Jericho and the Bounty Hunters

By Paul Lawless

Nathan Jericho and his best friend, Marcus, are professional bank robbers. Always riding into one predicament or another, the two suddenly find themselves captured by a group of four well-known bounty hunters, led by none other than the infamous Alexander Sazonov. Nathan and Marcus figure their days of freedom are numbered, accepting to the fact that the rewards for them both would soon be cashed in.
Alexander, on the other hand, had other ideas. His sister, Susan, had been captured by a renegade band of Tecumseh warriors. Knowing the reputations of both Jericho and Marcus for their excellent tracking skills and marksmanship, Alexander decides to use the skills of their prisoners to help better the odds of rescuing his sister. Nathan and Marcus find themselves in a deadly game of cat and mouse, with more 'cats' than they cared to try to elude.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Pale Horse Publications
• Release date: May 12, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224585304

Paul Lawless

Paul Lawless was born in Liverpool, England in 1958. He spends a lot of time volunteering for charities in Liverpool. He's a lover of animals, reading, writing novels and poems. He's also member of an Unitarian Church in Liverpool which takes up a lot of his time.

Book preview

CHAPTER ONE

Entrapment

The sun danced across the darkening sky across the darkening sky, its breath still edging on hot. The yellow grass was thirsty and longing for hope. A white and grey rabbit ran through the grass, searching for water. Six tired and thirsty horses waited in the grass for their riders.

The shadow of a man was cast across the grass, a Russian army gun in his left hand. He held it like an old friend and cocked the trigger. He aimed the gun at two men with certainty as he breathed with both calmness and assuredness. 

Two men laid face down in the grass, tasting bits of it in their mouths. Their hands were tied and resting against their backs, the red rope biting into their skin.

Kerensky rested his right hand atop his Smith and Wesson gun in the act of a professional gunman. If you kill them, Alexander, how are we going to ride after your sister with two dead and rotting corpses?

You could shoot them, said Yan, holding a Mexican army knife in his hand, bury them here and after we have rescued your sister we can return and dig them up to get the reward money for their corpses.

But will we find them later? asked Alexander. This country does not give up its secrets so easily. It will be difficult to discover the same place twice.

We mark their graves, offered Kerensky.

How long will it take to track them down and rescue your sister? asked Yan.

The weather may make it difficult to find their graves again, said Laxness.

We can take them with us, suggested Yan.

Then we will have two parties to worry about instead of one, said Kerensky, and increase our chances of getting bloody killed.

A deal, said Alexander.

A deal? asked Kerensky.

What kind of deal? asked Yan.

They are to join us to rescue my sister, said Alexander.

But the money, said Laxness.

Yes, said Kerensky, all that bloody money just rotting away so we can rescue one sister. Oh, I’m not saying your sister is not valuable, but there are certain consideration to be made. That’s all I’m saying so please, no gun play, Alexander.

Alexander turned his gun toward Kerensky and for a brief second seriously considered emptying his gun into the man. Instead he took a few deep breaths. With a heavy heart, he screamed, Her name is Susan Sazonov! She is only twenty, beautiful, and innocent. Who knows how scared she may be of being brutally murdered by savages. So, we are going to make a deal with these two men. Now, are you with me or against me? Make up your mind or reach for your guns.

For one brief moment Kerensky considered replying, but he was not certain if he friend would shoot him or not. So he simply shook his head and watched as Alexander put his gun back into its holster. Kerensky released the breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding when his friend turned his back.

He watched Alexander stroll in front of the two tied men and knelt in front of them so that he could see their faces. One of the men had short brown hair that smelled of lemon soap. The man had not shaved for over a week and his beard was beginning to thicken. His keen intelligent blue eyes watched Alexander. What is your name? asked Alexander.

Nathan Jericho, came the reply.

I have a deal for you two men, said Alexander. Now listen, my sister has been abducted by a party of Tecumseh and I and my three friends are going to ride after them and attempt to rescue her."

How many in the party? asked Jericho.

Twenty, Alexander replied while rubbing his hands together.

