The Empress & The Gunslinger

Chapter 28 - Arthur Morgan, Cruel World

**MAJOR IN-GAME SPOILERS**

After his argument with Emily he kept away from her watching as the camp slowly began to fall apart, he knew the camp was coming to an end and it was all down to Micah. In those days away from Emily, Arthur had learnt that what Emily told him was in fact true and Dutch was involved in the whole thing. They were still trying to get to her money despite her having none with her but Micah was never a one for backing down and he would worm his way into anyone's mind to believe what he knew was fact. After informing John on what Emily had told him they both planned to clear out the camp as they knew fine well this was not going to end well. Once getting all the women and children out to safety John and Arthur decided to make their way back to camp to confront Micah and expose who and what he really was in front everyone who still stood there.

As the pair rode into camp it was awfully silent, nothing but the sound of Micah's voice bossing Miss Grimshaw around
"Get those bags packed Miss Grimshaw"
Miss Grimshaw seemed irritated by him "Well were doing our best" she replied to him
"Hurry, we don't have long" He ordered.
At that moment Arthur appeared "We just have plenty of time, Micah. We all need to have a little chat."
"Black lung, you're back" Micah responded as he turned to look at Arthur
Arthur climbed down from his horse and walked over to Dutch exposing everything he knew about Micah, even though Dutch was involved in most of it related to Emily. A heated discussion began between the groups which ended up with them all drawing their guns. Arthur and Miss Grimshaw pointing at Micah, Cleet and Joe and those three aiming their guns back at Arthur and Miss Grimshaw. They were then rudely interrupted by John who climbed off his horse to back up Arthur, exposing the fact that Dutch had left John to die during their last job which no one knew about. Dutch approached John trying to lie his way out of his reasons for doing what he did. Arthur wasn't having any of it.
"All of you, you pick your side now because this is over. All of them years Dutch... for this snake" Arthur said
"Oh be quiet cowpoke. You live in the clouds" Micah responded
"No, you be quiet, Mr Bell and put down your gun" Miss Grimshaw replied.
Javier suddenly ran into the camp warning them all that the Pinkertons were on their way. Miss Grimshaw let her guard down for a brief second when Micah pulled the trigger on his gun and shot her in the chest. She yelled, dropping her gun before dropping to the ground, Arthur looked on in shock. As Miss Grimshaw lay on the floor screaming in pain Dutch pulled out his guns and pointed them at Micah and Arthur
"Now... Who is with me...and who is betraying me?" he asked.
John moved alongside Arthur while Bill and Javier moved over to Dutch with Micah, Cleet and Joe, leaving Arthur and John on one side. From behind Dutch heard a voice that could be heard shouting "Put your guns down" with Pinkertons riding into camp, armed and without warning began to open fire on them all causing Dutch, Micah, Bill, Javier, Cleet and Joe to flee in different directions leaving Arthur and John to fire back at those who fired towards them.

The pair began to get overwhelmed by the amountof Pinkertons riding into the camp firing at them. John took Arthur and showedhim a way out through the cave behind them. The pinkertons followed them intothe cave firing at every chance they got. The lack of air became a problem forArthur as he began to cough heavily, gasping for air. Eventually the pair cameout at the other side and mounted their horses only to find Dutch, Micah, Cleetand Joe charging towards them, Micah firing his gun at the pair. They bothtried to escape but as they got further down the path Pinkertons began toappear from trees also firing at them. They quickly darted off into the riverand across the other side. The Pinkertons had the road blocked off; Arthurpulled out his gun and began to fire at the men standing in their way.Realising they weren't going through that way they turned around on theirhorses and went in the opposite direction. At that point it seemed impossibleto evade the Pinkertons as they just kept appearing from every angle but bothArthur and John continued to fight their way through them. As they rode up asmall cliff a bullet pierced through Arthur's horse knocking Arthur down to theground. Arthur rolled over onto his front and got to his feet when he realisedhis horse had been injured.
"Aww no" He said as he ran up to John and began shooting at everyone in hissights. After the area was clear he ran down to his horse, Black Sparrow whowas still lying on the ground. He kneeled by his horse placing his hand on theside of his horses cheek, the other stroking his nose, John tried to urgeArthur to get a move on but Arthur couldn't leave his horse like this withoutsaying goodbye
"Yeah...thank you" he whispered to his horse, still stroking him, his horseslowly closed his eyes and finally stopped breathing. John urged Arthur to pushon once again, which he did, getting to his feet he looked at John who wasdesperate to get back to his family safe and without hesitation Arthur wantedto help him get back to Abigail and Jack
"I'm coming with you... I'm going to get you out of this bullshit... if it'sthe last goddamn thing i do"
Arthur marched towards John and the pair climbed the cliff side. By this pointmore Pinkertons began to invade them and the only way out of this was to climbthe Cliffside and get to higher ground. As the pair ran higher up the cliffthey were finding pinkertons were closing in on them fast and they began toclimb even higher, the Pinkertons shooting at them as they climbed. Theyeventually took cover behind a rock and began to shoot at the Pinkertons, killingthose who shot at them. Once they were in the clear they began to climb evenhigher up the cliff. With John wounded and Arthur completely out of the breaththe pair had to stop. Arthur placed his hands above his knees and bent over,struggling to catch his breath whilst John was trying to push him to keep going
"You go..." Arthur said
"Keep pushing, Arthur" John was determined to get him out of here alive.
Still unable to get his breath and bent over Arthur managed to speak "No..." Hethen began to cough, bringing up blood as he did. John stood by him
"No...I think I've pushed all I can" He added
John sighed and looked at Arthur "Come on"
"You go" Arthur insisted
John got closer to Arthur "We ain't got time for this, not now"
Arthur took off his hat "We ain't both gonna make it. Go... Now...I'll holdthem off" Arthur placed his hat on John's head "It would mean a lot tome...please. There ain't no more time for talk" Arthur removed his satchel andhanded it over to John. "Go" Arthur urged.
"Arthur..."
"Go... go to your family"
"Arthur!" John shouted
"Get the hell out of here and be a goddamn man" Arthur shouted back. He thenbegan to climb the cliff a little more.
"You're my brother..." John said as he looked up at Arthur
Arthur stopped and turned around to look back at John "I know...I know" He thenturned back and continued to climb his way back up the cliff, John finallyleaving him. Arthur tried to fight off who he could, killing anyone who ran upthe cliff. Suddenly Micah ran up from behind, grabbing him and pushing themboth off onto the cliff side below them. Arthur knew deep down this was goingto be it and it pained him to know that the last time he saw Emily was whenthey were fighting. He felt that she was better off without him; she deservedthe good life that she had before she came out here. Part of him wished henever met her but part of him was joyful to have met her because she brought somuch love into his life. She made him love again when he thought he nevercould.