“That ain’t such a bad thing.” Ro brushed the wet strands back from her face and finally met his eyes. “I kinda like you.”
“You don’ wanna be like me, girl.” He shook his head sadly. “Be free but be happy.”
“I’m happy,” she argued, as if to convince herself just as much as Jiminy. The words hung in the air like they lie they were, and the old man raised a single gray brow at her. He didn’t speak on it again though, knowing he’d already made his point. “I’ll be right there.”
Jiminy nodded and turned to leave, the cane he used to walk with was a little more worn than Ro liked. It was time to replace the thing before it snapped on him without warning, yet another expense they needed. The haul today was nice, but it wasn’t enough, not for the winter. They needed a bigger hit, a town. Normally, they’d avoid such publicity. Towns could get you arrested or killed if you were recognized. It didn’t help that pictures of Ro and Clem and many of her crew were plastered everywhere on wanted signs. But sometimes the risk was worth it. They had too many mouths to feed.
When she finally felt a little livelier, Ro left her tent and headed toward the center of camp, where a hot meal would be waiting. The smell of roasting meat reached her nose and her stomach growled in answer, reminding her that she hadn’t eaten in far too long. The best thing about having so many dinos in the crew was how well they ate. There were no better hunters than the carnivores. No matter how good a person was with a rifle, nothing matched the stealth of a Raptor, or the teeth of a Carnosaur. Luckily for them, they had both on their crew, gorgeous women by the names of Mary Jane and Danny. No one ever expected them to be such predators, until it was too late.
The moment Ro walked into the inner circle, her crew started to cheer with a few whistles coming her way. She smiled, always happy to return to camp with their pockets full and no casualties in their midst. Someone pressed a metal plate loaded with rabbit meat into her hands and she gladly took it. Meetings were never formal, instead, she preferred to speak around a campfire while everyone filled their bellies.
“Lady Luck was on our side today,” she announced, as everyone took their seat and quieted down. The fire in the center burned brightly, illuminating the shining eyes and round faces of her crew. Sometimes, far too many of them could become gaunt. Those were the moments she hated the most. “The steam train to the north was full of fat wallets and gorgeous jewels. We were able to come away with a great haul, and no one was injured in the process. Hell, I don’t even think anyone knew we were there until we were long gone.” Those around the fire laughed at her words, so full of mirth at the idiocy of the rich. “We added two new members today. Delilah Monroe and her daughter, Beth, have joined up with the Free Outlaws. Take a stand ladies.” The mother and daughter stood nervously from their seats, only to be met with cheers and shouts of welcome. Beth grinned around at the band, the wonder and awe still sparkling in her eyes. There was a small sparkle in Delilah’s as well, as if she was learning how to be happy again. That’s the sparkle Ro hoped to cultivate. They were great additions to the team for sure. Ro noticed Theo staying close to the two, acting as their protector and friend. Good. That was very good. “I expect they’ll be shown the utmost respect and given a warm welcome to our crew.” That was met with nods of understanding. Their routine was second nature by now. Any time a new member was added, there was a checklist that always needed to be completed. Supply the new member with a home. Make sure they were fed. Let them know the rules—no harming others, no stealing, and no harassment within the crew. And then they were always allowed to find their place, whether it was in the group that went out on hauls or staying at the camp and performing other jobs.
“Did we get enough?” someone asked from the group in front of Ro. Everyone grew quiet to hear her answer.
“We had a good haul,” she agreed, “but we need something big to make sure we’ll make it through winter. We need more supplies, more coats and blankets. I see a few of y’all with threadbare jackets. Those will need to be replaced. Tabitha is keeping a running tab on supplies needed. If you find you need something replaced—boots, coat, blankets, tents—make sure to tell her. We’re gonna have to hit something big, and then we can rest during the winter months. If anyone has any ideas, you’re always welcome to come to me.”
