Chapter Text
With the sun high in the sky, cooking the multicolored rock of the canyon even as it arced down towards the horizon, Jinx was very grateful to the brim of her hat. She had enough freckles as it were, and didn't need more of them. With a click from her boot she hoisted one foot up to rest upon a rock as she pulled her binoculars out. Another pass over the tracks wouldn’t hurt, just to really be sure they were planning the right spots.
At the bottom of the canyon below their target sat. A long crawl of railroad stretching like a scar through the belly of Kerrigan Valley, an arid little range in the midst of the Rokrund plains. Remote, uninhibited, and most importantly, owned by rail magnate Jericho Swain.
Jericho Swain, who’d recently sent a posse of bounty hunters and union busters to try and route the gang out. And the Wolf Gang didn’t take kindly to being fucked with.
That said, Jinx huffed and spoke.
“Are we really sure this is gonna be worth it?”
“‘Course it's worth it.” Vi said, walking up next to her and taking a swig from her canteen. She adjusted her cattleman hat atop her head and offered the water to Jinx, who took her own swig. “I guarantee you the train’s gon’ be carrying enough payout for months.”
“Right.” Jinx said. “Those pieces of paper that aren’t actually money are worth months of business.”
“Not just paper. Railroad bonds, Jinx. Enough to put a poor man out of business.”
“But we ain’t dealin’ with a poor man, we’re dealin’ with Jericho Swain.”
Vi turned to her and smiled.
“And that’s why the bonds are gon’ be worth so much. Noxian Rail bonds for the Swain Railroad Company. We find the right people, shit’s gonna sell like shimmer.”
“I’m just tryna be practical, Vi. We took a big hit, leavin’ all that money in Basilich. And as much as I love using the stuff, we got a finite amount of dynamite, and we gotta be sure it’s gon’ make us enough cash to buy some more. And feed the gang, and buy more medicine, and a new wagon because we lost that one fording the Pilt, and a new horse, and-”
“Jinx.” Vi said, yanking her gambler’s hat right from Jinx’s head and ruffling her hand through the short blue mess of Jinx’s hair. “You’re worrying too much. This is a good tip. It’ll make us money, and show that bastard Swain not to mess with us. Now let’s get down there and lay the trap.”
One couldn’t argue with Vi when she got like this. That was what made Vi Wolf so dangerous. She was the heart of the gang, the soul, the vision. And when she saw the opportunity for profit, she honed in like a bloodhound. It’s why she was their leader, without even trying to, Vi stood tall and proud and inspired those behind her. And when her ambitions grew too far, that’s when Jinx stepped in. If Vi was the heart, then Jinx was the brain. They were good at what they did. Good enough people knew the Wolf Sisters and their gang of outlaws all across Runeterra.
It took a solid 10 minutes to find and climb down the safest path to the belly of the valley. At the end Jinx found her foot slipping, and tumbled a few feet until she was laying in the dust next to Vi.
“I meant to do that.” Jinx urged as Vi held a hand down to lift her to her feet.
Vi didn’t say anything, just gave Jinx an amused smile as they approached the train tracks.
“Whatcha think?” Vi said, giving the track a solid kick.
Jinx was already squatting down to examine the quality of their quarry. How firm were the bolts? Was the wood rotted? Was the steel of any real make or was it shitty and impure? And most of all, would a break in the tracks be enough to destabilize a train without damaging the goods inside?
“Looks like the workers rushed the job.” Jinx said, walking the track until it began to turn a wide corner. “Right here. Right at the turn. If we blow enough of the track here, the train’ll get destabilized. Coast right off the rails. Best case, it slows down a bit and then hits the canyon wall. Assuming that the cargo cars are near the back it shouldn’t do enough damage to ruin anything valuable. One blast at the corner should do the trick, right before they turn so the conductor doesn’t have too much time to break. Maybe… 6 sticks? 3 on each end of the track.”
Vi barked a little laugh.
“Shit, you really figured all that out just now? Why the hell we start robbing people for a living? Coulda just taken you and that brain to the circus or something. Bring you along for the show, ‘Meet the world’s youngest genius.’”
“I’m 24. Ain’t the youngest anything.”
“Wrong.” Vi smirked. “You’re actually the youngest person ever. What, they didn’t tell you that in that baby genius school Pop sent you too?”
“Nah, they was too busy teaching us how to kick the asses of old dinosaurs who think they still got it.”
“Hey now, I do.”
Jinx rolled her eyes.
