Chapter 5

*Isaac*

Isaac stepped out of his room. It had been a few weeks since they found John and now they were planning the train Job. He sat with Hosea, Dutch, and Pa around a table. Isaac had been involved in the gang's major planning for about 3 years

Now. After he turned 16, Hosea and Dutch wanted him to gain some experience in leadership and strategy.

"I just don't see why we're doing this, Dutch. The weather's breaking, we could leave." Hosea said. "I thought we was lying low."

"What do you want from me, Hosea?" Dutch asked.

"I just don't want any more folk to die, Dutch!" Hosea responded facing his hands up.

"We're living, Hosea, we're living… even you. But we need money and everything we have in Blackwater. You fancy going back there?" Dutch questioned, pointing his finger towards the west.

Hosea sighed. "No! Listen, Dutch, I ain't trying to undermine you, I… I just want to stick to the plan… which was to lie low and head back out west. Now, we're about to rob a train."

"What choice have we got?"

"Leviticus Cornwall is no joke." Hosea. "He's…"

"Who is Leviticus Cornwall." His father finally spoke up. Isaac had been wondering that as well.

"He's a big railway magnate, sugar dealer, oil man-" Hosea explained.

"Sounds like he has more than enough to share." Dutch dismissed. He went to stand up.

"Dutch…" Hosea exasperated.

"What if we don't rob the train?" Isaac spoke up. Everyone went quiet and looked at him. Dutch sat down with a disappointed expression.

"Wouldn't have thought that you of all people would cower away at an opportunity to-" Dutch started before Isaac interrupted.

"-No, we're still gonna rob that train." Isaac clarified. Dutch and Hosea looked confused. "Just… The Van Der Linde Gang won't rob that train."

"What do you mean?" Hosea asked. He seemed to be catching on.

"Well… Like you said, Dutch. We need that money and we have a golden opportunity to get some."

"But Hosea's right. We need to lie low. The Pinkertons are chasing after us and robbing this Cornwall means we'll make a millionaire our enemy. Who knows what kinda men he could hire or what kinda money he'd spend just to catch us.! What if he bribes some politicians on the East Coast? We'll be enemy No.1!"

Dutch looked to be thinking deeply. Pa looked proud. The man was a lot smarter than he let on. Isaac wondered if he figured it out.

"What are you suggesting exactly?" Dutch asked.

"We pose as O'Driscolls." Isaac smiled. "They've been up here for months. Someone's got to have seen them up here or heard a rumor. Their names are on their plans. They got some explosives. If we go in acting like them, leave some of the crew alive, drop a few names here and there, play the part, Cornwall will buy it and go after them."

Hosea looked pleased at the idea. Dutch was silent for several moments. Isaac had to admit, even though Dutch was a great man, he was prideful. Giving Colm O'Driscoll, a man he, very rightfully hated, would be given the credit for their job just didn't sit right with him.

"That's… That's perfect." Dutch muttered. He jumped from his chair. "That's Perfect!" He repeated. "We take this score, Colm'll know he didn't do it. He knows we hit 'em hard, took their score, and then blamed them for it. The corrupt fat cats will start chasing them like the rats they are, oh it's genius! That'll enrage like no other… The mockery." Dutch grinned. "Hosea? Is this an adequate comprise for you?"

Hosea nodded. "I still prefer we don't do it at all, but… I reckon this will work. I can do work here, strengthening the deception. We can lay out the plan a certain way, leave some choice items, fake notes with names, make it easy to find. Law can't be sure we came up here. This would make them doubt that even more. I can have this place looking like a low-down, filth-ridden O'Driscoll camp in no time."

Dutch slammed his fist onto a table. "This is a real plan we got!" He looked at Isaac. "Isaac. My boy, I'm proud of you! You've went and gone, taken mine and Hosea's blundering, and turned it into truly somethin'." Dutch put his hand on Isaac's shoulder. "Arthur? This is… some boy you got." Dutch patted Isaac on the shoulder and turned pointing back at Isaac as he walked away. "What I tell ya, Hosea? What I tell ya?"

Hosea chuckled, getting up and patting Isaac on the back too. "Good job, son." And followed Dutch outside. The praise felt good. Real good. He, Isaac Morgan, had planned a heist! His father chuckled and walked by him, throwing an arm around Isaac's shoulder as he passed and steering them both out of the cabin. When they went outside, Dutch was already talking to the rest of the boys.

