Chapter 72: The Orb

"We need to go," Dutch said to Arthur, Adair and Eagle Flies.

"You," Arthur said, pointing to Dutch angrily. "You ran away!"

"I did no such thing. Don't be a fool. They could be back here any minute. We did it, gentlemen...we got some money," Arthur walked over to Dutch as Dutch pointed backwards, "and with the train job, well, we got a whole lot of money. Come on...everything is comin' together." Dutch aimed a finger at his temple. "Exactly as I planned."

"I should take the boy back to his father," Arthur said.

"As you wish...usually is, nowadays."

"Sure."

Eagle Flies loaded himself on the back of Rose as Adair flew into the air. "Come on, we gotta get back to camp and prepare. Let's ride," Dutch said as Arthur saddled up.

"I'll be back when I can."

"I'll stay with you," Charles said to Arthur.

"And me, of course," Paytah said.

"Me too," Adair said overhead. "Although, if I could ride with one of you, that would be preferable."

Charles patted Taima on the back and Adair settled on the horse's rump. Her wings folded into her back and she smiled at Eagle Flies with a wink. The native smiled back at her knowingly and Arthur rolled his eyes. "Oh for chrissakes..."

The people rode out along the road away from the factory. "Arthur, what was that you were saying about Dutch running away?"

"I swear, he left me in there to be killed."

Adair gasped as she clung to Charles. "No, he would not do such a thing. Would he?"

"I think he would, and he did."

"My men...we must go back for the bodies," Eagle Flies interjected.

"We will," Paytah said. "We should gather the others first."

"My friend, I'm sorry. About this...about all of this," Arthur said regretfully.

"You have nothing to be sorry for."

"You know, Dutch...Dutch is...I guess my thinkin' is he used you. He wasn't tryin' to help anyone but himself and his own crazy principles."

"We're grown men. Nobody made us do anything."

"Maybe I'm talkin' for my people as much as for yours. We saw he turned crazy and...we couldn't believe it and we followed him anyway. Things should never have gone this far," Arthur said.

"You've seen the situation in the reservation," Paytah spat out. "Better to die fighting than sick and weak."

"Maybe. But you...your people deserved better. You okay, Charles? Adair?"

"I suppose," Adair said. "The Dutch I have come to know is different than the one I first met. What was it you called it? A quick decline? Perhaps if we find that object in the cave and destroy it, all will be better. And Lilly agrees."

"What object?" Charles asked her.

"Lilly had a vision of an orb in the cave. It holds a dark magic within it. Perhaps it is the key to Micah's influence on Dutch. And it may be the proof we need, Arthur."

"Maybe," Arthur said with skepticism.

Charles sighed. "I don't know. All this death and for what? Just so we can have enough money to be able to run away from what we've done?"

Arthur let out a sad sigh. "There used to be some...some reason to it. Lines that couldn't be crossed. We even helped some folk. Those lines have been gone for some time now."

"The time has come for us to draw our own lines, Arthur. Decide where we go from here."

"I swear, back there...Dutch just stood and watched. If it wasn't for Eagle Flies, I'd be..."

"I know! I feel like he's descended into the kind of man he told us never to be."

Adair shifted into Lilly. "It is not his fault! It's the god damn snake and rat and black magic, you two! Don't you realize that?"

"I don't know," Arthur interrupted. "Maybe...he's just become more who he really is."

"You can't believe that, Arthur!"

"I don't know anymore, Lilly. I just feel like a fool."

"That money, those bonds, whatever it is," Charles began, "I don't want a cent. There's too much blood on it."

Lilly sighed. "You have a point. That was extreme, even for Da. He has changed, but just...when I say if I destroy that orb, he won't be that way anymore."

They ended up at the reservation and Lilly climbed off Charles. "Where you goin'?" Arthur asked.

"I must speak with Hawk Eye. He'll know what I should do."

"He isn't here," Rains Fall said as he left his tipi.

Lilly stopped and looked at Rains Fall. "Well, where is he?"

Rains Fall frowned. "He's passed, Mrs. Morgan."

