The dream sickness set in gradually during the night. The patients’ temperatures were climbing at an alarming rate. Jenny was still upstairs with the stranger, but it wouldn’t be long before she would be required below. Mary still hadn’t sent for Vin. She felt his time was better used protecting the town from any further unwanted visitors. Even though it was dark, Tanner had remained atop the church tower. He was no longer watching the trail into Four Corners, but the street of the town itself. If someone tried to sneak in under the cloak of darkness, Vin would see him from there. There was a good moon. That, along with the torches, lit the street clearly.

The hours dragged by. Vin shivered, pulling his coat further around him. His back felt stiff, the foot long cut diagonally across it, tightening up. The young man wondered what was going on in the saloon. He knew that some of the people would have developed the nightmares by this time. He had told Mary to call him once he was needed.

Tanner glanced down toward the saloon. He could see shadows moving around the room. As yet, there were no screams or cries, but it was only a matter of time.

**********

J.D. moaned. Mary moved to his side. There was heat radiating from the youth. “Easy, J.D.” The acting nurse began to sponge the boy down. J.D. mumbled something incoherently. The dreams were starting. He was the first, by the look of it.

“Mary, I’ll take over there. Would you go and see to... I mean...” Jane inclined her head toward Chris. Mary nodded, moving off to do so. None of the others felt comfortable tending to Chris Larabee.

The newspaperwoman crouched beside the Seven’s leader. She reached for his brow. He wasn’t quite as hot as J.D. yet, but the fever was growing. Dipping a sponge into a bowl of water she began to try and cool his skin. Larabee’s eyes opened a slither. “It’s alright, Mr. Larabee.”

Chris didn’t seem to hear her. He lifted his hand and tried to swat her away. Mary tried again with the same reaction. The young woman paused. Chris was a good man, but unpredictable. If he reacted badly, the women would not be able to handle him. It was time to call Vin.

As Mary headed to summon the tracker, she heard Jenny call her name. The young woman’s voice was over-controlled, like she was doing her best to remain calm.

Mary Travis rose and moved swiftly to the bottom of the stairs to meet the young woman.

Chris forced his eyes open. He felt disoriented, but his attention was fixed on the agitated girl waving her hands in front of Mary’s face. Mary patted Jenny’s arm and then she spun and walked toward the door.

“Mrs. Travis?” Chris asked, the words didn’t quite form and instead it came out as little more than a grunt.

“It’s okay,” she whispered with a false smile before disappearing. Moments later, Vin Tanner came pounding into the room. He flew down the centre aisle and climbed the stairs three at a time. As Mary re-entered the room, Chris caught her eye. The young woman moved to his side and leaned over him.

“You relax. You’re temperature is very, very high.“

“What’sss... go.. going... on?“

“It’s okay,“ Mary insisted, trying to calm him by placing her hand on his chest and forcing him back onto the pillow.

“Tellll ME!“ The shout lacked volume but had required enough effort to leave him struggling to remain conscious.

Larabee wasn’t going to settle unless he knew what was happening, Mary realised. “The stranger is conscious and is saying something about Guy Royal sending him here.”

“Damn.” Chris had suspected as much. There was a crash from above. Vin was doing what was necessary to obtain as much information as he could. If anyone could find out what was going on, Vin would.

It was almost an hour before the regulator re-emerged. Without looking sideways, he headed down the centre aisle, moved in beside Chris, slid down the wall and cursed softly.

“Royal?” Chris asked waking as Vin slumped to the floor.

“Bastard!” Instantly, Vin lowered his voice. “He sent that stranger to make us all sick.”

“Then... you were... rrrright.”

“Yeah.” Vin turned to study Chris. He hadn’t realized Larabee’s illness had progressed so far. Scanning the room, Vin could see a number of people were in the grip of nightmares.

“So... what... dooo we... do?”

Vin drew in a long deep breath. “Don’t know, Cowboy. That fella says Royal’s ready to ride in here with two dozen men.” Vin shook his head. “I can’t... it’s... ”

“Twelve... a... piece,” Chris stated firmly.