"Gentlemen!" Dutch said. "It is time to make something out of ourselves. Get your horses ready we have a train to rob. Bill, now you ride ahead and set the charge… At the water tower, just before the tunnel." They had spoken to Bil earlier already about his task. He confirmed immediately and took off. The rest of them finished gathering their weapons and horses. "Everyone else ready? Alright, let's head out!"

Dutch took off leading the pack. Isaac's father took his place as number 2, on Dutch's right side. Isaac was on Dutch's left while Micah, Lenny, and Javier trailed behind him.

"Okay, gentlemen. Listen up, all of you. According to the information so kindly provided to us by the O'Driscolls, the train will be coming north, from Big Valley. We're going to pick it off after it crosses the border into the Grizzlies. There's a raised spot that should give us a good vantage. Charles, you'll keep a lookout for any outsiders."

Charles shouted from the back. "Alright."

"Good." Dutch said. "Now listen closely, all of you. We're not 'Dutch's Boys' on this one, gentlemen, no! Today… We're O'Driscolls."

"O'Driscolls?" Micah asked.

"Why?" Javier questioned.

"It was Isaac's idea… A damn good one, too. I talked to Hosea. We don't need the heat for this job. We got enough problems as it is, and we don't do this for fame and glory. We do this for survival! So we're gonna let Colm take the fall for this. Send the government lapdogs after him instead!"

Everyone chatted in agreement before Dutch continued. "That means…" He said. "Masks stay on. You keep your mouths shut. If you need to talk don't use your real names. If you need to talk to me, you refer to me as Colm O'Driscoll." Several members laughed at that. "We gotta sell this, boys. Keep as much of the crew alive as possible. Need someone to spread this tale. Don't go too crazy with it but let them know who's robbing them."

The men cheered. Lenny slapped Isaac on the back and Isaac gave him a big grin.

"I'll take the driver and engineer, then run the point." Dutch began again. "Lenny, Isaac, Javier, you three take the front cars, Deal with any guards. Arthur and Micah, you head for the back, that's what we're after… Cornwall's private car."

"You and me, Morgan." Micah called sarcastically. Isaac rolled his eyes. His father groaned. "Have you got a problem with that?" Micah questioned.

"Not if you keep your head for once." Pa fired back.

Micah's heckles raised. "You worry about yourself!" He snarled.

"Enough!" Dutch demanded, stopping the squabble. "After Bill blows up the tracks, we're gonna move fast. Is that clear?"

"Yep." Pa said

Micah nodded. "Crystal."

"Yes, boss." Lenny said.

"Good." Dutch said, pleased. "Now, come on. Let's ride!"

They galloped through the snowy forest for some time. They went down a mountain until there was significantly less snow.

His father expressed his thoughts. "Out of the snow, finally."

"Feels good, doesn't it?" Dutch bemused. "But we need to get this done fast now it's thawing… before anyone gets up here after us."

Dutch paused and looked back at them. He made contact with each man. "Look at you boys. See? Now this is what I call a crew! Micah Bell, Charles Smith, Arthur Morgan, Javier Escuella, Lenny Summers, a boy who's always the first man on his horse, and last but certainly not least, we have the young Isaac Morgan himself. The boy… The man who not only single-handedly bought us enough time to escape the ferry. The mastermind of today's job. Tamer of untameable beasts. The Ghost of Blackwater!"

Isaac blushed and he cringed at the compliments. 'The Ghost of Blackwater' What kinda name is that?

"Just happy to help, Dutch." Isaac responded.

"Don't be so modest." Dutch laughed. He went back to being serious. "Just stay calm and keep your eyes sharp. That goes for all of you. No mistakes. Ever again."

"I'll go check on Bill." Isaac galloped down to the water tower where Bill was fiddling with the explosives.

"Hey, do you need some help?" Isaac asked.

"Oh, Isaac." Bill greeted him. "Sure, Go and set up the detonator by the rocks over there and connect the wire."

Isaac made his way towards the rocks where he connected the wire. "You think that's good?"

"Yup. Just go back to the others." Bill got into position and Isaac rode back.

"About time." Micah said.

"Shut up." Isaac rolled his eyes.

"It all Good, Isaac?" Dutch asked and the boy nodded. "Okay. Cover your faces. Train should be here any minute now. Gentlemen… Good luck."

Everyone braced themselves. Isaac loaded his revolver and then pulled his black bandana over his mouth and nose. Isaac's heart was racing with excitement, he glanced at his father who was already looking nervous. His father looked a lot calmer than Isaac. Experience, Isaac supposed. His father nodded in encouragement. It did help a little.

