HOME | DD

Description
29. Good news and bad news

Beans!
Rango shivered when he was waking up. The first sunrays appeared over the hills. For a moment, he didn't know where he was, but then he remembered. He moaned. He closed his eyes and rolled himself on his back.
Why could it not be all just a nightmare? Just a damn nightmare? It never happened. In real, he was laying in his jail office in his bed, Beans was sleeping on her ranch, Furgus was opening his store and Gordy would sleep somewhere in a corner…
He winced when something slithered over his hand. He wrinkled his nose. It was smooth and…
Someone muttered. "What the…"
"Ahhhh!"
Rango jumped up like lightning. Stump stood in his bed, his arms pressed on his body.
"Invasion!"
Rango looked in all directions. On his bed, on the other beds lay little snakes.
Chorizo and Kinski were still half asleep and looked with tired eyes around.
Bill jumped out of his bed and shook off a snake from his hat.
"Get off! Get off!"
The little snakes winced and slithered away down the stairs.
"Ouch!"
Bill shook his hand wildly. Rango's eyes became wide when he was seeing the little red orange corn snake sticking on Bill's fingers.
"You damn thing!" Bill cursed and grabbed the snake body.
"COULD YOU BE QUIET!?" an angry female voice shouted downstairs from the first floor. "I want to sleep! Or do I have to throw you outside?"
The little snake left Bill and slid down the stairs.
"Come back!" Bill screamed and took his hat. He ran to the stairs and climbed down.
"What's all that noise?!" Miss Conny growled.
Bill stopped and growled back.
"You are the last one which I want to see."
The big corn snake mother hissed warningly. "Watch your tongue, bastard!"
"Something happen?"
Someone opened the door of the old trail shed and Cassy stood in the door frame.
"I heard screams."
"Ask your legless army!" the Gila monster said annoyed.
Cassy scratched her chin, then she smiled. "Oh, don't panic. The kids like to play in the beds. They take a morning sun bath now."
"That's okay," Rango said apologized and climbed down the stairs, too.
"Keep your mouth!" Bill hissed at him.
Cassy crossed her arms. "You two reptiles should do the same and warm up."
"I take my sunbath whenever I want it," Bill snorted and lifted his nose.
He passed her and walked outside.
Rango was still a little drowsy, but then he became wide awake suddenly.
"Did they come back?" he asked.
Cassy shook her head. "No, I'm sorry, not yet."
Rango let sank his hand disappointed. "Alright."
He left the building. When he saw Bill standing there, he went to him.
"Bill, you were right."
Bill turned around and looked at the chameleon with surprise. "Right, about what?"
"You… uh… you really know her better than me, but…"
He gave Bill a pleading look. "Please give me the chance to find her. I already lost her."
Bill looked at him. Then he tipped his forehead. "Did you smoke something wrong?"
Rango opened his mouth speechless. "I… mmh… forget it!"
With disgust, he waved his hands and went away. He walked over the empty stony, sandy area, circled restless few rounds, massaged his temple and looked to the entrance of the estate.
Last night he had dreamed badly. Had that a meaning? He put his fingertips together and moved them nervously. She was there, somewhere. Damn! Why didn't the geckos come back? What happened? Was is good or bad? With trembling fingers he reached into his jacket pocket and took out a paper. He unfolded it and Beans's writing became visible on the white background.
"Don't forget me. Wait for me."
His fingertips pressed the paper. She waited for him. That somebody saves her and he stood here and did nothing but…
He put the paper back and rubbed his forehead.
"You have to be strong, please, be strong."
He whipped over a flat stone, and sat down cross-legged.
He had to calm down. He had to be silent inside. He breathed deeply and closed his eyes. He had to calm down, calm down…
Stump, Kinski and Chorizo, who had recovered from the snake invasion, watched him from the distance.
"What is he doing?" Chorizo asked.
Stump stretched his head. "Go a number 2?"
"Dummy!" Kinski said. "That's yoga."
"Who is yoga?"
Kinski shook his head disapprovingly. He closed his eyes and formed his fingers.
"Meditation," he answered slowly.
"Uh, Bill," Chorizo asked when Bill was walking next to them. "What are you going to do next?"
"What do you mean?" Bill asked still annoyed.
"Well, just that we know, what our task will be."
"Do you still have no plan?" Kinski asked sarcastically.
