Fenris and Andrew look to each other in triumph. If the brother survived the gun wound, the crash would have ended him. Just then your communicators light up to Ash's voice “Doc’s on his way; there’s a hurt lady on the second floor and there’s somethun noisy out front. Be careful. I’ll try to cover ya, topside.”

BBOOOMM!

Suddenly the top floor and the lookout tower of the jail explode in a powerful ball of flames. The roadway is littered with debris and wood chips. Electronic feedback squelches across your communicator and then goes silent as a grave.
Andrew instinctively ducked as the explosion went off… after the debris settled he straightened up and made a quick check to see if he was hit… then he turned to look at the Jail… or what was left of it… he glanced at Wolf and he could see the worry in his face… Ash was in there… he said something about ‘topside’ … so he had went up to the roof… but the look out tower was gone… as was most of the second floor…

“Ash?” Andrew asked over the communicator… he waited for a response… looking around the area… maybe he was thrown clear of the building… “Ash come in!”

He started forward towards the Jail… looking for any sign of Ash… and maybe a way into the rubble.

As Wolf went to one knee and Andrew moved closer the older man started shooting at the now slowly moving mule. Having no luck with his shots the driver seeing the threat he was in from Andrew attempted to bring the junked mule around to use its chained machine guns. Bad mistake as that put him square in the Rocinante mechanics sights. A quick pull of Fenris’s finger, a short clipped 3 round burst, and the driver died, his head a mass of blood and shredded brain.

As the hover craft continued to turn, the driver clearly dead, lost control and as Andrew and Wolf watched it tilted steeply sideways causing it to roll. Seeing the now out of control craft headed straight for him, Fenris dived out of the way only seconds before it bounced side over side and end over end until crashing upside down in the centre of the main street.

As Wolf picked himself off of the ground both his and Andrew’s radio’s went off with the sound of Ash’s voice.

“Doc’s on his way; there’s a hurt lady on the second floor and there’s somethun noisy out front. Be careful. I’ll try to cover ya, topside.”
With a look to Andrew in triumph, both started heading once more to the jail only to be stopped by it's top floor and lookout tower exploding in a powerful ball of flames.

BBOOOMM!
“Wuh de ma.....ASH!!”
The roadway now littered with debris and wood chips the two of them once more started for the jail at a run at almost the same time. Suddenly electronic feedback squelched across the pair’s communicator’s and then nothing, the radio’s silent as a grave. As Wolf headed towards the jail he could only hope it was not a foretelling of Ash’s possible fate.............

Frisco, Day Nine 11:20 pm Planet Time
Apollo and Andrew took cover from the explosion and then the horror of what happened the possible fate of their friend grabbed hold.

Wuh de ma.....ASH!!”

“Ash?” Andrew asked over the communicator… he waited for a response… looking around the area… maybe he was thrown clear of the building… “Ash come in!”

Silence met their calls but then they were forced to take over again as ammo in the fire started to go off above like so many machine guns on auto-fire. There was nothing to be done but wait it out.

Then, as they were just about to get up as the bullets stopped exploding, they heard a voice call out, "HEY! Over here! I got a man down and I can't move these beams!"

Frisco, Day Nine 11:10 pm Planet Time
Ash hear a sound below him as he moved to the lookout. It was the sound of a sigh, or someone letting out their last breath. He turned and look down at Winnie, expecting the worst, as her wounds were too much for her and she let out her last breath. But then something fell out of her hand.

Oh Gorram!!!!"

Ash ran at full speed up the stairs of the lookout and dove over the side, rolling over the ledge and down the newly shingled roof.

*BOOOMMMMM*

The explosion roared in Asher's head and the fire licked at his backside. Somewhere instinct took over as he tumbled/was thrown but the force of the blast and he tucked up and rolled. He hit the edge of the roof with a hard thump that drive the wind out from him and them crashed to the ground again, his clothing smouldering.

Then the debris from the roof fell on him.

As ash lay there, still alive but pinned under the wood and beams of the rooftop, he wondered what the heck happened. The grenade would have been a localized blast. So unless Winnie had wired the entire second floor.... No. There were sounds above, of rounds of ammo going off in the fire. The Sheriff must have store a ton of ammo under the bed. After some time, the gunfire subsided.

