Vin and J.D. turned at the sound of the approaching rider. The two men relaxed immediately, recognizing the outline.

“Hey, Buck, you come to join us?” J.D. chirped.

“No, I’ve come to talk some sense into Vin.”

Tanner’s left eyebrow raised curiously.

“You shouldn’t be ridin’ anywhere. Not with that lump you’ve got on your head. Hell, when Nathan finds out he’ll have kittens.”

Vin grinned, deciding Buck could well be right. “Just want to check that Nettie and Casey are okay.”

“I can understand that, but answer one question. Do you honestly think Guy Royal would go out there and harm either of them after that warning you gave him? Hell, the man was paler than...”

“Than you are now,” J.D. put in quietly.

Vin flicked his eyes to J.D. “I’m okay.” It was firm and held a tinge of annoyance.

“You didn’t answer the question. If you honestly think they’re in danger, J.D. and I will ride out there to check on them, but I really think you should head back.”

“Buck.” It was a growl. Vin didn’t like being the centre of attention nor having people tell him what to do.

“Hell, you’re worse than Larabee. I ain’t tellin’ you what to do, you stubborn bastard. That head of yours has to still be hurtin’. I saw the size of the lump. You really whacked it. Ain’t no reason for you to be ridin’ out to Nettie’s and you know it.”

Vin considered Buck’s words and finally shrugged.

“Besides, if you ride out to Nettie’s she’ll take one look at you and send you to bed. Come to think of it, it might not be such a bad idea for you to go out there.”

Vin winked at his friend and turned his horse back toward Four Corners. “Reckon she would too.”

**********

“Chris,” Josiah called, striding up to meet the gunfighter. “I don’t think Royal was behind it. That gunfighter you killed was...”

“Gilmore. Marvin Gilmore.”

“You knew? He paid the miners to cause a fuss. They were just looking for some fun and some money. Weren’t looking to hurt anyone, so they say. How’s Ezra?”

“Alright.”

“Good. Someone said Vin collapsed. He alright?”

Chris frowned and inclined his head. “Seems to be.” Josiah looked to the end of the street and spotted Buck, Vin and J.D. returning.

Without warning, Buck leaped from his horse, tossed the reins to J.D. and shot off to the right. “Well, good morning, Miss Kate. My day has been brightened by the light radiating from your smile.” The young woman blushed and the pair disappeared into the restaurant.

“I take it that means I’ve got to look after his horse,” J.D. grumbled.

“Looks like it, Kid,” Vin chuckled, coaxing his mount into the livery.

“You know, I can’t remember the last time he brushed down his own horse.”

“Neither can I.” The two men dismounted and began removing the saddles from their animals.

“Vin... doesn’t matter.”

Tanner glanced across at J.D. and grinned. “Yep, reckon she likes ya, J.D.”

“Then why does she always snap at me?”

Vin paused and looked for the right words. “Women can be like that.”

“Why?”

Tanner shrugged. “Just are. Makes things more interestin’ though.” There was gleam of amusement in his eye as he turned back to his horse.

“You ever... course, you musta!”

Tanner was smiling. “Yep, I musta.”

“Didn’t work out huh?”

The smile slipped from Vin’s face. “Makes things a bit difficult when you got bounty hunters chasin’ after your hide.”

“Sorry.”

“Probably for the best. I ain’t the settlin’ down type.”

“I wouldn’t have thought that Chris would be, but he had a wife and child.”

Vin deposited his saddle on the railing. “Yep. Larabee’s a complex man.”

“Must have been hard on him, losing them the way he did.”

“Yep.”

“Do you think Royal will try something again?”

“Probably.”

“He seemed pretty scared.”

“Good.”

J.D. continued to pummel Vin with questions, views and general gossip. The tracker listened, offering a nod or grunt when the boy paused for a breath.

“Vin, you know how Josiah always... hell, look!” J.D. cried in alarm. Vin shot a look across at the youth, just catching him disappearing into the next stall. Tanner jogged over himself. Laying on the ground on his back was an unconscious man.

