I look at Shang Show with skeptism. A proposition?

"I heard you was one of Calvin James' lil' playthings," he says as he crosses his legs and leans his head in one of his hands.

I begin smoothing my shirt as I shake my head. "I've no idea what you're talking about..." 

"I think you know. I asked Lou 'bout you before I bought your contract. Mr. Thompson dropped his lil' birdy off to Lou," he says.

I continue to smooth my shirt until I sigh. There's really nothing I can say or do to get out of this, is there?

"Fine. Yes, I know Calvin James. What does that have to do with you?" I ask, folding my arms and looking at him. I watch him as he begins rake his fingers through his jet black hair. Was his hair always that long?

"Let's just say me and Mr. Calvin James got a little score to settle. You know about him and prolly want him gone. Ain't no way you give a damn 'bout the bastard."

I look at the ground before me. He's not wrong. I definitely don't care about Calvin James. "Hate" would probably be the word that would accurately describe my feelings toward him. I look back up.

"But why would you need me?"

"If Lou's tellin' the truth, you were one of his favorite playthings," Shang Show answers.

I shake my head. "I don't think I was one of his favorites."

"From what Lou told me, you were a horse that needed to be tamed. A Wild Mustang, he said."

I want to laugh but I hold it in. "So you need me as your bait."

"Somethin' like that but not quite."

"Start makin' sense!" I shout, balling my hands into fists as I glare at Shang Show.

He raises his hands. "Alright, Alright! Ain't trying to ruffle your feathers! Since you was Calvin James' favorite plaything; once he finds out your contract was bought out, he's gonna come lookin' for ya. Which works out for me in the end. Let's work together. You get ya freedom and I settle my score. How's that sound?" 

I look back down to the ground again. I doubt his plan is going to work. Calvin James never saw me as the treasure Shang Show thinks. If he did, I wouldn't have been in a Saloon, selling my backside to miners and army vets trying to get drunk and fondle with debauchery. I think Shang Show puts too much faith in the fact that I know Calvin James at all. But it makes me wonder a bit.

"So if I agree, what will you give me if we succeed? And what will I do until your plan start?"

"Once we succeed, I'll get you a horse and supplies. We ain't even gotta speak once Calvin James is dead. You get your horse and supplies and you ride off to a place you wanna call home or wherever. You'll also be dealin' with a few bounties with me. It'll help once Calvin James is done and gone and you go out on your own. Again, you get freedom, I settle my score. We both win."

Freedom.

I doubt freedom is even in my future. But what else do I have to lose in this situation? But there's one more thing that needs to be addressed in this entire plan.

"How do I know you'll keep your promise?" I ask.

He looks at me and nods, as if he expected me to ask that. He reaches into his pocket and clasps his hand with mine. He shakes them both and says, "I'm a man of my word. When we will succeed, I'll keep my promise. You keep this as a way to ensure I fulfill it. If you don't shove it back to me, I'll take it that you agree and are on board."

WHen he takes his hand away, I look in my hand at the little item he's given me: a simple wen on a string. I raise my eyebrow as I look at it. It had a tiny bit of rust and dirt on it. What use would he need for it here? Westerners don't use this currency.

"Hold on to it. I'mma want it back. Let's gon' 'head and get back to sleep. We need some rest before day breaks," Shang Show says as he lays back on his blanket and turns his back toward me.

I look at his back and then back at the wen. I place it around my neck and tuck it into my shirt. I give a long sigh as I lay back down on my blanket and wrap my other blanket around me.