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 9
This heart still believes
That love and mercy still exist
While all the hatreds rage
And so many say
That love is all but pointless
And madness such as this
Its like trying to stop a fire with the moisture from a kiss
JD walked quickly from the elevator, the package from the front counter in his hand. Something was wrong here, something was very wrong. Buck hadn’t come home last night. He knew that occasionally his flatmate stayed over with his ladies but he was working last night. To make matters worse, because he had gone looking for Buck he was running late for a meeting with the two teams. He dropped his jacket on his seat and moved straight to the conference room.
“Sorry I’m late” JD spoke as he slipped into the room and took his seat.
“Where’s Buck?” Chris’ eyes narrowed when JD had entered alone.
“Dunno I figured he’d be here” JD answered slowly knowing now that something was very wrong “This was delivered downstairs” he handed the package to Chris. JD looked around the concerned faces at the conference table and realised that someone else was missing. Louise. A chill ran down his spine as he was overcome with a feeling of dread.
Lou knew that she had to do something, she watched the inhuman bastard that had hung her here like a slab of beef filming with the ever present video camera. She knew this was her only chance to get help. She knew where they were, hell she passed this building every day, she knew it, now she just had to let them know, so they could get help. A plan formed slowly in her hazy mind. She knew that many of the team would let emotion control their thoughts as they watched the video, but she prayed that she could trust Ezra to notice what she was saying.
Chris slipped a finger under the edge of the envelope and lifted a video cassette out. He could almost feel everyone in the room hold their breath as he moved to insert the tape into the VCR. Almost immediately the screen was filled with an image of Buck’s truck crumpled, almost twisted around a light pole. Buck’s dark head resting against the steering wheel, blood trickling down his face, his obviously broken arm across Lou, her head resting against the back of the seat, a nasty gash on her forehead. Every man in the room was so shocked by the images they almost missed the writing scrolling at the bottom of the screen. Blood red letters scrolled through the scene “Don’t Play With ME” it stated as the images of their compatriots faded from the screen. Both Ezra and Vin reached to grab JD’s hands as they heard his quiet gasp, trying to offer him what little support they could. They had seen many things in the line of duty, that sickened and repelled them, but this was difficult for them, it must be like torture for the kid to see his best friend in such a condition.
Before they could even catch their collective breath a new image filled the screen. Both Lou and Buck were tied by their hands, hanging from an overhead beam, Bucks feet inches from the floor, Lou’s even further. On closer inspection they realised that they weren’t tied they were handcuffed. Each of them had their outside hand cuffed to the pipe but their inside hand was cuffed to each other over the top of the pipe. Inhumane enough in its own right it must have been torture to Buck, his arm misshapen and swollen, broken badly was bearing Lou’s weight and his own and every movement must be causing him agony. Nathan and Noah both watched closely trying to discern if their friends had been beaten or these were injuries from the accident, or if indeed they were alive at all. As they watched Lou lifted her head, her teeth clenched in her anger.
“You won’t get away with this you bastard” she spat at her captor “They’ll follow you to the gates of hell” her eyes flashed with pain and defiance “What” she fumed you don’t want to talk to me?” she ranted her eyes widening as she watched him but she wouldn’t be halted “I’m not one of your little rubber people you can push around am I. I won’t sit here quietly and take your beating.” She continued to needle him as the camera get closer “You will not break me” she finished screaming in pain as they watched a baseball bat swing in front of the camera, connecting with a sickening thud against her hip. The screen then faded to black, three words appearing on the screen and trickling as if painted on in blood. “I Will Win”.
Tears shimmered in the eyes of every man in the room as Chris pressed the stop button. No one was prepared for Ezra to jump up and rewind the tape. Team 7 had seen Ezra’s keen eye pick up on this sort of thing before they only hoped he could again. Lou’s team, however, saw red at his repeated rewinding of the tape, they had seen enough of her torment the first time. There was no stopping Kid or Jimmy, both flung their chairs back and within a heartbeat Kid had an unsuspecting Ezra pinned by his neck against the wall in front of him.
“This is all your fault” he spat itching to hit the man that he blamed for Lou’s involvement
“She a member of your team isn’t she” Ezra spoke calmly “She is just doing her job. Very well too” he was impressed with the young woman’s skill under the trying circumstances.
“Well obviously “Stud” was too busy watching her and not watching her back” Jimmy spat
Each of the Team 7 member’s hackles rose as they heard the implied insult.
“Well you didn’t have to bring this bastard with you to Denver” Nathan spoke trying to give them the benefit of the doubt, knowing that all their tempers were raised.
Ezra slipped his arms inside the arms that held his collar and pushing them outwards managed to pry Kid’s hands from his lapels. He didn’t blame Kid for cracking, he had just watched the woman he loved beaten with a baseball bat, that had to be hard on him.
“Would it help if I told you Lou has told us where she is?” he spoke softly, watching the faces of the men as he did.
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