Title: London Song
Author: Ruby Standish
Rated: T
Genre: Mystery/Adventure/AU
Words: 2,892
Disclaimer: I do not own “The Magnificent Seven” story line, characters, settings, or anything else to do with it. I am in no way getting paid for this story unless you count the fun I had writing it.

Summary: The 1800s, in the Whitechapel area of London, England, prostitutes are dying left and right. Lord Orin Travis, a member of the House of Lords, is tired of people saying that nothing is being done to stop the murders. He forms a group of seven men, each one with his own skill, to work together and stop the murders. After having a few problems getting to trust one another, they now form an odd group of men but a group that gets the job done. They now wander the streets of London, turning the hunter into the hunted but will they be able to stop the murderess Jack the Ripper.

 

Chapter 4: The Damsel Returns

 

It had been almost three days since that night she and Maddy had been saved by those three stagers, but Anna still could not get those green eyes out of her head. She had asked around but no one knew of this Ezra or his companions, although one girl said that she remembered seeing a man with a mustache and a young man at The Haven. So now here she sat, The Haven, a tavern where people of the lower and upper class could just come and enjoy themselves, together.

Annie rarely went there herself but when she did she always sat by the fire. The Haven wasn’t a big place to begin with, but with a bar taking up one wall and a fireplace another, it didn’t leave much room for tables. At least it’s easy to find a person in here, she thought, if any of the gentlemen showed up Annie would see them.

The hearth sat to the left of the door, with benches around it so folks could just sit and warm up a bit. Running down the middle of the room the floor raised up a little to another level with a stair case of four steps. The bar took up most of the second floor wall, there were truthfully only stools to sit at, there was one table to the side of the bar, however no one ever sat there. Don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone sitting there, she thought.

“Would you like a drink, senorita?”

Annie looked up to see the woman that owned The Haven, Inez Recillos, a beautiful young woman from Mexico. At first people though she was crazy for wanting to run a pub most of all in Whitechapel but somehow she had pulled it off and now The Haven was one of the most well known places to go, no matter your social standing.

“No, thank you Miss Recillos …”

“Please call me Inez,” she said turning to look at the bar.

“Alright Inez, maybe you could help me though. I’m looking for three men, one in particular. He has short curly amber-brown hair, bright green eyes, and a rather odd accent.”

“Si, I know him, Senior Standish. One of the nicest seniors I’ve ever meet, he and his companions.” Inez sat the tray she was holding down behind her as she took a sit next to Annie.

Annie couldn’t stop the happiness that went across her face, “Oh thank goodness, do you know where I can find them?”

“Are you in trouble?” Inez had seen this women in here once and a while but didn’t know much about her but if she was looking for the boys then there was most likely something going on. She didn’t look in trouble but Inez had learned that not everything is what it seem.

“What? Oh no, no. I’m not in trouble, not tonight anyway but a friend of mine and myself got into some trouble the other night and they helped us out, unfortunately we didn’t get to thank them.” So they have helped people before, she thought, it did seem like they’ve done that often. Gloriana listened as Inez went on about not worrying too much, that knowing they helped someone is enough of a ‘thank you’ for those boys. Gloriana grabbed Inez‘s arm as she started to leave, “Perhaps you’re right but Mister…Standish, as you call him, wounded his arm and I wanted to see if he was well.” Annie didn’t expect the look of horror that covered the woman’s face and didn’t know what to say or do.

“How long ago was this?”

“About three days ago,” Annie answered, “do you know them well?”

Inez was about to say something when the door opened and Annie couldn’t believe her eyes. In walked the dark haired young man and the gentleman with the mustache, they were laughing about something. They didn’t seem to notice anything around them as they went up the steps and to the table in the corner. “Please excuse me senorita.” Inez grabbed the tray as she stood making her way to the counter.

Where is he? Annie thought to herself, should I go over to them.

As she went to stand, the door opened again allowing two more men into the tavern. One was wearing all black from his shoulders to his toes, the only thing that wasn’t dark on him was his blond hair. Even his mint green eyes seemed cold as he study the faces in the place. Behind him was a younger looking man dressed in different hues of browns, the darkest part was the jacket that almost went to the ground. He had light brown curly hair going to his shoulders and bright blue eyes, Annie swore she saw a smile flash across his lips as he looked towards the counter where Inez was standing.

Gloriana watched in silent shock as these two also made their way up the steps to the table. They weren’t even in their sits before Inez was bringing over a tray with four glasses and a bottle of some kind of drink.

