Chapter 24

The group made their way through the deserted streets, the silence broken only by the jingle of harnesses and the occasional whinny of a horse. The air was tense, charged with anticipation and a hint of fear. Ben knew that the success of their mission rested heavily on Lady Maud’s information, and he couldn’t shake the feeling that she was holding something back.

They approached the outskirts of Lawless Ridge, the dilapidated buildings giving way to the endless expanse of the desert. The sun was just beginning to peek over the horizon, casting long shadows that stretched out before them like fingers of a giant hand reaching to grab the unsuspecting town. Ben felt a shiver run down his spine, the weight of their mission pressing down on him like the heat of the coming day.

The carriage bumped along the uneven road, Lady Maud’s eyes darting nervously between Ben and Sly. She knew she was playing a dangerous game, but desperation had driven her to this point. The soldiers flanked her, their faces stoic, their hands never far from their weapons.

As they approached the edge of Lawless Ridge, Sly leaned out of the carriage and spoke in a shout to Tyller. “Take your men and hide out at the pines and bush,” he instructed. “We’ll come for you when we’re ready.”

The sergeant nodded, his expression grim. “We’ll be ready,” he called back, his voice carrying over the thunder of the hooves.

Ben took the reins, his eyes on the horizon. The carriage lurched forward, the horses sensing the urgency in his grip. The sun was rising, casting a fiery glow across the desert that matched the intensity in his heart. Goldie had given him a look that spoke volumes before he left the ranch: a mix of fear, pride, and fierce determination. He knew she was counting on him, and he wasn’t about to let her down.

The carriage ride to Bareflats was a blur of dust and sweat. The horses strained under the relentless pace, their hooves pounding the parched earth. Lady Maud was silent, her eyes flicking to Ben every so often, as if trying to gauge his thoughts. Ben’s jaw was set, his mind racing with the implications of her revelation. If they could take down the sheriff of Bareflats, it would be a major victory in their quest to dismantle the human trafficking ring.

They had been on the road for hours, the sun now a merciless orb in the sky, beating down on them without mercy. Ben’s hand tightened on the reins, urging the horses to go faster. His eyes never left the horizon, searching for any sign of the town. The landscape was desolate, the only company the occasional snake slithering across the path and the buzzards circling overhead, drawn by the scent of fear and desperation.

The carriage jolted over a rut, and Lady Maud let out a yelp, her eyes wide with terror. “Hold on,” Ben barked, his voice cutting through the relentless rhythm of the hooves. “We’re almost there.”

The sun had reached its zenith, casting harsh shadows across the barren landscape. Ben pulled back on the reins, slowing the horses to a trot. The heat was oppressive, but the tension in the air was even more suffocating. They were approaching Bareflats, and Lady Maud’s information was their only lifeline.

Her voice was barely a whisper when she spoke, pointing to a crumbling structure in the distance. “There,” she said, her hand trembling slightly. “That’s where they hold the auctions.”

Sly’s gaze followed her finger, his eyes narrowing as he took in the scene. The building was a stark contrast to the sprawling mansions of Lawless Ridge, a testament to the greed and depravity that had brought it into existence. “Stop the carriage,” he ordered Ben, his voice tight with anticipation.

The wheels of the carriage ground to a halt, sending up a cloud of dust that hung in the air like a shroud. Sly and Ben jumped out, their boots thudding against the hard-packed earth. They approached the structure, their steps silent despite the urgency that pounded in their chests. The closer they got, the more apparent it became that this was no ordinary place. The air was thick with the scent of fear and desperation, a scent that Ben had become all too familiar with in his years in Lawless Ridge.

Ben squinted into the sun, his eyes scanning the perimeter. There, in the distance, he spotted three figures, their silhouettes stark against the dusty landscape. They were guards, he was sure of it, patrolling the building with a lazy arrogance that spoke of their confidence in their own invincibility. His heart quickened, his hand instinctively reaching for the butt of his gun. He had seen this kind of setup before, the kind that screamed of something illicit and twisted happening behind those walls.

Sly pulled out his telescope, the leather strap creaking as he extended it to its full length. He peered through the eyepiece, his eyes narrowing as he studied the layout of the makeshift fortress. His breath was shallow, his focus absolute as he counted the number of guards and noted the positions of the lookouts. He had seen enough battles to know that this was going to be tricky. The guards were well-armed, and from the looks of it, well-trained.

“Ben,” he murmured, his voice barely carrying over the relentless buzz of the flies that danced in the heat haze. “There are three of them. Two outside, circling the building like vultures. One more inside, I suspect, keeping an eye on the merchandise.”

Sly passed the telescope to Ben, who took it with a trembling hand. He brought it to his eye, the cool metal a stark contrast to the heat that radiated from his skin. The lens focused on the house, and Ben’s heart skipped a beat. The place was a fortress, with bars on the windows and a heavy door that looked like it could withstand a battering ram. His gut twisted at the thought of the terror and despair that must be trapped inside those walls.

As he scanned the perimeter, his gaze fell upon a small, insignificant detail that made his blood run cold. Etched into the side of the telescope, almost invisible unless you knew where to look, was a name: Sergeant Phillip Barrera. The realization hit him like a sledgehammer. This was the same telescope all soldiers had used, the same one that had revealed the town’s sordid history and the sheriff’s gold heist. This was American Army troop telescope.

Ben’s hand trembled as he passed the instrument back to Sly, his mind racing. “Thanks,” he murmured, his voice barely audible over the buzz of the flies.

Sly took the telescope, his gaze never leaving the building. “We’ll raid the place from the back,” he said, his voice low and deliberate. “Catch the guards off-guard and get the captives”

Ben nodded, his mind racing. “But what about the sheriff?” he asked, his voice tight.

Sly’s eyes didn’t leave the building. “We’ll take one of the guards alive,” he said, his voice cold. “Make him run to the sheriff, tell him we’re coming. It’ll throw them off balance.”

Ben nodded, his mind racing with the potential for bloodshed. They had come so far, fought so hard, and now they were on the cusp of victory. The thought of Goldie and the others waiting for them at the Golden Ranch fueled his determination. He knew they had to end this, once and for all.

Sly leaned in, his voice a low growl. “When we go in, we grab the captives and head straight for the carriage. We’ll use them as bait to lure the sheriff and his goons out into the open.”

Ben nodded, his jaw set. “And when he sees us, we’ll make sure he knows we’re taking him to Sergeant Tyller,” he said, his voice cold and determined.

Sly nodded, his eyes never leaving the building. “In our territory,” he said, his voice taking on an edge of steel, “We are the law. We have the right and the power to enforce it.”