talking to Vin." Rashel reminded.

"If Marianne could spend time with Vin I doubt they'd be doing much talking." Nutmeg said with a mischevious grin.

They burst into laughter. Marianne looked over.

'What?' She mouthed to Nutmeg.

'Nothing.' Nutmeg mouthed back.

'Like hell.' Marianne countered.

Nutmeg shrugged. Aloud she called. "Uh...Sheriff Dunne? Would ya'll mind escortin' us to the nearest hotel? My companions and I would like to take care of lodging for the night."

"Of course ma'am." JD said standing. "Nice chattin' with you Miss Marianne."

"It was a pleasure. Glad I could be of some service." Marianne replied as she moved to join the group.

"What were you talking about?" DL questioned in a low tone.

Marianne grinned. "What women *really* want in a man."

DL chuckled. "Bet that was one hell of a conversation." She finished still laughing.

"Let's just say Casey *and* Buck are in for a surprise." Marianne answered with a smug grin.

The girls got squared away at the hotel and then split off into groups and began prowling the town.

Misty lived up to her nickname of Ezra's cat and headed to the Saloon to 'observe' Ezra playing poker with the locals. Cheyenne wandered over to the church and ended up helping Josiah with a little painting. Adrian, Janet and Rashel headed for the saloon for a drink and found themselves flirting cheerfully with Buck. Agl, Cassie and Suzi ended up helping Nathan with some supplies. DL found herself not only observing Ezra's poker game but playing in it! (Wisely she kept her bets low) Lixie and Becky decided to pick up where Marianne left off in her conversation with JD and ended up outside the jail discussing it, earnestly trying to convince the young man that Casey was really a wonderful girl. (and not having to work that hard at it.)

The two pranksters of the group, Nutmeg and Marianne, wandered around the town, just talking.

They joked and laughed as they walked. Completely at ease, also completely unaware of the watchful eyes of Vin Tanner.

"So, have they tried to rob the bank yet?" Chris Larabee spoke from behind him.

Vin turned to face him. "The older one. The one with the hawk." He spoke simply not remembering her name.

"Marianne." Chris supplied.

Vin nodded. "Marianne. She's hidin' something."

"She's lying?" Chris looked surprised. "About what?"

"Not lying exactly." Vin responded sitting down.

"Then what?"

Vin shruggedd. "I just get the feeling that there's something she and her friends aren't tellin' us."

Chris looked dismissive. "A man's..." He grinned."In this case...a *woman's* past is her own business. If she volunteers it then it's something we need to know. If not..." He trailed off, his meaning clear.

"I believe you're the one who said,' what a man don't know could get him killed.'" Vin countered smoothly.

Chris nodded. "But in this case I'm not so sure."

Vin returned his attention to the two young women. They'd paused long enough for another woman...DL? To join them. Vin watched as they resumed their walk.

"So," Nutmeg began, looking over at DL." How'd the game with Ezra go?"

DL laughed. "He won. But what else is new?"

"Didn't lose to much I hope." Marianne spoke with a teasing grin.

"Of course not!" DL responded with a matching grin. "I knew *who* I was playing against."

The trio laughed.

They were still laughing when they passed the jail.

However, they weren't laughing loud enough that DL couldn't hear the weak moan that issued forth from within.

Immediately she stopped and the other two looked over worried.

What is it?" Nutmeg questioned.

The moan came again.

"Did you hear that?" DL inquired.

"Sounded like a moan." Marianne shared a look with her two friends.

Together they rushed inside. On the floor lay JD, Lixie and Becky. All three were unconcious.

Marianne bent over Becky as DL examined JD and Nutmeg checked over Lixie.

"Looks like Becky got a good smack on the head." Marianne reported looking up.

"So did JD." DL said easing her coat under his head to serve as a makeshift pillow.

"Same here." Nutmeg added.

"Marianne! Go get Nathan!" DL ordered. "Nutmeg you get Chris and whoever of the guys you can round up!"

Both nodded and headed for the door.

Nutmeg turned to say something but noticed the condition of the jail cells. Empty.

