In reply to Alouette (msg #28):

"Away from all o' the above." Danny says, then considers. "Aye, goin' to the church might work..." he makes a face. "Don't call me that. The...the proper term for me 'tribe' is Irish. And we won't harm anyone we don't have to."

In reply to Pony Express (msg #31):

Wildcat pays the man and pockets the rest.

"All right I better get back to minding them prisoners before they get any ideers.  Ah might be waitin' a while, given th' lack of lawdogs an' the constant fires they hafta put out 'round here."

Wildcat meant that as encouragement the rider should leave, but she wanted him to do so naturally, lest he be intercepted by an agent of the Snake.  That dead man's switch had to go through, and she wouldn't know.

"Danny Albatross wishes to dig?"

Alouette agrees with small-girl enthusiasm to the idea of going to the church. "Yes. The church can give y'all sanctuary from angry mortals, make y'all invisible to demons wishing to encourage y'all to lose souls and harder to find by things that see like angels. Also, the church may provide fish and possibly cake."

It crosses its arms at the last. "Y'all have no need - alternate: primary requirement, to cause harm...minus killing and eating people, and that is a sin." There's a slight, ticking pause, then to Danny: "Why was Danny Albatross having a war?"

Katy was a little quiet on finding that one of the fellows they had to watch over was Danny, it was the same guy from the stage coach robbery.. But he died, didn't he.. The lad was carted off to the Doctor's property and after that.. What did he escape, or was he not really dead or.. Well, he was a slippery fellow. Jake guided them to the room on the south side and she merely watched from under her hat, strangely quiet for once.

She was listening still, Jake merely walked away and she stayed to watch him and the Angel behind bars. They thought of making a run for it and it was like the stories, but she wasn't enjoying this one. She turned and moved away to follow after where Jake went to and found Ambrose and Charging Bear there as well. Charging Bear asked a inquiry and she used that to pipe in.

" She's trying to make sure they don't run away and.. Eat.. People.." She said with a bit of confusion as if she couldn't wrap her mind around the latter part.

In reply to Wildcat Hawkins (msg #33):

The Pony Express rider nods, takes the payment and letter, sticks them both in his mochila, and heads out.

A few moments later, Deputy McCoy heads in, breathless. "Miss Hawkins?" He says. "We heard there was a sitiation?"

In reply to Bill (msg #36):

"Ya could say that Deputy, weren't for Mister Frost here it'd be a real sitcheeashun indeed.  But don't go an' reckon ah ain't very glad to see you right now anyhow."  Wildcat gestures her head toward the prone figures.

"These two are under arrest and are to be considered extremely dangerous.  We need ta get them in th' clink five minnits ago.  Normal protocol would be a double escort and a guard for th' escort, but I'll take whatever help I can git 'round here."

In reply to Everyone in the Jail:

Alouette:

Danny sighs. "I'm not havin' a war no more. I just said that. I just want to go home. Now, get ready to block the door an' keep all the others inside while we make a break for it."

He moves up to the window of the office and swings the butt of his pistol into it. The glass shatters. "Get moving!" He shouts to Jesse, who runs for the now opened window.

---

To everyone else:

Evans nods at Charging Bear. "As the lady says. Alouette has returned, and is currently minding our charges. It claims that our two charges will be harmless enough, provided they aren't forced to feed on human flesh and are given fresh fish. I will just be content to keep our undead off the streets for a few minutes until we can determine what created them."

He's interrupted by shattering glass.

"Of course." Evans sighs. "Naturally."

She blinked a little, her head canting to the sound of glass shattering.

" Oh, right. that's what I came here to tell you guys. They're running away to the church. Their afriad people that see them will gun them down again since everyone knows their dead. Then they're going to run away to.. Missouri, I think.. They're counting a bit on Aloutte to make sure no one shoots them.." She says matter of factly. " I wasn't going to say anything, but they picked a noisy way to do things and.. Well. I'll go after them. Just pretend you didn't hear the glass breaking." She volunteered quickly and headed to the door, pulling it open and started to step out. " I'll be back later to tell you all what happens, I think it's best that we leave them alone. They're really sad people, so i'll be okay. Take care, boys.."  And with that quick chatterbox nature piping up, she left and moved to get to the other side of the building to follow them.

Alouette looks at the door, then at the lads squeezing out through the bars and broken window (rapidly becoming a normal entrance/exit route in the clank's experience), assuming that this is the break and Jesse, presumably, is "it".

"Beware of pointy bits," it remarks, seeing how the glass tears at cloth, and just stands there ticking over what to do next. It logs a strong requirement for/lack of Charging Bear's presence which could be called missing him: Called Charging Bear would know what to do first.

Charging Bear puts his palm to his forehead as he heard the glass shatter. After another moment, he looks over at Evans, "Next time we put the prisoners in the vault. Works pretty well on keeping things and people inside."

He watches as Katy volunteers to go after the escapees and then wanders off. "Want me to follow her?"

In reply to Wildcat Hawkins (msg #37):

Jake stood behind Deputy McCoy as he talked to Ranger Hawkins. He looked over the Ranger, sizing her up as he did most people he met. "Guess its good the marshal sent me along then." He extended his right hand to the Ranger, "Jake Lawrence, recently conscripted deputy."

