Chapter 11
Declan, McTaggart, Charlie, and I trudge our way through the snowy woods. After everything that happened in Montreal, the plain was seeming brighter and brighter for us. And easier, which is something we weren't used to.
Grace's words stuck to my mind. While I wanted to tell Declan, I was nervous that this plain would fall through or not happen at all. And we needed it too.
The sudden sound of a bird whistle was heard, causing Declan and I to turn towards a large rock. Sokanon walked out with a young girl behind her. Declan and I headed over to her.
"How was Montreal?"
"It was good," Declan said, with a small sigh.
Sokanon nodded, "Did you get what you need?"
"Yes," Declan said before looking past Sokanon at the young girl. He looked back at Sokanon, "Who's the kid?"
Sokanon glanced back at the girl before facing Declan and I. "She was stolen. I'm taking her to Kamenna to live with the Lake Walkers."
Declan's face fell, "No. We need you with us."
"I need to do this," Sokanon said determinedly to Declan. Her eyes glanced towards me, making me see the pled in them. I saw how badly she needed to do this, alone and now.
"Good luck," I said, making Declan look over at me.
Sokanon gave me a small nod, as if thanking me. She looks back to Declan, needing only one of our agreements before continuing. "Michael's expecting you with a way through that wall."
Declan lets out a small sigh, "I know. We're working on it."
"Good. You should go. He needs you," Sokanon said, feeling the tension of Declan.
I move behind Sokanon to the young girl, kneeling down in front of her. "You do what she says. And you'll be safe," I say in a calm but demanding voice, hoping she'll listen. The little girl nods, causing me to stand and head back to a waiting McTaggart and Charlie. Declan pauses for a moment before following me, letting Sokanon and the young girl go.
The four of us head to Fort James, the journey seeming harder than expected. I had to continuously stop, eat, drink, then go. Declan looked at me so worriedly, but he never said a word about it. Charlie and McTaggart noticed, asking Declan what was wrong. He either didn't answer or mumbled something.
Once we made it to Fort James, a sigh of relief hit me and I felt stronger and better than before.
We hid behind a large stack of wood near another building. Outside of the building sat some table filled with gunpowder and a small canon. A group of young Red Coats were being talked to by a head one, taking orders.
"What the fuck do you call that? Fix yourself up, son. Now, you lot return to barracks and get your assignments from the Lieutenant. Dismissed!" The young red coats left, taking their spots.
Declan turned to McTaggart, "Can you distract them?"
"I'll grab the bastard and choke him with his own balls," McTaggart smiled.
"No bloodshed," I added, making McTaggart sigh. He looks at Declan who nods lightly in agreement. "I'll fire off a pistol? Make them give chase?"
Declan shook his head, "We don't need the attention." He reaches behind him, pulling out a knife and handing it to McTaggart. He looks at the knife, sighs, before roughly grabbing it.
"I just got this fuckin' shirt." McTaggart lightly stabs himself in the side, through his shirt. Only enough for a little blood to slip out and stain his shirt. Enough for a distraction.
Charlie stares at McTaggart, "I don't know if that's brave or stupid."
"Sometimes they're one and the same," McTaggart said with a wicked smirk towards Charlie. He stands and makes his way out into the open, making sure not to grab anyone's attention until he's far enough away from us.
"What's the plan?" Charlie asked us?
Declan watches McTaggart as he speaks, "Wait for McTaggart to get rid of them. Then we walk in, we'll take it." He nods towards the small canon, my eyes brightening up at the sight.
We needed something to get through the wall that Michael and his two new friends were digging. By now they should have it pretty cleared away, ready for us.
I watch McTaggart as he creates a small distraction with the head Red Coat. It's enough to get him to walk away from the tables and over to the barrel of water. We use that opportunity to sneak around and grab our things. Declan grabs the canon, Charlie, the equipment that is needed to load it, and I grab the gun powder before heading to the Root Cellar.
The three of us sneak into the Root Cellar, closing the door behind us as we descend down into it. We set the items down as we look at the giant hole in the side wall, heading in the direction of the supply room.
