Spurring his horse to keep up with the back of the train, Sean tried to reach out for the bars of the caboose. Before his hand could touch it, the bar sparked with a sharp dingle as a bullet struck it. Recoiling his hand, Sean glanced over his shoulder to see the Marchel's deputies riding up on him. Cursing, Sean aimed his revolver at them and fired a few shots that they swerved to the other side of him to avoid. Frustrated, Sean dropped the reins of his horse to the horn of the saddle and swung his leg out to sit backwards on his horse. Bucking as bullets peppered the back of the train, Sean cocked the hammer of his gun and laid across his horse's ass to steady his shot and shot one of the boys off his horse. The other boys started shooting at his horse. One of the bullets impaled into his horse's flank, causing her to let out a pained whinny and stagger a bit. Aiming his next shot at the man who had shot her, he yelled out. "Son of a bitch!" Firing the gun, the deputy took the bullet to the arm but kept coming. The deputy raised his gun to fire again, but Sean rose off his horse and leapt at him. He didn't see any other choice. Their horses were too close together now.

Tackling the boy, Sean swung a leg over to keep from falling off the horse and started punching the boy in the face. The boy took the hits, then pressed the gun to Sean's side. Acting in a panic, Sean released the boy and let his body slide down the side of the horse. Barely hooking his leg around the horn of the saddle in time. The gun went off, grazing Sean's ribs. The boy adjusted himself in the saddle, but Sean was already thinking of his next move. Removing his knife from his boot, Sean jammed it into the boy's thigh, causing him to scream. Yanking the knife back out, Sean grabbed the belly strap of the saddle, Sean quickly cut it. As the boy went to aim the gun at him, Sean unhooked his leg from the horn of the saddle and kicked the boy in the face. With a grunt the boy fell off the other side with the saddle. Sean nearly fell to the ground, but the boy's leg caught him and Sean's grip on the saddle strap pulled him up onto the back of the horse. Hooking his leg against the horse's neck to keep from falling with the boy and saddle, Sean braced himself to sheath his knife as the boy and the saddle fell free of the horse.

Sitting up on the horse, Sean carefully turned himself around to sit properly on the horse. By the time he got adjusted and was trying to reach for the reins that sat farther up the horse's long neck, the other two deputies had caught up to the horse. Flanking him on either side, one of the boys aimed the gun at the horse's head and fired. Seeing that it was coming, Sean hefted himself up and jumped to the other deputy. He missed getting onto the horse but managed to catch the horn of the saddle. The startled deputy cursed and punched Sean across the face, but Sean kept a death grip on the horn as his feet dragged roughly over the racing ground beneath him. The deputy grabbed his hand to try prying it off, but Sean used what little upper body he had to bring his legs up. Wrapping his legs around the deputy's neck, he slammed him back across the horse to pin him down. Doing so had drained Sean's arm strength, but he got a better grip on the horn. The other deputy moved in on them, calling out. "Tony! HIT HIM!" Sean was too focused on trying to shit onto the horse, when Tony punched him in the balls.

Screaming, Sean kicked out to try shoving Tony off his horse. Tony started to slide as Sean's long legs pushed out to pry him off the saddle but yelled out in distress. "Parker! I'm slipping! GET HIM!" The other deputy closed in on them, chuckling out menacingly. "Not so lucky are ya, Jack!" Sean groaned as he saw the horses closing in to crush him between the two. Cursing, Sean glared at Parker, before releasing Tony to let his legs fall back to the ground. Peter reached down to grab Sean's throat and Sean kicked out at the leg of the horse. The action caused the horse to stumble, shifting Parker right on top of him. As the horse fell, Parker's grip on Sean pried him off Tony's horse and they both hit the ground in a swirl of dust. The air was knocked from Sean as he fell, but he forced himself to roll over. The horse snorted, thrashing its legs as it tried to regain its footing. Grabbing the saddle, Sean let the horse pull him up to his feet and snatched the lasso that hung off the saddle. Parker got to his feet, panting out bitterly. "End of the line for you!" As Parker raised his gun, Sean threw out the lasso and caught his hand. The action unfazed Parker and he pulled the trigger as Sean dived sideways out at Parker's feet.

