Make My World Go Black

Chapter Three

The plan was simple. Sam would take Billy and Matilda up to the front of the town and the Blackstone agents as an unpredictable pair, while the rest of the group goes around and swoops in from behind the Sheriff and Bogue's men. There, with a surprised ambush and a well-planned out strategy, Sam and his small army were bound to win.

"Don't worry, darling," Faraday muses while loading one of his pistols, catching Matilda's attention as he was addressing her, "I'll leave some men for you to kill."

Tilda rolls her eyes upon his grin widening, and so she makes due with flashing the pistol in its holster by her side before she too, smiled, "Hate to break it to you, Mister Faraday, but I don't play fair. And I can't say I'll be leaving any men for you to kill in my wake."

"Miss Crawford," Sam beckons while climbing back onto his horse, "Time to move."

Matilda looks back at Faraday and then turns around with a huff, calling over her shoulder, "Just don't get in my way."

With Billy on one side of Sam's horse and Matilda on the other, the three strode into Rose Creek, the silence too dead to be called a town at all. Tilda felt chills through the cold, empty stares she earned from those townsfolk that were even outside to 'greet' the newcomers. Almost right away, a few people head inside for the upcoming storm they could already see brewing. Billy looks one way and sees curtains fall from where a face once observed him before. As the three get towards the end of town, as they barely walked twenty paces to come to an end, they finally come across the Sheriff, standing among a few men that were no doubt, Blackstone. Emma and Teddy painted a pretty clear picture that Bogue had left about twenty of his best men, the best that money could buy as it would seem, to guard the town and the valley full of mines, which by themselves have more Blackstone's lying and waiting.

The parade of men standing next to the Sheriff causes Sam to slow down his horse, and finally, they get a good old Western stand-off, neither man (or woman) budging.

Chisolm gives a curt nod, "Afternoon, gentlemen."

"Town's got a ban on firearms," the Sheriff appoints with his authoritative voice, "Check 'em in. Get 'em back on your way out."

"You don't mind me asking, but how is it all of you go so well-heeled?" Sam couldn't help himself. Despite how they were supposed to be pulling an act, he liked catching people in such a weak lie.

"These men are deputies." The Sheriff answered, but this time the voice falters a little.

Upon scanning the small crowd full of men and guns, Sam reappoints the Sheriff, "Awful lot of deputies for such a small place, ain't it?"

"What's his story?" Was all one of the rougher-looking men called Moody demanded in response, pointing at Billy with such a cross look and finger.

Sam takes a glance at Billy and plays it off quite nicely, "Ah, my manservant. He's harmless," Billy couldn't help but stare at the back of Chisolm's head as he dismounts from his horse, Matilda trying her best to hide her smirk, "Saved his life in Shanghai, debt of honor and the like."

"And her?"

Sam turns his head in the other direction to find Matilda standing off to the side, "My wife's daughter. Petite, young thing that she is," Tilda tilts her head in response, trying to look the part as neither of those really fit her description according to those who ever meet her, "Wanted to follow me out to see what I do for a living."

"Now, you don't mind giving up those guns, do you?" Another 'deputy' speaks up. McCann, as he's called, looked more of the leader type for this specific group.

"Absolutely. Law and order, I say," Sam willingly lets his guard down, arms up and slowly reaching down to grab his gun and hold it out to the group of men.