The crest of the sun was resting on the horizon and the shyness of the stars was slowly overcome with the darkening of the night sky. The sounds of the train echoed off the bluffs running along- side the Columbia River.

John Barnabus was stepping from one train-car to another looking for Kyle, when he thought he heard a high pitched ping off the heavy metal frame. Putting it off to be just another abstract noise from the movement of the train, he stepped into the next car.

Kyle Sawyer had offered one of the prison guards a break and was standing his post while the guard stepped to the dinning-car for a cup of coffee. "Any problems Kyle?" J. B. asked.

"No, nothing so far." Kyle responded. "The prison guard should be returning soon. I'll join you in the dinning-car when he does."

John Barnubus looked around, he could feel the rumble of the tracks underneath him, and the subtle sway of the train-car. "Alright Kyle, I'm going to check on Levi. I'll see you back in the dinning-car."

Badger was returning from the back of the train. He had paused just long enough to strike a match to his pipe when he too, heard a high pitched ping. Stopping the lucifer from touching the tobacco in his pipe he blew the fire out and stood silent for a moment, listening intently to his environment, he stood motionless.

He sensed it at first, it was an uneasy feeling that told him, something was wrong. The prison guard was making his way back to where Kyle was waiting. He too heard the same noise, and then another ricochet glanced off the metal frame. He turned toward the window. As he did a bullet suddenly shattered the window, then second window, closer, much closer.

The guard gripped his rifle and dropped as low as he could, trying to make his way to the next car. He had to get back to his post. He saw the door open at the back of the car, and he put his hand up, trying to stop Badger. But the old mountain man heard the shattering of glass as he was in-between the cars at the time.

"You alright?" Badger called to the prison guard. "Yes, but I can't see anything through these windows. It's too damn dark out there."

The wind was blowing through the broken windows, the vibration of the train began knocking more shards of broken glass from their frames, they broke into even smaller pieces, and slid across the floor.

The guard lost his balance, as the train swayed from side to side. Putting his hand out to catch himself, the palm of his hand landed on sharp edges causing a deep cut across the length of his hand. The man cried out as he saw the broken glass embedded in his flesh.

Badger had to yell above the noise from the train, "Stay down, I'll see if I can spot anything from the top of the car."

Another prison guard opened the door to the dinning-car where he saw Levi and J. B, standing with Warden Justice.

He stepped just inside the doorway and called out, "Get down." The men in the car turned to face the guard. He called out again, "Get down, were being fired upo...." Another window shattered, then the guard felt the impact of the bullet slam into his chest. His body slumped to the floor.

Casper Hayes had gone to check on the cons, when he noticed the old prison guard who stood at the back of the car was watching the bluffs along the tracks. When he noticed Casper, the guard motioned for him to come to his location. Casper walked down the narrow isle between the seats where the cons were sitting, He had their attention, including that of Ty Morgan, and Matt Corey.

"What do you see out there?" Casper asked

The guard whispered, "Flashes, just flashes."

Casper looked out the window and saw nothing, then he noticed a shadow crossing between train-cars. When the door came open Levi entered.

"Casper, someone is shooting at us,. Someone up on those bluffs." Casper looked at the old prison guard, who told Levi, he had seen flashes of light coming off the bluffs, but with the movement of the train he could not be sure just what they were.

Levi whispered, "One of the guards was shot in the chest. He's not dead, but he is out of commission. We're doing the best we can to save him."

"Levi, where is Badger and the others?" Casper asked.

"I haven't seen Badger for a-while, but John Barnabus and Kyle are ok. They wanted to check on the other guards and make sure Superintendent Paine and Warden Justice are still safe."

Matt Corey was watching the back of the car intently curious about the conversations that were taking place. "Ty, something is going on, something these guards don't want us to know about." Morgan glanced at the group of men standing at the back of the train car. "Do you think it has something to do with Meadows?"

"I'm almost certain of it." Corey said.

"Then it won't be long now."

"We have to be ready, Ty." Corey whispered as he watched the back of the train-car. "When the time comes, we have to be ready."

Ty Morgan felt the key resting in his pocket, then he heard a man cry out from the top of the train-car..., there was a clatter, and a rifle fell past the windows..., then a body.

Levi called out, " Get down, everyone, get down." The cons dropped between the seats as low as they could.

Corey heard a window shatter. He watched, as glass fell into a near-by seat. "Ty, can you get to the key from here, if we need it?" Corey raised his head and looked around, then he looked at Ty Morgan, "We're going to have to be fast, when we do this."

"I know that Corey."

J. B. and Kyle Sawyer entered the train car and approached Levi. "We got bigger problems, Levi." Kyle said.

"What now?"

"Don't you feel a change." John Barnabus began to say.

Levi looked at his brothers in silence.

One of the guards opened the door at the back of the train car, seeing all of the cons hunched between the seats and the other men hunched low and watching out the windows, he wasn't sure if it was safe to enter. He hesitated, but the look on his face was enough to tell Levi even more trouble was on the way. He moved to the door where the guard was standing.

"What is it?" Levi asked.

"We saw three riders from the back of the train. They are riding like the wind, off those bluffs. It looks like they're trying to catch the train."

Levi looked back at his brothers, then he turned to the guard. "Go back and protect the Warden and the Superintendent." The guard nodded and turned to leave.

"What'd the guard say, Levi." Casper asked.

Levi repeated the message.

"We have to check on the conductor, and the man in the tender-box." Kyle said.

They all just waited, consumed with the same thought but fear-full of putting them into words, until Kyle spoke up, as quietly as he could.

"The train is beginning to slow down, Levi. That means the man in the tender-box may have been shot, possibly the conductor as well."

Levi was trying to stay focused, but with all the chaos taking place he had to gather his thoughts. Then he said, "John, you and Kyle check the front of the train, find out why we're slowing down. Casper and I will find Badger. We have to stop those riders."