His body caught the rope and yanked Parker's hand down enough that Sean was able to twist it from his wrist and brace his legs under Parker's torso. Once he got the gun, Sean kept his hold on Parker's wrist and kicked up with his feet. Flipping Parker hard to the ground and allowing him to roll up to his knees. Pointing the gun at Parker, Sean snapped out. "You shot my horse!" Lowering the gun, Sean shot Parker in the thigh to get even with him. Then rushed to his feet and snatched up the lasso as he ran for Parker's horse. Grabbing the horn and slipping his foot into the stirrup, Sean swatted the horse into a run with the rope. Before he was even on, the horse bolted. Holding on tight, Sean easily swung himself up into the saddle and kicked the horse to chase the train. The horse thundered along the plain toward the train, just as Tony was heading in his direction. Tony raised his gun to shoot and acting quickly, Sean tugged off his choker and tossed it out at the incoming horse. The choker hit the horse square in the face and thinking it was a living snake, it reared frantically. Sending Tony to the dirt as it bucked and leapt around wildly.

Spurring the horse hard, Sean tried to reach the train. The train was hitting its stride now. In a few minutes it would be uncatchable by a horse. The horse whined in protest, but Sean pleaded with it to go a little farther. The horse began to foam at the mouth as it slowly gained on the last car of the train. Releasing the horse wasn't going to make it, Sean pulled out the lasso and began to spin it over his head. He really didn't want to do this but didn't see another option. Throwing out the lasso, it hooked on the iron lantern. Pulling the rope as tight as he could to leave no slack, Sean braced himself for pain as he slid off the horse. The horse immediately hit the brakes once he was off, and he went swinging out across the tracks. He had gripped the rope high enough that his side hit the bars of the caboose, but his boots thudding over the wooden planks of the track, threatening to pull him away. Whining in pain, Sean felt his arm muscles burning. Gathering what little strength he had remaining, he pulled him up to grab the railing. Not bothering to use any more muscles, Sean flipped himself over the railing and landed heavily onto his back with a loud thud.

He welcomed the pain as he rested on the ground. He was on the train. That had been the hard part. The rest would be easy... right? Letting himself take a quick breather, he glanced out to see the Marchel slowing his horse down farther down the tracks. The train had reached its top speed and Sean couldn't help smiling. It had to be the craziest shit he'd ever done. While back in the mine, Mark coughed and tried to push himself up but found the space much smaller than it had been before. Carefully feeling around in the darkness, he ran his hand over large dry rocks. Shifting onto all fours, he called out. "Bob? Wade?" From somewhere close, Wade groaned out. "I'm still here. But my leg is killing me, and I can't see anything." Mark waited a bit, then called out. "Bob? You still alive?" When no answer came yet again, Wade called out. "Bob? Can you here us?" There was a faint groan and something muffled, before Wade answered. "He's alright Mark. What the hell happened?" Patting himself over for anything to light, Mark coughed out. "No idea. Maybe the gunshot caused the cave in?" Wade huffed, retorting confidently. "I don't think it was that. They've been shotting shotguns down here for days."

Bob muffled out something, before Wade asked aloud. "Mark? Can you move? Bob say's he can see light where he is." Mark started to inch forward but found himself barred off by a large rock. Feeling around it, he found a hole, but it wasn't big enough for him to get through. Sighing, Mark grimly admitted. "No. I'm blocked in. You?" Wade hissed in pain, before answering grimly. "I can't move my leg." Bob faintly said something, before Wade told him. "Bob says the elevator is destroyed, but the there looks to be a way out." Mark started to shove the rock, then yelped as rocks fell from the ceiling and things shifted all around them. Wade called out his name, until Mark choked out through the dust. "I'm good. But I'm pinned in. Can you get to Bob?" Wade hissed and grunted for a bit, then answered calmly. "Ya. I can. It's a tight fit though. What about you?" Mark cautiously felt around, before reluctantly telling them. "Go. Get out while you still can." Wade's voice turned defiant as he shot back. "What? We're not just leaving you here!" The walls shook and more rocks fell, before Mark yelled out. "Go! Before you can't get out! I'll find my own way."

