Once Upon a Time in the West

Once Upon a Time in the West Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Back to the Basics

"When I was a kid—my brother Judas used to say you aren't a real gunslinger if you aren't willing to bite the bullet for something you really want. I wonder if he feels satisfied now. He finally got his goddamn bullet."

Judd's brother Bobby, or Robert, was blubbering in the corner. Now that he'd finally shot his brother, he seemed to feel the need to justify it with anyone in listening distance. But I didn't have time to listen to his excuses. Judd was bleeding out, and the only doctor within 50 miles was yours truly. 

Judd was too unstable to move far, but Kid and the gang had put him on top of a parlor table so I could see better.  Yant had rolled up his sleeves to help, and together we turned Judd on his side to help his breathing and to try to get a better look at where the bullets had gone. 

"Looks like some of the bullets went clean through but he's suffering from pneumothorax. His clavicle is impacted and he's gone to be septic if I don't get that bullet out." 

"Speak english Doc! Is he gonna live or what?" Mooney barked at me. 

"His lung has collapsed. He's going to die if I can't relieve the pressure on his heart. And if I can figure out how to do that, we still have to worry about blood poisoning from the bullets."

"I didn't poison him! I wouldn't poison my brother!" Bobby was wailing now. I guess it never occurred to him what it was going to be like when he shot his brother.  "I won't really trying to kill him. I swear to almighty God! I was just trying to hurt him! I was. I swear!"

A shot rang out and we all jumped when Bobby screamed in pain. 

We all turned to Mooney who was putting away his smoking gun. Mahogany knelt on the floor over Bobby to inspect the damage. "Won't no call to do that to him Mooney! That boy had reason for hating his kin!"

"Yeah well, next time he'll know where to shoot a man when he's just tryin to hurt him!"

Mooney had shot Bobby in the ass, and Bobby was rolling around on the floor crying like a baby. 

"Now ain't that just like you. Bustin booties everywhere you go!"

For a second there was silence, then I could hear Mooney's slow deep chuckle, joined by Maverick's deeper guffaw. 

Mooney turned to Kid and made a point of letting his eyes scan over Kid's sinewy shirtless body. Kid had put his guns away, but they hung on his hips low and emphasized what else he was packing in his wranglers. 

"Kid Maverick. Now ain't you a sight for sore eyes."

Kid smiled slow and sexy. His beautiful coppertone skin turning the faintest blush with Mooney's admiration. 

Likewise I could feel my own skin beginning to burn. With anger.

But we were all caught off guard when Mooney pulled out his ivory handled Colt Patterson. I knew from his bragging, that it was Mooney's favorite gun. He wore it mostly for show but "his little Laddie", was a six shot revolver that could blow a hole the size of a nickel in a man's heart. 

Mooney had Laddie pointed dead at Kid's heart, "Give me one good reason I shouldn't shoot you now you traitorous demon!"

Kid smiled at Mooney, and as Mooney had done to him, checked him out from head to boot. Then he swaggered across the room to Mooney, his gun belt making his hips roll in a way I'd  never seen Kid roll his goddamn hips before!

He walked right up to Mooney and pressed the gun against his heaving heart, "Cuz I'm the demon who captured your miserable black heart!" 

I could see the sparks going off between them from across the room. Mooney slowly lowered his gun, and it looked like they were going to kiss right there in front of me!

"Hey! Can I get some goddamn assistance over here!" I yelled, blood all over me from Judd's wounds, and blood in my eyes from the pain in my heart. 

"I'm here for ya doc. Whatcha need?" Yant asked, his hands just as bloody as mine own. 

"I need some kind of tube. Air is compressing against his heart. If I don't get enough oxygen in  his lungs soon, It won't matter if I can patch up the wounds. He won't be able to heal."

Gideon was suddenly next to me with a small carpet bag. He pulled it open and dumped some of its contents on the table next to Judd. there were small saws for amputation, needles, thread, a packet of powders I didn't have time to sniff, and a large syringe intended for administering enemas. 

