Grizzly Mountains (2)

A day later, after being patched by Susan, he was told to rest.

The next day, he heard that Dutch, Arthur and some other boys went to an O'Driscoll camp, shot them, looted them, and even kidnapped one. He never thought that one of those assholes would be in the same camp as him. The biggest news were that they got information about a train robbery their rivals planned, which he had to join, after Dutch told him to, of course, he didn't hesitate to do so, despite Abigail's displeasure.

As he stepped out of the cabin, he over heard Hosea's and Dutch's conversation...or maybe arguement.

Hosea: Listen, Dutch, I ain't trying to undermine you, just… I just want to stick to the plan… which was to lie low, then head back out west. Now suddenly, we're about to rob a train.

Dutch: What choice have we got?

Hosea: Leviticus Cornwall's no joke, Dutch, he's…

Arthur: Who is Leviticus Cornwall?

Elijah: He's a big railway magnate, sugar dealer, oil man...and to me, it sounds like he has more than enough to share.

Elijah cuts in the conversation; showing a bit of a wicked smile at the end.

Dutch: Elijah is right! (loudly) Gentlemen, it is time to make something of ourselves. Get your horses ready, we have a train to rob. Everyone ready? Alright, let's head out.

Dutch leads the group out of camp.

Okay gentlemen. Listen up, all of you. According to the information so kindly provided to us by the O'Driscolls, the train will be coming north, from Big Valley. We're going to pick it off after it crosses the border into the Grizzlies. There's a raised spot there that should give us good vantage. Charles, you'll keep lookout for any outriders. How's that hand, by the way?

Charles: I'll be fine.

Dutch: What about your hand, Elijah?

Elijah: I'm fine, Dutch! I just wanna rob that rich asshole!

Dutch: That's the spirit! I'll take the driver and engineer, then run point. Lenny and Javier, you two take the front cars, deal with any guards. Arthur and Micah, you head straight for the back. That's what we're after… Mr. Cornwall's private car.

Micah: You and me, Morgan. Have you got a problem with that?

Arthur: Not if you keep your head for once.

Micah: You worry about yourself.

Dutch: Enough! After Bill blows the tracks, we're gonna need to move fast. Is everyone clear on what they're doing?

Arthur: Yep.

Micah: Crystal.

Lenny: Yes, boss.

Elijah: O' course.

They rode through the thick blanket of snow, the icy wind biting at their faces. Their horses, galloped through the deep snowdrifts with ease, their powerful muscles flexing beneath their riders. As they neared the edge of the snow-covered mountains, they could see a faint glimmer of sunlight breaking through the heavy clouds.

Arthur: Out of the snow, finally.

Dutch: Feels good, doesn't it? But we need to get this done fast now it's thawing… before anyone gets up here after us. Look at you boys. See? This is what I call a crew. Micah Bell, Charles Smith, Arthur Morgan, Elijah Jackson, Javier Escuella, and what about young Lenny here? Always the first man on his horse.

Lenny: Just happy we're back at 'em, Dutch.

Javier: You sure you're ready for this, kid?

Lenny: Course I'm ready.

Elijah rides a bit forward, next to Lenny, and pats him on the shoulder, as a way of showing he trusts the young man.

Dutch: Just stay calm, keep your eye sharp. That goes for all of you. No mistakes, not again. No mistakes, not again.

Micah: So we do this, then we go back to Blackwater to collect?

Arthur: How many times are you going to ask the same question, Micah?

Micah: That's a lot of damn money to leave sitting for too long.

Elijah: He ain't wrong, it is a lot of money...But we can't go back Micah; we'll be shot down immediately, probably.

Dutch: We go back when I say we go back, and that's the end of it. There's the water tower. Hold up here on the ridge. Is Bill there?

Arthur: Yeah.

Dutch: You wanna head down? See how he's getting on?

Arthur: Okay.

He rides down to Bill, who is planting explosives under the railroad tracks.

Meanwhile, Elijah lights a cigarette, offering everyone one, but only Lenny took one.

Elijah: You okay, son?

Lenny: Yeah, of course.

Elijah: Alright then. Make sure to keep your eyes sharp, and don't hesitate to shoot, alright?

Lenny: Sure...'Pa'

Elijah chuckles when Lenny says 'Pa'.

Arthur mounts his horse and returns to the others.

Lenny: Here comes Arthur.

Micah: About time. I have to say, I am rather looking forward to this.

Dutch: Just be ready to move quick, and remember the plan… all of you. No mistakes. (loudly) What's going on?

Arthur: He says all fine.

Javier: We'll soon find out.

Dutch: Everything okay?

Arthur: I think so.

Dutch: Okay, cover your faces. Train should be here any minute now.

Everyone covers their faces at command with their cloths; Elijah, using a white ones because he thinks it's a good contrast for his black skin color.

The train approaches and quickly approaches the location of the dynamite. Bill presses the detonator plunger down, but the explosion doesn't go off. He tries again and again but the train passes by unscathed.

Dutch: Oh, you have got to be kidding me.

