"What happened?" I ask when I get there.

Dutch sighs and looks at me for a second before lowering his eyes without answering. I turn my head to Kieran.

"I think some men took Jack" he says.

"What do you mean?" I ask again.

"I've seen two men near the camp, on the shore, when you're gone to bury Sean. And Jack was playing there so…I think they could have taken him" answers Kieran.

"What men? Pinkertons?" I ask to Dutch.

"No, we think they could be Braithwaites" he replies.

"But…how did they…" I start without even know what to ask, my mind full of hundreds of thoughts.

"We think they followed Bill and Micah from Rhodes" adds Dutch.

Of course those two idiots where followed, I think tightening my teeth. And after what just happened in Rhodes they found the perfect moment to take us unprepared. But, what do they want from a child? Is it some kind of revenge?

"There's no need to get nervous. So, just relax. We are doing all we can" says Dutch looking at me.

I breathe deeply looking at him in the eyes.

I really wish I could believe him.

"Arthur!" he calls out suddenly, watching behind me.

"Arthur, have you seen that boy, Jack?" he asks going towards him.

Abigail comes running from her tent followed by John.

"Where's my goddamn son? Where is he? Where's my son? They took him didn't they? They took my son!" she shouts to Dutch and Arthur.

John must have told her.

"Who took him?" asks Arthur.

"We think the Braithwaite woman took him" says Hosea coming near us.

He pants lightly just like he has run.

"That Kieran saw a couple of fellers, sound like Braithwaite boys" he explains.

"Where's my son? If anything…where's my son, Dutch Van der Linde?" Abigail repeats.

She seems about to cry. I put a hand on her shoulder trying to reassure her. It's the only thing I can do. I want to tell her that he'll be fine, that he'll be back soon, safe and sound, but any word now sounds vain.

"We will find him, we will bring him back to you and we will kill any fool that had the temerity to touch one hair on that boy's head. Abigail, you have my word" says Dutch.

"Just get me back my son" she answers harshly.

"I will get that boy back, so help me God, right now" he replies going away.

"He will come back, I swear to you" I add to her before following Dutch.

"Dutch, we just heard about Jack. You need some extra guns?" asks Bill from the distance, Charles and Javier behind him.

Charles probably went back to Sean's grave to tell the others about Jack's disappearance.

"Yeah, why not? Micah, Kieran, anyone strange turn up, you kill 'em! Rest of you, let's ride!" exclaims Dutch getting on his horse with more than half the camp that follows him.

We get inside the wood, the sound of tens of horse hooves that ring out in my ears and the sun which is almost gone. Right in front of me is riding Lenny, behind me there's Charles. I glance at him before focusing on the road.

It all seems surreal, impossible. A few hours ago Sean was still alive, Jack was with us and we weren't at war with two of the most powerful families of the neighbor.

What's waiting for us? An army of men? A crying boy in the hands of that witch? He'll be so scared by now.

The thought makes me squeeze the reins so tight until I feel my nails on the palms of my hands.

We follow the path until we reach the Braithwaite Manor. The long alley that leads to the house looks different tonight. The branches of the trees, intertwined above our heads, make everything more creepy.

We stop right before the yard entrance.

"Alright everyone, dismount and come to me. We'll go in on foot from here" orders Dutch.

I get down Isabella and take the rifle from the saddle.

"First Sean, now Jack. We should have stayed out of all this" says Lenny on my left.

"Bit late for that, ain't it?" replies Bill from the distance.

"Quiet, we're going to fix this right now" says Dutch while we all gather around him.

The house is the only source of light in the darkness of the fields.

"Come on, let's get this done. John, you're sure you're okay?" asks Dutch to the man.

"I'm fine" he answers not able to hide the rage in his words.

"Both these redneck families think they can ruin us? I don't think so" Dutch says entering the yard.

I follow the group. While I walk I look around to my companions faces and they all have an expression that shows a single thought: revenge. I grab the rifle with more strength, feeling the adrenaline rising.

"There they are" remarks Hosea.

From the house come out around four or five men.

"Who steals a goddamn boy?" says Dutch with disdain.

"I'm gonna let fly at those sons of bitches" growls John.

"John, I need you to stay calm. Get down here now! You inbred trash!" yells Dutch towards the house.

"What the hell do you want?" asks a man from the porch.

"We've come for the boy. You must've known we would" answers Dutch.

He takes a few steps forward while we all stop.

I start to get nervous. I know how this will end and somehow…I can't wait to kill these bastards.

"Shouldn't have messed with our business now, should you?" replies the man.

"Whatever complaint you have with us, alleged or otherwise…that is a young boy. That is not the way you do things. Hand him over" says Dutch.

"Get the hell off our land" replies the man.

The front door opens and more armed men come outside. Now they're more than us.

"If you ain't gonna be civilized about this…" says Dutch.

He takes his gun and shots at the man right in the face.

It's the go-ahead. I take cover while I hear some bullets from my left and right. I stick out and aim as fast as I can before I shoot. The rifle doesn't allow me to shoot with precision, but I try anyway to hit those bastards.

