“We're too late!” You gasp. “They're already stopping the train!”
“It'll take 'em a while to unload the gold.” Jake replies. “We're not done yet.”
The train slows before jerking to a halt, the engine letting out an angry hiss of escaping steam.
“C'mon.” Jake murmurs, slowly pulling open the freight car's side door. “They don't know we're here. We'll catch 'em with their pants down!” He peers along the train before pulling back and gesturing for you to take a look. You follow his lead and sure enough, you can see three of the outlaws clambering in and out of the next car, each carrying gold bars which glint in the afternoon sun. They stack them onto a waiting cart under the watchful eye of another of the outlaws. The last outlaw is guarding the train driver. You wonder which of them is Ethan Kane. If you knew for certain, you'd be tempted to put a bullet in him from here and to hell with the consequences.
“Just in case your math ain't so good, they outnumber us.” Jake whispers behind you, perhaps intuitively reading your murderous intentions. “Even with surprise on our side, we need to be smart. The way I see it, we got two options. Either we try to sneak up on 'em, take 'em out before they even know we're there, or we go in guns blazing and hope we can even the odds before they get a chance to react. What do you think?”
Stealthy approach
Guns blazing
“Let's try to get the drop on them.” You tell Jake. “We'll stand a better chance if we can pick them off one by one.”
“Okay.” He nods. “We'll climb back onto the roof of the train and drop down into the gold car. Once we're in cover, they won't stand a chance.” While you don't feel quite as optimistic, given the Kane gang's superior numbers, you follow him back to the hatchway in the ceiling. He leaps up and grasps the side of the opening, athletically hauling himself up and scrambling through before stretching an arm down to you. You grasp his hand and he pulls you up onto the car roof.
“Thanks.” You whisper, impressed with his strength.
“C'mon.” He murmurs, nodding towards the next car. You follow him, jumping across the gap between the cars and hoping the outlaws didn't hear the thump of your feet landing on the roof above them. Jake moves across to the hatch and pulls the hatch open, peering down into the car. He pauses, waiting for an opportune moment before dropping down through the open hatch. You move to the edge of the opening and glance into the car. You can see an oblong of sunlight stretching across the floor from the open side door, the neatly stacked bars of gold glinting in the bright light. The pile is growing smaller by the moment as the outlaws scramble into the car and grab them one by one. In a few more minutes, the Kane gang will have loaded every last bar onto their cart and will make their escape. In the shadows, you can see Jake looking up at you from behind a tall wooden crate. He holds up his hand for a moment before gesturing you to follow him. You sit on the edge of the hatchway, your legs dangling through the opening before dropping down, stifling a grunt as you land.
“You hear somethin'?” One of the outlaws growls as you scramble into cover, joining Jake in the shadows. Your heart is in your mouth as you fear you have been discovered.
“Yeah, the sound of a thousand whores suckin' on my pecker once we've got this gold safely away.” Another outlaw replies. They both guffaw and you breathe a sigh of relief.
“We're a little closer now.” Jake whispers in the darkness. “At this range, we might be able to gun them all down before they even get a chance to react. What do you think?”
Leave cover and gun them down
Pick them off from cover
“We've got a good position here.” You tell Jake, drawing your revolver. “Better to stay in cover and pick them off.”
“Okay, sweetheart.” He grins. “In that case, ladies first.” He gestures towards the open door just as an outlaw hauls himself into the car, a greedy grin on his face as he gazes at the remaining bars of gold. You nod, leaning around the crate and taking steady aim. As you squeeze the trigger, the gunshot is deafening in the enclosed space of the freight car. Your aim is true and the outlaw is snatched back out of the open door, dead before he hits the ground.
“What the fuck!” You hear another outlaw yell outside just before Jake follows up your shot with one of his own. The bullet clips his arm and he yells in pain. “Gotta be a bunch of Yankee soldiers guardin' this gold!” He yells at the others, clutching his wound before scrambling into cover behind the gold cart just as you fire again, your bullet thudding into the timber side.
