Josiah Trelawny, rode into Shady Belle. It had been about a week, since he had returned from Blackwater, with Casie.
Everyone in camp, had been in high spirits. Knowing that in the near future, they would finally all be free. Josiah, was still unsure, whether he would leave with the rest of the gang. Despite Casie's plea's, he still quite liked his life here.
He reached into his saddle bag, and pulled out the latest edition of the Saint Denis Times. He wasn't sure how Dutch, and the others would react to the headlines. He jumped off his horse, and headed towards the main house.
Dutch sat on the front porch, on a bench, reading. Josiah coughed, just so that Dutch knew he was there.
Dutch looked up from his book, and smiled.
"I've bought you news," the Englishman said, handing him the latest edition of the newspaper.
Dutch started reading, and threw the newspaper down in disgust. "How is this even possible?" he yelled angrily.
Arthur, who had been watching, from the main campfire walked across.
"What's going on? He asked, looking bemused.
Dutch picked up the newspaper, and handed it to Arthur.
Arthur looked at the headline. Pinkertons route O'Driscoll gang at Hanging dog ranch, Gang Leader escapes once again.
"This doesn't change anything, Dutch. We can still leave...can't we?" he asked.
Dutch glared at Arthur, "of course we can't. I can't leave here, not until I know that bastard is dead."
Arthur sighed. "What happened to revenge, being a fools game?"
"Don't question me on this, Arthur. Just don't!" Dutch said, angrily. He got up, and went into the house, slamming the door behind him.
Arthur sighed, and looked at Josiah. "What now? He won't listen to me!"
Josiah shook his head. "I'll see if I can find Casie, maybe she'll be able to talk to him." he said, as he grabbed the newspaper.
Josiah, had to walk right to the outskirts of the camp, to find Casie. She was with Micah, shooting bottles.
Josiah rolled his eyes. "Good to see that the pair of you are keeping busy." He said, sarcastically.
Micah turned around, and scowled. Casie, on the other hand, just laughed.
"We're just making sure we don't get rusty, as we're not actually allowed to go off and do any jobs." she sighed.
Josiah, handed Casie the newspaper. "Dutch wont leave, until he's dead. Myself and Arthur, thought perhaps you could talk him around."
Casie read the headline, and scowled. She then passed the newspaper, to Micah.
"Why would I talk him around?" She snapped, "I agree with him. What about you Micah, what do you think?"
Micah, read the headline, and sighed "I want him dead, just as much as you and Dutch, but..."
"But what?" Casie interrupted, "you saw what that bastard did to me, and to Arthur!" She growled.
Micah rolled his eyes, "I know, but with the O'Driscolls out of the frame, the Pinkertons will be on our trail, we're still wanted ya know. If we can get away, I say we should go."
Casie snatched the newspaper out of Micah's hand, "I never thought you'd be so Yella," she yelled, as she stormed off towards the house.
"I ain't Yella, just being realistic, how the hell do ya think we can even find him?" Micah yelled at Casie, throwing his arms in the air, in annoyance.
Casie threw the doors open, and stormed into Dutch's room. Casie threw the newspaper down on the table. Dutch spun round, "I suppose, you're gonna tell me to forget about Colm?" He glared, at Casie.
"Like hell I am," she yelled. "What that bastard did to me, I wanna gut him, or put a bullet in his brain, or watch him hang."
Dutch held his arms wide, and Casie walked towards him. He hugged her, and she hugged him back.
Dutch cupped her face, in his hands.
"I promise you, Casie. We'll do whatever we need to, to find him, and kill him. I won't rest, until he's dead, after what he did to you."
"How though?" She asked, "Everyone else, thinks we should just forget about him. Where do we start?"
Dutch took a step back. "We have money, and money will loosen tongues. I don't care, if we have to use it all to find him, we will find him, Casie, I swear."
Casie nodded. "What do we do first?"
"We leave, first thing, in the morning," he confided. "Just you and me. If everyone else isn't with us, then we'll do it alone. I'll tell them, we're off to St. Denis, to sort out the ship to Australia."
