CHAPTER XXI
SAINT DENIS, LEMOYNE, JUNE 9TH 1900
"So he don't work in the National Bank?" Vic asked the worker.
The man shook his head, "Nah, not Stu. He's always in the smaller branch, just at the top end a'town. Hardly ever get's up off'a his goddamn limey ass. I tell you somethin' else too..."
"Uh huh," Vic stopped him, nodding, "Can you point me in his direction, sir?"
The man was taken aback by Vic's abrupt interruption and demeanour, but he wasn't about to cross the law, so he soon pointed his dirty finger.
He gestured to the higher end of town, just outside the industrial area, past a huge warehouse building and the enormously tall funnels that constantly spewed smoke into the otherwise fresh air.
The deputy looked in the direction he'd been given, "A'ight, much obliged."
"Happy to be of help, Marshall." The scruffy worker told Vic, before giving him a half-hearted thumbs up.
Soon enough, the lawman left the coal and dirt covered factory worker and calmly made his way through the industrial district, still puffing away at his latest and last smoke. Vic had kept his right hand tight on the strap of his Bolt-Action rifle for awhile, ready to equip it at a moments notice. So far, he'd saw no reason to. Usually it would've just been out of habit, but something about the Lemoyne capital didn't feel entirely right to Vic.
Maybe he was just being paranoid, maybe it was just Saint Denis, he thought. But maybe he was right to be vigilant, and just on the off chance he was right, Vic continued to keep his wits about him as he made his way through the shade-covered back streets and alleys of town, before finally exiting onto another one of the busy main streets.
The people of town hardly even noticed that the lawman had stepped out in front of them. Already, only seconds later, they began to barge past him like cattle. One woman almost knocked the cigarette clean out of Vic's hand, but after years of experience, he'd managed to keep a hold of it. Everything seemed to speed by the deputy like a blur. It seemed impossible to keep focus on one thing at a time.
Vic truly hated Saint Denis. It didn't make him uncomfortable, just irritated. Every single person seemed to just charge past him, acting like he just wasn't even there. Those few who did acknowledge him looked upon the deputy with arrogant and haughty eyes, like he was nothing but dirt on their heels.
That aspect didn't bother Vic at all. Having been an enforcer of the law for so many years, he was used to being vilified by most of the common folk. It was the relentless barrage of chaos and general disorder that pissed him off mostly about the Lemoyne city. Everywhere he looked the people were acting like ants, almost climbing over each other to get to wherever it was they were going.
Since the deputy had left Sawyer and Ellie on the main strip of town, he'd tried to make his last cigarette last as long as he could until he found a general store to buy more. He was halfway down the smoke by the time he made it onto one of the high streets at the top end of town. There he saw the tram continue its slow way through the city, full to the brim of passengers, some looking like they were almost hanging onto the moving cart for dear life.
The New Austin lawman just blew smoke through his nose and shook his head in pity. It was then that he saw, to his right, one of the many mansions and manor houses standing all the way at the top of Saint Denis, looking over the town like it's residents were monarchs. In comparison to every other building in Saint Denis, which all looked very nice in their own right, the large manor's at the head of the city looked almost otherworldly. Vic struggled to comprehend how they had even been constructed. Back at home, in the dusty wastes of New Austin, he'd seen nothing like it. Even Tumbleweed had a huge, pretty house overlooking the settlement but even that seemed like a shitty comparison to what Saint Denis was flaunting.
Vic soon made his way down the high street, another tram moving alongside him as he moved. For a moment, Vic almost felt like it was following him to bank branch, but it was clearly due to it's speed. Compared to Vic's brisk walk, the tram's of Saint Denis were no faster. Maybe it was the weight of the ridiculous amount of passengers that always seemed to be squeezed on, the deputy thought.
A few seconds later, nearing the end of his last cigarette, Vic finally saw the 'Lemoyne Bank'. It had a beautiful, glossed sign above it's pristine glass windows. The Anderson brother's continued to impress the lawman and yet bewilder him at the same time. While two of them were in Strawberry, making a secret fortune off of illegal arms trades, their other sibling was in the Lemoyne Capital, taking care of the state's funds. It wasn't a believable tale even around a campfire, Vic thought to himself.
Before entering the banking branch, Vic took his final drag of the cigarette and stomped it out with his boot. He noticed that he could also hear the ringing of the tram bell's behind him, the moving cart having came to a stop just on the road a few meters away. For a second, the lawman thought he could hear loud voices too, but he wasn't about to concern himself with the arrogant business of the Saint Denis people, so instead he continued inside.
Inside the smaller bank reception, Vic first noticed the lush smell of the sleek, dark wooden walls and desks. It was a cooler room too, compared to the hot, humid air outside.
"Can I help you, sir?" One young woman called out, taking Vic's attention.
The deputy then walked over to the reception, "Afternoon, madam. I'm here to see Mr. Stu Anderson. He here?"
"Of course," The girl smiled, "And what would your name be?"