Wildcat grins like a loon at that remark.

"Carn'scripted ya say?  Well ya ain't the first man I met in this town that thinks the war's still on.  Course given the conditions at play here, I can't blame ya if ya did."  She attempts a kind of joviality, but it comes off as weariness.  Wildcat has not been sleeping well here lately.

Her cobalt eyes darted to the rosary.  "Well this here is a hell of a way to meet ya Deputy Lawrence, so ya'll have to pardon my lack of, well, most anythin'.  Now if'n I don't know no better, I'd think you was a circuit rider, but I'm a Methodist m'self an' ain't too many of us walkin' round wit' rosaries.  Either way I'm guessin' you don't come from lawmen?"

Wildcat's tone was odd, like she thought she was right but hoped she was wrong.

"Its a long'ish story Ranger, but I'm here to help until things get sorted around here." He looked down at the rosary in his hand, as though he'd forgotten it was even there. "I was raised Baptist, but became Catholic for my wife-God rest her soul. I keep the rosary to remind me of her and our son John-God rest his soul." Jake made the sign of the cross as he said his son's name.

"But I'm no circuit rider, I work for Dr Victor Frost out of New Orleans. As for being from law folk, no ma'am, my pa was a banker and my ma a seamstress, however I did serve in the Army when the fightin' was still happenin' and know how to give and take orders."

Wildcat removes her hat momentarily.  "My cond'lences fer yer loss Deputy."

This man's story was as strange as anything else she'd encountered here.  Well, maybe not but anywhere else but Blackthorn he'd be a rare curiosity.  That Frost name sure seemed to pop up a lot around here too.

The ranger did not linger on the gesture however, judging it to be something personal and not spoken of lightly with strangers.  In a way, she could understand.

"Well welcome to yer first day of deputy work one-oh-one.  Normally we'd do this in style, but we'll make this here work.  I'm gonna jabber at ya'll while I act.  Deputy Lawrence I 'poligize in advance for boring you, but Deputy McCoy here is not a transient and will benefit from some of this nonsense.  Now first thing I need from you fellers is yer shootin' irons out at low ready.  Deputy McCoy, if you'll be so kind as to cover the male suspect, and Deputy Lawrence, you'll cover the female.

"These are extremely dangerous suspects and as they haven't been frisked or searched yet, we must consider them armed.  We will consider them armed until a proper search has been conducted, but we ain't gonna do that in no saloon.  You can be damn skippy we're going to frisk 'em good though.

"Now in theory, a deputy is a deputy and a suspect is a suspect.  An' sometimes that's just how it is.  In poh-lite society however a lady is a lady, and if you got the option ya gets a female to frisk and search a female and it ain't fer politeness sake neither.  There are... extra places to check you boys wouldn't understand.  Course I frisked plenty of fellers and ain't none of them complained one time.  Guess the world's just not fair sometimes."

Wildcat planted her knee on the prescribed spot on Jenny's back and began to pad her down.

"Ya wanna wear gloves, don't find that knife she got hid on her th' hard way.  Notice the pattern, one end to the other, yer knee in their back helps if they decide they're too nervous and want you to stop in a hurry."

"Yes ma'am." Jake drew his Dragoon with a practiced ease and aimed it at the female suspects left shoulder.

She snuck toward the back and carefully poked her head out from round the corner to find out where they were at. She pulled back in realizing they were still climbing out and the little angel hadn't yet followed them. What were they thinking, honestly? She figure the best thing to do was to stay put, not like Evans was gunning to hang them. As far from possible as it would be, she was thinking maybe talking a little sense into them.. Then again, they might not believe her or care. Whom knew what happens to them later.. A sigh, she moved out from the alley  put her hands on her hips.

" You know.." She started softly. " This is not the best solution for you gentlemen. Your going to get hurt again."

Alouette, not being great with the etiquette of doors, decides to look at what the differently alive lads are doing. Amazingly, the clank manages to work its way at least partway through the bars, and crouches on the sill like an insane mechanical owl as Katy starts talking.

[[agility 5 - quite a feat for the clank, but still a sucess unless that was at -2, in which case CB might have to fetch a hacksaw...]]

"Howdy Miss Devon! Fear not! Danny Albatross and Jesse Hohlfeld are going to a better place," it reassures her.


[[Might as well give the lads extra incentive not to shoot Katy. No harming mortals, boys!]]

In reply to Wildcat Hawkins and Jake Lawrence:

Bill holds his gun on the man as asked, but his attention is on Wildcat. "Uh, ma'am? I don't want to rush you or nothin', but do we have time for this? We got a real sitiation back at the mining office." he swallows, then continues. "it's...it's Jesse, ma'am. My...the man you shot yesterday. He's...he's back."

[[OOC: Wildcat, please make a vigor roll for me. That whiskey on your empty stomach after a poor sleep is beginning to catch up with you. A failure will result in a level of Fatigue.]]