I shift my hand through the bag and came up with half a stethoscope. Not a damn thing I could use. 

"Doc! Ya need to do something quick! He ain't breathing!" 

Judd was turning blue from lack of oxygen. The pressure build-up was literally strangling him. I searched around the room randomly. I needed to hear the pressure build-up first. 

"Gimme that! Hurry!"  The silent hooded stranger that was a part of Mahogany's entourage, suddenly emerged from the shadows and snatched a framed poster of naked women off the wall. He broke it out of it's frame and I tore it in half and rolled it into a tube.

"Turn him over!"

Yant and the hooded stranger eased Judd on his back. I had to be quick. The room was as quiet as it was going to get, and I  listened hard to locate the correct area of the hemothorax blockage. I heard a slight gurgling and couldn't really be sure of anything other than I was out of time.

I grabbed the enema syringe with its blunt head. This was gonna hurt like hell, but at least it's metal tip was small and sharp enough to allow me to aspirate. Praying to God, my medical training would guide me now, I let my fingers slide down Judd's chest till I located the 2nd intercostal cavity. Left of the heart, south of the clavicle. 

I jammed the needle with all my strength causing Judd to spasm and heave his chest off the table. Judd's eyes shot open, and he looked like he'd been shot with a bolt of lightning. 

"Goddamn Doc!"  somebody yelled.

"Hold him down please! I'm not finished."

Gideon was beside me along with Yant who continued to keep pressure on Judd's shoulder wound. 

I pulled back on the syringe and nearly cried with relief when I heard a gush of air escape from Judd's compressed lungs. 

"I need something that I can keep in here. The needle gave me an opening, but I need something to keep it open." 

All of the sudden Kid was right there. I stared at him hard before I could even bring myself to look at what he was handing me. It felt like minutes that we were just looking at each other intensely. I knew what he was trying to say to me. I knew what he wanted me to remember. 

I broke eye contact and accepted what he handed me without really appreciating it until I realize the tube he handed me was attached to a nozzle of some type.  Kid must have ripped off the tubing from the draft beer barrels. 

I cut the tubing and  inserted it beneath the enema syringe. Thank God Judd had passed out again. The pain had to be unbearable. 

"Well now ain't he handy!" Mooney drawled as I moved back to survey my work. 

"It's not over yet. He's still got a bullet in him. I've got hours of work here." That is if I could keep him alive, I thought to myself. But I wasn't saying shit to Mooney. Let him think I had it all under control. 

My swaggering backfired though when I heard Mooney say, "Well seeings how ya little squaw is gonna be occupied for a few hours, let's say you me and get reacquainted." 

"Now ya speaking my language Hombre!" 

The two of them saunter off, laughing together like loons. Before Kid passes me though, he gives me that stare again. I know what he wants. I'm trying hard. I really am.

------

A couple hours later, I was bloody from shirt sleeve to knee cap, but at least I'd gotten the bullet out of his shoulder without too much damage. The powdery packets in the stolen physician's bag were pretty useful for antiseptic, but I had Yant pick up some herbs and medicines for me at the Asian apothecary. I was able to mix up a poppy tonic that was as good as any laudanum for both Judd and his brother Bobby.  I was still pissed at Bobby for what he did, but since I was doctoring anyway, I felt the call to duty.

The silent hooded stranger was in Bobby's room, and for the first time, I made myself look at him more closely. He was an imposing figure. Well over six feet tall, and broad shouldered. From what I could see beneath his robe, his skin was tan and coppery brown, like Maverick's, but darker. What I could see of his face was a smooth shaven jawline and large full widely spread lips. I couldn't see his eyes, but I could tell they were boring into me.

I was tired. It was somewhere near dawn, and I was too tired to try to make polite conversation. When I announced I was there to stitch Bobby up, he simply moved out of my way as I crossed to the bed. Without prompting, he held Bobby down. 