“And that’s why you struck out with that fisherman’s wife in Rokrund. Cause you still got it.”
“Hey, she was plenty into me, it was the fisherman who was the problem.”
Before they could rib each other anymore, a yell came down from the crest of the canyon.
“Boss!” It was Claggor’s voice. “We got everything ready up here. Ekko just made it back, said the train’s running early. Gonna get here at dusk!”
“Shit.” Vi spat. “That gon’ be enough time to set up?”
“Barely.” Jinx said, “But I’ll make it work.” Then she slung her backpack of powder supplies from her shoulders and crouched down at the turn of the tracks. “Just get everyone else ready.”
Vi nodded and began running back, barking commands up at Claggor.
The art of blowing shit up was Jinx’s most treasured tradition. Her time at Piltover Academy, while brief, was precious. She always had the talent for numbers, but it was honing engineering, chemistry, and physics that made her so dangerous. More dangerous than she was before the Academy, at least.
The trickiest part of this would be the timing, frankly. The fuse would follow a copper wire from her hiding place along the canyon wall and detonate her explosives where she was now tying them down, weaving the wire along the track. If she blew it too late, the train would reach the tracks past the explosion, and likely manage fine. If she did it too early, there was the risk of the conductor managing to get the emergency breaks in gear. If the train wasn’t going fast enough, it wouldn’t be thrown off the tracks, and would instead safely coast round the bend and realign with the rest of the rail.
But as she worked, the rhythmic sounds of the train began to echo off the canyon walls from a distance. If she had more time, she could blow up more of the tracks, but she didn’t. Nor did she want to spend the resources.
As she began unspooling the wire to her hiding place behind a boulder, she saw the rest of the gang was descending the small canyon and getting into position. According to Vi’s tip, the train wasn’t supposed to be guarded. There wasn’t supposed to be anyone out here to rob it in the first place, Rokrund was known for being piss poor. But Jericho Swain could be unpredictable, it seemed far-fetched that he wouldn’t have a few guns at least.
Vi was of a similar mind, as her and the others pulled their bandanas up and got their guns ready. There were only 5 of them set to rob the train. Her and Vi, of course, then Ekko, Claggor, and Mylo. The rest of the gang was a few miles away at camp, waiting for their success.
Vi jogged up to her right as Jinx connected the detonator to the wire.
“Are we all ready?” Vi asked.
“As I’ll ever be.”
The humming grew louder and louder, Vi yelled out to them as Jinx secured and pulled her own bandana up.
“Places folks! Don’t let yourself be seen! This should be an easy score, no problem for the 5 of us. Now let's rob us a god damn train!”
Cheer and whoops went out before the gang melted into the rocks, ambush laid and ready. The buildup made Jinx’s heartbeat audible in her ears.
The train was a behemoth, a mighty beast of steel and coal thundering its way towards them. Smoke plumed from the top leaving behind a poison trail in its wake. The sounds were enough to feel like the whole valley was shaking. Next to her Vi drew her pistol, holding her eyes on Jinx for the signal to go.
It had just turned a slight corner, and was picking up speed on the long stretch now, maybe approaching 40 miles per hour. Just under a thousand feet away. It would make it to them in just about 15 seconds. She waited as the sweat built under her palms, and her breath quivered with adrenaline.
Another few seconds. Account for the delay…
Jinx plunged the fuse down, and in moments a deafening crack sounded as smoke and shrapnel flew away from the blast sight. Then the train was racing forward past the turn, brakes pulled far too late as it went careening into the dirt before thudding against the wall, most of its momentum lost in the hard earth below. When the dust began to settle and the sounds of panicked confusion came from a set of two passenger cars, Vi hopped up on the boulder and fired her cattleman into the air. Shouts of fear answered her.
“No one moves!” Vi yelled, descending down from the boulder and approaching. Jinx followed with her Schofield, and then the others right behind. “This here’s a robbery! Any of y’all folk think about running, I promise you a bullet’s gonna beat you there!”
Vi was just about to continue speaking, when the glint of the early evening sun shone off something and hit Jinx’s eyes, and Jinx saw the rifle peaking out from one of the car windows.
“Down!”
The shot ripped out and the gang dived one by one as another few shots rang out. They were rushing behind the cover of uneven earth as three uniformed men revealed themselves from the car in front of the passengers.
“No guards, huh?!” Jinx yelled as Vi swore.
“What are they packing?” Vi asked. “Can you tell?”