Lilly gasped. "How?"

"Army men came and beat some of our elders. Hawk Eye was one of them."

Lilly put a hand on Rains Fall's shoulder. "I'm so sorry, Rains Fall. He was a good man."

"Yes, he was. But before ge passed, he wanted you to have something." Rains Fall pulled out a hawk feather trinket of some sort. "Something to remember him by."

Lilly examined it and smiled sadly. "Thank you, sir. I'll cherish it. But I mist ask, what will you do now?"

"They must move," Charles said. "And fast. I'll stay and help them."

"Yeah, I'll stay too," Arthur said softly.

"No, my friend, you have others who need you. Good people. Both of you."

Lilly hugged Charles. "You take care of yourself, Charles."

"You too, Lilly."

Charles and Arthur hugged as well. They said their goodbyes and the couple walked to Rose. "Well, let's go home, Lilly," Arthur said.

Lilly mounted up behind Arthur and kissed his neck as they rode off. "You know, Adair played a joke on me."

"She did?" Arthur said with a laugh.

"Yes. Made me believe she had a crush on Mr. Pearson because she "liked men with girth". Can you believe that?"

Arthur cackled. "And you fell for that?"

"Well why else would she fuck with him so much?" Arthur cackled again. As they crossed the bridge out of Wapiti, Arthur started coughing and wheezing. Lilly pat his back. "You okay?"

Arthur stopped the horse and got off. "I think...I dunno." He coughed and hacked and Lilly got off the horse too. She looked at him seriously and Arthur abruptly collapsed to the ground.

"Shite. Arthur," she said, looking down at him. "Breathe, babe, breathe."

Arthur continued to hack up blood and phlegm until he lost consciousness.

Arthur slowly woke up in a tent with Lilly sleeping next to him, her back to him. It was morning. He groaned as he sat up, coughing a little as he did. Lilly rolled over and woke up herself. "You feelin' okay?" she asked.

"I'm not sure," he said weakly. "Actually, I feel like shit."

Lilly got up and looked around for something until she grabbed her satchel. "Here," she said, pulling out a small bottle. "It's Rains Fall's recipe. Drink it."

Arthur took it, popped off the cork, and drank. It was extremely bitter but he felt a little better as it went into his stomach. He gave her back the bottle and sighed. "Well, that was fun," he joked.

Lilly sighed and looked at him. "Adair went back to Wapiti in the middle of the night. Said she wanted to "claim her payment" from Eagle Flies." Lilly looked down shamefully.

Arthur started laughing. "Did she really?"

"Yes. I..." Lilly shuddered. "I even saw part of it, much to my chagrin."

Arthur caressed her face with a chuckle. "I ain't mad, if that's what you're thinkin'. It was Adair, not you."

Lilly nodded and kissed his palm. "You feelin' up to goin' back home?"

"Yes, I think so."

Lilly handed him some cooked venison. "Have somethin' to eat. Let's go."

Arthur chewed the meat as they got out and started breaking down camp. They packed up and left on Rose. When they got back to camp, Brian and James were waiting for them and Sadie was throwing knives at a tree. She beamed at the three.

"It took you long enough to get back. Where did you two go?" Sadie asked.

Lilly sighed and got off Rose. "Arthur had an attack on the way back and passed out, so we had to spend the night roughin' it."

Sadie frowned. "I'm sorry." She confronted Lilly. "Your father is not in the best of moods this morning, Lilly."

Lilly sighed. "I would imagine so. He's always in a bad mood these days."

Arthur hitched up Rose and walked up to the three women. "Mrs. Adler."

"Arthur," Sadie said.

Lilly sighed. "I'm gonna go have a chat with Da. You comin'?"

"Yes," Arthur replied.

Lilly scratched Brian and James behind their ears and walked over to Dutch's tent with Arthur. He was inside cleaning his gun. "Well, at least you ain't run off," he said.

"What you talkin' about?" Arthur asked Dutch.

