The jig is up, the news is out
They’ve finally found me
The renegade who had it made
Retrieved for a bounty
                            Styx, “Renegade”

Vin Tanner pushed back his chair and stepped out of the saloon onto the boardwalk. The rain still hadn’t let up – the dirt thoroughfare through the middle of town was a soupy mess, and Vin noted the rain would probably keep Chris and the others from getting back tonight. Twilight was already falling on Four Corners, and he didn’t envy Chris, Nathan, Josiah, Buck and Ezra another night on the trail. Vin hoped that at least their business in Garrett Springs had been successful and worth the two days – or more – of travel.

The boardwalk’s overhang kept him dry as he headed towards the hotel, hoping to meet up with JD for some supper, and maybe a hand or three of poker. The kid was learning quick, but Vin was confident he could still win a pot or two from him. Besides, it’d take some of the boredom out of the evening. Four Corners had been almost peaceful lately. Well, except for the occasional brawl in the saloon, or some cowhand who couldn’t hold his liquor and went making a spectacle of himself on the street… Vin shook his head as he spotted a reeling figure further down the boardwalk. He kept his eye on the drunk, alert for any shows of whiskey-fueled bravado, as he stepped off the boardwalk to cross a side street.

“Evenin’, Tanner.” The voice stopped him in his tracks, and the ratcheting sound of a .45 being cocked kept him from going for his own gun. Instead Vin turned and looked at the poncho-clad man who had surprised him. Rain rolled off the man’s hat, but it didn’t seem to bother him as he aimed his Colt unwaveringly at Vin’s chest. “Been a long time.” The tone was light. The eyes were not.

“That it has, Joshua,” Vin replied in the same tone. He noted out of the corner of his eye that the drunk on the boardwalk had miraculously sobered up and closed in on them, calmly removing Vin’s sawed-off Winchester from its holster. Vin moved his arms away from his body silently as the other patted him down, retrieving Vin’s six-shooter from its leather.

“They’ve missed you in Tuscosa,” Joshua said, and any hopes Vin had that this was about any personal debts sank into the mud beneath his boots. Joshua could see the flicker of knowledge in Vin’s eyes and grinned. “Must feel funny, being on the other end.”

“Why don’t you try it and find out?”

Joshua laughed aloud. “Who knows? Maybe some day. But not today.” His aim never wavering, he let out a short, shrill whistle and was rewarded by the sound of several horses slogging through the mud up the main street. Vin glanced at the troop of nine horses and six riders, then looked back at Joshua, raising an eyebrow. Joshua shrugged. “I figured you’d’ve put up more of a fight, Tanner.”

“Sorry to disappoint you,” Vin said dryly. The former drunkard secured Vin’s weapons on one of the horses and pulled a length of rope from a saddlebag. A rider dismounted silently and grabbed Vin’s arms, crossing his wrists in front of him. Vin stared silently at Joshua as his wrists were tightly tied, hoping that maybe the other’s attention would be distracted for just one vital second… the holster of the man tying him was within easy reach, if he could just get an instant… But Joshua was a professional, keeping his attention and his gunsights square on his prisoner until Vin was securely tied and one of his men roughly forced him onto a saddled horse. Only then did Joshua uncock his revolver as Vin’s wrists were tethered to the saddlehorn.

“All right, mount up,” he growled, swinging into his own saddle with practiced ease. He leaned over and grabbed the reins of Vin’s horse and spurred his own mount. The horses’ hooves made soft sucking noises as the group rode for the edge of town, Joshua leading the prisoner’s horse, his men surrounding Vin in a practiced, secure circle. Vin glanced sidelong at Joshua’s men, unsurprised at their easy, silent deployment.

After all, he’d ridden with Joshua Brown a time or two, himself.

Vin didn’t recognize any of the men he saw around him, which was both good and bad. Bad in that he had no idea about their reflexes and ways of thinking, but good because it meant they didn’t know about his, either. Except what Joshua had probably told them, but he’d learned a few tricks since the last time he and Joshua had ridden together. It was just a question of when to use them. The ride to Tuscosa was a long one, and Joshua’s men were bound to relax after a couple of days on the trail. Vin made a mental note of where the horse and rider who had his weapons were and settled in for the ride.

 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

JD Dunne glanced out of the hotel’s curtained front window and sighed at the rain. It normally didn’t bother him, but the rain had been coming down more or less steadily since dawn, and it had him restless. He wished he’d gone to Garrett Springs with Chris and the rest, instead of biting at the faint show of interest he’d seen in Laura Perkins the day they had left. That’d teach him, he mused. Miss Laura’s “interest” had faded the instant Buck Wilmington left town, and JD scowled at himself for the hundredth time for thinking the girl’s interest had been directed at him instead of Buck.

His attention turned to the front door as it swung open, revealing a slightly wet but still regal Mary Travis. “Evenin’, Missus Travis,” JD called, tugging politely at the brim of his hat. Mary smiled at him as he approached.

“Good evening, Mister Dunne,” she replied. “What brings you out on a night like this?”

“Oh, I was supposed to be meeting Vin for some supper,” JD began. He glanced over Mary’s shoulder and out the glass-plated door, looking for a glimpse of his friend. “But he hasn’t showed yet. You didn’t happen to see him on your way over, did you, Missus Travis?”

Mary shook her head and JD sighed quietly. He moved past her to step onto the boardwalk, looking left and right in annoyance. The boardwalk was empty, the rain having chased nearly everyone indoors. A small cluster of riders was headed down the street away from the hotel, towards the edge of town, making JD think wistfully again of the missed opportunity at Garrett Springs. His musing was cut short as the riders turned the corner. Was that Vin? What was he doing, riding out in the rain?

JD half-walked, half-jogged down the length of the boardwalk, eyes fixed on the riders. It was getting darker, and the rain made it difficult to see, but he was certain it was Vin in the group – his jacket, with its hide on the shoulders, was unmistakable. There was something wrong with his horse, though. JD could see that, even from this distance. The way its neck was extended, head awkwardly thrust out… JD had been around horses too long not to be able to tell when one was being led, not ridden. He turned on his heel and sprinted up the boardwalk, glancing back over his shoulder at the riders as they vanished from sight.

He nearly collided with Mary as she exited the hotel and he automatically grasped her arms to steady her. “Mister Dunne? What’s wrong?” Mary asked, instantly recognizing the look on his face. “JD?”

JD was already releasing her, bouncing back from her and craning his neck to look up the street. Mary followed his gaze, but saw nothing on the empty street to warrant the concern in JD’s expression. JD darted off the boardwalk and into the street, hurriedly unwrapping his horse’s reins from the hitching fence and throwing one foot into a stirrup before responding, “Someone’s taking off with Vin.” Mary’s eyes widened and she looked up the street again, but it remained stubbornly empty, save for scattered puddles that rippled as the rain fell into them.

JD launched himself into the saddle, turning his mount on its hindquarters in spite of its irritable head-tossing. Mary looked up at him in surprise. “Where are you going?”

Where was he going? Buck, Chris and the rest probably wouldn’t be back before dawn, and he couldn’t take on that group alone. But he couldn’t just let them ride off with Vin, either. JD had a feeling he knew where they were going, and damned if he wouldn’t at least try to do something. Maybe just follow them until he was sure where they were headed, then come back for reinforcements.

“I’m going after them,” he replied, and quickly spurred his horse down the street before Mary could object.

“But…” She trailed off, knowing he was out of earshot, and watched him gallop off into the rain.

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