Teapsoon had been called away to the Willow Island Station. Their riders had been repeatedly late in their rides and Russell, Majors and Wadell wanted Teaspoon to straighten them out personally.

Jimmy had been sworn in as temporary Marshal and he walked through the streets, tired of being cooped up in Teaspoon's office...there seemed to be some sort of spell placed on the chairs there. He'd already had three pots of coffee but just five minutes sittin' down, and Jimmy had fallen fast asleep.

Things were quiet and Jimmy took a few minutes to stop at each business and introduce himself. Most people knew his reputation and were eager to get a good look and the young man who seemed to have been born with a target painted on his back.

A couple of young ladies cross the street to speak with him. Jimmy pushed his hat back to get a better look. Both were pretty... one short with dark hair and a lot of freckles. The other a thin willowy blond who looked like she didn't have more than a thought or two locked up in her head.

Jimmy was beginning to feel like a caged animal... every time he wanted to make his escape they came up with another irritating question to keep him talkin'.

Buck had just come out of Thompkin's store when Jimmy saw him. "Hey Buck-"

A single shot rang out over the clatter of the street. Everywhere you looked people dove for cover. "Get down!" No one listened as they had already thought of the same course of action. Jimmy struggled to stand up.. the bullet had torn straight through his leg.

Buck had drawn his Colt in an instant and was running over to Jimmy when movement caught his eye.

Over in the alley a man in black.

"Jimmy? You okay?" Buck called through the blinding dust.

"Yeah! You see who done it?"

"In the alley!"

Hickok was back on his feet and faced the alley, not a soul was there...but then again it seemed like everyone had disappeared from the street. Jimmy pulled his kerchief from around his neck and wrapped it around the wound. He grimaced as he tied the knot. "The tighter the better, but *Damn* it smarts!"

Buck had almost cleared the dust from his eyes and had made his way to Jimmy's side. "Did ya see him?"

Jimmy shook his head as he wiped the blood off his hand, "Nope, are you sure you saw someone in the alley?"

Buck straightened up and looked Jimmy in the eye. "I told you what I saw Jimmy."

Jimmy held up a hand in surrender, "Okay...okay... you saw a man in the alley... do you know who it was?"

"Nope, dressed in black head to toe... someone's bound to have seen something. You think we oughtta go and ask around?"

Jimmy shook his head and put his arm around Buck's shoulder, "Later maybe.. I think I should get the doc to patch me up first."

...he could almost hear the voice as it whisked past his ear...

.... there is was again.... two words....one message.. "who's next?" ....