The Beauty Comes in the Springtime

 
 
 As they approached the others Teaspoon asked Louise “Are ya sure this is where he would take them? What I am trying to say is, if your wrong and we go off this way and their not there we will never be able to track them down.”

 “I’m sure Teaspoon. I know he would go there because it’s the only place that I know of and he knows it.”

 “But why would he go to a place that you know of?”

 “Because he wants me to follow.”  Louise couldn’t bring herself to tell them about Wicks, and how he wouldn’t leave without her. She knew Wick’s wanted her and he would risk anything to get her back, even her brother and sister lives. Lou knew that Boggs would give Tessa to Wicks since she was no use to him, and Wicks would use Tessa to get at her. All Boggs ever wanted was Maih. He wanted an heir to turn over his business too. And what a business, stealing rifles from the U.S. Army then selling them off too outlaws, he did some bank robberies now and again, owns brothels and sells woman as slaves to other countries, and he kills innocent people as well.  What a father, how could she ever let him get near them. She should have known, she should have known they would not be safe from him, ever. Now she had lost her mother because of her stupidity, her carelessness as well as her brother and sister.

 *******************************************************************************************

 They rode for hours, Lou was in the lead. She was drained physically and emotionally.  She kept beating herself up for everything that had happened in the last 24 hours. She didn’t want to stop until they got to Boggs hide away. Funny, she never thought to remember his hideout wasn’t that far from Sweetwater.  Maybe she wanted them to get caught, she thought over and over again. When they were about ten miles away Teaspoon order everyone to stop.

 “Alright, we’ll make camp here.”  Teaspoon knew everyone was in no condition to continue on at this point. They all need some rest so they would be able to think more clearly when they attacked.

 Jeff volunteered to make dinner. “I haven’t been ridin' as long and hard as y’all have been today.  So it would be my pleasure to get everythin' goin' for camp.”

 “I don’t mind if ya do.” Cody said, anything to get out of work. Cody looked over in Lou’s direction. He couldn’t imagine the hell she was going through right know. He knew Lou was strong but he didn’t know how much more she could take. (What if we get there and they are not there. Worse yet what if this Boggs fellow decided that the kids were too much trouble and got rid of them. How will she be able to handle it? I wonder if she has thought about any of this. I know what I can do to get her mind off this for a little while.) With that Cody got off and started walking towards the creek.

 Lou saw Cody walk away with a smile on his face. (Boy, I’m glad no of this is bothering him!) She thought sarcastically. ( How can he have a smile on his face when my family is in danger!? Do we mean that little to him or does he have a size of a pea for a brain and he doesn’t comprehend it? When he gets back from where ever it is that he has gone I am going to give him a piece of my mind! Good here he comes now.)

 Cody walk slowly up to Lou with one hand behind his back. (Boy I hope this helps.) Was all he could think. As he walked right up to her he pulled his hand out from behind his back to give her her present.

 Lou was about to let him have it when she saw him pull his hand that was behind his back out in front of him. She was speechless at what he had brought her.

 “These are for you. I thought you could use a little cheerin' up. I hope you like them.” Cody handed Lou a bouquet of wild flowers. “I saw them by the creek and I thought every beautiful girl should have somethin' beauty with her at all times.”

 Lou took the flowers from Cody and smiled. The next thing she did totally surprised Cody. She grabbed him and gave him a big bear hug then gave him a kiss on the cheek. She couldn’t believe how wrong she could have been about him. Here she thought he was a pea brain when he had one of the biggest hearts she could imagined.

 “Thank you. Thank you so much. You know Cody you problably have one of the biggest hearts I know of.”

 “Your welcome, but lets not start no rumors here. I’m glad I could make you smile.”

 “Dinner’s ready!” Jeff stated.

 “Come on lets get somethin' to eat I’m starved.”

 “If I would get a dollar for every time you were starvin' Cody I would be a rich man.”   Jimmy asked as they the two started walking towards the fire.

 All the boys were thinking what a wonderful thing Cody did. He was the first one to make her smile since they found out about her family. Also all of them wished that they were the ones who have thought of it.