They could hear the train now. After a few moments, it appeared on the horizon, a trail of black smoke following the front car. After a minute or two, it approached the position and Bill pushed the plunger.

Nothing happened.

Bill pushed the detonator over and over again, screaming as he did.

"SHIT, NO! DAMNIT! BASTARD!"

Bill started jumping up and down. He kicked the detonator with his boot, grabbed his toe in pain, and slipped into the snow.

"You have got to be kidding me." Dutch said.

Isaac had an idea. He turned to Lenny and yelled. "Come on, Lenny, quick!"

Isaac hopped off Louis and sprinted towards the hill behind them. Lenny followed without question and Javier took off beside them.

"Where did you find that moron?" He heard his father question mockingly. Dutch responded but Isaac didn't catch.

"Arthur, come on!" Javier yelled at him.

"You're pathetic. You know that?" Arthur got one last dig in at Dutch before following the three of them.

Isaac found exactly what he hoped for at the top of the hill, a ledge! They could salvage this job.

"What are you-" Lenny started

"JUMP!" Isaac threw himself off the ledge.

"Idiot…" The rest of them jumped off.

"Tuck and roll." Isaac thought to himself while the four of them crashed on top of the train. Javier fell off the train but was luckily alive. "Don't worry, I'll catch up!"

Lenny was barely hanging on to the train. "Help!"

"Don't worry. I got you." Isaac grabbed onto Lenny's arm and pulled him back up. "Javier fell off, it's just us three."

The two of them jumped onto the first train car while Arthur stayed on top. "You and me." Lenny stabbed a guard in the neck. They continued on their path and Isaac shot one of the guards in the head.

"The hell was Bill doing? He had long enough to set that charge!"

"It's my fault! I hooked the wire." Isaac shot another guard with his revolver. They soon sneaked onto the next train car.

"You want to take the lead on this?" Lenny whispered. Isaac grinned. "Sure, just follow me." Isaac snuck up to the guard who turned around. "Sorry partner." Isaac wiped him with a pistol and threw the man off the train.

"Why'd you do that?" Lenny asked.

"He's probably dead anyways." Isaac shrugged and they moved on the engine. "Come on! Colm's waiting on us."

"I got you now!" The engineer came out of hiding and hit Isaac with a broom and put him in a chokehold. "You're dead!" Isaac yelled as he tried to break free.

"You got him? I ain't got a clear shot!" Isaac took two more hits before breaking free and grabbing the man's neck.

"Please don't do this!" The man managed to breathe out. "Shut up!" Isaac choked the man until he stopped breathing and threw him down a canyon.

Isaac walked over to the engine car and hit the brakes. He jumped out of the train and collected Lenny. "Good job." They took cover near a large boulder when they saw a man jump off the train. Lenny took aim but took a sigh of relief. "It's just Arthur."

Arthur ran towards. "More guards coming from the top!"

"What the hell!" Isaac grabbed his repeater.

"Damn, he's got an army! Who is this guy?" Lenny said in disbelief as he fired another shot.

"You're doing good, kid, just stay focused!" His father praised Lenny. "Where the hell are the others?"

They didn't have good cover and the guards were outnumbering them. They were steadily making ground, Isaac to hide to reload when the rest of the gang arrived behind the train guards.

"Alright! Finish those sons of bitches!" Dutch yelled from atop The Count.

With the rest of the gang showing up, the guards were hopelessly outgunned and scattered. All were dropped within seconds.

"Will, George, get over here! We don't have time for this! Take the money and go!" Dutch asked. Isaac had almost forgotten about the codenames.

"Yes, Sir." His father said.

"We got some fellers in the last car." Dutch said

"Ah, Shit." His father moaned. Isaac rolled his eyes. That was the car they were after in the first place? The four of them joined the others as Dutch tried to reason with them.

"What are you boys planning on doing in there?" Dutch asked. "Listen to me, we don't want to kill ya… anymore of ya. I give my word, but trust me… we will."

"We work for Leviticus Cornwall." One man inside proclaimed confidently. "We got our orders."

"And I am Colm O'Driscoll! And I do not allow myself to be kept waiting!" Dutch said with splendor, his arms raised by his sides.

"We ain't opening this door." A different voice said. These guys were truly the dumbest of the dumb.

"Oh, come on, boys!" Dutch cried exasperated.

After enough refusal, Dutch was fed up. Okay. You asked for it. Five…" Dutch started counting.

"Four, Three, Two, One." Dutch counted down quickly. "Seems like our friends have gone deaf. Give 'em a good ol' fashion O'Driscoll wake-up call!"

