The Travelers 3

by Lee Hunnicutt

  The Travelers

  A Space Opera

  By

  Lee Hunnicutt

  The Internationally Unknown Author

  To my loving supportive wife

  Eva

  Table of Contents

  Table of Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Copyright © 2020

  Lee Hunnicutt

  All rights reserved

  ASIN: B086DGSVHX

  Chapter 1

  Zoe in West Texas

  Herman, Texas, population 503 was in the middle of the Bolton ranch. Except for the state highway Bolton intentionally had dirt roads in the town so horses wouldn’t lose their footing.

  The most popular joint in town was the Cattleman’s Bar and Grill, cold beer and great steaks. Outside the bar was a watering trough and a hitching post.

  It was 5 PM, mid May 1955 and 102 in the West Texas shade when Zoe watered her horse, loosened his cinch and then tied him to the hitching post outside the Cattleman’s Saloon. She was wearing Levis, boots with spurs and a short sleeved blue denim shirt. Leather gloves were tucked inside her belt. There were large sweat stains under her arms, down the middle of her back and between her breasts.

  Parked next to the bar was an old beat up four door DeSoto.

  She walked to the end of the bar and Carlos the bartender already had a frozen mug of beer headed her way. She grabbed it as it slid by and drained it in half a dozen large gulps. She set the mug down as another one headed her way. She drained it and snagged a third beer.

  She turned, leaned back, cocked her right foot up against the bar and placed both elbows on the bar. Across the room four young men were playing pool. Two were watching. Two were playing.

  One of the young men who was watching the other two play looked at her and went to the bar. He ordered two beers and walked over to her.

  “The next one’s on me, pretty lady.”

  She guessed he thought he was being smooth but he was about as clever and suave as a stump in a swamp. She ignored him.

  “Hey, come on give me a break. I’m just trying to be friendly.”

  She gave him a withering look. “I can buy my own beer and if you think you can get to first base with me because you spent thirty cents on a beer, you’re dumber than you look. Now get lost.”

  He set both beers down and grabbed her roughly by the arm and said, “Nobody talks to me like that bitc…”

  She grabbed him by the hair pivoted to her right and slammed his face into the curved edge of the bar. She took a drink, put her beer down, took his right forearm in her hands and snapped it like a twig. He screamed in pain. Next, she side kicked him in the right knee shattering it.

  He fell to the floor screaming and writhing in pain.

  His three friends stopped playing. One set his cue stick down the other didn’t and all three walked over to her.

  The one with the cue stepped closer and said, “I’m going to beat you like a drum. And then we are going to do whatever we damn please with you.” He spun the cue around so he was holding the fat end up like a club.

  Carlos reached under the bar and pulled out a 1911 Army issue 45 but what happened next was so fast he had a hard time following it. All three men were rolling around on the floor screaming in pain.

  She turned around picked up her beer and said, “Thanks Carlos for the thought. I appreciate it.” She looked at the 45 in Carlos’ hand. He touched the front sight to his forehead in salute and placed the pistol back under the bar.

  “You had better call Midland General to send a couple of ambulances for these idiots and call Bob Walker to come and take a statement. I’ll wait until he shows up. Oh! Give Pete a call too, will you?”

  She turned around and leaned back with her elbows on the bar as if nothing had happened.

  She looked down at the men on the floor and with disgust said, “Oh for God’s sake, man up and quit your whining. You’d think you were a fashion model who’d just broken a nail.” What she said was lost on the men in pain but it gave her a chuckle.

  Sheriff Bob Walker showed up about two beers later and looked at the men on the floor. “I see you’ve been busy Zoe.”

  “I do what I can but a girl can only do so much.”

  Bob sighed, shook his head, looked at Carlos and said, “Carlos can you tell me what happened here?”

  “Well sheriff these men threatened to beat Miss Zoe with a pool cue and then do things to her but she wouldn’t let that happen.”

  Bob exhaled loudly and said, “Really Carlos? That’s all you can say?”

  “That’s what happened Bob. What more do you want me to say?”

  “Zoe?”

  “It’s pretty much like Carlos said.”

  “There’s got to be more than that.”

  “Well, I took the pool cue away from the guy in the middle and beat all three of them until they were no longer a threat.”

  “And what about this one by the bar?”

  “He grabbed me and wasn’t very nice so I defended myself.”

  “He wasn’t very nice so you defended yourself? He looks like he’s been run through a mangler.

  Carlos?”

  “It’s just like she said Bob. He wasn’t very nice.”

  Zoe stifled a laugh and it snorted out her nose.

  Bob looked at her and said, “This is serious Zoe and I’m going to get to the bottom of it.”

  A deputy came in and said, “Sheriff, I called in the plates on that DeSoto and you were right it’s the same car in that APB and by the description of the fugitives, these guys appear to be them.”

  Pete walked in, looked at the men on the floor and then at Zoe. This was the first time Zoe appeared nervous or contrite.

  Pete told her. “Get in the truck. Do you need her for anything else, Bob?”

