The Deluna Gang

By Sri Kumar G

“Okay boss. He’s talking to the big bell upstairs. What do you want me to do?” Said Eli Hyde to a woman who’s dressed in a red dress, waving her hand fan.

Eli was a tall man with scruffy hair and a goatee. He always wore a red shirt and carried a Tan hat. But tonight, he was dressed in the waiter's attire. One thing you’d always see on him is a black knife which he covered up underneath the apron. Eli Hyde is known in three states as a murderer, robber and killer. His marksman skills were only matched by his ability to stir up trouble. Nowhere was he known for his waitering skills.

The woman he’s speaking to, is Ada “Mercy” DeLuna. The gang leader for the DeLuna Gang. Ada DeLuna is a middle-aged woman in her 40s, who spends her time planning and executing a string of train heists along the western frontier. She used to love only one thing besides her son Irvin Kane, Gold. But lately, she’s got her eye on something else which could be more valuable than gold.

“Eli, find that ledger. Take this - “and she hands him a small vial with green liquid in it.

“You know what to do.” Eli bows and takes the vial and returns to the kitchen.

Ada turns towards the table she’s standing at and faces a peculiar bunch of people.

There is a man in her 20’s who’s got the same green eyes Ada has, who one could identify as Irvin Kane from the wanted posters. He’s a man of great taste and has a penchant for cruelty and poetry. Next to him was Emily Rose, who was a beautiful woman with bright blue eyes dressed in a black dress. She always dressed her hair to fall down the side of her face to cover the big scar across her face. Frank Buck, a short fat man with his balding hair stood between her and Jesse Cole. Frank was a man in his late 30’s with a whitening beard. Frank is what one would call a silver-tongued devil, who could charm the skin off a cobra.

Jesse Cole, on the other hand, is the fastest Gun west of the Mississippi. He always wore a black jacket and a Black hat with a red tipped feather stuck in it. He loved the tales of the Wild West he grew up on and the red tip feather was a tribute to the savior of his father, a tribal chief called Red Mist. However, he lost his father later and Ada De Luna took him in and raised him as her own.

“Listen up. Until Eli gives the signal, y’all split up and socialize. Find out if there’s anything beyond what we came for. Jesse, look out for Irv’s signal and rendezvous back here.” said Ada as she turned and reached for the arm of a gentleman next to her and began with a loud laugh. The rest of the gang split up in all directions from the table.

*

Eli went into the kitchen and poured two glasses of whiskey and poured the contents of the green vial into the glasses and carried the drinks upstairs into the office of Chester Bell. In the office, Chester Bell and Clarence Wells were talking and sat across from each other separated by the desk as Eli walked in and placed the drinks on each end of the desk.

“You’re gonna havta add a couple more carriages to that train of yours, Lance. My boys picked up a dozen more of em niggers up north and they’re finer than Old Mary Beth’s young'uns.” Said Chester Bell smoking his cigar.

“Couple more cars ain’t gonna be a problem, Chester. The problem is with all this talk of war. Seems like the President is soft on the niggers, and he wants to introduce a constitutional amendment to give em freedom.”

“Freedom my ass. Ain’t nobody gonna let that pass. This country was built on the backs of em niggers. Givin’ em freedom means the end of America.” said Chester, gulping down the drink.

“Still, the talk of war ain’t good for business. Especially for the boys who’d be enlisted and forced to fight.” said Clarence Wells drinking the whiskey. “Colonel Cooper thinks we outta get hard on them outlaws out west, grab em and enlist them in the army. To fight for the south and keepin’ it as the lord intended.”

Both Clarence Wells and Chester Bell finish their drinks and within moments they fall asleep on their respective chairs. Eli reaches over to Clarence Well’s seat and searches his pockets. Eli finds a key to the safe which is right behind the chair of Clarence Wells above a table. Eli opens the safe and loots the money and grabs a ledger and reads through the last entry of the ledger. He got the information he came for. He quickly closes the safe and puts the key back in Wells’ pocket and walks out of the room and rushes down the stairs and into the kitchen. He grabs a beer and brings it to Irvin.

Out by the deck Prince Kabir is staring down at the dock. There are men overviewing a group of slaves carrying barrels off the ship and into loading carts. The barrels usually carry wine or ale, but these ones have a special branding on them. These barrels carry the branding of E.I.C on them.

“You gotta be careful what you starin’ at, partner.” Said a man whose voice Prince Kabir had never heard before. It was Jesse Cole, walking towards him, rolling a cigarette.

“You smoke?” He said, offering a cigarette to the prince.

“No. Thank you for offering.” said the Prince Kindly.

“Now, what’s a fella like you doing aboard old Wells’ belle? Last, I know, Old Lance never let anyone onboard who wasn’t whiter than cotton” said Jesse, curiously.

“I’m here on the invitation of Mr. Wells. My name is Kabir. I am a Prince of a kingdom in India. I am traveling to the new world, to see its wonders and witness the dangerous tales of the Wild West.” Said the Prince excitedly.

“Be careful friend. You don’t wanna get too close to the danger.”

