Ch. 01 - Feather and a Knife

Envy motioned for Fox to move to her feet, who moved precariously. The conductor smiled at him warmly and passed her revolver to his hands, nodding to him to move along. As they exited the car, the older man's expression darkened, and he moved to sit with an irritated sigh.

"C'mon girly, let's take a walk and get your lil' gal pal." Bandit was cheeky as he drew her arms roughly behind her back and tied her wrists with twine, pushing her forward to start toward the railroad depot in walking distance just ahead. "Boys, make sure loverboy and his friends don't get any bright ideas, yeah? Anybody move, light 'em up."

"Gotcha boss." Rooster held the sniper firm to the back of Sidewinder's head, whose expression was hard and unreadable. Fox started on quickly, her heart pounding beneath her breast. Some part of her debated running... and some part of her knew the thought would only make things more dangerous for her companions.

"You're as dumb as you look, huh? You think any of this is gonna work out for you?" Fox laughed mockingly.

"Sure it will, pretty. I'll let you in on a lil' secret, too. Second this train pulls off, your man's good as dead—your friends, too. Trains bound for Vegas, probably got a few stops to make... We'll ride the highway down till the horses drop. I'll pick you up there." The venomous, taunting tone of Bandit's voice lowered as he reached out and grasped her ass. Fox twisted her hands and locked her fingers around his wrist, digging her long nails into his skin. She spun around abruptly and found herself staring down the barrel of his pistol as he grinned. "I'm gonna have fun breaking you in."

"You're gonna die. Painfully." She sneered.

"March." He motioned her along with the gun, and she picked up her step to stay out of his reach.

Maravilla had already started toward them before they neared the depot. The closer she got of course, the more she realized something wasn't right. She froze on the sand as Fox came closer, her expression grave with the dark clad mercenary at her back.

"Looks like you ladies are taking a lil' trip." Bandit laughed and tossed his head to signal them both to start back toward the train. The fear reflected in the young latina woman's eyes seemed to amplify at that, and after a moment's pause she moved quickly to Fox's side, looping her arm with the tall redhead's.

"What the fuck, Fox!" Mara's voice was a hushed, panicked whisper as they started back toward the train. Fox kept her step up, wanting to keep well out of Bandit's reach.

"Where's Pup?!" Fox hissed.

"He slipped off! I was hoping he came to you! Jesus, Fox, what the hell happened?!" Maravilla cast a nervous glance at the mercenary at their back, whose sly smile seemed a permanent fixture on his face.

"Fucking snakes double crossed us... Envy too." Fox bit back the fear in her own voice the nearer they got to the engine. "The train is taking us."

"I'm sure y'all will have plenty to chat about on the trip west. Quiet down. Head off to the right, opposite your boys. Keep on to the fourth car." Bandit's tone was harsh as they passed by the locomotive's engine, keeping close to the women as they approached several armed and very aggravated men standing at the cattle car. There were hushed voices inside. The thick lock and rusted chains were removed before the door was slid open. The men were not gentle, prying Maravilla from Fox's arm and forcing her up into the dark car.

Fox felt pressure against the length of her braid as Bandit winded a hand around it sharply, drawing her back into him. She bristled in anger struggling against him despite the pain she was causing to her tender scalp as she fought him. His firearm was shoved into the holster, and he coiled his free arm, leaning in to whisper against her ear. "Be seein' you soon, pretty."

"Move it along." One of the gruff men snapped.

Bandit released her braid and raised his hands in the air with a smug grin. He turned and started back around the motionless train. Fox felt her heart catch in her throat as she was pushed into the car. The chorus of fearful whimpers from the captive women were no more comforting than the threats of the mercenary. She turned to watch the door slide shut, casting them into darkness. Fox turned around and blinked rapidly, her eyes adjusting in the dark revealing the silvery faces of the women huddled against the far wall. She started across the worn wood, curling her fingers tightly around Maravilla's trembling hand.

"The dumbasses left me with my dagger holster. Probably didn't realize what it was. I've got the rattler venom, too. We going to get the fuck out of here the next time this train stops..." Her voice wavered, but her determination was fierce. "Sidewinder won't be far behind us. You trust me, right?"