A few more pops rang out from their guns as they peppered the ridge that Ekko and Claggor were hidden under, a yell ringing out as Mylo took a bullet in his thigh. That sound made them repeaters for sure, but what kind? With their guns focused on that pod, Jinx peeked out just enough to see them, navy blue coats with gold insignia. One that Jinx didn’t recognize. She got a glance at one of their guns just as it turned to fire at Jinx, ricocheting with a thud off their cover.
“Spencer repeaters. All of ‘em. 7 shots per cartridge. One of the bastards is already reloading.”
Vi nodded and put a hand up to yell at their allies.
“E, get round the front of the train, J, you go tie up M’s wound and then cover for C and I as we go in.”
Jinx huffed.
“You sure we don’t wanna let him bleed out?”
Vi just gave her one scolding look, before moving to the edge of the rock.
The peppering fire halted for a moment.
“Now!”
Ekko went running to the front of the train, diving to break the soldier’s line of sight at the engine. Jinx took off at the same time, sprinting to the ridge where Mylo was holding his leg. A shot whizzed just behind her as she made it, grabbing Mylo’s satchel to pull out a wrap of bandages.
“Fuck this stings.” He groaned. “Do you even know how to treat a wound?”
“Shut your trap and stop moving. Lest I knock your ass out and save us all the trouble.”
Mylo did not argue.
Once the bullet wound had a sufficient amount of pressure, Jinx was peeking over the ridge with her Schofield in hand. She let out two shots, just to make the three guards react on instinct for cover, which signaled Vi and Claggor to start moving forward. Their guns fired as well, revolvers and repeaters putting a retaliatory hail into the guard’s car. There was a wet thud and a yell, though it was impossible to tell who even landed a hit. Jinx was running up now to continue laying fire down as Vi and Claggor boarded the passenger car. Another gunshot rang out, and a scream cut short. Ekko.
With two injured or dead and only one unharmed, the three of them took quick work of the guards. Leaving Mylo there, Jinx ran up and hopped into the car as well.
“Well.” Vi said, sauntering out into the passenger car with her cattleman in hand. “Wasn’t that just a party.”
Many of the passengers now cowered in their benches or behind them, obviously understanding that running was not an option for them at this point.
“My associate C here is gonna be coming around with a sack. I would recommend giving him your valuables. You won’t like what happens if you don’t. Come on now.”
Claggor slung his repeater onto his back and pulled the aforementioned sack out, going passenger to passenger as they threw in their goods. And when the odd fella refused, Jinx’s Schofield aimed at their head was enough to change their mind.
Suddenly Claggor yelled.
“Look out!”
A passenger had gotten up from his seat and had a candelabra in his hands, aiming to swing at Vi with her back turned. Vi spun on one boot and caught the swing, delivering a brutal punch that cracked into the man’s stomach and had him doubling over.
“Oh come on now.” Vi laughed. “I appreciate the bravery but that just ain’t the way this is gonna go. Alright, E, C, you two finish up here, I’m gonna check the engine out. J why don’t you go check the rest of the cars behind. It looked like cargo, mostly.”
Jinx nodded and split off. The remaining cars were surprisingly silent, no other passengers, or cargo of any real value. The further this heist went, the more Jinx felt this irk in her chest. Fear that this was a waste of time and resources to rob maybe 30 people of their watches and jewellery that wouldn’t even sell for enough to buy a horse to replace Davey. Poor Davey, he’d been a good horse to Jinx, in the short time she’d had him.
Hope had just about escaped her when Jinx grabbed the sliding door of the second to last car, and it didn’t move an inch. When she attempted to look inside the window of the door, it was covered. Blocked by something maybe. Was this door fortified? Now that was interesting. Fortified for what?
Jinx tried once more with more force, and the door shifted but didn’t open. Locked then, good, that would make this a lot simpler. Jinx reached into her satchel and pulled the smallest stick of dynamite she had, and secured it to the door with some rope. With the size of the door and whatever was blocking the window, it shouldn’t be enough to damage anything inside. Or anyone.
Jinx gave 3 solid pounds on the door with her fist and raised her voice.
“If there’s anyone in there, I recommend standing away from the door. Or don’t, up to you.”
Then striking a match against her boot, Jinx lit the fuse and ducked back inside the car she’d come from, closing the door.