In reply to Alouette, Katy Devon, Charging Bear:

Evans shakes his head. "Technically, they aren't under arrest..." he sighs and shakes his head. "Go in and corral them. I don't want them harmed if it can be avoided, but we need some answers."

He throws the door open. "Hold there!" He shouts at the pair...of mechanical legs halfway out the window. he pinches the bridge of his nose. "Change of plans. Go around back and box them in the alley. And hope they don't do anything to Miss Devon in the meanwhile."

Out back, Katy comes across the pair straightening up. Jesse looks up and opens his mouth as if to answer, but when Alouette bursts through the windoww after them he jumps and lets out a strangled squawk.

Danny looks at the comedy surrounding him, open-mouthed, then closes it with a frown and rushes at Katy. "Sorry, girl. I'm afraid I'm going to have to take ye hostage again." He says as he grabs her and twists her arm behind her back...

[[OOC: 13:51, Today: Danny Boy rolled 4,2 using d6-1,d6-1, rerolling max with rolls of 5,3. Grapple! That beats Katy's Parry of 3...she's now entangled, though she can try to escape on her action.]]

In reply to Bill (msg #49):

21:46, Today: Wildcat Hawkins rolled 1,5 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1,5. drinkin' whiskey.

Wildcat was good at two things: catching bullets and drinking too much.  Blackthorn was teaching her a third: to not immediately bolt at every unfavorable development.

It's not that Deputy McCoy's words had no effect on her, they turned her blood to ice.

"Deputy, if we don't follow the right steps, these two will get loose and it will come back on us and we'll have more problems.  A degree of care even under the worst circumstances is what this job is all about.  We're already doing sloppy police work, let's not make it worse.  These two damn near shot up everyone in here, they are a direct threat to the people of Blackthorn and deserve to be treated accordingly."

Nevertheless she finishes her frisk and stands.  "Deputy McCoy, I'll cover you while you do a pat down of the male suspect.  Deputy Lawrence, we lack adequate restraints so we're going to have to be creative here.  I'm cuffing this suspect now."

Wildcat does as she declares before standing.

"Get her to her feet, and be mighty careful sir she won't hesitate to head butt her way out of this.  Once the other suspect is cleared, we're going to tuck his left arm behind his shoulder and cuff his left arm to her right hand, so even if they untwist themselves they'll be oriented in opposite directions.  Deputy McCoy will restrain his free arm, I'll restrain hers, and you'll escort us and cover the whole procession.

"Once we get these two situated with some rope threaded through the cell door, Deputy McCoy, you will do an exhaustive search of them both.  Take everything that's metal or stiff, don't even leave them a hair pin.  Our improvised cell needs to be thoroughly inspected and cleared too, we had compliant prisoners before, these two won't be.  Don't try to transfer them by yourself, wait until you have lots of help.  Keep them covered.

"In the meantime Deputy Lawrence and I will report and find out about this mess."

OOC: About the time Wildcat is through speaking, Deputy McCoy has probably finished his search.

Oh hell.  Wildcat thought.  If these assassins had just been after her, she might expedite this process even more, but she feared what they would do to bystanders.  It was infuriating, despite her priorities, this new problem had to have some of her attention presently.  But the pragmatic Ranger knew that it was already too late to prevent any problems, she'd have to trust the Marshal's mettle to hold out until she could intervene.

Aw, how cute. Allouette startled the cowboy. She nearly giggled at such a cute scene when danny rushed over and twisted her arm behind her back.

" OoW! You jerk!" She started. " Let go or I'll scream. You don't think they heard the glass break?.." She was a little fussy and hearing Evan's shouting out from the room made her smirk. " Let me go and get running, your losing time, aren't you?"

Alouette attempts to turn and look round at Evans whilst perched on the sill, and falls off. Hopefully Jesse's got out of the way by now.

[[agility 2: windows -> crash.]]

"Tilt error," it mutters, then sees Danny's grab for Katy. "That action has fail, Danny Albatross!" it exclaims with more sincerity than grammar, then tries talking to Jesse, since it's picked up that mortals often pay a bit more attention to other mortals, like Jake does to Ambrose: "Y'all should go to church, plus fast, minus noise. Remind Danny Albatross that self will not protect unkin that harm mortals?"

Charging Bear ran around the back, hoping to get behind the would be runaways. He pauses at the corner of the building, after taking a few deep breaths he moves quietly towards where he hears the commotion. Hopefully this doesn't get me shot.

OOC:
08:53, Today: Charging Bear rolled 11,4 using 1d4,1d6, rerolling max with rolls of (4+4+3)11,4. Stealth.

In reply to Wildcat Hawkins (msg #51):

She seems to have a handle on this, just going to keep quiet and do as the Ranger says, Jake thought as he looked over the pair of prisoners, keeping his gun trained on the female the whole time.

Danny looks from The not-very-frightened girl in his arms to the crazy machine, sighs, and turns Katy loose. Without a word he turns and begins running the direction of the church.

Jesse, after a moment's hesitation, turns and follows him.

Charging Bear, sneaking like a phantom, can see the two making a run for it. No one seems to have noticed him, living, undead, or mechanical.