The New Old West

The sun beat down on the town as a slight wind stirred up some dust. All around was the sounds of the town, horses riding up and down the main street of the town, wagons being pulled and the jingle of the harnesses and the crunch of the wheels over the dirt street. There were people walking along the walkways before the various shops, hotels, taverns and the like on both sides of the street. Men wore wide brim hats to keep the sun off their heads, long sleeved cotton shirts and denim pants with boots. Some wore vests of leather or cotton and a few hand belted about them holsters with guns in them. These were hard looking men that either came in with the latest herd of beef, or worked on one of the ranches.

From the south he came. Riding a black mare, waring a long leather duster and a black wide brimmed hat with a silver head band, the front pulled down over his forehead putting his face in shadow. The duster was covered in dust as was his hat. He rode in slowly moving his head a bit to one side and then to the other, looking around. On his hip was holstered a Colt 45, the duster puled around it so he could have easy access to it. As he rode down the main street of the town, people stopped and watched. The noise of the people talking ceased and it seemed all one could hear with the wind blowing. "An outlaw." came the murmured voices of some of the towns people. "Here to do some business." others whispered. Many sought shelter in the shops and watched, anticipation building as they wondered who he was and what he wanted in their town.

He turned his horse to face one of the saloons and dismounted and tied his horse to a hitching rail. Again he looked around slowly, keeping his head down so his face remained in the shadow of his hat. Slowly he walked up the couple steps to the walk way and then crossed to the saloon doors. Within the music of a piano played as the voices of those within could be heard. Laughter, coarse jokes, and the slurred voices of those that had to much to drink. As he pushed the doors opened, it became quiet as a tomb. He stood a good six feet tall and had broad shoulders. Walking across the floor and around a couple tables, he came to the bar. "Whiskey." he said and the Bartender reached down and pulled up a bottle and a glass and poured the man a drink.

Taking it, he slowly lifted it to his lips and drank it down. Setting the glass down on the bar, "I am looking for Red." he told the bartender. "I know he is here in town." his voice was calm and firm. He lifted his head and looked at the bartender with piercing blue eyes, that told a man not to mess with him. There was the sound of a chair moving and the footsteps of a man hurrying out the door. A slight smile touched the mans lips.

Red, an outlaw that was holed up in the town was soon informed of the stranger. Red laughed, as he drew his gun and ran a thumb over the twenty notches on the handle. "The fool will be twenty one." Red was a tall lanky man with red hair. He was a murder and was also wanted for robbing banks. He considered himself fast with a gun and twenty men had died to prove it. It was not long before a man came in the saloon and said, "Red will meet you on the street at noon." The Stranger looked up at a large clock on the wall. Ten minutes to noon. He took out a cigerate and lit it with a match. He slowly took a draw on it and let the smoke blow out slowly. Putting the cigerate in his mouth he walked to the doors and left the saloon, with every one following him outside. They all moved up and down the walkway as the Stranger moved out into the street. Now it was clear to everyone that there was to be a gunfight and the walk ways on both sides of the main street were packed with people.

"He's a dead man." someone said. "Red will gun him down as he has others." another said. "He is a handsome one." a woman said, "To bad he will be dead in a few minutes." The stranger heard the voices and stood there with no expression on his face. Red finally stepped out into the street a short distance away and slowly began walking towards the stranger, who now began walking towards Red.
The two men stopped, fourty feet from each other. Again silence filled the air as Red made his play. A shot rang out. Red's hand didn't move but his eyes went wide as he fell to his knees. The stranger's gun was in his hand. He had drawn and fired before Red could clear leather. Spinning the gun about his finger he holstered the Colt 45, took the cigerate from his mouth and threw it on the ground.

Now the crowds began to gather around the two men. Now the whispers were of the lightning fast draw of the stranger, and wondering who he was. The Sheriff finally appeared and walked up to the stranger. "Who are you? A bounty Hunter?"

The stranger looked at the sheriff, and pulled the left side of the duster over to reveal a star encircled with metal. "Ranger." the stranger said. "Ranger Santel." Santel then reached over and took the badge off the sheriff. "A lawman is suppose to uphold the law, and protect the people from outlaws. I think this town needs a new sheriff."

