Lawless (An Outlaw's Love Story) Book II

II | Terror On The Train

1899 Somewhere In Southern California

The two men scampered down the sloping hillside towards the immobile locomotive. The closer that they had came, the louder the vocal distress of the passenger was heard. 

Immediately upon arrival Alonzo stepped outside one of a train cars and waved them over. They hastily dismounted and followed after Alonzo. 

"Step aside," Alonzo ordered two bandits to allow Cyrus and Stacy passage. Stacy's eyes scanned each of the passengers faces searching for her. 

The majority of the men, women, and children were rightfully petrified in their seats; some weeping, some trembling, and even a couple had fainted. Many of the men were sweating like thoroughbreds racing in the Kentucky derby. More than a few women looked upon him with fear and prudent curiosity--their swooning quite obvious. 

Stacy looked down at the dead bodies of two officers in the center of the isle. He cocked his head toward Alonzo, expecting an answer. "Frogger kilt 'em two," Alonzo reported, "I kicked him out b'cause he was gettin' too riled up. Grabbin' on the women and shit." Stacy inwardly rolled his eyes. Of course it was Frogger who killed them. The man has little to no self-control.

"Also..." Alonzo began. "We think that's her highness right over there." Stacy looked in the direction that Alonzo's eyes had settled.

A woman in a white and yellow floral day dress was seated in the far back. Beside her sat a stocky man who appeared to be her bodyguard. The young woman's hat was tilted down just enough so that most of her face was kept concealed. Not matter, Stacy knew it was her. He was given a trustworthy tip that a woman with her exact description would be riding on this exact train, seated in this very car, and with that specific bustle-dress on. That woman is most definitely Mayor Fawcett's daughter. The certain girl they'd come to take and the particular reason they stopped the train. Of course the gang fully intends to loot the locomotive in the process of abducting the pretty privileged girl.

"You sure that's the girl?" Cyrus inquired for confirmation. Stacy nodded as he slowly removed his black gambler hat and running his fingers through his brown hair before placing it back atop his head.

"And what of the motorman?" Stacy glanced over at Alonzo.

"Alive. Nick has him tied up--hopefully." Alonzo was not too confidant about that statement. Nick's blood lust is quite constantly alive and active. The bandit cannot go more than a day without killing something or someone whether that be deserving or underserving. 

Stacy nodded before looking over at Cyrus. "You or me, boss?"

Cyrus grunted as he slid down into one of the booths. His arthritis stricken knees must be bothering him again. "You go on ahead, son," he waived his hand.

Little by little Cyrus gives Stacy more responsibility and authority over the gang. With Cyrus advancing in age and no children to call his own, Cyrus needs a successor and he has set his mind on Stacy. This of course has provoked a series of mixed emotions amongst the bandits. There are those who advocate for Stacy's leadership and then there are those who resent it wholeheartedly.

"Alright, folks," Stacy called out, the beginning of his spiel. The trick is to exert a calm, but assertive authority to instill cowardice and compliance. Being polite, but firm gets him what he wants without having to kill--or at least not having to kill too many people. 

"No need to panic. We're sorry about having' to kill these officers here, though, I doubt they was straight fellas anyhow." Most of them ain't.

"Take what you want and let us go!" Some man yelled from the far back. Stacy admired any man's bravery, but he hoped that the man's courage would stop there. He immediately heard Alonzo cock his gun--though he wouldn't shoot unless prompted.

"Yes, sir, I intend to do just that, but you see here...I'm afraid that more people like these officers will attempt another act of heroism. And if anyone does they'll end up just as dead." Stacy clicked his tongue at the silence in the train car. "Now are we all at an understanding?"

The people in the car collectively nodded in quick submission. All except the bodyguard who instead kept his unwavering glare on Stacy. The mayor's daughter and him didn't move a muscle while everyone else trembled in their seats.

He lowered his voice to where only Alonzo could hear. "That big fella is gonna try somethin'. And  the blonde soldier right over there looks like he rallying up some courage, too." Alonzo nodded as he listened to Stacy's instruction. Alonzo turned around and relayed the information to the other bandits in the car. Cyrus simply watched, keenly interested at how Stacy was to proceed.

Stacy slowly sauntered down the isle, stepping over the dead policeman. "Everyone who has a pistol, better keep it tucked in your belt or--"

Suddenly a man rose and aimed his gun at Stacy. However, he wasn't fast enough, Stacy quickly withdrew his gun and shot the man between the eyes. Blood splattered over those in his vicinity. Men and Women screamed while the children cried.

"Now was that necessary?" He asked as he looked at all their terrified faces. "No. It really wasn't. If--what was your husbands name, ma'am?"

"T-Thomas..." She stuttered before letting out a painful whale of a cry as she clutched her dead husband in her arms. Blood splatter clung to the woman's poor face and décolletage. 

"...if Thomas, would have remained seated, he would still be alive. Instead, he tried to kill me, leavin' his poor wife a widow. Now that's a damn shame. Ain't that right, Alonzo?"

"A damn shame."

Stacy looked around at the rest of the passengers. "Anyone else?"

At first no one moved. Everyone remained as still as a tree stump and as silent as a grave. However, not for long. The bodyguard slowly rose from his booth and stepped into the isle. He was much larger than had Stacy anticipated. The man was built like a house, towering well over Stacy who himself stood at 5'11.

"Well goddamn." Alonzo and few other goons gawked at the large man.

Stacy craned his neck in order to meet the mans eyes. "Well fuck..."