Chapter 7: The Armored Caravan Raid
The morning sun peeked over the horizon, casting long shadows across the desert as Buck, Abilene, and the Sand Vipers lay hidden among the rocky outcrops. The air was tense with anticipation, the silence broken only by the distant rumble of an approaching caravan. They had scouted this route for days, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
Buck adjusted the brim of his hat, his sharp eyes scanning the dusty trail ahead.
“Remember, we hit them hard and fast. No hesitation,” he said, his voice low but commanding.
“We need that gold, and we can’t afford to let any of Boone’s men get away.”
Abilene nodded beside him, her rifle at the ready. Her fingers flexed around the cool metal, adrenaline already pumping through her veins.
“And if Boone’s guards put up a fight?”
“Then we show them why they should’ve stayed home,” Buck replied with a grim smile.
Serpent, still bandaged from the duel but ready for battle, gave a low chuckle from the other side of the outcrop.
“Those boys won’t know what hit ‘em. Ain’t nobody crosses the Sand Vipers and lives to tell about it.”
The Vipers were spread out along the ridgeline, their weapons trained on the road below. They were a rough lot, hardened by years in the desert, and their loyalty had been hard won. But today, they fought for something more than just survival they fought to bring down Boone, and for that, they would fight to the last man.
The sound of hooves and the creaking of wagon wheels grew louder, and Buck held up a hand, signaling everyone to stay low. The armored caravan came into view, flanked by a dozen of Boone’s heavily armed guards on horseback. The wagon itself was a fortress on wheels, reinforced with steel plates and bristling with guns.
“Damn, they’re well-protected,” Abilene whispered, eyeing the convoy.
“But we’ve faced worse odds, haven’t we?”
Buck gave a curt nod.
“We’ve got the high ground and the element of surprise. That’s all we need.”
As the caravan drew closer, Buck’s heart pounded in his chest. This was it the moment they’d been waiting for.
“On my signal,” he murmured, gripping his rifle tightly.
“Three… two… one… now!”
The desert erupted in a hail of gunfire as the Sand Vipers unleashed their ambush. Bullets rained down on the caravan, striking men and horses alike. The guards shouted in alarm, scrambling to return fire, but the Vipers had the upper hand.
Buck fired off shot after shot, picking off guards with deadly precision. Beside him, Abilene’s rifle cracked as she took down a gunman on the wagon’s roof. The Vipers were like a well-oiled machine, moving with ruthless efficiency, cutting down their enemies with brutal skill.
The caravan lurched to a halt as the horses reared and screamed, the chaos of the attack overwhelming the guards. But Boone’s men were no strangers to battle they quickly regrouped, returning fire with a fury. The clash of gunfire echoed across the desert, the acrid smell of gunpowder filling the air.
“Take out the drivers!” Buck shouted, his voice barely audible over the din of battle. “We need to stop that wagon!”
Serpent and a few other Vipers broke cover, charging down the slope towards the caravan. Bullets whizzed past them, kicking up dust and sand, but they pressed on, their eyes fixed on the prize. Serpent fired his revolver as he ran, dropping a guard who had been aiming for him.
Buck watched as Serpent reached the wagon, leaping onto the side and yanking one of the drivers out of his seat. The man hit the ground with a thud, and Serpent quickly took his place, wrestling control of the horses.
Abilene wasn’t far behind, taking out a second driver with a well-placed shot. She sprinted toward the wagon, ducking under a hail of bullets, and pulled herself up beside Serpent.
“Let’s get this thing moving!” she shouted, grabbing the reins.
But before they could take off, more of Boone’s guards appeared from the rear of the caravan, firing relentlessly at the Vipers. Buck’s heart sank as he saw one of their own, a young man named Red, take a bullet to the chest. He fell to the ground, blood seeping into the sand.
“Red’s down!” one of the Vipers shouted, panic creeping into his voice.
“Keep fighting!” Buck roared back, taking down another guard with a single, deadly shot.
“We can’t let them win!”
Serpent urged the horses forward, and the wagon lurched into motion. But Boone’s men weren’t giving up without a fight. They closed in on the wagon, determined to protect the gold at all costs.
Abilene leaned out of the wagon, firing at the guards as they galloped alongside. Her aim was true, but there were too many of them. A bullet grazed her arm, and she hissed in pain, but she didn’t let it slow her down.
“Buck, we need help over here!” she called, her voice strained.
Buck didn’t hesitate. He grabbed the nearest Viper, a grizzled veteran named Hawk, and together they charged down to the wagon, covering each other as they ran. The heat of the battle was overwhelming, the noise deafening, but Buck’s focus was razor-sharp.
As they reached the wagon, Buck swung up beside Abilene, taking over the reins.
“Get inside!” he ordered, his eyes blazing with determination.
“I’ll drive, you keep them off us!”
Abilene nodded, quickly scrambling inside the armored wagon. She could hear the gold clinking as the wagon rattled over the rough terrain, a heavy reminder of what was at stake.
With Buck at the reins, the wagon picked up speed, careening down the trail with Boone’s guards in hot pursuit. Hawk stayed on the rear of the wagon, his shotgun booming as he fired at the pursuing riders.
“We can’t outrun them forever!” Abilene shouted over the roar of the wind.
“We don’t have to,” Buck replied, his voice cold and calculating. “We just need to get to the pass.”
The pass narrow, treacherous, and perfect for an ambush. Buck had scouted the area days before, knowing that if things went south, it would be their only chance to turn the tide. And now, with Boone’s men closing in, it was their last hope.
The wagon raced toward the pass, the rocky walls looming ahead like the jaws of a beast. The sound of hooves thundered behind them, Boone’s guards determined to reclaim the gold. But Buck was ready.
As they entered the pass, Buck yanked on the reins, bringing the wagon to a sudden halt. The pursuing guards didn’t have time to react—they barreled into the narrow opening, their speed working against them.
“Now!” Buck shouted.
The Vipers, who had been lying in wait among the rocks, opened fire, catching the guards in a deadly crossfire. The narrow pass became a killing ground as bullets tore through flesh and bone, the guards’ cries of pain echoing off the canyon walls.
Buck jumped down from the wagon, his revolver blazing as he joined the fray. He fought with a cold, ruthless efficiency, every shot finding its mark. The Vipers were merciless, cutting down the remaining guards with brutal precision.
But the victory came at a cost. As the last of Boone’s men fell, Buck saw Serpent stagger and collapse, blood pouring from a wound in his side. Abilene was at his side in an instant, her hands pressed against the wound, trying to stem the bleeding.
“Stay with me, Serpent,” she urged, her voice trembling with emotion. “You’re not dying on me, you hear?”
Serpent gave a weak chuckle, his eyes half-closed. “Reckon I’ve been through worse,” he muttered, his voice barely a whisper.
Buck knelt beside him, his face grim.
“We need to get him to the doc, fast,” he said, looking around at the battered and bloodied Vipers. “We did it, but we paid the price.”
Abilene nodded, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.
“We’ll get him there. We’re not losing anyone else today.”
With the gold secured, Buck and Abilene quickly organized the Vipers to transport Serpent and the other wounded back to their hideout. The fight had been won, but the cost weighed heavily on them all.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the desert, Buck and Abilene knew that their war with Boone was far from over. The caravan raid was just the beginning, a single victory in a long, bloody battle.
But for now, they had gold in their pockets and the resolve to keep fighting. And as they made their way back through the desert, the Sand Vipers by their side, they knew that they wouldn’t rest until Boone was brought to justice.
The desert night was cool, the stars twinkling above like distant beacons. But the road ahead was fraught with danger, and Buck and Abilene were ready to face it, together.