Sadie Outlaw Ep. 021: Noose Travels Fast

"So do I." Malarky smiled at the judge. "I think this also belongs to you." Hanky handed back he claimed it and also placed it in a pocket. "Escort me back to the stage? I would feel so much safer with you."

"Of course, My dear! Your day has been tragic." A glance back at the Latina prizefighter he smiled, "Do join us fellow traveler."

"Right behind you Judge."

Taking the lead Troy and Malarky had space between they Madigan and this newcomer. Maddy had questions via whisper. "Who are you?"

"Don't look a gift filly in the mouth. I saved your sweet ass."

"How was there money in those wallets?"

"Not enough money but money. I replaced it so that they wouldn't grow suspicious of your sister's thievery. You still have moolah in your corset."

"You saw everything?"

"I did! Eagle eye!" A wink shared!

"My sister tossed this wallet out in the country. How did you get it?"

"Like I said, good eye."

"I'm not buyin' it! Who are you?"

"Conchita Hernado."

"I'm thinkin' you been following us, haven't you? Your going to Sugar Plum too can't be no coincidence."

"Nope! Here to set things straight. For the second time."

"Second time! Say what?"

"Let's save your brothers without you two mucking it all up."

"Whoa!"

What was going on here? Was this woman some Guardian Angel?

Conchita? Why did that name sound familiar?

********

Slightly over a hundred miles away!

"Horses up ahead!" Sadie Lynn Outlaw pointed for her rider Chasing Wind to notice. "Let's hoof it from here, Windy Lou." Halting Tarnation she patted his neck. "Elevator this time?" He stood his ground. "Figures!" Helping Chasing Wind from the stallions back Sadie dismounted right behind her. Once on the ground Tarnation buckled his knees and laid down in the sand. "You waited just to piss me off, didn't ya?"

Tossing the reins Sadie took the lead up the stretch of rocks and to the cave entrance where three other horses relaxed in the shade of the rocks above. "Let's hope Ned Potter finds that loot. I don't wanna waste more time than I've got to spare. Quite a few things to do yet before Jessup arrives." Thoughts became vocal, "Watch your step, Windy. Rocks are loose."

"I will not fall."

"No but you might fall for me." Sadie chuckled making a kissing noise at the Comanche cutie. "I'm still holding you to that threesome with Gnawin' Beaver. I wanna know if he lives up to his name." Famous last words! In the distance they heard Ned Potter scream like a girl.

"COPPERHEADS!" Sadie immediately thought about the biker gang in her future. She knew better but it was impulse thought.

"Stay out here." She waved Chasing Wind back then proceeded on her own. A number of twists and turns she was met by Dorieann Finn and Ned as they raced for safety. Halted by running right into Sadie the redhead would not be moved. "Hold yer horsepower!"

"Snakes, Diva Diablo!"

"Lots of snakes Sadie."

"Where's Beaver and Reed?"

"Tryin' to get the cash box from the pit." Dorie spoke up.

"Wait! Ned found the bank money?"

"I did! I was right, Diva Diablo. I jus' didn't know about no snakes."

"Go back and keep Windy company. I'll go in after it." No argument there, both of them wanted as much space as possible from death. Moving on by herself Sadie called out in the darkness, her eyes adjusting thanks to the nanites in her bloodstream. "Beav? Ward? I mean Reed?"

A muffled scream from within Sadie rushed into a tight inner chamber to see Snake in Reeds standing alone and looking down. Sensing her arrival he pointed into the pit. "Oh, shit!" Joining him Sadie glared down and saw Gnawing Beaver convulsing. Multiple snake bites all over him she froze. "You couldn't have saved him?" He had a rope in his hands, the other end tied around Gnawing Beaver's waist no less. "Give me that!" She snatched the rope from him and shoved him back. Hissing at her Snake in Reeds contemplated pushing her in but chose to resist. With all of her might she drug Beaver up the rocks until she could stretch him out at her boots. "Stay with me, Beav."

"Sadie?" A voice inside her head revealed itself.

"Tilly Ford?"

"He cannot be saved."