"Deputy Vic Noble."
"Oh my..." She paused, "Is he in trouble with the law?"
Vic just smirked, "No, I'm glad to say he ain't. I'm here with a message from family."
The receptionist breathed a sight of relief, "Thank god."
The lawman then watched as the girl turned to look over her shoulder at the small office directly behind the reception.
"Stuart!" She called out, "Deputy here to see you!"
Immediately Vic and the girl heard faint muttering and shuffling from within the office. All the deputy could do was keep smiling pleasantly at the young girl and await the arrival of the Anderson brother he hadn't even known existed until a day before.
Eventually the door opened and out came Stuart. He was very well dressed in a grey suit and was noticeably shorter than his two brothers. His hair was pomaded and his mustache was something to behold. It stretched out even further than his cheeks and curled around at the tips. Vic thought for a second that even that may have been pomaded too. Nevertheless, the man's pristine appearance certainly lived up to his other siblings.
"Deary me," Stuart said, his accent very fancy, before clearing his throat, "How may I be of assistance to the law, Mister?"
"Noble. Deputy Vic Noble." The maverick lawman replied, offering his hand.
Stuart gave Vic a very warm and respectful handshake, "Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Deputy Noble. I expect yourself and my lovely receptionist, Amanda here, have already exchanged pleasantries?"
"Yup, we have. Nice to finally meet you, Stu." Vic said, "I'm here with a delivery from your brother, David."
Stuart's eyes widened, "You don't say?"
Vic nodded and reached into his navy, velvet coat. He pulled out the letter that David had given him back in Strawberry and handed it over to Stuart. The affluent Anderson brother took it without question and gave it a glance.
"Did he give you any reason for this letter, Mr. Noble?" Stuart asked, very inquisitive.
"None." Vic admitted, shaking his head with a gentle smile, "Ain't my business, Stu."
"How are my brothers? Are they doing well? Are they healthy?" Stuart asked eagerly.
The deputy nodded, "They're both fine. I promise you that."
"What was my brothers' business with you? Purely out of curiosity, you understand."
Vic took a few seconds to decide his response. He didn't know how much to divulge to the respectable banker. Too much could've possibly put him in danger, and his brother's for that matter.
"I'm on a far-reachin' job all the way from New Austin. Official law business." Vic told him, out of respect, "I needed a little help on it. Your brother gave me that help. I say we leave it at that."
Stuart listened and nodded, accepting the response. He then glanced once more at the letter before stowing it away inside his jacket pocket.
"New Austin, you say?" Stuart asked, surprised, "You certainly are on a far-reaching journey, Mr. Noble. A very long way from home."
"Ain't as far as yourself, Stu." Vic reminded him with a smirk.
Stuart laughed, "Believe me, Deputy. England is about as home for me now as Ambarino is for a mosquito. I am exactly where I need to be."
"Wish I could say the same." Vic said, looking out the window at the street, "I ain't a big fan of this place. It stinks of... Everythin'. No offence."
"None taken." Stuart chuckled.
Out of nowhere, the shockwave thrust through the reception, with the sound of the explosion following it instantly. The power of the blast shattered the Bank window, throwing huge shards of glass throughout the reception. Thankfully, the shockwave had also thrown Vic, Stuart and Amanda all to the ground.
"Good lord!" Stuart shouted from the floor, tiny pieces of glass covering his fresh suit.
Alarm bells were ringing throughout the entire street. Other stores and buildings having been within the blast radius. Through the shattered window, Vic looked up and noticed a huge raging fire and thick, black smoke engulfing the area.
The deputy felt the small lacerations on his face and neck from the fallen glass and promptly checked himself over for any worse wounds. Thankfully, he found nothing. He then turned his attention to Stuart and the girl.
"You both a'ight?!" Vic asked, his voice yelling over the bank's own alarm bell, "Either of you hurt?!"
Stuart, who's face was also cut up from the glass shook his head, clearly in shock and disbelief. Moments later, the two men noticed Amanda peek her head around from the desk where she'd been laying.
"I'm okay!" She shouted, "I'm ain't even hurt!"
The blast had thrown her from the desk chair to the floor instantly, with the reception desk having been her only cover from the shattered window fragments. She immediately crawled to Stuart to help him up.
"It's alright, my dear!" Stuart told her, rubbing her arm gently, "I'm no worse for wear!"
Vic then charged to his feet and grabbed his Bolt-Action from his shoulder, loading one round fast. He knew that whatever had happened outside could've simply been an accident, but deep down he knew that it wasn't the likely reason.
"You two stay down!" The deputy ordered, pointing down at Stuart and the girl.
The two bankers watched as Vic took cover by the side of the now destroyed window. He leaned out of cover to see what had happened and what the situation was, grasping his rifle at all times.
Outside on the street, Vic noticed it was the tram. The tram that he walked beside just minutes earlier, was now engulfed in flames and was a complete wreck. It had exploded after coming to a stop. The deputy scanned the area for any bodies, but the smoke was too thick to see through from the distance he stood at.