  “No, I’m not getting anywhere with either her or Carlos. I’ll talk to them both later.

  I wouldn’t worry too much about these skunks.” He poked one with the point of his boot. The man screamed.

  “All four of them are wanted for murder in Oklahoma. They robbed some liquor stores and killed two of the managers. As soon as they are well enough to travel, we’ll be sending them back to Oklahoma to be hanged. So, I’m not expecting a complaint against Zoe for the way she handled them.

  Hell, Oklahoma might want to give her a medal.”

  “Well she won’t be getting a medal from me.”

  She could see he was really mad and it made her uneasy. He would never hit her but his ire frightened her. He had never been angry with her before today and she didn’t know how to handle it.

  As they walked to the truck she said, “What about Brewster?” meaning her horse.

  “I’ll send one of the hands for him. What were you thinking?”

  “I wasn’t. It just happened.”

  “We talked about this before I brought you here. You promised me you would not let yourself get out of hand.”

  “He grabbed my arm and the next thing I knew he was on the floor screaming and his friends were threatening to beat me to a pulp.

  What was I supposed to do? Sometimes things get out of hand when you are painted into a corner.”

  After he heard what happened, he calmed down a bit. He patted her shoulder. “I know how hard things can be for you and you know that I love you but in hindsight, I should never have brought you here. It was too dangerous. You are too dangerous.”

&n
bsp; She looked over at him and he looked at her. Tears welled up and she put her face in her hands and began to sob, big heart rendering sobs. Her voice muffled in her hands. She said, “Don’t say that.” The sobbing intensified and she said, “I am not a monster.”

  Now it was his turn to not know what to do. Her sobbing stunned him. Of all the years he had known her and all they had been through together, he had only seen her once cry and sob like she was doing now. It shook him to his core.

  He pulled over and gathered her in his arms. “I know you’re not a monster but you are dangerous and you have to control it.”

  He gently ran his hand down the side of her face and slowly pulled her hands away. “In my anger, I was hasty and said things I shouldn’t have.”

  He kissed her on the forehead and wiped the tears from her cheeks. “Let’s go home and talk about our options. I promise you, I won’t send you back. Besides, now that I think about it, those men are killers. They would have probably killed Carlos for the money in the till and tried to kill you.”

  At the ranch, Pete said, “Go take a shower and I’ll fix supper. After supper, we’ll talk.”

  She came out in her nightgown and after supper, Pete poured two stiff brandies. They settled down on the couch. The swamp coolers had lowered the temperature to the high 70s.

  She snuggled up to him under his arm. He said, “Remember when I brought you here last October and Sanchez helped you pick out Brewster. You wanted to learn everything about ranching. You learned how to mend fences and repair windmills and move cattle from one pasture to another. When roundup came a week ago, you learned how to cut calves out, rope them and brand them. Everyone except me was amazed at how quickly you picked up all the skills. You do it all better than the hands who have done it all their lives and they know it. They tell me all the time, you’re the best cowpuncher they have ever seen.

  You love it here and you deserve to be here. Maybe you will find peace. Who am I to stand in the way of that? I reacted the way I did because I was afraid for you. What if they found out who and more importantly what you are?

  Right now, most everyone in this county who knows you are genuinely fond of you. Because you are a true ranch hand and you work alongside of them as hard or harder than they do. They like and trust you. You can’t have them suspicious of you. Once you break that trust, you will never get it back.

  So, what I am saying is, you have to be careful. You can defend yourself but for God’s sake don’t break people up in pieces like you did today and don’t kill anyone. OK?”

  “I promise.” She said and with her free hand she stroked his cheek.

  “Let’s go out on the porch and listen to The Grand Ole Opry. Tomorrow we’ll go to Midland General and see Billy Marshall.”

  Pete flopped down in the chair across the desk from Bill Marshall, Chief of Orthopedics at Midland General. Zoe took the other chair.

  “Pete, can I speak to you alone?” Pete looked at Zoe. “Give us a minute. OK?”

  Zoe got up and left. She wandered the halls until she came upon a state trooper seated outside a room.

  “Is this the room that has those four murders from Oklahoma that some girl beat up?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Can I see them?”

  “No, no one is allowed in.”

  “I’m the one who beat them up.”

  “You’re Zoe Bolton?”

  “Yes.”

  “Do you have some Id?”

  Zoe whipped out her license.

  “Wow, I’ll bet they would really be glad to see you.” He got up and opened the door. Both of them went in.

  “Hello boys, glad to see me?”

  They all started to whimper and tried to scoot in their beds as far away from her as they could. Their jaws were wired shut, both eyes black and their right legs and right arms were in casts. Their left wrists were shackled to the bed.

  “Here, let me fluff your pillows. I’ll make you more comfortable.” She walked to the closest one. He tried to move but he couldn’t. Besides being cuffed to the bed it was too painful.

  “If you’re ever this way again be sure to look me up. Oh, I’m sorry. They’re going to hang you in Oklahoma so I’ll never see you again.

  I hope my little visit has cheered you up.”

  The trooper was snickering as they walked out the door.