"Ah..guys," She began hesitantly. "I hate to make a bad situation worse but..."

"But?" Marianne prompted, turning she saw the empty cells." Oh *wonderful*!" She crossed her arms. "Where'd guy smiley and his friends go?"

The now familiar click of the hammer of a gun being pulled back was her answer.

"Right here little lady and the name's Slim...Slim Pickens."

"You're tellin' me." Marianne muttered.

"Yes I am!" Pickens snapped. "Now you three'll be joining my boys and me for a little ride."

DL reached for her gun.

"I *wouldn't*." Pickens warned. "Undo your gunbelts and put them on the floor. All of you!"

The trio reluctantly unfastened their gunbelts and let them fall to the floor.

"Now ladies let's get your horses."

They took a round about route to the barn so as not to be spotted by Vin and Chris who sat outside the saloon talking with Adrian and Janet.

Quietly they eased themselves inside the livery.

A cursory glance around the livery told Pickens it was empty save for the horses.

"Now you three be good little girls and saddle your horses." He ordered.

"I'll saddle you, you little pain in the...." Marianne began only to be cut off by DL's hand being clamped over her mouth.

Marianne got the warning and the trio moved, under the watchful eyes of Pickens and his gang, to saddle their horses.

Up in the loft Rashel and Buck surfaced from another kiss.

"Wasn't that your friend?" Buck whispered.

Rashel nodded. She pushed some of the hay aside and peered down through the floorboards, Buck at her side.

As Marianne saddled Black she spotted the spare gauntlet hanging from her saddle. Hesitantly she whistled softly.

Pickens gun immediately snapped around to point in her direction.

"Relax! Can't a girl whistle." She muttered.

Pickens looked ready to shoot her but Nutmeg distracted him by dropping her saddle.

"Clumsy girl!" Pickens snapped.

"Sorry." She apologized sweetly. "I guess I'm a little scared."

Marianne breathed a sigh of relief and looked at Bree who'd pitched on the feeding trough in the stall.

Quickly she pulled a pen and paper out of her saddle bag and scribbled a note which she attached to Bree's leg.

"Find Cheyenne." She whispered.

The hawk flew off as Marianne turned and pulled Black's bridle off the door.

"Hey!" One of Pickens men yelled. "You! What are you doing?"

"Just getting Black's bridle." Marianne answered innocently.

The man eyed her distrustfully but the young woman smiled sweetly. Gritting her teeth the entire time. Finally he nodded.

Marianne breathed another sigh of relief and nodded at DL.

DL smiled and held up crossed fingers.

Marianne mirrored the gesture and finished saddling Black.

Up in the loft Rashel and Buck shared a worried look. They waited until the group rode out and then climbed down.

"You get your friends together, I'll find the guys." Buck said collecting a hurried kiss as they rushed for the door.

Cheyenne was helping Josiah carry the painting supplies into the church when she heard Bree's familiar shriek.

The hawk came shooting down out of the sky. She was headed straight for Cheyenne.

"Cheyenne! Look out!" Josiah reached for her to pull her behind him even as he grabbed for his gun.

"Josiah! NO! Relax! That's Marianne's hawk Bree!"

Josiah lowered his gun and watched warily as Cheyenne abandoned her supplies to walk over to Bree who'd perched on a nearby railing.

"She's got a note tied to her ankle." Cheyenne reported, turning with the note in her hand. She read it over and raised worried eyes to Josiah's. "We have to find Chris...Now!" She rushed off. Bree taking to the air to follow.

"Cheyenne!" Josiah called after her. "What's wrong?"

She paused long enough to hand him the note then continued on at a brisk pace.

Chris and Vin were still chatting pleasently with Adrian and Janet when Buck came rushing up from one direction and Josiah and Cheyenen came running from another.

"Pickens and his gang knocked out JD, Lixie and Becky, they escaped and..." Cheyenne began.

"And took Nutmeg, Marianne and DL with them." Buck finished.

"WHAT!" Adrian and Janet choursed in shock.

"When?" Chris asked standing.

"10 minutes ago." Buck responded.