5 seconds later, the boom of her charge went off, and Jinx was at the door with her revolver drawn. As the smoke cleared and she stepped inside, Jinx saw what might have been the most lavish train car to ever be. There were rugs on the floors, settees and fancy chairs around, a small chandelier swinging on the ceiling, intricate wooden shelves lined the back of the room with a few trunks in front of them. Hell, there was even some fancy painting above one of the few blocked windows, which each had a piece of sheet metal bolted on, with the ability to slide them to look out.
And then, at the center of the room was a dark wooden desk with a woman standing behind it, backing up. She was short, shorter than Jinx at least, wearing a fancy dark blue travelling gown with brown riders boots to match. Her blonde hair was done up in a fine bun, with a few ringlets of hair framing her face with an elegant shine. Her skin was fair and smooth, and her eyes were the warmest shade of blue that Jinx had ever seen. She was obviously frightened, taking another step back, one hand clasped around a necklace at her chest, hands gloved in white. She was absolutely gorgeous.
“Well.” Jinx said, taking another step inside. “This certainly ain’t what I was expecting to-”
Before she could utter another word, a splitting pain struck her head, and Jinx fell to the ground. There was another uniformed man, one crouching behind a trunk that she hadn’t noticed against the wall, standing over her with a sawed off Winchester, the butt now stained bloody.
“Miss Luxanna,” he urged. His voice was higher than Jinx expected. How young was he? “You gotta run now!”
Jinx kicked hard at his knee and he hit the ground with a loud thud, and Jinx lunged. He had dropped his Winchester and Jinx reached for it, only for him to grab her by the wrist. Pinning him down with her knees she swung once with her free hand, a bloody crack ringing out as she hit his jaw. Vaguely, Jinx noted that the woman was yelling something to the side of them, but the ringing in her ears was far too loud to make it out, and the boiling anger in her blood was too fierce to stop.
Wits about him, the boy shoved at Jinx as hard as he could, knocking her to the ground and climbing on top of her. His hands were at her throat when Jinx found the knife in her belt and drove it into his thigh. His scream was guttural, but cut short as Jinx grabbed him by the wool of his uniform jacket and shoved with all her might.
The Winchester was nowhere to be found as Jinx pushed herself up to her feet, likely knocked away during the wrestling. She turned with her dukes up to face her enemy, and found her knife clutched in his hand.
Shit.
He charged her, and Jinx wasn’t able to stop him before there was a burning sting that had her teeth clenching as the knife cut through her bicep. He was clearly untrained with the weapon though, as his momentum pushed him further than he intended, and Jinx kicked again at his knee knocking him down.
“Sonofa bitch.” She growled, ripping the knife from his hands as her arm felt warm with dripping blood. She slammed her boot on his chest and prepared to drive her blade into the exposed hollow of his throat, but froze when she heard the distinctive click of a weapon primed behind her.
“Drop the knife.”
Jinx slowly turned to find the woman at the desk was now holding soldier boy’s Winchester, and aiming it right at her.
Double shit.
She was across the whole room, there was just no way Jinx would be able to run at her before she fired. And if it hit Jinx? The blood dripping from the back of her head and arm would be nothing to worry about.
“Now Miss,” Jinx said, slowly moving her hands to the air. “I wouldn’t recommend that.”
“I told you to put the knife down. Do it now or I will shoot.”
Jinx took a half moment to examine the way she was holding the gun. No dice, it was proper technique, she knew how to shoot the thing.
With a heavy sigh, Jinx put the knife down on the desk.
“Now step away from him.” The woman ordered, with a surprising level of authority in her voice. So Jinx obeyed, walking backwards away from her and rounding the side of the desk, stepping over the soldier boy’s groaning body. She followed at the same pace, until she was next to him.
“Are you alright Ezreal?” She asked without taking her eyes off Jinx.
“I think my knee’s broken, ma’am.” He said, blood dribbling from his mouth. He must have bit his tongue when she punched his jaw.
“You didn’t break shit,” Jinx laughed. “It’s bruised at worst.”
The woman (what was the name the soldier boy had used? Lana or something?) did not seem amused. In the same vein, she clearly wasn’t sure what to do in this situation, as she just stood there for a moment with the weapon trained on Jinx. Jinx, for her part, was desperately trying to find a way out of becoming a splatter on the wall.
In the end luck blessed her, because another voice spoke from the door behind her.
“Pardon me.” Vi barked, cattleman revolver in hand. “But I’m gonna need you to lower that shotgun.”
The woman moved to face Vi, which gave Jinx all the time she needed to spring forward and grasp her by the wrists. She forced them up right as the weapon discharged, leaving a smoking hole in the top of the car. Jinx ripped the Winchester away, and the girl was unarmed.
