Chapter 20

No Honor; Chapter 20: Implosion

If we was raidin' Marco's, I wanted ta be fully prepared. I returned to tha bar, and went behind tha counter, ta get my shotgun. Of course, it wasn't there. I swore at myself. The damn thing was there when I was talkin' ta Jim Sheldon, and I didn't think ta grab it, before I left.

There was bottles missin' too, I'm shore, but both tomahawks, from Dancer's hijinks, was still there untouched. I wrapped 'em in my coat, and returned 'em to tha man, at the grocery. There was a grateful look, in his eyes and face, that made me think he was just happy ta see me. Before nightfall, I headed over to The Stable, and was fortunate enough, to catch Clifford as he was leavin'.

Cliff eagerly accepted his new task; he said he'd have ta switch some hours wit a few o' his workers there, but that he'd get it done. So, at midnight, we started gettin' the Mexicans inta tha wagon, one by one. As a smoke screen, they was led on foot, from the back o' tha shop, to tha back of a nearby buildin', and never the same one twice. Once inside tha trailer, their feets was tied up again, and Mitch made sure none of 'em moved.

It went down smooth as can be. Clifford was practically giddy, both with the presence o' Carter, and his mysterious aides, and with that super-secret mission, that was all his own. He even saluted us, before drivin' the horses onward. When the wagon was out o' sight, we melted back to tha grocery, in much tha same way, as The Mexicans left it.

Dancer went back inside, ta watch Rex, while the rest of us readied our horses, and prepared ourselves. My dark hat, and coat was on, but I went without tha scarf; wasn't much point, in hidin' my stance any longer. I had that Colt Walker on my hip, fully loaded, and a hunting knife, and extra shells, and a rifle on loan from Carter. Mitch had the other rifle, and it was pairs o' handguns, for Norm and Moon.

I was up ta head out first, and from tha back o' tha grocery itself. So, I walked my stallion, up to tha front, cautious, and was immediately shot at.

The side o' the grocery exploded in chips o' wood, and my horse reared back, so far 'e almost threw me. I heard another boom, an' buckshot tore inta tha animal's stomach. He buckled and fell forward, and Norm ran out, from tha otha side, shootin' two pepperbox pistols, fast as 'e could... The man that ran away from those shots, and hid, was tha missin' Walter, carryin' my shotgun.

I said, "Walt! What tha hell you on, son?"

No answer, but I could hear feet movin'. He was behind one o' them houses across from us, and somewhere in those shadows, but I couldn't see 'im. I slid off the dead horse and cocked my rifle.

"Walter?"

Another pause, then Walter said, "Is Jonas in thair? If he is, I sware, you better give 'im up!"

Carter got up on Shadow, then he motioned to Norm. The cowboy went right o' where tha voice was, duckin' inta tha dark. More signals from Moon, and Mitch crossed the street, and went round tha otha side.

Wally said, "Just let 'im go an' walk towards me!. You let 'im loose an' I'll lay off ya!"

Carter said, "Not gonna happen! You want 'im, you gotta come on out and talk to us about it!"

"Fuck you! Fuckin' freak!"

Another boom, and the shot flew over our heads. Carter waved me back behind the grocery, and he rode out a bit farther, trainin' his guns on that voice. I heard a couple o' pops, from two pistols, and the shotgun answered that call, and then the crack of a rifle made Walter run out, from far to our right, an' sprint across tha street.

Me an' Carter both fired an' missed. So Moon gave spur ta Shadow, and headed out after 'im.

I said "Wait!", but he was already in tha night, and gone.

"Shit!"

Norm said, "Where'd he go?"

I turned and saw both him, and Mitch crossin' tha street. I pointed, and they took off, in the same direction.

After that, all was still. With the rifle in my right hand, I pulled my Colt with my left and cocked it. I eased over, to the otha side o' tha buildin', and listened.

Nothin' stirred... There was no sound, besides a light wind.

I inched a little closer, to tha rear o' tha place, peering inta tha dark. The footsteps I heard was my own, I thought. Then I stopped, and those steps kept comin'... I half turned, and heard tha sound o' twin barrels, bein' closed an' locked.

"Walter?"

He was sweating. So much so, his shirt was drenched, and his nose was runnin', right inta his mouth... I froze. He walked up, with that muzzle pointed at me. There was murder in his eyes, but those eyes didn't see the big Indian, behind him.

I dropped both guns. "Stop Walter", I said.

He walked closer, and Dancer raised that Tomahawk, ready ta strike.

Walt said, "Now you ridin' wit 'im? Ya god damned traitor."

He cocked tha hammers back.

"Stop!"

Walt crumpled forward then. He clutched 'is stomach with both hands, dropped tha weapon, and cried out in pain. Dancer looked shocked. He backed off, and Wally fell to 'is knees, and then to tha ground. The Indian picked up the shotgun, and covered Walter with it, but he was done; the man was curled up, with both arms wrapped around 'is middle.

I said, "Boy... what tha hell is wrong with you?"

Carter said, "It's Morphine."

He was trottin' up behind me, with Norm and Mitch a step behind.

I said, "What do you mean?"

He said, "My auntie Selma used ta be on Morphine, for migraines. It helped slightly, but whenever she was off it more'n a day, it wracked her guts with so much pain, she could barely move."

Walter yelled again. He curled up even more, then he shuddered.

Mitch said, "What the hell we do with him now? We can't let him go."

I said, "You'd better tie 'im up, an' put 'im wit Rex."

"Are you nuts? He'd wake up the entire neighborhood, gag and all."

Norm said, "I don't trust him in there."

Carter said, "Hold on. All he needs is that powder. He'll stop hollerin' an..."

He trailed off. Dancer noticed, before anyone did, that Walt had been crawling, towards the pistol an' rifle I left on tha ground. The Indian had the shotgun, pointed at 'is back, and everyone else aimed at 'im as well.

I said, "Whoah, whoah now. You don't wanna do that..."

I tried to pick 'em up out tha way, but Walter lunged at 'em, so I jumped outta there. Hammers were cocked back and Walter wailed again and I kept yellin' at that boy ta be still. Just be still.

But he grabbed hold o' my Colt, and then he shot hisself.
-------------------------------