Birds of a Feather

Bill

"Look smart. Travel light."

Bill, Dutch, Javier, Charles, and Micah took the time to dress sharply before departing Shady Belle. However, the suit Bill wore did nothing to make him feel smart, in his opinion. Its plaid pattern stretched tighter across his stomach since the last time he'd worn it and the white undershirt itched like hell. It was worse than that clown suit Dutch made him wear for the mayor's party.

Bill had slicked his hair back too, leaving his hat behind. It made him nervous not having it and his eye hadn't quit twitching since they'd left. His hat was his damn good luck charm, but Dutch wouldn't let him mount Brown Jack wearing it, saying they needed to look professional today so they wouldn't catch the eye of any lawman.

"Micah, you're in charge of crowd control," Dutch instructed as their horses trotted down the muddy trail leading to Saint Denis. "Javier, you take the side exit. Make sure no one comes in or goes out. Charles, can you handle watching the entrance doors by yourself?"

Charles hadn't said anything since they'd set out, but he spoke up now. "Of course."

"Bill..."

Bill straightened on his saddle.

"This is important, Bill. You and I are gonna make for the vault. We gotta get that bank manager to give us those combinations in a timely fashion."

"Can do, Dutch."

"Hosea's done his reconnaissance real thoroughly on this bank, boys." Dutch told them with a grin. "Soon, we'll be on a boat down to Argentina and then on another up the cape."

"Where is Hosea?" Javier asked curiously. "I thought he and Abigail had cooked up some distraction for us."

Dutch's face hardened. "He's gone on ahead with his own little project."

"We don't need the old man for a job this important," Micah put in. "He'd slow us down."

Javier frowned at that. "What about John and Arthur? Wouldn't this go smoother with those two here?"

Dutch released an exasperated breath. "I'm getting tired of everyone endlessly asking the wrong types of questions."

"But without them, it's only the five of us—"

"We got this, Javier," Dutch cut in. "We've robbed banks before without any of them. Today will be no different, except the take will be higher so it'll be a bigger cut for you."

Javier's frown deepened, but he said agreeably, "Alright, boss."

"Relax. We'll be in and out fast enough. If we make this clean, nothing will go wrong."

The sky had darkened since heading out from Shady Belle, clouds moving in from the west. If they were lucky, they'd get a storm to cover their escape after the robbery.

As they entered Saint Denis, Bill noticed the streets were busy with the normal sort of people milling around aimlessly. Everyone strutted around constantly in this city, like they ain't got nothing goddamned better to do.

Bill followed Dutch and soon they dismounted on the street across from the bank. They faced Javier's side entrance, where he'd take position.

"This is it, boys," Dutch promised. "One last time."

Everyone except Javier made for the front entrance. Before swinging open the doors, they each threw on their masks. Bill's was a simple white sack with eye and mouth cutouts. When they entered the bank, he caught sight of Javier as he slipped inside. That man's choice of mask was bizarre, a stolen pale face with an eternal smile. It creeped him the hell out.