Billy paced as the Marshall spilled his guts about the ambush and fighting off Tex Mex's men. All now dead except for one. Left alive on purpose to let Tex Mex know there was no place to hide.

This became a Federal matter now that they attacked him and Marshall Lorne wasn't going anywhere until they brought the bastard in or killed him. However, he wanted 3Gun to take the lead on the case as after all this was HIS town.

Then the Marshall told them the message Tex Mex left with him. The town of BG was to be handed over, along with deed to the gold or he would come back and burn the town to the ground. Billy suddenly became far more interested in the conversation and sat down.

"Can he do this? Do you think the threat is real?" he asked.

The Marshall shrugged. "He's obviously still gathering resources and by that I mean men. OR he wouldn't have bothered hitting the transport. I believe we have time. Until then it's just him and I don't see that as much of a threat."

3Gun agreed. "We wait until he makes a move."

"That's the plan? To sit and wait?" Billy rose and walked away.

"Should I?" Lorne asked motioning to go after him but 3Gun shook his head no. "Just let him go. Billy's age makes him reckless. He's a take action first; take names later sort. He's also got a lot on his mind, but he's a good deputy, he'll go along with whatever I decide."

Billy walked back to the café, to Rue. His heart troubled. "Sit and wait." He kicked a stone across the path and his mind flooded with images of Swamp Gold, all those folks who died. Reaper was only one man and he destroyed them all. Billy knew his careless ways were what caused him to die young and have a lifetime to repay, and perhaps it would be best to yield to the Marshall and 3Gun's council on this one but he worried if they were really prepared for such a scene.

He got to the café and the room was dark. This didn't make sense. "Rue?" he was greeted only with silence. Either she didn't come or didn't wait. Either way it did not bode well. Billy relit the candle on the table. Then he'd seen her note written on the back of his own.

He read it's contents and let it drop to the floor. "Damn it, Rue! Not again!" She charged him with watching over BG. He was their new protector and with the threat of Tex Mex hanging around he couldn't just go running after her. Still he wasn't about to let her go it alone.

Billy went to the stables to saddle up No Name. Six Star and Butterfingers were gone. "So, she's not alone." This brought him no comfort, instead it drove him to ride out even faster to the Tent City. The man... and he used the term loosely, he was looking for would not be easy to find. He came across him in some dank, dark back alley.

"Hey! Furball!"

A black cat with blue eyes looked up at him. Billy would have sworn he/it wore a grin. The cat became a man before his very eyes. No matter how many time he'd seen it happen, Billy knew he would never get use to it. 

"What are you doing here? I thought you had some big dinner date with Rue."

Billy did not care for Jasper's sneer, but that wasn't why he was here. "I didn't come to pick a fight. I need your help."

"Me? Help you? Why would I ever do that?"

Billy felt his anger starting to get the better of him. "You know it wasn't me who exiled you to Tent City. It was Ruechari and you know what would happen to you if she tried to keep you in town. With the ordinance, if you were discovered, your life would be forfeit."

Jasper scoffed at this but it sounded more like a cat coughing up a hairball.

"I don't blame Rue for sending me here. Even though I asked her for a home and got this God forsaken place. She comes to spend time with me whenever she can. It's you that is the real problem. Even if Rue had a place to stay, she'd keep me away because of your jealous ways."

Billy frowned, wondering if that were true. Focus Billy... "Look, she's left town."

"What?! Why?! What did you do to drive her away this time?"

Billy grabbed Jasper by the scruff of his shirt. "Enough! She went back to Destiny. I don't know why but I can't follow. Not this time. She's nailed my boots to floor. Made me protector of BG."

"Ha!" Jasper practically purred. "She's grounded you? Oh, this is too good to be true."

"Are you going to help me or not?"

Jasper became suddenly serious. "You know there isn't anything I wouldn't do for Rue."

Billy let Jasper's feet get back to the ground. "Come on!"

"Where are we going? I got another stop to make. I ain't sending you to Destiny alone either."