(Chapter 13: Hurt Pride)

When the sun arose the next morning, Dred woke to see some law enforcement holding Tonya in their arms. He woke to hear her screaming, even though he didn't have Tonya as a girlfriend or wife, he still took up for her as if he was.

"You've got a nice body." He heard a police officer say, how dare they sexually harass her!

"Hey!" Dred shouted as he burst from the tent, pulling out his sawed off shotgun, and then aiming it at the cops before them.

"Let her go!" Dred commanded, the cops didn't listen.

"Listen here bud, we don't take orders from coons like you two. We would ask of you to help us out, we are assigned to arrest anyone within former gang territories, but since we are good boys, we'll allow you a job in exchange for your arrest. A certain gang has been terrorizing all of New Austin, if you help us take out that gang, you'll be free to do anything you two feel. Then you can kiss, marry, fuck each other silly." The leader of the bunch said, Dred was infuriated by what they were saying.

"Do you honestly think that I have time to do your dirty work, you lazy sons of bitches need to be fired. You people are police men, yet you are all too lazy to do something."

"We're in the law enforcement, we don't take orders from low class darkies like you!" Another member of the tiny squad said loudly.

Dred snapped, and pulled his revolver out from the holster, not hesitating to aim at the squadron leader. The other members of the tiny police squadron aimed their guns right back at him.

"I've been called a darkie for long enough, how about you just hand her over to me, we can avoid unnecessary killing right here, right now."

The squadron didn't listen and then the leader took a few steps forward, handing Tonya to the other squad members.

"How about this, Dred, you do as we've asked of you, then we'll hand back your woman."

Dred looked into Tonya's eyes, she was crying in fear, her lips were quivering as tears ran down her cheeks. He looked to the ground, his pride had been hurt badly by these lawmen. He felt sorry for Tonya, so bad that tears started to form in his own eyes, Dred was the person to have the strongest of bravery and will.

"Fine, I'll do your stupid job, if you don't give me my Tonya back to me when I complete this mission, I'll take her away from you with force." Dred growled, his tears were becoming visible as he stared at Tonya once more.

"Dred...I'm scared.." Tonya whispered with tears flowing down her face, her face red from crying hard yet silently.

"I'll come for you Tonya, pray, and I'll be there soon enough." Dred said back in a soft tone of voice, as she was taken away from him.

Whenever the lawmen were out of his sights, and Tonya had been torn away from him. A single tear dropped from his eye and splashed upon the ground, he balled up a single fist. He became so enraged in such a quiet environment, the morning sun beaming down on all of the Heartlands of New Hanover. Birds were chirping in the trees along with a slight breeze in the air, all with the silent wrath of Dred Jackson standing there.

A few moments later he was sitting on the cliff of Horseshoe Overlook, looking down to the ground from up in the air. He contemplated on jumping off, the constant verbal abuse, the humiliation, the wrath, the inner, and physical suffering he had gone through, even though he looked tough on the outside, within him, deep sadness was all that was there.

"I won't let them hurt you." Dred said to himself, his fight turning red from how tightly he was clenching it. His teeth gritting together in rage.

(Later that night)

"Has anyone seen or heard of Dred?" Jack asked loudly, making sure the whole fort had heard him. Everyone didn't respond, some answered with no sight of him.

"He'll be here shortly, don't worry about him!" Bill Pierce shouted from on his bunk, healing from his wounds.

"I worry about him, Bill!" Jack retorted, taking Bill's response as more of an insulting joke. Bill clearly didn't care about Dred, Jack assumed that the prize fighter didn't like being last in command of the gang.

"Why do you worry about him?" Bill asked, Jack entered the room with all the beds and bunks for the nursery at the fort.

"I worry about him, because he is strong, unlike you." Jack growled, Bill's eyes widened. The prize fighter felt his heart leap into his throat with the insult, he looked down at the bullet holes in his body.

"I'm a fucking prize fighter Jack, I'm one of the leaders in your gang, and you treat me like shit?"

"I'm sorry, Bill. I put a man who is more stronger willed in second in command, I put a man who take bullets for people. You shown me at Sisika, that you couldn't take bullets."

