Chapter 68: The Madness

Arthur and Lilly, after leaving the train station, decided to go see Micah next just outside of Van Horn. They both wanted to keep a close eye on him now that he was the number one rat suspect. By the time they got there, it was late in the afternoon. The wolves trailed in behind them.

"Ah, there they are. Old black lung Morgan, the ginger, and her two giant freaks of nature," Micah said, sitting on the steps of an old house's porch. Bill was near him sitting on a box. Brian and James growled at Micah a little.

"Shut up," Arthur said spitefully.

"Was you followed?"

"Excuse me?" Arthur asked in disbelief.

Lilly sighed. "Here we go," she said with a shake of her bowed head and hands on her hips.

"Was...you followed?" Micah asked again, but slower.

"Do you know who you're talkin' to?!" Arthur snapped angrily at Micah.

Micah stood up. "I ain't sure. I ain't sure about much no more. All I know is there's law whenever you're around."

Lilly clenched her fists. The fucking nerve of this guy, but Lilly kept herself silent...for now. "Oh, is that so?" Arthur asked Micah. "Because it seems to me," Arthur pointed a finger at Micah, "that since you been ridin' with us, there ain't been nothin' but trouble!" Arthur growled. "Stirrin' things up all the time, gettin' in Dutch's ear. Seems wherever you is, there's Pinkertons, and vice versa! So you," Arthur pointed again, "better watch your god damn mouth, boy!" Arthur started coughing into a fit.

Micah began to laugh. "Take it easy, cowboy," Micah said as he walked away from Arthur a bit. "You're gonna do yourself a mischief way you're headin'."

"Micah, shut it!" Bill snapped. Lilly scowled again, wanting to help Arthur but she wasn't about to emasculate or nanny him in front of the men. Instead, Lilly went and shoved Micah from behind, sending him flying and sprawling into the dirt. Bill cackled at the spectacle and pointed at Micah. "Ha! Micah got pushed around by a girl," Bill wheezed out with a giggle, bending over and holding his stomach.

Micah got up, brushed his clothes off and spit out dirt. "What the hell was that for?!"

"Fer insinuatin' that me husband is in bed with the law, ya feckin' gobshite! Now stop stirrin' the pot or I'll fuckin' snap ya like a twig!" Lilly threatened furiously.

"He started it!"

"Oh, he started it," Lilly mockingly repeated in Micah's voice. "Yer the one who started it by bein' yerself, ya motherless twat!"

Arthur recovered from his coughing bout and started chuckling. "Micah, I would warn you to not make my wife mad, but...honestly, I hope you do just so I can watch her kick your ass."

Lilly crossed her arms. "What are we doin' here, Micah?"

Micah spit out more dirt and growled. "Dutch says we is to go on with plans to create a diversion. We gotta get some explosions to blow up the bridge. Keep the army out of here for a few days."

"I think it's a real bad idea," Arthur said, leaning against the porch post weakly.

"I don't think Dutch cares too much what you think."

"That's clear."

Lilly frowned. Yep, Micah had to be the rat, but he wasn't anything like the Lord. What the hell did Hawk Eye mean by it? It had to be symbolic for sure. Lilly was going to drive herself mad if she kept dwelling on the matter.

"We gotta confuse them one last time, then he and I will head to Blackwater, collect the money, and help everyone leave. He's got-"

Lilly interjected. "Woa woa woa, wait a minute. How the fuck did you get him to think goin' back there was a good idea?"

Micah shrugged. "What can I say? I'm persuasive when I'm right."

Lilly and Arthur looked at each other with concerned expressions. "Chaill sé a intinn." [He's lost his mind.]

"Gan dabht," Arthur replied. [Without a doubt.]

"Nílim muiníneach sa phlean seo." [I am not confident in this plan.]

"Hey! English, please!" Micah barked. "This is America and we speak English here!"

Lilly rolled her eyes. "Oh shut up, ya stupid bigot!"

Micah got in her face. "What did you just say to me?"

The boys snapped and snarled beside her and Micah jumped back a little.

Lilly crossed her arms and glared at him. "I called ya a stupid bigot, now ya better back up before I knock ya on yer ass again, Micah!"

