That night Julia couldn't sleep: one because she had slept almost all day and two because her body refused to blow off the adrenaline accumulated from her argument with Morgan.
She spent almost more than three hours tossing and turning in bed until she sat up and puffed running a hand through her hair. She decided to keep busy until nature would've done its call, forcing her to sleep.
She lighted up her oil lantern and put it aside her, then she took out from her bag all the money she had collected in those few days and counted it.
It was enough to send to D, so she took an empty envelope and put it in there, closing it afterward.
For half an hour she thought about what to write him; she could've told him about her skirmish with Morgan, but she didn't want to alert him for anything, so in the end, she decided to write nothing. And after she signed the letter, as always as Elizabeth for her beloved George, she put it back in her bag.
She looked at her pocket-watch: it was half-past two in the morning.
She shut down her lantern and got out of her tent.
As she thought, there was no one around.
She started to wander around the camp with her cold hands in the pocket of her jacket and her ears pricked for any movement.
Suddenly she heard a loud rumble coming from her stomach. She didn't eat much the night before and she also had skipped lunch, so she walked towards Pearson's wagon where she ate some corned beef and, cheese and a loaf.
From one of the near boxes, she took out a bottle of beer and then she drew towards the horses, stopping at the beginning of the wood lighted by one of the lanterns near her.
She sat on a big rock at the edge of the camp where she sipped her beer, hearing the sound of nature and the snoring coming from the camp behind her.
"What you doing here?"
Julia recognized at once that raspy voice even if she didn't hear it much those past few days.
"Just drinking a beer" she answered without turning around.
"You can't sleep?"
Julia turned to look at him.
"What do you think, Marston?" asked with a raising a brow.
The man didn't answer, but he got closer slowly, tightening the hold on his rifle.
Julia noted his firm grip on it as if he was about to shoot her.
She shook her head and took another sip from her bottle.
"Are you thinking of killing me?" asked soon after.
Marston looked at her astonished for a moment and when Julia looked at the rifle in his hands, he understood what she was talking about.
"No, I'm..."
John sighed lowering the gun and rubbing his neck while Julia turned to look at the wood again.
"Dutch would be happy" she added.
"Not only Dutch" answered John seating near her on the rock.
Julia gave him a hint of a smile.
"Miss Grimshaw would throw a party only for you"
John chuckled.
"I can imagine Morgan looking at you with envy. The golden boy who has stolen his glory"
"Please stop"
Julia smiled again, looking at Marston shaking his head at the idea.
The two of them stayed silent for a while, avoiding looking at each other. Then, Marston yawned and rubbed his eyes visibly tired.
"Give me that" said Julia pointing at the rifle.
Marston gave at he a questioning look.
"Why?" he asked suspiciously.
Julia rolled her eyes.
"I'll keep watch in your place. I'm not going to sleep anyway"
John looked at her for a moment longer as if he was trying to understand if she was joking.
"Okay" he said eventually giving her the rifle.
Julia took it while Marston got up and did to go away, but then he stopped and turned.
"Thank you" he said.
"Don't thank me. Now, go to sleep" answered Julia without looking at him.
So, she spent the night on the watch, thinking about the usual stuff while the hours passed one after another until she saw the feeble light of the sunrise hitting her.
She started to hear some steps behind her and the first exchanges of words that limited to "good morning" or "did you sleep well".
Julia was still on the watch when she heard some steps behind her and turning around she saw Mcguire still half asleep.
"G'morning to you" he said with a smirk.
"Hi Mcguire" answered Julia.
"Well, you're not Marston for sure. Where's he?" he asked getting alongside her.
"Sleeping I guess" answered Julia staring at the wood.
"Wasn't he supposed to stand guard?"
"I took his place, is that a problem?" she asked looking at him.
Mcguire chuckled.
"No, it's just...I was supposed to take his place this morning"
"Then take it" said Julia leaving the rifle in his hands and without giving him the chance to talk back, she walked away.
She came back to her tent where she wore her gunbelt and her hat, then she took her bag and went to Wind Catcher.
"Good morning boy" she said patting him on the neck.
Once she put the saddle on him, she straddled him and left the camp.
She arrived at Valentine shortly after the shops had opened.