Declan tilts his head inside the hole, scaring Michael and the two boys, "Michael, my boy."
"Harp. You made it," Michael says with a smile as he climbs out. The two boys stay inside, continuing to dig.
Nodding, Declan said, "Alright. Well, we got a deal with Elizabeth Carruthers. She's ready and waiting."
Michael nodded, smiling impressively, "Well done. I guess you got a bit of Irish charm left lurking in there after all."
Declan groans while I smile, agreeing with Michael. He does have his charming ways, at least to me he does. Declan looks back at me, lightly glaring at me which makes my smile grow even more.
Focusing his attention back on Michael, Declan says, "We lost Jack. But we found this."
Charlie reveals the cannon, making Michael smile wide.
Focusing back on the task at hand, I say, "Redcoats are doing military drills. That should hide the sound of the cannon."
"Should take care of that wall too," Declan said before turning towards Michael. "Charlie, shall we?" Charlie nods and both of them slip past me and Michael.
Michael moves next to me, both of us watching as Declan and Charlie get the cannon ready. We both jump slightly when the cellar door opens, revealing McTaggart with an unconscious Red Coat draped over his shoulders. He walks down the steps of the cellar before throwing the Red Coat onto the ground.
"What in the name of Jesus did you bring him in here for?" Michael exclaims to McTaggart while my eyes look between the Red Coat, Michael, and McTaggart.
"Ah well, I should've just killed the fucker, but a dead body's a bit more suspicious than a missing one, is it not?" McTaggart said kind of rude, making Michael take a step towards him.
I quickly interfere, not wanting these two to start a fight. I step in between them, looking at McTaggart, "Just... make sure he doesn't make any noise."
McTaggart looks over my shoulder towards Michael, "You're very welcome, by the way."
Michael scuffs, shaking his head, "Don't do me any more favors."
McTaggart heads back up the steps, closing the cellar door behind him as he takes watch. The second the door closes Declan sticks his head into the hole, "Alright, boys! Everybody out."
The two boys in the hole scurry out as Charlie lines up the cannon. He nods to the rope that's securing the canon in place. "That there rope ain't gonna halt the kickback. She's about as ready as she gonna be," Charlie says, loading it up.
Declan stands up, moving away from the canon and back towards us. Michael looks at Declan and I, "This may not be your hands around Benton's throat, but in the HBC's eyes this will end him."
My eyes stay on the hole in the wall, "If it doesn't end us first."
"Yeah, this is about as dangerous as it gets," Charlie said, taking his spot next to the canon.
Michael looks at Charlie, "You alright to do this, Charlie?"
"Ain't nobody better than me to do this."
Nodding, Michael stands off to the side of Charlie while Declan and I go to the farthest wall. "Don't fire until I give you the signal."
We hear the guard outside yell out commands, preparing us for our time. "Front rank, ready! Fire!" The sound of a gun is heard.
"One," Michael says.
"Cock locks! Fire!" The guard said, another gunshot heard in the distance.
"Two," Michael said as he goes to cover his ears. Declan leans me up against the wall, his body shielding my own as we put out hands up to our ears.
"Ready! Fire!" The guard yells.
"Now!" Michael yells.
Just as the large canon outside goes off so does the one in the cellar. It's loud and the room shakes lightly. Smoke fills the room for a second before clearing, causing us all to pull away from the wall to look.
The Company Storehouse reveals itself to us through the hole, making everyone smile. A small chuckle leaves Declan's and I's mouths, victory finally coming into sight.
Immediately, everyone gets to work with getting the fur out, only to have it pause just as soon as it starts. McTaggart enters breathlessly, "Redcoats are looking for fuck knuckles here. We need to move out fast."
My eyes look to the Red Coat who has woken, struggling against his ropes.
"I'll go distract them," Declan says, ready to move up the steps. I'm ready to stop him when Michael does it for me.
"No, wait! I can handle it."
"How?" I asked, grateful that he wants to take Declan's spot but unsure what his plan is.
Michael looks to McTaggart as he walks past all of us, towards the Red Coat. "I owe you a thank-you after all, McTaggart." He kneels in front of the Red Coat, smiling as he nods to him, "I need your jacket."
