Dasher led the way, Mr. Holdan rode in the middle and Tommy brought up the rear. They stopped for a moment before the trail between the two hills. They checked their guns and tightened the grip on their reins.
When Mr. Holdan nodded to Dasher, he spurned on his horse and led the way.
On the hill above, a rifle was aimed at the group. As they ventured further in, the rifle swiveled and was aimed towards the far end of the trail.
As they reached the halfway point, Dasher and the others could hear the echo of hoof beats echoing across the hills.
"Get ready."
*Bang*
The sound of a gun echoed as the bandits came around a corner. The lead bandit was pointing his gun straight up.
"Reach for the sky, we don't want your lives, only your money, but we will be happy to take both."
Six bandits on horse back followed their leader while none noticed that the seventh, who had been the furthest behind was slumped in his saddle as blood trickled down the body of the horse and onto the ground.
He had been shot at the same exact time the leader had fired into the air.
*Click*
Gerald pulled the lever downwards on his rifle, ejecting the spent casing.
*Clack*
The lever was pulled back up as a new bullet was loaded into the chamber.
The bandit leader looked towards the three men on horseback with raised hands and smiled. Things were going easier than he expected. A few of his men dropped down and holstered their weapons while approaching their targets. They started to undue their saddlebags while the other bandits kept their guns pointed at them.
*Bang*
The brains of the bandit leader splattered onto a nearby rock. The bandit's saw that their targets still had their hands raised. They quickly spun around to make sure no one had come from behind to attack them.
*Click* *Clack* *Bang*
Before the bandits could turn, another fell out of his saddle after a piece of lead broke open his skull.
*Bang* *Bang* *Bang*
Dasher and Tommy were quick on the draw. The three bandit's at the side of their horses fell before they could drop the saddle bags and reach for their guns.
*Click* *Clack* *Bang*
A man who had jumped down and hid behind his horse was stuck through the leg. He screamed as he fell to the ground.
*Click* *Clack* *Bang*
The second shot silenced him for an eternity after the bullet flew under the horse's stomach and into his face.
A young man sat frozen on his horse shivering while pointing his gun at the trio.
"Don't even think about it." Dasher said while holstering his revolver. "You saw what our sharpshooter can do. You might manage to hit one of us, you may even get lucky enough to kill one of us. But you will die the moment you pull the trigger. The only way you leave this pass alive is if you drop the gun."
The young man who was scared out of his mind looked back and forth.
"You don't look like a bandit kid." Mr. Hordan said. "I am guessing this is your first-time riding with this lot." The young man's eyes locked onto the rancher and he subconsciously nodded his head. "That means that besides mixing with a bad crowd, you haven't done anything wrong yet. But if you pull that trigger, that will change. You are so young, don't throw everything away for a bunch of ruffians who have already left you behind."
"You… You don't understand. I never wanted this life, but I don't have a choice."
The young man's hand moved in a flash.
*Bang*
"Ahhhhh!"
A scream echoed through the valley as a body slid out of a saddle.
*Clang* *Clatter*
A misshapen revolver bounced onto the hard ground. The young man had tried to turn his gun on himself, but a bullet ripped it from his hand and broke a few fingers in the process.
Dasher dropped from his horse and walked over to the kid.
*Wham*
A fist across his face knocked him out. Tommy helped him tie the kid across his saddle. They then strung the horses together and continued to head through the pass.
When they exited between the two hills, they found Gerald waiting with his rifle slung over his shoulder.
Dasher pulled the horse train over and stopped next to him.
Gerald pulled the unconscious young man from the saddle and sat him on the ground before splashing water on his face.
"Argh!" The young man groaned while clutching his broken fingers after he came to. He then looked around and realized what happened. He started to cry uncontrollably.
Gerald had already found out that the men who attacked them weren't with the buyer who purchased the cows. They were either alerted after the fact or operated independently of the buyer. None of the dead Men had been with the buyer when the deal went down last night.
"Enough!" Gerald said. "Who hired you? Who tipped you off that we would be passing through that pass?"
The young man continued to cry. "Dead, they are all dead. It doesn't matter anymore. Just let me die. I don't want to live anymore."
The young man reached for a rock and tried to bash it against his head. A boot swiftly kicked it out of his grasp.
