Two weeks had went by since Trelawny separated from the gang once again and to say the least, things were going good, almost too good. It turned out that Dutch really had listened about leaving the plantation houses alone and as Dutch had thought, the place they were hiding out in, outside of Rhodes, hadn't been discovered by any law when with them having been there for a little while. It was nice, the land beginning to feel like home. Really, they hadn't done anything to attract any attention to themselves although Celina supposed that didn't really matter. There were still likely a great deal of bounty hunters scouting the country for them. Luckily for both the hunters and the gang, unsuccessfully. Laying low was great, Celina loved it and was alnist getting used to it. It felt safe, almost.
Dutch's spirits were high as well considering that the money was still coming in although in a much quiter way. Through bounties... Yep. The gang had actually been bounty hunting themselves which was a direction she had strongly suggested Dutch to follow and preach to the gang. He had. They were doing great and he, Arthur and Bill remained sheriff Gray's golden boys.
As far as the bounty hunting in other cities? Well, as logic had it, the boys captured the targets and Celina hauled them on into town. She was making a big name for herself even if it weren't her doing the work. Credit was good, credit was great. For making the Van Der Linde gang commit much less crimes for the time being, credit was deserved.
Celina and Dutch? They were great too. Heck Molly didn't even give her the skink eye from across the camp any longer. This made the young woman hope that maybe, just maybe things would be ok between herself and Molly too... maybe.
Suddenly, her eyes were covered by two large hands, the person behind her stepping close enough that her back was flush against his front. She inhaled the scent of the man she loved so dear, his presence almost making her heart swell with happiness, "I know it's you."
Dutch chuckled and spun her around to face him before pressing his lips to hers sweetly, "Head into town with me? I'm going to pick up some ammunition."
Celina nodded and kissed him back, "Of course, lets go." Kissing him was great, being with him was great and she was starting to both hope and feel like maybe- just maybe, things with him would last. It was weird she thought, to actually be relaxed for an extended period of time since she had joined the gang. What was weirder was that even Micah of all people had been being rather pleasant.
Don't get her wrong, she still hated Micah and didn't trust him with a bone in her body. In fact, the idea of Micah Bell's head on a pike still brought her great satisfaction. However, to her knowledge, the rat still hadn't done anything, well... rattish. Again, everything was going smoothly.
She followed Dutch to the horses and together they mounted the steeds before leaving the camp. Once out of sight from the place, Dutch took a deep breath of the fresh air, "I believe we are going to be alright."
She smiled back at him, "You know, I was just thinking the same thing. Everyone's energy back at camp is so uplifting. We can do this Dutch, a few more weeks, maybe more of laying as low as we are. We can go off and get some land of our own. Heck, if you'll ever tell me where that Blackwater money is I can go get it and we'll be on our way."
"You know how I feel about you going back there alone." Dutch's tone wasn't harsh, just decisive, "If something happened to you, I- I don't know what I'd do." His expression was troubled and sincere, frankly, he looked pretty cute.
She cast him a sympathetic smile, "I know how you feel but I don't have to go alone... I can take Sadie with me. She's real tough, Dutch. She doesn't have a bounty on her head and she could cover me incase anything went down. I mean, I still highly doubt anything would go down anyway."
"I just don't think that's a risk we should be taking. I say we stick to the plan, lay low until we build up enough money to leave, then we're off."
"Ok." She nodded, "If that's what you want to do, then that's what we'll do. Go off farming someplace."
Dutch laughed, "I'm still wrapping my head around the lot of us becoming farmers."
She chuckled herself, "It'll be fun, go way, way out west where no one will find us. We'll still be free, just a lot safer and a lot quiter. Live good easy lives."
He hummed in contentment, "That idea certainly sounds appealing. It'll be an adjustment in lifestyle though for sure, at first at least. You do have to remember that I haven't settled down to an actual home in over twenty years. This, this has more or less been my life since I was sixteen."
"I know it has," She smiled as she pictured the future for herself and the gang, how they would all be living before long, "Like you said though, it's not like we can't rob the robbers or do some bounty hunting as well. We'll still be getting in on some of the action."
Dutch nodded and smiled over at her, the woman sure did know how to paint a pretty picture and he sure was sold on it. They just needed more money and they would be on their way to a better life, "I am so very grateful that you came along and into all of our lives. If you hadn't-" he broke off shaking his head.
"If I hadn't you would be half way on your way to insanity? Pretty much." She laughed and shrugged her shoulders when he looked over at her, "I'm just teasing, but it is true."
Dutch voiced another thing that had been on her mind recently, "As of now, I don't think Micah has done anything to betray us."