"I will not be spoken to like that!" Bill hissed and pointed at him warningly.
"Why do you behave like this," Kinski asked without interrupting. "Better we go back to town and let others make what they want with her."
Bill pressed his hands together. "Nobody touches her beside me! Nobody is allowed to own her. She is just mine! And if I can't get her, nobody else should get her. Get it?! By the way, she has to suffer for her mistake."
Kinski tipped his forehead, when Bill didn't look at them. Instead he aimed his eyes in far distance.
"Bill? Am I wrong, or becomes the situation more personally for you?"
Bill narrowed his eyes. He crossed his arms and avoid the others glances.
"She never was together with someone else," the Gila monster muttered with dark voice. "Before that green damn lizard came in town. If Mayor John hadn't guaranteed me that he will disappear soon, I would have shot him easily."
His men exchanged glances. "Are you sure? She also hated you before the sheriff came in town."
"DAMN! I know!"
"Uh, by the way, when do you want to tell him about her and Jake?" Stump remembered.
Bill turned around. "I will wait the right moment."
"For what?"
Bill's answer was quiet and muttered. "For my revenge."
"Does she mean so much for you, despite she hates you?" Kinski wanted to know sceptically.
Bill narrowed his eyes. "She has no meaning for me anymore."
"Anymore? Your behaviour spoke another language," Kinski said dryly and thought about Bill's fit of rage after Beans and Jake had kissed.
"She will feel nothing after that."
Stump scratched his head. "Is there something which we have to know?"
"Do you want to kill her?" Chorizo asked unsurely.
Bill shrugged his shoulders and looked thoughtfully to the sky. "Better dead than this."
"You really want it?!" Kinski and Stump asked like with one mouth.
"I don't know," Bill cut their question and started to walk away.
"And what about the green lizard?" Chorizo continued. "Do you want to kill him, too?"
"Really?" Stump added.
With growl, Bill stopped and turned around. "Who is the leader here, who?!"
"You," the three answered defeated.
"See," Bill said a little more satisfied. "It's not your business. I do what I think to do. Get it?"
"Yes, Sir," Kinski muttered with pressed voice.
"Can I ask one last question at least?" Stump asked.
Bill sighed annoyed but he nodded. "What do you want to know?"
"For what mistake exactly should she become punished? For her kiss with the snake, for that she didn't want you, or are you still angry about her that she made your skin pink years ago?"
Bill hissed. "I said it before, I never want to speak about that damn day again!"
Kinski gave Stump a clap on his head. "See, that's what I said yesterday," he whispered annoyed.
Bill narrowed his eyes. "What did you talk about yesterday?"
"Nothing!" Kinski said loudly and pressed his foot on Stumps foot. "Absolutely nothing. Right?"
Stump nodded. "Yes, indeed. We just counted sheep."
Kinski grinned and pulled him away. Bill looked after them with dark face. He growled.
"Good morning Bill."
Bill twisted around and raised his hands.
"So full with fear?" Tonca asked with surprise.
"No," Bill hissed. "Just a reflex. Where did you been so long?"
Tonca whipped over his forehead. "That was a night. I can't begin to tell you how it was. Such a…"
He stopped and Danny lifted his head when he saw Rango running in their direction. Kinski, Stump and Chorizo had informed him when they had seen the two geckos next to Bill.
Rango was jumping up in a high speed and grabbed Tonca's shirt.
"Where is Beans? Where is Beans? Is she alright?! Tell me!"
"S-sir-rr could yo-u s-sto-op…"
Rango froze and left the little gecko immediately.
"Alright Mister Rango," Danny began. "I think you should sit down."
"I'm fine… wait… Is something wrong with her?!"
"Mister Rango!" Tonca yelled when Rango began to shake him again.
"She is still okay, I think."
"You think?"
"We think you have to know it, to understand, that the situation can be dangerous."
Rango swallowed. "What do you mean?"
"Morning guys," Cassy greeted. "Was you successful?"
"You can say that again."
Tonca rubbed his hands. "Well, we have good news and bad news. Which one do you want to hear first?"
"Good news would be great at the moment," Rango said hopefully.
Tonca and Danny exchanged glances.
"Well," Tonca started again. "We know where your missed persons are and we know the name of the one who you search."
"Really?" Rango bent forward excited. "Who? How is his name?"
"His name is Castigo."
Bill scratched his head. "Never heard."