Good luck with that, said Nathan. Because, you bloody atheist, you’re sure going to need it.

The other tied man turned his eyes toward Nathan. Don’t mock the lord with those words in a vain attempt to repudiate creation, he said.

We are just about to be murdered, spat Jericho, so you can halt that crazy talk for once in your bloody life.

Yes, said Yan, once we have killed you two we shall collect the reward money and I shall open a hotel with the help of the money from you decaying corpses, along with the money I’ve managed to save from others. Before you judge me, I have never killed anyone who did not deserve killing.

Now I understand why you kidnapped us, said Nathan. But it is a big mistake. Now, if you will release us, we will be on our way. And, we won’t report the kidnapping. You have my word on this. I mean, we are all human and what human has not made a genuine mistake? There is no shame in it as long as you’re man enough to recognize your mistake.

Yan went to stand before the two tied men. He felt a strong desire to burst out laughing with raw contempt for these two men. He knelt beside Alexander and smiled. Yan searched inside his shirt pockets and pulled out two pieces of paper. With great pleasure he showed the papers to the two men. "See, there is no mistake. This one, with the intelligent blue eyes, is you, Nathan Jericho. It is a good likeness. I mean, don’t you think so? Or should I bust you up a little for your foolishness and give you some pain to think on. Yes, it is for fifteen hundred dollars, dead or alive, a good deal of money to split between the four of us. 

And this one is you, Marcus. It is also a beautiful likeness, though perhaps not as beautiful as the likeness of Jericho. Why, Marcus, you are only worth twelve hundred dollars, but this still is nothing to laugh at. That would make a total of six hundred and seventy-five for me, but then, I was never much good in the area of math. But with this, I shall have enough to fulfill my dream and no more playing the game of hunting for wanted men.

Nathan locked his blue eyes onto Yan’s hungry eyes. You are a bloody hungry creature who has smelled death so many times that you can no longer tell, or will not admit, that you’ve made a mistake regardless of the innocents being murdered. And yet, you four are determined to ride after a party of twenty armed, vicious, cunning, intelligent and brutally cruel Tecumseh Indians?

Intelligent? spat Kerensky. They are bloody savages!

Well, I give you four two days before your bloody bodies are buzzard food, said Nathan.

Are you going to listen to the deal? asked Alexander. Or, shall I put a bullet into each of your brains and leave you two here for buzzard food?

I’m listening, said Nathan.

That’s good, said Alexander. That’s really good. Now, here is the deal, and it is a one time offer only. Now, a party of twenty Tecumseh is too many for four men to ride after. Even with six men, it may not make that much of a difference, but I’ve got to try rescue my sister, Susan.

So, if we agree to ride with you four and rescue your sister, said Nathan, you guarantee to let us go after the rescue? If so, then I see no objections to the deal.

Alexander clutched his hands together. No, he said, that’s not the deal. This is how it’s going to work. We keep the two of you tied up while we ride after my sister. When we reach the Tecumseh and my sister, you two will be released from your bondage and you can help to fight those so-called intelligent Indians. After the fight and the rescue of my sister, we will kill the two of you and claim the reward. Oh, I know it’s a raw deal, but this is the only one being offered. Now, what do you say?

And you expect us to agree to this foolishness? asked Nathan.

Alexander pulled his Russian army handgun from its holster and placed it carefully against Nathan’s forehead. You can disagree to this, it is your free will, but I will first put a bullet into your brains and then into your friend. Or, you can agree to the deal and live for who knows how much longer, until we rescue my sister. Who knows, maybe all four of us will be killed, or the two of you may escape. So, what is your decision? Don’t take too long. My finger may slip and there may be a nasty, bloody accident.

Seeing as you made it so clear, Nathan said, well, it would be crazy for me not to agree. So, I agree to the deal, but I can’t speak for Marcus. He has his own free will.

Alexander moved the muzzle of his gun onto the forehead of Marcus and smirked, Well?

I am a good Christian, said Marcus, so it would be foolish not to agree to your deal. We will ride after you sister, and may God look kindly on our adventure.