"Asher! You there! You better be alive young man or else I may be powerfully upset at you ruining the work I put into saving you. Ain't too respectful to get yoruself killed before all the stitching heals." It was Doc McGuire's voice, followed by the sounds of someone moving debris. "HEY! Over here! I got a man down and I can't move these beams!" the Doc shouted.

"Well that's a good thing to hear Sister, your voice that is. I didn't think you were coming. Follow the drift to the end of the old shaft. I'm waiting on you sugar and I think we will have enough fortune to shave without you selling the key."

Willow frowned at Brigit's tone; it was too hard edged for the experienced con artist Willow had realized her to be. Either she was losing patience with the game, or she'd begun to realize that the game had begun to change, and not in her favour. Willow needed to keep the pressure on, but not enough to make Brigit cut and run. The question was, how to do just that, and no more.

Before Willow could answer, the communicators held by Sam and Wyatt squealed with almost human pain, spiralling near to madness before cutting out with a finality that was chilling. Willow looked to her men in puzzlement before realizing what it must be: either something had happened to Andrew and Wolf, or to the ship. And whatever it was, it had been destruction. Willow wanted to keen her loss as loudly as the communicator had, but Brigit's voice was a dash of cold water to her face.

"Rung Tse Fwo Tzoo Bao Yo Wuo Muhn! What was gorram that? This shaft ain't too sturdy so you best shut off whatever you got making those noises!" Bridget calls out harshly.

"You don't think we waltzed in here without a mean of knowing what's happening above, do you?" Willow replied, her own voice cold with an anger she'd never let herself feel before. "You've been playing with children and fools too long, sugar, you're descending to their level. We're almost at the curve of the drift; I'd better see some light to show your good intentions, or we walk outta here!"

"HEY! Over here! I got a man down and I can't move these beams!" the Doc shouted.
Andrew heard someone cry out … he got up from the ground again and turned towards the sound and headed in that direction… the man down might just be Ash…

“This way Wolf!” he ran towards the direction of the yell…

Seeing the man near a pile of rubble he ran up … he didn’t know this man… but he didn’t look like a deputy … probably one of the towns folk…

Seeing the man trying to move some of the rubble… Andrew holstered his guns and carefully moved among the debris yelling out to try and locate who he hoped was Ash…

“Ash? That you? Yell out if you can hear us.”

He started to move the rubble tossing it out of the way… having Wolf help him with any larger pieces…they had to hurry… they didn’t know if there were any deputies about… but he doubted it… seemed they had gotten them all… now all they had to worry about was the Sheriff himself… and he was probably at the mine setting the trap for Wyatt and the others… they had to find Ash and get up to the mine and help out…

Wyatt knew that they were playing Willow's game now. As much as he was captain of Rocinante, she was captaining them there in the dark tunnels. He trusted the doctor with his life--literally on more than one occasion--so it wasn't difficult to trust her now. The difficult part was to stimy the urge to walk down that tunnel and put a bullet between the eyes of the woman who had caused his crew so much grief. But conquer that feeling he did, and he listened to the banter between the two women with only half an ear as he paid really close attention to their surroundings. He didn't want anything jumping out at him...not that he was afraid of shadows. A shotgun in hand did wonders to quell certain fears. In this case, he was more worried about Bridgette's resources and what that could mean to his crew. If he were setting a trap, he'd make sure the whole tunnel were rigged to cave right in once he made his exit. He'd probably have connived a way to distract the opposition long enough to get a drop on them as well. So he remained vigilante.

Sam, on the other hand, was itching and scratching. His stomach was turning somersaults, and the hairs on the back of his neck were marching to and fro. Thumbing his hammer, the pilot wet his lips with the tip of his tongue over and over again as though he could taste the danger in the air. He and Wyatt had faced down enough Big Bad Uglies in their time together that he knew he could count on him in a pinch, and Willow wasn't just fer looks either, but he could practically smell the Alliance in the tunnel with them and that made him mighty twitchy. He wanted to warn Wyatt of his sense of things, but the Cap'n was already a superstitious man and that'd likely change his course. Maybe that wouldn't be a bad thing, but Sam also knew Wyatt to be the type that didn't like to navigate without a chart, and right now he had something of a chart in mind so it was best to let him be and continue to glance over his shoulder every so often so as not to be caught unawares.

