Anything Could Happen

[1stSgt Fritz King]

Fritz low crawled as close as he dared.  He'd tied Buddy off far enough that the voices of the other horses wouldn't make him respond in kind. 

Looking through his glasses, Fritz realized this Albino was an organized man....probably a war veteran like himself.  There were twenty-five horses tied off to a picket line.  There were cook fires and fires for boling water.  The water was for the wounded.  Cleaning wounds.  There were at least five men under a fly tent.  Someone tended their wounds, but they were obviously in pain.  Fritz figured all they had was rot gut whiskey for the pain.  A group of five men cleaned weapons, and there were lots of them.  Rifles, pistols and shotguns of all types were laid out in neat rows.  The Albino sat under the shade of a big oak, with the mountain howitzer by his side  The caisson was unlocked, another man checking the ammo.  They were experienced.  Fritz remebered what he'd heard of Quantrill and Bloody Bill Anderson.  He wouldn't have been surprised if some of these rode with him. 

He'd seen enough.  Fritz backed slowly towards Buddy.     

[Scarlet Angel]

"That's hard to say if he cares about treating his men or not." Johnny replied to Ella. "He could still try to grab the wounded. Guess we'll know soon enough."

Jimmy turned to Ella and started to tell her about the trail they would be taking and where she would find some extra guns if he didn't make it to the cabin with her.

Everyone readied themselves to move. Jimmy and Ella would go the same time as most of the wagons, none of which would take the main road. The wagon that would take the most logical way back to the ranch would go next. That wagon held a surprise of it's own should the outlaws try to stop them. Then would come Tensleep and Scarlet taking their own trail some place between everyone.

[1stSgt Fritz King]

He moved slowly down the hill, making as little noise as possible.  If the Albino were as smart as Fritz thought...

"Damn."

The sentry has Buddy's reins in his hands.  To his credit, Buddy made no sound.  But Fritz could tell he didn't like being handled by a stranger.  The man had his back turned.  Fritz estimated he was about twenty yards away.  He moved slowly to his feet, pulling the stag-handled Bowie from its sheath.  The sentry was speaking to Buddy in gentle whispers, trying to calm him.  Fritz crept closer...fifteen yards...ten...He noticed the man was wearing a fair-weather Christian belt, with a military flap holster.  He must've stripped it off a dead or wounded trooper.  Seven yards...

He was still talking to Buddy, when the sentry realized the horse was looking over his shoulder.

"What the...Shit!!!"

There was no time.  The sentry tried to pull his pistol, but the flap was still closed.  As he struggled with the unfamiliar holster, Fritz flipped the knife in his hand and threw it for all he was worth.  The blade sank to its hilt in the sentry's chest.  He sank to his knees, making gurgling sounds.

It was a fatal wound...but not immediately so.

Fritz rand forward, clamping his right hand over the sentry's mouth.  With the left, he twisted the Bowie's blade and pulled it out.  Fritz watched the eyes go dead.  He eased the body to the ground.

There was no time to mourn.  He'd have to move fast, or he'd suffer the same fate...

...or worse.

[Scarlet Angel]

Jimmy looked back over his shoulder. Nothing could be heard, but the feeling someone, or something was out there kept prodding at him. There was no dust trail following them, course if Scarlet and Tensleep were back there she'd be following hard ground so there wouldn't be any dust but the nagging feeling had kept him alive before.

"Ella when we get to the tree line make a run for the shack, if you hear shots keep riding for the house, if you don't I'll meet you there." he said.

[Elegant Ella]

"Don't you dare get killed trying to keep them from taking me.  l need you to help me escape after I patch them up!" replied Ella, leaning forward more so that Diamond picked up her pace.

[Scarlet Angel]

Jimmy chuckled at Ella's comment, watched as she moved off, then stopped next to one of the trees. Taking out his eyeglass, he stood in the saddle and looked across the countryside. Finally he spotted two riders, one dressed like a soldier. Jimmy watched the two men riding towards his location at what seemed like a slow pace; the one dressed like a soldier leaned over and grabbed the other one who had slumped forward.

Jimmy was wondering just what to think of the scene when he spotted three more riders coming at a gallop. He jumped down from his horse and loaded his rifle. Skeptical of the whole thing he pondered what kind of an act would the outlaw put on to get close to them, certainly a wounded man would get Ella's attention.

Once the rifle was loaded Jimmy balanced it over the horse's saddle while he looked through the glass again. The three riders were closing in on the first two.

The soldier looked exhausted, his mount was not in much better shape. The man scrambled for his weapon. Jimmy recognized the distressed look of a man who had just realized his weapon was useless. They were now close enough Jimmy recognized the other man as Terrance J. Scott.