Yan folded and placed the two wanted posters back into his pocket with a smile on his face. Now it’s time for a small celebration, huh, Alexander?

Alexander calmly placed his gun back into its holster and stood up. Yan, there will be no drinking until we rescue my sister. Or, would you like me to smash the bottle of whiskey that you’re hiding in your saddle bag? I watched through the saloon doors as you bought the whiskey after I made it clear there was to be no drinking until after the job. I know your routine like a mother knows her child.

Yan eased his hand to the butt of the gun at his side. Why, I should plug you and your sister, he said heatedly. I agreed to rescue, to help, what more do you require? I’m going to get my whiskey bottle and you can go to Hades. I mean, a man needs a drink now and then because this bloody country forces it on him. Oh, but I forgot, not the great Alexander. That would be like some god showing a sign of weakness.

Now I recall who the four of you are, said Nathan. "It just walked through my thoughts. The ugliest, iciest four ever to make a living from the ugly sport of bounty hunting for the blood money. Alexander Sazonov, the leader, the so-called thinker of the pack of wolves. Then there’s Sergei Yan, the cold-hearted lover of blood. Lawson Laxness, the malefactor. And finally, J.R. Kerensky, the one-time gunfighter, lawman, and now a blood-sucking vampire. I hear tell on the cold wind you four have caught some of the most violent outlaws to ever ride the West. I even heard tell Ben Allison in Dodge City was taken by the lot of you one drunken rainy Saturday night inside the C. Heinz Lee saloon.

The tale tells that you four gunned down Ben Allison without even giving him a chance to go for his gun or even surrender. Then another tale tells in Hay City you four gunned down an unarmed Joe Maher. The four of you were watching the inside of a saloon for him to come out to go to a hotel. They say he was leaning against the bar in the saloon, and with him having no idea that he was drinking his last glass of whiskey. You all watched him leave the saloon, wearing his gun, and then he entered a hotel.  They say he was only staying for one night before leaving to travel to Dog River town to get married for the first time in his thirty-two years. And when he stepped out of the hotel’s doors without his gun belt, you four watched him cross the street, pulled your guns and yelled out his name. When he turned around, well, the rest is bloody history. But all that is tale telling over whiskey in all the saloons throughout the west. They always have a way of growing bigger and bigger.

Well, said Alexander, "now that you’ve had your time of introducing the four of us, let me have the pleasure of introducing you to the rest of the boys. Nathan Jericho, kind hearted bank robber who tries not to murder anyone. But, this is not to say that he has never killed anyone. But then again, all those have been a gentleman’s killings, no cold-blooded deaths for Mr. Nathan Jericho. He certainly does not have to wash the blood off his hands. I think I got that right, Mr. Jericho, and do hope your reputation has not been tainted.

And now his faithful companion, Marcus, and his bleeding Bible. He carries his Bible to every bank robbery. And preaches the good word like it is magic over the dead. The two of them did fight in the Great War, with its blood and guts, dying and crying, and wounded. Not to mention those driven insane. They turned their backs on the Civil War and they turned to bank robbery as a cure for their tender hearts. Now, have I left anything out?

I admit I shot Ben Allison, said Yan, and did so without any feelings of remorse. He acted like he was such a big man, but he looked small dead on the saloon’s floor. His death came so easy.

I helped to gun down Joe Maher in the middle of Hay City, said Laxness. He sure looked ordinary when death claimed him in the middle of the street. There was a look on his face of acceptance."

I emptied my gun into Ben Allison as he tried to turn and pull his gun on me. Each bullet I fired tore into his body, said Kerensky.

I request, began Nathan, no, I demand two things before I agree to rescuing your sister. One, I demand that my hat be put back on my head. And two, you see that grey and white rabbit over there? Feed and water it. It is sitting patiently in the grass desperately waiting for some water.

Laxness squeezed the Deerstalker hat and stepped in front of Nathan. He swiftly swung his leg viciously toward Nathan’s face. Jericho tried to scream in protest, but the size nine black boot smashed into his face with cold force. No, said Laxness, I’m keeping this hat.