A few grumbles met her ears, but they weren’t because they didn’t want to do any of the work. No, it was the fact that they needed to hit a big town. The risks were well known. Sometimes they lost a crew member, either to gunshot or jail. They never let someone stay caged, but it put everyone at risk. There was nothing to be done for it, however, since it was a necessary part of being an outlaw. One day, Ro would buy a large plot of land somewhere, far from the law, and turn it into a place any “freak” or “misfit” could come and live free. One day, they would be able to settle down. It took time for such things though. And there was still that pesky law about women owning land.
The rest of Ro’s meal was spent listening to Theo recount their adventure, talking about how Delilah and Beth jumped onto his back without hesitation, regaling everyone with Ro’s lines as if they were some grand tale. She noticed how often his eyes flicked over toward their newest member, although Delilah was completely oblivious to the Tric’s interest. It was far too soon to pursue her—Theo knew that—but Ro was interested to see how that played out. It made her happy when members of her crew found love.
When she finished her meal, Ro planned to slip away without notice, and escape to her tent before she went off to wash the dust from her body. She didn’t expect Delilah to stop her, her cheeks flushed with excitement.
“Rowena,” she called, Delilah’s voice stopping her before she could disappear.
“You can just call me Ro, Delilah.” Ro loved her full name, but only her father and one other man had ever called her that. She preferred to forget that man’s very existence, and the full name sometimes made her think of him rather than the father she dearly missed.
“Of course. My apologies.” Delilah placed her hand against her corseted stomach and Ro wondered if she was going to pass out. Ro hated the contraptions herself, preferring to go without a corset when it wasn’t necessary, but some women liked them. Delilah’s was made of pretty pink silk, barely dusty after her ride. Theo’s sail would have kept most of her protected. “You mentioned if we had any ideas about, uh. . .” She trailed off and Ro smiled.
“Our next hit?”
“Yes, that. Sorry. I only know all the horrible words we’re told at parties and such, and you’re nothing like the robbers we’re told to stay away from. Anyways, I have an idea for a hit.” She lowered her voice as if speaking some great conspiracy. This probably felt like some sort of adventure for Delilah right about now, and most of the time it was. Sometimes, the Free Outlaws would set their sights on airships and great beasts in the sky. Nothing beat flying on the back of a Pterodactyl and waving a pistol around like a badass.
“You do?” Ro asked, surprised. She hadn’t expected their newest members to know much, and for that she was a little ashamed of herself. Just because someone was trapped in their role didn’t mean they were stupid. No, sometimes those who were caged saw the most because they were always watching.
“Have you heard of Embertown?” Delilah’s eyes were alight from the flickering fire, her hair falling from her pins in large curls. Ro could see Theo’s eyes watching the ringlets tumble, his eyes heated in a way Ro hadn’t seen from a man in a while. She wished to avoid any problems within the crew, and while it wasn’t a rule that no one could sleep with each other, she preferred to choose those she didn’t have to awkwardly smile at the next morning.
“It rings a bell.” Ro was lying. Everyone had heard of Embertown. Her nonchalance was more to protect her stupidity at not thinking of the place to begin with. Most of her reptilian members spoke of it in awe, a sort of refuge for them where they had rights and weren’t looked at in disgust. Embertown was a true integration between humans
and dinosaurs. There was a respect there, a mutual benefit. Dinosaurs are stronger than humans, even in their human forms. While horses were nice, nothing beat a dinosaur willing to work for you. The same job that might have taken weeks could be cut in half, sometimes more. Building became easy when you had a long neck to help haul supplies. Embertown was supposed to be a sort of paradise, and Ro had stayed completely away from it, for good reason.
Her face was known in the whole west. A big town like that, with dinosaurs she couldn’t even convince were being treated unfairly, was a major risk, but it might just be the risk they needed right then.
“Well, it’s a big town, and it has an equally big bank. Roger never wanted to go there on account it’s owned by a scaly, but I’ve heard it’s one of the most profitable banks in the West. Maybe it’s a decent place to hit for the winter?” Delilah looked at Ro expectantly, a little shy in her newfound freedom.
