Outlaw Born

Outlaw Born - Chapter 6

He walked down the narrow hall gently turning away and peeling away the ladies looking for company until he heard a familiar voice coming from behind a door. He shook his head with a bitter grin. They both had made plans as they sat together in on the cold battle grounds waiting for the moment fate would make them irrelevant.

He rapped on the door. The voice growled out. "Wait your turn, I paid for this hour."

"Just an hour? I thought you entertained a woman for days." Ben couldn't help part of his lip curling with humor.

The squeak of the bedsprings stopped suddenly and there was a sound of scrambling about before the door jerked open and revealed more of Charlie Dawson than Ben was interested in seeing. "I take it you're not ready for inspection, soldier."

Charlie's mouth gaped open then shut quickly as he jerked a bedsheet from not just the bed but the whore's hands. " Charlie!"

He glanced back. "Hush, Bernice you hang those over the rail at whoever will glance."

Ben raised a brow and sighed. He walked over to the bare woman curled up against the headboard and picked Charlie's pants from the floor. He tossed them across as he pulled the cover back and wrapped it around her shoulders. "I'll return him with better manners, miss."

Ben took a bit of pleasure in Charlie's discomfort and the way he rushed as if they were still a unit.

After a minute they were walking back downstairs. Ben waved over a saloon girl and sat at an empty table. After the girl sat down a bottle and two glasses Ben looked at the young soldier. "I see things didn't go according to plan."

Charlie smirked and downed his shot. He poured them another round. "Not even close. That sweet thing I was gonna come home and marry after buying a patch. She married my cousin. The ugly one, you know got kicked in the face by the old bull. The patch was claimed by the railroad and there is now a line of track right down the middle. They didn't even leave a tree standing for shade."

Ben nods as he pours a third and fourth drink. "Was it Hammond Rail?"

Paused mid drink, Charlie lowers the glass and nodded. "Yeah, you run into them? I hear they are hiring men to lay track northward a bit."

"You might say I run into them. My plans didn't come to fruition either. I came home to a pile of ash and two graves." Ben tossed back the drink as he tried to quell his anger.

Charlie could see the change in him, how the green in his friend's eyes turned dark emerald, the white of Ben's finger's where he gripped the bottle to refill his glass. "I'm so sorry. The rail seems to have taken more than it can give back."

Ben nodded. "It will give it all back. Every drop of their precious blood."

In that moment Charlie understood Ben's purpose. "I'm with you."

"I have no right to ask you to do this. We came home decorated...."

Charlie interrupted him, "Yes, you do. I owe you."

"No, Charlie, you owe me nothing..."

"I do." He said firmly. "You aren't manipulating me into agreement. I am a willing accomplice."

Ben sighed deeply and knocked back the shot of whiskey. "Accomplice is exactly what you will be. You know my history."

"I know your history, you aren't your father Ben."

Ben toyed with the glass a moment before he poured in more of the amber liquid. He wanted to get blind tonight. Numb the ache, if that was possible. "Bad is in my blood Charlie. I can't outrun what's in my veins."

He knocked back the first of many drinks. He was careful to stay alert. There were many who still held a grudge against one side or another. He knew there was still the edge of visible soldier in him.

He growled thinking of all he sacrificed to make a good name for his family. The family that no longer existed. He leaves the glass on the table and takes a long deep draw from the bottle. Ben savored the sensation of the burn as the whiskey traveled down his throat and through his chest.

He wasn't sure if the liquor fueled the anger burning in his gut or if it was his deep need to twist Hammond Rail into splinters and bits of rust. Ben stood and walked upstairs. He went up to an open room and leaned on the door jamb.

A woman with dark hair and gray green eyes turned and looked at him. "Are you next in line sugar?"

He tossed her bills that were a bit more than her usual fee and closed the door. He'd been faithful for so long. Waited for so long... he couldn't hold ash... He brushed her hand away gently as she reached out to unbutton his shirt. "I've got it."

He undressed and laid his clothes on the chair next to the bed. He looked at her body she was too thin, and too tan from standing on the balcony cat calling possible customers. He rolled her over, as he moved over her body. He felt as though he would burst with anger and frustrations of all sorts. Ben moved over her body and she shifted into position automatically.

She held the headboard braced for his thrust. The harsh grip on her hips and pounding never came. He took her hard but not roughly. She could feel the man's agony as he moved. She could sate his body but the heartache she saw in the mirror on the wall in front of her she couldn't tend.

When the deed was done, he looked in the mirror at his reflection... what had he done? His gut twisted as he pulled away from the girl.

She reached for him, but he dodged away, picked up his clothing and quickly redressed. He didn't hear her much less answer any of her questions. Ben took the steps two at a time downward. Heart pounding in his ears as he met Charlie by a poker table.

The man he stood beside sighed and tossed cards two the dealer. "Give me three more, Art. Not off the bottom this time."

Ben swallowed the cards placed in the hand completed his omen.... Aces and eights. Deadman's hand. Was he the dead man, or did it refer to his vendetta? It had been such a long time since he'd seen those evil cards he had almost forgotten.

Something inside him clicked, it shut down and Ben knew there was no getting that part of his soul back. He was the son of John Mason. He looked up at Charlie, his face blank. Eyes so cold Charlie took a couple of steps back. "We leave now if your committed."

Charlie set his hat forward on his head and nodded. "I'm all in, boss."