Blood was seeping from Nathan’s face. He could feel unconsciousness coming but tries to battle it. He felt the pain and then the sound of a gun being fired.

Yan, said Marcus, why did you shoot that rabbit?

Yan stood there with the smoking gun in his hand and watched the blood seeping from the rabbit into the dry grass. I truly enjoy killing, he smirked.

It’s still alive, said Kerensky. Yan, your marksmanship requires some practice.

No more shooting, said Alexander as he watched Yan aim his gun at the still breathing rabbit. You and Laxness carry Nathan’s body and tie him on his horse so that he doesn’t fall off or we’ll have to keep stopping and waste valuable time looking for my sister.

There’s a lot of blood coming out of his nose, said Laxness. Why me?

You were the one who decided to kick him, said Alexander, so the blood is your problem. Now get to helping, and that’s an order.

Yan knelt in front of Nathan’s legs and took a hold. Laxness dropped the Deerstalker hat onto the grass and grabbed Nathan’s arms. They carried the unconscious Jericho to his horse. Nathan’s left leg slipped and was dragging along the ground.

Yan, pick his leg up because it’s forcing me to work harder! yelled Laxness.

Oh shut up, Lawson, Yan said. I got his leg now keep moving.

Don’t call me Lawson, Laxness retorted. You know it annoys me. Just haul his body onto his horse and let me breathe.

Laxness and Yan finally managed to maneuver Jericho’s body onto his horse. Kerensky, Marcus and Alexander were sitting on their horses with smiles on their faces, watching the other two men. Kerensky opened a pocket on his shirt and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. He pulled the last one of the pack, the smile on his face faded into sadness. He squeezed the empty pack and threw it onto the ground.

Leave your rubbish in the countryside and let the countryside go to Hades, Marcus spat.

Kerensky placed the cigarette into his mouth and lit it. He blew out the match and held it for a moment before tossing it onto the ground as well. There’s some more rubbish to keep the first rubbish from getting lonely, you bleeding heart liberal, he said with a chuckle.

Yan stood in front of his horse, rubbing his hands together. He stretched his hands toward the saddle, craving the bottle of whiskey he has hidden in his bags. He dug it out and placed the lid in his pocket. Turning to where he could keep one eye on his boss, Yan raised the bottle to his lips. Here’s to you, Alexander, for you are a brave leader.

Alexander watched as the whiskey disappeared down Yan’s throat and he was irritated. He had a strong craving to pull his gun and start emptying its bullets into the man who had disobeyed his orders. But he knew his sister was counting on him. He squeezed the reins of the horse to drown out the craving. He took the cigarette from his mouth, letting the smoke drift out. Throwing the still burning cigarette to the ground he said, Laxness, stamp on the burning butt before Marcus starts his bleeding liberal speech yet again like some politician. I never could stand a politician and would just as soon shoot them all down.

Laxness stamped out the cigarette. That’s a good job done if I do say so myself, he laughed. He picked the Deerstalker hat off the grass. He took the yellow and green panel baseball cap off his head in a slow movement, then placed the Deerstalker hat on his head with a smirk. He began to whistle, When Johnny comes marching home, we give a great cheer, as he placed the baseball cap onto the still unconscious head of Nathan with some force. Now, that’s a valuable trade, he laughed.

Yan finished drinking the whiskey and lowered the bottle from his lips with a sigh of disappointment. He held the bottle in his right hand and rubbed the sleeve of his left against his chin. He turned his eyes to risk a peek at Alexander. You’re getting saved for later, my darling, he whispered as he placed the lid back on the bottle then the bottle back into his saddle bag. Lawson, he said, that was a good deal you made with the baseball cap. One can barely read the words on it because it’s covered with so much dirt, mud, and who knows what else.

Laxness placed the Deerstalker hat on top of his long, dirty, sandy hair and adjusted it. "Stop calling me Lawson, I told you. I hate that name. It’s Laxness and you know it. And those words on the hat that you talk