Opportunity (Micah Bell x OC)

Chapter 14

It has been two days since the trolley bus station incident. Dutch, with the help of Arthur, has found a man with a boat willing to take them behind Bronte's manor.

They left at dusk with Bill, John and Micah. They met the man in Lagras and embarked on his boat in direction of Bronte's manor. There was a lot of shooting, the law ended up showing up too, but the Van der Linde' men managed to escape, taking Bronte with them. After a heated discussion with Bronte, Dutch ended up drowning the man and threw to body to the alligator.

"Jesus! What part of you philosophy books cover feeding a feller to a goddamn alligator, Dutch?" John asked. Arthur and Micah were also looking at him, shocked of their leader's actions.

"The part that covers weakness. That part" Dutch answered.

"I don't know" John started but was cut by Dutch.

"Well I do! It ain't nice, I know it. But it is us or him. I figure it might as well be him" Dutch concluded before walking away, leaving to three men there, in silence.

John left with a sight as Arthur and Micah were contemplating the blood appearing in the water. They then looked at each other, a lot of uncertainty in their eyes.

They headed back to camp silently. It was still quiet, the sun was only starting to rise. Micah walked towards his tent and entered it. Elizabeth was sleeping peacefully. Micah smiled weakly when he saw she was wearing his shirt, again.

He sat on the chair next to the bed and started to think. Dutch's behavior was still on his mind. It was so unlike him to kill in cold blood like this. And his new idea to leave, to go to Tahiti. Micah could not agree with that. He did not want to run away.

He sighted and thought more. They were going to rob a bank. Surely with this much money he could... with her. Would she accept? He looked at her, carefully removing a strand of hair from her face. Yeah, maybe she would.

He stood up with a huff and stepped outside to sit at the camp fire to clean his guns. He would not be able to sleep now. He just looked at the rising sun, lost in his thoughts.

***

When Elizabeth woke up a few hours later, she was surprised to find the bed empty. She sat and looked around when she heard voices outside the tent. She stood up and got dressed before exiting the tent. She found Micah and Dutch talking.

"We're doing it this afternoon. We have to act quickly now" Dutch said as he looked up at Elizabeth. "Ah, Miss Forcier, as beautiful as always" he added with his usual charismatic smile before saying his goodbye and leaving.

"You're alright? How did it go yesterday?" she asked softly as she followed Micah inside the tent.

"I guess it went well considering none of us got shot and Bronte's dead" Micah said as he removed his hat and coat and started to undo his shirt.

"What does that supposed to mean?" Elizabeth asked as she came closer to him and helped him with his buttons. Micah let her do it as he sighted.

"Don't know... it's the way Dutch did it I suppose" Micah started quietly "he drowned him and threw him in the water, to be eaten by alligator... it's just not like him" he finished, his brows furrowed.

"You know him better than I do, but it sure feel a bit cruel" Elizabeth simply answered as she let him took off his shirt and gave him a clean one. He put it on and she did the buttons.

"And all this thing about Tahiti or whatever... I don't want to end up on an unknown island, playing the little farmer. I belong here. On those lands" Micah said, sounding more defeated after each words.