The tracks out of Shady Belle, were relatively fresh. Charles guessed, that Dutch and Casie weren't expecting to be tracked, as the tracks were on the main roads. The fact that there were very few Arab horses, made Charles life a lot easier.
Charles led the way, closely followed by Arthur, Micah and Josiah. Micah and Arthur, had tried to persuade Josiah to stay behind. Stating that he would be next to useless in a gunfight, and would just get in the way. But, Josiah put his foot down, and insisted that he would join them. He felt partly responsible, as he hadn't picked up on the fact that the newspaper report, was likely fake.
What made it worse, was that Micah, was the one that had picked up on it. Josiah, didn't think, Micah was particularly the sharpest tool, in the box. Now he thought he might have misjudged the outlaw.
"Why are you so worried?" Arthur asked, Josiah.
Micah rolled his eyes, thinking that Arthur could really be stupid sometimes.
"I believe, that as Micah thought, this newspaper report is fake." The Englishman responded.
"Fake!" Arthur exclaimed, "But the Pinkertons left Blackwater, and headed in the direction of the Ranch!"
"Not that bit, you idiot," Micah groaned, "the bit about Colm O'Driscoll, getting away."
Arthur frowned, not really understanding what either man was going on about.
Josiah, looked at Arthur's face, and sighed. "The Pinkertons, likely captured Colm, and made some sort of deal with him, so that they could capture Dutch. Capturing Casie, will just be a bonus."
"Oh shit!", Arthur groaned, the realisation of the situation, suddenly dawning on him.
"Fucking finally," Micah said, as he rolled his eyes.
Charles said nothing, concentrating on tracking the two horses.
Charles tracked Dutch and Casie, to Valentine station.
"They stopped here, then left. We can either continue tracking them, or find out why they stopped here."
Josiah dismounted. "Let me see if I can find out anything. If we know where they went, then it will save time."
Micah dismounted, and started to follow Josiah.
"No Micah, I think its best if I make enquiries, without any assistance from you." Josiah added, hoping that Micah would stay put.
Micah scowled, "Your powers of persuasion, ain't gonna be that great, in this case." He put his hand to his holster, "we need the information fast, not this time next week."
Josiah nodded, knowing that Micah, wouldn't back down. He headed into the station, with Micah, following on his heels.
Josiah, walked up to the station clerk. "Excuse me, but I'm looking for a gentleman, I believe he came in here asking for information, Black hair, smartly dressed?"
Colour drained from the station clerk's face. "N..no.." he stuttered, panic in his voice.
Micah pushed Josiah out of the way, and pointed his gun at the man. "Talk...or die, your choice." he growled.
The clerk raised his hands "N..no, pl..please, he was looking for Colm O'Driscoll, some government people told me, if he asked, to tell him to go to Calibans seat."
Micah, holstered his gun, he really wanted to shoot the man, but he knew that finding Casie, and Dutch, was more important.
He hurried out of the station, closely followed by Josiah.
Once the Pinkerton agent had finished bandaging Colm O'Driscoll's foot, he hog-tied him and stowed him on the back of one of the horses.
"Hey, what about my deal?" He growled.
Agent Williams laughed. "You really thought you had a deal, you're more stupid than you look," he looked at the other two agents. "Get those two stowed as well, we need to head out."
Agent McGregor, shoved Dutch to the ground, and tied his ankles, then man-handled him onto the back of one of the horses. Dutch grunted as his stomach his the back of the horse.
The agent laughed, "This is probably a first for you, Van Der Linde!"
He walked back to Casie, and grabbed hold of her, and pushed her to the floor. As he did, her shirt, lifted slightly, to reveal the scars on her back.
"What the fuck!" The agent exclaimed.
"Is there a problem, Mr. McGregor?" Agent Williams, snarled, as he walked across to where Casie lay.
Agent McGregor, pointed at the new scars on Casie's back.
Agent Williams, stared at her back. He grabbed hold of the base of her shirt and lifted it, to reveal more, of her back, and the scars, left behind by Colm O'Driscoll.
Casie winced, not because they hurt any more, but because, she didn't really want anyone seeing the scars on her back.
Agent Williams, grabbed Casie, roughly by her shoulders, and stood her up. "Who did this?"
Casie, nodded over to where Colm O'Driscoll lay over the back of the agents horse. "He kidnapped me, and beat me half to death," she snarled, "I wish I'd shot him in the head!" She spat.
"Sorry kid, you're still wanted, so I'm gonna have to take you in." He concluded, then looked at Agent McGregor, "Tie her up, and stow her on the back of my horse."
He walked over to where Colm O'Driscoll lay on the other agents horse. He took out his revolver, and smashed the grip, into the outlaw's jaw. Knocking him out cold.
"Ok Gentlemen, lets go, we'll layover in Valentine tonight, until the transport wagon arrives, tomorrow."
Micah, mounted Baylock, "They went to Calibans Seat, its a setup, Pinkertons." he scowled.
Josiah mounted his horse, "May I suggest caution, gentlemen. We don't know how many Pinkertons..."
Before Josiah, had a chance to finish what he was saying, a young lad came running towards the station yelling "They've caught 'em! They've caught 'em!"
"Hey kid," Micah yelled, "Who have they caught?"
The boy stopped to catch his breath, "The Pinkertons are in Valentine, 'n' they've captured Colm O'Driscoll, and Dutch Van Der Linde, they're in Valentine jail house. I gotta send word to St. Denis." The boy ran past, and headed into the station.
Arthur looked at the station, then back towards Valentine. "Guess they're gonna transport 'em tomorrow, which means we gotta break 'em out tonight." He said.
After the short ride, from Calibans Seat, the Pinkerton agents, arrived at the Valentine Jail. Agent Williams, walked into the jail, leaving his two agents, looking after their precious cargo.