Vin glanced at his friend. “You don’t look like you’re even up to crawlin’, pard. Besides, he ain’t gonna come until he knows the dream sickness has set in, Chris. Ain’t nothing you’re gonna be able to do when you’re unconscious.” Vin dropped his head back against the wall. “Maybe I should ride out there. Take them by surprise.”

“NO! Youuu wouldn’t.... have a... chance!” Chris was panting from the exertion.

“Probably not.” Vin shut his eyes. “I can probably take out quite a few from the church roof. Should turn them around initially.”

“Then... whatttt?” Chris groaned. Vin climbed to his feet, patted Larabee’s arm and moved off.

“Vin?!”

“Right here, Cowboy. I was just gettin’ a sponge and bowl of water.” Vin dipped the cloth and began to wipe Chris down.

“What... time, isss it?”

“Be dawn in an hour. They should wait until about noon, but I get the feelin’ they’re gonna want to take us down as soon as possible..”

“I may... still... beee with... you.”

“Somehow I doubt that, Cowboy. You’re barely conscious as it is. I don’t want you to be worryin’ on it. We don’t even know if that fella is tellin’ the truth.”

“Yeah?” Chris asked, opening his eyes.

Vin smirked. “I don’t lie well, do I?”

Chris smiled. He lifted his hand and placed it on top of Vin’s. Tanner stared first at the fist and then at Chris. Larabee eyes remained open for several seconds before unconsciousness consumed him. He had known that he was losing the battle to remain awake and he had wanted to let Vin know that... he wasn’t sure what he had wanted Vin to know.

Vin squeezed the ill man’s hand. “It’s gonna be okay, Cowboy. I’ll think of somethin’. I don’t know what, but I’ll think of somethin’.”

**********

Half an hour later, the sun announced its arrival by lightening the murkiness outside. Vin was tending to Ezra when he heard the sound of a rider. The sharpshooter leapt to his feet, snapped his mare’s leg up and raced for the door.

“You’ve got fifteen minutes to make a decision!” The lone rider shouted from the end of the street. “Surrender and we’ll be merciful.” With that, the man turned and spurred his horse out of town.

“Damn!” Vin cursed. He raced across the street and climbed up onto the church roof. Using his spyglass he watched the rider head east. Vin waited until the stranger disappeared among the trees. It had taken Royal‘s ranch hand ten minutes to reach there, which meant once the main group appeared out of that grove, Vin would have ten minutes to prepare.

The tracker climbed down and headed back to the saloon. All five women were standing just in the doorway waiting for him, their faces masks of horror.

“Kate, go and climb onto the church roof and warn me when you see riders appear out at Sulley’s Grove. Here, take my spyglass.” The young woman nodded and disappeared. “Mary and Allision, board up these windows. Jenny and Jane, I need all of the guns you can find. Bring them to me.”

Vin watched the ladies move off and then he walked across to the wall beside Larabee’s bed, slid down it and closed his eyes. He needed to think. He hadn’t been able to come up with a single idea in the last half an hour. “Think, Tanner, think!”

**********

“Wasn’t anyone on the street. They all must be sick, Mr. Hallow.”

Royal’s foreman nodded. “Good. Alright, check your rifles. We’ll be leavin’ in five minutes.”

“But Mr. Royal said to wait until just before lunch so that they were all hallucinating.”

“Are you questioning me?!”

“No, Sir.”

“Remember, Mr. Royal wants the tracker alive. Kill the rest of the gunfighters but the tracker belongs to the boss. He‘s got somethin‘ special planned for him.”

**********

Vin shut his eyes and swallowed. His body shuddered. What the hell was he going to do?! Tanner blinked twice trying to push his fatigue aside. He scanned what used to be the saloon. All of these people were depending on him.

Vin shook his head, dropped his eyes to the ground and searched for someway... anyway, to see his way out of this.

Mary approached him and placed her hand gently on his shoulder. Vin glanced up at her.

“Vin, we’ll have to surrender. We don’t have a choice.” Vin flicked his eyes to Chris. A fine layer of sweat covered the gunfighter’s ashen face. Larabee was beyond hearing what was going on. It wouldn’t be long before he was plagued with nightmares.

