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Chapter 6 Pt.I

"Who the Hell is Leviticus Cornwall?"

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A few days later...

"- Camp Colter -"

"The few following weeks had been harsh, but the icicles that formed on the cabins began to melt, the snow became calm and so did the winds. It was early in the morning, sun was casting it's golden rays of warmth upon Colter. Grass and leaves began sprouting forth from their frosty prisons, it was the thaw that we've had hoped for."

"It's been the same for the gang, Dutch had been cooking up plans in his own little cabin as always. The rest of us were just doing nothing, I just did hunting on my own. Least we're fed, saved the pelts and skin, preserving them for selling. I decided to watch over John, seeing that Abigail doesn't even want to look at him. The cabin's nice and quiet, so I preferred that over the lot that bickered over each other, and something else..."

"I couldn't help myself but head to Adler's Ranch. It was a burned mess. Why did I go there? Perhaps it was some morbid curiosity - or perhaps it was the pity I had for the widow. Maybe it just reminded me too much of something that I didn't like every time I wake up to a woman's sobs. I found a frozen corpse within the wagon, and I knew. I took it back to camp late at night and gave her poor husband a proper burial. Only Lenny and Willow found out where I had been and why I was lurking outside near the gravesite. Willow had told Miss Adler about what I had done, not that I didn't want to be mentioned. I just felt like I had to."

"Hopefully, we can get off this damn mountain and get back on track. Doubt the Pinkertons or the O'Driscoll gang knows we're here. That is, until we do something foolish once again."

Tulip had closed her journal when she saw Arthur come into the cabin, Willow was lazing about, reading adventure books that Tulip had stolen from long ago.

He walked over to the man in the cloth, Reverend Swanson, who was looking over John. John had been bedridden the entire time ever since the incident with the wolves, he had bandages wrapped around his head. Jack was happy to see his Pa again, but was worried about him in his current state. His mother, Abigail, was always reassuring the boy, other times, Hosea or Arthur would comfort Jack. Willow would help cheer him up with her usual jokes and play with him. Something that everyone in the gang had appreciated, and it was Willow's bright, happy personality.

"I thought you was readin' him his last rites..." Arthur teased. "Now I see you're introducing him to your other passion."

"I'll mind you to show me some respect, Mr. Morgan." He walked away.

He shook his head with a slight smirk. "Mind away, Reverend." He looked to John, "You still here then?"

John shuffled in his bed, trying to get a comfy spot with the pillow. "I owe you."

"And you'll pay me, but for the moment, just rest." He sat to the wooden chair next to John's bed, the wooden floorboards yawning.

It was then a quick click of the door was being opened, "Arthur, Tulip."At the sound of Dutch's voice, Tulip stood up stretching. Arthur turned to him. "I think it's time for the train..."

"You want me to come?" John uttered.

"Course I do but... Look at you." Tulip eyed the rolled up paper in the leader's hand.

"I was always ugly, Dutch. It's just a scratch." John replied, trying to get up.

"Lie still, son." Tulip gently placed a hand on John chest, urging him to rest. "Hello, Abigail." His wife and son entered.

"Dutch." She addressed him. "The boy wanted to see you, John."

Tulip stepped aside, and Jack slowly stepped close to his father side. His face full of worry and fear, Tulip wanted to sigh at making his own son feel like this right after the Blackwater getup. "He's seen me now, or what's left of me... What about you?"

Abigail frowned, an unhappy retort ready to fly off of her mouth. "Guess I was hoping to see a corpse."

He chuckled. "Bide your time, you'll see plenty of 'em."

"You're a rotten man, John Marston." She scolded, then she and her son took off.

"He's an idiot Abigail, we all know it." Dutch added, flicking the brown paper to the side as she was exiting.

Willow was just silently watching the scene from the corner of her eye, while pretending to read her book. She'd loved to come in and join the game of scolding John, but she honestly felt sort of sorry for the bedridden man. Even Arthur didn't say anything when Abigail came in.

"Now, railway men..."