"Notice anything?!" Stuart asked, "Is anybody injured?!"
"Can't see a fuckin' thing from here!" Vic replied, "I'm gonna have to go out there!"
Stuart then suddenly jumped to his feet and ran into his office, "Allow me to assist you, Deputy!"
Vic turned back to the ruined reception and to Stuart's office. Amanda was still crouched down close to the reception desk. She was clearly in shock, confused as to what had even happened. Soon enough, Stuart came walking back out of his office wielding a Cattleman Revolver.
"No, I don't think so!" Vic yelled, storming towards Stuart, "You're stayin' right here!"
"I would like to give you some help, Mr. Noble!" The Anderson brother insisted.
The lawman continued to yank the Cattleman out of Stuart's hand and gently lower the hammer so that it wasn't ready to fire.
"You're gonna stay right fuckin' here, Stu!" Vic commanded, "Amanda and you are best off stayin' in your office! Lock the door and don't leave until you're damn sure it's safe out there!"
"I'm no coward, Mr. Noble! I know how to handle myself!"
Vic then stood closer to Stuart, almost nose to nose.
"I ain't gonna be responsible for your fuckin' death!" Vic growled in his face, "You stay in here and keep the girl safe! I've had enough favour's from you Anderson's, now I'm gonna do one for you!"
Stuart listened close, Amanda standing up by his side and grabbing a hold of his arm.
"I delivered David's message to you!" Vic shouted, "I ain't taking news back about your death!"
Both bankers stood in silence, the alarm bell still ringing loudly above their heads. They dared not talk back to the lawman in any way.
"You understand me?!" The deputy then shouted again.
After a moment of contemplation, Stuart sighed and slowly nodded his head. He looked to Amanda and then back to Vic and soon lead her into his office. The girl was safe, the last thing Stuart needed back was his gun.
Vic passed it back to his friends brother, "Only use it if you really have to!"
"Message received, Mr. Noble! Loud and clear!" Stuart finally replied, nodding in agreement.
The maverick lawman then gave his acquaintance one final nod before turning to leave the branch. Before exiting the door, he turned back to watch Stuart enter his office and lock the door. That gave Vic the peace of mind he needed before heading back out onto the chaotic street.
Once outside and back in the warm air, Vic kept his rifle aimed out and ready to fire. He kept surveying the street and the burning tram to see what could've caused the explosion. Something didn't feel right to him, and if memory served him well, Vic was gonna be right about it.
As he approached closer, the deputy noticed the injured civilian's who had retreated onto the sidewalks. Their moans of pain and suffering were toxic to the ears. The people were burnt, lacerated, battered and bruised. Even children were among the victims, which infuriated Vic. He almost immediately took back everything he'd thought about the citizens of Saint Denis. They might've been an arrogant bunch, but nobody deserved what he was seeing, especially not kids.
With his instincts to protect the innocent kicking in, Vic moved to the sidewalks himself directly across from the burning wreckage. It was at that moment he finally saw them come around from the other side of the burning cart. A group of a round five men, Vic counted. All wearing cheap, weathered coats and raggy bandanas. It was a pack of O'Driscoll raiders.
"Do it!" The goon at the front yelled out.
Upon his order, he and the rest of his crew lifted their guns up into the air and began to fire them. The bullets echoed off of every wall and building in earshot, scaring any remaining people in the area away for dear life. Vic couldn't understand the reasoning. Had they destroyed the cart? Were they trying to kill somebody? He couldn't figure it out.
Once the bullets from their rifles, shotguns and revolvers were firing into the sky, Vic took cover within a small, narrow alleyway right opposite the wreck to give him some leverage. Once he was there and enough injured people had made their way outer the area, Vic aimed his rifle in the O'Driscolls' direction.
"A'ight!" The leader shouted, "We all know what we gotta do, right?!"
Before the main man of the pack could continue, his men watched as his forehead blew open and his blood spewed onto the ground, Vic's bullet hitting exactly where he had meant it to.
"GET THE FUCK DOWN!" Another O'Driscoll screamed, "NOW!"
Vic pressed the Bolt-Action far into his right cheek, his eye looking closely down the weapon's iron sights. He'd taken down the leader and now his men were gonna be on the attack. The deputy soon crouched down in the small alleyway that he had taken refuge in. He'd already loaded a fresh rifle round in preparation.
The New Austin lawman waiting patiently, the noises of the burning tramcar, alarm bells from multiple buildings and the screams of civilians all went silent in his head while he focused his good eye.
One O'Driscoll thug soon exited cover on the left side of the burning wreck and Vic fired a single shot in his direction, but the goon was too fast. Once he'd seen the flash of Vic's rifle, the O'Driscoll retreated back behind cover and pulled back the hammer on his revolver.
"I see 'em!" He then yelled, "In the alley! 'tween the Gallery and the Antique place!"