Bill growled loudly, and balled up his fists in anger. He was insulted once more by the leader of the gang, there was nothing he could do about it either.

"How dare you, Jack. One day, I'll be the one treating you like shit. I'll stand over you victorious, I would've done this at the fighting pit. Until it all went to hell with you barging in with a greedy taste for money."

Jack looked down at Bill with a smug grin on his face, Bill had the same snarling look on his face. The gunslinger had remembered that he was in the place of Bill back at the fighting pit, Jack remembered that he was the one snarling, and Bill was the one on top.

"You've already stood over me once, I'm not going to allow it again. Turn your back on this gang, rat us out, and see your world crumble before your eyes."

"Jack, you're wrong. Why would I rat you fools out? I am forever tied to this gang, the fighting arena back at Saint Denis was once my only sanctuary, if I am to get kicked out of this gang. I'll have nowhere to turn." Bill growled, balling up a fist.

"I'll take your word for it, I'd advise you to stop acting big and bad. I was never a fan of arrogant people during my childhood." Jack responded as he walked out of the nursery.

The only sort of gratitude that Bill Pierce had of Jack was the fact that the leader of the Marston gang, had given him the health tonic earlier. Bill found Jack to be selfish, Jack found himself to be an excellent leader.

Dred appeared at the entrance of the fort, everyone crowded around him with questions of where he had been all day.

"I need to speak with Marston." Dred announced, Jack Marston approached him and his horse.

"Where have you been Dred? The gang has been worried sick."

"I've been with Tonya, she couldn't get any sleep last night. I took her to an area known as Horseshoe Overlook, when we woke up. She was taken from me by lawmen in the early hours of the morning, I was tasked with dealing with a gang in New Austin. I couldn't find anybody with my Tonya, I want that woman back."

Jack looked on the ground with his hands on his hips, looking in disbelief. He couldn't believe that Tonya had been taken once again, he put the money aside for now.

"Well Dred, we'll find your woman. We need Bill Pierce, and Rebecca McIntyre to be healed of wounds. I promise you though, we will get your girl back." Jack said, giving Dred a handshake.

(BlackWater)

Douglas Mulligan and Nicholas Lanza had met up with Archer Fordham back at the town hall building, they were explaining matters of the capture of Jack Marston.

"Jack Marston is remaining on the run, news got out that one of his gang member's woman, had been taken away earlier this morning. Lawmen are searching everywhere for him, it seems that five hundred dollar bounty is working as planned." Douglas explained with great glee in his voice, sounding excited.

"I'd advise you to grab yourself a gang of bounty hunters, and go searching for Jack. Travel all over the state, as far up as Annesburg if you've got to. Do whatever it takes, find Jack. Bring me his best members of the gang too." Archer said, Douglas smirked from ear to ear once he heard the news.

"Oh, I'll get some bounty hunters. I'll bring you Jack."

"I might be running for mayor of Blackwater, it'd be nice to control the FBI over here too. I might just offer you a place in the county. Maybe be the sheriff." Archer announced, Douglas kept his grin.

"Oh, once I find Jack. I'll be in the running for a spot in this town."

"Good luck, the pressure is on though. I've heard that you burned down his house so he has nowhere to run, it is top priority to not let any citizens of BlackWater get hurt during the process of his capture." Archer said, giving Douglas a serious look.

Douglas looked over at Nicholas with a smile, he was thinking of all of the rewards he could receive if he captured Jack successfully.

"Let's move."

The two BlackJack leaders left BlackWater, and headed towards their camp to bring the massive gang the exciting news.

(Fort Wallace)

Dred, and Jack were sitting around the campfire. The gunslinger had never seen Dred so serious looking, he was usually venting his rage and anger on society. Now the strong willed man looked like he was concerned.

"What's wrong, Dred?" Jack asked.

"That Tonya, I've got some feelings for her. Her innocence and kind soul moves me, it is something I look for in everyone really. To see her cry and look hopeless, it hurts my pride. I need her back, she is the only one that keeps me motivated it seems, even back at Sisika."

"I promise you'll get her back, I'll move for Annesburgh tomorrow. She couldn't have gone far." Jack answered trying to ease the troubling mind of Dred, in whom was holding his head in his hands.