"Of course I do." Mara's sorrowful smile betrayed the fear in her voice. Fox scanned the cattle car for anything of use, finding little more than slits to filter air into the sweltering box along the steel roof. She took a deep breath, and dragged Maravilla with her to the right of the sliding door.

"We're... we're going to be alright."

The opposite side of the train was no less rigid as the nomads and Sidewinder's gang remained locked in a standoff. Sidewinder remained still. His arms slowly lowered to his sides as he passed his steely gaze from Bones, to Gunner, and then Smiles. The signals were slight. A small turn of his head. A twitch of his fingers. They had been tight knit long enough to read the signs, and they knew their strengths. Bandit soon rejoined the group as the train surged back to life. The engine roared at the head of the cars in tow, and the wheels began to roll.

It was a last-minute decision Envy made, reaching for the edge of the open door, hoisting himself back up into the private coach. The conductor stood just past the door and beamed at him, rather pleased that he'd managed to recruit out of the nuisance situation. The youngster didn't bother to look back. If he stayed, he'd be dead in the next few minutes. That was very much his expectation of Bandit's crew as soon as the train picked up speed to clear the ghost town.

"Wise choice, my boy. Have you got a name?" The conductor clapped him sharply on the back and gestured to the comfortable seating, sighing as he felt the air conditioner kick on as the train lurched back to life.

"Envy, sir." His voice was quiet, but unshaken. The door between the gangway slid open, and several of the injured men who he'd helped early subdue entered the car, sliding the side door shut and securing it rapidly. They were armed once again, though he wasn't awfully worried. He, Sidewinder and Bandit had made short work of them. It seemed those high powered rifles were just for show.

"Oh heavens no, not that ugly thing. An old, superstitious relic from the past—those little 'codenames'. What is the name your parents gave you?" The conductor chuckled as he set his attention on the deep cut still bleeding along the joint of his pinky.

"... Adrien." The younger man sighed quietly to the strange, foreign feel of his name on his tongue. "Adrien du Bois."

"Arthur Lee Prescott. I am an investor, and gratefully, a soon to be retired conductor for Baron Charles Blythe's Trading Company. I don't think I can handle much more of these highwaymen and train robbers these days. Nasty business of those sorts. Anyway, you've made a bright step in securing your future. I'll take it that it was your clever thoughts—recognizing your company were after foolish endeavors and their hired assistance were just as untrustworthy—to commend. We'll be back on schedule! I'll put in a good word for you in Angels, Mr. Adrien du Bois!"

"... I guess. Something like that," Envy frowned and looked down, the shaggy clusters of gold framing his thin face. He didn't expect shit to go this way, not for a second. If anything, he just wanted to scare her a bit. Make her rethink her rash decisions and the hot headed temper that seemed to rule her. He had never expected things to go this far. He had no one to blame but himself for trusting Bandit. Envy shook himself from his thoughts, and steeled his gaze as he looked up to Arthur and forced a smile. "Thank you, sir."

The train thundered. It sounded so much louder from inside, and the heat was nearly unbearable, even with the draft slots opened at the roof of the cattle car. Fox couldn't help but pace after a few hours of sitting restlessly, twirling one of her daggers. Her sense of calm eroded rapidly until she desperately tried to pry the door open with the sharpened carbon steel. It didn't budge in the slightest. The song of quiet sobs of the fifteen or so unfamiliar women of all different walks huddled against the farthest wall raked her nerves. She could hardly blame them. Fox would never admit it, but she was terrified.

It was difficult to tell when the sun set from inside the sweltering death trap. The train slowed, and when it finally halted completely, she heard the haunting hymn behind her rise to a chorus of panic. Maravilla moved to her side and took her hand, squeezing so hard she felt she'd leave her bruised.

"They're... they're frightened for a reason, Fox." Maravilla whispered.

There was no way to tell where they were or what was happening, but they surely couldn't have made it far. There was little around Caliente, with almost every town between here and Vegas long deserted well before the fucking world ended. Fox dragged her forearm against her brow and listened as the old chains holding the doors rattled. The door slid harshly.

She squinted as her eyes adjusted to the change in light; the sky painted beautifully in deep reds and golds. The sun was dipping beneath the horizon. Several armed men stood out over the rough terrain; there was little behind them and not much else to see but the long barrel of dark steel as they angled their semi-automatic rifles towards the only two women standing. The headman whistled loudly to draw all eyes. "Everybody out. Head down to the creek."

