No Time To Die- ARTHURMORGAN x O/C

part 35- Jailbreak

                    As they reach the outskirts of Saint Denis, the gas lamp lights flicker like stars against the backdrop of the night sky. The city, usually bustling with life, now feels ominously quiet, shadowing by the looming threat of the law. They dismount and tie their horses in a quiet alley, whispering a plan as they approach the sheriff's office.
"There's no way we can just waltz in there," Charles says, scanning the interior from a hidden vantage point. "The place is bound to be crawling with deputies on alert, especially after they caught Claudia."
Arthur nods in agreement, considering the layout. "We need a distraction to draw them out or pull their attention away from the entrance."
After a moment of contemplation, Charles's eyes lit up. "I'll draw the guards to the eastern side of the building. When they go to investigate, you'll head in through the back entrance."
Arthur purses his lips, weighing the risks involved. "You'll be putting yourself directly in their line of sight, Charles."
"I know what I'm doing," Charles replies. "Let me take care of this."
"Alright," Arthur says, steeling himself. "Just be safe. We'll figure the rest out once I've got Claudia."
With a share understanding, they position themselves outside the sheriff's office, waiting for the opportunity. As the clock strikes ten, the city was shrouds in a thick blanket of silence breaking only by the faint rustling of leaves in the breeze. Charles makes his move, heading towards the eastern side of the building.
With courage surging in him, he picks up a crate off the floor and throw it against a nearby barrel. The sound echos loudly, and almost immediately, two deputies emerge from the office, exchanging wary glances. "What was that? Go check it out!"
As they hurry away, Arthur seizes the moment. He creeps towards the back entrance, heart pounding as he reaches for the door, praying that it isn't locked. It creaks open, granting him entry into the dimly lit interior of the sheriff's office.
The sight that greets him is one he'd feared—rusty steel bars standing sentinel over the holding cell, his heart sinks as he spots her.
Claudia sits on a wooden bench, head bowed, her hands still bound in front of her. The flickering candlelight casting shadows over her features, illuminating her face.
"Claudia," Arthur whispers urgently, stepping lightly into the cell.
Her head shot up, eyes wide with shock and recognition. "Arthur?" She looks incredulous, as if she couldn't believe he is really there.
"I'm here to get you out," he says quickly, scanning the room. "Let me see if I can get these cuffs off."
"Be careful," she murmurs, glancing over her shoulder nervously. "They'll be back any second."
Arthur moves closer, kneeling in front of her and examining the cuffs that bound her wrists. "How did they get you?" he asks, his voice low as he focusing on the metal bindings.
"The bounty hunters," Claudia whispered, her voice trembling. "I was drunk, they caught me riding. I was so pissed, I couldn't even hold my gun up to shoot back, so they got me and now I'm here." She paused for a moment, the fear etched on her face morphing into gratitude. "You should have left me, they are taking me first thing in the morning. Not going to lie, I didn't think anyone would come for me."
"Of course I would," Arthur replies determinedly as he fumbles with the clasp. Finally, with a decisive twist and a firm pull, the cuffs snap open, Claudia's wrists sprang free. "Now let's get you out of here."
" I thought you were dead," she rubs her sore wrists, then glances nervously towards the door. "What about the guards?"
"They're preoccupied," he assures her, gesturing towards the barricaded cell door. "Charles is keeping them busy out front, but we need to move fast."
Claudia nods, rising hesitantly to her feet and casting a glance back towards the door. Arthur leads the way, his heart racing as he opens the cell door, stepping out cautiously.
They creep through the dimly lit corridor, tense while focusing. With every step they take, Arthur could feel the adrenaline coursing through him. They need to get back to the exit without drawing attention.
Suddenly, the sound of footsteps approaches, and Arthur's breath catches in his throat. He turns to Claudia, urgency filling his gaze. "Quick, hide!"
They duck behind a nearby stack of crates as a pair of deputies strolled past, their voices low but audible.
"Did you hear there's a jailbreak? Someone's broken in here," one says.
"Yeah, tight security, huh? Bet it's that outlaw Jenkins again," the other joke, laughing. "They say she's facing the gallows tomorrow."
Arthur feels a surge of anger at their words but he holds his tongue, knowing this wasn't the time to act recklessly. As the deputies continue down the hall, he leans slightly closer to Claudia, whispering fervently, "We have to get out of here, now."
They take advantage of the momentary distraction as the two deputies move further away, Arthur leads Claudia towards the side door leading outside.
As they step into the cool night air, they pause to assess the situation. Charles is still causing a ruckus up front, but it won't take long before someone realises that the distraction has been just that—a distraction.
"Where's Charles?" Claudia asks, her brows furrow with concern.
"Hopefully still keeping their attention," Arthur replies, scanning the surrounding area for signs of Charles. "We can't wait around to find out. Let's move."
They slip into the shadows, their footsteps quiet against the cobblestone streets. Arthur instinctively reaches for his gun, ready for any trouble that may come their way. They creep along the edge of a building, heartbeats racing, adrenaline pumping.
Suddenly, a loud shout breaks through the night. "Hey! Stop right there!"
Arthur's heart drops. It's a deputy, moving quickly towards them from down the street. He glances at Claudia. "Run!"
They dart down an alley, adrenaline driving them as they manoeuvre through tight spaces. Arthur's mind races, strategizing their next move as the sounds of commotion echo around them.
"Over here!" Claudia shouts, leading the way as she spots a side exit leading onto a quieter street. The two slip out into the open, but the sound of pursuing footsteps draw closer.
"We need a diversion," Arthur pants, glancing back over his shoulder. "Think, it can't be far!"
"There!" Claudia points towards a stack of crates beside a nearby building. "We can use those!"
They rushes toward the crates, quickly shoving them over to block the path behind them. Just as they did, two deputies appear, nearly catching up before slamming into the makeshift barricade. The sound echoes through the night as they scramble to regain their footing.
"It won't hold for long!" Arthur yells. "This way!"
Claudia leads them further down the street, urgency flowing through her limbs as they turn one corner after another. They finally spot Charles, standing behind a human barricade of his own with three deputies pinning down by his gunfire.
"Get down!" he yells, catching sight of them. "I'll hold them off!"
"Charles, you need to come with us!" Arthur shouts, but Charles shakes his head.
"Go! I'll buy you time!"
The sounds of more lawmen arriving from a distance causes Arthur's heart to race. "We can't leave you!" he calls out, glancing back at Claudia, who still bore the remnants of her fear.
"Just go! I will meet you back at camp!" Charles insists, and he opens fire at the oncoming deputies.
Without another word, Arthur grabs Claudia's wrist and pulls her away, leading her through another side alley as gunfire erupts behind them. They hurry through the back streets, skillfully navigating until the sounds of chaos fades into the background.
Eventually, the two find themselves at the outskirts of the city. The city lights fading behind them, replacing by the comforting embrace of cool night air and the darkness of the swamps ahead.
"Where do we go from here?" Claudia gasps, panting heavily as they pause to catch their breath.
"We need to get back to camp," Arthur replies, scanning the muggy area ahead. "By the way, Dutch didn't want us to get you. So I don't think you will be getting a happy arrival back."