Jack figured that the mysterious tale would draw Zachary into the conversation. His friend had not let him down. When his friend started taking notes jack prepared to step in and smooth out any ruffled feathers but hoped the young reporter could handle that himself.

The Professor stood back and let Nate handle the discussion with Dan Doherty. He glanced around the room, alert for the possibility of trouble, given the desperate look of most of the patrons (and staff) of the establishment.

In reply to Nate Williams (msg # 34):

"If you plan on minin' in Deadwood, it might be a good idea." Dan says. "Things happen to those that don't sign up with the Deadwood Miners Alliance. Bad things. Take that incident that sent the Army running here. A dozen miners working an illegal claim get scalped and strung up on poles. Now, between you, me, and the wall, that's hardly fair, given that there's dozens of mines bein' worked like that in these hills. Hell, some folk claim Kang's got a whole city o' Chinamen digging beneath a hill south o' here, and he's building tunnel like Wasatch done through the Rockies to link his city with Deadwood. But the Sioux just happen to strike an illegal mine that didn't pay it's dues to the DMA? Mighty suspicious, that."

He pours Nate another shot. "As for Charley Bull, well, I heard he's skedaddled, given Bald Don wants to make a toupee with real Injun hair, if you catch my meaning. He still comes round...he's a theater lover, and the Langrishe Theater's been showin' Shakespeare. The next show is in three days. But I tell you what, if you want to rent a room Al Swearengen, the owner of this joint, might be able to pull a few strings. I can arrange a meeting for you, if you'd like."

((OOC: Professor, since you're the lookout, make a Notice check.))

In reply to Zachary O'Conner (msg # 35):

"I don't mind you writin'." Jane says. "Just make sure it gets to the right folk. Merrick at the Pioneer ain't done a whole lot o' printin' lately, and he wouldn't believe you anyhow."

"No, I want you to find McCall and haul his ass to me, and I'll ask him personal-like what he's seen." Jane growls. "He and I have unfinished business. And yeah, normally you'd be right about me not carin' a flying fuck about what people think...I done told some whoppers in my day, right enough. But this here is real." Her eyes well up with tears. "This here is real. I ain't lyin'. And it kills me to have this weight bearin' on me, to know somethin' true and have no one believe ya. Because I think somethin' bad's gonna happen."

She pauses, and takes a deep breath. "Bill...he ain't hisself. When he crawled out o' his grave, it's like Jack blew out some part of his better nature, and he had to struggle to keep control o' his darker half. If he's lost control, if the darkness in him won...well, blood is gonna get shed. If you've heard any o' the stories about Wild Bill Hickock, you know he's a dangerous man. Imaginin' that man without morals or any sense o' compassion to restrain him..." She lets the thought linger as she takes another pull from her bottle and wipes her eyes.

Jack listened. The lady's tale was not too much a surprise to someone from N'Orleans, but the idea that Wild Bill Hickock was still walking the earth was surpising. Even a tenderfoot like Jack knew the name Will Bill, and the legends that made the man famous. He had also read of how Will Bill had been slain.

"We beleive you Jane. I am sorry to hear about Wild Bill. We will do what we can to find McCall."

"Now what about Charley Buck. You have any news of him?"

In reply to Black Jack Boudreaux (msg # 40):

"Well, I appreciate your help. I've seen McCall at the Gem some nights, and he's also been baking his brain at an opium joint and brothel called the Cathouse. I ain't welcome at either fuckin' location. Be warned about the Cathouse, though...a little bird told me the Madam there ain't what she seems, and she and Mollie Johnson have a bit of a feud goin' that liable to turn ugly soon. As for the Gem, well...you know how your meal was so fine? It's cause Deadwood's pork gits fed the bodies of them as cross Al Swearengen. I hear tell it brings a sort o' zest to the meat, but I stay well away from pork and bacon these days, so I couldn't really say."

"As for Ol' Charley, well, I know he likes the theater, and there's a couple o' them hereabouts. Nye's Opera House is the fancier o' the two, but the Langrishe is cheaper. I couldn't tell you what's playin' or when, but he might risk comin' to town for a show. He's also got a cabin out in the woods. The Sioux don't bother him, on account o' he's one o' them, but the DMA knows where it is and might be stakin' the place out, so he might have gone native and in hidin'. I done tracked Indians before, so I can help you find where he's got to if'n that's what your keen to do."