 Lou decided that she was not going to put herself down anymore tonight. She was going to try and not worry as much as she has been and try to relax. She knew the way she was acting was not doing herself any good or the boys. She had to start thinking positive. They were going to get Tessa and Miah back from Boggs and Wicks and those two were going to pay for what they have done. (I mean if Cody goes and does something like this you know I am worrying all of them too much. I don’t need everyone on edge like I am.) So with that she started walking towards the fire.

 After dinner Jeff came up to Lou and asked her if she wanted to go take a walk.

 “Sure, I need to stretch my legs anyway.” Lou decided that she was going to be a little nicer to Jeff. After all  he came all this way to help her get her family back.  They walked to the creek and started walking upstream enjoying the spring night air. As they were walking Lou kept wondering how he had found out about her family missing. (He must have come by the waystation after we left and Ike or Rachael told him what happened. Suddenly she was beginning to feel very tired. (Must be all the worrying I’ve been doing. It must have made me so tired.)

 “Louise are ya all right? Here sit here on this rock and rest a bit. Ya look like your about to fall asleep standin' up.” Jeff said with concern.

 Soon Lou was fast asleep and Jeff carried her back to camp were everyone else was asleep as well. Jeff went over to Lighting and his horse. He set Lou down gently on the ground as he saddled the horses. After he was done he put Lou on her horse sideways and then got on his.

 “It’s time to go home Louise. Your father is waitin' for ya.” Off they went into the darkness.
 

  Teaspoon woke up with a start spitting water out of his mouth.  “What in blue blazes is goin' on around here? Who dares gives me a bath when I ain’t due for one for another day?”

 “Teaspoon Lou’s gone and so is Jeff.” Kid stated as he started waking up the other riders up in the same manner he did Teaspoon.

 “Who in the hell is dumb enough to wake me up like that?” Jimmy started going for his gun and was about to shoot whoever it was that got him wet. ((Jimmy couldn’t see who was getting him wet because his hair was in the way)) Then he heard Kid say Lou was gone and he decided to put his Colt away since Kid had a good reason for giving him a cold bath.

 It took two canteens full of water to wake Cody up. By the time he woke up he was wet from head to toe. “Who put water all over my new pants and hat? These cost me a pretty penny and I don’t appreciate ya for trying to make me look bad in front of Louise. And another thing–“

 “Cody will you shut up! Lou’s missin'.” Buck said in an angered voice. He wasn’t really mad at Cody he was mad at himself for letting Jeff get away like that. He had a feeling about Jeff and he was mad that he didn’t go with that and not trust him.

 “Well ya don’t have to say it so cruelly. How was I suppose to know that she was kidnaped. I couldn’t see.”

 <Well if you got a haircut you wouldn’t have that problem.> Ike couldn’t resist teasing Cody. He knew this was a serious matter but he was trying to lighten mood a bit. He was just as worried as the rest of them. Ike didn’t love Lou as most of them did. He loved her as a brother would love his sister and he too was worried about her but he knew hot heads meant people not thinking clearly and that could get someone hurt.

 As all this was taking place Teaspoon went over to the pot that held last nights dinner. He put a finger in it and pulled some stuff out from the bottom of it and smelled and tasted a little bit of it. “Sleeping powder. Surprised we didn’t smell it before. But then again we were not expecting to be drugged by this man. Well lets sit down and think of a plan on how to get them back.”

 “But Teaspoon they have Lou! We just can’t sit around and think of somethin'. Let’s rush’em and they will never know what hit them.”

 “Jimmy don’t ya think they would be expectin' us. We would be killed in no time flat. Now sit down son I have a plan.”

 *******************************************************************************************

 Louise started to come too. She tried to put her hand up to her head to try to stop the pounding that she kept hearing. For some reason her hand would not obey. Louise opened her eyes to see that she was tied up in a chair in. She looked around to see that she was in a small room, there was no other furnishings in the room except for a cot off in the corner of the room. Louise struggled with the ropes that were holding her hands when she heard foot steps and the unlocking of the door.

 In walked Wicks and Jeff. (Jeff! What’s he doing here?) Was all Lou’s groggy head could think.

 “You gave her to much sleepin' powder you fool!” Wicks was not at all happy with Jeff. He may have found Louise but that was probably by sure luck. The man was an idiot.