Casie nodded, and walked back to her room, to prepare for a trip.
Micah, and Josiah decided to go and find Arthur. If anyone could talk any sense into Casie, it would be Arthur.
Arthur sat by the fire, drinking a beer.
"Have you spoken with Casie?" Micah asked, sitting next to Arthur.
"No," he shrugged, "But Dutch ain't listening to me, what did Casie say about the whole business?"
"She agrees with Dutch," Josiah, interjected. "This is worrying, Arthur."
"Worrying," Micah glared at Josiah, "that's the fucking understatement of the year, she even called me yella!"
Arthur raised his eyebrows, "If anyone else had done that, they'd either be unconscious or dead!"
Micah sighed, "ya know I care about Casie. This ain't gonna end well. You know that Arthur. We gotta do somethin'."
"Let me think," Arthur said, frowning, "talking one of em round, may be possible, but both, that's gonna be a struggle."
"Well think fast, before one of 'em does somethin' stupid!" Micah snapped.
The following morning, just as the sun was rising, Dutch looked in on Casie, but the room was empty. He looked out the window, and saw Casie, already by the horses. He smiled to himself, wishing that the rest of the gang, could be as loyal as her. He left the room, and made his way downstairs, to join her.
As soon as Casie saw Dutch, walking across camp, she smiled. They always seemed to be on the same wavelength, especially just lately. Dutch, was carrying some saddlebags across his shoulder. She wondered how much of the money, that she had rescued, from Blackwater, they would actually need to find the whereabouts of Colm. She also wondered, if Colm, would have any idea, it was Dutch and her, who screwed his gang over. If Colm knew, then he would also know, that they would be coming for him. She hoped he didn't. She would love to see the look on his face, when they found him, and ended him.
Dutch put the saddlebag onto The Count, and they both mounted, their respective horses.
"Where do we start?" she asked.
Dutch smiled. "They worked mostly out of New Hanover, around Valentine, so we'll head their first. Someone, has got to know something."
They headed out of Shady Belle. Lenny was on guard duty. Dutch just waved, and yelled, "back later."
Once they were on the road, they pushed on hard. The sooner they started the hunt, the less chance of the trail going cold.
"Do you think the Pinkertons got them all? I mean his gang?" She asked Dutch, as they arrived on the outskirts of Valentine.
Dutch shook his head, "There were bound to be a few gang members out at the time, looking for scores. That's likely where he'll head. I'll have a word at the station first, a few bucks usually gets a fair amount of information. Only way those poor bastards make ends meet, the pittance that the railroad company pays 'em, then we'll check out any camps around Valentine."
Dutch hitched his horse at the station "Stay here Casie, I'll see what I can find out."
Casie nodded, and waited with the horses, while Dutch headed inside.
Dutch hung around inside the station, until there was no one else at the kiosk. He approached the Station Clerk. Leaning on the counter, he whispered. "I'm after a little information." He slid twenty dollars across the counter.
The station clerk looked around, to make sure no one was watching.
"What d'ya need?" He whispered.
"Colm O'Driscoll!" Dutch growled the name.
The colour drained from the station clerks face, and he swallowed hard.
"It's gonna cost you more than twenty dollars," he spluttered.
Dutch slid another two, twenty dollar bills across the counter.
"There's a camp, up on Calibans Seat, last I heard, he was hiding out up there. You didn't hear that from me though."
"Nice doing business with you." He smirked, as he headed out of the station.
Casie saw him smiling, as he walked out of the station.
"Well?" She asked, hopefully.
"He's camped up on Calibans Seat," he said, smiling, "lets go get the bastard."
He mounted, The Count, and the pair of them headed off, to finally give Colm O'Driscoll, what he deserved.
Arthur, sat on the side of his bed, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. The door to the room, burst open, and Micah stood there with a face, like thunder.
"What the hell do you want?" Arthur snapped. He hated people coming into his room uninvited.
"They've gone!" He growled, angrily.
"Who?" Arthur looked bemused.
