Forged Steele - Andrew Scorah (books that read to you txt) 📗

of Iron with eagle feathers, strong and they fly true."
Isom handed the rifle/bow back to Chihiro along with a hip bag, which held more bolts.
"I don't wanna break up this party but those bodies will be found soon," Steele said, “We need to come up with a plan."
"I have one of sorts," Chihiro said, “We need to draw the majority of the black cowboys away from town."
"And how do we do that?" Steele asked.
"We spread a rumor round town, a large force of cavalry are on the way here with US Marshals, they are say twenty miles away."
Steele grinned, "I like it, and Kane will send a force out to meet them."
Chihiro nodded, “Hopefully, you too set up a distraction near the front of the Fort and I will enter from the rear to open the gates."
The Blacksmith nodded, “It is good plan, if it works, Isom know where some dynamite is stored; we make boom boom."
"You two spread the rumor; I will go watches the Fort,” Chihiro said, “If all goes to plan make the distraction as soon as it is full dark."
Chihiro located himself on a roof overlooking the front gate of the Fort to watch the comings and goings. Guards walked the walls; he counted thirty men at any one time patrolling up and down. Shadows started to deepen as the day wound on, several towns folk entered and left through the gates; Chihiro wondered why no alarm had gone out over the men he had killed, for now peace seemed to reign over the town. This would shortly change; Jubal Kane had a reckoning coming and fast.
Just as the shadows touched the gates, they opened and out streamed about two hundred black clad men on horseback. Chihiro smiled the ploy seemed to have worked. He dropped down from the roof and used the ever-deepening shadows to make his way round the hill to the rear of the Fort.
The hill was covered in scrub and boulders, using this as cover he crawled up to the wooden walls. With his back to the wall, he waited in the deepest shadow. Shortly there came the sound of several explosions from the town, then the sound of many gunshots. It seemed Steele and Isom had enlisted help. He affixed his shuko climbing claws and began to scale the wall. Soon he was up and over onto the wooden patrol platform. Chihiro crouched and scanned the area. The interior of the Fort consisted of a large L-shaped building and several square bunkhouse type buildings. All the men left in the Fort had assembled at the front, there was about twenty remaining. He hefted the bow rifle and quietly made his way round to the front of the Fort, the men all seemed busy, checking out the area in front of them and did not see Chihiro. Even when the first man fell, a bolt protruding from his neck. Chihiro hit four more before they realized something was wrong. More bolts flew out finding their targets and men fell, Chihiro dropped to one knee and used the rifle to shoot the rest. Bodies fell and blood spurted into the night air and before the final one toppled, he was by the gates opening them for Isom and Steel. They approached up the hill followed by six more people.
"Got us some support," Steele said as he passed through into the Fort. They spread out in the compound, taking cover behind wagons and boxes, all aiming at the l-shaped building. Lights came on within and the sound of smashing glass reached them. Several shots came from the building.
"Jubal come out and fight like a man," Steele called out from behind his hiding place.
Chihiro ran up some wooden steps back to the platform that ringed the walls. He ran round until he was above the building and jumped on to the roof. A chimney with a thin line of smoke emanating from it protruded from the roof. He took a pouch with some powder in it from his pack and dropped it down. The effect was immediate, a massive cloud of white smoke puffed up and he knew the room was now filling with the choking cloud. He ran to the front of the building and flipped down to the ground, drawing his sword in the air. Several men appeared, tumbling through the door of the building, the steel of Chihiro’s blade cut them down.
A roaring sound came from the doorway and the great bear of a man Chihiro had seen earlier charged out and was on him before he could react, knocking him to the ground and sending his sword flying away. They rolled over and over, stopping with the big man on top, his huge bear like paws digging in to Chihiro’s throat. Spittle and foam flew from his mouth as he growled at Chihiro. His mistake was leaving Chihiro's hands free; he unleashed a deadly fusillade of knuckle and sword strikes against various nerve points on the man's arms and upper body. The man fell back, Chihiro cat flipped to his feet and launched a punishing knee strike to the man's chin. He flew back, his hands out. Chihiro unleashed a volley of fist strikes finishing with a two fingered eye strike piercing right through to his brain. Bear fell pole axed to the ground. Dead.
The others approached, weapons still aimed at the building. The coughing and spluttering figure of Jubal Kane emerged from the cloud of smoke billowing out of the door and windows.
"The Lord God almighty shall strike you down for this blasphemy," he bellowed, “I am the father of the feast and ye shall bow down to me."
Chihiro stepped back and turned to Steele, "He is all yours my friend."
Steele approached and stopped about eight feet away from Kane.
"I am gonna give you more of a chance than you gave my wife Kane," he growled, "Throw down old man, skin that smoke stick."
Kane seemed to compose himself and glared at Steele through slitted eyes so he could easily see through the smoke that was still billowing from the building. His hand pushed back his dress coat to reveal his gun. Steele's hand hovered over his, fingers flexing. Kane's left eyed twitched and a bead of sweat ran down his forehead. He took in a breath and his hand moved going for his weapon.
A shot rings out in the night; all those watching held their breath. Kane stumbled back a look of surprise on his face and a hole between his eyes; he fell to the ground and moved no more.
A cheer went up from Isom and the six towns’ folk. Isom did a little dance singing, “Kane he dead, Kane he dead, we safe in our bed."
"Do not celebrate to long, we still got to figure out how to deal with Kane's men who have probably figured out they been had." Chihiro retrieved his sword and sheathed it.
"I wouldn't worry too much 'bout them, we did more than spread rumors," as Steele spoke the sound of explosions came from the edge of town followed by the sound of gunfire and men’s screams.
Isom walked over a big grin on his face.
"We persuaded some other folk who were tired of Kane; Isom gave dynamite ha ha ha."
When the golden orb of the sun rose in the sky the next day, Chihiro and Isom stood watching the towns folk digging graves for the dead. Steele approached and stood with them.
"What are you going to do now?" Steele asked.
Chihiro looked at him, “Continue my journey on wards to New York and then home."
"Always wanted to see New York," Steele said, “Mind if I tag along, nothing for me here now, except memories and ghosts."
"What about your ranch?"
"Old man Turner who owns the Double Deuce near me wants to buy it, think I'll sell now."
"Isom come too, you boys need someone to keep you outta trouble."
Chihiro smiled, how could he refuse, and it would be good to have company on the road.
"Hey maybe you could teach me to fight like you?"
"May be."
The big Blacksmith put his arms round them both and laughed until tears filled his eyes.
THE END.


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Imprint

Text: Andrew Scorah
Images: Andrew Scorah
Publication Date: 03-23-2012

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