A/N - Finally! Here's the next chapter! In this one we find out briefly about Susan's past, and I'd love to go into more detail about it but, since this story isn't about her, I shan't. Anyway, Eva get's rescued (finallly)! And, we get a little bit more of a hint into the real plot. *shrugs* It is going somewhere, it's just taking its time about it. Thank you so much to everyone who reviews and reads! Thanks for all the support! :) Warning, this chapter contains particularly strong language and issues such as rape are mentioned.
DISCLAIMER: I do not, nor will I ever own Red Dead Redemption or anything related to it. This fanfiction is purely fan made and I only own characters and places that are new. I apologise if any of this material offends any one. I assure you I don't mean to offend in any way, shape or form. This story will contain coarse language and graphic violence.
Chapter 17 – Rescued.
When I came to it was from someone shaking my shoulders. I felt numb all over but was aware of the two hands tightly grasping my shoulders and shaking me almost violently. A faint voice was almost whispering in my ear, but it wasn't a whisper, it was a shout. I could feel my mind slowly begin to work and all of a sudden one name became clear in my foggy mind. Jack? I began blinking rapidly, clearing my blurry eyes and shot up, knocking the person backwards. "Jack?" I cried, excitement welling up inside me. However, it wasn't Jack that was crouched above me. It was Susan; her steel eyes boring into mine and a worried and frustrated frown across her lips. "'Bout time you woke up," she huffed. I blinked at her and felt the hope and excitement fade.
"O-oh... where... What happened?" I asked, glancing around the room. It was still in the same place Max Johns had left me, but question was, 'where was Max Johns?' Not that I was complainin' about his absence, I was just confused, scared and could hear the storm of gun fire and shouting comin' from outside. "What happened? I think a rescue party's hear to save you," Susan said, a tiny smile working its way onto her lips.
"What? A rescue party? For me?" I cried, a sudden burst of joy and hope spreadin' through me again. I grinned widely at Susan and felt I would burst from the excitement that was coursing through my veins. "Well, I better go help them!" I cried with glee, forgettin' Susan herself was part of the gang. Susan chuckled dryly.
"I'm sorry, but I can't let you do that."
I frowned and replied, "Why not?" Susan sighed and stood up, allowing me to get up as well. She glanced over her shoulder, looked to the door then back at me.
"Boss' orders. I aint to let ya out. Did ya really think you were jus' gonna walk away from here?" I also looked at the door, longing for it to open.
"But... You don't wanna be part of this gang, do you?" I asked, changing my tactic. Since I couldn't force my way out I thought I could try and talk myself out. Perhaps I could even get her on my side. Susan raised a brow and regarded me strangely. "What? Does it look like I wanna be part of this god-forsaken gang?" she asked, spreading her arms out in emphasis before crossing them over her chest. "Why don't you leave then?" I softened my voice and tried to be as persuasive as I could be. "Why don't we meet up with Jack and the others and then you can finally be free of this gang!" Susan caught on to what I was doin' and her eyes narrowed and a snarl came over her face. "Do ya think sweet talkin' me's going to help?" she snarled. I felt my hope falter slightly, my plan clearly not workin'.
"Well... yeah, kinda."
"Let me put something into perspective for you," she said, striding over to the table and aggressively pulling out a chair. I glanced to the door. It still sounded like there was a war goin' on outside. I raised a pointed finger, about to speak, but Susan cut me off. "Don't worry 'bout that. I think we'll be in here for some time, whether my gang wins or your friends win." I stared at the door a moment longer and flinched when a string of shots rang out in very quick succession. Was that a Gatling gun?
I walked hesitantly over to Susan and took a seat in the chair opposite, my hazel eyes still flitting back and forth between Susan's cool gaze and the door. What lie beyond it I was dying to know. Even a glimpse would be enough. "When I was 18," Susan began. My gaze finally settled on her as she began to tell me something of importance. "My pa ran into some... money difficulties. An', the gang that he was in trouble with came and took my brother as a sort of payment." She paused for a moment before exhaling and continuing.
