Al arrived at the depo ancy as a cat on a tin roof in July. Russia knew he was close. He needed to put some distance between him and Ivan, or else he would be brought back to sipping tea with arthur for the next decade at the 'hospital'. If they really wanted him to go insane, there was a perfect recipe. The rancher called to al as he rode up.
The rancher waved his arm to get everyones attention, " HEY EVERYBODY!"
The rest of the men quited to listen to the rancher.
He began with a authoritative and booming voice, "now, I gotta few things ta say before we head out"
Al was about to bust,'no, please do not, I have a russia tracking me, please dont make a speech'
Oblivious to al, the rancher continued, " we got a few more men with us than we did on our way up in the place of McLauffen, the Hough brothers, Dan, and the Rodger cousins. I 'd like for ya to meet Sam, Daniel, Jeb, and the Thompsons. Other than that, ya know we leave tomarra, so we'll bed down here for the night." He concluded.
He then looked to his second in command to give a few words. The man had lost an eye, had a large ungroomed beard, and had a nasty pinching for tobacco.
He spoke with a harsh, gruff voice that irritated al, "Any of ya gunsels get in the way between me and 'em steers I'll run ya down, as 'fer what jobs y'all be getting, the same as on the way up from texas, and ya newcomers are ridin' drag." This got the men rather disgruntled and angry, especially al and the other new comers.
Jeb spoke up, "That man has it coming, a lick and a promise. Why, me a gunsel, ha! I know more 'bout roundin' doggies than he-"
Daniel took that opportunity to hit jeb upside the head, "Shut ya bazoo before someone rings your bell."he spoke with a light cajun accent that al had to strain to hear. He turned to address al, "I s'pose 'is is your 1st drive? I'll tell you riding drag ya won't get hungry with all the dust y'all be eatin'." He chuckled and rode over to the trough to take care of his horse.
The man's accent brought warm memories of audy with the pronounced accent.
'Why did ya have ta go? Why did ya have ta disagree? Why did-'
He shook himself from his thoughts, best leave those question when he found audy, he had a task at hand. Al knew he couldn't force them to begin the trail until morning, so he would hide from Ivan until then. Where would he not be found? While al was busy trying to find some forgotten corner of the depo, the Thomsons and Jeb began conversing in a hushed whisper.
Jeb huffed, and began to unsaddle his horse, "Hey, do ya believe Danny has this figured rightly? I mean were down one seeing as how my brother is no longer above the snakes, it seems risky." He looked around nervously.
The Thompsons, comprised of two red head brothers, one with blue eyes called Andrew, and one with brown, John. They were both tall and gruff in countenance despite their apparent youthful faces. Along with the brothers was their shorter, more naive cousin, George of who bore no resemblance to the two other than having red hair. George was a likeable man, talkative, but a great listener who loved folk songs. They somehow all got along well despite the clashing personalities.
George stoped brushing his horse at the mention of Jebs brother, he felt guilty for what had happened to him. He considered jebs brother to be like his own. Georged sighed, that was past now, only the future remained. Besides, what was done was done.
The brothers grumbled back at jeb, " Keep ya voice down, we don't need the whole outfit knowin' were gonna have a hog killin time on the way through el Paso. But....I do think what happend sure did clip Danny's horns though. Mighty shame, he had a pride and ego bigger than all of texas." He chortled.
As the day was breaking elsewhere, night at the depo was falling as a young girl in love, quickly and with little consequence. They all set down around their fire as others settled down to sleep. Some cowpoke began to play a somber tune that ushered out the energy of the day with sleepy melancholy.
Daniel came back looking frustrated an roughly threw his bed roll on the ground.
Jeb tilted his hat to see Daniel, "What's got ya making a fuss now?" He still held some resentment against daniel for his brother, but he set that aside.
Daniel leaned back on his saddle next to the fire and pulled his hat over his eyes, "I was trying to haze a tenderfoot, but I can't find 'em."
George looked up with some worry but not much, " If ya talking 'bout that fella that joined when we did I'd leave him alone. He just got out of the hoosegow this morning for shooting at the boss over at the lily."
This got Danny's attention, 'that little sidewinder...well he might just work' , "tell me more bout this man."
George still looked uncomfortable, that man didn't have all the cards in a deck upstairs, he just knew it by looking at him. One gare from Danny and a shove from John and he spilled all he knew about this man, "his name is sam...I think... he's from back east...um...oh! He rode into town on a lame horse with a official looking brand on it, he's been in town for bout a week or so...that's all I know." He finished out of breath.
Daniel gained a twisted grin, "what did the brand say on dat horse, do ya know?"
George uneasily responded, "RCMP, I dont know what it means, but I think he might be with the law."
Daniel laughed and produced a evil smirk, "dat boy is no more a lawman than you or me." He said with a thicker accent, as he laughed an laughed, this may be the brake they were looking for.
Andrew raised an eyebrow at the man, "did ya get ya too big of a snort danny?" he asked him.
Daniel stopped laughing and put Russia to shame with his visage, "I just found ourselves the perfect dupe, a Canadian one." He started his manical laughter again, to only be joined by the others like the pack of two-legged coyotes they were.
____________________________________
Al left the newmen by themselves. Of course, he could have forced himself into the group, but that was not his goal. He soon stumbled upon an old abandoned train car at dusk and took liberty and himself inside for the night.
It was dark, and cold compared to the vibrant fires that the others gathered around. He used to be able to fill the cold, but now he had trouble feeling anything.
One good thing is that his trail he made this morning would lead to the west, before it disappeared and at least Russia would be thinking he went to California and not texas. He hoped Russia was blinded by his rage as he could disappear like Canada's.
A sad song drifted to his ears. He pulled out a small locket and flipped it open. He smiled a sincere, morose smile at his girls. A tear escaped his eyes and landed on a young girl's bright smile and the tears twin landed on the stabbing eyes of a young woman.
He swore to himself he would find her, he would if it was the last thing he done, so as he is Alfred 'Forsaken-flee-fornication- and-Fight-the-good-fight-of-faith' Jones.
He had to laugh and shake his head at his middle name, iggy decided to give him not one, but three puritan names all rolled into one. He disliked the name so much as a child, but was thankful for it now as it offered a good laugh.
He fell asleep that night with tears, a sad song, and haunting memories, unaware that the next day he would step down a convoluted and dark trail.