“We've got most of the gold.” Another calls out. “Let's get goin' while the goin's good!” The wounded outlaw climbs up onto the cart and takes the reins while another climbs up alongside him, firing back through the open door of the freight car, forcing you to both take cover. The remaining two outlaws ride off on horseback, firing wildly in your direction as they all ride hard for the mountains.
“Quick, after them!” You shout at Jake, springing out from behind the crate.
“Easy sister, we need horses for that.” He replies, grabbing your arm.
“Goddamn it!” You curse, your blood cooling.
“I'll go get ‘em from the horse car.” Jake tells you. “Don't worry, they ain't gettin' anywhere fast with all that gold weighin' 'em down.”
A few minutes later, you ride away from the stricken train, the passengers watching in stunned amazement as you urge your horses on in pursuit of the cloud of dust betraying the outlaws position. As you climb the lower slopes of the mountain range, the dust cloud grows larger and you can make out the indistinct shapes of the cart and the two horses escorting it on either side.
“We’re gaining on ‘em.” Jake grins across at you. The outlaws clearly agree, as the two horsemen abruptly wheel around and draw their guns as they turn to face you.
“Jake…” You shout over the thundering hooves of your horses.
“I see ‘em.” He replies grimly. “I’ll try and draw their fire. You try and pick ‘em off. I hope your crack shot earlier wasn’t a fluke.”
Go with Jake’s plan
Insist you stay together
“I say we gun these dogs down where they stand.” You hiss back at Jake.
“Damn, sweetheart,” He grins, “You've got ice runnin' through your veins, that's for sure!” He unslings his rifle from his back while you draw your revolver from your holster. “Let's do this. On the count of three. One... Two... Three!” You both burst out of your hiding place crying out ferociously as you open fire. Your first shot finds it's mark, the gold bar dropping from the outlaw's grasp as he reels away, clutching his chest before dropping to the floor. Jake's opening shot only clips his intended target, the outlaw staggering back but reacting quickly, drawing his own pistol. You swiftly bring your revolver to bear. As you squeeze the trigger, the gunshots ring out simultaneously and this time the outlaw is not so fortunate, his head rocking back as the bullet smashes through his forehead. The remaining three outlaws, perhaps thinking they are being attacked by a larger force, panic and scramble up onto the cart, riding swiftly away with what gold they already have.
“Quick, Jake, they're getting away!” You shout, watching the cart disappearing in a cloud of dust as they ride swiftly away towards a mountain range in the distance. When he doesn't reply, you feel your blood run cold, turning to find your fears are well founded. Jake is lying on his back, clutching his chest and gurgling blood. You run over, dropping to your knees at his side and gazing into his face. The confident glint in his eyes has vanished, replaced by fear.
“You kill those sons of bitches.” He whispers hoarsely. “You kill 'em for your pa. And for me.” The light in his eyes dims and his body goes limp.
“I will.” You whisper, reaching down to close his eyelids before grasping his rifle and slinging it over your shoulder. “I swear it.”
Minutes later, having retrieved your horse from the horse car at the rear of the train, you set off in pursuit of the remaining outlaws. Fortunately, the whe
els of the cart, weighed down by the gold, have cut deep furrows into the dust, making their tracks easy to follow. The anger that had been smoldering inside you these past few days has, with Jake's death, now become a blazing inferno. You ride hard with a grim determination that you will kill all three of the animals before this day is out.
As you ride higher into the mountains, the sun begins to drop in the sky. The ground grows rockier and the tracks less distinct, yet you feel the hand of fate is guiding you now. You continue ever onward, certain that vengeance is at hand.
An hour later, your faith is finally rewarded as you reach the opening to a narrow canyon, faint traces of the tracks leading into it. You dismount, knowing you will need to enter quietly and retain the element of surprise if you are to overturn the unfavorable odds. As you stalk along the floor of the winding canyon, Jake's rifle at the ready, you gaze up at the steep rocky walls to each side. Turning a bend, you spot one of the outlaws standing guard at the top of the right hand canyon wall, his rifle slung lazily over his shoulder. He looks bored and while he hasn’t spotted you yet, he will in a few moments.
