Lawless (An Outlaw's Love Story) Book II

I | The Seizure

SUMMER

1899 Somewhere In Southern California

"Now, boss?" Frogger impatiently beseeched Cyrus as he eagerly wished for the permission to raid the locomotive up ahead. 

The outlaws were all readily mounted on their horses along the sparse mountainside somewhere in southern California. Together they villainously watched as the locomotive loudly chugged its way down the train tracks. The blackest of smoke billowed from its smokebox, forming a dark dense cloud in the air before fading into nothingness. 

"Not yet," Cyrus firmly dismissed the all to jittery bandit. Frogger immediately began to mope--which often happens when things do not go his way. 

Alongside Cyrus was Stacy. Calm and the collected, the young bandit rolled his eyes at Frogger's childish antics. Cyrus continued, "Like always, Frogger, either I'll give you the signal or Stacy will. Ain't nothin' changed from now and ten minutes ago. Now get out of my damn ear!" 

Frogger relectantly drew his horse away from Cyrus all the while glaring over his shoulder at Stacy--as if it was his fault the boss was annoyed with him. Stacy tauntingly winked at Frogger, further upsetting the already defeated man. 

It was another dry, blistering day in the barren plains of Southern California. The mission at hand was all that weighed on Stacy's mind. The Sweet gang, led by Cyrus Ulysses Sweet, intended to kidnap the daughter of mayor Douglas Fawcett, mayor of the flourishing town Columbia, located in northern California. 

Cyrus Sweet is the most wanted and feared gang leader in the far west. News of his crimes have spread across the nation, entertaining both the rich and poor. However vast his celebrity spreads, his territory remains in Southern California, Arizona, and part of Southernmost Nevada. Cyrus himself handpicked each ruthless member of his gang as he saw fit. Although Eustace Stiles, whom is commonly addressed as Stacy, quickly grew to be his favorite--though, he wouldn't dare admit it to the rest of his crew. Then again, Cyrus' actions alone unintentionally announce his favoritism for the young bandit. He's taken Stacy's side in numerous quarrels and has given him certain privileges in which other bandits are not permitted. Cyrus has even gone as far as mentioning to Stacy that he considered him more of a son. 

Thanks to Cyrus' preferential treatment Stacy has risen in the ranks of the gang and his name has become nearly as infamous as Cyrus'. Stacy is not only famed for his gifted gunslinging and wit, but also his favorable appearance. Throughout the West he's earned nicknames such as Killer Casanova, Satan's Son, Heartbreak Kid, Lover Boy, and many more. He's recognized most often by his famous feature: his mismatched eyes--one amber and the other a blue-gray. Though he is cunning and wicked, women cannot refrain from falling to their knees, bewitched by his appearance--yet another reason his fellow goons envy him. 

"We're gonna miss our chance!" Frogger insisted to a few other bandits--making sure Cyrus didn't overhear his complaining. He behaves much like a child, though he is one of the oldest gang members. Unfortunately the redheaded bandit has never learned to master the virtue of patience. As long as Stacy has known him, Frogger has always been so jumpy and eccentric--hence the nickname.

"Calm down, Frogger," Alonzo commanded, narrowing his eyes warningly. "Cyrus knows what he's doin'." Alonzo is another seasoned gang member and also a close friend to Stacy. If it weren't for the obvious difference in skin complexion people would assume that they were kin. 

"Nobody asked you." Frogger glared over before mumbling a racial slur.

"What was that?" Alonzo sneered, knowing exactly what Frogger muttered.

"Nothin'." Frogger spat at the ground not far from where Alonzo sat upon his horse. Without another word he urged the horse away from Alonzo.

"Yeah, that's what I thought you said." Alonzo has a great deal of self-control, which Stacy has always admired. 

Stacy watched their dispute through narrow slit eyes. He has disliked Frogger since day one and Frogger very well knows it. 

With one less distraction Stacy turned his attention back on the train. Stacy had become quite aquatinted with patience as well as strategy. He's an intelligent man with a clever knack in conceiving plans. He can somehow foresee almost any outcome and plan accordingly. Cyrus' gang has been running for several years now and they have lost only a few men all thanks to Stacy's sound mind. They wouldn't have lost a single soul if they did not have idiots on their crew such as Frogger.

As Stacy looked upon the train waiting for it to hit the mark he had planned for. The perfect timing, in the perfect spot, and at the perfect angle. 

"Now," Stacy calmly said to Cyrus. His face and voice confident, yet without expression. Always lacking to show facial expressiveness, his monotone voice seemingly apathetic, and body posture unenthused. One must spend years around Stacy to see through his mask and pick up on his true emotions. Strangers can never see past his blasé attitude in order to determine what's really on his mind.

"You heard the man!" Cyrus called out to the crew--twenty in total. 

They are lacking fifteen members at the moment since the rest are back at the hideout monitoring their stash of cash and tending to other assigned duties. However, Cyrus's exceedingly skilled men could take down the train with even less than twenty men, but since the men are so eager to raid, Cyrus is forced to bring so many along. Even so, there were still several thugs unhappy that they had to stay behind.

"Let's fetch us a princess!" One bandit excitedly called out. The men all howled and whistled in response, eager to carry out their devilish deeds.

In a flash they descended the rocky hillside, rubble tumbling down the slope as they went. Stacy and Cyrus sat back and observed until the time was right for them to join. They often observed how the raid played-out for the first few minutes watching for any unforeseen threats or hinderances before partaking in the injustice. 

In a matter of minutes the train came to a terrible screeching halt. Sparks flew on the railway as the train stopped in its tracks. The bandits fired shots in the air to educed fear into the hearts of the passengers in order to discourage them from retaliating. As groups of three the men boarded each of the train cars, searching for one woman in particular as well as collecting cash, jewelry, and other valuables as they went along.

The frightful screams of women and children began filling the air. Cyrus had warned them not to fire shots unless absolutely necessary, however, the men rarely obeyed and Cyrus gave no repercussions. Stacy cares for his fellow men, but there's a handful of scoundrels that he often contemplated on murdering with his own bare hands.

"So far so good," Cyrus exhaled, his deep voice gruff and gritty. Overindulgence in tobacco and age roughened his once pleasant voice. 

Almost instantly after Cyrus uttered those words, did several gunshots fire within one of the train cars. Stacy groaned, "Goddammit." 

"They can't help it, son." Cyrus looked over at Stacy as he lit a cigarette with a match. "The lot of them are like animals." He tapped the side of his head, "Unstable in the head." 

Stacy begged to differ but refrained from arguing his point of view. He believes them all to be greedy, undisciplined, careless, prideful, and the list goes on. 

Cyrus sighed and said, "We'd better go down there before it gets any further out of hand."

"Come on, Jax." Stacy urged his mare onward, "let's go see what these idiots done fucked up this time."

🤠 Giddyap!  🤠