Further down the room, J.D. moaned.

Vin cursed softly. If the seven of them were standing there wouldn’t be a problem. Two dozen or twenty-two dozen, they would have handled it, but they were six down. Only he stood between the murdering bastards and the citizens of Four Corners.

“You can’t do it on your own, Vin.”

“Yes, I can,” Tanner growled, rising to his feet. “I have to. If we surrender, the first thing them fellas will do is come in here and kill the boys. I ain’t about to let that happen!”

“But Vin, how are you... I mean... you’re only one man!”

“They’re coming!” Kate shouted. They had ten minutes.

Before Vin could reply, J.D. moaned again.

The sharpshooter moved up next to his companion and patted the boy’s shoulder. “Easy there, J.D.” Tanner frowned. He knew there would be almost two dozen men. How the hell was he going to hold them off... and hold them off for at least two days?!

“Vin, not even Royal would hurt people as sick as they are.”

“Royal won’t be comin’ himself. It will just be his boys and they’ll shoot anything that moves.”

J.D. began to struggle in his bed, the fever tightening its grip. As the boy thrashed, his bowler hat perched on a small box beside him, was knocked to the ground.

Mary and Allison rushed to the youth’s side and tried to calm him. Vin bent and picked up the hat. He placed it on the box and then started for the street.

Tanner glanced back before stepping out the door. He scanned the room, his eyes stopping briefly on each of his team mates. For the first time since he had met them, he was on his own and he didn’t like the feeling. Tanner glanced at Chris. He set his jaw. Royal and his men would have to go though him to get to Chris and the others.

“Mary, no matter what happens don’t open these doors. I mean it. No matter ‘what’ happens.“

Travis nodded, understanding exactly what Vin was implying. If he was gunned down and laying in the middle of the street bleeding, she couldn’t open the door to provide him with help. If she did, she would instantly sentence the rest of the town’s peacekeepers to death.

Vin swept the room one last time and was about to turn when his eyes stopped on the small box beside J.D.

“Vin?“ Mary asked curiously.

Tanner‘s brow furrowed with deep thought. He glanced at Mary and his eyes narrowed. Maybe they did have a chance... a slim chance in hell, but a chance!

**********

The mob of nineteen men rode into Four Corners slowly. While they professed confidence, none of them took the Seven’s abilities lightly and even though the town looked deserted, there was still a sense of foreboding. Royal’s ranch hands had seen Four Corners’ hired gunfighters in action and they didn’t fancy their chances against them if they were indeed still in town and not debilitated by the illness their boss had deliberately sent to harass them.

Vin stepped down off the porch of the saloon and ambled along the side of the street with long relaxed strides. Apparently spotting the visitors, he stopped and eyed them curiously.

“What do you fellas want?”

Hallow glanced at his men and then back at Vin with confusion. “We’ve come to ...”

“You wanna to see, Larabee? He ain’t in the best mood, but if you want him, he’s just gone into Potter’s. “ Vin tipped his hat and then leaned against the porch post, an amused smile on his face.

The mob glanced toward the general store. All gasped. Through the window they could see the black clad gunfighter moving around.

“Jesus,” Dennison muttered.

“Larabee told you fellas not to come back here.” Vin flicked his eyes to Potter’s himself. “You boys picked the wrong day to cause a fuss. Buck?” Vin called. “You got ‘em covered?” The group of thugs followed Tanner’s gaze and to their shock they saw a tan coat move out from behind the sign above the drapers. Wilmington dipped his hat, his rifle hanging casually by his side.

“J.D.?” Vin shouted. The bowler-hatted sheriff stepped into the doorway of the jail, his weapon resting in the crook of his arm. Hallow and his men found themselves twisting in their saddles as Tanner fired his friend’s names in quick succession.

“Nathan?” There was a shadow in the window of the clinic above. “Ezra?” The red-jacketed regulator appeared in the window of Grain Exchange, his rifle protruding. “Preacher?”

The mob was surrounded.