Micah backed up more and laughed. "Come and get it then, Mick. I love me a feisty girl!"

Lilly charged at him but Arthur grabbed her. "Easy, mo stór, he ain't worth it."

Lilly sneered at her husband. "What do you mean he ain't worth it? Is francach é!" [He's a rat!]

"Níl a fhios againn sin. Teastaíonn cruthúnas uainn. Ní mór dúinn ár gcuid ama a ghlacadh leis seo." [We don't know that. We need proof. We need to take our time with this.] Arthur turned his back to Micah. "Blackwater's a fool's errand, everyone knows it. Even a greedy moron like you," he said.

"It's Dutch's choice, Arthur. You're just a senior gun, same as the rest of us. Only you ain't well," Micah mocked.

Arthur twisted around. "I'm fine!" he snapped at Micah.

"Then you'll do Dutch's biddin', which is robbin' a stagecoach that's comin' from Annesburg full of explosives."

As Micah talked, he made motions with his hands and body that reminded Lilly of rats and snakes. "Rob a stage, he says. Like that fuckin' stage job up near Strawberry you had us go on?!" Lilly shouted.

"It weren't my fault that O'Driscoll's showed up," said Micah.

"Oh really? You think since an O'Driscoll told you that they'd been hittin' it on the regular, that they wouldn't show up?!"

Arthur looked at Lilly, then back at Micah. "When was this?"

"After I sprung him outta jail," Lilly said.

"Well, even so, I ain't goin' on this one. It's you three. I got my own plannin' to do. You guys got this," Micah explained.

Bill got up and walked off the porch. "Shit, guess we have. Come on, Arthur and Lilly."

"And cowpoke, take it easy," Micah said as he lazed on the porch. "You could do with a vacation."

Lilly, Arthur, and the boys followed Bill to the horses. Lilly eyeballed Micah. What kind of planning did this rat bastard have to do? Lilly saddled up and trailed after the men. When they were out of sight from Micah, Lilly rode up closer to Arthur.

"Hey, do you think you two got this?" she whispered to her husband.

"Yes, why?" Arthur replied.

"Da's in Saint Denis. I think I should go down there and have a chat with him."

Arthur nodded. "Okay. Just be careful, darlin'."

"I will. You wanna keep one of the boys with you?"

"Sure."

Lilly kissed Arthur's hand softly. "Bye bye, now." Lilly ordered James to stay and took off with Brian.

Lilly arrived in Saint Denis and headed for Doyle's Tavern. She had Brian waiting outside Saint Denis so as not to attract attention. She was just outside the tavern when she heard Dutch talking to someone."

"...lookin' like a lady won't helpnus if you're not gonma act like one," Dutch said.

"Don't you worry about me!" Sadie snapped as Lilly walked in.

"There you are," Dutch said, turning around with a grin and a cigar in his hand. "Lilly, where's Arthur?"

"He's helpin' Bill and Micah with somethin'." Lilly leaned against the counter. "Hi Sadie."

"Hey there, Lilly. What's goin' on?"

"I uh...you mind if I speak with Dutch for a moment?"

"Sure."

Sadie went to the back of the tavern and Lilly looked at Dutch with a grave expression. "Da, we need to talk."

Dutch puffed from his cigar. "Can't it wait?"

"No," Lilly said with a serious look on her face. "Micah's the rat."

Dutch almost choked on the smoke of his cigar. "What? How do you know?"

"Because I do, Da. But he ain't the only one we gotta worry about. I believe he is also bein' manipulated by the snake."

"I thought Arthur said they was the same person?" Dutch asked with an arch of an eyebrow.

"I misinterpreted."

"You misinterpreted," Dutch said calmly. "What makes you think you're right about Micah, then?"

Lilly sighed and scratched the back of her head. "Look, Da, I...I don't have proof yet but I will. Just...please, stop bein' so confident in Micah's "loyalty" for now, okay? I mean, he's got you convinced that goin' back to Blackwater is a good idea. What in the Sam hell did he say to make that sound remotely smart?"

"We need money."

Lilly sighed. "Yes, we do, but goin' back to Blackwater? You'll both get killed or caught!"

Dutch put a hand on Lilly's shoulder. "I appreciate your concern, but we got a plan. Trust me."