She took a deep breath, not wanting to have Dutch letting his guard down around the blonde man, "I've been thinking that too, but I wouldn't start trusting him now or ever for that matter."
"You don't think everything that's going different from what you know due to you being here has maybe effected the decisions he's making?"
She shrugged yet again, "I don't know... maybe. I doubt it though, I just think that that's the type of person Micah is, he's always looking to make money, no matter what he has to do to get it. I don't think he's a man with morals- at all."
...
"You know the plan," Micah drawed to Molly, "We've got to stick to the plan." It was going to work, they had laid low for long enough now.
Molly nodded, finally, she would take Dutch from Celina and Celina from Dutch. Heck, she'd take the whole gang from Celina, waltzing on in and stealing her man right out from under her like that. Molly had truly loved Dutch and that was what she got, "Ok, about the Gray's and Braithwaites?"
"About the Gray's and Braithwaites, perfect thing to get this all kickstarted. Now, where are John, Sean and Javier?" Micah scanned the camp from where he sat on a barrel.
"I," Molly started, "I think that they should be out by the lake, I believe Javier took them fishing."
Micah nodded, "Sounds likely. I will wait for them to get back. You know what you're supposed to do." At that, Micah started out towards the lake, lucky enough just as the odd trio were getting close to being back at camp. He stood on the shore with his chest puffed out confidently. So much for a plan, Dutch, he was going to make his plan happen- no nagging girlfriend required. He waved to the three as they made the final turn to park the boat, "Could I speak to y'all for a moment?"
They all looked at one another, distaste on their faces but they nodded. Javier was the only one to actually speak to him, "What is it?"
"Orders from Dutch." Micah tipped back slightly without losing his balance, "He says that he's thinking we hit on the theft of the Braithwaite horses tonight."
John screwed up his face and then shook his head, "What, why would he change his mind now? We were going to do that weeks ago. He didn't think it was a good idea then, what changed now?"
Micah shrugged, "He didn't really say so much but he wants to do it." Micah lowered his voice before making eye contact with each of them, "He wants this kept quiet, too. Real quiet. We all know that it's Celina who talked him out of it in the first place. I'm surprised he even got away from her long enough to tell me the plan. He did though, and wants me to see that it's executed."
Javier's face held doubt, "I don't think if Dutch really wanted to go though with this before he would have let Celina stop him."
Micah rolled his eyes, "You all realize that Celina is a woman, right? If Dutch doesn't listen to her from time to time then Dutch isn't going to be able to reap the benefits of her being a woman." They remained silent in thought and Micah waved them off, "Fine, we won't do it and when we don't do it and Dutch finds out, we can all see how he feels upon not having his orders followed."
Sean spoke up then, looking at John and Javier, "I think we should speak to Dutch, see if this is really what he wants. I don't trust a thing, conning from the mouth of that oily turd."
When Javier and John nodded in agreement, Micah shook his head. He had to keep his cool and be convincing or no matter what he and Molly were doing, it wouldn't work, "I know I haven't been the most trustworthy person to you guys, for one reason or another. But really, what have I done?" He spread his arms wide, welcoming them to point out any sign of betrayal, "I'm simply following Dutch's orders. Are you loyal to him, or not?"
"Well, yea." It was John who spoke and then Javier and Sean nodded in agreement, the Irish man muttering something under his breath which sounded a whole lot like an insult to Micah from what could be made out.
Micah nodded, eyeing the youngest of them with slight irritation, "Ok, then we take the horses tonight."
"Where is Dutch anyway?" Javier climbed out of the boat finally, the rest of them following him.
Micah shrugged, "He and Celina went out to do something. Went into Rhodes if I heard them right."
...
"I do want to get some new gloves once we get the ammunition." Celina informed Dutch, walking beside him with her left hand latched affectionately onto his right arm, "The gloves I have now, they've been sliding down some. I don't want anyone to see my tattoos."
Dutch nodded with a smile down at her, "We can take as long as you want and get as much as you need. Today, it's all coming out of my pocket."
Her eyes widened, had Dutch Van Der Linde actually insisted on buying her things? He had, and she supposed that's what a boyfriend typically did. Still though, coming from Dutch, it almost meant more. No, it certainly meant more. The look on her face made him chuckle as she spoke, "Really?"
"Yes, really. Do you think I don't know how to treat a woman?"
"Oh," she shook her head, cheeks flushing red as her mind immediately went to the gutter, "You certainly do."
Dutch laughed again, quickly picking up on what she was thinking. He shook his head with an adoring smile upon his face as they approached the gunsmith, "Let's get that ammo... and yourself a tougher gun."