As always, she tied Wind Catcher to one of the posts and got inside the station, coming out shortly after she sent the letter she had prepared that night.
"Come on" she said getting on him again.
She headed to the main street, but when she turned the corner where there was the sheriff, she noticed Morgan horse tied on the post in front of the building.
Before she could recognize the horse near it, she heard someone calling her.
"Myles!"
She turned and saw at her left Marston, leaned against the wall of the gun shop.
"What are you doing here? I thought you were at camp still asleep" Julia asked after she had got down Wind Catcher.
"I'm waiting for Morgan. He's inside. We're on a job"
"I see"
"And you?"
"I was going to talk to the Pinkertons"
Marston nodded looking somewhere else and the same did Julia.
Before one of the two could break the embarrassing silence, they heard the door of the shop open, so they turned to look at Morgan coming out of it with a new rifle on his shoulder.
"You good?" asked Marston.
"Sure" answered the man noticing Julia's presence just after.
He stared at her for a moment, coming down the stairs of the porch.
"Myles"
"Morgan"
John cleared his throat and walked towards his horse.
"So, are you coming with us?" asked Morgan.
"Actually no" she answered.
Morgan nodded looking elsewhere.
"I wanted to say that I'm sorry for yesterday. I was upset and...I acted like a fool"
Julia looked at him for a moment, surprised by his sincere words.
"I understand why Dutch suspects of me, I would do the same. I just don't like it when people trait me without respect. I gave my word and I'm going to keep it"
"I understand"
Julia gave him a hint of a smile and stretched her hand to him.
"We're good?"
Morgan glanced at her and then shook her hand.
"We're good"
His eyes wandered on the small bruises on her wrist that come out from her sleeve. With the other hand he raised the fabric and rubbed his thumb on them lightly.
Julia withdrew her arm and covered them quickly looking away.
There was a moment of embarrassment, but then John came to the rescue and shouted at them.
"Are you done? We have some sheep to rob!"
Julia frowned.
"Sheep?" she asked and Morgan sighed.
"Yeah, don't ask"
Julia nodded looking at Morgan while he walked away, but then he stopped and turned.
"Are you coming, then?"
Julia smiled and nodded.
She got on Wind Catcher and reached them.
Marston was the one driving, Morgan was trying to keep on his side and behind them there was Julia.
"Why couldn't you have done that, anyway?" asked Morgan to Marston.
"Done what?" asked the other.
"Bought that gun"
"I had a run-in with that feller earlier. We ain't on the best on terms" he explained.
"You had a run-in? I've had a run-in with half that town!" answered Morgan almost offended.
Julia barely stopped a laugh.
"Calm down...it's done now, ain't it?" answered John.
"Why are you being so cagey about all this? Always playing some goddamn game" said again Morgan.
"Me? I ain't the one taking Jack on fishing trips!" answered outraged Marston speeding the pace.
"No, you ain't. If you say the boy ain't yours what's the difference?"
Julia frowned.
"Aren't you sure that Jack is your son?" asked Julia in disbelief.
"It's complicated" answered Marston.
"He'll probably only run off again" said Morgan to Julia.
"Why are you so interested in my life? Ain't you got one of your own?" snapped Marston.
"So, you ran away because you thought that Jack wasn't your son or because he probably is?" asked again Julia.
"I...ugh...I don't know"
"Just do one thing or another, not be two people at once, that's all I'm saying" said Morgan.
"It ain't that simple. You know that as well as anyone. Same as with you and that girl..."
Julia turned to look at Morgan who all of a sudden had an annoyed expression on his face, as he didn't like to talk about her at that moment.
"What was her name...Mary?"
"That was different" answered after a moment Morgan.
"No, it ain't, just the same" insisted Marston.
What the hell are we talking about again?
"For the love of God boys, can we concentrate on the mission, please? Keep your childish skirmish for later" said Julia shutting them up.
"Yeah, she's right. Tell us about what you've got"
"There's a herd of sheep coming down to auction from Emerald Ranch. Folks in town were saying that the owner's trying to stamp out every farm from here to Annesburg" explained Marston.
"Yeah, we know that place" answered Morgan.
"So, we're gonna rob some sheep and then sell them?" asked Julia.
"Exactly" answered John.
