Alright, guys, apparently, since there's a big cast of Red Dead Redemption characters, via a review on Net, it is disgusting that Arthur isn't the only member focused on in the past few chapters (even though over thirty of them are focused on him). I shall make my case against the hammer. I'm focusing on them and showing the ripples sent through the gang so things won't feel random when characters make certain and unexpected decisions. The reason I'm making some of these chapters shorter is that if I add a bunch of unnecessary exposure, people would not be happy with anything happening whatsoever. The great Majesty, of course, always could stop reading, you know, or even better, make their own story on their empty profile. But we don't need to talk about that. Due to a salty reviewer - a few out of a hundred- I shall quit writing now and go into Witchcrafting. Goodbye, guys. Lol

Feel free to join my Discord server: . disc ord. gg /3b3B xdHQKG (delete the spaces). You can talk about whatever you want in there. SW and RDR channels are in there as well.

Chapter 37

Arthur moved over to his seat, pulled out his journal, and considered what could have come next. He had much to express, yet he found nothing to come up with.

He had been miles away in his mind for a while to write in his journal. Too much was happening far too quickly.

He had been lost in thought for a long time, apparently, 'till he felt movement beside him and saw Kieran.

"Hey, kid, how have you been?"

"Fine, just fine, Mr. Morgan," Kieran responded earnestly.

"Mary-Beth?" Arthur snarked.

"No!" the younger man instantly denied. With a raised eyebrow, he succumbed to his reasoning for being worried: "I need to talk to you..."

Arthur's face became serious. "'Bout what?"

The way Kieran spoke fearfully made him concerned. Last time he ain't listen to Kieran and took the idea of the O'Driscolls lurking around seriously enough, it got the man decapitated and tortured. This time, Arthur ain't gonna make the same mistake.

"Not here..."

He nodded and sat up and followed Kieran to a secluded part of the camp.

"I think I overheard Micah and Bill talking..."

"Okay." Just why would that make the boy so anxious? "And?"

"It's Micah, Arthur. He's plotting something. And well, I...I don't want to rip you apart from Dutch."

"I've seen through Micah for a while. You can trust me, kid." Arthur replied in understanding.

Kieran looked concerned.

"Answer me, kid!" Arthur demanded, dropping into his 'Lieutenant' persona in an instant. He didn't like using his authority over folks no more. But concerning anything involving Micah Bell, he had to be forceful.

After all, if anyone else had heard them speaking like this they would be accused of betrayal!

And he was unsure if the gang was ready for that.

"I didn't mean to be snooping around, Arthur..."

"What exactly did he say, Kieran?"

"He said... He said..."

"Kieran, I'll protect you!" Arthur guaranteed.

"It's all of this, Arthur! You never saw through Dutch before?! Saw through Micah?! I have! None of them ever cared about you! At least not as long as I have been around! Dutch has been controlling you! I'm telling the truth! Please, you have to believe me! There's something wrong with them!" Kieran pleaded, moving towards Arthur and gripping his shoulders, shaking.

The wild look in Kieran's eyes made Arthur wonder. He was desperate, and if Arthur was right, afraid. Not for himself, but for him. This time, Arthur would protect him. He'd already done from Colm. Colm was long gone in Colter. His O'Driscolls were the only folks around that could get to the boy.

"It's ok, Kieran. Breathe." Arthur replied as he squeezed his shoulders.

It took a few seconds for Kieran to calm down before he stepped away from him, nodding in gratitude.

"Sorry, it's just… I'm worried about you. You'd shown me kindness first for the first time in years and you don't need to be here! We can leave..." Kieran suggested.

"I appreciate that concern, Kieran, but trust me, I can take care of myself, boy..." Arthur replied, watching as Kieran's face fell slightly. "However, that doesn't mean I'm not going to listen to you. I know firsthand that Dutch is using all of us. Perhaps it had been the man's true colors all along. If you think something is happening, then I believe you."

"You… you do?" Kieran replied, shocked. "Twenty years..."

"Dutch have been using as killers or thieves long enough."

The reply to his question came immediately.

"I think they're plotting to... kill you."

"Kill me?" Arthur repeated the words before they fully registered in his head, and his eyes widened. Once, he wouldn't have believed Kieran was telling the truth. The man had been an O'Driscoll after all. It was likely that he could have told a lie that would have further broken up the gang.

This time, Arthur knew better. He knew Kieran was as loyal as they came, dragged into a nasty life and defending a bunch of folks he'd just met.