“He’s alive!” J.D. called, lifting his head from the prone figure’s chest. “Got a fever. I’ll go fetch Nathan.” The boy leaped up and darted toward the door.

As Vin crouched beside the fallen stranger, the ill man began to thrash and moan. “Easy, fella. Help’s com...” Tanner’s voice faded as his eyes honed in on the rash running up the man’s arm. “J.D! WAIT!”

“Vin?” the sheriff called, pausing. J.D. watched stunned as Vin began to tug at the stranger’s clothes. “Vin?”

“Close the door. Bolt it!”

“Huh?!”

“Just do it!”

Confused, but not even considering questioning his older friend, J.D. raced to the double doors of the livery, pushed them shut and thrust the bolt into place. “It’s bolted,“ he cried, turning and jogging back toward the stall.

“Stay back,” Vin ordered, removing his buckskin coat and throwing it over the man on the ground. The tracker began muttering loud curses under his breath.

“Vin, what’s going on?”

“This fella is real sick.”

That J.D. already knew. “So why did I bolt the door? We have to go get Nathan so he can help him.”

“Have to try and stop it from spreading,” Vin muttered, easing back on his haunches to think.

“Stop what?”

“Dream sickness. Ain’t sure what it’s called proper, but that’s what the Indians call it. Spreads real quick.” Vin shook his head and cursed passionately. “Ripped through the whole village within two days.” J.D. had never seen Vin look worried. In all the time they had been riding together, Vin Tanner had never looked riled, no matter what the situation. Right now, however, Vin looked more than just worried. There was even the slightest trace of fear in his voice and that scared the hell out of J.D.

“Vin? When you say real bad, do you mean this thing kills people?“

Tanner nodded, his eyes focused on the prone figure in front of him, his mind searching for a solution to the dilemma he found himself in.

J.D.’s face paled. The youth was staring at the man on the ground too. The stranger had started shivering and whimpering. “You mean we could get it?”

Vin glanced up at the boy and nodded. “Everybody in town could. We’ve got to get this fella out of here.”

“But... ? We’ve got to... what about Nathan?”

“Kid, this gets real bad. Can’t make Nathan sick just ‘cause he likes to help people. This has to be contained.“

“You mean... we‘re on our own?” J.D. felt numb and then a thought so terrifying he felt ill, filled his mind. “Do you think we may have already caught it?”

Seeing the blind fear on his young companion’s face, Vin cursed again.

“Vin?“

The older man rose to his feet and walked up to his trembling friend. “Sorry, Kid.“ He patted the boy’s shoulder and gave him a look of deep and genuine regret. Then Vin ripped his eyes away and headed toward the bolted door muttering, “There‘s only one way to stop it spreading.” Four Corners' sheriff searched the sharpshooter’s hard face. What was Vin going to do? Abruptly the older man drew his mare’s leg and snapped around to face the youth.

**********

Chris was standing on the saloon porch waiting for Vin and J.D. to appear. Abruptly and without explanation, the acid in his stomach began to burn. Something was wrong and Chris knew it had nothing to do with the incident earlier nor the strangled emotions that had been plaguing him for the past few hours. This was different. This was acute. Vin. Larabee didn’t know why he knew that, but he no longer questioned the strange connection he and Tanner shared.

Chris stepped off the porch and started toward the livery. Before he had taken two steps, three rifle shots echoed out of the barn - a slight pause between each! The Seven’s leader broke into a sprint. Buck, Josiah and Nathan appeared out of various buildings and joined him.

“VIN?! J.D?!”

**********

J.D. Dunne opened his eyes. Vin was staring at him puzzled. “Boys should be on their way,” Tanner explained. The youth nodded. “You okay?”

“Yeah, it’s just that... for a moment, I thought you were going to...” J.D. shook his head with embarrassment.

Vin’s eyes widened. “You thought I was gonna... hell, J.D.”

“VIN?! J.D.?!”

“Chris,” Vin shouted. “Stay back!”

Outside, the regulators’ pace slowed. “What the hell is going on in there?”