"Good morning, Sheriff, my name is Agent Williams of the Pinkerton Detective Agency."
The Sheriff, looked up from his newspaper. "How can I help you." he asked.
"I have in my custody, Dutch Van Der Linde, his daughter, and Colm O'Driscoll. Transport should be arriving tomorrow, we would like to use your facilities overnight."
The sheriff, dropped his newspaper, and peered out the window. "We're a small town, Agent Williams, we only have two cells." He added, slightly panicked.
Agent Williams smiled. "Two will be fine, we'll put the Van der Lindes in one, and O'Driscoll in the other. My men, and myself will guard them tonight."
The sheriff handed the cell keys, to the Agent. "If you need any assistance, from myself or my deputies, we'll be in the saloon."
The sheriff left the jail house, leaving Agent Williams in charge. He opened the cells, which were currently empty. He checked the rear door, to make sure it was secure, then opened the main door of the jail house. "Bring them in." He ordered, the other agents.
One of the Agents, bought in Colm O'Driscoll, first. He was dropped on the floor of the first cell, and untied. The agent the closed the cell door, and Agent Williams locked it. He returned outside, and brought Casie in, whilst the other agent, carried in Dutch. They were both dumped on the floor of the second cell and untied. One of the agents, chucked in a bedroll, before locking the door, as the cell only had one bed.
Agent Williams barked orders and the other agents. "McGregor, take the front door, Miles take the rear door. I'll stay here and guard the prisoners."
Colm O'Driscoll, dragged himself to the bed. The ankle which Casie had shot, was pretty much shattered. He gave her a filthy look, as he laid on the bed. Casie, smirked at him, pleased with her handy work.
Dutch smiled at Casie's smirking face. "I'm sorry, Casie. It didn't go quite according to plan." He put his arm around her shoulder.
She rested her head on his chest."If I'm gonna go down, then I'm glad its with you."
Dutch squeezed Casie's shoulder "It ain't over yet." He whispered, so that Agent Williams, couldn't hear.
The four men waited, until the sun set, and headed towards the centre of Valentine.
"Charles, Josiah, see what you can find out, and meet us back at the hotel." Arthur suggested, as he clapped Micah on the shoulder, guiding him away, from any eyes, that might recognise them.
Arthur and Micah, were careful to avoid the jail house, and any Pinkerton agents. Josiah, walked past the Jail house, in a nonchalant manner, and carefully scanned outside and inside, without drawing any undue attention.
Charles, entered the saloon, and listened to the bar-room gossip. One of the deputies, had a few too many drinks, and was telling, anyone who was prepared to listen, about the Pinkertons, and their prisoners.
After about an hour, Charles, headed back to the hotel. Josiah was already there, talking to Arthur and Micah.
"Charles, what did you find out?" Arthur asked him.
Charles smiled, "the deputy, sure has a loose tongue, when he's had a few whiskies. Three Agents, one out front, one out back, one inside. O'Driscoll in one cell, Casie and Dutch in the other. Also it seems like Casie, shot Colm in the ankle, foot is pretty useless. Agents didn't want help from the local law."
Josiah nodded. "I saw the same, but also, Casie and Dutch are in the cell nearest the back."
"So, we can go in hard, or dynamite the back wall." Micah suggested.
Arthur rolled his eyes, "No, too dangerous on both counts. If we blast the wall, they might get injured. If we go in guns blazing, then the agent inside, might shoot them. We need to do this quietly."
Charles smiled. "I have some poisoned throwing knives. I can take out the agent out the back, silently, and the one out front."
Arthur nodded. "What about the agent inside?"
"Coax him out the back door, when he opens the back door, one of you go in the front, and take him from behind." Charles suggested.
The men all nodded in agreement. Charles, gave Arthur some of the poisoned knives, and he headed towards the front.
Charles, headed to the rear of the jail house, The darkness, was in his favour. The light from the jail house illuminating the agent at the door. He threw the poisoned knife, and the agent, dropped to the ground with a thud. In the meantime, Arthur, had gone round the front, and threw a knife, at the other agent, without being seen. He also fell to the ground.
Micah stood at the back door of the jail. "Hey Pinkerton," he yelled. "You better get out here now!"
Agent Williams jumped out of the sheriffs seat, "MacGregor, Miles, get in here." He yelled.
His command was met with silence.
He drew his gun, and pointed it at Casie. "You, girl, get over here," he unlocked the cell door, and Casie walked towards him. As soon as she was out of the cell, he slammed the cell door closed, and locked it.
Agent Williams, grabbed Casie, in a rear armlock, and held his revolver to her head. He pushed her towards the back door.
"Open the door." He commanded, tightening the armlock, causing her to squeal, as the tendons in her arm, were stretched.
Dutch immediately stood up, and went to the bars of the cell," hey, cut that out," he growled at the agent.
The agent glanced at Dutch, "Your in no position to make demands," he sneered, and forced Casie's arm, once again. This time she cried out, in pain.
"You bastard," Dutch snarled.
Casie, quickly reached out with her other hand, and opened the door.
Agent Williams came face to face, with Micah Bell, who was pointing a gun directly at the agent.
"Mr Bell, I wouldn't try anything, or this young lady, will have her brains blown to hell, which is probably where they belong," he snarled. "Now drop your gun."
Micah, immediately put his gun down, on the ground. "Now, what?" he grunted, loudly.
Arthur opened the front door of the jail house, silently. Any noise, muffled by Micah's loud voice.
Seeing the scene before him, he knew that throwing the knife was a risk. But, also knowing the poison effect, was virtually instant, he threw the knife at the agent. Hoping with all his heart, that the Pinkerton agent, wouldn't have a chance to react. If he did, then it would mean the end for Casie.