They all stayed silent for a while, limiting themselves to follow Marston who brought them up on a hill to have a better look from above.
"So, I'm thinking, that the heard'll make it to auction alright, but, a couple of new ranch hand's'll be collecting on the sale. Doubt the town will care to notice too much" said Marston while they climbed the hill.
"Why we need this rifle you couldn't buy yourself?" asked Morgan.
"Reckon we shouldn't get too close; least not till we know what we're dealing with" answered John.
"I'm starting to think that Marston isn't so stupid as he looks" said Julia making Morgan smile.
"I ain't so sure" he whispered, but John heard him anyway.
"Let's see what we can see from up here" he said ignoring them.
Once they got down their horses they drew closer the end of the hill, observing the valley beneath them where they saw a flock of sheep and three men on horses.
"There they are" said Julia pointing them at the two men.
"What now, Marston?" asked Morgan picking up his rifle.
"Put a shot in near them, I reckon they'll hightail it"
Taking out her binoculars, Julia kneeled to look at them.
At the first shot, the sheep started to run everywhere while two of the three men ran away. Julia observed the third one who stayed still on his horse looking around.
"Looks like one of them don't scare too easy" said Morgan.
The man got down his horse and walked towards them.
"Shoot between his feet. I assure you he'll get the hell out of here" said Julia getting near Morgan.
"You're cruel he chuckled before" he aimed again and shot.
The man got on his horse again and ran away faster than the other two.
"Alright, let's go round 'em up" said Marston.
They got down the hill and when they reached the valley, Morgan started to gather the sheep that had run to the north while John did the same for the ones who had run to east and Julia kept the others in their place.
Julia couldn't not notice how easily Morgan rounded them up and controlled them with a "yaah" here and there.
"Have you worked on a ranch before?" she asked him when he got closer to her.
"Oh, a day here or there, but not much" he answered.
"You're pretty good at it. You should think about it" joked Julia even if she was serious about it.
Yes, it could be strange thinking about Morgan as an honest worker instead of the usual criminal and troublemaker, but she could get used to the idea.
"Yeah, sure. I'll tell Dutch about it" answered ironically the man while Marston arrived with the last sheep.
"Okay, let's head to town"
"You, know what...Marston, why don't you leave the sheep to me? You ride shank, keep watch for any trouble" said Morgan following the flock.
"I brought you in on this" said Marston.
"It'll be quicker this way, trust me. Myles, stay with him"
Julia sighed and reached Marston while he murmured something she couldn't understand.
During all the way, Julia observed Morgan while he kept at bay the sheep, keeping them always in the right direction shouting every now and then to encourage them to move.
It seems he's enjoying it she said to Marston who, like her was looking at Morgan.
"The old bastard likes to be in the spotlight" snorted John making Julia smile.
"You've lost your opportunity when you didn't kill me tonight"
"Yeah, I should've killed you. I'm a fool" answered the man with a feeble smile.
"I know you are" answered Julia.
Another cry made them turn towards Morgan while he put back of the sheep.
"I remember that you always were one against the other, but at the same time you loved and protected one another. You acted like you were two brothers" said Julia.
"Things change, and people grow up" answered Marston.
"Do grown-up people left a wife and a newborn child alone?"
In the right moment those words left her mouth she regretted saying them. She turned to look at Marston who had an irritated expression on his face.
"I'm sorry...I didn't mean to nose around but...Hosea told me"
"You know nothing about me and my life, less than everybody else. I don't have to explain myself to anybody. Dutch knows me enough to understand why I did what I did, and he's forgiven me. I'm here now, so what's the matter?"
"Wow, calm down Marston" she answered.
He sighed.
"And by the way, I do know you. In those three years you maybe didn't give a shit about me, but I did"
Marston turned to look at her and for a moment Julia thought he would have answered but then he didn't.
Finally, they saw Valentine in the distance.
Morgan sped up the pace, yelling at the sheep to go as fast as they could.
They followed the road down to the town, passing some others pens before they got to the destination, where two men at the entrance, kept the gate open, calling the sheep that entered obeying.
"Closer her up, boys" said a third man who had a register in his hands.
"There you go" said Morgan getting down from Tundra.
Julia and John did the same.