* * * *

“Welcome Seniors,” Inez placed the four glasses on the table along with the bottle that was set in the middle.

“Evening Inez,” JD greeted the brunette before grabbing the bottle and started pouring drinks for everyone, afterwards he just handed the bottle to Chris.

She gave JD a small smile, as well as one to Vin and Chris, getting only a nod from them. Inez had gotten use to the silent pair not talking unless it was really needed but she had yet to figure out how these two ended up with the rest of their team mates. A hand covered hers as she went to pick up the tray.

“Hello my sweet Desert Flower…”

“Don’t you sweet Desert Flower me Buck!” She yelled slapping his hand away, making him take a step back almost falling onto JD who was laughing. “Why did you not come tell me about Senior Standish being wounded?”

Buck had his hands up in front of him as he jumped around his young friend and took a sit. “I didn’t think you would care,” he answered his eyebrows going up in confusion. He heard Vin chuckle and turning to look, even Chris had a smile on his face. “Why ain’t you yelling at them?”

“Because I didn’t see them yesterday and this happened three days ago.” Inez stepped around JD who was still laughing and loomed over Buck so much that he almost fell backwards out of his chair. “One of your companions get hurt and you didn’t think I would care?” She threw her hands in the air, “I should….”

The words were lost to Buck as she started yelling in her native languages, JD was laughing so hard he almost fell out of his chair a few times. Vin was now laughing from what Inez was saying, he didn’t know much but he knew enough to get by when the tavern owner went off like this. The womanizer tried calming her down but everything he said made things worst and soon even Chris was laughing at the poor man.

“Inez, calm down, Ezra is fine,” Vin said, “ya know we would have told ya if something was wrong.” He finally spoke up feeling a little sorry for Buck, if he’s gonna keep goin’ after her, he should learn how to talk to her, he thought. Buck had been trying to court Inez since the day she took over the old fall apart tavern. The rest of the team didn’t know if it was because he really did care for her or if it’s ’cause she is the one and only women to ever turn him down. The assassin grinned as Inez back off, her hands on her hips and a look saying that it wasn’t over. “He just hurt his arm, Nat say he’ll be fine.”

“Might not see him playing cards for a while though.” Chris’ laugher died away as he went back to drinking, he hid a grin however when Buck gave Vin and him a silent thank you.

JD was doing his best to stop laughing but the look Inez was giving all of them now wasn’t helping. “Lost a lot of blood but Vin’s right…” he stop chuckling staring at Inez. “How did you know about Ez?”

“Yeah, how did you know?” Buck stared at the maiden, confusion written on his face.

“Why the senorita over there…” she pointed to the fireplace but there was no one sitting there. Inez looked around the room but she couldn’t see the women anywhere. “That is odd, there was a senorita by the fire asking about you seniors.”

“What did she looked like?!”

“What? Where?”

JD and Buck jumped from their chairs both attacking the brunette with questions. Vin and Chris were just staring at the door, knowing full well where the women went.

“I…I can’t remember really but she had blond hair and…” Inez didn’t get to finish before JD and Buck were running for the door, the others following n few seconds behind.

“Thanks Inez!” Vin yelled back, the last one out of the tavern.

Inez just shook her head as she put the stopper back in the bottle and started picking up the cups. “I wonder what all that was about.”

* * * *

Gloriana wasn’t sure why she was running but when she saw the men joking around with Miss Recillos she just left. She had spent the last two days looking for these men and now that she found them, she couldn’t face them.

She ran turning onto Leadenhall Street but fell backwards as she collided with something. Looking up from the ground she found that it was wasn’t something but someone that she had ran into. The man with the blight blue eyes stared down at her, offering his hand to help her up, “Sorry ’bout that.”

As she stood her head went back and forwards between him and The Haven a few times. “How did you do that?”

“We’re still trying to figure out how he does some of the things he does.” She turned to see the brunette coming up behind her, the young man close behind him.

“Nice to see you again,” the youngest of them said, “we didn’t really get to introduce ourselves last time. Name’s John Dunne but my friends call me JD.” He stated taking hold of her hand and shaking it.

“JD, that’s no way to treat a lady,” this came from the brunette as he took her other hand and gave it a slight kiss on the back. “Buck Wilmington madam and I am at your service.”

Annie felt her cheeks warming up at the kiss, no one had treated her like a lady in a long time but the thoughts disappeared, pulling her hand away, when she saw the man in black coming up behind them.

“Don’t worry ’bout him ma’am, he’s not as bad as he looks.” The blue eyed man walked around coming in front of her, “Vin Tanner,” it was all he said in way of introducing himself.