Vin stepped forward, his ice blue eyes cutting Hallow to the quick. “You tell Royal that Four Corners is under our protection and if he tries a fool stunt like this again, we’ll pay him a real personal visit.” There was no volume in the threat, but the venom in the tracker‘s voice made several of the visitors shiver. “I reckon you fellas should leave while you‘re in one piece... unless you think you can take us?” The challenge brought with it the sounds of hammers being cocked from Tanner’s companions.

Hallow ran his eyes around the town - from Larabee in Potter’s store, to J.D. in the doorway of the sheriff’s office, to Buck hovering above, to Nathan in the window of the clinic, to Josiah lingering just inside the church, to Four Corners’ gambler with his rifle jutting out of the Grain exchange. They were all present!

“Up to you,” Vin baited, a sarcastic smile on his face. The seconds lingered. “Boys?” The rifles around the mob were raised.

Abruptly, Hallow turned the head of his horse and spurred it out of town. The rest of the men needed no invitation to follow. None of them had any intention of taking on the Larabee Gang.

Vin watched the group of would-be attackers hurtle out of town. “Hold your positions,” he called firmly to his fellow regulators as he jogged down the street. The tracker climbed up onto the roof of the church, raised his spyglass and held his breath. The dust cloud formed by the retreating mob continued to move east. “Keep goin’,” Tanner whispered.

When he was sure the group wasn’t turning around, Vin lowered the spyglass, swallowed and shut his eyes briefly. His exhaustion rose up and blanketed him. The adrenaline was subsiding and Vin suddenly became aware of every ache in his body. More than anything else was the sense of relief. The boys and the town were safe - for now.

Forcing himself to his feet, Vin ran his eye over the street below. His companions had not moved. “Alright, boys, looks like we pulled it off.”

Wilmington’s hat was yanked off and long auburn hair fell out. “Yeee hah!” Kate shouted with exhilaration.

The black clad figure stepped out of Potter’s.

“You sure look better in them clothes than Chris does, Mary,” Vin called down to her. The pretty newspaperwomen’s face spread with a smile of relief.

“We did it!” Alison shouted, exiting the church clothed in Josiah’s attire. “I can’t believe we did it!”

“I thought they were going to attack when they didn’t leave straight away,” Jenny shouted. Her face, like that of the other women, reflected more than relief. There was a sense of excitement and victory too.

“When Mr. Tanner said, ‘unless you think you can take us‘, I just almost died!”

“And then when he said, ‘up to you’!”

“You were fantastic!” Jane shouted to Vin.

“Won’t be so easy next time,” the tracker stated, making his way across the roof.

“Next time?” Kate cried. “You mean they could come back?”

There was silence for several seconds before Vin appeared out from behind the church.

“Vin?” Mary prompted.

“We fooled ‘em, but I don’t know for how long. Once they get to thinkin’ on it, they’re likely to get suspicious.”

The five women collected around the regulator. His plan had worked perfectly. They had been skeptical and frightened at first, but Vin Tanner had assured them with soft but firm words. They knew there was no way he would put them in more danger than was necessary, but the safety of the town was at stake and he needed their help to pull off the bluff.

Vin had been certain of one thing. Royal’s men would turn tail and run if they saw the Seven. The problem had been getting his unconscious friend’s on their feet. It had been the sight of J.D.‘s bowler that had sown the seeds of the idea. The youth always wore the distinctive hat. Everyone knew that. The sight of the bowler meant J.D. Dunne and that was all Vin needed... for Royal’s thugs to sight the boys. Hence, Tanner had ordered his female companions to dress quickly in the peacekeeper’s clothes. The rest of his instructions had been very, very clear. “When I call ya, step into view but stay in the shadows and keep the hat pulled over your eyes. Not much movement, ya move like women and the boys don’t. And if they don’t ride out, withdraw and stay down. I don’t want to have to be worryin’ about you gettin’ hurt if the bullets start flyin‘.”

“What will we do now?” Jenny asked quietly. Their trust in him was unquestioned. He needed only ask and they would follow without query.

“Have all of you used a rifle before?” Vin asked, his brow furrowed. The group of women glanced nervously at each other, but they nodded. “Any of you any good?”

“I hit what I’m aiming at,” Allison claimed.

