RDR2: Faithless

20: Country Pursuits

"Forgive me if I can't think too much about the mango harvest," Hosea mocked, "I'm-"

"This is it," Dutch spoke over him, "Trust me. Ann."

They both stood staring at me, both silently pleading me to agree with them.

"If it's business, well," I sighed, "Business is business."

Dutch turned triumphantly to Hosea, who seemed despondent.

"Angelo Bronte stands between us and our future," Dutch told him.

"You'll damn us all," he snarled.

"Ann, come on," Dutch said after a dangerous look shot at Hosea.

"You better be right about this one," I said, following him downstairs.

"I am," he said with an air of finality.

"I've heard that before," I continued.

"And usually I've been right," Dutch told me.

"If you say so," I sighed, shaking my head.

"Quit doubting, Ann, it does no favours," he warned me, "We need to go see a man about a boat."

"A boat?" I asked.

"We're headed to a settlement called Lagras," he told me, "I met a boatman there called Thomas who knows these waters like the back of his hand."

"But why do we need a boat?" I asked.

"So we can attack Bronte's mansion from the swamp," Dutch said, "Catch him off guard. He knows we survived the trolley station, so he'll be expecting some kind of reprisal."

"Ah right, okay. Makes sense," I said pulling myself onto Roach.

"See, I do still possess some capacity for rational thought, Ann," he said sarcastically.

We rode out of camp, heading to this swamp settlement.

"Thank you," Dutch said.

"For what?" I asked.

"For taking my side back there," he said.

"It ain't about sides," I shook my head.

"Feels like Hosea's lost his spine," Dutch continued.

"But this move on Bronte... is it for the bank job? Or revenge for what happened at the trolley station?" I asked.

"Both, neither, what does it matter? We need to hit that bank and Bronte has the police and just about everything else in Saint Denis in his back pocket," he said, "He also set us up and, lest we forget, took young Jack! Have you also forgotten what he did to you? Because I certainly have not."

"I understand," I sighed, "We just got a lot of pots on the boil given all the folks that's out gunning for us."

"You all seem to have forgotten how money is made," he complained, "and what it takes to support twenty people. Let alone what it takes to give twenty people a new life overseas."

"With all due respect, Dutch," I said, "Is this Tahiti plan really going to work out?"

"You tell me, Ann, is it?" Dutch growled, "Have some goddamn faith. I am bending over backwards to make a future for us."

"I know, but..." I began.

"But, but, but... When did you become so small-minded?" he demanded, "If you'd rather we break up the family, go our separate ways, just tell me. I know you've got your own family now, of course, you don't need us!"