Though he began the questioning, Daniel was happy that the others had taken over. He was adept at swinging a sword, but investigation was something he was just beginning to understand.

"I could take Wilder down to my lockup in Kinsley pretty easy," he said, addressing Caleb.

"I'd wanna arrest Radcliffe over here too, but I'm not sure how well it'd go over in the town. Kinsley's a small town, and he's healed a lot of the sick over there, whatever sick things he's done otherwise. I don't rightly know how everybody'd react. All the crazy shit that's gone down here, I don't know they'd ever believe. Scarcely do myself. Could have a riot on my hands - and I don't have much in the way of many deputies to handle it. And the judges don't swing by our way that often."

"Maybe...y'all said you were headin' down to Dodge City right? It's a lot to ask, but we could 'cuff 'im and you could take him on the train down there. He'd see a judge quicker, and you bein' a U.S. Marshal and all, just take him to the law down there and they'll have him locked up in a jiffy."

This message was last edited by the player at 21:35, Sun 18 Nov 2012.

Daniel furrowed his brow. He could have been missing something, but he wouldn't feel right about not clarifying things before they parted ways, "'Zactly what is Mister Wilder bein' locked up fer? Makin' hands that scurry about? Yeh think a judge or jury is gonna believe somethin' 'bout him but not th' udder fella?"

"From what I hear of the story, for my part I don't really see that Wilder has done wrong here. Whatever else I might think of his activities, he hasn't killed nobody in my jurisdiction. It seems Radcliffe, on the other hand, has killed and injured dozens tonight, disfigured the body of Zachary Hanover, and perhaps done much worse many nights before this. If I took Wilder back, I'd keep him in the lockup for a little while, and then slip him out to some where after his tracks have gone cold."

Morgan sighed. "Marshal Phelps is right. We don't have anything to show that Wilder acted to harm anyone, unlike Radcliffe. I'd still prefer that Phelps keep Wilder under lock and key for a few days, for his safety mainly. There could be others like Radcliffe after him and his research. He could be cut loose from Kinsley once everything has settled down."

Morgan glanced at Radcliffe. "I can see Radcliffe to Dodge City. He should get a fair trial there. You might have to make a trip that way too though, Phelps, before it was all said and done. Your testimony about Radcliffe passing himself off as the undertaker, and what he did to Bob here, could be important."

"I'll need some help transporting him, though. I'd want him under constant watch. Lord knows, he may have more tricks up his sleeve."

Morgan turned his attention to the giant once more. "I don't rightly know what I mean to do with Bob, Mr. Darling. But I want to help him as best I can. I can't help but feel he's a victim in all this."

Morgan looked to Wilder. "Mr. Wilder, might you know a safe place where a fella like this might go?"

Gabby turns around and jabs his gun into Radcliffe's ribs. "I ain't got no problem helpin' you see this here grave-robbin' Frankenstein to cell in Dodge, Caleb." He says.

Radcliffe cooly surveyed them all, seeming to ignore the fact that there were several guns aimed at him. Unlike Wilder, who while relieved, seemed a very frightened and nervous man, Radcliffe didn't seem to be the least perturbed by the situation. "I suppose you all are under the impression that I intend to simply go quietly, and let this happen. That," he looked at Coraline, "how is it that all the card players put it, ma'am? That I don't have an Ace in the Hole, that I've got no trump card?"

"Well, I want to disabuse you of those notions. I'm not the sort of man to hold a grudge, though. If you all simply leave of your own accord - and you may take Wilder with you if you want - then I'm willing to let bygones be bygones. It'll all just be water under the bridge to me."

"Oh my stars and garters, how very generous you are." Gabby spits.

Randolph keeps his pistol pointed in the general direction of Radcliffe as he addresses the lawmen.

"I don't believe there are any legal grounds to hold Wilder, if he prefers to forego your protective custody, Marshal Phelps. It doesn't seem your jail and your few deputies will provide any real security for him against determined Hellstromme men, if you can't keep Radcliffe safe from a mob of citizens.

"As to Radcliffe, Marshal Morgan, how are we to transport him to Dodge City with a wrecked locomotive blocking the tracks? Why not take him back to Kinsley? I will assist you and Phelps in facing down any mob, until you can summon additional federal marshals and transport him to Dodge."

"I don't need your protection, though I do appreciate the offer. He's right, the writer here. Your cell won't help me from Hellstromme's men tracking me down. He's likely lost my trail already, and staying in one place will only help him pick that trail back up again. If you need me to give some kind of a statement about Radcliffe, I can do that...Maybe you could write it down. And I'll sign it. But don't make me go to the trial in Dodge, please. If Hellstromme had my trail, that's where his goons will look next once he finds out his men are missing, since that's where the train was headed."

Daniel was glad he had spoken up about Wilder, and was satisfied to let the others chat about the man's fate for a bit. Though he had one other item he thought it wise to bring up, "If yeh don' feel safe an' wanna keep movin', yeh could ride wit' us a bit."