Bobby was still whimpering about his brother. Begging me to hurt him as he'd hurt his brother. I had no problem accommodating him as I stabbed a suturing needle in his ass. He yelped once and passed out as the heavy sedative I gave him kicked in. 

I worked for nearly an hour in silence. The hooded stranger staring at me the entire time. You would think that would be unnerving. Having someone watching so closely. But oddly there was some comfort in knowing he was there. I was shaky, and given to thoughts about what Mooney and Kid were up to together. Having someone there, was like a silent reminder to keep it together. 

When I was finished, I packed up the carpet bag and made to leave. 

"Maverick is a fool." 

The voice was deep, foreign and lyrical in its cadence. It made me think of tropical islands and soft summer breezes.  There was something intoxicating about it.

"Our relationship is...complicated." I'm not sure why I feel compelled to answer. I could have told him it was none of his business. And yet, something was shared in our silent time together that made me feel I could confide. But then I remembered Kid's stare, and I left the room before I could say more. 

I hurried to my room. A true weariness had come over me, and I wanted nothing more than to get out of my blood soaked clothes and fall into bed. Yant was taking turns with Gideon to watch over Judd. He'd survived my operating, but he didn't look good at all. He'd lost so much blood. 

I opened the door and was surprised to find a steaming bath awaiting me. Like someone knew I would be returning when I did. I was too tired to think about it though. 

I sat in my bath and should have been ready to doze, but my mind kept playing out Mooney's hands on Kid, and Kid laughing like Mooney was manna from heaven. 

I know why Kid was staring so hard at me. I know what he wanted me to remember. 

"You're mine" Kid whispers in my ear every night. "And I am yours. Always"

I knew this was the plan. Sucking in Mooney. Making him believe that me and Kid were fighting. That I was jealous. It was all a part of the plan to get the only map of the Ahuli grave from Mooney. 

Faking the jealously wasn't hard at all. Watching Kid watch me get fucked by Mahogany had been hell. We hadn't really planned for that scenario. But if we were going to convince everyone we were going sour on each other, then neither one of us could act possessive right now. 

Neither one of us could act like we had a right to the other. Even though we did. 

The Native tribes treated men like us differently than white civilization. The tribes took if for granted that a man could want both a woman and man under his teepee. To the tribes we lived with, I was Kid's mate. I was berdache to him. He was my husband. And I belonged to him. He could mate as  many of his choosing, but I had to ask for permission if I wanted to stray. Something that would never be allowed if we lived with the people. But we were amongst outlaws now, and what was fair for the goose, was fair for the gander.

So I wasn't going to allow myself to be upset about Kid seeing  me get fucked hard by Mahogany. We both did what we had to, to make this plan work.

I climbed out of the bath and right into bed wet and naked. My sheets were clean, but I could smell Kid in the air. I fell asleep hard wanting this all to be over soon. 

~

I woke to a pounding on my door. I sat up sharply.  Still naked I stumbled to the door. It was Gideon. He opened his eyes wide, and let out a hard sigh. 

I had a fierce morning erection, and needed the water room in the worst way. We had a pretty extensive suite, and I was grateful for a closet chamber pot, even if it was old fashioned for the times. 

"Season, Judd is looking pretty grey. I don't think he's gonna make it."

I dressed in a clean set of clothes and ran to the room Judd had been moved to. Everybody was there, including Bobby, who was looking like hell, but had at least stopped crying. 

I checked over Judd. Gideon was right. He didn't have long. He was in a coma now, and there was no telling if he'd ever recover from that. I was frantic again. I just couldn't bear to think of Judd dying. I wasn't the only one. Judd truly was a lovable guy and the mood in the room reflected how we all felt about him. 

I appealed to Kid again, 

"Kid, you can save him can't you."

