Chapter 5 - Blood on the RailroadThe first explosion shook the valley at 12:17.
Creed had dynamited the western bridge.
Dominic’s riders were trapped on the opposite side.
Chloe and Leo approached from the south.
Smoke rolled across the tracks.
Gunfire echoed between canyon walls.
“This is madness,” Chloe whispered.
Leo loaded his Winchester.
“Welcome to Moretti family business.”
“I’m not family.”
Leo looked at her.
“Could’ve fooled me.”
They descended into the canyon.
Creed’s men controlled the rail depot.
Dominic was pinned behind an overturned freight wagon.
Chloe saw him.
Then saw the gunman approaching from behind.
History repeated itself.
Only this time there was no bill.
No charcoal.
No time.
Chloe raised her rifle.
She fired.
The bullet struck the gunman’s leg.
Dominic spun and finished the fight.
When he saw Chloe, rage crossed his face.
He stormed toward her.
“What are you doing here?”
“Saving you again.”
“I told you to stay at the ranch.”
“I stopped taking orders.”
“This isn’t a joke.”
“I’m not laughing.”
Another explosion interrupted them.
Leo shouted.
“Domestic dispute later!”
They fought toward the depot.
Inside, they discovered crates.
Hundreds of rifles.
Ammunition.
Dynamite.
Her father had been right.
The railroad was camouflage for weapons trafficking.
Creed intended to arm gangs across three territories.
Dominic stared at the crates.
“This isn’t about money anymore.”
“What is it about?”
“Power.”
Then they heard a slow clap.
Silas stood above them on the loading platform.
“Finally.”
Twenty rifles appeared.
They were surrounded.
Silas smiled.
“Dominic, you always did arrive exactly where I wanted.”
Dominic looked around.
“You planned this.”
“Of course.”
Silas looked at Chloe.
“And you brought me the deed.”
Chloe’s hand instinctively touched her coat.
The original Copper Ridge deed was inside.
Silas smiled wider.
“Thank you.”
Dominic whispered:
“Run when I say.”
Chloe answered:
“No.”
“Chloe.”
“I’m done running.”
Silas sighed.
“How touching.”
Then one of Creed’s men collapsed.
A gunshot echoed from the ridge.
Another fell.
Moretti riders appeared along the canyon.
Dominic smiled.
“You talk too much, Silas.”
Chaos erupted.
Chloe crawled behind crates.
Dominic and Leo fired.
Creed escaped through the depot.
Chloe chased him.
She found him beside a locomotive.
Silas grabbed her.
A knife pressed against her throat.
Dominic appeared.
His gun aimed at Silas.
“Let her go.”
Silas laughed.
“There it is.”
“What?”
“Your weakness.”
Dominic’s hand did not shake.
“You think caring makes men weak.”
“It does.”
“No.”
Dominic’s eyes met Chloe’s.
“It gives them something worth becoming stronger for.”
Chloe understood his glance.
She slammed her heel onto Silas’s boot.
He flinched.
She twisted.
Dominic fired.
The bullet struck Silas’s shoulder.
He released her and fell backward.
But before Dominic could reach him, Silas rolled beneath the moving locomotive.
For one horrifying second Chloe thought he had been crushed.
Then she saw him hanging from the opposite side.
The train accelerated.
Silas escaped.
Again.
Dominic reached Chloe.
He touched her face.
“You hurt?”
“No.”
“You sure?”
“Yes.”
Then he kissed her forehead.
Not her mouth.
Somehow that felt more intimate.
Behind them, the weapons depot burned.
They had won the battle.
But Silas had escaped with something worse than weapons.
He had stolen Chloe’s deed.
And without it, Copper Ridge legally belonged to whoever could prove ownership.
Creed already had corrupt judges waiting.
May you like
The next war would not be fought entirely with guns.
It would be fought with paper.
Related Stories
