Re: Chapter 19: Blam, Blam . . . You're Deaf
The group of heroes watches as Mr. Xu's rowers launch the longboat into the India Basin. Just a moment before, Mr. Xu himself had stood and bowed to the men before pulling himself into the craft.
JEB had given a parting wave to the young women, not even certain why he had done it. To his surprise, a small head appears at the craft's stern, peering over the edge of the sturdy boat's top rail. Followed by a small hand that returns his weary wave.
It may have been the lawman's imagination but he believes the young girl, perhaps one of the youngest amongst the thirty, had also smiled at him.
A handful of Chinese men, presumably employed by Xu Xie Jing, remain in this small cove after the longboat moves away. They return to the ledge some short distance inland, where they had been when the heroes had visited this beach yesterday.
Yesterday. Less than 24 hours ago, truly. Much had happened. Men had lost their lives.
Now, the heroes look to each other as the difficulty is far from done. Some of the men were recently met, others old pards from after the war and some who came to know each other in the Flat back in Texas. Joined by Luke Hadden, Charles Conway and Alfred Cooper. And Lu Heng Bo, who had departed neither with Mr. Xu, nor with the Chinese who had moved at the ledge.
Before Cole Trayne could continue voicing any of his thoughts -- reticent as they may be -- Mr. Lu speaks to the group.
"Thank you," the highbinder says. He again wears a full black robe but he pulls back the hood. "Hold no doubt about your work here tonight," he says, with certainty in his voice. He bows and then dashes away. If anyone had spoken to Lu in return, they heard no response. Soon, the enigmatic form of Lu Heng Bo is consumed by the shadows.
That left only the men involved in the rescue mission. The first to speak is Conway, who had introduced the men -- all but Artemus and Luke, of course -- to Mr. Xu only days ago.
"Mr. Xu has paid us the agreed-upon amount and a small sum more. We had agreed to one-hundred dollars per man, which was seven of us at the time of the agreement. And of course he had paid us each twenty dollars in advance." The San Franciscan businessman produces a hefty pouch. "$600 in double-eagles. As our numbers have changed -- and we have the deceased to consider -- I shall take only two of the coins, half my remaining share."
Coop, who had been involved since the beginning, even before he had been introduced to Mr. Xu, takes his promised share, eighty dollars. He counts out four gold coins and pockets them, leaving $480 -- 24 gold coins in the bag.
Conway thanks the men. He suggests that they lay-low, if possible, but tells them to find him in his usual haunts in town if needed. Conway and Coop depart.
The heroes who had attended the initial meeting with Mr. Xu reflect on that time -- just a few days ago. Some had argued for eschewing any payment for accepting the mission -- as they considered it a noble cause at the time, despite any doubts they may have formed since then. Others had disagreed, saying things of the like that their days of "white-knighting" were over, that it was more than fair to expect recompense for putting their lives at risk. In the end, the agreement was as Conway had summarized. Each of the men had agreed to $100 each, had taken $20 in advance. And had divided the expense funds the the Chinese businessman had provided -- most of which had been spent in the days leading up to the rescue of the young women from the Tong. Now, thoughts of the discussion return and the men who had said they would have done this for free are reminded of their own words as the group divides the gold coins minted by the U.S. Treasury.
That business done, Cole Trayne voices his thoughts about burying James, Peter and Barnes discreetly, in the hillsides. Luke Hadden, Trayne's pard from years ago here in the Frisco area, takes immediate objection to that notion. He insists that they take the men back to the their ranch. A proper burial there would suit Luke fine -- and Fritz, and the others would agree. "Nae sweepin' any o' this under the rug. Aye, these men gae their lives to help those women and I ain't aboot to hide any o' it."
There was no arguing with Luke on this point. Settled, the discussion turns to how to extract Fritz from the Albion. The men, having agreed upon a simple plan to return -- with a scout ahead to look for Edgar -- find that it works well enough. The brewery's caretaker, bleary-eyed and gently rubbing the back of his head, tells them that he had convinced the lawmen of his own innocence and directed them away from the basin. ENS promptly treats Lyman, enough to be able to move him as the professor had suggested earlier.
The men and their horses laden with the dead and injured set off for the ranches, to the southwest. They connect with the roads and find themselves at the ranch were Barnes was the foreman, and where Cole Tryane himself had enjoyed employment a few seasons ago. Once the horses are unloaded, Luke and Fritz help Lyman to his bed.
Finally, as the men look east at the slimmest rays of light from rising sun, the heroes wonder what fate has in store for them with the light of a new day.
<Fade to light.>
OOC: Chapter 17, msg #103 might be interesting to PC's. Also Ch17, # msg #110 (and numerous that follow)
If anyone has a care to discuss any details left out or left fuzzy by the Judge, feel free to do so in the OOC5 forum.