Lilly shook her head. "And what does Athair say about all this?"

"Same thing. It's a bad idea, we shouldn't be doin' this, we should try for a score instead...but all we got right now is a diversion and a plan. Now, unless you have a better plan, we're doin' Micah's plan."

Lilly's jaw dropped. "Micah's the lead on this?! Are you daft, man?!"

"Shh! Keep it down," Dutch hissed. "Look, can we talk about this later? I want to go see Colm O'Driscoll hang."

Lilly nodded. "Alright, fine."

Dutch grabbed two parcels and walked with Lilly to the back of the tavern. Sadie and Lilly were brought to a room and shoved in with the parcels. Lilly was confused as to what was happening but just went with it as she opened the parcel. "As ucht Dé," she uttered in disbelief.

Sadie finished dressing into a yellow dress and hat and Lilly was wearing the exact same thing except her dress and hat was a dark blue. It matched her eyes. They exited the room and Lilly sighed, thankful that she didn't have to wear a corset.

"Da, how do you even know my size?" she asked him.

"Arthur told me," he replied.

Lilly rolled her eyes. "As ucht Dé...so why am I dressed up like a peacock?"

"Well, despite us bein' wanted men, we're gonna attend the event ourselves."

Lilly pinched the bridge of her nose. "As ucht Dé. Da..." she scoffed in confusion. "What's the point? He's gonna escape as usual."

"Well, let's hope not, but if I could see that son of a bitch breathe his last, I think I'd die a happy man. We are gonma disguise ourselves." Dutch pulled out an officer's uniform.

Lilly chuckled. "Why can't I be the officer and you be the lady?"

Dutch laughed and clapped her shoulder. "Well, I would make a pretty lady, I guess." Lilly and Sadie laughed as the three gang members exited the bar from the back. "Come on.

Lilly shook her head and sighed. "Mrs. Adler, I must say, you look beautiful."

"Thanks. I'd dress up like the Queen of Sheba if it meant seeing that son of a bitch swing," Adler replied.

"Colm had Arthur kidnapped and shot, then he had Kieran's eyes taken out and nearly killed him. I was...well, I used to look forward to feedin' Colm to my wolves, but now? I think a decent swinging will do."

"He made it out of that predicament, as I remember Mrs. Morgan. My husband weren't so lucky."

"You lost your husband. I lost my darrling, Annebelle, and Kieran lost his eyes. That poor boy, Kieran. We've all lost somethin' because of Colm."

Sadie looked behind at Lilly. "What did you lose?"

Lilly sighed. "Annebelle. She was kinda like a mother to me, in a way, though I only knew her for a couple of years. Colm murdered her when I was nine."

"And that is why we will shepherd him to eternity," Dutch snarled.

"Amen to that," Sadie agreed.

"Now keep those fingers off those triggers 'cause we'll need cool heads and calm dispositions to see this done."

"You're one to talk, Da," Lilly said with a disappointed scoff.

"Whatever do you mean?" Dutch asked her with a bitter tone.

"Are you gonna keep a calm disposition? Really? Because you been losin' your composure a lot lately."

"What is it with you and Arthur? This doubting amd questioning of yours...I miss the old Arthur and I miss the old Lilly."

Lilly rolled her eyes. "Don't we all."

"You two, quit it," Sadie interrupted. "We all got a job to do, and we're all in rough agreement about how we're doin' it...as far as I can tell."

"Exactly," Dutch agreed gruffly.

"We'll get it done...even though I ain't too sure on how we're doin' it," Lilly explained with little confidence.

"You'll see. Come on, we got a hangin' to witness," Sadie said calmly.

They were now in sight of the gallows and Dutch seemed to go up in his spirits. "Look here. Don't the public love an execution," he said almost giddily.

They made their way along the sidewalk next to the gallows and stopped at the brick arched entrance. "Alright, good, now...you see that," Dutch backed up a bit so Lilly could see, "pair of assholes?"

Lilly spotted two men casually shoving each other. "Uh huh."

"They're Colm's boys."

"Uh huh, and?"

"What a surprise. I'm glad we're here." Dutch noticed the boys were pointing at something, as did Lilly. "What are they pointin' at?"

