Home Alone hummed a tune as he rode a tall white horse at the head of the column, beaming with delight. A crowd of companions followed behind him, laughing and chatting.
They had just pulled off a big job, ambushing a bunch of rich idiots in a gorge and walking away with a massive haul.
The tall horse beneath Home Alone was part of that haul. Its coat was pure white, its silky mane gleaming silver in the sunlight. Its hooves stepped lightly along the mountain trail, as though it, too, were celebrating their victory.
Home Alone smugly patted its neck and said softly,
"A fine horse deserves a fine master. All that work certainly paid off!"
"Boss, that horse is a real beauty, just like you!" One companion came over, his eyes full of envy. What he really wanted to say was, Let me ride it for a while.
"Haha, naturally!"
Home Alone answered without a trace of modesty.
"Still, this horse was a 'gift' from those rich idiots. If they knew their precious horse belonged to me now, they'd probably be stamping their feet in hell!"
"Man, we hauled in so much this time. What do we do next?"
Another companion asked.
"I heard the road to Bolas is open. Obviously, we get the goods back as soon as possible and trade them to Chris for money and equipment!"
Home Alone answered without hesitation.
"We've got over twenty four-wheeled wagons' worth of valuables. The jewelry might be ugly, but it's all gold and silver. It must be worth a fortune..."
Before he had finished, a sharp gunshot shattered the valley's peace. Before anyone could react, Home Alone jerked, then pitched off his horse and slammed onto the hard mountain road.
Immediately afterward, a mass of men with blue-painted