"Please, just let me die. They will be here soon, when they see that I have lost their money, they won't let me live. They have my parents and sister. They will die because of me."
Gerald frowned.
"What is going on?" Dasher asked, confused.
The young man was hysterical and wasn't in any condition to answer their questions.
Gerald tied him up and began to root through his pockets. He then pulled out a small metal device that had a blinking light.
Mr. Holdan started choking when he saw the device. Tommy rushed to pass him some water. When the rancher was breathing steadily again, Tommy asked.
"What is that boss?"
"I saw those during the war. I was still a kid at the time, but that. That came from the metal men."
"Cult of Thomas." Gerald said.
"It's a tracking device." Dasher said after he looked over it. "As long as the light is blinking, it is transmitting its location."
"Then shut it off. Quickly." Tommy said.
"No, you can't!" The young man yelled. "If it is disabled, they will kill my family."
Gerald squatted before the young man. "It's time you start talking." He said while pointing his gun at the device.
The young man wiped away his tears. "It… it is all my brother's fault. We found out yesterday that he was involved with the Cult of Thomas. But he went and got himself killed. The people who came said that my brother was supposed to go on an important mission. And if I didn't take his place, they would kill my family."
"Where is your family now?" Gerald asked.
"I don't know. They took them that night."
"Did you know who these people are? Names and faces?" Gerald asked.
The young man shook his head. "Five of them came in the middle of the night. They wore masks and only one man spoke. He said that I had to take my brother's place. My brother rode with a group of bandits. The Cult used these bandits, only the bandits didn't know that they worked for the Cult. I was to take my brothers place and make sure that the bandits turned over the money like they were supposed to. If they didn't, my family would die. If we failed, my family would die. If I ran, my family would die. And now that I have failed…" The young man burst into tears again.
The four kept the young man tied up and backed away to talk.
"Do you believe him?" Dasher asked Gerald.
"It fits the Cults normal mode of operations. I have dealt with situations with this before. The tech alone, leads me to believe that the Cult of Thomas is involved."
Mr. Hordan walked away from the group and moved towards the horses. He started untying the saddle bags. He slung one over each of his shoulders and then walked to the young man and dropped them both in front of him.
"Boss! What are you doing?" Tommy asked while rushing over.
"I said that this money wasn't worth that of my family's safety. The same goes for this kid's family as well. Money can always be earned again, but once family is gone, they are gone forever. Kid, take it." Mr. Hordan said.
"Mr. Hordan. I don't suggest doing this?" Dasher said. "If the Cult gets this money, they will use it to do the same things to others, or it could be possible for them to do much worse things."
"Hmpf, it's my money and I will do what I want with it. Besides, aren't you two Marshals, don't you want a chance to catch the people from the Cult of Thomas. Innocent lives are worth far more than stacks of cash."
Gerald motioned for Dasher to stop. "Mr. Hordan, you are an honorable man." He then took out a knife and cut the ropes of the young man. "Looks like it is your lucky day kid."
The young man was stupefied. He had heard that this rancher was carrying over fifty thousand dollars. He never expected the man would willingly give it up to save his family.
"Sir, thank you, thank you so much. I owe you my life and that of my families." He said while kneeling down and groveling with his head pressed into the dirt.
"Enough of that son. Get up and listen to the Marshals. Tommy, let's go home."
"But sir-."
"Enough, I have made my decision. Marshals, I hope to hear some good new later. Not for my sake, but for all of ours."
"If all goes well, we will make sure the money gets into your account." Gerald said.
Mr. Hordan mounted his horse along with Tommy and waved his hand without looking back. "Since the mission wasn't completed, you won't get your pay, but feel free to use the horses while you are in town." He said before he clicked his heels.
His horse tore off down the trail back to his ranch while Tommy followed after him.
"Where are you supposed to meet the Cult?" Gerald asked while fiddling with the tracking device.
"There is an abandon house, a few miles out of town. I was supposed to meet them there at sundown."
Gerald turned and looked towards the sun in the distance. "Looks like we have a few hours to get ready." He then mounted his horse and took a smoke out of his tin. He struck a match and lit it before adjusting his hat. He breathed out a cloud of smoke while he spoke. "Let's get going."
