Authors Note: Curses! I forgot to make mention of Jimmy getting hurt in a letter to Cassie. Oh well, she will find him soon enough!
Anyway, this is what I watched the end of the movie for. Maybe I just missed it but I don't believe they mentioned where Jesse was captured, on the internet it said something about Minnesota but for the stories sake, I am going to say that they moved into a main city of Missouri, where they hoped to just disappear into the crowd.
In the movie they are planning on moving Jesse James to Washington DC, so in this story where they meet the train will be somewhere in the central part of Missouri. For me, this makes the story easier to write because I honestly have no knowledge whatsoever of any of the states.
If any readers out there know the accurate place where Jesse James was in fact captured, please by all means tell me, I will change it immediately. Also, just a quick note to One of Those Girls I am afraid I don't know much when it comes to horses, but if you can think of anything off hand and how to correct it I would appreciate it. You can send it over email if you wish, just let me know!
Anyway, onto the chapter!
..&..
Cassie shifted on her saddle, they had been riding for close to six hours, the stop at the second checkpoint had been brief, enough time to give the horses rest and drink but then they were back riding. Meg was plodding along in front of Cassie.
Over the past few hours Cassie's mind kept traveling back to Cole and their last meeting. Cassie kept thinking about what she would say when she saw him again.
That's so typical of you, Cassie thought bitterly, you realize you love the fool right after you mess everything up. Cassie leant back on the saddle, trying to relieve some of the pressure; she took her feet out of the stirrups and bent her knee's upward trying to get some feeling back into her feet. Maybe though… maybe that was the point of love, loving the personfor everything, even their faults.
He's stubborn, he's rude he's far too cocky for his own good, Cassie thought, but he's also funny, and gentle and he'd die for those he loved.
And he loves you.
Cassie was not certain where that thought had come from, she had no proof.
Of course you do, you've loved each other since you were children.
Cassie felt her cheeks flush, you always gave chase, and he never failed to follow. Cassie felt the familiar pressure of heat behind her eyelids and she knew she was going to cry, though this time she did not try to stop her tears.
"Cassie?" She looked over and saw Andrew, "you okay?"
She nodded, "just a little saddle sore."
Andrew grinned, "We're almost there, we're going to stop to regroup then we'll be off."
Cassie nodded, she was ready.
..&..
Cassie felt someone nudge her awake, she grunted and sat straight on her horse. She looked over at Meg's grinning face; they had been riding for two days and their resting periods were few and far between. The only time they would stop was to refuel the horses becauseif they wanted to make it to the rendezvous point in time they would need to cover as much distance in a day as they could.
Andrew slowed his horse to wait for the two girls to catch up with him.
"We're an hour's ride away," Andrew said, "A scout should meet us right before we get to town. He'll show us the way. We're going to ride hard."
Cassie and Meg nodded and Andrew kicked his horse's haunches Cassie and Meg followed suit, and the group of fifteen sped across the field.
Cassie bent low in the saddle, and was glad for the string that held her hat secure to her head, Meg on the other hand was not so lucky, her hat flew from her head and Meg laughed before shrugging and urging her horse forward.
The scenery passed by in a flash and Cassie realized that she had never been this far outside Liberty before. It was a shame it couldn't be under different circumstances.
She looked forward at each of the different men, some of them she never would have imagined taking up a cause such as this—but war was a different time, and men were forced to act differently as they would perhaps on any other day—women too, Cassie thought with a smile.
She directed Bullet around a bumpy patch of ground and continued in a gallop down a slight incline. She felt the rush of the ride and the thrill of what was to come, Cassie had never knowingly put herself in danger before. The gun that was bouncing off her thigh was a reminder of just that.
She could get shot, she could die.
Cassie shook those thoughts from her mind, the last thing she needed to be distracted with at that moment were thoughts of her own death.
After what seemed like hours instead of one Andrew raised his hand, they all pushed their feet down in their stirrups and pulled back on the reins, slowing their horses down to a jog. Andrew let out three short whistles and one long one and a figure stepped out of the woods.
Cassie's mouth dropped open, it was Jimmy Younger!
..&..
Cassie let out a shout, and practically leapt off Bullet mid-trot. She managed to catch herself before she fell; it took Jimmy a moment to recognize who was running towards him.
"Cassandra?"
I had been so long since Cassie had seen any of them; she stopped right before flinging her arms around his neck.
"What happened?" She asked, staring down at Jimmy's right arm, it was in a sling and when Cassie looked at his face he looked paler than usual.
"I got shot," he shrugged, "I almost died, but I'm doing better now."
Cassie smiled.
"What are you doing here?" He asked.
"We're here to help," Meg replied from where she was standing beside Cassie, she was holding both her horse and Bullet's reins.
Jimmy smiled, "Frank's not going to like that."
"Well Frank ain't here is he?" Meg countered.
"Nope," Cassie nodded.
Jimmy just shookhis head before hewaved everyone forward and they followed him into the woods, it was a short walk until they crossed out into a large clearing where a makeshift camp was set up. There were tents and horses and a few men who were too wounded to go out on this job. The the able ones were standing or cleaning their weapons.
"Frank left a letter," Jimmy said pulling one out of his pocket, he handed it over to Andrew, "it gives specific instructions."
"Are they here?" Cassie asked, scanning the camp for any familiar face.
"They just left," Jimmy said, "they need to ride ahead to cut off the train," he turned to the camp, "ya'll saddle up!" He shouted and Cassie watched as all the men stopped what they were going and began gathering their gear. "Frank told 'em to listen to me," Jimmy shrugged.
"All right," Andrew said, "you heard the man," he scanned the letter and then nodded. "We're to head for the river that's about a mile from here."
Cassie took a deep breath, it was starting, and they were going to free Jesse James.
Everyone got back up on their horses, Cassie patted Bullet's neck.
"Good boy," she murmured.
"I'm staying here," Jimmy said, "just make sure ya'll get back in one piece. No one else needs to die."
A loud cheer rang out through the camp, and they set off.
..&..
Endnote: Wow. I don't know when these chapters got so short! It feels like I could make them longer but then it would be all in one go and you would lose out on all this fabulous updates! ;-)
Feel free to review, but no flames please!