Chapter 19
Vin and Sean stormed back into the center of camp, past the remaining remnant soldiers as they were all corralled together in one massive group for what Vin felt was their inevitable execution.
Chainz was standing in front of the command tent as two of his men worked to drag the bodies of the general and his sentries out into the night.
Deb was walking with them, leaning on Sean for support while Vin led their advance.
She hadn’t been able to speak much. Only enough to tell them what had happened before falling into hysterics once more.
She told them how the soldiers had made their way through the pen, grabbing up every child they could find and forcibly pulling them away.
She detailed how she had fought against the soldiers with everything she had and how they had ripped Jimmy from her arms with a horrified wail.
Vin had thought he knew dread before this moment.
He had thought he understood fear. However, this moment showed him that he knew nothing.
The idea that his son had been arrested alongside Deb was horrifying, to be sure, but at least he knew the baby had Deb with him and she would do everything in her power to ensure his safety.
Now he knew Jimmy had been taken. His baby boy was out there somewhere, alone, without anyone who loved him by his side. He might have been cold or hungry and feeling alone and afraid. That lit a fire under Vin that would have but the flames of hell itself to shame.
“Chainz,” he called out, drawing the crime lord’s attention.
Chainz looked at him with confusion. “Vin,” his voice rang out like gravel. “I’m surprised to see you still here.”
The words fell around Vin with a confusing uneasiness. What was that supposed to mean? Did he think Vin was going to just cut and run the moment the mission was over? Was that really his reputation, even among people like Chainz?
The big man looked over at Sean almost accusingly, and Sean answered without any coaxing.
“The remnant took my son,” he said, and Vin inwardly winced once more at hearing Vin refer to Jimmy that way. “They took all the kids of the prisoners, and we have no idea where they took them.”
“Ah,” Chainz said, seeming not overly concerned with this major revelation.
“So, I guess I got the two of you to thank for that stampede of a few hundred civilians that came charging through here.” He curled his lip at them as though they were garbage on the bottom of his show that disgusted him beyond belief.
“Yeah,” Vin said, waving off Chainz’s annoyance. “But did you hear what the man said? We got a serious situation here. We don’t know where the kid is! Where any of these kids are!”
“Yeah, I know about it,” Chainz said. “A buncha your freed prisoners came rushing in here, demanding to know where their snot-nosed brats were. So, I asked a few of the soldiers….nicely.” There was menace in Chainz’s voice, and Vin could easily determine the extent of the kindness he had shown those men and women.
“What did they say?” Deb asked, perking up and pulling away from Sean momentarily. “Where’s my baby?”
“Ah, you must be Mrs. Sean,” Chainz said with a smile, looking between the three of them as though he hadn’t a care in the world. “Or is that Mrs. Vin? I can’t really keep track.”
“Enough,” Vin barked at the big man, and instantly Chainz’s eyes were wild with fury and boring holes through Vin’s heart. “Just tell us.”
“You don’t get to give me orders,” Chainz snarled back, invisible sparks of challenge shooting to life between the two of them.
He looked back over to Deb, and his expression softened.
“But I never could say no to a pretty lady. Apparently, they’re transporting the kids on that steam train I told you all about.
Remember, the ones you said they couldn’t possibly have yet? ”
Vin cursed and kicked at the grass with the toe of his leather cowboy boot. He had underestimated the remnant time and time again, and here they were again. They had moved so fast, with such incredible efficiency. It was insane.
“Apparently, the train is set to leave for a larger camp outta state come sunrise, which is only about an hour and a half away now.” Chainz made a big show of looking at his wrist, which didn’t have a watch on it.
“Can you help us stop that train?” Sean asked, his voice pleading with the gang leader for aid. Chainz scoffed.
“I’ve done you enough favors, boy,” he said, pointing a long, thick finger in Sean’s direction. “I helped you sack this camp because I wanted it. I don’t see anything I can get by helping you stop that train.”
“You’re scum,” Vin spat, his eyes ablaze with hatred and malice as he wished he had the power to strike Chainz dead on the spot.
“You wound me,” Chainz said, emotionless with a roll of his eyes. “Come on, I figured two old cowboys like you could stop one measly train together! Go be John Wayne and Clint Eastwood. Or, in your case, maybe it’s more Doc Brown and Marty McFly.”
The Chain Gang members around Chainz laughed at the joke, but Vin was shaking with rage.
Chainz was right, though, time was ticking, and if they were going to stop that train, they needed to move fast. If they really moved, they might be able to commandeer the engine before it left the station, but Vin knew that was unlikely.
The station was all the way on the other side of the city.
Even on horseback, that would take a longer time than they had, even if they left right now.
They’d have to head off the train.
Sean seemed to be having the same thought.
“Do you know which way it’s going?” he asked Chainz, still keeping his voice soft and gentle when dealing with the crime boss.
“Sure,” Chainz said. “And I’ll fill you in on everything. But just remember, Sean, when this is over, you still owe me what you promised.”
“I remember,” he said grimly, his jaw tight and set with determination.
Part of Vin wanted to question this once more, but there was a larger part of him that didn’t care at the moment. Jimmy was in trouble, and they had to save him.
“All right,” Vin said, looking over at Sean. “We got a train to catch.”