***
The young man nervously paced around the abandon house. He kept looking through the windows, searching for any sign of anyone. The sun was approaching the horizon, but he still saw nothing.
He went back to sit at the table in the middle of the room that had two saddle bags resting on them. He was only able to remain seated for a few minutes before he went to check the windows again.
Where the house was located, there was only flat dusty ground in every direction with plenty of sight lines.
When he checked this time, he saw a cloud of dust in the distance. He stuck to the window and watched as the dust cloud approached.
After a few minutes he could see several men on horseback, they were surrounding a wagon.
He waited and waited, until he eventually could hear the hoofbeats and the wagon's rolling wheels. The young man nervously clenched his hands.
When the sun disappeared, he heard a knock at the door.
*Knock* *Knock*
He moved quickly and went to open the door.
Outside were two men who wore bandanas over their faces. They looked past the young man and saw the saddle bags laying on the table behind him.
"Looks like you did what you were told." One of the mask men said while they both pushed past him and entered the house.
"I did everything you said. Where is my family?"
One of the men went to check the bags while the other took a look around the house and checked the empty rooms.
"Where are the others?" The man asked after checking the house.
"They… They died, or maybe survived. I don't know. That rancher wasn't alone. He was expecting an ambush. He had his own people hidden in the hills. Bullets started flying. When his horse was hit, I snuck over and grabbed the bags and ran."
"You didn't stay and help the others?"
"You said that I would get may family back when you got the money. Why would I care about them? They have nothing to do with me."
"That's cold. Abandoning your brothers' gang and leaving them for dead. That's ice cold."
"The money is all here." Said the man who was counting the stacks of cash.
"I brought your money, now give me back my family." The young man demanded.
"Who the fuck are you to order me around."
*Slap*
The masked man struck the young man across the face.
"Since the gang is presumed dead, I will need you to do something else for me."
"NO! That wasn't the deal. Give me back my family."
"You can see them. But they will leave with me and my men. Keep doing what your told or the next time you are reunited with them will be when you are on the other side."
"Decan! Bring the kid's family inside. No need to be gentle. Show him what will happen if he decides to go against us."
"…"
"Decan!"
"Decan! Get your ass in here."
When the masked man didn't hear a reply, he turned and walked outside. The sun had just set, and the light was fleeting but he could still see each of his men, grasping their throats while laying in the dirt in pools of their own blood.
"You bastard!" He screamed as he grabbed the young man as a human shield and held his gun to the kid's head. "You set us up. You will suffer for this you little fucker."
The man with the money panicked, pulled his guns and slowly peeked out the windows. All he could see were his dead comrades. He didn't find a trace of whoever killed them.
The man with the hostage pulled back the kid and returned inside the house.
"Show yourself!" The man yelled. "You don't know who you are fucking with." He yelled as he pulled back the hammer on the revolver that was pressed against the young man's head.
He looked around but didn't hear any response.
"I don't see anyone." Said the money man.
They quickly looked back around, when they faced the door, the saw a figure standing in the doorway. The brim of the figure's hat was lowered. They were unable to see his face.
"You fucked up big time. You-."
"Don't move!" Shouted the money man as the figure slowly pulled something out of his pocket.
The figure paid no attention and the masked men relaxed when they saw it was a match.
With a flick of his thumb, the figure in the doorway lit the match and brought it beneath the brim of his hat. Smoked started to roll to the side as he exhaled. With a shake of the wrist, the match was put out and flicked to the side.
"I don't know who you are, but since you dared to hit the Cult of Thomas, there is only one ending for you. You, your family, your friends, anyone who you have ever looked at favorably, they will all die. And when they cry and ask why, we will tell them that you brought this upon them."
"Hmpf." Gerald snorted as he slowly looked up.
The two masked me kept their guns trained on him. Right now, the figure in the door still had his guns holstered, but they wouldn't underestimate a man who could silently kill everyone else who was with them.
A bead of sweet rolled down the money mans face as he kept his eyes locked on the figure's guns.
"You sure talk a lot of crap for a dead man." Gerald said while pulling his smoke out from between his lips
*Bang* *Bang*
The young man watched as Gerald didn't even attempt to go for his weapons.