The room turns to Kid. The only person who looked confused was Bobby. But then again, he just looked like hell period. It was really no secret to all involved that Kid was possessed by the Sea Dog. Everybody here was looking for the Sea Dog's treasure, and they knew that ultimately, Kid was the key to getting it. 

"I'm not ----the Sea Dog."

"Isn't there a way you can get the Sea Dog to come out of you.  Take over your body. If the Sea Dog were to give Judd his curse than surely----"

"Why would he do that?" Kid asks, "Even if I could bring him out?"

"We could make a deal with him?'

"You want to make a deal with a demon?" Yant asks me.

The look on his face says it all.  They still thought the Sea Dog was a demon.  They were still afraid of him. Perhaps they had good reason to be. 

"If it didn't come from this idiot----I would think this was a set up," Mooney laughs, "You trying to confuse me or something."

I ignore the insult from Mooney and keep my eyes on Kid. He knows what I'm asking, and he knows why.

"Even if it were possible---"  Kid says.

"You think it could be?" I ask.

"It's my body. Do you get what happens to me when he comes out?!"

The way that Kid was talking to me like I hadn't experienced it first hand. I get that some of this was for show, but all the same I wanted to make my point clear.

"Not for Judd. For me."

"Well lawdy, lawdy. I heard he turned all female on ya! Ain't that just like a woman! `Do it for me!' Mooney mocked in a falsetto voice.

There's a pause.  It's thick and heavy.

Finally he nods, "Fine ok, there's a way.  But I can't do it alone though. I need a Shaman. A real religious person to bring him out of me.  Someone who may know a little bit more than they are willing to let out."

The others are confused.  I wasn't. I looked over at Gideon.  That's who he was referring to. Gideon is staring off to the side.  His eyes desperately look over at me as though pleading for some sort of acknowledgement that I hadn't given away his secret.  Unfortunately though I don't have the luxury of being loyal at this moment.

Judd was dying.

"Gideon, please," I ask.

If Maverick believed that Gideon could save Judd's life then that was all that mattered.  Gideon looked betrayed though. I knew my exposing him had ruined his plans. 

"He doesn't even speak English,"  Mooney interrupts, "The Doctor has finally lost his mind..."

I look over at Gideon.

My eyes say it all when they start welling up with tears. It was blackmail. I knew I was playing on Gideon's feelings for me, but it worked.

"You don't understand the  forces you're playing with," Gideon states.

Shannon Mooney almost shits his pants.  Gideon was speaking English! 

"I should kill you.  I don't even know who I'd be killing!" Shannon Mooney states, "Who the fuck are you?"

"I never lied to you."

"That ain't the question asshole!"  Mooney shakes Laddie at him.

Gideon is desperate, "I can save your friend Judd.That's all that matters right now.   I'm the only one who knows how to bring the Sea Dog out. I can speak to him. I can make a deal with the Sea Dog."

There is silence.  Mooney looks at me.  He looks at Gideon. He looks back at me.  Then he nods. Surprisingly. Mooney nods. 

~

"Thank you for doing this..." I state.

I look up at Gideon. He doesn't speak to me. I knew he was upset.  He has Kid Maverick tied up in one chair and Judd propped up on the other.  The entire room is empty now save us. 

"You two must have gotten really close when we were gone."

"Yes. Is that what's on your mind?"

"You're always on my mind," Gideon states, "Why do you think I stayed with Mooney?  I knew Maverick and Mooney were destined for each other. They'd see each other again.  So I was hoping that maybe I'd see you again as well."

"You think Maverick and Mooney are destined for each other?"

It hurts.  Burns actually.  Hearing that Gideon felt this way was a painful reminder of how everyone saw us. 

Gideon nods, "That's all you heard in what I said, isn't it?  Nothing about how I felt..."

"Aren't you going to keep your cross on"? I changed the subject before Gideon could go any further.

"I told you before Doctor...I'm not a priest."

I'm so confused.

"What exactly are you Gideon?"

