Callahan paced back and forth in front of his unexpected guests. He wasn’t surprised to discover the foolish mistake his partner had made. His partner rarely managed to please him. Daniel just didn’t have any talent for this business. He was a careless drunk. Callahan noticed his sobbing partner cry out as once again Davis struck him across the face. Begging for Callahan’s mercy, Daniel threw himself to the ground.

“Enough,” Callahan ordered finally. It was pointless to beat the man. No, Daniel needed to be dealt with in another way. He gazed in distaste at the broken man at his feet before turning his full attention to Kid. “So you’re the rat?”

“Answer him!” Davis demanded as he struck Kid roughly in the jaw. Kid winced in pain but remained silent.

“I guess a confession’s pointless,” Callahan noted. “I already have my answer.” Quickly he punched Kid, sending him sailing to the ground. Mabel cried out softly, and her boss chuckled in amusement. “Do you have any accomplices I should know about?”

“No,” Kid answered shortly. “Just me.”

“We’ll see,” Callahan exclaimed. He rubbed his hand along his chin, deep in thought. Without warning, Marcus pulled his weapon and fired. Mabel screamed at McCarty’s execution. “Take this murder to jail,” Marcus ordered as he smiled at Kid. Roughly the men grabbed Kid by the arms, and dragged him to the door.

“What should we tell the sheriff?” Davis asked in confusion.

“Tell him that this young man killed McCarty, and I expect him to punished for his crimes,” Callahan stated simply. “But, I don’t want him killed until I approve. Say high noon tomorrow?” He looked at Kid as if asking his permission. Then he smiled with intolerable arrogance. “We need to discover the other mice that have infested our town before he swings from the rope.”

“He won’t question-”

“The sheriff’s a man who fears his own shadow,” Marcus informed him. “He won’t disobey me. Not unless he wants to die.”

“What ever you say,” Davis said as they prepared to leave.

“Don’t forget McCarty!” Callahan reminded. A dead man in the room always kills the romance, and he planned on enjoying Mabel’s bruised company.

The roaring noise that consumed the saloon barely allowed the riders to hear the gunshot that had pierced the air moments ago. Most of Needle Rock’s citizens took little interest in the commotion. The riders however felt a sinking feeling consume them. Lou, who was the last person informed of Kid’s disappearance, rushed toward the saloon’s exit only to have Cody swoop her up from behind.

“Lou!” Cody cried. “Let the others investigate.” He pulled Lou closer as she struggled to free herself from his embrace.

“Cody’s right,” Jimmy reaffirmed as the three remaining express crew left to discover the context of the shooting. “I hate staying behind as much as you do, but it’s our only choice.” They had to play the game.

The Setup

The riders intermingled with the few citizens that had gathered around the hotel to discover what all the fuss was about. The law enforcers were conversing with two men that held Kid at gun point. One of the men had a dead body hung over his shoulders. It appeared they arrived just in time to hear the dreadful news.

“This man shot McCarty, Sheriff,” Davis explained outside the hotel. “I saw it all.”

“No-” Kid began before Davis’s fist silenced him.

“I’m gonna take McCarty to the undertaker’s,” Davis’s assistant, Harris, stated. He was getting tired of lugging the dead man around, and he pushed through the small crowd of on lookers roughly.

“Callahan wants him punished for his murderin’ ways,” Davis said with a evil grin.

“Take him to jail,” the sheriff ordered his deputy. “We’ll start his trial tomorrow.”

“Ain’t no need for a trial,” Davis stated. “More like a hanging right at noon.”

With an understanding nod, the sheriff of Needle Rock followed behind the Kid and his deputy. Davis was right on his heels with every intention of working out unfinished details.

As the crowd dispersed, Teaspoon signaled his two riders to follow him into the alley. The darkness the night offered shielded them from any curious onlookers, and allowed them complete privacy. Action had to be taken or Kid would surely perish.

“Listen up, boys,” Teaspoon ordered in a hushed voice. “We’re gonna get Kid out, and we’re gonna do it soon.”

“How?” Buck questioned.

“If I’m right,” Teaspoon began in a hushed tone. “Then Callahan’s using the Kid to draw the rest of us out.”

Although the darkness was made it harder for Ike to communicate, his friends were able to understand his heated gestures.

“That’s right,” Teaspoon reaffirmed. “Cept, we’re gonna set it off a little before they expect us too.”

“What did ya have in mind?” Buck asked, raising his eyebrow in curiosity.

“Just an old trick me and some old friends used plenty of times down in Texas,” Teaspoon admitted with a grin. “Now pay attention, and ya just might learn something.”

“I can’t stand this waiting!” Lou stated heatedly. “We’ve got to do something.”

“The others can handle it,” Cody said firmly. He was just as worried about his friend, but foolish mistakes could cause the downfall of them all.

“They should have been back by now,” Jimmy pointed out with the same nervous energy that possessed Lou.

“If Kid was dead, they would be,” Cody informed them. Not quite as confident as he tried to sound, Cody added, “Ten more minutes, and then we’ll go after them.”

“Easy there, old timer,” the sheriff heard a young man call. Then he heard the ruckus created outside, and charged out to investigate. His company followed out of curiosity.

“The Yellow Rose of Texas beat..” The drunken man wailed before falling at the sheriff’s feet. “Damn!” The grizzly drunk exclaimed as he scratched his head. “Can’t never seem to remember that verse!” Teaspoon admitted before erupting in hysterical laughter. The smell of cheap whiskey staining his breath and clothes.

“The barkeep said to bring him here,” Buck informed the sheriff. “He’s managed to destroy half the saloon.”

Davis laughed as he roughly kicked the old man in the side. “Damn drunk,” he muttered as he moved passed them and out into the street. Harris followed, but not before paying Teaspoon the same respect as Davis displayed. “Remember our little talk,” Davis said to the sheriff before they disappeared into the night.

“Bring him inside,” the sheriff ordered in annoyance. “Put him in the second cell.”

Nodding his head, Buck lead the stumbling Teaspoon into the small jail house. He spotted Kid leaning against the cold stone wall, looking relieved to see them.

“I think it’s locked,” Buck stated as he stopped in front of Teaspoon’s assigned cell.

“It ain’t locked,” the deputy informed him. To prove his point, the deputy pulled the iron door open. “See?”

“Guess not,” Buck agreed as he drew his gun. “Mind getting in?”

“What the hell?” Before the sheriff could come to his partners aid, Teaspoon demonstrated just how sober he truly was.

“Let’s not make this harder then we have too,” he suggested as he retrieved the cell keys off the desk and tossed them to Kid.

The sheriff reluctantly joined his deputy in the cage. “You’re making a big mistake messing with Callahan,” the sheriff warned.

“We’ll take our chances,” Kid said after freeing himself. “Thanks for the advice though.” After cautiously studying the area, Teaspoon and his boys made their way through the alley to join Ike, who was tending their horses. “What about Lou?” Kid asked before mounting Katy. He knew his disappearance would cause her to worry.

“The others we’ll be fine,” Buck reassured him. “I left a note explaining things in her room.”

Wasting no time the group barreled out of town, leaving their friends behind. They had no other choice. Staying was too dangerous now that they had revealed themselves. Callahan had many associates that posed a secret threat. Although on the run, they were not out of the game. Callahan would never allow that. No, the game would just be altered until a winner was declared.

On to Chapter Eight