"Hmm," Lilly hummed curiously. "I should follow and find out."

"Yep. Oh, here comes somebody."

As one of Dutch's boys passed then by, Dutch looked at Sadie. "Stay here."

"Da, I got this," Lilly said. "You both just stay and enjoy the show."

"You sure?" Dutch asked with a smile.

Lilly grunted. "I may be pregnant and in a dress, but I can still hold my own."

Dutch nodded. "Alright, get goin', then."

Lilly gave a lazy salute and crossed the street to follow the O'Driscoll man. She was led toward the Galerie Laurent and Lilly smiled. Ah, fond memories. And how exciting since that's exactly where the man turned. Lilly snuck in quietly under the archway and saw the man talking with another and she hid behind the wall.

"What's it look like?" one man asked.

"A bunch of cops," said another.

"How many?"

"Enough...so what do you think?"

"Paul's up on the roof, and once he starts shootin', we have to have our wits about us and move fast."

"Yeah, I guess we faced worse than this before."

"Sure."

"Let's do it."

"Yeah."

Lilly sighed as she heard them walk away. They had a guy on the roof with a gun watching the gallows. Great. Lilly looked around in the area to try and find a way onto the rooftops. Lilly saw a ladder and ran over to it. She started climbing and instantly regretted wearing a damn dress. She got on the veranda and opened a door, then found some stairs and walked up them to a hallway. She saw an open window and peeked out, seeing a roof. She snuck out quickly and walked along it. Thank the Lord she had her regular boots on and not some high heeled bullshit boots. She jumped to another roof and saw the gallows not too far away. Good. She was heading in the right direction. She snuck quietly along the next roof and looked down. There was a sharpshooter by the edge and a man opened a door beneath her to walk over. She pulled out a throwing knife and threw it at the man. It went into his neck and he groaned as he yanked it out. Lilly jumped down, pulled out another knife, and sliced his throat open.

"Well, sorry there, Paul," she remarked, retrieving her weapon from the body. She walked over to the rifle and smiled. She grabbed it and watched as the show began with a bell ringing and a man talking.

"Fair citizens of Saint Denis. For as long as any of us can remember, it is justice and separates us from barbarity. Yet justice itself can at times be barbaric. For sometimes a man is so savage, the only way to deal with him justly is by savagery."

Lilly snorted. "Ain't that the fucking truth..."

"Colm O'Driscoll one such man." Lilly saw some men bringing Colm up to the noose and put it around his neck, then she crouched down with the rifle. "He has murdered, tortured, robbed, stolen, raped, and abused for a decade across five states. Seemingly with impunity." Lilly looked through the scope at Colm. "Today, justice catches up with him."

Lilly watched him laugh. "As well you may," she heard him say. "I've been a bad man."

"Silence!"

"These charges," Colm started to say but then was gagged.

"This is not a court where you shall be tried. This is a place where your sentence is to be carried out, and your sentence Colm O'Driscoll is that you are to be hanged by the neck until you are dead. This is not a task we take lightly..."

The man continued talking as Lilly saw Colm look up at her. She gave him a little wave with her hat and smiled at his frightened face through the scope. A lawman pulled a lever and Colm dropped. Lilly saw Dutch and Sadie holding onto the other O'Driscoll's and she sighed, looking back at the strangling Colm. Suddenly she saw Sadie going nuts and shooting the O'Driscolls.

"Oh what the fuck, Sadie!" she snapped.

"Morgan, you hear us?!" Dutch shouted as the crowd dispersed and he went running with Sadie. "Take a shot on these O'Driscolls!"

Lilly started shooting at O'Driscolls with the sharpshooter. She missed a few times but her bullets hit home moreso than not. Arthur was better fit for this sniping business than she was. But, oh well, she still did fairly well as she saw Sadie and Dutch running for a wagon. Dutch waved her off to go and she went running to go get changed back into her regular clothes.

Lilly arrived back at camp with Brian and Tilly approached her. "How you get on, Lilly?" she asked the Irish woman.

"Well," Lilly dismounted and sighed, "bastard definitely got hung, but good God Sadie went nuts!" Lilly laughed.

Tilly held her hands together. "I guess that's one less thing to worry about."