As The Professor scans the room for trouble, trying to keep ears peeled and eyes open, he finds himself continually distracted by a man pounding something on to a message board nearby. The infernal pounding keeps interrupting the Professor's thoughts, breaking his concentration, and in general causing immense irritation...

The Professor makes his way over to the message board commenting to the man, "I do not think that piece of paper will be going anywhere anytime soon. Congratulations on successfully attaching it to the board.  You can stop that incessant hammering now, if you would be so kind."

The man in the fedora and duster looks up from his labors, a bit startled. "Oh! I'm sorry, sir." He says, in an accent The Professor recognizes. He's Welsh! Quite a long way from home. "I had permission from the man at the bar to post these. I didn't mean to disturb any of the patrons."

He holds up a poster:



"Are you new in town? Have you seen this girl out on the trail, perhaps? She may have been in disguise."

The face on the poster reminds The Professor quite a lot of young Li the chinaman...

"A Chinese woman?" The Professor asked rhetorically. The face on the wanted poster was clearly that of Li's, now that The Professor thought about it.  Evidently the young woman had been masquerading as a youthful boy.

"What did she steal? And I must say, it would be quite a feat for a young woman to disguise herself as either an elderly woman or a man."

"Yeah." The man nods. "The local sheriff won't do a thing. Says it's not important. But she stole a satchel containing funds for the railroad, as well as some important documents and an old family heirloom from Huang Li, a very important pillar of the Celestial community."

He shrugs. "Not so very difficult as you'd think. The girl is described as being slight, and has some acting skills. The right movements and the strategic placement of some socks could fool a cursory glance."
This message was last edited by the player at 03:11, Fri 02 Nov 2012.

Jack nodded, if nothing else Jane besides being a calamity seemed to know what was going on around Deadwood.

"Well sounds like we know where to find McCall. Where are we going to find you once we got him? We also need a place to lay are heads you know a spot?" Boudreaux asked the two questions in a row.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:25, Fri 02 Nov 2012.

"Oh, I'll be around, I reckon." Jane says. "But if you get him, I reckon you can bring him to Doc Cochran's place, down on Broadway and Lee. Same block as the Big Horn store." She takes a swig from her bottle. "Well, I rent a tent out in the tent city I'd be willin' to share for a day or two...it ain't big and I don't have extra bed rolls, though, so you'd have to get your own. Of course, if you're gonna crash there fer long, I wouldn't mind a bit o' help with that rent, if'n you catch my drift."

In reply to Dan Doherty (msg # 38):

At the mention of the miner massacre and the "coincidence" of their non-Association status, Nate looked very concerned.  Maybe even a little scared.  Talk like that was liable to unnerve most anyone.  Especially a wannabe-prospector dreaming of ghost rock fortunes.  He managed a faint nod to Dan's suspicions, but kept listening.   Possibly three days to find Bull.  Nate looked downright dejected now, but then came Dan's offer.  A bit of smile came back, "You think?  I mean....  I don't have alot of money....  /Yet/.  And, if I gotta wait a few day to find Mr. Bull....  You think Mr. Swearingen'd really help me out?  That'd be neighborly.  And here I heard Deadwood wasn't a real neighborly place.."  A glance let him notice the missing Professor, another to spot the very distinctive fellow across the room.  Then, he looked bsk to Dan, shaking his head a bit in concern.

Zac listened to Jane's answer, he believed her, or at least he believed she was sincere in her concern for Wild Bill. At the mention of Aunt Molly, his ears perked up. The mention of the pork chops made the boy sick to his stomach, and he appreciated Jack's lack of concern.

"I'm sorry for your lose, Ms. Canary, like Jack said, we'll help you find McCall...."

In reply to Nate Williams (msg # 49):

"Well, here's the facts of life around Deadwood...you're gonna need money to make money." Dan says. "It costs $100 to be registered as a prospector, and $200 dollars to stake your claim. Getting it assayed will cost you 5% of the load's cash worth, and actually running the mine will cost you $50 a month. If the Sioux come up on you, and find your paperwork ain't all in order, they'll drag you back to Deadwood. Without any of the equipment you may have purchased. If you put up a fight, they'll kill you and add your body to the Pole Men that line the trail."