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Eleanor Mercy worked at the saloon when the weird looking man showed up. She never seen a man that tall and mysterious before. But the moment he asked to see Red, she knew not to get her hopes up. Men that came after Red didn't live long. She gathered around in the crowd as the fight was beginning. Someone was going to die today. "We might as well get a front seat." one of the other women said. Eleanor on the other hand, watched to see what was going to happen. The hot sun beating on her pale skin. She was a rarity in this town. Only one with blonde hair blue eyes and pale skin that could shame the moon. She looked at the stranger and says to him, "You are going to need more than the law on your side on this one boy. Better hope you are on God's good side. You won't be around long." Her voice was soft and like a forbidden melody. Silk to most people's ears in this town.

Santel's eyes scanned the crowd and saw a man dressed in a suit of better then average material.  A Sunday, go to meeting suit as he called it.  To him he tossed the sheriff's badge and made his way through the crowd, towards the blond haired woman that had spoken.  "Looks like maybe he was on my side today."  He put a finger on the brim of his hat and dipped it slightly to her.  

Another one to cross off the list, he thought to himself.  Five more and he could return back to Well Springs and home.  He rubbed the stubble on his face.  He needed a shave and a bath.  He looked about the town.  It looked like so many others he had been through.  Since the Great War most had gone back to small towns, and became like the Wild West again.  What had been large towns were now the new cities of the land. They were a bit more civilized but not much. The country was also now territories instead of states. That went out with the breakdown of government.  

"Where can I get a decent shave and bath?"  he asked the blond haired woman.

Eleanor looks at him a moment. She says to him after the crowd started to disappear, "Old Riley's Inn is better for a shave and bath. Got a barber and everything. Just don't ask to bring women back to your room. The only women he allows that aren't customers is me and his wife." She did not remember the great war very well. She was about 5 when it ended. It has been about 20 years since it ended. It took her whole family from her though. She starts walking towards the inn not waiting for him. She says as she arrived at the inn, "New arrival would like a room and a shave."

An elderly man walked to her and looked at the stranger. He says running his hand through his hair, "Judging by the way he walks and holds himself, he is one of those new breed of ranger. Trying to clean up the little towns around the big cities." She smiles some. "He will find that Old Ridge isn't so easy to clean up."

Santel walked back to his horse and undid the saddlebags and then walked to the the building that the woman had gone to. As he enters he looks around. He was more use to more sparce accomadations. By the door he saw a young boy. Reaching into his vest pocket, he pulled out a silver dollar and tossed it to the boy. "The horse in front of the saloon across the street, take it to the nearest stable and tell the owner to give her a good rubdown and feed her well." The boy smiled as he snatched the coin out of the air and left.

"Now about that bath and shave." he turned to the owner of the place.

"This way sir, the elderly mans wife said, and opened a door. "Down the hall tot he door at the end. Just fill the tub with the hot water. We always have plenty of it being heated up."

"Much abliged mam." he said. He turned and looked at the blond woman. "Mam." he again tipped his hat slightly to her. The bath was a luxuary he seldom had on long trips like he was on. Once in a while a cold bath in a stream or a lake was all he could get. A hot bath was nice, as was the change of clothes from his saddlebags. He would have to get his dirty ones cleaned before he left the town.

Dressed now in a black cotton shirt and a black leather vest and black denim pants and his knee high black boots, he belted on his gun and tied it down on his leg. He felt better and bundled up his dirty clothes in his duster. When he came out, "Now where is the barber?" he asked.

Ella let him clean up as she went to get the barber from his room. She says softly knocking on the door, “Frankie a customer wants a shave. So get your lazy ass up.” The door comes flying open. A redhead 30 something skinny little runt of a man looks at her half-dressed and half asleep. He says running a hand through his hair, “Give me a minute Angel…I stayed up last night with a woman…” She winks at him sweetly. “You know you love me. Come on I wiped up your chair.” He chuckles at her and says, “Alright you devil woman…” He gets dressed and waits for the guest to be done being cleaned up. He looks at him and says once he comes down, “You have any preferences Sir?” Ella leaned against the wall ignoring the drunken calls from the saloon. She was not a whore but she was a singer and a pretty damn good one. She made 10x as much money singing for one night than a common whore made in a week.

"Just a shave." Santel said. "And perhaps a hot towel. Been out on the road to long." He sits in the chair and leans back putting his head on the head rest. He looks over at Ella, "You don't look or act like one of the women over there," he indicated the saloon. "What are you doing out here?"

Only the hearty was able to make it out in the New West. Mostly ranchers, some farmers and those that more or less supported them with goods and such. It was several days ride between the towns on horseback, a little less with the Coach. Many of the old ways had returned. People wanted the more simple life to the hussle and bussle of the Modern Age as it had been called. Now that the population of the world was diminished from 9 Billion to about a Billion people, there was more room and people liked that. They blamed the technology for the Great War. Everyone wanting to out do the other, stealing technology from each other until someone screwed up and set of a chain reaction that caused the war.

