“We ain‘t gonna get out of this,” Vin whispered to Ezra. The pair’s hands had been bound with rope and they were seated about ten feet from where their captors were eating. Ezra eyed his partner critically. Vin’s face was grey. The circles under his eyes were now pronounced. Standish could see it was only a matter of time before the tracker’s fatigue consumed him. The fight with Carter had drained any energy Tanner had in reserve.

“I believe there is a good chance we can talk our way out of it.”

Vin shook his head, his eyes flicking from Guy to Tim. “No, they’ll kill us and these bastards won‘t do it quickly.”

Ezra couldn‘t ignore Vin’s instincts. “Then, may I suggest we try to prevent either of us meeting our maker? I have an idea.” Standish leaned closer and began to outline his plan.

Tanner listened and finally nodded. “All right, but we’re gonna have to be convincing. We need to try and stall them,” Vin whispered.

“For what reason?”

“The boys are comin‘,” Tanner murmured. Unlike in Purgatory, when he knew the boys would come because he had faith that they would avenge his death, this time he ‘knew‘ they were coming. Vin couldn’t explain why, but he knew Chris was on his way and if Chris was, so were the others. “They’re comin‘.”

Ezra frowned.

“I just know,” Vin growled. “I ain’t crazy.”

“No, but obviously the fight rattled your brain. Vin, Chris and the others won’t even begin to worry until late this afternoon!”

“He’s comin’. I... he’s comin’ now.”

Ezra scrutinized Vin’s determined but glazed blue eyes. “Relax, my friend. I will get us out of this. All I need you to do is keep your mouth closed, keep your eyes on the ground and don‘t draw any attention to yourself.”

**********

Only a few miles away, Larabee and his men had stopped to water the horses. Chris had distanced himself from the others so he could think. They were getting closer - his gut told him so.

“Chris?” Buck asked, approaching his quiet companion.

“I don’t know how I know, Buck,” Larabee growled softly, answering the question he knew was on Buck’s mind. “I... I can’t even begin to describe...” Larabee turned back to his horse and mounted. “Let’s go!”

Wilmington glanced at the others and shrugged.

“Chris, it has occurred to me that Vin and Ezra may have left the trail to rest. If that’s true they...”

“We ride!” Larabee shouted, racing off, his men doing their best to keep him in sight.

**********

Tim glanced at his captives and frowned. They had their heads together. “You two better not be gettin’ no ideas.”

“I do not wish to die,” Ezra called. “I would like to buy my life.”

“Ezra, shut up. They’ll kill you anyway,” Vin growled. His opposition was essential if the story was to be believed.

“We’ve taken your money,” Gloden pointed out.

“Only my travelling money for poker matches.”

Vin shook his head with apparent disgust. Tim glanced at his brother and then he and the rest of his gang wandered across to their captives.

“You got more money?”

“Sir, look at my attire. Do you think I would be able to dress as I do if they were the only few dollars I have to my name?”

The Carters again exchanged a glance. “And,” Guy prompted.

“I am willing to take you to my private stash hidden in Four Corners, if you promise to spare our lives.”

“They’ll kill us the moment you hand over the five hundred dollars,” Vin snarled.

“FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS!” Henry and Gloden repeated.

“You’ve got five hundred dollars?” Tim demanded, his eyes flashing with greed.

“Five hundred and thirteen dollars to be exact. Most of it was payment for a bounty on an unfortunate soul who chose to play poker against me. I had no idea he was wanted until after I had defended myself.”

Tim stepped forward and grabbed Ezra by the front of his jacket. “You better not be lying to me.”

“I have no reason to lie. I merely want to live. The money is of no use to me dead and I fear, that is your intention.” Tim glared at Ezra and then shoved him back to the ground. “Guy?”

Guy Carter was staring at Vin trying to assess if the slick-tongued cardsharp was telling the truth by watching his partner’s reaction. Tanner glanced at Ezra and snorted. Guy smiled. “Yeah, I believe it.”