Gideon stares at me for a moment and then he smiles.  It's a warm smile. After a few seconds he nods and says, "I need to be alone for this.  Completely alone."

He wanted to hide something. Not just from me...he wanted to hide something from the world.   I have to admit it made him even more interesting to me. This beautiful Asian man was twice as mysterious as anyone else I'd met on my journey.

I left the room, but couldn't help but peer around the cracked door, hoping Gideon wouldn't hear me.  He doesn't.   

That's when I see him.

"Most glorious Prince of the Heavenly Armies, 

Saint Michael the Archangel, 

defend us in "our battle against principalities and powers, 

against the rulers of this world of darkness.
I see Michael.
Yes, Michael.
I understand, Michael.

No Michael...my mission hasn't been compromised.
When the time comes I will destroy the Sea Dog..."

I wondered if Gideon had gone mad, but deep inside I knew the answer to that was no.  Gideon was in that room talking to someone. An invisible person that he called Michael.  And the truth was frightening to me.  

I couldn't understand what I was seeing. There was a blue light in the room.  It was the brightest blue light I'd ever seen in the world.

And it was glowing from Gideon's back. 

~

"You OK?"

I return to the common room.  There is a ton of talking and I'm not sure what is going but when I walk, it's Yant who is there. 

"Pretty much."

"I'm so glad to see you," he states, "I was worried.  I really was. Jesus---Doc, couldn't you have given me a sign that Gideon spoke English."

I wasn't surprised he was still wondering about Gideon.  I was however surprised when I walk in the room and see that Yant isn't alone.  Seems like Mooney had every whore in Pendleton in here. I look over and see Mooney and Mahogany gathered up with a bunch of them.  They are both shirtless and both have whiskey coming out of ungodly places. It seemed as though whatever situation was going on between the two had been squashed.  There was no sign of Bobby.  

"Look it's Doctor Squaw.   I told you that I would kill you if I ever saw you again----"

Mooney is in my face.  His breath stinks and he's quite sweaty.  Halfway over his trousers fall down and there's nothing but a long dripping cock slapping from one thigh to the next. His whores seem to love it, gathering around at his cock tip to see what milk drips from it.  He must have been dripping with money.  

But he was Mooney.  He still wanted more. 

"We can do it anytime you're ready." I was itching to test out my peacemaker on this bastard.

"You got a little starch in you now.  If you think you can beat me in a showdown, Doc, you're not only inaccurate.  You've lost your fool mind."

There is laughter.  It's from not only Mooney but the group of prostitutes and paid entertainers  he'd brought in the room with him. 

"I may be inaccurate but my hexed bullets aren't."

He seems taken aback by the change in my tone. 

Suddenly his tone changes, "Listen, why fight?  We both want what's best for Kid Maverick. 

All you want is the gold the Sea Dog was buried with," I accuse. 

"You're right."

I am shocked he's admitting it. It took me off my guard 

"I am?"

He nods, "I want the gold.  You want to save Maverick. We're still on the same side. I talked with Mahogany. We cleared things up.  Let's you and me make peace too. Shake on it?"

I'm suspicious of him.  Really suspicious. It sounded like in so many words he was giving up his pursuit of any romantic connection with Kid Maverick.  It sounded like a win to me but this was still Shannon Mooney. None-the-less I knew better than to pick an unnecessary fight. So I lean in and shake his hand. 

"Why are you even in Pendleton?"

He laughs, "  I was tracking Miriam."

"Why?"

"She stole the map."

My mouth drops.

Of all the lowdown things Miriam could do this was at the  top of the list. Like her husband, she was a stone cold back stabber.

"We need to get it back. Now" I insist.

We did have something in common.  I wanted to get the Sea Dog's body and he wanted to get the Sea Dog's gold.  They were in the same place. 

"You're going to help me."

~

Two days pass and then three.  We learn that Miriam has hired a group by the name of the 10 Timers to protect her.

