Death and all Her Friends Pt.2

It seems to last forever. Bound and gagged and draped over the back of another mans horse. Each step the animal takes is agony, his ribs bruising and the air to his lungs constricted. It has Jake breathing in a wheeze around the gag in his mouth, while he feels his extremities get colder and colder despite the winter jacket he wore. It was easier to close his eyes, blood rushing to his head giving him a thumping headache along with the pain in his stomach, but in the time he has them open he watches the ground turn from grass and moss and mud, to thick snow.

Darkness falls around them and eventually the blur of white crystals below is all he can make out. The thud of the horses hooves and the chatter of the men that rode in a twenty-strong army, taking them wherever they were headed.

The worst part was he could neither see nor hear Isabella and Ripley. If Leanna had wanted to torture him, she was doing a damn fine job of it already.

His mind races the entire journey, the knowledge that his baby daughters bonnet was currently stuffed in his mouth chilling him more than the bitter cold. Where was she? What had happened to her? Where was Mia and the others? Had Leanna raided their home too? How had she even found them? How long had she been tracking them? Why hadn't they heard anything of her jailbreak? He would certainly have been more on edge and cautious if he'd known.

Somewhere along the line, he passes out.



Colter | Dawn




"Wake up, killer."

A sharp smack to the cheek rouses him from the realm of unconsciousness. He blinks and groans, his eyelids feeling like they were half frozen together. They burned and stung as he opened them and he could see frost on the tips of his eyelashes, blurring his vision. His teeth immediately begin to chatter. He was still slung over the back of someones horse, but they were stationary now. Tethered. He lifts his head as much as he can and makes out the wooden struts of buildings.

"Gonna untie your feet." A male voice grunts behind him. "You try any funny business, remember.. we've got your kids."

The statement alone is enough to stop escape plans forming in their tracks. He simply grunts through his gag and agrees to terms, then feels rope give and his legs free up. He's assisted off of the horse and doubles over when he's on his feet, groaning as his midsection objects and he feels a bit like he's going to throw up.

Across from him, Isabella actually does throw up. One of the men getting the gag out of her mouth in the nick of time.

"Take em off, can't have 'em all choking to death already." Someone else barks.

A moment later, the gag slips from his mouth and he spits his daughters bonnet to the snowy ground, gasping for air with his arms twisted behind his back still. He licks his cold chapped lips to get life back in to them, and looks across to Isabella on her knees in the snow.

"You okay?" he rasps across to her.

A hand swipes the back of his head, making him snarl. "Shut up. You talk when we say you can."

"Get your hands offa me!" Ripley wheezes as soon as the gag is out of her mouth. She's answered with a swift smack in the face and she lands with a heavy thud on her back in the snow drift.

Jake's fists clench in their restraints. Anger like he'd never felt surging through him. But there's no time to think on it, or even gather his thoughts as he's yanked upright and pulled along. His body felt numb and his mind struggled to keep up. They'd been so cold for so long it was a wonder they were functioning at all.

They're led to a barn. The large double doors kicked open by the two men escorting him. Inside might not be a warm desert island, but with walls to guard against the biting wind and the warmth of lamps lining them, it felt nearly tropical.

It's an immediate relief as they're bundled inside. But then the three of them spot the others. Mia, Leon, Valerie and Yuliy. Hands tied and huddled together in one of the stable stalls, their eyes widen as the trio are brought in.

Leon's face sported bruises and a cut lip. He'd fought whoever had raided the ranch, it's a strange comfort to Jake.

"Sit." One man grunts, gesturing to a single chair in front of the center stable. Isabella and Ripley are bustled toward the others, and Ripley is shoved down to the ground in front of them for continuing to have a smart mouth. One of the men crouches in front of her, grasping her chin and telling her in a hissed whisper she better learn her place and quick. Wisely, she keeps further smart remarks to herself.

"I said, sit." Jake's masked captor reiterates, and a second later he's all but manhandled in to the chair. He goes, his aching body somewhat glad of the respite. He looks across to Mia and the others, catching her eyes.

"I'm sorry.." he croaks.

The crack to the jaw is swift and almost knocks him off of the chair. He somehow catches his balance, spitting a wad of blood and saliva to the dirt and raising his head again, glaring daggers back at the man that hit him.

"Quiet."

