Broken Trails

[serpington]

serp rode to the showdown where the group was waiting "i see you thinkthis is going to be easy?" "they'll be over in no time!" laughed one of the bandits. "three, two, one......draw!" max called diving for cover behind a rock as seven rounds flew though where he had been. <i knew it, this should work perfectly.> he thought as more shots rang out and a body fell to the ground. he took this opportunity to draw one of his revolvers and start firing at the four remaining thugs.

[Mr.Mustard]

Mustard Watches the carnage ensue from a perch on top of the water tower. When Serp dive behind a rock, he notices that the thugs are distracted, and takes the opportunity to pick off a straggler in the back. After another second or two, Mustard fires at and misses one of the thugs. "Shit! There's two of them!" he yells to his comrades.

[serpington]

max heard the bandit "shit! there's two of them!" "knowing our trick is one thing, stoping us is another." he smiled launching between two rocks shoting at least two of them, one in the leg the other in the hip.

[Mr.Mustard]

Mustard Watched from his perch as two of the bandits fell. Seeing his chance, Mustard quickly jumped from the tower the the roof of the saloon, creating further confusion for the final bandit.

[serpington]

the round was over soon after that, max started walking back towards the saloon while reloading his modified colt's. "and you were worried!" he called to his new partner. "never did catch your name, mind telling me over some more whisky?"

[Mr.Mustard]

"Be my Pleasure..." Mustard stated, unhooking a bowie knife from the belt of one of the fallen officers, "Officer James Mustard's the name."
Mustard followed Serp into the bar, making note of the R shaped burns on each of the bandit's necks.

[serpington]

"Cecil, two on me. and you don't have to worry about those five anymore." he smiled looking around the dark bar, over in the back corner were two townsfolk playing cards, watching the hunters cautiously. "so officer Mustard, got a story behind the rank?" he asked as the bartender handed the two a class of whisky each.

[Mr.Mustard]

"Well, my story's a long one... I grew up in Agrua Fria, Texas. When I was 15 yeas old, I got a job rustlen Cattle. One day, I was out in the fields, when Texas Red's boys came ridin in, looking for trouble. To me, and my young and stupid mind, it looked fun and excitin... So I joined up with read's posse. It was only after they branded me that I realized I made a huge mistake... Merciless bastards, is what they are... Spent five years killin families... Then I realized that it wasn't a good life to live. So, I ditched the thugs. Two years later, I had raised a family, and had a little one on the way... Apparently word had gotten to them that I was still alive, and they were mighty pissed that I abandoned the gang... So, one night, I had finished dinner, and was gettin ready to sleep, when I was hit over the head with something heavy... The next thing I remember was waking up in the cornfields, and lookin on the remains of my house and family... They killed my Anne, so I'm going to kill them... Eye for an Eye, Right?"

[serpington]

"sounds like a hard life, I'm not going to fake like i know where your coming from. i come from a wealthy family with land and anything else a man would need to live a peaceful life. but i craved excitement and adventure and felt like being rebellious, so i found the job my parents would hate the most that would get me out and about, so here i am." serp smiled over the rim of his now half empty class.

[Mr.Mustard]

"Say, you're a mighty fine sharpshooter... Have you ever given thought to joining the Rangers?" Mustard propositioned, looking at his still-full glass. "Great adventure to be found there, and bringing the law to lowlife scum has it's own rewards..."

[serpington]

"yea, this is my last job before i join them. how about you?"

[Mr.Mustard]

"I joined after recuperating from the fractures skull I got curtsey of Red... I wanted revenge for my family, and I figured, 'with my experience and hankering for justice, I'd be the perfect candidate'... So, I joined the Rangers. Graduated top of my platoon, and spent 20 years waiting for the right information to come up... It finally did about a week ago... Double Agent told us that Red was hiding out in Lorado, so I high-tailed it here... Best, and maybe only, chance I'll ever get to bring Red to date..." Mustard stood, his vertebra cracking. "I warn you, its going to be tough. Two men versus a virtual Army..."

[serpington]

yea but we've got an advantage. brains." max stood and grabed his hat and walked out of the saloon, he mounted his horse and waited for james.

[Mr.Mustard]

After Max left, James walked to Cecil. "I know these men, And they'll be back. Take this," James stated, handing the Bowie knife to the frail bartender. "If they do show up, wait for them to turn around, and hit 'em with this. It's not much, but its something." Mustard left the bar, and saddled up next to hid new partner.

[serpington]

"so, lets get going, their hideout is to the north. we should ride to the Northeast to try and come around behind their base." he started to ride out of town smiling. "and as for what you said about the path being paved with body's. on the way back we should rip up that road for the extra rewards." he smirked looking back at James.