Upstairs, Sheriff Kwon had found himself in the same predicament as his heretofore forgotten outlaw and was hiding out in the disused storeroom with a blood nose. He would have liked to think it was from having accidentally walked in on several dressing female consorts after having conducted their transactions but really he'd just hit his head on a jutting out box whilst still distracted by the memory.

“...Did you take a hit?”

“Jesus...!” Having been huddled on the darkened room's floor, back against the wall and knees pulled up to his still fluttering chest, Gianni was taken aback to hear a voice so close to him when he thought he'd been alone, having thrown himself sideways out of fear and now sprawled staring back in the dark at his escaped convict.

“Hey, now, I don't like that kind of cursing.” As his figure came more into focus the absurdity of the situation hit like the long unopened storage crate. A religious outlaw, he never would have thought it.

“Sorry.” The laughing tone to his hushed voice brought about another response, only this one not to his blaspheming.

“Don't fall apart on me, I figured you'd last at least longer than a day.”

“Then why did you think I'd been hit?” He wasn't going mad, surely he already had to be for taking this job in the first place. Solomon was right, he should have gotten out of town.

“Well I don't know, here, tilt your head back.”

“That's not going to help-” As they both began to fuss over the source of bodily fluids more savory than in the adjacent rooms, the sound of bootsteps out in the hall swiftly brought back a sense of anxious silence. It wasn't likely he would come straight to the storage room off to the side at the end of the hallway, but Dee was known to be capricious, and they couldn't afford not to be on their guard, “...Why is he after me...?” Asking in a far quieter, far more hurried pitch, Gianni questioned why and how Solomon had known that Dee would be there looking for him.

“...Any of a thousand reasons, number one being you're the sheriff and crooks pay big money to keep your kind in the ground...!” They could hear each creak as the bootfalls continued in their direction, occasional cries of shock to being interrupted in the midst of something peppered with uncomfortably deep groans of discomfort from the man who had pledged to follow Dee, apparently into Hell. They were getting closer, “...Either way it doesn't matter, he's got one of those things on me too and if he finds us in here we're sitting ducks...” His reference to the wanted poster the un-pious priest had pulled from his bag of tricks before wasn't what had gained the thin sheriff's interest. They'd backed themselves into a dead-end, no exit save for the one aiming right into the hall and straight towards the one man who they didn't want to run into. They were trapped.

“...Oh ...I told my mom I was going to be alright...”

“That's sweet, you still talk to your mama?”

The incredulous look Gianni was giving could have been because of the content or could have been because Solomon had chosen now to stop lowering his voice, the sound of footsteps ceasing in the hall outside of their panic room and a muffled chuckle making its melodic way through the fabric of the door.

“Do you have a few words for a condemned man, Victor?”

“Always...” In spite of being the only ones able to hear just what condemned man the priest currently had on his lovestruck mind, the shared knowledge did nothing to quell their own queasy breaths.

“...I didn't even get to bring anyone in...” It wasn't the moment to be feeling badly, another few seconds and it wouldn't matter anyway but Solomon was feeling generous for the time-remaining.

“You could still bring me in.” He'd since wiped his bloodied nose on the back of his hand but the smear of blood still across his face wasn't helping him retain dignity in what could be his final moments, even if it meant giving himself up, the outlaw was beginning to wonder if maybe he could preserve that.

“...What?”

“Here, give me your hand.” As he moved to stand up, Sheriff Kwon reluctantly outreaching his blood-stained hand and gaining a look of disgust before he was corrected, “Other hand.” Solomon gripped on and felt the skinny Gianni gripping back.

“What are we going to do?”

“You're going to have to trust me.” It was a far-stretch, but at least it wasn't Vincent up here asking for the assurance because he'd already proven himself to be playing both sides enough.

“Why-”

“Ready or not, here I come!” The crack of the door being kicked in rushed past Sheriff Kwon's ears, his own gait heading steadily towards the covered window with Solomon in the lead and a pit building in his stomach over what he was about to do. They were going to jump.

“Brace your arms!” Dee had barely had enough time in which to set his weapon on its target before the shattering sound of glass caused his more than anxious companion to flinch. He hadn't been expecting that.

Falling to the hot ground in a heap, Gianni took a moment before he realized he'd managed the leap without injury, at least without anything noticeable since he was bound to have cuts and scrapes from the sharded glass and buckled frame. Solomon hadn't had such luck, his arm twisted back as he winced and let out a slightly gutteral groan when he touched it.