The maverick lawman heard the O'Driscoll compromise his position but stayed put regardless, knowing fine well that he was always gonna be a better shot than any of them.
The deputy waited calmly for his enemies to make the first move, which they soon did.
Once Vic saw the next marauder exit cover, Springfield Rifle in hand, the lawman moved his own rifle in his direction. The two men fired at one another at almost the exact same moment, with the O'Driscoll's round hitting the brick wall above Vic's head, and the deputy's bullet piercing the thug's chest. He flew back onto the ground and squirmed in agony before finally going limp.
"FUCK!" One man shouted, "GET THAT SON 'BITCH!"
Vic loaded another round and kept his cool until he saw the three O'Driscoll's come around from the wreckage all at the same time and aim their guns on his position.
With no other choice, the deputy lunged to his feet and ran out into the smoke-filled street. The three O'Driscoll heavies fired upon Vic, their bullet's all missing as the lawman made his move's too fast. He'd hung the Bolt-Action over his shoulder again to get a better advantage while on the move.
In a matter of seconds, Vic had managed to flank their position behind the roasting tram wreck where his adversaries had been covering only moments before. His speed, combined with the lower visibility thanks to the smoke, made his cover switch seem even faster and trickier to track than they would otherwise have been.
"Where'd he fuckin' go?!" One thug shouted, aiming out his shotgun nervously.
Vic then turned from the other corner of the wreckage, having gone all the way around, and grabbed the O'Driscoll's shotgun by the barrel and yanked it up towards the sky again.
"'the fuck?!" The goon yelled, firing instinctively.
The shotgun shell exploded into the air, the pellets hitting nothing, and Vic proceed to drive his elbow into the O'Driscoll's jaw, stunning him almost into unconsciousness. The deputy then took the thug as a human shield, equipping one of his LeMat's and aiming it over the man's right shoulder.
"Oh shit!" One of the remaining two thugs then yelled.
Without any hesitation or thought for their friend, the two O'Driscoll's raised their revolvers and unloaded them in Vic and their fellow bandit's direction. The deputy had no option but to back away quickly, once again going behind the burning tram. By that point, the man he'd taken to shield himself was already riddled with bullets, none having gone all the way through.
Vic soon dropped the dead man to the ground and pulled his second LeMat revolver from it's holster. The two last bandit's in the street were eager to kill Vic, so they soon came powering around the wreckage like wolves, shooting whatever bullets remained in their own guns.
The New Austin lawman flanked them once again around the opposite side, firing upon his enemies with both LeMat's. Their bullets fired with such powerful sounds that neither O'Driscoll had heard come from a gun before. They were only revolvers, they thought, but they sounded like Elephant Rifles.
Both men managed to dive to the ground to get out of the way of Vic's hail of bullets, but soon found their own revolvers were now empty.
The two men looked at each other in desperation, sweating and dirty due to the fire only meters away. They pulled out the only things they had left; their knives.
In unison, the two O'Driscolls ran around the fiery wreckage and towards Vic as fast as they could, brandishing their blades. They even let out some kind of battle cry, screaming at the deputy in frustration and anger.
Vic was taken aback by this and stopped shooting. Instead he thought fast and ran towards the thugs to take them on. His LeMats were made out of hard steel, so Vic used them to his advantage.
As the O'Driscoll's slashed at Vic with their knives, the deputy used his quick reflexes to make sure that every time they did, the blades landed on his revolvers and that they took the brunt of it. He knew, however, that he needed to do something, as one of the knives was gonna land on him eventually.
Vic noted soon after that one of the men was more tired than the other. Realising that, he then sharply blocked the other thug's knife while slamming the butt of his other LeMat into the burnt-out O'Driscolls temple. The blow knocked him straight to the ground, blood flowing from his broken teeth and gums.
The final thug then lunged at Vic with both hands, hoping to bury the blade into the lawman's neck. The goon was seething and foaming at the mouth, desperate to put the deputy down after seeing him take down four of his buddies with relative ease.
"Fuck! You!" He sneered at Vic, "Cock! Sucker!"
Vic held back the O'Driscoll's two arms with his bare hands after dropping his empty LeMat's to the ground. The two men pushed and pulled at one another like two fighting deer. The heat from the burning tram had now drenched both men with sweat and charred their coats. Vic's once-blue velvet coat was now a dark grey and thick with tar.
The deputy desperately tried to overpower the thug, but his attacker seemed to be getting the better of him. Soon, the O'Driscoll raider span himself and Vic around so that the fire was directly behind the lawman's back.
Vic could feel the fire and the raging heat getting worse and worse as the O'Driscoll slowly pushed him further towards the tram's remnants. He fought and pushed back against the bandit, but the heat was getting too intense for him to focus.
In the blink of an eye, Vic's face got sprayed with warm blood as his final adversary received a bullet to the side of the neck. The deputy felt the body go limp, like it was a miracle, before grabbing the dead man and throwing him into the raging flames of the fire.