Keying his own communicator Ash said softly, “Doc’s on his way; there’s a hurt lady on the second floor and there’s somethun noisy out front. Be careful. I’ll try to cover ya, topside.”

Ash heard a sound below him as he moved to the lookout. It was the sound of a sigh, or someone letting out their last breath. He turned and looked down at Winnie, expecting the worst, as her wounds were too much for her and she let out her last breath. But then something fell out of her hand.

Oh Gorram!!!!"
Ash ran at full speed up the stairs of the lookout and dove over the side, rolling over the ledge and down the newly shingled roof.

*BOOOMMMMM*
The explosion roared in Asher's head and the fire licked at his backside. Somewhere instinct took over; he tumbled as he was thrown by the force of the blast, tucking up and rolling. He hit the edge of the roof with a hard thump that drove the wind out from him and then he crashed over the side to the ground; his clothing smoldering. Just as he thought he was clear the debris from the roof fell on him.
Asher lay motionless under the pile of debris that had just been the upper floors of the jail house. Twice in one night Ash had been caught in explosions and this one was serious. He had seen the grenade roll out of Winnie’s hands; the final trap she had set for him, but that wasn’t enough to blow him out of the building. Stunned and in shock the kid felt the pressure and weight of the lumber pressing down on him, he knew the pain would catch up soon. Through the ringing in his ears he could now make out the random and sporadic popping of bullets, as if they had been tossed into a fire. A vague idea that maybe that bed had hid the sheriff’s stash of ammo made sense.

Time moved slow as the bullet fire stopped and in that quiet the fear of his situation grew. Ash couldn’t move, he was trapped, pinned under the pile of rubble. Asher’s thoughts seemed to float as ever so slowly reality and pain caught up. The kid was not one to panic, but tonight things seemed to be out to kill him. His crew needed him, he couldn’t let them down again. He had to get out. Gritting his teeth and pushing he shoved the debris, nothing moved, “Oh Gorram!!!!"
"Asher! You there! You better be alive young man or else I may be powerfully upset at you ruining the work I put into saving you. Ain't too respectful to get yourself killed before all the stitching heals." It was Doc McGuire's voice, followed by the sounds of someone moving debris. "HEY!....... Over here!......... I got a man down and I can't move these beams!" the Doc shouted.
For the second time in a week that gruff old voice has been the best thing Ash could remember hearing. “Doc? …..Oh Doc thank Buddha you’re here.”

Then with a small crack in his voice Ash said, “Doc…., I’m sorry……, Winnie didn’t make it.”

Hornsilver Mine, Regina, Frisco, Day Nine 11:20 pm Planet Time
"You've been playing with children and fools too long, sugar, you're descending to their level. We're almost at the curve of the drift; I'd better see some light to show your good intentions, or we walk outta here!" Willow called out.

There was a brief pause of silence and then the scuffling of someone moving around, and the sound of water sloshing as well. Down the drift a light pulsed twice to show you the way to go. "Now keep coming down the drift, to the base of the old shaft ." I'll be waiting for you there." Brigit calls out.

Sam, Wyatt and Willow continue down the path for a while cautiously. As you move you see another flash of light in the dark, then another and another. Brief flashes, very small but a sign that you are not alone. Then a voice, familiar to Willow calmly and quietly says near her ear. We meet again Miss Willow. Shame it is once again not under the best of conditions." It is Lau Tsu's voice. As soon as he speaks, three Tong men dressed in black step out slowly into your light and A fourth steps out from beside Willow and Tsu removes his head covering.

(assuming some hello and you scared the bejezus outta me)

"I apologize for startling you like this but grandfather asked me to bear you a message Miss Willow. I am afraid I bear sad tiding for Grandfather has left this world to join his ancestors. Fear not, it was not by the hand of the devil and his mistress. In fact, shortly after you left it was like something he was holding on to for life was no longer a burden - perhaps he found someone to share it with? I would not know." And with that he passes a piece of folded paper to Willow. "But if you brought any measure of peace to him, I will be forever in your debt."

