It had been a week since the train heist, and the dust had barely settled. The McMiller gang had pulled off the job, but just barely. They'd succeeded in getting the gold, but not without losing a good chunk of it when the train car exploded. Worse, they had run into FBE Agent Butcher. The agent had nearly wiped them out, but they'd managed to kill him in the end—though it had cost them dearly. The fact that Butcher knew they would be there gnawed at Charlie like a splinter he couldn't pull out.
The gang had laid low in the aftermath, licking their wounds and counting what little remained of their spoils. Charlie had been unusually quiet, his mind running through every detail of the heist, trying to figure out how the FBE had known exactly where to be. He couldn't shake the feeling that someone had tipped them off.
Charlie was alone in his tent when Big Tom McMiller—the leader of the gang and the man whose name they all carried—came to see him. Big Tom was as grizzled as they came, his broad frame filling the entrance as he stepped inside, his shadow casting long over Charlie. His face, as always, was hard to read, but Charlie could tell something heavy was weighing on his mind.
"Charlie," Big Tom said in his deep, gravelly voice. "We need to talk."
Charlie looked up from the map he'd been studying. He knew this conversation was coming. He'd seen it in Big Tom's eyes ever since they had ridden away from the wreckage of the train.
"What's on your mind, Tom?" Charlie asked, though he had a feeling he already knew the answer.
Big Tom crossed his arms and stood by the flap of the tent, glancing around as if to make sure no one was listening. "I've been thinking about that train job. It doesn't sit right with me."
Charlie leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. "Yeah, me neither. The way Butcher and his men were waiting for us... they knew. Someone told them."
Big Tom nodded slowly. "Exactly. And I've been watching the gang closely since. I've got a feeling in my gut, Charlie, and it ain't a good one. I think we've got a rat."
The word hung heavy in the air, the accusation unspoken but clear. Charlie had been part of the McMiller gang for years, long enough to know that trust was the foundation of everything they did. If there was a traitor among them, it wasn't just dangerous—it was a death sentence for the whole gang.
Charlie rubbed his chin, his mind racing through the possibilities. The McMiller gang wasn't huge, and everyone had their role to play. If someone had betrayed them, it had to be someone who knew the details of the heist, someone close enough to be trusted with the plan.
"Who are you thinking?" Charlie asked, keeping his voice low.
Big Tom exhaled slowly, then sat down across from Charlie. "I don't know yet. Butcher and the FBE didn't just stumble on us by accident. It had to be someone inside. And it had to be someone smart enough to keep their mouth shut afterward."
Charlie nodded, his mind turning to the core members of the gang. There was Lynx, sharp and quick, always the one with a backup plan. She had been with them for years, her cleverness unmatched. Sparks was their explosives expert—loyal but reckless, with a tendency to act before thinking. And Bonne—Bonne was the wild card, always a bit distant from the group, and lately, even more so.
"I've been going through the same names in my head," Charlie admitted. "But we've got no proof."
"That's why I'm coming to you," Big Tom said, leaning forward. "I want you to keep your eyes open. Watch the others. Don't let on that you're suspicious. We find out who did this, we handle it quietly. No one can know until we're sure."
Charlie clenched his jaw. The idea of someone inside the gang betraying them made his blood boil. They'd been through too much together to let it all fall apart now. But Big Tom was right—they had to be sure before making any moves.
"I'll do it," Charlie said after a long pause. "But if there's a rat, we need to flush them out before the next job. I don't want to walk into another ambush."
Big Tom nodded, his expression grim. "Neither do I. We'll take care of this, Charlie. One way or another."
As Big Tom left the tent, Charlie sat in the dim light, staring at the map in front of him without really seeing it. His mind was already working on the problem, trying to figure out who in the gang could have betrayed them. Trust was a fragile thing, and now, more than ever, it was in short supply.
The following day, the McMiller gang set up camp further from town, keeping to themselves as they waited for their next move. The atmosphere was tense, and though no one said it out loud, they all knew something wasn't right. The trust that had once been unspoken between them now felt strained, as if everyone was waiting for the other to make a wrong move.
Charlie kept to his word, watching the gang closely, looking for any sign of guilt or unease. Lynx seemed as sharp as ever, her eyes always scanning the horizon, never staying in one place for too long. Sparks was his usual self—loud, brash, and confident—but even he seemed more cautious, less reckless than usual. Bonne... Bonne was the quietest, keeping his distance more than usual, often sitting alone by the fire, deep in thought.
It wasn't until that night, around the fire, that the first crack began to show. As they sat around, eating and drinking, Bonne spoke up, his voice low.
"You think the FBE's still after us?" Bonne asked, his eyes darting between Charlie and Big Tom. "I mean, we killed Butcher, but... there's more of 'em, right?"
Charlie watched him carefully. "There's always more of 'em, Bonne. You worryin' about something?"
Bonne shifted uncomfortably under Charlie's gaze. "No, I just... I don't want to run into them again, is all. We got lucky last time."
Lynx smirked from across the fire. "Luck ain't got nothing to do with it, Bonne. We made it out because we're good at what we do."
But Charlie wasn't convinced. There was something about Bonne's nervousness that felt off. He'd always been a bit reserved, but this was different. This felt like fear. Real fear.
Big Tom caught Charlie's eye from across the fire, and in that brief glance, they shared the same thought. **Someone in this gang had betrayed them. And they were going to find out who.**
For now, though, they'd wait. Charlie knew the time would come when the traitor would reveal themselves. And when that time came, the McMiller gang would be ready.