He's re-positioned on the chair, and he finds himself gazing at an empty stable stall in front of him. Feeling numb, he focuses on moving his fingers and toes, on bringing life back in to his frozen body. His tongue felt thick in his mouth and he could taste the metallic tang of blood. Spitting again, he glances around the masked men that held them captive. Puzzling.

"What's with the masks?" he asks in a gravelly grunt, "can't all be that ugly."

He's jabbed in the ribs by the butt of a shotgun, and struck again to the side of the head. This time, he lands in the dirt, cold mud caking the side of his face as he gasps for air.

They're hauling him back in to the lone chair when the double doors open again.

Leanna, bursting in to the chilly barn leading a horse.

"Blue.." he breathes, frowning and watching as she guides the animal in to the stable in front of him.

She pets his neck and the travel weary silver Turkoman that Jake had once given to Sara as a gift, nuzzles the woman's pockets in search of a treat. She laughs softly, running her hand over the animals elegant nose. Her eyes flick to Jake in his seat and her smile doesn't fade.

"He's quite the animal." She praises. "I bet he would make me a fantastic mount."

Jake glowers and Leanna gives Blue a final pat, then steps away from him and looks over to the others.

"I know you must all be frozen and in need of rest. We'll get to that. First, I expect you'd like to know why you're all here. Why I didn't just have you all killed where you stood?"

"Where's my daughter?" Mia speaks up.

She's instantly struck by one of their captors, which prompts an immediate reaction from Jake.

Leanna stands stoic and silent as the snowy barn erupts for a moment or two. The captives are subdued again soon enough. With Jake back in his seat, she addresses mainly him. "You always did have poor impulse control. Please understand, Jake.." she crouches down in front of him and rests her hands on his knees. "I don't want to kill those children. But I will."

He lunges and is immediately wrenched back in the chair, pinned there by two sets of giant hands.

She rises, pursing her lips and tutting. "I will if you continue to defy me. One snap of my fingers and my men will ride until they bleed to send word back to the ones that have them. They will die, one by one, until you give me what I want."

"What do you want?" He seethes through his teeth.

Her sneer becomes a toothy grin, a wide, Cheshire Cat smile and twinkling eyes that spoke of madness long since settled in. "My life back! A family, a house, a cute little fence and daises surrounding a pristine yard.." she sighs dreamily. "To not have these memories in my head of the things you did to me."

"I never touched you."

"You burned my home to the ground." She suddenly snarls, the melody gone from her voice. "You took me from my family and delivered me to that... excuse for a man. You might not have been the one to turn me in to this, but you played your part. The fact you think you get to run around now, playing house with that whore of his and pretending like none of it ever happened makes me sick."

She raises a hand like she's about to slap him, then stops herself, her fingers curling back and a new expression claiming her features. One of thought in place of anger.

"I made you a promise, didn't I." She sighs. "The last time we met, do you remember? I swore that if you let me go I would dedicate my entire life to making yours miserable before I kill you. That, dear friends, is why we are all here." She sweeps her arm back, gesturing toward the others huddled together and shivering from the cold, watching the madness unfold. "You're going to do a little job for me."

Jake frowns, snorting. "A job?"

Her eyes snap back to him. "How many trains have you relived of their treasures over the years, would you say?"

He blinks, shrugging. "A few."

She grins. "I count twelve since the time you stole me from my family, but I could be wrong. My memory of those early years is foggy, bits and pieces here and there but nothing solid." She lingers a moment, her eyes rolled to the ceiling. Eventually they drop back to him. "You're going to rob a train for me. You, and the rest of your friends. You owe me a life, Jake. I saw what you did in Saint Denis, quite the escapade. I'm sure with you leading the way you and my men will be able to pull it off."

Jake just snorts. "You're crazy."

She slaps him this time, her nails leaving three little scratches on his cheek. He rolls his jaw, skin stinging and face throbbing.

"I wonder who I have to thank for that?" She hisses, leaning in close to him. "Will you ever take responsibility for what you have done?"

"What do you want me to say?" he asks. "I've said I'm sorry. I can't change it. Don't you think I would if I could?"

Leanna sneers, her blonde hair like a lions mane, messy and unkempt. Like she'd been pulling at it.

"Alexanders dead. I killed him. It's over." He says wearily.

"Oh! Well then, silly me.. all better!" She sing songs, turning away from him and glowering at the others, then spinning on her heel to look back. "I think I'll decide when it's over for me. You get to do exactly as I say, when I say it, or I will string those babies up and bring you only pieces of them to mourn. Understand?"