Vin nodded thoughtfully.

“You want us to fight?” Kate asked incredulously.

“No, Ma’am. Just let me get thinkin’ on it and I’ll explain later. You all better head back and see how everyone is. I got me a few things that need doin’. Like hidin‘ Nathan away.” All eyes lifted to the outline in the clinic window. There were only five women but six peacekeepers had needed to be impersonated. Thus, the mannequin from Potter’s store and been dressed in Nathan’s clothes and stood up in the clinic, black paint smudged over its face.

“I can’t believe it worked,” Jenny whispered again.

Tanner smiled. “Neither can I.”

The women grinned at him.

“Okay, we’ve got work to do. Reckon one of you should make some food. The rest of you better tend to the patients. The nightmares will be taking over most of them.” Vin turned to Mary. “If ya need me, just call.” The message was unmistakable. If the boys needed him, he was to be sent for.

As Vin turned to leave, Mary reached for his arm. “Thank you.” The newspaperwoman had seen the faces on the group who had ridden in. They had looked wary. It had been the Seven’s reputation that had sent the mob running and saved their lives. That and Vin Tanner who had stood out there in the middle of the street unprotected... prepared to do whatever was necessary to protect the town. “Thank you,” she repeated sincerely.

Vin’s head bobbed once and then he set off for the livery.

**********

“Pull it into your shoulder tighter,” Vin instructed. He reached his arm around Jane to assist her. The girl shuddered. Tanner shook his head. This was a hell of a lot harder than he had thought. He needed to teach the girl to shoot. Actually, to make one shot. Unfortunately, she just kept gazing at him like a lovesick calf.

“Miss?... Miss Jane?”

“Yes?”

“This is real important. I need you to concentrate.”

The girl seemed to realize that she was openly gushing at him and immediately her cheeks went crimson.

Vin grinned at her and then winked. The girl blushed further and began to giggle. Tanner laughed himself and then nodded toward the barrel. “You have to hit it, Ma‘am.”

“I can hit it,” Jane claimed with determination. The young women drew the rifle into herself.

“Lower the barrel a little more... yep, that’s it. Now squeeze the trigger like you’re milkin’ a goat.”

The woman did so. She missed the marked target on the barrel by only an inch.

“That’s a lot better. Ya missed because ya moved the rifle as you were firing.” Vin reached around the woman again and yanked the rifle into her shoulder. “Try and hold it there. This time take a deep breath and hold it as you fire.”

Jane flicked her eyes to him. Vin nodded and then inclined his head to the barrel. Jane focused on the target. She drew in a deep breath, held it and fired. The bullet hit inside the ten-inch square chalk mark on the cask.

“Yes!” Jane shrieked.

Vin smiled. “Good girl. I need ya to do that on my signal. You think you can?”

“I think so.” She was smiling proudly at him.

“Alright, shooting lesson’s over. Could you send Allison out to me?”

“Sure, Vin.” It was the first time she had called him by his Christian name. Tanner didn’t seem to notice as he busied himself re-loading the rifle. Disappointed, Jane left to carry out his instruction.

**********

Guy Royal offered his guest a celebratory drink. He had sent for Henry Davis so he could gloat and share his brilliant triumph. After all, the downfall of the Seven was the highlight of his year!

“It was your comment that sent me in the right direction,” Royal explained.

“So they’re all too sick to fight back?” Davis asked, accepting the glass of scotch.

“That’s about the size of it.” Both men glanced toward the window. The sound of riders filled the air.

“Here comes the good news now.” The cattle baron strode out onto the veranda and waited for his foreman. Hallow took an extraordinarily long time to dismount and report.

“Mr. Royal.”

“Where’s Tanner? I told you I wanted to deal with him personally.” Hallow diverted his eyes. “Hallow?”

“We attacked this morning.” The group had delayed their return home in order to build courage.

“This morning? I told you to wait until lunch to give the illness time to work properly.”

“We thought they were all down.”

Guy Royal’s face hardened. “What happened?”

“Those seven guns aren’t ill.”

“What?” Royal was genuinely confused.