"They left us alone for the good part of a year and a week after I turned 19 they came back and said that my brother was dead, an' that pa still owed them money so pa... sold me to them. He sold his only daughter and only remaining child to some no-good low-life gang. So, I was taken away and never saw my pa again. I don't think he lived much longer. He was a terrible gambler and alcoholic and he was an even worse gambler when drunk! Anyway, this gang I was now forcefully with taught me how to use guns, weapons; they used me to lure men in on the side of the road so we could rob them. But the men, why they were the same as all men! Drunkards, gamblers, fools who fought they could make their fortune by travelin' the land and robbin' the innocent. And then, of course, one of them raped me. And I hated him. I hated him, and all of those filthy, whore-fuckin' bastards!" Her voice had turned icy and harsh, and the pure hated showed on her face, and burnt with an intense fire in her eyes. "They didn't care how old I was! They didn't care that I was a woman! They didn't even care when I was shot and left bleedin'! They would always jus' laugh and say, 'Life aint fair.' And, I can tell ya now, that life is not fair. It aint fair to anyone!"
I could only sit in stunned silence as Susan banged her balled up fists on the table and her shoulders raised and lowered with each furious breath. I had never experienced pure anger such as this. This woman had clearly had a terrible past which had turned her sour and distrusting of others. Her breathing slowed and she carried on with a low voice, with a trace of chilling humour in it.
"One day, we ended up in a sticky situation with some other gang and my stupid boss ended up causin' a fight between us. Now, durin' this kafuffle, I managed to find the man who had so sweetly raped me." The sarcasm was dripping of her tone. "He had been shot in the arm and had crawled off somewhere to hide, like the yellow bellied coward he was. Now imagine all the anger I felt. All the anger that had been building up over two years of runnin' with that gang." A low, chuckled emitted from her as she sat back and shrugged. "I snapped. And I had a mighty fine time slaughtering that man like the pig he was! Afterwards, my gang were nearly all killed - some managed to escape on horses - but the boss of the other gang saw what I had done to dear old Johnson and asked if I wanted to run with his gang. And I said yes. Why? Because I had nowhere else in the world to go. I was a branded outlaw. I was on a wanted poster in all major towns and there was no way I could go back to the simple life I had lived with my pa. And, well, a year later here I am, meeting you in some sort of twisted fate."
A heavy silence lay over Susan and I, and only the sounds of battle outside were to be heard. I felt like I had been dipped in an icy cold lake on a frosty winter's morning. What Susan had told me was so many things: It was horrific, it was terrifying, it was heavy on my conscience and it must have been absolute hell for her. I was speechless. My breathin' was shallow. My mind was whirling with this past that must have scarred her. It all made sense now. Suddenly Susan had a reason to be tough - confrontational. It was all so she could survive the way she did. Her lifestyle needed her, and also made her, this way. I opened my mouth, closed my mouth then opened it again, like a fish out of water. "That's... That's..." I couldn't finish it. I couldn't find the words to describe jus' how stunned I was.
"What? It's terrible? It's horrible? I should never have been put through it? Save ya breath. I've heard these things so many times, but it does nothing. Don't pity me. I've managed to survive and carve an existence in this lonely land." Susan finished speaking, glanced over her shoulder and rested her elbows on the table before cradling her head. "Susan..." I began. "I don't pity you... If anything, I admire you." Her head shot up from its rested position and her eyes bulged before they narrowed in suspicion. "What?" she questioned in disbelief. I jus' smiled as honestly as I could and continued.
"You're so strong and you've made it all these years. You haven't fallen apart, as I'm sure I would. Instead, you've managed to make it with these horrible men." I smiled softer and leant forward across the table. "So, in that way, I look up to you."
Now it was Susan's turn to be stunned into silence. I couldn't help the small grin that spread across my lips. Susan blinked at me for a few seconds before she regained her composure. "Well... You shouldn't," she countered, averting her gaze to the floor.
I giggled, "Why not?"
"Because, I made choices I aint proud of. And I don't want you makin' the same choices." My grin slowly dissolved at this. What did she mean? My face slowly transformed into a frown. "What do ya mean?" I asked aloud. I could see the hesitation on her face. It was clear by the way her eyes shifted and her fidgeting feet. How she would glance from me to the door, almost like she was expecting someone to be watching. "Well," she began. Her voice was lowered and I felt like she was about to tell me a heart stopping secret; one that was sure to take my breath away. My pulse doubled and I leant forward keenly. "The reason why you're here-"
"Eva!" Susan was cut off by a shout and a loud slam of a door that resonated through the air which was now thick with disturbed dust. I was aware of fast and fluid movement on both sides of me and was startled into standing and clumsily reaching for my Schofield only to almost cry in despair when I rediscovered it wasn't in its holster.