“I ever tell you how freaky it is that you’re that fast?” Vi said, as Ekko stepped in as well with his pistol in one hand and his cavalry sabre in the other. It was clear the woman knew there was no winning this altercation now, by the way the tension in her shoulders dropped.
“Only every time you see me run.” Jinx said, rubbing her head. She was fast. Fast enough to unsettle her own sister, and likely this rich lady, from the way she looked at Jinx with wide eyes.
“The fuck happened to you?” Ekko asked. Jinx just gestured to the soldier boy.
“Bastard clocked me with his gun. My ears still haven’t stopped ringing.”
Ekko sheathed his sabre and spun Jinx around with his free hand to take a look at her head.
“That was probably the gunshot, not you getting hit. You’ll live. Gonna have a headache for a week though.”
“Gee, who thought?” Jinx said, rolling her eyes.
“You two, search this place, I reckon what we’re looking for ought to be in here.” Vi said before yelling back over her shoulder.
“C! Bring rope, we got two live ones!” Then she turned and gave a little half mocking bow to the woman. “Young miss, I apologize for the intrusion but we will be robbing you now. If you could follow me outside please, and bring that boy on the ground with you, that would be great. If you’re smart, you’ll end up outta this without being hurt.” A groan came again from the boy on the ground and Vi laughed. “Any further than ya are now.”
The woman in the dress shook her head.
“You’re making a big mistake. I promise you’ll regret attacking this train.”
Vi laughed again.
“Oh I’m sure you think I will. Now get that boy to his feet, and follow me out of the train car if you please. I don’t wanna kill an unarmed woman but I ain’t gonna let that stop me.”
With a sigh she crouched down next to the boy, putting a hand on his shoulder and speaking something in a soft tone of voice that Jinx couldn’t make out over the ringing. The two of them were led out of the car, but not before she threw one more scathing glance at Jinx. Gods, those eyes were pretty.
Now with free reign of the car, Jinx collected her hat and with Ekko they searched the car top to bottom. There was money here, certainly, a broach here, a ring there, a pair of earrings with a hefty pair of sapphires, fine whiskey and cigars. There was only one problem.
No bonds.
When the last drawer on her side of the room was emptied, she turned to Ekko.
“Nothing on my end. You?”
He looked up from where he’d been sifting through the woman’s desk.
“Can’t say I know what railroad bonds look like, but it ain’t this. Buncha’ letters though, all with this fancy wax seal. And look at this.”
He held what seemed like a little leather pouch. Jinx took it and peeked inside, only to furrow her brow at its contents. A single iron chain link, broken at one end. Two knuckle bones that didn’t seem the right shape to be human. A pair of bright silk cords braided together in a long curling line. A small pyramid-like crystal, clearly cut by hand that looked like it belonged in a telescope.
It was random junk.
“The fuck?”
“Rich people shit, I guess.” Ekko said with a shrug before handing her a stack of the letters. “Maybe the bonds are in these?”
And so they opened them after stuffing the bag in her satchel one by one. No bonds. But there was a name Jinx saw over and over again.
Your dearest,
Luxanna Crownguard.
With respect,
Luxanna Crownguard.
Love,
Luxanna Crownguard.
“Any clue who the Crownguards are?” Jinx asked, to which Ekko just shrugged. It wasn’t long before a pile of open letters sat on the desk, and the room was completely ransacked. Fuck. There was nothing. No real money in this train. Just trinkets that would fence for less than dirt.
“Come on.” Jinx growled, as she stared down the barrel of their gang’s end. “Let’s go give Vi the bad news.”
--
“The hell do you mean there’s no bonds?”
Enough time had passed that they had to get lanterns out as the sun coasted past the distant mountains. Claggor had tied up Luxanna and the soldier boy and was watching them with a limping Mylo far enough away that Ekko, Vi, and her could speak privately.
“I’m telling you Vi, we turned that place upside down.” Ekko said, holding out a stack of the opened letters for her examination. “No bonds, no mention of bonds, not even a mention of the Swain Railroad company in her letters.”
Vi pulled her glasses from her vest pocket, reading over a few of the notes she was handed. Eventually she tossed them back in frustration, head turning up as she clearly withheld her anger.
“That can’t be right.” She said, “My source was good, he’s never let me down before. He told me an important asset that would cost Jericho Swain a considerable amount of money. That says bonds to me, so why the hell is there some rich girl. Who even is she?”