“Don’t know how or why, Mr. Royal, but the sickness didn’t affect them. None of them. They were all there. All seven of them. We... we wouldn’t have had a chance against them.”

Royal exploded with a tirade of curses.

“Problem?” Davis asked, stepping up beside the cattle baron.

**********

“This one here is your barrel,” Vin explained to Mary.

They were standing in the middle of the empty street. Not for first time, Mary noticed Vin blink. She knew he was hurt. She knew he was tired. She knew he hadn’t eaten a decent meal in more than two days. She knew there wasn’t a thing she could do about it because her safety and the safety of every man and woman in town depended on Tanner.

“You’re going to be stationed over there in the Grain Exchange. You reckon you can make the shot?”

Mary studied the distance. “Any part of the barrel?”

“Nope. Only a ten-inch square target. If I make the wick any bigger, they‘ll see it. We‘re gonna need the element of surprise if this is gonna work. So, you think you can do it?” Again the pronounced blink.

“I think so.” Mary licked her lips. She knew how tired she felt. Her head had been throbbing for almost twelve hours but she couldn’t boast two head wounds in less than a day. She couldn’t begin to imagine how bad Vin felt. Tanner blinked again. “Vin, are you alright?”

“I’d like you to go into the Grain Exchange and give it a...”

“Mr. Tanner! It’s Mr. Standish!” Kate called from the veranda of the saloon.

Vin handed Mary the rifle and rushed into the saloon.

“There!” Kate pointed. Ezra was on the floor next to his cot. “I can’t get near him. He‘s kind of half awake but...”

Vin raced down between the stretchers. When he reached Ezra he paused. Standish was trying to pull himself up, but more importantly, he was brandishing the knife he normally kept in his boot.

“Ezra?”

“Stay back!” The gambler’s speech was slurred. His eyes were darting wildly around him and his face was dripping with fevered perspiration. Ezra was hovering somewhere between conscious awareness, hysteria and unconsciousness.

“Ezra?” Standish lunged. Vin easily caught him and jarred the knife loose.

“Ez, it’s me.”

“Huh?”

“Calm down.”

“I was trying to help. I wasn’t running out!”

“I know,” Vin whispered, ushering his friend toward the bed. Without warning, Ezra collapsed. With a grunt, Vin re-adjusted his companion’s weight and then deposited him on the bed. The tracker’s back arched as he did so, the initial movement pulling at the tender skin around the slash across his back.

Standish began mumbling incoherently. “I didn’t... I was com... you believe... NO!... running out...”

Vin pulled the blanket up over his trembling friend and then reached for his hand. “I know ya can’t hear me Ezra, but I’m here. Everyone knows you aren’t running out on us.” Vin turned to Kate. “I need a sponge and some water. He’s burning up. We’ve got get his temperature down before he starts taking fits!” The girl raced to collect the items and dashed back with them.

“Please... I... you can... not running... trust...”

“Easy, Ezra. We know you’re not running out on us. Hell, if you had one ounce of sense in that stupid head of yours you would have gone out to the Bolson ranch with the kids. Ya came back here because... “ Vin took a deep breath. “Because you’re too damn loyal for your own good. I knew you wouldn‘t go out to the Bolson‘s you brainless cuss.” Tanner saturated his companions head and chest. He could feel the heat radiating off the fevered man. “Just gonna cool you down, pard. You’re gonna be fine.”

Ezra couldn’t hear the words, for he was indeed closer to unconsciousness than deliberate awareness but somehow he was aware of Vin’s voice and he was pacified by the soft, calm tone. “I wasn’t running out,” Standish continued to repeat over and over and over.

“You ain’t never run out on us, Ezra. Don’t think you could if you wanted to. Besides, we signed on to look after this town. Signed on together. All of seven of us. Larabee thought he’d have moved on by now. I guess I did too. I know you did. But we’re all still here. Ain’t really sure why. Don’t reckon it’s got much to do with signing on any more.” Vin paused noting that Standish had stopped trembling. The unconscious man’s breathing had become more even and relaxed. “Yep, you try to empty yer mind and sleep.” Vin squeezed Ezra’s hand, handed the sponge and bowl of water to Kate and then turned and headed for the door.