Breathing heavily with relief, Vic walked away from the heat and picked his LeMat's back up from the cobblestone ground. He took a glance around the area to watch for anymore O'Driscoll fellas but instead he only saw Sawyer.
The former outlaw stood in the same alley that Vic had used for cover minutes earlier. His Schofield revolver was still spewing fresh smoke. It was him that had saved Vic, something the latter was more than grateful for.
"Much obliged, kid!" Vic shouted.
"Ain't nothin'!" Sawyer replied, "That the last of 'em!?"
Vic holstered his LeMat's again, "Far as I know!"
Upon walking closer to his younger friend, Vic took a good look around Sawyer and noticed one very important thing.
"Where is she?" Vic asked, his eyes widening.
Sawyer shook his head, "I don't... I don't know, Vic... She was right behind me and then... She just wasn't."
Vic stepped closer to Sawyer, "Where the fuck is she, Sawyer?!"
"I lost her!" The young renegade admitted, "I saw this guy in a crowd... An O'Driscoll that I recognised... I went after him in this big fuckin' crowd of folks and then... Then she was gone."
Vic's face went red with anger and he began to storm around briefly in multiple directions before turning back to Sawyer.
"I told you to keep her safe!" He screamed before pointing to the exploded tram, "Look at what's fuckin' happenin' here!"
"She was right behind me!" Sawyer yelled back, "I had her!"
Vic controlled his breathing and looked away. He had to think hard and fast. Where the hell could she have ended up? He thought. She'd clearly been unnerved by Saint Denis and it's huge population, but she was still a smart kid. She'd know what to do, Vic told himself.
"Have you seen him?" Sawyer then asked, referring to Roland.
Vic looked back at his friend, "No... Just O'Driscoll's... But he's here... I know that for fuckin' sure."
"Obviously..." Sawyer replied, looking at the fire and bodies, "But why blow the fuckin' tram up?"
"A distraction was needed." Suddenly sniggered a familiar voice, followed by the cocking of a pistol.
Both Vic and Sawyer turned their heads to see Agent Wilson at the far end of the alleyway they all stood in. The Pinkerton's filthy voice echoed down the close concrete walls.
"Sacrifices were necessary." He continued, "Shame you two are still standin' though."
"Put the fuckin' gun down, Wilson." Vic growled, "This ain't the way it's gotta be."
"Shut the fuck up, peasant." Wilson said, jabbing the Mauser towards his fellow lawman, "You're lucky to still be outside a jail cell for aidin' a known fugitive."
Sawyer scoffed, "You're too flattering, Wilson. Wanna give me a smooch too?"
"God damn, I look forward to shuttin' that mouth of yours, shithead." Wilson said with a sickening grin.
The young fugitive then began to slowly move towards Wilson, "Well here's your chance, Agent... Go ahead, you piece of shit, take a fuckin' shot..."
Wilson watched as Sawyer slowly made his way forward, so he aimed his Mauser Pistol directly at the young outlaw. Sawyer then stopped mid-walk and gave Wilson a deadly glare.
"Sawyer." Vic said loud and stern, "Don't."
"Listen to your friend, boy. He'll keep you outer real trouble." Wilson said, still grinning.
"Where's Roland?" Sawyer then asked, his voice angry and low.
"Well depending on the time, he may be in the National Bank or... Far away from here."
"So that's what the distraction was for." Vic said aloud to himself, nodding, "Clever... Old fashioned, but clever."
Agent Wilson simply smiled, "Old fashioned and you didn't even see it comin'... Getting slow in your older age, eh Victor?"
"Come's to us all, Wilson." Vic replied, "But even you're still fresh enough to die young."
"Not me, boy." Wilson laughed, "I'm 'bout to be a rich man... It's gonna be dyin' old and frail for me."
"Don't be so sure." Sawyer whispered, "Remember, the deputy ain't gonna be around to hold me back forever."
"No, that he ain't." Wilson sniggered, stepping closer, "Because today's the day that your time is up."
Slowly and slyly, the Pinkerton raised his Mauser pistol and pointed it directly at Sawyer's forehead. Sawyer didn't move a muscle, he simply watched, sweat beginning to seep from his skin and run down his face.
"I'm gonna do what Roland Payne couldn't." Wilson said, "Admit it, Sawyer... I'm doing you a favour."
Before Wilson's finger could twitch, his gun was hit by a bullet suddenly and flew outer his hand, frightening and startling him, causing the Pinkerton to backup further into the alley.
"WHAT IN THE FUCK!" He yelled in confusion, looking at both Sawyer and then to Vic.
Agent Wilson noticed, Vic was aiming a smoking LeMat at him.
It was the deputy that had shot the Mauser outer the Pinkerton's hand. Everything seemed to happen slowly even thought it had only been a matter of seconds.
Sawyer took the split-second opportunity and launched himself at Wilson, throwing punches and hooks into the Pinkerton agent, who tried his damnedest to block every oncoming blow. Soon, the two enemies were in an intense scuffle.