"Where's Rashel?" Adrian asked worriedly looking around for her friend.

"Rounding up the rest of the women." Buck answered turning to her.

"Why Mr.Wilmington, I thought you restricted yourself to one woman...." Ezra paused then smiled. "At a time."

Buck glared at him. "Be quiet now Ezra! This is serious."

"I agree. However, since Ms.Edison is not present to make her dispariging sarcastic remarks, I am serving as her temporary replacement." Ezra countered, adjusting the sleeve of his jacket.

"Hey!" Cheyenne burst in."If you two don't stop snappin' at each other and start plannin', Ezra'll have to serve as Marianne's replacement PERMANENTLY!"

"And I'm still waitin' on her and Nutmeg's next prank!" Suzi put in.

"Their what?" JD asked walking up. He was rubbing the back of his head and wincing. Lixie and Becky were doing the same.

"Nothing." Agl said impatiently. "Nathan, are they fit to ride?"

Nathan nodded. "I wouldn't advise to fast a pace but yes they can ride."

"Then...." Misty grinned in mischief. "Let The Seven Ride!" She paused. "Accompanied by representatives of the RPG list, of course."

"THE WHAT?" The seven men choursed.

"Oh go get the horses!" Becky muttered gingerly touching the lump on the back of her head. "If we don't hurry we'll lose the little daylight we've got left."

Meanwhile the objects of their worry were riding along with the spiteful Slim Pickens and his predicatably grumpy gang.

"Remind me never to go walking with you while dangerous criminals you've offended are being held in the local clink." Nutmeg muttered to Marianne.

"Does stuff like this happen to you often?" DL questioned.

Marianne considered the question momentarily then spoke. "Do you mean getting zapped by my modem and mysteriously transported back a century into the wild west of the United States, meet up with other women who've had the same occurence and then find out I'm in the same area on of my favorite TV shows is set in and then meet the living breathing personifications of the show's characters and then promply get kidnapped by bad guys?" Marianne paused for a breath. "Then I would have to say no." She grinned over at DL. "However, do I have very odd luck? I would have to say yes to that one."

DL and Nutmeg laughed. "Pard, you have one strange sense of humor," Nutmeg commented.

"Oh you have no idea." Marianne said with another grin. She then glanced toward the darkening sky, her eyes searching for a familiar shape.

"Anything?" DL whispered.

Marianne shook her head. "No, not yet. But Bree'll get help. They're probably coming after us right now."

The group moved at a relatively high speed, trying to keep up with Bree. The hawk seemed to know the danger Marianne, DL and Nutmeg were in and was flying at a breakneck speed because of it.

The group stopped to give their horses a chance to rest and for Nathan to check on his three patients.

"Can you see her?" Chris called over to Vin.

The tracker pulled his spy glass out and peered through it at the rapidly darkening sky.

It took a few moments but he soon spotted the hawk. She was circling over a particular spot.

"Looks like they've stopped for the night." Vin said returning the glass to his pocket.

"Good." Chris looked around at the grove they were in. "We'll make camp here." He looked behind him at the group. "Buck, round up some of the ladies and get some firewood. Vin post guard. We'll all trade off shifts." He watched as the two men followed his orders. "The rest of you set up camp!"

The remaining women moved to set up the camp. As they worked however, they were distracted. Their attention only half on their duties. They were worried.

All thinking about their friends.

Marianne sat staring into a fire her hands bound behind her back. DL sat next to her, her hands also bound. Nutmeg lay sleeping nearby.

Not trusting their captors they slept in shifts. One rested while the other two stayed up and watched their guards.

Meanwhile they planned quietly. They'd already decided that towards dawn they'd try an escape.

"You clear on all the points?" DL asked.

Marianne nodded. "You?"

DL nodded.

There was a rustling of wings and Bree pitched on the log across from them.

"Bree!" Marianne breathed and shared a grin with DL.

"They're close." DL spoke softly.

"Have to be." Marianne responded, equally soft. Then she had an idea. "Hey Bree!" She spoke low but still managed to catch the hawk's attention. "C'mere!" She punctuated this with some soft whistles.

