Family in Shambles

Chapter 62

"He's dying?" Charles echoed softly. He and Helen stood guard at the camp entrance a few days after the incident at the reservation. The two of them had agreed to pull away from doing jobs or runs with the gang and opted to staying in camp.

Their unwillingness rose suspicion in camp, and members like Bill and Javier unofficially pinned them as traitors. "I don't have much to say to you anymore, Helen," Javier had hissed when she had tried to approach him. I liked Javier, what a shame.

Helen nodded, tightly gripping her rifle; "Yup...he's got tuberculosis," she confirmed. "Shit...." Charles mumbled, lowering his head. Helen let out a sigh, turning to look at him.

"Which is why we need to stick with him, Charlie. I feel like he's got somethin' up his sleeve for what's left of this gang. We can't let him do it alone," she said slowly.

Charles shook his head, looking back at camp for a moment. "It's not safe for us here anymore, and I don't want you getting hurt," he told her honestly. Before she could speak, the sound of an approaching horse made them freeze.

An unfamiliar Native warrior appeared, looking frantic. "Eagle Flies has been captured!"

~~~~

"Arthur Morgan? Charles? Helen? Is that you?" Eagle Flies rasped from where he sat tied in his cell. The three outlaws had infiltrated the fort that held the chief's son.

Seems like Charles has been dragging me into the reservation's problems more times than I care to count...that gives me a bad feeling. Arthur unlocked the cell door, stepping in to untie Eagle Flies.

A siren suddenly blared outside, and the soldiers began yelling of "intruders". "Alright, son, you stay behind us," Helen said, loading her rifle. "Let's kill these sons o' bitches!" She led the way out of the cell, firing at as many soldiers as possible.

She barely flinched at the flying bullets and continued to push forward, ignoring Arthur's and Charles' calls. "Come this way, I remember seeing a hole in one of the walls when they brought me in," Eagle Flies called, running past Helen towards a far wall. Damn kid doesn't listen.

"Damn, they must have fixed it!" Helen stood back, igniting a dynamite stick from her satchel. "Get out of the way, son!" She launched it at the wall, ducking when planks of wood went flying.

"Let's get outta here!" She leapt onto her horse, racing forward through the trees while shooting back at their pursuers. The three horses raced for the river, where they had set up canoes.

"Let's go, Arthur! Ride with me!" Helen called, hopping in the canoe. The four of them quickly paddled down the rushing water, gunning down any more stragglers on the shore.

Helen held onto the canoe as they past over rapids. "Don't try to drown us, Morgan!" she snapped in slight irritation. Soon enough, the firing ceased and faded, and the two canoes pulled onto shore.

"I think we lost 'em," Arthur breathed out as he and Helen approached Charles and Eagle Flies. "How are you?" Arthur asked, sitting down as he coughed.

"I'll be fine in a day or so, I heal fast. Colonel Favours won't be too happy with your rescue," Eagle Flies muttered. Helen watched Charles get up and approach a horse while Arthur handled Eagle Flies.

Helen followed after him; "You okay, Charlie?" she asked, rubbing his back. He let out a sigh; "I promised I would help the Natives, but they can't stay here anymore. I have to do something, Helen," he told her, then walked to his horse.

I don't like the sound of that....