“Where in Four Corners?”

“Tell him and they’ll kill us now,” Vin snarled.

Tim lashed out with his boot. The blow caught Vin in the chest and knocked him onto his side. Tanner gasped as he hit the ground. For several seconds he lay panting, waiting for his blurred vision to clear.

“Enough!” Ezra shouted, his light-hearted tone replaced by anger. “Lay a hand on him again and the deal is off! I am bargaining for his life as well!”

“Why?” Guy asked, puffing on his cigar. “Why would someone like you care if someone like him lives or dies?”

“Because he’s my brother,” Ezra snapped without a pause.

Tim laughed. “Do you take us for fools?”

“Our mother did not have the highest moral principles and had no qualms about sleeping with gentlemen acquaintances. I grew up in her care and he with his buffalo hunter father, but as true as I am sitting here, I swear to you he is my brother.” Standish’s green eyes flashed with rage and emotion. He meant every word. Vin Tanner was his brother. Not by blood, but by everything else brothers were defined by. “I will take you to my money if you spare our lives.”

Guy pursed his lips, glanced at Tim and nodded. He had seen the way the fancy man had reacted when Vin had been hit. They acted like brothers. “He’s ill,“ Guy mused, watching as Vin struggled upright.

“He has been,“ Ezra explained. There was little sense denying it. Ezra knew Vin had played the role of devil’s advocate from the beginning, drawing the attention of the Carters and their men. He had, in the only way he could, been attempting to their draw fire away from Ezra by establishing himself as the threat. Ezra could understand his friend’s reasoning and he was grateful and humbled by it, but if he was to save his partner’s life, he had to undo all of the work Vin had done and remove the tracker as a perceived danger. “He is no threat to you. He can barely stand up. When you came upon us, I was just about to build a stretcher for him.”

“Ezra!” Vin could see their only edge being evaporated in front of his eyes. What in God’s name was Ezra doing? “Ezra, shut up!”

“Vin, it is as plain as the nose on your face. You are as pale as my silk shirt. I am not telling them anything a man with half a brain can not see for himself.” All five members of the gang were now studying Vin critically. They hadn’t seen it earlier, but now they could. The man in the buckskin coat was ill. Ezra switched his attention to Guy. Clearly, he was the one who made the major decisions, even if his brother made out he was in charge. If he could convince this man Vin was ill, Tanner would no longer be in the firing line. The exhausted tracker could not take any more of Tim’s merciless attacks.

“Look at him. Look meticulously. Whatever strength he had to retaliate was drained in the wrestling match with that mountain you call a brother. I repeat, he is no threat to you. If he were in good health he would be. He is a very able man, but he lost a great deal of blood a fortnight ago and has not recovered. We have been on the trail for several days, trying to return to collect my money so we can get out of this ghastly territory and travel to San Francisco.“

Guy listened suspiciously, but found himself believing Standish. There had to be a reason this odd pair were riding together and this explanation rang true when coupled with Ezra’s reactions to Vin being beaten and Tanner’s obvious strategy of placing himself in firing line to protect the man dressed in the bright red jacket.

“I care nothing for the money. Easy come, easy go. You can have it, but I want your word that you will put a leash your brother, for if he manhandles Vin once more, I will take the secret of my money’s whereabouts to the grave.”

Tim cursed and stepped forward aggressively. Guy stopped him with a raised hand. “All right. But if you are lying to me...” He lowered his voice to deliver a deathly threat. “I will kill your brother slowly and make you listen to his screams.”

Ezra swallowed and nodded. The boys had better be in town when they got there.

Guy turned to his four companions. “We ride to Four Corners. It’s only a few hours from here. But I don’t trust them. They may have friends there or some other surprise waiting for us in town.”

“Good thinking.”

“How could we arrange for anything to be waiting?” Ezra asked, innocently. “We did not know you were going to ambush us.”