Terrance J. Scott was probably the only Yankee soldier Jimmy had put in his sights and not fired upon during the entire war. Jimmy had needed an escape route and Terrance J. had bartered with his life. The two men were curious about one another and had become friends after the war. Terrance was proud to tell everyone he carried on a family tradition of scouting for the army.

Jimmy watched as the soldier through down his gun and reached for T.J's reins urging the two exhausted horses into a gallop. Jimmy could hear one of the three riders yelling. "Kill the soldier he could blow the plan apart!"

He pulled the trigger sending one of the riders spinning out of the saddle. He heard the report of Scarlet's sharps as another one went down. The middle rider changed direction only to be hit by what Jimmy was sure was Tensleep's rifle.

Jimmy swung into the saddle and rode out to where the soldier was trying to pull T.J. from his fallen horse. The man never looked up although Jimmy was sure he knew he was being watched.

Jimmy stepped down and took hold of the horse's reins and pulled the horses head around so he'd roll to his belly. The soldier looked at him with eyes that held fear and shock.

What ever had happened to the two men must have been bad Jimmy though looking back at him.

"What's you're name soldier?" Jimmy asked to which the reply was a blank stare.

The soldier stepped back as Jimmy hosted T.J. onto Moonshine.

"You going to kill us?" The solder finally asked.

"No. I'm gonna take you to see a lady that can help you both." He said hoping Ella was in no danger of her own.

As Tensleep and Scarlet rode up the solder gave them the same blank stare then looked at the ground before they noticed.

"Where's Ella?" Scarlet asked Jimmy from the back of her slowing horse.

"She was headed towards the shack. I told her if she heard shots to keep riding for the house." Jimmy replied.

As Scarlet let Lucky pick up speed Jimmy yelled. "Tell her we got two more."

Scarlet hoped Ella was ok as she rode off.

[Elegant Ella]

Diamond flicked her ears at the sound of gunfire, while Ella urged her faster, and toward the house instead of the shack.   

The line shack seemed like a potential trap, but the trail to the house passed right by it, and the terrain around it didn't offer any other paths. 

Suddenly, there were two horses and riders blocking the trail.  With her mind racing, but her demeanor calm, Ella pulled up.

"Got wounded for you to tend, missy," said the dark one, with an expression that was probably supposed to be a friendly smile, but looked more like a threatening sneer. 

"That's my job," Ella replied bravely, keeping her hands visibly on the reins, while two other riders came up from behind her.  One took the pistol out of her crossdraw holster, then the other took the reins out of her hands. 

The men formed up with two men ahead of her, one leading Diamond, and the other two following.  Ella sat erectly on Diamond's back, watching for opportunities and weaknesses.  The fact that they had left her untied was hopeful. 

She tucked her left hand into a pocket, pulled out a shuttle and started tatting.  As long as there were men following, dropping the shuttle and trailing its thread was too likely to be noticed.  Besides, while the trail only went one way, there was no advantage to leaving sign. 

[Scarlet Angel]

Jimmy glanced over his shoulder towards where Scarlet had gone, something still wasn't right. That tense feeling he got that sat right between his shoulder blades was stronger than ever.

"What's you're name Captain." He said to the soldier.

The man said nothing which irritated Jimmy.

"Your name and rank soldier." Jimmy barked as he stepped close.

The man's eyes grew wide. "J...John Smith." he sputtered.

"Rank!"
It never took long for Jimmy's temper to flare when he thought he might be wasting time.

"Captain." The man said remembering what Jimmy had called him.

"How is it you're wearing the wrong uniform Captain Smith?" Jimmy growled as he pulled his revolver and stepped out of the man's reach.

The man went immediately pale looking at the insignias on his shirt.

"You are no horseman, you nearly run those horse's to death. You're no soldier, you don't even know what man's uniform you're wearing!" Jimmy said pulling the hammer back.  "Who the hell are ya?!"

Jimmy knew this man was no outlaw; he didn't have the grit for it.

This man shouldn't even be in Texas Jimmy thought to himself.

"Protect 'im James." whispered the man that sat on Jimmy's horse.

"T.J." Jimmy backed up against his horse, his eyes never leaving the man in uniform. "tell me your assignment. My family's taking fire and we don't know why."

"He knows." the man slipped back into unconsciousness.

T.J. wasn't dead but he'd lost a lot of blood. He needed a good day of rest and some stitching before he'd say much of anything that made sense.

Jimmy looked at John Smith. "Did they not teach what to say or did you just fail under fire?"

The man said nothing and looked down. He could see the face of the man at the last post who had put him in the uniform then they'd gone over what he was supposed to tell people who asked. It was some long saying that included a military rank and some company name that only confused the man.

