A Ranch in Burbank

  Hardy's car pulled up to a modest farmstead, its tires crunching on the gravel. A weathered farmer emerged from the barn, eyeing Hardy and Richard curiously.

  "Who are you here to see?" he asked, his brow furrowed with suspicion.

  "We're friends of Henry," Hardy replied, smiling. "We spoke with him on the phone earlier."

  The farmer gave a curt nod. "Follow me, I'll take you to him."

  They followed the farmer through a pathway that led to a cattle pen. There, Henry was knee-deep in chores, wearing jeans and mud-caked boots, wielding a pitchfork with determination. When he heard voices calling his name, he turned, a broad smile breaking across his face. He quickly tossed the pitchfork aside.

  "Hardy! Richard!" he shouted, rushing over to embrace them both.

  "Good to see you, Henry," Hardy said warmly. "Ready to head out with us?"

  Bang~!

  Henry snapped to attention, his posture rigid. "Reporting to Captain Hardy: Henry is ready to rejoin the team, sir!"

  He quickly informed his employer, grabbed his belongings, and tossed his backpack into Hardy's car. As they drove off, he leaned out the window, waving at the rancher. "See you, Logan! I'm off to Los Angeles for a new start!"

  Logan waved back, a wistful smile on his face. "Good luck, Henry. Stay safe," he muttered under his breath, "Ah, to be young again."

  As they drove away, Hardy turned to Henry. "Have you heard anything about Madman? I couldn't reach him by phone."

  Henry let out a sigh, shaking his head. "Madman—Matthew Settle—is in jail right now."

  Matthew, known as "Madman" for his reckless abandon in combat, had earned his nickname for his fearlessness and unpredictability in a fight.

  Hardy looked surprised. "Jail? What happened?"

  Henry explained, "After he got back, he took up driving trucks. We met a few times. A couple of months ago, he got into a brawl with another driver at a diner. You know how Madman fights—he messed the guy up pretty bad. Left him unrecognizable, so they locked him up."

  "He could have posted bail, but he didn't have the money. If he can't pay the compensation, he might be stuck in there for a year or two."

  "How much is the bail?" Hardy asked.

  "Two thousand dollars," Henry replied.

  Hardy whistled softly. "That's a lot of money. More than most folks make in ten months."

  He thought for a moment. "Which prison is he in?"

  "San Marinos Prison," Henry said.

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  Hardy nodded and turned the car toward San Marinos. A few hours later, they were sitting across from Matthew in the visitation room.

  Matthew's eyes widened in surprise. "Hardy, Henry, Richard—what brings you all here?"

  Hardy slipped a guard a ten-dollar bill, who turned his back to give them privacy. He tossed a cigarette to Matthew, who eagerly lit it, taking a deep drag.

  "How's life inside treating you?" Hardy asked, a smirk on his lips.

  Matthew chuckled, a wry smile crossing his face. "At first, a few guys tried to give me a hard time, but I put them in their place. Now, I've got my own crew here. It's not bad, but I'd rather be out."

  Hardy grinned. "We were thinking of bailing you out, but it sounds like you're having too much fun in here."

  Matthew's expression changed instantly. "Boss, if you've got the money, get me out of here. It's fun, but not that fun."

  Henry laughed. "What, tired of your cushy life already?"

  Matthew nodded eagerly. "Nothing beats freedom."

  As they left the prison, Hardy handed Henry two thousand dollars. "You handle the bail. I've got someone else to find."

  Henry saluted. "Got it, boss. We'll have him out in no time."

  Matthew's case was straightforward; with the bail paid, he would be free in a couple of days.

  "Who's next on the list?" Richard asked as they got back into the car.

  "Cannonball," Hardy replied. "Neil McDonald. Best demolitions expert we ever had."

  They found Neil's house and knocked on the door. Neil opened it, his face lighting up when he saw Hardy and Richard. "Well, I'll be! Look who's here!"

  They exchanged warm embraces and entered the house, which was sparsely furnished and looked well-worn. A young woman, pale and frail, appeared from a back room.

  "This is my wife, Jenny," Neil introduced. Jenny greeted them with a weak smile, then broke into a harsh cough.

  "You should rest," Neil said gently, guiding her back to bed. "I'll take care of the coffee."

  A few minutes later, Neil returned with steaming mugs. Hardy looked at him, concern etched on his face. "What's wrong with your wife?"

  "Tuberculosis," Neil said quietly. "It's bad."

  Hardy frowned. "Isn't there treatment?"

  "Yeah, penicillin. But it's so expensive. I just can't afford it," Neil replied, his voice heavy with frustration.

  Penicillin, just starting to be widely produced, was rare and expensive, almost worth its weight in gold.

  Hardy considered for a moment. "Neil, I understand you need to care for Jenny, but she needs proper treatment. Come to Los Angeles with us. We'll figure something out together."

  Neil hesitated but then nodded. "You're right. It's her best chance."

  They quickly packed up, and by evening, they were back on the road to Los Angeles. Hardy took Jenny straight to a clinic. After examining her, Dr. Murphy said there was hope but warned that treatment would be costly.

  "We'll handle the costs, Doctor," Hardy assured him.

  The nurse came over shortly after. "Mr. Hardy, we need a thousand-dollar deposit for the treatment."

  Hardy's pockets were nearly empty. The money he'd saved from recent jobs and the cash he got from a certain deal totaled only a little over two thousand dollars. After bailing out Matthew, he had just a few hundred left.

  "I'll be back," Hardy said, leaving Neil with Jenny. He returned an hour later, having pawned his gold watch, and handed over the deposit.

  Neil noticed immediately. "Hardy, what happened to your watch?"

  Hardy shrugged. "Just a trinket. What matters is getting Jenny well."

  Neil, touched by Hardy's sacrifice, didn't say anything but resolved to repay the favor one day.

  Once Jenny was settled, Neil seemed relieved, his burdens lightened. "What's next, boss?"

  "Let's wait for Henry and Madman to arrive. I've got a couple more friends to track down—Leo and Kerry, two former Marines. They should be here soon."

  A few days later, the group was fully assembled. Hardy took Richard and Neil to visit Bill, who was recuperating at the same hospital.

  They found Bill in bed, a charming nurse feeding him fruit. "Well, well," Bill grinned. "Look who's come to visit!"

  After exchanging pleasantries, Hardy explained the plan. "We're getting the old team back together. Once everyone's here, we'll be ready for anything—even those Irish troublemakers."

  Bill beamed. "I knew you'd pull us together, Hardy. We'll show them what we're made of."

  Hardy chuckled. "Just make sure you're ready to fight, Bill. We're counting on you."

  Bill gave a thumbs-up. "I'll be up and running in no time, ready to join the fray."

  Hardy smiled. "That's what I like to hear. We've got work to do."