Dutch looked up at Arthur and Lilly. "Pearson left...old Uncle, the traitors. Both gone at dawn. They said to young Tilly they were runnin' to save themselves. I think Mary-Beth, Kieran and Lenny left as well."

Lilly raised a brow. "Lenny? Really?"

Arthur shook his head. "So it goes."

"They are god damn cowards, you two." Dutch stood up. "Cowards. Of all the time we spent, to run off..."

"Well, I guess they don't wanna die, Dutch."

"Ain't nobody gonna..." Dutch dragged both of them to the side of the tent and Arthur started coughing. "This is a tough time, and," Dutch motioned to Arthur, "you ain't, you ain't doin' too well, but..." Arthur waved him off, "we, our community, we will survive. They will not crush us."

"I hope so," Arthur said roughly. "But...if we let Jack and the women free...well, then maybe we can..."

"There ain't no freedom for no one in this country no more, Arthur. One more big score, we got enough money to leave. All this turmoil has the army and Pinkertons spinnin'. We take a boat and slip away."

"I don't know what you're sayin', Dutch, but it seems like I've heard it all before, and besides that, well..." Arthur looked at Lilly. "Lilly?"

She sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "I sent a letter a while back to Patrick askin' for help. I got a letter back from him a few days ago...he's comin' with money to get us out of here."

Dutch's mouth went agape. "What? Why didn't you say anything before?"

"I didn't want anyone to get their hopes up in case he said no, but I'm supposed to meet him in Saint Denis once he's there."

"And how long will that be? How long until you meet him?"

"I dunno, two weeks?"

"We don't have time to wait for him, Lilly. We gotta do this score now. Just one more train."

Arthur scoffed. "And there's always a god damn train!" Arthur started coughing again.

"Arthur!" Dutch put a hand on Arthur's shoulder. "This is different. We know this is full of cash. Army payroll. Money and supplies to repair the bridge that you blew. This is all goin' to plan. We rob Uncle Sam, and we leave." Dutch chuckled. "The poetry of it all. What do you think?"

Arthur and Lilly looked at each other. "It sounds wonderful," Arthur said as he looked back at Dutch. "Hell, yeah, but...you know the women and the children...a-and John a-a-and his family, I'm afraid I have to insist. I mean, we gotta let 'em go. 'Cause if the Pinkertons come through again, they will kill everyone."

"John?" Dutch asked. "Insist?"

Arthur paused for a moment. "Yeah. Insist."

"...Of course, pal..." Dutch put his hands up. "Whatever you think is best. I will," Dutch out a hand on Arthur's shoulder, "see to it. Hmm? Now, you two, we gonna rob a train?"

"Sure."

The three started walking from the tent, but Lilly stopped and looked at the cave entrance. "We will survive. We will flourish. We got..." Dutch looked at Lilly. "Lilly, you comin'?"

Lilly looked back at Dutch. "Yes." She walked to him. "Let's go rob a feckin' train."

Dutch laughed as he walked to the camp fire. "That a girl! We have work to do, my friends. Let's go. Come on, we are gonna borrow a little money from Old Uncle Sam and be out of his hair, once and for all."

Lilly looked back at the cave again before mounting up. "Ow!" she said, grabbing her belly. "Ow ow ow!"

Arthur stopped what he was doing and ran to her. "Are you okay?"

Lilly shook her head and whined. "No."

Arthur helped her down and picked her up in his arms. "Okay, you are stayin' here, darlin'."

Lilly pouted. "But I...oowwww..."

"Is she okay?" Dutch asked.

"She's havin' false labor pains, is all."

Arthur quickly ran her over to their tent and laid her down. "There we go, now you stay and rest, Lilly."

Lilly frowned. "But I wanna go rob a train...ow..."

Arthur chuckled and tucked her in. I know, but you need rest."

Lilly sighed and snuggled into the covers. "I guess..."

Arthur kissed her softly. "We'll be back before you know it."

Lilly pecked his lips. "Okay."

Arthur left the tent amd Lilly sighed, waiting for them to leave. "Are you sure we should be doin' this?" Lilly asked out loud.

