Logan caught Katy's glance, and wanted quite badly to try to catch a moment alone with her, but he figured now wasn't the time for the chat the two old friends deserved. He realized that he was quite bristling with guns at the moment, having been given a whole set of firearms from Wild Bill and Zeke.

"Holy hell is right," he said. On top of the bar near where Cantrell was leaning, he set down the firearms given to him by Wild Bill and Zeke. He made no move to remove his own gunbelt though.

"These are the weapons given to me by my friend here," he gestured to Wild Bill, "and your friend Zeke to hang on to in case...well, you know. In case there was a bad reaction to the medicine, so to speak. I'll put these in your charge. Unless you think that you're liable to turn too. In that case, I don't know who should hold onto 'em."

"As for my own, I'll pass on meetin' this Coot fella if it means I'm gonna have to disarm myself. I'm here on account of my friend's request here, and I'll be happy to wait outside of wherever y'all are in. You know, shoutin' distance. I could peace bind 'em or unload 'em in front of ya, but I earned these guns, and don't mean to give em up. No disrespect, but I don't know you from Adam, and don't know that you won't just run off with 'em."
This message was last edited by the player at 14:51, Wed 08 Feb 2017.

In reply to Kingsnake Cantrell (msg # 135):

Upon seeing the neck wound, Zeke moves next to Bill, just in case. He clearly did not trust the newcomers-even seeing the hanging 'accident' he seemed to have. Worrying about Bill was one thing-but how many dead folk was he gonna have to worry about around the coot? It was one of the few things all their inner 'guests' had in common. They all wanted coot dead.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:23, Wed 08 Feb 2017.

In reply to Ezekiel Starkweather (msg # 142):

((OOC: Zeke has seen Kingsnake and the guy with the bandages before...they're some of The Prospector's 'cavalry' (See Riding The Wind, Msg #102). Coot did, in fact, introduce them both to you.))

Moses furrows his brow, seemingly confused. "Wife? Moses has no wife..." his voice trails off as he looks off into the distance.
There was... a woman. Her name was... Abigail. He had met her in the graveyard.
He shook his head. No. That had been In Between, when he had saved Thunderwalker's soul from falling into the abyss. The Reckoners had sent a demon to him who appeared as a woman called Abigail. A woman known to the man who became Moses.

He shakes his head again, looking back at Maddox. "Wells," he replies, his deep voice rumbling with the name. He cocks his head again, closing his eyes, then opens them and looks at Art.
"Her name is Jackie Wells. That's the Woman's name."

"This woman, then," Maddox fishes out a less soggy wanted poster and hands it to Moses. "My informant," he gave a small jerk of the head at the excitable Pawnee, "-says you took her from them and went off with the Sioux, is that true?"

Matt nodded to Maddox and assumed a relaxed, non-threatening stance. He wasn't sure if he was relieved that every goddamn person in this town was converging on his objectives because it would make it easier to find, or if he was going to lose his mind over how important these objectives really were.

He wished he could talk to Marshal West, compare notes, but in the interim he was content to listen and watch.

Moses takes the wanted poster, studying it for a long while. He hands it back and shakes his head. "No. Now please tell Moses where he can find the Woman Who Remembers The Future."

Maddox raises an eyebrow at that, and attempts to pass on the poster to the nearest native, in case they might recognise the face. "You haven't seen her, then?"

He shakes his head to Moses' question. "Until she comes back by I have no idea where Wells is. You folk had best be careful around here," he tells Little Crow and the Cheyenne. "The soldiers are not friendly. Not at all. With Custer in charge there's all kinds of bad apples feel bold enough to hurt an indian, seeing as that it is he'll not go and do anything about it."

"Moses has seen her, yes. But you asked a different question. And to that, Moses' answer is no."
He looks to the side, furrowing his brow. He mumbles something, then looks back and down at the man in front of him.
"You have not mentioned your name yet. But fear not... the Lord tells Moses to not hold your bad manners against you."

The Sioux squints at the page. He's been glaring back and forth between the Pawnee and Moses, but he focuses on the image.

"He lies." Little Crow says. "She dress man. Travel with Ghost Dance." He looks at Moses. "Travel with him to Mathó Pahá. He lie."

The negro sighs, but respons to Maddox.
"Moses asks you to forgive Little Crow. The Lord's most humble servant is trying to show him the Light... but Little Crow has wandered in the Darkness for so long, he can barely remember what a ray of sunshine feels on his face."

