Plane

Javier's gaze shifted, a hungry, assessing look, to the second airplane, standing somewhat more impressively than its predecessor.

The fuselage of this plane looked significantly better than the first, with even more meticulous attention to detail in all aspects of its construction. It was a tangible leap forward. This enhanced quality was the direct result of a hundred thousand dollars in newfound funding; all the parts for this plane were not merely assembled but meticulously crafted by the best workers, the engine itself was not just upgraded but reimagined, and a whole new, intricate system, what the Wright Brothers proudly called the 'Flow System,' was completely revised and perfected after they painstakingly studied and summarized the performance data from the first plane's brief flight.

Davey, Bill, and Javier had still followed and observed the entire process of this plane's development, from blueprints to assembly, a fascinated, if bewildered, audience.

Compared to the flimsy, experimental first plane, this one clearly showed significant, undeniable progress! It hummed with a nascent power.

The plane, a testament to their relentless dedication, flew multiple times, soaring aloft with increasing confidence. Its highest, most impressive flight lasted a remarkable five minutes, a dizzying eternity in the air, and it demonstrated the astonishing ability to turn fluidly, gracefully, in the air, flying a distance of 4.4 kilometers before settling back to earth.

Javier could still vividly recall his profound shock at the time, a feeling that had rooted him to the spot.

Everyone in the Van der Linde Gang, a group not easily impressed, stood on the ground, literally stunned, their jaws slack, watching the impossible unfold above them for a long, silent time.

It was only because of Dutch's specific, foresightful instructions that they had meticulously found an empty, isolated wilderness for these test flights; otherwise, this incredible flying machine would have already caused a colossal sensation in Ohio and even reverberated across all of America, sparking widespread panic and disbelief!

And the third airplane…

Javier's thoughts, already racing with the implications of this nascent technology, hadn't even reached the third, most advanced plane when Mr. Trelawny's familiar, booming voice, laced with its characteristic theatricality, drifted from outside the hangar. He was in conversation with the Wright Brothers, their voices mingling with the distant city sounds.

"Hey, Davey, Bill, Javier, gentlemen," Mr. Trelawny's shouts rang out, clear and commanding, carrying easily over the ambient factory hum. "Could you please come out and help us carry this engine in?" He added a note of polite request, though it was clearly an instruction.

Bill, who had long been chafing, restless and irritable, inside the confining hangar, sprung to life. He practically scurried out, a burst of pent-up energy, a genuine eagerness to escape the oppressive stillness.

"Oh, you're finally back, otherwise I would have died of boredom in here!" Bill grumbled, his voice laced with a performative complaint, yet his actions betrayed his genuine relief. He was the first to grab the carriage laden with the new engine, carefully, almost reverently, tying the horse to the hitching post, his movements surprisingly delicate. He was genuinely afraid that if the horse spooked, the precious plane's engine might be in danger, and that would surely incur Dutch's wrath.

Damn it, Bill thought, a flicker of grudging respect in his eyes, he was no fool; how could he not see how utterly amazing, how profoundly revolutionary, this airplane thing was?

Damn it, he swore internally, Dutch cared a lot about this thing! It was his new obsession, his grand scheme.

He just didn't want to stay here, confined and idle, while the world changed. His spirit yearned for action.

As Davey and the other men walked out into the open, the two figures of the Wright Brothers, their faces alight with a mixture of fatigue and fervent excitement, also appeared before them.

At this time, Wilbur, the elder Wright brother, was only thirty years old, his frame lean and intense, and Orville, the younger brother, was a mere twenty-nine; these two were still strikingly young men, brimming with an almost infectious drive and youthful, relentless passion!

In these short two and a half months, spent in close quarters and shared purpose, they had already become intimately familiar with Davey and the others, their initial formality dissolving into a comfortable camaraderie. And because of their own burning youthful passion, combined with Mr. Van der Linde's profound, almost god-like kindness, and the caring, warm words penned in Mr. Van der Linde's surprisingly eloquent letters, they had eagerly, almost desperately, wanted to officially join the Van der Linde Gang, the very people who trusted them the most. They had even proposed joining by letter, a testament to their fervent desire to repay Mr. Van der Linde's extraordinary kindness and unwavering trust!

Damn it, Davey thought, a wry smirk touching his lips, under the irresistible charm of Dutch, that veritable succubus of the West, there was truly no way for anyone to escape his magnetic pull! He ensnared them all.

And at this moment, listening to Bill's characteristic complaints, Wilbur laughed heartily, a genuine, joyful sound that crinkled the corners of his eyes. He clapped Bill on the shoulder. "Alright, Bill, stop complaining, we can go now, gentlemen! Our engine is complete, perfected! We can finally leave this place, we can go to Saint Denis! To see Mr. Van der Linde, my most respected, most admired, most longed-for Mr. Van der Linde!"