"Yes. It may be the only opportunity we will have to find this orb," said Adair.

"I know."

Lilly got out of bed and opened the flaps a little. All the men were leaving. Once they were gone, Lilly grabbed a lantern, got outside and power walked to the cave. She was stopped by Hosea. "Hey, I thought you weren't feeling well?"

"I lied. I gotta get inside the cave."

"For that dark magic thing?"

"Yes."

Hosea rubbed the back of his head and looked around. "Well," he looked back at Lilly, "you better hurry up before they get back."

"John, you go get that dynamite, we'll meet back up outside Saint Denis," Dutch said as the posse made their way down the road.

"I'll go with him," Arthur offered.

"As you wish."

"C'mon, it's this way," John said, banking right off the regular road. Arthur followed behind him. "I hid the wagon down here after we blew the bridge."

"This us one big god damn group of us to be ridin' back into Saint Denis," Arthur commented in disbelief.

"Yeah, and I heard the Pinkertons have pretty much taken over Van Horn. Moved a whole heap of men in there. Things are closin' in fast."

"Shit," Arthur exasperated.

Lilly went on through the cave, looking for any sign of the black orb. She'd been looking for a while now and she hadn't found anything so far. She bet, abruptly, that it was near the back of the cave so she went further in.

"You will hear the orb when you are close," said Adair.

"Well what kind of noise will it be makin'?" Lilly asked Adair.

"A sort of thrumming sound."

Lilly trekked even further, and as she neared the back of the cave, she did, in fact, hear a "thrumming" sound. She went in the direction of the noise.

"So listen," John started after Arthur grabbed the dynamite. "Abigail just told me, the money? It's hidden in the caves at Beaver Hollow."

"What?" Arthur said incredulously as they headed back towards the main road.

"Yeah, so much for never hidin' it near camp. Dutch was gettin' even sloppier than we thought."

"Are Abigail and Jack ready to leave?"

"I think so."

"Okay. Look, though. Lilly has money comin' from Patrick soon. To get us outta here. That might ve a while, though, so whatever happens with this job today," Arthur coughed a bit, "wherever Dutch and them go next, we're gettin' you the hell outta here. We're gonna get you the money you need. Knowin' the three of you got out, as well as Lilly, well, maybe all this'll still mean somethin'." Arthur wheezed and coughed. "Sean, Karen, Tilly and Susan, too. I'll do whatever it takes."

"Not you?"

Arthur sighed deeply. "I reckon I ain't got long. Maybe I can get out too, but my biggest concern is you, your family, my wife, and the rest of the people I already listed."

"You've always had my back, Arthur."

"Er, perhaps not always."

"Why do you think you won't make it to Ireland?"

"I might. I dunno, I just got a feelin' I won't."

Lilly looked even deeper into the cave until she came across a wagon. There it was. A black orb humming with dark magic. Lilly went to reach but Adair stopped her.

"Wait! Do not touch it with your bare hands!"

"Why not?"

"It could affect you."

"Alright, well..." Lilly put the lantern down and took off her jacket. As she reached for it, she heard people running towards her and she turned with her gun out. It was Hosea, Jack, Karen, and Tilly.

"The Pinkertons found us! They got Abigail!" Karen yelled.

"Shite!" Lilly stood up and holstered her gun. "There's a back entrance to this cave somewhere. Find it. Adair and I will hold them off."

"But Lilly!" Hosea barked.

Light illuminated around Lilly and when it disappeared, Adair was standing in Lilly's place. "Hosea, get them out of here."

Hosea and the rest started looking around for the back entrance as Adair made her way back up towards the front of the cave. It didn't take long for her to run into some men, and it didn't take long for her to dispose of them both. Another set of men came through and Lilly smashed one head in with her hands while stabbing the other with her sword. Adair stood her ground as more men came, and Adair engaged them her bow, shooting each one down as they neared her. But then Agent Milton came out from the darkness, Abigail in custody and holding a gun to her head.

"Adair. Enough. Stop, or the woman dies."