The woman stood by the window as Dutch rooted through the ammunition which was on sale and looked at the guns which he thought would suit her. It was true that she wanted a gun with more power but it was also true that she would likely take a bit of time to get used to anything other than her beloved revolver. In all honesty, she didn't know much about guns at all, another reason she was glad Dutch had invited her into town with him.
As she stared out the window, something just didn't feel quite right. She could have sworn she saw Molly O'Shae of all people run by in the distance, further up the town. Of course, there were more women than just Molly with red hair. Unable to get a good look at the woman she shook her head, there was no reason for Molly to be in town.
She turned her attention back to Dutch who had a sawed off shotgun laying on the counter along with a ton of ammunition. He paid for his items before meeting her gaze, "Are you ready to go?"
Celina nodded, thanking the gunsmith before taking her shotgun from Dutch and following him out the door and in the direction of the general store. Not being able to withhold what she thought she had seen, she talked, "You know, I think I may have-"
She was cut off from the sudden onslew of bullets being fired their way along with the shouting of Dutch's name. Immediately, they both took cover at the side of the nearest building, crouching behind the wagon which had luckily been left there.
Just as naturally as breathing, the two of them pulled out their guns and began firing back at their attackers. Celina's breathing was irregular as she tried to keep herself from panicking, there were a lot of people shooting at them- a lot. It seemed her previous thoughts about being so successful in lying low had come back to bite her. Fear was evident in her eyes although she did her best not to let it show in her voice. Dutch and herself against all of these people? She dared to look over at him, "What are we going to do? They're everywhere."
He shook his head, peering out at their assailants, "I- I don't know." He fired at a man as he charged towards them. Maybe this is how things would happen, maybe this was how they would die. He thought back to his past, truly thinking all of his wrongdoings had finally caught up to them, "We cannot go down without a fight."
She nodded, "I know, Dutch. I just don't think we-"
All of a sudden, shots started going off over their heads but coming from the opposite direction. Celina and Dutch looked in the direction of their defender to see Micah, Javier, Bill and Sean all on horseback riding in at a rapid pace before skidding to a stop and dismounting quickly, running for cover.
Never in her life had Celina ever felt more relieved to see Micah Bell... also, never in her life had she been more suspicious to see Micah. She shook the thought for the time being and turned her attention back to the fight right alongside Dutch where she belonged.
It seemed to last forever, the firing, the shouts, the men falling lifelessly to the ground, some of them from balconies. Then finally, it grew silent enough to assume that all of their attackers had been good and dealt with. Celina looked back over at Dutch, seat rolling down her face, "What was that?"
Dutch remained silent for a moment, "I don't know, it's like they were waiting to spot us. We ain't never done anything illegal here."
"I know..." Micah came back to mind, "I wonder if Micah didn't set this up here, Dutch.. how he showed up with enough help to get us out of trouble. How did he know where we were or that we'd need help?"
The look on Dutch's face was not one that suggested he agreed in any way, shape or form. It was almost a defensive look, an offended look, siding with Micah. Frankly, when he spoke, it made her heart sink, "The man happens to be riding by and seeing us in need, helps?" Dutch shook his head, "He acted with his heart, out of loyalty and you're pointing fingers at him. What would we have done if it hadn't been for him?"
Not good, those words out of Dutch's mouth... definately not good. She didn't try to say anything else to him on the matter, for the time being anyway. She remained bothered though, very bothered because she could have sworn the woman she had seen out the window was Molly. Together, they crept out of cover and met Micah, Javier, Bill and Sean behind the ruined town.
Celina held uncertain eye contact with Micah for a second, he held a challenging look in his eyes. He knew that she had her suspicion and he looked as if he were waiting for her to call him out due to it right in front of everyone. She forced a smile at the man she hated more than anything else in the world, "Thank God you found us, we probably would have been killed if it weren't for you."
Micah seemed to stick his chest out a little more at her words, "What happened back there anyway, Celina? We were just heading in for some drinks at the bar."
"Mmmm hmmmm." She didn't break eye contact with him, not even under the curious stares of the other four men, "I'm sure that was what Javier, Bill and Sean was thinking." She turned her attention to the three of them, "Isn't it boys?"
Bill nodded, "Yes ma'am, ain't much of a bar to drink at here anymore."
"No," Celina agreed, "There's not.. because we shot the town to hell."
Nothing about this was right, the look in Micah's eyes. Something was wrong, perhaps the end had started.
...
A/N: Again, I want to thank you all for the continuous, wonderful reviews. If you would, please leave me any questions and comments you may have!
Hope you enjoyed!
Disclaimer: I do not own Red Dead Redemption 1 or 2 or anything associated with it.