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Scott Lancer wriggled and writhed trying to kick off any of the three cowboys holding down his legs. A grunt of pain escaped the blond man as one of his captors gave him a vicious kick in the kidneys.
Colonel Andrews then gestured to two more of his men.
The men stepped closer to Scott and pulled his arms up and over his head. One of the henchmen uncoiled a thick, long rope. The second man took the rope and roughly twisted it around Scott's hands. The rope tightly bound Scott's hands together. Once the man was done he stepped away and slapped the rump of the horse that he had just tied Scott to.
Scott's prone body was yanked forward as the horse took off at a gallop.
The blond man was dragged up and down the length of the town Onyx's Main Street several times. With each pass of the horse, Scott felt the rough gravel of the small pebbles and sand of the street cutting into his hands and face. There were also rips and tears in his shirt and pants. The blond man stifled a groan of agony as he passed in front of Andrews who stood in front of the saloon. A stinging jolt of pain ripped up his leg and he clenched his teeth as he felt wet stickiness run down his leg and over his boot.
The horse stopped but only because Andrews ordered one of his men to give Scott a few kicks in the ribs before the horse began galloping down the street again.
Scott drew in a painful breath as he was dragged over the rough ground again. His shout of, "No! Willie, stay away!" was lost among the raucous shouts, jeers and cheers of Andrews’s men as they were entertained by the spectacle he provided for them. Distantly the blond could still hear Willie's shouts, the boy crying for the men to stop hurting him but the men were deaf to the boy's pleas. Finally Scott's body came to a stop and he lay still in the street, stirring slightly as Willie ran up to his side, yelling out his name, "Scott, Scott!"
Willie helped Scott to his feet and Scott tried not to sway too much and fall on top of the boy.
The blond man wobbled back a few steps and leaned against a horse for a moment. He pulled a rifle out of a scabbard hanging off the horse's saddlebags. Then Scott gently shoved Willie behind him and staggered a few steps backwards.
It was at this moment when Willie's grandfather, "Kansas" Bill Sharpe called Andrews out for the "Destruction of People."
The arrogant Andrews strapped on his gun belt and stepped out to meet the former gunslinger's challenge. Before the corrupt man could draw, a bullet from Bill Sharpe's gun tore through the palm of Andrews drawing hand. In agony, Andrews grunted "Well. Well, Onyx might have a Marshall after all."
Bill Sharpe declined the offer and removed his gun rig as his grandson Willie ran up to him.
Scott followed slowly behind the boy.
The former gunslinger eyed the blond man and reached out to grasp the younger man's arms as Scott's legs buckled underneath him. A sad, "Oh, Scott," fell from Bill's lips as he caught the younger man who now sagged against him.
Willie who was on his grandfather's other side began to shake as he asked, "Grandfather, is Scott dead?"
"Of course, he ain't boy." Bill said a little more sharply than he intended to. He further explained, "But he did get his insides and head pretty shook up by being dragged behind a horse, so his body is plumb wore out and it decided to take a nap so he can heal up better. We'll take him to his room in the hotel so he can rest up."
Willie nodded in understanding. "Maybe we should take him to the cabin outside town, grandfather. Wouldn't Scott be safer there?" Willie asked as he glanced fearfully around the town.
Bill admitted that it was a fine idea. He then asked his grandson to go and tell the livery master that they were hiring a wagon for a few days. Bill fished out five dollars and told Willie to pay the man for a week.
A soft drawl behind them surprised them. "I'll ride over for Doc Banning in Genesis because Onyx's doctor is in Andrews' pocket and he'd probably do Lancer more harm than good. But first I'll help get him to that cabin." Sam the cowboy who had called out Kansas Bill a few days ago finished speaking as he shifted to the other side of Scott and slung one of the blond man's arms around his shoulder.
Bill gave him a long hard stare and after several tense silent moments, he nodded.
Sam tipped his own head in respect and the two men strode over to the livery.
Scott hung limply between them as Willie scurried about to lay down hay and an old horse blanket down on the wagon, so Scott would have some bedding in the wagon. Finally they were on their way out of Onyx and on the road to the cabin.
Meanwhile, Johnny Lancer rode into Genesis. He wanted to thank Doc Banning for saving Jelly's life after Jelly had been mauled by a mountain lion. And then Johnny was riding on to Onyx to see how his brother and Willie were doing' on finding Willie's grandfather. Johnny and Banning were bending an elbow when Sam strode into the saloon and headed straight for the doctor.
Banning knew Sam. He had seen him around town several times and knew that Sam was an occasional hand for some of the local ranchers. The doctor put down his beer mug on the table.
"Sam, what's wrong?"
Sam nodded at Johnny and told Banning, "Doc, put a wiggle on, there's a man hurt down Onyx way. He was game and stood up to Andrews. Andrews had him beaten up and a horse dragged him up and down Main Street. Don't know for sure but he might be bleedin' inside."
Both Banning and Johnny were in motion before Sam stopped talking.
Johnny didn't know who had been hurt but Scott was in Onyx.
"I'll meet you in the livery." The doctor said as he strode to his clinic to pick up his black bag and other supplies he might need.
Johnny mounted Barranca quickly and impatiently waited for Doc Banning and this cowboy Sam to get on their horses so they could be on their way.
"How far is Onyx from here?" Johnny asked as their mounts trotted towards that town.
"About two miles, just past those hills up yonder." Sam answered.
Swallowing down the knot in his throat, Johnny asked, "Is the man hurt by this Andrews named Scott Lancer?"
Johnny's question had Sam whipping his head around to stare at Johnny in astonishment. "How do you know...?” The cowboy's question was cut off as Banning swore.
