Vin reckoned it was some time after midnight before Joshua had called a halt and set up camp. It seemed like forever but was probably only a couple of hours since they’d bedded down – long enough for Vin to have dozed off twice, only to see the afternoon’s events replay in his dreams. He wasn’t a man prone to nightmares, but his sleep was haunted by an oppressive sense of guilt that finally had him abandoning the idea of sleep altogether. He leaned back against the boulder, trying to find a semi-comfortable position for his aching shoulders. Joshua had at least untied him for a little while when they made camp, long enough to work out some of the stiffness and send pins and needles shooting through his back and shoulders as proof that they were still there. Long enough to remind him just how uncomfortable it was having his arms tied behind him, in case he was somehow getting used to it. Vin wasn’t sure if Joshua had counted on that, but he wouldn’t put it past him.

The night sounds were familiar and lulling, and Vin caught sight of the sentry’s head nodding in the moonlight. “Some lookout you’ve got there, Joshua,” he muttered under his breath as the guard’s head dipped to his chest and jerked upright with startled suddenness. Vin watched the sentry nod off again with an unamused smile. Well, here was that opportunity you figured on, Tanner. Now what? One twist of his wrists was enough to tell him the knots weren’t about to do him the favor of conveniently loosening, and he wasn’t sure he could slide his already chafed wrists free without some slack. That left cutting the ropes somehow.

Vin regarded the sentry for a minute, assuring himself that the man still slept. Then he quickly and quietly scooted back until he was solid against the boulder at his back, feeling with his limited range of motion for a rough edge or outcropping. The rock was relatively smooth, worn from countless years of wind and rain, but Vin kept searching. If nothing else, it kept him from dreaming.

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

Meg stared moodily at the low campfire, rifle across her lap, her mind wandering over the day’s events. It had started normally enough, at least what had become normal for her and Alice during the past nine days. Even dodging that group of riders wasn’t too unusual – heck they’d dodged plenty of riders before. But then they’d found JD, and of course Alice had to try and help… no, that wasn’t fair. Meg didn’t think she could have just left the wounded man behind, either. So they’d stopped, made camp, and done the best they could. Alice had a good eye and sure hands when it came to fixing people up. Of course considering the practice she’d had over the past year…

Meg shut down that train of thought angrily. It was behind them and it didn’t matter now. They’d get to California and start over and that would be that. Ian and his men wouldn’t find them, though they could ride to hell and back trying. Or just to hell – that would suit Meg just fine.

She’d been scared half out of her wits when she’d heard that yell from the direction of camp earlier. In the dark and the distance she swore it had sounded like Ian. And her heart had nearly stopped at the sight of the men clustered around Alice. They’d been damn lucky, she knew. They’d have to be more careful. Her eyes wandered over the three prone forms around the fire – Alice, tucked in a bedroll; JD, seemingly asleep, though unconsciousness wasn’t quite the same thing; Nathan, stretched out in exhausted sleep.

Nathan had told them a little about himself and his companions over the jackrabbits Alice had prepared – Meg was still amazed at what her cousin could do when it came to cooking – and he had told them enough that she knew they’d been riding nearly nonstop since yesterday morning in pursuit of the men she and Alice had seen. Alice had offered to keep watch after supper so he could rest, but Nathan had been resistant to the idea in spite of how obviously tired he was.

Typical man’s reaction, Meg snorted to herself. Just because they were women, men seemed to think they were good for nothing but cooking and cleaning and children. She could feel her shoulders tightening with a fury that had nothing to do with the present company and forced herself to relax. Behind them, she reminded herself firmly. It didn’t matter now. With a deep breath, she relaxed her grip on the rifle, laying it across the lap of her split skirt, and regarded Nathan again.

He’d reluctantly slept when Alice had cajoled him into a brief nap, and that only after Alice promised to wake him up shortly. Watching the man’s even breathing, Meg murmured, “Well, we just have different ideas of ‘shortly,’ don’t we, Mister Jackson? We’ll show you we’re more than capable of taking care of ourselves.” Besides, he looked like he needed the sleep.

She looked up at the moon, now more than halfway across the sky, and suddenly found herself thinking of the other four men they’d met. She could almost envision them flying down the trail and felt a twinge of sympathy – their quarry still had a daunting head start, and they were going into their second night of pursuit. That sort of riding was hard on a body.

Meg could attest to that.

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

It was like riding through a dream, a hazy, half-aware state that reminded Josiah of an Indian purifying ritual he’d experienced long ago. The moonlight was fading, washing away the landscape into a blanket of dark shadows, the silver grey flash of Buck’s horse slipping away in front of him like a ghost. He was starting to wonder if the whole thing was a dream, that the floating, ethereal feeling would vanish with the daylight, and he’d find himself in his room in Four Corners instead of riding on through the night.

The thought of his bed only made the languorous feeling worse, and Josiah shook his head sharply, resettling himself in his saddle. He turned his mind back to the present and future with an effort, concentrating on the task ahead instead of the ride behind. There’d be time enough for sleep once they had Vin back, once JD was all right, once they were all back in Four Corners where they belonged.