Wade scoffed, snapping out. "Mark, no! There is no other way out. We're coming back for you." Mark groaned, then cried out as a large rock above him shifted to shove him flat across the dirt. Bob called out his name and Mark whined out. "Guys! I need you to go! Get out! Find Sean!" Bob's voice was closer now, when he snapped out. "We'll go together. Just hang on." Mark tried to keep his breathing steady, but the fear of being crushed was slowly seeming in. He couldn't see anything and didn't know where to go. Sudden light flared to life through the small hole in the rock wall before him. Leaning close to it, Bob peeked in with a bloodstained face and panted out. "Mark! I'll get you out." Bob grabbed the rock, but as he shifted it, the rock above him started to grumble and shift. Panic filling him, Mark rushed out. "NO! Bob, stop! You'll bring it down!" Bob stopped moving trying to move the rock and asked nervously. "Mark, what can we do?" Wincing, Mark told him reluctantly. "Get Wade out and find Sean." Bob started to protest, but Mark angrily snapped out. "Bob, listen to me! Wade can't get out without help. You can't get me out without bringing everything else down on us. GO!"

Bob hesitated, prompting Mark to plead out desperately. "Bob, please. If don't make it... I need to know you two will be there for him. Do this. For me." Bob didn't say anything, but carefully tossed a little box of matches through the hole. Taking a shaky breath, Bob told him seriously. "You better find a way out. I'm serious, Mark. Or Sean will never forgive you." Chuckling a little, Mark calmly told him. "I'm gonna do what I can." Bob quickly tossed in a pickaxe and then slipped the lantern inside for him. Reaching in, Bob squeezed Mark's hand and told him in a strong tone. "See you on the outside, Sheriff. Good luck." Mark nodded, informing Bob casually. "I'm gonna try to make my way through the old caved in tunnel. After you rescue Sean and Nate... come look for me by the old wash out river. With any luck... I'll meet you there." Bob exhaled heavily but nodded and quickly rushed away. Wade protested loudly, until Bob lied convincingly. "He's found another way out! We'll meet him outside!" Collecting the stuff, Mark slowly crawled backward, using the lantern to guide him into a more open spot.

Still unable to get up off the floor, Mark glanced around until he saw a hole and mumbled to himself. "This or die... and I sure as fuck am not staying here to die so... onward." Taking a moment to strip as much clothing as he could spare, he crawled into the hole. The hole was narrow, but he managed to wiggle his way in. The rocks here seemed solid and unmoving compared to the fresh cave in area. He was able to risk pushing his feet off rocks to get himself through without anything threatening to fall. Coughing at the dust lingering around him, he kept his mind distracted by just focusing on crawling through the next section. When he reached a dead end, Mark carefully started to dig out at the dirt and small rocks until he could crawl through again. The process was slow and the longer he was inside, the hotter it got. The air felt heavy and stagnant, and the dust wasn't helping. The dirt clung to his sweaty skin and his mind kept trying to scare him. What if he found no way to continue on? What if he got stuck? What if he ran out of air? The farther in he went, the harder it was to ignore the questions.

Squeezing through another hole, Mark fell a bit farther than he thought he would on the other side. Landing in a puddle, Mark gagged and adjusted to keep his lantern from snuffing out. Holding the lantern up a bit higher, Mark let out a startled scream at the sight of a crushed skeleton. The skeleton was old with a spider creeping around within the empty skull. While from the walls water streaked down the sides as if the walls were crying. Crawling through the mud that tried to sink him into the ground, he used his foot to push off the wall and heard a loud 'crunch.' Freezing in place, Mark waited a minute. Then cursed as a streak of water burst out between the rocks and began to flood the tunnel. Mark thrashed a little to get ahead of the flooding, but gasped as he fell into a hole beneath that he didn't see. The water snuffed his lantern as he fell down into the flooded dark tunnel. To Be Continued...