"You're life is spared for the moment Captain." Jimmy said sarcastically to the man in the Corporal's uniform. If  T.J hadn't said protect the man Jimmy would have left him standing there and gone after Ella.

[Elegant Ella]

Ella continued thinking about when, where and how to leave sign.  Deciding that leaving some mark that she had been here, and was untied would be useful, she cut off the piece she had been tatting, and let it fall.  She joined the ball and shuttle threads together and started a new motif. 

She didn't have white pebbles to drop like Gretel, but she could leave a trail of tatted snowflakes.

[Scarlet Angel]

Scarlet pulled Lucky up, the tracks of five horses was easy for her to spot. The fact they didn't go towards the house told her Ella had been captured. Scarlet tilted her head back and let out a deep sigh as she thought of her options.

"They are on my playground and I know where all the trails lead and where the advantages are." Scarlet thought to herself then wondered how far behind her the marshal or Jimmy might be if they were back there at all.

Scarlet cautiously rode up to the line shack making sure nobody was there before she approached. Once inside she checked all the hiding spots for anything that might be useful. She came up with a jar of moonshine, and a tomahawk, leaving the revolvers and shotgun where she found them.

Scarlet left the shack and followed the trail of the five riders. The trail would split in the rougher terrain, if she got lucky Ella might leave her a sign of some kind and it would be the right fork. Scarlet could get above them on the other trail and hopefully help Ella get away before they met up with the main group of outlaws.

"Talk to me Ella." Scarlet whispered as she followed the trail. Then not far from where the trail would split Scarlet saw it, a small white snowflake. She hoped she'd see them go to the right soon.

[Elegant Ella]

Ella had been riding Diamond regularly the last few months.  The communication between horse and rider wasn't as detailed as Ella had with Ruth using a dressage saddle, but there was enough.  Diamond responded well to Ella's posture, leg and voice signals, so there was no need for a bit to amplify signals from the reins. 

Given enough time to cut or unbuckle the bridle, the man leading Diamond would have hold of reins going nowhere.

[1stSgt Fritz King]

Fritz backtracked as far as he dared.  He knew He'd have to break off and hit the main trail, or else go all the way back to the fort.  He'd kept below the ridge line and out of sight, but eventually, he'd have to break cover, and expose himself.  He drew back the hammer on the '66 and topped the ridge. 

There was a single rider down below, head down, looking for sign.  Fritz smiled.  Only one person he knew sat a horse like that. 

"Scarlet."  A smile crossed his lips as he eased the hammer down.

Her head came up at the sound.  Her reflexes were exquisite.  The Colt came up, hammer back, sights on target in one quick movement.  Her eyes went from slate to sunlight.

"I didn't expect to see you so soon."  Her lips curled in that mischievous grin he loved so much. 
"What did you do...break out?"

Fritz rode down slowly as she holstered her pistol.  "No.  It'd take too long to explain.  Suffice it to say We've got trouble.  I've seen their camp."

"It's worse than that," Scarlet replied, handing something over.  Fritz turned a snowflake in his gauntleted hand.

"They took her?"

"Kinda...what do you know about them?"

Fritz handed the snowflake back.  "There's at least twenty five of them, not counting any patrols or outriders.  They're well trained, and extremely well armed.  Some of the younger ones are green, but the majority are old hands...probably from the war."

"Do they have your cannon?"

"Yep," Fritz replied.  Their leader, that Albino, is sitting with it under a tree.  "

Looking at the '66 and the gun belt slung across his saddle, Scarlet said, "I see you have some new toys."

"Their prior owner doesn't need them anymore." 

Then Scarlet saw the blood.  "Yours?"

"No," Fritz answered.  "The prior owner.  He was killed by the Gatling...it just took awhile for him to die.  I had to kill one of their sentries."  Fritz stared at his hands.  "It was a close-up kill."

Scarlet saw the look.  She put her hand on his shoulder.  "You okay?"   

[Scarlet Angel]

"Will be." Fritz said with sigh.

There were times Scarlet was thankful Johnny had taught her about being numb to killing. What he hadn't life had, but there were times she had questioned what that made her.

She knew Fritz had asked the same questions, as long as he had the feeling he had now she felt he was in no danger of being a killer. As for herself, at least she had not lost compassion for those she loved and she hoped he could see it in her eyes now.

"We've got to get Ella out away from them before they reach camp and before they come looking for you." Scarlet said softly then kicked Lucky forward.

When she saw the snowflake on the right fork Scarlet moved Lucky out at a fast pace on the higher trail, Fritz following close behind. They moved fast enough to get ahead of the outlaws and find a good ambush spot.

Scarlet took the snowflake Ella had dropped and made her way too the trail; carefully she hung it in a tree hoping Ella would see it and know someone was close, then made her way back to where  Fritz was.