Adair shut her eyes. "Shite."

Arthur and the rest came riding up the path when he saw Tilly with Jack and Hosea with Karen.

"They came and took Abigail and Adair!" Tilly shouted. The gang stopped as the four escapists neared them. "I got Jack, Lilly and Adair helped us get out but she and Abigail were captured!"

"Who did?!" Arthur barked.

"Agent Milton and his men!" Hosea said. Karen got off the horse and ran to Sean, who also dismounted and hugged her.

"You alright, love?" Sean asked Karen.

"Yes, I'm fine."

"They took 'em both to Van Horn to be put on a boat! Abigail's gonna be tried for murder, but I don't know what'll happen to Lilly!" Tilly cried.

"I..." Dutch shook his head. "I am sorry to hear that."

"We gotta let 'em go," Micah said. Dutch looked at him. "John's uh...well," Micah looked at Jack. "Sorry, son. Without John, Abigail is just bait and who knows where Lilly will end up. Got a bunch of money, Dutch. They're both just girls. Lilly's pregnant. They won't do nothin' to them. But, me and the boys know, we need to keep ridin' on this one, Dutch." Dutch kept looking between Arthur and Micah. "You know it, every man here knows it."

"I don't know that!" Arthur snapped. "So we just gonna let the boy be made an orphan? And let's not forget my wife, your fuckin' daughter, has been captured too! You gonna stand for that?"

"It-it ain't like that!" Dutch interrupted.

"Well what is it like?!"

"I wanna live, cowpoke. I still got the choice. Dutch, they're just girls," Micah said.

Dutch looked conflicted for a moment, but then he narrowed his eyes. "You're right."

"Dutch!" Arthur said, dismounting.

"Micah..." Dutch held up his hand. "It pains me to say it, Arthur, but he is right."

"Dutch! This is Abigail! And Lilly! Lilly is carryin' your grandchildren, for chrissakes!" Arthur yelled, pleading with Dutch. "She's my wife! And we can't let Jack be made an orphan!"

Hosea growled. "Dutch, you can't be serious! She is our daughter!"

"I..." Dutch looked at the ground. "I..."

Arthur glared up at Dutch. "I swear...you abandon 'em both, I won't never forgive you, Dutch! Never!"

"Neither will I," Hosea snarled.

"Me neither," Karen and Sean both said.

Dutch shook his head and Arthur's eyes went wide. "Come on, boys," Dutch said. "Hyah!" Dutch and most of the group headed off, save for Sean, Sadie, Hosea, Tilly, and Arthur.

Arthur just stood there in shock. "Arthur bent over and started coughing, then he spit and wiped his mouth. "Well, I guess that's that, then. All them god damn years..."

"Come on, Arthur," Sadie said. "Let's go get Abigail and Lilly."

"I'm with ya," Sean said.

"Miss Tilly, Hosea, here..." Arthur grabbed the money from the train off his horse and put it on Tilly's horse. "You take some of this, too," he gave her a few bill folks from his satchel. "Take Jack and Karen and you wait at Copperhead Landing for Abigail, Mrs. Adler, and Sean."

"Thank you, Arthur," Tilly said.

"You're a good girl...you live a good life now, ya hear?"

"Alright, Arthur. I'll...I'll miss-"

"Me too, sweetheart...me too," Arthur said with a sad smile. "Jack, c'mere...be brave, son. I'm gonna go get your momma." Arthur walked to Rose and climbed on. "Mrs. Adler, Mr. MacGuire, ride with me!"

Karen kissed Sean and climbed on the back of Hosea's horse Silver Dollar. Sean mounted on Ennis. Sean, Sadie and Arthur went running down the road towards Van Horn.

"I can't believe Dutch did that," Sean said. "I mean...I just can't believe it!"

"I know. I can't either," Arthur said.

"If they're puttin' Abigail on a boat, they'll probably dock at the north end of town, so I reckon we should go in the other way," Sadie offered.

"Sure, I guess. I don't know. Those god damn bastards..." Arthur snarled angrily.