Jake grits his teeth.

"There are men on those mountains, watching. They see you step out of line, they'll be half way to where they're kept before you can blink."

"How do we know they're even still alive?" He challenges, the question catching in his throat.

"You'll just have to trust me. I don't want you to make me more of a monster than I already am, Jake. But I will. To make you suffer."

Jake bows his head, staring a hole through the floor as Leanna stands before him. She rests a hand on his hair, stroking and tangling her fingers in the black locks that were pulled back in to a scruffy knot.

"I know it's a lot for someone like you to take in. But I have been planning this for months. I have all of the pieces in place, and when you're ready to accept this is just the way things are now, I'll tell you about the train." She purrs, petting him like a cat.

He looks up to her through strands of loose hair, blue eyes fixing on hers. "Don't hurt my daughter, or any of those kids."

She cups his chin in her hand. "You have my word, so long as I have yours."

He swallows, his mouth tasted bitter. "I'll do it. We'll.. do it."

Smiling, she just nods. "Good."

Stepping back, she gestures for one of the men to assist Jake to his feet, then looks across to the others. "I hope all of you are sensible enough to understand, you do as I say, you will all get to live and see your children again. There's no idle threats here, I keep my word."

The others glare, but there's a kind of resignation to all of them. It pleases Leanna no end.

"Please believe I don't want to make this any harder than it has to be. So lets just co-operate and I think we can all be friends." She grins, motioning to her men again. "Take them to their rooms, give them blankets and food. We'll rest a while."

The armed and masked men begin to help the others up, while Leanna's eyes drift back to Jake.

"Just to be sure we understand each other.." she moves toward him again, a predatory prowl as something shifts in her sparkling eyes. "I'm going to make good on the first of the promises I made you."

"What do you mean?" He asks, his voice a weary rumble.

He notices her tuck her hand in to the long leather trench-coat she wore and draw her revolver from it's holster. He braces for some kind of shot. Instead, she turns away from him and raises the gun at a different target. "I said I was going to destroy everything you love, Jake. Starting with your horse."

It happens almost in slow motion for all of them, as she puts the gun to the brow of his beloved Blue and holds it there for just a moment. Her finger closes on the trigger and screams erupt from the captive women as the gunshot rings out and the majestic silver Turkoman slumps to his knees. The spray of blood hits Jake's face like knives, and the roar of a sound that is torn out of him has sleeping ravens bursting from the trees outside.

The men release him as he surges toward his horse, his hands free and guns trained on him he reaches Blue and throws himself down beside him. He covers the wound with his palm like it could somehow make a difference as hot, sticky blood pours through his fingers. Desperately, he strokes Blue's neck with the other.

Blue twitches, his legs kicking ever so slightly as he holds on to whatever seconds of life he has left, a tiny wicker escaping a velvet soft muzzle.

With tears filling his eyes and blurring his vision, Jake lowers his head to the animals cheek, resting his brow against warm fur. "Don't go, buddy.. please.. not you too.." he whispers, his voice a strangled choke.

Blue stills. The majestic beast letting out a sigh of a sound before he sags.

Jake just sobs.

"I'm sorry.. I'm so sorry.." he wraps his arms around his horses neck and holds him, warm winter fur soaking up his tears.

Leanna puffs a strand of hair from her eyes as Isabella and Mia rush over to offer comfort to Jake.

Valerie and Ripley wipe tears and Leon does his best to comfort Yuliy, who had no idea what was happening, who this woman was and why she'd just killed Blue.

She holsters her gun and looks to her men. "Move them when they're done with this little pity party." She gestures, then gazes at Jake for a while. Reveling in his pain.

She wanted more.

Leaving them to it, she heads back out in to the freshly falling snow.

The armed and masked men begin moving them, hauling Yuliy up and to his feet. "Whats the matter boy? You dumb? MOVE!" One of them shouts at him.

"He's deaf! He can't hear you! You goddamn idiot." Leon grunts in return, defending the boy.

One of them crouches beside Ripley, who gazes at Blue and Jake with a haunted look in her eyes. The masked captor hooks her arm, coaxing her to her feet. As they stand, the mask leans closer and simply whispers two words.

"I'm sorry."

Ripley blinks, confused, as she's led away with Valerie. Jake's pained sobs and pleas for Blue echo in painful song, out in to the dawn behind them.

He'd never expected hell to feel so cold.