Albert paused after he entered the bar to look around. He wasn't particularly surprised to find some of the folk with which he rode in the carriage. He closed the distance to the bar in a relaxed way, and forced a smile as he approached those speaking with Desiree Thornton. Sadness and pain were both apparent in his eyes as he politely nodded at those gathered. "Howdy, folks, nice ta see y'all again."

He slowly sat down on a nearby stool, his bulk causing the wood to creak a little. He then tapped the bar. "Desiree, I need somethin' strong. I just been talkin' ta Mike. He sent me yer way."

Lee listened as the others talked, nodding along and mentally recording the particulars of the conversation.

"It isn't uncommon for local power players to run affairs in small town like this, but the ones who do it most successfully usually do their best to avoid attracting attention from higher outside authorities by keeping things generally fair and safe, maintaining some kind of order and some manner of justice. The very fact that I'm here in town represents an abject failure on behalf of the House. They've drawn the eye of the Governor as well as the Rangers," he said.

"I've sorted out corrupt sheriffs before, but this is a whole new ball game. What, with the devil weeds and those wolves, closed schools, disappeared children, and the usual campaign of murder and violence to boot, well...this is gonna be harder than my usual assignment."

He paused briefly when the saloon doors came open, but relaxed a fraction when he saw it was Cooper. After their conversation in the stagecoach, Lee was comfortable hangin' with Mr. Cooper, but he couldn't ignore the man's pained expression. In truth, he was of a mind to take the man up on his offer of aid, but it didn't seem quite the moment.

"Good to see you too, Mr. Cooper. It don't look like your drinkin' to glad tidings, though for that matter, I suppose neither are most folk in Lincoln right about now."

"No, General, ain't been any good tidin's since we got back here. Ain't my kid what been stole, but that sorta thing...hits me pretty hard." He looked over at the others, the doleful look still on his face. His fingers itched to touch that glass, though he knew it wouldn't be anything that would be a cure.

"I understand. It's all tied up in what I came here for, but this thing with the kids has moved up to the top of my agenda. When we were in the stagecoach, you mentioned that I could call on your assistance at need. I was hopeful that it wouldn't be needed, but the more I learn, the more certain I am that I'll need to do that very thing. Is that offer still on the table?" he asked Albert.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:06, Mon 09 Apr 2018.

Jake nods at Albert, and listens to the Ranger speak.

"I'd be doin' somethin' about this with or without leave anyhow." Jake says. "But I'd rather work with you than at cross-purposes. So count me in."

Albert nodded at the Ranger's request without apparently even thinking about it. "If it's gotta do with findin' them kids and then takin' care of those what done this...I will help in any way I possibly can, General."

"I'm going to have to pay a visit to the Sheriff sooner or later. Best sooner than later, I think. I have to get a sense of what's happening in the local constabulary so that I can report back on it. But I saw a couple of men hanging around Wilson's Saloon watching me. If I was watched moving from Montano's place to the Church to this here watering hole, it wouldn't be too hard to paint a picture of what trail I'm chasin'," he said.

"My plan is to see if I can offer my assistance to the Sheriff in his efforts to find the missing children, and during that conversation, innocently drop a sincere promise to get the full backing of the Texas Rangers to help if the kids aren't found soon," he said, with a wolfish smile.

"See, he's going to see this in his minds eye: a town flooded with Rangers rootin' out all the bad shit they've been doing and might soil himself right there. I figure that more Texas Rangers in his business is the last thing he wants, and that after he carries that message back to his masters those kids will find their way back home fast. That don't solve the larger problem, but it just might get those kids back in a jiffy."

Albert nodded at what Bryan had to say, and liked every bit of it. "Sounds like a good plan. Only thing ta worry 'bout is if the sheriff ain't parta the House - mebbe he's just too scared ta do anythin'. Either way, I 'spect yer message'll be heard, and mebbe that'll free them kids right quick without no bloodshed." Not that Albert would mind shedding blood in this case. But someone he cared about might get hurt in that case.

