CHAPTER XIX
SAINT DENIS, LEMOYNE, JUNE 9TH 1900
Saint Denis boasted the biggest train station platform either of the New Austin natives had ever seen before. It stretched below their feet for what seemed like a mile or two. The building of the station itself was real tall too, Vic noticed. The deputy couldn't fathom why they would need a station so big. It seemed unnecessary and impractical.
Ellie seemed just as fascinated by the station as she was about the train. It was made out of wood, but it was the shiniest wood she'd ever seen. The girl was certain she could see her own reflection in it at times, like it was some sort of brown mirror. She too wondered why it needed to be so large, but didn't mind looking at it and wondering.
If nothing else, Vic was thankful to finally be off of the sweating carriage. The journey to Saint Denis had been an intense one, thanks to the constant wonder and fear about what lay ahead of them at the end. But now that he was finally off the train, Vic could feel the air cool down mercifully and he could finally start formulating a plan of action.
Sawyer grimaced almost as soon as he stepped off of the carriage steps. He saw the people of Saint Denis, all dressed up to the nines, thinking they were things that they weren't. The outlaw felt an immediate sense of familiarity, but he did not relish it one bit. One thing he hadn't missed in particular, was the smell. The Lemoyne city constantly reeked of coal and smoke. It got in his mouth and made him want to spit it out. Turning to his friends, he saw that they were having the same experience too.
"Fuckin' hell." Ellie said, "What's in my damn nose?"
"Smoke from coal fires." Sawyer replied.
Ellie winced at her older friend, "Coal fires? How big are these fuckin' coal fires? They burnin' buildin's here or somethin'?"
"Nah, it's the factories." Sawyer said, laughing, "You've stepped right into the heart of the fuckin' 'Industrial Revolution' as the shit-eating boot-lickers here like to call it."
Vic stood quiet, not finding anything to say yet. He was feeling a little stressed by how many people were around. The maverick deputy had felt uncomfortable with the amount of folks wandering around Valentine and Strawberry, but they were still just small towns in the middle of nowhere. Saint Denis looked like a damn metropolis and he couldn't seem to turn his nose in any direction without almost being walked into by strangers.
Without saying it out loud, Ellie was feeling the same as Vic was. She'd still, even at sixteen, never been to a real big town before that was full to the brim with people. Even Strawberry she'd only seen during the night and early morning, when nobody was around. So stepping into Saint Denis hit the young huntress like a gold bar to the temple. It was hard for her to focus on anything, there was so much happening that she'd never seen before.
"Why does everyone here wear fuckin' suits?" She asked, still wincing in confusion.
Sawyer sighed, having had the same wonder forever, "'Cause they're all arrogant assholes, Ellie. That's why."
Just as the trio were about to make their way from the station platform and into the city itself, a stranger walked straight into them, knocking Ellie almost to the ground and shoving both Sawyer and Vic to the wayside.
"The hell?" Vic said under his breath.
"Hey! What the fuck?!" Ellie shouted as she steadied herself, "Cocksucker!"
The fella who'd shoved the trio turned back briefly with an apologetic look on his face but didn't say a word and soon kept walking fast.
Vic had to grab a hold of Ellie by her worn, yellow shirt to stop her ravaging the stranger. She fought to get free like a rabid cougar in a cage. Soon Vic had to really grasp her hard and turn her around to face him.
"Hey!" Vic said loudly, "Ellie! Cut it out!"
"You fuckin' saw what that asshole did!"
Vic nodded, "Yup, I did... But you need to fuckin' calm yourself... Right now."
Ellie still tried for a second to get loose, but Vic kept glaring at her. Soon enough, she calmed. Sawyer thought for a second that he could even see the small burning fire in her eyes turn to smoke. It was a good job Vic was brave enough to stop her, otherwise she might've ended up getting jailed for murder within minutes of arriving.
"We don't need to draw any fuckin' attention to ourselves just yet, a'ight?" Vic asked, his voice stern.
The girl slowly nodded, agreeing with him. She still seemed angry but Sawyer could see that it wasn't at Vic directly. Ever since getting off the train, Ellie had seemed more agitated than normal. The outlaw could only assume that Saint Denis was having an affect already.
"Just... Fuckin' assholes, ya know?" She then said, to both Vic and Sawyer.