Vic holstered his LeMat again and tried to break up the fight to stop either man being killed, but it was no good. Before Vic could even get close, Sawyer and Wilson pulled each other through a wooden gate in the alley, crashing into the backyard of the Art Gallery building.
"Sawyer!" Vic yelled, "He ain't the one you want!"
Sawyer kept elbowing Wilson's ribs and kicking at him, "Go! Get to the fuckin' bank! Now!"
"You'll be too fuckin' late!" Wilson said underneath Sawyer, who soon gave the Pinkerton another punch to the ribs.
"Vic!" Sawyer shouted as Wilson rolled him over, "Stop that motherfucker! I got this one!"
While the two men fought and grappled one another, Vic did exactly what Sawyer had told him to. The deputy turned away and began to run fast down the alley and back onto the high street. The tram was still burning but the alarm bells of the building's had finally stopped. There was still no people on the street aside from the dead and unconscious O'Driscolls.
Vic wanted to find Ellie, but he knew exactly where Roland Payne was and this was his only chance to finally take him down. Soon, the maverick lawman picked up the pace and began to sprint as fast as he could to the end of the top street of Saint Denis, heading back almost the same way he'd came.
He was sweating profusely, with a hundred different thoughts going through his mind. Eventually, Vic stopped to catch his breath and take off his now ruined velvet coat. He threw it to the ground and briefly embraced the breeze on his arms and neck. Now, with only his shirt, vest and badge on show, nobody could possibly mistake what he was.
The deputy continued to run down the main-strip of town, past the theatre and empty tram-lines. Still, there was nobody on the street but a few members of the Saint Denis police. It angered Vic to know that they would be ignorant to Wilson's corruption and may even arrest Sawyer. Yet at the same time, Vic knew the kid would make his way outer there before that could even happen.
Breathing heavily and sweating ever more, Vic came to a crossroads that was towered over by more glorious shiny buildings, but he didn't have time to stop and take in the scenery. He scanned the sidewalks for any signposts directing him to the National Bank. Once he saw a sign pointing further up to the North-East side of town, he picked up speed once again, hoping to get their as soon as humanly possible.
The heaviness of his Bolt-Action rifle was beginning to weigh Vic down. The deputy debated on whether or not to just throw it aside in order to speed up, but he relented. He might've needed it by the time he got to the bank, he thought.
The streets in the North-East region of Saint Denis were more shade-covered than he'd seen anywhere else and he was so grateful for the cooler air once it hit his skin. Even back home in New Austin, the humidity hardly ever got that bad. But Lemoyne was another level of foist and warmth.
"Move it... Move it..." Vic pushed himself on, breathing heavier with every step.
Finally and thankfully, Vic saw the huge building coming up in view. It read, carved into concrete, 'LEMOYNE NATIONAL BANK'. Vic stopped for a moment to catch his breath just outside the entrance. Now that he'd arrived the deputy felt it was right to stop and gain some energy before continuing.
Before he could possible enjoy the brief rest, Vic noticed a few things. There was an empty horse carriage stood outside and the doors had already been thrown open. He could see nobody moving around inside the foyer. It was at that moment Vic noticed another body of an O'Driscoll on the ground just inside the doorway.
Vic got closer to take a look at the body and noticed his throat had been cut, real deep. There was blood everywhere and the further the lawmen looked into the Bank's main reception, the more blood he saw. The lawman could almost taste the smell of iron.
"Fucking hell..." Vic whispered to himself in horror, spitting onto the ruined floor.
He'd been a man of the law for seventeen years, but had never seen a sight like it. There was two dead bankers on the floor, neither of which had any parts of their head left. The once pristine floor was now glistening red with the blood covering it's entirety.
Vic then noticed the other two dead O'Driscolls. Upon further inspection, Vic found himself filling with more worry, but for different reasons. These two dead men had been killed with arrows. The exact same arrows that Ellie spent copious amounts of time making and sharpening. She'd been there, Vic realised.
The blood on the all the bodies was still fresh too, like the wounds had only been made minutes before. And it was at that point in time, Vic heard it. Above him, coming from the dark hallway in the corner of the room, Vic heard footsteps. Real loud and heavy footsteps, like a goddamn bear, he thought.
"Ellie..." Vic then whispered to himself.
The maverick lawman then surged to his feet, faster than ever before and ran to the hallway. He sprinted down the corridor as fast as he could and came to the glossy wooden staircase. He kept hearing the footsteps, like someone had just got to the top of the stairs just above him. Ellie might've been in trouble. Vic then began to panic.
The deputy then rushed up the staircase like a man possessed. Everything was a blur to him, he just needed to get to the top, which he soon did.
Once at the top, Vic turned to look through the open door onto the bank's rooftop. There he saw him. Roland Payne, standing still like some animal about to move in for the kill. That kill, Vic soon deduced, was Ellie.
Throwing all caution to the wind, Vic raced towards the door, outside into the open air and dove onto Roland's back, spearing him to the ground. Ellie noticed this and gasped in shock.