Pick him off with the rifle
Slip into cover and try to kill him quietly
“Let’s follow the train.” You tell Jake. He nods and you both retrieve your horses. As you climb up into the saddle, a shrill whistle heralds the train’s imminent departure. The locomotive engine labors as it slowly builds up steam, the great iron leviathan slowly drawing out of the station. You both fall in behind the departing train, quickly drawing alongside as you keep up the pursuit. As the train speeds up, both your horses begin to gallop.
“We won’t be able to keep up for long.” Jake shouts over the thundering hooves of your horses.
“We’d better hope they show themselves soon then.” You reply grimly, your hands tight around the reins. The minutes tick by and slowly but surely, your horses begin to lose ground, the train cars passing you, curious faces peering out of the windows.
“Goddamn it, where are they?” Jake growls. You see something out of the corner of your eye. A cloud of dust drawing closer. Shielding your eyes from the glare of the sun you can make out horsemen approaching. Five of them.
“There!” You shout at Jake, pointing in their direction.
“Son of a bitch!” He grins. As they close in on the train, you urge your horses on, praying their stamina will allow them to keep up their pace a few minutes longer. You glance sideways at the galloping horses, wondering which one of them is Ethan Kane. Ahead of you, they pull level with the train and you watch as one by one, they clamber from their horses and onto the train, slipping from sight between the cars. The train is pulling away from you and you are now level with the last car.
“We’re losing ground!” You shout at Jake as a third man swings himself onto the train, his horse wheeling away.
“We’ll have to climb aboard ourselves!” Jake yells back. “If not, we’ll lose them!” As the fourth man climbs from his horse and onto the train, you doubt you have the ability to leap from your horse to the train, but it seems you have little choice.
Climb onto the train
You can’t make that jump
“Okay.” You shout back. “Let’s do it.”
“I’ll go first.” Jake tells you, swinging his horse across next to the thundering train. You watch as he climbs off his horse and with surprising agility, leaps onto the platform at the rear of the car, clambering over the low railing. “Your turn, sweetheart.” He shouts, extending an arm over the railing. Your heart thumping in your chest, you guide your horse closer, swinging your leg over her flank and standing with one foot in the stirrup. You look down, the ground flashing by beneath the galloping legs of your horse. She is barely keeping up now and you know it is now or never. You turn and leap towards the train, reaching for Jake’s outstretched hand. His hand brushes against yours, his fingers tightening, but then you are slipping away. Your foot is caught in the stirrup and you scream, arms flailing as you are thrown headfirst towards the ground. The ground rushes up to meet you and your head hits the rail with a sickening thud, cracking your skull open. You never hear Jake’s anguished cry as the train thunders on, your horse galloping after it and dragging your corpse along behind her.
THE END
Go back a few moments and rethink your actions
“I can’t.” You shout back, slowing your horse. Screaming with frustration, you pull your revolver from your holster and take steady aim at the last of the outlaws as he prepares to climb aboard the train. You pull the trigger and with the crack of the gunshot, the outlaw jerks in his saddle before tumbling from his horse.
“Good shootin’!” Jake whistles as his own horse slows to a trot, the train thundering on without you.
“I’m sorry.” You tell him, your horse trotting after his. “I just don’t think I’d have made that jump.”
“Ain’t the end of the word, darlin’.” He shrugs. “Besides,” he adds, stopping beside the fallen outlaw who lies moaning in pain, “Thanks to you, the chase ain’t over yet.” He climbs down from his horse and stands over the outlaw. Your bullet seems to have passed through his side and out of his stomach. “Where are your pals goin’, huh?” He asks him, drawing his pistol.
“Fuck. You.” The outlaw spits defiantly.