 “You bastard! How could ya do this? I thought you cared about us.”

 “You stupid little bitch do you honestly think I could care for someone like you over money? Still I wouldn’t have minded tasting the forbidden fruit. Ya never know, maybe I still will just for the hell of it.” Jeff leaned over and kissed Lou hard on the lips and pawing at her.

 Louise closed her eyes in anger. Having this man paw her like that was all she could take. Lou lifted her leg and hit Jeff square in the groin. He pulled away and was a half way down into a ball when she kicked him twice more, once in the stomach the other in the face. She put all her muscle behind those three kicks. And had a satisfied look on her face as Jeff laid on the floor in pain.

 Wicks just smiled at his little hellcat. (It’s going to be fun to bend her to my will. Oh the lessons it will take. I will have to think of new ways to torture her though. She will take beatings and they won’t break her. This is going to be fun coming up with new ideas.)

 Jeff laid there for about five minutes trying to control the pain. He kept his mind on Louise and what she did to him and he let his anger grow. When he was able to stand somewhat he went up to Louise and slapped her right across the face. He hit her so hard that her head flew back and  hit the back of the chair then everything went black.

  Wicks had had enough he took out his gun and shot Jeff in the stomach so he would have a slow death. As Jeff laid there in a pool of his own blood he could here Wicks say:“No one touches her except me! And anyone who does so answers to me. You will die a slow death, so I think you should think about what cha have done wrong. In fact let me tell you. One ya gave her to much powder. Two ya tried to kiss my property. Three ya hit my property with out my permission. Four I don’t like ya. And five, the most important, you knocked her out so I can’t have any fun with her right now.”

 Wicks walked out of the room feeling much better. Killing someone always made him feel good. He headed off to go tell Boggs that Jeff was no longer with them.

 Louise woke up with a start as someone threw water in her face. He head was hurting from hitting the chair with it earlier. She was confused as to where she was and how she got there. Then little by little she began to remember everything. She looked up to see Boggs and Wicks staring at her.

 “Well it’s about high time ya joined us.” Wicks said with an evil grin. “I was thinking that I would just have to take ya while you were still asleep. But we both know that wouldn’t be as fun as if ya were awake.”

 “Wicks shut up! We need information from her right now. You can have your fun with her after we get it.” Boggs was not happy with Wicks killing off Jeff. They still needed to know about the riders she was riding with so they would be ready for them when they got there. “Alright tell me about the men ya were ridin' with. How many, and what should we expect them? What was your plan? Tell me girl!”

 Lou realized that her father was in one of his moods and it was going to be hell to pay but she wouldn’t give him any information. All she did was open her mouth and spit in his face. This got her a backhand across the face from Wicks. But she looked at both of them with defiance.

 Boggs knew at once that this wouldn’t do any good. She wouldn’t tell them a thing. Boggs went to the door and knocked and a second man poked his head in and Boggs whispered something in his ear and the man left quickly. Boggs came back to Louise with a smile on his face.

 A few moments later there was a knock on the door and Boggs told the man to enter. What Louise saw made her turn white as a ghost. Boggs just watched her face when Johnson brought in Tessa. If she wasn’t going to talk then they were going to make her talk by god.

 “Now lets try this again. How many, and what should we expect them? What was your plan?” Boggs said as he grabbed Tessa hard by the arm. Tessa cried out in pain and had tears in her eyes. Boggs got a satisfying smile from that.

 Just as Louise was going to tell them everything, that’s when they felt and heard an explosion.

 ###############

 “Cody, Jimmy go and find the kids. Noah and Kid go find Lou. The rest of us will keep them busy.” Teaspoon barked. He knew they had to make it quick before Boggs got his men together and started fighting back. Teaspoon had Buck on the
 hillside shooting fire arrows at the explosives in the camp. He and Ike were going to cover the others as they went inside.

 “Where do you think they are at?” Jimmy asked Cody as they ran inside the house.

 “Well I don’t know! What do ya think I am psychic? I got an idea, why don’t we ask someone.”

 “Cody that is the dumbest -“

 “Don’t move another muscle.” Peterson said. The only problem Peterson was hard of hearing and didn’t hear Jimmy talking to Cody so he thought it was only Jimmy, and the boys knew it. Jimmy stood still and as Peterson was about to shoot Jimmy, Cody snuck around and put his gun to Peterson’s head.