Art kept an eye on the stranger, ready to pounce into action if it was necessary. His eyes were on Maddox while the two conversed. He watched, he listened, he waited. A hand drifted down to Kira's back, smoothing down some of the fur that had raised on her back.

The bounty hunter takes all this in, briefly raising his hand to rub his temples once more. "Yes. Right. Sorry. I just accidentally got a man blown up after being shot at a lot and escaping a fire, so I have been drinking. Will Mos- would you be so kind as to tell me what did happen? I'm Maddox, the name on the poster there."

"The rest of it says there's four hundred dollars put up as a reward for returning what that girl stole...and another two hundred for catching her alive, see you, but if she's up on Bear Butte I've no way to get her down."

In reply to Logan West (msg # 141):

Kingsnake shrugs. "Sure. I know ya gots to ask. But what makes you think I ain't helpin' folk right now?" He takes the offered guns and sets them on the bar, then points to a seat next to him. "Suit yourself, Marshal." he says. "You can wait here with me."

The bandaged man gets up. "Right this way, folks." he says.

He leads Katy, Jackie, Zeke, and Bill up to a curtained-off section of the bar. Inside, an old, grizzled white fella with a bushy beard, red flannel shirt, jeans and suspenders. He's got a Gatling shotgun propped up against the wall in easy reach, and a bottle of hooch in front of him flanking a plate with the remains of a meal. He looks up at the group as they enter and grins.

"Weh-heeell now!" He chuckles. "Looks like you managed to do all right, son." He nods at Wild Bill. "A pleasure to meet ya, Mr. Hickok, and no mistake. Glad I could help." He looks around. "And who might you two lovely ladies be?"

Katy's lips curled into a smile at Kingsnake's response. "I was hopin' ya still were helpin' folk. But if ya still wanna work fer the Rangers on a contract basis ever' now'n then, give Austin a holler. Or lemme know while I'm in town, a'ight? Mebbe ya got too much goin' on now, but mebbe that'll change sometime. Ya know I don't mind workin' with fellas in yer condition, right?"

---

Katy smiled at the man, but was aware enough of how itchy some trigger fingers might be at the moment where the Coot was concerned. She stayed at a safe distance and nodded her head respectfully. "I'm Catherine Hays Cox o'the Texas Ranger Brigade. Pleasure ta meetcha, sir. Though please call me Katy." She looked over at Jackie to await the other woman's introduction.

"I'm Jackie Wells. I'm a Law Dog, and I used to be deputy to Seth Bullock afore Custer came and tossed us out." Jackie says without preamble. "And we've met. Well, sorta. That there is a long, complicated tale, which I really don't want to tell more'n once to all the folk who I reckon need to hear it. There's a gatherin' up at the Mint...lots o' folk, wantin' to do lots o' things, and all needin' to share information. You're invited, 'cause you got that stuff that'll help Wild Bill here keep his mind in the right place, and you know a lot o' things that might help turn Deadwood around."

Coot leans back. "Well. That there is all mighty interestin'." he grins. "Sounds fun. But I got some bad news." He sighs. "See, that stuff I make? I use more than I can make quickly, and I done doled out most o' what I had on me." He looks at Bill. "It's good to see you back in control...but do you think you can stay there? 'Cause it's gonna take me some time to make more o' my elixir."

Wild Bill frowns. "Hell. I don't rightly know, to be honest. I weren't the best at keepin' the beast down at the best of times. How long will it take?"

"Well, it's a tricky brew. I got most o' what I need, and I do still have some...but it takes about a week to brew up proper. And you ain't the only one who needs it."

"There is a Reckoning in this world and the servants of Evil are among us. Soon, there will be the Last Battle and the Scales of Justice will tip in one side's favor. She", he tips on the poster, "will add tremendous weight to the Scales of Good. She has faced Raven, War's servitor and made him flinch.
She has brought a truce to the Sioux and the Pawnee, who have fought for so long they forget the reason why.
She has saved the Ghost Dance.
She is the Lord's most favorite sheep, His champion and a force for the triumph of Good over Evil. Leave her be."

He slowly reaches out with his hand, over Maddox's shoulder, then squeezes his fingers together to a fist.

"You keep interesting company, Maddox."
He pulls his hand slowly back, as if he had to strain with the effort. Then he growls at his fist and releases the fingers.
He focuses his attention back at Maddox. "Moses sees a darkness around you, Maddox. A darkness..." he nods, "that you were born with. You are wandering across a narrow edge between the paths of light and the paths of evil. Moses can try to protect you, but it will not be easy. Do you wish for the protection of The Lord's prophet?"