"Maybe, with everyone elses on our coat tails, sure." Lilly looked around. "You seen Arthur around?"

"No, I haven't. Sorry."

Lilly frowned. "Ah, well, he's probably busy, out and about, doin' stuff. But he missed a pretty good hangin'."

Arthur and John jumped off the train cart just as the train hit it. Both the men breathed harshly as they got up. "Thank you," John breathed out as they watch the train disappear.

"No problem," Arthur groaned out.

John sighed. "That just ain't how I wanna die. Come on, let's go blow this thing up." John and Arthur walked to the dynamite detonator. Arthur and Bill had acquired dynamite earlier that day from the coach robbery they did in Annesburg. Other than the law showing up right after and Micah bossing them around like he was Dutch, Arthur thought it was a good job. "Um, I think the line held. You want the honors?"

"Sure," Arthur said, putting his hands on the detonator and pushing the plug down.

The bridge suddenly blew up and John went "whoo!"

"Wel, I guess old Dutch got all the smoke he wants," Arthur observed with a pun as smoke rose from the broken bridge.

"Well let's hope so!" John laughed.

"You really think," Arthur pointed at the bridge, "that'll draw attention away from us?" he asked John.

"I guess we'll see," John replied as they turned to one another. "Tell the truth," he continued as they walked, "I ain't even sure I fully understand Dutch's plan with all this."

"Like I said, John, when the time comes, you go."

"But what about loyalty to...to everything?"

"You been loyal. I been loyal. Look what that caused. You know, for the longest time, all that ever mattered to me was loyalty. It was all I knew. It was all I ever believed in, but not anymore, John. Now, I believe in Lilly and my unborn children. And soon...you gotta go. Go, and don't look back."

"I'll think about it," John said, walking away from the horses to the driver's sear of the wagon."

"I done a lot of thinkin'. Look at us," Arthur said, leaning a hand on one of the wagon horses, "out here riskin' our necks and for what exactly?"

"For a-"

"An idea that don't work no more.

John leaned forward with a confused look. "How you mean?"

"You know just what I mean. You got a family. I got a family. You need cash, you need to start buildin' a life for yourself. And Lilly needs to get back to Ireland and raise our children. Me? I..." Arthur kicked the dirt. "I ain't gonna make it to Ireland, I see that now. I'm dyin', John, and ain't nothin' gonna change it. Not The Morrigan, not the treatments, not nobody." Arthur sighed. He hated the fact that he would never see his children born, never help raise them, never give Lilly any more children...it was killing him, but that was the way it was. "And Dutch has all the money. For safekeepin'."

John looked torn between two different things, then he turned to Arthur. "You know something...Abigail thinks she might know where some of that money is."

Arthur nodded. "Well you tell her she better make sure, and then come talk to me, and we'll find out just who and what we should be loyal to."

John groaned breathlessly. "I-I don't know, Arthur."

"Nor do I. But I'm seein' things a lot more clearly now. I wish things were different," Arthur pointed at John, "but it weren't us who changed."

John gradually nodded, as did Arthur. John flicked the reins and the horses went walking. Arthur watched John leave and sighed heavily before coughing and wheezing a little. He hawked up bloody phlegm into his hand as he sat down on a barrel and wiped the spittle on his jacket. He sat there for a few moments to calm his lungs and breathe deeply. He started to contemplate his whole life, but the part that stood out the most was his precious Lilly. Her smile, her laugh, oh how he was going to miss that laugh once he was dead.

Arthur arrived back at camp near night time and saw Lilly by the fire with a bucket of goat's milk. James had found his own way back and was playing with Brian and Jack. Arthur walked over to Lilly and sighed, clasping his gun belt. "How you doin', sugar?" he asked Lilly.

Lilly turned her head back and laughed. "Sugar, huh?"

"Yes."

"Mr. Morgan!" Mr. Pearson said to Arthur, walking over with a bottle of navy rum in his hand. "Mr. Morgan, it's all over..." he sighed heavily. "It's over."

Arthur blinked. "Erm, perhaps not, Mr. Pearson."

