"I saw you and Dutch at Jack's party," Molly's voice sneered. Grace attempted to ignore the fiery red head that stood before her. "Don't play coy with me," she continued. Grace shut her novel Mary-Beth had lent her, looking up at the angry woman. Her fringe that escaped from her side braid flicked to the side as she shook her head, her fringe falling perfectly to the side. "He has a thing for you, just like Miss Gaskill."
"Molly, I can't be bothered with this," Grace sighed, placing her book in her lap as she looked up at Molly. "I don't have any interest in Dutch, he is all yours."
"Except he don't want me!" Molly spat. Her finger darted towards Grace, her eyes narrowing into a harsh glare. "He wants you. A manly woman, not one of worth like me."
"Excuse me?" Grace questioned, tilting her head in disgust at Molly. "Maybe if you provided for the camp like the rest of us, his opinion of you would change. Molly, you're a sweet lady but you're losing it."
"I'm losing it?" She laughed, almost shouting. Grace looked past Molly towards the fountain to see a crowd building. She spotted Charles and John onlooking with Micah, the three of them watching the argument outbreak. "You all are talking about me! How am I losing it? What happened to being a family? Such as family!"
"Damnit, Molly," Grace sighed as she stood up from the wooden chair, placing the book down on the chair she was sitting on. "Why can't you just let me have one moment of peace?" She muttered.
"Look at you, prowling around like all mighty! You think you're all tough because you dress in man's clothes and carry a gun," Molly hissed, taking a step closer to her. Grace tensed up, her breath hitching as she held back her anger.
"Molly, drop it!" Sadie shouted as she stood to the left. Molly looked over at Sadie before back at Grace.
"At least she knows her place unlike you," Molly spat. Grace chuckled before biting her lower lip, attempting to hide her anger. Without thinking, Grace's hand was wrapped around Molly's neck, spinning her around to the wall and holding her up against the wall. Molly gasped in alarm, fear jumping out of her eyes.
"Belittle me again, bitch, and I'll kill you myself. I'll suffer the consequences," Grace warned. Molly gasped for air, Grace heard Charles call out to her, warning her to stop. Grace stared down into Molly's eyes before dropping her grip, letting go of her. Molly's hand reached for her throat, rubbing it. "Molly, I'm going to tell you this once. Dutch don't love you and you're not cut out for this. You should go back home to your family," Grace's voice softened. Molly looked at her, her eyes watering. Grace didn't say anything else before turning away and leaving Molly. Micah was chuckling while he stood with Charles and John, both of them giving Grace the look. "What? She needs to learn," Grace sighed as she joined them.
"But is that really the way?" Charles questioned, looking past her to see Molly rush back inside.
"She has been getting in my face for a while now, it's about time she learns," Grace argued. Charles sighed, shaking his head slightly.
"Well, while you put on a good show," Micah began, his snake-like eyes staring at Grace. "There's a train leaving Saint Denis soon, figured we go park up somewhere and wait for it. Ride with us," Micah explained. Grace scoffed, looking at John and Charles in disbelief.
"You want me to ride with him? Why are you two even taking him on a goddamn train robbery? He'll kill everyone," Grace argued.
"Because it was my idea! Now I can easily take Marion if you don't want to come," Micah interrupted Charles and John from speaking up.
"Marion?" John questioned, looking confused. Charles chuckled, Grace also confused to whom Marion was.
"Williamson," Micah explained. "You really believed his name was actually Bill? Bill Williamson? Don't that sound funny? Obviously it's fake."
"What's even on this train?" Grace interrupted, not wanting to get into a debate about Bill's real name. She wasn't surprised Micah would make fun of Bill's real name, any way to torment the gang. "Other than blood for you to spill."
"Very funny," Micah stated sarcastically. He waved a hand for them to follow him as he led them to the horses. "Jewels, money. Rich folk leaving Saint Denis," Micah explained. "Figured take you three since you lot helped Arthur with that train back in Scarlett Meadows. Would take Sean but..."
"Don't make your stupid jokes, Micah," Charles sighed. Grace nodded as she agreed with Charles. Micah would be the only person she could think of who would be crazy enough to joke about death. "Does Dutch know about this train?"
"Well, no. Dutch is at a place called Lagras. Couldn't run it by Hosea since he is off planning in Saint Denis, same with Arthur except he is on a boat gambling," Micah sneered. "That man has some free time."
"He is robbing the boat," Grace clarified. Micah chuckled lightly, reaching his horse. He lifted a foot into the stirrup of the saddle.
"Sure."