Everything ends fast and suddenly, just like it started. Maybe I've been able to kill a couple of man, but luckily the others are better than me with the shotguns.

"Bill, Javier, cover the left. Arthur, John, Hosea with me. The rest of you, watch out here for any other arrivals" orders Dutch.

I leave my cover and run at the front door just in time to see them go inside. Bill and Javier walk past me and head to le left side of the house while Charles, Lenny and I stay in the front yard.

I start pacing it, with the adrenaline still running in my veins, and waiting to hear Dutch who from the inside of the house tells us they found Jack. But all I can hear are a couple of shots and John calling out his son.

I look at the sky taking a deep breath and trying to calm down.

"Everything is going fine. They'll find him any moment now" says Charles on my right.

I turn to him trying to smile, but as soon as I look in his direction something behind him catches my attention. There are some lights coming towards us. Lanterns.

"Charles…" I say pointing a finger in their direction.

He watches behind his back and then runs to the house.

"There are more of them coming!" he yells inside.

I hear some shots form the balcony and when I look up there's John and Arthur shooting towards the lanterns. I take cover behind a wall with Lenny and Charles. Bill and Javier reach us too.

This time there is more of them and they are at horseback and with the wagons. I aim the head, the chest, the legs anything I can hit in the darkness of the alley.

Someone hits one of the lanterns which breaks in a hundred pieces and covers with oil and flames a wagon with two men on it. They get down and try to put the fire out, so they become perfect targets.

"More from the right!" shouts John from the balcony.

Lenny, Bill and Charles run to the other side of the house. Javier and I deal with the last few men here.

When the last one dies, I get closer to the house.

"You're okay?" I ask to Charles who comes back with Bill and Lenny.

He nods.

I hear two shots and the scream of a woman from the upper floor. The Braithwaite woman. Then, I hear Dutch yelling something I can't understand and the woman scream again.

Suddenly, through the windows, I see some flames develop inside the house.

Hosea and John get out of the manor followed by Arthur and then Dutch who's dragging the woman from her hair. No trace of Jack.

"Oh damn you!" is screaming the old woman, but she doesn't seem afraid; she's wrathful and desperate.

The flames start coming outside the doors and windows and the air gets warmer.

"I never liked you" says the woman when Dutch lets her go and points his gun to her head.

"Why'd you take the boy, Mrs. Braithwaite?" asks Hosea.

"You stole my liquor…" she says.

"Boys are off limits."

"…you stole my horses. Ain't no rules in war, Mr…"

"Matthews" Hosea says for her.

"Yes, yes that's it…"

"Where's the boy?" Hosea asks again.

The smoke that comes out of the house is filling the air and now I'm able to see only the profile of people around me. Catherine Braithwaite sits up and looks at us with hate and defiance.

"My sons gave him to Angelo Bronte. So my guess is Saint Denis. Either there or on the boat to Italy."

"Let's go" says Hosea going away, John and Dutch after him.

"Arthur come on" calls Dutch.

"What we doing with her?" asks Arthur.

"Leave her" answers Dutch.

But I don't move. I try to stay as much as I can and watch the woman who, without even looking at me, stands up and heads to the burning house. The air is unbreathable and the smoke makes my eyes water, so I have to go away.

When I reach the horses I look back.

"Where did she go? Did she get back inside the burning manor?" I ask to no-one in particular.

"I told you she was crazy" says Hosea.

"Come on, let's get back to camp. We need too understand how to find this Angelo Bronte" replies Dutch.

I keep my eyes on the house in the distance still not believing she truly walked inside. I wish Dutch shot her. I wish I could see her die. But maybe this way is better. She'll be dead by now anyway.

Saint Denis. She sent Jack to Saint Denis!


"I wonder what they're talking about" says Kieran getting closer and sitting next to me.

"They'll be making some kind of plan to rescue Jack" I say taking a sip of coffee.

"What's the name of the man who brought him to Saint Denis?" asks Kieran.

"Bronte I think. He seems Italian."

I take another sip from my cup, watching the four men in the distance.

Last night, as soon as we got to camp, Dutch told us to go to sleep and that today they would have thought about what to do. Now it's been almost an hour since he, John, Hosea and Arthur sit around that table.

"You don't look like someone who slept a lot" remarks Kieran.

"At all" I reply drinking again.

I didn't get a wink of sleep. And who could have? To keep me awake, apart from what happened, were Abigail's sobs: light, muffled, just like she wanted to hide them, but our tents are close and I couldn't ignore them. When the dawn arrived, I immediately got out to provide me some coffee, and walking from my tent to the kitchen, I've seen John sleeping in Charles' tent, so she spent the night alone. This morning, she hasn't shown up yet. And I don't think she will soon.

My attention is caught by something a little bit further from Abigail's tent. Lenny is walking towards Dutch's table with another two men I've never seen before. They look formal and smart. Government agents?

I stand up and go in their direction, half the camp is doing the same.

