The Cowboys

**Sorry it's so long. ***

As Jade rode off, Bethany smiled and entered Phantom's stall, saddling and bridling him. As she led him outside, she eyed the man on the ground, furrowing her brows. She sighed and rolled her eyes. Once her and Phantom were outside, she mounted him and rode off to get some ammunition.

Once she found the store, she unmounted and walked up to the door, only to find it locked and closed up.

"A large group of people left the shop yesterday, along with the owner," a man told her who walked past.

"Wait, sir. Hold on a minute." Bethany walked over to Phantom and got the flyers out of one of the saddle bags. She walked back over to the man and got Billy Cooks' flyer. "Have you seen this man?" she asked.

The man roughly grabbed the flyer out of her hand, giving her a mean look. He looked down at the flyer. "Yeah, I seen him," he said, handing it back.

"Can you tell me where he went?" she stuck the flyers in the side of her jeans, in case she needed them again soon.

The man shifted and hooked a thumb in his belt loop, eyeing her up and down. "Only if you give me something beforehand," he growled, smiling mischeviously.

Bethany rolled her eyes and marched up to him, grabbing his neck and shoving him backwards against the building. Taking a shiv out of her belt, she roughly placed it against his neck. "I don't think you understand my situation here, sir," she whispered to him. "I need to catch this man before he does anything else stupid. Now, if you'd be so kind as to tell me where he is, I'd greatly appreciate it. Without anything in return."

The man laughed, wrapping his arms around her waist. "You're kinda feisty. I like that in a woman."

Bethany kneed him hard inbetween the legs, casuing him to let go and fall to the floor, holding himself. Squatting down she said, "Now. Where did Billy Cook go?"

"Jumped...into a wagon...heading out of town." he gritted through his teeth.

"Which way?"

The man pointed and Bethany mounted Phantom again, galloping in the direction the wagon went.

Jack Stanley

Leaning on Maverick's saddelhorn, Jack watched with bored, tired eyes as the cattle made their ways between paddocks, lowing contentedly. He could hardly remember how long it had been since he'd last moved. No wonder I chose roaming over Ty's offer of a position on this place... He thought. He was starting to wish some rustlers would show up, just so he could get some action. Anything would do for him, anything that would give him the chance to just do something. How does Ty manage?

He looked out over the road for a long few minutes, simply watching the trail that lead back into town. I could just ride off now... He thought, Ty'd understand. Pippa might be a little annoyed, but they'd understand. He mentally slapped himself, reminding himself that he had a bounty on his head back in the real world. For the time being, this was the best thing he could do for himself.

Adriane

I nodded. She looked a bit young to be a housekeeper, much less even being considered possibly as Tyrel's wife.

"Where's are your parents? Or is it just you?"




***Bleh...I'm kinda out of it at the moment. Sorry I didn't follow my own advice, too...***

Tyrel:

"Just me and Pippa, she's my little sister. Our parents died a while ago." HE shrugged


**ugh**

Billy Cook

I strode out to some of the paddocks and waved at a tall man with wavy brown hair and a pair of pistols strapped to his side.
"Hey, I don't think we've met. Billy Cook," I extneded an arm once I was close enough to the man and, beaming, held my hand out to him, waiting for him to shake it. After a slight pause, most likely unnerved by my exuberance, the man accepted the hand shake and, with a thin smile replied,
"Jack Stanley, pleased to meet you, Mr Cook."
"And you too, Mr Stanley" I smiled, "I noticed you over here and you looked mighty bored. Figured you could do with a bit of a change from this monotony and so I'm here to replace you." It was shortly after the words had left my mouth that I realised how insensitive they'd sounded - "to replace you". Didn't look like I'd be making many friends out here all that quickly. I hoped Jack had understood I had not meant any offence, but just to be sure I added "No offence mind you," and a short but forced chuckle which I'm pretty sure he saw right through.
"Yeah, well thanks 'n' all but I think you'll find Tyrel planned for me to stay here all day," Jack Stanley replied glumly.
"Ah don't worry, I'll just cover a few hours if you like - one if you feel that pressed to return - and you can just go do something more...stimulating, eh? Wouldn't that be better than sitting watchin' these cows wander back an' forth all bleedin day?" I suggested.