“Luxanna Crownguard.” Jinx said, pulling a cigarette from her pack and lighting it. “Reckon from the letters she’s the daughter of some Demacian businessman by the name of Pieter Crownguard. Ain’t sure what they sell but, look at the cabin. They gotta have some kinda money to the name.”
Vi shook her head again.
“Maybe she’s hiding ‘em? My guy is reliable and he told me it was here.”
“Wait a minute…” Ekko said. “Your man told you there was an asset to Jericho Swain in the train. One worth a lot of money. Exact phrasing, yes?”
Vi nodded. Jinx caught on right away and spoke. “And he said ‘asset.’ Not assets.”
Now as Vi looked at them, understanding seemed to dawn on her, and all three of them turned at once to look at the lady Luxanna Crownguard, sitting with demure posture even as her arms were tied in front of her.
“Nah that can’t be.” Vi spat.
“Hold on.” Jinx said, a realization spiking in her mind. “You didn’t even bother confirming with this guy that it was bonds on the train? You threw us into a train heist when we’re almost dead broke without being sure what we was even here to steal?”
“The way we was talking nothing else made any sense!”
“God damnit Vi! All you had to do was ask him. All that talk and muscle and you still ain’t got nothing in your head!”
“Alright, alright.” Ekko said, getting between them as Vi took a single threatening step forward. “What’s done is done. Let’s just focus on finding a way to collect on this.”
Jinx looked to him, and then to Vi, and then took one long and deep breath. Ekko visibly relaxed as Vi stepped away, shaking her head.
“What the hell could she have that would be worth that much money.”
“I don’t think it’s anything she has, Vi.” Ekko said. “I think she is the money.”
Vi sat on that one for a long time, looking down in the dirt before she nodded.
“Come on. I say we have a conversation with this lady Luxanna.”
As the three of them approached with their bandanas back up, Jinx noted that Luxanna’s eyes seemed to land on her again, frustration not breaking the graceful air she wore. Jinx held the glare without wavering, even with the pounding pain in her head, which seemed to annoy her even more.
Jinx was a sinner at her core, both she and her sister. Frustration and anger simmered low in her abdomen, and she simply couldn’t help the way her brain started to lean as she looked at this beautiful blonde songbird all tied up. Her gown left her shoulders exposed, delicate and soft, and Jinx thought they would look nice all marked and bitten. That angry look in her eyes would only suit lips swollen from a burning kiss, and the sounds she might make from fingers running up the small of her back were no doubt delightful. Jinx wanted to throw her back against the wall, she wanted Luxanna to keep looking at her like she was dirt as she pushed that dress up and tasted Luxanna.
But they were on the job, sinning in the proper way, and so Jinx forced the thoughts away for later tonight when she could find some time alone and away from the gang. She was just angry, and a very pretty woman looking just as angry was making her head swim. That was all.
“Well, Miss Crownguard.” Vi said with a swagger in her step. “It appears we’re in a little situation.”
“Where are the other guards and passengers?” Luxanna demanded immediately. “Your lug here won’t tell me anything.”
Vi smiled with her eyes and nodded at Claggor. “That’s a good man, C.”
“You know it, boss.”
Vi regarded Luxanna again.
“Your guards, I’m afraid, have been shot dead, you see they started firin’ upon us. The rest of the passengers are unharmed, ‘cept for one heroic feller who tried to attack me with a candlestick. I reckon he might have a broken rib. Once we leave, they're free to do as they wish.”
Luxanna closed her eyes for a second, clearly suppressing her anger. When she opened them again she was looking at Vi with a cold and analytical gaze.
“What do you want from me then? Why haven’t you killed us?”
“Oh well, Miss we don’t wanna kill anyone, just like I told you inside. But there’s just one thing we’re looking for, and I really hope you can help us find ‘em. Noxian railroad bonds, for the Swain Railroad company. See, we was looking for those bonds, and my associates J and E here couldn’t find ‘em in your fancy penthouse. So, it would save us all a great deal of time if you could tell us where they are.”
Luxanna looked at Vi for a while, then her eyes flitted to Ekko, and again to Jinx.
“Jericho Swain.” She said, “You folks are working for that evil man?”
Vi laughed, hard. “No Miss, I would never work for a union-busting man like Swain. No see, Mr. Swain owes us a debt, an account of a great deal of capital he’s made us lose, as well as the death of a beloved horse. We was planning to collect from those bonds.”
Again, Luxanna paused, obviously weighing her options. Next to her the soldier boy, Ezreal, she vaguely remembered, spoke through bloody teeth.