Grace turned to her horse, lifting herself up into her saddle. Once she sat down in the saddle, she petted the horse's neck. "Come on, I'll lead the way," Micah informed. The three of them trailed behind Micah as he led them out of camp. "The train will be leaving out North of Saint Denis, passing through the swamps towards a small town called Van Horn. Heard the train is stopping at a mining town called Annesburg," Micah informed. "We'll hit the train once it gets out of the mud flats, just far enough from Saint Denis to avoid the law from hearing guns."
"Why the hell are we using guns?" John questioned. "We ain't killing these people!"
"To scare them, scarface," Micah ensured. Grace didn't believe that for a second. Every time Micah was involved in something, it involved killing people. Grace never understood how Dutch didn't kick him out after shooting up Strawberry for his guns. "You two going to question me like Marston?" Micah hissed to Charles and Grace.
"It's on my mind," Charles warned causing Micah to chuckle.
"We got a group of comedians I see," Micah joked sarcastically, once again. "Can we just shut up and ride?"
"Gladly," Grace muttered, John and Charles grinning at her comment. The group followed Micah the rest of the way in silence, following him as he led them on the road around Saint Denis towards the swamps. Grace hadn't been to Van Horn or Annesburg before but today she didn't plan on going, not when they have a train to rob. As much as Grace didn't want to be apart of this, she couldn't just leave the three of them to do it. She would have felt guilty if she hung back and plus she needed to get away from Molly. Her and Molly never were close but they would support each other when need be, like how everyone does. But the Molly she knew was gone, this was a new Molly. For ages Molly had been slipping deeper and deeper into a dark hole but now Grace realised no one but Molly can save herself. There's no way Molly can save herself when she believes she is fine.
"Alright," Micah began as the group rode across a bridge, separating them from the swamps. Grace watched as he pointed with a hand to a tree line. "We'll wait it out in there. The train tracks are just there," Micah pointed out the train tracks, across from the tree line. "Once the train passes the bridge we just rode over, we jump it. We won't be able to get the train to stop, or can we?" Micah asked as the group came to a halt, joining him. His eyes locked onto Grace. "I have an idea."
"Whatever it is, no," Grace began, she knew that look involved her in his plan. He chuckled, looking quickly at Charles and John. "You will be a damsel in distress, tied on the tracks. The train will stop for a lady," Micah began. Grace hadn't even gotten a word out when Micah already pulled the lasso from his saddle horn.
"And what if the train don't stop?" John asked, scoffing at him. Micah looked at John, looking at him like he was stupid.
"It will stop, no train conductor will just hit a person. That's against the law."
"Micah, there has to another way," Charles argued, not liking the idea of putting Grace's life at risk. Micah threw his hands up in defeat.
"Look, if it don't work you can kill me. It will work, I know it will," Micah offered. The three of them exchanged looks, Grace knew this all relied on her. What they all said didn't mean shit, it was her life at stake.
"This better be a damn good take," Grace grunted as she swung out of the saddle, landing on her feet. Micah laughed, dismounting also. Grace handed her reins to Charles, John taking Micah's reins. Micah and Grace jogged over to the train tracks Micah had pointed out, Charles and John hiding in the tree lines, the horses hitched to low hanging branches. "I mean it, Micah. If we get nothing you'll be as good as dead," Grace warned.
"It will be, from what I heard," Micah reassured. The two of them stood on the train tracks, looking down the track that led to Saint Denis. They knew the train would be departing from Saint Denis soon. Micah pulled out his pocket watch from his jean's pocket, looking at the time. "It'll be leaving soon," Micah informed, shoving the pocket watch away again. Grace laid down on her stomach, the tracks cold and uncomfortable through her shirt.
"This train better hurry up, I am already uncomfortable," Grace hissed, feeling Micah above her as rope moved around her wrists. "Not too tight, in case I have to bail," Grace informed. Micah nodded, tying the rope not too tight but enough to look legit. "Can you hurry up, I don't like you being on top of me," Grace spat, noticing Micah was taking too long. Micah laughed, quickly moving to her ankles and tying them together. Micah stood up, Grace turned her head to look over at him. He stood beside the tracks, looking down towards where the train would be coming from. Grace could feel the tracks rumbling, announcing a train was coming. "Get ready, it's coming," Grace nodded towards the tree line. Micah nodded at her, mouthing good luck before running towards the tree line to join Charles and John. Grace looked over to see them all peaking out of the tree line, masked and armed to the teeth. Grace looked down the railroad to see the train making an appearance, the roar of the train getting louder as it approached.