“It’s a great idea, Delilah. We’ll discuss it tomorrow as a possible option. It’s a risk, but one we might need to take. Thank you for bringing it to my attention. You did good.”
The woman smiled at the praise before spinning and returning to the fire. Her daughter was busy listening to some of the crew recount their favorite adventures, her eyes glittering with the flames. That one is gonna grow up to be something else, Ro thought, as she made her escape and slipped back to her tent.
That night, she had her nightmares again, the one where she was wrapped in chains as he looked upon her and laughed and laughed and laughed.
She didn’t sleep well.
Three
“It’s too big of a risk,” Clem grumbled, standing off to the side with the rest of the crew. “We should do a few smaller hits instead of one big one.”
“But if we do this one, we’ll be safe through the winter.” Theo threw his words right back at Clem, and the rest of the crew were shouting other words out at Ro, who stood in front of everyone on a small crate to be easily seen.
“It’s a stupid risk!”
“We should just hit another steam train!”
“Let’s hit an airship again!”
“Embertown is our best bet!”
“That’s enough!” Ro spoke. She didn’t yell, but her tone brooked no room for argument. The crew dropped into silence, every eye on her. Jiminy sat off to the side with a crooked smile on his face, watching with far too intelligent eyes. The man was old, but he was the smartest out of all of them. He knew her decision before she’d even made it. “I understand everyone’s hesitation, but I truly think it’s the best choice. Clem and I will ride into Embertown alone to scope it out, to figure out any weaknesses, to study the law and the bank. To pull off such a large hit, we need to be certain of our plan. No mistakes. No funerals.” Several of the crew nodded. A few repeated her words and whooped. “Everyone needs to get ready to move. Gather your supplies and your tents. If you need help, ask. If you finish early, help those that need it. Embertown is surrounded by large, red canyons. We’ll set up camp in those, away from the eyes of the town. We need to stay at least a day’s ride away, in case we run into the law and need to escape. Everyone understand?”
A chorus of, “Yes ma’ams,” and “Understood,” rang out before they broke apart to start packing. A haul this big, they needed to be closer. Embertown was at least a three days ride from here, four if you took the slower people into consideration.
Jiminy limped forward, his cane a little more worn than the night before. What he did with the thing, she’d never know, but he needed a new one as soon as possible. “Need me to shift, girl?”
That was the thing about Jiminy. He was as human as Clem was, in that he wasn’t at all. It was rare to meet a dinosaur as old as him, but it wasn’t impossible.
“Are you feeling up to it?” Ro glanced down at his shaking leg, the one that always gave him trouble.
“I’ll be fine. Hold my cane, would ya?”
Ro took the splintered wood from him and watched him limp heavily out of the camp. He couldn’t shift while inside, not without taking out the whole crew. Jiminy wasn’t just any old dinosaur.
Ro heard the popping of his bones first, forcing a grimace onto her face. No matter how many times she watched them do it, it always made her cringe. The sound alone was enough to raise goosebumps on her skin, even in the heat of the desert. What made it worse was the bigger the dinosaur, the more painful the change. And Jiminy was massive.
After a brutal thirty seconds—the change took longer for the old man—a massive Brachiosaurus stood outside of camp, the bum leg still shaking just a bit. They never expected Jiminy to carry anything, but in his dinosaur form, he was able to haul some of the heaviest equipment to the dinos who would do the work. It saved them hours of work.
“You alright, old man?” Ro called up to him. A snort was her only answer as he lumbered toward the waiting supplies. Delilah’s daughter squealed in excitement and though Ro knew Jiminy would never admit it, he added in an extra little strut just for her.
“Are you sure about this?” Clem stepped up beside her, watching the massive long neck move around. Ro had her own supplies to pack up, a task she never left for anyone else. Being in charge didn’t mean she went without responsibilities. It only meant she had more.
“No,” Ro admitted, a frown on her face. “But I think it’s the best option.”