Albert frowned for a moment. "You checked in with Austin or yer local leadership at all since ya arrived here?"

In reply to Bryan Lee (msg # 91):

"What if he gets scared enough o' that thought that he sends someone to make sure you don't make any reports?" Jake asks.

Kate looked at Lee like he was proposing to turn west and cross the world in 80 days when he could just turn east and walk for an hour instead.

"I was just gonna shoot the son of a bitch."

Albert furrowed his brow and looked over at Katie. "Okay, which son-of-a-bitch are you plannin' on shootin'? And no matter who, how is that goin' ta git those kids back ta their parents alive?"

He did generally like the way she thought, of course. His first impulse when he heard about what had happened was to go shoot somebody. He did have a bit of experience with raising a child, however, so his perspective had changed a bit in the last few years.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:48, Tue 10 Apr 2018.

Jake nods with Cooper. "I think we oughta wait on the shootin' 'till we know who needs the bullet. Kids need to be found first." He looked over at the group. "I only heard o' one kid for sure that they were ransomin'. How many total are missin'?"

"Well, I don't have much confidence in the sheriff, but it's a thought of mine that this plan could get the kids out quick. If it comes down to a fight over them, so be it, but it's an opening salvo. The sons of bitches can let the kids go, and pick on folks their own size. Even if the Sheriff is just a pawn, I don't suppose he'll hold back on informing his betters," he said to Jake.

"As far as reportin' back, haven't had the chance yet. Is there a local telegraph, Miss Thornton?" he asked the saloon keeper.

To Jake's question, he nodded. "That thought did cross my mind. I suppose it's all in how I convey the idea. If I present the notion that the resolution of kidnappings is the mission I was on, then killing me doesn't do a lot of good to that cause," he said.

He shook his head at Kate's proposed solution. "Brady has a poor reputation among many locally for his inaction, but widely he is known for having served honorably in the Confederate Army and was cited for heroism in the Battle of Glorieta Pass. Shooting him would empower the House by costing us support among other powers at the territorial level. The House would lose one puppet, but have a host of replacement puppets to put in his place and the situation would continue unchanged. The Governor would be less likely to believe stories against his character, and the House would have a freer hand to operate here and consolidate control of the area at the expense of honest men, women, and children. Meanwhile, you would be on the run from the law, having committed murder. Think with your mind, rather than your gun, or you risk bringing ruin to the good people and unintentionally providing aid to the villains."
This message was last edited by the player at 03:59, Tue 10 Apr 2018.

Thornton refills any empty glasses, providing a mug of fresh coffee for Cooper. ”Eight, all told,” she says in answer to McGraw.

”I’m afraid there’s no telegraph line in Lincoln proper. It’s rarely discussed openly, but I’ve always suspected that its absence is by design. However, there is a telegraph in San Patricio, a little over half a day’s ride south.”

Her mouth presses into a thin line. ”Mister Lee, we’ve only just met, so I don’t want to speak out of turn. But...something I feel you should be aware of. You are not the first Ranger to come to Lincoln, or to look into the affairs of Lawrence Murphy.”

“David Storms was the man’s name. He came after one of the longtime residents here sent a letter to Roswell about a group of farmers being bushwhacked for their land. This was right around the time that Lawrence Murphy had begun to expand his cattle operations, so I’m sure you can guess who absorbed the dead men’s property. Ranger Storms captured three outlaws involved in the killings...alive. Took them north up to Fort Sumner for safe keeping. Swore he’d return and bring those that paid them to do the deed to justice.”

“He did return. But he cleared Murphy of any wrongdoing. Assured everyone here that the outlaws had done what they had just to commit some simple robberies. And made certain that we all knew that the Territorial Government was watching after us. Making sure we stayed safe.”

“Storms still rides through here from time to time. He was here a couple of months ago.”

She raises one eyebrow. ”Forgive me for saying so, but that’s why I never wrote to Governor Mosby, I didn’t see any point in it. Rentana Montaño obviously didn’t share my views on the matter.”

