Outlaws

Chapter Seven

(Caleb's POV)
I pushed Hero on and meet the band of lawmen on horseback.
"Howdy Caleb," One of them, a man a in his late twenties pushed his hat back and greeted me. I forced a smile and nodded.
"Hey there, Mr. Dale," Another one of the men, a much younger lawman at about the age of eighteen, smiled excitedly.
"Hi," I nodded. I couldn't hurt them. They were too innocent. But, I wouldn't be able to stop Jade from putting a bullet through their heads. I'd heard of what she had done to our men. I'd seen what she'd can do. I had to save these men but, maybe even more importantly, I couldn't let them hurt Jade.
"She went this way," I pointed down the road and lead them that way. Hero trotted down the nearest alley and we went out onto the next stretch of empty land.
"She's up there," I pointed to the patch of trees that lead up a mountain range.
"Are you sure, Mr. Dale?" The young lawman asked
"Affirmative," I replied
"But, there are no hoof prints in the sand..." The slightly older man responded, giving me a look
"And? She's crafty, is Jade Evans, and she's up there. I've only been following her for the past couple of days. I saw her go up there with my own two eyes. She's up there alright," I pulled Hero to one side "I'm going this way. She has men working with her. They could be watching us right now. I'll take them out; You find her," I pulled my gun from my holster and took my reins in one hand before leaving the men behind. I barely looked behind me, knowing they would follow my orders. Hero's hooves thundered across the town to the barn. I pushed open the door.
"Jade..." I whispered. She appeared and climbed down the loft ladder. "Grab Firefly," I sat up on Hero "We have to go," She nodded and untied Firefly. She mounted her horse. On the opposite side of town was another mountain range.
"If we can make it to Brisbee, we make it across the border," I told her "You'll... We'll be safe in Mexico..."
"Yeah..." Jade pushed Firefly forward and squeezed my hand.
We left, out the back door. The plains were empty and lonesome. Firefly and Hero galloped side by side until we reached hillside. Jade stopped Firefly after she hide in the brush.
"I can hear something..." She whispered. I peered through the bushes and spotted a group of men on horseback galloping towards us.
"Run..." I murmured "Run!" This time it was a yell. Jade kicked her heels and Firefly began to canter up the hill. I waited for a moment and then followed after her.
We reached the top; they were close behind us.
"I'll shot her, Caleb!" The young lawman yelled and pulled his gun out "Caleb!"
Jade pulled a loaded gun out of her saddle pouch and aimed it at the other men.
"Jade, no!" I urged Hero forward and stopped the horse in between the men and Jade.
"Don't shoot," I warned the lawmen. I turned to Jade. "You neither," She lowered her gun.
"Caleb, I'm gonna have to ask you to move!" The older lawman yelled
"Sorry, sir, but I can't do that," I kicked Hero forward and Firefly bolted forward too. Jade grabbed her reins, tightly, and she followed me.
"Caleb!" The older man shouted but I ignored him. As we cantered down the gradual slope of the other side of the hills. There was a canyon up ahead, a steep drop with bridge made of rock leading down into its depths. Jade went down first, disappearing in a maze of rock. I lead Hero down the pathways into the canyon. We twirled in and out of the zig-zagging patterns.
"Come out, Caleb!" I heard a voice "She can't hide forever!"