Vic took out one of his LeMat's and fired at Roland who moved faster than a man of his size should've been able to, each bullet then hitting the ground.
The deputy then lunged further towards Roland who managed to clasp Vic's hands and the LeMat with both of his own hands. Hands that felt like a black bear's paws, Vic thought.
Roland yanked Vic's hands and arms to the side, the final few bullets firing into the air. Once the gun was empty, Roland smashed his fit down on Vic's hand, sending the gun flying across the roof floor.
During the brief pause, Roland took hold of Vic by his vest with both hands and threw him hard into the concrete wall by the side of the door. The impact took Vic's breath away and he could only watch as the beast once again began to approach him.
Roland then began to pummel Vic's face, punch after punch, cracking Vic's eyebrow and cheek. The impact of each fist was being hit with rocks.
The deputy didn't know what to do or how to defend himself against such an onslaught, when suddenly he saw Ellie jump onto Roland's back.
"GET OFF HIM YOU FUCKER!" She screamed, clawing and scratching at his head and face.
Soon, Roland let go of Vic and then reached backwards to Ellie, grabbing her tight by the hair and pulled her over his shoulder, slamming her spine hard into the ground. Vic saw that and, enraged, took the opening to attack. The lawman then slung a hard kick into Roland's stomach, throwing him backwards a little with a slight grunt.
Vic then held up his fists to fight. Roland simply cracked his neck in preparation.
"Time to meet god, Deputy." Roland snarled.
"Make every hit count, Roland. I damn sure will, you piece of shit." Vic replied, keeping his stance.
In an instant, Roland viciously lunged towards Vic again. The two men began to exchange punches and blows, some landing, some being blocked. Roland attempted to grab Vic by the neck once again, but the deputy whacked away his huge hand, ducked and then drove his right elbow and left fist into the fiend's ribs.
Roland's eyes became so blank and dead, Vic wasn't even able to get a read on how his attacks were affecting him. It was unnerving, unlike anything Vic had ever encountered before.
Vic felt Roland simply shove him in retaliation, yet the power and strength of Roland Payne threw Vic backwards onto the floor, scraping away the skin of his elbow and hip. With the chance of death only yards away, Vic didn't stop to take note of his injuries and got back up again to fight.
The deputy ran fast at Roland and then, at the last second, dropped to spear him again. Vic ran straight into Roland's abdomen, but it felt like hitting a brick wall. Roland hardly even moved on his feet. Instead, he then wrapped his huge arms around Vic's body, picked him up from the ground slightly and slung him across the floor like a ragdoll.
Once on the ground again, Vic pulled out his second LeMat, but before he could fire it, Roland was already on-top of him. The animal's enormous boot kicked the LeMat out of Vic's hand, with only one round firing harmlessly into the air again. Vic then sharply rolled out of the way of a further incoming punch.
As soon as he was outer the way, Vic got to his feet fast and launched towards Roland again, this time managing to land a hard right hook to his evil face and kicking him viciously in the leg, knocking him off balance and down to one knee.
With that, Vic grabbed Roland's bald head with both hands and drove his knee twice into his already ugly face, smashing a couple of his brown teeth. Vic then finished his attack with a lethal left hook to the temple, knocking Roland further down, with only his elbow to keep him propped up.
Ever the opportunist, Vic took the brief opening to equip the Bolt-Action from his back and load a round. Sadly, the opening wasn't long enough. Before Vic could even aim the rifle or fire it, Roland had stood back up to his feet and clasped the rifle whilst it was still in Vic's arms.
The maverick lawman found himself playing tug-of-war with Roland over the rifle. The strength of Roland was immense and Vic soon felt the rifle get yanked from his fingers, the power almost pulling the deputy himself into the air.
Once he had the Bolt-Action in his hands, Roland slung it back and rammed the stock towards Vic who only just managed to duck and dive outer the way. Realising this gave Roland the opportunity to fire a bullet, Vic turned again and used Roland's own move against him.
Vic kicked the rifle hard out of Roland's hands. So hard that the gun then went flying high over the roof's edge, falling down into the street.
In frustration, Roland elbowed Vic in the nose, stunning him and then clobbered him in the stomach. The menace then threw the lawman hard, sending him back through the door and into the top of the cool stair well. Vic hit a bunch of old crates and boxes on his way through, falling over them onto the floor.
Roland spat blood onto the roof floor and then followed Vic into the stairwell. Whilst approaching the deputy, Roland pulled out a hidden knife from his belt. Vic heard this and made moves to defend himself.
Quickly, Vic grabbed one of the nearby boxes and threw it at Roland to keep him and the knife at a distance, but it wasn't enough. Vic had done this before, even back on the top street with the O'Driscoll's, but that was before he'd taken a brutal beating.