“Nathan, you there?” came Vin‘s slightly muffled voice from behind the closed doors.

“Yeah, Vin. What’s wrong?”

“You ever heard of Dream Sickness. I don’t know the proper name, but that’s what the Indians I was with called it.”

Nathan Jackson’s face blanketed with horror. “Oh my, God. Vin?”

“I’ve got some fella in here who I think’s got it. I’m gonna have to get him and J.D. out of town to stop it from spreading. I need you fellas to get everyone back and as soon as we leave, ya gonna have to burn the livery to the ground to stop it spreading.”

The four men standing outside were stunned.

“Vin, is J.D. okay?”

“He’s fine, Buck. Chris?”

“Go on, Vin. You tell us what needs to be done,” Larabee stated in a voice that was far calmer than he felt.

“Don’t know a lot. Best to ask Nathan. I do know we’ve gotta get out of here so that this thing don’t spread.”

“But what about you and J.D.?” Buck demanded. He didn’t know what this ‘thing’ was, but if Nathan’s face was anything to go by, his two friends were in a lot of trouble.

“I’ll look after J.D. We’re gonna need some supplies. Food, blankets and water. Collect them together and leave them just outside the door. We’ll collect them as we leave. Chris, I hate to say this, but the best place for me to go is your shack. You’ll have to burn it down afterwards, but I just can’t take the stranger and J.D. close to any other people.”

“You do what you need to, Vin,” Larabee called.

“Weren’t much of a shack anyway,” Tanner taunted.

Chris Larabee smiled despite the tension, or perhaps, because of it. “At least you didn’t call it a hovel!”

“I was thinkin’ it.” For several seconds there was silence. The Seven had faced many foes but this was beyond their control and outside of their realms of experience. Bullets, well aimed or not, were of little use.

Nathan Jackson started shaking his head. With determination, he stepped forward. “I’m going with you. You’re going to need a doctor. I know I’m not a real doctor, but I should be able to help.”

“No, Nathan. You need to stay in town just in case this spreads after we leave. If we’re lucky it won’t.”

“Vin, do you know this fella?” Buck called, a horrifying thought striking him.

“No. Haven’t seen him before. Looks like he’s ridden in looking for help, but collapsed right after arriving.

Josiah frowned. “Vin, describe him.” He prayed to God he was wrong.

“About my size, but heavier. Wearin’ a faded green shirt.”

“Is the brim of his hat torn?” Josiah pressed. The men heard Vin prompting J.D. to look.

“Yeah, it is.”

“Vin, he’s been walking around town for the last hour,” Josiah stated softly. The Preacher had stopped the stranger and asked him to state his business in Four Corners as was the regulators’ practice with any visitor they didn‘t known.

“What does that mean, Nathan?” Chris demanded.

“It means the town has already been exposed to the sickness. We need to erect signs warning other people to stay away. If this fella has what Vin thinks, it will spread like lightning.”

“What do we have to look for?“

“I don’t really know. I’ve only heard of it.“

“I’ve seen it before. Starts with a headache. Then you get weak. Then the rash appears... little purple spots that join together to look like bruises under the skin. Then you start throwing up. Then... then the dream sickness starts.“ Tanner’s voice had dropped to a whisper, which made it almost impossible to hear through the closed door.

“Dream sickness?“ Josiah asked.

“Hallucinations brought on by really high fever, from what I’ve heard,“ Nathan offered.

“Who does it affect?“ Chris asked.

“Everyone,“ Vin answered. “Is deadly to really little ones and old people.”

Chris Larabee nodded and turned to his men. “Josiah, take care of the signs. We can’t allow other people to be put at risk. Vin, you sure the stranger has this Dream Sickness?”

There was silence. Clearly Tanner had moved off to confirm his suspicions. The seconds were nerve raking. All of the men were praying Vin had been mistaken.

“Yeah, he’s got it alright,” Vin called.

“Josiah, when did you first see this guy?” Chris demanded.

“I saw him ride in an hour ago. Just sort of wandered around like he was in a daze.”

