Chapter 14: The Midnight Bank Job
The moon hung high in the night sky, casting a silver glow over the small town of Clearwater. The streets were eerily quiet, with only the occasional bark of a distant dog or the soft rustle of wind through the deserted alleyways. It was the perfect night for a heist.
Buck crouched behind a stack of barrels near the bank’s side entrance, his eyes scanning the shadows for any signs of movement. Abilene was beside him, her revolver loaded and ready. Behind them, hidden in the darkness, the warriors of the River Tribe waited silently, their painted faces blending into the night.
"This is it," Buck whispered, glancing at Abilene.
"You ready?"
Abilene nodded, her eyes steely with determination.
"Let’s get in, get the gold, and get out. Quick and clean."
Buck smirked at the plan’s simplicity, knowing full well that things rarely went according to plan.
"Stay sharp. Boone’s men are bound to be nearby, even this late."
He motioned for Chief Red Hawk, who stood a few paces behind, to signal his men. The chief nodded, and with a silent hand gesture, the warriors began to spread out, positioning themselves around the bank to cover all angles. Their role was clear: ensure no one got in or out without Buck and Abilene’s say-so.
Buck slowly approached the bank’s door, pulling a small set of tools from his pocket. The door’s lock was old, and with a bit of luck and skill, he hoped to pick it quietly. He crouched down, inserting a pick into the lock and working it with practiced precision. Abilene stood guard, her eyes flicking between the darkened streets and the door.
After a tense few moments, there was a soft click. Buck pushed the door open, and they slipped inside, the heavy door closing behind them with a barely audible thud.
The interior of the bank was dimly lit by the moonlight filtering through the windows. The walls were lined with wooden counters and shelves, all meticulously organized. At the back, the vault door loomed like a giant iron beast, its thick, reinforced surface designed to keep thieves out.
Buck nodded towards the vault.
"That’s where the gold is. Let’s move."
They crept through the bank, every footstep carefully placed to avoid making a sound. When they reached the vault, Buck knelt before the massive door, examining the combination lock. It was complex, far more sophisticated than the simple door lock, but Buck had cracked worse in his time.
"Keep an eye on the front," he whispered to Abilene as he began working on the lock.
"If anyone comes in, we’re in trouble."
Abilene gave a short nod, moving to stand near the entrance to the bank’s lobby, her revolver held ready. Her heart pounded in her chest as she strained to hear any noise from outside. The silence was oppressive, making every creak and groan of the building seem like a potential threat.
After what felt like an eternity, there was a soft click from the vault. Buck let out a quiet sigh of relief as the massive door slowly swung open, revealing stacks of gold bars and bags of coins inside.
"We’re in," Buck whispered, flashing a quick grin at Abilene.
She returned the smile, and together, they began loading the gold into sacks. It was slow, heavy work, but they moved quickly, knowing that every second they spent inside the bank increased the risk of being caught.
Outside, Chief Red Hawk and his warriors kept watch, their keen eyes scanning the darkness for any signs of trouble. The town remained still, but the tension in the air was palpable.
Just as they were filling the last sack, Abilene heard a noise from outside a soft thud, followed by the faint crunch of boots on gravel. She froze, her grip tightening on her revolver.
"Buck," she hissed, "we’ve got company."
Buck’s head snapped up, and he cursed under his breath.
"How many?"
"Can’t tell," Abilene replied, peering through the shadows.
"But it sounds like more than a couple."
"Dammit," Buck muttered. He finished tying off the last sack and slung it over his shoulder.
"Let’s get out of here before they realize what’s going on."
They moved quickly toward the back door, but just as they reached it, the bank’s alarm suddenly blared to life, its piercing wail shattering the quiet night. Buck and Abilene’s heads whipped around, their eyes wide with shock.
"Shit!" Buck spat. "The alarm—someone must have triggered it from the outside!"
The realization hit Abilene like a punch to the gut. "Boone’s men—"
Before she could finish, the front door of the bank burst open, and a group of armed men stormed in, guns drawn. The warriors of the River Tribe sprang into action, engaging the intruders in a fierce melee.
Buck and Abilene didn’t hesitate. They fired their revolvers, taking down the first few men who crossed the threshold. The interior of the bank erupted into chaos, bullets flying, shouts echoing off the walls, and the metallic scent of blood filling the air.
"Get to cover!" Buck shouted over the din, ducking behind a nearby counter as bullets splintered the wood around him.
Abilene followed suit, crouching behind a heavy desk and returning fire. She saw one of the River Tribe warriors fall, blood staining his chest, but he continued to fight, using his last breath to take down another of Boone’s men.
"We need to get out of here!" Abilene yelled, her voice barely audible over the chaos.
Buck nodded, his mind racing. "Chief!" he called out to Red Hawk, who was in the thick of the fight, wielding a tomahawk with deadly precision. "We need to fall back! Grab the gold and go!"
Red Hawk gave a sharp nod, signaling to his remaining warriors to retreat. They grabbed the sacks of gold, but the retreat was anything but orderly. The gunfire was relentless, and for every step they took toward the door, more of Boone’s men seemed to pour in.
Just as they reached the door, Buck felt a searing pain in his side. He looked down to see blood spreading across his shirt, a bullet having found its mark. He gritted his teeth, refusing to slow down. They had come too far to be stopped now.
"Go, go, go!" Buck urged, pushing Abilene ahead of him as they stumbled out into the night.
The town was no longer silent. The alarm had drawn attention, and lights flickered on in the nearby buildings as townsfolk woke to the sounds of battle. But Buck and Abilene had no time to worry about that. They needed to get away, fast.
They sprinted through the streets, the River Tribe warriors close behind, carrying what gold they could. More of Boone’s men appeared, firing at them from windows and rooftops. Buck and Abilene fired back, trying to keep them at bay while they made their escape.
"Chief!" Abilene called out, glancing over her shoulder. "We need to split up! They’re too close!"
Red Hawk nodded, understanding the situation. "We will lead them away. You take the gold and run!"
Without waiting for a response, Red Hawk and a group of warriors broke off, drawing the fire of Boone’s men and leading them in the opposite direction. Buck and Abilene, along with a few of the remaining warriors, continued toward the edge of town, where their horses were hidden.
As they reached the horses, Abilene helped Buck into the saddle, noting the blood still seeping from his wound. "You’re not dying on me, Buck," she said firmly, her voice betraying none of the fear she felt.
"Wouldn’t dream of it," Buck grunted, managing a weak smile.
They spurred their horses into a gallop, the sound of gunfire still ringing in their ears as they raced away from the town. The weight of the gold made their escape slower than they would have liked, but they didn’t dare leave it behind. It was the key to funding their fight against Boone, and they couldn’t afford to lose it.
As they reached the cover of the nearby forest, Buck finally allowed himself to breathe a little easier. The darkness of the trees offered some protection, and the sounds of pursuit were fading.
"We made it," Abilene said, her voice tinged with relief as they slowed their horses to a trot.
"Barely," Buck replied, wincing as the pain in his side flared up again. "We need to get to the hideout and patch up the wounded."
Abilene nodded, glancing back at the warriors who had made it out with them. They were battered and bloodied, but they were alive. They had survived the heist, but the cost had been high.
As they rode deeper into the forest, the weight of their injuries and the gold weighing heavily on their minds, Abilene couldn’t shake the feeling that this was just the beginning of something much bigger and far more dangerous.