Arthur's Redemption [Red Dead Redemption 2]

Chapter 18: A Goddamn Rat!!

I'm a free man, maybe. I don't trust the Pinkertons to keep their word for long, and as soon as I can get west away from them, the better.

I'm going to gather Hosea, John's family, and anyone else who wants to go, and head west. We can find land, become ranchers. Live like decent folk, and not need to run anymore.

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Arthur turned down the lane to Shady Belle, a perfect alligator pelt strapped to Dakota's back, a smile on his face. "Who's there?" he heard from Sadie.

"Arthur!" he shouted back. "Glad to see you feel good enough to stand watch."

"They can't keep me down long. But Arthur, I should warn you, Micah's been talking to Dutch about you disappearing."

"What do you mean?"

"He says he saw you with Pinkertons. That true?"

"Long story," he sighed. "Come talk to me after you get off shift."

He slid off Dakota and pulled the pelt with him, carrying it to Mr. Pearson. "Ah, Mr. Morgan, you're back!" Pearson greeted.

"Think you can make something out of this? I've got the meat, too."

"We'll have alligator stew tonight! Thank you, Mr. Morgan." But any more conversation was quickly stopped by a shout from across the camp.

"ARTHUR!" Dutch stormed across the camp, a smug looking Micah trailing behind. "Where have you been?"

Arthur didn't miss the way both Dutch and Micah had their hands on their guns. "Up north helping a friend. Ran into some trouble, had to take the long way back. Why?"

"Then you want to tell me what you were doing with Pinkertons?"

The crowd gathered around them, and Arthur had no doubt that they had been subjected to days of ranting from Dutch and Micah's incorrect analysis of the situation. "Excuse me?"

"Micah saw you with them in Annesburg!"

"Well, did he leave out the part where I was hit over the head? Thanks for the rescue, by the way."

"Didn't seem like you needed it, cowpoke. Just strolled on out of there a free man, then disappeared. Where'd you go, Morgan?"

"You should know, if you were the one following me."

"Figured I would see you back at camp. You certainly took your time." Micah's right hand tightened around his revolver, the left moving to his second gun as well.

"I'm not stupid enough to lead Pinkertons back to camp! Any idiot who tried to follow me is probably still lost in the Grizzlies!"

Dutch, who got tired of observing the exchange, demanded answers. "What did they want?"

"You, of course."

"And what did you tell them?"

"Nothing."

"And they just let you go?" Dutch said, taking a step forward.

Arthur stood his ground. "I told them some information I learned from Colm, just before Sadie killed him. Colm had a deal with them, Dutch. He was going to get his bounty cleared if he brought you in. Probably would have gotten himself arrested, too, but that doesn't matter now. But I convinced the Pinkertons that y'all knew about it, and if I went missing, you would tell all the papers and the politicians that their lawmen can't make arrests with the help of even nastier outlaws. And that since I took care of Colm for them, and his bounty was much larger than mine, no one would confess their little secret if they let me go."