In reply to Jackie Wells (msg # 156):

"Bill has to get the first batch." Zek tells Coot.  "I know there are others, but if he loses control there won't be a second chance like this - and he can't be stopped by the...normal...methods. I will give him my brew if that helps."

Matt scoffed loudly at Moses' speech.

"Crazy fuckin... is there something in the water, Maddox?"

The bounty hunter leans back a bit as Moses starts talking about the End of Days. He opens his mouth to ask why a random Chinese whore would be the Holy Champion of God, or possibly sheep, but thinks better of it.

Moses' grasp over his shoulder causes him to start, suddenly, a convulsive shiver breaking over him like ice water, leaving droplets of sweat on his brow. He backs off hurriedly, those Whateley green eyes wide, leaving the poster with Little Crow. "You know, I think I, I'm fine, thank you. Very enlightened, seen the holy spirit, all of that. I'm...I'm just going now in a minute to see a man about a bun. I think. Going now. Ah...goodbye," he backs off, tugging his hatbrim, then heads for the nearest corner out of sight as fast as dignity might permit.

His glance at Marshal Broaddale reveals nothing except the fact that he's gone very pale and might be hastening off to throw up.

Matt starts.

"What the..." he trails off, then follows Maddox quickly around the corner, pausing only to say, "No trouble." to the gathered party.

Art raised his staff slightly off the ground and was about to spew a string of curses in the direction of Broaddale when the man abruptly headed off after Maddox. The lanky ginger closed his mouth and looked over to Moses with raised eyebrows.

Hehe, if Matt thinks that's crazy he ain't seen nothin' yet.  Prepare for crazy on top of crazy!

Belle had been paying attention to the details this whole time, and now was her chance to strike.

She come upon the enigmatic Moses almost from behind, butting in far closer than she probably should have, but Belle sometimes exhibited a tendency to use social conventions inappropriately, as if she had no true internal understanding and merely aped what she saw, remembering the attitudes and context, but not quite grasping the texture.

"You poor forlorn and cryptic yet thoroughly adorable man, I simply must assist you.  I must, I will hear no protestations of it.  Clearly you are in need of care and attention.  Belle Ivers, of the Iron Dragon Railroad."

She put a hand on his shoulder, and it looked almost comical as Belle wasn't too imposing and Moses was tall and much broader at the shoulder.  The idea Belle was going to 'help' him in any way seemed a bit silly.  But she went talking away, trying to see if she could get the prophet to follow her.

"You see my good man, I fear there is a dire matter of possible contamination and toxicity due to residual traces of common industrial compounds, which in sufficient parts per million are harmless as mother's milk, yet they tend to collect on certain improperly stored and handled cargo.  Fortunately I am a chemist and can detect toxic levels of heavy metals and particulates with sufficient access to the subject, however that is not the matter at hand.

"I did not get to converse with her at any length, but Quelle chance! I do believe I spotted this Wells earlier today, or at least that name was shouted quite a bit and by process of elimination I think I know who it is.  I'm quite good at process of elimination much to my chagrin, it is the least efficient principle of engineering you know.  But, your course must be expedited if I am to find mine, so let us advance!  Come come, we mustn't tarry, she may elude us!"

Maddox isn't visible in the street, and it's only when Matt gets a weak "Here" and the drop of a raised hand from the narrow alley between buildings that he spots the bounty hunter crouched back against the wall. The usually grim and competent Welshman is pale as the underside of a frog, trying to take his own pulse at the neck with fingers that tremble slightly.

"I didn't even feel him touch me," he complains, talking to bury the terror of one incomprehensable instant. "Pressure points or something. Rants about fire and brimstone a distraction. Christ, it felt like he reached inside my chest...just reached in and grabbed my heart. Fuck. Crazy bastard."

Moses looked at Art and then at Belle and back at Art again.
"There are many who doubt the Almighty's power and think His most humble servant to nothing but a fool. They are not evil, but they can be tools of evil. But, like any other tool, they might be wielded for good. Maddox, if he would turn to light, would be adding great weight to the Scales of Good."

He turns back to Belle, towering over her. He studies her for a second, shaking his head with a look of sadness. "You have your own demons that threaten to crush you. But if you know where to find The Woman Who Remembers The Future, you may lead the way."