Jade:

Jade's horse stepped out onto the street and Jade looked both ways. To the left was most of the town's business's, so she headed that way. The road wasn't to busy, just a few people milling about in the early morning. Jade's sharp ears caught the distant sound of a breakfast bell being rung and her stomach growled with hunger.

She passed another saloon, the Sheriff's office, which she gave a wide radius, a barber, and finally she came to a restaurant.

She hopped off her horse and tied him up. She entered the diner's double doors and looked around, observing the several tables that were scattered about, but everything looked dirty and the food left much to be desired. Jade grimaced and contemplated going somewhere else, but hr stomach overpowered her desire for flavor.

She walked over to an empty table in the corner and ordered scrambled eggs with a side of bacon. While she was waiting, she glanced around the resaurant. There were a few families at some of the tables, but at one table there was a man who was staring at her, his brow furrowed. Jade knew that look. That was the look people gave her when they recognized her from a "Wanted" poster. She didn't like the looks of the situation one bit, but then her food arrived and blocked her view of the man. When she looked back, he was gone and the double doors were swinging. I'd better get out of here fast, she thought. She scarfed down the burnt bacon and half-cooked eggs and scurried out of the diner.

Jade jumped on her horse and whistled for Grant, who emerged from the side of the diner. Jade began galloping back to the saloon, trying to decide what to do next.

Jack Stanley

He laughed, suddenly. This Billy Cook character wasn't so bad after all, "You just read my mind, friend. Granted, stimulating's hard to find in this part of the world, reason I left in the first place." He grinned, "Still, I appreciate your help here, and I'm pretty sure Maverick does too. I'll just ride the perimeter for a bit, so if Tyrel asks, I'm still doing something useful. Shouldn't be longer'n an hour."

He rode about a hundred metres down the dusty road leading back into town, then turned and tipped his hat to Billy. Then he nudged Maverick into a canter and set off around the ranch.

By the time he crested one of the hills overlooking the ranch, it was clear to him, as it would be clear to anyone, that there was absolutely nothing amiss. No chance for adventure, and no reason to go on 'checking security'. But Billy was still covering for him for at least another half an hour, so he might as well just relax a bit longer. He looked back to the gate Billy was keeping watch at, saw the man sitting on his own horse in much the same way that he knew he'd been sitting on Maverick. Should probably head back there soon...after all, being bored's my job, I shouldn't be passing it off to him.

Then he saw dust rising from the road far down its length, out of Billy's sight. A rider - barely distinguishable from this distance, was bearing down full pelt on the ranch. Now what could his hurry be, I wonder... Knowing Tyrel would want to hear about this, he urged Maverick to match the newcomer's speed, reaching Billy Cook long before he could.

"Billy - there's a rider comin' through now. Get back to Tyrel and let him know."

Billy gave him a confused look, then, seeing the look of urgency on Jack's face, turned his horse and rode back towards the ranch, leaving Jack looking out to the rider emerging on the horizon. Let's just hope they're not here for what I think they are.

Tyrel looked at Billy and saddled his horse up quickly taking off after where Billy had come a few minutse before.

He raced to where Jack was and stopped along side him as the other rider was settling their horse from who knew what.

"Can I help you?" He asked loking at the rider then glancing at Jake.

Jade:

She urged her horse at a full gallop and sped down the street until she reached the Sheriff's office. Then she slowed down so she wouldn't draw any attention to herself. But it was too late. The man from the diner was coming out, and the sheriff was right behind him. Jade gasped and quickly brought Stonewall to a gallop again. The sheriff yelled at her to stop and fired three shots, but Jade dodged them and rode straight to the saloon. Her mind raced as she pulled her horse to a stop.
Matt, she thought, I could ask Matt for help. It was a crazy idea, but the sheriff was on her tail and the thought of a jail cell convinced her that it was the only thing to do. She jumped off Stonewall and entered the stables again. She found Matt getting his stuff together. He looked up in surprise.
"What in the name of Sam Hill are you doin' here?" he asked.
"Matt, the Sheriff is on my tail and I need your help. Will you help me?" She stood there panting, knowing full well that he could turn her in, but she waited anxiously for his reply.

