“Geordy, you get that?” Cooper asked.
“I got it,” Georgeson said. “I’m downstairs, by the back stairway, covering the back entrance. You want me to check outside?”
“Negative.” said Cooper. “Stay put. Tilley-”
“Hold it.” Tilley said, “I’ve got activity. Two men heading this way from the southeast. One of them answers Stone’s description, the other one’s dressed like a cowboy. Hold on. I’ll see if I can… there’s movement in the alley, heading toward the back! Heads up, Geordy!”
“Shit!” Delaney swore, throwing open the door and drawing his revolver.
“Cover the front!” Cooper shouted to him. Then he spoke quickly into his communicator. “Tilley. watch your back, they may clock up to the roof!”
Cooper drew his disruptor and moved to the window as Delaney ran out into the hall and down the stairs.
“Finn should have been back by now,” said Lucas, tensely.
“You think maybe something happened?” Andre asked.
Lucas exhaled heavily. “We’re not going to find out waiting around here.” He got up, tossed down the whiskey he’d been drinking, picked up his laser rig and strapped it on underneath his coat.
“Be interesting if Wyatt Earp catches you wearing that in town.” said Andre.
Lucas grimaced. “I’ll tell him it’s a fancy Buntline Special,” he said. “And then I’ll hit him over the head with it.”
Andre got up and started heading toward the door. “You’re right, we’d better go check on him.”
“Aren’t you bringing anything?” asked Lucas.
“Hey, you know me. I always pack.” she said, lifting her long skirt. Beneath it, she wore high-button shoes and black lycra tights There was a laser pistol in a holster strapped to her right thigh and a commando bowie in a sheath strapped around her left leg.
“Interesting outfit,” Lucas said, with a grin. “What else you got hidden under there?”
“You’ll find out on our wedding night.” she replied.
“Cute.”
“Come on, greenhorn. Let’s go find that crazy Irishman.”
They went down the stairs and out the front door.
“Here they come.” said one of the snipers on the roof of Hafford’s Saloon, across the street. He rested his rifle and chambered a round.
“About damn time.” one of the others replied. “Let’s finish this.”
“The girl, too?”
“Yeah, the girl, too. That’s what Ringo said, ain’t it?”
“I don’t like shootin’ a woman.”
“You want to take it up with Ringo?”
“Hell, no.”
“Then let ’em have it!”
As they stepped down off the sidewalk, Andre stumbled.
“Damn heels!” she swore. A shot cracked out and a bullet struck the wood post behind her. More shots followed in rapid succession.