Part 12
Duo rode hard, sheltering Mari who was sitting on the horse in front of him. He glanced back to see the sheriff gaining on him. He grimaced and pulled loose Deathscythe and turned around. The sheriff was getting closer and closer, even as the visibility was deteriorating.
He looked forward, squinting through the blowing sand. We aren't going to make it, Duo thought grimly. He tapped Mari on the shoulder and she looked at him, blue eyes worried.
"Listen, I'm going to jump off. Shados will take you to your ma. Just hold tight and don't let go, okay?"
"Okay," Mari said. Duo braced himself and jumped off the horse, rolling in the dust. He was blinded by the sand but he brought his gun to bear and fired at the sound of the approaching horse.
Moments later he heard a dull thud. Duo panted in the dirt, pushing his hat off. He stood up and was about to start walking when he was tackled from behind. He grunted and fell forward, struggling with the person on top of him.
A flash of dark blue eyes filled his vision and he punched at them. The eyes snapped back and he felt a hard punch to his gut. He grimaced drove his elbow upward, as a knee drove down on his diaphragm.
Duo lay flat on the ground, hearing the resounding click of handcuffs close around one wrist as he made one last ditch attempt at tackling his attacker, reaching for his keys. The attacker grabbed the keys and extended his arm to keep the keys away. Duo growled and grappled with his arm, finally punching his wounded shoulder.
His assailant gasped and before collapsing threw the keys far into the desert.
"Goddamnit!" Duo yelled as his momentum made him land on his back, breathless.
"You are under arrest-" the sheriff growled. Duo growled, then his eyes dilated and whimpered. The sheriff blinked. "What are..." he trailed off, seeing a deadly rattlesnake firmly attached to Duo's leg.
"Oh shit..."
TBC...