The 10 timers were a cowboy gang that had gone to war with Shannon when Shannon was quite young, but he and his brothers were still able to destroy their reputation.   Instead of killing the 10 timers they got them butt naked and had every man in town have their way with them. Sometimes they were called 10 punks. 

Let's just say the 10 timers had a bone to pick with Shannon.  And they'd be willing to go to war for it. 

"It's like a goddamn fortress..."  Gideon states.

I've gone out with Gideon to stake out the private mansion that Miriam was held up in.  I'm surprised she had buckled down in the way that she did. She was more resourceful than I gave her credit for. 

"The plan should work," I state, "Miriam goes into town once a day with the 10 Timers. Once she leaves the house, you boys sneak in, and look for the map. When I spot Miriam preparing to return,  I ride to the edge of town and find you. You guys set up an ambush, if you haven't already found the map."

He nods, "It's important you tell us exactly when Miriam is leaving.  I'm so close to everything I want. It can't go wrong now."

"Close to what?"

Gideon doesn't answer.  I knew he wouldn't. Whatever reason he was here seemed to be very important.  I realized that he'd told me just enough to initially satisfy my curiosity, but there was more to his story.  It had to be deeper than I could imagine. He kept it too close.

"Mooney don't trust me since he learned I speak English. I was hoping we could avoid this showdown with Miriam.  I asked him to draw what he could remember from the map, but he says he can't remember anything."

"Of course he would keep the map to himself.  No one knows who you are." I said pointedly, hoping he would confide further.

"Let's just go with me being a retired priest." Gideon closed he subject abruptly.

Another lie. 

I roll my eyes, "Fine...but Gideon."

"Yeah?"

"Did it work?"

He nods, "The Sea Dog agreed to your deal.  When his body is returned to him, you will abandon this life and pledge yourself to serve him----till the end of time."

He would turn me.  It made me sick to even think about it but this is what I needed to do to save Kid. All along it had been a longshot. Hoping that when Kid found the Sea Dog's body, the Sea Dog's soul would just go back to his own body. But that was too easy, and the Sea Dog confirmed it when Gideon summoned him. In order for the souls to be untethered, the Sea Dog's soul had to be tethered to someone else. That was easy enough to accomplish, but the Sea Dog wasn't going to exchange souls without payment.   I had gone back and forth with him all night. The Sea Dog and myself. But the Sea Dog made it clear that the only thing he would accept was my eternal devotion to him. If I gave it, he would give Kid his life. No exceptions. No lingering curse. Kid would be free and healthy. But I would be the Sea Dog's love slave.  

"So we're fine."

"No we're not fine goddamnit! You've promised yourself to something unholy! And why? For Kid Maverick!" Gideon yelled at me. 

 "I don't want to discuss this. Besides I was asking about Judd. Is he fine?"

"More than fine.  He's been following us for the past hour.  Look."

Gideon gives me his monocular, and though it was dark, I could see a figure standing there on the trail. He was naked.

He silently stalks in the darkness. 

He'd fed earlier. We'd  found a prostitute drained down to nothing and left out in the back of the hotel.   We had to bury the girl quick to avoid any trouble.

"He scares me," I realize.

Gideon gives me a weird look, "Weird.  The Sea Dog said the same exact thing about you."

~

It's the day of the ambush.   I come downstairs to find that Mahogany and his men had come back. Mooney was to have filled them in on the plan.   I'm also surprised Kid there. He returned to himself. The Sea Dog was no longer in him. We exchange quick glances as we look over at one another.

"Are you ready?" Mooney asks me.

"You guys have the hard part," I state.

"Good, we should get ready...the right way."

I'm not sure what he means but I quickly find out when I see more prostitutes come in.  I'm annoyed. We had more important things to do. The last thing they needed to do was spend more time fornicating.  I'm more annoyed than bothered until I pay attention to one of the boys laying all over Mooney.  

It's the same boy who I'd seen Maverick kissing a few days ago.  He's clearly a favorite. I watch as he wedges himself between Mooney and Maverick.  The boy is quickly getting comfortable. 