"Oh my gosh!" Cassy said with hoarsely voice. "His name rings a bell."
The group looked at each other.
"Is he a relative of you?" Kinski asked.
Cassy waved her hands wildly. "Good heavens, no, fortunately not."
"What's wrong with him?" Rango asked worried.
Tonca lifted his hands to calm him down. "Oh boy, if he really is the one, it would be the best for your girlfriend to be dead."
"Dead?!" Rango couldn't belief what he was hearing. "Are you kidding me?"
Tonca shook his head. "I would never kid with something like that."
"Let me explain you," Danny took the word. "I have also contact with my family in Mexico. They read it in newspaper. There was a person named Castigo, and…"
"Why do you stop?" Rango asked nervously.
Danny looked at Tonca. "Should we really…"
"Speak!" Rango pressed his fists.
Tonca gave Danny a handshake on his shoulder. "Well, Castigo came from Mexico and he was the one who abused a girl and killed a whole family. With a knife."
There was silence.
The silver fox Cassy covered her forehead. "That's what I had feared."
"With a slaughter knife," Danny added.
Tonca gave him a side kick. "That's wasn't necessary," he hissed when he saw how Rango became pale.
Tonca cleaned his throat. "He came into a lunatic asylum, but he broke out and since that he had vanished."
"When did that happen?" Kinski asked curiously.
Tonca thought a moment. "Over one year, maybe."
"Oh good lord!" Rango shouted. "We have to take her out!"
He ran, but the geckos called him back. "Mister Rango. That's would be too dangerous…"
"I will not allow that he harms her!"
"We didn't say that we wouldn't do anything."
"What do you mean?" Bill asked mistrustfully.
"Well, I think we have a little, little idea."

Reluctantly, Rango and the others listened to the two geckos what happened to them last night.
"Do you really think, that it will work?" Cassy asked unsurely.
"It's totally simple, very easy," Danny said. "As I said, we met one of Castigo's gang in the restaurant and he had interest when he heard about our earned money…"
"Money which you don't have," Cassy said and moved her forefinger warningly.
"The end justifies the means," Tonca added. "Never mind. As I said…"
"I had never thought that Jake would end like that," Bill muttered without pity. "Why I never had that idea?"
"Bill!" Rango stood up angrily. "How can you talk like that?"
"Why not?" Bill crossed his arms. "Aren't you glad about that? After all, he had pinched your girlfriend."
Rango pressed his lips together. "I have to admit, I'm still annoyed about him, but I will never allow that he will be sold like a thing."
"Alright," Tonca said to direct the conversation back to the main theme. "The guy made an offer. That we could come to the auction and offer. That's a perfect way to come into the hide place without big troubles. And you can come with us."
"Good plan," Rango said and jumped up impatiently. "Let's ride!"
"But we have to speak the details…"
"We can do on our way, we have to hurry up! In worst case it will be too late."
Rango didn't listen to the next words and ran to the place where their roadrunners were.
"I could give you also a company," Cassy threw in the air.
"No, no, no. No women!" Bill protested.
"Why not?" she asked annoyed. "The more the merrier. I know the area inside out."
"Let she come with us," Tonca said calmly. "We have nothing to lose."
Bill growled. "Who asked you for your opin…"
"I'm ready!" Rango sat on his roadrunner and looked at the others wildly. "Hurry, hurry."
Bill hissed. "Yes, yes, dry up! But no…"
He looked around, but Cassy was gone. Just moments later, she rode with her runner in their direction. "I'm also ready."
Bill covered his eyes. "Didn't I say, who has the word?"
"Bill, are you ready?" Kinski asked who also had saddled their chickens.
"Oh, I give up," Bill muttered defeated and walked to his roadrunner.
"Nice that we are agreed," Tonca said and walked away.
Cassy looked down to Chili, who stood next to the group and had watched them the whole time.
"Chili? Miss Conny take command over this house."
The little corn snake narrowed her eyes. "If needs must."
"I will be back soon. Wait for me."
Rango froze a second.
Wait for me.
"Alright, let's go," Tonca and Danny ordered and goaded on their runners.
Rango didn't wait and followed them.
"Bill?"
Bill turned around to Stump.
"Shouldn't we rethink about it?"
Bill grabbed his collar. "We stay the course! Let me do my thing. The rest doesn't concern you!"

