Aces Low: Act IV

By Owen Lean May, 1882 “Oh, for God’s sake, hurry up and die.” Christine Perfect  snarled. “Or stop your incessant baying. Either works.” Understandably skittish ever since we’d witnessed her transformation, she anxiously sniffed at Cheyenne’s thin, dry air. “I’m...

Aces Low Act III

By Owen Lean May 1882 There are specific phrases in the modern parlance that are overused to the point of becoming as meaningless as they are odious.  “It’s been one of those days” is most definitely one of them. However, should one find oneself...

Aces Low – Act II

By Owen Lean May, 1882Lane Healey and I planned to rendezvous two weeks later in Santa Fe. Now, as I approached the San Miguel church, I could see the simpleton standing in its shadow looking impatient. Good. If he was irritated, he’d be easier to manipulate. On the...

Aces Low – Act I

By Owen Lean April, 1882There is absolutely nothing lucky about the number seven—anyone who tells you that is a fool. As I have discovered over the years, the truly potent number is one higher. It came as no surprise to me then that the clock in the town square struck...

Blood In The Dust

By Jeff Bailey Wendy Cheng, formerly known as Xiong, slumped against a hitching rail and surveyed her shadow cast by the midday sun. She traced the outline of her shotgun stock that jutted out over her shoulder. She’d seen that shadow for years. She tried to remember...