"Yup, I know... But we're here to deal with a bigger asshole than anyone else, Ellie." Sawyer told her, "We're gonna need you to keep your cool."
"That or I'm sendin' you right back on the train, understand?" Vic said, smirking and winking.
Ellie scoffed, "Yeah right, just try it, Vic. You got more chance of this Roland guy turnin' himself in. And that ain't gonna happen is it, Sawyer?"
The young fugitive shook his head slowly, his attention elsewhere, "No it ain't... We should get into town soon enough though. Lord knows when he's gonna hit the bank."
"Good call, kid." Vic said, placing one of his last cigarettes in his mouth, "I guess you can lead the way then."
Before anything else, the group had to get their horses from the far end carriages of the train. Actually getting to that carriage took a lot of effort, given that every other person in the station seemed to be heading in the opposite direction, making it hard to fight through the crowd while sticking together.
"Stay close." Vic told Ellie, "Well, as close as you can."
The carriage holding the horses was easily spotted due to its strong smell of fur, sweat and manure. Sawyer knew that getting around the city on horseback was going to be almost impossible due to the level of activity, so he was busy thinking of ways to hitch them safely before continuing on. Once he saw the stable-hand taking care of the animals, the idea finally came to him.
"Excuse me, friend." Sawyer called out.
"Sir?" The stranger said.
"Is there anywhere you could take our horses and keep 'em cared for safely?" The outlaw asked, "You see, we're all here on important business and don't really wanna be worryin' about any stallions or mares while doin' it, you get my meanin'?"
The stranger looked perplexed at Sawyer, as did Ellie and Vic.
"But we need the horses, kid." Vic said, "They got all the... Supplies on 'em."
Sawyer knew what Vic was referring to, but he'd already thought that over.
"As my friend says, our horses have some essential items on 'em. So if you don't mind, may I take some things from our horses before you lead 'em wherever they need be taken to?"
The scruffy stable-hand just nodded, "That's fine, sir... I can take 'em all to a nearby stable if you want. It's in the factory district, south-west side of town."
Sawyer gleamed, "Well that sounds just the ticket, friend. Appreciate the efforts."
Before words could exchange further, Sawyer bolted past the stable-hand and climbed into the carriage. Outside, Vic and Ellie waited awkwardly with the dirty horse handler. None of them said a word to each other, choosing to instead just wait patiently and quietly. Inside the carriage, they could hear the outlaw rustling and clumping around. At one point, they could hear him petting Neigan affectionately.
Ellie was still angry about the strange fella earlier who'd almost trampled over her. The people of Saint Denis were so rude and irritating, she thought. Everyone seemed in a rush for something that she just couldn't figure out. All the young huntress could think of was how she herself was likely to soon be in a rush to get outer the stinking town fast. It wasn't nice, everything about it seemed wrong somehow.
After a few moments of standing and waiting, their patience slowly dwindling, Vic and Ellie finally watched Sawyer jump out of the carriage again, this time with a stuffed satchel full of supplies and a bandolier now around his torso.
"Much obliged again friend." The outlaw said to the stable-hand, "Look after 'em for us, they deserve it."
After much confusion, the stranger climbed back into the carriage himself, giving Sawyer the open window to hand Vic a few boxes of ammo from his satchel. He gave the lawman two boxes each of revolver bullets and Bolt-Action rounds. He himself took two boxes for his Schofield and emptied a box of shotgun shells onto the ammo belt now wrapped around him.
"That's a little conspicuous ain't it, kid?" The deputy said of the bandolier, while storing his own ammo.
"Not in this town, Deputy, let me tell ya." Sawyer said, "Besides, if Roland's about to rob the bank, this whole fuckin' city's about to become the most conspicuous place in the state."
Vic shrugged his shoulders as the outlaw had made a good point. Plus, the citizens of the Lemoyne capital seemed completely engrossed in other things, so maybe a bandolier wasn't the strangest thing to see.
The lawman then loaded his LeMat revolvers, Bolt-Action rifle and stored what was left in his coat pockets. Ellie was full on rounds for her Volcanic Pistol, but hoped she didn't need to use it and that her bow would be enough. The girl hadn't had great practice with the gun, so it was not the weapon she was about to rely on anytime soon.
"A'ight... Locked and loaded." Vic whispered to his companions, "Lead on, Sawyer."