Conversation would have eased the ride, but none of the four felt like talking, each instead riding with his own thoughts. Chris drove his mount with grim determination, eyes constantly roving the shadowy landscape for a glimpse of something – anything – that would tell him what he wanted to know. He noticed the lightening of the eastern horizon only as something that shed different light on the landscape. He’d shut out everything but the trail and the hunt, ignoring his own body’s clamoring for food and rest. There’d be hell to pay for it later, he knew, but it was a price he was willing to pay. Just so long as he caught up with Vin before they reached Tuscosa. Because if they didn’t, it wouldn’t matter a whit that Vin had been wrongly accused, or that Chris and his companions were loosely affiliated with the law back in Four Corners, or that the men with Vin had nearly killed JD,  who was technically the Four Corners sheriff – the law in Tuscosa wouldn’t waste much time in hanging Vin, and putting a stop to a legal hanging was tricky at best.

Buck noticed the gradual brightening of the eastern sky and wondered – not for the first time – if Alice’s “two or three hours” was anywhere near right. It felt like they’d been riding forever. He’d never minded seeing the sun rise, but he preferred to watch it from a comfortable bed, not the back of a horse. Particularly since they didn’t seem to be any closer to finding Vin than they had been last night, or the night before. If their quarry had ridden through the night, there was no telling how far ahead they might be.

Just as the thought crossed his mind, a shrill whinny echoed through the morning air.

The four riders reined in their horses almost as one, looking at each other. Chris saw the suddenly alert and watchful faces of his friends and knew he hadn’t imagined the sound. As if to make a point, a second whinny floated up from the east, setting Ezra’s horse’s ears to twitching and swiveling. Exhaustion was replaced with adrenaline in an instant. Chris leaned forward in his saddle purposefully. “Let’s go.”

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

“Get up, you sonofabitch,” Joshua snarled, aiming a savage kick at vulnerable ribs. “On your feet!” Vin winced as another blow landed and rolled the sentry onto his back in the dirt. The man clutched his ribs protectively and looked up at the irate bounty hunter above him. “I pay you to keep watch, not sleep on lookout, Brody.” Joshua’s voice was a gutteral growl. The unfortunate Brody cringed, expecting another blow. “You’re damn lucky Tanner didn’t get away, or I’d take that five hundred out of your hide!”

“It… it won’t happen again, Joshua,” Brody stammered.

“Damn right it won’t.” Joshua glared down at the man on the ground for a minute before turning sharply away on his heel. “All right, mount up. Let’s get the hell out of here.” Brody gained his feet slowly and painfully, still clutching his ribs but grateful for the reprieve.

At Vin’s elbow, Harry holstered his revolver and shoved his captive at a horse, holding reins and stirrup as Joshua helped Vin into the saddle. Joshua checked the bonds on Vin’s wrists again, assuring himself that Harry had done the job right in replacing the frayed ropes they’d discovered earlier. A couple more hours and Tanner would have had them cut through, and Brody wouldn’t have noticed. That was twice he’d nearly escaped, and it was still a long ride to Tuscosa. Joshua stared up at Vin with cold eyes.

“I don’t want to have to kill you, Tanner. Don’t make me.”

“Reckon I haven’t got a lot to lose, Joshua,” Vin replied. “They’re gonna hang me back in Tuscosa, anyway.”

Joshua’s smile was wolfish. “Shame, too, them hanging an innocent man and all.” He felt a flash of satisfaction as Vin’s eyes widened, startled. That had gotten a reaction.

“You know that Eli set me up?” Vin asked incredulously. Joshua nodded, eyes glinting. Tanner’s calm demeanor irritated the hell out of him sometimes, and it was good to see it broken. “Then why are you bringing me in, Joshua?”

“You have to ask? For the five hundred, of course.” Joshua laughed. “I figure the law must know what it’s doing.” Vin stared at him, stunned. “Oh come on, Tanner. Do you reckon that everyone you brought in was guilty? You know better’n that.”

“But…” Vin stopped, cutting off his words before he said something foolish. His mind whirled, taking in this new information. So Joshua knew, and was turning him in anyway. His eyes narrowed down at the bounty hunter, his one-time acquaintance and peer.

Joshua grinned as he watched Vin compose himself, bringing that unreadable expression of his back. But Joshua knew he was surprised, and that was enough for now. He slapped Vin’s horse on the neck, gathering up the reins and heading for his own mount. He was pleased enough with the results of that little firecracker that he didn’t notice the man in the black duster until he spoke.

“Turn him loose.” The flat, no-nonsense words from behind were echoed by the cocking of a revolver.

Nine heads spun in the direction of the voice, eight hands going for pistol grips, but the steady, deadly aim of Chris’ revolver stayed their draw. Chris watched them closely, waiting for the telltale twitch from the first one who thought he could move fast enough. Joshua waved a forestalling hand at his men and demanded, “Who the hell are you?”

