Jackie actually smirks at that. "Oh, really? You don't have all the facts on that, then. You want to put Maria Delgato out o' business? Fine with me." She looks over at Katy and the US Marshals. "And I reckon you'll want in on this, too. But let's get to the Mint. This is somethin' you're gonna want a strong drink for."

Zek watches both speakers back and forth, as some sort of odd game of blameball. "ENOUGH!" He yells at both of them. "Here's the first thing-I have to get Bill to the old man. That takes priority-because if he does not get to the old man, a lot of innocent people will die."

He looks over at Wells. "Then-and only then-I can track this woman down, dead or alive. I can find out even who killed her if it comes to that. And when we find out, you can arrest them just to show me how its so much better than killing the bastard who did it, ok?"

He looks back and forth between Maddox and Wells. "But if you both give a shi...a damn...about the well being of men, women, and children within a few hundred feet of Bill-we will get going to deliver him to the help he needs! Right? RIGHT!?"

Wild Bill rests a hand on Zeke's shoulder. "Calm down, son." He says. "Like I said, I'm goin' with these folks. If you're so keen on me meetin' this old man, and you think it'll help any, I'm game, but you haven't answered my question. Why can't you bring him to me? Is he bedridden or somethin'?"

In reply to Wild Bill Hickok (msg # 391):

Zek inhales, and release the breath. "Because I am afraid of what happens when I leave to fetch him. I look away for a second...and then I come back to total ruin. It happens a lot to people like us, Bill. We draw the things of that other world to us...like flies drawn to rotten meat. I trust you...but I don't trust the other Bill. I know you don't ether."

Jackie, meanwhile, looks at Zeke. "Old man? Wait...tell me somethin'. Does this old man o' yours call himself 'The Prospector' by any chance? And does he have a bunch o' fellas like -- well, like you -- followin' him around?"

In reply to Jackie Wells (msg # 393):

Zeke nods, although he suspected she knew more than she let on when she started talking about Zeke living for another 200 years. Something that sounded truly hellish. "Yes, but keep that under your hat. There's a whole bunch of folk that want him gone-so Rabid Bill can come back and stay in charge forever."

"Hot damn!" Jackie actually grins. "I was wonderin' if we'd cross paths again. See, we've met." She frowns. "Well, I've met him at least...I'm pretty sure he hasn't met me yet...anyhow, it's complicated. But suffice to say, I owe him a lot. I'll go fetch him."

Matt grumpily put his hands on his hips and fixed Jackie and the arguing men with an exasperated stare.

"This Epitaph nonsense again. I swear to god, more people..." he muttered, "Daisy? What do you say we head out now? You can return those ill-gotten gains-" he indicated her bosom where she'd placed the silver and money, "- and use it on behalf of the ladies, and I can get a table for myself and the Marshals."

He looked around.

"And deputies. And ex-marshals. And...others."

In reply to Jackie Wells (msg # 395):

Zeke looks at Jackie as if she had two heads. "That must be quite a story...one moment." He takes out his shot glass/monocle and peers at her though it, trying to tell if she is just human or not.

---

Spoiler for Hunting Grounds Vision!: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
Through the shot glass, Jackie doesn't look much different. The most striking change is that she looks a little older...not a lot, only a few years closer to forty than thirty. She has an aura around her, similar to that around Nic (the real Nic, not the simulacra) though much fainter. She's spent time around energies from The Hunting Grounds, certainly.

The gun at her hip, on the other hand, seethes with power. Some sort of spirit seems to reside in it, though with Zeke's negligible experience with the spirit world he can't tell what kind. She also has some other concentrations of power on her person...what looks like some sort of armor under her clothes, and a couple of semi-hemispherical things he can't begin to guess the function of.

---

Maddox looks perlexed at the shotglass routine.

"You need liquorin', let's git you liquored," Daisy says philosophically, looking generally plump with stolen silverware. She takes the not-quite-offered crook of the Marshal's arm and pretty much hauls him off down the street.