To be continued...

Description
29. Good news and bad news

Beans!
Rango shivered when he was waking up. The first sunrays appeared over the hills. For a moment, he didn't know where he was, but then he remembered. He moaned. He closed his eyes and rolled himself on his back.
Why could it not be all just a nightmare? Just a damn nightmare? It never happened. In real, he was laying in his jail office in his bed, Beans was sleeping on her ranch, Furgus was opening his store and Gordy would sleep somewhere in a corner…
He winced when something slithered over his hand. He wrinkled his nose. It was smooth and…
Someone muttered. "What the…"
"Ahhhh!"
Rango jumped up like lightning. Stump stood in his bed, his arms pressed on his body.
"Invasion!"
Rango looked in all directions. On his bed, on the other beds lay little snakes.
Chorizo and Kinski were still half asleep and looked with tired eyes around.
Bill jumped out of his bed and shook off a snake from his hat.
"Get off! Get off!"
The little snakes winced and slithered away down the stairs.
"Ouch!"
Bill shook his hand wildly. Rango's eyes became wide when he was seeing the little red orange corn snake sticking on Bill's fingers.
"You damn thing!" Bill cursed and grabbed the snake body.
"COULD YOU BE QUIET!?" an angry female voice shouted downstairs from the first floor. "I want to sleep! Or do I have to throw you outside?"
The little snake left Bill and slid down the stairs.
"Come back!" Bill screamed and took his hat. He ran to the stairs and climbed down.
"What's all that noise?!" Miss Conny growled.
Bill stopped and growled back.
"You are the last one which I want to see."
The big corn snake mother hissed warningly. "Watch your tongue, bastard!"
"Something happen?"
Someone opened the door of the old trail shed and Cassy stood in the door frame.
"I heard screams."
"Ask your legless army!" the Gila monster said annoyed.
Cassy scratched her chin, then she smiled. "Oh, don't panic. The kids like to play in the beds. They take a morning sun bath now."
"That's okay," Rango said apologized and climbed down the stairs, too.
"Keep your mouth!" Bill hissed at him.
Cassy crossed her arms. "You two reptiles should do the same and warm up."
"I take my sunbath whenever I want it," Bill snorted and lifted his nose.
He passed her and walked outside.
Rango was still a little drowsy, but then he became wide awake suddenly.
"Did they come back?" he asked.
Cassy shook her head. "No, I'm sorry, not yet."
Rango let sank his hand disappointed. "Alright."
He left the building. When he saw Bill standing there, he went to him.
"Bill, you were right."
Bill turned around and looked at the chameleon with surprise. "Right, about what?"
"You… uh… you really know her better than me, but…"
He gave Bill a pleading look. "Please give me the chance to find her. I already lost her."
Bill looked at him. Then he tipped his forehead. "Did you smoke something wrong?"
Rango opened his mouth speechless. "I… mmh… forget it!"
With disgust, he waved his hands and went away. He walked over the empty stony, sandy area, circled restless few rounds, massaged his temple and looked to the entrance of the estate.
Last night he had dreamed badly. Had that a meaning? He put his fingertips together and moved them nervously. She was there, somewhere. Damn! Why didn't the geckos come back? What happened? Was is good or bad? With trembling fingers he reached into his jacket pocket and took out a paper. He unfolded it and Beans's writing became visible on the white background.
"Don't forget me. Wait for me."
His fingertips pressed the paper. She waited for him. That somebody saves her and he stood here and did nothing but…
He put the paper back and rubbed his forehead.
"You have to be strong, please, be strong."
He whipped over a flat stone, and sat down cross-legged.
He had to calm down. He had to be silent inside. He breathed deeply and closed his eyes. He had to calm down, calm down…
Stump, Kinski and Chorizo, who had recovered from the snake invasion, watched him from the distance.
"What is he doing?" Chorizo asked.
Stump stretched his head. "Go a number 2?"
"Dummy!" Kinski said. "That's yoga."
"Who is yoga?"
Kinski shook his head disapprovingly. He closed his eyes and formed his fingers.
"Meditation," he answered slowly.
"Uh, Bill," Chorizo asked when Bill was walking next to them. "What are you going to do next?"
"What do you mean?" Bill asked still annoyed.
"Well, just that we know, what our task will be."
"Do you still have no plan?" Kinski asked sarcastically.