The Message - Willow: They say the son must share the burden of the father but it is the daughter that has to clean up the mess. I fear I won't be here for you to give the chess piece to when you return and I am sorry for burdening you. Many evil acts are done in a war. I only hope that you judge me not for what I did, but what I hid. Please finish what I should have done. Thank you.
"We seek out the devil Pearson to seek revenge for his deeds against the family. But he moves like a shadow and eludes even me. I feel like he is watching us, mocking me. I can find a acorn carried on the wings of an eagle, but this man is beyond my skills. Be cautious. He does not fear death and enjoys its company. I fear I grow old, for i can't track a murderous villain and I trusted the devil in a woman's guise. For my sins, I bear the price."

(assuming some more riddles in the dark)

"You go to meet her? Be careful. She is the more dangerous of the two. We must go and seek out Pearson. Good Luck to you."

Frisco, Day Nine 11:20 pm Planet Time
Asher! You there! You better be alive young man or else I may be powerfully upset at you ruining the work I put into saving you. Ain't too respectful to get yourself killed before all the stitching heals." It was Doc McGuire's voice, followed by the sounds of someone moving debris. "HEY!....... Over here!......... I got a man down and I can't move these beams!" the Doc shouted.

For the second time in a week that gruff old voice has been the best thing Ash could remember hearing. “Doc? …..Oh Doc thank Buddha you’re here.”

Then with a small crack in his voice Ash said, “Doc…., I’m sorry……, Winnie didn’t make it.”

"I'm sure you tried Asher. Some people have too much hate in them to keep going. " the doctor replied

“Ash? That you? Yell out if you can hear us.” Came another voice, Bowman by the sounds. Soon he heard Wolf call his name as well and the beam over him moved to reveal moonlight, a lantern and three faces of people he was glad to see.

"Don't try to move yet!" the Doctor said sternly and began poking and prodding his side, legs and back before he nodded his head. "You are one lucky man Asher." he says with a whistle, "But you will need some rest and mending." He said as he pulled out his dermal mender and began to work on Asher's forehead where a gash had formed. A small crowd of peopel were coming out now. some were standing around but many were hauling buckets to douse the fire and others moved beams and debris.

Dust and dirt covered Ash’s face and he was glad it was dark. The trails from his eyes would betray him for his feelings of not being able to save Winnie.

As the boards were lifted he heard Doc’s gentle reassurance.
"I'm sure you tried Asher. Some people have too much hate in them to keep going. "
Asher knew Doc’s words were true, but it still left him feeling he had let still let another person down.

“Ash? That you? Yell out if you can hear us.” Came another voice, Bowman by the sounds. Soon he heard Wolf call his name as well and the beam over him moved to reveal moonlight, a lantern and three faces of people he was glad to see.
Coughing the from the gasp of air he sucked in as the pressure of fallen debris was released from chest, Asher answered Andrew,.. "How W’rin Bu Lai,Whai W’rin Bu Jwo..but it’s great to see you…"

"Don't try to move yet!" the Doctor said sternly and began poking and prodding his side, legs and back before he nodded his head.

"You are one lucky man Asher." he says with a whistle, "But you will need some rest and mending."

Pulling out his dermal mender and he began to work on Asher's forehead where a gash had formed.
"Doc, I'll rest when this is over, just keep me on my feet….there’s too much still to do. “ Asher's eyes were drawing dark and cold, it was time to get on with it.

“ Wolf maybe while Doc patches me up you could fetch the mule. Andrew will cover me and Doc. We need to get to the mine,……. I got a feelin we’re needed there. "

As Wolf called out for Ash he came upon the town doctor moving pieces of what had once been the town jail off the sought after crew member. Wolf could not help but feel a little sorry for the new town sheriff, whoever that turned out to be, after this was all over as he would have no office, at least temp wise.

"How W’rin Bu Lai,Whai W’rin Bu Jwo..But it’s great to see you..." Ash said as he saw the three faces before him and started to rise.

"Don't try to move yet!” the Doctor said sternly and began poking and prodding his side, legs and back before he nodded his head. "You are one lucky man Asher.” The Doc said with a whistle as Wolf watched on. "But you will need some rest and mending.”
Pulling out his dermal mender he began to work on Asher's forehead where a gash had formed. However Ash being Ash decided to be stubborn as was his norm.
"Doc, I'll rest when this is over, just keep me on my feet...there’s too much still to do.”
“Run-tse duh FWO-tzoo Ash, I’m truly glad to see your still living, but maybe ya need to do as the Doc’s telling you and ease up a bit and let him at least patch you up.” Wolf tried to tell the gunslinger.