"Fine sheep" said Marston.
"They're okay" answered the man turning so they could notice his thick mustache and his tidy hair.
"Well, you seen better round here?" asked Morgan.
"I've seen ones with less...ambiguity about their provenance" answered the man and of his friend behind him agreed with him.
"What you trying to say?" asked Morgan with a menacing tone.
Julia could feel the thick air around them, so she passed Morgan and Marston and stepped in front of the "big mustache" there who looked down on her for a moment.
"The sheep come from Emerald ranch. Mr Wegner, the owner, just paid us to sell them. He wants his payment by the end of the day and he also said that his sheep don't have to leave the town till then. If he doesn't get paid today, we'll come back and sell them elsewhere. Maybe to someone who recognized that those sheep are the finest of all The Hearthlands"
The man looked at her, not sure if he believed her.
"How do I know you're not trying to fool me?"
"Oh well, maybe you want to discuss this with our boss?" she asked.
The man inhaled deeply moving his gaze from Julia to the two men behind her who were staring at him
"I still don't believe you, but if what you're saying it's true then...I want the twenty percent"
"Excuse me?" asked Morgan taking a step ahead.
"Yeah, I'll excuse you for twenty percent" answered the man.
Julia stopped Morgan stepping forward again by putting a hand on his chest.
"Five" she said.
"Fifteen" he replied. .
"Eight"
"Twelve"
"Ten, last offer buddy"
The man thought about it for a moment, then he nodded and Julia shook his hand.
"One of us will come to collect the payment" she said before she reached Wind Catcher followed by the two men.
Julia observed the three men walking away.
"You've got some good business quality" said Morgan getting on his horse.
"Yeah, well. I'm a good liar too" she answered and Arthur and John chuckled.
"Dutch is waiting for us at the saloon" said Marston getting on his horse in turn.
"He is?" asked Morgan.
"You go boys. I've things to do" said Julia.
"What things?" asked Morgan.
"Pinkertons"
He nodded.
Julia turned, got on Wind Catcher and headed to the Pinkertons' camp.
If all would have gone as planned, she would have ended up with at least one hundred dollars more in her pocket.
Once she arrived at the camp, two young agents stopped her at the entrance pointing their guns at her.
Julia gave them a nasty look but tried to stay calm.
"I'm here to talk to agent Milton. Is he here?" she asked annoyed by the aggressiveness of the two men.
"Who are you?" asked one of the two.
"I'm the Hound" she answered.
The two young men started to laugh while Julia rolled her eyes.
Newbies, she thought while she was agent Grady walking towards them.
"Let her pass" he said making the two agents turn.
Julia exchanged a look with Grady who gave her a hint of a smile.
"She said she's the Hound" said one of the two.
"Let her pass then. Agent Milton's already waiting for her. Are you going to explain to him why you didn't let in?" asked Grady.
The agent looked his companion before he stepped aside to let her pass.
Once she tied Wind Catcher with the other horses, Julia got down and reached Grady.
"You've got an iron fist, I see" she said smirking at him.
"I was like them not so long ago. I've learned from my mistakes soon enough" he replied smiling in turn.
Grady guided her towards the big tent at the center of the camp where he lifted a flap to let her enter, but this time the young agent followed her inside.
Once inside, Julia found agent Milton seated at his table with his legs crossed and a cigarette in his hands.
As soon as she stepped ahead, the man looked up at her letting out a long trail of smoke.
"Good morning Miss"
"Good morning agent. I came yesterday, but I didn't find you. Agent Abney told me you were with agent Ross somewhere" said Julia getting closer.
"I was having a lovely conversation with Mr Morgan" answered the man.
Julia faked to be surprised by his words.
"You found him?"
"Yes. He was by the lake with a young boy"
"And did you followed him to their camp?" she asked again.
"No, too risky. But I think they must be near there"
"I'll go check if I find something around then"
Milton nodded, putting out the cigarette in an ashtray on the table.
"So they came to Valentine at least. They must have arrived when you left 'cause I've heard about a pub fight and some minor thefts round here. I wonder is after your encounter they've left" said Julia.
Milton nodded.
"I don't think so, but it's an option"
They heard the tent opening and turning around Julia saw agent ross coming in with a paper in his hand.