“Yep, that's broken-mh...C-can you ride?” It wasn't at the forefront of his mind but yes, as sheriff he could certainly take the reigns, a nod the best he could manage as he felt slightly awed by the outlaw's fortitude. Why he wanted to get away so quickly now he couldn't understand-

“Ah-hah!” It was a bleak reminder, the sound of remaining glass being smashed out of the window frame to make room for Dee's gun and the possibility that it, and soon, bullets, were going to fall on their heads was enough to kick Gianni in the seat.

“Let's get out of here.” Thoughtlessly grabbing for the hand of the damaged arm, Solomon was quick to bite back his pain in favor of living since, inaccurate or not, he still wouldn't want to be struck by anything Dee was planning on throwing at them. As they rounded the corner, hearing a burst of gunfire being let off behind them but with the safe knowledge that they were most certainly out of its possible path, Sheriff Kwon halted at the water trough “What the-...?” A clean looking brown and white gelding was stood, un-hitched and seemingly unaffected by the previous upset Dee had caused, the reason for Gianni's confusion being the metal car hooked from the saddle at the side, three wheels across the bottom and a seat fitted inside.

“No time, Juniper's hooked up over there, let's go.”

“Juniper-?” It was Solomon's turn to take the lead again, pulling even against his damaged arm and urging Sheriff Kwon to follow, it wouldn't take Dee long to get back down those stairs once he'd figured where they were headed.

“Ssh, girl, it's okay...” After a brief moment soothing the mildly distressed animal, the outlaw reached up with his good hand to get a grip on the saddle, trying to boost himself from the ground and grunting in annoyance. Feeling the helpful hand of his would be captor, Solomon smiled to himself as he was heaved up and into the saddle, “Alright, can you steer around me?”

“Uh...” He didn't have much time to think things over, the sound of commotion inside the saloon bringing about an air of urgency as the doors were kicked open once again, stirring the thinner man to make a decision, “Yeah, sure thing.” Pulling his skinny limbs up and around the short man, Gianni grabbed for the reigns, just one flick sending the outlaw's horse off like a streak as she had obviously been trained to do. Sometimes, having a criminal on your side wasn't a bad thing.

“Mount up, Victor.” Pulling his hair back from his forehead, Father Choi luxuriated momentarily in those rare moments when he could see his infatuation's features fully before he let the curled mess spring back into place, “And put on your goggles, that's a lot of dust out there.” Needless to say, he wouldn't be needing any himself with a style like that. Hoisting his robes back, long having tailored them at the middle in order to make this easier on himself, the priest of the duo breathed in a heavy sigh, closing his eyes as he made the sign of the cross over his body and chest and prayed to the father, the son, and the holy spirit that they make it through again. Riding with Dee gave one the sense of being close to death and, certain of his fate after this since he'd made his allegiances, Father Choi was hoping to stave damnation off for as long as possible, “Ready?”

“As I'll ever be, my love...” It was little things like this that blew right over the determined man's head, the priest down the mane of his colt tenderly while Dee attempted to get inside his own crafted side-car without somehow breaking it. He wasn't exactly a master craftsman and it had taken so many scares to Father Choi's fortitude before he'd finally promised to check to ensure before they set off, that the base was indeed still attached to the sides.

“Okay, hi ho, Chester, let's go...!” Whipping the reigns, his horse not responding to any voice but his own, the lovesick priest felt that same exhilaration to being out on the chase, unable to deny his own hand in this any longer and only praying further that Dee could see soon how deeply involved he was.

“Are they behind us?”

“I-I can't check...” Sheriff Kwon was having troubles of his own, attempting to see around the shorter Solomon wasn't so hard a task but navigating a full-speed mare while he was at it? He was hoping to bluff that he was a better rider than he seemed in order to maintain the outlaw's confidence.

“Me either...say, what's your name anyway?”

“...Gianni Kwon, does it matter?”

“Depends...I prefer knowing a name when I introduce you to my parents.”

“Excuse me?” It wasn't a good time to look down, pulling abnormally on the reigns he sent Juniper off onto another course but it was quickly righted by Solomon's hand guiding his.

“Keep her steady.”

“I-I'm sorry.” He couldn't understand where it had come from, but he'd made an impression on bar owner Vincent without even trying, maybe he'd done something a little more amiable to Solomon if he was beginning to act moony.

“...What's your problem now? You're sitting all heavy.”

“Oh.” He hadn't realized he'd begun to lean against him, Sheriff Kwon righting himself awkwardly against the drag of the wind as their horse ran them, hopefully, towards safety.

“They've got a ranch about two towns from here...If we're lucky my sister got married again so we'll have a place to stay.” He was only talking about somewhere for them to lay low, Gianni letting out a sigh that was hard to place but Solomon wondering if he was annoyed that they were having to do this, “Have you got a better idea?”