“Wolf maybe while Doc patches me up you could fetch the mule. Andrew will cover me and Doc. We to need to get to the mine,.... I got a feelin we’re needed there.”
"“Ok deal!, be back in ten”
Wolf turned and slinging the assault rifle over his shoulder, headed to retrieve the mule........

Willow felt a grim satisfaction that she'd gotten some light in response to her call, however brief, but the sloshing of water bothered her. She'd started to look over at Wyatt, the question clear on her face, when she realized the flashes of light she was seeing weren't her eyes playing tricks in the dark.

Then a voice curled around her ear, a breath on the nape of her neck," We meet again, Miss Willow. Shame it is once again not under the best of conditions." Willow fought an instinctive reaction to cry out from being startled, and quickly put a calming hand on Sam. No telling what the twitchy pilot might do in the dark.

"I apologize for startling you like this but grandfather asked me to bear you a message Miss Willow. I am afraid I bear sad tiding for Grandfather has left this world to join his ancestors. Fear not, it was not by the hand of the devil and his mistress. In fact, shortly after you left it was like something he was holding on to for life was no longer a burden - perhaps he found someone to share it with? I would not know." And with that Willow found a piece of folded paper pressed into her hands. "But if you brought any measure of peace to him, I will be forever in your debt."

"I am so sorry for your loss, grandfather will be missed for his wisdom and kindness. If there is any debt, it is mine, Lau Tsu, for any part played in bringing that monster here, and not calling out that hussy sooner. I didn't like her from the start, but had to wonder if my judgement was clouded by personal feelings," Willow responded, her eyes flickering towards Sam and away again. She paused to read the note, eyes bright with sudden tears, and passed the note to Wyatt.

(OOC: Leaving room for interaction, reaction, etc from Wyatt)

Lau Tsu continued, his voice implacable, "We seek out the devil Pearson to seek revenge for his deeds against the family. But he moves like a shadow and eludes even me. I feel like he is watching us, mocking me. I can find a acorn carried on the wings of an eagle, but this man is beyond my skills. Be cautious. He does not fear death and enjoys its company. I fear I grow old, for I can't track a murderous villain and I trusted the devil in a woman's guise. For my sins, I bear the price."

"I don't know that Pearson even feels something like mockery, or joy. He's just...wrong," Willow shivered, remembering Pearson's complete calm at handling the man he'd killed, "Please, please be careful. I would not lose you, too."

(OOC: Leaving room for further interaction)

"You go to meet her? Be careful. She is the more dangerous of the two. We must go and seek out Pearson. Good Luck to you."

Willow nodded at the wisdom of Lau Tsu's words. Pearson hid his madness beneath a veneer of lawmaker professionalism, but once revealed, you knew to fear him. Brigitte was a snake in the grass, never where you thought she'd be and twisting to strike at every turn. Willow thought she had Brigitte figured out, though, so it was time to make an end of it.

"We should go," she said quietly to the men on either side of her, love and affection and worry for them both welling up within her so fiercely she could scarcely breathe. "That sound of sloshing worries me, I don't remember hearing anything about water down here."

Sam very nearly skinned his iron and put two in the Tong's head when they appeared out of the dark like that. As it were he worried he'd need a change of clothes when--if--he returned to Rocinante. His stomach was practically crawling up his throat and his shoulders were so tense he felt as though his skeleton was about to climb through his flesh. With the messages from Tinkerbell still fresh on his mind, and the strange little traipse through "Wonderland" the pilot was a complete mess of nerves, demons and thoughts of fear for his friends. Slipping the pistols into their holsters once more, Sam swallowed hard and took a couple of deep breaths. Can't lose it now Puhn Yo, he thought to himself. Wyatt and Willow were counting on him.