"But the Sioux can't be everywhere, and most miners can't afford those costs until they actually strike a claim. So they turn to the Deadwood Miner's Alliance for help. The DMA patrols the mines of it's members, even the illegal ones. Each member is supposed to give a day a month to patrol duty, though there are some full-time militia men who've quite mining and gone patrolling full-time. They've pretty much become Deadwood's main militia. Getting square with them is probably a good idea--if your intent is to make money from digging at the earth."

"But there are some easier ways to make money. If you want to make a grubstake, well, Mr. Swearengen pays pretty well, and I understand he's got a few jobs that need doin'. You scratch his back, and I'm sure he'll scratch yours. Want me to set up a meeting?"

In reply to Zachary O'Conner (msg # 50):

It occurs to Zach that is Aunt Molly is in town, she might be willing to let him and his friends stay with her. It would be a bit more comfortable than sleeping in a tent, at any rate...

"We appreciate the offer of a place to bunk ma'am, but I have some family in town, and I'm like to stay with them. My father just passed, and well, it'll be nice to see some family." Zac didn't like to share details of his life, but he also knew that a good reporter created a connection with his subjects. What he said, and his feeling bout it were true enough, even if he hadn't considered them to this point, if they help Ms. Canary to open up a little, then all the all the better.

He looked to Jack, "Think we've taken enough of your time, ma'am. We best be getting on with finding Mr McCall for you."

"Yes Mamm, best we get to it." Jack said.

"I may end up taking you up on a place to catch some sleep." Boudreaux said unsure if Zach's family would take kindly to colored man staying with them. Perhaps if they had a barn. But nither Zach nor his father had ever shown him anything but friendship, so perhaps their family was cut from the same cloth.

With that jack topped his hat "Till we meet again."

"It was a pleasure meetin' ya, and I'll be waitin'." Jane says. She begins weaving her way down the alley.

((OOC: Now where? To Zach's aunt's place? Or were you going to try to catch McCall at one of the place mentioned?))

As they walked off Jack looked at Zach.

"Best we stop by your family's place and drop off your things and you get get a chance to say hello. But then we should see if we can find McCall. I want to stop in and see a fella named Nate Love. I hear he might be helpful to my kind and he might be able to give us some information on McCall as well as what happened to your father."

Zach wore a big smile as he thought of seeing Aunt Molly, family had taken on a different kind of meaning since he father passed. And, while it would be hard for the teenager to admit, what he really wanted was nothing more than a hug. "That sounds bout right... She was an odd one huh, all strong and soft and twisted up. You think she's gonna kill McCall when we bring him to her?"

At the mention of his father's death, Zach stiffened slightly. It was easier to think his father had just died like normal people, not that he had been killed as part of some... what? Conspiracy? Zach wasn't sure of the word, but he knew it made him feel like a little kid. As they walked along towards Molly's he tried to focus himself, by doing what he did best, ask questions, "Who is Nate Love? What do you mean... 'my kind'? Colored? Or something else Jack?"

"Handsome .. that is what I meant by my kind." Boudreaux said with a smile. It was pretty clear from Jack's joke he meant colored as Zach had guessed.

"Bass told me Nate Love is in Deadwood and that looks out fer the coloreds in town. He said we could find him at The Wooly Buffalo." Boudreaux said to clear up any confusion.

As the two are discussing things, a gaudy carriage rolls past them, windows up.

A pretty blonde lady looks out at them, sees them, then excitedly calls out to the driver, "Stop! Stop the carriage!"

The driver sighs and does so, and the lady leans out. "Yoo hoooooooo!" She calls. "Zach? Bless my soul, Zach O'Conner is that you?"

Zach recognizes her, though it's been a while...it's Aunt Mollie!
This message was last edited by the player at 05:10, Sun 04 Nov 2012.

Black Jack Boudreaux, is for one of the few times in his life, speechless. He tried not to stare as he stared at his friend's aunt.