Arthur: Where did you find that moron?

Dutch: You said it was fine.

Arthur: So it's my fault?

Lenny and Javier have quickly dismounted their horses. Seeing them jumping into action, Elijah wastes no time, and does the same, though way slower than them, as he's big- fatter.

Javier: Well, come on!

Elijah: Come on, brother!

Elijah shouts at Arthur, to follow them; he does so, he dismounts his horse to follow them.

Arthur: (to Dutch) You're pathetic. You know that?

Arthur, Lenny, Elijah, and Javier run and jump onto the roof of the train as it comes out the other side of the tunnel.

Lenny: Here we go! 

Javier: Here we go!

Elijah: Oh, fuck!

Javier lands but to the right while Lenny rolls to the left. Arthur lands safe and sound, unlike Elijah; he landed tough, falling forward, smashing his head into the train, splitting his right eyebrow open. Lenny, who rolled in the other direction, managed to hold onto the edge of the train car's roof. Elijah, touched his eyebrow, to see blood flowing down, but it doesn't bother him. He looks to the side, only to see Javier about to be rolled off of the train, so he jumps over, just in time to catch his arm, and pull him up.

Javier: Garcias, hermano.

Lenny: Pull me up! I'm slipping! Oh shit!

Arthur: I've got you. Now stop yelling.

Arthur grabs Lenny's arm, and pulls him up.

Lenny: Shit! Shit! Shit!

Arthur: You're okay… now let's go slow this thing down.

Elijah: Let's do this, gentlemen.

The two drop down to enter the next car. Javier goes forward, with a knife in hand, the first and only guard inside, by slitting his throat. The guard gurgles for a few seconds before dropping dead.

Arthur: Come on, we need to stop this train.

Lenny: There's another guard up ahead, you want me to take him?

Elijah: You're good, son; I'll take him.

Elijah, as quietly as possibly he can, goes behind the guard, covers his mouth, and quickly stabs the man in his kidney once, twice, than thrice, before the guard dies.

Elijah: Alright, from his point on, we can only starts shooting, what do you think?

Arthur: Damn, right.

Lenny: Let's do this.

Javier: Está bien.

The four starts their way forward through the cars, Elijah, and Arthur taking out most of them though.

Elijah: You guys alright?

Elijah starts reloading his LeMat Revolver, as well as the other 3 men.

Lenny: Yeah, I'm good. Let's keep moving! …What the hell was Bill doing? He had long enough to set that charge.

Arthur: Well, I hooked up the wire, but we won't mention that.

As they keep moving and shooting, moving up, Lenny starts to get nervous.

Lenny: We gotta hurtty! W-we have to stop this train!

Elijah: Calm down, son.

Arthur: I know, just stay calm.

Javier meanwhile moves even further, even saving Arthur's ass, but shooting one of the guards in the face; Arthur got distracted by Lenny.

Elijah runs ahead. As he runs along the coal car the train engineer, almost hits him on the head with a shovel, but thanks to his quick reflex, he managed to deflect it with his arm, though it was the bitten one. With his revolver still at hand, he grabs the man by the collar, and starts hitting him repeatedly on the head with the butt of his gun. At the fifth or sixth hit, he heard some kind of crack noise; noticing that he probably smashed the guy's skull, completely knocking him out, maybe killing him. He climbs into the first car and pulls the brake lever. The train stops.

Once the train is stopped they have a shootout with the remaining men that come out of the train.

Eventually, the rest of the group have finally caught up and help finish the fight. Finally all the enemies are taken care of.

Elijah pats Lenny on the shoulder.

Elijah: You did good, kid.

Dutch: Is everyone okay?

Arthur: Yes, let's get the money and go.

Dutch: We got some fellers holed in up this last car.

Arthur: Ah, shit.

Dutch: (towards the last train car) What are you boys planning on doing in there? Listen to me, we don't want to kill any of ya… (to the others) any more of ya. (to the guards) I give you my word, but trust me… we will.

Guard 2: I work for Leviticus Cornwall.

Dutch: Come on, boys.

Guard 2: We got our orders.

Dutch: Okay. You asked for it. Five…

Guard 2: We ain't opening this door.

Dutch: Four… Three, Two, One. (to the others) Seems our friends have gone deaf. Wake 'em up a little!

The whole gang starts shooting at the car, some with their pistols others with their rifles.

Guard 3: We ain't coming out!

Guard 4: You got no way in here!

Dutch: That's enough! Mr. Williamson, give Mr. Morgan and Mr. Smith some dynamite… you two boys, go blow that door open.

Bill hands sticks of dynamite to Arthur who then tosses one to Charles as they approach the car.

Dutch: (to the guards) Now don't matter too much to us, but you boys in there, might wanna take a step back…

Arthur and Charles attach the sticks to the door of the car.

Charles: Seems good enough. 

Arthur: Here we go…

Charles: Now light the fuse.

The two light each stick before hurrying back to the others a safe distance away.

Bill: Unless you got a death wish, I'd step back, fellers.

The explosion blows the door open.

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Word count: 1851