Wyatt's shotgun was raised and ready for action at the sudden appearance of the Tong, and he maintained his stance until he was certain they weren't there for trouble. While Willow conversed with the young man he squinted into the dark ahead and considered what waited for them. The captain knew enough about the Tong to realize the impact of the young man's commentary concerning how slippery their foes were, but the only thing for it was to set his jaw and continue on. When Willow handed him the note he read it over and groaned internally. He hated not knowing what was going on in its entirety and there was more of a story here than he'd been let on to believe. There'd be a reckoning after they got out of this, that's for sure. He wanted to know all the answers, and he wanted them put on the table in clear portions as soon as possible.

Willow's remarks about the water up ahead only brought a grim nod from him before he shouldered his shotgun and with a furrowed brow held his lantern aloft so that its pale light danced further down the corridor.

"Water or not," he mumbled. "We gotta go. So let's be about it."

During the War, Wyatt had flown a blockade runner. He knew absolutely nothing about mining, or engineering. Water in the tunnels worried him for one reason and one reason alone: the possibility of drowning. The Captain wasn't too keen on dying in any way shape or form, but drowning was like to being caught in the Dark without a suit from what he'd been told and that didn't sound pleasant to him in any way, shape, or form.

Bringing his shotgun back down to his waist, Wyatt turned to Sam and indicated he get on their six with a nod and a toss of his eyebrows. Sam replied with a frown and return nod, waiting for Willow to follow Wyatt forward before stepping in after them.

Hornsilver Mine, Regina, Frisco, Day Nine 11:40 pm Planet Time
After the meeting with the Tong you move through the drift with a bit more confidence, as had there been a ambush in front of you, they would have told you of it. The passageway opens up into a wider and deeper area where mining had been taking place years ago but no long. The timbers that suppose the roof are cracked or dislodged in places, support the idea that something may have crashed here years ago.

The mine seems to go on forever, and in all directions and for a moment you wonder if you will need to shout out again to find Brigit but you see faint light coming from the base of the old mine shaft and hear the steady cussing. As you get closer, the bottom of the original mine shaft rises above you. You can feel the damp air in the mine drift up the shaft. There is an old abandoned cage of an elevator here, long since used. and the metal above is sheared off. In a shallow beneath the lift-cage, Brigit is sloshing around in ankle deep water. She is swearing in both Chinese and English and you're impressed. She doesn't repeat herself once. No wonder she's the school marm... Between the cussing you hear her complaining to herself about that no good Pearson and the useless Jim Blake and a few other men that have generally let her down in her opinion.

She stands up as you approach. Her clothing are soaked and cling to her body that make the men folk sudden aware of just how attractive she is and how voluptuous her body is under those wet wet clothing. She looks frustrated and sounded angry but she managed to compose herself. "Well hello Willow. Boys. You are a sight for sore eyes. Got the piece because I'd really like to get out of here with the treasure as soon as possible." She looks at Wyatt and Sam with a glance, "You two planning to shoot me? I'm unarmed. I'm offering treasure. Can we all get along here?"

(assuming some sort of response and a Where is Luke?")

Brigit laughs sadly, "Well damn I had hoped that you took care of Pearson on the way in. He ain't with me, he ain't part of my plan and frankly I hope to get the gold and get out without ever seeing his cold blue eyes again."

(assuming disbelief)

"Listen sugar. I was up front with you from the start. There is gold here, more than enough to share. Did I get greedy and try to cut you out? Sure but that was before I realized that Jimmy got himself all arrested and stuff. I'm sure you had nothing to do with that sugar?" She says with a meaningful look at Willow.

(what about the "deputies")

"Hey now that wasn't my fault. You pissed of that family with no help from me. They volunteered to Pearson when they heard they was vengeance to be had."

(what about ...)

"Listen. We can he said she said until we are all old and grey but I suggest we let bygone be gone and get ourselves rich. How about you come down here and I'll show you the setup."

Frisco, Day Nine 11:40 pm Planet Time
The Doc works on the wounds of Ash with the dermal mender and then loads a hypo-spray and injects Asher in the neck. Almost immediately, Ash feels better than he was before, better, stronger, faster ...

"This will get you going and make you feel right as rain. But you ain't and it is just fooling you so don't push your luck cause I can't be there to save you again." the doc warns and hands a package with two pills inside, "But you're young so you probably won't listen so if you get hurt, these will take the edge off. Don't get killed son. I'm running out of miracles."