The huge, hulking man began to wail at Vic with the knife, the deputy moving and weaving in any direction he could to avoid contact with the blade. Soon however, Roland was again on top of Vic, who had no other option than to block the monster's hand and arm to stop himself being stabbed. Once again, the inhuman strength of his adversary was too much for Vic.
He watched Roland and the knife as the blade slowly got closer and closer. The deputy was desperate for help, but none was coming. The blade was getting closer by the second to his left eye as he tried with all his might to keep Roland's hand away. The monster's face was red with rage and evil, he wasn't going to hesitate for even a fraction of a second.
"No..." Vic said aloud, his voice a strain, "No... Fuck... No!"
The knife then began to pierce Vic's eyeball, he felt it go through the pupil and not stop. He let out a loud shriek like he'd never yelled before. The pain was colossal and the shock as cold as ice. The lawman could feel the blood and tears run down his left cheek.
"Aghhh!" Vic screamed in defiance.
With his last ounces of strength, Vic began to kick Roland hard, many times in the legs and then the stomach again.
He kicked and kicked desperately. Finally, what seemed like a miracle happened again. Vic managed to land a blow with his boot so hard into Roland's body that it threw the enormous man backwards, taking the knife and Vic's eye with him.
The lawman was spent, his strength and eye were gone. His face was seeped in blood and the shock was taking him over. He didn't know what to do. He could still see Roland on the floor, slowly getting back up to finish the job. Vic decided, in a half-blind panic, to attack one last time.
The disfigured deputy grabbed another one of the crates beside him, lifted it high and drove it down over Roland's back. The crate shattered into pieces and sent the monster back down onto the ground, the wind having been taken straight from his lungs.
With Roland down, Vic limped and wobbled his way across the landing. He stepped over his opponent and fell back through the door onto the roof again. There he saw Ellie, still on the ground, one hand on her injured back. Vic was exhausted, but the sudden rest was giving him the energy he needed to make his way over to the girl. She was groaning in pain.
"Ellie..." Vic whispered, "Ellie, you a'ight?!"
The girl coughed hard and kept moaning, but she eventually managed to speak up, "I'm fine... I guess... Thanks, Vic."
"C'mon... We need to get you outer here, now." Vic said to her, his face still in immense pain.
Vic began to try and help Ellie to her feet. But before that however, they both heard the approaching footsteps again. The lawman then turned around to see Roland's boot kick him in the chest and throw him back down onto the floor.
Before even she could comprehend what was happening, Roland punched Ellie in the face again, knocking her unconscious. He was bleeding from the mouth, but foaming at the same time like a wild animal. He was pissed off and as deadly as ever.
"Say goodbye, you motherfucker!" Roland roared, standing over Vic.
He'd picked up one of Vic's own LeMat's and aimed it down at him, read for the kill.
Suddenly, he felt a chilly sensation press against his temple, and he heard the click of another revolver.
"Step the fuck away... Right... Now..." Sawyer ordered his old outlaw friend.
Sawyer was holding Vic's second LeMat. It was empty, but Roland didn't know that.
"DO IT!" Sawyer yelled at him, "Or I'll blow your fuckin' head off!"
Roland turned to his younger, former protege and moved a few steps away from Vic at once. The deputy then rolled over and got to his feet with what little energy he had left. He soon checked on Ellie and made sure she was okay. Thankfully, she was just unconscious but had a huge bruise on her cheek to remind her of what Roland had done.
"Why don't you do it, Sawyer?" Roland growled, "Go on, boy! This is what you've wanted ain't it?!"
Sawyer kept the gun barrel pressed hard against Roland's head. So hard it could almost draw blood.
Vic stumbled around to catch his breath and get his bearings. He was battered but could already feel his energy coming back. He lent against the roof wall and glanced over with his one remaining eye at Roland and Sawyer.
"What're you waitin' for, kid?" Vic said after spitting blood, "Shoot the fucker..."
"That's right, Sawyer..." Roland said, "Shoot me. Get that sweet, cold payback, huh?!"
Sawyer knew he couldn't do it. The gun had no bullets. He'd only grabbed it in haste to stop Roland from executing Vic. The young outlaw was still unsure whether or not Roland had worked that out.
"Get revenge for all those scumbags and useless fuckin' people that I've scrubbed from these lands!" Roland said with a demonic snarl, "That's what you've been dreamin' of right?! Since that night I beat you like a fuckin' dog?!"
"And the lawmen too..." Vic said aloud, "Let's not forget the New Austin deputy's you killed in cold-blood back in Strawberry. That's what you're gonna pay for."
Roland turned to look at Vic with confusion, "New Austin lawmen? In Strawberry?"
"You know what you did, you son of a bitch!" Vic yelled, still in pain and shock, "They were my fuckin' friends!"
Roland listened to the man he'd mutilated and then turned back to Sawyer, "Well let's fuckin' talk about that, shall we?"
Both Vic and Sawyer locked their eyes on the man they'd been pursuing for days. They listened hard as his deep, menacing voice continued.
"Let's go over just exactly what happened in Strawberry." Roland whispered.