“Delilah said the bank is owned by one of us. That doesn’t seem wise to steal from him. Nor does it feel right.”
“If he owns the bank, he’s just as guilty as the rest of them.”
“Is he though?” Clem met her eyes. “If Embertown is as accepting as we’ve been told, wouldn’t the bank owner be giving loans and land to dinosaurs, which makes him a good guy?”
“In all those stories, I still ain’t ever heard someone say that women had any rights.” Ro raised her brow. “He might be a little good. But he ain’t all good. We hit this town and we’re done. If we get enough, maybe we can finally purchase some land and settle down.”
Clem shook her head, her face solemn. “You know as well as I do that no land can ever be in your name, same as mine. All these fucking men think that they own us, that we’re worthless unless we got one.”
Ro threaded her fingers through Clem’s, holding tight to her friend. Clem knew just as well as she did how savage men could be, how cruel they could treat a woman. Together, they would make their mark, whether the men liked it or not.
“Then, let’s go show them just how much we’re worth.”
For the first time that morning, they both grinned.
It ended up taking them three days to reach the canyon they’d chosen to camp in. They got to the camp bright and early, just as the sun rose into the sky. The terrain had been tough, the days hotter than usual, and it had been near brutal to have to leave the stream behind. They’d brought plenty with them for drinking, but the liquid would have to be rationed until they knew for sure they had another source of water. As it stood, the canyon they set up camp in was as dry as a bone. One of the reptiles said they smelled water nearby, but it could take them a while to find it. Water could either be a nice little stream or twenty feet below them. There was never an in-between in these lands.
They’d had one near miss, where one of the children had almost been bitten by a rattler on the way. An awful misstep that had almost cost him his life. The little boy was too terrified to get out of the wagon now. Every time a child had been bitten, they’d lost them. It had been a close call.
They got the crew settled and put the strongest on alert before Clem and Ro took off. They couldn’t waste time relaxing. They could relax once they got into town. To avoid suspicion, they would be nothing more than a traveling pair of women. Many would think them bandits, but none would dare say it to their face. There were few professions a woman could do that would be considered acceptable, but they would receive scorn and dirty looks regardless. The point was to be noticed and then forgotten when no trouble was caused. That was
the hope anyway.
“We should wear skirts,” Clem commented, as Embertown came into view. The soft waves of heat distorted the town, as if it was nothing more than a mirage. But if you spent long enough in the desert, you learned the difference between a mirage and what you see. “They never see it coming when we’re dressed normal.”
“They never see it coming anyways,” Ro answered, walking steadily beside Clem. “We’re women. We’re not smart enough for such trouble.”
They both looked at each other and rolled their eyes, chuckling at the poor, unsuspecting fools. Very rarely were they picked out unless they were identified as Wanted. Most just couldn’t imagine two women causing any harm.
They chose to walk the rest of the way into town. Embertown was rumored to be open to dinosaurs, but they couldn’t take any chances. It was best to appear as nothing more than two women rather than a woman and her vicious scaly. Many other towns would immediately cast unwanted glances at them for Clem’s appearance alone. Her shifted form was first and foremost on her wanted posters. It didn’t help that Clem had a very distinct mark on her forehead in the shape of a star when she was in her scales. They’d taken to painting over the mark, hiding it from view just to avoid any problems.
Embertown rose up from the red desert as if it was exactly the paradise many claimed it was. While it was still dusty, there was a harsh beauty to the landscape, the wooden buildings part of the land as if they’d always been there. Whoever erected this town made sure that nothing was disrupted in the landscape, as if they were an artist rather than some rough craftsman. Ro had never seen another town like it, and even though the architecture was similar to what she’d seen before, there was something different about it.
“Do you think it’s because of how involved the dinos are?” Clem queried, reading Ro’s mind. Clem’s mouth hung open in awe as she studied the buildings, and then they both gasped when they realized just how integrated the dinos were with the town.
Rexes & Robbers Page 3