The Sin Hunter: Double or Nothing

From the Start

When Jack had first received the call about Liana's death, he was out on patrol through the desert, roaming in search of a potential threat on the mail cars riding through Eastern Oklahoma. Sure, the rest of the 21st Century kept its distance from Western Ridge, but that never prevented modern day bandits and robbers from attacking mail trains and stealing cash. At the moment, Jack couldn't see anything too out of the ordinary from his proud perch atop the beautiful orange canyon cliffs, with the rustling of pine trees to soothe his nerves. Jack was adjusting his grip on his horse's reins when he felt something in his pocket vibrating.

Extending a hand to his hip for the small phone, Jack slid the device to his ear. "Hello?" he answered. A voice responded. It was Harry, his childhood pal. "Hey Jack! How've you been?" Jack chuckled, wiping a bit of dust from his face. "Ah, none too shabby m'self, bud. What brings you to call? I'm out on patrol." Harry replied with a laugh. "Out on patrol? How the heck do you have service out there?" Jack shifted in his saddle. "Something that Doc whipped up for me. A special kinda gadget. No matter where I go, whenever I need to make a call, it automatically connects. No subscriptions required." Harry was shocked at the news, evident by his tone. 

"Wow. No need for cell service, huh?" Jack winked to himself. "You betcha. So, as you were saying? What's going on?" "Huh? O-oh, right. Sorry." Harry's expression and tone darkened noticeably, to which jack shifted again in his saddle. Silverback, his steed, had occupied himself with a patch of grass that looked quite delicious after a long ride. "Did...did Raine tell you what happened to Liana?" Jack nearly dropped his phone in alarm, his heartbeat quickening. "No. No, she did not. What happened to Liana, what's wrong?" And Harry spoke, after a bit of encouraging. Jack dropped his reins, eyes averting to the farthest edges of Western Ridge, eyes watering from shock.

"We were at the funeral yesterday. Everybody was there. Doc, Max and their kids, we were all hoping you'd show. I guess you were never told, huh?" Jack dismounted Silverback, his boots crunching on a patch of dry pine needles. "God, I...I wasn't there..." Jack quaked, resting an arm against the rough pine bark. "hey, don't say that, Jack. Listen, it's alright." Harry reasoned. But Jack spun in a blind fury, in his rage striking the tree and knocking a solid, fist-shaped chunk from the base. "But it isn't, Harry! Liana was the only person I ever...I ever..." Jack growled, but the growl slowly retreated into a whimper, then a panicked, choked sob. Harry remained quiet while Jack struggled to keep his throat open.

"When did she die?" he asked. Harry returned to the phone. "Two weeks ago. The doctors announced her dead at twelve till midnight." Jack leveled his gaze with the canyon edges now, struggling to comprehend what had happened. "Did the doctors say how she died?" Harry paused, clearing his throat. "Uh, no. Strange, too. She seemed fine when we met her in the hospital, but nothing else seemed wrong. The doctors never declared what had been her cause of death. Just, 'stopped working.' Odd." Jack felt his upper lip curving into a malicious snarl as he turned back for his steed, not bothering to use the saddle. 

He leapt into the air, higher than most should have been able to, landing in the saddle while his fingers locked tight around the reins. "I'll be in New York this weekend. We're getting this figured out." Harry perked up at the mention. "Wait, you mean it? But what about-" "Western Ridge?" Jack cut off. "I've got Mary to take care of this old place. She needs to know about this, too." Harry nodded, then, from the other end, sounds of moving through a room of people became clearer. "That's-that's great, Jack! God, I can't wait to see you again!" Jack nodded, a grin of vengeance forming on his face while his eyes, still stung and red, turned toward the sunset. 

"Yeah. It'll be about darn time I got the gang back together. And Harry?" Jack asked, gently snapping the reins to move forward down the cliff face. "yeah?" Harry responded. "Tell Cynthia I'm coming in. She'll be intrigued to hear what my process is." "Roger that!" Harry replied, and Jack hung up the call, shoving the phone back into his pocket. 'I've got suspects to lasso up, some knots to untie, and old friends to say hello to again. I've been gone for far longer than I should've been.' "C'mon, Silverback! Let's ride!" Jack snapped the reins now, charging like lightning before the thunder, roaring down from the cliffs toward the Canyon Path, connecting the Ridges between one another.

Mary walked around the bend through the old cabin, whistling a little ditty her parents had taught her when she was a toddler while she polished off the old family rifle, hanging the vintage tool upon the fireplace with the portrait of her birth father. Mary stepped away from the fireplace, dusting off her hands with a smile. "Whew! You'd be too proud of this ol' place, Avery. I'd see ya with a heart attack if you knew how amazing this place has become since you left." As Mary crossed her arms in content, the door into the cabin burst inward, and in stormed a very concerned and very rushed Jack. Mary turned with a yip, clutching her chest. "Oh. Jack, you startled me! What's with the big rush?"

Jack turned to face his sister, eyes dark and swollen. Mary paused, leveling her gaze with the upset man before her. This was not a side of her brother she had witnessed in years. "Whoa. What got you swollen' up like that?" Jack clenched his fist, teeth white and gritting beneath the shadow of the door, hiding his face from sight. "I have business up North to attend to. Think you and Silas and his whole posse can watch the Town while I'm gone?" Mary chuckled, walking across the room to place her hands on her brother's shoulders. "Jackson Winchester. You know as damn well as I do that this place is always ready to deal with intruders. You go wherever you're needed, ya hear?"

Jack nodded, wiping away the red from his face, and clasping both hands around his sister's back, embracing her. "I don't know when I'll be back. All I know is that I've got some family business to deal with." Mary nodded, planting her hands on her hips while Jack stepped away. "Right. Well, whoever's got you bawling your eyes out like that, you tell 'em you've got a little sister who doesn't take kindly to snobs." Jack grinned, a weak, damaged grin, but a confident one nonetheless. "You know I will," he nodded, turning and dashing for the staircase to their rooms. Mary chuckled, turning away with a swish of her blond ponytail. "If only you knew, dad. Mom's put up with too much in this house, I'm telling you now."