Dutch exited, Tulip patted Willow and tipped her hat as she followed behind Arthur. "Yep. Go blow 'em up." Tulip chuckled, she knew that Willow just wanted to see some fireworks. She had found out about the plan, or a small part of it, when they not only brought in Kieran, but a bag full of explosives.

"Bill, now you ride ahead and set the charge...at the watertower, just before the tunnel."

The sun greeted Tulip, she blinked at the sudden brightness of the camp and snow glowing. The main posse was probably ready and was waiting outside the camp for the heist.

"Ain't a problem." He unhitched his beloved horse, Brown Jack.

Tulip was heading to Sunny, slinging her Winchester to her back. Hosea walked over in a hurry, "Why are we doing this?" It seemed that he and Dutch had a disagreement. "Weather's breaking, we could leave." Tulip agreed silently. "I-I thought we was lying low."

While Tulip wanted action and knew the gang needed money, she was on his side. The Blackwater Massacre was still fresh in her mind, making her reconsider these past few days about Dutch's choice.

"Hyah, c'mon!" Bill wasted no time doing as he was ordered.

She climbed on Sunny, hooking her feet to the stirrups. "What do you want from me Hosea..." Dutch had irritation laced within his voice, Tulip watched, not liking that tone of his. Something her father had always taught her when she was young.

"I just don't want any more folks to die, Dutch." Hosea said with a risen voice, concerned. Tulip's thoughts went back to the people she had buried, and Willow's utter despair for them. She briefly looked down, her hat's brim covering her eyes.

"We're living, Hosea, we're living... Look at me, we're living... Even you." Hosea turned away, a frown tracing his face, wrinkles full of something that Tulip couldn't describe.

She hasn't seen Dutch and Hosea fight over something like this very often, she made a quick side glance to Arthur. They both exchanged looks.

"But we need money, everything we have is in Blackwater. You fancy headin' back there?"

"No." He sighed, "Listen, Dutch, I ain't trying to undermine you, I just..." They looked to Hosea, even if Tulip had a normal tongue, she wouldn't know what to say. "I just want to stick to the plan..." Dutch sighed and held back his remarks it seems, as he closed his eyes. She could tell it was an argument that had went on for a very long time. "Which was to lie low, and head back out west. Now suddenly, we're about to rob a train."

"What choice have we got?" He spoke low.

The senior member responded, his words carrying a heavy weight of seriousness and always having a sense of rationality. "Leviticus Cornwall's no joke, Dutch, he's..."

Arthur asked, while Tulip brushed her palomino Foxtrotter in silence. "Who is Leviticus Cornwall?"

"He's a big railway magnate, sugar dealer, oil man." Hosea explained.

Tulip not liking the sound of who they're dealing with. Big bags of money for taking? Sure. But having a richman like this Cornwall must have some army, and with the Pinkertons... She thought over carefully.

"Well how good for him." Dutch's voice brought her out of her mind, there was an underlying tone of greed in it. "Sounds like he has more than enough to share."

"Dutch!"

"Gentlemen, it is time to make something of ourselves." He called out as the members of the gang were running over their their horses, armed and dangerous. "Get your horses ready, we have a train to rob." He mounted the Count, the albino Arabian puffing out wisps of its cold breath around its snout.

Tulip, Arthur, and Hosea shared a moment to themselves in silence before preparing for their little trip.

Tulip watched Arthur's Tennessee Walker trot away, before she set off, Hosea spoke. "You be careful now, dear. Willow would want to see you return."

She nodded, then had her horse dash off as she heard Dutch's voice from afar. "Everyone ready?" She caught up to them. "Alright, let's head out!"

As they went out, the posse in a formation, she thought back to Hosea. There was something going on here that she didn't like, and with a farewell he gave as grave as that?

She could only hope...

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A/N : Things are about to set off and we're almost there to Eastward Bound, the mission that gives us the open world. The mission that I had skipped is "Outlaws From the West" with the shootout at Adler's Ranch and "Old Friends" where we fight the O'Driscolls again and find out their plan as well as take Kieran Duffy. An O'Driscoll! In Dutch's camp! Hoh, boahy.

And for those who played the game... They're goddarn dullards!

Published : Dec.15, 2018