"Oh, look who's here. The Hound" he said with a note of disdain in his voice that Julia immediately recognized.
"Agent Ross" she answered.
"Please, don't bother. I've got something that might be useful to you" said the man giving her the paper he had in his hands where there was written a name.
"Agent Grady was so kind to explain to us why you didn't inform us about the train robbery, so I asked agent Ross to provide" said Milton.
"Thank you" answered Julia.
"May I offer you something?" asked agent Ross while walking towards the liquor table on the left.
"A whiskey, please" she answered seating in front of Milton who passed her the pack of cigarette that Julia accepted and took one out, letting the man to light it up for her.
The two men started to talk about their researches near Window Rock and about how they heard nothing unless rumors about some little robberies here and there that Julia justified with their inevitable presence in the area.
But what Milton was wandering about, was the fact that they had changed area even if there wasn't any risk to be discovered and for a moment, he assumed that someone could have alerted them.
Julia realized where the man was trying to get, she got it when he looked at her while he pronounced those words, almost in an accusation way.
Julia thought for a moment.
"Maybe they heard about the train and saw a chance to make some good money. So, they moved"
The two agents looked at each other for a moment and thought about it before they nodded.
Pfew.
Suddenly the tent opened and agent Grady showed up panting.
"Sir, there's been a shooting in town. Some men saw a few men whose description match with Van der Linde's and Arthur Morgan's"
Julia got on his feet and Milton and Ross did the same.
Her heart started to pound furiously in her chest and her hands started to tremble to oblige her to close them into two fists.
She looked at the two men for a moment before she quickly got out of the tent and walked towards the horses.
Ross called a couple of men and give leaving the command to agent Abney. Once she got on Wind Catcher, followed the agents, on her side agent Grady was excited.
"Agent Grady, what else we know?" asked Ross.
"Van der Linde was in a saloon with Morgan when the shooting happened. Some men attacked them, but I'm not sure about who there were"
"So they run away?" asked Julia trying to hide her concern that continued to push against her chest.
Grady nodded.
"They've killed half town" he answered soon after.
Julia sighed relieved, trying to not be noticed.
Once they reached Valentine, the scene that appeared to her eyes was one of the bloodiest she had ever seen in all her life.
The trial of bodies started in front of the small saloon at the corner of the main street and arrived at Barney Hook's barn.
They left their horses in front of the sheriff who was talking with the owner of the saloon.
While Milton and Ross walked towards them to talk with them, Julia decided to take a look around, also to avoid the sheriff.
She walked along the main street, every step she took her boots filled with mud and blood.
Looking around she saw some corpses on the balcony too and some of them had wounds that only a person could have inflicted.
Morgan.
"Miss!"
She turned and looked at agent Grady who was running towards her.
"Yes?" she asked.
"The men who attacked Van der Linde were Cornwall's"
Julia's eyes widened. All had sense now.
Cornwall knew who had robbed his train on the mountains and he knew that those same men had robbed the oil wagon at the "Kerosene & Tar". He had come to even the score.
"He's here?" asked Julia.
Grady shook his head.
"He left before the shooting began"
"So what Milton and Ross will do now?" asked Julia.
Grady shrugged.
"I believe they're going to talk to Cornwall"
Julia nodded, walking towards the two agents who had ended the conversation with the sheriff.
"So what now agent Milton?" asked Julia.
"Mr Cornwall's going to leave for New York tomorrow, so we need to talk to him today. Agent Ross and I are going right now. Do you want to come?"
"I'm sure you can handle this. I'm going to take a look around, see if I find something"
"Good. We hope that Mr Cornwall will be willing to give us some of his men so we can catch Van der Linde once and for all" said Milton getting on his horse and the same did Ross.
Julia looked at them going away while the burden on her chest got heavier and heavier.
Suddenly she felt something on her shoulder and turning around she saw agent Grady.
"You okay?" he asked.
Julia nodded.
"You don't seem to be good"
"I'm fine Grady" she blurted.
The young man lowered his eyes and took away his hand while Julia sighed.
"I'm sorry, it's just...look how many innocents are dead and for what?" she asked looking around.
"We're going to catch Van der Linde, don't worry"
"This is not his fault. If only Cornwall'd talked to Milton now we would have caught Van der Linde and avoided this mess!"