His unconditional trust wasn't given lightly. Not after Beaver Hollow. But Kieran was one of the few folks he did trust, right behind Marston, Lenny, Sadie, and Hosea. If he said there was a threat, there was one.

There was no greater time.

"I think," Arthur said, "that we have all been played for fools."

Kieran tilted his head to the side. "Played for fools?"

"Micah is attempting to ruin the gang," Arthur replied. "He wants the Blackwater money - a heist we did before you came along - and nothing else."

"We need to move on. We have to kill Micah." That was another suggestion.

While Arthur'd appreciated the gesture, he knew that Kieran couldn't live up to Micah as a gunslinger. The rat bastard was many things, including a good shot. Someone like Kieran had to get close to him without a gun.

The gunslinger nodded once, his right hand looming over his revolver. "You must stay at my side"

He had long suspected this was coming. He'd wondered if Dutch was involved in the conspiracy. Kieran had mentioned only Bill and Micah, but he would keep an eye out. He wasn't going to let anyone die for Dutch if they didn't had to.

"I am behind you, Arthur," Kieran answered loyally.

"I know you are, but we ain't needing to be alone," Arthur responded, gripping his shoulder. "I have a plan. I'm going to speak with Lenny, Marston, and Charles. I need you to gather 'em up. Short of Parlor House."

Kieran nodded. "Yes, Arthur."

Arthur moved away, feeling like a leader at that moment. He would have to go get his funds, which he had been keeping locked away and prepared to cut his losses sooner. He might not be able to get Sean out if the man refused to wake up, but getting the rest would make the victory less bitter. Dutch ain't going to be pleased, that much was for sure.

Not to mention, there were also the Native Americans. Whenever they came around, Arthur'd planned to help. Eagle Flies wasn't going to die again if Arthur had anything to say 'bout it.

Life was going to get a lot harder...

They'd met in town, right outside the Parlor House.

The other three men were obviously confused. Kieran had a map, and Charles was a good hunter, so it wasn't surprising when they easily tracked him down in Rhodes.

Arthur knew that Charles was still loyal. He had been like him a long time ago. But perhaps that was why he could trust him. Charles was naturally a good man. He wasn't born to be in this life, and Arthur didn't want Dutch to get him murdered. The color of his skin ended up putting him on the wrong side of the law. He was just doing what he had to do to survive.

Lenny was much the same way. Young, but a good boy. He ain't gonna get killed at Saint Denis either.

And Marston was obvious. He would be able to convince Abigail and Jack to leave, but the only problem was where they would go-which Arthur could talk 'bout with Lenny and Charles. They were both smart.

"Morgan, what's going on?" Marston asked, concerned.

"We need to move quickly," Arthur said in a hushed whisper.

"What do you mean?" Charles asked. "We just moved. And why aren't you taking this up with Dutch?" Concern was audible in his voice.

"I'm getting to that, Charles," Arthur answered. "I know what's happening and I need to make sure that you all make it. Take your items. Take your sheep and go far away. This is all done."

"Arthur, we ain't leaving ya!" Lenny insisted. Good, loyal Lenny. "What's causing you to talk like this?!"

"Mr. Duffy, will you tell 'em?" Arthur asked.

The boy's cheeks reddened in humiliation before he looked at the three men staring at him. "I think Bill and Micah are conspiring to kill Arthur."

Gasps followed.

Charles's hands tightened over his holster instinctively, and he breathed in.

Lenny's hands flexed over his sniper rifle.

Marston was able to resist reaching for his weapon and kept his hands at his side.

"This ain't funny," Charles looked at Kieran darkly, making him flinch away.

Kieran cringed.

Arthur came to his defense. "I believe him."

Charles looked at him. "I find it hard to believe that Dutch would allow this."

"I'm not going to accuse you of disloyalty, Charles, but I'm only asking for your trust. Micah is a survivor. He would get us all killed." Arthur said.

Charles stared at him, and his face softened a degree.

Lenny, however, had a different reaction.

"Let that son of a bitch try!" the boy shouted, fury across his face.

"We cannot have childish outbursts," Charles said wisely at last.

"Which is why I believe it's too dangerous for all of you to be here," Arthur stated urgently. "Micah is dangerous. He looks out only for himself. But I understand if you're all loyal to Dutch."

He directed that part to Charles last. After all, Dutch ain't gave the man any reason to want to sever himself from the gang. Apparently, that seemed unnecessary.

