Life there is hope

Posted on Tue May 19th, 2020 @ 11:50pm by Alliance Alice LeMat

Mission: Bright and Shiny things
Location: Backwater world, no whre of significance
Timeline: Prior to departure for Green Leaf

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Why there had to be sand did not puzzle LeMat all that much, nor did the fact he rode a tired horse rented from an old man who looked even more worn than the horse. What did make LeMat wonder is why this man he tracked had run here, from all the first impressions this was where a part of his trail ended but never took back up; like a side and long forgotten trail. One might have even missed it were it not that later in the town Gleason had shot his way out and stole the ship of the Deputy Marshal to get away.

That part made sense as LeMat pondered it along the trail; leaving the tired animal aside he took to Hoofing it to the small shack of a place. Using a scope with night vision LeMat surveyed the angle of approach then moved around the perimeter fully before planning another move. The Livestock was a small herd at the southwest in a pen; the chicken coop to the south East and closer to the home shack of a house. Three horses in the northern section; two put out in a pen North west and one saddled at the ready.

"Are we planning a trip or quick getaway?" LeMat mused as he thought about his approach.

He went to the horse and drew the Bolt action rifle; he had brought it for the special scope; in the past this little jewel had come in handy; LeMat went to the east angle; able see both doors and if the man made a break it would be for the horse or cover of the herd so he can get a jump on hoofing it to the low shrubs. It was the horse that made the play more of a 50/50, trying the horse was a risk, but faster get away and the rear cover was a good five second sprint to it. Five seconds is enough to make strawberry Jam of him. And there was the west side windows, out of his sight range but since the East windows were also an option for a panicked man not knowing LeMat is here.

"Could try knocking?" LeMat said to himself but this Trigger Happy Perp might try shooting it out, really likely to actually.

With a length of rope from the saddle he meant to use to tie the man's hands, LeMat cut a length sufficient for that and then moved silently to the back porch; hesitantly he put slip knot around the back door handle and pull it very snug to an upright support beam, the back door was locked in a way from the outside and would take seconds to break a window or shoot through it to cut the rope with a steady Gun hand. There is the time LeMat needed.

Going around the front he pick up three good sized rocks and then kneel down on the ground lower than the porch, throwing the rocks hard to simulate pounded the door...

"Gleason, you are here by..." LeMat yell loud enough to seem like at the door.

Three rounds went through the door to cover footsteps heading to the back door. Drawing from the shoulder rig with his right hand he rushed the door kicking it open and into the open floor plan of a shack; no impending walls between front and back doors. The modest place was very light in furnishings the stove kept the place warm and out of his right side vision a woman cringe on the ground in a corner holing a five tear old boy and maybe two year old little girl from harm.

"Stay there holding you children where I can see you." Is all the warning LeMat gave as his hand leveled the revolver; clicked the catch and watched as Gleason turned to bring his own gun up.

LeMat fired without hesitation, the damn kick of the lower barrel always made the gun feel like it wanted to jump out of his hand, only his steady grip snf hesvier weight of the gun kept it from leaving him. Gleason was hit in the upper chest closer to the throat and thrown back as if hit with a Sledge Hammer. Bouncing off the dorr behind him; breaking glass before falling forward. Hearing the woman scream LeMat put his left hand in a sign to not move.

"No Blood ma'am." LeMat said as he gave a quick glance to her. "He will live." LeMat moved to the face down man and scooped up the fallen gun to put it in the duster pocket. "Hurts a bit I see." LeMat holstered the gun and used the rope to bind the man's hands securely behind his back before looking to the woman. "A 10 Gauge slug of bound pellets hit had, shocks the target and keeps them alive." The revolver again in his hand and selector back to the revolving cylinder and a look to the woman. "Just be a good mother and hold you children tight for just a bit more." He asked of her knowing while she held her hands were occupied.

"Don't- hurt..." Gleason rasped out a croaked voice of pain.

"I would never hurt a woman and her children." LeMat almost grinned but stayed serious. "You are worth the same to me alive or dead." He shrugged. "Less effort on my part in the 'Dead' category but it is not my style to just kill when not needed." He began to help heft the man to his feet. "I should think being alive is more to your advantage?"

"To swing from a noose, great choice." Glason was still short winded.

"Old sayis in where there is life there is hope." He nod to the woman. "Very sorry about so loudly scaring your household." He push Gleason forward. "You might thank your man here for bringing me here."

"Thank you?" She hissed.

"I took him alive and other than his thick head did not damage your home nor threaten your children with Gun play; only his wild shooting could have done you harm." LeMat knew a woman that hold up with a snake like this was in love so his words lost on her. "A posse might not have been so kind and most men hunting like the easier road." The two men were near the door. "Again I am sorry for barging in, and I do ask you do not try anything like grab a shotgun to threaten me as I will drop any threat...' HIs eyes were cold. "I do not like having my back a target, I put down such threats and ask why later." He pushed Gleason out and towards his own horse.

Getting a sack of hurting man into a saddle is never easy and when the footfalls on the porch sounded LeMat had his revolver at the ready...

"Can't you just let him go, I-I have some..." The woman offered.

"What is your name?" LeMat asked.

"Nichelle." She had a curious look about her.

"This man kills people; he would put your children in danger." LeMat nod. "He just put his own kids in trouble by trying to shoot it out with men without a care about anyone but himself." Keeping the gun pointed he took the reins in hand. "You deserve a man who would have warned there are children about and not to shoot, even if to get a head start, but this man just shot and knew there might be return fire..." He backed away taking the horse and man with him. "Think about what that might have done to your little ones?" He took more steps. "The handle is tied to the beam, no damage to the door and you can keep the rope."

Holstering the revolver as Nichelle stood gaping with his words ringing in her head, LeMat lead the perp's horse back to his rifle in the scabbard of his horse.

"You think I am going to live through this?" Gleason asked harshly.

"Nope." LeMat got up in his saddle. "But in life you might find hope and i have been wrong before." He replied d and with the Perp's horse in tow headed to town and his ship.

He knew he was not wrong this time though.


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