 “What do ya say Hickok. Do you think he knows where the kids are?” Cody said as he cocked his gun. “Tell us where Tessa and Jeremiah are. NOW!”

 “The girl is with her sister and the boy is upstairs in the first room on the left.” Peterson said as he was slowly drawing a knife he had hidden under his shirt. He was about to stab Cody when Jimmy shot him.

 “Jesus Hickok! Ya could of shot me! Then I would have had a hole in my new shirt.”

 “Shut up Cody before I decide that’s sounds like a good idea. Now lets go get Miah, Kid and Noah will be able to get Tessa when they get Lou. ”

 #####################

 Kid and Noah shot three of the guards that were in the way of them and Lou. They were in a stand off with the other two. Kid was getting frustrated that he couldn’t get to his love. When they found out Lou was gone Kid came to realize that he was in love with her and he couldn’t live without her. He wanted get her, make her feel safe once again and tell her that he loved her and would never let anything like this happen again he would protect her for the rest of their days he wanted to marry her and he wasn’t going to let anything happen to her. He heard Lou yell in fear and heard Tessa crying. He couldn’t wait anymore
 he stood up and charged the last two shooting them while they were still in shock from his bold move. He got to the door only to find it locked. He yelled in frustration.

 Noah came over disbelieving what Kid had just done. Usually Kid would wait things out and would use his head. He was not acting like the Kid he knew. Then Noah began to realize why. The only thing that would make a smart man do something stupid is when he is in love. Noah got to the door just a few moments after Kid yelled.

 They started slamming into the door to break it open. When they finally got it open they were faced with two guns to their heads along with Tessa and Lou.
 

 
 “Well well look at what we got here, two ten cent heros. Sorry but I am goin' to have to ruin your plans of glory and such. Ya didn’t think I’d let ya rescue the damsel in distress. She’s too much fun when she’s in distress. So sorry but ya not going to be the heros this time. Time to die!” Wick said with an evil grin on his face as he cocked both of his guns that were aimed at Kid and Noah. (Two down five to go. Why didn’t Jeff kill these boys when he had the chance. He’s lucky his dead or I would have killed him for not killing them in the first place.)

 Just as Wicks was about to pull his triggers on the two intruders there was another explosion. This one was so close and so strong that it made everyone lose their balance. Boggs fell backwards and hit his head on a corner of a table rendering him unconscious. Kid and Noah fell face first, Lou fell to the ground on her side along with the chair and Tessa fell into a sitting position. Wicks was not so lucky. He stumbled backwards while trying to regain his balance, which only made it worse. Wicks’s guns went off in mid air hitting the wall opposite of him. He kept falling backwards until he slammed back first into a
 lit lantern that was hanging on the wall. The alcohol splashed and soaked into his clothes instantly which made the fire engulf him in flames.  You could smell the burnt skin and hair almost instantly. It took Wicks a second or two to realize he was on fire from the shock of it. When he finally did realize it he felt such an excruciating pain that no one should ever feel. Wicks started to
 panic as he could feel his flesh being burnt along with his hair. So he started running around in circles trying to stop the flames, almost passing out a couple of times from the pain. This only made it worse so he started thinking of the water troff outside so he ran out of the room screaming in pain. As he ran he lit curtains and rugs and whatever else was in the way on fire. Soon the cabin was ablaze.

 Everyone watched in shock and horror as they saw Wicks set on fire. Noah quickly went over to Tessa to cover her eyes so she wouldn’t have to see something a young child never should. He picked her up and cradled her as a comfort.

 Kid ran immediately over to Lou. He grabbed his knife from his belt and cut her lose.

 “Are you alright?” Kid asked with concern and love in his voice.

 “Yes I’m fine. A few cuts and bruises here and there but otherwise I am okay.” Lou said halfheartedly. Actually she hurt like hell and she felt very dizzy. Lou lifted her head with effort and looked into Kids eyes and saw the undeclared love in them. She grabbed him and hugged him tight acting like she would never let go. She took in the smell of him and grew strength from it. She never wanted to let go but knew she had too. Time was growing short.