Wolf takes off to grab the hover mule as bowman looks on. The older man muses a bit and then realizes something. "We are short a brother. Doc, isn't there three Brother Mustards?"

"Yep. He's around here somewhere. Could be in the mine with Pearson."

"Or might be here."

Doc sighed, "Yep. Not to mention a few low-lives that might think this would be a good time to take advantage of a bad situation."

"I'll be right back." Bowman says and he takes off at a run toward the crashed hovermule of the mustards.

After awhile, the sound of the Rocinante hovermule can be heard speeding to the now destroyed jailhouse. Some people are returning to their establishments but others are milling around as if waiting to see what happens next.

When Bowman returns, he is wearing the silver star of deputy on his duster and a determined look on his face. "Listen Ash, Wolf, I am going to stay here. I think these people need a real lawman right now and I think that best be me. You two go help Wyatt and I'll keep this place from going reaver in a handbasket." he says seriously and then smiles, "Besides, I really don't like the idea of going down in a mine anyway. Too cramped and tight for me. Go on! "

There were a lot of thoughts flashing in the brainpans of the two men accompanying Willow while they went their way through the dark. Wyatt remained stoicly grim and alert while Sam jumped at every drop of water, every strange shadow and his own imagination. But when their light accented the school marm in her angry pacing the two lines of thought went in completely different directions. She looked frustrated and sounded angry but she managed to compose herself. "Well hello Willow. Boys. You are a sight for sore eyes. Got the piece because I'd really like to get out of here with the treasure as soon as possible." She looks at Wyatt and Sam with a glance, "You two planning to shoot me? I'm unarmed. I'm offering treasure. Can we all get along here?""No," said Sam, a lump in his throat as his eyes traveled.

"Yes," said Wyatt, ammending in his slow drawl. "But depending on how the rest of the evening goes I might allow myself the disappointment. Where's your Lawman killer, Ms. Bridgette?"Brigit laughs sadly, "Well damn I had hoped that you took care of Pearson on the way in. He ain't with me, he ain't part of my plan and frankly I hope to get the gold and get out without ever seeing his cold blue eyes again."Wyatt never took his eyes off her, but allowed Willow to take the reins. Sam glanced at his friend (removing his eyes was one of the hardest things he's ever had to do) to guage how serious Wyatt was about his comment about killing Bridgette. Unable to read into Sung's expression he kept his hand on the butt of his pistol."Listen sugar. I was up front with you from the start. There is gold here, more than enough to share. Did I get greedy and try to cut you out? Sure but that was before I realized that Jimmy got himself all arrested and stuff. I'm sure you had nothing to do with that sugar?" She says with a meaningful look at Willow. "And the deputies that shot Ash?" Sam pushed."Hey now that wasn't my fault. You pissed of that family with no help from me. They volunteered to Pearson when they heard they was vengeance to be had."(what about ...)"Listen. We can he said she said until we are all old and grey but I suggest we let bygone be gone and get ourselves rich. How about you come down here and I'll show you the setup."

When Bowman returns, he is wearing the silver star of deputy on his duster and a determined look on his face. "Listen Ash, Wolf, I am going to stay here. I think these people need a real lawman right now and I think that best be me. You two go help Wyatt and I'll keep this place from going reaver in a handbasket." he says seriously and then smiles, "Besides, I really don't like the idea of going down in a mine anyway. Too cramped and tight for me. Go on! "
Ash smiled up at Andrew, “These are good people… and deserve a good Sheriff………, I’ve only just meet ya but you sure seem to be the right man.” Ash nodded to Andrew and then looked back to Doc.

With Doc’s help the kid got to his feet. Whatever that was that Doc just shot into him sure worked. “Tian-Ling-Ling, Di-Ling-Ling, Doc thanks, if it ain't a miracle, it sure is a good trick.”

“Well sounds like we’re down to the two worst of the bunch, Andrew you take care and keep your head down. Wolf, let’s go help Capt’n, Miss Willow and Sam. If Pearson is down there with Bridget then this ain’t going to be pretty.” Grabbing his guns and gear Ash hopped on the mule. “We ain’t got no surprises left, so let’s just make dust and get to the mine.”