"I will not be spoken to like that!" Bill hissed and pointed at him warningly.
"Why do you behave like this," Kinski asked without interrupting. "Better we go back to town and let others make what they want with her."
Bill pressed his hands together. "Nobody touches her beside me! Nobody is allowed to own her. She is just mine! And if I can't get her, nobody else should get her. Get it?! By the way, she has to suffer for her mistake."
Kinski tipped his forehead, when Bill didn't look at them. Instead he aimed his eyes in far distance.
"Bill? Am I wrong, or becomes the situation more personally for you?"
Bill narrowed his eyes. He crossed his arms and avoid the others glances.
"She never was together with someone else," the Gila monster muttered with dark voice. "Before that green damn lizard came in town. If Mayor John hadn't guaranteed me that he will disappear soon, I would have shot him easily."
His men exchanged glances. "Are you sure? She also hated you before the sheriff came in town."
"DAMN! I know!"
"Uh, by the way, when do you want to tell him about her and Jake?" Stump remembered.
Bill turned around. "I will wait the right moment."
"For what?"
Bill's answer was quiet and muttered. "For my revenge."
"Does she mean so much for you, despite she hates you?" Kinski wanted to know sceptically.
Bill narrowed his eyes. "She has no meaning for me anymore."
"Anymore? Your behaviour spoke another language," Kinski said dryly and thought about Bill's fit of rage after Beans and Jake had kissed.
"She will feel nothing after that."
Stump scratched his head. "Is there something which we have to know?"
"Do you want to kill her?" Chorizo asked unsurely.
Bill shrugged his shoulders and looked thoughtfully to the sky. "Better dead than this."
"You really want it?!" Kinski and Stump asked like with one mouth.
"I don't know," Bill cut their question and started to walk away.
"And what about the green lizard?" Chorizo continued. "Do you want to kill him, too?"
"Really?" Stump added.
With growl, Bill stopped and turned around. "Who is the leader here, who?!"
"You," the three answered defeated.
"See," Bill said a little more satisfied. "It's not your business. I do what I think to do. Get it?"
"Yes, Sir," Kinski muttered with pressed voice.
"Can I ask one last question at least?" Stump asked.
Bill sighed annoyed but he nodded. "What do you want to know?"
"For what mistake exactly should she become punished? For her kiss with the snake, for that she didn't want you, or are you still angry about her that she made your skin pink years ago?"
Bill hissed. "I said it before, I never want to speak about that damn day again!"
Kinski gave Stump a clap on his head. "See, that's what I said yesterday," he whispered annoyed.
Bill narrowed his eyes. "What did you talk about yesterday?"
"Nothing!" Kinski said loudly and pressed his foot on Stumps foot. "Absolutely nothing. Right?"
Stump nodded. "Yes, indeed. We just counted sheep."
Kinski grinned and pulled him away. Bill looked after them with dark face. He growled.
"Good morning Bill."
Bill twisted around and raised his hands.
"So full with fear?" Tonca asked with surprise.
"No," Bill hissed. "Just a reflex. Where did you been so long?"
Tonca whipped over his forehead. "That was a night. I can't begin to tell you how it was. Such a…"
He stopped and Danny lifted his head when he saw Rango running in their direction. Kinski, Stump and Chorizo had informed him when they had seen the two geckos next to Bill.
Rango was jumping up in a high speed and grabbed Tonca's shirt.
"Where is Beans? Where is Beans? Is she alright?! Tell me!"
"S-sir-rr could yo-u s-sto-op…"
Rango froze and left the little gecko immediately.
"Alright Mister Rango," Danny began. "I think you should sit down."
"I'm fine… wait… Is something wrong with her?!"
"Mister Rango!" Tonca yelled when Rango began to shake him again.
"She is still okay, I think."
"You think?"
"We think you have to know it, to understand, that the situation can be dangerous."
Rango swallowed. "What do you mean?"
"Morning guys," Cassy greeted. "Was you successful?"
"You can say that again."
Tonca rubbed his hands. "Well, we have good news and bad news. Which one do you want to hear first?"
"Good news would be great at the moment," Rango said hopefully.
Tonca and Danny exchanged glances.
"Well," Tonca started again. "We know where your missed persons are and we know the name of the one who you search."
"Really?" Rango bent forward excited. "Who? How is his name?"
"His name is Castigo."
Bill scratched his head. "Never heard."