 “We gotta get out of here before the whole house comes down on us. Can you walk?”

 “I think so.” Lou stood up and tried to walked but almost fell to the ground if Kid hadn’t caught her. Kid picked her up and he and Noah started running to the window on the opposite side of the room. When they got to the window Kid ever so gently set Lou down on the ground. Then the ran over to the table  took the table cloth off. He as he was going  back to the window Kid wrapped the cloth over his arm once he got to the window again he took his covered arm and broke the glass. He climbed out of the first story window and took Tessa from Noah’s arms and set her on the ground so he could get Lou. After he got Lou he moved out of the way so Noah could get threw.  When Noah was threw he picked up Tessa again and both of them started running toward Teaspoon and the others. They were surprised that they were not being shot at then they realized why. All of Boggs and Wicks men were dead.

 When they got to the others Noah set Tessa down and she ran to Miah. They hugged each other and smiled once seeing that the other was safe.

 Kid was plaining on holding Lou until Cody opened his big mouth.

 “Kid ain’t ya gunna let her down? After all last time I checked she still has two legs.” Cody said. Since the danger was over he could bring his attention back to Lou.

 “I don’t know, I think Kid likes being the only one she can see. After all if she sees me then he would never be able to get her attention back. She would be too au struck after lookin' at me that she won’t even know he was there. ” Jimmy added.

  The boys were laughing as Kid carefully set Lou down. He didn’t want to set her down, he wanted to hold her forever, but he didn’t know how she felt yet. Plus he wasn’t in the mood right now to hear anything else from Cody, nor Jimmy. She was able to stand a little better than before, as long as Kid gave her a little help.

 “Well boys ya done good. I’m real proud of ya’ll. None of ya got shot and everyone’s safe. Let’s go home.”

 As they started towards there horses they heard a scream. It was Tessa.

 They turned around and saw Tessa being held at gunpoint by Boggs. He picked her up to have her be his shield.

 “Give me the boy and I will give ya the girl back. All I want is the boy.”

 “No deal.”

 “Then the girl will die.”

 The talking between Teaspoon and Boggs continued as Lou talked calmly to Tessa to calm her down so Boggs wouldn’t get angry with her and just shoot her just to shut her up. Lou saw that Cody was hidden from Boggs view and had his rifle
 pointed at them. The only problem was was that he couldn’t get a clean shot off.

  Then Lou got an idea. She motioned for Cody to be ready.

 “Tessa remember when we all played that silly baseball game of Teaspoons?” She talked in a soothing tone to get Tessa to pay attention.

 “Y-y-yes.” Tessa said in a shakey voice. She paid close attention to Louise because she knew this was important by the look in her eyes.

 “Which way did we always run once we hit the ball?”

 Tessa thought a moment then realized what Louise was trying to tell her. “Right.” she nearly screamed as she moved her body to the right.

 Cody took that moment and shot. He hit his Boggs right in left shoulder. Boggs left side was in thrown back from the shot. He dropped Tessa almost imediatly. She dropped to the ground with a thud. Tessa picked herself up and  started running like mad  towards Louise. As she started running Boggs lifted up his left arm shakely to shoot her. Once Tessa was out of the line of fire a hail of bullets came down on him. All the riders even Teaspoon shot at him a couple of times. He fell too his knees ever so slowly dropping his gun as he went. Blood was coming out of his mouth and nose as well as from all the bullet holes in his
 body. All of them shot true, each of their bullets hitting it’s target. Boggs fell over dead.

 Just as everyone was about to give a sigh of relief that Tessa was okay Wicks came out of the house, he was still on fire, screaming and running like a madman. Out of pure reflex Jimmy pulled out his gun and shot him. Wicks fell over and landed in the troff which extingished the burning man.

 By this point Tessa started crying and ran over to Ike who picked her up and started caressing her hair to calm her. Miah just stood near Buck for comfort. Buck put his arm around him and turned him away from the grusome sight.

 “Let’s go home.” Teaspoon said sadly. (Why do innocent children have to see things like this? Why can’t they just stay innocent and never see anything like this and have a normal and happy childhood?)

 They all mounted up and headed for home.
 

Chapter 18 - the end