“What? No, I-” Before he could finish whatever he'd been hoping to come up with in the last few seconds, the sound of another horse's hoofbeats coupled with a more artificial sound of whirring wheels became painfully obvious to their ears. Juniper may have been fast with just the tiny Solomon onboard, but the addition of the lanky Gianni had evidently slowed her down, “.”

“Pull up alongside.”

“What?” Dee wasn't as sane as he could be. Taking a moment to realize just why this wouldn't work he shook his curly hair from where it was whipping about his face as if to dismiss the idea, laughing as he did. It didn't serve to calm Father Choi's erratic heart but he would take what he could get with Dee, take and treasure every minute.

“Okay, just...Hold it steady.” Seeing from the corner of his open eyes as Dee put his hands to the front of his side-car, the priest felt his blood draining to the thought of what he was hoping to do. How could he simultaneously focus on keeping Chester in line whilst also ensuring Dee didn't become a victim of his own ostentation? He was lifting himself up regardless, shakily coming to a standing position as Father Choi prayed harder for no literal bumps in the road that would send him flying, “Now let's see how well they outrun this.” His heart was already shaking enough, seeing as he readied his gun the final straw as he felt his body failing.

“You're not going to shoot, are you?” God help him he never argued back, he couldn't when it came to Dee but this wasn't just a reward he was aiming at, or, as the case was, loosely hoping to hit. That was a beautiful equine with long silver legs and a gorgeous black flowing mane. He was going to open fire on a horse?

Solomon was trying to keep lookout but it was hard enough bouncing in the saddle when there wasn't two separate weights for the momentum to keep up with.

“Do we have a chance?”

“Not if he goes for that gun we don't...” He wasn't exactly keeping optimistic but this was even before Dee had any inkling that he was a wanted man too. If he knew he was currently hot on the tail of two collections in one, there wasn't much doubt he would have resorted to this already. Maybe, with the possibility of thinking he was a civilian, he might hesitate, no matter how briefly, in going for the big guns. Literally, “Hold on...that priest looks worried.”

“Why does he ride around with a priest anyway?” Whether it was simple curiosity or hysteria, Solomon couldn't answer. He could only hope that the preservation of human life might still mean something to a man of God enough for him to be protesting the utilization.

“Don't worry, I won't miss.”

“What do you mean you won't miss!?” He hadn't seen him hit his intended target in over eight years, not with the first shot at least, not unless he was extravagantly lucky and even then there were the second, third, and forth rounds to think about.

“Victor, eyes on the road.” Was he scolding him? Just the feel of Chester's soft chestnut hair underneath his hands, against the spit-scars from sugar scalding from when he would make Dee's essential lollipops when they were on their downtime. Father Choi couldn't allow him to hurt something so beautiful, whether it be a majestic creature like the sheriff's horse or the possibility of what they had together he needed to protect that, “Wait, what are you doing-?” Pulling at the reigns with whatever strength he could muster, Father Choi pulled them into a sharp right turn, Chester taking heed and following this new course as Dee's Gatling gun was pulled from his hands by the force of the new wind. Before he could find his footing again the priest yanking on the reigns to get Chester to stop, having him yieldingly slow his stride as his hooves dug into the well-worn dirt and brought their chase to an end. It was by no means a gentle braking, Dee nearly going over the side of the car as he struggled to keep upright and managed to lodge a booted foot neatly underneath the caddy. It had probably been the only thing to keep him from going completely backwards as he sat sprawled and stunned, blowing a curled strand of hair out of his face as he glared up at the sheepish Father Choi.

They had no idea why they'd done it but the fact that they'd changed course and then stopped was the source of an endless amount of relief and joy for the two still riding. Solomon had seen Dee going for his gun but hadn't had the heart to inform Sheriff Kwon that their short-lived adventure was nearly over. They were both in dangerous lines of work, but he was thankful they hadn't been let go from their positions quite so quickly.

“Where did you say that ranch was again?”

“Aim her towards that mountain range.”

“I have no idea what I'm doing.” He'd had the inkling before, but with a broken arm there wasn't much else recourse for him but to trust the fresh-faced lawman. At least now he seemed to be somewhat enjoying himself, a laughing tone to his voice as he let his arms hold lower around Solomon's waist in a more comfortable position for both of them. They weren't about to break their stride but Juniper could rest as soon as they were sure in the clear. In a few more minutes it wouldn't even matter if Dee tried to pick up their trail again, they were already getting a much better headstart than they had before.