"What a mess we've made of everything. What a saaaaaad mess." Mr. Pearson started breathing sporadically. "Still, I've got a friend right here! Mmhmm! And I got plenty more!" Mr. Pearson wheezed out a laugh. "Ooooooh, Stormy, he is dead and gone, to me way. Hay, Stormalong John. Old Stormy, he is dead and gone. Ah ha! Come along, get along," Mr. Pearson sang as he laid down by his cart. "Stooormalong..." and Mr. Pearson passed out.

Bill suddenly confronted Lilly. "So who do you think the rat is?!"

Lilly got up. "What? I don't know, Bill."

"Well someone's talkin' to somebody! They has to be. And you're the one with the visions! How can you not know?! I think it's Marston."

"Oh, hogwash!" Lilly said with a wave of her hand. People started gathering around Lilly.

"Yeah, how come you don't know who the rat is?" Javier asked.

"I don't know why," Lilly said with a shrug. "I wish I knew, but it...the vision thing is complicated."

"Oh is it?! Really?" Javier said. "Or maybe you do know and you don't want to tell us." Javier got closer. "Maybe it's you."

Lilly blinked a few times, looked at a dumbfounded Arthur, then started laughing. "Are you feckin' serious? Me?! Who the hell even told ya there was yet another rat?"

"Dutch said so," Bill said. "He told all of us."

Lilly pinched the bridge of her nose. "Well, okay then. But Bill, I ain't the rat and neither is Marston."

"Mark my words," Bill said before walking away.

People started closing in on Lilly. "Can't you find out?" Mary-Beth asked.

Lilly groaned. "Oh Mary-Beth, not you too. Look, I'll try and find out. I need an oak tree." Lilly looked around and spotted one by Marston's tent. "Ah, there we go."

Lilly walked over to it and people followed. "Why do you need an oak tree?" Tilly asked.

Lilly placed a palm on it. "I get visions from oak trees, too."

The crowd "ooohed" and Lilly placed her other palm on it, shutting her eyes. But nothing happened. Lilly blinked. "What the fuck? Why isn't it workin'?" Lilly tried again but still, nothing happened. "What the bloody fuckin' hell?!"

Arthur approached her. "Didn't you say somethin' about dark magic in Tír na nÓg?" he whispered.

"What's that?" Javier asked. "What's Tír na nÓg?"

Lilly sighed and saw Dutch walking over. "Da! What the fuck! Why did you say there was another rat?"

"Because there is one, and I'd like to know who it is."

Micah walked up behind Dutch and put a hand on his shoulder. "Good thinkin', boss."

Lilly tilted her head to the side. "You know what? Fine. I have a good idea who it might very well be."

Arthur grabbed her arm. "Ná taispeáin do lámh go fóill," he warned her. [Don't show your hand yet.]

"Cain! Cain! Where are you?!" Jack yelled into the cave.

"Hey kid!" Micah shouted. "The dog is gone. You can be quiet now!"

"He'll...he'll come back!" Jack stammered. "Cain! Cain!"

Micah sighed. "Come here, come here Jack," Micah said with a motioning of his finger. Jack obeyed. "The dog ain't comin' back...now get lost!"

Jack went running and Micah started laughing. Arthur walked to Micah. "What the hell did you do to that dog?" Arthur accused Micah.

Micah shrugged casually. "Must've run away. Dumb mutt."

"You bastard. You had somethin' to do with it, didn't ya?!" Arthur snapped.

Micah laughed loudly. "I have no idea what you mean, Black Lung."

"Lilly, who do you think the rat is?!" John yelled. "Bill seems to think it's me! Go on, tell him it ain't me!"

Bill got in John's face. "The hell it ain't you! It's gotta be you!"

Hosea tried to get in the middle of their argument. "Bill, stop bein' a drunk idiot and makin' accusations that have no standing!"

Lilly looked around and everyone was starting to yell at each other. Karen was fighting with Sean, Bill with John and Hosea, Arthur with Micah and Dutch, Abigail, Tilly and Mary-Beth with Grimshaw, Pearson with Sadie, Charles with Javier...Lilly could no longer keep track but the only person not fighting was Jack and he ran to Lilly with tears in his eyes.

"Aunt Lilly! What's happening?!" he cried.

Lilly picked him up and comforted him. "I don't know, sweetheart." What kind of madness had overrun the camp?