Lifesaver [Engl.]

32. The masks fall

Beans was very surprised when she saw Rango running out of the town hall. "Rango, what's wrong?"
But Rango wasn't listening to her at all. Now after he knew where Jake was going, he had to hurry before it was too late.
Without paying any more attention to Beans, he ran to the prison, where his roadrunner was still tied up. He got the saddle and bridled the animal.
Beans ran up to him with worry. "Rango? What are you doing there? Where do you want to go?"
"I don't have time to explain everything to you now," Rango avoided her question.
"But I want to know. I am entitled to it before you do anything stupid."
"I have to go before Jake does anything stupid."
"How so? What's going on? You don't even know where he is. He can be anywhere."
"Not this time. If Jake is so crazy, I trust him to do anything. Even so far that he puts himself in danger."
"But what's going on? Do you want to fight against the mongoose again? Better let someone help you."
But Rango shook his head. "That would take too long. I cannot wait. Besides, I don't want that anyone get hurt because of me."
Finally, he had saddled the animal and was ready to go. Without further hesitation, he mounted. Beans held the reins. "Rango wait ..."
"Beans, now please leave me. I really have to go..."
"Rango ..."
"Don't you understand? It's a matter of life and death!"
"That's all very well. But don't you want to change your clothes?"
Rango looked down at himself and noticed that he was still wearing his underwear.
"Oh, ... right." He quickly jumped off the roadrunner again, stormed into the jail, and hastily put on his pants, shirt, shoes, hat and his revolver belt.
In the meantime, Priscilla had come and looked up at Beans questioningly. "What is Rango up to do?"
Beans shrugged. "I have no idea."
At that moment, Rango ran out again and wanted to grab the reins, but Beans blocked his way.
"Rango, wait! Why are you putting yourself in such a danger? Jake isn't worth it."
"Beans, please, step aside. I can't leave him out there alone."
"What makes you to do such a stupid thing?"
"I promised him that nothing would happen to him!" Rango shouted vigorously and grabbed Beans by the shoulders. He looked her straight in the eyes. "And I will keep this promise. Just as I promised you that I would bring back the water. I kept my promise. Do you remember?"
Beans looked at him with concern. "I just don't want that anything happens to you."
Rango loosened his grip on her shoulders. Then he took her gently in his arms.
"Beans, trust me. Nothing will happen." He stroked her back soothingly. "I promise you that. And I've always kept my promise so far. But please don't make me break my promise with Jake."
Beans had to realize that there was no point in stopping Rango from doing so.
Dejected, she pulled away from Rango's embrace and gave him the reins.
Rango nodded gratefully. "Thank you, Beans."
At that moment, he heard a low whistle.
"Spoons! You come as called."
Spoons stopped in shock. "Yet again?"
"Of course!" Rango announced and took Spoons aside.
"Listen, you know the area so well. Do you know anything about an old abandoned human farm in the area?"

Rango stopped, his heart was pounding. The old farmer's house was not far away.
The building looked desolate and deserted and left a sad sight.
He looked around. When he was sure that no one was watching him, he hastily got off the roadrunner and almost fell off. The roadrunner cackled excitedly. Rango also felt a certain tension in the air, but couldn't tell why.
He patted the roadrunner reassuringly. "It's okay, boy. Stay calm."
He took his revolver out of his holster, checked the bullets again, then he walked slowly towards the farmhouse. On the way, he past the old fence. In Rango everything happened again before his inner eyes. A shiver ran down his spine at the thought of being tortured here in the open space. His eyes wandered in every direction. But nobody was to be seen. Only the howling of the wind could be heard, whipping up all the sand and bringing tears to Rango's eyes. Annoyed, the chameleon wiped the sand from his face. A little relieved, he reached the terrace of the farmer's house unscathed. He winced at every slight creak the old wooden beams made under his feet. Finally, he was at the door. He listened. What worried him most of all was that Jake wasn't there. Had anything happened to him? Was he late?
Rango swallowed down his fear. Now there was no turning back. Now he had to face his fear. This time all alone. But he was responsible. Nobody should be harmed because of him.
"My responsibility as a sheriff," he muttered softly.
He took another deep breath, then he called out as loud as he could. "Hello!? Is anyone here?"
No Answer. "Come out! Or are you too cowardly?"
Nobody answered.
Rango let a while pass. "Fine. Then I'll just have to get you cowards out."
With that, he lifted his foot and pushed the door open. It jumped up with a swing. Rango wanted to run in immediately, but then a gust of wind came and the door slammed again.
Rango whined when the door slammed shut on his nose.
"Damn! Damn it! "He cursed and rubbed his nose. Why had this always happen to him when he had an important performance?
Angrily, he opened the door again and hurried inside.
It was almost dark inside. Only faint rays of light penetrated the broken roof.
Rango looked around. The room was empty.
[CRACK]
Rango spun around. The door was shut. Shortly afterwards it opened again a crack.
Just the wind, he thought with relief.
Slowly he stepped forward into the middle of the room. There he stopped and pointed his revolver in all directions.
"Come out!" He shouted in a firm voice. "Or you are in a bad way!"
But nobody answered. Only the wind whistling through the leaky cracks could be heard.
Rango winced. Did he hear anything? There. Another low noise.
Rango screwed up his eyes and peered tensely into a dark corner of the room. His hand tightened on the trigger.
"Hello? Is anyone there?"
But everything remained calm. Rango had had enough now.
"Cowards," he grumbled softly.
He gave himself a jerk and walked cautiously towards the next room. He stopped in the doorway and looked into a dark room that was only lit by a faint oil lamp that stood on an old, small table.
Reluctantly, he went to the table. He looked around. But nobody seemed to be here, but a present from someone could be felt in this room. Rango eyed the lamp on the table suspiciously. Who lit the lamp?
He gave a start when he heard a soft throat clearing. He quickly turned around in the direction from which he suspected the noise.
"Who's there?", Rango gasped fearfully. This room was slowly becoming too weird for him. Why was the person hiding? "Come out!"
At first everything was quiet. But then he heard something heavy rolling on the floor.
Rango narrowed his eyes tightly. In one corner of the room, he saw only the faint outlines of a large figure in the faint light of the lamp.
With trembling hands, he reached for the oil lamp tap and turned it all the way up.
Immediately it became light in the room.
Rango almost knocked the lamp over in shock when he realized who was in the room with him.
"Hello, Mr. Rango," the figure greeted with a grin. "Nice to see you again."
Rango swallowed hard. The mayor stood in front of him in his wheelchair.