"Arthur, I know loyalty. You have been loyal to the gang for twenty years. Those like Javier have been obedient. If Dutch can't see that, then I can no longer be at his side in good conscience." Charles looked determined and resolute. "And you're right. Micah Bell has always been out for himself. I knew it since I saw him. He's scum."

"I started seeing things differently after Blackwater. We cannot let Dutch get everyone killed." Arthur declared, still loyal to the fault to the gang, despite how it was him this time being plotted against. Barely able to stay calm, Arthur had to wonder. Was Javier in on it too? Was Dutch-? It didn't make sense for this to be happening so soon.

"That girl, Heidi McCourt," John said slowly, his mouth falling open. When everyone looked at him, he added, "She was unharmed and defenseless, and I witnessed blew her brains out."

"I can't even reason with him." Arthur lowered his head. "I try. I want to get him out. I would fight for that man, but he would leave me to die!"

"Would?" Lenny repeated slowly, moving over to Arthur's side nervously. "Arthur, are you alright? What happened between the two?"

Arthur looked at the boy, and he felt like something ripped out of his chest. The honorable gunslinger couldn't stop himself from reliving what he had done on that mountain and the months before. But none of them knew. Dutch never asked once what was wrong with Arthur and even mocked him for having tuberculosis. Although Arthur never came to them, Sadie, John, and Charles seemed to be concerned.

When it came down to it, he couldn't trust Bill, Javier, or Dutch. Possibly not even Sean either.

Arthur shook his head. "We cannot live that life anymore. The times are changing. We have to do what's right and get out of this." Perhaps he should have made the call sooner, but it had been a faint hope that things would get better when they only worsened since Colter and because Arthur couldn't oversee what was going to befall them all.

Milton and Ross would catch up with them soon, and even if they didn't, Micah's path was destructive. Anything he'd touched was destined to go downhill. Dutch, too, probably.

"I did believe we should have slowed down. They were closing in on us because we kept doing more." Charles conceded.

"So what are we going to do, Arthur?" Lenny asked, a slight, teasing smirk falling across his lips. "Make the Morgan gang?"

Arthur shook his head. "I'm not worthy of the title of leadership. I'm not smart enough to run a gang. I'm old and sad."

"No, you aren't, and you have to stop degrading yourself!" Charles growled. He breathed in and allowed himself to calm down before holding his stare. "You are able to lead, Arthur, but you don't trust in yourself, and that's your problem. You don't have to be alone. You don't have to take everything on without help. Say we go off and become Mafia men, or lead a more peaceful gang-maybe even be farmers; it don't matter. You're smart. You're loyal. And you care too much 'bout folks."

The other men nodded in agreement, and Arthur felt his heart soaring with a hope that had been lost since Beaver Hollow. Tears threatened to spill from his eyes. What happened to him? How damaged was he after Beaver Hollow that he didn't even realize it?

Arthur finally understood.

It had been through weeks, but Sadie, Kieran, and all of the others kept telling him that he was all these things. But Arthur never wanted to believe it.

"Let's just worry 'bout other things later. We have to plan things."

Before they knew it, they were walking in the direction of their horses. Darkness fell around them. No civilians were out. The threat of Lemoyne Raiders was possible. He wasn't like Dutch. He would truly take any advice he could and not pretend that he was infallible. He was vincible. He had to listen if he wanted to make sure some folks survived.

"So, we're leaving, huh?" Marston asked. "Me, you, Abigail, Jack, and the others-? Want to tell us why you want to move elsewhere?"

Arthur opened his mouth. It was time. Time for this all to end.

"Yeah, Morgan. Want to tell us, too?"

Every muscle in Arthur's body stiffened as he looked ahead, searching for the voice.

When the shadows fell around and the veil collapsed, he spotted the form of Bill Williamson... and someone else was with him, shrouded by the cloak of darkness. For a moment, he'd thought it was Javier.

When he got a closer look, he discovered he was wrong, for he saw - no - standing there was Sean MacGuire.

Bill's expression was familiar anger, yet the Irish's eyes seemed to be wide, his fists clenching, an expression he had never seen before.

How did they find him?

How could it come to this?

Deep down, Arthur knew.

He knew what was going to happen.

The time had come...

Author's note: Prediction time; how do you think the next chapter is going to turn out? What do you think will happen? What do you think each character would do? I want to hear everything, so I appreciate it if you review.

The reason why I decided to do this today is because I took a mercy on this cliffhanger and I'm quite eager for that chapter and it's Thanksgiving so I decided to give. Sunday will still be the next update. LOL