Some one like the woman leaning against the wall seemed a bit out of place for a town like he was in. She would have done better in one of the new cities. As the barber lathered up his face he closed his eyes and relaxed some, but under the long barber's apron as he called it, his hand was on the pistol grip of his gun. One never let down their guard in the territories, never.

Frankie quietly went to work as Ella thought about how she was going to answer his question. She had not expected him to ask her anything. Not many people did. She kind of of creeped them up too much outside of the saloon. "I was born here. It is the only home I have ever known. I sing at the saloon but that does not stop people from wanting me in their beds. I just ignore all the drunks unless they get too close then I put them in their place. That is why I sleep here. No one bothers me here. Since the owners don't allow such business here." She could tell that he was gripping onto the gun he had. She was used to all the guns so she did not mind at all. As long as he did not threaten anyone he would be fine. Frankie says not looking up from his work, "No one dares mess with Angel. Mainly because of what her parents did for the war. But don't let her good looks fool you, she can handle herself quite well."

Santel eyed the woman as the she spoke and then the barber. She could take care of her self. That put a small smile on his face. Not many women in the territories could. They always seemed to need a man around to take care of them. So she had been born in the town and had not left. There were many young ones that left the small towns for the new cities. More to do, more excitement and entertainment. But when then newness wore off and reality set in, most came back.

He had been born to a farmer and his wife. When he was 18 he knew his life was not that of a farmer and he left. He had two older brothers that loved farming so he had not left his parents without someone to help. He took odd jobs with Ranches learning the ways of cows and using a gun and rifle. He got real good at it and it saved his life when the Skinwalkers came raiding. They were mutants. They looked like skeletons with skin on them. A product of the radiation in some areas. They hit the Ranch he was working on and killed everyone but him. He killed a lot of them and they retreated rather then deal with him. They took what they could and left.

It was not long after that he joined the Rangers. They were looking for the raiders and he wanted to help avenge the deaths of those he had come to call friends. That had been six years ago. Now he helped maintain a semblance of law and order.

Once the shave was done and a hot towel applied and that done, he was ready for something to eat. "Have you eaten? he asked her. "You know where one can get a good stake?"

Ella looks at him a moment unsure what he would be able to handle. She says to him after a moment, "There is a very good restaurant down the street. Women don't bother you. And the men don't bother you. But steak is hard to come by here. Cattle does not survive unless people boost them up with steroids. But the owner will give you the real thing if you can handle his price." She whistled some to let the owner know to clear a tablet. The owner gave a holler back letting her know he would have it done. She offered to take the man to his meal after his shave.

He rose from the barber chair and rubbed his face. Nice and smooth and clean. A hot bath, a shave and now for a good meal. "Sounds like a problem that is needing fixed." he told her. "Land around here looks pretty decent for ranching. Perhaps it is something or someone making it difficult."

The town was far away from the radiation zones and the new Comanche Nation. There really did not seem to be anything that would make the cattle not prosper. "Lead the way he told her as he put his hat on and then surveyed the area, before he left the building.

Eleanor smiles some and says trying to fill him in on the way things work here, "No it is not the land that is the problem. There are several ranchers here. But there is one that is the big boss. He is known as Mr. Marco. Richest man in town. If you try to keep your own cattle here, he makes sure that your cattle doesn't live to see the next sunrise. No one can proof it of course so nothing can be done. Too much man power."

Once they get to the restaurant, the owner was a Indian fellow that was in his mid 30s. He says to the stranger, "Welcome friend." Ella smiles some and helps him find a place to sit. The owner says to her, "The usual for you Angel?" She nods. He looks at the stranger giving him a menu, "Take your time ordering Sir." He goes off to deal with a routy customer.

Now that sounded like someone was trying to corner the market on beef. Though not against the law to do that, the way it was done might be. But he didn't have the authority to check into it that much. He didn't have the medical training to see if the cattle were being poisoned. He would have to let the Territorial Judge know about it and have him send out people to investigate.

He ordered his food and then said to her, "Care to sit and join me." He didn't mind paying for her meal. He rather was enjoying having her around. "So I take it you don't want to leave this place for the big cities?"