As he spoke, Wilbur's eyes were filled with a fervent, almost religious light, his gaze distant, envisioning their eagerly anticipated reunion with Dutch.

His younger brother Orville, standing beside him, was even more visibly overcome by emotion and excitement; he gesticulated wildly with his hands, his words tumbling out in a rush: "Oh, Mr. Van der Linde, this mentor and friend with whom we have corresponded but never met! It's unimaginable, gentlemen, do you know? Even now, when I sleep at night, I can constantly recall, in vivid detail, the scene when you brought a hundred thousand dollars! It's burned into my memory!"

"Ahaha… Mr. Van der Linde, his trust makes my blood boil with renewed purpose! Ahaha…" Orville laughed, a high, slightly manic sound, tears beginning to well in his eyes. "No one understood us, no one thought we could possibly succeed, they would only mock us three siblings, ridicule our dreams! Only Mr. Van der Linde, only Mr. Van der Linde not only fully trusted us but also directly sent a hundred thousand dollars without question… Ahaha, Mr. Van der Linde, it's unimaginable how much courage and how firm a trust that is! It's a leap of faith that changed our lives!" (The Wright Brothers' sister: Katharine Wright, a university student, twenty-five years old, their steadfast supporter and rock behind the scenes)

Orville's voice broke, and he started openly crying as he spoke, his face crumpling with a profound release of pent-up emotion and gratitude.

The three siblings had endured an incredibly difficult, poverty-stricken time in recent years; their sister, Katharine, with unwavering dedication, handled all the major and minor family affairs, meticulously managing their meager resources, and every single penny they acquired was poured into their relentless airplane research, which inevitably led to their extremely difficult, hand-to-mouth existence.

Living in such abject poverty, constantly mocked and ridiculed by others, and most importantly, the crushing burden of dragging their beloved sister along to suffer with them through these hardships—no one could truly know the immense psychological pressure of this, the guilt that gnawed at them. Even his elder brother Wilbur often felt profound guilt and couldn't sleep soundly at night because of it (both siblings tragically died very early, very young, possibly due to the relentless grind of poverty and early toil).

No one could truly fathom how utterly shocked and ecstatically excited they were when they suddenly, miraculously, received that huge sum of a hundred thousand dollars two and a half months ago; it was at that pivotal moment that Dutch Van der Linde, this enigmatic man they had never even met in person, became the undeniable, singular leader in their hearts! Their devotion was absolute.

"Oh wow! Gentlemen, I deeply sympathize with your past experiences, truly," Mr. Trelawny said, his voice soft, genuinely empathetic, his face etched with a look of profound sorrow. He stepped forward, his movements graceful, and gently patted the two brothers on their shoulders, offering comfort in a quiet, firm gesture. "But fortunately, those years are over, gentlemen. The suffering is behind you."

Trelawny's performance, specifically choreographed and sent by Dutch to deliver comforting, persuasive words, indeed did not disappoint Dutch's shrewd expectations.

"Gentlemen, the past is past, behind us now," Trelawny continued, his voice taking on a more philosophical, comforting tone. "Suffering may indeed be an experience, a crucible to make you understand the true meaning of life, or perhaps to make you understand your own hearts, to temper your spirits. In any case, you will not endure past hardships again. Mr. Van der Linde has prepared everything for you, laid the path for your future, and your future will surely be colorful, bright, and prosperous; this is also Mr. Van der Linde's solemn promise to you!" He finished with a confident, reassuring smile.

"Alright, gentlemen, we should go back now. Bill, Javier, can you rent a steamboat now, gentlemen?" Trelawny asked, his voice suddenly shifting to a brisk, businesslike tone. He clapped his hands together once, decisively. "We need to transport all of Mr. Wright's precious machines back. Every single one."

"Additionally, Orville, Wilbur, you can go pack your things now, gentlemen, every last item, and have Miss Katharine prepare as well; Mr. Van der Linde has specifically counted her in! She is part of our family now!" Trelawny added, turning to the brothers, his smile warm.

"Davey, please help the Wright siblings pack their things, sir. I need to go to the bank now to withdraw our money, to ensure all is ready for our departure." Mr. Trelawny systematically arranged every detail, his mind working with remarkable efficiency, which was precisely the reason Dutch had sent him on this critical mission.

Compared to the often impulsive, sometimes seemingly "brainless" warriors of the Van der Linde Gang, only Mr. Trelawny possessed the refined intellect and organizational prowess required for such delicate, complex tasks. He was the brains behind the brawn, the cunning strategist in Dutch's grand design.