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 15
As long as one heart still holds on
Then hope is never really gone
And I hear them saying
You’ll never change things
and no matter what you do its still the same thing
But its not the world that I am changing
I do this so
This world will know that it will not change me
By the time that the men had scrambled over the debris and towards the crowd of people that were cheering, their friend was already released from the space that could have been his tomb. Ike was being carried by four paramedics, filthy dirty and covered in raw scraped skin and bruises, but he nonetheless had a huge grin on his tired face. The entourage didn’t stop until their returned comrade was seated on the rear of an ambulance. Stumbling, Buck ran to his best friend, both men embraced tightly, almost squeezing the air out of each other.
“I thought you were gone” Buck spoke softly
“Can’t get rid of me that easily” Ike laughed his humour fading as he remembered his friends
“Have you found the others yet?” he asked softly
“No” Buck replied “But we’re still looking”
“Sir we need to take you to hospital” the paramedic interrupted them watching him carefully, Ike waved him away as the others arrived to offer their congratulations to the young man.
The group of men, faced with their first happiness that day were buoyed by Ike’s relatively injury free survival, all could see Ike’s exhaustion, but his release had renewed their faith in finding the others.
After a great deal of heated discussion, Ike was taken to hospital , Buck travelling with him promising to bring him back if he was given the medical all clear.
The others threw themselves back into the search, nobody needed to tell them that chances of finding their friends alive diminished with each minute that passed. It had now been 24 hours since the explosion, hopes were fading for the five missing agents.
“Bet you never thought you would be dying in a concrete tomb with me Ezra” Buck spoke softly as he watched his friends pale face.
“To the contrary Mr Wilmington” Ezra spoke not opening his eyes “I have always thought I would meet my end in front of a gun” he paused “but short of spending my last moments in the arms of a beautiful woman, there is no one I would rather meet my maker in the company of” he turned to look into the blue eyes of his friend
“I always figured I would go courtesy of a jealous husband” Buck chuckled, then turned serious again “I hope they find the others” he murmured
“They will” Ezra spoke
“I hope Chris looks after the kid” tears welled in his deep blue eyes, allowing himself to think of his best friend and surrogate baby brother.
“Buck” Ezra dragged himself closer to the bigger man, ignoring the stars that filled his vision, when the pain of his leg threatened to drag him away. The jagged bone tearing into the flesh and muscle that had given way for it. He desperately fought the waves of blackness, needing to stay with his disheartened friend.
Buck watched as his friend struggled to stay conscious, he could see Ezra’s leg and was amazed at the southerners control. He watched as the pain overcame the smaller man, seeing his breath come in tiny panting breaths as he struggling to stay on this side of the darkness. He reached out a hand and clasped Ezra’s tightly , trying to offer what support he could to his friends struggle. It took him several minutes and when Ezra lifted his head and looked at Buck, the ladies man could see the pain glazing his eyes and felt it with him.
Ezra took a deep breath and tried to clear his mind of the pain that filled every fibre of his being before he began to speak.
“That Boy is not going to lose you Buck” he spoke softly his voice earnest, as if he knew the truth of what would happen with clarity.
“Ezra” Buck shook his head “Face it, we aint gonna get out of here anytime soon”
“I will not accept that” Ezra spoke “and I won’t let you accept that either” he pinned Buck with a determined stare “We will get out of here” he spoke “granted we will have to wait for them to find us, but we have our two greatest allies outside” he paused to catch his breath “JD would find you or die trying and Chris won’t give up on us until he knows one way or the other” he tightened his grip on Buck’s hand “I certainly don’t plan on disappointing them” he rested his head against the concrete the big man laid against and closed his eyes.
Buck watched Ezra drift slowly away with him, finally giving in to the pain that engulfed him, and wondered if it would not have been better to be crushed by the debris, instead of lingering this way. He only wished he was feeling the pain that his companion was feeling, sure his arm hurt like hell, but he was getting used to it now, the thing that worried him was the slowly spreading numbness in his lower body. It terrified him. He was beginning to hope that they wouldn’t find him, he didn’t want to live the remainder of his life as anything less than he had so far. It would kill him to see pity on the face of JD and his other friends. He looked at the pale face of the man beside him, knowing that they were almost surely condemned to a slow and painful death, he could already see the flush of fever on Ezra’s pale skin. He could only pray that the others would be rescued before it was too late as he allowed his eyes to droop closed sinking into a tormented unconsciousness.
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