“So why didn’t he ask for help?” Nathan asked. “He must have known he was ill.”

“We don’t have time for that now. Buck, Mrs. Allcott and Mrs. Howard took all of the children on a picnic for one of the kid’s birthdays.“ It was a blessing. Larabee knew all of the youngsters had gone because he had seen them ride out in two carriages. Four Corners didn’t have many children - only six.

“The Lord moves in mysterious ways,” Josiah preached. “He sent those innocents to safety.”

Chris flicked his eyes to Josiah and then centred his attention back on Buck. “Get Ezra. He’s been in his room all day so he hasn’t come into contact with any one since this stranger rode in. Tell him to ride out there and send the kids and the two woman out to the Bolson ranch.”

“How do I tell Ezra without spreading it to him? I mean just how contagious is this thing?”

“Very contagious,” Nathan confirmed. “Shout up to his window. Tell Ezra to wrap a towel around his mouth and nose when he walks through the town. That should help. And keep everyone away from him.”

“What about a horse for him?”

“He’ll have to go on foot. We can’t take the chance that the sickness may be on the saddles and things.” Larabee didn’t know a lot about illnesses or how they spread but he knew he was talking about the town’s children and he would move heaven and earth to protect them from this. No chance was worth taking. “It’ll only take him an hour or so to get out there on foot,” Chris mused. “And tell him to stay with them if he wants to. He’ll need to explain to Pete and Martha Bolson what’s going on. Mrs. Bolson was a nurse before settling out here. If any of them start to get headaches or these purple spots, everyone has to return to town. If we’re lucky, they’ll be spared, but Buck, tell Ezra to do it quickly and without fuss. We don’t want a panic on our hands. I’ll collect everyone together and explain what’s going on.”

“If this thing does hit, my clinic isn’t going to be big enough to treat everyone,” Nathan pointed out.

“Alright, we’ll clear the saloon and fill it with as many beds and blankets as we can find.”

“Vin, open up and let me in so I can take a look,” Nathan prompted.

“Buck, go! I want Ezra out of town in three minutes.”

“You got it, Chris.“ Wilmington dashed off.

“Josiah, those signs.”

“I’m already gone,“ the preacher whispered, racing off to do what was needed.

Chris stepped up to the door of the livery and peered in. He could see J.D. standing in a stall staring down. Obviously that was where the fallen man and Nathan were. Vin walked up to his friend. Their eyes met. A message of concern, but also support and strength was communicated.

“I’m going to call everyone together.”

“I’ll back you up. People are gonna be scared. They’ll want to leave, but it’s too late for that,” Vin pointed out with regret.

“I’ve sent Ezra to Black Creek.”

“The kids went out there for that birthday party!” Vin exclaimed, his thoughts turning the town’s children.

“Ezra’s been in his room all day. He’s going to send the kids and the two mothers with them to Martha Bolson. We’ve been lucky. The kids should be safe.”

“A lot of other people aren’t.”

“You said you’ve seen this before?”

“Yeah. Reckon I’d almost prefer to hang.” For Chris, that put everything into perspective. If there was one thing that Vin Tanner feared, it was “being strung up like some mangy dog.” Such an admission had been for Larabee’s ears only. If Vin was saying that he’d prefer to hang than to come down with this Dream Sickness, then Four Corners was in a hell of a lot of trouble!

**********

Ezra had been appalled by Buck’s shouted cries at his window, but Standish had leaped into action the moment he had seen the desperation on his friend’s face. The gambler listened with a hollow feeling in his stomach as Buck explained the situation.

“I understand. I’m on my way down.“ With a towel wrapped around his mouth and nose, Ezra set off through town.

“Move away from him,” Buck ordered a number of curious on-lookers, ensuring that no one got within fifteen feet of the gambler. “I said, get back!”

“What’s going on?” one woman asked.

“If you collect in the centre of town, Mr. Larabee will be making an announcement,” Buck informed her.

With Buck chaperoning, Standish made it to the end of town without coming close to anyone.

Both men stopped walking. “Good, luck, Ezra.”