"What the hell are you doing?" DL questioned, puzzled.

"I've got an idea." Marianne grinned. Bree hopped up on the log next to her. Marianne turned slightly presenting her bound hands. Bree looked at them for a moment then resolutely began pulling at the rope.

Vin came awake quickly when Chris poked him. His hands started to go for his gun but he relaxed when he saw who it was.

"It's almost dawn, ready?" Chris whispered.

Vin nodded and together they woke the rest of the group and went over their plan one more time.

Once everyone was clear on the details they split into two groups. Chris, Buck, Ezra and their group would lead a frontal attack and distract the guards while Vin, Nathan, Josiah and JD's group would conduct the actual rescue. Each group contained five women.

Vin's group left their horses hidden in a stand of trees and crept through the underbrush until Vin spotted the flickering of a camp fire.

He cautiously eased up to the bushes seperating them from the campfire and peered through them.

Marianne sat up with Nutmeg next to the fire while DL slept nearby. A gunslinger stood near them watching the opposing bushes.

Vin whistled low and watched for a reaction from either one of the women. It was then he noticed that, while their hands were behind their backs, they were not bound. Vin spotted the remanents of ropes lying behind the log they were sitting on. Bree, the cause of their freedom, Vin figured, was perched on a nearby branch.

Vin whistled again and this time Nutmeg's head turned and she caught sight of him. She smiled and whispered something to Marianne who nodded and gave DL a gentle kick in the leg.

"Time to get up." She said loudly. In an undertone she added. "The cavalry's here." DL sat up and Nutmeg nodded at Vin.

He pulled back. "All right, they're ready." He looked to Cheyenne. "Send the signal."

Cheyenne nodded and ran lightly to her horse. She mounted up and rode to the top of the hill. From there she waved frantically to Rashel who sat astride her horse on the other side. Rashel waved back and her horse took off.

Cheyenne didn't wait. She rejoined the group.

They spread out and, at the first shot from the other group, rushed the camp.

Marianne, Nutmeg and DL leapt to their feet and grinned at their friends.

"Took you long enough." Nutmeg said with a grin at Lixie.

"Sorry 'bout that." Lixie said with a matching grin.

DL and Marianne spotted two of the gunslingers about to fire on Vin and Nathan. Marianne spotted two long pieces of wood sticking out of the fire. She and DL eyed them, then each other and grinned.

Moving together, they snatched up the two branches and, with mischief in their eyes, shoved the burning ends of the branches against the two bad guy's behinds.

Hearing two howls of pain, Vin and Nathan spun in time to see the two burly macho men grabbing at their butts and running like hell for the nearest body of water which happened to be a small creek.

DL and Marianne shared a high five and turned in time to see Nutmeg smack one guy over the head with the skillet he'd been about to cook breakfast in.

Cheyenne sent one guy sprawling in the dirt after he made the mistake of grabbing something he really shouldn't have. When he pulled his face from the dirt he came face to boots with one very angry Josiah.

The rescue ended as abruptly as it had began and soon they found themselves on the trail headed back to town.

"So," Rashel said conversationally to Marianne. "Did you have fun?" She teased. "Being a hostage I mean?"

Marianne grinned evily at DL and Nutmeg then looked back at Rashel. "Did you?"

"Pardon?"

"Well you and Buck disappeared for a while...which leads us to assume...."

Behind them Misty rode up beside Ezra. "Mr.Standish...Might I inquire as to the identity of the material of your coat? It really is quite lovely."

Ezra smiled." Why of course my dear, why don't we discuss it over...dinner?"

Suzi rode between Adrian and Janet. "So now what?" She inquired.

"We go back to Four Corners and try to find our places in the town." Adrian responded.

"Whatever those are." Janet added with a wry smile.

Agl looked over from where she'd been chatting with Nathan. "Well, I think for an imaginative group like us that shouldn't be much of a problem."

Cassie grinned. "I could come up with a few things."

Misty chuckled. "I'll bet you could. And a few are probably illegal in some states."

The women laughed and they continued on their way back to Four Corners. Back home.