“Don’t you tell ‘em nothing Miss Luxanna. These crooks don’t deserve answers.”
“Boy I ain’t talkin’ to you.” Vi said with a point. “You open that mouth of yours again and I’ll let J here give you another beatin’. Where are the bonds, Miss?”
“There aren’t any bonds here.” She said, “I can promise you that. My family would never work with Swain, and we certainly wouldn’t be transporting any railroad bonds for him, or any other kind of money.”
Ekko spoke up. “Well you must have some kinda connection to him. If there ain’t no bonds on you, then you yourself must be worth a lot of money to the man.”
Luxanna shook her head.
“I haven’t a clue what you’re talking about, I was just doing some business for my father in Piltover and I’m on my way home to High Silvermere by train. At least, I was. I don’t have anything to do with Swain, and neither does my family.”
“The hell is your trade anyway?” Jinx asked. “Must have some kinda dealings with Swain. Considering you know that he is an ‘evil man.’”
It was clear from the look on her face that Luxanna didn’t want to talk on the matter, or really to any of them any further, but she knew that it wasn’t possible. She let out a weary sigh.
“Steel. The Crownguard Steelworks are one of the biggest industry runners in Demacia. And that steel is used all around the world. Swain Railroad has tried to buy us out on more than one occasion, even hurt our workers to try and intimidate us. But our family is probably just as wealthy as Jericho Swain, only my father is a kind and just man who treats all his workers fair and only cares for an honest day's work.”
Jinx couldn’t stop herself before the sardonic laugh escaped her mouth. Luxanna’s brow furrowed immediately.
“Was something I said funny?”
Jinx canted her head.
“If your daddy is as rich as Swain, there ain’t no way he’s a good man.”
“He is. You certainly aren’t in any position to judge him or my family, you rotten brigand.”
“I may be a thief but I’m honest about it. I know I’m rotten, and I don’t try to pretend otherwise, Princess.”
Beside her, Vi let out a sigh and turned back to look at the train, the panache dropping from her shoulders.
“Shit. Brought us out here for nothin’ huh?”
Then she fell silent, and so did Ekko, and surprisingly so did Luxanna. Instead she was looking at the three of them with something akin to curiosity, which Jinx found intriguing.
“So what do we do now?” Ekko whispered first as Vi pulled them away for a moment. “We ain’t found what we’re looking for, and we’re low on funds. Should we head back east?”
Vi shook her head.
“Not with the law back in Rokrund looking for us. We gotta find a place to sell what we got from the train first and foremost. I guess we go northwest, hit Qualthala. Then… We figure it out as we go.”
Even as they spoke in private, Jinx found she couldn’t stop herself from looking at Miss Luxanna Crownguard, who was apparently more than willing to hold her gaze right back. What did those warm blue eyes see when they looked at their group? Murders? Outlaws? Death?
Or was there something else she was looking at…
…
Or, were the three of them looking at her wrong. They were looking at her like a problem. An unexpected bump in the path. A puzzle that was barring them from profit, but had no inherent value. They weren’t seeing the numbers written all over that pretty face and blonde hair.
Jinx raised her voice.
“So if you ain’t worth anything to Swain, how much are you worth to your Daddy?”
All eyes turned to her.
“I beg your pardon?” Luxanna asked.
“Think about it.” Jinx said, turning to Vi and ignoring Luxanna. “She says her family is as rich as Swain. And judging by her letters-”
“You read my private letters?” Lux tried to interrupt, not that Jinx was stopping for her.
“-She's pretty damn close with them. Close enough that they would send her to do business for the company all the way in Piltover on her own. So we come knocking at the gates of High Silvermere with her in tow. A man like Pieter Crownguard, I reckon, would pay us a healthy ransom for his beloved daughter.”
Vi put a knuckle to her lips, brow furrowed in thought.
“Demacia is across the damn continent. That’d take at least 4 months. Half a year if the weather’s bad. That ain’t sustainable. Normally you’d be the one telling me no to a job like this. We don’t even know if she’s telling the truth about her family being that rich.”
“But if she is telling the truth,” Ekko said. “That could be the biggest score of our lives. Bigger than any damn bonds.”
“We’d have to find some cash on the way. But if we could do it? V, think about the kinda money Swain’s been throwing to get rid of us. Now imagine it in our pockets. We could go home to Zaun. Fuck, we could do anything we wanted. And all we gotta do is find a way to get this lady back home, and make sure no one else sniffs out the score.”