“Just like Vista City?” Tim asked.

Guy nodded, approving the plan. “Yeah. Just in case.”

Legion walked up to Ezra, grabbed his arm and dragged the bound man to his feet, his eyes running up and down the gambler. Finally, he smiled. “I’m gonna enjoy this.”

***

Ezra’s gamble of revealing how ill Vin was paid off. No one was paying Tanner any attention and they had never seemed concerned about Standish in the first place. The group appeared to have forgotten about the regulators as they argued over how they were going to split the money once they got their hands on it. The Carters and Legion wanted larger cuts than the other two and this was causing the disagreement.

The gambler turned to Vin who was laying on his side, working on the ropes that bound him.

“I’m almost free,” Vin informed his partner.

“I think we should wait until we get back to Four Corners,” Ezra whispered.

“The boys aren’t there,” Vin argued.

Ezra rolled his eyes in frustration. “Vin, I have explained to you...”

“They’re on their way here. They may have even passed us by now. We‘re on our own, unless they come across Peso and he can somehow lead them back here.”

“Peso?” Ezra glanced across at the horses. The huge back was gone.

“He pulled free about half an hour ago, but we can’t count on Chris finding him in time or Peso bein‘ able to lead them to us. It‘s up to us.”

“We can not take on all five of them. They‘re armed.”

“We don’t have a choice.” Once on the trail, the opportunity would be lost and they couldn’t allow these men to reach town and endanger the lives of innocent people. It had to be here and it had to be before they set off.

**********

Chris pulled his horse up and looked out ahead. Galloping toward him was Vin’s horse! Josiah and Buck exchanged an astonished glance. Chris had been right. Vin and Ezra were in trouble!

**********

Vin felt the ropes part. He flicked his eyes up to Ezra. Standish understood and wriggled around further so Vin could begin working on his ropes.

Twenty feet away, Tim bellowed something and then a shot rang out. Gloden fell to the ground. “Now, you get nothing!” the eldest Carter roared.

Henry started backing away. Tim turned and shot him, without mercy. The weedy looking man screamed and collapsed, clutching his chest.

“If the boys are close, they’ll know where we are now,” Tanner whispered. “Them bastards are down to three. We have to take them before the boys get here or things could get complicated.”

Ezra nodded.

**********

The five regulators heard the shots and were racing in the direction they'd come from. Chris turned his horse up the hill. He couldn’t be sure if the shots came from the river or the plateau above. From above he would be able to see both areas.

**********

“The mountain and one other are coming,” Ezra whispered, urgently.

“I’m almost done. I‘ll take the mountain.”

“No, I’ll take...“ Standish felt Vin struggling with the last knot. He couldn’t get it!

Tim and Legion leered down at the captives. Tanner’s eyes were closed... or at least they appeared to be. Vin was watching Guy through slitted eyes. The other Carter turned his back and started for the horses.

“NOW!” Ezra roared, despite knowing his hands were still tied behind his back. It had to be now. He would do the best he could.

Vin tackled Tim and Ezra, Legion. Tanner was in no condition for a prolonged fight. He withdrew the knife from his boot and plunged it into Tim’s stomach. The huge man gasped, his eyes lighting up with complete surprise.

Guy turned. He just stood, stunned as he brother toppled sideways and crashed to the ground. A blur appeared in front of him and before he knew it, Vin had tackled him.

*********

As Larabee reached the top of the hill, the trees below parted and he glimpsed the battle in progress. Three men were on the ground unmoving and two other pairs were wrestling. From this distance, Chris couldn’t see their faces, but Vin’s buckskin coat and Ezra’s bright red jacket allowed easy identification. He’d found his men and they were both alive. Thank, God.

Buck, J.D., Josiah and Nathan arrived and spotted their companions as well.

“The boys have got things under control!“ Buck chuckled.

Chris leapt from his horse and raced to the edge, his heart thundering in his chest. At that moment, the man in the green check shirt on top of Vin gained the advantage and raised his knife over his head ready to plunge it home!

