Ch.6

Buck made his way down the narrow aisle between the seats, nodding occasionally to the other passengers he passed, noting how shaken and pale some of them were, but none appeared to be seriously injured. He paused to help an elderly woman collect a variety of items off the floor, that had spilled out of her purse, during the train's abrupt stop. The woman thanked him profusely, her gnarled hands shaking slightly as he assisted her back onto her seat.

As he continued on his way to the back of the train, he couldn't blame the other passengers for still being scared. They had all been through an ordeal. Truth was, he was still feeling a bit rattled himself.

If Chris hasn't been so quick with his gun or he and Josiah hadn't subdued the other outlaw, they could have easily lost Ezra. Or Vin. Or both of their younger brothers. Luck had been with them though, and all seven of them were safe.

When he reached the back of the train he reported , 'The rest of the outlaws are gone."

"Looks like you and your unconscious friend here are on your own." Chris taunted the outlaw who Nathan had hit with the butt of his gun.

The outlaw glared silently up at him. His unconscious buddy lay at his feet, while the bodies of his dead friends lay sprawled on the floor between the two seats where Buck and Ezra had slept.

"Not so tough are you now?" Chris nudged the outlaw with the toe of his boot, hoping the man would give him a reason to shoot him.

"Back off Chris!" Nathan ordered his hot headed younger brother.

He had returned to their area to retrieve his medical satchel, as he and Josiah were making their way up to the front car to talk to the conductor. The engine had been smashed by the dynamite the train robbers had used to stop the train, and the car directly behind it was a terrible mess as well. Several passengers on it were dead, while others were injured. With no other doctor on board, the conductor had been grateful for the offer of any help that he and Josiah could give their fellow travelers who had sustained injuries.

Chris turned a green-eyed glare on Nathan. Nathan met his younger brother's gaze evenly, and waited. A moment passed,then another, before Christ blinked and backed away from the outlaw.

After Buck had filled him in that the other outlaws had left, Nathan picked up his satchel, and strolled purposely down the aisle, calling over his shoulder that he and Josiah would return as soon as they were finished assisting with the injured.

Chris settled on the bench opposite the outlaw, and kept his eyes locked on the man. He wanted to do more than taunt and glare at the wanted to kill both him and his unconscious friend for frightening his younger , for frightening them all.

His eyes drifted downward to rest momentarily on the man Josiah had choked into unconsciousness, and then over onto the two dead men. He knew he should feel guilty about killing them, but he didn't. Both men had pointed guns at his brothers, and he had shot them to protect Ezra, Vin, and JD.

*Chris?*

Vin's concerned voice drew his attention away from the dead men.

*I'm fine Vin. You?*

Silence.

*Vin?*

*I was scared.*

Chris heard the hesitancy in Vin's answer. His younger brother was worried he would think he was a baby for being scared. He knew better. Though Vin was only six, he was a tough, and never failed to come through for his brothers, whenever he was given a task to complete.

Besides, he had been scared too. Scared that if he hadn't been fast enough, Ezra, Vin, and possibly even JD would have died.

*I was too.*

*Really?*

The surprise in Vin's voice made him smile.

*Really. All of us were scared, even Josiah and Nathan.*

Vin fell silent again. Chris wanted to glance over to where he knew Vin now sat with Ezra and JD, but he didn't dare take his eyes off the outlaw. He would not give the other man the opportunity to try and hurt another of his brothers or possibly flee.

"What a wild night!" Buck exclaimed as he plopped down onto the bench beside Chris.

"Yeah."

A commotion at the front of the car, had the four remaining brothers suddenly turning their attention in that direction. Buck sprang up from the bench and went to investigate what was going on. Chris took the opportunity to glance quickly over at Ezra and Vin. Ezra clutched his Colt tightly in his right hand, while he rested his left hand on Vin's slender shoulder. All three waited for Buck's return.

"The conductor says a couple of men were sent out to get the marshal in the next town over from where we are." Buck shot Chis a worried look as he rejoined them at the back of the car.

*Marshal*

A spark of alarm shot through Chris and spiked its way into Vin and Ezra. Lawmen tended to ask a lot of questions that none of them wanted to answer. Now that Chris had killed two men, albeit it was in defense of his brothers, he really didn't want to have anything to do with no lawmen.

"Make sure everything is packed and ready to go." Chris said. "So that when Nathan and Josiah arrive back, we can leave."

While Chris continued guarding their prisoner, Buck helped Vin and Ezra check to make sure that all of their belongings were packed and ready to go. They were. Now all they had to do was wait until Josiah and Nathan returned to their car from helping to assist the conductor in caring for the injured passengers.