“Let me give you one piece of advice. Don’t be starin’ at any barrel like you be doin’ before I stole your attention.”

“Dear Mr._?”

“Cole, Jesse Cole.”

“Mr. Cole. I assure you I meant no disrespect. I was only looking at barrels that mark the same emblem as the ones from my homeland. I was just homesick.” said the prince calmly.

“Be that as it may, them company boys don’t like people peepin’ at their precious barrels.” said Jesse sternly.

“Of course, Mr. Cole. I’ll remember that. Thank you for your advice. However, in my homeland, to classify what I was doing as staring one would have to wait at least a couple more minutes.”

“This ain’t your homeland. Here if you go beyond three Mississippi, it’s called starin’ my friend. Just count one Mississippi, two Mississippi and three Mississippi and there you are starin’. And you’d find the barrel of the gun starin’ back at ya if you count more.” said Jesse.

“You are a humorous one Mr. Cole.” Said the Prince.

“You must be a brave Prince traveling the world, far away from home, not a single familiar face.”

“Oh no. I have a companion. A Mr. Smith, Corporal of the E.I.C. He’s tasked with ensuring my safe return to my homeland.” said the prince, searching for Mr. Smith. “Ah, there he is, conversing with that wonderful woman.”

Mr. Smith is talking to Emily Rose. He's never had the attention of any woman for this long. And engaging the attention of a beautiful woman like Emily Rose, it wouldn’t be a stretch to say that Mr. Smith is having the time of his life.

“That fella, a redcoat?” Said Cole. “I’ll be damned. You got a red coat as a bodyguard. You really must be a Prince.”

“I assure you my good man I am most certainly not lying to you.” Said the Prince. “Say Mr. Cole, Do you have experience with railroad transportation?" asked the Prince Cautiously.

“Can’t say I don’t. Why do you ask?”

“These trains, they fascinate me. When I landed on American soil, I read in the newspapers that these trains often get robbed. I am, curious as to how the robbers might go about stopping the train.”

“Well. You might wanna ask a robber that.” answered Jesse.

“True. But given your experience. Would you know how to stop a train?’’

“I might.”

“Marvelous. Mr. Cole. Do tell.”

“Now, how much is this information valuable to a Prince from far east?” asked Jesse curiously.

“Certainly, a high value.”

“Does his highness have anything to trade in return for this high value information?”

“Yes sir. I would gladly provide your weight in gold for this information.”

“Fantastic. Now here’s what one might do if they are so inclined to stop a train. You’re gonna -” That is when Jesse spots his brother Irvin raising the glass of beer as a toast to him.

“That's my cue. Give me a moment and I’ll be right back.” Said Jesse and proceeds to walk towards Irvin.

“But the information. I can pay you more. I can even get you the company barrels.” whispered the prince so that only Jesse could hear. Jesse turns to him and says “Hold your horses there. I’ll be right back with ya. Just gimme a moment and we’ll talk.” answered Jesse and continued his walk towards Irvin.

*

Ada DeLuna, Jesse Cole, Irvin Kane, Frank Buck and Eli Hyde have regrouped at the table and are discussing the contents of the safe.

“What do we got?” Said Ada.

“He’s got 7000 dollars stashed up. I got em all. And the ledger too. The train moves tomorrow. He’s even got two extra carriages comin’ in. They got more from the border.” said Eli.

“Two extra cars. That’s it boys. We hit this and we can get at least 5 barrels. We hit that train after it crosses the river. For now. We gotta vanish. Have any of you found anything else?” asked Ada.

“Yeah, I got this Indian fella, says he’s got barrels. Company ones. He would trade them for information on how to stop a train.” answered Jesse.

“What? When did Indians get barrels?”

“Not American Indians. The ones in the East. Says he’s a Prince. He’s on a tour, get this, with a redcoat as his bodyguard.”

“Nah. This sounds like a trap. Why would a redcoat be bodyguarding an Indian. Doesn’t make sense. They’re tryna find out which ones are the robbers. We better get out. Tell Rose to wrap it up.” ordered Ada.

“I got this” said Eli and walks towards the table Rose and Mr. Smith’s table with a tray full of drinks and places two glasses on the table, winking at Rose as he does it.

“You vile disgusting man. How could you say those things to a woman? Have you no decency?” screamed Emily Rose, grabbing the attention of everyone on the deck and throwing the glass of wine at Mr. Smith's face.

“Is there no man that would defend the honor of a woman?” she said loudly directed at every gentleman on the deck.

Mr. Smith is shocked and before he could realize he was being dragged and punched, soon a brawl began. Every man on the deck trying to land a punch in the defense of an honorable woman. Prince Kabir rushes towards the table trying to ease the crowd but to no avail.

“He’s with him too. He’s brought a nigger with him onto the deck. Get him men” said someone from the crowd and soon the prince was the target of the assault. The prince couldn’t register what was happening as he was knocked out by a bottle smashed to his head. If he were conscious, he would have noticed that the DeLuna gang had slipped through the ruckus.

By Sri Kumar G