  “Thanks officer. I always feel better when I do humanitarian volunteer work at the hospital. Don’t you?”

  He was laughing so hard he had a hard time answering. “Yeah, me too.” He squeaked. “Thanks miss, you’ve made my day.”

  Billy looked at Pete. They had been friends since they were boys.

  Billy said, “I want you to look at these.” He slid four manila folders over to him. “These are x-rays of the men.”

  “Bill, I won’t know what I’m looking at so just tell me.” Bill walked around to Pete’s side of the desk and pulled the x-rays out and laid them out so there were four columns. Each column had the same break. The first had four pictures of the skull, the second a right arm and the third a knee.

  “Each x-ray is of a different man. These men had the same identical break in the same part of the body. It was as if they had been run through an assembly line and the injuries had been caused by a machine.

  The first x-ray is of a broken nose, the pallet has been broken, the top two incisors knocked out and the jaw broken. Each break is identical. It’s the same with breaks in arms and the knees.

  I’ve never seen anything like it and will never see anything like it again.

  I’m not judging Zoe. These creeps got what they deserved. But I can’t explain this.” He waved his hand over the x-rays.

  Pete looked at Billy and said, “You and Betty have known Zoe for the last eight months. I can’t count the times the four of us have sat on my porch, drinking beer, solving the problems of the world and listening to football on the radio and eating barbeque.”

  “I’m not questioning Zoe’s character. Hell, I like her. If I weren’t married, I’d be showing up at your door every day with a bouquet of flowers and a box of chocolates.

  I just want to know how these precise breaks could have happened.”

  “We never told you this but Zoe’s parents were missionaries in China where she learned an ancient form of martial art called karate. It is a very disciplined art form requiring precise repetitious movements that where designed to hit precise parts of the body. If done right, each strike hits the exact same place on the body causing the same break each time.”

  “Oh, for Christ’s sake Pete, I’ve known you most of my life so don’t bullshit me now!”

  “That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

  I’m asking as someone who is a friend, lose those x-rays and never tell anyone about them.”

  “I have to send them to Oklahoma with the prisoners”

  “No, you don’t. Things get lost in transit all the time.”

  “Let me think on it but someday you’ll have to tell me what really happened.”

  Pete got up, shook Billy’s hand and said, “If I tell you, you wouldn’t believe me.”

  Pete smiled, slapped him on the shoulder and left.

  Billy turned and looked at the x-rays.

  Zoe was waiting in the lobby. He said, “Let’s go across the street for some ice cream.”

  Zoe looked at him with suspicion. “This can’t be good. You know I am a sucker for ice cream so what are you going to tell me?”

  “Nothing bad. Let’s get the ice cream first.”

  Zoe sat at a table while Pete ordered a chocolate malt and a banana split for Zoe and a black and white soda for himself. It always amazed him how much ice cream she could devour at one sitting.

  “Well, let’s hear it.”

  “Let’s eat our ice cream first and pass pleasantries.”

  “Now, I’m really worried.”

  “I promise you it’s nothing serious or bad. I’m going back. You know me I
get antsy when I’m gone too long.

  I want you to stay here and run the ranch. Tomorrow we’ll go to the bank and set up a joint account and give you power of attorney to make all the financial decisions for the ranch. All I ask is don’t sell it and leave town.”

  She gasped and looked hurt. “I would never do that!”

  Pete smiled and took her hand. “I forget you are so literal at times. I was joking. I know you would never do that.

  When it comes to running the ranch use Sanchez for advice. He puts on the act of being a poor Mexican peasant but he has worked on the ranch all his life and has a masters from Texas A&M in animal husbandry and ranch management. He’s forgotten more about ranching than most people ever knew.”

  He saw concern on her face and knew he had made a mistake. “When I said, He’s forgotten more about ranching than most people ever knew, that’s an intentional over statement and meant as a compliment to Sanchez.

  I should have said he’s the most knowledgeable rancher I have ever known. Also, my father willed twenty percent of the ranch’s profits to him, both cattle and oil. He’s a part owner and a very rich man.”

  He could see the relief on her face.

  “I’m glad you cleared that up. I thought poor Sanchez was losing his mind. I felt concerned for the welfare of the ranch and so sorry for Sanchez.”

  He was still holding her hand and he squeezed it. “It’s my fault. I keep forgetting how your mind works. I’ve made two blunders in as many seconds.”

  “Please don’t go. You’re my anchor. You rein me in and keep me at peace.”

  “You’ll do just fine. Besides it’s time you spent time on your own and get to know my world.

  You’ve watched almost every movie produced in the last 45 years in a multitude of languages. Movies don’t project the real world but they do teach you the culture.

  With an open bank account, you’re rich. If it weren’t for the oil revenue, we wouldn’t starve but cattle ranching out here isn’t exactly lucrative. We are sitting on 460 sections of oil rich land. I, we, are very, very wealthy. I ranch because I love it and I employ men who have the same love for it as I do. And you do too. As you now know, once it grabs hold of you it’s hard to let go.