"Look, just follow me, okay? We're gonna get this done, Arthur."

"Now he don't care if he orphans his friend's child or abandons his daughter so long as he gets rich?! All his god damn talk all them years! And for what? So some stupid magical orb and Micah the rat to manipulate him into doin' what he stood against?!

"Sure, guess he began to believe he was God, or somethin'."

"Or Micah was the one actin' like God, talkin' in Dutch's ear like he's been doin'."

Arthur's jaw went slack and he looked at Sean in disbelief. The phrase "he who is like the Lord" suddenly made sense. "Oh my God, that's it! Micah's the god damn rat for sure!"

Sean laughed. "Of course he's the rat. I done told ya this before, Englishman."

"Yes but now we got proof...kinda."

"How do you mean?"

Arthur told them both about Hawk Eye, the Indian shaman Lilly had been talking to, as well as the things the man had told his wife. It all fit perfectly all of a sudden. Symbolic meaning, indeed.

Sean laughed whole-heartedly. "That does make sense. Who woulda thought I'd help crack the case?"

Lilly and Abigail were dragged down the street towards the docks. While Abigail wasn't even handcuffed as Mr. Milton held her, Lilly was tied up in chains with an enchanted collar and three men had ahold of her. Still, the two women struggled and Lilly especially gave the men a hard time.

"When I get outta this, I'll kill the lot of yas! And I will get outta this!"

Mr. Milton laughed. "Nonsense, Mrs. Morgan. You're chained and your abilities are suppressed."

"I've been in far worse predicaments, Mr. Milton!"

One of the men laughed. "She's so feisty! I like her!"

"Oh shaddup, ya rotten piece of shite!" Lilly headbutted the man and he went down on his behind.

The other two laughed, as did Mr. Milton. "Mr. Pierce is going to have his work cut out for him."

Mr. Milton and the rest reached the docks and headed down towards the Van Horn Trading Post.

Arthur climbed the lighthouse steps quickly, sharpshooter in hand. He had to hurry despite his lungs hurting from the tuberculosis hindering him. He climbed the ladder, got up, and kicked the door open. He looked around a bit.

"Okay, Mr. Milton. Where are you?" Arthur looked down the scope. He saw movement near the trading post. He saw Lilly, Abigail, Mr. Milton, and a few other men dragging his wife along. Lilly was in chains and kicking up a fuss, as was Abigail, which was something Arthur definitely expected. "Heh heh." He zoomed in on Milton. "There you are, you bastard."

He watched as Abigail and Lilly were about to be shoved into the trading post building...then Brian and James showed up.

Lilly heard howling and looked over her shoulder. Gunshots were fired as her wolf brothers came running down the docks. Oh thank God. Of course the bullets hit them but that didn't seem to deter them one bit. Milton pushed the girls into the building and locked the door behind him.

Arthur chuckled as he watched Brian and James tear some men apart. After that was done, they charged the door and started breaking it. Arthur decided to take this opportunity and shoot others down. His first shot hit clean. He moved the scope about and saw Sadie and Sean shooting Pinkertons down.

Lilly watched in astonishment as the wolves tore through the door with their teeth and claws. They entered one at a time, snarling and cornering Mr. Milton. He shot at them but again, they were undeterred by the bullets. They pounced on Mr. Milton and he screeched as the boys clamped their jaws on him and ate him alive. Soon he was dead. Lilly let out a breath that she hadn't realized she'd been holding in. Lilly went to the body and started digging in his pockets for keys. She found them and started unlocking her chains.

"Boys, you saved my arse again," Lilly said, her voice grateful and happy.

Abigail looked outside the door as shots were being fired. "I see Sadie and Sean. And someone's firin' from the lighthouse."

Lilly unlocked her collar and chuckled. "That's probably Arthur. But you don't see no one else from the gang?"

"No." Lilly thought this was odd. She'd expected everybody would have come to their rescue, but something obviously kept the rest from coming. "Let's get outta here."

Lilly tossed Abigail one of Milton's guns. "Brian, James, go kill some Pinkertons."