"Puckering Pete..." I hear Kid growl in the boys ear, "Where you been my whole life."

Maverick's dick is half out by this point and he's fingering at the boy.  It drives me damn near crazy to the point that I take a step forward.

"What's the puckering for?" I ask, trying to sound nonchalant but failing miserably,  "Curious minds want to know."

"You getting questioned?" Mooney laughs out loud, "Something I need to know here?"

Kid looks hard at me.  You would think he would stop.  He doesn't.  

"Nope. Not a damn thing."

That's how he responds.  Nothing. As though I don't even matter. I know that Kid is just playing his part. He's just doing what he has to do to convince Mooney they were back together again, but I can't stand it. My blood is boiling.  

"This is how you treat me?" I  confront Kid in front of everyone.

Kid looks at me.  He looks at Mooney.  He hisses quickly, "Don't..."

There is a nervousness about him.  I knew why he was doing this. But I can't accept it. I can't just be okay with him fucking around on me.  

"You acting like you don't know me because you're friends are around.  But It ain't like that when it's just me and you. I don't understand you at all. You act like I'm the one that left you high and dry! And I don't get it.  Why don't you just trust me?"

It was clear at this moment something was happening between us.  I think all of them must have suspected. But whatever they thought was going on, it was just as clear now that Kid Maverick had kicked me aside.  

"There's only one person in this world I trust," Maverick responds.

Hearing the words come out of his mouth causes me to shiver, especially when he reaches over and lets me know that person is none other than Shannon Mooney.  Shannon, who clearly must not have meant a word he said about no longer pursuing Maverick responds in kind

He leans in. 

The two start kissing.  Locking lips hard. Soon I realize Puckering Pete was also getting involved.  Before I know it, Mooney and Maverick start clawing at the boy's clothing, I guess aim to find out what was Puckering on Puckering Pete.

I knew I was supposed to walk away then. Go somewhere to silently lick my wounds, but I couldn't help myself. 

"Maverick, don't do this..." I pleaded weakly, "You said when we get back with the others, things would still be the same between us. Please don't do this."

Like a fool I stood there remembering the last time Kid made love to me, "You're mine, and I am yours" He'd whispered in my ear.

"I trust you too," Mooney ignores me and looks over at Maverick, "With everything."

I swallowed a sob. I realize I don't even exist to them. Everybody knew that  Mooney and Maverick would always be tied together. It was like Gideon said. They were destined for one another.

"He's going to break your heart.  He's going to fucking break your heart like before," I warn Maverick, but it falls on deaf ears.

Mooney had just finished  with Pete and Maverick started to follow suit, slowly gyrating his hips, letting his length fill up Pete's arse and then teasing it by almost pulling out. Then Maverick gets behind Mooney.

"You wouldn't," I state.

Maverick ignores me to Mooney's laughter.  When Maverick was satisfied that his partner was ready, he left just the tip of his six inches in the hole, then he grabbed the bottom's hips, and slammed into him fast, so that he was balls deep again. The outlaw groaned blissfully, pushing his buttocks into Pete, and tightening his hole around the base of his dick. 

"It's so good, isn't it baby?" Mooney asks Maverick, stroking his back lewdly.

I refuse to leave the room. I wanted it to be as uncomfortable for Maverick as I could make it. 

"Oh YES!  FUCK ME!"

After a few minutes of pounding, Maverick pulled out and drenched his bottoms arched back in jizz. I could do nothing but watch as Maverick came, squirting his load deep in the now loosened arse before him. Mooney slapped the arse of his little piggy as he came as well. 

"Love the way it jiggles, don't ya?  Damn I want that cream..."

Maverick rolls his eyes, "Let's go discover Puckering Pete in private, baby---"

They leave and I'm left wondering how I could look so stupid for so long.   It's Yant who walks over to me. 

"He's probably trying to steal the map."