The young outlaw then led his two friends from the station platform, going underneath the huge, wooden, far-stretching canopy that covered what looked like a hundred benches for passengers to sit on while awaiting their trains. Ellie was still in an uncomfortable awe at how many people seemed to be in Saint Denis. More than she'd ever seen at once before, and they all looked weird.
Vic was puffing away at his latest smoke like he hadn't done before. The cigarettes were usually a tasty vice that the lawman enjoyed indulging, but at that moment, seeing crowds everywhere and not one piece of familiarity, he was using the tobacco as a stress reliever, trying to refocus his mind.
Once out of the train station, Vic and Ellie followed Sawyer to what looked to be a main square of the city. Once there, neither of the New Austin natives could stop turning their heads at everything they saw. The girl had spotted a great big tree, which stood on it's lonesome right in the middle of an otherwise concrete street. It was huge, lush and green, the only sign of the usual world the huntress was used to. The blazing sun probably helped that idea too.
"Jesus fuckin' christ." Ellie said, "What the hell are those?"
Sawyer looked at where his young friend was pointing. It was at one of the city's many trams. Small, train-like vehicles that moved through town on small tracks. The outlaw had been on them many times in his youth. They served as a great way of getting around town fast without having to walk.
"Those are trams, Ellie. People get on 'em if they don't feel like walkin'." He told her.
Ellie's face was falling further all the time, "It's fuckin' bizarre. There's so many people on 'em. How do they all fit?"
Further along the huge, grey street, past a small park area full of grass and a few benches, Sawyer stopped at a tall, looming statue. Around it, in a perfect circle, were tracks for the trams Ellie had seemed so freaked out by. Vic had finished his smoke and stomped it out with his boot. Even the ground below was completely made up of shiny, dark-grey bricks, almost like somebody had polished every single one individually. The deputy almost felt bad about dropping a used smoke on such a pristine piece of land.
Horses didn't seem to be a thing in Saint Denis either, the deputy noticed. Sure, there were many mares and stallions, but they were always attached to carriages. Single horses with single riders didn't seem to exist in the Lemoyne capital. No wonder Sawyer had let the stable-hand take April, Neigan and Friday away.
The outlaw was stood ahead now, totally still and staring up the main street where the tram tracks climbed. It seemed to be the main strip of town, Ellie thought, given it was full to brim of stores, huge shiny buildings and pretty lights were hanging from every light pole and thin, lonely trees.
"What now, kid?" Vic asked with haste.
Sawyer hardly even heard him. The young outlaw was so distracted by the thoughts of Roland. Where was he? the outlaw kept thinking. He could've been one block away, maybe even in a store or theater nearby, planning the robbery. Nether Sawyer, Vic or Ellie could know, and that was playing hard on the outlaws mind. Now that they were finally at their destination, the young fugitive just wanted to end things.
Ellie was standing close to Vic, almost like a frightened animal. She could see where the smokey taste and smell was coming from now. In the distance, far off in town, there was this giant, tall chimney looking thing, she noticed. It stretched far into the sky and was constantly spewing thick, black fog. Ellie couldn't remember any pig or cow droppings stinking quite as bad as Saint Denis did.
"Hey, Sawyer." Vic said, raising his voice, "Where to now?"
Sawyer finally snapped out of it, "Uh... Well the bank's pretty far up there, to the north-east side of the city."
"Well it don't look like any robbery's goin' down just now." Vic said, looking at his surroundings.
"Valid point, but the motherfucker could be anywhere, Vic." Sawyer said, "We just gotta search for him."
Vic nodded quickly, "I know, kid. But I gotta do somethin' else first."
"What the fuck could be more important?" The outlaw asked, his patience slowly waning.
Sawyer and the nervous Ellie then watched as Vic pulled out an envelope from his coat pocket. Within seconds, it jogged the girl's memory.
"David gave me this back in Strawberry." Vic told his friend, "It's for his brother... He works here, in a small bankin' office."
"Can't it wait?"
"Given that we might not make it outer this city in one piece, I'd say no."
Ellie looked sternly at Vic again, "Don't fuckin' talk wet, Vic. We're gonna get back home, right?"
"Of course we are, Ellie... I'm just makin' a point is all. David gave us the train tickets to get here... Least I can do is give this to his brother while I got the chance."
