The weary riders took the final steps to the second floor of the hotel. Finally the sounds from downstairs were fading as they put more space between themselves and the ruckus below. Matt looked down at the numbers to the rooms. They read 11 and 12.

"If you think I'm going in there alone, you're crazy." Lou barked with her eyes narrowed and her lips pursed.

Matt glanced at her quickly, obviously unaffected. "Don't flatter yourself." He opened room 11 and motioned for them all to go inside. Having no other options, they did so. Jimmy entered in after the women. He paused for a short moment looking at Lou. Stacy noticed a communication that seemed to pass through them. She wondered what it meant, but Lou shook her head slightly as if to signify 'no.' With not a second glance he stepped forward and seated himself on the small squeaky bed, waiting calmly for whatever was next. Jimmy knew he was just really along for the ride on this one.

"You know it would be nice if you'd just hand me that key so I can go and get some actual sleep." Jimmy tossed his hat to the side.

Matt walked over to the window and glanced out, as if looking for someone. Satisfied, he turned his attention to the most recent statement. "Yeah, so you can slip out and get the Marshal."

Jimmy shrugged. "Well, that's a nice thought, but funny, I would have never thought of it." He leaned back on the bed, and watched as he brought forth a rise in Matt's behavior.

"Listen......" He looked over at Stacy. It was strange, but he realized at this point that they had been bringing a man with them, and he wasn't even sure what his name was.

Stacy sat down heavily in the chair behind her. "James, James Hickok." She watched with glee as the man's face fell from natural flesh, to glossy white. Lou noticed too, and felt a involuntary smile form from one side of her face to the other.

Matt obviously noticed that he was watching and shook his head slightly, almost as if shaking the fear away. "Well Mr. Hickok, I don't think you know what you've gotten yourself into." The other two listeners leaned forward, hoping to learn more about what was going on.

Lou crossed her arms and sat on the edge of the chair next to Stacy. "Well then maybe you'd like to tell us a little bit more."

Kid felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up straight, which as he had recently discovered, meant that someone was in trouble. He had this terrible feeling that it was probably his three friends. Walking towards town with Katy's reigns loosely held in the palm of his hand, entered the abandoned streets of the town. The only sounds and signs of life, as he was quick to notice, came from a apparently very rowdy saloon. He hesitated entering it once he heard the foul cries of liquor's effects emanating from the room. They had to have stopped somewhere to sleep. Looks like this is the only place too. Kid tied Katy up in front of the building and a young boy approached him from behind.

"Excuse me, mister?"

Kid turned around quickly. "Yes?"

The boy, now quite shy looked down and mumbled. "Can I take your horse to the stable for you?"

Kid's first reaction was to tell the boy no, but he looked at his torn holy shoes and had second thoughts. "Is this how you make a living?" Kid asked softly.

He looked ashamed and waited for Kid to yell at him, as so many of the men that entered the saloon before had. "Yes, sir. My ma's real sick and my pa died, and this is the only way I got to feed my family." For a moment the young boy reminded Kid of himself not that many years ago, and his heart went out to him.

Kid smiled at him warmly and reached in his pocket for some money. "Here." He said handing it to him. "My horse's name is Katy."

His face brightened at the sight of his first earnings all day. "Thank you sir! She'll be brushed and I'll get some of them oats too!" Anxiously taking Katy's reigns and running in front of her to the stables, Kid stood after and watched his excitement. Then a thought struck him.

"Wait a minute, I need to ask you something." Kid trotted off after him.

Nervously the boy turned around. "Yes, mister?"

"Did you take any other horses to the stables earlier today?"

The youth replied. "Well, there were some that came in a couple hours ago, but the man said he wouldn't be needing my help. I took em' anyway I saw that he'd gotten a room for his wife and friends. The horses were sweaty, and they couldn't just stay sittin' here."

Wife? Kid grumbled to himself. "Show me where they are."

With that the boy trotted off towards the stables, with Kid right behind him. He spotted Lightning right away after he entered the doors. Jimmy's Palomino was not far off, as was the beautiful horse Kid had seen Stacy on just two days ago. "Thank you." Kid said before starting back over to the hotel.

"That still don't explain why you had to kill him!" Lou was becoming impatient with the subtle manner in which Matt had retold the story of hunting down Joey and his sister. It had all sounded so heartless. Lou placed her arm on her friend hearing her take a deep breath to fight back the tears.

"Business matters don't always come out fair to everyone." Was all he could manage to say. Matt stood up and stretched his legs.

"So are we just supposed to sit here all night?" Jimmy asked.

Matt walked over close to Jimmy's side. "That's the general idea."

Just then a loud crashing sound came from the direction of the door, and they all turned in time to see Kid with his gun drawn and ready. His aim was already set on Matt. "I'd drop it, right now." Kid's warning was definitely threatening as he clicked the hammer down.

"Oh Kid, I am so glad to see you!" Stacy called out as she rose from her chair.

Lou smiled. "That makes us both two very happy girls!"

He returned the expression and then walked towards Matt. "I don't know what games you've been playing, mister. But I'm here to but a stop to them."

Suddenly from behind Kid, came the face that was all too familiar. "Kid, look out!" Lou cried as she saw him raise his hand and strike him over the head with the butt of his gun. Her warning was too late. Matt stepped over the body of the now unconscious Kid. He looked at his friend and smiled. "Bobby, you've got a great sense of timing. Have I told you that before?"

On to Chapter Twelve