The Wild Wild West

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On hearing the lady, when she mentioned sheriff, he turns to Johnny and says "well, maybe I can do what you couldn't." Standing up, he walks over to Samantha, as he had heard her name. "Well, I just heard you wanted to open a doctor's here. I must say that'll be a great thing for this small township. Can I buy you a drink, me lady. Can I apologise for my companion coming on... so strong. He's a bit wet behind the ears.

 

"As are you, it seems. The lady and I were having a conversation." Albert so hated the young folk and their bad manners. With this, he turned to Samantha. "A physician, eh? This town could use one.. As you say, 6 hours ride is more than many survive when they're in need of your skill. As for somewhere to set up shop.."

Albert rubbed his chin thoughtfully. No empty places in the town sprang to his mind, except..

"There's a room upstairs, if it'd suit your needs. It's fairly big, and I never really have anyone staying in it anymore. That, and i'd feel a lot safer knowing there was a doctor living under my roof." Albert chuckled. "Tell you what, go take a look, and let me know what you think. I should see to my latest visitor." He gestured toward the blonde man at the bar. "Excuse me, miss". He turned, and walked back to the bar.

"What'll it be?"

 

"Give me a glass of your finest whiskey."

Will began to fidget with his right hand on the counter of the bar, looking up at the barkeeper as if he wanted to say something, but then decided to keep his mouth shut.

Several seconds later Will opened his mouth again.

"Barkeep... ah never mind."

 

"A conversation... sure. Just thought the lady might enjoy taking to someone... not as stuffy as you." He bows apologetically to Samantha. "If you fancy better company than this..... you can sit with me, and have any drink you would like.

 

Samantha isn't sure what to think of Max. Dangerous, but smart? Too soon to tell if he's friend or foe.

She nods to him slightly and goes upstairs to inspect her new practice.

 

Johnny glared at Max, who was apparently trying to make his own moves on the pretty lass. Bastard, he thought. What a total bastard. Hrhmph.

The saloon door swung open again, and he turned his head to look. Pierce, Charles and Preston entered, looked around, and met Johnny's grinning gaze.
"Hey, mates! Glad you could finally make it! Getting bored of waiting!"
"Sure thing, boss. We've brought the stuff you asked."
"Right!" Johnny clapped his hands together. "What time is it?"
"'bout noon, boss." the three of them drank their alcohol, which had turned warm.
"Right, let's do this thing!" With a nod, the three exited and saddled their horses. Johnny walked over to Max and Sam, and whistled for their attention.
"Max, we're going to go make our withdrawl now, and as for you, lassy -" he turned his head to Sam, and patted her on the back - "I'll be seeing you later, when I'm richer, aye? Nice to meet you."

Giving Albert a final wave, he ran outside the saloon and leapt on his horse, and adjusted his hat.

 

Going outside the saloon, Max mounts his horse. Then rides over to the bank with Johnny. The others left their horses at the entrance, and all 5 of them walked inside.

 

Johnny tipped his hat carefully, and swept of his horse. "Charles, you got the thing?"
Grabbing a bundle of objects from his cloak, Charles tossed it over to Johnny. "Sure thing, boss."
"Right. Charles, you stay here. Call if the sherrif's coming, yeah?"

The four of them entered the bank, as predicted lightly filled as most people were off having lunch somewhere. With a meaningful glance from Johnny, Pierce slinked to the corner of the room, keeping an eye on everyone. Johnny swept through the crowd, pushing the line out of the way as he tied a piece of cloth onto his face, and arrived at the teller leaving a trail of angry customers behind him.
"Sir, you really must line up." the young teller said. With a grin and a flourish, Johnny flicked out his revolver. Behind him, Pierce grabbed a random customer and put the gun to his head.
"Withdrawl, please." Johnny said cheerily. "Everything you have."

 

Max grabbed another customer. It was a pretty young lady. He could smell her perfume. It was lovely. "Johnny, take what you can get, i'll stay with this lovely lady and protect your back." He just nestled into her back, and smiled a warm smile. Preston just had to surfice with a mid 60s guy as a hostage.