Johnny's face paled and he echoed the doctor with a softly spoken curse in Spanish. Then Johnny nudged Barranca with the edge of his heels and the Palomino galloped off leaving Sam and Banning in his dust.
Sam said something about Johnny knowing Scott and the doctor replied, "You could say that" as he urged his own horse to go a little faster.
Barranca pranced impatiently as Sam and Banning caught up with Johnny outside the town limits of Onyx.
"Which way?" Johnny's question floated across to his two companions when one of Andrews’s men called out, "Madrid, you're too late! Andrews don't need any gunslingers any more!"
Sam stared at Johnny as Johnny momentarily ignored the man who called out to him.
Again Johnny asked which way and looked pointedly at Sam until Sam answered, "East."
Johnny nodded before turning his head and answering in an icy tone. "I'm not here for Andrews!" Then he had Barranca trot off toward the east.
Sam hurried off after him. "Madrid? As in Johnny Madrid?" At Johnny's response, Sam blocked the Palomino with his own horse and knowing he was taking his life in his own hands, he drew on Madrid. Taking a deep breath he said, "I'm not letting you gun down Lancer, Madrid."
Johnny stared at him much like Sharpe had and instead of reaching for his gun, Johnny smiled at him then his horse sidestepped Sam's mount and sped off toward the cabin where Sharpe and Lancer were holed up.
In shock, Sam stared at the disappearing rider. Turning around he looked over at the doc and the question tumbled out of his mouth. "Why am I not dead? I've never heard of anyone drawing on Madrid and living to tell the tale afterwards."
Meanwhile, at the cabin, one of Scott's injuries had become infected and Scott had become feverish. The blond man twisted and wrestled restlessly with the bed sheets. Scott kept muttering the names, Johnny and Murdoch.
Bill Sharpe kept trying to cool the young man down but Scott was lost in a world of nightmares and fought against Bill's touch.
Suddenly, Scott jerked up, shouting,” Murdoch, Cover me!" Then with one hand, Scott scooted a pillow closer toward his body and then he began to mimic shooting a rifle over the pillow while muttering, "Johnny, duck!"
Bill watched in fascination as Scott continued to converse with the pillow. Moments later, Scott slung the pillow over one shoulder before slumping bonelessly onto the bed.
Meanwhile, outside the cabin, Willie Sharpe was coming out of the barn when Barranca galloped up into the yard. The sight of the Palomino and his rider stopped Willie in his trek to the cabin's front door. He stood frozen to the spot as Johnny vaulted off Barranca and called out to him.
"Willie, take care of my horse! I have to see Scott!" Johnny then sprinted past the boy and bolted into the cabin.
Willie was leading the Palomino into the barn when Doc Banning and Sam rode up.
The two men asked Willie to take care of their horses too before they raced into the cabin.
Moments earlier, Johnny had dashed inside to find Bill Sharpe struggling to untangle Scott's arms from a pillow.
But Scott wouldn't let go of it.
Johnny spoke quietly as he heard Scott's words to the pillow.
"Boston, I'm not givin' up on living any time soon." As he finished talking, Johnny reached out a hand to grasp one of Scott's wrists.
Scott felt Johnny’s hand on his own and heard his brother's voice and smiled in exhausted relief, before slipping into unconsciousness once again.
"How bad is he?" Johnny asked Bill as Johnny wiped Scott's brow with a damp cloth.
Bill answered and then added that they could sure use a doctor right about now.
Sam entered the room and said he'd found a doctor and stopped in the middle of the sick room when he saw Johnny tending to Scott.
Then Johnny stepped back a few steps so Doc Banning could get a closer look at Scott.
While examining his patient and getting all the information he could from Bill, Doc Banning asked everyone to leave the room.
Johnny left the room reluctantly. Once he stepped out of the room, he nearly collided with a trembling but determined Willie Sharpe.
Willie spoke quickly, the words tumbled out of his mouth, and “I'm sorry Johnny. I'm sorry I got your brother hurt."
At the boy's words, Sam sputtered out the sip of coffee he had just taken onto the rickety table in front of him.
Johnny looked straight into Willie's eyes and asked if he was the one that had tied Scott to a horse and dragged him down the street.
Willie said no.
Johnny then told him it wasn't his fault that Scott had gotten hurt.
Willie nodded not entirely convinced but willing to believe as his grandfather enfolded him in a comforting hug.
Still in shock, Sam asked, "Madrid, Scott Lancer is your brother?"
A steely blue eyed gaze pinned him as Johnny gave him the Madrid glare before Johnny answered him.
"Name is Johnny Lancer now. Best remember that. Tell me more about this Colonel Andrews."
Sam nodded quickly and began to tell Johnny all about the Colonel.
The more Johnny heard, the angrier he became. He knew that some day in the near future he'd be paying Colonel Andrews and Onyx a visit. It would wait until Scott was up and about again and preferably back at Lancer.
Sam was still speaking when Banning came into the room.
A soft-spoken, "Doc?" fell from Johnny's lips.
Banning replied, He's going to need cooling down for the next few hours and if we can get his fever to break during the night, I think he'll pull through."
Johnny brushed past him into the sickroom as he said, "Scott's a fighter, he ain't giving up and neither are we."
Inside the room, Johnny dampened a rag in the water-filled basin sitting on the night stand next to the bed. He ran the rag across Scott's forehead down the temple and cheeks as he whispered "Fight for blue skies for you, me and Murdoch. Fight Scott!
Blue-grey eyes opened a slit as Scott heard Johnny's plea. Scott muttered a hoarse but determined whisper of his own, "You fight too Johnny." before he slid back into a healing sleep.
Johnny smiled.
Scott was going to be okay.
The End