"I know! Dammit! He has enough venom in him to kill five people." Glancing up at Snake in Reeds she swore she saw him smiling, one that quickly faded. Untying his rope, she left it lay on the rocks. "Help me carry Beaver out of here." Crouching, at least Reeds did honor him that much. Between the two of them they made their way back to the outside world. Once Chasing Wind realized her mate was hurt, she went into concern mode yet shed no tears. Hurrying to meet up with them Sadie immediately apologized for her loss. Gnawing Beaver did not even have a chance to say he loved her. Sadie offered to say it for him. "Windy? Beaver loved you." She knew! Scoffing to her left Snake in Reeds spoke in Comanche.

"I warned Gnawing Beaver not to go down. He would not listen."

"And you couldn't pull him out before I got there?" Not right!

"I did not want to bring snakes up with him."

"Some Brave you are." She stood up then pointed at him. "Take his body home. If I find out you didn't, I'll bury you in copperheads. Windy? Take Beaver back to Water's Edge."

"No! I will stay here with you."

"Pay your respects."

"After we are done. I will not leave your side."

"You would disrespect your mate over this woman?" Snake in Reeds sneered! Chasing Wind stood up and doubled her fist taking a swing at Snake in Reeds. Evading her with ease he prepared to strike back but Dorieann Finn tapped him on the shoulder. Reacting he felt her fist slam into his chin, and he fell back like a box of rocks over Gnawing Beaver's body. Chasing Wind had her licks in kicking him in the balls. Waving her hand to distill the pain Dorie looked at Chasing Wind with sorrow. Eying her expression Chasing Wind stomped on Reeds balls a second time. Even while unconscious, Snake in Reeds winced in pain.

"Familiar stomping grounds!" Sadie told Ned! "Potter? I need you and Dorie to tie Beaver's body to his saddle, so he doesn't fall off."

"What about him?"

"I'll deal with him when I get back."

"Wait! You're going back in there? Are you out of your mind?" Dorie halted Sadie grabbing her jacket. "It ain't worth you dyin' too." Like Chasing Wind, the affection toward Sadie was touching.

"I won't die." Pulling away from Dorie, she left them to their assignment. "Do what I told you."

"Sadie?" Tilly spoke, "Even with the nanites, that many snakebites would kill even you. Two bites you could survive but five, six?"

"I got no choice but to try. I promised the good folks of Sugar Plum I'd bring back the bank money. I'm not even worried about Cyrus O'Malley anymore. I'm taking him down before I'm done."

"Please Sadie! You keep disrupting the timestream. I've heard that we can never leave our underground base because it protects us from the temporal changes you make."

"As if the other travelers didn't misstep. I still want to save you from that fall Tilly."

"I love you for that idea Sadie, but please do not change too much or you might never exist."

"Still here!"

"You are too honorable. Fine! I am with you no matter what you do. If I stop talking, then you will know I am no longer any part of Wyndham."

"You aren't leavin' me, Tilly Ford. Jus' hang in there."

"Please do not die."

No further words Sadie returned to the pit and explored her options. Loose rocks all around her she found the largest and took aim. Dropping them one by one she crushed copperheads and watched them die. Eight snakes, six were out of action. Hiding under the debris any further bombs would have been pointless. Huffing her cheeks Sadie tied off the left behind rope and then around her own waist. Hat tossed aside to keep it safe she prepped her courage.

"That box is bigger than I predicted. Thank goodness I have added muscle. I wonder if Sam Dillsby tossed the box in or the snakes. I'm pretty certain he has the balls to handle a few hissers. Either way the copperheads sure made for nice guard dogs. Down to two snakes unless I miscounted, hopefully they bite at my boots and not my leggings." Deep breath she began her descent. Reaching the bottom, she opted to take her coat off to use as a shield. "I wonder if Toro! Toro! works for snakes." Nervous humor!