Ella looked at him a moment as he pretty much offered to have her join him. She says to him sitting across from him, "Are you sure?" She could see in his eyes that the wheels were turning about the beef issue. But she did not say anything, She tucks some of her blonde hair behind her ear as he asked about her and the bigger cities. She says, "I have been to the bigger cities on the behalf of other people in town. It has jobs and more stuff to do but it has worse crime rates. And at least here if a guy tries to man handle me, someone will help me take care of the idiot. In the city, others would probably join in. Plus I do okay here. I never go without eating and everyone knows me."

Well he was some what the same. Now that he was a Ranger, his headquarters was in a town simalar to the one he was in. They had to be out there in the territories where they could do the most good. The food came and he grinned as he saw the meat. It had been a long time since he had left Rideway and ha a good meal. He dug into it with a gusto and the savory taste made him close his eyes and a look of contentment came over his face.

As he ate he watched Ella. She didn't seem to talk a whole bunch which was also something differnt. Most women he knew could not shut up and talked constantly about themselves and comparing themselves to others and the like.

As he was finishing up his meal a young boy came running in. The word had been spread that he was a Ranger. "Ranger!" the boy cried out excidedly. "There be trouble at the Bixby Ranch. Pa said he saw smoke rising up in that direction. Since the sheriff is no longer the sheriff your the only lawman here?"

"Alright. I'll be at the stables in a few minutes." he told the boy and he left. "Guess you will have to excuse men Miss. Looks like trouble has found a way to disturb my peace once again. He got up from his chair and nodded his head to her.

Ella smiled some as he seemed to come to life at the sight of the steak. She says to him, "Enjoy." She herself ate a light soup. Knowing that the heat would get worse and heavier foods were harder to keep down. She finished before him enjoying the quiet. Then the boy came along. Trouble. She did not even blink when the boy said that another ranch was in trouble. She just gave the man a slight nod as he left and paid his bill for him. He had enough to worry about. Then after that was settled, she made her way to the Bixby Ranch. No doubt the men were already gone but if she was right, Mr. Marco was behind it with his men. She was getting tired of this but maybe the new ranger could do what so many others would not.

Santel went to the stable and got his horse and saddled it. Then with the boy on his own horse followed the youngster out to the Ranch. As he rode he watched the various bluffs, and hills that they passed, looking for signs or any movement that would tell him that someone was there. It took them hours to get to the ranch and the smoke had now died down as there was nothing left for the fire to consume of the house. Only a few blackened timbers still stood of what had been the House.

He could see the dead bodies of the Ranch Hands and that of the owner and his wife. He dismounted and checked the bodies and the wounds. Then he moved about the place looking at the tracks that were in the soft dirt. They were not made by normal men. "Raiders." he said in a low voice, and he scanned the surrounding area. "What are they doing so far from the Radioactive Zones."

Raiders, mutated humans that lived in the Radiation Zones. Deadly to any normal person, the Raiders could live there with their mutated bodies. Almost skeletal looking with the white skin drawn over their bones.

"Best we try and warn the other Ranchers, as well as the towns people." he told the boy. He was about to mount up when he saw Ella riding in to the Ranch. "Not safe out here, we have Raiders."

If Raiders were here, the whole town was going to be in trouble within days. Ella looked at the Ranger. She says, "Every year they seem to be moving closer and closer to town. Leaving nothing but broken dreams and ashes where they lay. Looks like we have something bigger than Mr Marco to deal with right now. We should hold a town meeting and alert everyone about what is going on. If we move everyone closer to town there won't be anything to feed the Raiders." She was not stupid. She knew that the Raiders ate flesh and blood of other people. And if they did not eat every few hours everybody slow down.

"I would say something even this Mr. Marco will be worried about." he told her. First they had to get back to town and then send out riders to the ranches to warn them and tell them to get into town. He had a feeling most would not wish to leave their ranches to be burned and would try to defend them the best they could. He looked around and saw any livestock that had been there was gone as well as anything that had been in the barn.

The Raiders had left the dead bodies, which was strange, but he had a feeling they would be gone by the time anyone got back to bury them. Raiders ate everything to include humans. "Come on we had best get going before they come back for the bodies."

Ella agreed with him and they quickly made their way back to town. She got off her horse and went right into the major's office. He looks at her and says, "Angel you can't barge into my office." She says, "Raiders are coming closer to town." He tenses up and looks at her. "Town meeting?" She nods and says, "We need to get everyone in town for safety." He nods and begins getting everyone up. Ella sighs as she goes back to the stranger. She says, "He is going to hold a meeting but it will take a few hours." Clearly Ella was well tied into the town and was the voice of reason for the town. "You will need to have your gun. People tend to get trigger happy when things like this happen. If you show that you are top dog, they might not be so stupid."