Chapter 32

                                    

                                          
As with everything, the camp eventually got used to the new dynamic within a month. Arthur is still understandably bitter and Abigail has decided that she doesn't need John anyway, although most of the others are convinced she's just telling herself that as a coping mechanism. Hosea seems bummed out but as always is a wavering strength for everyone else, while Dutch hasn't spoken much about it at all and instead busied himself looking into leads. 
"It's not even that bad! I can walk on it, see," Sean winces as he stands on his injured ankle, limping around and proving the opposite of his statement. 
"Sorry son, you can't come on a job in that state," Dutch exhales his cigar smoke. 
"Reckon we can do it the four of us?" asks Arthur as he runs his finger absentmindedly along the map that's splayed on the table. 
"No, we really do need five for this one." 
Ada coughs loudly, lingering nearby with a coffee mug in hand. 
"You got a cough there, miss?" Javier asks with a smirk. She smiles at the group through the rising steam and shrugs. 
Dutch sits back and sighs, tilting his head at her while he thinks. "You have someone in mind?" he teases. 
"Well," she says and leans on the table, "matter of fact yes, I do." He raises his eyebrows for her to elaborate. "Me, obviously," she gestures to herself. 
"Ideas above your station again, miss?" 
Her playful expression drops, and his does in turn. "You know, Mr Milton used to always say that to me." 
Understanding flashes over his eyes and he straightens up. "I'm just teasing." 
She shrugs. "Just funny is all. Anyway, I'm not going to beg." 
Dutch's lips turn up a fraction at her remark. "You can come along." 
She smiles triumphantly, not expecting him to give in so easily and Bill grunts in disapproval. 
"What, Williamson? I'm a better shot than you anyway, even though I wasn't in the navy." 
"Army, I was in the army," he corrects. 
"I actually think that makes it worse," she snorts. 
"You aren't coming if you're going to rile him up the entire time," Dutch points at her and she raises her hands in surrender.  
"I'll play nice if he does." 
Dutch shifts to meet Bill's grumpy gaze. "Think you can manage that, Bill?" 
"Sure," he grumbles. 
"Then that settles it. We've got a few hours, let me fill you in on the plan." 
After some alterations to his plan, mainly ensuring Ada sticks with him since she's still yet to ride a horse herself, the buzz of excitement begins to vibrate in her body. Not only has she never done a train job before, she's never done a single job with Dutch. He much prefers to be the orchestrator of jobs unless they're large ones, something she's spent a good while working towards gaining his trust for her involvement in. 
Arthur's in charge of stopping the train and dealing with the guards, Bill and Javier are to steal the payroll, and Dutch and Ada are going to deal with the driver and rob a few passengers on their way. With the sun setting, the group anxiously wait for any signs of the train while they hide out of sight near the tracks. 
"You're clear on this, right?" Dutch asks as he pulls up his red checked bandana, "you stay on my heels once it's stopped and we go right to the driver. Let me do the talking."