Bethany tipped her hat to the two men. "I'm looking for an outlaw," she told them. They gave each other an anxious glance. She finally recognized one of them from the fliers. "No worries, Mr. Jack. I'm not after you." Jack looked at her with shocked eyes, and she smiled. His face was so handsome!

Bethany pulled the fliers from her waist, handing them Billy Cook's. "I'm looking for a man by the name of Billy Cook. He's wanted for the murder of three men. Have you seen him?"

Jack Stanley

This day just got interesting... He thought to himself. There he'd been, moping about how nothing interesting ever happened on Tyrel's farm, and then a pretty bounty hunter turns up, not looking for him, but by sheer fluke, looking for the very man he'd just sent back to the ranch proper.

He held up one hand, gathering his thoughts,"Wait, hold on. You're not after me?"

She gave him a wan smile, shaking her head. Jack faked disappointment, hopefully giving Tyrel a chance to get some kind of signal to Billy. And just to flirt with her, as well. "Ah, well. I suppose the Union Pacific'll have the Pinkertons after me anyway." He tipped his hat, "But I'll try'n take your not hunting me as a compliment, miss...?"

"Bethany, but most call me BJ."

He nodded, "I'm Jack, but Ty and a few others call me Jake. Either's fine. Now, as to your wanting to talk about that Billy Cook character, there was a guy called Billy passed through here a day or two ago, wasn't there, Ty?" Tyrel gave a cautious nod, seeming to wonder what Jack was getting at. They said there was no honour among thieves, but to Jack, Billy had seemed like a nice guy. And triple murder meant hanging, and nice guys just weren't meant for the rope.

Jack continued, "Might've been the one you're looking for, but I can't be sure, he didn't give his last name." Jesus H. Christ I'm treading on thin ice here. If she finds out I'm hiding him, that could mean my neck as well as his, let alone my chances of a pretty girl who doesn't look about ready to stick in one town.

Bethany smiled, leaning forward her saddle. She put her chin in her hand, resting her elbow on the horn of the saddle. "Well, since I can't seem to find my friend Cook at the moment, I might as well take you instead, Jack. Other than for turning you in, of course." Her eyes sparkled. "Your bounty's not big enough to interest me, and you don't seem like the type of guy who could pull off a train robbery."
Suddenly her stomach growled and she leaned back, blushing. "I guess I forgot to get me some breakfast this morning or pack any food," she laughed. She nodded to Jack and Tyler, turning her horse around towards town. "Thank you for your help. I'll be seen you soon, I hope," she said, winking at Jack.

Jack

He raised his eyebrows, grinning ear to ear, the fate of Billy Cook pushed from his mind by her sparkling eyes and her flirtatious mockery of his not-so-villainous nature. As she turned her horse and started leading it at a slow walk back down the road, Jack cast a pleading look at Tyrel.

The rancher sighed, looking at his old friend with a slightly pitying expression, "Fine, just be back by tonight. And don't expect me to let you go into town every time you see a girl you like. If you want to work for me, you're going to have to actually pitch in around here from time to time."

Jack nodded, still grinning, and wheeled Maverick to go after Bethany, galloping down the road until he reached her, the farm still barely in sight.

"So you really don't take me for the type capable of organising a train robbery?" When she shook her head, he shrugged, "Well, Union Pacific'd disagree with you on that, but if it means you're not going to arrest me..." He spread his arms, smiling, "I'm as innocent as a child. Mind if I buy you lunch?"

Bethany sat up straight in the saddle, lifting her chin high. She smiled. Even though she spent most of her time in the wilderness with no one but her horse, she still knew how to play hard-to-get. "You want to buy me lunch, now, do you? You're really going to risk going into down?"

Jack let his arms fall back to his sides, and he shrugged.

Bethany laughed. "Don't worry. I wouldn't let you go into town if I thought you were going to be at risk of being thrown in jail. I wouldn't let 'em, anyways. Me an' the Sherrif are pretty close; actually, I'm kinda close with almost everyone."

Adrianne

"I'm sorry," I whispered after a moment. Then my stomach growled. I giggled at his expression. "I guess I'm hungrier than I thought. Shall we?"




***Ugh...***