The fearful voices died down at the direction, and the other women slowly pushed away from the wall, filing meekly around Fox and Maravilla to hop down from the train car and begin their journey toward the stretch of Meadow Valley Wash that ran alongside the railroad. The unfamiliar man smirked and jerked the rifle. "I said out. Don't get any ideas unless you want to spend the rest of your trip hogtied for being stupid."

Fox fought to hold her tongue, edging to the ledge, keeping tight to Mara's hand as they dropped and fell into the line of girls marching to the stream. The other women didn't need direction. They found what meager privacy they could among the trees and brush dotting the edge of the weak stream to do their business and undress before moving into the waters to wash the sweat and grime from their bodies. Maravilla glanced over her shoulder, the armed guards statues lewdly observing their captives with smug grins, laughing and wolf whistling all the while.

"I'm not. Fuck this," Mara mumbled in disgust and shook her head.

"Me either. I don't care if it's a hundred days until we reach California..." Fox didn't dare look back, not wanting to draw any sort of attention to them. She felt they were already standing out hesitating while the other women herded along like sheep. It seemed seconds passed before the crunching of the gravel drew Mara's attention back, and the tall, muscular man who ordered them from the car stood at their back.

"You need to relieve yourself or want water, now's the time. It's a hundred miles from here to the next stop." The gruff voice of the stranger held traces of amusement as he lowered his rifle. "Strip and bathe, ladies. You've got ten minutes."

Maravilla looked to the teenager at her side with clear discomfort, fighting back the urge to shudder as she chewed her bottom lip nervously. Fox clenched her teeth hard and shook her head slowly, despite the tone of the man at their back. He wasn't giving them a polite suggestion, but a demand.

"You two need some help with it?"

"We're fine. We've got it." Fox turned her head to look at him over her shoulder, forcing a sly smile over her lips to placate their pushy guard.

"Yeah, I thought so." He sneered. Fox felt no comfort in the man turning away from them and starting back toward his party, dropping the forced expression the moment she turned her head again. Maravilla's fearful gaze flickered from Fox to the stream.

"I'll stand in front. You first, be quick." Fox sighed and pulled Maravilla down toward the edge of the stream, turning her back to the other woman, who was only a few years older than she was. Mara quickly undid the long braids of her hair before she peeled her clothing off bit by bit with unsteady hands. The jeering calls from behind them were unnerving. Fox crossed her arms haughtily with her chin high while blocking what she could as Maravilla stripped bare, anxiously covering her full chest as she quickly waded into the water and rushed her way through cupping handfuls of water against her bare tanned skin.

"Move it, red!"

"Aw, come on! Don't be shy! Let's see those tits!"

"Can't hide it forever, sweetheart!"

Fox felt her face flush deeply in her anger, hugging herself tightly as she fought the impulse to lash out and struggled not to judge the distance between herself and the guards. Three daggers to four men. She had a sliver of a chance of not being shot by the survivor for killing the other three. She turned her head and watched Maravilla leave the stream, drying herself as best she could with the dark shirt she wore before rapidly pulling her clothing on.

The sound of the same tall, muscular man approaching ripped her attention back as Mara hastily pulled her shirt down over her chest and stomach as the man whistled loudly once more. "Time's up, back in the car!"

It wasn't ten minutes. Mara moved to take her hand swiftly, but just as the women moved to pass him by, he reached to grasp Fox's shoulder and held her back. Maravilla hesitated, her eyes dancing between the armed guard and the teenager in panic, whose gaze darkened as she was stopped.

"Not you. Back with the others, senorita. Your girlfriend's earned herself a little alone time." He chuckled low and tightened his grip on her shoulder.

"Fox—" Mara's voice was a high-pitched whine, looking at the teen, who shook her head slowly.

"... Go on. I'll be fine. Right behind you." Fox forced the sly smile again and dropped her hand away from Mara's, who struggled to keep herself from panicking as she wrapped her arms around herself and fell in close with the other women, who hurried past the armed guards. She looked up, the curve over her wide lips almost charming. "You're a fucking asshole."