Declan does us a favor and knocks the Red Coat out with one hard punch, letting Michael start his plain. He changed into the Red Coat before heading through the hole and out the Company Storehouse door. We all stay quiet and hold our breaths as we wait for the okay that it's safe to get to work.
We hear the sound of two loud knocks before footsteps are led away from us. A sigh of relief leaves my lips and my eyes look to Declan.
"Let's get to work," Declan says, resuming our work.
Charlie and McTaggart crawled through the hole, bringing with them tones of rope. They tie up the wrapped fur with the rope, creating a line of them. I crawl in, sitting in the hole and grabbing the fur before tossing it to Declan. Declan gives it to the two boys that were with Michael and Sokanon, who take it to the waiting boats.
The process flows perfectly; moving faster as we got the hang of it. We tossed McTaggart and Charlie the last bit of fur before Declan and I slip into the Company Storehouse to find all the furs gone.
We had done it.
Declan sat on the steps of the Company Storehouse, letting out a sigh as he smiles and shakes his head in disbelief.
Suddenly, Michael returns through the hole in the wall, looking at us worriedly. "They're coming! We've gotta get going. I've been identified."
"I know," Declan says, making me turn and look at him confused. His eyes move to me as he rubs his hands in front of him. "I'm staying," He said, making Michael take a couple of steps towards him, standing next to me as we both said, "What?"
"As long as they know I'm in here, they won't be looking for you out there."
"No, no way," I quickly shook my head.
Suddenly, Chesterfield's voice came through the locked door upstairs, "Open the door."
"Something's jamming the lock, sir," A guard said.
"Then break it," Chesterfield ordered, his anger clear as day through his words.
Declan looks at Michael, seeming to ignore my shocked face. "Stick to the plan, Michael."
Michael looks at Declan in disbelief for a second before nodding, "Alright. Get the furs to Petrie's Rock." Declan nods, causing Michael to let out a long sigh. Seeing that he won't change his mind, Michael turns and slips back through the hole, leaving us as he goes to finish the deal.
My eyes watch Michael leave before turning to Declan who is watching me. "Go with him," He says when he see's I'm not moving.
"I'm not leaving you."
"You have too. I'm not letting you get caught again."
"Then you better make sure I don't," I said with a determined voice. There's a small pause, my voice slightly annoyed with the fact that Declan keeps trying to push me away while he stays to fight the battle. "We stick together, that's how things go," I say, hoping this time he'll get it through his skull.
He probably won't, but it's a hope.
I'm equally surprised as I am relieved when Declan asks me to go to the other end and prepare the canon. A plan is forming in his mind and I have to be here when it's in action.
I do as said and slip back through the hole. Once I've reached the other end and climb out, my brain races to remember what all Charlie did.
My ears pick up groans and grunts from the Company Storehouse, causing my hands to move quickly. Just as I finish with the canon I heard someone start to crawl through the hole. I grab my knife and quickly point it at the hole, prepared to fight whoever pops out.
Declan pops out, climbing out while I let out a sigh of relief and slip my knife back in its place. I grab the lantern that's hanging on the wall and readies it over the canon.
As Declan holds up his hand for me to wait, I can't help but hold my breath. If I loaded up this canon wrong then whoever is in the hole won't be the ones blown up. We will.
"Now!" Declan yelled, stepping back as I throw the lantern on the canon. It fires, sending the large metal ball flying through the hole, blowing anyone inside to bits. As the smoke settles the sound of footsteps are heard above us, causing Declan and I to look up.
"Shit!" I curse before quickly slipping back into the hole. Declan follows close behind as we crawl over dead bodies. Once we reached the other end, nothing but dead and unconscious bodies are left.
We don't waste any time before we head back up the steps of the Company Storehouse and outside. It's dark and no guards are around.
"Come on," Declan says, putting a light hand on my waste before we run off into the darkness.
So, the next chapter is the last chapter until Season 3 comes out. The only problem is I don't know which ending to do. I'm thinking of just picking one and then if I want to, change it later. Let me know what you think!
Please vote and comment!