Simon Hawke - The Six Gun Solution

The situation in Tombstone was tense enough without agents from the future contributing to temporal instability in the time sector. Lucas only hoped that whatever was supposed to happen would happen soon. Yet, at the same time, he wasn’t ready for it. He hurried down the street to the Oriental Saloon.

Delaney wasn’t there, either. Cursing to himself. Lucas hurried back to the hotel. He had the terrible feeling that he was running out of time, he hoped Andre had found Delaney. They had to tell him about Scott. Somehow, Lucas was certain. Scott Neilson was the key to the whole thing. Only what, exactly, were they supposed to do? And when? There was still no sign of Darkness. Why was he cutting it so close?

He ran into the hotel and hurried up the stairs to their room. Andre was already there. There was no sign of Finn Delaney.

You didn’t find him?” she asked, anxiously.

Lucas shook his head. “I looked everywhere. I can’t imagine where he could have gone.”

“He hasn’t been in at the boarding house all day.” she said. “And he hasn’t been seen in any of the other places that I checked. Hell, they didn’t even know who the hell he was. You’d think they’d remember a guy built like a gorilla with red hair and a beard.”

“Something may have happened to him,” Lucas said. “Maybe he pushed Stone too close. Christ. Where haven’t we checked?”

Neither Lucas nor Andre were registered at the Grand Hotel. Delaney stared at the desk clerk with astonishment. “Are you sure?” he asked.

“We don’t have anyone by the name of Priest registered here, mister,” said the desk clerk. “You must have made a mistake.”

“Finn,” said Neilson, from behind him.

“Excuse me.” Delaney said to the desk clerk and went over to join Scott and Jenny.

“They’re not at this hotel.” said Scott. “They’re at the other Grand Hotel, in the other timeline. It’s me. Somehow, you’ve been crossing over from one timeline to the other, but you can’t do it now because of me. There’s another Scott Neilson over there and if I crossed over, it would be a temporal anomaly.”

Delaney frowned. “That doesn’t make sense.” he said. “Lucas had a double in the other universe and he was able to cross over. Why should I be prevented from crossing over because of you? And why should you be prevented from crossing over?”

“Come on, Finn. you must have figured it out by now,” said Scott. “There’s only one explanation that makes any sort of sense. It’s not the Network, it’s not the S.O.G., it isn’t Drakov, it’s me, the focal point of the disruption. Whatever’s going to happen here. I’m at the center of the instability and when it reaches the breaking point. I’m the one who’s going to trigger it somehow. Jenny, excuse us for a moment.”

He drew Delaney aside and spoke to him in a low voice, so she couldn’t hear.

She turned on Drakov because of me.” he said, “and I don’t want her to hear this but you’ve got to promise me one thing. When all of this is over, you’ll take her back with you. She needs help, Finn. Drakov had her thinking she wasn’t even human.”

“What are you talking about, Scott? You know we can’t possibly-”

“She doesn’t belong here, Finn. Look, let’s be honest with each other. Ever since Jenny told me what was going on, I’ve been wracking my brain over it, trying to figure all the angles. Drakov, the Network, the S.O.G., they’re all here contributing to the instability, but they’re not the real threat, are they? It’s me. Somehow, In the other universe. I was the Montana Kid. I lived in another time, in another place, and I didn’t know anything about the T.I.A. or temporal disruptions. You know, it’s a funny thing, but I’ve always felt that I was born too late. That I didn’t belong in my own time. that I really belonged here. And in the other timeline, that’s how it was! I don’t even pretend to understand the metaphysics involved, but somehow. I was fated to be here. Only I’m not supposed to be here. Whatever’s going to happen to bring about the disaster up ahead, maybe the Network’s going to start it. or maybe the S. 0. G. or Drakov or maybe even all of them. but I’m the one who’s going to finish it. Don’t ask me how I know. I can just feel it. And I also have a feeling that to stop whatever’s going to happen, you may have to kill me.”

“Scott, you don’t know what you’re saying You’ve been under a lot of strain and-”

“Damn it, Finn, don’t patronize me! You’ve thought about it, haven’t you? “Tell me the truth!”

Delaney took a deep breath and nodded. “Yeah, I’ve thought about it.”

“Suppose that’s what Darkness wants you to do.” said Scott. “Suppose you’re going to have to kill me. You are going to go through with it, aren’t you?”

Scott…”

“Damn it, Finn, if that’s how it turns out, you’ll have to do it! You know you’ll have to! I just want you to know I understand. Whatever happens now, if I’m really at the focal point of all this. I’m simply going to have to assume that there’s nothing I can do about it. If I’m the one, then whatever it is I’m going to do, we know from Darkness that I’ve already done it and chances are the only way to stop me is to kill me. But only at a certain time, apparently.”

“Scott, this is all conjecture,” said Delaney. “You don’t really know that-”

“No, I don’t really know, but if that’s how it’s going to be, I want you to know that I understand and I want you to do what you have to do. I’ve only got one last request. Take Jenny with you.”

“Scott…”

“Please, Finn. Is it really asking all that much?”

Delaney nodded. “No. No. I don’t suppose it is.”

“Then you promise?”

“Okay, I promise.”

“All right, we’re getting out of here, so you can find Lucas and Andre. We’ll be over the Oriental. Tell the others good luck for me.”

“I will.”

“And tell them… just tell them that I understand.”

Delaney watched as they walked out the door. He sighed heavily. “Damn it.”

“Finn! Where were you?”

He turned to see Lucas and Andre coming down the stairs.

“Where were you?” he asked, astonished.

“We’ve been all over town looking for you! Where-

“Did you just come down from your room?”

Lucas stared at him. “Of course we just came down from our room! Where did you think we were?”

“In another universe.” said Delaney. “I’ll be damned He was right.”

“Who was right?”

“Incredible. Nothing changed. I didn’t notice or feel a thing.”

“Finn, what the hell are you talking about?”

Delaney exhaled heavily. “We’d better go back up to your room.” he said He shook his head. “You’re not going to believe this.”

Zaber came back into the saloon and sat down at the table with the others. ‘They’re registered at the Grand Hotel, as Mr. amp; Mrs. Priest.” he said. “And Delaney’s got a room over the Aztec.”

“Are they there right now?” O’Fallon asked.

“Priest and Cross are. I don’t know where Delaney is. And I haven’t seen the Kid…;”

“He just walked in.” O’Fallon said, looking toward the door.

“What’s the plan?”

“We wait. We act nice and polite-like Clanton said, we don’t want any trouble. We stay right here, in front of witnesses. And when he leaves. Curly Bill plugs him.”

“What about the others?”

“I’ve got six of the boys waiting for Delaney at his rooming house. I made it clear to them that he’s extremely dangerous and if they screw up, it could mean their lives. The moment they spot him, they’ll open up, As for Priest and Cross. I’ve got four of our best riflemen stationed on the roof of Hafford’s Saloon, across from their hotel. As soon as Delaney gets it, someone’s going to run inside and tell them he’s been shot. The minute they step outside, the snipers will open fire with their Winchesters. Meanwhile, we’ll all be sitting right here, having a nice, friendly game of cards and establishing our alibis.”