“You’re gonna die, friend.” Jake growls. “Ain’t nothin’ anyone can do about that now. I can ease your suffering and send you on your way, or I can leave you to spend the next few hours lyin’ here in agony with the vultures circlin’. Which is it to be?” The outlaw grimaces before with a sigh, he nods.
“Keep following the train.” He tells you. “They’re going to stop it a few miles up the track and unload the gold, make off with it on a cart into the mountains.”
“Thanks.” Jake tells him, raising his pistol and shooting him through the head. The sudden booming gunshot makes you jump, but you feel no pity for the outlaw. “Looks like today’s our lucky day.” He grins at you. “We’ll catch these sons of bitches yet!”
You follow the railroad for the next hour, the sun glinting off the endless twin rails until finally you see the dark shape of the train in the distance. A mountain range climbs up to your right and you guess this is where the gold will be headed.
“Let’s hope they’ve not unloaded all that gold yet.” Jake mutters.
As you draw closer, you can see a horse and cart next to the train, two of the remaining outlaws carrying bars of gold from one of the freight cars while the other two stand guard. As you approach, you see one of them gesture towards you and shout to his companions. Two of them jump up onto the cart while the other two climb up into the saddle of their horses and begin to ride away. You’re still some distance away as they begin to climb up towards the mountain range.
“They’re getting away!” You call out to Jake.
“They won’t.” Jake growls back. “That gold will slow ‘em down. Don’t you worry, they won’t escape us. Yah!” He urges his horse onward.
Your horses seem to find new reserves of stamina as they gallop in pursuit of the escaping outlaws. As you reach the train, the stunned passengers who have gathered beside the stricken locomotive gawp and point as you race past. The cart and the horses are kicking up a cloud of dust behind them as they climb up into the mountains ahead, but they certainly seem closer than before.
“We’re gaining on ‘em.” Jake grins across at you. The outlaws clearly agree, as the two horsemen abruptly wheel around and draw their guns as they turn to face you.
“Jake…” You shout over the thundering hooves of your horses.
“I see ‘em.” He replies grimly. “I’ll try and draw their fire. You try and pick ‘em off. I hope your crack shot earlier wasn’t a fluke.”
Go with Jake’s plan
Insist you stay together
“No, we should stick together and make our stand here.” You tell Jake. “Strength in numbers.”
“I guess so.” He replies doubtfully.
“Though I kinda feel like a sittin’ duck, just waitin’ for those bastards.”
“We should dismount and make ourselves smaller targets.” You reply. He nods and you both climb down from your horses. Standing a few paces apart you both pull your guns from your holsters and check them.
“Times like these, I reckon I should have taken up prospecting or running a hardware store or some such.” Jake mutters as the charging horses approach in a cloud of dust. You can feel a bead of sweat running down the side of your face which has nothing to do with the hot sun.
“Aren’t we supposed to wait until we see the whites of their eyes?” You ask.
“To hell with that.” Jake snorts. “If you figure you can hit ‘em, pull the trigger!” The outlaws obviously agree as the first gunshot booms out, the bullet thumping into the ground and kicking up a puff of dust a few paces before you. You return fire, the air thick with gun smoke and the crack of pistol fire. While your first couple of shots miss your target, one of theirs finds its mark, Jake gasping in agony. You glance across at him, finding him in a heap on the ground and clutching a bloody wound in his side.
Run towards Jake
Keep shooting
“Jake!” You call out, lowering your revolver and sprinting towards your stricken companion. Bullets continue to whistle past you as Jake grimaces, clutching his side.
“Don’t worry about me! Worry about them!” He shouts out, frantically gesturing towards the rapidly approaching outlaws. You cry out in agony as a bullet tears into your shoulder, your revolver dropping from your grasp as you stagger a couple of steps before dropping to your knees.
“Jake.” You moan plaintively, clutching the wound. Gritting his teeth, he pulls himself up into a sitting position and raises his pistol, his arm trembling. He squeezes off a couple of shots, but still the outlaws come, whooping and hollering as they close in for the kill.
The Rancher's Daughter's Revenge Page 18