Hearing hisses she froze and carefully looked around her feet. "Rock and Roll never forgets!" Slowly advancing toward the box she reached for the handle on top. "Not light even if I do have the strength of three peak athletes. This is gonna be a chore." Lifting the box, she realized it was going to take both hands. "Well crap!" Putting her jacket back on helped but left her with only the box to cover her. Moving it up onto her shoulder her balance was off in stepping on the hurled rocks. "Climbing one handed ain't gonna be easy. I don't think I can jus' toss this box that high without it coming back down on top of me." Standing still hoping to avoid any snakebite on her ass cheek she mulled over options.

Suddenly a rock fell between she and the pit wall. Looking up she found Snake in Reeds lifting a really big rock. "You better be aimin' for a copperhead Reeds. Otherwise, I'll be haulin' your dead ass back to Chief Hawk in Flight right alongside Beav."

Scowling at her he launched it straight at her. Using the cash box to deflect the rock was all that saved her. "Goddammit!" In her feeble stance she lost her grip on the box, and it fell to her right. "Fuck!" Looking up at him he readied another rock. Unable to watch him and the snakes around her she glanced about. One snake appeared and prepped a strike. Holding her breath she not only used her arm to thwart the falling rock but lashed out to snatch up the copperhead with blinding speed. "My turn Bitch!" Hurling the snake up at Reeds he was caught off guard and bitten in the arm. Cursing in Comanche he cast the serpent behind him and took out a knife to slice his wound in hopes to suck out the venom.

"Incoming!" While he was trying to save his life, Sadie discovered the second snake and pinned it beneath her boot in order to pluck it up safely. Tossing it at Reeds he was again outmatched, bitten a second time, this one on his shoulder. In a panic he spun around and lost his balance and fell backwards into the pit. Hitting his head hard on the rocks Snake in Reeds died in his own blood. "Reeds em' and weep you, Sick Fucker!" Catching her breath, she heard Ned Potter dancing over the pit to avoid snakes slithering away.

"Here to help, Diva Diablo."

"Manning up I see."

"He dead?"

"If he's not he will be shortly. Bit twice and fell in here. Crushed his noggin!" Ned clutched the rope and pulled it tight. "Hold on! Let me grab the box." Once back up on her shoulder she realized that Ned just wasn't strong enough to be of help and what little advance she had failed, she came right back down but refrained from falling. Sighing she felt her rope again pull taut and yank her body. "You grow muscles, Ned? Not referrin' to the one 'tween yer legs." Looking up she saw the oddest thing. "What the... you actually fit into the cave?" Above her stood Tarnation clenching his teeth around the rope, Ned off to the side trying not to get his foot stomped on.

"He snuck up on me."

"Anything helps! Get ready to help me pull the box over the edge." Tarnation drug her marching feet up the pit wall until she breached the top. Ned in reaction reached out with all of his might to prevent the box from dropping again. To his shock he found Dorieann Finn at his side assisting him. Smiling at one another the two of them took the box from Sadie and sat it out of the way. Feet outside the pit Sadie stood tall and ventured over to Tarnation. Forehead to forehead she hugged the horse. "Thanks, Uncle Brandon." A snort was his reply to her mental praise. "Go on outside, peaceful like!" Done!

"We leavin' Reeds down there?" Dorie peered over the edge at Snake in Reeds.

"He killed Gnawin' Beaver."

"Leave him!" Chasing Wind made her way in, looked down then spit at his corpse. "Snake in Reeds deserves his grave. His jealousy of Gnawing Beaver consumed him. He has always wanted me. My rejection made him crazy."

"You do the explainin' to the Chief." Windy nodded then hugged Sadie. Ned holding her hat Sadie was now complete. "Okay! Let's haul this box out and set up camp. It's going to be dark soon. We jus' stand watch over Beaver in case any predators smell blood and want dinner. I got the box, Ned? You and Dorieann set up our bed rolls. Put yours together." Wink! Wink!

"And ours?" Chasing Wind winked back at Sadie.

"Change of plans, Windy Lou." Sadie pinched the girl's chin and forced their gaze. With a stern expression Ms. Outlaw made her intentions clear. "Try mourning!" Not a tear one! Stubborn Comanche!

She would try again by morning!

After her cry.

Enough ropes for one day.