[Elegant Ella]

When Ella spotted her snowflake hanging above the trail, she felt comforted by its message, "Friends know where you are." 

She put her tatting away and pulled out a small mirror, which she used to check on how observant the two riders behind her were being.  They were watching the areas beside the trail carefully, and the rear one was frequently looking behind, but neither was paying any attention to her.

She leaned forward and loosened the bridle.  A firm jerk on the reins would pull the bridle off completely, or she could flip the bridle off in a second. 

She pulled the tatting back out, to maintain her cover while she waited for her friends to make their move.

[Scarlet Angel]

Scarlet and Fritz had chosen a spot wide enough in the trail for Ella to get around the outlaws if she was able to get away from them.

The man leading Diamond carried a long range rifle, Scarlet guessed if he heard one he'd be more inclined to be searching farther out for a target. It might only give them a few more seconds but it was better than someone who would focus closer like the two in back were.

"You take the one behind Ella, then the one leading her horse, I'll take the other two." Scarlet whispered.

Fritz shook his head in understanding.

Scarlet paused before she moved. "I only think it would be to our disadvantage to announce ourselves and ask them to surrender."

Fritz half smiled in agreement. "Be careful." He whispered as the two separated.

"You too." She mouthed.

Scarlet had chosen a place that would make the sound of the rifle echo along the trail; it would be difficult to tell where the shot was fired from. She figured if the rider in front made a run for his friends it would bring him closer to her, if not she could reload the rifle. By taking out the two riders in back it would give Ella a chance to head back the way she had come and she would either head towards the ranch or take the fork in the trail and run into Scarlet and Fritz.

The sound from the heavy rifle bounced along the trail as the man bringing up the rear went down with a thud. Confusion broke out among the others as they yelled how many shots they heard and where it might have come from.

[Elegant Ella]

Ella dropped the tatting, and leaned forward on Diamond's neck to reach the reins, intending to jerk them away from the man holding them.  If she didn't get the reins, she could throw off the bridle and run, once she figured out which direction would not put her between friends and foes. 

[Scarlet Angel]

The outlaw following Ella pulled his pistol looking for a target, his eyes falling on Ella's back as he considered it. 

Fritz gritted his teeth and narrowed his eyes; the outlaw only had a second to ponder his thoughts before Fritz's bullet found its mark.

Identifying where the shot came from the rider leading Ella's horse drew his own pistol. 
The bullet meant for the outlaw's shoulder caught him in the chest as he spun his horse in Fritz's direction.

The lead outlaw sunk his heels into his horse intending to make a run through the ambush and get back to his friends.

It was more out of respect for Ella and Fritz that Scarlet did it. Had she been left alone she most likely would have just shot the man but instead she gave him what she felt was somewhat of a chance to surrender.

"U.S. Marshals surrender!" She yelled as the horse came near her.

"Go ta hell!" the man growled pulling his horse to a hard stop and drawing his weapon searching for where the voice had come from.

"You first." Scarlet mumbled as the hammer dropped on her pistol.

The bullet sunk into the man's shoulder joint causing his pistol to fall. The man managed to turn his horse only to come face to face with Ella.

[Elegant Ella]

Ella had gotten her reins when the rider ahead of her dropped them in order to draw his pistol.  Then she pulled her gun from its holster hidden under her pockets.

When the lead outlaw came face to face with Ella, he was looking into her gun barrel. 

"Surrender," she ordered firmly, her face hard and unyielding. 

When El Blanco was deciding whether to snatch the healer for his own wounded, someone had mentioned rumors that the healer was skilled with firearms and had killed more than once.  Those who had watched Ella working on the patrol had discounted the rumors.  They were sure she was too gentle to shoot a man.  She might carry a pistol, but that was just for show. 

[Tensleep]

Tensleep had left camp behind Scarlet and Ella. After the fight on the flats he had rode around the field looking at tracks and slowly trailing the outlaws. They had broken into several groups as they ran from the battle. The marshal followed and memorized the horse's tracks that the outlaws rode. He knew that at some point he would need to rejoin the others, but the more he knew about the men they fought the better off they all would be.

Finally Tensleep found the trail that the men left when they had taken Ella, he fell in and followed. "Figger we gonna find 'em now Buck," he said to his horse.

As the shots were fired Tensleep was in sight and saw Ella draw her pistol. Looking beyond Ella he saw Scarlet leveling the rifle she seemed to be so fond of. It only took him seconds to realize it was being leveled at him.


Swiftly Tensleep kicked his feet free and dove off Buck. he hit and rolled drawing his pistol and yelling, "NO SCARLET!"

[Scarlet Angel]

"You're a healer not a murderer of unarmed men." The outlaw hissed at Ella then smiled as he kicked his horse forward.