DISCLAIMER: The Young Riders is the creation of Ed Spielman, and the property of Ogiens/Kane productions in association with MGM/UA television. The characters from the television program The Magnificent Seven are the property of Trilogy and The Mirisch Co. I am making no money from their use.
This Story is created for entertainment purposes only, no infringement intended. Not to be copied without permission from the author.
RATINGS: PG - violence, mild language
WARNING: This Story contains an alternative Universe theme, if this type of story is not to your liking or will somehow offend you please delete this mail immediately and do not read any further. In addition it is a The Young Riders/The Magnificent Seven Crossover, so if crossovers are not your cup of tea, please go no further. Furthermore this story contain semi graphic images of a terrorism nature, if you feel this may disturb you please find a different story that you will enjoy.
NOTES: The song that inspired the Title is by Garth Brooks on his fresh horses album. Eternal thanks to Mog for letting me play in her ATF AU sandpit. Thanks heaps to Enid (known affectionately here as my font of all knowledge) for all the brainpicking I have done. Thanks to my net sisters Lyn and Dayna for all the collaboration and characterisation help, couldn’t have done it without you.
Chapter 11
Chris steered his Black Ram quickly and efficiently towards the Gates Rubber company building, JD sat in the passenger seat his skin even paler than usual, his fear for his ‘big brother’ almost a palpable force in the car with them. Josiah, Nathan and Buck sat in the back the blue light from the police light that was built into the dash reflecting eerily on their faces. A second vehicle carrying the rest of their companions speeding along behind them.
Chris had almost allowed himself to keep breathing as he could see Ezra’s Jag parked beside the building in the distance. When the air seemed to ripple around them, an almighty reverberation of noise and a cloud of dust almost like a mushroom cloud rose in front of them. Chris slammed on the brakes and waited momentarily as small chunks of debris showered his truck, cracking his windshield. Small chunks of brick leaving indentations like cellulite all over the Ram. As the dust settled the men in the car realised what had happened. Chris looked back along the road, Ezra’s Jag was gone buried under the fallen bricks of what appeared to be at least one third of the Gates building.
“No” JD called as he slipped out of his seatbelt and ran towards the building, stumbling over bricks and pieces of twisted metal as he ran.
“Dammit JD get back here” Chris called as he flung open his car door and followed his youngest team member, knowing that JD would pay him no mind, intent only on getting to Buck. The rest of the men were not far behind them.
In the distance they could already hear the sounds of sirens screaming towards them. As they approached the building, the enormity of the damage that the building had withstood became apparent to all of them. The sheer scale of what stood before them was almost beyond comprehension for any of them, but none of them would leave this place until everyone of their friends were found.
“Dear God” Josiah murmured “How could anyone survive this?” he spoke softly
“They are not dead Josiah” JD spoke clearly “They wouldn’t die and leave us” his voice sounding bewildered as he spoke “Would they Chris?” he still hadn’t taken his eyes off the still settling wreckage around him.
“Not if they could help it Kid” he murmured slipping an arm around JD’s shoulders in support.
Jimmy and Kid were already climbing over the rubble trying to establish a way into the building that would give them some idea of the location of their friends.
“Come out of there” Chris called them
“Lou is down there somewhere” Kid spoke his eyes liquid “I’m not gonna stand here and do nothing”
“Are you prepared to shoulder the blame if something settles in there with your movement and it kills her?” Chris’ eyes turned steely
“Im not leaving her there alone” Kid scrambled down the rubble to stand face to face with Chris his hands on his hips furious
“I don’t care if you don’t want to do anything, but I cant not help her” Kid spat
“We have to wait for the all clear Kid” he spoke trying to calm his temper as it was stirred by his fear for his team.
“You can do what you like” Kid punctuated each word by shoving Chris in the chest with his open hands “I’m going to dig”
“My two best friends in the world are in there” Chris pressed his face close against Kids “I will not subject them to more danger” he paused and hit Kid in the shoulder with his fist “Do you understand me?” Kid didn’t back down but he didn’t continue the fight either, deep down he knew that Chris was right. A quick nod of his head and Chris knew that they would stand by his decisions.
“Best you get out of my sight for a bit” Chris spoke a gentler tone to his voice “before I do something we both regret”
*****
The lean man tried to roll into a more comfortable position, his legs pinned by something too heavy for him to move but had to settle for pushing his long dusty hair out of his eyes. Damn he hurt, he just couldn’t decide where hurt worse. Rubbing his had across his forehead he realised that his fingers came away sticky with blood. How the hell had he gotten himself into this situation. He tried to remember what he was doing to find himself covered with dust and hurting so bad, when it all came flooding back to him.
“Ezra” he called his voice sounding croaky even to his own ears, his throat felt as if it was full of dust
“Ezra, Damn you” he called letting his head sink back to the ground “If you’re dead I’m gonna kill you” he spoke as his eyes closed again, pain forcing him back into its inky black depths.
Lou could hear Vin calling but she couldn’t see him, she couldn’t even move her head, something soft had her pinned to the ground and there was moisture trickling down her shoulder. Trying to feel around her she realised that someone was pinned on top of her, their inert form pressing her against a sheet of prefabricated concrete. Lifting one arm she tried to shake the person above her into consciousness so they could both move. She wasn’t strong enough to move him on her own. Smiling, her face feeling that it had been pierced by a thousand needles at the movement she felt the heavy body above her begin to rouse. As soon as she heard him grumbled mutterings about his pain, she realised that it was Cody.
“Cody” she spoke softly “You’ve really gotta lose some weight” she laughed
“Get Off Me” she pushed him
“Damn Lou” he groaned as he wriggled off of her “How the hell do we get ourselves in these messes?”
“I dunno Cody” she answered softly seeing the cause of the moisture that she realised was blood, dripping from a wound in Cody’s shoulder, a long lethal looking shard of glass protruding from the wound “but we’re in a damn fine mess this time” she spoke hoping that the rest of the team would be able to find them in time.
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