Vi held Jinx’s eyes for a long moment, as if searching for the answer in the deep pink. They’d been playing this game for years, but never had an opportunity quite like this fallen into their laps. Vi was right, there had been plenty of times Vi had urged them towards some lofty scheme only for Jinx to pull her back. That was how they operated, they grounded each other.
But when that ambitious smile crept onto Vi’s face, Jinx realized they were about to be soaring.
“Well Miss Crownguard.” Vi said, grin audible. “It looks like we have stranded you here in this canyon without your guards or your fancy train. So we gon’ make it right and bring you home, assuming your Daddy’s willing to pay. Don’t that sound nice?”
That spitfire glint in Luxanna’s eyes seemed to dim. That was probably a fair reaction to realizing you were being kidnapped.
Vi looked at Claggor and Mylo.
“Go on back to camp and get ready, we’re-”
“You’ll be bringing Ezreal too.”
Vi stopped and looked at Luxanna again, the fear apparently vanished in moments.
Gods, she really was gorgeous.
“What?” Vi asked, losing all pomp and pretense.
“Ezreal. My parents hired him and the other guards to protect me, and considering you killed the rest of them, it’s only right that you’ll be bringing him with you and taking care of the injuries that ‘J’ there did to him.”
Vi stepped forward, yanking her own bandana down to reveal her face. She couched low to make eye contact with Luxanna.
“Now, when the fuck did I say this was a negotiation?”
Surprisingly, Lux didn’t flinch or pull back.
“You never did, but it is. You folks want money by bringing me back to my father. I’m only going to cooperate if you tend to my guard’s injuries and bring him with us.”
“We don’t need you to cooperate.” Jinx said now, stepping forward and pulling her revolver. “This ain’t a delivery service, don’t be mistaken. The only reason we ain’t leaving you here to starve is because you're worth something.”
She leveled the gun at Ezreal, enjoying that little peep of fear that snuck its way into Luxanna’s expression. All Jinx needed was a nod from Vi and she’d shoot.
Only the nod didn’t come. Vi looked at Luxanna, and then at Ezreal.
“Put the gun away.” She said, “Claggor. Bring Mylo to Sera, and tell her we got two more injured coming.
“Yes boss.” He said, hoisting up an annoyed Mylo and trodding off.
Jinx shot Vi a single, incredulous look, which Vi did not directly acknowledge.
Jinx’s Schofield slid back into the holster, and Jinx had to stop herself from snapping at Vi that they shouldn’t waste anything on the blonde prick.
Then, Vi spoke.
“I like the way you play the game Miss Crownguard. We’ll patch your boy up here, cause I like y’all, but you best not get the wrong idea. We can’t kill you, but I don’t give a fuck about him. One wrong step, one hint you’re trying to run on us, he’s as good as dead. My name’s Violet Wolf. This here’s my sister, Jinx, and our cousin, Ekko. We’ll be seein’ a lot of each other over the rest of this fine year. Better get used to the names.”
Luxanna’s eyes went wide.
“You’re… the Wolf Sisters?”
Jinx pulled her bandana down and gave Luxanna a wicked, canine heavy grin.
“We might just be.”
--
When she arrived at the scene, Detective Kiramman found the train completely wrecked. The tracks that bore it were ruined at one corner, which forced it off rail and into the cliff face. Its dead husk was empty. Where two of its cars would bear full benches of passengers instead they sat silent and covered in dust, and much of the food and cargo had been taken. Just about anything with any value. Most interestingly, a penthouse cabin was completely ransacked. Drawers were pulled open, wardrobes shoved down, and what looked like a bloodstain marred the blue and gold carpet.
She couched low to the blood and breathed in deep, letting her hunter’s senses take over.
It was old, but not useless. Shed around a week ago.
She knew this scent. Knew it very well. It was the sister’s blood, not exact but so similar. The detective found herself salivating at the idea she might find more of her favorite taste. It was only natural for one to find enjoyment out of her work, after all.
What luck. She’d been hired to track down this Crownguard woman, only to discover that Violet Wolf was a week from her. Maybe less, if she was quick. And almost certainly had the girl. She ran her tongue along her fangs at the thought, anticipation making her fingers quiver, filled with the urge to draw her rifle. Instead, she secured her hat.
“You won’t get away from me this time.”
Then, prepared to follow the trail of blood those Wolf sisters would no doubt leave in their wake, Detective Kiramman left the train upon her horse and continued the search for her prey.