At Radcliffe's words, Morgan drew his Colt and leveled it at the man. "Mr. Radcliffe, understand me. I'm perfectly content to shoot you dead where you stand if you won't come peacefully. I seriously doubt that any of my superiors would find me at fault for doing so."

He turned his attention to Wilder "Mr. Wilder, if you truly believe your safety would be best served by leaving the area, I won't try to stop you. I would ask you to give me that signed statement before you take your leave. I'm sure it would be very helpful when we get Radcliffe to court."

Shaking his head, he answered Darling. "Mr. Darling, with all due respect, I estimate that at a steady ride from the wrecked train, I could make Dodge in a little over an hour. Two hours at most. I've taken prisoners longer distances by horseback as far back as the War. Provided I can scare up enough mounts and have a few hands like Gabby to keep Radcliffe in check, I'd prefer to take him there.

Morgan paused before continuing. "I'll need to contact someone from the Agency as quick as I can. They need to know about Radcliffe and his experiments. And you're right about Bob, Mr. Darling. Innocent or not, there's no way we could take him anywhere safely." Morgan looked to Phelps. "Marshal, if you could keep an eye on him for a few days, I'll let the Agency know about Bob's whereabouts. They'll know how best to deal with him."

While the others were gabbing, Coraline stood in front of the sewn-together monstrosity that needed to be put out of its misery.  Her fan flicked open and closed, rapping against her thigh.  Turning at the mention of Bob, she frowned and glanced back at the creature, wrinkling her nose.

"I'll do my best, but I can't make any promises for what he'll do. He may have Zachary's face, but he ain't Zachary no more." He sounded deeply troubled as he said the latter, but then shook his head in resignation and plowed on.

"So what's next, we cuff him and get the heck outta here?"

"I appreciate the offer, but I think my road lies a different way than yours," he paused, as if he was about to say something, and then looked at Radcliffe for a moment then back to Daniel.

"I better not say where. Radcliffe would sell me out like as not, if he gets a chance. I don't know that Hellstromme wants me dead - maybe his folk just want to talk, and see what secrets of theirs that I've given up. But I'd rather not take my chances with it."

Daniel nodded at Wilder's plans. "Yah, I don think we gots much else ta do here. Th' brake man was gonna get some alternate transport ta Dodge, right? So's I think we go backta the train an' wait fer that."

"There's that buckboard outside too. I reckon' you can take that if its needed, or just the horse that's pullin' it. I figure the second horse is Mr. Wilder's here," he said, looking to Wilder, who merely nodded.

He paused for a moment before asking something that had been bothering him. "What exactly do we tell folks back at the train?"

"That we done destroyed the deadders and caught the bad guy controllin' them." Gabby says. "I can tell 'em all a story that'd make sense, I reckon. I'm good at spinnin' yarns."

"Since they all know about these animated dead men already, I suppose that won't do too much harm, but make them understand that it was just a local threat and all taken care of," Darling says to the prospector, "And we want to keep this quiet when we get to Dodge. We don't want to spread a panic, do we, Morgan?"

He turns to Radcliffe and Wilder, "Now, where are your papers, gentlemen? This will all go easier on you, if you cooperate. I'm sure that with your plans and journals in custody, there will be less likelihood of any lynchings."

Daniel nodded, "Muh uncle gabby shore can spin a yarn, tha's fer sure." Daniel looked about to see if they were waiting for anything else. He'd just as soon be out of this place.

"My papers are in a small bag that I seem to have left on the train. I have no other scientific materials here. If you will recall, I was rudely yanked out of the passenger car by that hideous monster," he added, gesturing to the hulking thing in the corner.

"Please, don't hurt me," Radcliffe said, the parody of an expression of genuine fear and a quivering voice. He put his hands up, and he cowered before Gabby and Caleb.

With a sudden bellowing roar, that 'hideous monster' exploded into furious violence launching itself towards them.

"Huh." Gabby says as the giant bares down on them. "If that's yer plan, I'd say it's got a big hole in it..."

He takes aim at Radcliffe's leg, and pulled the trigger. At that range, it was hard to miss. The buckshot tears through the scientist.

"You see, you done gave me an excuse to actually hurt ya." He says, and readies himself to avoid the giant barreling down on him.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:39, Fri 23 Nov 2012.

Radcliffe half yelled and half grunted at the pain from the shotgun blast which seemed to rip his leg apart, sending him collapsing to the ground in shock from the pain and unable to support himself any longer.

Coraline jerked as the monstrosity came to life, having been half-expecting it to attack, though was still surprised by the loud roar.  Stumbling back, she reached for her cards twice, but without the results she was hoping.  Dim white light streaked toward Bob, though neither did much damage.

If he wasn't already flared up, watching his creator assaulted was certainly enough to drive the thing that had once been a man named Zachary Hanover firmly over the border between grief and uncontrollable rage upon which he had been calmly resting before he felt a threat to Radcliffe. His massive arms reached around Gabby, closing in on him and gripping him in a crushing hug.