“No!” Chris screamed, horrified.

“Vin!“ Buck, J.D., Josiah and Nathan cried as one, each man reaching for his weapon. They would never be able to make the shot in time! The knife had already started its deadly journey! It was too late!

***

Larabee’s mind raced at the speed of light. The world around Chris slowed - his mind moving so swiftly it was as if he was viewing the scene below frame by frame on a movie reel. Larabee had a single heartbeat to make the shot... a shot to save Vin's life.

Chris’ gun came up. If he missed... he couldn’t miss!

At that moment, Vin blocked the weapon, turned it around and thrust it toward the man on top of him in one movement.

Larabee paused for a split second, his finger lingering on the trigger.

The deadly steel flashed toward Tanner‘s opponent.

Something exploded inside Chris. God in heaven!

Buck, J.D., Josiah and Nathan watched wide-eyed as Larabee drew, aimed and pulled the trigger before any of them were able to extract their own weapons. Chris was Vin’s only hope! Only Larabee was fast enough and accurate enough to save Vin’s life. At the last possible moment, Tanner regained control of the knife, but Larabee had already fired.

Chris’ bullet travelled the distance, but the wrestling pair moved. The shot missed Tanner’s opponent... and struck Vin! The regulators cried out in horror as their friend collapsed backward, the knife spilling from his lifeless hand.

“You hit Vin!”

Chris shut his eyes, his heart roaring. “Vin?” he whispered, the single syllable echoing his emotional pain and deep confusion.

“Merciful God!“

“He’s not moving!“

Vin was deathly still. The man in the green check shirt rose to his feet slowly, staring down at the dead man before peering above, searching for who had made the shot.

“Oh, God, Chris! You... you killed Vin!” J.D. cried, his voice laced with agony. Chris had missed! He’d missed and the bullet had struck Vin! “Oh, God.”

Buck, J.D., Nathan and Josiah stood frozen in horror. Chris’ bullet had struck Vin!

Below, Ezra dispensed with his attacker by slamming his head against the ground. In one movement he sprang to his feet, turned and shot the man in the green check shirt. The unarmed man was knocked to the ground.

“NOOOOOOO!” Chris screamed, twisting and firing again. Ezra Standish flew backwards and landed in the dirt, a bullet from Larabee’s gun in his chest! “VIN?!“ It was a cry from Larabee’s soul. A desperate plea.

“CHRIS!” Josiah yelled, grabbing the gunfighter and wrestling his revolver from him. “What’s got into you?!” Had Larabee lost his mind? In the space of five seconds, he’d shot both Vin and Ezra!

“Oh, my God. Oh, my God!” J.D. cried. His entire world crashed around him! Buck, Nathan and Josiah were numb with stunned and horrified disbelief. What on earth was going on?

Buck raised his rifle as the man in the green shirt struggled to his feet, his hand reaching down for the holster around his waist. Buck took aim. He would end this.

“BUCK, NOOOO!” Chris screamed.

Wilmington’s finger closed on the trigger. The man below yanked his hat off and waved. “IT‘S ME! Hold your fire!”

“Vin?” Nathan cried, squinting.

“It’s Vin!” J.D. yelled, astounded. Buck’s finger stilled, his jaw dropping open.

Chris pulled free of Josiah. “He’s been hit. Ezra’s not moving. Nathan, we need to get down there!”

**********

Vin limped across to Ezra who was laying on his side, motionless. He dropped beside his friend and examined the cut to the side of Ezra’s head, which was bleeding profusely. “Ezra?“ he cried desperately. Tanner shook his friend gently. “Come on, Standish, don’t you dare cash in your chips!“

Ezra stirred. “Vin?“ he asked groggily. His head exploded with pain and he moaned, reaching up to hold his throbbing skull.

Tanner smiled. “Yeah, you’re okay. The boys arrived in time. I told you they were coming,” Tanner stated with a tired grin.