“Mr. Tanner?” Kate called following him She had stood back, watched and listened to everything Vin had said. This man who had always seemed so quiet and aloof before continually amazed her. “That was... he wasn’t awake but you got through to him.”

“When a man’s got friends he don’t have to face his demons alone,” Vin murmured, flicking his eyes to Nathan.

“He wasn’t really awake when he grabbed that knife?”

“Nope, but he’s still dangerous so you stay away from him. If he starts tossing or calling out again, send for me straight away. And try to keep his temperature down.”

“I will. I promise.”

“How are the others?”

“You mean the Seven?” Vin blinked as he processed the question. He did care for the other people, but she was right. His question had related to the seven alone. “Buck’s had a couple of bad episodes, but he’s okay now. Mr. Sanchez was yelling a few minutes ago, but he’s settled. Mr. Jackson was sobbing about fifteen minutes ago, but he seems okay now. J.D.’s been all right and Mr. Larabee hasn’t made a sound. He’s the only one here who seems to be sleeping fitfully.”

Vin’s brow furrowed. “Just sleeping?”

“Just sleeping.”

Tanner wandered over to his best friend. Chris looked pale, but basically peaceful.

“If he starts, call me straight away.”

“I will. Mr. Larabee will probably get violent.” The girl shut her mouth quickly. She hadn’t meant for that thought to be voiced.

“Could do,” Vin agreed. With one final look at Chris, Tanner headed back to finish Mary’s shooting lesson.

**********

The six people tending to the town’s citizens were more than tired now. They were ill. Had they been able to rest when the sickness had attacked them, they would have been over it, but they had not had that luxury and thus the illness had refused to give up the fight for supremacy.

The sobs and cries from the patients caught in their own private hell caused Vin to flinch. He had completed the shooting lessons some hours earlier and now he was sitting with Josiah, talking softly to him. While the words mattered little, his presence seemed to be helping as did sponging the huge preacher down. If Vin could reduce the other man’s temperature, the hallucinations would stop.

Only Vin, Allison and Jenny were on duty now. Tanner had Kate stationed on the roof of the church to keep an eye out for trouble and he had sent Mary and Jane upstairs to get some sleep. They all needed to get some rest and the best way was in three-hour shifts.

Thankfully there had been a short lull in the last half an hour. The three nurses on duty had been able to keep everyone’s temperatures under control and thus the hallucinations had diminished substantially. The heart rendering cries had been starting to get to Allison and Jenny. Vin had been particularly disturbed by Nathan’s shouts. It had been clear that in his head, Nathan was being whipped. Whipped! The thought made Vin’s blood boil.

Tanner moved to check on the healer, sponging Nathan’s face and chest. “Rest easy, Pard,” he whispered. “Any bastard trying to whip you will have me to deal with.”

As Vin moved by Allison, he noticed her reach for her head. “Go and get some rest, Ma’am.”

“I’m okay.”

“No, you’re not. Go on now.”

Allison wanted to argue, but the truth was she didn’t have the energy. Her head was pounding and she was beginning to develop a fever.

Vin turned to Jenny. “Ma’am, would you go and relieve Miss Kate up on the church roof.”

“I won’t be a moment. I just want to cool Mrs. Potter down. Her temperature is starting to go up and I don’t want her to start hallucinating about her husband again.” Jenny worked quickly and then hurried to carry of Vin’s instructions. She, like Mary and everyone else, understood that their survival depended on obeying Tanner’s every syllable.

“Mr. Tanner,” Jenny called. She had noticed something that she knew he would want to know “Mr. Larabee is sweating profusely.”

Vin moved swiftly toward his friend. Chris had been the only person in the room whose fever had stayed low of it’s own accord. Reaching for his best friend’s brow, Vin cursed. Larabee’s temperature had jumped from warm to burning in only a few minutes.

“Chris, can you hear me?” Vin asked as he frantically began trying to reduce the gunfighter’s fever. “Come on, Cowboy, don’t do this. We’ve got to get you cool.” The last thing Vin wanted was Chris reliving the horrors he had in his head.

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