"Good day fine people" greets one of the two.

He wears a red waistcoat, a black jacket and a bowler. He greets all the men at the table - he seems to perfectly know them all - and then presents himself as Agent Milton, from the Pinkerton Detective Agency, the other one is Agent Ross and apparently he's mute.

We all gather around them, creating a small circle.

"And to what do we owe the pleasure, Agent Moron?" asks Dutch with sarcasm.

"I don't know if you're aware, but this is a civilized land now. We didn't kill all them savages only to allow the likes of you to act like human dignity and basic decency was outmoded or not yet invented. This thing, it's done" replies Milton.

"This place ain't no such thing as civilized. It's man so in love with greed, he has forgotten himself and found only appetites" says Dutch standing up and walking towards our guests.

"And as a consequence that lets you take what you please, kill whom you please and hang the rest of us? Who made you the messiah to these lost souls you've led so horribly astray?" asks the agent.

As he says this, he moves his eyes on each and everyone of us. I'm sure I don't like him, but he's not wrong. They're criminals. We are criminals. And moreover, I think he saw Dutch for what he really is: a fraud.

"I'm nothing but a seeker, Mr. Milton."

"You ain't much of anything more than a killer, Mr. Van der Linde."

The two of them look at each other with hate and for a moment I'm afraid one of them could take his gun out to kill the other.

"But I came to make a deal. You come with me, and I give the rest of ya three days to run off, disappear and go and live like human beings someplace else" says Milton in the end.

"You came for me? Risked life and limb in this den of lowlifes and murderers so that they might live and love? Ain't that fine?" replies Dutch provoking a general chuckle.

"I don't wanna kill all these folks, Dutch, just you."

I don't know who I believe less right now.

"In that case it'd be my honor to join you. Excuse me, friends, I have an appointment to keep with."
As soon as Dutch says these words, a dozen of pistols and rifles are taken out and charged. I think I'm the only one who hasn't took a gun.

"You're making a big mistake, all of you" says Milton.

"Yeah dreadful. We have got something, something to live and die for. How awful for us, Mr. Milton. Stop following us, we'll be gone soon" replies Dutch.

"I'm afraid I can't, and when I return I'll be with fifty men. All of you will die. Run away from this place, you fools. Run!"

When he finishes with the threats, he angrily goes away, Agent Ross right after him.

"What do we do now?" asks Arthur when the two men leave.

They start talking about a place called Shady Belle. Arthur reckons is a good place to hide, at least until we find Jack. He and John will take a look while we have to pick up our things and move.

We scatter. I head to my tent and start packing my things when I suddenly remember something. I run to the tent next to mine and stop in front of it.

"Abigail" I call out.

I guess no-one told her anything.

"Abigail, you're there? We have to pack our things. We have to go!"

No answer.

"We move closer to Saint Denis, to rescue Jack!"

I hear some noise and then she opens the curtains. Her eyes are red and her hair messy.

"I'll help you" I say going inside.

We gather all her things and we dismantle the tent and put it on one of the wagons. When we finish, I get back to my tent to dismantle it. We finish just in time to see John coming back.

We follow him southward, passing Rhodes and reaching a path surrounded by the trees. The trail leads to a big house, very similar to the Braithwaite Manor. The only difference is that this one is definitely in a worse state: the wood is stripped, the paint is faded, the grass is wild and the wetness and the smell coming from the swamp make the place barely livable. A trench has been dug to separate the forest from the house and a little wooden bridge has been built. It creaks when we walk on it, but it looks steady.

"Welcome home all of ya, to my humble abode. We got fine living. Ignore the corpses and the alligators, it's paradise" Arthur jokes coming out of the front door.

"I love it!" exclaims Dutch laughing.

"Miss Grimshaw, Mr. Pearson, would you two kindly work your magic?" he adds, addressing the two.

Then he turns to Arthur, tells him something and the two of them mount their horses and go away.

Miss Grimshaw puts everyone to work.

Inside the house, on the first floor, will sleep the girls, upstairs the rooms are reserved to Dutch, Arthur and John with his family. Miss Grimshaw asks me if I want to sleep inside too, but I prefer my little tent. The idea to share a room with five more people isn't tempting. On the outside we settle the kitchen and the carts with the supplies.

The sun is already going down and we have no news from Arthur and Dutch, so I decide to take something to eat while I wait.

I'm heading to the campfire with my plate of stew when I see John seated on a table all alone with a bottle.

"Can I?" I ask drawing near and pointing at the chair in front of him.

He nods.

"Nothing from Saint Denis yet?"

He shakes his head.

"How's Abigail?"

When we arrived, she helped us to settle her room and then closed herself inside it.

"She don't want to talk with me. If we don't find Jack I…I don't know what she…" he answers.

"John!"

We turn around and see Dutch walking towards us.

"John, we found Bronte. Come on, let's go" he says.

John stands up and I do the same.

"No, only John" says Dutch pointing a finger in my direction.

"If you don't want me to come, you'll have to shoot me" I reply walking past him.