Sawyer and Vic locked eyes for few seconds, letting the busy capital's activities pass them by. Trams moved along, people yelled all the time, Ellie even noticed a gang of young kids running away from the town's lawmen at one point. The place didn't seem to ever stop.
The buildings around them were so big and funny looking, she thought. One of them, on the corner left of the statue, had a circular tower at the top and so many windows going around it, and hanging on the edge of every one of them was a red banner with patterns on them. It looked like some kinda temple, Ellie thought, the stuff her Daddy had told her about before bed time when she was smaller.
"A'ight." Sawyer said, turning around, "The banking office he was talkin' about is that way."
The outlaw pointed to the left side of the crossroads, towards the very same funnels and factories that Ellie had spotted and wretched at the thought of. That seemed to be the more grotty, business end of the city. It didn't seem to have pointless, glittery and flashy buildings all over the place like the main street did.
"Head a few blocks that way and you can't miss it. It's the only bankin' place in the city other than the National Bank." Sawyer told Vic, turning back to him.
"Ain't you comin'?" The deputy then asked.
Sawyer's head shook, "I'm gonna scout around town first, see what I can find on Roland. But we can meet up back here soon enough."
Vic thought about that hard for a moment. He didn't know if splitting up was the best idea yet, especially not in such a toxic and unfamiliar place. But then again, his young friend did know the town very well, having grown up there, so Vic knew he could trust the outlaws judgment. If he was confident then so was the Tumbleweed lawman.
"A'ight, let's do that then." Vic finally said with confidence.
Ellie then stepped in front of the deputy, "I'll go with Sawyer then. He might need the extra pair of eyes."
"You sure about that, Ellie?" The lawman asked, "You look a little... Nerve wrecked."
"I'll be fine, don't worry about me." Ellie replied, "Just go drop off that fuckin' letter and meet us back here, yeah?"
Vic grinned and nodded, "A'ight... Both of you watch yourselves, you hearin' me?"
The young outlaw nodded once in respect, "Loud and clear, Deputy. Same to you."
"And you stay close to him, a'ight?" Vic told Ellie, pointing at Sawyer.
Ellie sarcastically saluted her deputy friend once again and waving at him jokingly.
Vic chuckled and waved his two younger friends off before turning around and heading down the opposite end of the street. He felt more comfortable heading towards the more rundown looking side of Saint Denis, as it made him feel closer to his own homeland of New Austin. Everything else in the Lemoyne capital seemed like a completely different world to him, too flashy and pretentious, he thought.
Ellie then followed Sawyer closely, looking back every few seconds to see Vic slowly disappear into the crowds of people. At first she felt fine and comfortable being with Sawyer again, but the more she looked around, seeing strangers and odd looking folks everywhere, she began to feel more pressured. Like she was walking underwater.
"I fuckin' hate this place, Sawyer." She said to her friend.
Sawyer nodded, "So do I. Hopefully we can leave as quick as we arrived, huh?"
"How'd you manage to stick here for so many fuckin' years?"
"Was damn hard, Ellie. I'll say that. Told you the place was vile."
She scoffed, "That was understatin' it a little, weren't it?"
"Yeah, maybe." Sawyer chuckled, "But one of better things is that every fucker here looks the same. All bullshit business-like. Roland Payne ain't gonna be hard to spot in a place like this."
"What's he look like again?" Ellie then asked, having only heard how dangerous the man was, not much about his appearance.
"He's big. Like... Tall. Huge I'd say even." Sawyer said, constantly scanning the tall buildings and streets around them, "Bald with a fuckin' huge beard that goes down his neck... Teeth are rotten. Believe me, Ellie, you'd know him if you saw the motherfucker."
"Sounds like I would." She said, trying to control her breathing, "Where we headin'?"
Sawyer seemed to be leading her to a dark passageway between two solid oak buildings, probably more business offices.
"Down the backstreets for a minute." The outlaw then replied, "Roland had a habit of takin' refuge in the emptier streets if he needed to."
Once the duo came around a corner, they entered a bigger than average alleyway, outside of a barber's shop. It was quieter than everywhere else, since there wasn't as many people powering through like bulls, which Ellie was thankful for. It meant she could now rest a little, so she soon leaned against a wall and took a breather in the cool shade.
