Brian Coltrane

Well, lotta people don't know it, but Chet can draw. I ain't talkin' with his damn .45, either. He can actually draw people, n' critters. I'm thinkin' he should draw all us folks who were in this thang. Maybe he can put us in a group drawin'....you, me, all the Dukes that were involved, and Alex, and Daniel, Doc, and...whoevah else, B.L., dont' know if ah'm missin' anybody. Oh, and he can put himself in there too.

Khee! Thanks, Doc. Ah'm sure I'll need regular checkups to be sure ah'm healin' awright.

*returns the handshake, smiling* No need. I'll behave this time. I gotta re-cover mah health and I've got plenty to do while I'm healin' up. *releases the handshake* Now, about Chet....I got an idea. It'll keep him locked up for awhile too, but it's a do-able bail.

Awright. Just don't chain me to the bed heah, in the meantime. *offers handshake to seal the deal*

Yeah. Two stories, plus monthly stuff for county business, which I already made good on for this month. I gotta finish both stories before gettin' out, and I gotta keep up with the monthly articles to stay out.

*lowers gaze, choosing to stare into the coffee cup, rather than meet MaryAnne's eyes right now. Speaks quietly* What if ah helped you fix up those cells, after havin' a couple more days to heal up? Then I'll take up residence in the holdin' cell upstairs, and honor the original terms of mah bail in full. *glances up briefly* If you still find those terms agreeable.

Lemme guess. You're gonna bury me under the jail, once I'm healthy.

Thank ya, Doc. *sits up, slowly, closing eyes once with the announcement of pain from various areas of the body. Accepts the painkillers and the coffee with a nod, and slugs down the pills, taking a few sips of coffee to wash them down. Within a couple minutes, feels a slight improvement, save for the heart palipitations from the coffee. Takes a few more swallows of the hot liquid, then regards cousin once more* Awright, MaryAnne. Why don't you tell me what's on yer mind.

Ah'll take the pills and some watered-down coffee. That coffee's so strong, drinkin' it straight-up could neuter a man.

Worse. *lifting eyes up to Doc, offering her a smile* If you got an antidote, I'd be interested. 'Cause ah've a feelin' that MaryAnne's got official Depu-talkin' to do, and I'd better be able to remember it.

*slow grin spreads across face* I couldn't do that to you. Woulda been damn disappointin' if ah'd just walked up the courthouse steps, mild as a lamb, when you had a dart ready with mah name on it. *pauses* Though if ah'd known how much that shot was gonna hurt, I'd of taken the easy route. Too late now. *soft chuckle* Tho' ah'm sure you ain't over heah just to heah me whine. We got unfinished business.

*puts hand to forehead, groaning* Ah feel worse than when I woke up from the horse n' run.

Zzzzzzzzzz......zzzzzz......zzzzzz..... *a delayed reaction works it's way through the fogged mind, eventually resulting in a response of....* Zzzzz...xngth? -- Mrgh.....urlf.... *murmuring incoherently, surfacing to conciousness with difficulty. Finally blinks eyes open, squinting at the bright morning light in the room* *tongue feels thick, and speaks with a dry rasp, barely awake* Am I alive? ...Can't tell by the feel.....

*The scent of Doc's full-octane coffee hadn't riled the slumbering Coltrane, who looks peaceful enough in repose, with a pillow under his head and a cotton blanket over his body. The chest rises and falls with slow, regular breathing. Only the pale pallor of his face speaks for the effect of the earlier injuries, which were probably not helped by earlier refusals to stay put. The tranquilizer dart, therefore, was likely an act of kindness...allowing one prideful Coltarne to save face, while giving him a chance to rest up.* ....Zzzzzz.....zzzzz....zzzzz......

-- OW!! *sharp yell of pain, reaching back automatically to yank out the dart....taking a couple staggering steps, the lights already starting to dim. Teeters against Diablo's front fender, hands bracing uselessly against the car, trying to brace self up....but it's no use. With a shallow, ragged sigh, the black-clad body slumps, slowly sliding down by Diablo's front wheel...collapsing there, between the curb and the sidewalk, half-curled on side.* ZZZzzzzzzzzz.......

*dart gun or no, looking down a barrel is enough to bring pause to the stoutest hearts. And so there's a moment's silence, while the last chance to back down, and go in peacefully, hangs in the balance.* *but how could I deny MaryAnne this? It's not every day she gets to shoot me, and Lord knows she's been put through a lot with all this.* *and so I straighten up, and bring up my right arm in salute, touching two fingers to my brow in sincere respect and affection....* *..and then I resume my taunt, grinning....*thumbing nose at MaryAnne,, then turning around to slap own rear* Betcha miss!

*hears MaryAnne's call, and turns to face her with a grin, standing near Diablo* Nah... ah thought I'd test your aim. It's gonna drive you crazy if you don't git to spend that other dart. *with this, puts thumbs in ears and waggles fingers, issuing a taunt* You'll nevah catch me awake! Nyaaaah nyah nyah nyah!!

*didn't promise MaryAnne anything about staying put, this time....turns around and starts strolling down the sidewalk, towards Diablo* Ya'll 'scuze me while I glide outta heah....

-- Huh? *surprised by Daney's hug* Oh! Khee... *returning it, chuckling* Ah have mah moments. *lets Daney go, and then regards Garrett, seeing him look with concern at Chet* Don't worry, he'll be fine. And now that I got mah title back, I ain't got no reason to be at odds with 'em, at the moment. *glances back to MaryAnne* Besides, ah've a feelin' I ain't gonna git too far mahself.

*listens to this, pleased by MaryAnne's words* Nor can anybody take your place. Let's put thangs right, cousin. *carefully unpins the badge from own jacket, and even more carefully pins it back upon MaryAnne's shirt* There. You are once again, and evahmore, The Deputy, until any such time you take that walk on the wild side. *looks around at everyone who watches and listens* And I could nevah have been, and would nevah be, worth a title of any kind....without havin' the loyalty, support...and I'll say it, the love of ya'll. A title is a title....it would be losin' the people, that I couldn't take. Thank ya all, for goin' along for this crazy ride.

*hears this one and coughs hard in distress*

*snorts* Ah'd be gettin' in yer way from the opposite side of the chess board. *chuckles, then steps closer to MaryAnne* Yer call, cousin. You wanna walk in mah boots?

You're givin' Alex a condition. He was already smitten by you....this is just gonna make it worse. Though if you wanna go test the waters as the Queen of Crime....you got that opportunity. *grins, then adds* But I might take that same opportunity, to git in your way as much as possible.

*calls MaryAnne's bluff, raising an eyebrow* Oh? Ah doubt you mean that. You'd git plain bored as a civilian. *takes a few steps along the sidewalk, strutting in an imitation of a self-important lawman, pulling up pants a little higher* Eeeyep...you'd git bored, and I'd have this town wide open in five minutes. The universe as we know it, would collapse. *turns back around, pacing towards MaryAnne* Now, if we were reasonable people, ah'm sure we'd find an amicable solution. If only mah old title were made available again....I might think about a fair ex-change.

*stands smugly, grinning* What, this lil' ol' star I picked up? *pings the badge with a flick of finger* You gave it up. I picked it up. This town can't go without law, ya know.... *pauses, getting ready to deliver the real kicker* And since I ain't the offical Lord of the Outlaws, ah figured I'd take your title, seein' as how you didn't want it no more.