Standish looked unamused. “In time! They almost ruined everything! Oh, my head.”

“Just a bad case of crapulence,” Vin chuckled.

“Your witless humour astounds me. Help me up.”

Vin dragged Ezra to his feet, pulled the handkerchief from his neck and pressed it against the injured man’s head. The dirty brown shirt Ezra was wearing was saturated in blood that was streaming from the head wound.

“Mr. Jackson is coming down the hill as we speak. I must say, I am unimpressed that someone put a bullet hole in my favourite red jacket,” Ezra commented, spotting Legion on the ground near them.

“Just be thankful you weren’t wearing it at the time,” Vin chuckled.

“Would it be possible for you to cut these ropes? They're digging into my skin.“

Vin nodded, retrieved his knife and sliced through the cords that still bound his partner. Chris and the others reached the bottom of the hill, dismounted and raced across to the pair.

“Why the hell did you swap clothes with them fellas?” J.D. demanded of the bloodied pair. His voice was aggressive. Relief had been replaced with the need to blame someone for the horror he'd just experienced.

“Long story,” Vin mumbled, his eyes connecting with Chris. He could see his friend was in emotional limbo. Tanner stepped back, allowing Nathan access to Ezra and limped up to Chris. “How’d you know it was me?”

“I don’t know,” Chris whispered in a trembling voice. “I thought... I don’t know.”

Vin offered his hand. Larabee’s snapped along his arm. Chris swallowed. “I almost shot you.“

“You didn’t.“

“I saw your coat and thought... God, I almost shot you.“ Something had warned him. The same something that had informed him that Vin was struggling on the trail and that he had been getting closer to his friend with each passing mile.

“You saved my life, Cowboy.” The knife had been a hair’s width from plunging into his chest.

"I realized at the last minute."

"You made the right shot."

"I don’t know how."

I trusted you would."

You knew I was there? Word were absent, but they seemed to know what the other was thinking. It wasn’t exactly telepathy... more a knowing. Perhaps, simply a complete understanding.

Larabee and Tanner continued to hold the grip, both men drawing strength from it as they tried to come to terms with their own churning emotions.

Buck, Josiah and J.D. watched them, shaking their heads in amazement. Chris hadn’t missed, nor had Tanner moved into the path of the bullet as they had believed. Larabee had been aiming for the man wearing Vin’s buckskin coat. Somehow Larabee had recognized that Tanner was the one in the green check shirt and he had drawn, aimed and fired in time to still the knife that would have taken Vin’s life. “Incredible,” Josiah murmured.

Without warning, Vin Tanner felt exceedingly weary. He had pushed himself to the limit and now his limit had been exceeded. He and Ezra were safe and the boys were here. He had no need to push himself any more.

Tanner released a long shuddering breath. He blinked several times. Chris, I...

Larabee grabbed his friend and guided him to the ground as he collapsed. “Easy.“

The others gasped and rushed forward to help.

“It’s been a hell of a day,” Tanner murmured as Chris and Buck settled him on the ground.

“Nathan!” Chris called.

“The bullet only nicked my arm, Chris. I’m just... just a bit tired,” Vin explained as J.D. removed his coat and placed it under the injured man’s head, while Buck clamped his hand over the wound to Vin’s forearm.

“I won’t be a moment, Chris. I’ve got to stop Ezra’s head from bleeding.”

“I am fine. Please see to Vin.”

“Let me decide who the hell needs my attention first!” Jackson snapped.

Larabee crouched beside his friend and squeezed his shoulder. Tanner’s eyes closed immediately. Vin was a dreadful colour, but his face was relaxed. Exhaustion had stolen his energy, Chris realized. “Why did they make you swap clothes?”

“Ezra had 'em convinced to take us back to Four Corners,” Vin whispered.