The rectangle of light was blocked by a tall stature who, once my eyes had adjusted, turned out to be Jack. My face dropped into a look of shock before morphing into pure elation. "J-Jack!" I cried out. Jack was stood still and strong, his revolver pointing deadly at Susan. I looked to Susan to see she had her own gun brandished and was pointing it back at Jack. Her stance was guarded and her face was stony. I felt my glee falter slightly, as it seemed to constantly be doing, as my eyes flittered between the two. "W-wait!" I cried, desperate to avoid a confrontation. "Jack, don't shoot! Susan, you too!"
"What?" Jack questioned, his eyes flicking briefly from Susan to me. "And let her shoot me first?"
"What makes ya think I can trust this man? He's jus' the same as all men!" Susan snarled. I continued to look hopelessly between the two, the ongoing sounds of fighting outside becoming mere background noise. "No! Both of you lower you weapons! Please!" I begged, clasping my hands together and linking my fingers before waving them in a begging motion. Jack's eyes glanced at me again before they paused on me, undoubtedly taking in my bedraggled appearance. "Eva, what happened to you?" he asked. Susan took his momentary distraction and advanced a few steps.
"I-I'm fine! Really! Jus'... please put the guns down... both of you." I could see the gears turning in Jack's mind as he doubted my request. I waited with baited breath for him to lower his gun. I was sure he would. Jack stared at the floor for a few seconds before he looked up and spotted Susan's advancing. Danger flashed in Jack's eyes as he sharply raised his gun and allowed his face to turn stony and cold. "Dammit! Stay where ya are!" he ordered. Susan froze in her approach but said nothin' in return. "No! Both of you please."
I was beginning to get frustrated at their lack of cooperation. The two ignored me and I could feel the tension getting thicker and thicker. "Please!" I cried, begging again and again. They continued to ignore me and I could feel a twist a frustration growing larger and larger. It rose in me and before I could stop it, I shouted at the two, "Stop it, RIGHT NOW!"
A silence hung over the three of us in the room even though outside the fighting was still on-going. Jack and Susan had both looked to me and had bewildered looks plastered to them. My hands had un-entwined and were now clenched by my side. I exhaled sharply and walked to the door, glanced outside and closed it. I had only gotten a brief glance but what I had seen was a rush of gang members with their guns poised and smoking, and a few men adorned with glittering stars. I could have sworn I had seen Marshal Arrington. Did Jack go to Armadillo and get help?
Once the door was closed I walked back over to the two and stood between them, staring Susan dead in the eye. "Susan, please... don't judge Jack. He aint like any of the men you've met! Not all men are lying, cheatin' fools. I know plenty of men who are kind and considerate! Sure, some... or, quite a few... men aren't nice, but there's still plenty who are!" Susan stared back and listened carefully to my words before looking over my shoulder at Jack. "Well... If he's nice to you," she started and sighed harshly.
"I s'pose he's OK. He doesn't look like a bad man... I guess." I grinned widely at her, causing her to scowl and avert her eyes to the side and blush slightly. I smiled at her a few seconds longer before turning to Jack. He was stood there, still sizin' up Susan but he looked to me as I grinned widely. He grinned as well and before I could stop myself I had charged forward and wrapped my arms tightly around him. He stiffened for a moment before relaxing and wrapping his own arms around me.
I couldn't help the storm of emotions that was raging within me. I was relieved to see Jack again. I felt like I was going to burst from the elation I felt right then. Face buried in his jacket, I mumbled out, "Thank you so much for rescuing me."
"What kind of a friend would I be if I didn't?" he chuckled back.
"A bad one," I said as I pulled back and looked up, a sincere smile on my lips. "I can't believe you even went and got help." Jack shrugged.
"Well, as amazin' as I am I don't think I'd be able to take on the whole fort by myself." He grinned playfully and I just rolled my eyes.
"Yeah, yeah. Who did ya get for help?"
"I went to Armadillo and got marshal Arrington, Jonah and Eli, and these two other sheriffs were there with them." I nodded slowly and looked behind me to Susan. She was watching us with a scowl on her face. "Oh... that's Susan by the way. She was nice to me and she aint too bad. She just doesn't trust people too easily." Jack still eyes her with caution but none the less he didn't speak against my words. I giggled as Susan caught us looking and growled before looking anywhere but us.