Seeing Ellie look so tired and anxious made Sawyer feel almost guilty for bringing her to Saint Denis. It was clearly not agreeing with the youngster, who was so used to the empty plains and chaparrals out in New Austin. The outlaw then slowly approached her and gently laid one hand on her shoulder.
"You a'ight?" He asked.
"I'll be fine." Ellie replied, out of breath, "I just... Need to focus."
"Ellie, you can stay here if you like." Sawyer said quietly, "This ain't your fight."
The huntress soon spun around angrily and frowned at the fugitive, "Don't you fuckin' dare do that, Sawyer!"
"Do what?"
Ellie pointed hard, planting her finger into his chest multiple times, "Try and send me away... You ain't doin' this without me... Or without Vic for that matter, you gettin' me?"
"Ellie... I just."
"Just NOTHIN'!" She yelled out, almost on the verge of tears, "You might have some kinda fuckin' death wish, a'ight? But I ain't lettin' you get yourself killed for that piece of shit! He ain't worth your life!"
Sawyer's eyes widened and his mouth dropped open slightly. He was almost thankful that hardly anyone else was stood nearby in the alley for once so that nobody could witness the younger girl giving him a real good telling.
"Okay." The outlaw said quietly, patting her her shoulder, "A'ight... I get ya."
"Good!" The young girl shouted again, "Now just shut up and... Let me catch my fuckin' breath for a minute."
The duo stood for another few silent minutes in the alley, the sounds of the ever moving crowd of citizens drowning out most other noises. Sawyer was slowly getting ever more impatient and eager to get back outer the alley and hopefully spot Roland, despite Ellie's words. No matter what anyone said, he couldn't put it to rest. Not yet.
Soon enough, the girl caught her breath, relaxed herself and seemed good. She and Sawyer slowly exited the alley and got back onto a main street. One that had a gigantic church on its corner, Ellie noticed. It was so gorgeous and majestic. Definitely better looking than any place of worship she'd seen back home, where they were all broken down and inhabited by emaciated cats. Everything was so much nicer looking in the Lemoyne capital, everything except the people, she thought.
The outlaw kept on walking through the crowds of Saint Denis, at one point wondering why the town was busier than usual. Maybe it was due to having been away from the Lemoyne capital for so long, he'd forgotten how hectic the place could be. All he wanted was to spot Roland in one of the crowds, raise his Schofield and shoot him dead. Yet he and Ellie kept on walking, through the city's shopping streets and eventually into one of it's overcrowded market districts.
"Hold up a sec." Said the outlaw, stopping suddenly.
It had happened, Sawyer had seen somebody he recognised. It wasn't Roland, that was for sure. But it was an O'Driscoll. He was there, inside the market alley, amongst the crowd. He was the typical O'Driscoll thug, all scruffy, unshaven and wearing a pale-green coat. Sawyer knew that he was there in town with Roland, and would likely know where that piece of filth was. The outlaw soon, without thinking, bolted to get to him before he might've disappeared into the crowd.
Ellie stood still, her head down and eyes closed, controlling her breathing again. She didn't like the idea that Sawyer was about to take them both into the market. She was stunned to realise, once she looked up again, that he was gone. The outlaw had vanished, probably into that very same crowded alley, she thought.
The young huntress suddenly felt her heart beat hard, almost like it was in her mouth. With Sawyer gone, she couldn't tell where she even was. In front of her was the market, full to brim with people all shouting and yelling. Some were even sleeping in the corners where the shade was. She looked to her left and right, seeing only more packed streets, with people looking down at her like she was some kinda of animal.
"Fuck..." She whispered to herself, "Fuck... Fuck."
The girl didn't see where Sawyer had gone and couldn't see any evidence of him anywhere around her. He'd truly vanished. If only she hadn't panicked and looked away, she thought.
Before long, she wanted to punch her stupid self for losing him. What worried her most was whether or not he needed her help, or if he'd even realised she was missing yet.
Above her were the towering buildings of the city, who's purpose seemed only to keep the sun off of the busy people's backs. Ellie didn't know where to go. If she went through the market, she might get even more lost. She felt sick. Sick at the thought of heading through such a rammed alleyway full of trading stalls, shop-keepers and adamant buyers. The place was sickening.
"What do you do, El?" She asked herself, "What do you fuckin' do?"