"Who do you think, you fucking idiot, Dutch and Casie!" he yelled, as he rolled his eyes.
Arthur stood up, and looked out the window, towards where the horses were hitched. The two white Arabs, were no where to be seen.
"Fuck,"he grumbled, under his breath. "They've gone looking for Colm."
"Well don't just stand there, looking stupid, lets go after 'em," Micah yelled, heading towards the door.
Arthur sighed, "you think the pair of them, can't handle Colm?"
Micah shoved his hands in his pocket, "it's not that, you'll probably think I'm panicking, but...I think its a trap."
Arthur stared at Micah, and laughed, "oh, you're a fucking expert on traps now, are ya? The person, who never plans anything, just goes in, all guns blazing!"
Micah stuck his hands on his hips, "So you think its normal, that the newspaper, waits a week, to report the O'Driscoll gang, being taken out, eh?"
Arthur stopped laughing, "lets go talk to Josiah, you might have a point."
Arthur and Micah, found Josiah, getting ready to leave.
"Where are you going, Josiah?" Arthur asked.
"Just back to St. Denis, I have some business to attend to." He replied.
Arthur put his hand, on Josiah's shoulder. "It may have to wait, Micah thinks we may have a problem. Dutch and Casie, have gone. Looking for Colm, we think."
Josiah sighed. "That's not really a huge surprise, what's the problem?"
"Don't you find it a bit strange, that a big story, like the Pinkertons wiping out the O'Driscolls, took a week to reach the papers?" Micah asked.
Josiah frowned, "Now you mention it, yes. It shouldn't have taken more than a couple of days," Josiah paused, "unless..."
"Unless what?" Arthur asked.
Some of the colour, drained from the Englishman's face, "you better go and get Charles, we're going to need a good tracker. Because, if I'm not mistaken, Dutch and Casie, could be in grave danger."
Dutch and Casie, reached the base of Calibans Seat. There was no way that the horses, would make it to the top, so they would have to continue the journey on foot.
Dutch glanced up at the plateau, "You better stay here, with the horses."He said, to Casie.
Casie, scowled at him. "No way, I wanna see that bastard die."
Dutch sighed. "I don't want to put you in any more danger, Casie. Please, just stay here."
Casie shook her head "No, not this time Dutch, I love you, but he's hurt us both, in different ways, we should do this together."
"Ok, but you do exactly as I say," he cautioned, sternly.
Casie nodded. They both dismounted, and started the ascent, up to the top of Calibans Seat.
As they reach the plateau, they could see the small campsite ahead. Dutch motioned for Casie, to stay low.
Colm O'Driscoll, sat by the campfire, a solitary figure.
Dutch drew his gun, and Casie did the same.
Dutch pointed his gun at Colm O'Driscoll. "Turn around Colm, I wanna see your face, when I put a bullet in your head." He Growled
Colm O'Driscoll turned around, and grinned at Dutch, "I knew you'd come looking for me, you're so predictable."
He glanced at Casie. "And you brought, your little brat, with you!"
Casie, cocked the hammer, on her gun. "I'm still alive, no thanks to you."
She pointed the gun, at Colm O'Driscolls ankle, and pulled the trigger.
Colm O'Driscoll, stopped grinning, and growled in pain, as the bullet hit bone.
Casie and Dutch, heard the sound of a hammer click, "that'll do, you two, hands where we can see 'em!"
Casie and Dutch raised there hands, and turned round slowly. Three Pinkertons stood there, with guns aimed.
"On your knees!" The agent commanded.
Casie and Dutch, knelt, their hands still raised.
One of the agents, took the guns, which were still in their hands. Then proceeded to tie, there hands, behind their backs.
"My name is Agent Williams, of the Pinkerton Detective Agency. Dutch Van Der Linde, Casie Van Der Linde, You are being arrested for multiple murder and robbery."
Agent Williams, looked at one of the other Pinkertons, "Agent McGregor, go and deal with Mr O'Driscoll's injury, then tie him up."
He then looked at the other Agent, "Agent Miles, get the horses ready, we need to get these scumbags to St. Denis."