"You were given orders. You wanna play hero, though? Well, you're about to find out what happens to heroes." He grinned down at her and started toward the train, pushing her ahead of him, drawing the rifle into his arms. Fox pulled an unsteady breath and followed the trail of women toward the cattle car, her eyes widening as they pulled the door shut once the others had returned to it and wound the rusted chains around the steel bars. The pressure of the muzzle tip against her spine forced her to step on, the gathering of four closing quickly around her, herding her toward the passenger cars.

"Play nice, girl. Behave. Maybe I'll walk you back out to bathe after we're done with you."

Her fingers twitched as they came to the door, unable to help the feeling of panic and dread tightening her chest. The moment he pressured her to step up, Fox halted stubbornly, the steel digging into her back before she felt fingers tightening around her neck. She stepped up and into the car, and the moment the door closed behind her, Fox slammed back into the man behind her, catching him in the center of his stomach with her elbow. His comrades who entered the passenger car beforehand howled in laughter as she struggled with him over the rifle before ripping the knife in her holster free and whirling around with it to slash across his chest.

"Hooooly shit, you got a live one, Rogue! You gonna let that little thing fuck you up like that!?" One man seated among the passenger rows laughed uproariously.

His hand locked around her wrist as she swung the dagger fiercely, her voice shrill and eyes dark, kicking out with her boot to catch him off guard. This time, she caught him square between his legs, grinning as his face twisted in pain and then absolute rage. He slammed the heavy metal semi-automatic against her chest as he put his weight into the gun, sending Fox toppling to the ground with the wind knocked clean out of her.

Her head slammed the solid flooring beneath, her eyes snapping closed and behind them, starbursts of white erupted. With nearly two hundred pounds of muscle above her, she couldn't have done anything as he straddled her and threw his gun to the side, pinning her wrists beside her head.

"You little fucking bitch! You think you're tough shit, huh?! Shut the fuck up, Vulture, get the fuck over here and hold her!" Rogue growled.

The man nearest sighed with a grin and came to stand, moving to kneel over Fox and grasp her hands as she laughed maniacally, her chest heaving as she opened her eyes to see the man perched atop her swipe a finger over the deep gash she'd slashed across his chest and brought his bloody fingertips to his lips.

"You're gonna regret that." He pried the dagger from Fox's fingers, shearing the thin oversized t-shirt clear up the middle. Her eyes went wide, struggling viciously against the man holding her arms and thrashing beneath the one cutting away her clothing.

"W-wait—waitwaitwait!—I didn't mean it! I'm sorry, I'MSORRY—I'll-I'll be good, I promise! I'll be good! Just... just let me, please—I won't fight anymore, I swear—" She stumbled over her words frantically, even with him pushing the tattered bits of her shirt and bra aside, smirking down to the partially nude teenager as her breasts rose and fell heavily with her breathing.

"Shit, let her strip, Rogue. She already got your ass good and she might not bite if you don't rile her back up, ahahahaha!" Vulture pushed up from the floor, releasing her arms as he did so. Fox's eyes darted up to him and then back to the simmering anger on the face of the man she'd caught with the knife, still holding the deadly dagger. With a pointed look, he slowly moved to stand, but not before tugging the buckle of her holster free and tossing it across the car. He tucked her dagger into his back pocket, glaring down at her.

"Hurry it the fuck up."

Fox panted, unable to help the breathless laughter nervously parting her lips as her eyes shifted over the long, shallow streak of red torn through his shirt. "I'm sorry—I'll make it up, I promise—I'll behave... You good? We're all good, yeah?"

She pushed up to her elbows before hurrying to her feet. The rush of adrenaline swept the pain of the momentary scrap from her mind as her shaking hands shifted to snap the button free of her jeans, pushing the dark material down her slender legs as she slipped her feet carefully from her boots. She'd tucked her remaining daggers into the space between the leather and padding of her worn, calf-high boots.

Well before they opened the train door, she dropped the rattlesnake venom along the edge of the dagger she left in her holster. The thought alone made it almost impossible for her not to laugh. This fucker would be dead soon enough. With luck, he'd take all his scumbag friends with him.

"Fuck, she's nice, Rogue—Don't rough her up anymore until after I get her!" One of the seated men called. She stalled as she looked up from drawing her feet free from her jeans, shooting a playful wink his way.