“You too, my friend.” The pair, who were more than ten feet apart, stared at each other for a long time and then Ezra tipped his hat and jogged off toward the small creek where the birthday party was taking place.

**********

The street had not seen so many people since the fire that had broken out in the draper’s. Everyone had been rounded up and sent outside.

“What’s going on?”

“I don’t know.”

“Mr. Sanchez said we had to collect outside.”

“Did you see Mr. Standish? With that towel rapped around his face.”

The conversations stopped the moment Chris, flanked by the rest of his men, exited the livery and strode out to stand in front of the crowd.

“I want you all to listen. I need you to do exactly what we tell you,” Larabee stated in a calm, quiet but firm voice. The town became silent.

“We trust you, Mr. Larabee. Tell us what you want us to do,” Mary stated on behalf of her friends and neighbours. What was wrong didn’t matter. Whatever it was, she knew her own and the town’s safety depended on these men standing in front of her.

Chris nodded to the young woman and for a split second marveled at her courage.

“You need to trust us,” Chris continued.

“We do,” Gloria Potter added with confidence.

“We’ve just found a man suffering from a serious illness collapsed in the livery. We know he was walking around town earlier.”

People began to murmur.

“What he is suffering from spreads quickly. Ezra Standish has gone out to warn Mrs. Allcott and Mrs. Howard and he is escorting them and all of the children to the Bolson ranch. They’ll be safe there. This illness can be fatal for children.”

There was an explosion of gasps. Larabee allowed them a couple of seconds to express their shock. “The children left town before this man arrived. They’re safe.”

“What about the rest of us?”

“What sort of illness is this?”

Chris turned to Vin and nodded. Tanner didn’t like addressing crowds but right now that was furthermost from his mind. “Not sure of the proper name, but the Indians call it Dream Sickness. Starts with a headache. Ya end up with a really high fever and nightmares.”

“Hallucinations,” Nathan elaborated. “This illness is bad, but it only kills the very young or the very weak. All of us are going to be fine, but we’re likely all infected already so we need to start preparing for everyone to get it. This thing is severe. We‘ll be too weak to move from a bed for quite a few days.”

“No one can leave town. We can’t afford to spread this to other communities that have children,” Chris stated harshly.

“Now, we know you’re scared,” Josiah acknowledged. “Reckon I feel a bit that way myself. Together, we can get though this but we need everyone’s help and co-operation.”

The people of the town began muttering. The six men on the street watched them carefully ready to deal with any hysteria.

One young woman stepped forward. “I trust you,” she whispered. “You tell me what you want me to do.”

“That goes for me, too.”

“Mr. Larabee, we all feel the same way.”

Buck felt his chest tighten. Every person on the street was nodding. Their reaction had come in three stages - disbelief, shock and then, despite their fear, a willingness to place their lives in the Seven’s hands. Buck had never felt the weight of responsibility like he did at that moment.

“Alright everyone...” Chris started. Vin laid his hand on Chris’ arm and then stepped forward.

“I need to know how many of ya have already had dream sickness?”

“Why?” Mary asked curiously.

“’Cause from what I’ve been told you can only get it real bad once. The second time you just feel lousy. A bit of a headache and fever but ya don’t get it bad.”

“I’ve had it before. Many years ago,” Mary offered.

“Anyone else?” Vin prompted. Four other women stepped forward. Tanner’s face flushed with relief. Chris eyed his friend curiously. He‘d just realized that Vin had said he‘d seen Dream Sickness before which meant that his best friend had probably suffered from the illness at that time.

“Vin?”

“Yeah, I’ve had it,” Vin stated quietly. Tanner turned to Nathan. “You need to explain to the six of us how to help people.” Vin knew through experience that he and the five women would be the only people left standing in two days. Looking after everyone else was going to fall to them and they needed to know what to do.

The true size and impact of what was about to befall Four Corners was starting to sink in for all.

“Alright, let’s get started,” Chris snapped. The Seven’s leader began to give orders. The town needed to prepare and as Josiah had said, they needed everyone’s help.

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