BILLY STEELE: KID RANGER, CHAPTER THREE

Even in the light of a new day, the legendary mission, and where the state of Texas was born in a baptism of fire, still vibrated with the ghosts of its defenders. The eternal spirits of Davy Crockett, Sam Houston and Jim Bowie still loomed large, like omnipotent guardian angels over the cannon ravaged structure.

Billy and White Eagle could feel the ghosts of the men who died there. While they rode through the burned out no man’s land as they looked for Davy Crockett’s old cannon, the young boy and old brave seemed to channel the souls of Sam Houston and his tiny brigade of Texas army men and the relentless forces of Santa Anna and his horde of Mexican soldiers. Old muskets, pistols and sabers were spread everywhere Billy and White Eagle rode. The old mission seemed more like a spooky haunted house, where the dead converged. In his mind’s eye, Billy could see the specters of Houston and Crockett directing him towards the sacred map, for these legendary heroes wanted Billy to receive a magnificent destiny and guided him to his goals. Billy even thought he saw the great blade of Jim Bowie shine in the sunlight; the Texas patriot guiding him to Crockett’s map hidden in the cannon.

"I see it, White Eagle, I see it," Billy screamed excitedly as his eye caught the old cannon in which the other half of Billy’s map was inscribed in its barrel.

Impetuously, Billy dismounted his pony and raced towards the cannon. As the boy ran, he failed to notice that he kicked a human skull, lying by the big gun. Just as Billy was about to reach the cannon, Billy’s feet gave out from under him. Billy had triggered a trap. A gaping hole opened beneath him and the boy plummeted into a pit lined with razor sharp spikes. Billy’s hands dug in the dirt walls as he hung on for his life while he tried to elude the spears pointing to his chest.

White Eagle ignored the pain of his injured shoulder. He literally flew to his student’s rescue and with a titanic burst of strength, the ancient Indian pulled Billy from the pit.

Billy hugged his savior in loving thanks and together, they loosened the cannon and looked inside its barrel. They smiled at each other when they saw Billy’s paper half map matched perfectly its twin written within the historic firearm

"We have the map to my mine, my legacy," Billy yelled in triumph. "Now I need the mine’s key, the black coin stolen by The Dark Skull. I’ll track him down if it takes forever."

"Forever is now," screamed an ominous voice.

Crack! Crack! Bang! Bang! Suddenly a hail of grisly gunfire exploded upon the morning’s chill air. Swarms of deadly, lead locusts blasted at Billy and White Eagle’s feet. The startled duo raised their eyes upward to see The Trinity Of Terror: The Dark Skull, The Wolf Man, Don Diablo, their horrific hooded Legion Of The Lawless, and The James Brothers, The Dalton Gang, Billy The Kid, Belles Starr, Geronimo, Cochiese, Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse and their renegades as they engulfed the tiny mission.

"We’ll take the maps," The Dark Skull growled fiendishly, "They’re no good to you anyway, Billy Steele, since I have the black coin." The masked monster taunted his young victim by flipping and catching Billy’s prized legacy as if it were a five-cent piece.

"That’s my black coin," Billy yelled defiantly, "You stole it from my parents before you murdered them in cold blood, you creep. I’ll never give in to you!"

It seemed Billy and the infamous Legion Of The Lawless held each other in a standoff.