I looked away, back to Jack and suddenly did something I without thinking. I leant forward and kissed Jack's cheek. He froze and didn't move an inch. I pulled away and smiled timidly up at him. "W-what was that for?" he asked stiffly. His cheeks had flushed a nice red and I secretly revelled at his embarrassment.
"As a thank you," I replied, now grinning. Jack looked shocked, was flushed red and quickly nodded towards the door.
"We better go help them," he gushed, moving towards the door. I grinned, giggled to myself and motioned to Susan for her to follow us.
We peeked carefully out of the doors to see the marshals and sheriffs were winning. Bodies lay scattered about the fort, some strewn out in the sun; others slumped over crates with red trails leaving them. I surprisingly felt nothing for the fallen men apart from contempt for their lifestyle choice but no pity for the lifeless bodies. Eventually, the battle was over and the group re-joined near the raised platform of the execution area. As soon as I caught sight of marshal Arrington and his shirt splattered with red I ran over, almost skipping, and jumped in front of him. "Thank you so much!" I cried, grinning from ear to ear and dancing from foot to foot. The man chuckled deeply before removing his hat and wiping his brow. "Well, when Jack came and told us you'd been taken by this here gang I was might worried we wouldn't make it in time, but thankfully we did!" I nodded eagerly.
"You did! It's quite scary how close to death I came." Marshal Arrington nodded then eyed my wounds.
"Say, what'd they do to you?" he asked lowly, eying me carefully.
My grin faltered slightly and I answered, "Well, I helped these marshals/sheriffs ages ago catch this guy called Max Johns and he musta' gotten free 'cause he was here and he wasn't too pleased with me." I laughed nervously, tryin' to lighten the mood but the marshal still had a dark look. I was about to add more but was cut of a nasally voice with a thick accent.. "Hey! Look, there's one left!"
The marshal and I turned around to see Jonah with his gun raised at Susan who had walked casually besides Jack with an unimpressed look. "Oh great," she growled. "Another idiot with a gun." I giggled at her comment and addressed Jonah.
"It's OK. Ya don't have to shoot her, she's on our side." Jonah's eyes flittered towards me before back at Susan. She stood before him with her arms folded and looking bored.
"It's all right Jonah," Marshal Arrington said. "If Eva says she's good then she's good." Jonah's gun lowered and the man grumbled incoherently to himself. Susan smirked and went to walk past him and paused only to pat him on the shoulder in mock sympathy. "Maybe next time," she said in a nearly sing-song voice. A confident smirk and devious smirk was spread across her face and Jonah's scowl worsened.
I looked away from the two, back to marshal Arrington and asked him, "Please don't tell Bonnie 'bout any of this?" This request made him blink in surprise.
"Why not?"
"I'll tell her when I'm ready, jus' now I'm afraid she'll worry too much and I don't wanna put that on her." The marshal mulled this other in his thoughts for a few seconds before answering hesitantly, "Ok, I suppose so. I'll do my best to make sure she won't find out." A kind smile spread across his lips.
"Thank you!" I sighed with relief, givin' him my own smile.
"Marshal! Marshal, we got two live ones!" We looked up to see Eli and the two sheriff's I had assisted a while ago struggle in with two hogtied me. Both were swearin' at their misfortune and both were men I recognised. In Eli's grasp was the leader of the gang, the one who had welcomed me so warmly to the fort. He was the one writhin' like I had, with blood and spit flying in every direction. The second man in the Sheriff's grasps was none other than Max Johns. At the sight of his sweaty, drawn up face I growled and allowed a dark look on my features.
They were thrown into the dirt and had four guns trained on them, triggers ready to be pulled in an instance. Max Johns craned his head upwards, caught sight of me then erupted into a fierce bout of swearing. The sheriff behind him pressed the muzzle of his rifle between Max's shoulder blades. "None of that," he ordered. Max fell silent.
I walked over, followed by Jack and Marshal Arrington and Susan. I stood before Max Johns, glaring into his soulless eyes as he stared right back. The hatred in his eyes was reflected in mine. "He did this to me," I stated to whoever was listening.
"Did he now?" the marshal spoke. I could hear the anger in his tone, like poison in a viper's fangs. "Well, I think this bastard is ready to atone for his sins." Marshal Arrington nodded silently towards the sheriff who stood over Max with the rifle ready. He pulled the trigger without hesitation and ended Max Johns' life.
