Chapter 22

No Honor; Chapter 22: Standoff

We made it to tha buildin', without a hitch. After settin' some spikes in tha ground, we secured our horses wit lariats, then approached tha entrance. Carter was gonna work on 'em, but he found the doors unlocked. Quite a nice welcomin' from Marco, our gracious host... Of course, we was warier than ever.

Inside, everythang practically gleamed. We was in a broad livin' room, filled wit furniture that was polished like new, but older than me. The wood floor... what little I could see under those lavish rugs, was coated with somethin', and that shined as well.

At either end o' that space was a hall, filled wit doors. And towards tha rear o' tha livin room, ta either side, was these staircases, that curved out and then in, until the next landin', and then another staircase repeated that design. The lamps in that place was amazin'. Each candlelight was softened, behind a shade o' crystal.

But those lights revealed nothin and no one, and the silence o' tha place spoke o' desertion.

I doubted it.

Carter said, "Aw'right... Here's the deal.

"Norm and Mitch I want you down here. Mitch... you check them doors, and open 'em like I showed ya."

Mitch nodded.

Moon said, "Norman, Mitch is goin' in first, you back 'im up... A'kay?... Keep one eye inside and one out. Do not let someone sneak up behind ya, that's death... Aw'right? Now...

"Once you clear each room, you go up to the second floor, and wait by tha stair. Me an' Wayne'll check floor three, then come down and meet ya... A'kay? If you find Larson, or any drugs at awl, stay quiet, stay by 'em,  and cover yerselves. If ya ain't on the second floor in due time, I'm comin' ta get ya."

So we split up. Though I didn't say, I thought Moon made the wrong decision, by givin' the boys tha bottom floor. After all, he was still limpin'. When he reached tha steps though, that worry went away; he used one leg ta climb 'em, and one hand ta tightly grip tha rail, for support.

Before we even checked the first door, I heard gunshots downstairs, so the boys had already found comp'ny. Carter listened to the shots, and then, satisfied, he opened our first room an' entered, gun raised. It was empty.

The second and third was also empty. 

At the fourth, Carter paused. He listened close, and did not attempt ta undo tha lock. I didn't hear a thang, but Carter silently placed tha muzzle of 'is pistol, at tha center of the door. He fired and I heard a man yell, and fall down... The Mexican had been waitin', on tha otha side, with a shotgun.

We checked a few more doors, and while Moon was workin' on a lock, one o' Marco's soldiers opened his door, down the hall. He threw what musta been a bundle o' nails, tied with twine, to a lit stick o' dynamite. Moon finally got that lock and I pushed 'im through that openin', hard as I could. We hit the ground, and I kicked the door closed.

The explosion sent nails through tha door, inta tha walls, and out tha winda. Me and Carter was slow, gettin' up.

"He'll be comin", he said.

When The Mexican did get there, he put 'is revolver through tha ruined door, an' I emptied two barrels o' buckshot into 'im.

The rest o' that third floor was empty, so we met tha boys on floor two. They was concerned about that explosion, and happy ta see us. Under Moon's guidance, the boys checked rooms from one end, while we started from tha otha. Meetin' at tha center, we all crouched behind Marco's pair o' doors.

Carter made us get back from the doors, and hug tha walls. Then he knocked, and a revolver fired six times, makin' a hole in tha right door, big enough ta put yer arm through .

Marco said, "C'mon!... C'mon in an' get me, fuckin... C'mon an fuckin' try it!"

Carter looked at Mitch. "You find anythang?"

Mitch shook 'is head.

"Then we're done", Carter said, and he got up ta leave. Mitch and I did the same, but Norman kept crouched, staring at tha door.

Mitch said, "We're leavin' Norm."

Norman didn't move.

Marco said, "What you waiting for, huh? Huh?? You come all this way, an' kill all my friends ta get me now you got me... C'mon in an' finish it!

"I'm waiiitiiiing!.. C'mon!... I waiting fa you ta find your balls!"

Mitch said "Norman, c'mon... We talked about this."

Norm looked at Moon, then he said, "Are you sure this is it?"

Carter nodded. "He's done. He's finished in this town... Just like I promised you."

Marco said, "Wha's wrong? Wha's wrong... Huh?... Wha', you ain't got no heart no more? Huh??

"You betta finish it. I say... I tell you right now, you betta finish while you can."

Norman sighed and looked at me. I waved for 'im ta follow.

"Come on now," I said. "He's got no power anymore",

And so, we left Marco there. All the time we was makin' our exit, and preppin' our horses, and mounting, an ridin' off, Marco was still screamin, an challengin' us... at tha top o' his lungs.

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