Grady stayed silent and Julia looked at him and smiled. Somehow his puppy expression got her back to her senses.
"I'm sorry, it's not your fault either she" said patting him on the chest.
Grady smiled, getting dangerously close to Julia who looking in his eyes understood where he was trying to go.
"I have to go" she said stepping back.
Grady touched her hand lightly, looking at her while she got on Wind Catcher.
"See you" said Julia spurring her horse and going away.
Now she had to deal with Dutch.
In little more than fifteen minutes, she reached the camp, passing at full speed Bill who was on the watch and that yelled curses at her.
She left Wind Catcher near the other horses and while she walked towards Dutch tent' she saw everyone on work to disassemble the camp under Miss Grimshaw's orders.
"So...we keep heading east. Is that the plan?"
Julia stopped near Dutch's tent, recognizing Hosea's voice.
"For now" answered Dutch.
"And when do we stop, when we reach Paris?" asked again Hosea.
He was mad, how could she blame him?
"Oh that'd be nice, join the Commune? We stop when we find someplace sensible, shake them that's following us and lie low" answered the other.
"This is lying low? We've turned into a bunch of killers, I mean it. We ain't even got the delusion of being anything but a bunch of killers"
"We are just trying to survive, Hosea. We don't have a choice"
Dutch turned to look at her and Hosea followed his gaze as well.
"What the hell did you do?" asked Julia trying not to seem too mad in turn.
"Here's another one!" exclaimed Dutch rubbing a hand on his forehead.
"What happened?" asked Hosea getting up.
"It happened that you pissed off Cornwall! Pinkertons know about what happened today and now Milton's going to talk to Cornwall and convince him to give him some of his men so he can see all of you swing! That! That happened!"
Hosea turned to look at Dutch.
"We didn't have any choice. They took John and Leopold, who almost died if it weren't for Arthur"
Julia sighed.
"You have to leave. Now" she said.
"We know! We're working on it"
"Well work harder because when they'll be here I'm not going to die for you Van der Linde"
"Of course not! You care only for yourself!" yelled the man getting up.
"You are the one who's trying to blow up everything!" she yelled in turn.
"What's happening in there?"
Turning, Julia came face to face with Arthur who, because of his height, looked down on her.
"Oh, Arthur. You're here finally" said Dutch.
"I wanted to make sure no one was following me" answered.
"Good"
"So, we moving?" asked again.
Julia heard Hosea sigh and turning around she saw him walking away shaking his head. She thought they were the only one to understand the gravity of the situation.
"Micah told me of a place we can lie low. Look here..."
Julia looked at Dutch again who was pointing at the map while Arthur looked at him and nodded.
Julia got closer, trying to look but Morgan covered her sight with his broad body so she decided to get out of the tent.
"Dewberry Creek, he said"
Morgan walked out of the tent.
"Maybe you and Charles can go take a look, clear off anyone you find before the whole lot of us move in looking so conspicuous" said again Dutch.
"And how we gonna do that?" asked Morgan.
Dutch looked at him annoyed.
"I don't know. Start dancing?"
"Looks like I've turned into a goddamn errand boy"
Julia turned to look at Morgan and Dutch and shook her head.
"You have turned into my son. You worry because I worry. We are just the same!"
Julia snorted.
"And do me a favor. Bring Miss Snorting here with you, so she can calm herself down"
Julia was about to talk back when Morgan put a hand on her should and kindly pushed her away.
"Forget about it. Come on"
Julia followed Arthur across the camp until they reached Charles.
"Charles, come with me. We got work to do"
The man gave up what he was doing and followed them with a sigh.
"Now where have I heard that before..." he said before they reached their horses and went away.
Miss Snorting. Son of a...
...
HI EVERYONE!
How is your quarantine going? For me so far so good. I'm studying for some tests and I'm doing so much things (like start RDR2 for the third time fo exaple).
I hope you're doing good as well, and I hope that this story can help you be less bored than usual.
However, for the next chapters, you might wait a little bit longer than usual because I didn't translate them yet and I'm also writing other ones, so please be patient. I'll do my best, I swear.
I'm gonna go now. remember: be safe!
KISSES!