Bryan had seemed to handle everything with an even tempered disposition since his arrival, even on the stagecoach ride, but he seemed momentarily rocked by the information that Thornton provided.

"It's not out of turn at all. Quite frankly, I'm glad of the information. Honestly, Storms has never come up in any of my briefings and I don't know the man. The Governor made no mention of him, and he seemed quite sincere in his intentions of looking into the happenings locally. If he didn't sending me here would have served no purpose. There are a dozen other assignments I could have been put to. Murphy has powerful interests in Santa Fe, who might have gotten to this Storms. In the meantime, all I can do is continue to conduct my investigation and hope for the best."

Inwardly, the information made him doubt everything he had been told by Mosby about the situation. Why had this information not been included in the briefing?

Kate shrugged.  "The only cure for the evils in this world is lead, and I shall shall give account for the quick and the dead."

If there was ever an oath which showed a certain darkness of character... that was it.

"But if we can get them chitlins first it can wait.  He'll keep."

She looked at Cooper, wondering if she should say any more.

Albert nodded at Bryan's response to the question of his own safety. "Ain't nothin' that'll get more Rangers here faster'n the death of one o' their own. The General is prolly safe enough, though the warnin' is still important. That sorta play'll be dangerous, so we all gotta watch each others' backs."

He looked over at Kate and she could see a bit of pain pulled at his features for a moment, though he recovered quickly enough.

"Step one has gotta be gettin' the...chitlins...back. Step two is prolly findin' out who's behind this all. Step three will involve a lot of lead, I think."

”I wouldn’t try to speak for the Governor, of course, Ranger Lee, but I can’t help but wonder if him avoiding any mention of Ranger Storms might have been motivated by a desire for you to come to your own conclusions about Lincoln, free of his influence,” Thornton says. ”It’s been my understanding that Ranger Storms and Sheriff Brady got along quite well.”

She takes a sip from her own glass. ”Father Narvaez has been entrusted with the key to the schoolhouse. I have it on good authority that the Father saw that the vines had torn a hole in the floor and there was...a tunnel underneath the building.”

"Well, my conclusions so far don't seem very favorable to the Sheriff, I'll say that much. I can't see how anyone actually attempting to solve a problem could end up with a situation of this magnitude on their hands, which leaves only the conclusion that the problem isn't really being worked on," he said.

"That said, I don't see how this Storms fella could take moves against children kindly, even if he is on the take."

He perked up a bit at talk of the vines. "Did the vines pull children under the ground?"

Albert took a drink out of the mug he had been given, and smacked his lips with appreciation. "That's mighty fine, Desiree. I can hardly taste the whiskey you mixed in with the coffee."

He listened to Bryan's question and frowned. "One way ta find out, General. I think that hole's beggin' fer an...expedition. What say we go take a look-see?"
This message was last edited by the player at 22:11, Wed 11 Apr 2018.

In reply to Albert Cooper (msg # 104):

"Sounds good to me." Jake says.

"Count me in. It's late enough that I can reasonably beg off official visits for the day and postpone my trip to see Brady until morning. In any case, this will probably give me a better measure of things before that meeting," he said.

Kate just sighed, signaled for one more drink, and figured she better go keep the yocals from getting killed.  Or go shoot someone.  Or get killed herself.  Either way good times would be had.

Albert nodded at the others. "Just give me a little bit ta take the stuff I brought back from Roswell up ta my aunt and uncle's place. And do we need ta borra a few lanterns fer proper spelunkin'? Given where we're headed, Mike Kibbee ought to be willin' ta lend some light. And I'll see what I can scrounge from the ranch."

Albert took another drink of the coffee, then raised his bulk from the seat he had briefly inhabited. He waited to see if anyone else had anything to say before he headed off to fetch his horse for the ride out to the Cooper ranch.

”Be careful, please,” Thornton entreats the group. ”If you need anything, I’ll be right here. Just send word.”