“I guess you didn’t hear him.” Another voice, another pistol, this one to the left. Buck moved into full view of the group, his easy stance belied by the bright readiness in his eyes and the gun in his hand. Joshua glanced from Chris to Buck and back, scowling, figuring the odds. The two of them against him and his seven men…

The odds changed as a third figure emerged from cover, and Joshua wondered why the hell none of his men had seen the bright red coat as Ezra had moved around to come up behind them. The gambler regarded Joshua’s group steadily over the barrel of his sturdy .45. When Josiah appeared to the right, hemming the group in a rough circle with his impressive, impassive bulk, Joshua glared at Vin as though betrayed.

“Reckon y’all should do what he says,” Vin drawled down at him, mouth quirking.

“We’re not looking for trouble,” Chris said. “Just turn him loose.”

Joshua took a step towards Chris, trying to stare him down. “This man is my prisoner.”

“Not anymore.”

Behind Joshua, shielded by his boss and Vin’s horse beside him, Harry’s had crept slowly towards his gunbelt. His grip closed on the pistol and he drew with the speed of a striking rattler, aiming over Joshua’s shoulder to get a bead on Chris. Vin lashed out like lightning from his saddle with a booted foot, kicking Harry in his wounded arm and sending the shot wide.

Then all hell broke loose.

Vin’s horse shied at the percussion so close to its head, plunging sideways in fright. Chris was ducking for cover when he saw Vin, unable to keep his balance, roll from the horse’s back. Vin tumbled heavily to the ground amidst flashing hooves as the horses around him started prancing nervously. Gunshots shattered the morning air.

Chris didn’t have time to check if Vin was all right as he shot back at the bounty hunter’s group. Shots echoed from his right and left as Buck and Josiah fired into the fray, the sound mixing with the whinnys of the upset horses. Chris could see Ezra across from him, picking out targets on the edges of the group instead of shooting straight across the middle of the circle where he might hit his companions.

Harry dodged behind the barrel of a horse, his arm throbbing from Vin’s kick, cursing through his teeth as he fired at Buck. Tanner was on the ground somewhere, but that was the last thing on his mind as a bullet flew past his head. They were in a bad spot and he knew it. Brody and Walt had already broken, mounting up and riding low for the gap between Ezra and Josiah. Harry scanned the fray for his boss.

“Joshua!!” he yelled, firing off another round when he saw Buck pop into view. Joshua didn’t look around from his prone position behind a fallen log that had served as a bench the night before. He aimed over the log at a black hat visible in the brush. His shot was answered immediately by one that buried itself in the wood in front of him with a shower of splinters.

Harry landed on the ground beside him. “Joshua, it’s no use – they’ve got us surrounded!” Harry glanced left and right, realization abruptly setting in. “They ain’t aiming to kill us, Joshua.”

Joshua blinked and looked around, suddenly realizing Harry was right. They were surrounded, with scarcely any cover – by rights they should be dead already, but the only casualty he could see was the log before him. The four men were either miserable shots, or they were trying to miss. Joshua thought of the look in Chris’ eyes and knew the man wasn’t a miserable shot.

“Let ’em have him,” Harry hissed, voice low. “For now.” Joshua saw the hard light in his companion’s eyes and considered. Harry was no man’s coward, but he hadn’t lived this long by being stupid, either. He nodded.

“For now.” The two men leaped up and ran at a crouch for the milling knot of horses, firing indiscriminately behind them. Chris and Buck recognized the signs of retreat and returned the fire with aim that was deliberately high to keep them from changing their minds.

“Let them go!” Chris called across to Josiah and Ezra. Those words were enough to send the rest of Joshua’s men for their horses, heads low, unable to believe their luck. The four watched warily as the men mounted and cleared out, letting them pass to the east. The dust cleared from the retreat of the horses’ hooves and revealed the bedraggled form of Vin on the ground where he struggled to sit up.

He was still coughing from the dust when Chris and Josiah reached him. Josiah used his belt knife to make quick work of the ropes. “You okay?” Chris asked.

Vin nodded, trying to clear the dust from his throat. “Yeah,” he croaked. He rolled his shoulders against the stiffness in them, coughed again, and added roughly, “They shot JD.”

Chris was already nodding. “Nathan’s with him – he’s gonna be fine.” He and Josiah helped Vin to his feet as Buck sauntered over to join them.

“Can’t leave you alone for a minute, can we?” he grinned.

Vin responded with a tired smile of his own, then indicated the east with a nod. “They gone?”

“Reckon they’re halfway to Texas by now,” Buck laughed.

Vin nodded thoughtfully but didn’t look convinced as he stared down the trail, rubbing at his shoulder absently. “You think they’ll be back?” Chris inquired.

“I don’t know,” Vin admitted. “Joshua can be awful stubborn.”

“You are acquainted with that unseemly individual?” Ezra asked, glancing to the east.

“Rode with him a time or two a few years back,” Vin explained. “He’s good, but a little hot tempered sometimes. And stubborn. He might come after us, he might not.”

“Standing here’s only going to make it easier for him if he does,” Chris said. “Can you ride?” Vin nodded, gathering up the reins of the horse that had been left behind in Joshua’s flight and following his friends up the trail to where they’d left their own mounts. Moments later they were kicking up a cloud of dust as they galloped up the trail to the west.

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