Doctor Who_ Peacemaker - James Swallow [20]
Blaine ignored him and confronted the riders, holding his Colt revolver up to aim at them. ‘You two! Get outta the saddle right now, before I blow you out!’
Behind him, the Doctor skidded to a halt. His sonic screwdriver was buzzing, signalling him. Quickly, he drew out the device and twisted the control settings on its ceramic collar.
For the first time, the lawman got a good look at the two men and his eyes widened. ‘Can’t be. . . It’s not right.’
‘You know them?’ asked the Doctor.
Blaine frowned. ‘Hank Kutter and Will “Tangleleg” Bly. . .
Had
wanted posters up for ’em in my office for months now. But the word came down from the Marshal’s office on the telegraph. They’re both dead. . . The roadhouse they were hidin’ out in burned to the ground.
Not a stick of it left!’
‘It would seem otherwise,’ said the Doctor. ‘Sheriff, I don’t think they’re what they seem. . . ’
Blaine stepped away. ‘With all due respect, Doc, I’m the law in these parts, and I’ll deal with trouble my way!’ He advanced on the riders.
‘Last chance!’ he yelled. ‘Step down or else!’
The longriders exchanged a cold look, and then did as they were told. Kutter and Tangleleg ran their gaze over everyone in the street, townsfolk and armed men, women and children alike. The Doctor was certain that they lingered for a moment on him, on Martha and on the boy Nathan.
50
‘These highbinders been shooting up the place, sheriff!’ Loomis Teague called out, staring down a Winchester rifle at the two outlaws.
He pointed the barrel of the gun at the smouldering corpse. ‘Killed Fess Logan like a dog in the street. . . Burned him, they did!’
‘Burned,’ repeated the Doctor.
‘You just earned yourselves a necktie party, boys,’ growled Blaine.
‘Now you can drop them there hog-legs and go quiet, or else take a bellyful of lead!’
The longriders made no sound, gave no sign they had even heard what the lawman said.
A few feet away, Martha and Jenny stood in the shadow of the general store’s awning, with Nathan between them. ‘I’ve never seen faces so pallid before,’ said the schoolteacher in a hushed whisper.
‘They’re so pale and sickly looking. . . If you saw a man like that by the side of the road, you’d think him a corpse!’
‘Maybe that’s what they are,’ Nathan murmured.
The Doctor glanced at his sonic screwdriver, distracted for a moment. The same reading. . . But it’s older, somehow.’
Kutter turned his head to face Blaine and spoke. ‘Where is the healer?’ We know he was here. Where is he?’
‘The Doc?’ The sheriff shot a glance at the Doctor.
‘The healer,’ repeated Tangleleg. ‘Tell us where he is, or this won’t be the end to it.’ He gave a languid nod towards the dead body and the burning building.
‘He’s talking about Godlove,’ hissed Martha. ‘They’re after him!’
The sheriff’s fury was at its fullest. ‘I don’t know who or what you think you are, but I’m done talking.’ His gun came up.
‘Blaine, don’t!’ The Doctor called out a warning, but he was ignored.
The lawman fired, and Teague and all the other men with guns did the same.
But Kutter and Tangleleg didn’t fall; they turned into blurs. Too fast for the eye to catch them, the longriders dodged out of the path of the gunfire. Some rounds seemed to rip into them, but they did nothing but spin them about. Blaine fanned the hammer on his Colt, but every shot he fired hissed through empty air.
51
And then the outlaws paid them back. Kutter flashed forward, striking down Teague with the butt of his heavy pistol, knocking him to the floor. Tangleleg lashed out with punches and the men who they connected with went flying, as if they’d been hit by a colossal impact. It all happened so fast, in instants.
‘Martha, look out!’ The Doctor’s cry came a second too late. Kutter slammed her aside and shoved Jenny away, coming to a sudden halt with his pistol at Nathan’s head.
‘No!’ shouted the lawman. ‘He’s just a boy!’
Martha got slowly to her feet, feeling the tension in her ribs from a spreading bruise. She saw the Doctor standing with Blaine in the middle of the dirt