The other man watched the execution with horror on his face. Then, as we all turned to him, he began to wriggle more. "Susan!" he cried. "Susan, for god's sake help me!" Said woman only watched with cold, emotionless eyes. The man's pathetic pleas meant nothing to her and she ignored him. "You gotta let me go! I didn't do nothin'!"
"You're the leader of this gang, are you not?" marshal Arrington said. The man paused and said nothing. He only looked sideways, away into the dirt. "I'll take that silence as a yes. Now... why did you decide to pick on this here innocent girl?" The marshal motioned to me and as the man looked our eyes met for a brief second. I suddenly felt like hitting the man until my hands were numb and the skin sore and bloody. Again, the man remained silent. "Tell them." The silence was broken by Susan who had spoken in an emotionless tone. "Tell them 'bout her pa." A wave of nausea washed over me at the mention of my father.
"What about my pa?" I asked, brows creasing. Susan nodded towards the man on the ground.
"Ask him, he's the one who knows all about it." My frown was now directed at the man.
"Well?" I asked, getting impatient. "What about my pa!"
Everyone was deathly silent as we waited for the man to speak. Frustration was beginning to build up inside me and I felt like suddenly breaking something. Why wouldn't he speak! "Y-your pa..." the man stuttered out. "Your pa he... he's the reason we had to get you!" I sharply in took breath and stepped back. "What...?" I asked feebly.
"I-I can't say no more... Or... they'll get me!"
"Who'll get ya?" Eli asked, giving the man a sharp kick in the ribs when he wouldn't answer.
"They will! I can't – I won't say no more! T-there's nothin' ya'll can do that'd be worse then what they'll do if I blab!" The man let out a strangled cry and let his face fall into the dirt where he began to whisper and sob.
Shocked by how quickly the man fell apart, I backed away until I could sit on a crate. I then buried my face into my hands. The marshal and sheriff's exchanged quick words but I didn't listen. I was too busy recoiling in horror at what the man had said. What the hell does he mean! Why won't he tell us! Dammit! Who the hell are 'they'? I closed my eyes tightly as I felt tears of frustration begin to prick the back of my eyes. I heard soft footsteps approach and looked up to see Susan. Without speaking, she sat down beside me and tapped my knee. "Don't cry," she said sternly, but was probably meant to be comforting. "If I knew anymore than he did then I'd tell you." I grinned despite my frustration and thanked her.
"That's ok. You've been considerably nice to me compared to the others." Susan shrugged and leant back, pulling out a cigarette and lightin' it up with a match she ignited off her boot. I frowned and she caught my look. "What?" she asked, frowning back. "You don't suit smokin'," I said. She shrugged again.
"Yeah well, you don't suit that shirt." I giggled at her statement.
"That's the girly-ist thing you've ever said to me."
"It probably will always be the girly-ist thing I say." I giggled again and looked back over at the sheriff's to see the two men were busy loadin' the hogtied sobbing man onto one of their horses. "Here." I looked back at Susan to see she had handed me a hair tie. "Put ya hair up," she commanded, exhaling a cloud of smoke. I wrinkled my nose as some of it wafted my way, but took the tie and proceeded to put my hair up into its usual bun.
We sat in a few more moments of silence before I spoke. "So, what're ya gonna do next?"
Susan hummed in though, extinguished her cigarette and answered, "I dunno. Maybe I'll travel round till I find a new gang." I frowned at this. "Or maybe I'll head into Armadillo and see what they've got goin'."
"I'd prefer if ya took the latter."
"So would I."
"Well, why don't ya go with marshal Arrington and Jonah and Eli and see if they need a new sheriff?" I gave her a lopsided grin. Susan scowled at my suggestion.
"An' have to work with those imbeciles? No thank you." She stood up and walked back to the group, but I followed closely.
"Think about it, you'll be doin' somethin' good, you can start a new life and you don't have to run with no gang anymore!" Susan dismissed me with a wave.
"I'll think about it."
"What's there to think about? The answer should be yes, right away!"
"What? But you jus' told me to think about it!"
"Yeah, but don't listen to me, I'm jus' some 'stupid teenage who's in way over her head'."
"Don't pull that one on me."
"Why not? Anyway, so you'll do it?"
"I said I'll think about it!"