“And this fella is Chris Larabee,” Buck said pointing to the blond.

Annie stared on at the four men, she didn’t know what to say. She had mainly just wanted to find out if the one gentleman was alright, not to get introduce to his friends. Four sets of eyes watched her as she try to decide what to do.

“You can talk can’t you?” Chris asked, getting a disapproving look from the other three.

“Yes, I can, although I don’t see how it’s any of your business,” she snapped at him before she could stop herself.

JD and Vin were doing their best not to laugh at the look on Chris’s face, as Buck’s eyes just got wider. “A lively one, no wonder Ez likes her.” A huge grin covered his face as he slapped JD on the shoulder, causing the youth to step forwards, “I’m sure you two would get ‘long just fine.”

“Ez? Do you mean Ezra Standish?”

“You’ve been researching us.” It was more a statement then a question as blue eyes narrowed at her. Vin wasn’t one to have people knowing more about him and his friends then he knew of them, it was a old habit that came from his past job that had never died away.

“Hold on there pard, she was most likely trying to find out who her saviors were the other night.”

“Mr. Wilmington is right, like young Mr. Dunne said we didn’t get to introduce ourselves and I wanted to see to Mr. Standish’s welfare. Also I…what?”

“Yep, they would get ‘long all right.” JD smile at the girl as she reminded him of the team’s cardsharp. After the nightmare the other night he had been afraid that something had happened to her and her friend and that he wouldn’t have been there to help. Even after he told Chris everything, Larabee wouldn’t even think about letting anyone out until Josiah knew more about the symbol that was in all of those photos. Today was actually the first day that Nathan let JD day out of the ‘house’, after the other night the youth had barely been eating anything and it was starting to scare the healer. “I think we finally found Ezra’s match alright.”

“You wouldn’t happen to like poker, would you?” Vin asked with a small grin.

“I…I don’t understand,” Annie stuttered at the question.

“Never you mind them, what’s your name?” Buck jumped in, realizing that they were most likely scaring the poor girl, although she was doing well not to show it. She’s got a poker face just as good as Ezra’s, he thought to himself.

Once again she looked over the men not sure what to make of them but they had saved her life once and she was sure that she at least owned them her name. “My name is Gloriana Walker,” she introduce herself making a low curtsy to these gentlemen.

“Well, Miss Walker, you’ll be happy to know that Ez is doing just fine and will be back to saving beautiful damsels in distress in no time.” Buck smiled as he noticed the sigh of relief that she gave at his words. “Would you like to come see him?”

“Buck…”

“Come on Chris, it’s clear she’s been trying to find us. Why not take her to see Ezra?” JD argued in Buck’s defense. It was also to do with the fact that now that they had found her he didn’t want to let this woman out of his sight. He had never had the same nightmare four nights in a row, even after they’d saved whoever was in it.

Annie watched as the youth slowly took a step backward as if he was trying to get away from the glare that this Mr. Larabee was giving him. She was confused by the action but she had to admit that she would have took a step back herself if that glare was directed at her.

Chris looked from JD to the girl and then to Buck and Vin.

“You were ya way to meet Lord Travis cowboy, ya know they’re just gonna take her anyway.” Vin answered. The four of them had just left Scotland Yard and had stopped at The Haven to drop off Chris for a meeting with Lord Travis, they were only going to have a drink or two before they went to meet with the others at one of the crime scenes. He knew that it wasn’t so much Miss Walker meeting Ezra but the fact that they were going to be seeing things that any kind of woman shouldn’t be seeing.

Chris just sighed knowing that Vin was right, no matter what he said, these two were going to take her and something told him that even if all of them said no, this woman would follow them if only to see Ezra. Larabee had to hand it to the gambler, he was really annoying as hell sometimes but like the other members of his team they all had a different talent with people. He only nodded his head as he turned around and headed back toward The Haven.

“That settles it then,” Buck said clapping his hands together. He turned to Gloriana a grin on his face, “Well Miss Walker, what do you say?”

“But he didn’t say anything,” Annie eyes widen pointing to the blond walking away. She wanted to see the green eyed man that had saved her the other night but she didn’t want to cause trouble between his friends.

“Actually he did, you just need to know how listen,” JD was back to standing right next to her, a big grin on his face.

At that Annie realized that these men must have been working together for a very long time and she wondered just how many of them there were. She didn’t realize that they were staring at her again, waiting for me to say something, she thought to herself. Giving a smile and making another curtsy, “Lead the way kind sirs.”

TBC