“I had them believing I had a large sum of money stashed and that I was prepared to trade it for our lives. However, they suspected we may have friends in town,” Ezra explained, taking up the story as he and Nathan strode across to join the group crowded around Vin. Nathan knelt beside the injured tracker, nodded for Buck to remove his hand and began to examine the bullet graze. “Apparently, they used such a plan successfully in Vista City. By wearing our clothing they would be safe should we have any companions mount a rescue bid,” Ezra finished.

“It almost worked,” Josiah murmured, still stunned by the events. How the hell had Larabee realized? There was no way he could have seen Vin’s face from the top of the hill. They’d barely dismounted when Chris had made the shot. Larabee’d had no time to make a judgement and yet his aim had been true.

Vin opened his eyes and searched for Ezra among the sea of faces. “Hey, brother. I wasn’t worried.”

Ezra smiled. “I was vexed enough for both of us, I assure you.” Standish leaned over and offered his hand. Vin reached up and took it. “Next camping trip, do you think we could do without the excitement?”

Vin grinned. “Yeah, and the snakes.”

Ezra flashed his friend a wide smile, still holding Vin’s hand. “That, my friend, sounds most agreeable.”

“Sounds like you had a wild ride,” Buck commented, watching as the pair dropped hands.

“Just a graze, Vin. It’s fine,” Nathan confirmed. “Now, let me have a look at some of these cuts and bruises and while I‘m doing that I‘m gonna gloat over the fact I was right. You never should have ridden to Wentworth Falls. It was too soon.”

“Yep, you were right, doc. I feel like shit,” Vin agreed, his eyes closing. The ache from his foot, side and arm blended into obscurity as he gradually allowed himself to be consumed by his weariness.

Ezra turned to Josiah and J.D. “Gentlemen, would you assist me to build a travois? Clearly, we are going to need it, and should you even consider arguing, Vin Tanner, I will shoot you and enjoy it!”

Vin lips creased with a half smile, his eyes still shut. “Told you I would ride on a stretcher after we’re half way and I reckon, we’re half way,” he mumbled as sleep finally claimed him. There were six men to watch his back now. The six men he trusted his life with.

“You are incorrigible!” Ezra exclaimed. Nathan and Chris exchanged a grin that echoed their relief. They had found their friends and for all intents and purposes, they were fine. A little battered and worse for wear, but otherwise, fine.

**********

It was another hour before the group was ready to depart. The Carters and their men were tied to their horses and Vin had been placed on a stretcher, Chris standing close by. He hadn't moved more than two feet from his sleeping friend’s side.

“Larabee?” Vin asked, awaking abruptly.

“You right?” the gunfighter asked, dropping beside his companion.

“Yeah, I just... I don’t...” Their eyes searched one another.

Chris nodded and patted his friend’s arm as he stood up. He couldn’t get his mind around it either. “We’ll talk after you’ve rested.”

“I knew you were comin‘. I don’t mean I knew you’d come, I mean I knew you were on your way.”

“We’ll talk later. Rest now,” Chris repeated. They needed to talk. Larabee wasn’t sure what they'd say, but clearly they needed to discuss what they'd experienced. It wasn’t worrying or even unnerving. As a matter of fact, it was almost reassuring. Confusing, but strangely comforting.

Vin sighed. “How’s Ezra?”

“On one of the Carter’s horses... finally. Still complaining about the bullet hole I shot in his jacket,” Chris chuckled.

“We’re all set, Chris,” Buck called, handing Larabee the reins of his horse.

“All right, boys. Let’s go home.”

The group set off, Chris moving to the front with Josiah, Buck and J.D. bringing up the rear and leading the horses carrying the dead and wounded.

Sanchez glanced at his elected leader. “How did you know, Chris? How did you know that it wasn‘t Vin in the buckskin coat? There was no way you could have seen his face. No time to study his movements. How did you know?”

Chris stared out in front of him and made no attempt to answer. Behind them, Ezra rode up to Vin. “You should try to sleep, Vin,” he chastised.