 

Albert poured a glass of whiskey for the blonde man. Something was troubling this lad, that's for sure. He decided to chance it.

"One whiskey. Somethin' on your mind?"

 

Whilst Johnny vaulted over the counter and opened the safe, well tried, Max began to worry. "Johnny what's taking so long?" The safe won't open. Preston got some dynamite to blow it open. "hang on, why don't we ASK to have it opened?"

 

"Now I'm not one to talk about my problems, being it unmanly and all, but... that banker, Burt Campbell, I really need to get in with him. I'd have liked to pass through this town and be on my way. I shouldn't have stopped for the sermon on Sunday morning. She was just sitting there, prettier than I rose I've seen. You got any advice to help a man with that young Miss Campbell's father?"

Will wasn't looking so stoic anymore, but someone who was lovelorn, or more likely, "lustlorn".

 

Since Johnny had frozen, again, Max took charge. "Bank manager, open the safe!"
"No! I wont!"
Max put his gun to the guys head. "open iiiiiiit!"
"No."
Taking a young woman working at the bank, he put his gun to her head. "open it, or she gets it!"
The manager was sweating. But he still wouldn't budge. So Max shot the woman. Then took another and put his gun to her head.
"I'm sure one time i'll get to someone you DO care about. NOW open it"
Almost crying, he finally buckled, and opened the safe.

 

Johnny spun around as he heard the gunshot, and watched as the woman fell, blood spraying freely from her head. He yelled in horror. "Max! What the hell are you doing?! We didn't...I didn't want to kill anyone!"
"Boss! The safe's open!" Pierce called, still holding a gun to his hostage's head. Clearly, he didn't care about Max's slaughter. Johnny began to sweat - he knew Max was a bit crazy, but this...
"Dammit! Fine!" he muttered, and pushed the woman out of the way and reached for a nearby sack. Swearing, he began to chuck wads of valuables into the bag, hoping the gunshot didn't attract any attention, and hoping even more that they will be in time to catch the train.

 

As they piled up the loot from the safe, and from the tellers counters, Max felt a calm envelop him. A job well done, he felt. "Now, we'll get to the horses, and we'll take a few hostages with us. We'll kill them if we have to, but I wont allow the townsfolk, or law, to interfere with taking my well earned money."

 

Albert gave a heavy sigh. "Lad, there ain't much I can do to help you, i'm afraid. Burt Campbell is notoriously protective of his daughter, and more than one young man has found that out when he's in your shoes."

Albert was suddenly hit with a pang of pity for this poor young man. "That drink's on the house, lad."

 

Gathered by the entrance, with hostages, they sent one out, quietly, to secure the horses. Then they went out to mount up, quickly. "Lets be off out of here!" Turning his horse, Max sets off for the outskirts to ride away.

 

Samantha strolled happily through a clean, well lit room Albert had told her about. There wasn't much furniture, but she never needed much of it anyway. Yes... the space was perfect.

The thought of living above the Saloon also suited her. The owner seemed like an honest, good man and the place was decent enough. Some of the customers might have to work on their manners... but that's why lady pistols and shortened shotguns were invented.

She came downstairs. The blonde young man was there, sipping the whiskey. He didn't look happy.

Samantha aproached Albert.

"The room is lovely, sir, and it suits my needs perfectly. I can give you the down payment for the first months now, and we could also arrange for me to give you a cut of the proffits from the practice. Would that suit you?"

 

Johnny ran from the bank, dragging the sack behind him, and with some difficulty managed to hoist it on the horse. He pulled the rein of the horse, to face the train, only to notice Max going the other way.
"Max! We're going to catch the train as it leaves! We're leaving this joint, going over to the next town, then we're sneaking off for good! Where the heck are you goin'?!"

 

Albert turned to Samantha, listening as she spoke. "That'd suit me down to the ground, young lady" He smiled. "Been lookin' to rent out that room for a while now.. We don't get so many visitors anymore, y'see."

Suddenly, Albert heard a yell from down the street. It sounded like Johnny, and he was angry. What the hell was going on out there? With a nod and a quick "Excuse me" to Samantha, Albert grabbed his hat from behind the bar, and dashed outside the Saloon.