"Oh my gosh!" Cassy said with hoarsely voice. "His name rings a bell."
The group looked at each other.
"Is he a relative of you?" Kinski asked.
Cassy waved her hands wildly. "Good heavens, no, fortunately not."
"What's wrong with him?" Rango asked worried.
Tonca lifted his hands to calm him down. "Oh boy, if he really is the one, it would be the best for your girlfriend to be dead."
"Dead?!" Rango couldn't belief what he was hearing. "Are you kidding me?"
Tonca shook his head. "I would never kid with something like that."
"Let me explain you," Danny took the word. "I have also contact with my family in Mexico. They read it in newspaper. There was a person named Castigo, and…"
"Why do you stop?" Rango asked nervously.
Danny looked at Tonca. "Should we really…"
"Speak!" Rango pressed his fists.
Tonca gave Danny a handshake on his shoulder. "Well, Castigo came from Mexico and he was the one who abused a girl and killed a whole family. With a knife."
There was silence.
The silver fox Cassy covered her forehead. "That's what I had feared."
"With a slaughter knife," Danny added.
Tonca gave him a side kick. "That's wasn't necessary," he hissed when he saw how Rango became pale.
Tonca cleaned his throat. "He came into a lunatic asylum, but he broke out and since that he had vanished."
"When did that happen?" Kinski asked curiously.
Tonca thought a moment. "Over one year, maybe."
"Oh good lord!" Rango shouted. "We have to take her out!"
He ran, but the geckos called him back. "Mister Rango. That's would be too dangerous…"
"I will not allow that he harms her!"
"We didn't say that we wouldn't do anything."
"What do you mean?" Bill asked mistrustfully.
"Well, I think we have a little, little idea."

Reluctantly, Rango and the others listened to the two geckos what happened to them last night.
"Do you really think, that it will work?" Cassy asked unsurely.
"It's totally simple, very easy," Danny said. "As I said, we met one of Castigo's gang in the restaurant and he had interest when he heard about our earned money…"
"Money which you don't have," Cassy said and moved her forefinger warningly.
"The end justifies the means," Tonca added. "Never mind. As I said…"
"I had never thought that Jake would end like that," Bill muttered without pity. "Why I never had that idea?"
"Bill!" Rango stood up angrily. "How can you talk like that?"
"Why not?" Bill crossed his arms. "Aren't you glad about that? After all, he had pinched your girlfriend."
Rango pressed his lips together. "I have to admit, I'm still annoyed about him, but I will never allow that he will be sold like a thing."
"Alright," Tonca said to direct the conversation back to the main theme. "The guy made an offer. That we could come to the auction and offer. That's a perfect way to come into the hide place without big troubles. And you can come with us."
"Good plan," Rango said and jumped up impatiently. "Let's ride!"
"But we have to speak the details…"
"We can do on our way, we have to hurry up! In worst case it will be too late."
Rango didn't listen to the next words and ran to the place where their roadrunners were.
"I could give you also a company," Cassy threw in the air.
"No, no, no. No women!" Bill protested.
"Why not?" she asked annoyed. "The more the merrier. I know the area inside out."
"Let she come with us," Tonca said calmly. "We have nothing to lose."
Bill growled. "Who asked you for your opin…"
"I'm ready!" Rango sat on his roadrunner and looked at the others wildly. "Hurry, hurry."
Bill hissed. "Yes, yes, dry up! But no…"
He looked around, but Cassy was gone. Just moments later, she rode with her runner in their direction. "I'm also ready."
Bill covered his eyes. "Didn't I say, who has the word?"
"Bill, are you ready?" Kinski asked who also had saddled their chickens.
"Oh, I give up," Bill muttered defeated and walked to his roadrunner.
"Nice that we are agreed," Tonca said and walked away.
Cassy looked down to Chili, who stood next to the group and had watched them the whole time.
"Chili? Miss Conny take command over this house."
The little corn snake narrowed her eyes. "If needs must."
"I will be back soon. Wait for me."
Rango froze a second.
Wait for me.
"Alright, let's go," Tonca and Danny ordered and goaded on their runners.
Rango didn't wait and followed them.
"Bill?"
Bill turned around to Stump.
"Shouldn't we rethink about it?"
Bill grabbed his collar. "We stay the course! Let me do my thing. The rest doesn't concern you!"

To be continued...