RDR2: Faithless

21: Revenge is a Dish Best Eaten

"You're pathetic," Bronte replied.

"Oh, I am?" Dutch asked, "Cause from where I'm sitting, you're the one deserving of pity my friend. All your men, all your money... It weren't no match for a bunch of bumpkins."

"You are nothing," Bronte growled, "You do nothing. You mean nothing. You stand for nothing. Me? I run a city, and when the law catch up to you, you will die like nothing. I am this country! You? You are what people are running from."

"I possess things that you will never understand," Dutch said quietly.

"You don't even possess your own men," Bronte scoffed, "A thousand dollars to the man who kills him and sets me free."

There was silence as we all stared at him, and Dutch grinned triumphantly.

"What are you gonna say now?" he asked mockingly.

"They are even bigger fools than you," Bronte snarled.

"No doubt," Dutch replied.

"The law will find you, already the dogs are on the way," Bronte sounded desperate.

"Oh yeah, you're right, you are so right," Dutch advanced on him and grabbed him by the neck, "They are good at smelling filth, huh?"

I stood up on the boat, looking nervous, as did the others. What was Dutch about to do?

"So filth has got to be disposed of!" he forced his head into the water at the side of the boat, Bronte struggled as he tried to gasp for air, "Your friends the Pinkertons gonna come and rescue you? You repulsive little maggot!"

We neared the dock and I moved to tie the boat in place, staring at Dutch with a terrified expression on my face. How far was he going to go?

"Call them!" he yelled, "Call them now!"

He struggled with Bronte a bit longer, I wondered if he was ever going to let him up. What had happened to Dutch, this was madness! The bubbles around Bronte's face finally stopped appearing and he stopped struggling, Dutch grabbed the body and threw it into the swamp without a second glance, pushing the body right into the waiting jaws of a gator.

"Jesus," John said as we stared at the gator devouring Bronte's body, "What part of your philosophy books cover feeding a feller to a goddamn alligator, Dutch?"

"The part that covers weakness," Dutch was panting, "That part."

"I don't know," said John, shaking his head.

"Well, I do," Dutch turned to him, angry, before stepping off the boat, "It ain't nice, I know it. But it is us, or him! I figure it might as well be him."

I stared silently at Bronte's body for a few more seconds before Arthur pulled my arm, telling me to follow him. I couldn't wrap my head around what we'd just done. Dutch claimed it wasn't revenge, but every part of what he just did screamed vengeance to me. It wasn't right, and I was thrown by it all.

I got back to camp a while after the others, still shaken by what had happened. Arthur and I had ridden together, not speaking a word but that silence spoke volumes. What we had just seen Dutch do? It wasn't right, and it wasn't Dutch.

I walked towards the house and heard Hosea speaking inside, so decided to join him.

"I'm telling you, Dutch, this is the way to do this job," he said, "The distraction will buy you all the time you need!"

Dutch was sat at the table with Hosea standing over him, Arthur moved to stand in the corner of the room, a concerned expression on his face as he stared at the two men.