Before she could even give herself an answer, something else happened. Everyone heard it. Out of nowhere, across town somewhere, an explosion went off. Real loud, echoing off of all the graceful buildings, stores and hotels. Ellie soon turned, along with many other people, to where the sound had emanated. In the sky, briefly, she saw falling debris. Pieces of metal, wood and brick. Some of it even landed in the same street she was stood in.
Everyone around her and in other streets of the city began panicking and screaming, because soon after the explosion, they could all hear gunfire too. Lot's of gunfire, and people yelling out. Some sort of firefight was going down.
All the scared folks round Ellie began running around in a blind panic. Suddenly, and strangely, she felt more focused than ever before. The huntress was certain that it must've been the robbery at the bank finally happening, but she didn't want to go there without finding Vic or Sawyer first.
Ellie soon equipped her bow and grasped an arrow from her boot. The people of Saint Denis were petrified and running for cover in random stores and other buildings. The huntress liked that, as it meant not only were those people safe, but it also emptied the overcrowded streets a little, calming her down and helping refocus her mind. Soon enough, despite the distant gunfire and smoke rising above the tall buildings, Ellie began to run in the opposite direction, determined to find either the young outlaw or the maverick deputy.
Minutes went by and Ellie ran down the slowly emptying streets of the capital, while on her way seeing packs of fully armed Saint Denis police officers heading to the scene of the explosion and the gunfire. It must've been real serious, the girl thought as she entered a narrow alleyway off the street and out of the sun.
She found herself having to step over a dirty homeless fella as she made her way through the alley and past some tall plant pots and vines. He was awake and yelling out in a dialect she couldn't understand. Was probably confused about what was going on across town.
Once Ellie had frantically made her way through the alley, she crossed a busy street full of more frightened citizens, some even looking scared of Ellie herself, given she was carrying a bow and arrow.
"Fuckin' hell." Ellie whispered to herself, astonished at how quickly the town had changed from being busy to all out panic.
Stepping back off the street and into another rat infested alleyway, Ellie could see at the far end that there was an empty street ahead. She just hoped it was maybe the street where she'd find Vic or Sawyer, waiting for her. It seemed a darker street than others, with the sun clearly not illuminating it very well. As she ran down towards it, she kept noticing that not a soul walked by the alley's exit. Clearly it was an area clear of people. Just what she needed.
Finally, at long last, after stepping through the dirty puddles and past some empty barrels, Ellie was back out of the back alley's and onto the empty strip of buildings. The huntress was relieved to finally be able to take a breather alone. She quickly leaned back on the brick-wall behind her, some boarded up old store, to control her breathing once again.
"You're okay, El." She assured herself, "It's all good."
Looking up again after controlling her lungs, Ellie saw a lone carriage of people pull up next to the biggest and bulkiest building on the end of the street. Sadly, she couldn't see anyone else, including the deputy or the outlaw she'd lost.
It took the New Austin girl just a few moments to work it out. She'd ran away from the explosion and gunfire, what she assumed was Roland and the goons finally robbing the bank. Yet now, in the strange street, she could see it. The big, glorious looking building, nicer than any others on the same roadway, had a sign on it reading 'LEMOYNE NATIONAL BANK'.
"Oh shit..." Ellie whispered in disbelief.
The chaos happening on the other side of town was not the bank robbery at all, she realised. The main bank of the city was right there, directly in front of her.
Her mind went haywire, trying to work out what the hell was happening back there where the explosion had went off. She wanted to know if Vic was okay, if Sawyer was alright, were they looking for her? Or were they busy fighting that Roland guy. But that was when she finally noticed.
There were four guys on the carriage pulling up alongside the bank. One of them got off, shotgun in hand and put a bandana around his face. Soon, the other three did it too. Loaded their shotguns and masked their faces. Ellie knew right away what they were about to do.
As the strange, armed bandits got off the carriage, they all took sacks with them, probably for money. Ellie stood in shock once she saw the man in the middle. Three of them were all the same height and size, just like all the other jackasses that her, Vic and Sawyer had taken out. But the guy at the front, the leader of the pack, was different.
Ellie soon recalled everything Sawyer had told her earlier in the busy streets before she lost him. She remembered the man he was described. Big, tall, huge, bald, hulking and intimidating.
And at that point, she realised that she was staring at Roland Payne.