“Yeah.” While exhausted, Vin’s mind refused to rest. He'd spent the past few minutes reviewing all that had happened since leaving Four Corners the day before. He reflected on what Ezra had said both in the clearing and when the Carter’s had been threatening the pair. Ezra had called him a brother. It had been part of his elaborate speech to save their lives, but the words had been sincere... Vin recognized that. “Ezra?“

“Mr. Tanner?“

“Just so you know, you have my word... you won’t die alone.” Ezra’s face flushed. He stared at Vin. The statement stunned him, not because it appeared to have been made without any prompting, but because it struck a cord. Dying alone was his own secret fear, a fear he had never shared with anyone. “You won’t die alone,” Vin repeated.

“I...” Ezra stammered.

“He alright?” Buck inquired, riding up beside the pair. “I interrupt something?”

“No,” Ezra stated quickly. “I... no.” Vin flashed Ezra a sincere look. It would be their secret. He would never betray Ezra’s confidence, but he had wanted his friend to know.

“Hey, Bucklin,” Vin called, realizing he needed to change the subject. “I’ve got a funny story to tell ya. It’s about two fellas who had to sleep under the stars because one of them upset some fellas in the town where they were gonna stay for the night.”

“Do go on,” Buck encouraged, watching as Ezra’s eyes widened. Tanner grinned from ear to ear.

“Mr. Tanner, if you even consider sharing that most unfortunate error...!”

“Ya see, one of them...”

“MR TANNER!”

Ahead... “You had only a split second to make the decision,” Josiah mused aloud. “A split second to draw, aim and make the shot. No other man I know could have made that shot, Chris.” Josiah shook his head. From that distance, in that time frame and in light of what had happened, “It was a hell of a shot, Chris.”

Larabee appeared to ignore Josiah, glancing back over his shoulder. The others were laughing uproariously.

“It was a stick?!” J.D. cried.

“Mr. Tanner, I want you to know that I will never, NEVER forgive you for this.” Vin had left out everything between when he had bled the wound and when he had discovered it was a stick. That part was something he would never utter... not even to Ezra.

“Ezra got bitten by a stick?” Buck repeated, before exploding with laughter again. “Hey, Chris! You gotta come and hear this!”

Chris returned his attention to the trail in front of him. Like Vin, he could not stop his mind churning over the events that had taken place. He had almost pulled the trigger and shot Vin. Larabee shut his eyes briefly. He would have ridden down the hill believing he had saved his friend’s life, only to discover it had been his bullet that had... Chris swallowed. Vin would have been dead and Chris’ soul would have shrivelled and died. All because of one shot. Thankfully, that hadn’t been the shot he’d taken. Something had warned him - something he couldn’t explain. He’d sensed or felt or... he didn’t know what had happened, but he’d made the right shot in the end; a shot that had rescued Vin and Ezra and saved his own sanity... his very soul. Had Vin died, as a result of his bullet or the knife he failed to stop, Tanner would not have died alone for Larabee’s soul would have gone with him... all because of one shot. A shot Chris had made based on a ‘knowing’ he could never explain.

Chris glanced at Josiah. It had been an excellent shot for a whole collection of reasons. However, this particular shot had been truly extraordinary - not because of the incredible speed of Larabee’s draw and his deadly accuracy over the distance, but because a ’knowing’ inside him had over-ridden what his mind was telling him and forced him to take the shot his soul knew was right. “Yeah. A hell of a shot,” he agreed. A hell of a shot.

Return to "Hell of a Shot 5: You Won't Die Alone" index

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© June 2003 Brigitta B. : This relates only to the creative property in this story. The distinctive way the story unfolds, the specific dialogue and unique situations are mine. I acknowledge that some of the characters and settings belong to the owners of “The Magnificent Seven” and I thank them sincerely for turning a blind eye so I can borrow them. (g) No infrigement of copyright was intended and no profit has been made from this story... so, please don't sue me. It wouldn't be worth your while.