One month earlier

Oklahoma May 1879

"Daddy, there are horses coming!" Gregory said running into the house his twelve year old cheeks flushed with fear. "The men don't look friendly!" Norman Baker stood up from the table where he had been playing peek-a-boo with his two year old son and he looked at his wife.

"You and the kids get in the bedroom and lock that door. Don't open it for anybody!" he ordered. She obeyed him without question and led Caroline, Gregory, Jasmine and Tommy into the bedroom.

Caroline hugged Jasmine tight in her arms as they sat on the bed and wondered what was going to happen.

"We need a bite to eat." a cold gravely voice said from outside.

"I'm afraid I have nothing to offer." she heard her father reply.

"Don't lie to us sir or we'll just kill you and come in and take your food anyway." Caroline looked over at her mother who was simply sitting there with her bible in her hands and her head bowed. Tommy was only two years old and too young to realize anything was wrong but Gregory's eyes were blazing with anger.

"We have to help daddy." he whispered, but Caroline, the oldest at nineteen, shook her head and signaled for him to be quiet.

"Come on in." her father finally replied. Caroline listened to the sound of the men piling into the tiny kitchen and living room. She could only guess how many there were but it sounded like at least ten or more.

She listened to the sounds of her mothers organized and tidy cabinets being slammed open and shut the and the sound of many men eating and talking about vulgar things that made Caroline blush with embarrassment and shiver with fear at the same time. These were certainly not good men.

Caroline moved away from the bed to look out the small window. She pulled the corner of the checked curtain back and saw a man standing outside of the house. She wondered why he hadn't come in with the others. He looked angry as he paced back and forth across the grass covered lawn. Caroline couldn't help but look him up and down as she watched him. He was tall and lean. He was dressed all in black. His pants, his long sleeved shirt, his vest, even his stetson hat was black.

She nearly cried out when he looked up and his eyes met hers. He was handsome she noticed. His face was tan, with a long straight nose, strong jaw and dark eyes that were currently looking into her own.

She knew she was in trouble. This man was sure to tell the others that she was in this room and then they would kill them all or worse…. Caroline shuddered when she thought of what outlaws did to helpless women and children.

She saw his eyes widen with surprise and then she was certain she saw fear enter them. She wondered what he had to be afraid of. She lost sight of him as he walked around the house and she heard his boots come into the kitchen.

"We gotta get going." She heard him say.

"Why is that? Did you see someone?" The voice that had first spoken to her father asked.

"No but it won't be long before a posse heads this way after what you did back in that town." the dark stranger replied.

"We did son. You might not of killed anybody but you stood by and let it happen and that means they'll have a noose for your neck too."

"All the more reason we need to hightail it the hell outta here then don't you think?" the dark stranger asked angrily.

"Why do you keep looking at the door over there, old man?" the first voice asked. "You ain't got a wife hid in there do ya? You holding out on us poor starving outlaws?"

"There's nothing in that room that concerns you!" Caroline heard her father reply with a mixture of nerves, fear and anger.

"Franks, go open that door." the first man said. Boots stomped across the wooden floor and Caroline watched in fear as the door knob wiggled.

"It's locked." Franks replied.

"I said to open the door."

Caroline screamed in fear and grabbed Tommy in her arms as the man kicked the door down.

"Boss there's a whole bunch of em hid in here." Franks said.

"Come on out or I'll blow your dear old daddies head off." the dark stranger's father said.

Caroline's mother walked out with Jasmine holding tight to her skirts and Gregory trying to look big and brave standing beside them. Caroline came out last holding Tommy tight in her arms.

The kitchen was full of men.. More than ten it seemed, though Caroline didn't take the time to count them. She could smell them however and they were all dirty, dusty and unkempt.

"Name's Mitchell Thompson." The dark stranger's father said. Caroline looked at him and saw that he and his son looked a lot alike except this man had blue eyes as cold as ice and his skin was more worn and weathered from years of living on horseback. His eyes fell on Caroline and he let out a low whistle.

"You sure are a pretty thing." he said matter-of-factly. Caroline hugged Tommy tighter.

"If you men are finished eating I'll walk you out." Caroline's father said walking toward the door.

"No, I don't think so. I can't very well leave you all alive when there is a posse forming to come looking for me." Mitchell said. Caroline saw the dark stranger from outside walk over.

"There is no point in killing any of them." he said matter-of-factly. "We have plenty of money from that bank, more than enough food… Let's just get out of here."

"There is a point in killing them son. They have seen us and they know we're wanted. They will be more than happy to tell that posse what way we go once we leave here." Mitchell said matter-of-factly.

"No we won't, sir! I swear it to you. My family will never mention any of you!" Norman promised while he stood in front of his wife and wrung his hands nervously. Mitchell shook his head.

"See he's a liar." he said and before anyone had time to realize what was happening he threw back his coat, pulled his revolver and fired a single shot into Norman's chest before holstering his gun once again.

"Daddy!" Gregory screamed and he launched his skinny body at Mitchell who smiled and again pulled his gun and fired a single shot. Gregory's body fell on the ground beside his fathers.

"No!" Anita Baker screamed as she fell to her knees clinging to both her son and her husband's dead bodies. Caroline wanted to cry or scream or do something but it was like her brain had shut down. There was no way this was happening. It had to be a dream.

The men in the kitchen were all chuckling and grinning. Except for the dark stranger who was looking straight at her with a look of helpless terror on his face.

"Dad stop this!" he shouted suddenly. Mitchell ignored him.

"Kill the old woman and the other boy but I want the other two alive. They could be fun." Caroline could hear the words but they didn't seem to sink in until a man grabbed Tommy and tried to yank him from her arms. She bit his hand and he slapped her across her face.

"I said stop this!" the dark stranger yelled again and Caroline saw him go for his revolver but Mitchell was too fast and drew his first sending a bullet through his sons arm. The dark stranger dropped his gun and yelled in pain as two other men grabbed him roughly.

"If you weren't my son I'd kill you!" Mitchell yelled. "How dare you draw on me!"

"I'd rather be dead than be your son!" the stranger yelled back his voice full of pain and anger.

"Tie him up and throw him over a horse!" Mitchell yelled to the men holding him and they nodded and drug him out the door though he was fighting them every step of the way.

Caroline struggled against the man who was still trying to take Tommy from her arms but it was no use. He was too strong and soon the boy was torn screaming and crying from her. Caroline and Jasmine were both grabbed and their hands were bound while men held their mother back kicking and screaming.

Caroline was thrown over one of the outlaws shoulders and she squinted when she was carried out into the harsh noon sunlight. She could see Jasmine being carried out behind her. She could hear her mother screaming and begging and she could hear Tommy's cries and then suddenly two last shots echoed inside the small cabin and there was silence.