Zek moves to put away the shotglass, and looks in thought at Jackie. "So you know where the old man is then?" He asked. He had not planned on saying what he knew...he never knew who was listening. Although he did take a quick look around in the hunting ground before he put away his glass. "How soon can you bring him back?"

"Well, no." Jackie says. "But you do. So unless you want me to waste a bunch of time wanderin' around Deadwood, you'll need to trust me. I also need to stop by my home and grab some clothes." She indicates the ripped dress she's wearing.

In reply to Jackie Wells (msg # 402):

Zek mouth twisted up, and he had a pained look on his face. Not trusting had kept him...well, active...most of his days. Not trusting lawmen...law women in this case twice as much. However, he had to trust at some point-he could not do everything, or even come close to it.

He exhaled. "Fine...but not here, out in the open. Let's stop by your place and I will tell you there once I check it out."

"Rather forward of you." Jackie says with a smirk. "But fine. Once we fetch the Prospector, we'll meet back up with the others at the Mint. Sound good?"

In reply to Jackie Wells (msg # 404):

Zek sighs, and tips his hat to her. "No offense meant, ma'am. I would be the last person to take advantage of a lady.  Besides, I am fairly sure the last man to try that got to feel more than your right hook." He smirks. "That's for when someone is just saying things ya don't care for, right? "

OOC: About what time is it? I ask because there seems to be a slight discrepancy - the two threads that fed into the shootout (5.1.3 and Katy's Prelude with Jackie) were both listed as being before sunrise. However, the shootout is listed as mid-day. Katy probably hasn't slept in over 24 hours at this point. And that's regardless of what time it is, based on what we'd previously established. She'd like to catch up with old friends and figure stuff out with Jackie - but I think exhaustion is close at hand.

"Marshal Broaddale, I reckon I oughta see things through with Bill. I talked him into staying, he helped me out, so I owe him that much," he said.

"But I would like to meet up later to discuss our respective assignments in the territory. I'll stop by the Mint after we finish up," he said.

Matt gave a curt nod to Logan.

"You see to your man, Marshal. Good to have a man of the law in these situations."

As Daisy pulled him away, he smiled contentedly. He may not have set out to do... any of what happened in the last half hour or less, but it did look like he was going to get some answers.

"Well, Miss Hewitt. It appears we've got some time. What do you say we have a drink in private?"
This message was last edited by the player at 16:03, Sun 29 Jan 2017.

In reply to Catherine Hays Cox (msg # 406):

((OOC: Wibbly-wobbly, timey-whimey. When the posse reconvenes, it's going to be in the afternoon, so I can get Moses and Art into Deadwood. Katy can probably grab a nap in the meantime.))

"Hell yeah," Daisy responds with a warm grin.

"An' about that frisk..." is the last the others hear of her as she quickens her step, still hauling the marshal.

James shrugs, "Sure ... sure he's a tough looking fella in black duster and brown hat. He's grizzled and was always scowling at his cards. Dark hair with some salt in his temples and mustache.?

Belle stopped dead in her tracks at the comment about the only legal road out of here being owned by Iron Dragon.  Havercroft's words hung in her ears.

Maybe she didn't need to be in such a hurry to get back.  Even if she stayed here another day... well it would be worth it for that.  And then she realized that one with the accent she couldn't place must have left the posters.

She tapped her chin, and opted to nonchalantly follow the would-be bounty hunter under the guise of needing some drink (Which she wouldn't drink, it might be drugged!).  Belle thought she could make everyone happy... or pissed off, she wasn't sure which at this point.

OOC:

The Stray:

<Aqua><small>((OOC: That's cool. So now that the danger has passed, what, exactly, are y'all doin'? I need to know so I can set up the next chapter stuff, which will get Moses and Art into town.))

Logan is going to stick with Wild Bill, Jackie, and Zek for the moment, to see things through with this Prospector.

</small></Aqua>