"Miriam has the map."

"Exactly."

"All this drama is giving me an appetite."

We all turn.

Into the area walks a very strange looking, very alive Judd. 

~

Judd was acting weird.  Mahogany and his men had already left to stake out Miriam's mansion.  Remembering her day to day routine,  she wouldn't return home for several more hours. I guess Mooney also knew Miriam's routine.                

I'm sitting there.  Time has passed. The boys have gone out to meet Miriam.  Gideon was at the edge of town waiting for me. I was distracted.  It was hard not to be. How could Kid do this to me? 

I realized that this was all apart of our plan to sucker Mooney out of the map, but now that we knew Miriam had it, I don't really see the point of him having to fuck around with Mooney now. 

Unless he just wanted to reconnect with Mooney.

After all we went through I thought I mattered to him a little more.

I'm heart broken. 

"Everything OK?" a voice states.

I turn.  It's Judd.  He hasn't gone out.  I don't think he can. He isn't the same Judd I remember.  He hasn't regained his sense of humor. He seemed out of it.  Like he was half asleep. He's standing in the threshold now. There are bags underneath his eyes.  He sticks to the shadows of the room as much as he can. I don't think he likes the lights. I don't think he can handle much of it. 

"Everything's fine."

I look out the window of the taproom I'm sitting in. Miriam was across the road at one of Pendleton's famed opium tea rooms. She was dining and drinking spiked tea. She'd been there for hours, and I'd been watching her for quite some time. 

"Doesn't seem fine," he states.

He whispers on my neck.  Too close to my neck. I'd seen what the Sea Dog could do.  If Judd was like that then I was terrified of what he would do.  I jerk as fast as I can, away from him. 

"Do you mind?"

"I make you uncomfortable?"

"You going to kill me?"

"That's not what he wants, yet," Judd states.

"He?"

I look over at Judd.  He smiles at me. The look in his eyes tells me this is Judd but the way he's speaking lets me know that Judd is no longer concerned about himself.  He is concerned about someone else.

"Yes."

"Who is "he" Judd?"

Judd smiles a little bit, "The Sea Dog of course."

It's become clear now that Judd somehow served the Sea Dog.  It made sense. The look in his eyes wasn't exactly human. Whatever Gideon had worked out with the Sea Dog worked.  Judd had no scars. He had no bruises. But he had returned with something else. He returned with the Sea Dog's desires.

"Tell him we are working on getting his body."

"You're failing."

"How?"

"Where's Miriam?"

Shit.  I turn.  Sure enough Miriam isn't there.  She's gone. I start to panic and ran out of the tap room past Judd.  

I don't have my peacemaker on me, and I left my damn horse stabled.  I was just that distracted by Maverick. It didn't matter. I didn't know who I should shoot at this point. 

I run down the road to the stables. My heart is beating fast. Maybe Gideon and Yant were able to find the map in Miriam's house. But maybe Miriam and her gang needed to be robbed of the map. I had no way of knowing, but I knew it was  too damn early for her to return home. For all I knew, Miriam took off with her gang to find the treasure herself.

It just made sense that she would do that. She knew Mooney well enough. Kid too. Had to figure they were in town. She would have been smart to just go after the treasure herself. 

They were all after the treasure.

All of them.

And I had to stop them.

I was almost at the stables, when I spotted her near an alley. I stopped abruptly, but she caught sight of me anyway. 

"Is this him?" a voice asks.

I look over at Miriam who looks over at me.  She somehow wasn't surprised to see me here. She somehow knew I would be. 

"Mooney wants to make it seem like I betrayed him and this wasn't a set up," she states, "So make sure you kill the Doctor.  That way when they come back and discover his body they'll think I did it."

Fuck.

I should have suspected this.  Miriam and Mooney were working together to get rid of me. They needed Kid to tame the Sea Dog while they stole the treasure. What they didn't need, was kid Mavericks lover standing in the way.

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