The whole gang drew their weapons and started shooting at the car. Dozens of bullets bounced off the metal walls. It sounded like hell outside but Isaac couldn't imagine how loud it was inside. After enough bullets, Dutch called a cease-fire. To the guards' credit, nobody came out.

"You two, go blow that door open." Dutch referred to his father and Charles, before shouting at the men inside the train. "You might want to stand back for this!"

No one could say they didn't warn them. Isaac just hoped the explosion didn't kill the occupants, not after that performance from Dutch.

"Seems good enough. Lighting the fuse." Charles said.

"Here we go…" Pa said as he jogged away from the train car.

"Unless you got a death wish, I'd step back, fellers." Bill said to everyone. Isaac covered his ears.

BOOM!

The explosion flew the door leaving only the men inside. After a second, Dutch spoke again.

"Alright, come on… Just get out. We don't want to kill you… We just wanna rob your boss." The three roughed-up-looking guards limped out of the cars with their hands raised. Javier and Charles sat the men down and guarded them. "Men, get on up there and search the place." Dutch commanded. Isaac was nudged forward by his father. Lenny and Micah followed as well.

Once inside the train, Lenny took the word right out of Isaac's mouth. "Look at this place. It's a palace."

"Now I've seen everything." His father said in disbelief. "You two got the safe? We'll search the rest."

"Should be easy as cake." Micah said. "You're just gonna stand there kid, pour some brandy, will ya? I'm just parched."

"Shut up." Lenny said annoyed. "Me and A-"

"Yeah… The kids did good." Arthur interrupted quickly. Oops, right, no names. "Didn't see you rushing to jump on that train."

"They're keen, I'll give you that." Micah admitted. "Okay, let's see if we can get this open. Come on, come on. Getting there…"

Isaac searched. He grabbed frivolous things like expensive-looking chocolate, intricate glass bottles of alcohol, and fancy cigars. Not really anything useful.

"... See? This is how it's done." Micah said. The safe must be open. "Damnit, just a pile of papers. Here, make yourself useful, least we know you can read."

"Gimme those." Lenny said.

"Bonds?" Isaac asked.

"No…" Micah said. "Railroad contracts… invoices… blah blah blah. You got anything?"

"Not really." Lenny admitted. "Sugar imports from the Spanish West Indies… a lot of sugar. A land deed for 56 acres in Montana, some fancy new boat he's ordered from Europe…"

" I think I got 'em!" His father said from behind the desk. With their intended pride, they exited the car and returned to Dutch.

As they exited Isaac spoke up when he saw Lenny put the papers aside. "Take those too, L. They might be worth something." Lenny nodded in confirmation and put the papers in his satchel.

"What did you find?" Dutch asked.

"These bonds. They worth anything?" His father handed the papers to Dutch.

"Oh, sure… bearer bonds. I think they'll sell pretty easily. Well done. Now would you get rid of all this?" Dutch gestured towards the train.

"Sure, Colm." Dutch nodded.

"What about them, Colm?" Isaac asked, drawing his knife for dramatic effect. He already knew they were gonna live to spread the word. This was all an act.

"What do you think?" Dutch asked, playing along.

Isaac shrugged. "I don't know."

Dutch barked in laughter. "It's up to you. Kill 'em... Leave 'em here… Take 'em with you on the train… Just make sure they don't send folk after us." Dutch turned his horse around.

"See you boys back at camp. When you get back we'll be moving on. O'Driscolls. Let's ride!" Dutch and the others galloped away, leaving only Isaac and Father. Isaac grabbed one of the captives and threw him into the snow facefirst. Thanks to Isaac's recent growth spurt, he was a fair bit taller and had about 20 pounds on the man, which helped.

"Today's your lucky day, maggots! You get to live. Isaac cocked his gun and aimed it and the men. "Get on the train, all of you." The three men slowly got up. Isaac who was losing his patience, kneed the man who was just on the ground and aimed his revolver at his head. "Do you want me to kill him?" The men shook their heads. "Then get on the damn train!"

Two of the men got on the train car while Isaac threw the other one on. Arthur chuckled at the display.

Isaac stared at them and took the most menacing tone he could muster. "Now, don't go ratting us out… don't follow us… Or I will kill the three of you."

Arthur jogged to the front of the train with a grin. A minute later, the steam engine woke up and was on its merry way. With no further issues, the duo rode back to camp. A job well done.

Next up, The gang leaves the mountains and settles into a new home.

Book 2: Horseshoe Overlook