New Hanover

“I remember that day James when you left!” “Oh really why?” “A week later the Pinkerton's came! We went into your territory but they didn’t heed your words, we tried to set up camp and your divisions started to shoot at us forcing us to retreat and Susan to get injured alongside Bill, Charles and Javier! The thing is when you ordered it Dutch didn’t expect your men to chase us further away and towards St Denis!” “We survived but not without the morale damage, you taught your people how to stealthily attack and we were **** to keep running North. When the bank job failed we knew it was the end! You may have remembered it!” Mary stated, “Mary...I was there with Charles protecting you remember?” “Sorry Yes! I forgot”

Flashback

It was a dark rainy Tuesday and to help Charles I paid his bounty off I had heard some bad news and rode on the way there, I was left a note from what looked like Sadie’s hand or possibly Tilly’s I never actually saw her write and track their location down started to immediately cover their tracks and lure them in the other direction before riding in the puddles to mask my scent as I rode into the camp. “James?” I nodded before hitching the horse immediately hugged Mary who thanked me, “What are you doing here?” Susan growled, “Mary sent an message under her pen name Betty into my secret name for emergencies John Wilkins. She asked for my help and from what I have seen you need it. You have two gunslingers! Where’s the others?” “They ran after Lenny was wounded and Hosea was shot dead they fled to a boat!” “Leaving everyone here?” “No just to lay low and come back!” “Looks like I need to stay then, I think for safety Pearson or me should go for supplies we don’t have any record and will look normal with a woman with us; Pearson you will take Tilly and carry only the limited amount of weapons, look normal and get in get out. I will take Mary because she is the only other one who isn’t known. Abigail you are known for the bank job, Sadie I won’t even bother listing them, Molly isn’t even here and Susan you are a known member! I will take Jack with us so we will go as an family” “What should the rest of us do?” “Abigail lay low, the others keep you movement down to the least they are probably looking for the men but we can’t be too sure, Pearson get the essentials, Charles climb the tree and keep vigilant!” he nodded and sitting down I immediately was joined by Mary who wrapping her arms around neck spoke, “It’s been a while!” “Too long! Thought about joining me?” “I have, just look at us now in a dirt hole with only a odd bed!” “Just share my bedding?” “You know I will!”

Weeks went back and then turned to months and they kept their heads down. Charles went out hunting to keep the meat supply up but eventually peace was breeched, Javier returned, “What you doing here?” “Keeping the women safe! I was invited here, now go back and cover your tracks!” he left to do it and sitting back into my seat, “Micah came back next to my growls but Mary’s hands pulling me to look away from him, “Look who crawled back!” “I could say that since you hid on a ship like a rat and crawled back!” “How do you know?” I grabbed the newspapers and dropping them spoke, “You are all over the media, you idiots... you are on the run and instead of waiting and lying low you are creating more noise!” “Under the noise we can escape!” “Really? With all this? The equipment, the civilians all of this? You are all stupid if you think that! To escape you need to be quick, mobile and carry the bare essentials!” “You aren’t needed here anymore you can go!” “I’ll wait for your actual leaders to come back then I will until then keep your gun holstered and keep watch over the river! I trust you to not duck this up because you are overlooking the river and see if any forces are coming or deputies, militia anything especially from St Denis, now go!” “You do it!” “No, you do it!” “Why should I? it’s your idea” “Micah do it!” Javier snapped, “You do it!” “I am overlooking the roads to the East, Charles the rest, James is trying to come up with a back up plan for us, he has done this before so let him think on it!” “Doubting Dutch is it?” “No but letting another looking at the situation could help us more than ever!” “It’s not looking good but Dutch’s idea could work in a fashion. As far as I see it the biggest problem is the Pinkleton’s they aren’t restricted by borders and have financed privately with only one goal that is you all at the end of the rope. We need to deal with them first, now killing every single one of them won’t help that will just make them send an militia out but an ambush could provide enough cover for everyone else to get to safety the other idea I had is you all raise hell and that will allow me enough time to get the game the others to safety. Three groups Susan and Pearson with Molly and her sister Kate leave and go West, Abigail and Jack will go with their maid Tilly and their financial advisor Strauss, West and Elizabeth then Mary, Sadie and me will go to my brotherhood and and try and organise passages for you all! The others will create another distraction which by the look of you all, you are good at that! I have a few other ideas but all revolve around you luring the attention away from the group and the others leaving!” “What about us?” “Charles is easy he can blend in with the local tribe, Javier jump back over the border and no one will notice! The rest is kind of hard.”

They returned separately next came Arthur whose main concern was the people who remained, “I owe you James, thanks for this!” “I protect the innocent and Abigail because Jacks needs his mother and I hope Lenny and Charles now join my brotherhood!” “And Mary-Beth of course!” “That’s different... I would gladly die for her, you not so much!” he laughed before handing him a beer bottle he spoke, “What mess we are in!” “You concern should be getting these people safe nothing else!” “You’re right of course! You were always right!” “You forget I work with some of these guys and yes we hate the Pinkleton’s with a passion but we know how they work, you will either finish off dead by gunshot or via hanging from a rope. You don’t stop the Pinkleton’s they stop you! Where’s the big man Dutch?” “Here I am! You are back!” “I came because I was asked to help so I came and now you are back, I am going back to my station and taking a long sleep and then I go back to my actual job...” I took Mary in my arms before kissing her spoke, “If you ever get fed up of them, come to me; I will protect you” “I know but trust me it will get better!” I handed her my hidden blade and putting it on spoke, “If Micah tries anything use it, I know you aren’t a fighter but you may need it, stay safe!”

End of Flashback

“Should have ran with me, I had: a house, Job, social standing even a dog named Hosea!” “Another time I regretted it!” “What’s the plan?” Sadie interrupted and looking over spoke, “Quietly helping them, Karen distract the guards with Mary, me and Sadie quietly take the guards out and set them free!” “Then what?” “We retreat to somewhere safe and plan the next step!” “Now Karen, you know what to do?” “Of course I do!” “Just lure them away an we will do the rest!” “I can fight to you know!” “Yes but we want stealth, I know Sadie can achieve that! Now let’s ride.”

“How many of them?” I studied through the binoculars before counting them spoke, “Two on the barn roof, two on the other warehouse, five patrolling the fields, one the mast and four guards. Alright girls do your thing. Karen smiled walking with her familiar sway Sadie spoke, “I can see why you slept with her!” “I hate myself for doing it was before Mary and me but I could see it still hurt her. Doesn’t matter anymore I failed to give you all a new life!” “There is still time for that! Now get your head in the game and let’s get Lenny and Tilly!” “Yes you’re right. You take those on the warehouse I will take the barn!” We snook up to the plantation and seeing the guards distracted by the women, we climbed over the fence before taking the guards nearest out and sneaking up to our targets climbed the ladders before stabbing them both through the chests I crept down before seeing someone had heard Sadie called him firing my bow before leaping down to air **** the next guard it was then when I saw Lenny working through the crops, “Psssttt!” he looked up and walking over I pulled him into the wheat before undoing the cuffs, “Take the bow and this knife and kill the others! I am going to get Tilly!” he smiled before nodding watched as I ventured forward and assassinating him pulled the body into the crops before searching for Tilly who carrying another crate in fell to the floor and crawling over to the grain the guard snapped, “Get up all be shot!” I looked over and seeing my face she smiled crawling closer to me I lined my shot up before firing and arrow over and signalling to Sadie and Lenny to take the guards currently distracted by the women out I used my bow to strangle the master of the plantation, “Lenny, Sadie Free the slaves and take the money, Karen help. Mary help me get Tilly back to camp!”